funky junk • model united nations • clark new play festival • and more inside
volume xciii, no. 9 • november 14, 2013 | clarkscarlet.tumblr.com |
Limiting Counseling Services? Director of Counseling Services explains changes By Sarah Cramer news edtior
Counseling Services’ new session limit of six sessions per semester will impact students much less than it seems. According to Director of Counseling Services Megan Kersting, LMHC, PsyD, 87 percent of students who sought counseling services last year went to six sessions or fewer throughout the entire school year. In the annual survey published by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, roughly half of the 400 college counseling centers in the survey have session limits, most of which are six sessions per semester. What Counseling Services failed to communicate to the student body was that there are ex-
ceptions to the session limit. She explained, “If a student comes in for counseling, and they have utilized the six sessions and have made some improvement and may need a little more treatment to fully resolve their symptom or issue, of course we would keep them for a few more sessions if that means a thorough and successful completion of their treatment.” Kersting cites the unprecedented high volume of students seeking services as the only contributing factor to instituting the session limit. For the past two school years, Counseling Services saw between 330 and 340 students each year. This school year, there have already been almost 260 requests for treatment. Only continued on page 4
the.clark.scarlet
Club Sports Coalition Problems acknowledged, progress delayed By Jeremy Levine editor-in-chief
Since Clark University has seen a wave of upper-level staffing changes in the past few months, many members of our community have seen this interregnum as a period to evaluate the school’s structure and its myriad interlocking parts. While many of these opportunities have been welcome, there are some discussions on campus that are greatly forestalled due to these personnel shifts. And so we turn to club sports. These student organizations have been knee-deep in talks about their funding, supervision, and direction for over a year. Currently, since they are clubs, they are supervised by Student Leadership and Programming (SL&P), but they often have to go through Student Council for funding and Athletics in order to coordinate field space, equipment usage, and other needs. Many club leaders consider this lack of direct supervision and support to be one of the greatest challenges in
photo by anna spack
The Clark Ultimate Frisbee Team, one of seven club sports at Clark
running a club sport. Of course, since these groups have no direct advocate, finding a direct advocate to voice concerns about a lack of a direct advocate has become a running struggle. As a result, many club presidents are getting frustrated with the stagnant state of affairs. Casey Epstein, Co-President of men’s ultimate frisbee, said that his group is “a weird, middle-ground club sport that no-
body has to care about... the problem right now is that nobody is responsible for us.” A group tentatively called the Club Sports Coalition compiled a list of grievances caused by this unwelcome autonomy and presented them to Clark University Student Council continued on page 13
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The Scarlet
The Scarlet
november 14, 2013
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY CONTACT scarlet@clarku.edu | clarkscarlet.tumblr.com
EDITORS
[ Friday, November 15 ] Behind the Podium: A Conversation with Mayor Lisa Wong Jonas Clark 001 at 4:00 p.m.
Editor-In-Chief: Jeremy Levine Layout Editor: Rose Gallogly Web Editor: Pooja Patel News Editor: Sarah Cramer Opinions Editor: Keitaro Okura Living Arts Editor: Matt Emmer Sports Editor: Brian Kane Community Correspondent: Claire Tierney Photo Editor: Anna Spack Business Manager: Jenna Lewis
Dance Society & Variant Dance Troupe’s Fall Show! Atwood Hall 7:00 p.m.
SCARLET STAFF
[ Saturday, November 16 ]
Ethan Giles Hannah Rosenblum Jonah Naghi Maria Rotelli Ronald Gerber Scott Levine Senegal Carty Tyler Terriault Will Heikes Alicja Ganacarz Fileona Dkhar Savannah Cohen
CCN CORRESPONDENT
Trans* Day of Remembrance Vigil Red Square at 7:00 p.m. New Play Festival: When There’s Nothing Left To Burn The Little Center at 7:30 p.m.
Baila Con Migo (Salsa Encendida) Tilton Hall 9:00 p.m. New Play Festival: Guy Code The Little Center at 7:30 p.m. Worcester Restaurant Day 138 Green St 11-2 Clark Concert Choir Presents “Paukenmeese” St Peter’s Church at 7:30
Ethan Goldstein
LAYOUT STAFF Cami Ferreol Hannah Jaffe Rachel Orlomoski
PHOTO STAFF Cora Torton Jonathan Edelman Nainika Grover
[ Wednesday, November 20 ] Hot Cocoa Sale (Hosted by: Epilepsy Awareness Club) Red Square 11/20/2013 at 1:00 p.m.
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The Scarlet/News Funky Junk and Frugality Redefining junk By Abby Moon contributing writer
While Derek “Deek” Diedricksen may be thrifty, his “Funky Junk and Frugality” talk from the “Framing Freedom” Fall Dialogue Symposium Tuesday night was anything but cheap. The event was as informative as it was entertaining. Deek is a designer and builder of “relax shacks,” “small houses,” “funky forts,” and “cozy cottages.” His creations may not be especially spacious (though they often create the illusion of space), but they are handsome and whimsical. They offer a wide range of functions for their size, since through Diedricksen’s ingenuity, a furnishing can often serve more than one purpose. He showed the audience houses where the lower steps on a staircase could become seats, or a wall could open up and be a porch. Some people live exclusively in his buildings, finding peace and relaxation in having less space to fill. Much of Deek’s creations are made of what he calls “junk” that he finds on the side of the road. In actuality, the term junk may not be fair, considering that the quality of these substances is often bet-
ter than what could be found in a home improvement center. Their origins only add to the creativity and character of each piece of furniture or fixture that he makes. In a country where so much, as Deek said, is seen as disposable, it is refreshing to see someone who has such a knack for repurposing trash. Diedricksen can look at a glass plate and imagine it as a window, and a shell as a votive candle holder. Besides advice on how to build fixtures and buildings similar to his, Deek explained his own take on life and the subject of freedom. He offered some valid arguments for self-employment, living simply, and recycling materials. He told the audience that one of the merits of working when he wants and how he wants is being able to spend a lot of time with his family. His decision to live simply gives him even more free time each day. Time is a valuable commodity, and, though Deek advocates for frugality, it is perhaps one of the only commodities that he feels he could always use more of. Deek enjoys the freedom of having spare time, and he arranges his own schedule to ensure that he has a good amount of it. He’s not afraid to turn down a job
if he’s already busy; he works on his own terms. I overheard a student who sat behind me during the talk say to her friend that she loves coming to Symposium events because she always leave them feeling inspired and energized. “Funky Junk and Frugality” had that effect on me too. In fact, in a conversation with a friend from home later that night, I confessed that I was thinking about taking up carpentry this summer. The fact that my friend laughed in response to my admission and told me I’m clumsy and that I “can’t even hold a pencil correctly, never mind a hammer” is not nearly as important as my excitement. Deek Diedricksen’s passion for his work is contagious. One of my favorite points of his was a little off-topic, but it spoke to me in a time when I am deep in assignments and spend a lot of nights in Goddard. He shared the quote, “Get your priorities straight. No one ever said on his deathbed, ‘Gee, if I’d only spent more time at the office.’” Although there is definitely merit in work, there is also value in knowing when and how to enjoy yourself. Luckily for Deek, he has a job where he can do both simultaneously.
