April 2019

A

the

This Land Is Not Your Land

By Grace Ruble ’21 News Editor

Hobart and William Smith Colleges value history. Students waiting in line to matriculate are quizzed by the Orientation Team on fun facts like the founding dates of each college. Every admissions tour involves a stop at the Elizabeth Blackwell statue, and anyone who’s taken a Women’s Studies class knows how close we are to historic Seneca Falls. However, there’s a history that we don’t talk about much on this campus, a history that is often ignored, or, when it’s not ignored, misrepresented. It’s invisible to the community, even though it should be something we consider every time we step outside: the history of the land beneath our feet and whom it belongs to.

One not-well-known-enough fact about HWS and the surrounding town of Geneva is that before it was HWS and Geneva it was Kanadesaga, an important town for the Seneca Nation, one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people. Specifically, Kanadesaga was located at what is now the intersection of North Street and Preemption Road. Before the Seneca people moved to Kanadesaga, the site of HWS’ own Fribolin Farm was another Seneca settlement called White Springs. Only 40 minutes away is the Ganondagan State Historic Site, an even earlier settlement where the Seneca people lived until the summer of 1687 when they were driven out by the French. Today, Ganondagan is a park and museum that aims to educate visitors about Seneca history. However, these important Indigenous sites are much less talked about and visited by the student body than the more well-known and whiter history sites.

On September 7, 1779, General Sullivan’s American troops destroyed Kanadesaga in a “scorch and burn” campaign under the orders of George Washington as retaliation for the Seneca people’s association with the British in the Revolutionary War, despite the fact that some Haudenosaunee people fought with the

American colonists. Washington said the goals of the campaign were “total destruction and devastation of the settlements and capture [of] as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible,” and that “It will be essential to ruin their crops and the ground and prevent their planting more.” Though the Seneca people avoided the campaign because of advance knowledge of the advancing colonial army, their home was destroyed as they were forced to evacuate to the west. One of the only surviving elements of Kanadesaga were the fruit trees that William Smith would eventually use make his fortune, the fortune that would later found William Smith College. Today, the Seneca nation occupies a fraction of the land it once did.

Stories like this are all too familiar to anyone who is aware of the horrific injustices of early American history and the brutal colonization inflicted upon America’s Indigenous peoples. And these injustices are reflected and remembered in Haudenosaunee history. According to the museum at Ganondagan, the Haudenosaunee name for “George Washington or any other U.S. president” literally translates

Arts Campus Has Real Issues

By Niki Russell ’19 Herald Contributor

The arts campus seems like a faraway, mystical place to many students here at HWS, but for 21 percent of the student population it is a very real part of each week. Anyone who has taken a class there knows that it is not at all mystical and, indeed, very far away.

The campus consist of three buildings: Houghton House, Carriage, and Elliott. Houghton House is home to the art history and architecture students and professors, as well as the Davis Gallery. The house is also where many mandatory and extra credit lectures and events are held.

Carriage belongs to the video and photography students and professors and also contains a computer lab, black room, printing room and photography studio. Elliott hosts all studio art classes as well as the materials and tools needed for each medium: painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture.

About 500 students took at least one class

on the arts campus during this school year, and there are currently 193 architecture, art history, and studio art majors or minors at the school. While the campus is beautiful, the classes great, the supply of materials and tools ample, and the professors awesome, there are several unfortunate issues these students are forced to endure. Several are issues that I, as a senior studio art major, am frankly sick of.

One can get to the arts campus a few different ways: the shuttle (which runs from 7:42 p.m. to 12:42 a.m. on weekdays and a little later on weekends), a car, a friend’s car, a bike, or a nice long walk. A student walking or biking can reach the campus via either end of a oneway road called Kings Lane. The lane begins on South Main Street, winds through some woods, and brings you to campus. It then moves past Houghton House, Carriage, and Elliott, is a straight shot through more woods, and exits onto Jay Street, which Pulteney Street adjoins.

Art campus… continued page 4

to “devourer of villages.” The town of Geneva, in contrast, erased this history by celebrating the “victory” of the Sullivan campaign with parades and speeches for years following.

After the Seneca people were forced off their land, the land that eventually became HWS and the surrounding town of Geneva was acquired by a British speculation company called the Pulteney Association through a series of legal loopholes that allowed a British company to purchase land at a time when it was illegal for non-Americans to do so. Eventually that land became the land upon which Hobart College, and later William Smith, were founded.

The fact that the Seneca people were forced off their land alone is enough to warrant more discussion of the history of the land at HWS. But the way HWS has reflected this Indigenous history throughout the years is even more problematic. Bringing up issues of Indigenous land and representation at Hobart typically leads back to one topic: the legend of the Hobart oar presumed to have belonged to Seneca warrior, Agayentah.

The general understanding about the Hobart oar is that it is guarded by the Druids

Feminist Activism on Campus

By Olivia Rowland ’21 Copy Editor & Herald Staff

Anonymous social media accounts are commonplace at schools, and HWS is no exception. While most of these accounts are primarily focused on entertainment, there is one anonymous Instagram account at HWS with a more serious purpose: @ bossbitchtheory, which has been posting about feminist theory and feminist issues on campus since the fall of 2017. The Herald met with the owner of the account, who wished to remain anonymous, to discuss how it got started and what impact it has had on campus.

Boss Bitch Theory began as a final project for a feminist theory class. The seven students in the class felt that social media was an important form of activism, especially as a way to make feminist theory more accessible to people who might not know much about it. And since an Instagram page would be easier to participate in than a club, the students thought that it would be able to reach more students.

As for the name, “Boss Bitch Theory just came to us,” says the student who runs the account. “It’s feminist theory, and everyone calls you a bitch, and we were kind of reclaiming that word. And you never really hear people be like, ‘Oh, you’re a boss’ to girls, and not often are women bosses in the literal sense.”

The main goal of the account, then, has been increasing feminist awareness on campus about local issues at HWS and issues of global concern. Accordingly, the account mixes general feminist text posts and images with pictures relating directly to HWS. One popular type of post comes from the series “Texts from HWS,” which shows screenshots of texts students received from other students harassing them and explains why harassment is never acceptable.

