Issue 11 by The Amherst Student

We dne sday, D e ce m be r  ,    

Volume CXLI No. 

Eisen ’12 responds to Hu ’12 on environmentalism OPINION

Chi ’15 discusses National Novel Writing Month ARTS & LIVING

Amherst, Massachusetts

Web: amherststudent.amherst.edu

Men’s basketball cruises to three victories SPORTS Twitter: @AmherstStudent

College Joins Team Amit Alissa Rothman ’15 Managing News Editor

AAS Will Upload Budgets to Increase Transparency Ethan Corey ’15 Staff Writer

agnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Four days later, he started treatment. Gupta

In an effort to increase transparency between the Amherst Association of Students (AAS) and the College community, the AAS is working to move more of its budget information online, making it more open and accessible to the public. Each year, the AAS manages a budget of over $800,000 paid for by the $250 Student Activities Fee included in each student’s tuition. The AAS treasurer, with the help of a staff of clerks,

erage rate of being alive and in remission without a transplant. With a bone marrow transplant, however, the cure rate doubled. That is when the problems arose. Gupta is of South Asian descent, so he is most likely to match with others of South Asian decent. The problem is that

countant and an independent auditor. While this information is stored on AAS servers, much of it is not available to the College community except upon request.

ed in the National Marrow Donor Program registry. Currently, there are only 160,000 South Asians in the registry. In fact, Gupta Photo courtesy of Erin Sparling

perfect match. Faced with this almost insurmountable challenge, Gupta did what he does best and immediately started blogging his request ing the word through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. “Amit is an Internet entrepreneur who has dedicated himself to bringing people together online, and in the process has tive projects including Photojojo, Jelly and should come together online to help him,” said Joshua Garnder, Gupta’s friend since

Amit Gupta ’02 was recently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. high school who has helped put together several events for Gupta’s cause. “He is one of the best, kindest, most creative, and Gupta’s friends, including over 20 Amherst alumni, and family quickly took up the cause, hosting marrow drives to help increase the amount of South Asians, sians, into the registry. From the website amitguptaneedsyou.com and some Google groups, Team Amit began hosting drives. Drives have occurred at Google, Amazon

and other technical companies in the West, as well as at temples in New York and at and Tufts. “I think there have been eight or nine

tee website. After the format of the College website switched to the CMS format that it currently uses, the AAS stopped posting semesterly budget summaries.

including budget spreadsheets from the past,” said Peter Tang ing back, it was likely that I honestly forgot to include my full

said. Even in places as far as Australia and India, people who have never met Gupta responded to his cause and organized drives. See College, page 3

Faculty Examine Accreditation Change

at the end of the year — the priorities at the end of the year are and get those records to our external, independent auditor. We dated club budgets and discretionary fund allocations, since that was what most students needed to access and track their funds.” Diwa Cody ’14, the current AAS treasurer, is now working to move the full budgets back online for the public to access and believes they will be ready by the spring. “This absence of data was not intentional but rather a product of forgetfulness in the face of the numerous other responsibilities

about whom, if not the whole department, interprets the evidence,

Amro El-Adle ’13 Editor-in-Chief

Cody said. “Now that it has been brought to the attention of the mented. the budget records section of the website within a reasonable

At the start of their last meeting of the semester, the faculty took a moment to acknowledge Professors Richard Goldsby and respectively, who are both retiring at the end of the semester after distinguished and lengthy careers.

mented, given that the College’s open curriculum is unique. College housing also came up at the meeting, as the faculty

2012.” compile the missing information in a manner that is accessible

creditation demands of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which is one of six regional associations home at 80 percent of its appraised value and resell it at 80 percent of its appraised value upon retirement. Tenured faculty are also permitted to take out second mortgages with help from the school.

their accreditation. tion and faculty earlier this year, reiterated that the NEASC simply swer that question by asking each school to spell out its learning to ensure that the goals are eventually met. Given the costs of an tion is particularly poignant. Each department will be asked to digitally publish its learning goals. Moreover, the NEASC wants direct and indirect evidence hensive exams, honor theses and student portfolios, but not GPA, while indirect evidence includes alumni and student surveys, data about the percentage of students who go on to graduate schools

site so that all data is available in its entirety. However, this is a lengthy process and given our focus on preparing for the next

chased, since it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to recoup all of their expenses. One suggested proposal would have professors purchase only the house from the College, and lease the land it sits on, which would help defray the costs of owning a home. The increased ranks of the faculty, and the expected hiring surge, have also put a strain on the rental units that are currently

cause of the sheer volume of data and the clerical effort required. The AAS apologizes for any inconvenience caused, but asks that the time required for this process be respected. This endeavor to create a more transparent and easily accessible website cannot be any student needs to examine older budgets.” dent body, and the College community as a whole, understand how AAS funds are spent. For example, although the budget nizations and programs, such as TYPO and the Senate Special Projects Fund, did not spend the money that they were allocated, this was not the case.

next summer.

ter, so it’s likely accounted for in the following semester’s and

weeks to further investigate the details of these proposals before regulate. Departments are also expected to provide information

The independent newspaper of Amherst College since .

See Budgets, page 3

Page 

The Amherst Student, December , 

Amherst Splash Washes Over Campus School, saw Splash as an opportunity to do something inter esting with his Saturday. He also encouraged his classmate

Darrian Kelly ’15 Managing News Editor

courses offered at his high school, Meyers looked forward to Splash landed on the College’s campus this past Saturday, inviting middle and high school students to a day of unique classes with a curriculum created and taught by undergradu ates. The College is among the dozens of institutions across the nation to host the program.

is part of the national education reform movement. Attendees dents from charter, public and private schools throughout the Pioneer Valley. During Splash, students attended classes not typically offered as part of their secondary education. Among the 15 classes were How to Make Money, How to Choose the Next American President, Harry Potter, Mastering Comedic Impres sions and How to Make Sushi. Cal Churchill, a student from Amherst Regional High

the event. for the lack of an education major at the College, Fragoso explained. With discussions known as Fireside Chats, the orga nization invites notable individuals in education to speak at the

designed by Nicholas Neisser ’14. Teacher Corps (MSTC), has been involved in these discus Splash because not only are they exposed to learning in a col lege setting, but they also get to experience what they enjoy about arts, humanities and life in an academic environment,” said Crystal Yan ’14. Splash arrived at the College through the efforts of Yan.

tions Director from the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). because it folds the principles discussed in Fireside Chats into both a sociological and an academic context. academically involved with the local community. With the

munity event to the College. With some direction from the Center of Community Engagement, Yan integrated the national program into the College’s community involvement. Daniel

“Amherst students get to have their own curriculum and their own class, and they get to teach what they’re passionate about,” Yan said. The Amherst students involved attended teacher training a week prior to the event. “I always knew that a teacher should be engaging and enthusiastic, and I assumed that I already was,” said Christian

Fragoso would like to double the amount of Splash teach ers next semester, including more students from the math and science departments. “To try out teaching, you get to see how hard it is to guide discussion and how much work goes into creating a good learning environment,” Fragoso said. “It’s an awesome op at it.” Aviles believes the national media unfairly portrays the high school he attended, Roosevelt High School, as a failing institution, calling attention to his class graduation rate. “There is hope in the individuals that make education hap are dropping out at an alarming rate, or that test scores are dropping, or that American students are falling behind. Teach ers are what helped students like me get to where we are today, despite adversities or the negative portrayal of the media. And I wanted to be that teacher for an individual.” Although the event had more than 50 students, Fragoso could have accommodated an additional 40 students at the event. “I would love to have more students from Holyoke and Photo by Alissa Rothman ’15

Sam Meyers (right) of Amherst Regional High School engages in discussion during the first Amherst Splash event, produced by the EDU. At the event, middle and high school students attended unique classes they would not normally take.

lish more partnerships with schools in the area.”

THE CAMPUS CRIME LOG Entries from Nov. 28, 2011 to Dec. 4, 2011 Nov. 28, 2011 9:22 a.m., South Dormitory

11:34 p.m., Appleton Dormitory

11:54 a.m., Orr Lot car parked in the Orr Rink lot. The

and found it was activated by dust. The system was reset.

people preparing to leave for the evening.

5:29 p.m., James

10:03 a.m., Hamilton House A resident reported the theft of a ring she left in a restroom about a week ago. The ring is valued at $800. Case open.

11:58 p.m, Campus Grounds

complaint. Assistance was provided.

underage student with alcohol. It was disposed of.

Dec. 4, 2011 12:06 a.m., Stone Dormitory

Dec 3, 2011 12:37 a.m., Alumni Gym Student security requested assis tance with an unruly person during the fall concert. Assistance was pro vided.

vandalism to a entry door. Facilities was contacted.

Dec. 2, 2011 3:28 a.m, Garman Lot who were found sleeping in a vehi cle parked in the Garman lot. They were sent on their way because they had no reason to be on College property. 2:51 p.m., James Dormitory

1:15 a.m., Orr Rink

12:22 a.m., Moore Dormitory 3:35 a.m., Social Quad sued a warning to a resident who was playing music loudly.

ers were discharged in the basement for no reason. The system was reset. Stone. the alarm and $200 for tampering

ing in a suspicious manner behind the building. After identifying them, they were sent on their way.

of loud music, but none was located. 3:56 a.m., Off-Campus Location

12:27 a.m., Hitchcock House

5:03 a.m., Stearns Dormitory

plaint and shut down an unauthor ized party of approximately 250 people.