Clark’s Model United Nations team hosts high schoolers Training a new generation in diplomacy By Pooja Patel web editor
Over 150 high school students from various parts of New England descended upon Clark this weekend as the tremendously successful Clark High School Model United Nations Conference (CHSMUN) returned for their third year, on Saturday, November 9. Hosted by Clark’s Model United Nations (MUN) team and planned by Secretary General Seble Alemu and Undersecretary General, Bill Carter ’14, the conference aimed to provide high school students with the opportunity to expand their leadership capabilities, whilst simulating the diplomacy setting and etiquette as practiced in the United Nations. “If we are to survive as a global society, we must pick the best and the brightest to lead the way,” said Carter. “Model United Nations creates a pathway. Strong delegates emanate with the ability to speak, to persuade, to lead. This is where it all begins.”
This year’s conferences featured two General Assembly Modules: the first focusing on an issue of large importance to Clark: sustainable development. The practice of landfills, as well as plastic production and recycling, were a few key topics mentioned. In the second commission discussion, the topics of women in poverty, and reproductive health care dominated talks as delegates were challenged to fully understand the relationships between femininity and their assigned nation. The other situations included a Joint Crisis Simulation, focusing on chemical weaponry by the Assad administration in the Syrian conflict, and called upon students to reach a resolution to the current problem. The Historical Crisis Committee took a look at El Salvador in 1980, during the high tensions, multiple kidnappings, and massacres that followed the 1979 coup. Overall, the conference, which ran for the full day, went smoothly continued on page 4
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Counseling Services cont. continued from page 1
11 weeks into the school year, Counseling Services has seen 75 percent of the amount of students they saw all of last school year. Despite the addition of two doctoral interns to the staff, “we had to initiate session limits so we would be able to give everyone a chance to come in for treatment,” said Kersting. She agreed that session limits are not ideal, but in “trying everything in our power to allow every student at Clark University an equal playing field in terms of access, unfortunately that meant we had to create session limits.” She did reveal, however, that Counseling Services has room for at least one more therapist on its staff. The International Association for Counseling Services (IACS) recommends one therapist for every one thousand students on campus. Currently, Counseling Services’ two full time therapists, along with Kersting, count as 2.5 therapists total that are available to students. With about 3,500 students in the student body, including graduate students, Counseling Services needs 3.5 therapists to reach the IACS standard. Following last week’s announcement of the session limit, there was an uproar among students. Kersting admits, “When we sent out that email…to the student body, we honestly did not expect the huge reaction that happened…I wish we had communicated a little better when we announced the six-session limit.” Clark junior Jennifer Manglass led the backlash against the
session limit, creating an online petition titled “Clark University Counseling Services: Revise dramatic cuts to student counseling access and work with students to find an alternative solution to high demand.” Manglass also called on Counseling Services to hire more counselors or provide more services to meet the increased student demand. The petition currently has 520 signatures, which represents about 15% of the student body. Manglass believes that “the most successful outcome of this petition would be to not just change the limit on counseling sessions, but also open a much more transparent dialogue between students and Counseling Services.” Kersting welcomes such dialogue. “It was incredibly encouraging to see how important Counseling Services and the issue of mental health are to Clark students,” she said of the petition. She sees this as a step towards reducing the stigma of mental health. With regard to the “dramatic cuts” the petition speaks of, Kersting pointed out that there were actually no such cuts. Counseling Services’ resources remained the same - only the student demand for them changed. In a follow-up email addressing concerns about the changes at Counseling Services, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Denise Darrigrand assured the student body that the University and students will “work together to try to come to a resolution that is realistic and works for all.”
november 14, 2013
CUSC in brief By Hannah Rosenblum scarlet staff
After a week hiatus due to the Grouplove concert last Wednesday, CUSC met again last night. $55.52 was allocated to CU Quidditch for headbands, which are required because they identify the positions of the players. The Quidditch team is currently undefeated and will be competing in Rochester, N.Y. this weekend. $270 was allocated to Rebecca Liebman for her travel to a conference about spatial planning. The Council may have a brief “emergency meeting” regarding club fund audits. This weekend will be the first that CUSC is using Eventbrite for the Boston bus. There will also be a bus returning to Clark from New York after Thanksgiving break. President Rian Watt brought up the idea of CUSC meeting in the Academic Commons so that it is more open and accessible. This idea was met with many questions and comments from members of the Council. Radhika Sharma’s statement embodied the concerns of many Council members. “I love the idea of involvement; I just don’t know how practical it is,” she said. One proposed alternative was to remain in Grace but open the doors to seem more welcoming. Brittany Klug thought that holding meetings in the Academic Commons would “look like a stunt.” Rebecca Sonfist proposed that the Council hold “one meeting a month there where we don’t talk about super important things.” The Council hopes to have a test run in the spring semester. Matt Sullivan and Jessica Bond were appointed to the Business Advisory Committee. Kasey Poulin and Sarah Maloney were appointed to the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) Steering Committee. Sebastian Derian was appointed to the Faculty Steering Committee. Rebecca Sonfist was appointed to the Student Health Insurance Advisory Committee. In regard to the Counseling Services changes, an ad hoc committee was created and will review the consequences it will have on students. They will subsequently create a written resolution to be shared with the rest of the Council next week. CUSC now has its own email, cusc@clarku.edu – please contact them with any comments, questions, or concerns.
Model United Nations cont. continued from page 3
and was highly successful. Coached by Professor Srini Sitaraman, the MUN team has performed incredibly well at their own past conferences, racking up many honors and awards. “We’re the perfect underdogs,” said Yohan Senarath, one of
the student team leaders. “We’re competing with the big boys, and [we’re] slaying giants. It’s even better because we have a smaller budget and delegation than most other [schools].” Clark’s MUN Team is currently ranked 17 in the United States, at the collegiate level. Both Sitaraman and Senarath
believe that this success is largely due to the individual dedication of the members, as well as their attitude towards the competition. “The Clark Model U.N. team consists of highly motivated members. They are absolutely driven and want to do the very best and compete with peers at other top schools,” said Professor Srini Sitaraman.
