neil degrasse tyson • counterpoints • concert choirs • and more
volume xciv, no. 10 • november 20, 2014 | clarkscarlet.com |
Clark Offers Early Decision for Fall 2015 By Kate Summers scarlet staff
When Jenny Rubin (’18) received her acceptance letter from Clark, she withdrew all of her other applications. “I knew Clark was my end game,” she said. Now students like Rubin will have the option to apply with a binding Early Decision option.
Several years ago, Clark had an Early Decision option, but it was replaced with Early Action. Early Action allows students to apply by November 1 and then Admissions will notify them of their decision by the end of the year. The students then have until May 1 to make a decision on whether they want to attend continued on page 5
Dean Candidates Field Questions From Students By Alex Grayson opinions editor
With the promise of free doughnuts and the rare opportunity to direct questions and voice concerns to the two Dean of College candidates, Professor Matthew Malsky, Ph.D. and Deborah L. Robertson, Ph.D., around twenty Clark students came to Winton Hall on Tuesday, November 18. Each candidate was given thirty minutes to introduce themselves and
answer questions asked by the students seated around the room. The two candidates were not in the room at the same time, eliminating any unfair advantage for the latter candidate. The event began with Robertson, Associate Professor of Biology and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Clark, introducing herself and explaining how her career in the sciences continued on page 6
the.clark.scarlet
Highly Educated, Poorly Compensated The Condition of Part-Time Faculty at Clark By Sarah Cramer executive editor
“I teach because I enjoy teaching the students and because I know I will have an impact on their lives. Still my willingness to teach should not be used as an excuse to not pay an appropriate salary. Every time I pack up to drive over to Clark, I have to question why I bother.” Statements such as this are not rare in the Report of the Non-TenureTrack Faculty Task Force, commissioned by Davis Baird, Clark Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Task Force released its comprehensive report on May 21, 2013, presenting anonymous responses from a survey distributed to non-tenuretrack faculty and personal interviews and discussions conducted with them, as well as recommendations for administrative action. Wes DeMarco, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy (a full-time non-tenure-track position) and head of the task force, said the report contained a “range of negative feeling” and “discouragingly few” positive comments from respondents.
The report focused primarily on part-time teaching faculty, as the task force found their experiences “particularly worrisome” – an issue that is gaining national attention, largely thanks to the Adjunct Action campaign launched by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in early 2013. The campaign seeks to mobilize and organize part-time university faculty (commonly called ‘adjuncts’) nationwide. SEIU has targeted several universities in the Boston area, including Northeastern University, Lesley University, and Tufts University, whose part-time faculty became the first in the area to unionize in September, 2013. The nationwide effort to unite part-time faculty is coming closer to Clark. It is impossible to discuss the plight of part-time teaching faculty without first discussing the broader range of positions university faculty can occupy in the complicated web of higher education. In the Administrative Responses to the Concerns Identified in NTTFTF [Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Task Force] Report, released by the administration on January 13, 2014 in response to the task force’s report, six catego-
ries of faculty positions at Clark are identified: tenure-track professors, full-time lecturers, full-time visitors, full-time research professors, part-time research professors, and part-time teachers. Several more positions exist within each category. Tenure-track faculty members are professors hired with the intent of eventually achieving tenure, an arrangement that more or less ensures job security; they are only granted tenure if their performance during a probationary period of several years meets the university’s standards of teaching, research, and service. Tenure-track faculty work full-time, receive a salary and benefits, and are enfranchised, meaning they can vote in the Faculty Assembly. According to the task force’s report, in the 2012-13 academic year, Clark employed 169 full-time tenured and tenure-track professors. Although Provost Baird called them the “heart and soul of the university,” they only comprise 49.6 percent of Clark faculty. For the same academic year, Clark employed 172 non-tenurecontinued on page 4
The Scarlet
2 | news
The Scarlet THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY CONTACT scarlet@clarku.edu | clarkscarlet.com EDITORS Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Levine Executive Editor: Sarah Cramer Layout Editor: Rose Gallogly Web Editor: Pooja Patel News Editor: Jenna Lewis Opinions Editor: Alex Grayson Living Arts Editor: Matt Emmer Sports Editor: Ethan Giles Photo Editor: Celine Manneville Managing Editor: Madhubanti Anashua COPY EDITORS Scott Levine SCARLET STAFF Senegal Carty Savannah Cohen Ronald Gerber Jonah Naghi Dalton Phillips Molly Powers Ted Randich Hannah Rosenblum Kate Summers Tyler Terriault PHOTO STAFF Jonathan Edelman Emily Valante Soraya Madlala Krithi Vachaspati LAYOUT STAFF Erin McKeon Christian Rentsman
WANT TO BE PART OF
The Scarlet? The Scarlet is looking for writers, copy-editors, photographers, graphic designers, cartoonists, and web designers. No previous experience necessary!
EMAIL SCARLET@CLARKU.EDU
november 20, 2014
UPCOMING EVENTS [ Thursday, November 20 ] Vigil for 43 Missing Mexican Students - 12:00 p.m. in Red Square Self-Defense 101 - 5:00 p.m. in The Grind Trans* Day of Remembrance Vigil - 6:30 p.m. in Red Square Thanksgiving Potluck - 7:00 p.m. Sackler 121 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Worship Night - 7:00 p.m. in the Atwood Blue Room CASA/BSU Dialogue on Cultural Identity - 7:30 in Higgins Lounge Feminist United Open Mic - 8:00 p.m. in The Grind JC Stair-A-Thon - 10:45 p.m. in Jonas Clark Hall
[ Friday, November 21 ] Dance Society & Variant Dance Fall Show - 7:00 p.m. in Atwood Hall Clark Keys Debut Performance - 7:00 p.m. in Jefferson 218
[ Sunday, November 22 ] Women’s Ultimate Round Robin - 2:15 p.m. on the Granger Soccer Turf. Dance Society & Variant Dance Fall Show - 7:00 p.m. in Atwood Hall Hypnotist Jim Spinnato - 7:00 p.m. in The Grind
[ Sunday, November 23 ] Our World: An Evening of Trivia, International Cuisine, and Cultural Awareness - 6:00 p.m. in Tilton Hall V&PA Student Recital - 3:00 p.m. in Razzo Hall
[ Tuesday, November 25 ] Women’s Basketball vs. Anna Maria - 4:00 p.m.
Cabaret Performances: Thursday through Saturday (11/13-11/15) at 7:30 p.m. in the Little Center; Sunday 11/16 at 3:00 p.m.
CORRECTIONS Last week The Scarlet erroniously reported the graduating years of the students involved in founding the Student Undergraduate Research Journal. The correct graduation years are as follows: Karishma Veljee (‘15), and Samantha Wallace (‘16).
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
news | 3
The Scarlet/News Reflections on the Pale Blue Dot Neil deGrasse Tyson at College of the Holy Cross By Madhubanti Anashua managing editor
The evening of November 13 was chilly and cold, but the line outside the Hart Recreation Center in College of the Holy Cross only grew longer. The whole of Worcester’s young population (and a considerable section of the older one) seemed to be standing in line to listen to Neil deGrasse Tyson speak. Known to fans as Dr. T, Tyson was recently the narrator and executive editor of the reboot of Carl Sagan’s science TV series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He is also a famous Internet meme. Amid concerns over the whole crowd fitting into the stadium, the line began to move. It was time, and the audience was waiting eagerly to listen to Tyson speak at the 49th Annual Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture. Tyson started in his signature exaggerated style, and talked about why we need science. From the planethood of Pluto, to science education in the United States today, Tyson seemed to have something to say about everything. He talked about the difference between a scientific theory and a hypothesis, stating that faith without scientific backing is baseless. He
went on to give a walkthrough of the latest developments in astrophysics, explaining the significance of the Rosetta’s Philae lander touching down on a comet. He asked the audience to ponder their actions if someone told us today that the world was going to end from an asteroid collision. Get drunk, and presumably get laid, but no one would try to stop it from happening. For him, being able to touch a comet is the first step to being able to direct one. He called out the Pluto-lovers in the audience and poked fun at them; nothing seemed to escape his cutting sense of humor, from the New York Times to Fox to astrophysics itself. He harangued the state of engineering in the US and the general anti-science, superstitious consensus that everyone seems to suffer from. His outrage was directed at the inactivity of the scientific community. To him, there is only one way of solving this: changing the way science is taught in schools. Science classes should make students learn to question things, not learn by heart. There was an entertaining question-answer session that followed, as several conspiracy theorists surfaced, only to be assailed by Tyson as the “peanut munching crowd.” Someone asked, “Why does Google and NASA not share the exact number of white dwarfs out there?” while another person threw the challenging question, “How are we here?” To the latter, his simple answer was, “We don’t know.”