Above: Students walk to class from the arts campus

The Herald

Established 1879

By and for the Students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges

www.HWSHerald.com

Alex Kerai, Editor-in-Chief

Wren Andrews, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Albright Dwarka & Henry Duerr, Podcast Editors

Ani Freedman, Chief Photographer

Gianna Gonzalez & Audrey Platt, Social Media

Alex Kerai, Web Editor

Olivia Rowland, Copy Editor

Grace Ruble, News Editor

Contributors

Wren Andrews

Elise Donovan

Ani Freedman

Will Fuller

Alex Kerai

Layout

Alex Kerai

Grace Ruble

Copy Editing Olivia Rowland

Alex Kerai

Charlie Wilson

Olivia Rowland

Grace Ruble

Niki Russell

Ryan Skinner Tayah Payne

Distribution

Alex Kerai

Sarah Walters

Grace Ruble Wren Andrews

Submission Guidelines

The Herald is currently accepting submissions for our upcom ing issue. The deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.

Must include the:

1. Name and Class Year

2. Individual phone number or e-mail E-mail submissions must be made via file attachment.

If criteria are not met , The Herald may not be able to print the submission.

Dear Readers of the Herald,

With April here – although it certainly does not feel like it yet –the time has arrived for a celebration of academic achievement and athletic excellence in anticipation of this year’s commencement. However, something will be a bit different…

As Grace Ruble chronicles in her excellent piece on Native land at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the place where you picked this newspaper up, and probably where you are reading it, were once the lands of Native tribes who were later massacred and exiled by white settlers. She also chronicles the initiative, led by Hobart Dean Khuram Hussain and the Hobart Dean’s Council, to acknowledge this land and recgonize the impact it has on our traditions and our education. It is work that is important – our history here is important – and the work of all students in beginning to recgonize that is essential moving forward.

This issue of the Herald is really fascinating in that it covers a lot of the problem-solvers at HWS – people who are not taking a backseat to apathy but are working to establish to change and bring to light injustice or inequity on campus. Grace’s article is only one example: Olivia Rowland profiles the feminist activist Instagram account Boss Bitch Theory while William Smith Congress promotes their new pilot program for free menstrual hygeine products and Niki Russell writes about the lack of sidewalk and food (among other things) for students at the arts campus. These are students who are taking charge, leading, and instituting change.

However, they should not be the only ones.

As we near the end of the academic year, it is imperative that voices are heard so that there is enough time to make change before the next group of students arrive. Already, these groups on campus – like William Smith Congress and Boss Bitch Theory – are in a place to foster change. It is important that they are not the only ones. This is our school – our community – and it is important that we help it remain current throughout the years. Things change, people change, instutitions change; what matters is that we remember and acknowledge the change without being stuck in the past. Over halfa-century ago, people used to dress up as Agayentah and Bart and put on plays, but here we are, in 2019, having a discussion about our traditions, heritage, and past as it relates to the original settlers. If people and institutions never evolved, that sort of conversation would never have happened.

But they do. They change because of you. Because you see an injustice or inequity and decide to stand up for what you believe is right.

That time to make a stand is not ending because it is April and the weather is going to be nice and the water will be warm enough for swimming – it is ending because most people have decided not to make their voices heard and so the cycle continues. I recgonize that I am saying a lot of what I normally say in these letters – that people, the students, need to act if they want anything to happen – but that is because most people don’t act, and when people do act it works! Look at these pages, look at our past issues, as examples of that.

This message is not going to be any less urgent in the coming weeks. You can wait around for summer to come and to be offcampus, but these issues will be prevelant in this community or another. All that matters now is how much you care you about them. The responsibility is on you as people of this community to stand up for what you think is right.

The time is now to make a change, to pass on the lessons you have learned. I hope you will seize this opportunity. I hope you will leave your mark on these Colleges. I hope you will be a force for good, positive change.

I cannot wait to see what you do next…

Sincerely, Alex Kerai Editor-in-Chief of the Herald

Davis Gallery: Now What?!

By Grace Ruble ’21 News Editor

The Davis Gallery’s current exhibit Now What?! Advocacy, Activism and Alliances in American Architecture since 1968 is a departure from the paintings and sculptures usually on display. This gallery, which is the first installment the Davis Gallery has hosted focused on architecture, is an interactive exhibit which invites visitors to fill in the gaps on a timeline of the history of architecture that spans the walls of the gallery. The exhibit aims to draw attention to the contributions of women, people of color and LGBTQ+ in architecture, which often goes unacknowledged. The interactive portion of the exhibit is refreshing since it is not often that museums or galleries acknowledge that those coming into the exhibition might have some degree of expertise to bring to the table as well.

In addition to drawing attention to those whose work has often gone overlooked in architecture, the gallery also aims to “inspire a new generation of design professionals to see themselves as agents of change by looking at the past to see new ways forward.” Hopefully galleries like Now

What?! will help ensure that the work of everyone in the current generation of architects is acknowledged from here on out.

Interested students can visit the Now What?! exhibit and make their own contributions to the timeline until April 12, 2019. The Davis Gallery is open MondayFriday 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturdays 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Student Trustees Runoff Election

By Elise Donovan ’22 Herald Staff

After a close runoff election, it was decided that Hobart student Albright Dwarka ‘21 and William Smith student Audrey Platt ‘21 would be the newest student additions to the Hobart and William Smith Colleges Board of Trustees.

The Student Trustee position consists of aiding the Board of Trustees in decision making and voting and acting as a student voice for different issues and initiatives. In this year’s election, there was a pool of 10 candidates, with two from Hobart and seven from William Smith. In order to differentiate themselves, Audrey Platt and Albright Dwarka worked tirelessly to construct their campaigns, through designing and printing hundreds of posters, as well as constructing and communicating a distinct platform to their respective school populations. To get their points across and better develop these campaign strategies, they participated in a “Meet the Candidates” Q & A forum organized by the Office of Student Activities, where each candidate spoke to a number of questions posed by both students and current Student Trustees.