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CLARKIE of the WEEK mix a lot of sound it’s very stressful. But I love it. It’s so much fun. Scarlet: How did you get into lighting and sound design? Curran: It all started my freshman year of high school when I randomly took theater as an elective. I never quit. I acted for four years in high school, but then my senior year I got into sound [design], and I’ve been doing that ever since. I also like to do lights, but I’m usually a sound guy. Scarlet: Do you do any set design or costume design? Curran: Set design is something I really want to get into. I have some theoretical knowledge because I’ve read a lot about it, but I’ve only done a little bit. As for costumes, I don’t have as much experience working with that as I’d like, but I do like wearing fun clothing. courtesy of curran o’donoghue
Curran O’Donoghue Curran O’Donoghue is a junior from Portland, Oregon double majoring in Psychology and Theater with a minor in French. Curran is involved in a multitude of performing arts clubs on campus, for which he mostly does sound and lighting design. I talked to Curran about his interest in tech theater.
Scarlet: What activities are you involved in on campus? Curran: I’m the Station Manager of Clark Cable Network (CCN). I’m the Prime Minister, which is a better name than Vice President, of Clark University Film Society (CUFS). I’m the Station Technician for Radio of Clark University (ROCU), so when things go wrong people call me. I also have a radio show called The Theatre Hyperion, in which my co-host and I get a small cast together every week and read radio dramas. I’m also in Clark Musical Theater (CMT) and Clark University Players’ Society (CUPS); I usually do sound design for them (I did sound for Spring Awakening, Urinetown, and Footloose)…. So when you can’t hear an actor singing it’s my fault. Lights don’t usually go wrong because you program everything [beforehand], but when you have to
Scarlet: I assume you like movies too since you’re in CUFS? Curran: Oh yes. I’ve seen a lot of movies. I love them a lot. Movies are a subject you can talk to a lot of people about. One of the things I tried to do when I was younger was learn a lot about every subject I could so that I could talk to somebody about anything, which I think is a cool thing to be able to do. And I think movies are often [a subject] like that. Scarlet: Would you say you’re more of a theater person, a TV person, or a movie person? Curran: There’s just something about live theater that you can’t capture with movies. You make a movie, and it’s the same every time (unless the reel falls off the machine). But the thing about live theater is, as one of our professors here would
say, “The reason we go to see theater is because somebody could die on stage.” You just don’t know what’s going to happen – we go to watch them fail. It’s exciting. Scarlet: Did you do a lot of acting in high school? Curran: Yes. I took a theater class all four years and acted in a couple of things. I was the Earl of Gloucester in King Lear at the end of my career, which I think was a crowning achievement. One time freshman year [of college] I didn’t get to see a show because the Little Center was crowded every time I went. I vowed to tech all the shows so that I would get to see all of them. Scarlet: Do you know what you want to do with your Psychology/Theater double major? Curran: Something I often tell people is that I’m majoring in magic, because that’s my other hobby. I try to take elements of tech theater and psychology and [make] them into illusions. I watch a lot of YouTube videos on magic and I have a lot of books on magic [too]. Scarlet: Do you do magic performances? Curran: Occasionally I do small things. CMT had a cabaret a few weeks ago and I emceed that, so between acts I did a couple of little tricks. Scarlet: What kinds of tricks can you do? Curran: Any kind. Got any upcoming birthdays, bat mitzvahs, weddings? I charge a very reasonable rate of nothing! Scarlet: How did you get into magic?
by Anna Spack
Curran: In sophomore year of high school I had an assignment to do something creative and then write about the process of creating [it]. I was just starting to get back into magic; when I was a little kid I liked magic but I never had the patience to practice, like most children. So [the assignment] coincided with that interest. When I was really stressed out and didn’t want to do homework I would just practice card moves over and over. Also, when I see magic, even though I have a fairly lengthy knowledge of it now, I can still see some really amazing tricks. It just fills me with this sense of wonderment. Scarlet: Do you have any other hobbies or interests? Curran: I’m getting into philosophy again. Lately I’ve been trying to find [out] how other people think about life. I’ve been reading some old stuff by this guy Erich Fromm, a German psychoanalyst who started refuting Freud. Scarlet: What is your favorite spot on campus? Curran: Either of the theaters, Atwood or the Little Center. I just [like] hanging out in there, whether I’m doing tech stuff or not. Scarlet: Is there anything else you would like to add? Curran: I’m trying to put together a magic production team, so if anyone is interested in magic and wants to help stage a show or do street magic filming, contact me at codonoghuecorey@clarku.edu. Thanks for the interview, Curran!
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Glow-in-the-dark ice cream now on the market
Tennessee Pastor’s venomous snakes confiscated
Ice cream contains jellyfish proteins that glow green when licked
Reality TV pastor handled snakes during worship services
(GMA Network) - The company Lick Me I’m Delicious now sells ice cream flavors containing a jellyfish proteins that begin to glow in the dark when the ice cream is licked. Each cone costs about £140. Lick Me I’m Delicious also makes gin-and-tonic-flavored luminescent sorbets, which contain quinine and glow under UV light.
(AJC) - Last week, fifty venomous snakes were taken out of the possession of Andrew Hamblin, pastor at the Tabernacle Church of God in Tennessee. Hamblin, who also appears in the National Geographic show “Snake Salvation,” handles snakes during his church services in defiance of the Tennessee law against snake handling. He quoted the Bible as he stated that snakes will continue to be used in his church: “In my name… they shall take up serpents.”
Pianist brought before court for practicing
Homeless man loses benefits after turning in $850 to police
Snakes give massages in Jakarta spa
Madrid woman claims that her neighbor’s constant practicing caused her psychological harm
No good deed goes unpunished
Indonesian spa offers massages given by multiple pythons
By Sénégal N. Carty scarlet staff
(La Presse) - Young pianist Laia Martin is facing a possible seven years in prison after her upstairs neighbor accused her of producing sound pollution by practicing for eight hours a day, five days a week. Martin denies practicing this often. Her trial began Tuesday and is scheduled to end Friday.
(North Jersey) - Formerly homeless James Brady recently had his government benefits suspended after neglecting to report receiving a sum of $850. Brady initially came across the money on the street and turned it in to the police, but the money was then returned to him after it went unclaimed. Brady depended on his now-suspended health insurance to pay for treatment for his depression. People around the world have responded to his story with substantial financial support.
(La Presse) - Pythons with their mouths taped shut slither over the bodies of customers at a Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa in Jakarta. Massages by the snakes, some of which are about two meters long, are usually requested by foreigners. Other offerings include massages with butter, strawberry ice cream, or snails, as well as one given by a masseur in a gorilla costume.
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The Scarlet/Opinions The opinions enumerated in this section represent those of the author and the author alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board, The Scarlet, or Clark University.