International Background BY MEHR GUNAWARDENA
courtesy of districtadministration.com
Considering there were students from so many colleges with renowned science departments, the questions asked were a little disappointing. Perhaps the young girl who asked what second graders can do for the earth received the best answer. Be curious, jump on puddles, bang kitchen utensils together, tell your parents that you are doing science experiments, Tyson advised her while sitting beside her on the floor of the court. His talk lasted around two hours, but those who were there that night will remember it for a long time. Tyson not only talked about continued on page 5
The bodies of María José Alvarado Muñoz, the 19-year-old reigning Miss World Honduras, and her 23-year-old sister, Sofia Trinidad Alvarado, a primary school teacher, were found this Wednesday, November 19. The bodies were found near a river after they had been missing for several days. Plutarco Antonia Ruiz Rodriguez, Sofia Alverdo’s boyfriend, has since confessed to the murder. According to the Honduran police, the sisters disappeared last Thursday night after going to a spa for Ruiz’s birthday party. The girls’ mother, Teresa Muñoz, reported the disappearance of her daughters on Saturday, under the initial assumption that they had been kidnapped. The police believe that the bodies of the two girls had been in their shallow graves by the river since the night of their disappearance. Questions are being raised with regards to motives, as María was supposed to attend and participate in the early rounds of the Miss World pageant in London this week. Currently, the Deputy Police Commissioner Rolando Casco has put both Ruiz and Aris Valentin Maldonado Mejia in cus-
tody as they are “considered the [people] who were most in contact” with the victims before their deaths. According to the National Director of Police, Ramón Sabillóin, Ruiz was enraged with his girlfriend because she danced with another man at his birthday party. An ensuing fight between the couple resulted in Ruiz grabbing his pistol and shooting her because of the extent of his rage. Ruiz also shot María, who was a witness, in the back during her attempt to escape. However, investigators believe more people are involved in the sisters’ deaths. The investigation is still ongoing. The story of the women’s deaths has dominated the front pages of all the main Honduran newspapers since the disappearance was announced on Saturday. This particular case has drawn a lot of attention to Honduras, making the United Nations take a closer look that the country’s predicament. Honduras now has the world’s highest murder rate, with 90.4 homicides per 100,000 people on average. As the former presidential candidate Salvador Nasrallah said “A lot of continued on page 6
The Scarlet
4 | news
Part-Time Cont. continued from page 1
track faculty members, 136 of whom worked as part-time teachers. That means 40 percent of Clark’s faculty teaches part-time. Part-time teaching faculty are paid per course, receive no benefits, are not enfranchised, and conduct no research for the university. Part-time faculty taught 275 (approximately 25 percent) of the 1,153 courses taught during the 2012-13 academic year, and non-tenure-track faculty as a whole taught 473 (41 percent) of the total courses. Statistically speaking, non-tenure-track faculty play a large role in this university. And yet, only 36 percent of the 110 respondents to the task force’s survey “feel that they are a part of the Clark community,” and only 22 percent ”believe that they are fully recognized by Clark for their contribution to this community.” One survey respondent wrote, “I cannot express how frustrated I have been in the past over how [part-time non-tenure-track] faculty such as myself are devalued at Clark...I feel invisible in the eyes of many key administrators at Clark.” These statistics and sentiments are indicative of what the task force deemed a serious “morale issue” among non-tenure-track faculty, especially among part-time teaching faculty. At Clark, tenure-track faculty generally teach a 2-2 course load (two courses each semester for a total of four per academic year). Part-time faculty are only allowed to teach four courses per academic year, for which the average compensation is $4,500-5,000 per course. This means that a part-time faculty member teaching four courses a year at Clark can make, at maximum, $20,000 per year. Consequently, the majority of part-time faculty respondents indicated working at at least two universities each academic year, with many of them teaching three or more courses each semester. Even with all their academic teaching combined, 75 percent of part-time faculty respondents earn $30,000 or less each year from teach-
ing, leaving 68 percent working additional non-academic jobs. 14 percent of part-time Clark teachers receive some form of public assistance. Provost Baird said, “The percourse rate is largely market driven. Clark pays somewhat better than local market rates per course, but even so it’s not a lot of money.” Another survey respondent wrote, “Low salary means I cannot stay at this job for long despite my love for Clark and teaching and interacting with our students.” DeMarco would like to see discussion of a living wage. Clark recently set a floor for the part-time faculty rate at $4,500, and while DeMarco believes that this is a good start, he also believes “we can do better.” He suggested that a living wage, which would be somewhere around $7,000, be instituted as a floor. “We absolutely need to keep that market situation in view,” he said, “but personally I believe we shouldn’t let that be...the only consideration.” Another issue for part-time teaching faculty is that commitment to Clark does not have any impact on pay. Part-time teaching faculty who have taught at Clark for twenty years receive no pay increase for their service to the university (except if the university sets a new per-course rate), and they never have access to benefits. In its report, the task force recommends the creation of a “‘senior part-time’ or ‘Continuing part-time’ faculty status” that part-time faculty members may apply for after working a specific number of years at Clark. This role would, for a certain contractual period, offer a specified course load, increased pay, and fractional benefits, which would provide more stability. The university has not yet taken action on that recommendation, but Provost Baird said that the university is considering it “for the future.” DeMarco believes that the creation of such a position would also help part-time faculty combat the inaccurate, popular belief that they are transient workers. 40 percent of the non-tenure-track respondents have served in some capacity at Clark for ten years or more, and 8 percent have served for over twenty years. “Part-time does not mean transient,” he said. Many part-time faculty have
made, or at least have tried to make, a career in academia. Provost Baird, however, does not think that part-time faculty should be making a career of teaching. “Do it for a few years,” he advised, “and if you’re not able to secure full-time employment, you should look for a different kind of career. Because it’s really not intended to be a career...Universities aren’t structured to compensate for that...If my son, for example, were doing this, my recommendation would be to not do it for a career.” He pointed out that, on the other hand, there will always be a market for part-time non-tenuretrack faculty, “because of the sort of unpredictable comings and goings of full-time faculty and unpredictable demands of students.” Parttime teaching faculty are vital to universities in order to, among other reasons, cover for professors on sabbatical, keep class sizes small, and offer more course variety. Despite Provost Baird’s advisement, the market for such part-time faculty is actually growing: The num-
november 20, 2014 ber of part-time faculty members in universities from 1975-2011 increased by 300 percent, according to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The AAUP also reported that 51 percent of faculty in universities are part-time faculty, as of 2011. In response to Provost Baird’s comments about teaching as a career and ongoing market demand, DeMarco said, “That, I think, puts undue responsibility on the individuals who get stuck on that treadmill [of continually seeking part-time teaching employment]. These positions ought to be liveable. They ought to be just. And the conditions ought to be fair.” Many respondents to the survey echoed that sentiment. One wrote, “We teach courses at a fraction of the cost of tenure[line] faculty with no benefits and very little recognition... and [are] forced to cobble together an uncertain and precarious living. We are highly educated and poorly compensated.” In response to the task force’s report, the administration has central-
ized and streamlined the processing of instructor contracts, created and distributed a Guide to Teaching at Clark University, and planned specific orientation meetings for new part-time faculty. DeMarco said, “Speaking for myself as heading the task force, [I] appreciate the quickness and the thoroughness of the administrative response.” He hopes for another round of discussion soon, both on the part of the administration and the faculty as a whole. In the mean time, he said, “We’re looking for the follow-through, and we intend to follow up.” This article by no means exhausts all of the issues facing non-tenure-track faculty today, nor does it wholly represent the diligent work of the Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Task Force and the administration’s response to the task force’s report. To read the complete Report of the NonTenure-Track Faculty Task Force and the Administrative Responses to Concerns Identified in NTTFTF Report, visit The Scarlet’s website at clarkscarlet.com.