The questions posed to the candidates regarded their own experiences on campus, what they find to be some of the largest issues facing HWS, underrepresented student populations, and unpopular opinions that they hold. While both Dwarka and Platt had more extensive answers while on the panel, I caught up with them post-election to record some more of their thoughts.

Albright Dwarka, originally from Schenectady, and pursuing a

Land

and passed from one senior Hobart class to the next at the Hobart Launch during Senior Week. Graduating Hobart students receive their own mini-oar, which is supposed to remind them of their time of Hobart and the fact that they are the determiners of their own lives. This tradition has been practiced on and off since the original oar was found by a member of the class of 1859. There would be no reason to question this tradition if it did not also come with the vague tale of the oar’s connection to Agayentah and the Seneca people, whose land HWS now sits upon.

Many current HWS students don’t know who Agayentah was, though old issues of the Herald suggest that he was talked about very colloquially in the past and would have been known of by every student. Upon initial examination of the story, it is unclear whether Agayentah was a real person or a legendary figure. And if he was a legendary figure, who made him up? Supposedly, Agayentah was a Seneca warrior who perished in the lake (there are at least three variations as to how) and whose spirit was preserved in the form of an unusual tree, which then traveled around the lake preceded by a booming noise from the water. The unusual tree in the story is the one from which the original Hobart oar was supposedly carved. (There have been at least two different Hobart oars since due to time and theft). Professor Jeff Anderson of Anthropology, whose research focuses on Native American culture and history, has said that he’s “found no Seneca story that relates to [Agayentah] or his relationship with the lake.” Despite the fact that the source of the legend does not seem to be Indigenous, the story spread around the area. As early as 1875 the Little Falls Gazette published a version of the Agayentah story, showing that the perpetuation of the legend was not unique to HWS.

Perhaps the most troubling outcome of the dissemination of the Agayentah stories is the rampant cultural appropriation and disrespect that occurred at HWS regarding Agayentah and by extension Indigenous people as a whole in the 1950s. In 1947 the Herald reprinted the story of Agayentah, saying, “We are reprinting the legend in the hope that it will become part of the Hobart tradition.” And it certainly did, though not in a positive manner. The Hobart class of 1951, who would’ve read the article as first-years, gave a statue of Agayentah to the school as their class gift. The statue was almost immediately sent into a cycle of disrespect, being repeatedly stolen and vandalized until it was moved out of sight and put in Bristol Gym. Around the same time, Agayentah began being used as a mascot for Hobart sporting events. Students and even former Hobart President Brown would dress up as the figure and perform a “snake dance” at pep rallies. Thankfully, this is no longer the Colleges’ practice. However, incidents such as these illustrate how HWS’ relationship with the Indigenous people whose land the Colleges are built upon has oscillated between blind ignorance and blatant disrespect for many years.

Though one can sort through many versions of the Agayentah legend in previous issues of the Herald and other local newspapers, the conclusion one must come to after all this reading boils down to the conclusion made by the Hobart Dean’s Council in its own research of the oar, supported by Dean Khuram Hussain. They concluded that “there were various

double major with a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.A. in Economics, hopes to combine his many skills acquired through different positions on campus to create important and lasting change. Having worked as Secretary of Hobart Student Government, a Residential Assistant, IT Services Member, and Herald Podcast Editor, Dwarka has leveraged his involvement to gain knowledge and skills of the concerns of students as well as gained the ability to meet and interact with different people around campus to deal with these concerns. When asked what issues he finds to be the most pressing on campus, Dwarka responded not with a list of problems, but with solutions. “This semester I will be working with others to create a student space in Bartlett Theatre and with Dining Services to increase late-night dining options and address the issue of meal plans,” Dwarka said.

In addition to being able to advocate for the voices of students on campus to make a difference, Dwarka is excited to see how decisions are made on the Board, and how students and the trustees work in collaboration to better HWS as an institution. To do this, Dwarka hopes to talk to people who are usually unheard around campus to bring their ideas to the table.

In terms of unpopular opinions, Dwarka holds the belief that “you shouldn’t waste time doing unnecessary things,” which Dwarka explains stems from the idea of being a “lazy programmer,” a term he learned through his work in computer programming.

Student

iterations [of the legend of the oar] generated by Hobart students throughout the early 20th century, but no real historical evidence of an actual tie to the Seneca.” As a result of these findings, Dean Hussain and the Hobart Dean’s Council organized a panel to discuss the past, present and future of the Hobart oar.

The panel took place on March 26 in the Seneca Room, overlooking the lake named after the people HWS has so often failed to respect and remember. The panel consisted of Hobart alum Pat Solomon ’92, who has played on both the Hobart and Iroquois National lacrosse teams and has served as a tribal lawyer at Thomas and Solomon LLP; Peter Jemison, a member of the Heron Clan of the Seneca Nation and an educator and Historic Site Manager at Ganondagan; Professor of Anthropology Jeff Anderson; the Rt. Rev. Dr. Prince G. Singh, eighth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester and HWS Trustee; and Nicole Scott, the director for the Native American Future Stewards Program at Rochester Institute of Technology and a Diné (Navajo) of The Red Running Into Water Clan born for Big Water Clan.

The members of the panel brought various perspectives to Hobart and its history. Jemison brought his expertise on the history of the Haudenosaunee people, giving a history of the Seneca people’s past in the area and reminding the audience of their present, saying, “Although many historians have fallen into the trap of believing that we are a vanishing group, I’m here to testify that we are alive and well.” Scott talked about her experiences working with current Native American students in higher education and asked those at the panel to consider how the oar and the history of HWS’ land might make potential Indigenous

about the Indigenous history that took place where they’re located. However, HWS could easily exit this period of silence, and events such as the panel are a good place to start.

One simple way HWS could start to acknowledge this history is with a land acknowledgement statement that would be read at public events. This acknowledgement would be especially fitting at events like lacrosse games, since it is originally a Seneca sport and Haudenosaunee teams used to play Hobart with regularity before NCAA rules made it an impossibility. Panelist Scott proposed that if the Hobart oar continues to be used as a symbol of connection to the Seneca people, then it must also be a reminder that the Seneca people are from a matrilineal society, which could be an important reminder for Hobart students, especially in a time when HWS is also contending with how the coordinate nature of the Colleges perpetuates gender roles.