Clarkies reveal themselves Facebook page betrays community values By Jeremy Levine editor-in-chief
courtesy of facebook.com
By Scott Levine scarlet staff
I witnessed the Clark Confessions page’s meteoric rise on Monday night. I was excited, for I had previously seen entertaining confessions websites on my Facebook news feed: “Friend X likes College X Confessions.” I often clicked on these pages and passively absorbed random and often embarrassing comments. These pages had no
impact on me. They represented a community I did not belong to. But now that I that I have read confessions about my own school, I feel pessimistic and disgusted. There seem to be two prevailing types of Clark Confessions: the ones that document sexual escapades, and ones that have something negative say to an individual or group. The first type is mostly harmless, the second one is anything but. I put myself in the shoes of the victims of this page, and it
did not feel good, to say the least. People at Clark are generally nice. We have created a strong base of acceptance and open-mindedness among the community. No, we are not completely judgmentfree, but we are much warmer community than other ones I have been a part of. Unfortunately, the positive traits of our community erode continued on page 9
Parties aren’t fun. Most parties are crowded, humid, poorly lit, and unimaginably noisy. Invariably, at almost any party you attend, at least one sweaty person will essay to rub his or her buttocks against you. You will lose your voice trying to shout over the music, even though your conversation partner is seven inches from your face. You will do that thing where you stand in a corner and see someone you vaguely know. Excited to find someone with whom you can converse (probably about how hot/loud/sweaty the party is), you will machete your way across the room, wading through legs and bodies. You will be pushed like a reluctant pinball, and after traveling eight feet in nine minutes, you will decide that you didn’t even like that person that much anyway, and begin the long, treacherous journey back to your corner where you belong. What’s annoying is that I find myself in this situation almost every weekend. Someone is always successful in talking me into going to a party, even though it’s a well-documented fact that I find them as fun the average semi-invasive medical procedure. I know why I end up at these parties. Parties, despite their multitudinous faults, were classified long ago as fun. And by not wanting to go to parties, I am allowing other people to classify me as unfun. I don’t want to be unfun; I want to be fun. Thus, I traipse across campus, stand in a corner for a little while, get sleepy, and go home. And this is rather irksome. It’s befuddling that so many people voluntarily go to these ostensibly dreadful events and somehow enjoy them. But I just have to be comfortable with the fact that I don’t like them and move on. Spoiler alert: there’s some stuff in the world that you won’t like. Oh well.
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Hillary or Joe? Obama Administration considered replacing Biden with Clinton for 2012 By Jenna Lewis business manager
President Obama’s top aides considered replacing current Vice President Joe Biden with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the 2012 election. This new discovery was revealed in a new book released by campaign journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. The book, entitled Double Down, chronicles the adventures of the 2012 election. It is intended as a sequel to the team’s
previous book, Game Change, which documents Obama’s 2008 campaign. President Obama’s former Chief of Staff William Daly pushed the initiative in the fall of 2011, when the President’s popularity reached its lowest point in office. According to the New York Times, he was perceived at the time as “unapologetically liberal” and “detached” from his reelection campaign. For a president whose main campaign promise was “change,” things weren’t looking so good.
To be fair, most of this wasn’t President Obama’s fault. He was dealing with the reeling impacts of the economic crisis and Occupy Wall Street, which came to define his first term in office, as well as gridlock on his Supreme Court nominees and proposed reforms by a Republicandominated Congress. The change that Obama promised his constituents in his campaign was not coming easily. On top of all this, there was the issue of Joe Biden. Biden has been no
courtesy of politico.com
stranger to controversy during his time as Vice President. He is known for his unpredictable, and sometimes slightly offensive, off-the-cuff remarks. Biden is generally regarded as a bit of a buffoonish PR nightmare,
and his outlandish remarks have outshone his intelligence and strong political commitment. Prior to his continued on page 10
Accountability up in smoke? The contradictions of public office and responsibility in the 21st century By Patrick Fox scarlet staff
Last Tuesday, on November 5th 2013, the mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, admitted to a gaggle of reporters gathered outside Toronto City Hall that he had indeed smoked crack cocaine. A tape of Ford smoking the drug was rumored to exist before the Tuesday’s revelation, and is purportedly now in police custody. Ford has said that “there have been times when I’ve been in a drunken stupor” and wants to be able to view the video. Ford had been denying allegations of smoking the illegal drug, until the fifth. Ford also made it clear to both reporters and his constituents in the Toronto municipal government that he will
not step down. Ford’s disclosure that he used an illegal narcotic brings up a number of pressing questions. Should elected officials be held just as accountable as private citizens when it comes to such egregious offenses? If public servants such as Robert Ford and Anthony Weiner were private citizens, one can safely assume that Weiner, who sent sexually explicit pictures to women over mobile devices, would be in court for sexual harassment, and Ford would be on trial for drug charges. But in any case, Ford’s confession of drug use tarnishes his reputation as a politician. A drug charge is a blow that in today’s public-relations centered campaigns, his career will most likely not survive. Even if he
remains above reproach regarding Canadian law, in the next mayoral election, Ford–and his is public image–is done for. In a democratic government, officials are supposed to be elected by the people, for the people. The current political climate both in Canada and the United States allows politicians at all levels of government to bungle and blunder as much as they want, despite calls for their resignation by many of the populace. Now that the mayor of a major city has blatantly broken the law and does not have to abdicate his position, the bar has been set even lower than the position set by the 112th Congress of the United States, now infamous for engendering the first U.S. federal government shutdown
courtesy of npr.org
since the late 1990s. The bottom line is, in a democratic government, the responsibility of the government and its workers is to provide public servants who are fully accountable, relatively objective, and most importantly, work in
the interest of the greater population they have been chosen to serve. In today’s age, where bipartisanism and accountability seem to have disappeared in both Canada and the United States, this goal seems more and more unreachable by the day.
