Issue 12

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Power House Construction Begins Former College Steam Plant to Become a Social Space

Faculty Discuss Strategic Planning Committees Alissa Rothman ’15 Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Tarantino ’15 Photography Editor

Construction of a new social space in the College’s old Power House building began in November. The space is expected to open in the spring.

Jessie Kaliski ’15 Staff Writer In the fall of 2012, President Biddy Martin wanted to make the construction of social spaces for student activities an institutional priority. The Facilities Department, taking her announcement to heart, began a feasibility study on what had been used as a Power House up until the 1960s (Amherst College’s first centralized steam plant, equipped with a coal-fired boiler) and, more recently, a garage for the ground department. Just a few months later in April, architectural and engineering design work began.

Located on the east campus, the new gath-

ering area will be set back, making the Power House’s events less disruptive to the core campus and surrounding neighborhood.

Rather than constructing a new building, the college is renovating the existing structure. “The space is really magnificent and it’s just not realistic to think that such a soaring space would be built new today for this purpose,� said Director of Design and Construction Tom Davies.

In fact, the renovation is less greenhouse gas intensive than the construction.

McKim, Mead and White were the original designers of the Power House building. The renovator firm hired by Amherst is Brunner/ Cott, known for their work at Mass MoCA. “Their work at Mass MoCA even includes a

project that turned an old boiler plant into part of the museum exhibits,� Davies said.

Brunner/Cott also has experience working with old industrial buildings as well as with student life buildings.

Much of the design incorporates the original exterior of the powerhouse. According to Davies, the structures maintained for the new project include “the soaring arched windows on the south façade.â€?

In terms of the interior, there is not too much that can be restored. Yet, despite the difficulties, the architects are trying to leave some of the industrial character of the interior intact, as Continued on Page 3

After some slight technical difficulties, the faculty meeting of Dec. 3, 2013 began.

The bulk of the meeting was made up of short reports from the chairs of the strategic planning committees concerning the work that they had begun undertaking and a short discussion about the strategic planning process going forward.

The first to present was Professor Anthony Bishop, chair of the Committee on the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning. Bishop explained that the committee has started off by attempting to define what it means to be a research college and whether or not the College should still want to embrace and use that title as an identity. Bishop also explained that they have been discussing the content of undergraduate research and how to measure that to include projects besides senior theses. Furthermore, Bishop explained that, in the future, the committee will be discussing whether there is a desire among students or faculty for more research to occur on campus, and if so what the barriers currently are to that. They will look for input from different departments and disciplines about how research is currently done in those departments and how they want research to be integrated at the College in the future, as well as other topics dealing with research, teaching and learning.

Second was Professor Judith Frank, chair of the Committee on the Integration of Curricular and Co-Curricular Learning. Frank explained that her committee has focused on making the case for the four-year residential college. They will focus on intellectual foundations, personal abilities and life skills they want students to have when graduate. This will include assessing the relationship between classroom, extra-curricular and co-curricular spaces, which includes questions such as how to make residential life richer and what designs the new dorms should have.

The committee will also discuss how get faculty and students to do more on campus, what or if there should be options for slow learners, Continued on Page 2

College Accused of Mishandling Sexual Assault Sophie Murguia ’17 Managing News Editor On Thursday, Nov. 14, two former students filed a federal complaint against Amherst College, alleging that the College violated Title IX and the Clery Act by mishandling reports of sexual assault. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is currently reviewing the complaint.

The complaint is the latest development in a movement that began last October, when Epifano published an account of her sexual assault in The Amherst Student. Since then, Epifano and many others have accused the College of mistreating sexual assault survivors and of creating a culture of sexual disrespect.

Since the publication of Epifano’s article, colleges across the nation have faced similar complaints, including Yale, which was recently fined $165,000 for Clery Act violations. Current and former Vandebilt students filed a complaint against their school on the same day that the Amherst complaint was filed.

Title IX aims to prevent educational institutions from dis-

criminating on the basis of sex. The Department of Education considers sexual violence to be a form of sexual harassment, and thus it falls under the category of sex discrimination. The Clery Act requires federally funded educational institutions to disclose information about campus crimes.

According to Epifano, she and an unnamed Amherst alumna decided to file the complaint after they decided that the College had not adequately responded to the reports of mishandled sexual assaults that began to surface last fall. “I really thought that the administration and the school itself was going to change without the need for a federal complaint,�

Epifano said. “But in the case of Amherst, I have heard so many stories from students who are still being mistreated in almost exactly the same ways that I was mistreated, and I noticed during my visit there and from talking to people that things haven’t progressed the way that they should be and especially not at the rate that they should be.�

After visiting campus during Orientation week, Epifano described her alarm at the difference she perceived between how

Amherst had responded to the problem of sexual assault and how other schools had responded. “I’ve gone to schools where 800 people will show up to hear me talk and people will just be moved in ways that I couldn’t even imagine people at Amherst being moved,� Epifano said.

Since the school year began, she has been engaged in a public speaking tour of schools across the country. Epifano commented that other schools she visited seemed to have more active groups devoted to helping victims of discrimination and often had an abundance of signs posted around campus that provided a list of resources for survivors of sexual assault. She said that during her visit she did not perceive the same amount of support for survivors at Amherst.

Epifano added that hearing the story of her anonymous cocomplainant also strengthened her resolve to file the complaint, since the co-complainant reported being mistreated after Epifano’s article was published. (The co-complainant’s story can be Continued on Page 3

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News

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Nov. 18 to Nov. 30, 2013

>>Nov. 18, 2013 6:48 p.m., Pond Dormitory A caller reported a pickup truck parked in the quad near Pond.

An officer discovered residents of a first-floor suite were carrying in a ping-pong table. >>Nov. 20, 2013 3:38 p.m., Music Building An officer checked on two men who were acting in a suspicious manner inside the building. Neither man was associated with the college or had business with anyone at the college. After being identified, they were directed off campus.

8:11 p.m., Morrow Dormitory An officer responded to a complaint about loud music and found it coming from an unattended room. The RC was contacted and the music was shut off. >>Nov. 22, 2013 12:30 a.m., College Hall Parking Lot A caller complained about the noise from construction equipment near College Hall. An officer spoke to the contractor and the machine was shut off.

12:53 a.m., Stone Dormitory Officers responded to a complaint of a large party and found the north stairwell full of people. Parties were in progress in three suites. The events were shut down.

1:07 a.m., Stone While responding to a noise complaint, an officer confiscated an unlicensed keg. One student was fined $100.

2:38 a.m., Charles Pratt Dormitory An officer responded to a complaint of loud people on the first floor and issued a warning to several students. >>Nov. 23, 2013 12:02 a.m., Morrow An officer investigated a smoke detector sounding in a secondfloor room for no apparent reason. The system was reset.

5:36 p.m., Plimpton House A caller reported an unknown older woman loitering near one of the building entrances. No one was located when officers checked the area.

9:43 p.m., Triangle Street An officer assisted the town police at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Triangle Street.

>>Nov. 24, 2013 4:04 p.m., Gym Loop Road An officer investigated a motor vehicle accident. Report filed.

9:18 p.m., Stone Loading Dock An officer responded to a complaint that a car had another car blocked it. The owner of the parked car was located. >>Nov. 25, 2013 1:01 a.m., Appleton Dormitory Officers and the Fire Department responded to an alarm and found it was activated by an attic detector for an unidentified reason. The system was reset.

1:07 a.m., Crossett Dormitory An officer responded to a complaint about loud music and found a small party in a firstfloor suite. The music was shut off and non-residents left. >>Nov. 26, 2013 2:54 a.m., College St. Officers assisted the town police in searching for a man wanted for being involved in an incident in town. The man was not located. >>Nov. 28, 2013 10:57 a.m., Campus Grounds A sexual assault that occurred in 2012 was reported to the Title IX team and the Amherst Police. Report made to APD on Wednesday 11/27/13. Amherst Police and Amherst College Police are investigating. >>Nov. 29, 2013 8:55 a.m., College Hall Parking Lot An officer responded to a report of a minor fuel spill and found it was contained and was being properly managed.

11:33 a.m., Stearns Dormitory A vendor reported a vending machine in the basement had been vandalized. >>Nov. 30, 2013 11:49 a.m., Alumni Lot An officer found a car parked in the Alumni Lot with the trunk open. The owner could not be reached. The car was secured by the officer.

3:06 p.m., Campus Grounds An officer assisted an operator of a car that became stuck in mud in the area of the Bird Sanctuary. The car was towed out.

6:57 p.m., Off Campus Location An officer received a report of a college-owned vehicle being involved in an accident in Hadley.

Thoughts on Theses: Luca Antonucci and Jordan Hugh Sam

Major: Music Advisors: David Schneider (academic advisor), Mark Swanson (instrumental advisor), Mallorie Chernin (choral advisor)

cause when am I ever going to be able to conduct a bunch of talented singers, who are willing to give up an hour of their time every week for my performance? Also, the Amherst music department has been incredibly supportive. Even though I will pursue music history in graduate school, I wanted to take the chance to carry out a performance project in this ideal environment.

Q: What is your thesis about?

JHS: Luca and I are doing a joint choral and conducting thesis, in which we are each conducting a 20-person choir as well as a small-size orchestra.

LA: Jordan is conducting Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” and I am conducting Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.” In addition to the orchestral repertoire, we are both conducting choral pieces by Barber, Copland and other American composers.

Q: What inspired you to choose this topic for the thesis?

JHS: A lot of it boiled down to having the resources to do the right repertoire. Barber’s “Knoxville” and “Appalachian Spring” are pieces for chamber orchestra, which means they do not require too many musicians.

LA: Personally, I think Copland is an interesting composer because he went through many stylistic changes. Also, he is one of the most famous American composers, yet people do not know a lot of his pieces, so I thought it would be wonderful to share his choral pieces. “Appalachian Spring,” as Jordan mentioned, does not require many players, and it is a fun piece that I have always wanted to conduct.

JHS: And the composers share a theme of American sound, which is interesting to look at because American music was emerging at a time when the country wanted to distance itself from Europe. Especially in Barber’s “Knoxville” and Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” you can see how the composers are trying to pioneer this unique American sound.

Q: What compelled you to do a music performance instead of a written thesis?

LA: I enjoy performances, and since I hope to become a professional conductor, this was the perfect opportunity.

JHS: For me, this was a unique opportunity be-

Q: What are some challenges for organizing a performance thesis instead of writing a thesis?

LA: Figuring out the logistics! First of all, getting the players and planning rehearsals are difficult.

Some people are away during Interterm, some musicians are from UMass, others work during the day, etc. — we have learned to become flexible because we have to accommodate our musicians’ schedules. Another issue is when we are hiring people, we need to figure out how much money we can spend and how many players we can hire. Finding rehearsal space is a pain, too.

JHS: I agree with Luca — I didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to logistically pull everything together. I thought most of my thesis would be about music, but a lot of it involves applying for funding, finding musicians for the performance, and planning the rehearsals. The logistics part of the thesis has been very time consuming. Also, there have been some things that are intimidating during the process. For instance, I am coaching a singer who is currently working on her Ph.D., and it has been somewhat overwhelming to help a musician who already has a lot of knowledge about her field. It is a true learning experience, figuring out how to work with people and be in the position of authority as a conductor.

Q: Do you have any advice for future music students who may consider a music performance as his or her senior thesis?

LA: Dive into it knowing that you spend a huge amount of time writing e-mails, making phone calls and chasing people down for rehearsals. It is extremely important to stay on top of the logistical side of a performance thesis.

Q: When can Amherst and other community members watch the performance?

JHS: Everyone should come to the performance, which will be on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. in Buckley Recital Hall!

— Elaine Jeon ’17

Strategic Planning Committees Present Current Work Continued from Page 1

what faculty can learn from coaches, how to help sophomore slump and how to create a learning environment adequate for the goals of the College.

Third to present was Professor Rhonda Cobham-Sander, chair of the Committee on Diversity and Community. Cobham-Sander explained that the focus of her committee has been what diversity is to the College and its importance to the College in terms of students, faculty and staff. The committee plans to look into how to best create a culture that facilitates inclusion of diversity on campus and how to change the current culture of segmentation. They plan to look at findings and data found elsewhere and think of how to implement those finding at the College.