1:10 a.m., Hamilton

1:02 a.m., Garman House

as having smoked in the room. They

5:36 p.m, Converse Lot complaint from the bus company. Assistance was provided.

vandalized in a stairway. Facilities

9:29 p.m., James town police with a disturbance at a College Street residence. Six people were arrested.

call from an elevator alarm but found no problem.

The Amherst Student, December , 

College Hosts Marrow Drive

Page 

Thoughts on Theses

Continued from page 1

Cathleen Villapudua ’12 amount of time the event went on and the limited publicity they got out.

ple in cities all over India,” said Noah Winer ’01, Gupta’s sophomore year

ple from diverse backgrounds, not just South Asians,” Joshi said. “Also, I

Jolt. According to Jackie Dechongkit ’02, who helps run the campaign and

ness about acute leukemia and donor

believe they have swabbed at least

tant.” Gupta is currently in his second course of chemotherapy, which he will

week push. They had about 200 drives

plant can take place. He is feeling sick

could be much higher. “We don’t have exact numbers for how many people we’ve been able to add to the national registry yet, but it’s at least a couple of thousand so far. The

available for questions. However, hope is on the horizon. Wired.com recently reported that a number of suitable donors have been

receives treatment. Gupta has also been featured in articles on Post, Time Magazine’s website and was featured on Sanjay Gupta’s CNN show. Additionally, DoSomething.org took up Gupta’s cause, creating a video with “Parks and Recreation’s” Aziz Ansari and Chris Pratt to garner support for the cause. “It’s been inspiring to see how many people, including people who have no direct connection to Amit, have given their time, energy and cheek cells said. “I’ve helped coordinate drives in dous outpouring of support, assistance and good wishes from a wide variety of people. On a personal level, there is nothing I would like more than to help Shirin Adhami ’01, who has worked to organize several events for Gupta’s cause, including some at the Queens Museum in New York, and hopes to have more in Pakistan, agreed. “Hopefully, it makes people less afraid to sign up as donors,” Adhami said. lege. The event was put together with ta’s account manager from the National student volunteers, including Narendra Asian Students Association (SASA), Public Health program, Elena Villafana dent Health Educators (SHE). Professor

soring and publicizing the event. Due to their efforts, 55 new registry members were added in three hours. “I am privileged to work with all the students, and it was comforting to see how little has changed in the energy of the student body,” Adhami said. “Students came out because they had heard about the event and wanted to swab. Faculty (including my former professors) were also very supportive and stopped by the table to say hello, or join the registry.” out was great considering the limited

examine the way Ghanaian school children experience, rationalize and express the violence directed at them within the education system. I will argue that the violence in the present education sector is a legacy of Ghana’s key role in the slave trade and as a way of instilling religious obedience, academic achievement and discipline. However, cases in which the teachers choose to use caning, kicking and slapping as a way to discipline children now violate the Children’s Act, the Criminal Offenses Act, the Constitution, the Education Act, the Ghana Education Code of Discipline and the Juvenile Justice Act. How did this idea come about? While I was studying abroad in Ghana in the fall of 2010, I interned as an assistant grammar teacher at

large percentage of the class — in other words, those not allied with the class prefect. I was stunned and even paign. Now doctors will do a series of there are actually any viable donors.

previously been. That’s not including the drives we’ve held in India or other international registrations,” said Jessa Clark, Amit’s personal assistant and friend who has been staying with him

What is your thesis about?

setting up a transplant could take three weeks. If it takes longer, there is a risk Gupta will have corneal damage and cell damage in his mouth due to the chemotherapy. Furthermore, the match must follow through on their promise to donate. Team Gupta, however, plans to continue to encourage more people to join the bone marrow registry. “As long as there is still momentum for the cause, we will encourage people who want to register as donors or host a donor drive,” Clark said. “Even though people that register from here forward will probably not have their sample processed in time for them to be in the potential donor pool for Amit, there ing for a match whose lives could be saved.” South Asians aren’t the only health disparity within the registry. Asians, Latinos and African Americans are also needed. According to Julian, college

ing and higher survival for patients with younger donors. all 10,000 people looking each year,” Julian said. “We need more young healthy members of all types of heritage to join the registry. We are now doing 5,000 transplants per year. Our goal is 10,000.” Registering and donating is quite easy. All that is required to register is a sample of cheek cells, which can be taken with four cotton swabs similar quick, and swabs can be ordered online at www.marrow.org. Donating is also relatively easy. Eighty percent of donors donate through stem cell collection, which is just like donating platelets on a Apheresis machine except it takes four to six hours. The other 20 percent of donors donate marrow under anesthesia with a short recovery time. “A lot of people seem to be scared of the idea of donation, or to think it’s highly intrusive, painful and dangerous, and those things simply aren’t true,” Gardner said. “It’s a much smaller deal than it used to be, and a miniscule price to pay for saving someone’s life. I hope cause they are preventing people from registering and donating.”

day from noon to 2 p.m. Students can nate, spreading the word about Gupta’s cause, setting up drives and donating money to the cause.

deeper into the matter. I then realized that Ghana was an anomaly in the legal discontinuation of its corporal punishment system and that this was a topic I wanted to fuel discussion about. What are some high and low points so far? The high point was getting Amherst College funding to go back to Ghana this winter and continue my research! Think about it — art, my kids, sunshine and Ghana in the harmattan? I’m very excited to go back! could produce different results than I desire to prove my thesis. It’s those moments when you realize, “Oh no! What if I have to completely rewrite everything because I can’t prove my stance?” What advice do you have for students interested in writing a thesis? Start early! Chances are if you want to write a thesis, you should already be interested in something. thesis equals your new hubby. It better be something you want to live, breathe, but most importantly, read start reading early, since they’ll know what direction to point you in. — Eirene Wang ’13 Thoughts on Theses is a regular feature. Seniors interested in having their thesis featured can send their information to astudent@amherst.edu.

Budgets Are Moved Online

Continued from page 1

in our actual budgeting software (we use two systems to keep track of our funds, both of which are reconciled cial Projects Fund, it was likely that no senator did a Senate project that semester, so we likely rolled that money over into the reserves. Senators tend to do their ning for a while, or they might procrastinate until then.” Moreover, the process of compiling the budget for public viewing, as it turns out, is not simply a matter of compiling the numbers but also arranging them in a

“The budget information takes a lot of cleaning wouldn’t understand. It’s literally spreadsheets full of numbers. What we’re doing right now is having all the clerks organize them, categorize them [and] make them but transparency doesn’t mean, just ‘hey, look at this!’ It takes explanation, because a lot of it is bureaucratic stuff that we do that, quite frankly, goes over the heads of students — as it should, because it’s boring, dense stuff.”

The Amherst Student

Opinion

Letters to the Editor Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Editorial

Evicting Gender Discrimination

ender-neutral housing is sweeping college campuses across the country. Over 50 American liberal arts colleges and elite institutions like Princeton and Brown have a gender-neutral housing policy, and the number steadily grows every year. Amherst students reignited a long-simmering debate with a recently-drafted online petition requesting Amherst finally join the club. We believe that Amherst’s liberal environment demands sensitivity toward the needs of LGBTQIA students, in recognition of the ways that Amherst discriminates against those who don’t fit in the heteronormative world view. We respect individual difference and individual choice, and thus have no reason to ignore these principles when it comes to housing. Rutgers Univ. implemented their gender-neutral housing policy after the tragic suicide of gay student Tyler Clementi last year, understanding that gender-neutral housing provides a secure and non-threatening environment for students susceptible to harassment in same-sex environments.

It also provides a non-alienating environment for transgender or gender nonconforming students. The College should not subject them to awkward or humiliating appeals to multiple deans and committees because their gender identity differs from their biological or legal sex, only to ultimately reject them. These private and pressing matters deserve a new and appropriate policy. Thus, gender-neutral housing is important not just to keep Amherst on the front lines of education policy, but also to provide a secure space for all its students. Critics point to co-ed suites as an alternative, but roommate genderdiscrimination still applies in suites. We should not make excuses to ignore a broken policy. Some students find suite environments uncomfortable, and the school shouldn’t simply relegate opposite-sex roommates to a narrow few buildings. LGBTQIA students will enter Room Draw like other students and, rather than have to fall into a year-long awkward roommate situation, should be able to pick roommates they relate to, just like any other group of friends. Is it not dan-

gerous for the school to tell students whom they can identify and associate with? A college can provide accommodating housing in many ways: assign dorms as ‘gender-neutral’ theme housing, expand its suite system, give priority to certain students for picking suites or allow students campuswide to pick roommates of any sex. We think the last option is the least discriminatory, least disruptive and most practical, as it gives students access to all the housing the College has to offer, and allows them to enjoy the benefits of theme housing with a roommate they feel comfortable with. This issue will find many apathetic students and administrators alike — it may not seem like a big deal since many of us find it comfortable enough to room with same-sex friends. However, those who feel differently are neglected with genderdiscriminatory housing. Removing this dangerous and insensitive restriction will transform Amherst’s attitude towards certain members of the community, and make it a more respectful and comfortable space for all.