LGBT Rights in Massachusetts City Receives Perfect Score on This Year’s Index By Jonah Naghi scarlet staff
On Wednesday, November 12, the Human Rights Campaign rated the city of Worcester with a score of one hundred in terms of LGBT equality. Worcester was one of eight cities in Massachusetts that was evaluated this year. Boston, Cambridge, and Salem also scored one hundreds, Northampton scored seventy, Amherst received 69, and Springfield scored 64. Massachusetts scored 78 overall as a state. This comes just after a year when Worcester only scored a 55 on The Human Rights Campaign’s evaluation. According to the Telegram And Gazette, The Human
Rights Campaign is “the largest civil rights organization that advocates on behalf of LGBT residents.” The Human Rights Campaign rates LGBT equality in a city in using a variety of criteria. For instance, according to their Municipal Equality Index Scoreboard of 2014, Worcester had perfect scores for “non-discrimination laws,” such as housing, employment, and public accommodations for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender residents. Worcester also scored perfectly in recognition of LGBT relationships, such as same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships. Lastly, Worcester scored perfectly on inclusion in social programs. The city has an LGBT task force that reports
hate crimes to the FBI. Worcester also scored well, though not perfectly, on equality of benefits and protection of LGBT employees. According to the Telegram And Gazette, Worcester was also awarded “bonus” points for accommodating “LGBT youth, homeless, and elderly” and those with HIV or AIDS. These helped Worcester receive its perfect score, considering that they did not score perfectly in every category. Much of the credit for these improvements may go to Worcester City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. and Mayor Joseph Petty. In the Telegram And Gazette, City Manager Augustus said, “When continued on page 6
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
CUSC in brief scarlet staff
Lauren Howard (‘17) spoke as a member of library administration and told the Council that the library will have normal hours the week of December 1, as opposed to staying open until 2:00 a.m. like in years past. This is because the library no longer has one of its night supervisors. During finals and reading week, it will stay open until 2:00a.m. During the Financial Committee report, Dale Watt (‘17) announced that six clubs will be penalized for not complying with the constitutional rules. The Financial Committee audits clubs twice a year to make sure they are following the rules set in the bylaws: a) Clubs must spend part (more than 0%) of their budget allocation. b) Clubs may not spend more than 25% of their budget on food. c) Clubs may not spend more than 40% of their budget on travel. d) Clubs may not spend more than 100% of their budget. Initially, a large number of clubs were in violation of one or more of the bylaws. They were then asked to submit a waiver to clear them of the violation. Those who did not submit a waiver were then asked to go to an appeals meeting. All clubs that went to the appeals meeting were not penalized ten percent of their total budget allocation. The groups that were penalized were ones that the committee was unable to reach and did not go to the hearings. These were the Clark Historical Society ($111), Clark Slam Poetry ($175), Invisible Children ($81), VOX ($200), Stitch Club ($60), and Clark Club Tennis ($200). Lauren Meininger (‘17) announced that she has created an Ad Hoc Committee for Club Spending. The Council appointed Lauren Meininger (‘17), Emma Binder (‘15), Dale Watt (‘17), Wandong Yang (‘16), Nikoloz Gelashvili (‘15), Rohan Roger (‘18), Adam Katzman (‘18). and Miga Lee (‘15) to the committee. Elections Committee appointed Rebecca Liebman (‘15), Pauravi Chhaya (‘15), and Miga Lee (‘15) to the Senior Week Committee. At the end of the meeting, the public—including The Scarlet—was asked to leave, because the Council was going to enter into an Executive Session. An Executive Session is a closed-door meeting that happens when sensitive material is being discussed. Grants: $360 Peapod Squad- College Comedy Festival attendance $385 Vanessa Carrasco- Aquaculture America conference
continued from page 1
Clark. Early Decision applicants must also apply by November 1, but once accepted they must withdraw their other applications, pay their deposit, and commit to Clark. “The only difference between them re-
ally is that …Early Decision requires that a student commit to Clark once they’ve been admitted,” said Don Honeman, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. Now students will have the option to apply Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. There were several reasons for the addition of the Early Decision option. The Office of Admissions knew that there were students who applied Early Action who were certain they
Tyson Cont. continued from page 3
why science is important for the future of the earth, but also inspired the audience to be better people by making them think about their
By Kate Summers
Early Decision Cont.
news | 5
wanted to go to Clark. “We wanted to give them the option of committing,” Honeman explained, “so that they could have the whole college search over with early.” Another reason is because it helps Admissions know how many students to admit during the Regular Decision process. “[It gives us a] building block for the rest of the class,” said Honeman. This year Clark received 2,100 Early Action applications and 50 Ear-
ly Decision applications. “We’ve had this huge increase of applications in the past few years and one of the things that we’re having trouble sorting out is whether all these new people who are applying [for] admission to Clark are all equally interested,” said Honeman, “I think the students who apply Early Decision are ones that we know are really excited about coming to Clark…It helps us gauge the audience.” In this sense, when two students have similar academic records, the Early Decision applicant will have an advantage. “It’s not rocket science,” said Honeman. At other institutions, students who apply Early Decision are more likely to be admitted. According to a 2013 New York Times report, Brown University, which has a regular admission rate of 9.2 percent, admitted 18.54 percent of Early Decision candidates. At Middlebury College 41.77 percent of Early Decision applicants were accepted as opposed to the 17.5 percent acceptance rate for regular admissions. The Huffington Post reports that “ED applicants often increase their chances for admittance by 20-75 percent.” When Early Decision candidates are notified about their admission in December, they will also be notified of any merit scholarships they may receive and an estimated financial aid package. The Office of Financial Aid will do an early read of their College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile. In order for the Office of Financial Aid to give a final offer, they must receive both the CSS profile, which is available October 1, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). However the FASFA is not available until January 1, so they
role in the universe. The unforgettable lecture ended with a nod to his predecessor Carl Sagan as he read aloud the first iconic paragraphs from Sagan’s book Pale Blue Dot, and a star-struck audience exited into the drizzling snow.
will only be able to give an estimated offer. If Early Decision candidates do not receive the necessary financial assistance, they have the option to opt-out of their commitment. During the applications process the Office of Financial Aid will make sure that the Office of Admissions talks to families and makes sure they have really thought about their finances. “If financial aid is going to be an important factor in your decision you may not want to be an Early Decision candidate,” said Mary Ellen Severance, Director of Financial Aid, “We just really hope…students who are applying Early Decision get that message that they really need to be pretty sure of where they are financially to make that kind of commitment.” In February 2011, Harvard announced that they would get rid of their binding Early Action program. “We piloted the elimination of Early Action out of concern that college admissions had become too complex and pressured for all students, and out of particular concern for students at under-resourced high schools who might not be able to access the early admissions process,” said Harvard President Drew Faust. Dan Diez (’15), a Clark Ambassador, thinks that the new Early Decision option is “a very tactful decision by the admission office… Students who are applying Early Decision are people who want to be here, who typically are well-informed about what is and what it means to be a Clarkie and the people who are familiar with our community and already making that decision that they want to come here are the people we want here.” “If there was an ED program I would have just thrown all my eggs into that basket,” said Rubin.