The final presentation came from Professor Amrita Basu, chair of the Committee on Internationalization of Liberal Arts Education. Basu explained that the committee has been discus-

sion what internationalization means for education and whether gaining international fluency or competence should be a goal of the College’s education. The committee focuses on the importance of understanding how the world is changing and will focus on how to incorporate that learning into a small liberal arts college.

Provost Peter Uvin and committee chairs explained during the discussion time that the timeline for the reports from each committee is that the reports will be drafted by the spring, research will be done and feedback will be given over the spring and summer and final reports will be written and presented to the faculty next fall. Uvin also explained that the committees were designed to be integrated and will be able to build on each other’s work. He also explained that if future topics arise that the Steering Committee feels aren’t being adequately addressed yet within the committees, they will either try to find a way to integrate into a committee or will create a new committee to look into that topic.

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News

Former Students Allege That College Violated Title IX and the Clery Act Continued from Page 1

read on page 4.)

Like Epifano, the co-complainant reported being raped by an acquaintance at Amherst College. The co-complainant said that her rape occurred in 2012, and she began visiting the College’s counseling center two days before the publication of Epifano’s article. She said that even after the article’s publication, she was mistreated by the counseling center, culminating in her being sent to a psychiatric ward after she answered a counselor’s question about how she would kill herself “if her depression grew worse.”

Epifano provided The Student with an 83page document that contains her portion of the complaint. In it, she described receiving similar treatment from the counseling center.

Although the Department of Education has not sent the complaint to the College, Epifano and her co-complainant decided to go public with their decision to file a complaint, so the school has been made aware that it may receive a complaint soon.

In a statement, President Biddy Martin pointed to steps the College has taken to address the issue of sexual assault and emphasized that the school has not seen the complaint.

“Led by the staff, faculty and students on the Title IX team, the college has made muchneeded changes,” Martin said. “We are responding to reports of sexual misconduct and assault by taking appropriate steps to eliminate the misconduct, prevent its recurrence and address its effects.”

“Work in all these areas is, of course, ongoing (from policies and procedures to educational outreach),” added former Title IX Coordinator and Director of Athletics Suzanne Coffey in an e-mail. Coffey noted that the College’s sexual respect website lists the steps that Amherst has already taken to combat sexual assault and sexual disrespect.

The website includes a checklist of 31 actions the College has taken in the past two years to address issues of sexual disrespect.

These actions include hiring personnel to deal specifically with issues of sexual respect, training students in bystander intervention and including student representatives on the Title IX Committee and Sexual Respect Task Force. A collection of resources and educational videos relating to sexual respect can be found on the site as well.

The website also highlights the accomplishments of the College’s Special Oversight Committee on Sexual Misconduct, which in January presented a report entitled Toward a Culture of Respect: The Problem of Sexual Misconduct at Amherst College. In the report, the committee reviewed Amherst’s existing policies on sexual respect and made recommendations for change.

More recently, the College has attempted to improve its handling of sexual misconduct by hiring a new Title IX Coordinator, Laurie Frankl. Frankl, the former Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts, will begin work at her new position today. Frankl will be the College’s first full-time Title IX Coordinator.

“My hire represents President Martin’s unwavering commitment to addressing the way

Power House to Yield New Gathering Area Continued from Page 1 well as reusing some unique parts of the old building. For example, structures used to hold up tons of coal in huge hoppers will be reused as landscape elements for ivy that will grow up the building wall.

Amherst College has enacted certain code requirements and energy-efficiency goals for this new social space. The project incorporates a number of sustainable measures. A radiant/infrared heating scheme will provide comfort when doors open and let in cool air. Additionally, a design that captures waste heat from the campus steam loop will travel through the building’s basement to an energy recovery ventilation system that transfers 75 percent of the energy found in the exhaust air into the incoming fresh air stream.

But the administration was not alone in making this decision — there has been considerable student input involved in the Power House construction. Davies noted that the most important student input session occurred over the summer, just after the basic design parameters were understood.

“Even though it was over the summer, a large number of students attended and provided a great deal of insight, suggestion and commentary,” Davies said.

According to Davies, the Power House, with the capacity to hold 470 people, “is essentially one large open area with a raised floor at the west

side at the main entry door and a balcony at the east side overlooking the open space.”

There are back rooms, including a small green room, bar/kitchenette and bathrooms. The facility will be used for gatherings, such as dances, parties, a capella rehearsals and other live performances, catered dinners and receptions, student meetings, art exhibits, coffee house evenings, panel discussion or talks, pub nights, outdoor barbecues or picnics, movie screenings, farmers’ markets or food truck nights.

For students interested in further involvement with the Power House project, another presentation and open forum will be held in early December hosted by the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Design and Construction.

The project’s staff is very excited to fulfill the current structure’s potential.

“I’m fully focused on the job site,” said Project Manager Kristine Royal.

“We will present the design in detail,” Davis said, “Like how the house sound and lighting systems are best coordinated to facilitate student use, what types of furniture will work best and operational issues like how the space is reserved and managed. The whole administration is focused on making this space really work well for students, making it both easy and compelling to use through fabulous design and innovate ways to manage the space,” Davies said.

Amherst manages gender equity issues, including, of course, sexual misconduct allegations,” Frankl said.

For their part, the two complainants express frustration with how the administration has responded to reports of sexual assault and mistreatment thus far.

“I think that the removal of certain administrators has been helpful, but I think there needs to be a faster more concentrated effort into doing this because this is one of the greatest issues that the college faces right now,” Epifano said.

Her co-complainant also reported being disappointed with President Martin’s statement, describing it as overly general.

“I would like to see a step-by-step breakdown of how a case would be handled right now to the best of the administrators’ hypothetical projection,” she said in an e-mail. “All we have is theory — no examples of practice.”

The co-complainant also voiced concerns that the College has not been transparent as it could have been about reports of sexual assault.

She said she would like to see the College implement a policy similar to that of some other colleges that e-mail the entire student body after an anonymous report of sexual misconduct is filed.

Both Epifano and her co-complainant also said that they do not believe Amherst’s actions to increase awareness of sexual respect during First-Year Orientation have been effective.

“I think that Orientation should include an event where current students talk about legitimate obstacles they encountered during their Amherst experience,” the co-complainant said.

She added that she believed such talks should

not be structured in “a salesman-like way as tour guides are instructed to do” or in simple “problem-solution paradigms” such as “I was stressed, I went to the writing center, the end!”

“I also think that there should be a conversation where respect and trust are differentiated,” she said. “I fear that extreme pride fostered during orientation leads students to automatically trust everyone — this comes with the urgent desire to fit in. When we believe that everyone in our incoming class is among the utopian elite, we do not consider the possibility that somebody among us could violate us.”

Epifano said she hopes that other members of the community will add their voices to the complaint.

“We can continue adding information to the complaint basically as long as the complaint stays active,” Epifano said.

Epifano says she expects the Department of Education to finish processing the complaint soon. If the Department’s Office for Civil Rights decides to move forward with an investigation, it is likely that it will officially notify the College of the complaint some time in the coming weeks. After that, the College would have several weeks to offer up information requested by federal investigators, launching a process that would involve investigators interviewing the complainants, analyzing evidence and speaking to people on campus. Finally, the Office would submit a report saying whether the College has violated Title IX or the Clery Act, and if it has, what it should do to fix those violations. It is also possible that the Office of Civil Rights will not find grounds for an investigation.

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Opinion

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Editorial

Finals: What’s the Point of it all?

It is unfortunate how the process of learning and the academic calendar are so out of sync. Learning is continuous and gradual, whereas academic pressure fluctuates and spikes sharply, typically in the months of December and May. Out of this dissonance, emerges the stress of finals.

Nonetheless, the College might consider some ways to alleviate this stress. For example, departments could stagger their scheduling of finals, so majors are less likely to be overwhelmed by back-to-back exams. Perhaps, professors may consider reducing the weight of finals in the overall grades they assign. The tremendous weight of finals in terms of grading encourages a poor work ethic that results in cramming rather than consistency and in fewer opportunities for positive reinforcement of more mundane, but arguably more important tasks, such as attending and engaging in lectures.

The grading system places too much emphasis on assessment and too little on culti-

vating a relationship between students and professors. Grades should not be a way for professors to judge students, to punish and reward, but rather a mechanism to communicate to students their strengths and areas for improvement. Rather than placing so much weight on a single examination at the end of the course, this would be better accomplished by smaller but more frequent assignments, which would provide more opportunities for students to receive and integrate feedback.

Ultimately, every student ends up asking, overwhelmed by stress, what is the point of it all? But this is a legitimate question. What is the purpose of finals? The timing of final exams and the end of the semester is well suited for assessment. This same timing, however, makes very little sense in terms of intellectual growth. Students rarely receive feedback on their final exams and, in any case, have very little incentive to respond to any feedback.

This is unfortunate because while finals will soon be over, learning never will.

Sexual Assault: A Co-Complaint Anonymous Contributing Writer *TRIGGER WARNING: This content deals with an account of sexual assault.

The article is contributed by an anonymous Amherst alumna, who along with Angie Epifano, has filed a Title IX and Clery complaint against Amherst College.

I am a survivor who graduated from Amherst College this past May despite the administration’s efforts to silence and shame me.

I was raped during my Junior year in 2012 by a person I knew in Davis Hall. Word among students was that the Amherst administration historically avoided punishing wrongdoers, so I stayed silent.

Desperate to maintain my Amherst work ethic, I fancied myself “strong” and “determined” enough to pretend that it never happened. That was when my PTSD and depression began to slowly occlude my outlook and corrode my life.

Incidentally, I began going to the Amherst College counseling center on Monday, Oct. 15, just two days before Angie’s article was published. I mentioned my rape in as many words as I could muster because I was not ready to say explicitly what I knew deep down to be true. My counselor did not verbally respond to my account and instead asked more questions about my family and my academic life.

Angie’s article led me to necessarily grapple with my rape after having stayed essentially silent for eight months. I sought continued help at the counseling center because I was unprepared to ask my emotionally distant family for financial support in order to talk to somebody in town. Yes, this felt like a ridiculous and dangerous choice after having read about what happened to Angie, but I tried to go into the counseling center with an under-

E X E C U T I V E B OA R D Editor-in-Chief Alissa Rothman Managing News Elaine Vilorio, Sophie Murguia Managing Opinion James Liu, Julia Milmed Managing Arts and Living Meghan McCullough, Annalise Nurme, Lizzie Paul Managing Sports Nicole Yang, Karl Greenblatt, Andrew Knox

standing of their limitations. Since my counselor acted as if sexual assault wasn’t relevant, I started to persuade myself that I could just talk about other distressing things, even though they were mostly fallout from the rape.

In the month that followed the publication of Angie’s article, my depression spiraled. When my counseling session was canceled due to The Day of Dialogue and then further postponed because of high volume requests at the counseling center, I realized that the school was in an even more enfeebled position to actually help me. As much as I wanted to rally and participate in the awareness events on campus in response to Angie’s article, my PTSD and depression were rendering me barely functional and I was scared of going public in my raw state. At least I had practice with pretending that I was mostly fine at Amherst.

Since I could not fathom going into a hearing process, I took the matter of holding my rapist accountable into my own hands. He had since graduated, so I called him. I asked him to detail his perception of that night through his eyes. I expressed the traumatic impact of his actions on my life. I asked him to promise to never treat another human being as he treated me. I don’t know what that means for the future, but it felt like a much more substantial step forward than trying to involve the administration.

While my counselor urged me to go on antidepressants, I had suspicions, so she suggested that I talk to the psychiatrist, framing the meeting as a chance to learn more and make my own, proactive choice. Instead, I was interrogated as if I had to prove the veracity of my depression. I felt like I was being made to beg for help. After answering many leading questions and being pressured to address how I would go about killing myself “if my depression grew worse” — which felt like a possibility as I Continued on Page 5

An Open Letter: Sexual Respect Policy Changes Last year’s discussion surrounding sexual respect on campus illuminated a broken support system. Amherst College has since made many of the much-needed changes to the school’s sexual respect policy. Unfortunately, many students are unaware of these changes.

To address this, here is a comparison between former and current policies intended to educate students on changes to the College’s sexual respect policy and options in cases of sexual assault.

Who finds out about sexual assault?