The Newspaper of Amherst College since 1868

E X E C U T I V E B OA R D Editors-in-Chief Amro El-Adle Brianda Reyes Managing News Managing Opinion Managing Arts and Living Managing Sports

Darrian Kelly, Alissa Rothman Erik Christianson, Meghna Sridhar Nicole Chi, Clara Yoon Emmett Knowlton, Carlyn Robertson

SECTION EDITORS

News Opinion Arts & Living Sports

Sarah Ashman Diana Babineau, John Osborn, Judy Yoo Daniel Diner Karan Bains, Karl Greenblatt, Varun Iyengar S TA F F

Publishers Chris Friend, Nazir Khan, David Walchak Associate Editors Brenton Arnaboldi, Jake Walters Staff Writers

Clay Andrews, Romen Borsellino, Ethan Corey, Megan Duff, Ethan Gates, Max Gilbert, Dylan Herts, Kevin Hoogstraten, Reilly Horan, Ophelia Hu, Alex Hurst, Andrew Kaake, Kevin Kurzweil, Miranda Marraccini, Siyu Shen

Senior Editors

Nihal Shrinath, Elaine Teng

Layout Editor

Brendan Hsu

Cartoonist

Mizuho Ota

Photographers

Risalat Khan, Zachary Sudler

Copy Editors

June Pan

The Amherst Student is published weekly except during College vacations. The subscription rate is $75 per year or $40 per semester. Subscription requests and address changes should be sent to: Subscriptions, The Amherst Student; Box 1912, Amherst College: Amherst, MA 01002-5000. The offices of The Student are located on the second floor of the Keefe Campus Center, Amherst College. Phone: (413) 542-2304. All contents copyright © 2011 by The Amherst Student, Inc. All rights reserved. The Amherst Student logo is a trademark of The Amherst Student, Inc. Additionally, The Amherst Student does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age.

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Letters Policy The opinion pages of The Amherst Student are intended as an open forum for the Amherst community. The Student will print letters under 450 words in length if they are submitted to The Student offices in the Campus Center or to the paper’s e-mail account (astudent@amherst.edu) by 12 p.m. on Sunday, after which they will not be accepted. The editors reserve the right to edit any letters exceeding the 450-word limit or to withhold any letter because of considerations of space or content. Letters must bear the names of all contributors and a phone number where the author or authors may be reached. Letters and columns may be edited for clarity and Student style. The Student will not print personal or group defamation.

Correction: In the Nov. 30 issue of The Student, the article entitled “Prime Ministers Past Their Prime” mistakenly referred to Lobsang Tenzin as prime minister of Central Tibetan Administration, a Chinese government in-exile based in Dharamsala, India. He is the prime minister of CTA, a Tibetan government in-exile based in Dharamsala, India.

Debating Discipline, Attendance and the Res Life Committee Pain in the AAS Alex Hurst ’12 Senators from the Association of Amherst Students are writing a weekly column to keep the student body informed about the goings-on in the Senate.

onday night’s Senate meeting was kind of like a black and tan drink; it started out with some heavier discussion, but moved on to lighter topics later on. With Deans Boykin-East and Nascembeni, Gretchen Krull and quite a few student visitors, we began with a forum regarding disciplinary policy and the honor code as it relates to sexual assaults on campus. Tania Dias ’13 opened the discussion with an overview of the situation and critiques of several disciplinary procedures. Incidents of assault have historically been underreported at Amherst, though in part due to increased efforts by the Peer Advocates for Sexual Respect, reports doubled last calendar year — to 14. Krull suggested that the real number of assaults could be many times will be the victim of either an assault or attempted assault by the time they graduate from college. Comments form visiting students centered on the disciplinary system at Amherst, the operation of the Disciplinary Committee and whether sentencing was harsh enough. Members of the Disciplinary Committee argued against the creation of some sort of “mandatory minimum” sentences, or a “checklist,” saying that each case was unique, and that the committee (comprised of three students and two faculty members) tries its hardest to arrive at consensus decisions that it feels are appropriate — perhaps ensuring that one party will leave campus until the other party has graduated. As one committee member put it, “sexual assault” is a very broad term that can cover anything from “drunken hook-ups gone bad, to deliberate, malicious acts.” Ultimately, no concrete action was taken, which disappointed some senators and participants who had argued for the creation of a taskforce to look into ways of changing the honor code, as well as party culture at Amherst. However, even though there was no committee created and no changes to the honor code drafted, I wouldn’t say that the discussion was in vain. In fact, I think it is a poignant example of how the AAS can be a vehicle for more than just funding, or the bureaucratic nonsense many students think we spend our time on. Because of the efforts of Senators, we were able bring to gather administrators and students to educate ourselves and discuss an obviously important issue, one that before Monday night, might not have been on everyone’s radar. Unfortunately, as effective as I think we can be, the Senate still has room to improve. With the most serious element of the evening out of the way, the Senate moved on to a still important, but more embarrassing topic: absences and attendance policy. Evidently there is one senator who has missed six meetings so far this semester! I’m not sure who that

person is, and maybe they were absent last night as well; so let me tell you that I am not alone in declaring shame. These aren’t verbatim quotes, but to paraphrase the conversation: Geoff Ainslie ’12, VP: I want discretion to maybe kick senators out. Matthew Aizpuru ’12: I oppose this expansion of executive power. Matt DeButts ’14: I’m a bit of a romantic; I think we should all vote them out! (I forget who): How about publishing absences in The Student? Romen Borsellino ’12, el Prez: That makes us look ridiculously incompetent, (then jokingly) which we are, so let’s keep it within the Senate. While I don’t think it would make us look incompetent as much as it would make those certain senators look incompetent, I do think it would be mean-spirited. Regardless, we’re not going to do it (attendance is public and on our web site anyway). We are, however, going to crack down more tightly on what constitutes an excused absence and what happens to senators who start to act too much like they are on the U.S. Senate and take vacations from meetings. Finally, we resurrected a dormant Residential Life Committee, and moved on to some funding requests. Alex Southmayd ’15 ran for the committee, declaring, “I think I would be a valuable asset to anyone wanting to better their life.” All you singles out there, are you listening? Senate personals… just one more thing the AAS can do for you. Matthew (Matty Ice) Aizpuru requested funding for ice for the 21+ EVENT IN KEEFE AT 10:00 TONIGHT. Don’t worry; Ice in more ways (and more states) than one. Oh, and because of increased printyours truly motioned to change our publicity funding policy from $9 to $10, starting with a request from Random Acts of Kindness (we don’t make value judgments, so I am absolutely, most certainly, 100 percent not advocating for someone to form a competing Random Acts of Cruelty). With those kind of big bucks, who knows, maybe my face will even make it on to one of those table tents.

Dr. Lee Kane

Amherst Family Chiropractic AmherstFamilyChiro.com

Most insurance accepted.

The Amherst Student, December , 

Page 

Standing In Defense of Inclusive Environmentalism

completely agree with Ophelia Hu ’12 about one of her major propositions: the Bible should inspire Christians to be environmentally-minded. However, I equally disagree with her other proposition that moral absolutism exists and should inform environmentalism. Indeed, if there were moral absolutism — if we as a society did not change our ideas about “right” and “wrong,” however slowly — slavery would still exist in governmentsanctioned forms. We would still consider women as the inferior sex, and of course, Ophelia and I would not be students at Amherst College today! Amherst College was founded as a Christian-oriented school for men. Students were required to attend religious chapel daily. Today, of course, the College accepts the religious differences among us and accepts women and minorities who were excluded from the initial classes. As it turns out, morals do change. Looking for eternal truth, in fact, may slow us down and even distract us from discovering what is right for us now and in the future, as opposed to the past. Our constantly evolving priorities, approaches and beliefs can create tension between groups

Katherine Eisen ’12 is a contributing writer. porary environmental movement to achieve its goal. However, I believe that this tension only improves our ability to solve environmental problems. I support a more inclusive form of environmentalism, one that embraces all perspectives and does not follow only a moral absolute. that people are only willing to bemental injustice when the issue becomes personally relevant. However, I think that if each person advocates personally compelling, we can use the unique concerns of each person to work towards greater environmental change. Because this cause is so imporing for the issues they care about in order to effect change. I believe that it shouldn’t matter if passion for the environment comes from a Christian, Islamic or any other religion’s teachings, or from an a-religious desire to make the world a better place. It’s the recycling, the renewable energy research and the conservation of ecosystems that matter, not the

principles that lead to environmental mindfulness. In order to make this process more effective and productive, we will need to encourage cooperation and discussion across environmental interests, perspectives and geographic regions. We will need to encourage these differences of opinion that would not exist if we all believed in a singular set of moral values because through these differences, we will

“I support a more inclusive form of environmentalism, one that embraces all perspectives and does not follow only a moral absolute.” reach compromises that will more places facing the major environmental issues of our time. I, too, am frustrated with the pace of progress in the American environmental movement. It seems clear to me, as a student and a citizen that these problems deserve our utmost attention and dedication, but we still need to change the way we interact with the environment through policy,