The Scarlet
6 | news
Dean Cont. continued from page 1
would best and uniquely equip her to fulfill the duties of Dean of College. Robertson noted “the lack of a scientist perspective” in the administration and explained how she could “make a contribution by [bringing] viewpoints and concerns to the attention of the administration” that often go ignored, like the heavy workload and expectations placed on biology and chemistry students. Robertson also cited her quantitative skills as a natural scientist, saying, “I feel comfortable analyzing, presenting, and using that information to think of changes we might do.” Questions began with a student asking Robertson about the duties of the Dean of College. She responded, inciting laughter, “I don’t know, I’ve never been the Dean of College.” Robertson fielded several questions concerning the LEEP initiative. She said the core of LEEP is answering the question, “What do we want students to be able to do in their senior year? Think critically, communicate effectively orally and written, and analyze data.” She acknowledged some faults in conveying LEEP to students and said, “Is [LEEP] a marketing scheme, or is it an experience? As the Dean of College, it’s making sure it’s real.” In response to questions about financial aid and scholarships, Robert-
International Background Cont. continued from page 3
girls die this way, but because they’re not famous, it doesn’t get the attention and the crimes go unpunished…. She was a girl of good principles who fell into a trap, a game with guns, and ended up a victim of a violent system”. The UN called on the government of Honduras to increase women’s protection programs, as there had been an increase in the number of violent deaths of women between 2005 and 2013 of 263.4%. It has also been reported that there is a 95% impunity rate for sexual violence and femicide crimes.
son said, “I’m really hoping one day I’ll walk across campus and find a huge bag of money.” Running out of time, Robertson offered to hear any remaining questions, but admitted that she would not have time to answer them. With her fingers clasped and head nodding, she listened thoughtfully to concerns of student voices not being heard by the administration. She ended with, “There are very few things faculty agrees on. The most common [thing we agree on] is that we like the fact you are opinionated, engaged, and involved.” Matthew Malsky, Professor of Music in Clark’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts, used his thirty minutes to introduce himself and answer questions. He began by acknowledging the Dean of College position as “a tough job.” Malsky expressed that he is “concerned about the craziness with scheduling.” He said, “I see it as something as a problem that increases … I think it’s hard to devote time to some activities while it’s chunked in there in competition with six other things.” Malsky would like to see a program that helps students manage their time. When asked about marketing, in particular about Clark’s advertisements in the Logan International Airport, Malsky said, “I would be a cautious and active voice in that. I am weary of that.” Malsky said he has been here for 21 years and only recently have positions such as Vice President of Marketing
and Communications existed. Malsky also expressed that he is “unusually broad in having interacting with different parts of the university.” He said, “I have taught 18 different classes that include all areas of the curriculum, I was one of the original faculty members of what is now Culture Studies and Communications, and I am a humanist [trained] in scholarly pursuits.” One student asked a question regarding LEEP and, as Malsky asked for clarification, someone screamed out, “No one has any idea what LEEP is.” Malsky responded later, saying he was “deeply disturbed” and hopes to effectuate change and better align the LEEP program with its original goals. Answering a question regarding student voices not being heard by the administration, Malsky spoke in detail about his commitment to an “opendoor policy” and the style in which he would encourage students to talk directly to him as Dean. Brittany Klug (‘16), President of Clark Undergraduate Student Council and organizer of the event, said, “It was interesting to hear more perspective on Clark’s marketing. It made me consider hosting another forum purely dedicated to the marketing at Clark and of Clark. Before I continue, I plan to ask more students if they would be interested in this, then (if they are) I will see if President Angel and the Vice President of Marketing and Communication would be willing to speak.”
LGBT Cont. continued from page 4
I became city manager, I made improving the city’s record on LGBT rights a priority…Some of these are small steps, but taken as a whole they tell a story: that Worcester is a place where all are welcome to live, work and play.” Mayor Joseph Petty also elaborated on his administration’s commitment to make sure all individuals, including those who identify as LGBT, are included in their society: “It is a priority of my administration
that we make the city of Worcester a welcoming place to all individuals and families. The marked improvement over last year’s score shows that the efforts we have made to be more inclusive and sensitive to the needs of the LGBTQ community are working.” The city created an LGBT liaison in both the City Manager’s office and the local police department to help report LGBT hate crimes to the FBI in order to keep their community safe. And again, Worcester received a perfect score in consistently reporting LGBT hate crimes to the FBI.
november 20, 2014
november 20, 2014
The Scarlet
news | 7
CLARKIE of the WEEK options, and it gives people at school options to see student written work, have students have their work out there, which I think is really a confidence booster before heading out into the real world. Picking shows is sometimes from show suggestions, like we’re doing Talk Radio which our secretary, Jacob Gordon (’15) chose because he wanted to use that to help with his senior project for his theater major.
photo by celine manneville
Julia Thibodeau Julia Thibodeau is a senior from Casco Village, Maine double majoring in American History and Art History. She is the president of Clark University Players’ Society (CUPS) and has long been involved with many aspects of theatre. Scarlet: You are the president of CUPS; what does that entail? Julia: So as president of CUPS, I work with the other E-board members to pick a show, find a director, and help the show get cast, and make sure everything goes okay. In the end, I end up producing the shows, so our job is just to make sure by the end you have a show ready for people to enjoy. It’s really exciting. Scarlet: How do you pick the show? Julia: This semester we worked with student-written shows, so at the end of last year, we sent out an email saying ‘anybody writing plays and want to try and see them produced, please send them to us’. Because I’m all about
Scarlet: So what do you have to do as producer? Julia: It’s not a bad thing, but a lot of people don’t understand how much work goes into shows, they just see the end result, so it starts out with picking a production team. So you have props, costume, set, lighting, technical director, and then after you find that, you’re able to gain actors and directors and as the actors and directors are working on the show, the production team is working on it, so by the end of it, you have a set and props ready to go so you can run dress rehearsals. It also has to do with marketing, so any time you see us tabling to a crowd of people, it includes the coordination of that and posters and things like that, and just getting it out at the right time so enough people know about it. It’s a lot, I don’t think I even fully understand everything. Scarlet: I’ve also heard that you do props. Julia: Yeah, I started out doing props before I was on the E-board of CUPS. I did that sophomore year, and I’m now doing props for Cabaret which is happening this weekend, and so that’s exciting. I’ve been
working with CMT as well. We try to work together on things. Scarlet: CUPS and CMT? Julia: Yeah, this year we’re trying to be a more cohesive unit because we utilize a lot of the same people, which many people will notice, so we’re just trying to make it easier for everyone. Like, having shows at different times so nobody’s burnt out or anything. We just want to make the process easier for everyone to enjoy. Scarlet: That makes a lot of sense. Have you been involved in theatre for a long time? Julia: Yeah, I did theatre in high school but I acted in high school, so I was in musicals and I also stage managed two productions, but that’s very different than stage managing a college production. Scarlet: How so? Julia: It [stage managing a college production] is just so much more work. Because in high school, you also have your drama teacher looking out for everyone, so you were there to read lines and help with lines. But in college, it’s keeping track of the actors, making sure they are off book, making sure they show up to rehearsal and if they’re not at rehearsal, then tell you why. I have so much respect for the stage managers. Oh, I couldn’t do it. Scarlet: Do you want to do more acting? Julia: I was actually in The Man Who Came To Dinner, which was last semester. I was just trying to put my foot in there, because my parents
by Hannah Rosenblum
were like ‘We want to see you act!’ and they came and my grandmother came too; she enjoyed it, she was laughing the whole time. And I was thinking about it [doing more acting] but with the next show that we’re doing, and also I was going to help with the spring show for CMT. I just don’t know if it’s possible. I just don’t want to burn myself out in my last semester. So I figured just sticking to producing and props should be enough; it’s a lot, but it’s fun. Scarlet: Do you have any fun hobbies? Julia: I like to knit and crochet a lot. I always have these big aspirations to make something for each of my family members every Christmas, but I never have time. Or I make mittens for everyone and they’re like ‘This is the third pair of mittens we’ve gotten, Julia’. And I’m like, ‘Well, they break all the time, so…’ I also volunteer at the library at home, at the circulation desk. There isn’t much to do in my town, so I was like, might as well! It’s fun, I really like the people. Scarlet: Is there anything you’d like to add? Julia: Definitely look forward to Talk Radio, which will be showing in February. And see Cabaret this weekend! Thanks for the interview, Julia! Thanks for the interview, Julia!
Email scarlet@clarku.edu if you have a suggestion for Clarkie of the Week!
The Scarlet
8 | opinions
november 20, 2014
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.
Letter to the Editor This article is a response to an article published in last week’s issue of The Scarlet. If you’re a person who has been on the Internet any time recently, you will be fairly familiar with the issue of catcalling. Unwanted sexual or “romantic” comments that women experience on the street have become the target of comedy sketches, online comics, and Facebook rants, especially after the viral “hidden camera” video showing street harassment in NYC. Catcalling is a form of street harassment typically involving men making sexual comments at female passersby, following them and attempting to engage in conversation, or shouting out racially fetishizing slurs as they walk by. Though it typically stops there, oftentimes these behaviors escalate into flashing, groping, stalking or worse. Despite the fact that some women insist that such comments are flattering, the majority consensus tends to stand by the view that catcalling is unwanted, and that it makes women feel unsafe when we are just trying to go about our lives. As Clarkies, most of us have a basic familiarity with this concept. And though I was disappointed by the recent article in The Scarlet on the subject of catcalling, I was glad to see that the author did not disagree on this fundamental point: catcalling is abusive behavior and it needs to be stopped. However, it is necessary to address two major issues about street harassment that this article brought up. Firstly, it is important to clarify the legal framework for discussing catcalling and street harassment. Sexual harassment is illegal in all fifty states. It is not a “free speech” issue.
