March 7, 2019 Issue 5 Vol. 88

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Thursday, March 7, 2019

Volume 88 • Issue 5

Evans MCLA Announced as Details the Preferred Teach-Out Difficult Partner for SVC Students Decision

Southern Vermont College Closes

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

On Monday, Southern Vermont College announced that they would close at the end of this semester following a vote by the board of trustees to determine there is no viable plan forward for the institution.

The decision to close follows hearings with the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which saw the college fighting to maintain their status as an accredited institution. As a result of those hearings, the college was issued a show-cause order to justify maintaining their accreditation or be placed on probation.

A show-cause order is a process that SVC had to follow with NECHE to justify why its accreditation should not be withdrawn or put on probation. In the case of SVC, the

The Everett mansion sits at the heart of campus and serves as the college’s primary academic and administrative building. According to tax records, it is valued at over $9 million.

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF With additional reporting from Nicholas Bassett, Managing Editor In the wake of Southern Vermont College’s decision to close at the end of the semester Monday, MCLA was announced as the preferred teach-out partner for the institution.

In a statement released Monday morning, MCLA President James Birge released a statement saying that he was saddened by SVC’s closure and that MCLA would attempt to help those affected by the decision.

“Because we want to make sure all students in our region have access to a quality education, the College has drafted an official teach out plan in partnership with SVC,” Birge said. “A teach-out is a written plan that provides for equitable treatment of students in the event a higher education institute closes.

“MCLA is the preferred SVC teach out partner and will allow all SVC students who are currently enrolled, or who were accepted to SVC for the fall 2019 semester, to transfer to MCLA,” Birge continued. “This agreement will also include guaranteed housing for SVC students who meet MCLA’s residency requirements.”

SVC and MCLA had conversations that started in February as part of that teach-out plan. Following hearings over whether or not SVC would remain accredited, the college was required to draft a teach-out plan as part of a showcause order, which saw the college justifying why their accreditation should remain intact.

“We had some pretty extended preliminary conversations with President Birge and some other folks to sort of line it up, but then Friday at noon it got serious,” Evans said.

All current SVC students who wish to transfer to and attend MCLA will be able, with minimal disruption to their academic career.

“MCLA has a credit residency requirement which means that students have to take their last 45 credits at MCLA; what we’re doing because of the special circumstances with Southern Vermont College is that students who are within 15 credits or have 15 credits to complete, we’re going to wave that 45-credit requirement and let them take their last 15 credits here

who are juniors or first semester seniors right now to be able to complete their degree,” Birge explained. “If we didn’t do that then they would have to extend their time to degree and we want to be as helpful as possible to let them finish on time.”

Mendel said that MCLA will honor the New England Board of Higher Education regional rate for all SVC students. On average, students transferring to MCLA will see a savings of $8,400 annually on their bill, with the estimated annual cost of attendance coming in at $22,278.

During his Town Hall event Tuesday, Birge said that students who currently commute to SVC will be allowed to commute to

Travel Courses

Second Trip Canceled Due to Travel Advisories

BY MAYA MCFADDEN STAFF WRITER

MCLA, and arrangements will be made for SVC students who want to live together on campus when transferring.

While two of SVC’s most popular programs, Nursing and Radiologic Sciences, are not offered at MCLA, Birge believes that MCLA can still offer something of value to those students.

“A number of those nursing students at SVC as I understand it are pre-nursing students, so one of the

Only 12 days before their departure, the 10 students who planned to attend the alternative spring break trip to Haiti were called to an emergency meeting Sunday night to declare the trip canceled, due to a Level 4 travel advisory issued Feb. 14 by the U.S. Department of State.

Volunteer Center Coordinator Spencer Moser has organized and facilitated the Haiti trip twice in the past. The service project-based trip to Haiti is now the second spring break trip canceled this semester; the first was the travel course to China with Thomas Whalen, associate professor of business administration.

The travel course to China was canceled due to a Level 2 travel advisory issued Jan. 3 by the U.S. Department of State. Six students were previously signed up for the travel course.

The U.S. Department of State website states, “Exercise increased caution in China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws as well as special restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals.”