The BCS May Not Have Morals, But We Should

efore I begin this article, I feel the need to digress from my main point for a bit. Over the weekend, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) paired up undefeated LSU and unworthy Alabama to play in their “national championship” game, while excluding one-loss No. 7 Boise State from a BCS bowl in favor of No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 13 Michigan, both two-loss teams. Had I not written about the evils of the BCS in an article last year, this article would address the subject. Since I don’t like repeating myself, I’m simply going to take the opportunity to say that the BCS has destroyed college football for everyone not from the states of Florida, Georgia or Alabama. Their SEC favoritism is painfully obvious, and their bias against schools not from a traditional power conference is horrendous. The idea that a “championship” could involve a single conference — including a team that already lost to the other and couldn’t even play in its conference’s championship game — is ridiculous. I’m nearly sorry, as an Iowa State fan, that my team upset the then (and should be now) No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys, but at least this way the evils of the BCS are clearly exposed. I encourage all true football fans to join with me in refusing to watch the BCS’s pathetic excuse for a championship game and continue to demand a playoff. On another side note, I like a good joke about myself, but some things step across the line. Mr. Gad’s promotional posters often mock any

traditionally conservative group or ideology; I’m not a fan, but I deal with it. However, their recent posters advertising a Monday night Bible study stepped over the line. As a Christian, I don’t appreciate an open mockery of my campus fellowship or my faith, especially one as tasteless and humorless as that poster. Gad’s, let me give you a piece of advice: if you wouldn’t do it to the Black Students’ Union or the Pride Alliance, don’t do it to other groups. Now, to the central point, which is the idea that will be behind most of my articles going forward and the idea that allows me to condemn certain actions as right or wrong: the government must be a moral entity. This idea stands in contrast to popular sentiment. The convention of the day is to clamor for an amoral government, as many libertarians do. The bulk of the populace, including myself, have been susceptible to that insidious suggestion that “you can’t legislate morality.” There are a number of problems, however, with moving around in a government that doesn’t take morals into account. First of all, it’s quite problematic to legislate without making a moral judgment. Upon what grounds do we prosecute murder, unless we make a moral judgment that it’s wrong for one person to unjustly deprive another of his life? Without morality, there is no way to argue that murder is more than just a grave inconvenience for the victim. Even with a relativistic morality, you can’t categorically condemn murder as wrong, because someone

might claim to think that it was right to, say, kill a political opponent. And then we have to use morality to look at the reasons why it’s permissible to take life in some situations, such as a punishment for murder or treason, but not in others. I use murder as a broad example, but the principle is applicable to anything the state wants to consider to be a crime. Furthermore, even though most judges deny it, the judiciary would be lost without moral judgments. Mere constitutionalism isn’t sufrun against the spirit of our nation’s founding documents; this is the whole source of the problem est Supreme Court cases — which clause is capable of dealing with a given issue? Of course, with a moral argument, you can use the moral logic to do the work and then pick at your leisure. Otherwise, you’re left mincing legislative history and looking for original intent or diving into the abyss of modern interpretations, such as the expansion of the commerce clause in Wickard v. Filburn, which allowed the federal government to regulate the wheat grown on a private farm, even if it doesn’t actually enter interstate commerce. If we wanted to talk original intent, though, it was the clear intent of the Founding Fathers for our government to be a moral entity. There are provisions for the states to have the ability to exercise police pow-

patterns of consumption and allocation of resources. I recognize that inviting every person to participate in this project will not make it take less time, or make our decisions as a society any easier. Bringing lots of interests to the table can result in endless discussions that do not develop into concrete actions. But I like this option better than the alternative. Throughout history, leaders have used moral absolutes to justify destructive and terrifying acts. From Stalin’s Great Purges to the Christian Crusades, many people have died as a result of forms of moral righteousness that quash alternative viewpoints and our access to basic civil liberties. The environment needs us now, perhaps more than ever. And the last thing we want to do, as environmentalists and concerned citizens, is drive away potential allies with a moralizing message that does not accept each person’s unique concerns and ethics. As Ophelia notes, environmentalists often possess a “sly elitism” that discourages people with less extreme or merely dissimilar viewpoints from becoming involved in environmental work. She suggests

that a Christian perspective that works “through God” would alleviate this problem, but I fear that inextricably linking a particular brand of Christianity with environmentalism would alienate politicians, policy makers and citizens from the movement even further. Luckily, in my opinion, we don’t need to look to religion for the answers. We can use science to help us bridge our differences and work towards positive environmental change. Science always comes with uncertainty and a degree of human error. But good science, pursued freely and debated publically, can provide us with objective data that demystiLike science, the democratic process is both imperfect and intentionally slow. But when these processes work properly, they enfranchise more people than one moral code ever could because they call upon individuals to use their unique passions to create coalitions and compromises. While these solutions are not easily obtained, the diversity of the Amherst College community itself demonstrates the beauty and power that come from creating inclusive communities.

A Piece of Kaake Andrew Kaake ’14 Andrew is a Political Science and Music double major who writes a bi-weekly column on Conservatism, politics and campus life. ers, and one of the goals of such powers is to preserve the moral welfare of the citizens of a given state. If they didn’t want the government to have to make calls about moralauthorized it. As it is, they granted the states the ability to make judgments about anything from drinking ages to prostitution without requiring some legislative precedent. The problems of an amoral government are many. How do you tell me, for example, that euthanasia is right, or that genocide is wrong,

without making a moral judgment, even if it’s an incorrect moral judgment? The government won’t always get it right, and it’s dangerous to entrust the state with something as powerful as the morals of a people, but we can take this risk because of the checks and balances of the people on this government. This is by no means a comprehensive account of the issue, but it should help to illustrate some reasons for the necessity of a moral government, which in turn lays the groundwork for the discussion of any other po-

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Arts&living

The Amherst Student

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

From Children’s Fantasy to Magical Homage -

Ethan Gates ’12

Staff Writer

Film Review

Image courtesy of poptower.com

“Hugo”

The exquisitely crafted Montparnasse train station and its array of clocks serve as a beautiful backdrop to Hugo’s Parisian adventures.

Directed by Martin Scorsese Written by John Logan Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloë Moretz and Ben Kingsley

RAGIN’ RANTS: To Eat or Not To Eat Joy Huang ’15 Contributing Writer

Image courtesy of rollins.edu

According to Huang, Amherst stomachs will be grumbling in the late hours of the night, due to the lack of restaurants open past 3:00 a.m.

The Amherst Student, December , 

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Amherst Bytes: Music Piracy Falls Victim to Tripartite Battle Dylan Herts ’13 Staff Writer

Ars Technica

Image courtesy of goodbadshow.com

Music piracy rates have plummeted as Google, iTunes and Spotify vie for cloud computing control.

2. Google Music

1. iTunes Match

3. Spotify

This Week in Amherst History: Dec. 4, 1991 Five College Events Dec. 8 - 10

works that are distinctive artistic representations of these peoples and those that demonstrate a

Hedda Gabler, Smith College, 8:00 p.m. “Hedda Gabler,” a play that will be performed in the Hallie Flanagan Theatre in the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, is considered a masterpiece of modern theatre. Hedda returns from her honeymoon from a marriage made for

The Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

offer all she had hoped for. When Hedda’s former love returns to town and threatens her husband’s future, she tries to take action and control her own future. The play is directed by Daniel Kramer. The performances are from Thursday to Saturday, Dec. 8-10. Tickets are available at (413)585-ARTS and are eight dollars for the general public and students.

Dec. 9 - 10 Photo courtesy of Amherst College Archives & Special Collections

Crosscurrents: Art of the Southeastern Congo, Smith College

The Student published an article detailing new actions being taken because of the recent law stipulating the regulation of keg licenses. The law stipulated that the Chief of Police would review the address of anyone who purchased a keg and, after checking to see if any loud noise complaints had been filed at that address, would recommend whether or not to sell the keg. The Office of the Town Manager would then review the recommendation and officially allow the sale. Concerns, however, were raised about whether it was legal for the Office of the Town Manager to have this power, so the Town Select Board asked the Amherst Town Keg Task Force to check the legality of such a measure. Concerns were also raised over the fact that this law would give police officers a list of all parties on campus, but it was reported that police officers already had such lists.

of African sculpture, “Crosscurrents” explores the art of three neighboring peoples whose territories are located in the river systems of the southeastern Congo. The Luba, Songye and Hemba peoples have a long history of contact, while maintaining differences in language, social and political systems, cultural memory and artistic expression. The exhibition is composed of

dollars for adults, four dollars for seniors, three dollars for students and two dollars for the youth, ages 6 to 12. There is free admission on all of the second Fridays of the month, from 4 to 8 p.m. Free passes are available at the Forbes Library, located at 20 West St., with a Forbes Library card. For more information, visit www.smith.edu/artmuseum

Dec. 11 Smith Chamber Music Society Concert: Messiaen, Ades and Wuorinen, Smith College, 4:00 p.m. Pianist Conor Hanick, visiting artist and lecturer in music, is joined by New York-based colleagues Michelle Ross (violin), Jay Campbell (cello) and Alicia Lee (clarinet) in a performance of Olivier Messiaen’s post-war masterpiece “Quartet For The End Of Time.” The concert also features “Catch” (1990) by British composer Thomas Ades and Renaissance motet transcriptions by Charles Wuorinen, winner of the 1970 Pulitzer prize. The concert is in the Sweeney Concert Hall and open to the public at no cost. — Clara Yoon ’15