As Political Science Professor Cynthia Enloe said in one of her recent lectures, “It’s not just bad manners anymore. It’s a crime.” Your right to free speech ends when your speech is hurtful, threatening, or making someone feel unsafe. The legal change that many feminists are suggesting involves making it explicit that catcalling is harassing behavior. Many courts and law enforcement officials who witness (or engage in) street harassment don’t consider it to be harassment, and therefore no legal recourse exists for women to expect protection. Now, not all feminists agree on this; however, the important point to take away is that catcalling is not a “free speech” issue. Which brings us to the second point that needs to be addressed. According to last week’s Scarlet article, “nonthreatening verbal confrontation does not constitute genuine harassment” and that “real issues” were not being discussed in favor of catcalling. Though I believe the author of this article is a well-meaning individual with good intentions, I take real issue with these statements. As someone who experiences catcalling, it is not “nonthreatening verbal confrontation.” It serves to reinforce existing power structures, make the target feel unsafe, and remind women (and LGBTQ+ individuals, who are also disproportionately affected by harassment) that they are vulnerable to assault. In Hollaback’s College Campus Harassment Survey, twenty percent of students said that harassment experienced on campus caused an inability to concentrate in class, and 23 percent said it prevented them from attending class or extracurricular activities. As any woman who has been shaken up by a
particularly vile comment can attest, this is not just “nonthreatening verbal confrontation.” It prevents us from fully participating in public life, in our education, and affects our daily lives. We choose our outfits more carefully because of it; I know women who take particular routes to get to work to avoid harassment; I know one woman at Clark who decided not to take an opportunity that would have benefitted her professionally because she has so often been harassed on the bus that she does not feel safe. Catcalling is a real issue. We come back to the old adage: trust women. If we say that something is harassing behavior, and a real issue, listen to us. It is not the place of men to tell women which issues are “real issues” and what we should be prioritizing in our own struggle for equality. Obviously, we are aware that catcalling is symptomatic of patriarchy, but as a good friend of mine pointed out, patriarchy isn’t a tangible thing. It’s a collection of experiences, patterns, and behaviors that add up to the subjugation of women, and one of those behaviors is catcalling. Catcalling is symptomatic of patriarchy, but it also perpetuates patriarchy and keeps women out of public spaces. So yes, we need to increase women’s representation in politics, in STEM fields, in academia, in media in positive ways: things feminists are all working on and all talking about in conjunction with street harassment. But to be a good ally to women and a male feminist, if I may drop the F-bomb, the most important thing a man can do is to listen to women and what they say their priorities are. Trust women, and we can all work towards a harassment-free future, together. MARISA NATALE
By Jeremy Levine editor-in-chief
It might seem like I’ve run out of material because I’ve decided to talk about the weather. Weather, after all, is our cliché small-talk topic; people often bring it up ironically when they don’t have anything interesting to bring up. I’m still going to talk about it, though. Winter is the worst. (Yes, I know that the solstice isn’t for a month. But once we’re in the twenties, I count it as winter.) The season has no redeeming qualities. Nobody wants to be outside. Snow is kind of funny for like eight minutes and then becomes intolerable, eventually transforming into a heinous grey-brown slug that runs along Main Street. But one thing that I’ve always found interesting about winter is that it unites people. Someone will walk into the AC and complain about it, someone else will talk about how they have not yet turned on the heat in their apartment, someone else will laud their snazzy new heated blanket. Because we all really despise winter, it creates a common enemy against whom we can fight, and people always seem to grow closer together when winter hits. Winter is able to turn talking about the weather for no good reason into talking about something that people actually do care about. Last year, I made the horrendously reckless decision to drive home in a blizzard at the end of finals week. I was loading up my car when a friend came by and told me that it was a dumb idea, and that if I was going to do it, that I had to call her when I got home so that she could stop worrying about me. Long story short, about two and a half minutes after leaving, I skidded into an intersection and almost crashed into Annie’s. I drove back to campus and decided to stay one more night. I was fine. But I very easily could have not been fine. I could have gotten seriously hurt (or worse, done serious damage to Annie’s). I should have listened to my friend, for sure. So when I say that winter unites people, I kind of mean it in a fun communal way, but I also mean it in the sense that it reminds me, at least for now, that there’s a big, scary world out there, and we owe it to each other to keep an eye out.
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
Society Pressures us to Cheat By Celine Manneville photo editor
There have been a lot of reports in the news lately regarding academic cheating. At the University of North Carolina, it was revealed that students, most of whom were student-athletes, had been taking fake classes. These courses, which existed for almost two decades, never actually met or gave assignments, but still awarded the students passing grades that boosted their GPAs. This allowed them to remain eligible to participate in collegiate sports. Similarly, 2,440 Chinese students were caught cheating on a national pharmacist exam in October. The cheating scam organizers sent fake test takers into the exam. They would memorize the questions, leave, and then feed the answers to the actual test takers through ear buds or “electronic erasers.” In an article regarding the cheating scam in China, Jiang Xueqin, a Beijing-based education consultant, blamed the high-stakes, examfocused education system for the cheating. “Cheating is widespread because the focus is on getting the certification, not the skills you need
in the workplace,” he said. I believe this is where the problem starts. In the United States, a big part of the education system is based on grades. You need good grades to pass classes, remain eligible to play sports, get into college, receive scholarships, etc. Because of this and because of the highly competitive nature of college and the work force nowadays, it is easy to see why people cheat. We are being judged by our transcripts— a piece of paper that has letters on it that somehow determines our worth. Of course people are going to cheat. Now, I am not by any means saying that cheating is a good thing. But I understand the motivation behind cheating. The education system cares more about the grades you get rather than your understanding of the material or acquirement of the skills needed to advance. With grades, there is a threshold of what is considered “passing” and what constitutes “failing.” People are so afraid of failing that they are willing to do anything to pass. Cheating is a lot easier to do than studying for hours and days to master the material that you may only need to know for one exam. It seems to me that cheating
has become much more normalized in the past several years. I believe that this is because of the increased pressure to succeed. Pressure from colleges, family, and society has created a widespread cheating culture. What really bothers me is the punishment—or rather, the lack of one. I have been unable to find any specifics on the repercussions for the University of North Carolina scandal. As much as it was reported on, there was no punishment discussed. The students who cheated on the Chinese pharmacist exam were punished by not being allowed to take the exam for two years. But who is to say that they will not cheat again if and when they retake the test. When large groups are involved in cheating scandals, the punishments seem to be milder than when only a few people are caught cheating. There is power in numbers; power can allow people to participate in a cheating scandal and get off with only a slap on the wrist. Only when the pressure to succeed becomes less intense, and the punishments for cheating become greater, will the booming cheating culture begin to subside.