There are four travel advisory levels; the first encourages travelers to “exercise normal precautions,” while a Level 4 advisory is the most dangerous and recommends that travelers “do not travel.” The Level 4 advisory issued for Haiti is due to “crime and

TEACH-OUT, Page 4

TRIPS, Page 5

“We had some pretty extended preliminary conversations with President Birge and some other folks to sort of line it up, but then Friday at noon it got serious.”

— David Evans, president of SVC. and graduate,” Birge explained, following a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday.

As part of the teach-out agreement, the college can accept up to 105 credits.

“We can bring in up to 105 credits according to what’s been agreed upon through the Department of Higher Education and both institutions,” said Joshua Mendel, director of recruitment and outreach, division of graduate and continuing education.

“It makes it easier for students

CLOSURE, Page 4

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SGA: College Plans Hybrid and Online Course Removals for Fall Semester

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE SENIOR NEWS WRITER Monday, March 4, the Student Government Association (SGA) discussed the College’s plans to no longer offer hybrid and online courses to students starting this coming fall semester.

“There are reports of at least two students that are no longer going to be recognized as full students here because of the changes in online and hybrid courses, and it’s expected that more and more students are going to step forward,” Coordinating Vice President Dean Little ’21 said.

Hybrid and online courses present students with a more time-flexible approach than traditional courses. Though they have been offered by MCLA for more than a decade, the course catalog for this fall will no longer offer them.

Executive Vice President Celine Manigbas ’19 speculated that this decision may have been made in response to the current absence of an official policy surrounding course outlines, despite SGA’s current efforts to establish an official policy for hybrid and online courses.

“I know students are already being affected by this,” Senate Secretary Connor Og-

born ’19 said. “I know a student who is going to be transferring out of MCLA because they’re not offering online classes next semester.”

Changes are not just limited to these courses, and it will likely expand to the wider core curriculum as well.

“They’re moving to do a course redesign committee so that they can redesign the whole core curriculum,” Manigbas reported to SGA. “This has been going on for the past couple of years but now they’re putting it into how it should be, by the books, by creating this committee.”

SGA also addressed the announcement of Southern Vermont College (SVC) closing its doors after this semester.

The College community received an email from President Birge Monday, stating that SVC students who are currently enrolled and who have been accepted to SVC for the fall semester of 2019 are welcome to transfer to MCLA as part of a “teachout partnership” between the institutions, with MCLA being the official “preferred SVC teach-out partner.”

“I know one of the big things they [SVC] are known for is nursing,” Sen. Trevor Wheelock ’20 said. “So them transferring here, how

PHOTO BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE

Members of the Student Government Association discussing hybrid and online courses at their meeting on Monday, pictured left to right: Dean Little, Lawrence Wilson, Samantha Schwantner and Trevor Wheelock. would that, how would those credits be applied?”

This and the larger impact SVC students would have on campus were concerns for Wheelock after reading Birge’s email.

Students transferring between colleges have always faced difficulties when converting course credits and, normally, such difficulties are dealt with on a very close student-to-student basis.

Little, as part of SGA’s Budget Finance Committee (BFC), wanted to remind clubs of March 10, the final date for club

Grateful Greens Joins Green Living Seminar Series

BY JOHN MORRISEY STAFF WRITER Grateful Greens founder James Mayer spoke last Thursday at MCLA’s Green Living Seminar Series about how he transformed a hydroponic garden in his bedroom into a career filled with highly nutritional and profitable microgreens.

Gardeners experience issues with their soil at some point which, in turn, will affect the quality of their harvest. Mayer avoids this problem by utilizing a soilless medium comprised of only water and nutrients. In doing so, Mayer is able to create vegetation rich in nutrients without the fear of a less than perfect soil taking a bite out of his bottom line.

“I converted a bedroom in my house in Stephentown, New York, into an indoor farm and it worked, it went really well, the produce was delicious, it looked good, and I went around town and people wanted it and I did that [sold microgreens] all last year,” Mayer said.

Mayer started Grateful Greens, a limited liability company (LLC), in September 2018 and has plans to

grow his company going forward.

“I decided I wanted to scale things up a bit and I was on the search for that,” Mayer said. “I was looking for an investor and I found one and now I am in the negotiation and design [stage] to build a facility of its own to indoor farm.”

Mayer acknowledged that indoor farming currently requires a lot of energy to cultivate crops, but he is hopeful that future technologies will mitigate those costs through the use of wind-farms, geothermal energy and solar energy.

