Issue 26

THE AMHERST

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF AMHERST COLLEGE SINCE 1868

STUDENT VOLUME CXLIV, ISSUE 26l WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Women’s Tennis Advances to NCAA Tournament See Sports Page 9

AMHERSTSTUDENT.AMHERST.EDU

Climate Action Plan Task Force Begins Discussions Jingwen Zhang ’18 Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Raymond Meijer ‘17

The Association of Amherst Students voted to approve the college’s strategic plan, which includes a new initiative for residential neighborhoods, on Monday, May 4.

College Holds Forum on Neighborhoods Elaine Jeon ’17 Managing News Editor Chief Student Affairs Officer Suzanne Coffey and Dean of Students Alex Vasquez hosted the first open meeting to discuss neighborhoods on Thursday, April 30. Along with Coffey and Vasquez, an advisory group of nine students was present at the event to facilitate the conversation and to outline what the neighborhoods concept would look like at the college.

The neighborhood format would create new residential communities by dividing dorms into six different residential areas, with the exception of the first-year dorms, which would remain the same. It has not yet been determined how students would be divided into these neighborhoods, but either an entire first-year dorm would feed into the same neighborhood for subsequent years or students would be sorted by a randomized process. When asked if the neighborhoods would be definitely implemented, Vasqeuz said, “Neighborhoods are part of the strategic plan and the intention is to implement it in some form. However, what I think is important to

highlight is the ‘in some form’ part of that sentence.” Coffey and Vasquez announced that the college plans to implement neighborhoods in the fall of 2016.

The idea of a new residential format arose at a strategic planning meeting two years ago. Faculty and student representatives in the strategic planning committee discussed the student body’s dissatisfaction with the sense of community on campus and brainstormed how the administration could improve the current residential life.

“Part of the feedback we have received is that the divisions we have on campus are reflective of the choices that some students can make and others may not be able to make,” Vasquez said in an interview. “For instance, the heterogeneous, engaged community that we are able to create on the first-year quad is a direct result of thoughtfully constructed communities. The neighborhoods provide a structure for thoughtful construction in ways that programming in individual buildings may not.” “[Living in a neighborhood] is an identity that doesn’t necessarily have a label,” Amani Ahmed ’15, a member of the student advisory group, said at the meeting. “It doesn’t have to

have a stereotype or connotation with it. It’s just, I live in this neighborhood. It’s something you can be proud of without feeling a certain way about what that identity means.”

One proposed way to encourage community within the neighborhoods would be to allocate a certain amount of money for events such as neighborhood cookouts and concerts.

“I think we need to support our residential counselors better than we have,” Vasquez said.

“Programming budgets for our RCs are very small, and it is important that they are able to do the things they know, which will help their communities come together.”

Students at the meeting raised a variety of issues, asking about the future of theme houses on campus and about how the neighborhood concept will be implemented. Vasquez clarified at the meeting that the current theme houses and their respective selection procedures would remain the same within the new residential structure.

“Theme houses will remain an important part of our residential process,” Vasquez said. “In

Continued on Page 3

The Office of Environmental Sustainability held an informational meeting on April 28 about an initiative to develop a Climate Action Plan for the college. Director of Sustainability Laura Draucker is leading a task force of students, faculty and staff in developing the plan. It aims to set comprehensive plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the college and create strategies to achieve them.

The Climate Action Plan outlines several guiding principles, including the reduction of emissions, maximization of the plan’s impact outside the college and financial sustainability.

The plan awaits approval by senior staff and the board of trustees.

According to Peter Woolverton ’17, a member of the task force, this plan will impact many aspects of campus life and college operations. The Climate Action Plan includes “devising a plan that improves the school’s infrastructure to markedly reduce our carbon emissions ... working with oncampus environmental groups to further reduce emissions by raising awareness and changing student behavior … [and] integrating climate change ideas and innovation into Amherst’s curriculum,” Woolverton said.

Early stages of planning have already begun, including the design for a greenhouse gas reduction “wedge chart” that shows what type of projects “we can implement and what their reduction potentials will be,” Draucker said.

“We won’t be able to do everything at once, so we will also have to prioritize and set timelines for the implementation of different projects,” she added. The task force aims to draft these wedge charts over the summer and create detailed goals and plans in the fall of 2015.

The Office of Environmental Sustainability and the task force have not yet identified specific projects to achieve the goals of the Climate Action Plan.

“While it is too early to say what projects will be part of our initial plan, to make a real impact, we will definitely need to consider some big changes,” Draucker said. “I knew that setting baselines and tracking progress on key indicators would be a first step.”

Through the plan, the task force has

Continued on Page 3

Amherst Partners with Harvard Business School Program Sophie Chung ’17 Managing News Editor The college announced a partnership last week with Harvard Business School’s online education program, Harvard Business X Credential of Readiness, or HBX CORe, to provide Amherst students with the opportunity to develop business skills.

CORe is an 11-week summer online program that offers three courses: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers and Financial Accounting. In the Harvard-Amherst partnership, seats in this program are specifically reserved for qualified Amherst applicants. The program expects students to spend 10 to 15 hours per week on the course material over the 11-week summer

period. Amherst students and alumni can apply directly to the program for admission and financial aid.

In November 2013, Career Center director Ursula Olender proposed expanding professional skill development opportunities for Amherst students. She received support from the President’s Office to investigate programs that offered career and skill development to help students prepare to apply to internships and jobs.

Over the span of two years, the Career Center reviewed programs including Middlebury College’s MiddCORE, Fullbridge, Tuck Business Bridge Program at Dartmouth, Koru and CORe. Ellie Andersen ‘15, one student who has already completed the HBX CORe program, said in an interview, “HBX CORe was incredibly ful-

filling and has only served to further my interest in business. These courses built my self-confidence, introduced me to the world of business, and have ultimately given me the tools to understand and work through a number of real world problems and questions about business.”

Olender said she expects the partnership to provide students with an opportunity to learn a wide range of business skills.

“The intended goal for this partnership is to help liberal arts students prepare for and join the innovative economy, through skill-building, mentoring and networking opportunities,” Olender said. “HBX CORe’s content and delivery method, combined with Harvard Business School’s reputation, make it a promising opportunity for Amherst students and alumni to en-

hance their career readiness.”

The partnership with HBX CORe will be reviewed annually. Olender said that in addition to the offered program, the Career Center plans to offer a variety of workshops on campus that will involve alumni as career mentors and facilitators.

“The Career Center’s mission is to educate and empower students to reflect, explore, experiment and take action to achieve their personal, professional and academic goals,” Olender said.

“We strive to help students hone and articulate skills desired by employers and to level the playing field for all of our students, regardless of their ability to pay or access to social capital.”

HBX CORe will hold an information session on Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Paino Lecture Hall in Beneski.

3

News

Blaine Werner Apr. 28, 2015 - May 4, 2015

Thoughts on Theses Department of Pyschology

>>April 28, 2015 12:47 p.m., Campus Grounds A student reported seeing a vehicle frequently during her early morning runs at Pratt Field and was concerned that someone might be following her. An officer determined the vehicle belonged to an employee. >>April 29, 2015 11:43 p.m., South Pleasant St. Officers assisted the Amherst Police with a motor vehicle accident on South Pleasant St. >>April 30, 2015 9:52 p.m., Charles Pratt Dormitory An officer encountered an underage student with a 30-pack of beer outside of Charles Pratt. It was confiscated and the matter was referred to Student Affairs.

11:09 p.m., Charles Pratt Dormitory A caller reported a large group of intoxicated people entered the building. Upon the officer’s arrival, the group left the building.

11:21 p.m., Charles Pratt Dormitory An officer encountered a student with a bottle of hard alcohol, which is prohibited in first-year residence halls. The bottle was confiscated. >>May 1, 2015 1:12 a.m., South College Dormitory While passing by South Dormitory, an officer was notified by residents that someone turned all the furniture upside down in the common room.

1:14 a.m., Charles Pratt Dormitory A caller reported someone made a mess in the first floor men’s room.

Bottles of shampoo and shaving cream were emptied in the room.

The custodial department was notified.

amount of marijuana. It was confiscated.

1:24 a.m., Pond Dormitory An officer checking Pond Dormitory found evidence that a drinking game had been played during a registered party, which is a violation. The matter was referred to Student Affairs.

2:08 a.m., Humphries House A former student, who has been banned from the campus, was found inside Humphries House.

He will be summoned to court on the trespassing charge.

9:22 p.m., College St. A caller reported four males in a car were shouting obscenities while passing by Valentine Hall on College St. Officers checked the area but the car was not found.

11:22 p.m., James Dormitory Officers responded to a noise complaint and found a group of students being loud in the elevator. A bottle of hard alcohol was available and three underage students took responsibility for the alcohol. The matter was referred to Student Affairs. >>May 3, 2015 1:13 a.m., Tyler House Officers responded to a noise complaint at a registered party and found that it had ended. There was evidence that an excessive amount of alcohol, including hard alcohol, was available in violation of the party policy. The matter was referred to Student Affairs.

1:13 a.m., Lipton House Officers responded to a noise complaint at a registered party and had the music turned off.

4:25 a.m., Tyler House An officer responded to a complaint of loud music and shut the music off in a first-floor room.

1:17 a.m., Plimpton House Officers responded to a report of two men outside the building having an argument and about to fight. Upon arrival, the two men were identified as students, and the matter between them was resolved.

6:47 p.m., Seelye Parking Lot A man was placed under arrest on a warrant after he was found outside of Seelye House.

2:25 a.m., Stone Dormitory An officer located an unlicensed keg in a first-floor suite. One student was fined $100.

11:19 p.m., Powerhouse An officer on patrol discovered alcohol left unattended by a tree near the Powerhouse. It was disposed of.

2:43 a.m., James Dormitory A caller reported someone pushed out a window screen from a second-floor window.

>>May 2, 2015 12:36 a.m., Hitchcock House An officer discovered an unauthorized party in the common room with alcohol. It was shut down and the alcohol was disposed of.

12:40 a.m., Campus Grounds While on patrol, an officer encountered a five-college student near the Powerhouse with a small

12:43 p.m., 79 South Pleasant An officer investigated an intrusion alarm and found it was accidentally set off by an employee.

9:46 p.m., Marsh House A town resident complained of loud music coming from Marsh.

An officer found several students in the common room playing instruments and advised them of the complaint.

Blaine Werner is a psychology and religion double major.

Werner wrote a senior thesis on peer groups. His adviser is Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Katherine Clemans.

Q: What is your thesis about?

A: What my thesis asks is: Are there universal peer crowds? If so, what are they? And are there any factors that predict the emergence of peer crowds? A peer crowd is ... we think of “jocks,” “nerds” and “popular kids.” It’s not necessarily an interaction-based category — it’s more of a reputation-based one. So all the nerds might not interact with each other. It has less to do with interaction of the crowd designated and more with reputation. And there are many different elements of perceived behaviors, of popularity and social status, of those particular peer crowds, the norms and values that are associated with those particular peer crowds.