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The Amherst Student, December , 

Trim Your Outfit: Dress for the Holidays Siyu Shen ’15 Staff Writer

As we enter into the last month of the year, we’ve gotten that much closer to the greatly-anticipated four weeks of winter vacation that are soon to come. Of course, with the holiday season and time off come many holiday parties and nights out, which means dressing for the occasion. Whether it’s that massive meal with the family or late-night party, you want to be wearing the right outmight be able to help you and your soon-to-be-full calendar of events. The Feasts One of the things we all look forward to the most over the holidays

is, of course, the food. From the family reunions to the many lunch dates be a very pleasurable focus of many of our holiday experiences. I know I love being stuffed silly, but the aftereffects (that suddenly-rounded tummy, the uncomfortably tight pants, the rapidly constricting clothes) and the feeling that my clothes are hugging every curve (not in a good way) are things I’d like to avoid. Luckily, there are easy “feast until you drop” giest t-shirt and loose sweat pants we have for those times we want to gorge ourselves while still looking great. Stretchy pants will be your best friends. From leggings or jeggings that don’t constrict your waist to jeans or slacks with those handy stretchy waistbands, these pants can be a big help as you approach that stage we fondly call “food coma.” As you curl up on the couch or nearest open space to wait it out, it’s better to do it in comfort. Plus, you won’t for being presentable. Whether adding to the festive air with printed leggings or staying safe with black, for that stretchy band. Skirts with the same kind of waistbands are also great pieces to turn to for your massive meal. While stretchy will work well for the lower half, it’s probably bet-

Image courtesy of marieclaire.com

Shirts and dresses that don’t emphasize the stomach and waist will remain flattering even after dinner.

dresses and sweaters. They might feel comfortable, but some will show off every bit of the new bump your stomach has acquired once the meal is done with. Shirts and dresses that don’t emphasize the stomach and waist are a comfortable way to go.

peasant blouse or tunic. Those longer, slightly baggy sweaters that I’ve been seeing everywhere paired with leggings or jeans are perfect for this occasion. If you have a cute empirewaisted shirt or dress you’ve been wanting to wear, now is the time to pull it out. Flowy and loose doesn’t mean going gigantic and overly baggy. Finding a nice balance works the best. Of course, also remember to bring a larger bag — if you’re looking to take some leftovers home. A tote with some Tupperware or plastic bags will keep you well-fed for a few days afterwards. If you’re feeling a bit too self-conscious about the postfeast tummy, a big bag can also help you cover yourself or offer something to hold onto as you scrunch up on the sofa. around the waist is a safe decision. If you can’t easily adjust your belt as you go for that second or third serving, stay way from it for the sake of your straining waist. Skinny jeans are out, and even your most comfortable pair of jeans will start becoming the opposite as your food intake increases. Remember, if it feels tight before, chances are, it’ll be even more restricting afterwards, and it’s best to put it aside for another day. Keep to comfortable shoes, as well. It’s unlikely you’ll be walking much, and being full to the point of dazedness does not bode well in aching feet encased by heels or tight boots. Flats, kitten-heels, or any shoe way to go. Even so, through it all, remember that you aren’t alone this holiday season, or even at the meal.

board, though. Stick to one or two small pieces, or just one main piece, so you don’t end up looking like a a scenario where a little can go a a darker, solid color to make it pop even more. Adding embellishments

Image courtesy of galtime.com

Use bright accessories and seasonal embellishments to spice up a holiday outfit. Almost everyone around you will probably be in a similar post-feast, mid-coma state while nursing his or her respective food baby. The Parties The holiday season is the perfect time to pull out the sparkles, embellishments and rich fabrics. It’s a great time to toss on statement pieces that glitter but don’t go overboard and become tacky. There is no better excuse to dress up and shine (literthan now. Adding something that shimmers, like metallic shorts, a sequined dress or a bejeweled pair of shoes, classy. Make sure not to go over-

way to change it up. Jeweled tones are always popular in the winter. Those deep, rich purples and emeralds can make you look elegant and sophisticated while still adding color that dazzles. If you’re feeling particularly bold, go for bright colors like turquoise or a striking cobalt to brighten the atmosphere. A deep or bright red lip, smokey eyes, or slightly sparkly eyelids are another way to go bold and indulge in the looks that might not Winter is also a great time to try out different fabrics, from rich velvets to delicate lace. Whether it’s a cute, tulle tutu à la “The Nutcracker” or a leather-embellished top, mixing and matching textures can make for an interesting look. It’s the perfect time to indulge in satins and silks for the festivities. Eye-catching accessories can be the holidays. A simple black dress can be offset by an armful of bangles and dangly earrings. It’s time to pull out that bib necklace you’ve wanted to wear, or the pendant usually too large to clasp on. Take the gigantic cocktail ring you normally avoid and jewelry additions. Just remember to keep your clothes simple and understated to really make the accessories a statement piece without adding too much.

A Writing Challenge Worth 50 Pictures plot of her story, she is writing in the ancient cient verses that take up a considerable amount of space. “Everyone has these little tips to cheat the word count,” she said. Separate from all these tricks of the trade, however, is the simple idea that one writes without inhibitions. NaNoWriMo solely values quantity, and the elimination of the stress to write well facilitates fast writing more than any trick. It is an approach that “forces you to lower your expectations, take risks and write on the

Nicole Chi ’15 A&L Managing Editor

Thirty days of frantic writing, increasingly convoluted plotlines and endless cups of coffee as December looms ever closer. Thirty days of alternating between excitement at having reached a landmark (10,000 words! 20,000 words!) and bang-your-head frustration caused by writers’ block: every participant’s nightmare. This is the experience of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), an annual writing program that demands its participants to write 50,000 words between Nov. 1st and Nov. 30th and bragging rights. Intimidated yet? Luckily, you will not be alone. Although the action of writing is a solo task, NaNoWriMo is a surprisingly communal event. Throughout the month of November, participants can be sure that all around the world, other writers are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing approximately 175 pages. Writers are encouraged to get together and agonize, brainstorm, celebrate and work on their novels together. And every year, one can be sure that there are both rookies who are trying and seasoned veterans who may not have ever know all the tricks of the trade. Some use tricks like putting in song lyrics, essays and any other material written in the month of November regardless of whether or not it is relevant, although not all writers are willing to resort to such underhanded tactics. Luckily, there are more creative ways to motivate writers to up the word count at a fast enough pace. For example, there is a website that provides writers with an adorable picture of a kitten for every da ’15, who has written every year since eighth

Image courtesy of chicagoist.com

Last month, people around the world participated in a writing challenge that required the writing of 50,000 words in 30 days. about other similar websites in an interview. She mentioned, for example, an online community that has word wars and online dares to put random elements in your story. On another website, writers must write a certain number of words by a certain time, or the website will make an annoying noise or start deleting their words. Jenna year, mentioned in an interview that her motivator was putting her story into the word count validator every few paragraphs and seeing the number go steadily up. Because the validator has a stats page that shows the average words participant continues to write at the same rate, ahead of schedule. In addition, because of the

nitpicking, tweaking and editing. Although it is important to have a plot in order to avoid running into severe writers’ block, silly deviations from the plotline are expected and inevitable, as a consistent logical unfolding of the plot would require more planning time than writers are given. This type of freedom is not easily found in the formal papers and assignments that the typical Amherst class assigns. The factor that discourages the most people dictably, is school. What with readings, papers, write an average of 1,667 words per day. Jackie

high school and wrote a little over 100 pages again because schoolwork took up too much of her time. In an interview, she told us that she is both enjoyable and productive because when because she decided to make her NaNoWriMo

Regardless, one certainly needs to either give up studying time, social time, or sleeping (probably the most likely option) to pursue this time-consuming task. But don’t let schoolwork or the ridiculous word count deter you from trying next year! Writing a novel is a daunting task, to say the least — writing it in a month seems near impossible. The task will entail sleep-deprived nights, hair-tearing frustration and compromising many other aspects of your life. It will require more time than you have. The sense of accomplishter all, how many people can say that they have written a novel in their lifetimes? — Clara Yoon ’15 contributed reporting.

The Amherst Student, December 7, 2011

Page 9

Squash Sweeps Vassar in Season Opener Before Falling to Harvard The Crimson proved too much for the Jeffs, sweeping both the men and women, 9-0 Karl Greenblatt ’15 Sports Section Editor

On Nov. 30, both Amherst squash teams made short work of Vassar and began their seasons in strong fashion. The men’s team won every game of the match by at least four points, an accomplishment underscored by the outstanding play of its freshmen. Scott DeSantis ’15 played at the top of the lineup, while Max Kardon ’15, the Jeffs’ number seven, shut out his opponent in two of his three games. Number two David Kerr ’14 did the same, and co-captain Steve Severson ’12 (number six) also earned an 11-0 game. On paper, the Lady Jeffs were expecting a tougher matchup: the Vassar women’s team entered the contest ranked 22nd to Amherst’s 19th. Still, the Amherst women disposed of their opponents with almost as much ease as the men. Like DeSantis, Arielle Lehman ’15 earned her in games over Vassar’s Libby Pei. The rest of the Jeffs won in three sets, highlighted by sophomore Lena Rice’s decisive victories of 11-3, 11-6 and 11-2 at number six. The Jeffs could not carry their success into the weekend, however, as both Amherst squash teams were overmatched by Harvard, whose men’s and -

The women’s team, too, is now 1-1 on the season, having also shut out Vassar last week. The women travel to Smith Wednesday before hosting Northeastern. Both the women’s and men’s teams look to head into the holidays with a pair of wins under their belts. Despite the weekend’s setback, both teams are stacked with potential, and will look to rely particularly in the contributions of the younger players in the coming weeks.