“A huge advantage of indoor farming is you can have any food you want all year-round,” said Mayer when closing his presentation.

“Closing the Loop: Composting Food Waste” will be the sixth installment of the 11-part Green Living Seminar Series with Trevor Mance, founder of TAM Organics LLC, Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (CSI) Room 121.

MCLA’s Green Living Seminar Series is free and open to the public.

Podcasts of each seminar in the series are posted online and are available at www.mcla.edu/greenliving.

one-on-one budget meetings.

Any clubs who fail to meet with BFC will be subjected to budgets allotted based solely on their submitted proposals.

Members of SGA also continued plans to establish another SGA outreach event to help spread awareness of the group. Last semester, SGA hosted the “Whine and Cheese” event and “Free Late Nite.” The newest event SGA is working on bringing to campus is a milkshake bar, which would take place sometime after spring break, and possibly with fries.

“It’s a great outreach event that we can do realistically,” Little said. “Again, free food — adults love it, students love it — it was the biggest thing we got suggested at the ‘Late Nite.’”

SGA is a principal channel for students to directly involve themselves in the interworkings of the College. There are a number of positions currently open; official nomination papers will become available March 25, the first Monday after spring break.

SGA meets in Murdock 218 Mondays at 7 p.m.

Candelario, Speaks About Dominican Transnational Feminism

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE SENIOR NEWS WRITER Yesterday, as part of Women’s History Month, MCLA’s Women’s Center hosted Ginetta Candelario, Smith College professor of sociology, for the talk, “Dominican Transnational Feminism.”

Candelario has been studying Dominican feminists for more than a decade, publishing her first book on the matter, “Black behind the Ears: Dominican Racial Identity from Museums to Beauty Shops,” in 2007. The book received several awards for its emphasis on Latin America.

“We’re doing this event overall because it’s important for people to recognize women and our uniqueness and its a time to shine the light on women in different feminisms,” said Amanda Beckwith, coordinator of the Women’s Center and also the Identity and Gender Equality Recourse Center.

Candelario has been a powerful influencer in Latin American publications, assuming multiple roles: founding vice president of the National Latin Studies Association (LSA), Gender Section cochair, and the Latino Studies Section co-chair for the Latin American Studies Association (LASA).

Candelario was brought to Beckwith’s attention by a student while looking for speakers for Women’s History Month events. Beckwith became very excited when she heard of Candelario, especially with the short distance between the colleges.

“I hope that students will get a different perspective on feminism and that they will be able to think about feminism in a different culture, a different heritage, a different background,” Beckwith said. “It’s [the talk] based on Dominican feminism, but it’s going to relate back to feminists here in the U.S.” As part of the larger Women’s History Month program, the Women’s Center hopes to open students’ eyes to larger issues faced by modern women, both in the U.S. and beyond, and bring them into conversation in hopes of reaching a resolution.

The Women’s Center will also be hosting Greta LaFluer, a professor of American studies at Yale University. LaFleur’s talk, “Trans Histories, Trans Politics,” will focus on gender, transgender history and transgender politics. LaFleur will be the last guest speaker for Women’s History Month, and her talk will take place Thursday, March 28, at 7 p.m. in Murdock 218.

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IGE and MERC Spread Awareness for Zero Discrimination Day Friday

BY NATE BIRON STAFF WRITER The Multicultural Education Resource Center (MERC) and the Identity and Gender Equality Resource Center (IGE) hosted an open mic night and Zero Discrimination Day to discuss diversity and equality; more importantly, to spread awareness of unity and togetherness as a community.

The open mic night included a plethora of food and great talent from each student who participated. Osayi Ayinla ’21 hosted the open mic in hopes students would showcase some of their special talents.

“It doesn’t matter about skin colors. Let’s just spread the love,” Ayinla said. “This is a perfect opportunity to showcase yourself.”

Michael Obasohan, assistant director of diversity programs and coordinator of the Multicultural Education Center, was also in attendance. Obasohan mentioned that IGE and MERC partnering up for these events is a good way to get to-

PHOTO BY NATE BIRON

Jasmine Grullon ‘22 running the Women’s History Month booth last Friday on Zero Discrimination Day. gether and share ideas.

“This is a perfect opportunity if you have a voice,” Obasohan said. “It’s a great chance for students to get together and share a platform and show their talent.”