Another potential form of acknowledgement brought up at the panel is one that is already happening, though without much publicity. Last year, students in an Environmental Studies FSEM planted crops native to the area, which the Seneca people would have eaten, at Fribolin Farm. Becoming more educated about the land by eating and planting what and where the Seneca people did so many years ago is another way HWS could acknowledge its land’s history.

In the Herald’s interview with Professor Anderson, he also mentioned other relatively simple steps that could be taken, such as ensuring that the Haudenosaunee flag is included at Convocation and Commencement, establishing and maintaining a cultural group and supports for current Native American students, and teaching a less Eurocentric curriculum, which he reiterated as potential actions that could be taken at the panel.

students feel. She said, “If a tale is keeping students from feeling like this is a place for them to go to school, for them to be a part of this community, is that doing more damage than good? Really look at the story you’re telling with this paddle … how is that going to invite Native students to come to this college campus and how is that going to make them want to be here and be a Hobart student?” Anderson shared his research on Hobart’s specific history of Agayentah and the oar, much of which informed the historical accounts in this article. Rev. Singh discussed how Hobart could reexamine its history considering that the Episcopal Church, of which Hobart founder John Henry Hobart was a bishop, has now rejected the doctrine of discovery, saying, “in acknowledging the past it is probably most important to say ‘We were wrong.’”

After the panelists made their initial remarks, there was a discussion of what HWS should do both with the oar and in acknowledging this history in a larger way. It was one of the few times there has been any recent public acknowledgement that HWS sits on dishonestly acquired Indigenous land or that we have treated the few remaining people who originally called this place home with such disrespect. It seems that HWS is currently in another period of silence surrounding the history of HWS’ land when many other institutions are choosing to be more upfront

However, before the Colleges can do any of that, we need to listen, acknowledge and show support for those whose stories aren’t told on our campus. When introducing the Q&A portion of the panel at the discussion about the Hobart oar, Dean Khuram Hussain said: “I do believe that for us who are in positions of administration at the institution, tonight is a night to listen and learn.” Progress will only be made in acknowledging our history if all students, faculty and administration adopt this willingness to listen. Change and acknowledgement will not come unless both Hobart and William Smith students show that we care about acknowledging an accurate version of the Colleges’ history.

In reference to a question about how best to go about acknowledging and moving forward, Scott said, “Someone had mentioned ‘How do you make up for wrongdoings in the past?’ You can’t. I think it’s unfair to place what people did centuries ago on people today because it wasn’t you who went out into these communities, but there is a point where you decide, ‘Well, what can I do to help? How can I make a difference so that people aren’t being left behind?’ Because really, how is that diminishing who you are if you’re helping somebody else who didn’t have the same opportunities you did?” Though it is still unclear what actions the Colleges will take to better acknowledge their past and brighten their future, it seems clear from the history and discussions that are being had that the Colleges must take consequential action to do better by both past, present and future Indigenous peoples to remain a place that can encourage its students to lead lives of consequence.

Photo Credit: Ani Freedman for the Herald

News & Opinion

Geneva Music Scene: Shrimps

By Wren Andrews ’21 and Tayah Payne ’22 Arts & Entertainment Editor and Herald Staff

scene in Geneva?

Welcome back to the Geneva Music Series – a column focused on illuminating the musical venues, artists, histories, and opportunities across Geneva, both on and off campus. This issue, we interviewed Brady Leo, one of two members of the local band Shrimps. Shrimps has been a prominent part of the Geneva music scene over the years, playing at local venues, putting out music, and collaborating with HWS students and faculty in theatre productions and other musical collaborations. In their own words, “Shrimps is an electronic music duo from Geneva, NY. A collaboration between Joe Calabrese and B. Leo, the band’s primary focus is placed on performance, accenting an organic element often absent in the presence of synthesizers. Their debut release, 2011’s the SLOP EP, showcases their love of pop, funk and the palette of sounds provided by vintage video game consoles. They have performed in Rochester, Philadelphia and New York City and have contributed music to numerous compilations.”

The Herald (TH): So, tell us little bit about Shrimps!

Brady Leo (BL): [Shrimps is] usually a pretty strict duo between me and Joe, but we almost always bring in guests and do collaborations. I play guitar, I do synthesizer stuff, I sing, and I also do some programming – like drum programming – and then Joe’s role is predominantly drumming, keyboards, synthesizer and occasionally bass guitar. In terms of our music? I guess it’s rock, for lack of a better term. I don’t like to be that pretentious guy and say “my music defies genres,” but I could do that. I’ve heard it a million times, like, “I don’t know what to call you guys –techno?” And I’m like no, we’re not techno … we’re electronic. Techno is like hard dance music, and that’s not what we do. If you really break it down and take the electronics away, they’re rock songs basically. Maybe they’re funkier rock songs, but they’re like kind of a pop-rock-format.

TH: And how would you describe the music

BL: Geneva has a rich history of music. When my dad was around in the late sixties and the seventies, everybody played music, there were bands – and that music was huge, it was blowing up. But my dad swears up and down that when they changed the drinking age to 21, it killed the local music scene pretty much everywhere – the 18-20-year-old crowd is a big crowd that wants to go out and hear live music! So that really hurt things, but music in Geneva was still really alive and well in the 90s. Then in the 2000s, the music scene kind of dried up. Like, our first gig ever was just right outside of Times Square in New York, right off of Broadway, then we played Rochester, and Philadelphia, I think all before we played in Geneva, because there was nothing here. But that’s also the era when Gym Class Heroes broke out and became what was arguably the most successful band that’s ever come out of Geneva. So that’s interesting in itself. But today? It’s pretty solid. Because Geneva is – I hate to say, like, ready for it –but ten years ago? Geneva wasn’t ready for what we were doing in terms of businesses and venues. There was no place for us to do this weird stuff. Today, there are good venues, there are good local businesses that are willing to book a wide variety of bands – though I would like to see the local scene branch out a little bit more. But it’s a start! That being said, maybe there is a rich music scene out there and I’ve missed it the last four months because it’s been too cold to go out! But that’s the other thing – it’s cyclical. The music scene kind of disappears in the winter, and people start to show up and do stuff in the summer.