Recaps and Results for the Club Sports Teams On Dec. 3, the fencing club hosted a scrimmage against Middlebury. In individual bouts, the Jeffs were overwhelmingly victorious. Amherst defeated Middlebury 5-4 in men’s epee, 7-2 in men’s foil, 8-1 in women’s foil and 8-1 in Photo courtesy of Maggie Crisman ’14 men’s sabre. Middlebury defeated Amherst 5-3 in Mark Roberts ’13 (right) spars with a Midwomen’s sabre. dlebury opponent in epee. In mixed foil, epee and sabre relays, in which three members from each school team up and compete with each member of the opposing team, Amherst defeated Middlebury 45-36 in sabre and epee, but fell to Middlebury 45-42 in foil. The scrimmage rounds out a semester of remarkable success for the fencing club. Earlier last month, Amherst defeated the fencing clubs of the Univ. of Bennington and Univ. of Connecticut in local team scrimmages. The club also continues a record of high achievement in all United States Fencing Association (USFA) tournaments in which it has been involved, notably in Hampshire’s “Big One,” in which more than half of the women’s foil squad was seeded in the top 25 percent of competitors. Strong team leadership, a pair of dedicated and professional coaches, and an enthusiastic roster are the vital components necessary for success in the club fencing circuit. The Jeffs have proven time and again that they have all three. Next semester, the fencing club will travel to the Univ. of New Hampshire to take part in the New England Club Championships and to West Point Academy to take part in the Club National Championships. It is worth noting that in light of all the success that the Jeffs have enjoyed, the Williams team has repeatedly declined invitations to fence them. — Mark Roberts ’13

Surf & Turf Saturday, with both teams remaining undefeated. The men’s team was particularly dominant, winning all 16 events.

showing at the Smith Winter Invitational, a nonteam-scoring meet, combining for eight individual wins.

Women

The Jeffs won 10 of 16 events in Saturday’s meet. Co-captain Becca Thompson ’12 won the 1,000second in the 200 free and won the 500 free, while style, with Katie Vincett ’13 leading Stoddart and Lulu Belak ’14. Courtney Flynn ’15 and Abby Hahn ’14 placed

The women’s team was dominant in Saturday’s meet. The performance of the day came from Naomi Bates ’14, who won the 60-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the long jump. Bates, however, was by no means the only standout: senior Ellen Richmond bested the competition in the 800-meter run, while Lisa Walker ’14 did the same in the mile. Abby Hopper ’13

Courtesy of Amherst College

Co-captain Ryan Lichtenfels ’12 was one of three Jeff men to win two events. He finished first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:44.02, and edged out fellow captain Tim White ’12 in the 500 free by .14 seconds.

Middlebury College Women (3-0): 173-127 Men (3-0): 162-116 Top Finishers 1,000 free 100 back 100 breast

Ben Grimes ’15 Conor Deveney ’15 Ben McBratney ’12

3-meter dive Colin White ’14 200 IM Connor Beaulieu ’14

9:47.12 (1) 53.45 (1) 1:01.03 (1) 2:01.46 (1) 277.57 (1) 1:58.44 (1)

1,000 free

Becca Thompson ’12 10:43.14 (1) 2:11.12 (1) 200 breast Courtney Flynn ’15 2:25.32 (1) 200 back Sabrina Lee ’15 2:08.25 (1) 3-meter dive Lizzy Linsmayer ’14 1:00.95 (1) 50 free Ashleigh Stoddart ’15 24.76 (1)

Next Meet:

Sat. Dec. 31 at Union College

second in the 100, with Cassie Gross ’14 coming in third in both events. First-year Sabrina Lee came in second in the 100 backstroke by just .17 seconds, but place by .55 seconds. Stoddart, Ricka Sadovnikoff ’15, Belak and Vincett teamed up to win the 400 freestyle relay.

Men

Ryan Lichtenfels ’12, Michael Rochford ’15 and Connor Beaulieu ’14 each won two events. Conor Deveney ’15, Tyler Bulakul ’14, Ben McBratney ’12 and Tim White ’12 won the 200 medley relay to open the meet. events: Ben Grimes ’15, Conor McAuliffe ’14 and Alex Pearlman ’12 in the 1,000 free; Ryan Lichtenfels ’12, Nick Egan ’14 and Parker Moody ’14 in the 200 free; Deveney, Brandon Brown ’15 and Daniel Schwab ’13 in the 100 back; White, Alex Kang ’15 and Tyler Hampton ’15 in the 50 free; Rochford, Schwab and Aron Reynolds ’14 in the 200 back; Beaulieu, Bart Fedorak ’12 and Mike O’Connor ’12 in the 200 breaststroke; Lichtenfels, White and Egan in the 500 free; Bulakul, Robbie Homchick ’14 and Will McCartan ’12 ’14 in the 200 individual medley. Diver Colin White ’14 won the three-meter board

Molly Levy and Abraelle Shirley in the 200and 60-meter dash, respectively. Sophomore Jaya Tripathi rounded out the day claiming third place in the 600. Thrower Jordan Roehl ’12 took third in the shot put and second in the weight throw.

Men in Saturday’s Classic, winning two events in the meet. First-year Mark Cort topped the triple jump event, while junior Selasie Krampa paced the owned the remaining top four spots in the 200, as Cort, Persie Gijima ’14 and Steven Hetterich ’15 followed Krampa. Krampa himself rounded out an impressive day by earning fourth place in the 60-meter dash, a race in which the Jeffs had three of the top eight times. the 400.

dash, and Nick Codola, who, along with Durkee, Matt Melton ’14 and Pete Skurman ’12, took second in the 4x400 relay. Melton was the runner-up in the 600-meter the 800. After the holidays, the Jeffs will head to the

place victories in the 400 free relay.

Courtesy of Naomi Bates ’14

Sophomore Naomi Bates placed first in three events. She won the 60meter dash in eight seconds flat and the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.80. She placed first in the long jump, jumping 5.35 meters.

Smith Winter Classic No team scores (See Top Finishers) Top Finishers 1,000 600 400 200 Triple jump

Alex Durkee ’15 Matt Melton ’14 Mark Cort ’15 Selasie Krampa ’13 Mark Cort ’15

Mile 3,000 600 200 60 High jump Shot put

Lisa Walker ’14 5:33 (1) Abby Hopper ’13 11:01.26 (1) Jaya Tripathi ’14 1:47.74 (3) Molly Levy ’15 27.89 (2) Abraelle Shirley ’15 8.12 (2) Jess Mueller ’13 1.41 m (2) Jordan Roehl ’12 11.10 m (3)

Next Meet

year, on Jan. 14. — Carlyn Robertson ’14

Indoor Track Speeding Bullet: Naomi Bates ’14

Big Fish: Ryan Lichtenfels ’12

Swimming

tively. On the men’s side, the Jeffs dropped their 48th consecutive match to the Crimson, losing all but one game over the course of the day. That lone win came from number nine Peter Mack ’15, who beat Harvard’s Shaw McKean 1210 in the match’s opening game. Now, having both shut out an opponent (Vassar, 9-0) and been shut out themselves, the Jeffs fall to 1-1. They will have the whole week to prepare for Saturday’s home-openers against MIT and Northeastern, which promise to be far more competitive. The Amherst women fared slightly better against the top team in the nation. In Harvard’s 10th consecutive win over the Lady Jeffs, they again took 27 of 28 games. This time, Rice provided the lone bright spot at six, beating Harvard’s Vidya Rajan 11-9 in her

In Da Club

— Karl Greenblatt ’15

2:43.12 (3) 1:23.32 (2) 55.05 (2) 22.11 (1) 12.57 m

Sat. Jan. 14 at Tufts Invitational

SPORTSBOARD

Page 10

The Amherst Student, December 7, 2011

GAME OF THE WEEK

Schedule WEDNESDAY: Women’s Squash @ Smith, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Men’s Basketball @ Babson, 7 p.m. Women’s Basketball @ ECSU, 7 p.m. FRIDAY: Men’s Hockey vs. Williams, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Men’s Squash vs. MIT, 11 a.m. vs. Northeastern, 1 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Williams

Women’s Squash vs. Northeastern, 1 p.m. Men’s Hockey vs. Middlebury, 3 p.m. Men’s Basketball @ Brandeis, 7 p.m. Women’s Hockey vs. Oswego, 7:30 p.m.

IN DEPTH Time: Friday, Dec. 9 7 p.m. Site: Orr Rink

SUNDAY: Women’s Hockey vs. RIT, 3 p.m. TUESDAY: Men’s Basketball vs. Anna Maria, 7 p.m. Women’s Basketball @ Springfield, 7 p.m.