The reason I’m asking such broad questions is because the literature has been pretty inconsistent in the operational definitions of those peer crowds and the methodologies used to determine those peer crowds that exist. When a psych research team investigates a particular behavior with adolescent peer crowds, it tries to identify peer crowds and identify if there are particular behaviors associated with particular crowds. For example, there’s the “deviant crowd,” and they’re perceived to have high smoking behavior, high recidivism, high marijuana usage. The jock crowd is associated with high alcohol consumption and engages in riskier sexual activity. Most studies look at one high school and they determine the peer crowds, re-label the kids at that school into the peer crowds that they’ve determined exist, then they investigate the particular behaviors of those crowds based on the kids in them. The problem is, the high schools are generally homogeneous, large, urban, white public schools of a middle socioeconomic status. There’s not a lot of external validity because, how can you generalize across all high schools across the country when every high school is very different? There were certain factors that I thought were involved in the type of peer crowds that emerge at a particular high school: enrollment size, public vs. private, academic performance of the school and median household income level in the area.

Q: What was your research process like?

A: The survey I had was released to recent high school graduates. It asked, what are the peer crowds that existed at your high school, what were they like, a free response to describe the crowd and eight different behaviors — how often did members of this crowd smoke, drink, things like that. I was also looking to get as many high schools represented as possible. I got 145 high schools represented in my sample, with a fair amount of geographic diversity, and also socioeconomic and academic performance diversity.

Enrollment was from 40 students to 5,200 students. I got 145 different high schools and 165 students. Then, I had 10 Amherst College students code my data. They were told to come up with a coding scheme for common crowds that emerge; I reviewed those 10 coding schemes and determined which ones overlapped. I came up with 11 total peer crowds, including: athlete, high social status, artsy, ethnic-based, academically oriented, deviant, religious kids, outsider and average.

Q: How does this compare with data from the literature that you’ve read?

A: This is a huge step back from the literature.

My criticism of the literature is when you’re investigating peer crowds for a particular behavior, you’re probably going to end up being biased in

terms of the peer crowds you identify because you’re looking for ones that are based on those particular behaviors. What my study tried to do was to ask what are the peer crowds, rather than looking to see if they exhibit particular behaviors.

Q: Why is it problematic to think of things in terms of behaviors?

A: My thesis is a response to a meta-analysis, essentially a study of studies in 2007 on peer crowds. The studies they investigated were inconsistent in the methodologies they used to determine the peer crowds. One study might be saying a jock crowd is high school kids who play a sport for more than two hours a week, and another study might say a jock is someone who identifies [as a jock] ... and another study might say a jock is someone who other people might say is an athlete. So those are inconsistent. In the meta-analysis they came up with five peer crowds. The deviant crowd was the most consistently identified, but the deviant crowd isn’t the most represented crowd. You’re not going to have a large deviant population — you’re going to have a rather small one. So the question becomes, how are they so consistently identified? It’s probably because their behaviors are the ones researchers are looking out for. There’s a sense that there’s something awry or erroneous in the methodologies being used.

Q: What’s the most valuable thing you think you’ll take away from the process?

A: I think my biggest takeaway is what it means to make an original academic contribution to the world. I think my thesis is pretty dope because it’s a step back from 50 years of psychology research.

It was just cool to read all these studies and say, “my thesis is going to try to improve a field of study.” I could also engage in a conversation with someone who studies this and have some arguments to make. And arguments beyond what I read in the literature — arguments based on an experiment I had actually performed myself.

Q: How did you decide on this thesis topic?

A: Initially I was going to do a psych and law thesis with [Professor of Psychology] Allen Hart, and then he went on sabbatical and announced it rather suddenly in the middle of the summer.

I was really going to be set far back, so it came down to, either I don’t do a thesis or I do a thesis with a professor that I hadn’t planned on doing it with. Catherine Sanderson, who is my academic adviser in the department, emailed the whole department and said, who would be willing to take on another thesis student? Katherine Clemans suggested this one, and it seemed the coolest, the most interesting, the most up my alley, so I went with it.

Q: Do you have any advice for students considering writing a thesis?

A: Do it. But do it for the right reasons. There are a lot of different good reasons. I think most of the theses I see succeed are based on an intense interest and passion in the specific topic because when it’s March and it’s due in two months and you’re pulling all-nighters on it, something’s got to be feeding your energy. And it should be your devotion to that particular topic. It’s going to be hard, even if it’s your favorite topic in the world.

If I hadn’t done a thesis, I don’t know what walking away from college would have felt like. It feels like I did something with what I’ve learned here.

— Jingwen Zhang ’18

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

News

3

Climate Plan College Holds Forum on Neighborhoods Continued from Page 1 acknowledged that because Amherst College is only one institution, its plans to reduce emissions would have limited global impact. Therefore, projects will be created in a way that encourages other institutions to adopt Amherst’s mission to minimize emissions.

Amherst College is not alone in its attempt to devise new plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Schools in the Five College Consortium have already discussed ways to collaborate on developing plans. Both Hampshire and UMass have already created their own plans, and the Amherst College task force has reached out to those groups for guidance.

The projects will balance reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with financial viability.

“Some of the projects identified will save us money over the long term by saving energy, others may not have such a clear financial payback,” Draucker said. “We will be investigating unique ways we can finance this work as part of the plan development process, and are lucky to have Kevin Weinman, CFO, as an active member of the task force.”

While some parts of the plan revolve around changes to facilities and other college operations, others depend on student involvement and interest. Woolverton and Alena Marovitz ’17, another member of the task force, became involved in planning and working with Draucker due to their personal interest in environmental sustainability.

“Student buy-in plays a large role,” Marovitz said. “In order for the campus to see direct change, students need to be conscious of their own impacts on the environment … I hope that students will come to me with their questions, concerns and feedback about the Climate Action Plan process.”

Woolverton also sees student input as a key factor in the success of the Climate Action Plan.

“The task force held its first open meeting for students last Tuesday,” Woolverton said. “It was an opportunity for students to learn about the task force and present their own ideas. We will have many more meetings like this next year.

It’s important to remember that there are only 13 members of the task force, so we need input from the student body at large to build the most effective plan possible.”

Continued from Page 1 the current proposal, theme houses would be affiliated with neighborhoods, but if there are other ways to consider the theme house options, we are open and enthusiastic about hearing them.”

Some students at the meeting also expressed concerns that the campus lacks pre-existing architecture to support neighborhoods. Students raised the issue of discrepancies in quality among dorms, because dorms vary widely both in terms of distance from the main campus and in terms of how recently they have been renovated. Some students also pointed out that athletes might want to choose dorms closer to the gym and athletic fields, and the neighborhood concept could prevent them from doing this.

In response, Vasquez said that the administration might create an incentive mechanism to make all neighborhoods more equal, such as awarding AC Dollars to Hill residents for use at cafes or restaurants in town.

Students at the meeting also raised issues regarding the absence of specific architecture to support the neighborhoods at Amherst College.

“Residential colleges at Yale, for example, are architectural spaces — ­­ libraries, dining halls and such,” Nolan Lindquist ’18 said at the meeting.

“Those are physical spaces that require sustained investment. I think it’s a little hasty to plan these communities because it’s the space that creates the communities, and not vice versa.”

One idea offered by the advisory group was to combat this problem is to renovate the current spaces on campus, especially the older dormitories. Another proposed idea was that neighborhoods could also invite local businesses to open cafes in certain locations, which would create more social spaces on campus.

The most thoroughly addressed issue at the meeting was the lack of choice students will have with living arrangements and that it could potentially restrict how restrict how students interact with their friends. In response, Margo Cody ’17, a member of the student advisory group, said, “You are going to still have the agency to socialize wherever you want and with whomever you want. The administration is not controlling our social lives here.”

Following the first open meeting, members

Photo courtesy of Amherst College

According to the strategic plan, residential neighborhoods will be created to foster community within dorms. of Association of Amherst Students convened to vote on the strategic committee plan at the senate meeting on Monday, May 4. The strategic plan includes the neighborhood proposal.

“I like the idea of having more collective spaces to hang out, but I hate the idea that we are restricted to the same area for two, three years,” Jamie Werner ’16, a student who attended the meeting, said. “I think the administration doesn’t really have a good idea about what student dorm life is like.”

In response, AAS President Tomi Williams ’16, who is in the student advisory group, acknowledged that while the campus is already divided into quasi-neighborhoods, such as the Hill and the Triangle, the requirement of students to belong to certain neighborhoods is what makes the neighborhood concept unappealing to the student body.

Many senators said that the vote might not affect the administration’s decision to implement the neighborhoods, however. AAS Senator Sam Keaser ’17E added that the neighborhood is a

small part of the plan when looking at the strategic plan holistically.

Vasquez later said in an interview that he was not aware of the vote that happened at Monday’s AAS meeting. “I’m not sure what the AAS means exactly,” Vasquez said. “[However] I’m happy students are discussing, including the neighborhoods project. Students should exercise their opportunity to have a voice in this process.”

The AAS expressed its approval of the strategic plan with 14 senators voting to approve and six to deny the plan.

Vasquez said that there will be more open meetings to follow, and many plans concerning the neighborhoods are still undetermined.

“Neighborhoods will not solve all of our problems, that is a certainty,” Vasquez said. “But a new model for residential life on campus that helps us build a strong, inclusive community, where students feel a sense of belonging, is a good possibility. A lot is on the table, and we want to hear from students who are interested in working to create a model that the community can be excited about.”

Mascot Change Petition Brought to President Martin Nolan Lindquist ’18 Staff Writer The college’s mascot debate entered a new phase last month when Adrian Chan ’17 brought a petition to change the mascot to President Biddy Martin and senior administrators. The petition included signatures of 480 students, faculty and staff. In an email to the signatories, Chan announced that “a website onto which students can upload alternative mascot designs will be set up by the end of the semester,” and suggested creating a schedule that would designate an official mascot by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year.

Some students proposed making the moose Amherst College’s mascot after a

moose wandered onto campus last spring.

This year, the moose has emerged as the most prominent alternative to the Lord Jeff. Chan, however, said that his proposed contest will search for a mascot that is “non-Jeff and nonmoose.”

In an email interview, Dean of Students Alex Vasquez said he was “very supportive of the conversations surrounding the appropriateness of Lord Jeffery Amherst serving as a representative figure for the college.” Chan’s email to those who signed his petition stated that the administration is planning to implement a new mascot design contest in the very near future, and Vasquez suggested that such a contest would be only the beginning of a mascot selection process.

“With regard to an online design contest

— if we make a decision as a community that we will choose a mascot different from [Lord Jeffery Amherst], then I would be very interested in hearing students’ ideas and perspectives,” Vasquez said. “I would not prefer that the contest be the final and determinant process for choosing a new mascot.”

Although the debate has intensified in recent years, Amherst’s mascot has been attracting controversy for decades. Around the time Amherst College began admitting women, discussion centered around what to call women’s sports teams. Olivia Pinney ’17, an AAS senator and member of the Traditions Committee, said “no team really liked” the idea of being called “Lady Jeffs.” Today, though, the bone of contention lies in how to deal with a mascot tainted by a historical as-

sociation with biological warfare and genocide.

Activism for and against the Lord Jeff mascot has involved many student groups and members of the administration in recent years. In April 2013, AAS Senator Risalat Khan ’13 organized a town hall meeting concerning the college’s mascot. The meeting featured a presentation from College Head of Archives and Special Collections Michael Kelly, who offered a historical perspective on Lord Jeffery Amherst. This year, Chan organized a February “Lord Jeff Information Day,” which was sponsored by the Campus Activities Board. The information day event also relied on the content of the college archives and on Kelly, featuring a special exhibit in Archives and Special Collections.