All College employees, including faculty, staff and administrators, student employees, who have a responsibility for student welfare, and student volunteers, who have a responsibility for student welfare, are required to share with a member of the Title IX team any report of sexual harassment or misconduct they receive or of which they become aware.

Examples of students who have a duty to share the information with the Title IX team include, but are not limited to, Resident Counselors, Peer Advocates and Student Health Educators.

All College employees who see or hear anything related to sexual assault are required to inform their supervisors. College employees include RCs, SHEs, PAs, professors and staff members: these people are all required to report anything they hear about or see.

Students who want to report incidents of assault can do so anonymously or in person. This policy has not been changed.

The supervisors who receive reports are: the new Title IX Coordinator, Laurie Frankl; and the Deputy Coordinators: Amanda Collings Vann, Jen Hughes, Dean Greg Call, Maria-Judith Rodriguez and Dean Susie Mitton Shannon.

What are my choices?

As before, there are three options that students can choose from after reporting sexual assault.

First, survivors can simply do nothing. Nothing is required, and survivors are allowed to choose not to pursue any avenues of recourse or sanctions.

Second, students can seek resources available at the College and the surrounding area. Students have access to Amherst College’s confidential medical, mental health and clerical resources, including: The College’s Health Services and Counseling Center (home to two new counselors, Sarah Erickson Psy.D and Laura Fusari LICSW, who both specialize in treating trauma survivors), Religious Life Advisors and the Center for Women and Community, the 24-hour Sexual Assault Hotline (413-545-0800).

Students can also report anonymously online at the College Sexual Respect website at www.amherst. ethicspoint.com.

The third option is to pursue a hearing. The College’s sexual misconduct hearing process has been redesigned to be more private for both survivors and their accused perpetrators, or respondents.

Survivors of sexual assault can pursue sanctions against the respondent with the guidance of an advisor, a nonpartisan hearing board and an investigator (external to the College) that takes the pressure off the survivor.

What is the hearing process?

The first change is with the hearing panel itself.

Last year, Amherst students, faculty and administrators made up the hearing panel. Now, three specially trained professionals from the Five Colleges

Mariana Cruz- Full-time director of the Multicultural Resource Center (new position) Laurie Frankl- Full-time Title IX Coordinator (new position) Scott Howard- Case Manager (new position) Danielle Hussey- Full-time director of the Women’s and Gender Center (new position) Jim Larimore- Dean of Students Angie Tissi- Full-time director of the Queer Resource Center (new position) Peter Uvin- Provost (new position) Amanda Collings Vann- Sexual Respect Educator (new position) The above College employees are open and willing to listen to student feedback on improvements to sexual respect culture and proceedings.

Understandably, last year’s discussion of sexual respect focused on identifying the problem. Moving forward, the dialogue can expand to address improvements to Amherst College’s sexual respect policies and culture. The immediate action taken and the improved hearing process aim to increase transparency and provide a broader support network for students in need. Administrative reform, however, is not the only avenue to improve sexual culture on campus. We, as students, must increase our awareness of issues of sexual respect and pledge to reform our conduct as well.

Signed, The student representatives of the Sexual Respect Task Force Main Contributors: Andrew Edelman ’15, Siraj Sindhu ’17

Letters Policy

S TA F F Design Editor Brendan Hsu, Andrew Kim, Brian Beaty News Section Editors David Kang, Noah Morton Opinion Section Editors David Chang, Cheryl Lim, Ashley Montgomery Sports Section Editors Dori Atkins, Jason Stein, Patrick Yang

will sit on the panel. To make the hearing process more private, no one on the panel will be from any school that implicated students attend.

Navigating the hearing process while having to recount one’s own assault or misconduct can be very difficult. Thus, Amherst has trained faculty and staff to be advisors during the hearing process.

These advisors can help students navigate the hearing process in any capacity students need. Involved parties can choose their own advisor from a provided list or can choose not to have an advisor at all.

A third new aspect of the hearing process is the addition of a trained outside investigator hired by the College. The role of the investigator is to gather evidence, take statements from witnesses and talk to the complainant and respondent. The investigator will then make a statement to the hearing committee based on the collected evidence.

While the hearing process is occurring, accommodations can be made to improve quality of life on campus for survivors and respondents. No-contact orders and room switches for the respondent can be arranged. These resources are also available to students who make a report to the Title IX team about sexual misconduct.

Which College Employees Are Directly Involved With Sexual Respect?

Along with changes to the hearing process and the reporting process, the College has worked to change campus culture regarding sexual respect.

Amherst has created new positions and dedicated full-time employees to provide more resources focused on sexual respect. They are:

Publishers Mary Byrne, Nazir Khan, Michael Osorio, David Walchak Copy Editors Darya Barshak, Lauren Benjamin, Claire Drolen, Jasmine Green Photography Editor Olivia Tarantino Senior Editor Brianda Reyes, Chris Friend

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.

Publication Standards

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.

The views expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of The Amherst Student.

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The International Perspective Questioning Amherst’s International Admissions /BODZ :VO 5BOH ’ The International Perspective is a biweekly column that provides a platform for students to share their opinions about our larger world. This includes international outlooks on domestic issues as well as opinions on problems occurring around the globe.

200,000 RMB. That is how much a Chinese high school senior would pay a Shanghai-based consulting agency to apply to U.S. colleges. 200,000 RMB is about $33,000 and more than five times the 2012 Chinese GDP per capita. Coincidentally co-directed by an Amherst alum, this agency advertises its admission results to attract prospective customers. Along with two competitors, the company has advertised online a total of 12 Amherst College admits since 2010 . Even if some of the admits ended up attending other colleges, 12 is still a disturbingly high number given that the College only admits about a dozen Chinese international students annually, and that the current number of Chinese residents among the Amherst student body is 28 .

Such agencies in a booming Chinese educational market are becoming increasingly lucrative and well informed about U.S. undergraduate admission. Their services range from providing SAT prep to drafting personal statements, and they charge within a couple thousand dollars to what is comparable to the cost of attending Amherst for a year. While some of these agencies are less ethically dubious than others, the consultants across the board engage in application fraud and exploit information asymmetry between U.S. colleges and Chinese applicants for profit. According to a 2011 Chronicle of Higher Education article, as the population of Chinese undergraduates in the U.S. has tripled in the past decade, “90 percent of Chinese applicants submit false recommendations, 70 percent have other people write their personal essays, 50 percent have forged high-school transcripts.” It would be simplistic and wrong, however, to attribute such fraud to the ethics of Chinese applicants.

Instead, when faced with the information asym-

metry presented by language barriers and the lack of college counselors, many Chinese applicants are pressured by peers or parents into using these services.

Expensive consulting agencies with “insider” perspectives, like the Shanghai one mentioned at the outset of this article, are likely to crowd out qualified applicants with less financial resources.

Looking back, I am amazed that I could even be admitted to Amherst College without the help of any consulting agency, which I chose not to use and which my family probably couldn’t have afforded. Throughout my application, I felt clueless when it came to school choices and personal statements in my application. My only information sources were my older Chinese friends already enrolled in U.S. colleges and the internet, and I knew only a handful of things about Amherst. Taking aside the English requirements and standardized testing results, the information from “insiders” can indeed prove helpful, sometimes pivotal, in applications to schools like Amherst. As many recent Amherst College graduates move to different Chinese cities to work for study abroad consulting agencies, I desperately want to, but no longer can, assert that qualified Chinese applicants who choose not to/cannot afford to use consultants would be on equal footings with their wealthier peers in their applications, including applications to Amherst. However, I must also acknowledge that Amherst’s complicity in the chaotic Chinese study abroad market is minute when compared to even the tip of the gigantic iceberg called “Chinese educational inequality,” a subject we shall save for another day.

Having attended a prestigious public high school with lots of resources, I have occupied im-

Opinion 5 mense education privilege. Intriguingly, five of the about 30 Chinese international students now at Amherst attended my high school. Amidst the financial crisis in 2009, the Director of Financial Aid Joe Paul Case warned, in response to proposed cut of aid for international students, that even though the quality of international students would maintain, “You’d have a bunching of [international] students… by high school.” For example, “You’d be virtually getting all of your Korean [international] students out of about three of four high schools.” Case continued to argue that “if what we’re trying to do is have students from a lot of different backgrounds, does it make a lot of sense to have a lot of students from the same high schools in Korea?” The lack of data and information on Amherst’s rarely examined international admission policy is frustrating — how can I know that our current international student body does not exhibit a bunching by high school, when I myself serve as a counterexample?

Educational privilege is by no means limited to any specific region. While regional education inequality certainly contributes to the “bunching” of qualified international applicants, the College should engage in critical evaluations of its international admission. Is “diversity” what we seek for international admissions? How “diverse” actually is our international student and alumni body, if we go beyond regional representation and consider socioeconomic status and secondary background?

Considering the privacy of our students and alumni, I believe we should at least call for transparency and accessibility of information on international admission efforts. How are we recruiting internationally in different regions? How are we ensuring the fairness of our recruiting and admission processes overseas? Is the multi-million dollar recruiting project in Africa and South America just a rumor or does it actually exist?

I applied to Amherst because it is among the only six U.S. undergraduate institutions (and the only liberal arts college) that are need-blind to international applicants, which means “Amherst will admit international students without regard to their level of financial need or request for financial aid.” However, since the international need-blind policy was first announced in 2008, we have undergone a financial crisis, which first threatens the aid for international students. Sixty-two faculty

members have written a letter to the Trustees in summer 2009 to suggest a reduction in need-blind aid for international students, which had also generated strong reactions from the student body. After this long-fought battle of repeated debates on whether or not to cancel the need-blind policy for international students, 42 of the 48 international students in the Class of 2016 applied for financial aid, which is reassuring even if the possibility of losing such policy still looms. While I would like to think that Amherst is at least on the right track towards attracting a diverse group of international applicants, if not a diverse group of international matriculated students from their respective regions, I urge all students and faculty to learn more about our recent institutional history and contemplate the possible actions we could take if faced with another crisis — we should not be so forgetful, and we should strive to keep discussions going.

It disappoints me that the recent Internationalization of Liberal Arts Education Committee under the Strategic Planning team seems to have omitted any inquiries into the international recruiting and admission. While facilitating our American students’ study abroad and other international experiences is certainly crucial, our international student body plays an integral part in the internationalization of Amherst’s liberal arts mission. Or as former College President Tony Marx puts it in his discussion of the need-blind policy for international admission, “It is in everyone’s best interest that we are doing what we can to educate the best mix of future leaders.” Though I have yet to formulate a full understanding of the relationship between international admission, international student career choices and the internationalization of liberal arts education, I sincerely hope that the College is no longer interested (or at least not merely interested) in only admitting and educating the potential multi-national corporate leaders or the future Kenyattas and Papandreous of the world. I strongly suggest that the College consider how to attract and admit a truly diverse international students and then how to best facilitate them in other career choices, such as becoming humanists, scientists, artists, pioneers in global development and social reformers for justice. Otherwise, our need-blind policy will be in a constant threat of becoming a self-comforting tokenistic lie in the face of that 200,000 RMB.

Breaking the Illusions of Perfection

Continued from Page 4

was receiving no constructive help — I was abruptly notified that Amherst had sent for an ambulance to take me to Cooley Dickinson. I told the counseling center team that surrounded me that I had zero intention of killing myself and pleaded with them to change this manipulative and extreme course of action, but they would not reverse their decision. I was told that if I did not cooperate that they would call the police to track me down.

Two burly men walked into the office to escort me. I realized that a physical struggle would only be more devastating; I was going to have to fight with words upon entry to make sure that I was not sent to the psych ward. So I stood up, apparently cooperative, but as we passed through the waiting room, I had to announce, “It’s nice to know that things are still so black and white here at Amherst College!” The students in the waiting room looked horrified.

So much for confidentiality. After my body was strip-searched for blades and after the nurses drew my blood so that they could verify that I had not in fact ingested anything lethal, I called home, humiliated, violated and scared. A parent, who also pays my tuition, called every relevant office phone number that they could find on the College website, demanding that a dean come argue for my discharge.

The dean arrived an hour later, arms waving, insisting that this was all a fluke, a strange miscommunication. When I came to Amherst, I could have never fathomed any of this: how one could be raped and then sent to a hospital where one, again, does not have control over one’s own body until the power of the purse inspires those in a position of authority to intervene. As I was discharged, I encountered the perverse sway of my own privilege: if I had not had parents who leveraged, I would have

been sent to the psych ward.