CINEMA 320 SCHEDULE FOR THE SEMESTER STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING DOORS (USA 2014; NR) Tuesday Nov 18, 7:30PM; Friday Nov 21, 7:30PM; Saturday Nov 22 @ 7:30PM; Sunday Nov 23 @ 1PM and 3PM. NOTE: No Thursday show this week. Friday substitutes.
opinions | 9
End ISIS with Global Force By Molly Powers scarlet staff
There has been a public outcry for the Western powers of the world to take action against the Islamic group ISIS since the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley on August 19. His death was followed by the deaths of fellow journalist Steven Sotloff, U.K. aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, and most recently U.S. hostage Peter Kassig. ISIS has posted all of these videos on the internet in order to terrify the Western world and show the organization’s enemies the horrors that they are capable of. Since its conception, ISIS’s goal has been to establish an Islamic political-religious government, or caliphate, and it has shown that it will wipe out any person or group that goes against the beliefs of ISIS. They have murdered thousands of Christians and religious and ethnic minorities; kidnapped children and conscripted them as combat troops; and raped, sold, and murdered women on a massive scale. The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria finally classified these genocidal acts, commonly called “ethnic cleansing,” as war crimes and crimes against humanity on November 14. Prior to this U.N. decision, America had already launched series of air strikes against ISIS targets in order to make a statement that America will not tolerate terrorism anywhere, and we will not allow American lives to be threatened. Now, however, with the fifth publicized death of a Western hostage, and in light of the U.N. Commission’s decision, there is increased pressure on the powers of the international community to launch an earnest siege on ISIS. America does not and should not negotiate with terrorists, but in order to prevent the death of a sixth hostage, an unnamed 26-year-old American woman, action must be taken soon. As a world leader, and one that has already announced its opposition to ISIS, America must take the lead in the campaign against ISIS. Of course a peaceful diplomatic
solution would be ideal, but one has to keep in mind that this is a terrorist group that is so extreme they got kicked out of al-Qaeda. At this stage, extreme measures are more than appropriate, as it is the only way this group will be subdued. The U.S. already has troops on the ground in Syria, but these are mainly to protect the embassy. The U.S. must gain concrete support from the international community to launch a legitimate campaign against ISIS, as well as continue to protect and support their allies in the area, such as the Kurds in Iraq. There is a large resistance to ISIS within Syria and Iraq, so one of the best potential strategies is for the global powers to back the Kurds and Iraqi fighters already on the front lines. ISIS is not just a small splinter group carrying out random killings. They have murdered thousands of civilians and displaced over one million. They have successfully seized control of a huge tract of land spanning across Syria and into northern and western Iraq. Within this territory, they have control over Syria’s biggest oil fields, making them both wealthy and selfsufficient. If they are able to push their control towards the oil fields at the edge of the Persian Gulf, then they will have dominion over the center of the global economy’s source of oil and gas production. Needless to say this would be catastrophic. The threat of ISIS is evident even to the most casual observer. They have committed massacres on huge scales against scores of civilians, and they have publicized them in order to intimidate their enemies. This group cannot be allowed to simply continue their reign of terror. Without the aid of powerful countries like the U.S., the movement against this group cannot be successful. The U.N. has declared that ISIS has committed atrocious crimes against humanity, and has called for the group to be held accountable by the International Crime Court. It is time for the international community to come together and put a stop to the genocide occurring in Syria before even more lives are lost.
10 | living arts
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
The Scarlet/Living Arts Clark Choirs Captivate Tilton By Jeremy Levine editor-in chief
Clad in tuxedos and floor-length gowns, the Clark University Concert and Chamber Choirs treated Tilton Hall to a graceful performance last Friday, November 14. Directed by Emily Isaacson and accompanied by Sima Kustanovich, the choirs explored a series of pieces which, when taken as a whole, demonstrated the group’s consummate skill. The evening began with a series of subdued melodies, including Hans Leo Hassler’s “In Te Domine Speravi,” during which the choir rearranged its physical positioning in the hall in order to accommodate the following two numbers, which were only sung by the Chamber Choir (a subset of the larger ensemble). This reorganization diminished the choir’s power and cohesiveness, but Hassler’s piece did not suffer much for it. John Wilbye’s “Fly, Love, Aloft,” the second song sung by the Chamber Choir, was the first somewhat uptempo tune of the evening, a polyphonic piece whose separate parts weaved and flowed in and around each other, creating a delightful sound. The concert’s highlight, three pieces by Gabriel Fauré, followed. The first, “Ave Maria Fauré,” was sung only by the choir’s women. This piece demonstrated the Concert Choir’s keen understanding of the power of dynamic contrast, especially in the soprano section. However, they were done no favors by Titlon Hall, a cavernous venue which does not accommodate small groups. “Maria, Mater gratiae,” a piece sung only by the men, followed. It too fell victim to Tilton, but the singers were still able to create a somewhat intimate
by Tyler Terriault Worcester needs a nice Georgetown Cupcake factory right on Park Ave. Right?! Ramen is a nice way to remind myself that things could be better
photo by uyanga (melody) mungunchimeg
sound within the piece. This led into the third Fauré piece, Cantiqu de Jean Racine, a moving number in which each part was rhythmically parallel. This homophony did not create boredom, however, as the group masterfully executed the piece’s demanding harmonies. The show’s only twentieth-century piece, Thompson Randall’s “Alleluia,” had a gripping conclusion with rises in both pitch and dynamics, often fol-
lowed by sudden silences and decreases in volume. Following the piece’s final resolution, there was a collective breath from the audience, and a standing ovation. The Concert Choir did its work effectively, marrying the skills of accurate pitch and musical sensibility that makes a moving performance. Hopefully, their next concert will be more of the same, but located in a venue which does their sound justice.
You need someone who’s gonna treat you the way that Kanye treats Kanye If sleep is your jam, then I am your toast - that means we go together Please just take my Psych survey, I’ll pay you, I’ll buy you a house. C’mon!
Famed Fiddler Mark O’Connor Returns to Worcester By Ted Randich scarlet staff
Renowned fiddle player Mark O’Connor was in town this past weekend for a matinee jazz performance with his band Hot Swing. Sunday afternoon saw hundreds of fans, young and old, pour into Mechanic’s Hall on Main Street for two hours of fantastic syncopation and elite musicianship put on by Music Worcester.
Mark O’Connor is a multi-instrumentalist whose career spans five decades. While he is proficient at guitar and mandolin, the fiddle has long been his forte. Combining the influences of classical, jazz, and American traditional music, O’Connor has developed a new playing style and genre altogether. Perhaps his most notable work has been Appalachian Journey, a collaboration with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and bassist Edgar Meyer, with appearances by Alison Krauss and James
Taylor. Interestingly, Mechanic’s Hall was the recording location for the album, as well as some of O’Connor’s subsequent projects. O’Connor’s experience in jazz is surprisingly extensive, and the performance reflected this. From a young age, he was taught by Stephane Grappelli, widely considered to be one of the best jazz violinists ever. Grappelli was a leader —known as the grandfather of jazz violin—and created the first all-stringed instruments jazz
band with legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and bassist Louis Vola. Indeed, the trio of O’Connor (fiddle), Frank Vignola (guitar), and Gary Mazzaroppi (bass) paid due homage to this band and its style. The afternoon of music featured several configurations. Most often, it was O’Connor, Vignola, and Mazzaroppi producing insanely technical continued on page 11
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
living arts | 11
Counterpoints Bring Greek Life to Clark By Kassie Benzing contributing writer
The Counterpoints held their annual Jambeezy event, which they called Greek Mythology-zy this time, on Friday, November 14. They were dressed in flowing cream dresses and gold accessories. Each year the Counterpoints donate money from their performances to a charity of their choice. The group held a free concert for the first time, and instead raised money through tasty baked goods. Proceeds from the event went to Abby’s House, a Worcester based charity that gives shelter and support to battered woman. Before the show started, the audience was quizzed on common Greek myths in order to win pomegranates. These questions were a perfect link to Greek mythology, and got the crowd excited for the upcoming performance. To start out the night, Julie Lewitt (’17) stunned the crowd with her deep voice in her rendition of “Bottom of the River.” The group previously showcased this song at September’s Clark’s Got Talent. Other songs of the night included Drake’s “Hold On” sung by Ellie Gilmore (’17) , and Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be” sung by Demetra Risner (’17). Concertgoers were curious as to how the group would perform Beyonce’s “Partition,” a sexually charged song within a college setting. Katie Bogen (‘15) pulled off the song flawlessly, channeling her inner Beyonce and showing immense confidence. The Counterpoints seemed excited to perform this song and showcased it through their high energy and dancing. Accompanying the Counterpoints were The CharlieCords, an
photos by krithi vachaspati
all-male a cappella group from The Berklee College of Music. These talented boys took the stage in black and red and immediately received cheers from an animated crowd. Their slick dance moves, smooth harmonies, and audience interaction set a high energy for the rest of the Counterpoints performance. The group performed Bruno Mars’ “Treasure,” Sia’s “Chandelier,” and Zedd’s “Clarity” flawlessly. Anastasiya Demba (’18) started the second half of the show with a bang, singing “Big Black Horse” by KT Tunstall. During her performance, the crowd cheered encouragements such as “Preach Girl” and “Go Anastasiya.” All of the counterpoints joyfully swayed as they sang along. To end the night, the Counterpoints were joined by some of their alumnae to sing their token song that they wrote themselves, “Walk of Shame.” The song is a clever parody of “Walking on Sunshine” that jokes about numerous embarrassing situations involving walks of shame. The song added the perfect amount of humor to end the show, and left the audience wanting more.