Students were showing lots of support for each other

during their individual performances. Hannah Pimenta ’20 presented her poem on abortion and women’s empowerment, which received great applause.

“All the positive energy in the room really makes it comfortable to be around every-

one,” Pimenta said.

Many students were very skeptical and tooshy at first to participate in the event. Ayinla mentioned that having positive energy will help you overcome any challenge in your life.

“Thank you to all the per-

formers that have had the courage to participate,” Ayinla said.

Zero Discrimination Day was a great day for students to see the campus resources and come together to discuss difficult topics of diversity, racism and equality. T.J. Jones ’20 was running the IGE booth, spreading awareness to students and faculty here on campus.

“IGE tries to increase inclusiveness to make the world a better world,” Jones said.

Jasmine Grullon ’22 was running the Women’s History Month booth which celebrated the great achievements of different women throughout history, including Rosa Parks and Ruby Nell Bridges.

“This importance of Women’s History Month is that it exposes diversity and acknowledgment of the accomplishments done by women,” Grullon said.

Grullon also mentioned that she would like to see more African-American women professors here on campus in the future.

Ieva Jusionyte To Speak on Campus Tonight

BY MAYA MCFADDEN STAFF WRITER In the wake of our political administration’s push for immigration reform, Ieva Jusionyte, Harvard University assistant professor, will lecture on immigration policy tonight at 6 p.m. in Murdock 218.

Jusionyte’s talk, “Wall as Weapon: Infrastructure, Injury, and Rescue on the U.S.-Mexico Border,” is will be hosted by the department of sociology, anthropology, and social work.

In an effort to spark conversation and bring awareness to today’s criminalization of immigration and the intensifying threats against migrants at the border with Mexico, the talk will be free and open to the public.

“I’m excited to attend her lecture because her topic is very timeless and affects my everyday life as an American,” Margareth Antonio ’19 said.

Jusionyte has experience in ethnographic fieldwork with emergency responders. She is a former volunteer firefighter, paramedic, and wildland firefighter. She has worked on both sides of the border, in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.

Anna Jaysane-Darr, assis-

tant professor of anthropology, organized the lecture with the history, political science, and public policy department.

“Given the current political climate which demonizes immigration, both documented and undocumented, I think it’s especially important that we as a community understand the ways that U.S. border policy and infrastructure causes suffering,” Jaysane-Darr said.

According to the event flyer, Jusionyte’s talk will examine the politics of injury and rescue in the “militarized” region.

Jusionyte works in the department of anthropology at Harvard and the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies.

Jusionyte holds both a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Anthropology from Brandeis University, along with a B.A. in Political Science from Vilnius University.

Jusionyte and Jaysane-Darr have been friends since attending Brandeis University together.

“Her work with emergency responders on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border is incredibly important for understanding larger issues of immigration policy and ‘the wall,’” Jaysane-Darr said.

The lecture will be funded by the department of sociology, anthropology, and social work, which includes her lodging and dinner for Thursday. Jaysane-Darr said Jusionyte refused an honorarium for the event.

Jusionyte has authored several books, including “Threshold: Emergency Responders on the U.S.-Mexico Border” (University of California Press, 2018), which is written from the perspectives of Mexican and Mexican-American firefighters and paramedics. This book won the 2016 Public Anthropology Competition and was featured in The Atlantic, The Guardian, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and National Public Radio (NPR).

The department of sociology, anthropology, and social work typically hosts one to two lectures per year to expand academic conversations beyond the classroom and to the broader community.

Organizer Jaysane-Darr said the department will also host a lecture by Georgiann Davis, an intersex scholar, April 8.

PHOTO FROM UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Ieva Jusionyte, Harvard University assistant professor of anthropology is set to speak tonight at 6 p.m. in Murdock 218.

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Mar. 7, 2019

TEACH-OUT

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of the things that our team is talking to those students about is that they could come here and enroll in our Health Sciences or Community Health or Biology program, get their Bachelor of Science degree here, and we have a newly-minted agreement with The Sage Colleges in New York to do an accelerated RN degree,” Birge said.

For students who do want to continue in those programs, Evans said there are agreements in place with both Norwich College and Castleton University, both in Vermont.