Faculty Discuss New Pilot Program for Pre-Registration Dan Ahn ’17 Managing News Editor Faculty gathered in Cole Assembly Room on Tuesday to discuss the departure of Provost Peter Uvin, implementation of a modified academic calendar beginning in 2016 and a proposal to expand pre-registration to four weeks.

President Biddy Martin spoke about Uvin’s arrival at the college and his work during his twoyear tenure. She said that the provost position was originally created to alleviate administrative strain from the office of the dean of students, coordinate projects with other institutions, focus on the diversity of the student body and help the administration develop long-term strategic

plans. Martin said that she decided to eliminate the position of provost after Uvin leaves because she felt the position was not given enough authority to pursue all of those goals.

With the position eliminated, the college operations formerly supervised by the provost will be relocated to different offices. The Center for Community Engagement will be moved to the Office of the Dean of Faculty. Director of the Multicultural Resource Center Mariana Cruz will become the interim diversity officer. The Office of Study Abroad has not yet found a new location.

The faculty then discussed revising the academic calendar from 2016 to 2019. Professors from the theater and dance, music and math-

ematics departments said that they had not been adequately consulted about the prospective adjustments by College Council, which was in charge of coordinating the new calendar with academic departments. The faculty decided by hand vote to return the proposal to College Council for further consideration.

Professor of Economics Adam Honig, representing the Committee for Educational Policy, presented a proposal for a three-year pilot program to improve pre-registration. He said that the aim is to reduce the number of schedule changes that students make during add/drop week, as well as the number of students dropped from classes late in the registration process. In the new plan, advising and pre-registration would be

a four-week process. The first week would remain advising period, while the second week would be a first round of pre-registration, in which caps on class sizes would not be enforced. The third week would be called “roster management week,” and during this week, the registrar would inform students and faculty of potential overflow in classes.

There would also be a chance for faculty to offer brief samples of their courses. The fourth week would then be a second round of pre-registration during which caps on class sizes would be enforced. The plan is intended to decrease the strain of add/drop week by extending the registration process the semester before. The faculty agreed to postpone voting on the proposal until the second faculty meeting of the fall semester.

Opinion

THE AMHERST

STUDENT

A Year of Student Voice Editorial

Amherst is often called apolitical. Unlike our counterparts at Wesleyan, Middlebury or Swarthmore, Amherst students are seen as far too busy with academics to engage with the world outside the Pioneer Valley. Our heads are in the clouds discussing Socrates in our “Friendship” seminar while students across the country collectively organize to fight against oppressive power structures and modern-day challenges to liberal ideals of equality. Yet, anyone who has been on this campus during the 2014-2015 academic year has seen student voice come alive in a new way to tackle truly meaningful issues on this campus and beyond.

Amherst students have marched for student rights, chalked for divestment and asserted our collective voice. Just this week, anyone in Frost could hear a small group of protesters echoing one another, demanding the right to in-state education for undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts. A collection of Five College students marched from our campus to UMass in order to talk to the UMass president.

This year, Amherst students have responded to national issues and stood up for their beliefs in an unprecedentedly inspirational way. A majority of students walked out of their classes to shout collectively “Hands up, don’t shoot” in the wake of Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson. The Black Lives Matter campaign has been successful in inspiring conversations about the significance of race on this campus — an issue largely overlooked by many students.

Although this semester’s Day of Dialogue received mixed reviews, it did at least work to further this mission, pushing us to have uncomfortable conversations and question our own identities.

This year, Amherst students have created change and conversation around campus on international issues. A group of students continued to lobby the board of trustees to divest from coal and

push for a greater focus on environmental sustainability on campus. In response to this student push, the board of trustees made a pledge to increase the college’s commitment to sustainability. Although opinions about the board’s statement are divided, and not all activists are satisfied, the divestment campaign has shown that student voices can have a significant impact.

Several controversial protests on campus also showed the continuing vitality of student voices. Students walked out of a talk by climate change denier Patrick Moore. A group devoted to Palestinian rights and freedom protested a Hillel event in an effort to spark conversation around Israel’s activities in the occupied territories. The protest of the Son of Hamas speaker also showed student awareness and voice on a crucial issue of human rights.

Whatever your opinion on the issues being discussed, it’s heartening to see that student activism is seeing a resurgence on campus.

Even on Amherst-related issues, students have organized and rallied far more than last year. Students have fiercely debated neighborhoods and social clubs, a conversation that has been fruitful and exciting as current students try to establish a richer campus culture for future generations. The recent termination of the international Spanish teaching assistants has inspired a collective protest and petition campaign that has garnered hundreds of signatures.

We have the potential to move beyond the stereotypical apolitical and apathetic Amherst of the past, but this year was only the first step. It takes consistent, conscientious effort to build a campus where student voice is alive and well. We may have cracked the Amherst bubble this year, but it is only through continued engagement with other students on important issues beyond the academic to truly break it.

Sayed Kashua: Building Bridges in the Middle East, One Story At a Time Isa Goldberg ’17 Staff Writer For peace to arrive in the Middle East, it must be preceded by humanization. Nobody is doing more on that front than Sayed Kashua.

I recently had the opportunity to hear Kashua speak at Smith College about the creative challenge of writing between worlds. Kashua related his life story to the audience in the context of the political turmoil in the Middle East, injecting bits of humor along the way. The audience — which filled an entire library room and then some — was at times captivated by Kashua’s masterful storytelling and at times in stitches of laughter.

Kashua was born in 1975 in the Arab village of Tira, Israel. His latest book, “Dancing Arabs,” is comprised of short stories about his adolescence, focusing on the time he was accepted to a prestigious Israeli boarding school and faced the struggle of defining his identity. Kasha recalled being assigned to read “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger at the boarding school.

“I realized that I loved reading

— the way [Holden] was kicked out of school, the way he cursed — I didn’t realize you could write that way, be angry that way,” Kashua told the audience.

On the subject of storytelling, Kashua noted that his greatest influence was his grandmother. He remembered how, when his parents went to bed, he would sneak over to his grandmother’s room, where she would be waiting for him.

“Here was an uneducated woman, who had never been taught about what scholars call ‘narratives,’” he said. Kashua said that despite her lack of formal education, his grandmother’s artful storytelling rivaled that of any great storyteller.

Kashua’s grandmother instilled in him a love of storytelling. Later, when he began reading the Israeli history books at his boarding school, Kashua realized that he had a different story to tell.

“I realized that all I needed to do was to translate stories I heard from my grandmother,” he said.

He started writing at a young age.

“It happened very fast,” he said.

“By 1996, when I was 21, I was al-

ready writing for Israeli magazines.”

In 2007, Kashua created the hit sitcom “Arab Labor,” now in its fourth season, which pokes fun at Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis alike. The show, which is the only bilingual dramatic comedy show on Israeli television, was received with stellar ratings.

“People loved it. Some of the critics even came out and apologized for their previous remarks.

The newspapers were not matching what the people thought,” Kashua aid. When asked about his preferred media outlet, though, he said, “Literature is deeper than T.V.” On writing, Kashua said that it “is a really horrible, difficult job.”

However, he also said that if he won the lottery, he would still keep writing. He made a joke about needing to ask a psychologist why he should write if he doesn’t need the money.

Kashua is a journalist for Haaretz, Israel’s leading progressive newspaper, where he has been writing a weekly satirical column for 12 years.

“The worst part is that it’s every week!” He joked. But on a more serious note, he said, “It creates some

order in my life. It made me sharpen my sensibilities and emotions.”

The politics of language remain a fraught subject for Kashua.

He related an incident in which an Arab-Israeli woman, whose parents were killed in one of the wars, told him that she would never read his books because they are written in Hebrew. That gave him pause. Hebrew was the language in which he connected to his audience, in which he related the Arab experience to his Israeli readers. But was he being disloyal by doing so? These are questions with which he continues to grapple, as well as with the larger philosophical question of whether or not it is possible to separate a language from the ethnicity or nationality that spawned it.

In the end, Kashua sidesteps geopolitics in favor of humanization. His is a unique brand of cross-cultural humor in an arena in which cultures are increasingly seen as being separate. For many in the Middle East, Sayed Kashua is a much-needed bridge. As he put it, “At the end of the day, identity is not a problem that two shots of whiskey can’t solve, after all.”

E X E C U T I V E B OA R D Editor-in-Chief Sophie Murguia Executive Adviser Brendan Hsu Managing News Dan Ahn, Sophie Chung, Elaine Jeon Managing Opinion Johnathan Appel, Marie Lambert Managing Arts and Living Marquez Cummings, Gabby Edzie, Evan Paul Managing Sports Kiana Herold, Lauren Tuiskula S TA F F Design Editors Gabby Bishop, Megan Do, William Harvey, Sunna Juhn, Chloe Tausk Assistant News Editor Ryan Cenek Assistant Sports Editors Jeremy Kesselhaut, Jason Darell, Jason Stein Publishers Emily Ratte, Tia Robinson Photography Editor Olivia Tarantino

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The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

Opinion

5

From a Member of the Social Clubs Work Group: Vote No on the Proposal Samuel Rosenblum ’16 Contributing Writer

mon identities (e.g. affinity groups) and common activist causes (e.g.

GAP). That said, none of the groups When I applied to join the Social I have mentioned have “being social” Project Work Group as one of six at- as their sanction. None of them dilarge members appointed by the AAS rectly limit the right to organize sosenate, I was adamant about my an- cially. However, social clubs — institagonistic role. Social clubs, as they tutionalized, coed fraternities — are had been proposed, would have to be precisely the institutional and social defeated. If not, they would need to sanction that directly infringes on be fundamentally transformed. Un- that right. fortunately, they have not been. So, Some students have more of a today I write to “right” than othencourage you ers to organize to vote “no” to socially on this We should guarantee social clubs on campus. What every student the right social clubs do Thursday. The to organize socially. work group did is formally erode not resolve the that right for We should desire a significant probsome and grant campus where every lems posed in it to other stustudent, because of and dents. The marthe open letter 28 not in spite of social students signed keting strategy of differences, would last November. the Social ProjNo matter how ect Work Group be able to befriend benignly they are has been based any other student ... marketed, social on our collecHowever, social clubs clubs fail at betive buy-in, on ... are precisely the ing anything but our willingness institutional and social exclusive and to grant some conser vative. students an ausanction that directly They recapituthorized form to infringes on that right. late existing hiorganize socially erarchical social (and exclusivetensions and inly). No matter stitutionally reproduce the divisions how energetically the committee of social life that the abolition of fra- markets them, some students have ternities sought to end. neither the social nor economic capWe should guarantee every stu- ital to buy in to them. Furthermore, dent the right to organize socially. We some students, like me, have decidshould desire a campus where every ed to oppose social clubs because student, because of and not in spite they want to socialize in ways that of social differences, would be able are inclusive. Our ways of socializing to befriend any other student. How- are incompatible with the exclusive ever, a variety of factors — athletic social relations that such clubs conteam membership, first-year dorm stitute. Social clubs will sanction and placement, (lack of) attendance at institutionally privilege forms of sothe socials, religion, political stances cial life that are exclusive and leave — limit our ability to befriend others out those of us, especially those of us on this campus. In other words, we who are lonely, who want an inclutend to spend time with those whose sive social environment. identities, desires and interests we Central to the work group’s share. We spend time with those who campaign is that social clubs conare similar to us precisely because of stitute “secondary social relations,” institutional or social recognition of beyond our primary friend groups. common talents (e.g. athletics), com- (Of course, the lonely students who

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want to join social clubs have primary friend groups; social clubs are merely auxiliary! And, don’t fear, the Social Club Oversight Committee will ensure that social clubs won’t constitute primary friend groups.) If secondary social relations are what social clubs seek to create, we would not let small groups of students (primary friend groups) start them, nor would we let them have traditions develop through common identities or campus-wide social events. Such homogeneity would attract students with certain interests and desires and would encourage social club members to advertise their respective social clubs in order to maintain and perpetuate a social club’s identity and events.