Fiddler Cont. continued from page 10
jazz rhythms and solos. Of note was the second number, an impossibly fast take on “Limehouse Blues.” Particularly fun to watch was the competition that developed between O’Connor and Vignola as they tried to outdo each other with back-and-forth solos. Following the torrent of notes from the trio, O’Connor took a deep breath and joked, “Sorry, we’re just getting warmed up.” The trio was also joined on stage throughout the performance by jazz singer Tamar Korn. Korn showed incredible vocal chops, hitting all of her notes powerfully. More important than that, however, was the level of authenticity and light-heartedness she brought to the stage. Along with Mazzaroppi, Korn was the only performer
with a purely jazz background. This distinction was evident in her featured songs, which felt a notch above the rest. Her part in the group’s version of Hoagy Carmichel’s “Lazy River” was absolutely top-notch. After singing the chorus, Korn drifted into an a-capella trumpet solo, reminiscent of Louis Armstrong. The second half of the show began with a solo performance of “La Bamba” by O’Connor, who explained afterward that the song’s origins trace back 350 years to the Mexican fiddle. He then brought out his wife and fellow violinist, Maggie Dixon, to play a series of duets with him. The duets were quite beautiful, especially the take on Bob Wills’ “Faded Love.” Maggie remained on stage as Vignola and Mazzaroppi rejoined the duo to play out the rest of the show. I was somewhat underwhelmed by the addition of Maggie (although I understand Mark O’Connor’s inclusion of her as his wife). The duets were nice, but not quite
the “hot swing” promised by the full band. When she joined the band, Dixon didn’t add much at all, besides a fourth person on stage. That said, there was very little to complain about throughout the show. After a two song encore, in which Korn returned to the stage to sing “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams,” Mechanic’s Hall filled with a rousing ovation. O’Connor invited the audience to join him and Maggie for a free Fiddle Camp after the show. Although I did not partake in this opportunity, the many children in the audience, violins in hand, were certainly lucky enough to experience it. The show by Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing made for an entertaining use of a Sunday afternoon. Keep an eye out for Music Worcester shows in the future, as they are unique cultural opportunities and are frequently offered at discount student rates.
The Scarlet
12 | sports
november 20, 2014
The Scarlet/Sports SPORTS RECAP By Ethan Giles sports editor
women’s basketball The women’s basketball team had an incredible start to their season. They annihilated Becker 80-20 in the first round of the Worcester City Tournament on Saturday, November 15. Brooke Brennan (‘16) lead the Cougars with twenty points. However, the team lost to WPI the next day in the finals of the tournament 75-69, and then again lost to Fitchburg State 74-67 on Tuesday, November 18.
men’s basketball The men’s basketball team had a rough start to the season, as they dropped their opening game 77-70 to Fitchburg State on Tuesday, November 18.
men’s swimming & diving The men’s swimming and diving team defeated Bridgewater State 149.5-113.5 on Saturday, November 15. David Powers (‘16), Steven Castiglione (‘18), Jack Hall (‘15), Mark Crisafulli (‘16), and Vladislav Kiveliyk (‘17) all won individual events.
women’s swimming & diving The women’s swimming and diving team defeated Bridgewater State 162-118 on Saturday, November 15. Karina Urquhart (‘17), Liz Barker (‘15), Melissa Orzechowski (‘17), Natalie Omary (‘15), and Niki Lew (‘17) all won individual events.
Men’s Basketball Team Drops Close Home Opener By Dalton Phillips scarlet staff
Swarms of fans packed the seats, cheering and shuffling as the players took the court. The clock was set, the ball went up, and the Clark men’s basketball season began. With the strong rookie class from last year finally poised to play a big role and the return of many key members, this seasoned unit is looking to make a big splash in the NEWMAC this year. The teamwork and drive is there, and despite losing 77-70, the season opener gave the fans much to look forward to in the coming months. The game began a little erratically. Fitchburg State presented an aggressive, athletic unit that intercepted Clark’s initial pass after the tip-off into and converted an easy layup on the other end. This slow start was quickly answered by David Mercier (’17), who scored six of the first eight points to put Clark up early. His continual energy propelled the offense throughout the game, even stepping behind the line to drain a couple threes. He finished with 23 points and nine rebounds and seems poised for a breakout season. Initially both teams appeared a little jittery, as fouls came quickly and often. With 9:39 left in the first half Fitchburg put Clark in the bonus with a hard foul on point guard Luke Lalima (’17). Clark went on a run to cut an eight point lead to two with 5:08
photos by saroya madlala
remaining, and lead 32-28 at the half. Fitchburg opened the second half with a post-up play, hoping to spark some offense. This led to a monster block down low and quick outlet by the Cougars, resulting in an easy fast
break layup off a beautiful assist from Lalima. For a moment it appeared the Cougars had gotten in rhythm, continued on page 13
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
The Scarlet congratulates:
Kiah Murphy (‘15) on being named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-New England Second Team.
sports | 13
Fantasy Football Add/ Drop for Week 11 By Ethan Giles sports editor
Men’s Basketball Continued continued on page 12
but Fitchburg quickly answered with an 11-5 run to tie the game back up. Both teams exchanged baskets trying to get the upper hand, sparked by a quick flurry of threes from swingman Conor Dow (’15), who scored nine points in a four minute span. The score went back and forth for a while, however down the stretch the cougars simply could not stop Fitchburg from behind the threepoint arc. With seven minutes to go Andrew Musler (’15) buried a top of the key triple to cut the lead to one, but Clark trailed the remainder of the game as FSU shot 57 percent from the floor in the final twenty minutes. Overall, they connected on 36 percent of their threes and shot 45 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Clark experienced an icy night from downtown, connecting on only eight of
their 32 three-point attempts. Some unforced turnovers and missed looks late in the game put the home team down eight with two minutes remaining, and the game concluded in a seven point defeat even after a furious last-minute rally. The loss, while unfortunate, was filled with positive takeaways. Backup guard Joe Atkinson (’17) tallied a career-high eight assists and Vuk Baletic (‘17) made his season debut with five points and three rebounds in eight minutes of action. The poor shooting performance is somewhat expected in the first game of a season, and otherwise the team appeared to be firing on all cylinders. Despite what the scoreboard read this Clark team has made enormous strides in the last year alone; if this game was any indication, it is going to be an exciting year for the men’s basketball team.
ADD • Coby Fleener, TE, Indianapolis Colts: The Colts tight end has exploded in his past two games, catching 11 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. Fleener has an easy schedule coming up, with games against poor defenses like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Washington NFL Team, and the Tennessee Titans. Mix that with Colts starting tight end Dwayne Allen’s gimpy ankle, and Fleener should have a few good weeks ahead of him. Fleener is owned in 57.6 percent of espn.com leagues and 26.8 percent of nfl.com leagues. • Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns: The Browns surprisingly cut Ben Tate on Tuesday, so Crowell should see at least half the carries going forward. Cleveland will play some porous run defenses like the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts, so pick up Isaiah if you want to make the rest of your league eat Crowell. He is owned in 51.3 percent of espn.com leagues and 16 percent of nfl.com leagues.
DROP • Greg Jennings, WR, Minnesota Vikings: Jennings is somehow always on fantasy teams, but his production has not mirrored his reputation. He has scored the 59th most points out of all fantasy receivers this year, and is not at all worth a roster spot. Cut Jennings. He can no longer put the team on his back. • Jim Dray, TE, Cleveland Browns: A few fantasy owners have recently picked up Dray now that Browns starting tight end Jordan Cameron is out indefinitely with a concussion. Unfortunately, Jim has produced very little this year, catching only five passes for 99 yards over his past four games. Now-a-days everybody wanna talk like they got something to say, but nothin’ comes out when they move their lips, just a bunch of gibberish, and fantasy owners can forget about Dray.