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Clark Confessions cont. continued from page 7
Dear Sigmund, I’m planning to go home for Thanksgiving, and even though I’m looking forward to it, it seems like I always end up feeling disappointed by the end of my visit. While I was home over the summer my mom treated me like I was still a kid. She gave me a curfew of 11pm and waited up for me to make sure I was home on time. At the same time, my parents expect me to help around the house, babysit my younger brothers, and do errands for them. I want to go home to feel comfortable and happy, not to be treated like a kid with responsibilities. I miss my family and want to spend time with them, but I don’t know what should I do? Homesick Dear Homesick, Most college students, even adults, experience tension when they return to their childhood home. You have been living independently and making your way in a community of adults. So when you go home, you expect your parents to treat you like an adult. However, many parents may not fully recognize how much you’ve matured since you left home. Often, when we return to our childhood homes, we fall into the family patterns we left. You may find yourself arguing with siblings and feeling resentful of parental expectations you feel you’ve outgrown. It’s an adjustment not only for your parents to see you as an adult, but also for you to renegotiate your role within the family. So how can you reduce the stress during Thanksgiving? Communication is key. It is helpful for you to have a conversation with your parents, and even siblings, about how you’ve changed since being in college. It is helpful for your parents to understand how independent you are and what your expectations are about going home. It is also important for you to understand what their expectations are. Once you and your parents know what you each hope for,
you can collaborate to make it work for both parties. For example, ask your mother why she wants you home by a certain time. Her routine may be disrupted if you are coming in at 3:00am and waking at up 2:00pm. You might find that her explanation is reasonable, but negotiate for a later curfew, like midnight perhaps. Also, your parents might find it helpful if you contribute to the smooth running of the house, especially during a stressful time like the holidays. Flexibility on your part will help them to see that you’ve matured. It demonstrates your recognition that you can help to make the holidays (or summer) less stressful for everyone. Something you can consider doing is talking with your parents about what’s happening in their lives; such as their work, concerns about your grandparents, or successes that may have happened while you’ve been at school. Having this type of conversation will demonstrate that you are engaging with them as an adult, and it could also help to deepen your relationship with them. They will probably appreciate your interest in their lives. If you can show them how you have matured while at school, they may be more lenient with you while you’re at home and more likely to compromise with what you want. Finally, take time to relax and enjoy the comforts of home. Reconnect with old friends, play a board game with your younger siblings, or read that book you’ve been meaning to get to. The holidays are also a great time to rejuvenate and refresh – take longs walks and breath the fall air, eat well, and get plenty of sleep. This will help you return to college ready for the end of semester crunch. Here are some key words to keep in mind as you navigate your adjustment home: Communicate, Compromise, Accommodate, Gratitude, Honesty, Respect, and Celebrate. Sigmund
If you have a question for Sigmund, email SigmundSays@clarku.edu, and keep checking to see if your question appears in a future column. Please remember that the advice given here is not meant to act as, or replace, therapy or emergency care.
too often when Clarkies log into Facebook and other social media websites. I often see comments on groups and pages like the confessions group that contradict what we stand for as a university. For example, we Clark students do our best to thwart gender and racial stereotypes, yet we post anonymous confessions that are demeaning to certain ethnicities. It is rather ironic that modern technology is being used as a medium to express such backwards thinking. The Clark Confessions page is not the problem. It is a symptom of the problem. We need to have higher standards for our etiquette on social media websites, especially when our posts are displayed for the whole campus to see. Yes, it is often therapeutic for people to talk about their disdain towards someone. It helps them get any vitriol out of their system so that they can continue to be nice in public situations. Posting something mean about someone anonymously is about as easy as complaining about someone with a friend, but they are very different. The latter does not directly hurt the victim, but the former does. I am not encouraging talking behind people’s backs, but it is a good alternative to posting mean things about people in a public forum. I really don’t mean to scold anybody. I’d just like to see a cyber-environment that is more congruent with the community that I know and love.
The Scarlet
10 | opinions
Hillary Clinton cont.
Things that are not OKKK When Halloween costumes go wrong
continued from page 8
courtesy of nydailynews.com
By Savannah Cohen scarlet staff
Whenever Halloween rolls around, there’s a fair share of inappropriate costume choices. Everyone can mention a costume or two that are really there only to shock and appall. I saw a few pictures of Boston Marathon runners that made me feel sick, but that was their choice to make (the wrong one, but I digress), and they got the attention they were looking for. But allowing your seven-year-old go out trick or treating in a Ku Klux Klan costume is another thing altogether. But of course, someone had to allow this to happen. A Virginia mom not only allowed, but actually made, the costume that her son wore this Halloween, and she claims that there is nothing wrong with it. Now, before you begin drawing conclusions,
her son did ask for the costume; he wasn’t forced into it. But he also doesn’t understand its implications of someone wearing the costume. He was watching the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, and decided he liked the hat the KKK member was wearing. I’m sorry, but as a rational human being, I have to ask; why not just find any other costume with a pointed hat? Oh, that would because his family supports the KKK, and in fact, his uncle had worn the same costume twice in his lifetime. Because it was alright to wear it back then (oh wait, no it wasn’t). There is no defense for wearing a Klan outfit. That’s why there is hood masking their faces; they don’t want to be responsible for anything they say, or anything they do. If the KKK members themselves realize the importance of anonymity, that’s a sure sign you shouldn’t dress in a costume dedicated to them. Even
november 14, 2013
they know it’s a bad idea to tack a name to their cause. Realistically, there are just some things that shouldn’t be costumes. Things like Nazi or KKK costumes are insulting on a basic human level. People were killed because of these types of groups, and to wear the costumes, and to support their cause is a sickening reminder of what happened. Even worse so when these organizations are still in existence. This isn’t a historical costume; this is support and attention for a cause that is still infecting the world. And all those people who suffered through indignities at the hands of hate groups like the KKK, see a little kid walking around in that costume. I’m not surprised that people are angry about that costume; I’m more surprised by how unaffected he seems by the entire incident. The kind of reception that costume received should have,
2009 inauguration, Biden served as a Delaware senator for a staggering 36 years. He served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations three times, and attempted to win the Democratic presidential nomination in both 1988 and 2008. Obviously, the move was not pursued. It was initially considered in an effort to “capitalize on [Clinton’s] popularity when Obama’s reelection seemed precarious”, according to the New York Times. The decision would have been surprising, undoubtedly, but not totally unheard of. Other presidential greats, including Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln have changed VPs prior to taking their second term in office, but it hasn’t been done since Roosevelt ran with Harry Truman in 1945. Replacing Biden with Clinton would undoubtedly have been a radical move. Although Clinton has a pretty vast following of loyal followers, she has an equal number of critics. The former Secretary of
at the very least, should have made him question what was happening. I can’t change the fact that they support KKK; they will continue to be horrible people, and I’ll just have to be glad that I don’t live anywhere near them or have to deal with their insulting behavior. But to subject a child to this kind of controversy is unfair. His mother claims that she told him people “might say mean things to him,” but can that really count as any type of warning? No. That kid just wanted an interesting costume and to go out and grab some free candy from strangers; now he gets to go to school, and
State has been criticized for her liberal views, and some have found her aggression off-putting. Her intensity, coupled with her driven demeanor and refusal to back down, has not necessarily increased her public appeal. Initially, the thought of replacing Biden with Clinton seems like it might have worked out. Biden said himself at a 2008 town hall meeting in New Hampshire that “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be Vice President of the United States of America”. Clinton has an undisputed reputation for getting stuff done, which is one of the primary reasons that so many people continually oppose her. Although I am a massive Hillary Clinton fan (my crowning moment has been the time she complimented my coat at a 2008 Obama rally, a story I still tell at parties), the move would have been entirely too risky for the Obama campaign. It would have undermined Obama’s campaign, and could have been perceived as a desperate attempt to win the election. As much as Clinton would have made an excellent first female Vice President, I’ll hold out for 2016.
around his hometown, and have people remember him for that. He doesn’t get to make a decision on what he believes in regarding racial issues, because it was chosen for him. And, if through some miracle he doesn’t get this kind of treatment, as public KKK supporters, his family definitely will, and he still will have to experience it. All because his mother (or any of his other family members) failed to see why a racial supremacy costume is a bad idea for a child to wear for Halloween, and continue to see no problem with him wearing it.