TH: And that’s what this series is all about!

Trying to get more people interested and aware of the music scene in Geneva, no matter the season – not only to encourage more consumption of local music, but also to let young musicians know that there are opportunities out there for them to play gigs, that there is a demand for more music. I think

the music scene here is definitely growing and changing, accommodating the existing musicians while making room for new voices (literally). But how would you describe your role in as it pertains to music in Geneva? Like, where does Shrimps fit into that?

BL: This is a tricky question! I don’t really give much thought as to where I fit in – or where we fit in – in the whole scope of Geneva music. Shrimps is predominantly an original act, and I’m very fortunate to be able to play original music in Geneva. We do covers sometimes, but for the most part we’re playing our own stuff, which isn’t always widely accepted, you know? Like in hotel bars, people want to hear songs they know: they want to hear standards and classics and all that. And we don’t want to subject people to things that they don’t want to hear – that’s no fun! So, like, The Ramada is probably not going to book us ever. People ask me, “why don’t you play live after five?” –we would get murdered there! It’s just not the right room.

So, in terms of how we fit into things, we’re basically always trying to do something interesting that makes us laugh, and if it makes us laugh, then there’s a chance it will make other people laugh. We’re not a comedy band per se, but I always say that 20 to maybe 30 percent of Shrimps is humor. I pretty much just do stuff that’s fun and makes me laugh, and if people want to let me do that in their business, or at their event, I’m very thankful!

TH: So, would you ever play anywhere else? Like, are you satisfied with the scene in Geneva today? It obviously has grown a lot since your first gig – is there a decided space for Shrimps now?

BL: Yeah, so, if the opportunity arises, we’ll do it, but we’re not really looking to go out on tour. We could play some shows and have some fun, but do I have to go to Boise, Idaho, to play in front of like 20 people so I can spread my brand across the country? When I can literally walk down the street to Kashong Creek, grab some cider, and

Arts Campus

The walk to any of the three buildings from main campus is a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes.

This time-consuming commute is a big issue for those students with back-to-back classes and only ten minutes to get from class A to class B. Students with a class on the arts campus followed by a class on campus, or vice versa, are forced to sprint from one to the other or be late. Arts campus professors are occasionally nice enough to “unofficially” push back the start of their class, due to the number of students who are simply unable to make it there on time.

The elements add a whole next level of difficulty. On a lucky day, pleasant weather can make the walk almost enjoyable. However, during the cold rainy months of the fall and the freezing snowy months of the winter, the walk is downright nasty. During the especially cold or icy days of the winter the walk can even be dangerous. Some days you will arrive to class without any feeling in your face, hands or toes. Injuries to oneself or one’s artwork occur frequently due to slipping and falling on ice. To make matters worse, there is no sidewalk, walkway, bikeway, or path other than the oneway road in and out of the campus. Not even a crosswalk exists for students to safely cross Jay Street from Pulteney. When the winter season strikes, piles of snow push students from the

side of the road into walking down the middle.

During any season, walking to campus at night can be unnerving, as the roads are dimly lit and surrounded only by dark forest; a walk alone at night is very lonely. Animals such as deer, skunks, fox and raccoons are frequently spotted around the area and make lonely walks at night all the more undesirable. One single emergency blue light is located on the campus, in the middle of the exiting stretch of Kings Lane. Students are able to call Campus Safety for escort rides to and from campus when they do not wish to face the cold, the ice, the dark, or dangers of no sidewalk to get to class or get some homework done. However, it is an unpredictable 15- to 30-minute wait for the ride to get to you.

Studio art and architecture classes are threehour periods twice a week and can demand anywhere between 12 and 20 hours of work outside of class. Moreover, 95 percent of this homework can only be done at the arts campus because of the material, tools, and space needed to accomplish studio art and architecture tasks. Between the long walk, long classes, and many hours of homework, just one class at the arts campus can be very time consuming.

Especially in consideration of a single student’s other commitments: other classes, sport team practices and games, club activities,

lectures, relationships, jobs, sleeping, food, etc.

On top of this demand of time, studio classes are often physically demanding as well. Whether it be welding, woodworking, molding clay, chiseling away at plaster, building architectural models or standing in front of a drawing or painting for hours at a time, class and homework can be as physically exhausting as it is mentally. Yet, because of the circumstances of the long walk and the need to be on the campus to complete homework, many arts campus students are forced to go without food or rest for extended periods of time. Students are often forced to take public naps on couches and make meals out of Funyuns and pretzels from the vending machines.

It’s obvious that not all of this can be changed or bettered. I don’t expect Geneva winters to suddenly improve or the school to begin rounding up all the raccoons in the area.

The distance of the walk cannot be shortened and the demands of art classes cannot be lessened. However, the street lamps can be brighter. More blue lights can be located on the campus. The shuttle can make more frequent stops. More time can be scheduled between classes from the main campus to the arts campus. A sideway can be built. A small café can be located on the campus. That’s all I’m asking.

Joe Calabrese (Left) and Brady Leo (Right) Photo Credit: Finger Lakes Times

Photo Credit: Grace Ruble for the Herald

These posts, which are sent in by community members, illustrate the importance that community has for the account. Although only one student (from the original seven) currently runs the account, many posts are submitted by followers and students in other Women’s Studies classes.

The account is overwhelmingly supported by the online community as well. “The support outweighs the backlash,” according to the account’s owner. Currently, Boss Bitch Theory has close to a thousand followers on Instagram, including HWS faculty members and others not connected to the HWS community. It was officially recognized by HWS after the account managers were awarded the Toni Flores Prize at last year’s Moving Up Day ceremony.

This support becomes important when the account makes a controversial post, like its recent post about Kappa Sigma’s highlighter party on March 1. Despite this party’s connection with the alleged sexual assault reported in The New York Times in 2014, the fraternity has continued to host a party with the same theme every year.

The student who runs the account was upset about this and used Boss Bitch Theory both to vent and to call for change. “It’s messed up that we continue to have the party with the same name,” she says. “There’s so many huge

Activism

institutional and societal changes we need to make, and a small one is just to acknowledge that the name of a party needs to change.”