When I returned to campus, I was made to feel indebted to the administration for saving me from the psych ward. I was pressured to take time off, abandon my thesis and discard my academic work that investigated trauma in what I found to be authentic and productive ways. My fear of returning to an unhealthy home environment in order to take time off or transfer motivated me to stick it out. Angie’s strength in coming forward and the lingering activism on campus enabled me to persevere in relative silence. It is worth mentioning that the dean who discharged me from the hospital offered, in an e-mail, to meet with me every week if it would help me feel more supported. This dean never actually followed through when I e-mailed my schedule and expressed my eagerness to meet.

This was all happening after Angie published her article in The Amherst Student.

Extraordinary friends and professors are the reasons that I was able to finish getting my degree at Amherst, but nobody should have to endure the kind of treatment that I faced at the hands of the counseling center and the deans. My way of coping with all of this was to pour myself into my academics. I graduated with a 4.0 and with honors, carrying a superficial record of smooth sailing achievement, but my lived experience at the College in the time following my assault was traumatic. I persevered to show the administration that I wouldn’t be the weak victim that they assumed me to be, but as a result my final year depended on me staying silent. This should not have to be the case.

I would encourage anybody reading this to follow the “What’s Left at Amherst Blog” to read articles written by current students. They are productively questioning Amherst’s institutional traditions and priorities. (http://whatsleftatamherst.

tumblr.com/).

Even though the immediate impact of Angie’s article mobilized many, I noticed an abrupt tapering of perceptible, constructive change in the months that followed. Many students who had no lived experience with sexual assault were shocked by the college’s sudden attempt to talk about these issues. (There was no context for a conversation of this magnitude. Amherst College does not create a culture that critically questions its own practices or invites students to do so.) Many students felt defensive because student life as they enjoyed it was being interrupted by scandal. Regardless of their empathy for survivors, students who felt this way seemed eager to move on and label the issue passé.

I felt that this was enabled by the administration because I did not notice more prominent postings about on-campus resources or outright promises that the administration would not shame survivors into leaving campus, either outright or discreetly through neglect. I cannot begin to imagine the number of still-silent survivors on Amherst campus who would rather not hazard coming forward to an administration that is still concerned with mending its facade.

I know that the students, staff and faculty on the sexual respect task force are committed to progress and I am grateful for their work, but I still believe that students face enormous disincentives from the counseling center and the deans when it comes to reporting because they are likely to be treated as a liability if they are as a result legitimately depressed.

The administration continues to point to alcohol as a scapegoat rather than admit outright that rape happens.

The committee that issued the report titled “Toward a Culture of Respect: The Problem of Sexual Misconduct at Amherst College” claimed that Am-

herst’s superlative number of reported rapes (which were only charted through the year 2010 in a report published in late 2012) were a positive sign that Amherst was committed to fulfilling its obligations under The Clery Act. But what about the ways that Amherst counselors and deans have refused to acknowledge survivors’ experience by hearing the account and not being willing to call it what it is and report it? How many current students know about The Clery Act? I know that I didn’t know what it was, even after the publication of Angie’s article. If an institution has complete choice over who conducts an investigation, the investigation will search for what the institution wants to “find.”

A current student told me that they estimate that only about half of the members of the Class of 2017 have even read Angie’s article, let alone engaged in a discussion with an upperclassman about its impact on campus culture last year. This is evidence of an institution’s haste to stifle ongoing, critical conversations about the reality of sexual assault and how to actively shape a culture of sexual respect. Incoming students need more than the redundant, damagingly basic mantra: “Get consent! Strive for point-oh-five!” The nine-day marathon known as “orientation” does more to foster Amherst jingoism than it does to prepare a student to think critically about how respect is created through action and how to take care of themselves and others. Does orientation include any testimony from real students about their experiences with the issues parodied and simplified in educational “skits?” No. Orientation, for me, led me to believe that all of my fellow students were elite, model citizens. I was socialized in a way that prevented me from standing up for myself because my lived experience was so dissonant with the illusions of perfection I had been taught to embrace.

Arts&Living

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About “About Time�: A Film for the Ages

Image courtesy of TDINJEUSFWJFX DPN

8IJMF 5JN BOE .BSZ T SPNBODF JT DMFBSMZ UIF NBJO BUUSBDUJPO PG UIF m MN 3BDIFM .D"E BNT BDUVBMMZ TFSWFT BT UIF XFBLFTU MJOL JO UIF XPOEFSGVMMZ #SJUJTI DBTU +PIOBUIBO "QQFM Contributing Writer This needs to be said right away: “About Time� is a new movie about a time-traveler who marries the always-popular “Mean Girls� star Rachel McAdams. It is is not, however, “The Time Traveler’s Wife,�

Film Review i"CPVU 5JNFw Directed by Richard Curtis Starring: Rachel McAdams and Aiysha Hart

which was released in 2009 and is also about a time-traveler who marries the beautiful “Wedding Crashers� actress Rachel McAdams. Aside from the odd repeated typecasting of Rachel McAdams as drawn to time-traveling men (she also starred in “Midnight in Paris� with Owen Wilson) and the seemingly identical premise, the two films have remarkably little in common. “About Time� deserves to be separated from its disappointing predecessor in our minds, as it is not only one of the best romantic movies I’ve seen in a

while but also one of the most uplifting movies of this year.

Quickly establishing the basic premise, the exceedingly awkward Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson), at the age of 21, discovers that the men in the family can travel in time throughout their own lives. After receiving advice from his father (Bill Nighy) that he has to make himself happy and that “he can’t go back and kill Hitler or shag Helen of Troy,�

Tim vows to use his gift for love and moves to London to find it. Immediately upon meeting the beautiful American wallflower Mary (Rachel McAdams), he falls madly in love and, after almost missing their meeting by changing the past, uses his power to bring them back together and build their relationship. In the meantime, Tim must deal with his sister Kitkat’s (Lydia Wilson) propensity for dating terrible men and his inability to change his father’s terminal diagnosis.

Directed by Richard Curtis, the director of “Notting Hill� and “Love Actually,� this latest effort is just as perfect for any movie goers who love great characters, funny and insightful dialogue, crying while your friends try to watch the movie and, simply, love. Anyone who has seen these movies or a film with more of a focus on romance than comedy

will find themselves in familiar territory. While the time travel certainly provides some funny moments, the movie performs the impressive feat of making Tim’s powers the pivot of the plot while, at the same time, not relying on it for cheap laughs and gags.

There are enough plot holes in the time travel to frustrate any sci-fi fans or physics majors enough to make them leave the theater. Ultimately, this is a film for the moviegoer who is willing to suspend disbelief in not only the ability to time travel without any explanation but also the ability to fall instantly and heartbreakingly in love with someone and to become willing to do whatever it takes to find and be with that someone.

While my summary of the movie’s plot does not do justice to this, time travel is simply the catalyst for Tim’s journey, with the true heart of the movie lying in Tim’s relationships with the other characters. Because of this lack of focus on the actual travel, this is not a film that philosophizes about the meaning of time, predestination or fate.

Instead, the film shows only the implications that Tim’s powers have on the people around him and the love in his life. While his and Mary’s romance is clearly the main attraction of the film, Rachel McAdams actually serves as the weakest link in the

wonderfully British cast. The ping pong matches and philosophic conversations about Dickens between Tim and his father are heartwarming and relatable as they both struggle to let go and move forward with the father’s inevitable death while Tim creates his own family, despite having the ability to keep living in the past. The surprise high point of the film actually comes from Tim’s sister, Kitkat, who must learn to fix the serious mistakes in her own life with the help of her brother’s care and advice rather than powers.

Despite the wonderful and relatable characters in the film, there is a blight that should be addressed in the core romantic relationship: the fact that Tim is ultimately manipulating and lying to his wife by not telling her about his ability. Just like other movies, particularly “Groundhog’s Day,� “About Time� is based on a sexist idea that a man has some kind of advantage over the woman he loves, gradually manipulating her into falling in love with him. While that is more pronounced in the latter movie, as Tim is at least nice to Mary, he still never admits his secret to her and even uses it to break up a boyfriend she has when they meet.

While this certainly doesn’t destroy the genuineness of their marriage, it certainly does reveal a disturbing trend in the romantic comedy genres and movies in general as it is okay for men to manipulate women with no knowledge on the latter’s part and no

repercussions for this clear breach of trust.

In the end, this movie excels for the exact opposite reason you would expect it to: it’s not about time travel, it’s about every person’s journey to find love, cope with loss and appreciate life while it moves relentlessly forward. Yes, the strange powers are quickly established and fuel Tim’s journey to find love and happiness, but these end goals come from the far more relatable process of maturity.

not only one of the “bestit isromantic movies ... in a while but also one of the most uplifting movies of this year.

�

The genius of this lies in the fact that Tim, while messing up time through his accidental travels, never actually needs to use his gift as, for example, Mary only ends up with a boyfriend because of a miscalculation on Tim’s part. It is especially during the moments Tim decides that he must solve his problems through active change in the present rather than the past, such as the scenes with his sister or his father’s funeral, when this message truly crystalizes. While the metaphor becomes rather heavy handed in the last moments of the film, the main message that every person, even Tim and his father, cannot live in the past forever is clear and uplifting throughout.

Image via BCPVUUJNFNPWJF DPN

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The Amherst Student is in dire need of a comic strip!

Interested?

Email mmccullough15@amherst.edu or anurme15@amherst.edu

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Queeriosity: Being Trans* at Amherst

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+BOFU .PDL JT B USBOTHFOEFS SJHIUT BEWPDBUF XIP WJTJUFE "NIFSTU JO /PWFNCFS 4LZMFS %FBSEPSGG Contributing Writer On Friday, Nov. 15, Amherst College Pride Alliance was honored to host Janet Mock, a transgender woman of color, in celebration of Trans*1Awareness Week. Janet is a renowned writer and transgender rights advocate who grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and thus had a very unique childhood experience. Although Janet was born biologically male, she grew up wanting only one thing — “a chance to be in the right body for the first time in [her] entire life.�

There is much to be learned from her experiences, and I think that she has been very successful in changing the views many people have toward transgender women in particular.

Janet recently finished writing a memoir titled “Redefining Realness,� to be released in February 2014, which will expose many to the obstacles transgender people must face in their lives. These difficulties are also prevalent in the lives of those who do not conform All gender identities excluding cisgender

1

to the gender binaries, i.e., male and female. There is no doubt an increased amount of gender nonconformity in societies where trans* identity is more accepted, and Janet is proof of this. During a meet and greet in the Queer Resource Center (QRC), Janet explained to students that in Hawaii there was “room for a third gender.� She said that although growing up in Hawaii was a very different experience than it would’ve been on the mainland, it certainly wasn’t any easier.

When talking to Janet, I felt a very strong connection with her and I feel I can easily relate to her, being a transgender man at Amherst. We both are very fortunate to have a strong support network, and hers just happens to be from family, which she is very fortunate for. To me, she is living proof that things can get better with persistence. I never had the opportunity to meet another trans* identified person before Janet, and I am very thankful for having met her.

Although we both experienced the hardship of growing up in a body that doesn’t correlate with our biological sex, we had very different lifestyles growing up. I was raised in a fairly conservative household where I was taught how to “act like a lady� and how to abide by society’s standards. I was told what I was supposed to wear, and of course obeyed my parents because that was all I knew to do. I realized that I was not a typical girl when I would wear my brother’s clothes around my room and feel significantly happier. I’d look in the mirror and appreciate my more masculine appearance. After years of feeling uncomfortable, I decided to make my happiness a priority. Without my parents knowing, I went to the hairdresser with my friend and did what I had been wishing to do for years — cut off all of my hair. Doing this was a big step towards a more positive direction.