The Scarlet
november 14, 2013
living arts | 11
The Scarlet/Living Arts New Play Festival starts off Six student-written plays debut in The Little Center
by Tyler Terriault
Go see playfest! It’s still going on, check it out! See a show. Do it.
By Senegal Carty scarlet staff
The brisk evening of last Wednesday saw people from within Clark and the wider Worcester community packing into the Little Center to view ‘A Fine Romance’ - the first public performance of the opening play of Clark’s 2013 New Play Festival. The play, written by senior Wyndham Maxwell and directed by Chelsea Long, was the first of six full-length productions that will be performed over three weeks. Each of the plays featured was written by a Clark student under the guidance of the festival’s producers, Clark Professor Gino DiIorio, and seasoned dramateur Theresa Lang of the Kennedy Center. Playwrights Clare Tassinari, Brendan Toussaint, Frania Romulus, Wyndham Maxwell, Hannah Yukon and Ava Molnar have each crafted a unique story. They worked with directors Chelsea Long, Dan Zeliger, Emma Bellel and Thad Kelly – as well as Hannah Yukon, who acted as both a director and a playwright – to move and entertain each of their enthusiastic audiences. Plays touch on themes from womanhood and self-acceptance, key foci in Ava Molnar’s Period Piece, to the cutting injustices born of racism, to which Frania Romulus speaks in La Negrita Chronicles, a work based on her personal experiences.
Midterms. Sneaking up on me faster than Russians on America
That professor and his, what? Shriek? Cry? Caterwaul? Groan? Holler? LECTURE?! Third grade karate doesn’t count as a pre-req for that course? Okay… Snowfall: The great, oneshot harbinger marks the end of Party Season
photo by michael rotelli
Some of the features of this year’s New Play Festival, like A Fine Romance and Brendan Toussaint’s comedy Guy Code, aim mainly to give their audiences a good time. Far from existing for the benefit of spectators alone, these plays strongly impacted their writers during their creation and production. In an interview with The Scarlet, Frania Romulus spoke of writing as a therapeutic experience. She described interactions with people who she worked with during the development of La Negrita that would later enable her to write a male character with good qualities that, previously, she had never seen in guys. For Ava Molnar, participating in the New Play Festival forced her to
accept one of the difficult realities of theatre – the differences between the characters in her head and the actors on stage. “Because these characters are themselves, I couldn’t find people in the real world who are like them. You just have to step aside and be like, okay, no one I find is going to be these people.” She described the role that her director, Chelsea Long, played in helping her to come to terms with this through her sensitivity to Molnar’s vision of what Period Piece should be. Molnar talked about watching the actors perform her play: “Some of them are a little different, but I really like what they’re doing because it’s alive, and it’s breathing, and it’s great.” For a few playwrights, like Tous-
Autumn is setting in more as you keep throwing dead leaves at me. Jerk.
saint and Maxwell, this is their debut. Guy Code was a very successful attempt by Toussaint to “write something different” – to diverge from his usual artistic foci. Being a part of the 2013 New Play Festival was a feat of great courage for all the playwrights involved. In their interviews, playwrights spoke of pushing through despite wavering or absent confidence and writing processes that spanned many months, involving the sacrifice of much-beloved scenes. The products of their toil are pieces of drama that draw more people than can fit in the venue, and hold audiences fully in thrall from start to
finish. At Saturday’s performance of Hannah Yukon’s Apartment 416, the Little Center hummed with murmurs of appreciation, anticipation, each time the lights went down. Unless, of course, it was filled with applause, laughter or the tense silence of an audience still recovering from a particularly bold and piercing line. One of each of Clark’s 2013 New Play Festival’s features will be performed from 7:30 – 9:30pm every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday up to November 23. Entry is free with college ID and costs only five dollars without it, but the experience is invaluable.
12 | living arts
The Scarlet
Counterpoints rock the galaxy Blasting off in a great performance
photo by kevin carriere
By Ethan Giles scarlet staff
Last Friday The Counterpoints, Clark’s female a cappella group, rocked the stage of the Grind with their Jambeezy-Space Jam, a show benefitting the American Cancer Society. The show started with a spectacular performance of Lorde’s song “Royals,” with a solo by Leah Simonson. The Counterpoints then ceded the stage to the Hawkapella, an all male a cappella group from the University of Hartford. Hawkapella also put on a great show, making a lot of space puns and their hit “I ran” made the entire audience burst out laughing. After Hawkapella’s set and a brief intermission, it was time for the Counterpoints to come back on. They started their new set with “Somewhere Yellow,” which was a mash up of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” and Coldplay’s “Yellow” The song had a slow, calm beat, with solos from Ellie Gilmore and Emma Griffiths.
They continued the show with a soulful performance of “Nothing Ever Hurt Like You,” by James Morrision, with a solo from Katie Bogen. Next was “Concrete Wall,” by Zee Avi, with a solo by Marie Normantas. They then performed a majestic version of “Stay,” by Rihanna, with Tess Reichart and Dominique Pratt performing solos. The Counterpoints then spiced it up a bit by singing Christina Aguilera’s hit “Candyman,” which featured solos by Katie Bogen, Faith Hollander, and Tess Reichart. The space theme production then took a look at our home planet, by performing “Earth,” by Imogene Heap, which featured a solo by Emma Griffiths. They then came in like a Wrecking Ball by singing the Miley Cyrus hit, with a solo by Katie Bogen. They finished the set by Killing “All These Things That I’ve Done,” which featured a solo by Emma Griffiths, and then surprised the audience by bringing Counterpoint Alumnae to the stage to belt out their own creative song “Walk of Shame.” Throughout the show the audience
was enraptured with the great music. As first-year and a cappella enthusiast Scott Levine put it, “The counterpoints were on point tonight. Personally I think it was the best a cappella I have ever heard.” All of the money the show raised went to the American Cancer Society, so everyone could feel good about both having fun and helping a good cause. Freshman Ellie Gilmore, who starred in her first ever Counterpoint concert, said that she was, “beyond happy with how the show went.“ Gilmore thought all aspects of the show went well, and “really loved having Hawkapella.” She admitted she was “nervous” going in, but was confident because they “had a really good week of rehearsals.” “We did a good job of having a good variety of songs,” Gilmore said, but wished the group had been able to “move and dance more.” Because of the placement of the microphones, Gilmore said the group was only able to do “weird arm dances.”