Despite this, the student did not expect anything to actually change. One student affiliated with the fraternity posted a joke

After a conversation Boss Bitch Theory had with one fraternity brother, the fraternity “posted on Facebook that they were changing the theme to no theme.” Then, about an hour later, “they posted to say that they were canceling the party.” Since the cancellation, the student who runs the account has gotten confirmation from the students involved that her post was what caused it.

This incident represents the power that the account has on campus and is one marker of its success in spreading feminist theory at HWS. “Sometimes things need to be controversial; sometimes you need to take a stand and be bold because that’s the only way things will ever change,” says the account owner. “It’s not an attack. It’s just to raise awareness about what’s happening.”

in the comments, which was the fraternity’s only immediate response to the post. The account also received hateful messages from some members of the campus community who threatened to get the institution involved or even to sue the student for libel and slander for posting about the party. While this is a regular occurrence for the account, what ultimately followed wasn’t: the post ended up canceling the party altogether.

Given this recent momentum, and the fact that the student posting for the account is graduating this year, she wants to make sure that other students keep the account alive and continue the work it has done on campus. Anyone interested in running the account next year, or anyone with anything to share related to feminism, should message @BossBitchTheory on Instagram. And follow them, if you aren’t already.

“Fraternal Forever” Premieres at HWS

By Will Fuller ‘22 Herald Staff

March 8th and 9th the Phoenix Players presented their new play, Fraternal Forever, written and directed by Donovan Hayden and produced by the Phoenix Players. Countless others worked toward creating and putting the play out to be seen at HWS.

The cast consisted of Israel Oyedapo '20, Kevin Lin '20, Donaldo Reyes '21, Jack Caniff '22, and Josiah Bramble '19 with Leela Willie '22 stage managing. Kels Veeder, Niki Russell and Reed Herter were also involved in the production as Assistant Stage Manager, Set Designer, and Lighting Designer, respectively.

The Herald had the opportunity to meet with the writer and director of Fraternal Forever to discuss it more. Donovan Hayden ’19 is no stranger to theatre or the Phoenix Players: he was in the monologue showcase in winter 2017 and starred in the HWS Theatre mainstage production Etymology of Bird in spring 2017.

Speaking with Hayden, the Herald learned that the play “is a coming-of-age drama, in which four young college men try to find and express their manhood through pledging.” Hayden had been working on the play since the summer, when he first got the idea, and began writing the script in October. The story also has larger themes and ideas about brotherhood and identity in college.

The concept of fraternity pledging may be, for some, a reality they’re currently about to engage in, while for others it may be completely foreign. There are a number of students at Hobart who are part of fraternities, which students can join after their first year. The story of Fraternal Forever is about finding one’s self and identity through trials and tribulations as well as learning about others.

The story revolves around the pledges’ effort to show off and express their manhood, proving that they are part of the fraternity. Hayden also describes Fraternal Forever as being

critical of fraternities but at the same time showing the genuine highs and lows, to make it not just a critique but also an honest look at fraternities.

Fraternal Forever focuses on the alluring ideals of fraternity, such as the popularity and social benefits one gets from being a brother. Fraternal Forever explores the relationships that are created from fraternities and the bonds of being a part of the brotherhood experience. Hayden notes that it is also going to explore how the fraternity structure can be a “safe place” for pledges and college students to build real relationships, define themselves, and deal with one’s own vulnerabilities.

Hayden himself was a member of a fraternity. He told the Herald that “after leaving a fraternity, I wanted to tell a story that was critical of frat culture but also reflected the good moments and benefits that attract so many young men. There is more to fraternities than brotherhood, parties and big houses. I wanted to delve into how fraternities and masculinity are intertwined. How can the hierarchy of a fraternity become a ‘safe space’ for young men to build relationships, define themselves, and deal with their own vulnerabilities? Fraternal Forever seeks to explore that.”

The way the play ends suggests everything the brothers go through to pledge may not have even been worth it at all. As the new brothers sing the anthem, sadly they’re confronted with the fears and weaknesses that still plague them. Ending on a bit of a sour note, the play wants the audience not to fall into the same trap of searching for that brotherhood the rushees also failed to find. Recognize that friendships with others whom you care about are what is most important at the end of the day — not the fraternity ideal, which may seem great but doesn’t match the reality.

Photo

Credit: Instagram @bossbitchtheory

Search for New Chaplain Nears End

The search for a new chaplain and dean of Spiritual Engagement has been in full swing in the months since Chaplain Maurice Charles left his position to be with his partner, Cliff Chan, who accepted a position at Emory University. Professor Nan Crystal Arens, who co-chairs the search committee with Julianne Miller, director of the Abbe Center for Jewish Life, explained that the committee interviewed nine candidates before bringing three of them to campus.

These three candidates who came to campus were the Rev. Nita Byrd, the chaplain of Saint Augustine University; the Rev. Shawn Clerkin, a faculty member in Theatre and an administrator at Gannon University; and the Rev. Gregory Wilson, who serves the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Kennett Square, Pa., as the Associate for Youth and Family Ministry.

Six students sat on the search committee and many others had the opportunity to meet with the candidates and to offer their input through online surveys promoted through emails.

By Ryan Skinner ’19 Herald Staff

Professor Crystal Arens wrote that “In the end, the search committee came to consensus” and presented their assessment to President Pat McGuire and Bishop Prince Singh of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, who will jointly make the final hiring decision in accord with the HWS Charter, which stipulates that the Chaplain must be an ordained Episcopal priest. She emphasized that the search committee was “looking for someone who was grounded, welcoming and an exceptional listener.” These qualities are important, Professor Crystal Arens wrote, because the next chaplain and dean of Spiritual Engagement should be able to champion multi-faith dialogue, to support students regardless of their faith or lack thereof, and to facilitate difficult conversations on campus.

Julianne Miller articulated how important the Office of Spiritual Engagement has been for students, working publicly and behind the scenes to support students. She emphasized the importance of each of these tasks, writing, “Some of what we do is quite

visible: weekly Pasta Nights and Shabbat dinners, the Pass the Plate Food Pantry, the weekly Episcopal service, and (especially as we enter April and May), blessings and reflections at important campus occasions. Some of what we do is less visible: working with individuals, offices, and committees across campus to provide for support for students facing challenging situations and offering individual pastoral counseling (support in a faith-based environment, rather than the type of counseling offered at the Counseling Center).”