For true secondary social relations to form, the clubs would need to be constantly recreated annually and randomly. In such an experiment, as suggested by two members of College Council, to which we presented the social club proposal in early April, students would be randomly assigned into groups at the beginning of each academic year.

With financial support from the college for food and activities, students in each group would meet with some frequency and be required to put on some campus event each semester.

Each of these groups would be terminated at the end of each academic year and completely new, randomized groups would form the following year. In that sense, these groups would constitute an experiment: a randomized trial of randomized social groups of which all students were part. That idea, if overseen by students, has the potential to sustain the engaging conversation with students whom one does not know produced at a Pindar Dinner, without the bourgeois formalities of a 1920s-era cocktail party.

However, we have a proposal that assumes that whatever forms of social life it sanctions (e.g., regular dinners, regular meetings, the planning of a social event) includes activities in which all students want to partake.

The moment we assume otherwise, sake receive the privilege to continue my claim of exclusivity prevails. But socializing while others will remain that is precisely the problem: The lonely. Even if 60 percent, 70 percent, only concrete examples of what so- 80 percent, 90 percent, 100 percent of cial clubs do revolve around certain students join social clubs, they instiforms of socializing, which do not tutionalize and privilege exclusivity. interest all students. Regular dinners, That said, I can conceive a way to plan regular meetings, the planning of a social life which is democratic: With social event, tailgates, tents at home- open meetings, public minutes, testicoming — these types of events don’t monies by community members and interest all students. To be clear, the the presence of (at least a few) faculty currently proposed social clubs could and staff. Furthermore, I can imagnot form around any “unifying skill ine, as I wrote in my application to or interest” — anything beyond so- the AAS Appointments Board, new cial. Contrary to forms of social the suggestion of life that could one member of create a more Organizations like the work group, inclusive social social clubs ... return planning a semesatmosphere: stuAmherst to its culture dent governance, terly Day of Dialogue is an “interof an old-boy network new theme housest” (if not more) in which those with the es and more diand could not be verse dorm and privilege to socialize the project of a sosocial space arfor socialization’s sake chitectures. Uncial club. Furtherreceive the privilege more, if a social fortunately, rathclub were to have to continue socializing er than permit a “unifying skill while others will remain contrarian viewor interest” and points and critlonely. wanted to receive icisms seriously AAS or administo influence its trative funding, it plans, the Social would need to register as a student Project Work Group has been preorganization (and thus need to be cisely what social clubs risk becominclusive). ing: exclusive.

Perhaps what the members of the Finally, a word on voting: This is committee do not fully understand is a political project, not a neutral prothe difference between student pref- posal. The committee is marketing erences and sanctioned exclusivity. social clubs by emailing athletic team Students at Amherst have a variety captains and affinity group leaders. of interests, desires and talents that They are speaking to administraattract them to form different social tors in the Multicultural Resource groups. That is a problem that fuels Center, Queer Resource Center, stuloneliness on our campus. What social dent health office and Title IX office, clubs in their current form do is fur- working to obtain endorsements. ther sanction those divisions, further Regardless of whether you will join eroding the possibility that students them, a “yes” vote is the approval make friends beyond those interests, of the reinstitution of the exclusive desires and talents. form of the fraternity on campus. A Fraternal and sororal organiza- “no” vote is a vote for inclusion. It is tions like social clubs — with his- not an invitation to forget the probtorical traditions and identities and lem of loneliness or the great social alumni connections — return Am- anxieties of the first-year student. It herst to its culture of an old-boy net- is the authority to say “yes” to creatwork in which those with the priv- ing new democratic and egalitarian ilege to socialize for socialization’s forms of social life.

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Arts&Living

Photo courtesy of LA Weekly

On Sunday, May 4, Nina Shallman ’18 sang alongside her cousin and bassist, Aaron Blick, at Iron Horse Music Hall, a nearby music venue in Northampton.

Shallman ’18 Performs Solo Show at Iron Horse Music Hall Darya Bor ’18

Staff Writer

On Sunday, I was the recipient of a delightful, surprising treat. Nina Shallman ’18 performed a solo show at Northampton’s Iron Horse Music Hall.

She performed 10 songs, some from her own repertoire, on piano and two types of ukuleles, alongside her cousin Aaron Blick on bass.

I knew Shallman only by her face — from the posters I could tell that I had seen her around campus and the music venues of Northampton. She is a member of the Bluestockings all-female a cappella group, and was one of the representatives of Amherst College in the Five College PoetryFest earlier this school year. Shallman’s original song “Daisy” has been added to the trackl ist of WMUA 91.1 Amherst, MassLive recently interviewed her, she performed two sold-out shows at The Mint in Los Angeles, and she has more than 3,600 likes on Facebook (quite a notable fan base).

The Iron Horse has a rustic, homey, decor — the elevated stage, complete with an impressive dark grand piano, drew the attention of the crowd. Shallman fit right

in. She climbed onto the stage of the Iron Horse, a typical college student, to accept her place under the pink tone of the stage lights, with her cousin and a huge dusty orange bass close behind.

What is most jarring, surprising and awe-inspiring about Nina Shallman is her voice. I can use endless analogies to describe the tone: like smoke, like Chicago, like it belongs on a toned dark stage. Her voice possesses a lack of effort while sounding so gorgeous, like soft warmth and comfort. She sings casually, as if it is normal to sing that ethereally.

She sings like there is always something more powerful to her voice that she chooses not to use — and when she does display the full power, oh wow, there she goes.

“Nina Shallman has such a lovely voice, it almost doesn’t matter what she’s singing,” LA Weekly’s Falling James wrote. Her voice’s breathy richness is only augmented by how close her lips are to the piano’s microphone, with every hitch, exhale and change of her breath reverberating throughout the hall. The minimalist piano that she plays, with simple chords, only help draws more attention to the richness of her voice and the melody she produces. The bass pro-

vides a fitting, deeper accompaniment to the sound of Shallman’s voice and piano.

The dimension of the sound was sparse in terms of instrumentation, but what was there was definitely rich.

Her set for the night consisted mostly of her own songs — soft, romantic ballads that break hearts with a couple notes, a few croons and simple couplets of controlled emotion. The original songs definitely stood out because the subject matter — deep, heartfelt, aching emotions — fit her voice well. The lyrics definitely stand out with their poignant, romantic tone, and they fit with the pondering notes of the music remarkably well.

“Silver lie, and I want to pray/ I’d kiss you tonight if I head back yesterday/ I want the sun to go away, but the moon can stay,” she sings with the slowly growing piano chords in “The Moon Can Stay.” In “Marionette,” she explores the symbolic unbalanced relationship between puppet and puppeteer with lines like, “You pull the strings in this uneven duet.”

“Nice to Hear,” a quaint ukulele ballad, tells the story of a girl who can’t let go “of the pessimist” in her. The opening notes allow the audience to imagine a

love scene: “You say you need me, and hold me close/ Whisper ‘never let me go’ in my ear/ but I don’t buy it, but still can’t deny that it’s nice to hear.”

The chorus of my personal favorite, “Daisy,” goes, “And you say our time is ticking, ticking, ticking/ and you say that your heart is kicking, kicking, kicking,” and while the rest might not be perfectly comprehensible, it has such a satisfying effect with the music and the quality of the singing voice.

Even her covers stayed true to her strengths — she brought new life to the songs. Her cover of the Smiths’ “Ask” set her steady, calm voice over an upbeat ukulele, and it was hard not to nod along with the beat. Her banter with the bass performer, Blick, added a lighthearted tone to the set.

“Hopefully this tuning goes well,” she said as she tuned one of her three finicky ukuleles. “Hopefully,” he responded.

The music hall applauded her performance with much love — to the surprise of Shallman and Blick.

“Aw, we didn’t think you guys would like us!” she laughed from the stage. I can easily say that will never be a problem for this performer; on stage and off, it is hard not to appreciate Nina Shallman.

Despite Big Weekend, “Age of Ultron” Falls Prey to Sequel Curse Paola Garcia-Prieto ’18 Staff Writer “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was released on May 1 and made close to $200 million in its opening weekend alone. The sequel to Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” has been long awaited, but does it live up to its predecessor?

I write not as a Marvel Comics expert but as a big fan of the first movie and of each of the individual superheroes’ movies. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is equally as fun, actionpacked and humorous as its predecessor, but as many reviewers have stated, it doesn’t live up to the standard of Whedon’s 2012 hit. It is an entertaining action blockbuster, but it doesn’t go above and beyond on all accounts like “The Avengers” did. Critics have pointed out that the movie has too many action scenes, too many new characters and perhaps too many of Whedon’s famous deadpan oneliners. But the film does have one redeeming quality: Unlike the first “Avengers” film, this sequel focuses on creating characters that are well-developed and feel distinctly human.

The film starts off with an intense action scene that takes place in a fictional Eastern

European town. Although the overdramatic battle might seem unnecessary, it does in fact have a purpose. The scene introduces two new characters who come from the Eastern European town: Scarlett Witch (played by the youngest Olsen sister, Emily) and Quicksilver (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson). While starting off with a battle and introducing two new characters is a bit overwhelming right off the bat, it’s refreshing to see the Avengers working together as an ensemble. While in the first film they struggle to work together as a team, Whedon was sure this time to make the Avengers into a well-oiled machine. They combine forces to defeat the Russian villain, all while partaking in Whedon’s trademark witty banter.

Joss Whedon, who wrote and directed both “Avengers” movies, seems to understand the love people have for this diverse group of heroes. One of the beginning scenes,which will surely be one of the most memorable of the film, features these heroes and their sidekicks. Colonel James Rhode from the second and third “Iron Man” films (played by Don Cheadle) and Sam Wilcon from “Captain America” (played by Anthony Mackie) are

Image courtesy of trbimg.com

Ultron, voiced by James Spader, is the robotic supervillain in “Age of Ultron.” hanging out after a party at the Avengers tower. The boys get into a competition to see who can pick up Thor’s hammer. It’s funny to see Thor smiling smugly as the two strain to pick up the hammer, and the glimmer of panic in Thor’s eyes when Captain America manages to budge the hammer is hilarious.

While there were countless one-liners that had the audience roaring, I think the best comedic aspect of the film were the characters’ facial expressions, which Whedon managed to capture and time perfectly.

Continued on next page

Arts & Living 7

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

“Age of Ultron” Adds New Characters to “Avengers” Franchise Continued from previous page Many critics have commended Whedon for his writing because he explores each of his characters’ distinctive personalities on a deep level. Iron Man, Captain America and Thor are naturally more developed characters because they have all each had a feature film, or three. But the nice thing about “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is that it takes the time to delve into the personal lives of characters who aren’t granted their own films. Hawkeye, played

by Jeremy Renner, packs a big surprise in his personal life (which I won’t spoil) that puts this often-overlooked Avenger in the spotlight for a good portion of the film.

Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, (played by Scarlett Johansson) has flashbacks to her childhood in which we see how she was trained to be a killer from a young age. Although Black Widow often talks about her past, seeing young Natasha hold a gun makes you realize what she meant when she said, “I’ve got red in my ledger” in the first film. And Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk, (played

by Mark Ruffalo) shows both a sweet side and an aggressive side, moving beyond the

one-dimensionality of his character in the first film.

There are slight spoilers ahead, so you might want to skip this paragraph. During the promotional tour of the movie, it was hinted that Natasha and Bruce Banner were going to have some sort of romantic entanglement. I immediately groaned upon hearing this, thinking there was going to be some love triangle between Clint, Natasha and Bruce. Luckily, Clint isn’t really in the picture.

However, I am still not completely satisfied with the film’s attempt to create romantic tension. In one of the film’s first scene, Natasha sings a lullaby to calm the Hulk down and turns him back into Bruce. This sweet scene depicts the bond that these two characters have, but it also slows down the film’s action and is unnecessary to the plot. I personally could have done without this romance, although it does inject the film with some sweet and humorous moments.

In the end, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is not quite as satisfying as the original. But with its sassy new computer villain, as well as a few new superheroes thrown into the

Photo courtesy of moviepilot.com

“Age of Ultron” earned close to $200 million during its opening weekend. mix, the film resists being a carbon copy of “The Avengers.” Anyone who appreciated “The Avengers” will appreciate this

film, which sets the stage for the next “Avengers” movie in what is sure to be a long franchise.

“Clouds of Sils Maria” Presents a Strong, Female-Driven Story Claire Jia ’15 Staff Writer Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Moretz make a powerful, understated trio in “Clouds of Sils Maria,” directed by Olivier Assayas. Binoche plays Maria Enders, an internationally renowned actress who gained fame playing the role of the Sigrid, a young personal assistant in the play “Maloja Snake,” 20 years prior. Now, she is asked to step into the role of Helena, Sigrid’s boss and lover, whose obsession with Sigrid eventually drives her to suicide. Playing opposite Maria as Sigrid is Jo-Ann Ellis (Moretz), a talented young actress and A-list partier. But Maria’s true “opposite” is Kristen Stewart’s Valentine, her real-life personal assistant. The mirrored set-up of the actress-personal assistant relationship both in the play-within-a-movie and within the movie itself is purposeful — perhaps too obviously so — and throughout the course of Maria’s rehearsals with Valentine, the audience questions more and more the true nature of their relationship.

“It’s the attraction of two women with the

same wound,” says Valentine about “Maloja Snake.”

She could be talking about Helena and Sigrid, or about Jo-Ann and Maria, but really she is speaking about herself and Maria.

The two rehearse the play in Sils Maria, and Assayas often begins many scenes mid-rehearsal, causing us to wonder if the two are speaking as Maria and Valentine or Helena and Sigrid. Whether this distinction matters is viewers’ question to answer by the end. We only can catch glimpses of the pair’s flirtation in subtle moments: a caress of the cheek, a drunken smile, an afternoon spent swimming wherein their ecstatic shrieks could really go both ways. Valentine cares for Maria and possibly even loves her. Maria, just like Helena with Sigrid, relies heavily on Valentine. She questions Valentine about her love life, in a rather motherly, platonic fashion, but Valentine’s flirty retort (“Are you jealous?”) implies that Maria’s question has a different motive.

The emotions of these three women are nuanced and deeply layered. Maria is an extremely famous celebrity who knows no

Image courtesy of flickeringmyth.com

Binoche and Stewart (above) convey a deep, nuanced onscreen relationship.

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one and does not understand modern Hollywood. She struggles with the passage of time and with her growing insignificance in the face of tabloid scandals, Internet culture and superhero movies. She stubbornly refuses to recognize any parallels between her life and Helena’s until the film’s end. Valentine is quietly diligent but also fiercely opinionated, unafraid to defend the science fiction movies Maria hates (“If this was set on an assembly line or on a farm you would love it,” she says to Maria about Jo-Ann’s movie, set on a spaceship). She is simultaneously Maria’s employee, friend, daughter figure and emotional crutch.

Stewart is the first American actress to have won a César Award for her performance, and it’s unsurprising given her measured depiction of Valentine. Moretz’s JoAnn convincingly portrays a teenager trying to be an adult, and as a result her character feels appropriately detestable to the audience. She has a tough role — we are never introduced to her directly until the latter half of the film, and she initially appears only indirectly through YouTube videos and in Valentine’s commentary. Just like Valentine, JoAnn challenges Maria (“This poor woman’s washed up! I mean your character, not you,” she says on the opening night of “Maloja Snake”). though by this point in the film, the two are nearly indistinguishable.

In “Clouds of Sils Maria,” events occur and characters come and go without explanation. When Maria cuts her hair off after part one, we are meant to accept it and move on. When a pivotal character disappears during the second part, no one ever mentions her again. The characters really are absorbed in their own world, and they disregard the audience. Assayas doesn’t tell the story heavy-handedly; rather, he lets it unfold in the midst of mundane scenes of everyday life. He doesn’t care about telling a narrative the way the audience wants it told, and does not stop to explain what other directors might consider important plot elements.

The film does get tiring at points; Val-

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entine and Maria have the same argument over and over again and rehearse the same lines, but the result is that the film manages to reach into these characters’ psyches in an impressive and very real way. Many viewers may find the many landscape shots of the Alps excessive, the pacing too slow, and the entire narrative too driven by dialogue. The film pays much more attention to a self-satisfied mulling over of events after the fact rather than the events themselves, which may be uncomfortable for those used to action-driven narratives. I often found myself fidgeting during the film, even checking the time at one point, but I realized that each repetition and long, drawn-out scene actually plays an integral role in the film’s development. These moments were not exactly exciting, but they were crucial to understanding the film’s complex characters.

“Clouds of Sils Maria” is unconventional, subtle and truly female-driven. The men in the movie seduce, cheat and die, and none are as self-aware or as introspective as the three female leads. The film broods, it sits, it talks (a lot), it contemplates and even when it gets a little too self-indulgent at times, it never ceases to be real. Aside from the oftenjarring fades that Assayas employs throughout the film — which to me seemed like too obvious of a transition choice — there is very little that feels forced about “Clouds of Sils Maria.” Assayas has created a film that exposes the poignancy of relationships between these women, and Binoche and Stewart’s pairing is the most genuine of them all. They are friends, they are codependent, they could be lovers, and beneath the casual mockery and flirtation, beneath the surreal pretending and rehearsing, lies a very real desire from both women to be respected and to be loved — by society, by themselves and by each other.

“What do I need to do to make you admire me?” Maria asks Valentine desperately.

This time, she isn’t acting.

“Clouds of Sils Maria” is now playing at Amherst Cinema.

Arts & Living 8

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

Image courtesy of stereogum.com

This summer’s notable musical festivals include Bonnaroo, Pitchfork Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Firefly, Gathering of the Vibes and Governor’s Ball.

Your Essential Guide to This Year’s Summer Music Festivals Hanna Krueger ’17 Staff Writer Here in Amherst, the weather is just starting to warm up, and summer is just around the corner. And with summer comes a slew of music festivals across the nation. With nearly every weekend from now to the start of the next academic year booked with festivals of various genres in myriad locations, the opportunities to sport Chocos (or Tevas, if that is more your thing) and appreciate mellifluous jams are endless. Whether you are looking to groove it out in the farmlands of Tennessee or crowd surf your way to the front of an EDM concert in the heart of a major city, the list below has you covered.

In order to make the most out of your summer and connect with the music that moves you the most, check out this guide to the top summer festivals of 2015.

Hangout Music Fest When: May 15-17 Where: Gulf Shores, Alabama Why: Hand in your last philosophy paper, finish the last response on your physics exam, and head down to this relaxed venue on the white sandy shores of Alabama. Founded in 2010, this event invites attendees to sing and dance to their favorite songs, while the waves of the Gulf of Mexico crash in the background. With a lineup that includes headliner acts like The Foo Fighters, Sam Smith, My Morning Jacket, Zac Brown Band, Cold War Kids and Skrillex, The Hangout has a little something for everyone.

Summer Camp Music Festival When: May 22-24 Where: Chillicothe, Illinois (Northern Illinois) Why: There are a handful of festivals this weekend, but Summer Camp separates itself from the pack through its cohesive, jam-band lineup. The festival boasts sets from Widespread Panic, Steve Miller Band, John Butler Trio and Krewella.

Klingande, the creators of everyone’s favorite saxophone riff in “Jubel,” are among the lineup as well. The festival also aims to increase social and environmental awareness through its Make a Difference program.

Governor’s Ball When: June 5-7 Where: New York, New York Why: This metropolitan festival on Randall’s Island in the Big Apple is known for its diverse lineup of musical superstars and up-and-coming New York based artists. Although this year’s lineup is not as strong as it has been in the past, it is still promising with Drake, The Black Keys, Deadmau5 and Lana Del Ray all expected to perform. Lesser known, but extremely talented artists Moon Taxi, an indie-pro-

gressive rock band from Nashville, and Logic, a dazzling rapper from Maryland, are also on the ticket.

Bonnaroo When: June 11-14 Where: Manchester, Tennessee Why: The country’s leading summer festival proves its superiority once again through an extensive, star-studded lineup that includes Billy Joel, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Deadmau5, Kendrick Lamar and the newly revamped Mumford & Sons. Festival-goers should expect to see a soulful, energizing set from Alabama Shakes, whose second album recently hit No. 1 on the music charts after consistent touring and a heap of spellbound reviews. Expect to emerge thoroughly sunburned, exceptionally dirty and ridiculously impressed from this one. Country lovers who are not interested in Bonnaroo’s lineup can head to Nashville for the CMA Music Festival that same weekend.

Firefly When: June 18-21 Where: Dover, Delaware Why: Set up camp in the woods of Delaware and listen to the likes of Paul McCartney, the Killers, Hozier, Kid Cudi and Snoop Dogg. Firefly’s lineups are always extremely balanced, with high-quality, multi-genre artists jamming relentlessly throughout the weekend. Enjoy the energetic tunes of Matt & Kim and Chiddy Bang, the melodic remixes of Kygo and the rocking tunes of Cold War Kids and Citizen Cope. And there’s an Amherst connection: The Chainsmokers are set to make an appearance as well. Those looking for a weekend filled with thunderous beats and drops in the heart of the Las Vegas should aim for the Electric Daisy Carnival occurring the same weekend as Firefly.

event for all ages, complete with guitar jams and hot air balloons. There are no EDM raves or late-night silent discos, but the lineup boasts a number of killer folk bands like Langhorne Slim, The TuneYards and the Woods Brothers.

Pitchfork When: July 17-19 Where: Chicago, Illinois Why: Pitchfork is quickly gaining prominence as one of the country’s top music festivals, alongside Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Why? It is wonderfully organized, located in Chicago’s Union Park and chocked full of superb music. This year promises great performances from the likes of Wilco, Chance the Rapper, Chvrches and Future Islands.

Newport Folk and Jazzfest When: July 24-26 and July 31-August 2 Where: Newport, Rhode Island Why: Both of these events are held by the seaside and promise excellent lineups.

The Folk Festival is home to Americana, where the latest artists in folk, rock and soul come to shine. This year Leon Bridges, Shakey Graves, The Decemberists, José González and many more aim to impress.

Alternatively, Jazzfest, which celebrates its 61st birthday this year, invigorates attendees with its groovy lineup of jazz superstars. Joey Alexander, an 11-year-old jazz superstar, is certain to enthrall.