november 14, 2013
The Scarlet
november 14, 2013
news | 13
The Scarlet/Sports Club sports cont. continued from page 1
(CUSC) President Rian Watt. They named practice times at “unreasonable hours” at the Dolan Field House (10 p.m. to 12 p.m., including Friday and Saturday nights), stipulations requiring them to have a coach (which they claim cannot be supported by the budget allocated by CUSC), slowness in processing money (as reimbursements are slow and at least two captains are owed over $1,000 by Clark University), and general slowness and lack of communication between presidents, Athletics, and SL&P. There has also been much talk of a recent freezing controversy. SL&P requires that every participant in a club sport submit certain health forms in the beginning of the year, and if these documents are not submitted, a team can be frozen, or forbidden from practicing. Epstein said that “it’s basically impossible to get everyone to [fill these] forms out,” because “[he doesn’t] even know who’s playing with [him]; different people show up at different times.” He also said that, when the teams were frozen as a result, “[he didn’t] think that any [team] took that seriously.” In referring to the Club Sports Coalition meeting with Watt, Desiree Jerome, president of Clark University Quidditch, said that it was “very helpful to go through Rian when we really couldn’t have [our own voice],” but she wishes she and the other captains could make these ideas heard without outside assistance. = It seems that partial progress
has been made toward giving club sports the voice they request. Trish Cronin, Interim Director of Athletics, stated that “there is definitely a proposal for a recreation director.” In explaining this hypothetical role, Cronin estimated that this person would be in charge of “not just student athletes or even club sports, but also the Bickman Fitness Center, intramural, and free play in the Kneller and Dolan.” This person would be a member of the Athletics Department staff. This proposal is popular among captains looking for consistency. “We need to be under athletics totally,” Epstein said, “and we hope for there to just be one person in charge of us.” Jerome agreed, saying that “[her] profoundest hope...is that club sports will go through athletics and [many processes] will become easier without losing the autonomy that we have.” Provost Davis Baird, who oversees the Dean of Students office and therefore Athletics, said that the school “[needs] to create a position of a director of campus recreation.” It might seem curious that everyone is in favor of this idea, but it still hasn’t happened. Cronin stated that, while proposals for this position have been mentioned, there is still much work to do. She stated that it’s currently unknown “how the whole process would change,” and so many of the details of the club sport system still have to be analyzed in order for this to happen. Provost Baird said that he does not “want to delay this for very long,” but that he thinks it is important to “[get] top leadership right before [moving] ahead at the programmatic level.” The Athletics Department has not had an official director since Sean Sullivan resigned last month, and so it is difficult to implement large structural changes within the
department. While a director of recreation is a popular solution toward settling the jurisdiction issue, it does not address many of the grievances listed by club sports, chief of which is access to field space. Clark’s field space is limited, and discussions about expanding it are alluded to even more vaguely than the aforementioned recreation director. Provost Barid said that there “are no plans right now” to expand Clark’s field space, but there are options on the table. One of the lead options is to turf one of Clark’s grass fields, because a turf field does not have to settle like a grass field does, which allows for more play. According to Provost Baird, the problem with these proposals is that they are large-scale projects and will require serious budgets. Formal discussions have not been opened as a result of the financial scope of these plans. Club sport presidents also mentioned field priority rules as one of their main grievances. Club sports get the lowest priority for reserving space, below intramural sports and community groups. When asked if there were plans to adjust this policy, Cronin started by saying “this is something that can probably get me on the negative side... but I definitely think there are ways to make more people happy than what we are doing now.” The field space problem is indicative of the general state of the club sports issue. There are ideas and solutions, but because of a couple of roadblocks at the administrative level, there has not been definitive progress. Since this is, as Watt said, “a serious student life issue,” things might set into motion once the dust, or rather the grass, settles.
Fantasy Football Add/ Drop for Week 11 By Ethan Giles scarlet staff
A DD • Riley Cooper, WR, Eagles: Although his numbers were mediocre at best when Michael Vick was Quarterback, Cooper’s production has sky rocketed since Nick Foles became the starter. Over the past two weeks, Cooper has eight receptions for 242 yards and five touchdowns. He is owned in only 31% of espn.com leagues, 27% of nfl.com leagues, and 52% of yahoo. com leagues. • Jarret Boykin, WR, Packers: No matter how many Packers receivers get hurt, they always have another one ready to produce. Boykin has stepped in for the injured Randall Cobb. Over the past four games, he has 22 receptions for 319 yards and a touchdown. Plus, Scott Tolzien, who Boykin developed a rapport with on the practice field, is now the Packers starting quarterback with both Aaron Rodgers and Seneca Wallace hurt. Boykin is owned in 43% of espn.com leagues, 36% of nfl. com leagues, and 44% of yahoo.com leagues. DROP • Kembrell Thompkins, WR, Patriots: While the undrafted rookie started the season out strong, he has seen less and less production as the season goes on, and was a healthy scratch in the Patriots win over the Steelers. You can now feel safe letting Thompkins go. • Arian Foster, RB, Texans: He’s out for the rest of the season. He has absolutely no fantasy value to anyone. Let him go. BUY LOW • Roddy White, WR, Falcons: While he only managed to haul in 20 yards in Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, White did play 55 of 58 snaps, which indicates he is healthy. Try to trade for him while his value is still low, as he should put up higher production against worse teams. S ELL H IGH • Rueben Randle, WR, Giants: While he does seem to collect touchdowns rather frequently, Randle does not receive a whole lot of targets each game. Expect his value to take a drop soon, and try to trade him before it does.
The Scarlet
14 | sports
november 14, 2013
COUGAR of the WEEK
by Scott Levine
Fall sports are coming to an end, and winter sports are underway. In the meantime, the Scarlet decided to check out quidditch, one of the fastest growing club sports at Clark and on campuses around the country. We sat down with Stan Austin, one of the team’s co-captains.