Key Players: Amherst

(#8) Eddie Effinger ’12 (#9) Mike Rowbotham ’15

Williams

(#31) Ryan Purdy ’12 (#22) Evan Dugdale ’13

period game-winner to a 3-2 victory. Nick Brunette ’13 and Mike Cashman ’15 contributed the other two scores, CashThe next day, Amherst received two tallies from Mike Rowbotham ’15, while goalie Jonathan LaRose ’12 recorded an impressive 33 stops, lifting the Jeffs over Trinity, 2-1. Amherst, now 5-1 on the season, will face an undefeated (4-0-2) Ephs squad fresh off 4-1 victories over Tufts and Conn. College. In their most recent game, Williams jumped out to a 3-0 second period lead on the strength of goals from Mike Brofft, Matt Doyle and Evan Dugdale. Behind Ryan Purdy’s 21 saves, the Ephs never looked back. As with all Williams games, this matchup promises to be close and hard-fought, especially as second place in the NESCAC is on the line. The Jeffs will need another strong performance from LaRose to stop a potent Williams years Cashman and Rowbotham will be essential. — Karl Greenblatt ’15

Players of the week Megan Robertson ’15 — Women’s Basketball With back-to-back impressive performances, first-year Megan Robertson helped the women’s basketball team continue their torrid start to the season (5-0). Robertson began the week by scoring 11 points and grabbing six rebounds, four of those on the offensive end, in the Jeffs’ 66-45 win over Keene State. She followed up that effort

The Jeffs host their archrivals on Friday ,following two key NESCAC victories over Wesleyan and Trinity. Against

Mike Rowbotham ’15 — Men’s Ice Hockey ble, dropping 12 points and gathering 10 rebounds in a romp of Lehman College, 88-33. Outdoing herself, she dominated against Emmanuel, scoring 26 to go along with 13 boards. This week, she leads the Jeffs into Thursday’s game against ECSU. — Varun Iyengar ’14

By netting two goals on Sun-

ing a pass in front of the goal, he

Rowbotham led the men’s hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Trinity. The win put the Jeffs at 5-1 on the season and extended their winning streak against the Bantams to 11 games. Rowbotham helped Amherst get off to a quick start, scoring -

He soon followed that up with another goal, this one coming on a power play with 4:52 remaining in the second period. It ended up being the deciding tally in the contest, giving the Jeffs a cushion they would not relinquish. — Varun Iyengar ’14

Aaron Toomey Leads Men’s Basketball to 7-0 Start Jeffs roll by Springfield, Westfield St. and Emmanuel, relying in strong defense and sophomore Toomey’s fourth consecutive 20-point effort Karan Bains ’14 Sports Section Editor

The men’s basketball team took the short trip to a tournament that Amherst has dominated in recent years. The Jeffs lived up to expectations, taking home the championship with wins on Friday and Saturday. The Friday matchup pitted Amherst against host six minutes. The game was hotly-contested for the rest

season the Jeffs reached the century point mark, was led by Toomey’s 20 points, his fourth consecutive game with 20 or more. Workman and Jeff Holmes ’12, however, were the stars of this game, as both recorded double-doubles. Workman posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Holmes put up an impressive 18-point, 12-rebound effort. The early part of this season is looking similar to the dominant stretch the Jeffs enjoyed last year, and the team is simply looking to sustain its success and build from the learning opportunities in each game. Their next test is on Thursday at Babson College, followed by another road game on Saturday at Brandeis. Lastly, the team comes home to take on Anna Maria on Tuesday before an extended break in the schedule, which has them off until Dec. 30 to enjoy the holidays.

room clinging to a four-point lead. The second half action proved just as entertaining, and the Jeffs held a singledigit lead for most of the period. With under four minutes to go, Aaron Toomey ’14 took over the game, scoring Amherst’s last 10 points and preserving a tense 81-71 victory. Toomey led the team with 21 points on the night, but many others had solid contributions. Willy Workman ’13 scored 15 points and Taylor Barisse ’12 went four for six from behind the arc en route to a 14-point scoring night. The Jeffs actually had an easier time in their next

to 14 points with slightly less than 10 minutes to play in the game. David Waller ’12, however, kicked the ball out for a quick three-pointer by Workman to shift momentum Amherst’s way, and the Jeffs never looked back from there. -

Allen Williamson ’13 is averaging 13 PPG for the Jeffs, who are 7-0 on the season.

led the way again with 20 points, while Barisse added 14 and Waller dropped 10. However, Workman’s night stood out the most, as he posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Coming off a pair of road triumphs, the Jeffs came back to LeFrak on Tuesday to host Emmanuel. The team continued to build its early season momentum, extending their win streak to six games with a 100-76 victory.

Photos courtesy of Kate Berry ’12

Aaron Toomey ’14 has been a catalyst for the Jeffs’ success so far.

The Amherst Student, December 7, 2011

Page 11

Women’s Basketball Drives Past Competition Emmett Knowlton ’15 Managing Sports Editor

runs throughout the half. Finucane hit a triple to put the Jeffs up 23-20, and a jumper by Robertson two minutes later put the Jeffs up 25-22. Unlike other Amherst opponents so far this season, Emmanuel would respond, trading baskets with the Jeffs before to 31-30. Caroline Stedman ’12 led the Jeffs with eight O’Dwyer led all scorers with 14.

Chevron World Challenge. He thinks that it is misguided to believe that Tiger is already back to his old form, but that he certainly is on his way. He also thinks that Tiger’s recent sistency, both of which were hallmarks of his former gameplay.

Seven hundred thirty-seven days. That is how long we waited. But, it was worth it. Because, as of Sunday, some semblance

10 rebounds. Junior Bridget Crowley added 13 points for the Jeffs, while senior Shannon Finucane added 10 points, including two three-pointers. After a quick jumper by McCormick to tie the game up 2-2, senior Jackie Renner stole the ball and

ing their depth as yet another weapon, the Jeffs’ 12 dressed players each contributed in the win. The Jeffs returned to action yesterday against Emmanuel in what proved to be their biggest challenge of the early season. The Saints jumped out to an early

Varun Iyengar ’14

Out of the Woods

The top-ranked women’s basketball team continued its dominant start with two more double-digit victories this week, rolling over Keene State, 88-33, and earning a hard-fought win over Emmanuel, 84-60. The wins pushed the Jeffs impressive home court win streak to 54 and consecutive victories to 30. Senior Lem Atanga McCormick led the Jeffs against Keene State with 14 points and seven re-

8-6, after her layup. As the Jeffs have done all season, they responded with an aggressive run. Kim Fiorentino ’12 collected a layup and the foul before converting the free-throw for the three-point play to increase the home team’s lead, before a couple of jumpers from McCormick and Robertson stretched the score to 20-7. Finucane connected from beyond the arc with 4:10 left to put the Jeffs up, 33-10, and Crowley added another triple with 1:41 to go to put them up 25. Keene State was particularly aggressive against the Jeffs, committing 21 fouls that resulted in 21 points for the Jeffs. Entering the second half with a comfortable 24-point lead, the Jeffs wouldn’t let up, scoring 48 total points compared to the 40 they netted in the

Varun’s Viewpoint

lives in the most exciting way imaginable. We can take a couple of deep breaths, go about our daily business knowing that two plus two is four, and that Tiger Woods is, well, Tiger Woods. On Sunday at the Chevron World Challenge, the man in his timeless Nike red did what only he can do, turning the full attention of the sports world to golf for an afternoon. As close to his pre-Thanksgiving

Photo courtesy of Mark Idlenan ’15

Megan Robertson ’15 scored 26 points against Emmanuel. Both sides came out swinging in the second half, but ultimately Megan Robertson proved again to be the difference, picking up 22 points and nine rebounds in the second half to propel the Jeffs to victory. Robertson, the Jeffs’ sixth-man, has wasted little time settling into the national championship squad, providing a spark off the bench in each of the team’s opening six victories, earning a career high 26 points and 13 rebounds. Her 26 points also marks the most points scored by a Jeff this season. ing off any major Amherst run before taking a fourtied, 56-56, Robertson and co. turned it up a notch,

before Finucane knocked down a three to put Amherst up 75-56 with three minutes to play. Two more free throws from Robertson late in the game pushed the Jeffs ahead by 25 as they would go on to win, 84-60. More than just increase the team’s impressive win streaks, last night’s game against Emmanuel demonstrated the Jeffs’ early season tenacity against a valiant upset bid and sent a message to the rest of their competition that they are the real deal. The team returns to hardwood action Thursday, traveling south to take on East Connecticut State.

on what can only be described as a Tigeresque performance. In the clutch, with the pressure on, all eyes watching and expecting magic, Tiger delivered. Birdie. Birdie. Ballgame. In one pressure-packed, six-foot putt, Tiger changed the way we will look at this year. No longer is it the season in which Tiger’s absence paved the way for the younger generation to make their impact on the game. It is the year that Tiger returned. Plain and simple. You could see it on Zach Johnson’s face as Tiger’s putt rolled true. “Yup,” he breathed to his caddie. Yup. The implication was clear. Uhoh. He’s back. But wait. Can we really just jump to that conclusion? Is Tiger really back? There are those who shoot down this idea immediately. They scoff at the delight of Tiger’s fans. They point out Woods’ thirdround 73, where he gave up a three-shot lead heading into the day to fall one stroke behind Johnson through 54 holes. They draw attention to Tiger’s three missed They ask about the weak competition Tiger faced at this exhibition tournament,