I didn’t realize that not only would having short hair change the way I saw myself, but it would also significantly change the perceptions others had of me. After only thirty minutes of living with my new appearance, I was addressed as “gentleman� and “sir� at dinner that night with my friends. For the first time in my life I felt as though I was understood. I decided to use this to my advantage, and I began making friends who knew nothing about my past. As one can imagine, that didn’t last; word travels fast. People began to treat me differently, as expected. I lost a good portion of my close friends, mostly because they did not understand. This lack of understanding is also applicable to my family, who I have yet to “come out� to. To me, coming out has never been a necessary step in the process of finding myself. When I decided to be open about my sexual identity, I never directly announced it or confronted anyone. I casually brought it up in conversation with my friends and those who I was comfortable telling. I did the same with my gender identity; however, I have yet to confront my family about it. Although I have yet

to change my legal name, my friends were great with the transition between my birth name and my chosen name. Here at Amherst, everyone refers to me as Skyler/Sky, and I’m much more comfortable. I feel I’m in a safe environment with the support of the school, great administrators and most importantly, accepting peers. The frequent ignorance toward non-binary identities is what I wish to diminish during my life and even within my time here.

Through the process of finding myself, I’ve recognized that the opinions I have of myself are the most important. I’ve learned to surround myself with people who will complement me. I was very anxious before freshman year started, as I didn’t know how people would react to my situation. Fortunately, I’ve made many good friends here and am still able to maintain my friendships with those back home who helped me through my transition. I think that although Amherst certainly has room for improvement — like implementing gender-inclusive restrooms — I am more than happy and grateful to be here.

If you are interested in contributing to the Queeriosity column, contact Matthew Randolph ’16 at mrandolph16@amherst.edu.

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“Oldboy� Falls Short of Korean Original #SJUUBOJF -FXJT Contributing Writer

Over the Thanksgiving break, I got the chance to visit New York City for the first time; it was as bright and exaggerated as I had always imagined it would be. Gabby Rodriguez ’17, Jeremy Paula ’17 and I decided to see a movie at the AMC Empire 25 on 42nd St. near Times Square, a theater so questionably large that one can’t help but wonder at its size. Or perhaps my opinion isn’t the norm, considering that I’ve known nothing but modest, singlestory movie theaters until now. After some deliberation, we decided to see “Oldboy,� a Spike Lee remake of a cult Korean movie that both Jeremy and I had seen and really enjoyed.

I was eager to watch the American take on a movie that, when I first saw it, had exceeded my expectations. It was thrilling, nuanced and perfectly dark, and while I didn’t expect Lee’s remake to quite meet the standard that the Korean movie had set, I was excited to compare the two and had generally high hopes for the remake.

We walked into the showing room (Theater 20, conveniently located on the seventh floor) about twenty minutes late and quickly seated ourselves. The beginning of the film was promising, and despite its opening, the first few

scenes established a brooding tone and dangled the possibility of a truly complex movie in front of our faces. Moviegoers watch as Joseph Doucett, as portrayed by Josh Brolin, intensely struggles to adjust to his new life: confined to a hotel room with no knowledge of how he got there or why, fed the same four meals in rotation and allowed only one television channel for, unknown to Doucett, the next twenty years.

The years tick by as we watched the plot begin to unfold as Doucett progresses, the promise of a solid movie still hanging in the air.

Cue the stereotypical minority characters, unfulfilling and unsure attempts at comedic relief and suddenly rapid plot movement. Add in a few fight scenes in which Doucett unflinchingly manages to completely destroy, with his bare hands I might add, no less than fifteen different men at once. I will concede that this is a (mostly) excusable and archetypal trope in most action thrillers; the sheer exaggeration, however, signaled to me that the movie was about to take a sharp turn for the worse. “This is going to be so bad,� I muttered to Jeremy on my left, who was hysterically laughing at the movie between sips of a blue raspberry ICEE. I couldn’t bring myself to laugh after, considering that I had paid $14.50 for a movie that I quick-

ly realized was going to disappoint me beyond belief. But I watched on.

The plot of Spike Lee’s “Oldboy� is arguably identical to that of the original film, save a few adjustments catered to the American palette.

The execution of the plot, however, coupled with the unconvincing acting from leads Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen and especially Sharlto Copley, reduced the quality of Lee’s version to less than half of the original’s.

It’s quite a strong claim to make, but when directly juxtaposed, the two movies are miles apart from each other in almost all aspects.

The original movie was perfectly ominous; the surprise plot twist was sickening in the best of ways and executed with cinematic finesse. It’s the kind of movie that sticks with you, the kind of movie that you have no issue watching and appreciating again. The American remake was, in a word, sloppy.

The movie is a caricature of its Korean counterpart, and while the plot remains essentially untouched, the way in which it is presented renders a serious, potentially appalling story laughable. Sure, the plot twist is still there, and sure, it still has the inherent potential to shock. However, the way in which it is carried out and ultimately presented to the audience is so unbelievably tacky that I couldn’t help but wonder what Lee and his production team were

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i0MECPZw JT B DBSJDBUVSF PG JUT ,PSFBO DPVOUFSQBSU BM UIPVHI UIF QMPU SFNBJOT FTTFOUJBMMZ VOUPVDIFE thinking. Even Brolin’s performance once his character comes to the realization that he has gravely fucked up is ridiculous, unconvincing and lasts all of five minutes. There we go again with hurried plot movement and indecisive acting, which both so gracefully converge onto an unsatisfying ending.

On the way out of the theater, on that perilous journey all the way back down to the ground level, Gabby and I decided that a ticket to see “Oldboy� was not worth any amount of money. So much more could have

been done to add complexity and maturity to the American presentation of the originally-Japanese story, none of which I can reveal due to consideration of spoiler alerts. But honestly, I would not recommend watching the American spin on the Korean classic. Stick with the original, which is genuinely worth your time — it’s actually a great movie.

I suppose if you’re feeling up to paying $10 or more for a good, incredulous laugh, go and see the new version, incredulous being the operative word here.

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“Delivery Man� Doesn’t Deliver Laughs

-J[ .BSEFVT[ Staff Writer

Amherst is a small college; the student population here hovers around 1,700. That means there are slightly less than 500 people per class. Imagine if all 500 of them were biologically related to you. Five hundred siblings — and you thought your one younger brother was bad enough — creepy, right? This is the premise of writer-director Ken Scott’s “Delivery Man,� the American remake of the 2011 French-Canadian comedy “Starbuck,� also directed by Scott.

Vince Vaughn is David Wozniak, a forty-something deliveryman for his family’s butcher shop. He’s the stereotypical “lovable, middle-aged slacker� character: he has a good heart but his priorities aren’t quite in order.

David lives in a dingy apartment in New York City, a few blocks away from the Wozniak family business. It’s clear from the overdue notices plastered around his living room and kitchen that he’s not so conscientious about paying bills. He owes $100,000 to some sketchylooking mobsters (in a side plot largely unexplained throughout the course of the film), and he starts growing pot in his apartment in attempt to settle his debts. Emma, his police officer girlfriend (the serviceable, but largely forgettable Cobie Smulders) reveals that she is pregnant, but prefers to raise the child on her own because David is just too unreliable.

David’s life continues with its downward trend as the film progresses. In a montage of scenes, the audience watches David get scolded by his father and brothers, receive two parking tickets and dejectedly observe his delivery truck as it is towed away. He returns from a hellish day at work to find a strange man in his apartment, who informs him that he is — surprise! — the biological father of 533 children, 142 of which have taken legal action to find their second parent’s identity.

David, we learn, made 696 sperm donations under the pseudonym “Starbuck� in an effort to make some quick cash in his 20s. Despite the confidentiality clauses he signed before each donation, he’s now involved in a lawsuit with more than 100 young plaintiffs and must employ the help of his equally loserish, incom-

Image courtesy of NPWJFT JORVJSFS OFU

%FTQJUF JUT VOJRVF QSFNJTF i%FMJWFSZ .BOw SFMJFT PO UIF DMJDIĂ?T PG DPVOUMFTT HFOSFT UP LFFQ JUTFMG NPWJOH petent lawyer friend, Brett (Chris Pratt, who is a bright spot in a comedy that is never all that funny) to keep his identity under wraps.

Brett, a single parent of four, warns his friend not to open the 142 envelopes containing the profiles of his biological children — the less David knows about them, he says, the better. David, of course, can’t resist. The first envelope he opens contains a picture and biography of a star basketball player on the Knicks! He goes to his son’s game that night, of course. In the style of a sappy Lifetime movie or a Hallmark card commercial, David tracks down the young adults in the envelopes (most of whom miraculously seem to live in the New York metropolitan area) and makes sure to have an interaction with them. He tells Brett that he can’t be the father to all of them, but he can act as their “guardian angel.� In yet another montage of scenes, David helps an aspiring actor audition for the role of a lifetime, ushers a heroin-addicted teen to a treatment center, attends a museum where one of his “kids� is a

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tour guide and makes a scene in at the YMCA so his lifeguard “son� can save him. In one of the few genuinely touching segments of the film, he visits his mentally challenged son in a group home and promises to visit regularly.

These interactions are David’s attempts to redeem himself, to give direction and purpose to his aimless (and pretty bizarre) existence. He even renews ties with his pregnant girlfriend, who agrees to let him help her raise their baby, as long as he continues to piece his life together. Things seem to be looking up for David, and his only remaining obstacle is to win his lawsuit so his life can return to normal. The rest of the film proceeds with some mildly funny dialogue and clichÊ courtroom drama.

David, in these scenes, is never completely likeable: I consistently got the sense that he performed each act of kindness towards his “children� for self-gratification, to ease the mild sense of guilt he had for not being involved in all 533 of their lives. This brings up another question, however — why should Da-

vid feel obligated to involve himself in their lives, anyway? The reason why the confidentiality clauses he signed were moot is never adequately explained. I spent the majority of the film in frustration, wondering how the lawsuit could have even been filed in the first place.

While “Delivery Man� has some nice scenes about the varying meanings of “family� and how we can seek support and companionship in unconventional ways, it would’ve been even better if the difference between “father� and “sperm donor� was actually explored.

Despite a unique premise, “Delivery Manâ€? relies on the clichĂŠs of countless genres to keep itself moving. While watching, I detected hints of the slacker movie, the romantic comedy, the courtroom drama and the preachy family movie. Therein lies one of “Delivery Man’sâ€? flaws: it can’t really decide what kind of film it is. The script, especially the first half hour or so, is slow moving. And for a film classified as a comedy, I can count on one hand the amount of times I laughed aloud.

Five College Events Thursday, December 5

“A Conscious Evening,� 7:30 p.m.—9 p.m., Mount Holyoke College Join the Conscious Poets Society for an evening of awareness and social justice! We are closing the semester with a reminder of why most of us become artists: to influence the world around us and challenge the systems that bind. Due to the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, we will be donating one-third of our proceeds towards relief efforts. “(Re)Defining Racism Showcase,� 6:30 p.m.—8:15 p.m., Mount Holyoke College Join the students of Education 205: Racism and Inequality in Schools and Society as we showcase everything we’ve taken away from our semester! Our showcase will span topics from Ideals of Beauty to Racism in Society. We will be using a variety of mediums: storytelling, documentary, poetry and many more.

We will also have a Q&A to hear your thoughts on these topics! Please join us for this wonderful event! Free. “Center for Research on Families presents lecture by Brian Lickel, Ph.D.,�

12:45 p.m.—2 p.m., UMass Dr. Lickel’s research focuses on how people interpret events in intergroup conflicts and how these interpretations affect their emotions, self-concepts and support

for different social and political policies. A key assumption in his work is that understanding people’s emotions is important for unlocking the processes that amplify or reduce intergroup conflict. Recently, much of his work has examined what determines the emotions that occur in the context of violent intergroup conflicts and how these emotions predict support or opposition to intergroup aggression. Besides understanding people’s reactions to these macro-conflicts, he also studies emotional reactions in interpersonal situations where inter-group conflicts come into play. Sponsored by the Psychology Colloquium Series, College of Natural Sciences, Clinical Department of Psychology, Rudd Adoption Research Program and Center for Research on Families at UMass Amherst.

Friday, December 6

“Body Party,� 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., Mount Holyoke College The lovely ladies of MHACASA present ‘BODY PARTY’! Come dance the night away. Coupe Decale, Azonto, Bruk It Dun, Twerk, Passada, One Drop, Kotch, Walk and Wine, Kukere, Yiking and many more!

Music by Parkie DJ-kid Afrik. So, go on ... Call up some friends, pull out your car keys, your sleek shoes, your ID and head to Chapin for a night you’ll NEVER forget!