Scarlet: What were your reasons for joining the quidditch team? Stan: I really like that question. So in high school, there was this girl, class of 2010, and she went off and went to UCLA and she joined the quidditch team. She came home and I was still in high school, and she was like, “You have to try this sport. It’s incredible. It’s great.” So when I was looking at schools to apply to, Clark had a quidditch team that had just gotten started, and the rest is history.
courtesy of stan austin
Stan Austin quidditch
Scarlet: Nice, so what position do you play? Stan: I’m the keeper primarily. They sort of put me in as seeker sometimes, when the snitch is really hard to catch. Our primary seeker, Corey, is smaller and quicker [than me], but he’s not as good at muscling around, so he can’t grab the snitch. Scarlet: Yeah. As evidenced by the quidditch match in the first Harry Potter book, quidditch can be kind of a physical bout sometimes. Stan: Oh yeah. Real-life quidditch is a combination of rugby, basketball, dodgeball, and capture the flag. Cause there’s a bunch of different positions and different things going on at the field at once. Scarlet: Which roles relate to which sports? Stan: So you have the quaffle, and the players are the chasers and the keeper, [who is] sort of the goalie. And what you do is you try to take the quaffle, which is a volleyball, from one side and you put it through the other people’s hoops. Meanwhile, you have the beaters with the bludgers which are dodgeballs, and they’re constantly battling for control ‘cause there’s four beaters, but there’s only three bludgers. So someone’s always trying to tackle another beater. And if you get hit with a bludger, you have to get off your broom and run back to your own hoops, so you’re out of the game for a little bit of time. And then the seeker is chasing after the snitch, [which] is a tennis ball dangling out of a yellow soccer sock dangling out of a snitch runner, which is one of the referees. So basically, he runs around and you’re trying to pull his tail. Scarlet: I understand being the snitch is a dangerous job. Stan: Yeah. You get really physical with the seekers because they really wanna pull your tail, and you just don’t want them to. The snitch is like a one-man team where you always lose, but our snitch is Matt Frey and he really enjoys it. He has a lot of fun. Scarlet: Are there any times when people don’t catch the snitch? Has that ever happened? Stan: It always has to [get caught] because there’s no timer. But if the if the match starts to go on for too long, you start putting handicaps on the snitch runner like, “You can only use one hand! Now you can’t use any hands!” so basically he’s running around with his arms behind his back. So that’s how that works.
Scarlet: How did quidditch become a club sport at colleges? Stan: It was really interesting. Quidditch got started in Middlebury College, and they were tired of playing ultimate frisbee, so they were like “Why don’t we try to adapt this fictional sport into the real world?” And now there’s over five hundred schools who are playing all over the world actually in like seven or eight different countries, mostly in America. And this weekend, we’re actually going to Rochester to do the northeast regional tournament to [try to] qualify for the world cup, which is going to be in Myrtle Beach. So we’re really excited. The team has improved so much this year. It’s been unreal, because last year we had three or four freshmen and none of us really knew how to play. This year, before he left, Mike McKenna made us get a coach, so we’re one of the only schools in the IQA, which is the International Quidditch Association, with a paid coach. Mike McKenna said, “last year you didn’t have to,” because we were still an experimental team, but what looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, must be a duck, so we have to do all the club sports things. And Coach Katie was on the University of Rochester [quidditch team], so she knows her stuff because she ran the team, and she is really qualified, and she’s just totally improved our game. And I really think we have a chance for qualifying for World Cup, which would be rad because Clark having a team going to world cup would be just unreal. Scarlet: What’s it like to walk around with a broom [between your legs]? How does that affect you?
Stan: It gets annoying, but you get used to it. Some of the people who join quidditch aren’t super athletic, and they get athletic when they start playing quidditch and then they get used to running with a broom between their legs, and then it feels awkward for them to like actually go for a run without the broom. I have a friend on the Emerson team, and she can’t run without a broom, which is really, really hilarious. Scarlet: What’s your favorite part about quidditch? Stan: I really like the community actually. The game itself is awesome, but the people that come together to play quidditch are just really cool. They’re bibliophiles, they like Harry Potter, they realize it’s a silly sport because you’re running around on brooms. And [while] in little league baseball, you say like “2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate?” Everybody hugs at the end of quidditch games. The teams line up and instead of like “good game”, it’s like hugging. I have a lot of friends [within] our conference, which is the Southern New England Quidditch Conference. That’s what I like most about quidditch: making new friends. Scarlet: What would you say to people who are considering joining the quidditch team? Stan: Please Do. We always like new faces. It’s a physical sport and its really, really fun. We’re always really sore after Sunday games, and you don’t have to bring your own broom. We’ll give you a broom. So just come out, we practice on Fridays at 4:15.
The Scarlet
november 14, 2013
The Scarlet/Puzzles CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
copyright © 2013 crosswordsite.com ltd.
ACROSS
DOWN
6. Act properly (6) 7. Furniture wood (4) 8. Harden by heat (4) 9. Whine (6) 10. Free of ice (2-3) 12. Temporary stop (5) 15. Accusation (6) 17. Quartz grains (4) 18. Securely confined (4) 19. Connected by links (6)
1. Feminine (6) 2. Long narrow strip of fabric (4) 3. A piece of poetry (5) 4. King of the Huns (6) 5. Title (4) 11. Opera by Bizet (6) 13. Submerged (6) 14. Repasts (5) 16. Make healthy (4) 17. Vocal music (4)
THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS IN NEXT ISSUE
puzzles | 15
SUDOKU SOLUTION
SOLUTIONS TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLES
Police Logs
november 14, 2013
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
The Scarlet
16 | puzzles
what happens in The Scarlet office at 12:30 a.m. stays in the The Scarlet office... sort of
compiled by Maria Rotelli
November 8th 20:23 - Headlight out. 21:43 - Student borrowed jumpkit. November 9th 16:46 - Possible missing person. November 11 12:28 - Someone off campus’ vehicle was hit sat night into sun morning. [sic] 16:43 - 3 students complain about another student. November 12th 20:03 - Fender bender. 20:26 - Alarm ringing nearby on Woodland Street. 21:55 – Flat tire. This week University Police saw one report of larceny, one check of welfare, one count of trespassing, assisted WPD once, two alarms went off, there were three vehicle stops, three reports of suspicious persons, two various complaints, five loud parties, ten calls to EMS and ten calls to police escort.
“Where are you flying to, Orlando, Florida?” - Hannah “No, Orlando, The Moon.” - Jeremy “Wait, it goes to fifteen o’clock on the website.” - Jenna “Well, I’m gonna say fourteen o’clock just in case.” - Matt “If you want to get spit at and yelled at… go ahead.” - Matt “I’ve been working on a personal essay about the Grateful Dead called “273” that I’d like to publish. It’s six pages now, so we’d have to serialize it. And it’s called that because that’s the number of days that both me and Jerry Garcia were alive for.” - Matt “Could you repeat that sentence verbatim?” - Jeremy “So is that title going to change every day?” - Pooja “No. He’s dead.” - Jeremy “So how are typefaces named?” - Claire “Usually it’s after the person that designed them.” - Rose “Like Jeremiah Times New Roman?” - Matt