She added that the Office of Spiritual Engagement has also become a fixture of important campus reflections on antiSemitic and Islamophobic shootings in Pittsburgh and Christchurch, gender issues and the coordinate experience, as well as efforts to support marginalized communities on campus. In the months since the Rev. Maurice Charles left his position, Miller wrote that “We have been doing our best to keep many of the projects and initiatives that come out of the office going.” In particular, Miller and Jennifer Tufano have preserved Pasta Night as a weekly gathering, Shabbat Dinner continues to occur each Friday, and the Pass the Plate Food Pantry remains open and well provisioned. Moreover, to preserve the behind-thescenes role vital to the Office of Spiritual Engagement, Miller has filled Chaplain Charles’ role on the Title IX Coordinating Committee and Bias Incident Response Team. As the search nears its end, one thing is certain for the next chaplain and dean of Spiritual Engagement: as Professor Crystal Arens put it, “These are big shoes [to fill].”

Announcement from WSC

On Friday, March 29th, 2019, William Smith Congress and Hobart Student Government launched their first pilot program for free menstrual hygiene products. Free biodegradable tampons and pads were placed within multiple bathrooms on campus. Through and after this project, the student governments hope to continue promoting equity within our colleges. You can find these products in the bathrooms of Demarest Hall, Coxe Hall, Scandling Center, Stern Hall, and the library. Within the next coming weeks, dispensers will be installed within the bathrooms of Scandling Center and the Warren Hunting Smith Library. Please feel free to contact William Smith Congress at wscongress@hws.edu or attend a meeting in Coxe 007 on Tuesday nights at 8:00 pm.

Door to the Demarest chapel Photo Credit: Office of Communications

following was submitted to the Herald by William Smith Congress to help publicize and announce their pilot program.

New Academic Day Schedule

By Ani Freedman ’22 Chief Photographer & Herald Staff

As students approach fall 2019 registration time, panic begins to set in — concerns arise about what classes to take next semester, fulfilling majors and minors, and whether or not students will get into the classes they want or need.

With this sense of uncertainty comes the newfound uncertainty of the new academic day schedule that will be implemented starting next semester. To answer the many questions surrounding scheduling in the fall, the Herald spoke with Professor Christine de Denus, chair of the Chemistry Department and Committee on Academic Affairs.

To start off, Professor de Denus explained the specific changes to the academic day that students will see next semester. Some of the main goals of the changes that she discussed are to give students “180 minutes of instruction time” for each class per week, as well as to “minimize overlap of classes and create a better mechanism” for registration, which would ultimately address the issues with scheduling that have come about.

The primary changes to facilitate this are: 60- and 90-minute classes to replace 55- and 85-minute periods; 15 minutes in between classes; an 8:30 a.m. start to the academic day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to replace the previous 8 a.m. beginning; and optional evening classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Professor de Denus pointed out that with these changes, there is still enough space for students to get their desired classes when registering.

Some students have been concerned about possible conflicts with evening classes, whether that be work, athletics, or other commitments. Professor de Denus affirmed that “there is a choice to take evening classes,” with “nothing detrimental” being offered at those times. She went on

hoping these optional times will fix current scheduling conflicts that these students may currently face by creating more options.

Another conflict to be fixed is one prevalent among first-years; with the required first-year seminar (FSEM) in their first semester, these students are oftentimes unable to take 100-level classes that are taught at the same time. The new schedule would create designated FSEM slots and more options for first-years to take introductory classes.

Discussion about altering the academic schedule has been prevalent for years, Professor de Denus told the Herald

Previous attempts, however, ultimately failed until efforts from 2017 resulted in a vote in favor of the above changes. “Flaws in the current system were realized [in 2017],” de Denus said. “Demographics have changed.” Professor de Denus hopes to accommodate for those changing demographics with the implementation of the new schedule. She discussed the importance of ensuring that students and faculty do not feel “dragged through the mud” by “back-to-back-to-back” sessions and can instead be more productive by having their classes more spread out throughout the day and the week.

Above: A typical Peoplesoft student academic schedule.

to say that these classes will be ones with multiple sections, offered at different times, and that it simply comes down to what works for those students. She said she is

Come Join Us!

The process of figuring out the changes has been one of active participation by both faculty and students. Professor de Denus said there were ongoing “surveys with the campus community, emails, forums,” and other feedback from individual students and student governments regarding what would be most beneficial in altering the schedule. The new academic day schedule will be implemented in fall 2019. Professor de Denus told the Herald that she is hoping for a “culture-shift,” in which students find it “easier to register” and get “more balance” in their days.

Student Trustee

continued from page 3

On the other hand, William Smith Student Trustee Audrey Platt ’21 of San Francisco holds the unpopular opinion that email is a very effective communication tool if used productively. More than this, in order to be used effectively Platt believes that “the Colleges need to get real about our consolidation of events and correspondence for stronger efficacy.”

As a student, stemming from some of her interests in politics, language, yoga, gastronomy, and music, Platt is majoring in in Political Science and minoring in Studio Arts and Latin American Studies. In terms of extracurriculars on campus, Platt represents the Colleges as an Admissions Ambassador, Resident Assistant, and WHWS radio director where she has “too much fun connecting students with groovy tunes, coordinating events, and representing the Colleges to producers.” Moreover, she has participated in the Seneca Scene, Campus Greens, WSC, HWS Votes, step, and debate, and has also held the role of an O’Laughlin Ambassador. Through the myriad activities that Platt has engaged in, she said that through them she has “gained leadership, dialogue, and problem-solving skills.”

Platt hopes to make use of many of these skills in her new position on the Board of Trustees. Considering herself “first and foremost an RA,” Platt expressed her intent to combine the support she provides to first-years with the ability to advocate for students on a broader scale. On the Board, Platt hopes to work in collaboration with the trustees on the improvement of student services on campus and in Geneva, including mental health services, the LGBTQ Center, Title IX, Hubbs Health Center, and the Center for Teaching & Learning. In working with certain groups, Platt hopes to gain better support and programs for people who identify as LGBTQ through bathroom designation, safe spaces, education, acknowledgment, and, most importantly, fostering a community of respect.