Open to all 5-College Students. $5.

by Annalise Nurme ’15

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Sports 9

Women’s Hockey Falls to Women’s Basketball Wins Top-Ranked Team Amherst Tip-Off Tourney )PMMZ #VSXJDL Staff Writer

The Amherst women’s ice hockey team has looked strong throughout the first couple weeks of the season with a record to 3-0-1 in the NESCAC and 3-1-2 overall.

Adding to the NESCAC standings were two games against little-three rival, Wesleyan Univ. In their first match-up 3-2, the Jeffs garnished their 20th straight win over the Cardinals, who have not beaten the Jeffs since the 2003 season.

Emily Flom ’15 opened the scoring for the Jeffs when she sped down the right side and beat the Wesleyan goalie Laura Corcoran glove side with just 32 seconds left in the first period.

In the second period, Tori Salmon ’15 and Eileen Harris ’16 added a goal a piece for the Jeffs. Salmon netted her goal at 3:29 into the second period to capitalize on Amherst’s twoplayer advantage. Harris buried a one-timer 11:48 into the second period off a Flom assist.

Wesleyan fought back, recording goals at the end of the second period and late in the third period. In the last minute and a half, Wesleyan put more pressure on the Jeffs after pulling Corcoran. But, thanks to Amherst netprotector Kerri Stuart ’14 and her 19 saves, the Jeffs came away with the win.

Completing their two game series, the Jeffs tied the Cardinals 0-0 in OT. This ended the 20-game win streak Amherst held over Wesleyan, but extended their unbeaten streak to 21. Amherst held a 42-23 edge in total shots with Corcoran of Wesleyan making 42 stops and Amherst goalie Yuma Evans ’17 making 23 saves in her first career start.

“Our weekend at Wesleyan was okay. Obviously we would have liked to come out with two wins, but I think it was great we were able to move on/not dwell on it and play so well [the following weekend],” said Hayley Opperman ‘14.

This past weekend included a 1-1 OT tie against No. 1 Plattsburgh and a 3-2 loss to No. 4 Elmira.

“Though we did not win either of the games, we tied one of the best teams in the

nation and had a great game against Elmira,” Opperman said.

Against Plattsburgh, following a scoreless first period, Amherst gained a power play at the 6:22 mark in the second period. A Harris rebound yielded a shot from Opperman that went through the five-hole of Plattsburgh goalie Sydney Aveson, but it slid narrowly past the left post. Plattsburgh soon gained a power play, but they were unsuccessful against a strong penalty kill by the Jeffs.

The Jeffs finally broke through with another Flom to Harris one-timer combination that resulted in Plattsburgh’s first goal against this season, breaking a streak of over 500 minutes.

In the third period, Plattsburgh pulled Aveson with 36 seconds remaining and Allison Era capitalized on this man-up situation, equalizing the game. The score remained a draw even after overtime. Stuart collected 32 saves for the Jeffs while counterpart Aveson had 19.

On Sunday, the Jeffs dropped their first game of the season to Elmira 2-3. Salmon generated a good scoring chance early on, but her shot ricocheted off the crossbar. But it was Elmira who then took to the offensive with Cassidy Delainey netting a one-timer past Stuart. At the 6:10 mark in the second period, Erin Martin ’16 equalized the game with a shot in the top corner. Later in the second period, Amherst was down to three skaters on a penalty-kill and Elmira capitalized on their man-up attack, moving ahead 2-1.

Amherst fought back and tied the game again with a Madeline Tank ’15 goal. But, Elmira struck right back, netting what would be the game winner a minute later. The Jeffs came close to tying it up for a third time, but a would-be equalizer was discounted as a result of the net moving off its moorings.

The Jeffs held a 29-15 shot advantage and went one for four on power-play opportunities,with Stuart making 12 saves.

The No. 9 Amherst women’s ice hockey team will return to action Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Orr Rink where they take on No. 10 Manhattanville College.

The Jeffs have another big non-conference game on Sunday, Dec. 8 at No. 3 Norwich.

%PSJ "ULJOT Section Editor

The women’s basketball team is off to a strong start for the 2013-14 season, posting four impressive out-of-conference wins over the past two weeks.

In the season opener on Nov. 19, three Jeffs scored in the double-digits as they defeated Keene State, 67-52.

This win extended the Jeffs home winning streak to 87 games.

After a dominant second half, Amherst is now 13-2 all time against the Owls.

Cheyenne Pritchard ’16, Marley Giddins ’16 and Meredith Doswell ’17 all posted double-digits to lead the Jeffs to the win, while junior forward Megan Robertson led the Jeffs in blocks.

In their second game of the season, Amherst took on Skidmore, beating them 63-52, with Megan Robertson ’15 tying her career high of 25 points.

Both teams struggled to find the basket in the opening minutes of the first half, and eventually the Thoroughbreds went up on the board first with a Molly McLaughlin three-pointer.

The Jeffs gained back control late in the half, however, starting with a rebound by Giddins that sent her to the free-throw line after being fouled.

Sophomore Haley Zwecker fueled the momentum by hitting a big three-pointer at just over two minutes before halftime.

The Jeffs went into the break up one point and held the lead through the second half to end the game strong.

As Amherst students returned home for Thanksgiving break, the Jeffs remained on campus to compete in their Saturday, Nov. 23 game against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in LeFrak Gymnasium as a part of the 2013 Amherst Tip-Off Tournament.

This time, it was Giddins who matched her career high of 18 points, leading Amherst to an 80-57 victory.

Giddins was also one point shy of tying her career benchmark in rebounds, posting 11 in the game.

Amherst also saw a stellar performance from its bench, holding a decisive 42-16 scoring edge

over RPI. “The best part about our team is that on any given night a different player can step up,” cocaptain Pritchard said. “We have so many girls with different strengths and talents.”

The Jeffs scored 18 points off of 21 RPI turnovers and posted a 42-36 rebounding advantage.

The following day (Nov. 24), the Jeffs took on Ithaca College, with first-year Jaimie Renner’s 18 points and Robertson’s double-double leading them to the 66-44 victory.

Robertson finished with 14 points, 10 boards and three blocks, and she was named Tournament MVP for her efforts.

Renner received All-Tournament Honors for her performance. Collectively, the Jeffs shot 45.8 percent from the field while holding Ithaca to 35.3 percent.

Amherst took the early lead, up 19-11 only ten minutes into the first half. The Jeffs outscored Ithaca 10-0 over a span of 3:06 towards the end of the first-half, consisting of points from Giddins, Renner, and first-year twins Meredith and Ali Doswell.

Down 16 at the half, Ithaca made a valiant effort to narrow the gap and get themselves back in the game. But another 11-4 run from the Jeffs kept Ithaca behind and ultimately led to the Amherst win.

“Ithaca is a great team with a lot of strength and very smart players, so it was a huge game for us,” Pritchard said. “Jaimie and Megan really got our offense going, and the overall feel of our offense was better, but we saw on film that there is a lot of work left to do.”

With four wins under their belts, the Jeffs are eager to see where this season takes them.

“We graduated three starters last year, which left a lot of positions open at the beginning of the season,” Pritchard said. “Our team is young, but there has never been a National Championship team without a senior, so it’s just another record we’re trying to beat.”

The Jeffs continued their dominance at home Tuesday night as they downed a nationally ranked Emmanuel team that has beaten some quality opponents already this season 77-56.

Amherst returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 5 in LeFrak Gymnasium to take on Emmanuel.

Swimming Sweeps a Pair of NESCAC Foes

Bulakul, Anderson, Lichtig and White Break Pool Records 1BUSJDL :BOH Staff Writer Men The Amherst Men’s Swimming and Diving Team notched two more victories at Colby College and then at Wesleyan to improve to 3-0 on the season.

On Saturday, Nov. 23, the meet at Colby started off with a pleasant surprise in the 200-yard medley relay as Amherst’s “E” team won the event with a time of 1:38.47.

Amherst took the next three places as well, foreshadowing a great performance by the Purple and White.

The next two events, the 1000-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle, were both won by Amherst in dominating fashion.

In the next event, Tyler Bulakul ’14 broke a pool record by swimming the 100-yard backstroke in just 52.50 seconds. Junior Conor Deveney also came close, missing the record by just a quarter of a second.

Bulakul would go on to break another pool record, completing the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 50.72.

“Even though it’s still early in the season, it felt great to see a lot of the hard training pay off for all of the guys,” Bulakul said after his record-breaking performances. “I’m definitely excited to see how the rest of the season plays out.”

More pool records fell as Jeff Anderson ’16 broke the 200-yard butterfly record with a time of 1:55.51, and first-year Greg Han’s time of 2:10.25

beat the original record by just under a second.

Asher Lichtig ’16 and Colin White ’14 also broke pool records in quick succession.

Anderson reflected on an Amherst career with a constant upward trajectory.

“Freshman year gave me the confidence to keep working hard. Breaking the pool record showed that all the hard work the team has been doing is paying off, and if we keep it up we can keep improving into Williams and ultimately the end of the season,” Anderson said.

While the final point total for the meet was 171-107, the performances were actually much closer than the score suggests, as Amherst stopped scoring themselves in the later events.

Just two days later, the Jeffs hit the road again to travel to Wesleyan, and any concerns that they might be too exhausted to pull out another victory were quickly dissipated.

Amherst sent out four separate teams to compete in the opening 400-yard medley relay, and every single one of them beat Wesleyan’s fastest team.

It didn’t get any better for the Cardinals as not a single one of their swimmers could best any of Amherst’s times until they placed third in the 200yard backstroke six events later.

Record-setters Bulakul and Anderson battled for first and second in the 200-yard butterfly as they led the pack once again.

Captain Parker Moody ’14 was business as usual as he followed a win in the 1000-yard freestyle at Colby with another top performance in the 500-yard freestyle at Wesleyan, finishing with a time 4:48.42.

Junior Connor Sholtis won the 100-yard freestyle in 48.03, and first-year Nick Lafky continued to impress in the 200-yard breaststroke, narrowly beating Wesleyan’s Billy Hepner’s time of 2:14.69.

Rishi Kowalski ’16 showed that he is rounding into form with a time of 2:04.09 in the 200-yard backstroke, while senior Aron Reynolds’ 4:20.31 in the 400-yard IM indicated that he can once again be a consistent swimmer for the Jeffs this season.

Kowalski was in a festive mood, but kept things in perspective.

“For us, it’s all about the end of the season,” Kowalski said. “We are showing how good we are in these meets, but there is much more to come from all of us if we continue to work hard for ourselves and for each other. It’s a growing process.”

The next step in the growing process for the Amherst Men’s Swimming and Diving Team will be a home meet against Middlebury on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Women The Amherst Women’s Swimming and Diving Team built upon their championship pedigree with two consecutive victories over Colby and Wesleyan on the road.

The Women’s Team traveled to Colby on Saturday, Nov. 23 and bagged a 174-106 win.

Captain Anna Pietrantonio ’14 easily won the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:05.46, fiftyfive seconds faster than her closest opponent.

Senior Lulu Belak and first-year Sky Deardorff followed suit, finishing first in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke, respectively. Emily Hyde ’16 put in another strong performance,

winning three individual events (100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard freestyle, and 200-yard IM).

The “A” 200-yard freestyle relay team capped off a great day for the Jeffs by winning their event with a time of 1:42.06.

Asked if it is easy to get caught up in the grind of a season Conklin said, “Focus is definitely an important aspect to the sport because without it your technique gets sloppy and then your whole race will fall apart.”

The Women’s Team’s focus was tested two days later when they visited rival Wesleyan. The meet got off to a great start, as the “A” team for the opening 400-yard medley relay again took home first place.

The 500-yard freestyle that came thereafter was swept by Charlotte Chudy ’16, Audrey Ingerson ’14 and Pietrantonio, while senior Abby Hahn won the 200-yard breaststroke.

Hyde continued her dominance in the 400yard IM, while Conklin’s 200-yard butterfly winning time of 2:11.47 solidified her status as one of the most consistent team members.

According to Chudy, the team is in the midst of one of the most difficult parts of their season, but none of them are complaining.

“It is always difficult to dive in the pool and have a great swim during difficult periods of training in-season,” Chudy said. “But the team did an outstanding job of pushing past that feeling and everybody raced really well. ” The Jeffs will need another solid team effort if they wan to continue their hot start to the season at home against Middlebury on Saturday, Dec. 7.

10 Sports

Schedule

WEDNESDAY Women’s Hockey vs. Manhattanville, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY Men’s Basketball vs. Anna Maria, 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ ECSU, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY Men’s Squash vs. Yale, 2 p.m.