BUY LOW Ben Tate, RB, Minnesota Vikings: After his release from the Cleveland Browns, it appeared that the running back’s value had Ben Tainted. But now that Adrian Peterson has been officially suspended for the rest of the season, the Vikings have claimed Tate off waivers. With both Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon in the Minnesota backfield, it is unclear what Tate’s role will be going forward. However, he has the potential to be the running back that he was expected to be on the Browns. See if you can trade for him for a discount.
SELL HIGH • Jonas Gray, RB, New England Patriots: Gray went nuts last week. He carried the ball 38 times for 199 yards and four touchdowns. His name is Jonas, but he won’t be carrying the Patriots every week. The Patriots will play solid run defenses like the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills. Look to get good value for Gray by trading him to a Patriots fan in your league.
photo by saroya madlala
The Scarlet
14 | sports
november 20, 2014
COUGAR of the WEEK
by Scott Levine
Steven Castiglione (’18) has competed in less than five events as a diver for Clark, but has already set the Clark record for highest score on the 1-meter board against Babson on October 1. He is undefeated.
Scarlet: So, congrats on the new record. Castiglione: Thanks, everything was right that meet. I was very nervous, actually, because it was the first meet in which I had to go up against someone, and they had been diving in college for four years, so I was scared. But it was a good meet. The judges were very generous, but I was on point with what I do. Scarlet: Which dives helped you set the record? Castiglione: [On] my forward one and a half somersault pike I got a nine out of ten, and my forward two somersaults pike, I got a couple nines on. Scarlet: Were you more or less nervous after those dives? Castiglione: More nervous. I didn’t realize I got the nines until halfway through when someone told me, so that really got my nerves going. It’s just, you don’t really see them that often, so it’s kind of nerve racking.
photo by jonathan edelman
Steven Castiglione men’s swimming and diving
Scarlet: It must not help nerves that diving is one of the later events, too. Castiglione: Actually it’s right in the middle of the other events, and it doesn’t help that everything is dead silent and everyone is staring at you. But when you’re on the board, everything just fades away and you get in the zone. Scarlet: How did the last meet against Bridgewater State go for you? Castiglione: This last meet against Bridgewater State, I slipped off the board because it was very slippery. I still competed and ended up winning my events, but [I] had never hit the board before, so it was just scary. Scarlet: What’s the hardest part about diving? Castiglione: Just being on the board. It’s weird to think that, but the hardest part is that you have to think through your whole dive. One small mistake, and you could land in a funny way and you could break your arm, or break your neck. And knowing that, you can’t be afraid to get on the board. You just gotta keep going. When I’m on the board and I’m really scared, I think, “Well, the worst thing that can happen is you die.” Scarlet: That doesn’t sound like it would help calm your nerves. Castiglione: It does, though.
Scarlet: Okay, so it just gives you a sense of detachment? I understand. How did you get into diving? Castiglione: I didn’t like swimming, and I thought, “I still want to be on a team,” and I was pretty good at doing flips, so I started diving my sophomore year of high school. I was shit, so I went to a training camp over the summer. And then my junior year I went to States, and my senior year I ranked in the top six of high school divers in Southern Connecticut. Scarlet: Any particular reasons why you were so good at flips? Castiglione: Well, I did have a trampoline, and I always would be on that. Scarlet: So you must be used to getting hurt while trying to flip, then. Castiglione: (Laughs) Oh, yeah. Once, I tried do a flip off the trampoline onto the ground, and I landed on my back. Scarlet: Oof, yeah. I tried that once, but I needed to get an old mattress from my attic to land on to muster up the confidence to land on the ground. Castiglione: Yeah. I also did some gymnastics, not enough to call myself a gymnast, but I’ve always been flexible, which helps. Scarlet: What are practices like being the only male diver? Castiglione: Well there are other divers, and there’s a lot of camaraderie between us. Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t know any of these people, I didn’t know anyone. But we’ve already become such a knit family. We’re not really with the swim team, but we’re still really close with them. And when we go to meets, we’re very close with the other divers. We spend the whole meet practicing with them. Scarlet: Do you feel any separation from the rest of the team as a diver? Castiglione: Not at all. I’m sure they like having a guy diver so that they don’t lose points, but they treat me like I’m one of their own. It is called the swimming and diving team, after all [laughs]. Castiglione and the rest of the men’s swimming and diving team will participate in the WPI Gompei Invitational mere yards away from Clark from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 7.
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
puzzles | 15
The Scarlet/Puzzles CROSSWORD by Ted Randich 1 7
2
3
8
25
27
SUDOKU
4
5
9
6
26
10
11 28
29
12
13 30
15
16
14
17
31
18
19
20
32 33 34
21
22
35 37
DOWN 1. Not a lager. 2. Precedes flow. 3. Weird. 4. Concerning the past. 5. Ducked, dived, dipped. 6. Starting point en route to grave. 7. Scissor function. 8. What you might call milk’s favorite cookie with your mouth full of one. 9. Frequently. 10. British record label.
23
24
1 6 4 7 2 9 4 2 1 9 4 2 3 8 3 2 6 6 4 8 2 6 9 2 4 7 1 2
6 3
1 5
Puzzle by websudoku.com
36 38
11. E.g. Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 12. On-campus dorm reps. 13. Nautical journey. 14. Prefix to willikers. 15. Lenten holiday. 16. Smashes and bangs. 17. Deep water gear. 18. Medical pen. 19. Clark Frisbee team nickname. 20. Inedible shell. 21. Tail action. 22. Sick.
23. Appreciative compensation. 24. Charged atom. ACROSS 2. Chandler St. eatery. 4. Augment. 7. Pig, e.g. 15. I.e. some intro classes. 25. Walking buddy. 26. Canoe propeller. 27. Massachusetts industrial town. 28. Good quality for cheese,
wine. 29. Rhode Island industrial town. 30. Don’t get too close! 31. New Hampshire industrial town. 32. Swipe.
33. Connecticut industrial town. 34. Hawthorne St. dept. 35. Car travel club. 36. Apple staple. 37. Clark icon nickname. 38. Urban greeting.
THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS IN NEXT ISSUE
16 | puzzles
The Scarlet
november 20, 2014
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
Police Logs written by Mehr Gunawardena
Last week (November 4-11), University Police responded to 9 medical emergencies, 2 heating problems, 10 fire alarms, aided 6 money transports, secured 14 buildings, responded to 2 Emergency Box calls, assisted Worcester Police 5 times, responded to 6 suspicious persons/activities, responded to 9 lockout of building calls, 9 burglar alarms, 2 Larceny/ Forgery/frauds, performed 8 miscellaneous services, and, 1 encounter with narcotics.
CROSSWORD F M A T O M R O T O M T H O O D Y A S P E N WI S E N W G E M O M A B O A
A C R A L Y A O R N D F E L L A M M E
C T A N K S N I A O K E N D R D E A S U N Y U N L E S L T K A A A R N D P
SUDOKU I
E E S K C A T T H C P E Y T E A L P
3 5 4 7 1 8 9 6 2
6 1 9 4 2 3 8 5 7
2 7 8 6 5 9 1 4 3
8 2 3 5 7 4 6 1 9
5 9 1 3 6 2 4 7 8
7 4 6 8 9 1 3 2 5
1 6 2 9 3 7 5 8 4
9 8 7 1 4 5 2 3 6
Puzzle by websudoku.com
what happens in The Scarlet office at 3:23 a.m. stays in the The Scarlet office... sort of
“So when I’m done with this article, we can swap.” - Sarah “I’m not on the meal plan; I can’t swap.” - Jeremy “Haha, hahahaha, hahahahaha. I’m Jeremy.” - Nik “You compliment people like rabbis” - Giles to Matt “How am I rabbi-y?” - Matt “Calling people ‘blessings’ is the most rabbi-y compliment you could give.” -Jenna “Can you call him ‘a famous Internet meme’?” - Giles “He IS a famous Internet meme.” - Sarah “We just report the truth.” - Jenna
“Can everyone lean in for a second? I have an idea. Let’s lean in.” - Matt “Larts - oh, I just called you ‘larts’...” - Sarah to Matt “Is that all that I am to you?” - Matt “On the face-cragedness scale of one to Mad-Eye Moody, he ranks around a Neil Young.” - Matt “Memmer. This is not a cello suite. This is the literal opposite of a cello suite.” Jenna “Stream. Stream. It’s like a river that flows.” - Sarah
4 3 5 2 8 6 7 9 1