Together, both Dwarka and Platt will spend their junior year learning the position and will then become full voting members in their senior year. However, it is obvious that we will be seeing changes from both of the newest Student Trustees long before then.

Albright Dwarka Photo Credit: Albright Dwarka

Audrey Platt

Photo Credit: Audrey Platt via LinkedIn

It is official: the College Store will be closed as early as June 1 and replaced with the Barnes and Noble College. The BNC, which operates hundreds of campus bookstores nationwide, is tasked with renovating the HWS store and updating its website, as well as managing merchandising and day-today affairs.

Interim President McGuire maintains that the colleges’ partnership with the Barnes and Noble

News

By Ryan Skinner ‘19 Herald Staff

College will, “elevate the College Store while generating cost savings for students and building revenue for the Colleges.”

He also assured the campus community that the eight employees of the College Store effected by the transition would be worked with “one-on-one to ensure they have the opportunity to continue successful careers either through employment with BNC, at HWS in a different department, or elsewhere.”

Cathy Williams, the vice president for Marketing and Communications, clarified that those effected by the transition, “are receiving preferential interviewing with Barnes and Noble College… Human Resources is also meeting oneon-one with each College Store employee to identify a plan of action that makes sense for their individual lives and career goals, including looking at other opportunities at HWS as well as elsewhere.” Additionally, Williams bolstered the case that this change would make the store more affordable, arguing that, “Barnes and Noble College has hundreds of stores across the country and can obtain a greater variety of products for less money, passing those savings along to customers. They are also a leader in affordable used, digital and rental course materials, and they offer price matching, even for Amazon.” It remains difficult to objectively assess these claims because the Office of Communications has imposed a moratorium on other college employees commenting on the

Barnes and Noble Moves In Geneva Music: Brady Leo

story, including those presently working at the College Store.

Some students have voiced concerns that the same mass production that may reduce costs would result in a lesser variety of HWS merchandise and apparel at the BNC. When asked about this concern, Williams replied that, “Barnes and Noble College specializes in sourcing products that appeal to college communities, and they are working with our HWS Office of Communications to ensure that all branded merchandise adheres to our standards. The new store will offer a variety of products at different price points so that we can best meet the needs of all members of the community.”

In the remaining months that it is in operation, students should keep an eye on the large discounts offered by the College Store for its remaining inventory. It may also be prudent to spend any loyalty points they have accumulated over the years as these credits will be discontinued once the BNC takes management of the College Store.

continued from page 4

play a show in front of 20 people, have the same experience, and actually make more money doing that? Not that money is a thing – all I care about is enough to pay the babysitter, my bar tab, and maybe if I’m lucky have a little money left over for some equipment. That’s the thing – it’s like, if I can have a paid-for night out, I’m winning. A show will be the most fun I have that week, so if I can do that, and not have to pay to do it, then I’m winning. Hashtag winning.

TH: So, like we were talking about before, this series in the Herald is focused on bringing music in Geneva, both student and resident, to the forefront of student awareness. Why do you think it feels like student involvement is generally low?

BL: Not to sound like an old cranky person – because I feel like probably 40 years ago some 40-year-old cranky person said the reason nobody goes out to bars and watches bands is because they’re all sitting at home watching TV – but I feel like with the internet, and Netflix, and the wider variety of what’s available, it is much easier to make the decision to sit on the couch and Netflix and chill, instead of get out and see a local band or see live music Maybe it’s always been like that. Maybe not – 30 to 40 years ago, you were limited to what’s on TV right now and what records you have in your house. So, I don’t

know. But I do feel it is hard to get people to go out to shows!

TH: And how much responsibility do students have in creating and maintaining the local music scene here in Geneva?

BL: So, responsibility is a loaded term. I don’t know if they have any responsibility at all. But they could be a great resource. It would be super awesome – and it has been very awesome – to have student bands pop up, get out, and make music in our city, because it diversifies. Like, you have a new pocket of another part of the world right here for four years. Yes, there’s touring bands that come through, like, “oh this band from Ireland is here, and they’re playing, and it’s awesome.” But you could have somebody from Ireland who’s a student here, and they’re going to be here for four years, bringing their musical background, and influences, and everything they have to offer, to the Geneva music scene for four years. That’s really great. I hope that’s tapped as much as possible by local businesses, and event planners, and all that. Like, I’ve walked into venues, or open jams, or whatever, and boom – dude from NYC getting down on the bass, like, who is this guy, he’s incredible, I want to be his friend, I want to jam with this dude –well he’s a student, and he’ll be here for two more years –

awesome. I want more of that for sure. And I hope that the symbiosis between the locals and the students can continue in that matter: that the students reach out and try to book shows downtown and that places downtown continue to book student bands. That’s definitely something that has been great and I hope continues.

TH: So, yeah – to kind of add onto that, what advice do you have for students who want to get more involved with the music in Geneva, whether that be as producers or consumers of music?

BL: Just get out there and make a joyful noise! There’s always something happening. There’s always the opportunity to make something happen. Whether you’re a consumer or producer, there’s always an opportunity – like, every Sunday night, they have open jam at Kashong Creek. Just get out there.

Facebook events are a big thing – as much as I dislike Facebook, Facebook events have definitely made shows happen for us where I’ve expected maybe 10 maybe 20 people to show up, and then the day of the show it gets shared a bunch of times, and bam we’ve got 80 people on front of us. So, keep an eye out on social media. Just get out there. Turn off the TV and get out there.

TH: Anything else our readers should know??

BL: Shrimps is playing May 4 at Kashong Creek! Come through!

Thank you, Brady, for your insight on music in Geneva. We look forward to interviewing more musicians and artists on campus and accumulating a broad perspective on music in Geneva in order to most effectively highlight and promote our music scene. If you are a musician and are interested in being interviewed or writing for the Herald, please email us at herald@hws. edu with your ideas.

Photo Credit: Ani Freedman for the Herald