Women’s Squash vs. Yale, 2 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Middlebury, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY Men’s & Women’s Track @ Smith Invitational, TBD Men’s Swimming vs. Middlebury, 1 p.m.

Men’s Swimming vs. Middlebury, 1 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Emerson 1 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Williams, 3 p.m.

SUNDAY Women’s Hockey @ Norwich, 4 p.m.

MONDAY Women’s Basketball @ Albertus Magnus, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY Men’s Basketball @ Brandeis, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, 12/12 Women’s Basketball vs. Bridgewater State, 5 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Babson, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, 12/28 Women’s Basketball vs. Vassar (@ Las Vegas), 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, 12/29 Women’s Basketball vs. Marywood (@ Las Vegas), 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, 1/1 Men’s Basketball @ Nova Southeastern, 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, 1/3 Men’s Hockey vs. Plymouth State, 4 p.m.

5IF "NIFSTU 4UVEFOU t %FDFNCFS SATURDAY, 1/4 Women’s Hockey vs. Holy Cross, 3 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. TBD (@ Norwich), TBD TUESDAY, 1/7 Women’s Hockey vs. Cortland, 4 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. ECSU, 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ RIC, 7p.m.

FRIDAY, 1/10 Women’s Basketball vs. Hamilton, 6 p.m.

Men’s Hockey @ Colby, 7 p.m.

Women’s Hockey vs. Colby, 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Hamilton, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, 1/11 Women’s Swimming vs. Williams, 1 p.m.

Men’s Swimming vs. Williams, 4 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Williams, 2 p.m.

Women’s Hockey vs. Colby, 3 p.m.

Men’s Hockey @ Bowdoin, 4 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Williams, 4 p.m.

Women’s Swimming vs. Middlebury, 1 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Emerson 1 p.m.

Men’s Hockey vs. Williams, 3 p.m.

MONDAY, 1/13 Women’s Basketball @ Farmingdale State, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, 1/14 Men’s & Women’s Squash @ Middlebury, 4 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Wesleyan, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, 1/17 Men’s Basketball @ Tufts, 8 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ Tufts, 6 p.m.

Women’s Squash vs. Columbia, 3 p.m.

Men’s Hockey @ Conn. College, 7 p.m.

Dan Crowley Represents Jeffs at XC Nationals

Holly Burwick ’16 Staff Writer

On Saturday, Nov. 23, Dan Crowley ’16 of the Amherst men’s cross country team took to the trails in Hanover, Ind. where he competed in the individual bracket of the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championships.

Crowley’s race slated him 175th in a 275-person field. He ran 2K in 6:19, 3K in 9:26 and 6K in 19:33.

“He put himself in great position through the first 5K and then was battling some cramping issues in the later stages which affected his finish” said Coach Erik Nedeau. As a result, Crowley completed the 8k in 26:25.50 with a 5:19 mile pace.

“I thought he had a solid race, but it wasn’t

his best one of the year.”

“It is sometimes tough when you are used to having your team with you every race, and when times are tough you can find something to push beyond because you know your team is counting on your performance,” Nedeau said.

“But [it] was a great experience for him and one that will definitely make him a better runner down the road.”

This race capped off an excellent season for Crowley. The sophomore was the number one harrier for the Jeffs in five of the team’s eight meets. At the opening of the UMass Invitational he paved the way for the Jeffs finishing fourth among a field of 65 Division I runners. He also paced the Jeffs at the USM Invitational, the Purple Valley Classic, the NESCAC Championships and the NCAA New England Championships.

players of the week

Tyler Bulakul ‘14

Megan Robertson ‘15

Favorite Team Memory: Crushing Williams my sophomore year If you didn’t swim, which sport would you play?: Soccer Pet Peeve: When people miss tossing something in the garbage can Celebrity Crush: Miranda Kerr Favorite Movie: “Inception” Favorite Book: Fight Club Favorite Food: Steak or Antonio’s Favorite Thing About Amherst: Flexibility in class schedule and the proximity to Antonio’s

Favorite Team Memory: Beating Tufts in the Elite Eight last season If you didn’t play basketball, which sport would you play?: Track and Field Pet Peeve: Lateness Celebrity Crush: Drake Favorite Movie: “Friday Night Lights” Favorite Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Favorite Food: Chocolate covered pretzels Favorite Thing About Amherst: The people you meet who have had a wide array of experiences

Men’s Basketball Undefeated After Four Games Karl Greenblatt ’15 Managing Sports Editor Picking up where they left off last year, the Jeffs once again captured the Ken Wright ’52 Memorial Invitational Championship with two convincing victories.

The Jeffs, who never trailed at any point over the weekend, defeated Newbury and Nichols, scoring a combined 213 points in the two victorious efforts.

Playing host to Newbury College on Friday, Nov. 22, the Jeffs jumped out to an 11-point lead after five minutes behind six early points from David Kalema ’14. Devin Johnson answered with five points for Newbury, shrinking the Jeffs’ lead to six, but, after that, the home team never looked back.

They led by 13 at halftime, and the second half turned into a runaway, with the game finishing 9965 in favor of Amherst.

The best effort of the game on either side came from Amherst’s Connor Green ’16, who had an impressive 31 points. In 32 minutes, the 6’4” swingman shot a lethal 7-for-10 from three-point range, and he was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line.

The usually dominant Aaron Toomey ’14 played more of a facilitator’s role, shooting 4-for-6 for nine points to go along with six assists. Tom Killian ’14 also approached a double-double with ten points and nine rebounds. Junior Joseph Mussachia had eight points and five boards — three of them offensive — in 18 minutes.

Overall, the Jeffs were in control of the glass, outrebounding Newbury 49-33. They shot 45 percent for the game however, a drop-off from their 51 percent mark against Brooklyn the previous week.

This was an area in which the squad hopes to improve in their next game against Nichols.

That improvement was striking, as the Jeffs responded with a 61 percent shooting performance in their second win of the weekend. The defense, which had been an area of concern for the coaching staff, was not quite as strong this time around, although Amherst held Nichols to only 35 points in the first half. Nevertheless, the Jeffs had plenty of offensive firepower for a 114-86 win.

Against Nichols, Green once again led the way with a 21-point effort on 6-of-8 three-point shooting. This time, Green was joined by four teammates in double-figures. Toomey continued to read the floor with surgical precision, dishing out eight assists to go along with his 13 points. Nine of those points came in the first four minutes, helping to set the tone for the Amherst offense. Kalema added

16 points and Killian contributed 13 more, while Ben Pollack ’16 was also solid, totaling ten points and five rebounds in 19 minutes. Once again, the Jeffs won the battle under the boards by a margin of 39-26.

Green, who shot 70 percent overall and 72 percent from three, was named tournament MVP, an honor that signals his emergence as a force from beyond the arc. Toomey also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team.

On Tuesday night, the Jeffs earned their fourth win of the season, keeping Westfield State’s offense in check for a final score of 83-59. In their best defensive effort of the young season, Amherst held its opponents to a mere 39 percent shooting. The Jeffs themselves shot a subpar 46 percent, but it was more than enough, thanks in large part to the efforts of Toomey. The senior stalwart, who had been relatively quiet during the Wright Invitational, exploded for 37 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Toomey also converted 13 of 14 free throws; as a team, the Jeffs excelled from the line with a 25-for-28 performance. Green added 12 points and eight rebounds, while first-year David George had ten and nine.

Following an excellent start, the Jeffs now turn to the second of their five December matchups as they host Anna Maria College on Thursday, Dec. 5. After facing Emerson on Saturday, Dec. 7, the squad will endure two extremely tough road tests, traveling to Babson College and Brandeis Univ. the following week. Coach Dave Hixon has identified those matchups as two of the tougher games on the Jeffs’ schedule, and the team would like to win at least one of the two before beginning league play in January.

Photo Courtesy of Megan Robertson Connor Green ‘16 shoots a free throw in the game against Newbury.

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Sports 11

Men’s Soccer Falls to Williams Pack It In in Elite Eight of NCAA’s

Jason Stein ’16 Staff Writer

The successful 2013 journey of Amherst men’s soccer through the NCAA Tournament came to an end on Sunday, Nov. 24 against Williams in the Elite Eight following a 1-0 loss in frigid conditions.

With the loss to Williams, Amherst fell one win short of reaching the Final Four for the second consecutive season.

The Jeffs also snapped a 40 game unbeaten streak that began at the start of the 2012 season following their last regulation loss in the 2011 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 against Stevens Institute.

Prior to their Elite Eight matchup against Williams, Amherst earned a 2-1 double overtime victory in the Sweet 16 by topping St. Lawrence, who entered play after an 8-0 win against Wheaton College in the NCAA Second Round.

To begin the game, the St. Lawrence Saints had a legitimate scoring opportunity a little over ten minutes into the contest, but were unable to finish the chance.

Sophomore forward Greg Singer and senior midfielder Max Fikke took promising shots on goal in rapid succession around the 20-minute mark, but both players narrowly missed putting the Jeffs ahead with their respective shot attempts.

In the first half, both teams were held scoreless.

The Jeffs did, however, hold a commanding 10-2 shot advantage in the opening 45 minutes.

Early in the second half, the Jeffs grabbed the lead on a score from Singer, who took control of a loose ball, originating from a corner kick, and fired it into the left corner of the net past St. Lawrence goalie Aaron Costello.

While the Jeffs were able to prevent St. Lawrence from scoring for most of regulation, they were unable to close the door on a shutout victory.

The Saints made a late charge towards the end of the second half and managed to pull even with 44 seconds remaining. Austin Rooney scored a wellplaced shot from beyond the box to send the game into overtime.

After the Jeffs held a strong first half edge in attempted shots, St. Lawrence drew closer in the second half after taking seven shots, while Amherst attempted four in the second half.

St. Lawrence continued this aggressive play and carried their momentum into the first overtime, as they attempted four shots, while the Jeffs only took a single shot in the first overtime. Neither team was able to score in the first overtime.

Less than one minute into the second overtime, first-year striker Chris Martin put a header on goal that was blocked by Costello. However, Singer, the hero of the day, was there to gather the rebound and found the back of the net for his second goal of the game to clinch the game for the Jeffs, eliminating St. Lawrence and setting up an Elite Eight matchup of Amherst vs. Williams for the second straight year.

Fifteen minutes into the game, sophomore striker Nico Pascual-Leone sent a cross into the box that looked to be trouble for Williams, but Williams goalkeeper Thomas Morrell was able to clear the ball and prevent further danger.

Midway through the first half, Williams’ Mohammed Rashid evaded Amherst defenders and executed a nice pass to Matt Muralles, who then took a convincing shot that goalie Thomas Bull ’16 stopped with a diving save.

Bull would make another great save late in the first half to preserve the scoreless tie heading into the halftime break.

About halfway through the second half, senior Julien Aoyama struck the ball towards goal, but his shot was blocked by Morrell. A Williams defender then cleared the ball from the box after it deflected off Morrell.

With less than 15 minutes remaining, Williams earned a free kick after an Amherst foul. Ephs defender Chris Conder stepped up to take the kick for Williams and skillfully placed it in the top left corner of the net to give the Ephs a 1-0 lead, which they would not relinquish.

While Amherst topped Williams in its previous two meetings in 2013, including a 1-0 victory

over the Ephs in the NESCAC Finals, their third meeting proved to be different, as Williams held on to a 1-0 lead the rest of the way to eliminate the Jeffs and earn their second straight trip to the Final Four.

Williams will now face Messiah in the National Semifinals, which will take place on Friday, Dec. 6 in San Antonio, Texas.

The winner of this game is scheduled to face the winner of Rutgers-Camden and Loras in the National Championship on Saturday, Dec. 7 in San Antonio.

Although Amherst’s 2013 season ended in abrupt fashion against Williams, after the team had reached the Elite Eight without losing all season and a trip to the Final Four looked promising, the Jeffs (who finished with an 18-1-2 overall record and a 8-0-2 record in NESCAC play), had an impressive body of work in 2013 that yielded a NESCAC Championship, a No. 1 national ranking for the first time in program history and a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight.

“We’re certainly disappointed at Sunday’s result, but there is only one team that is going to be happy at the end of the year and we’re going to chose to focus on all the great things that happened this season,” Head Coach Justin Serpone said. “It was an awesome journey with 30 amazing people and for that I’m grateful.”