I am much more inclined to jump on board the Tiger Express, predicting a return to dominance next year, dreaming about Woods slipping into another green jacket at Augusta. However, I would caution against that reaction as well. Tiger is not back. But he sure as heck is close. My primary reason for believing in Tiger’s latest comeback is that this recovery has followed a traditional timeline and progression of improvement. After the infamous car accident and resulting withdrawal from competition, Tiger returned to golf in spotty form. He would put up an excellent round, such as his brilliant backnine 31 at the 2010 U.S. Open, only to follow it up with a round of three-putts and stray drives. The consistency was lacking and what stood out to me was the lack of improvement from tournament to tournament. In my opinion, however, the turning point in Tiger’s return was his achilles injury at the Players Championship. Talk about a silver lining. That layoff gave TiAs cliché as it sounds, I think it is true. He had lost two tournaments after holding

Jackie Renner ’12 and the Jeffs moved to 6-0 on the season after last night’s win over Emmanuel.

swagger back. Golf analysts always spoke about Tiger’s work ethic and his desire to put in the hours to get enough of his infamous “reps.” He needed to get back to that routine. Since that injury layoff, Tiger’s comeback has proceeded in a logical progression. His swing is no longer in shambles, no longer showing up beautifully one day only to disappear the next. He has shown improvement from event to event, an evolution that rationally led people to believe in him last weekend. Tiger was a favorite to win. Admittedly, his competition was not great, but Tiger was actually a favorite. How long has it been since we have honestly been able to say that? In the past year, our sentimentality has clouded our judgment. We have been really high on Tiger a few times, thinking he could break through and win without considering that in the pan. This is no such anomaly. Tiger put together four solid rounds. Even in his over-par third round, Tiger did not play badly. He was overaggressive swing stayed relatively intact. It was his decision to attempt shots with a high deto his high score, not a lack of ability, as was the case in the past. We expected Tiger to win, and he rose to the occasion. There is something to be said about that success under pressure. If he had crumbled, all our attention would focus on how far he still has to go in his comeback. The fact that he took care of business is a sign that he has improved. He could not have done this last year. The Tiger of old won when he was supposed to win and when he was not. At least

Africa the same weekend consisted of world No. 1 Luke Donald, Masters Winof other top players. A victory there would have actually been impressive. I chuckle at those arguments. Please. Give me a break. I do not question the truth behind them, but you cannot deny the

Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson

always the key to his success. He needed

pre-accident. After all, Tiger was the best of closers. As great a ball-striker as he had been, his incredible mental fortitude was

for the future was more about the fashion in which he won than his actually coming out on top. It was a statement victory, a classic comeback. It showed Tiger still has that magic, that ability of champions to raise their game in the clutch. For all those who thought he had lost that, think again. hope. He needed to come up with a perfect approach on 17. He needed to sink the birdie putt. Ditto on 18. Done, done and done. He has not lost his killer instinct, that part of the game you cannot teach. Jordan had it, Kobe has it, Tiger’s still got it. What gave me the most hope for Tiger’s future was that his decision-making tee, Johnson took out his driver and blasted his tee shot down the fairway. Tiger, though, chose to play an iron, and while I see it as quite the opposite. wayward drive would kill his chances, and made the safe play. It was a choice that he did not make three weeks earlier, which lian Open. Here though, it was a show of part, a statement that “I’m going to play an iron and still beat you.” As far as I am concerned, Tiger Woods is on the mend. We all witnessed the genuaway during the trophy presentation. You can be sure that Tiger will work for more of that. He is not back yet, but Tiger is getting there. “Yup.”

The Amherst Student

Sports

inside:

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Jeffs celebrate a goal from Tori Salmon ’15, who also tallied four assists in the doubleheader against Wesleyan.

Women’s basketball advances to 6-0 with two more victories PAGE 11

The Jeffs moved to 5-1 after defeating two NESCAC opponents this weekend. Forward Johnny Van Siclen ’13 is part of a solid Jeff offense. s

Skating to Success Women’s Hockey Gives Wesleyan the Cold Shoulder Reilly Horan ’13 Staff Writer

Amherst traveled to Wesleyan this weekend and came home with a pair of NESCAC wins. “We played incredibly well this weekend and maintained momentum throughout all six periods,” tri-captain Stephanie Clegg said. “Goals were scored by a variety of people, which is very promising for the future.” On Friday night, Amherst outplayed Wesleyan in a decisive 8-0 win. Erin Babineau ’12, Josie Fisher ’12, Ashley Salerno ’14 and Ellen Swiontkowski ’12 each scored a goal, with Emily Vitale ’12 and Barrett McBride ’14 contributing two apiece. Notably, Amherst converted two of their three power plays into goals. Goalie Sinead Murphy ’12 contributed 15 saves in the shutout. Swiontkowski, Clegg, Hayley Opperman ’14, Emily Flom ’15, Avery Stone ’14 and Ash-

ley Salerno ’14 each had an assist, Fisher and Geneva Lloyd ’13 had two and Tori Salmon ’15 rounded out the offense with three. The Jeffs then stayed the night and defeated Wesleyan again 4-0 on Saturday. “Coming back and playing hard, fast offense and solid defense the second day after winning 8-0 the day before showed that our team was focused and mentally prepared,” Vitale noted. Salmon got things started at the 8:36 mark with an unassisted goal that put Amherst up 1-0. Eight minutes later, Melissa Martin ’15 tacked on the team’s second goal, assisted by Stone and Salerno. After the break, Fisher made the score 3-0 at the 5:51 mark in the second period, assisted by Babineau and Clegg. Martin contributed game, six minutes later, one-timing a pass from Salmon into the back of the net. Goalkeeper Kerri Stuart ’14 made 13 saves and registered the team’s second shutout of the season. With these two wins, Amherst stands at 5-1 (4-0 NESCAC). The Jeffs look ahead to two non-conference home games next weekend, facing Oswego State Univ. on Friday and RIT on Saturday. Swiontkowski said, “These are our last two

Photos courtesy of Rob Mattson

Tri-captain Emily Vitale ’12 scored twice in the first game against the Cardinals.

excited to take the ice at home this weekend.” “Next weekend is huge,” Babineau added. “We’ve never played Oswego so we have to show up expecting anything and still able to play our best, which will be a good challenge for us, and RIT is a great team. Being able to compete with them and still execute our new systems for this year would be a huge accomplishment for us.”

Men’s Hockey Nets One-Goal Wins over Trinity, Wesleyan Brenton Arnaboldi ’14

center-ice faceoff to take a 3-1 lead. Co-captain

Associate Editor

With solid team defense, stellar goaltending and a healthy dose of grit, the men’s hockey team earned two hard-fought victories this weekend, defeating Wesleyan 3-2 before edging out Trinity 2-1 on Sunday. The team’s 5-1-0 record (30-0 NESCAC) marks the program’s best six-game start to a season since 2006. Despite the winning results, head coach Jack Arena ’83 said he was not completely sat-

Rowbotham’s pass into the net. The Cardinals made the game interesting with a power-play goal with 1:51 remaining, but the Jeffs held on for the 3-2 victory. On Sunday afternoon, the Jeffs won their second game of the weekend in a tight 2-1 victory over Trinity. Rowbotham paced the Jeffs’ offense with two goals, while goaltenperformance between the pipes, recording 33 saves on 34 shots to improve his individual record to 4-0-0. The Jeffs stunned the Bantams by scoring

frequent lapses in execution and mental focus. “I thought we were okay in our two games this weekend,” he said. “We weren’t as sharp as I would have hoped, and we need to pay more attention to the smaller details that ultimately

give Amherst a 1-0 lead. Rowbotham scored his second goal of the contest at the 4:52 mark of the second period, giving the Jeffs a 2-0 advantage. With Amherst on the power play, Deutsch slid a pass from the

The Jeffs began the weekend with a 3-2 victory over rival Wesleyan in front of a raucous home crowd on Saturday night. Amherst skated to a fast start against the Cardinals, as Michael Cashman ’15 scored 3:15 into the contest to give the Jeffs a 1-0 advantage. The Jeffs doubled their lead to 2-0 with fenseman Aaron Deutsch ’15 sent a sharp pass toward the slot from the left side, allowing Nick Brunette ’13 to redirect the puck into the net. Amherst dominated the second period, outshooting Wesleyan 16-5, but the score remained

stationed by the right circle, moved in and

began to exert more offensive pressure in the third period, creating a couple of scoring chances before netting a goal with 12:31 remaining. But the Jeffs quickly restored a two-goal cushion, scoring just 16 seconds after the

goaltender. Bolstered by strong goaltending, the Jeffs hung on for the gritty 2-1 victory. La Rose nearly skated off with a shutout, but the Bantams scored a late goal with 1:06 remaining to spoil the bid. Trinity held a 34-28 edge in shots. The schedule does not get any easier for the Jeffs, who host league rivals Williams (4-0-2) and Middlebury (4-1-1) this weekend at Orr Rink. The results of these games could help determine the early frontrunner in the race for best record in the NESCAC. “This weekend will be our two toughest games so far,” Arena said. “We’ll have to be at our best, so hopefully as coaches we can prepare the team properly so that the players are ready with two energetic, focused efforts.”