Gathering of the Vibes When: July 30-August 2 Where: Bridgeport, Connecticut Why: This summer the remaining members of the Grateful Dead plan to play one last big show in Chicago. Unfortunately, tickets, which were understandably pricey, sold out quickly. Don’t fret. Enjoy a

flashback to the 1960s during this seaside festival that aims to honor the Grateful Dead. The lineup echoes the jamming sound of the Dead through artists like the String Cheese Incident, Gregg Allman, Zappa Plays Zappa and Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. One original Dead member, Bill Kresutzmann, is set to perform with his new band, Billy and the Kids.

Lollapalooza When: July 31-August 2 Where: Chicago, Illinois Why: Little needs to be said about the prominence of this iconic music festival.

For those less interested in the camping vibes associated with Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza is sure to deliver. As usual, the lineup is overflowing with some of the most talented artists in America, spanning nearly three generations of multigenre music. Paul McCartney, Metallica, Florence and the Machine, Sam Smith, Bassnectar, alt-J, Alabama Shakes, Of Monsters and Men, Kygo, Kid Cudi, The Chainsmokers and Moon Taxi make up just a fraction of the extensive lineup.

Outside Lands When: August 7-9 Where: San Francisco, California Why: Three-day passes for this festival sold out within hours. (One-day passes are still on sale.) And rightfully so. Located in the beautiful Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands offers one of the strongest lineups on this list. Sway to the melodies of musical luminary, Elton John. Welcome Mumford & Sons back into the music industry. Croon with Sam Smith.

Dance with Billy Idol. Jam with Slightly Stoopid. Finish off your summer with Outside Lands.

Summerfest When: June 24-28 and June 30-July 5 Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Why: Recently dubbed mankind’s largest music festival, this 11-day, 11-stage event is both extensive in its lineup and affordable. The lineup goes on and on with an eclectic group of megastars like The Rolling Stones, Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, Linkin Park, Sheryl Crow, Jane’s Addiction and Kendrick Lamar set to perform.

Attendees should be sure not to miss Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros perform. The eccentric, foot stomping indie folk artist features a revolving band of up to 12 people and promises a tremendously good time.

Green River When: July 10-12 Where: Greenfield, Massachusetts Why: Unlike many of the aforementioned festivals, Green River is a family friendly

Image courtesy of cornellsun.com

This year’s Governor’s Ball, in New York City, will feature a variety of artists including Drake, The Black Keys, Deadmau5, and Lana Del Rey.

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

Sports 9

Baseball Goes 3-1 on Weekend, Heads into NESCAC Tournament Drew Kiley ’18 Staff Writer

The Amherst men’s baseball team ended its season with a 4-1 record on the week against three separate non-conference opponents. The Jeffs beat Wheaton College in extra innings before splitting a doubleheader against Springfield on Saturday and sweeping Colby in another doubleheader on Sunday. Amherst finished their season with a 2311 record (9-3 NESCAC) as they enter postseason play with the NESCAC tournament this weekend.

A two-RBI Harry Roberson ’18 single in the 10th inning against Wheaton allowed Amherst to claim a 5-3 victory on Thursday, April 30.

Highlighting the performance for the Jeffs was sophomore pitcher Jackson Volle, who started and allowed three runs (two earned) over 8.2 innings with six strikeouts. Chris Baldi ’17 earned the win, pitching two-thirds of an inning, while Sam Schneider ’18 recorded the final two outs of the game to earn his first save of the season. Tyler Jacobs ’15 and Sam Ellinwood ’18 led the Jeffs offensively, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs each.

Matt Lavanchy led Wheaton with a 3 for 4 effort from the plate, recording an RBI and a run while coming a home run short of the cycle. The Lyons used a plethora of pitchers in the game, with nine different players taking the mound.

Chirs Fowler took the loss, giving up two runs on three hits in two-third of an inning.

Trailing 3-1 entering the seventh inning, Amherst tightened the score when Ellinwood reached base on a throwing error by the catcher, allowing Jacobs to score. Then, a single by Andrew Vandini ’16 allowed the Jeffs to even the score.

In the top of the tenth, Brendan Hardin ’15 started a two-out rally for Amherst with a double down the left field line. Amherst then loaded the bases before Roberson delivered the big hit, a tworun single.

Wheaton threatened in the bottom of the 10th with runners on first and second and only

one out, but Baldi retired the last two batters to secure the win for the Jeffs.

In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Springfield, the Jeffs fell 7-6, losing on a walk-off hit by Pride hitter CJ Monroe in the bottom of the seventh.

Leading Amherst once again was Tyler Jacobs, who batted 3 for 3 on the game with one run. Anthony Spina ’17 contributed three RBIs and two runs in a 1 for 3 effort from the plate while Roberson batted 1 for 3 and added two runs.

Keenan Szulik ’16 started and was the only pitcher for the Jeffs but was tagged with the loss as he gave up seven runs on nine hits through 6.1 innings.

For Springfield, Steve Starr went 2 for 4 from plate with three RBIs while Corey Wilcox and Billy Paskowski also recorded multi-hit games. Oliver Collette stated the game for the Pride and gave up six runs on eight hits in six innings pitched.

Mitchell Goldman pitched a shutout inning in the seventh and took the win.

Amherst fell into an early hole when a Springfield rally in the bottom of the second gave the Pride a 5-0 lead. The Jeffs, however, bounced back with runs in the next four innings. Highlighted by a three-run Spina home run in the fourth, Amherst took a 6-5 lead heading into the final inning.

In the top of the seventh, Amherst was unable to add any insurance runs, and a Springfield rally in the bottom of the inning allowed the Pride to take home the victory.

In the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Amherst scored two runs in the top of the seventh to defeat Springfield, 4-3. Conner Gunn ’16 went 2 for 4 from the plate with a run while Brendon Hardin ’15, Eric West ’15, and Spina each recorded RBIs. Sam Schneider ’18 started the game for the Jeffs and allowed two runs on five hits through 3.1 innings. Baldi earned the win, allowing one run in three innings of relief, and Mike Castiglie ’17 secured the win with his third save of the season.

Anthony Faggiana went 1 for 1 from the plate for Springfield with two walks, two RBIs and a run, and Dan Bergami batted 2 for 3 with a run.

Dan Green started and took the loss for the Pride, giving up four runs on six hits in 6.1 innings.

Amherst started the scoring in the top of the fourth when a West single allowed Conner Gunn ’16 to score, but Springfield responded in the bottom of the inning when a Faggiana triple allowed two runs to score. The Jeffs tied it at 2-2 in the top of the fifth when Hardin’s sacrifice fly allowed Sam Ellinwood to score.

In the seventh, Jacobs led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Ellinwood’s sacrifice bunt. Amherst took the lead when a wild pitch allowed him to score. Hardin, Roberson and Mike Odenwaelder ’16 loaded the bases with walks. Then, Spina’s sacrifice fly added an insurance run.

Springfield threatened to come back by loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out. The Pride scored one run on a groundout, but Castiglie retired the final batter to secure a win.

In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against Colby College, John Cook ’15 outdueled Colby pitcher Scott Goldberg as Amherst claimed a 2-1 victory.

Cook claimed the win, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing just one run on three hits with five strikeouts, and Chris Baldi recorded the final out of the game to claim his second save of the season.

Goldberg took the loss despite tossing a complete game and allowing only two runs on four hits.

Amherst took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with zero outs before Roberson and Gunn scored to give the Jeffs a 2-0 lead. Colby halved the lead in the bottom of the fifth when an Andrew Currier sacrifice fly allowed Tim Corey to score.

The pitchers then controlled the game until the bottom of the seventh, when Colby threatened to score by loading the bases with two outs. Baldi,

however, forced the last Colby batter into a flyout to take home the win.

Amherst claimed the second game of their doubleheader, 5-3, behind another strong pitching performance from Riley Streit ’16. Streit tossed eight innings and gave up three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts, earning the win.

Castiglie pitched the ninth and did not allow a baserunner as he earned the save.

Ellinwood led the Jeffs at the plate with a 3 for 4 effort and three RBIs. Conner Gunn went 2 for 5 with two runs and Jacobs batted 1 for 2 with two walks and two RBIs. For Colby, Jason Buco hit two solo home runs on the day, and Ryan Arsenault contributed a 2 for 4 effort from the plate. Gregory Ladd started and took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits in six innings. Daniel Csaplar pitched three innings in relief and surrendered two runs on five hits.

Buco led off the game for Colby with a solo home run in the bottom of the first. The Mules then extended their lead when Arsenault scored on a wild pitch.

The Jeffs then loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and scored three runs on a single

by Ellinwood to take the lead, 3-2. Amherst then extended the lead to 5-2 when an Anthony Spina double allowed Gunn to score and another Ellinwood single sent Jacobs home.

Buco homered again in the bottom of the eighth to narrow the Jeffs’ lead to two, but Streit and Castiglie retired the last six batters.

“Our defense has improved throughout the course of the season, and last week, beginning with our win against Dartmouth, we didn’t give out opponents many extra baserunners,” head coach Brian Hamm said. “That took the pressure off of our pitchers, so even when our offense wasn’t producing, we still pulled out the victories.”

Finishing as the second seed in the NESCAC West, Amherst will take on Tufts, the first seed in the NESCAC East, in the semifinals of the NESCAC tournament on Friday, May 8, at 7 P.M.

Men’s Lacrosse Falls in NESCAC Men’s Track Takes 16th at Division Finals, Still in Hunt for National Title III Championships in Cambridge Devin O’Connor ’16 Staff Writer Despite falling in last Sunday’s NESCAC championship to rival Tufts, the Amherst men’s lacrosse team received a bid to the NCAA tournament and will continue its season.

On Saturday, May 2, the Jeffs faced fifth-seeded Bates in the NESCAC semifinal at Pratt Field.

The purple and white had an exciting 10-8 victory over the Bobcats in which sophomore goalie Cody Tranbarger made 17 saves and Chris Albanese ’17 had a game-high four goals.

Bates put the first goal on the board just over a minute into the first quarter. The Jeffs responded, as Jack Cahill ’18 and Dylan Park ’16 added a goal each to make the score 2-1. Bates managed another goal at the 3:03 mark, and the first 15 minutes of play left the teams tied at 2-2.

Amherst was able to take the lead in the second quarter. Rob Butko ’16 fired one into the back of the net with 13:45 to play in the half. Albanese followed shortly after, putting one away off of a feed from Quinn Moroney ’16. Bates replied with a goal to cut the Amherst lead to 4-3. Two minutes later, Albanese capitalized on a man-up opportunity and notched Amherst’s fifth goal off a helper from Charlie Gill ’16. Park tallied his second goal of the game at the 7:07 mark, but Bates replied with two goals to bring the game back within one. Connor Sheehan ’18 found Kane Haffey ’16 for the final goal of the half with just 59 seconds to play, and Amherst led 7-5 at the close of 30 minutes.

Bates didn’t let up in the second half. The Bobcats put away a sixth goal after a 1:29 into the third. Amherst responded as Mike Litner ’16 found Albanese for his third of the game, while Haffey followed with an unassisted goal at the 11:12 mark. Bates found the back of the net with just under five minutes to play in the quarter, and the Jeffs entered the fourth quarter up by two.