The Jeffs will be losing a total of five seniors to graduation (Aoyama, Brendan Caslin, Fikke, Robert Gooden, Ben Norton), each of whom played an important role for Amherst.

The 2013 senior class finished with a 64-5-11 overall record and a 28-2-9 mark in NESCAC play over their Amherst careers, appeared in the NCAA Sweet 16 in each of their four years and made back-to-back trips to the Elite Eight in their final two seasons as well.

“We’ll certainly miss this senior class on the field, but I’ll personally miss them most off of it,” Serpone said. “They are a collection of five different players and personalities that had a lasting impact on Amherst Soccer. The good news is that once you’re a part of Amherst Soccer, you’re always a part of it, so while their role might change, they’ll forever be embedded in our culture.”

Even with the loss of key contributions from the senior class, the Jeffs will return a talented core capable of making a deep postseason run in 2014.

Next season, Amherst will feature a squad consisting of players accounting for 84 percent Amherst’s overall goal-scoring in 2013, 76 percent of the season’s assists and 81 percent of the Jeffs’ total points.

Coach Serpone is excited for next season, but does not want to look too far ahead at this point.“I can’t even think about next year yet,” Serpone said.

“The only thing I know for sure is that we have a lot of work to do to before we play New England College on Sept. 2nd. My only expectation is that we’ll try our best each game, which is exactly what the 2013 team did so well.”

Photo Courtesy of Rob Mattson Chris Martin ’17 takes control of the ball in front of a Williams defender.

The JJ Report Sam Javit ’16 and Jeremy Kesselhaut ’16 Aaron Rodgers’ collarbone injury has been one of this season’s storylines. However, the Packers must make a decision about whether to play their franchise player down the stretch with their Superbowl hopes dashed.

Normally, with Week 13 of the NFL season in the rearview mirror, discussion mounts about Aaron Rodgers’ candidacy for Most Valuable Player. However, this year is different.

There is still chatter about Aaron Rodgers, but it surrounds the fractured collarbone he suffered in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears.

Rodgers, the 2011 NFL MVP and Superbowl XLV MVP, has become a coposter-child for the NFL alongside quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

He is both respected as an elite performer and revered as the likeable face of the Green Bay Packer franchise. His durability has also been acclaimed. Prior to this season, Rodgers only missed two games due to injury. This year, he has already missed four.

With the Packers’ playoff aspirations dissipating after three losses and a tie since their quarterback’s injury, the Packers need to make the right decision regarding Aaron Rodgers.

They shouldn’t rush him back from injury. Rather, they should sit him for the remainder of the season in order to ensure a full recovery and preserve their Hall-ofFame-bound franchise quarterback for the future.

As the Packers have noted, Rodgers suffered a serious injury and is not yet fully recovered. Originally, he was slotted to return two to four weeks after sustaining his injury, which would have meant a return right in time for the Thanksgiving Day game against division rival the Detroit Lions.

With his injury still of concern and a shortened week of practice due to a Thursday game time, Mike McCarthy, the Packers Head Coach, elected to sit Rodgers. It was for the best as the Lions defensive line dominated the Packers and sacked Aaron Rodgers’ replacement Matt Flyn seven times. Evidently, the injury has proven worse than originally expected and if handled incorrectly, could jeopardize his career.

Although his collarbone injury is on his non-throwing arm, it still plays a key role in his mechanics as a quarterback.

Throwing a football is more than a simple one-armed jolt.

Rather, the task requires the full strength of both one’s arms and chest.

As the collarbones play a vital role in the functionality, and thereby success of a quarterback, rushing Rodgers back won’t only impact how he plays this season but could also impact his future.

Premature return increases the probability of reinjuring the collarbone, which would result in extensive surgery and lingering pain in future seasons. In this way, rushing him back too quickly for success today could result in negative ramifications for tomorrow.

In 2010, the Cowboys made a smart decision in sitting Tony Romo after he suffered a similar injury. Romo’s injury occurred earlier in the season than Rodgers’, which proved even more difficult in resisting the urge to rush him back into the starting lineup.

He was diagnosed with a broken clavicle on his non-throwing arm side and the Cowboys elected to sit him the remainder of the season. This may have saved Romo’s

career.

Alternatively, Robert Griffin III, the Washington Redskins’ quarterback, may have been rushed back too soon this season.

In the Wildcard Round of the playoffs last year, Head Coach Mike Shanahan elected to keep Robert Griffin III in the game against the Seattle Seahawks. RG3 was visibly limping around in pain and his mobility was restricted by an apparent knee injury.

Despite the fact that the Redskins had a serviceable backup quarterback in Kirk Cousins, they kept RG3 in the game, only to lose and learn after the game that he had a torn ACL. Shanahan clearly should have pulled his quarterback earlier to preserve his future.

Not only was RG3 kept in the game for too long despite an apparent injury, some argue he was rushed back too soon for after his offseason ACL surgery. He returned in less than eight months for Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season, but he hasn’t looked the same since.

He experiences trouble planting his foot while throwing and lacks the mobility he once had. Additionally, he looks hesitant and scared, which we might be able to attribute to his premature return from an injury.

RG3, who originally looked like a quarterback with superstar potential, now looks more like an everyday quarterback.

And the Redskins are feeling the effects.

They are 3-9 despite being just a year removed from winning the competitive NFC East last year. The Packers can undoubtedly learn from the Redskins’ mistakes.

Furthermore, rushing Rodgers back wouldn’t guarantee a playoff spot for the Packers either. The Packers are in a hole, after falling to 5-6-1 following Rodger’s injury.

They also don’t “control their own destiny”, meaning they would need other teams to lose, namely division foes the Lions (7-5) and Bears (6-6). Who knows how a banged up Rodgers would even play? His return wouldn’t automatically result in four victories, as some difficult road games remain against the Cowboys in Week 15 and the Bears in Week 17.

At best, the Packers would end with a 9-5-1 record, likely not good enough for a Division title or a Wild Card berth. With another Super Bowl extremely unlikely, let alone a playoff berth, why even think about dressing Rodgers again this season?

At this point, the Packers need to make the right decision and sit Aaron Rodgers.

With little to gain and a lot to lose this season, the Packers might as well surrender today, in lieu of a healthier Aaron Rodgers tomorrow.

If they are not going to make the playoffs, keeping Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines will put them in position for a higher draft pick for next year. With glaring needs on both sides of the ball, the Green Bay Packers could stand to benefit from a higher draft pick.

Although the Packers would not intentionally “throw” games, Rodgers’ backups Scott Tolzein and Matt Flynn haven’t exactly proven themselves to be elite. All signs would point to sidelining Rodgers, but this is the NFL after all. We’ve seen crazier things before.

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Men’s Hockey Starts Season Strong at 5-1 Looks to Sweep NESCAC Foes Midd. and Williams Greg Williams ’16 Staff Writer The Men’s Ice Hockey team certainly managed to keep themselves busy over the break.

They defeated two NESCAC rivals, Trinity and Wesleyan, and shut out St. Michael’s College at Orr Rink.

They then traveled to Babson College where they were dealt their first loss of the 2013 season.

Both Amherst and Trinity were undefeated coming into their game on Saturday night.

The Bantams got off to a hot start and managed to get the first score of the game from Sean Orlando, and they then continued to attack throughout the rest of the period.

The Jeffs were outshot 10-3 in the first, but came out the more dominant team in the second, managing to hit the net 14 times to Trinity’s five shots.

The Amherst penalty team was solid all night and even generated a solid amount of offense.

While killing two penalties halfway through the second, senior captain Andrew Kurlandski managed to generate a turnover and took it down to score a shot-handed goal in an excellent solo effort.

Early in the third, the other senior captain Brian Safstrom notched a power play goal to give the Jeffs the lead, with assists by Chris Roll ’17 and Topher Flanagan ’16.

This would prove to be the game winner, and Safstrom then was able to add the insurance short-handed empty-netter, assisted by Conor Brown ’16, with under a minute to go in the game.

The next afternoon, the Jeffs took on Wesleyan once again at Orr Rink.

They got off to quick start, with Erik

Hansen ’14 scoring under two minutes in off of an assist by Theo Hannah ’16.

Tommy Hartnett of Wesleyan tied the game up a few minutes later, but Amherst continued to keep up the pressure and Ryan Edwards ’14 broke the tie with 3:59 remaining in the period. Hannah got another assist on the play, and Patrick Arena ’16 received one as well.

In the second it was only the Jeffs who would get on the board, as Kurlandski was able to tally his second goal of the weekend about four-and-a-half minutes in, with assists

by Kevin Ryder ’16 and Elliot Bostrom ’14.

Edwards then got his second goal of the game in third, with assists by Andrew Fenwick ’15 and Jake Turrin ’15.

The Jeffs took home the 4-1 victory, and were able to outshot the Cardinals 32-25 despite the fact that they managed to rack up ten more penalty minutes than their opponents.

Dave Cunningham ’16 added two more wins to his name that weekend with excellent play in both games.

On Tuesday Nov. 26, the Jeffs took on St. Michael’s College, once again at Orr Rink.

A major penalty against St. Mike’s fueled the Jeff ’s quick start in the first, as the power play unit was able to tally two goals around five minutes into the period.

Aaron Deutsch ’15 was able to score off a shot from the point with assists by Flanagan and Mike Rowbotham ’15.

Then it was Kurlandski who tipped a Ryder shot in the slot to give the Jeffs a two goal lead just a minute later.

During the second period the ice was still tilted in Amherst’s direction as they managed to outshoot their opponents by five shots in the frame.

Edwards gave the Jeffs a three goal lead

7:12 in, with Fenwick attributing an assist to his name on the play.

Daniel Merenich ’15 scored his first goal of the season five minutes later with Roll receiving the assist on the play.

There was no scoring in the third, and Amherst was able to shutout the Purple Knights, who were handed their sixth loss of the season.

Johnny Russell ’14 made 24 saves in his first start of the year, and the Jeffs did a good job staying out of the penalty box, racking up just four penalty minutes on the game.

The Jeffs traveled to Babson College last Saturday to take on the No. 7 Beavers.

Both teams were undefeated coming into the game, and it was a hard-fought game on both sides.

Babson’s power play unit was ranked second in the country coming into the game, and they made their presence felt early on.

After a questionable penalty call on Brendan Burke ’16, the Beavers took an early lead, as Michael Phillips was able to beat Cunningham with a shot from the wing.

Amherst outshot Babson in the second, but penalties would prove to be the Jeffs’ kryptonite as Babson was able to score a second power play goal 16:22 into the second period.

This goal would prove to be the last scoring of the game, with neither team able to find the back of the net in the third. Cunningham’s impressive 26 saves were not enough as Amherst lost their first game of the year.

Coach Jack Arena was proud of his team’s play throughout the break and is looking to continue their promising season despite their latest setback. “We’ve played pretty consistently throughout the past four games. We were able to get production from our entire lineup,

which is what we’re looking for,� Arena said. “Cunningham has continued to play well and Russell played very well in the shutout of St. Mike’s.�

The Babson game will hopefully prove to be a learning experience for the Jeffs. “Against the best teams opportunities are hard to come by and you need to take advantage of them,� Arena said.

The Jeffs will look to do that this weekend with two crucial home games against Middlebury and Williams as Amherst looks to continue it’s strong conference play.

This Friday night, the Panthers will be coming into Orr Rink, where the 2013 Jeffs have yet to be defeated. They have a record of 3-1-2 and have been tested by a trio of overtime games, despite only having played six games so far.

Middlebury held off a strong third period run by the Jeffs to defeat them in the NESCAC quarterfinals last year, so both teams will be fired up for the rematch.

Meanwhile, the Ephs will be in Amherst on Saturday afternoon. They have managed to retain an undefeated record, although they do have one tie.

Williams was able to knock off Babson College last weekend, although they were playing well-rested whereas the Beavers were worn-down from a tough game against our Lord Jeffs.

The Ephs also managed to edge Amherst at the end of last year, so this game will be an equally important statement, in addition to the intense rivalry between schools.

These two teams are top-tier in the NESCAC and this weekend will allow all teams involved to test their mettle.

If last year’s games are anything to go by, there is going to be some exceptional hockey going on this weekend.