It was a scoreless beginning to the quarter,

but Bates cut the Jeffs’ lead to one goal with 5:13 left in regulation. Amherst capitalized on a man-up opportunity a minute later when Haffey dished one to Albanese for the final goal of the game.

On the defensive end of the field, Ryan Cassidy ’16 led the team with five ground balls, while Butko and Connor Crump ’16 tallied four each.

Tranbarger and the Jeffs were successful on 25 of their 27 clears. The win allowed Amherst to advance to the finals to face Tufts on Sunday afternoon.

Despite Tranbarger’s 17 saves on the day, the Jeffs suffered a 16-4 loss to the Jumbos in the NESCAC championship. Tufts came out hot in the first quarter, taking a 4-0 lead before the Jeffs scored with 5:42 left in the quarter. Moroney dished a feed to Albanese for the Jeffs’ first and only score of the half. The goal was quickly followed by another Jumbo score. Tufts led 5-1 after 15 minutes of play.

The second quarter was again in favor of the Jumbos, who scored four goals to secure a 9-1 lead at halftime. In the third stanza, the Jumbos put a 10th goal on the board before Amherst responded with one of their own. Gill found Max Keely ’18 for an impressive goal. The Jumbos put two more away before the end of the third, bringing their lead to 12-2.

Tufts notched two more goals at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Jeffs managed to add a third goal when Butko brought the ball downfield and fed to Albanese for his second goal of the game. Tufts added another two goals, but the purple and white notched the last goal of the game at the 1:22 mark. Moroney capitalized on the man-up opportunity and dished to Albanese for the goal, leaving the final score at 16-4.

Amherst will get another chance to extend their season despite the loss on Sunday. The fifth-ranked Jeffs will host Castleton State on Wednesday, May 6 in the first round of NCAA tournament action.

Kiana Herold ’17 Managing Sports Editor The men’s track and field team traveled to the MIT track last Friday and Saturday on a beautiful weekend in Cambridge. The team got a feel for the mondo-surface track lying in the midst of the city, abutting the Charles River, as MIT hosted the Division III New England championships this weekend and will host the team again this coming Saturday for the competitive NEICAAA meet.

Highlighting the day was Kevin Connors ’17, who earned the top finish for the Jeffs, coming in second in the competitive 1,500-meter race. He ran a time of 3:53.35. Senior captain Greg Turissini followed, placing fifth with a time of 3:55.87.

Other top performances included Brent Harrison ’16, who ran his way to a third-place showing in the 800 meters, and a new personal best with a time of 1:53.77. Romey Sklar ’15 ran a 1:54.56 in the event, placing 10th, while Steven Lucey ’17 took 28th.

In the triple jump, Khalil Flemming ’16 was the purple and white’s sole field representative. He came in 12th with a jump of 43’ 9.25”, a season best.

The sophomore hurdle duo of Nathan Showalter and Jamie Sandel split up the hurdle events, with Showalter taking on the 110 hurdles and Sandel gritting through the 400 hurdles. Showalter claimed a 17.88 time, putting him in 21st place. It was an impressive finish at this competitive meet, especially considering that it was the sophomore’s first collegiate outdoor season. Sandel ran a time of 56.33 in the longer hurdle event, very close to the PR of 56.11 he ran the previous week.

In the lengthiest event ran on the track, firstyear Justin Barry took on the 10K, placing 12th with a time of 32:42.79.

Thomas Matthew ’16 was the sole short sprint representative at the meet, running a time of 23.42 in the 200 meters to place 21st.

Capping off the day, the Amherst men had

two relay teams. The 4x800 run by Connors, Peter Horton ’18, Jack Wesley ’18 and Lucey came in 12th in 3:27.13. The men’s 4x400 relay team consisting of Harrison, Matthew, Sandel and Harrison Haigood ’18 placed 13th with a time of 3:27.13.

Next weekend the men’s team will return to MIT for the NEICAAA championships, an extremely competitive meet in which all divisions compete against one another.

Photo courtesy of Amherst Athletics

Nathan Showalter ’17 raced the 110-meter hurdles this weekend.

10

Sports

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

Men’s Golf Claims Second at Little Three Championships Drew Kiley ’18 Staff Writer The Amherst College men’s golf team finished their season with a second-place performance at the Little Three championships held on Wednesday, April 29 at Lyman Orchards Gold Course in Middlefield, Conn.

Competing in a 36-hole format consisting of alternating shot in the morning and match play in the afternoon, the Jeffs defeated Wesleyan 9-3 but fell 12-0 to Williams. Williams also defeated Wesleyan by a score of 12-0.

Amherst emerged from the morning’s alternating shot action with a 3-1 lead over Wesleyan and a 2.5-1.5 lead over Williams. The third pairing of James Line ’17 and Liam Fine ’16 paced the Jeffs by claiming early victories over both Williams and Wesleyan with several holes to spare.

Amherst also earned points out of the second and fourth pairings against both of their competitors.

First-year Sam Procter paced the Jeffs in the afternoon’s match play out of the fifth position, claiming a 7-5 victory over Wesleyan as well as a 1-up victory over Williams. Dan Langa ’18 and Brandon Brown ’15 each added comfortable victories over Wesleyan and close defeats to the Ephs.

“Looking ahead to next year, we are excited and optimistic that things will turn around in the fall. With a few promising first years on their way, we are hoping that they will provide a jump start for us in September,” Fine said. “I am confident also in our returning players. I think that a summer of practice will prepare us for a solid season next year. I think the biggest thing for us to be mindful of next year will be keeping our emotions in check and our mental games strong.”

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Jordan Pinsky ’15

Savanna Gornisiewicz ’17

Men’s golf wrapped up their season at the Little Three championships.

Favorite Pro Athlete: JC Evensen Dream Job: King of the squirrels Pet Peeve: When people complain about Amherst. If you don’t like your situation, do something about it, something different Something on Your Bucket List: Receive a bear hug from a bear Guilty Pleasure: Doing double dutch with flaming jump ropes Favorite Food: Cookie dough wrapped in bacon Favorite Thing About Amherst: Charlie Mack How He Earned It: Playing back for the men’s rugby team, Pinsky led the team in a 55-5 annihilation of archrivals Williams. His precise passing and top-notch judgment have been critical to the Jeffs’ offense throughout the season. Keeping the Ephs’ defense on their heels throughout the match, Pinsky set the tone from the beginning in the landmark victory.

Women’s Tennis Advances to NCAA Tournament with First Round Bye

Women’s Track Finishes Eighth at Division III New England

Ashlyn Heller ’17 Staff Writer

Raymomd Meijer ’17 Staff Writer

Photo by Amherst Athletics

For the second weekend in a row, the Amherst women’s tennis team journeyed up to Middlebury College for the 2015 NESCAC tournament. The Jeffs, seeded third in the tournament, traveled to Vermont with the hope of getting a second chance at the teams responsible for their two NESCAC losses: Williams and Middlebury. And that is exactly what happened.

After easily defeating Trinity College on Friday night in the first round 5-0, the ladies in purple got revenge against the second-seeded Middlebury on Saturday in the semifinals. The Jeffs ultimately fell to Williams in the NESCAC final.

With the pairings of Vickie Ip ’18 and junior Sue Gosh ’16 on the first doubles court and sophomore Jackie Calla ’17 and junior Maddie Sung ’16 on the second, Amherst dominated

Photo by Megan Robertson ‘15

Claire Carpenter ’17 secured a crucial win for the Jeffs this weekend.

doubles play 2-1. The singles courts proved to be more of a battle, with Middlebury victorious on courts one and two. However, on court three Jackie Calla fought back after losing the first set to defeat Lily Bondy (3-6, 6-3, 6-1). Middlebury fired back with a win on court five, and the match came down to court six and sophomore Claire Carpenter. In an exciting battle against Middlebury’s Katie Paradeis, Carpenter secured the win for the Jeffs, sending them in to the finals against none other than Williams College.

Unfortunately for Amherst, Williams came up victorious on Sunday, defeating the Jeffs 5-2.

Amherst’s wins came from the doubles pairs of Vickie Ip and Sue Gosh on court one and Sarah Monteagudo ’16 and Safi Aly ’15 on court three.

Despite heading home as NESCAC runnerups, the Jeffs earned a spot in the 2015 NCAA tournament with a bye in the first round. They will face the winner of SUNY Geneseo and Elizabethtown this coming Saturday.

Photo by Megan Robertson ‘15

Senior Safi Aly contributed a singles win this weekend.

The Amherst women continued their championship season with gusto on Saturday, placing eighth as a team at the Division III New England championships, hosted by MIT. The team improved upon their 11th-place team finish at this meet last season thanks to strong contributions from some key team leaders. The required time standards to qualify for the meet were the fastest of the season to date, so only a small crew of Amherst runners competed. But Amherst was still well represented across the board in the sprints, distances and jumps.

The meet was split between two days, with a few events on Friday and the remainder of the competition on Saturday. In Friday action, Savanna Gornisiewicz ’17, after a brief concern last week about a possible toe injury, wasted no time in starting where she left off before the injury scare. She just barely missed the 37-minute barrier in the 10K, running 37:00.41. In addition to nabbing a runner-up finish, she also set a foursecond PR and now sits 27th in the country in the event.

On Saturday, Karen Blake ’17 put on another display of sprinting prowess, nearly taking the double win in the 100 and 200. She just barely missed the victory in the 100, bolting to a runnerup 12.28 to lose by a mere 0.01 seconds. But she came back in the 200, an event she has dominated in the last couple weeks, racing to a winning time of 24.95. Though it wasn’t a PR, her 24.61 from the NESCAC championship meet last weekend has kept her in the top 10 in the national list.

Victoria Hensley ’16 was the second Amherst sprint representative, and in a strong race she squeezed under the 60-second barrier in the 400 meters to run 59.96 and place sixth in her heat and 13th overall.

In the middle distance races, Leonie Rauls ’18 paced the squad in the 800 meters with her 2:20.52 time, good for 14th overall. This was also

Favorite Team Memory: This year indoor track nationals watching my teammates compete and celebrating together at banquet as well as our home meet followed by a pot lock family dinner Favorite Pro Athlete: Emma Coburn Dream Job: Open my own nutritionist/ sports medicine/holistic healing center for professional athletes Pet Peeve: When the smoothie bar is closed Something on Your Bucket List: run the Boston Marathon Guilty Pleasure: Dark chocolate hazelnut ice cream Favorite Food: Raspberries Favorite Thing About Amherst: The culture and pride that comes with being an Amherst student How She Earned It: Gornisiewicz set a personal best last weekend at New England Division III Championships, running the 10,000 meters in 37:00.41 and qualifying for 2015 ECAC Outdoor Championships.

Photo by Megan Robertson ‘15

Senior Itai Brand-Thomas continues to perform well for the Jeffs. a big career PR for Rauls. Kelli Ellingson ’15 finished a few seconds behind in 2:23.80 in the race.

In the 3K steeplechase, Cat Lowdon ’17 continued her recent success at the event, racing to a huge 12-second PR of 12:11.00.

“It was a beautiful day at MIT, and the team pulled out some solid races,” Lowdon said. “Even though my steeple barriers weren’t what I would have liked, I was able to speed up over the hurdles and make up for lost time. I felt much more confident after completing my first steeple at NESCAC’s.”

The team was represented in the jumps by their season-long high jump duo, with Kiana Herold ’17 and Becki Golia ’18 grabbing fourth and fifth-place finishes after clearing 1.64 meters (5’ 4.5”) and 1.5 meters (5’, 2.5”), respectively. Golia’s jump was just half an inch off of her career best.

The team continues its season this weekend with a return to MIT for the NEICAAA Open New England championships.

“We’ve trained hard all season and now get to reap the results,” Lowdon said.

The Amherst Student • May 6, 2015

Sports

Jessica Johnson

11

Men’s Rugby Defeats Williams, Hands Rival a Decisive 55-5 Loss

Coach’s Corner Softball Coach

Chris Roll sat down with newly appointed softball coach, Jessica Johnson. Johnson led the team to a Little Three championship title in her first year at the helm of the program.

Q: Tell us a little bit about how you got into softball as a youth and its role in your early life.

A: Back in the horse and buggy days ... I actually did not play much softball until I got into high school, as there was no youth softball in my small hometown in the Berkshires. Then in high school I played soccer, basketball and softball and really liked being involved with sports in general. Ironically, soccer was my true love at the time, and I ended up being recruited to Wheaton College to play soccer.

However, I ended up really disliking the soccer coach there, so I quit and decided to walk on to the softball team where I had a really strong career. I honestly attribute some of my success in college softball, compared to that of my high school career, to the longer distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate. The extra 3 feet, for whatever reason, really helped me.

Q: This is your first season as head coach here. What drew you here to Amherst?

A: Oh, what didn’t? Being from western Massachusetts and growing up three miles away from Williams College, I have been familiar with the NESCAC and specifically the Amherst-Williams rivalry for quite some time.

Professionally, I honestly do not know if there is a better spot in the country to be as a Division III coach than here at Amherst. From a personal standpoint, having been in an urban setting at Brandeis before this, the rural setting of Amherst was something my family and I were looking for. All in all, it was a perfect fit for us.

Q: Where and how did your coaching career begin?

A: I began at Framingham State, where I was an assistant for one year before I switched over to Mount Ida College in Newtown, Massachusetts for a couple of years, where I was also an assistant. After the head coach at Mount Ida moved on to a different school, they hired me in as the new head coach and I stayed there for two years. Then I landed the head coaching job at Brandeis, a phenomenal place for sure, but wanted to get back to my roots and work at a smaller school, and Amherst provided me that opportunity. I eventually spent eight great years at Brandeis before accepting the job here last summer.

Q: What is your favorite softball memory as a player? As a coach?

A: As a player it would have to be our College World Series experience at Wheaton my junior season where we ended up finishing third in

the country. I am not sure there was one defining moment but the whole experience was definitely unforgettable. It seems every month or so one of my teammates will post a picture of that team on Facebook and we will have some good laughs and sort of relive some of those moments. In terms of coaching, there have been many memorable moments over the years but I would have to say, again, our NCAA tournament appearance at Brandeis a few years ago would take the cake. Just being able to step back and realize how everything came together to get to that point was a pretty special experience for me.

Q: In your opinion what is the most rewarding part of coaching? The toughest?

A: For me the most rewarding part of coaching is the stuff that happens afterwards with these women. I have these former players who, at one point, felt like my kids, and they are now having children of their own and making a name for themselves professionally. The big picture aspect is a never-ending cycle as a coach, and it is pretty remarkable to be a part of that. As for the most challenging, it would have to be doing it all ,and doing it all well, for that matter.

Being a mother and a family member, being a coach, getting all of the recruiting done, keeping tabs on former players — it is a lot to do it all, and holding myself to that standard of doing it all very well can be difficult at times, but we are managing.

Q: Your first season here just came to an end.

What are your thoughts on the year? On NESCAC softball?

A: It’s honestly different being in the conference than I had imagined, and I feel I have a pretty good grasp on college softball in the Northeast.

The two conferences I have now worked in, the UAA and the NESCAC, are consistently two of the best leagues in the country every year, and even more than I had assumed the NESCAC is certainly a juggernaut at the end of every year.

Having the triple-header series format was new for me and certainly will help having that under the belt moving forward. It was not the end result we were looking for this year — for me it is the expectation of holding up the trophy at the very end, and anything else is a disappointment. I felt we, as a staff, got to know our seniors pretty well in a short period of time and also put a foundation down for future success with the core of student-athletes we have returning. Now it is up to us to put things into place this summer in terms of best utilizing the NESCAC rules and really trying to map it all out for next season.

— Chris Roll ’17

Photo courtesy of Kurt Ayers

Coach Johnson wraps up her first season with a 16-12 overall record.

Photo courtesy of Amherst Athletics

Men’s rugby concluded their season with a decisive win over Williams.

Kiana Herold ’17 Managing Sports Editor This past Saturday, May 2, the Amherst men’s rugby team went head to head with archrival Williams for the team’s last matchup of the season. The stakes were high, as the teams battled it out for glory as well as for the other team’s jerseys. Traditionally during the biannual Williams-Amherst matchup, the teams bet the shirts they are wearing on the outcome of the game. The warm weather provided ideal conditions, allowing the match to kick-off at 2 p.m. on Amherst’s home field. Ultimately Amherst would dominate against Williams 55-5, with strong showings from both the forwards and the backs.

“We played our strongest game of the season against Williams and did a really good job of coming out with a lot of intensity,” Benjamin Greene ’17 said. “Our forwards were phenomenal in the scrums and rucks and our backs moved the ball really well.”

From the start, Williams had a difficult time advancing, as the strong Amherst defense proved hard to break. The Jeffs kept the Ephs off Amherst’s side of the field for the majority of the game. Amherst’s strong defensive core was coupled with some great ball handling by the forwards, leading to multiple successful score opportunities.

There were six successful tries (worth 5 points each) in the first half for the purple and white, and the strong Amherst back line held Williams to zero successful scores in the first half. Junior captain Sam Seham scored the first try of the game. Jim Hall ’15 shortly followed up with a score of his own.

“We came out really strong against Williams, scored quite a few back to back tries and were able to get some of our newer players some game time,” Cody Pfund-Pulliam ’17 said.

Pfund-Pulliam scored a try, as well as made 5 conversion kicks (worth 2 points each), singlehandedly earning 15 points as the team’s top individual scorer.

First-year standout Greene broke away from

the middle of the field and ran nearly 50 meters with the ball for an amazing try. In rapid succession, Amherst kept up with the scoring onslaught, as seniors Tawkir Chodury and Courage Matiza spearheaded the offensive effort. Each scored a try, although Matiza’s did not count due to an advantage by the Williams team. Senior Jordan Pinksy was particularly integral to Amherst’s scoring success, as he gauged the game and directed plays based on the Eph’s field positioning. As the sole hooker for the Jeffs, Daniel Navas ’17 was key in the line outs and scrums — particular strengths of the Amherst team. After the first 40 minutes of play, Amherst led 40-0.

“Our Williams games are always intense but this weekend we cracked their defense early and refused to let up,” Seham said. “The Ephs could not handle the physicality brought to the match by our senior class.”

The second half was also very successful for the Jeffs, as Amherst scored another three tries and allowed just a single Eph score. The crisp passes by the back line as well as the great communication between forwards and backs allowed Johnny Erdman ’17 and Pete Alsharif ’15 to both score their first tries. The backs’ successful implementation of plays, strong passes and running allowed them to break through the Ephs’ tackles. Ianni Drivas ’15 earned another 5 points for the Jeffs off of a penalty play close to the try line that had proved very successful in the past.

“Ending the season on a high note was a testament to the hard work and leadership exhibited by our seniors this year. It felt great going out there and getting a win for those guys,” Greene said.

After a near shutout, the Amherst men’s team walked away with one last win for their seniors, earning yet another set of Williams jerseys.

“We are going to miss our seniors. Their fantastic leadership and passion have left a huge positive impact on both me and the club. We have some huge shoes to fill, but I am confident in our future captains and teammates,” Navas said.

Photo courtesy of Amherst Athletics

The Amherst men’s rugby team receives a pass in the line out.

Sports

Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson

Senior captain Sean Rodriguez looks to lead his No. 2-ranked squad as they enter the NCAA tournament, competing to defend their national title.

Men’s Tennis Earns First Round Bye in NCAA Tournament Competition Jeremy Kesselhaut ’16 Assistant Sports Editor After a very successful regular season in which No. 2 nationally ranked Amherst went 19-4 (8-0 NESCAC), the top-seeded Jeffs were upended 5-2 in the NESCAC semifinals by archrival and fifth-seeded Williams at Middlebury on Saturday, May 2. The loss snapped a 10-match unbeaten streak for Amherst that dated back to Saturday, March 28. The team’s previous Division III defeat came against Pomona-Pitzer by a score of 6-3 on March 17.

The loss was a disappointment for the NESCAC regular season champions, who had won every NESCAC match by a score of at least 7-2 this season. They had also previously beaten

Williams, by an 8-1 score, on April 18. Amherst moved to 19-5 on the season, while Williams improved to 12-9 before ultimately falling to second-seeded Middlebury by a score of 5-2 in the NESCAC finals played on Sunday, May 3.

The Jeffs fell behind 2-1 after rare setbacks in doubles play. Juniors Aaron Revzin and Michael Solimano dropped their first doubles match of the year by a score of 8-4 before Andrew Yaraghi ’16 and Anton Zykov ’17 tied the match at 1-1 after a convincing 8-2 victory on the No. 2 doubles court. Senior co-captain Andrew Scheiner and Russell Einbinder ’16 lost in the third spot, 8-6, giving the Ephs the slight edge heading into singles.

Williams never relinquished their lead, taking three out of five of the singles matches that were

Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson

GAME SCHE DULE

completed. Senior co-captain Sean Rodriguez fell 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5, making the score 3-1 in favor of Williams. Sophomore Andrew Arnaboldi won on the sixth court, closing the lead to 3-2, before Solimano (5-7, 3-6) lost at No. 2 and Revzin (6-1, 3-6, 4-6) lost at No. 4, clinching the 5-2 victory for Williams.

“You have to give credit to the Williams team,” Revzin said. “They played a great match after we beat them earlier in the year. They came back strong, and that’s what we’re planning on doing next week. It was a good wakeup call for most of the team.”

The Jeffs, who are defending national champions, are expected to return to action with a bid to the Division III NCAA tournament, which is slated to begin on Friday, May 8. The draw will

Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson

WEDS FRI Men’s Lacrosse vs. Castleton. 4 p.m.

be released later this week, but despite the loss in the NESCAC playoffs, the Jeffs are expected to receive a first round bye and a first round home match. Amherst looks to put this unexpected setback behind them going into the tournament.

“We’re lucky that we should still be in nationals and have a chance to learn and adapt from our shortcomings,” Revzin said.

Amherst looks to start it’s defense of it’s national championship title starting on Friday May 8th when the Jeffs will host the winner of Colby-Sawyer (12-10) and Yeshiva (12-3). Amherst received a first-round bye and will host the first three rounds this weekend. Interesting to note is that if Amherst and Middlebury both win out, they could meet in the Final Four for a rematch of the NESCAC Championship.

Photo courtesy of Claire Jia ‘15

SAT

Women’s Track and Field @ NEICAAA

Men’s Tennis vs. TBA, 10 a.m.

Men’s Track and Field @ NCAA NEICAAA

Baseball vs. Tufts, 7 p.m.

Women’s Track and Field @ NEICAAA Men’s Track and Field @ NEICAAA

TUES Women’s Tennis vs. TBA

Women’s Golf @ NCAA Division III Championship