Mendel also pointed out that MCLA does offer a minor in criminal justice through the sociology department, has strong STEM majors, and a strong business/administration department which are compatible with the offerings at SVC. By being the preferred teach-out partner, MCLA has been able to be on the SVC campus all week to work with students directly. Different offices from campus attended, including the Office of Admissions, Student Financial Services, Counseling Services, Wellness Services, the Center for Student Success and Engagement, and Residential Programs and Services.

Throughout the end of the week, MCLA admissions personnel will be able to offer on-the-spot acceptances to SVC students and present information in a college-fair style setup.

“Those who qualified received a conditional acceptance letter and acceptance packet so they had something

PHOTO BY JAKE VITALI

President James Birge addresses members of student media following a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, where he addressed concerns of students looking to transfer to MCLA. tangible to walk away with and it was like a security for them knowing ‘alright, I’m safe, I have somewhere else to go,’” said Mendel, speaking of the first day at SVC. Birge said that SVC standards are very similar to MCLA’s, which is why the College would be accepting their students and would-be freshman.

“We know that the current students

CLOSURE From Page 1

school also needed to show what steps were in place for students should the institution close its doors.

President David Evans said that as a result of the show-cause order, the college stopped recruiting students in early February.

“In discussion among ourselves and then in discussion with our attorneys we decided that under the shadow of the show-cause order that we could not continue to recruit,” Evans said. “From an ethical standpoint, it wouldn’t be right to continue to try to continue to attract students to the college, particularly if the college’s accreditation were to be withdrawn but even if the college were to be under probation.”

The college has an undergraduate enrollment of 361 students, down from the school’s peak of 500 in 2012. The Bennington Banner reported earlier this week that the institution had a budget deficit of nearly $2 million, which easily could have doubled with the changes NECHE wanted made.

The college also faced hearings as to the accreditation of their nursing program. While the college did maintain it, the perception proved otherwise, and enrollment declined by nearly 80 full-time students.

The college had initially projected an enrollment increase of approximately 30 students for the 2019-2020 academic year. However, analysis done

by Vice President of Enrollment Management Daniel Summers and Jennifer Macksey, executive vice president of administration and finance, determined those gains and more would be lost following the show-cause order, and a decision was made to stop recruiting.

“When we did those projections about the likely impact of ceasing recruiting and the likely negative impact of the publicity surrounding the showcause order, even if we were put on probation, or even frankly if our accreditation continued as normal, the fact that we removed ourselves from the market for by the time it was all done, about a month, was going to make it so that we simply could not carry on,” Evans said.

Evans explained that losing the accreditation is

who are in good academic standing and good student conduct standing we’ll automatically accept them, although they do have to go through the process,” Birge said. “For those students who are planning on being first-time full-time students at SVC they will still have to apply to us but if they’ve been accepted to SVC, we will accept them because we know their

the worst thing for the school because it prevents their access to federal financial aid.

“Withdrawal of the accreditation is the worst thing because it means that the college can’t get access to federal financial aid anymore; nothing—student loans, Pell grants, the whole range of things that you can get from the federal government, and unless you’re a very wealthy college there’s no way that you can [survive without federal financial aid],” Evans continued.

While the NECHE voted to withdraw SVC’s accreditation, it will not be effective until after Aug. 31, meaning that students graduating this semester will graduate with an accredited degree.

With the college’s closure comes the question of what to do with the property, which is valued at $9,028,900 per the Bennington, Vermont, Department of Assessors.

The College currently holds a mortgage on the property. There are two banks involved that hold that mortgage and the property is subject to several restrictions as to its use.

The 27-room Everett mansion, which serves as the college’s primary administrative and academic building, is on the National Register of Historic Places in addition to having a National Trust for Historic Preservation easement, preventing it from being torn down.

Also, the college is subject to an Act 250 easement for the preservation of agricultural land, as well as a Vermont Land Trust Conservation easement which restricts development and the types of use the property can go to.

SVC is the latest in an ongoing trend of small liberal arts colleges throughout New England that have closed: Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont, announced their plans to close in January; Newbury College is set to close following this semester; and Mount Ida closed their doors in 2018.

The closure of SVC followed the announcement

by Hampshire College in Amherst in late 2018 that it would accept a freshman class of just 77 for the following year, while also announcing layoffs. Wheelock College, another small liberal arts school, merged with Boston University last year.

SVC was founded in 1926 as Saint Joseph College. In 1974, it moved to the Everett Estate in Ben-

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standards are very similar.”

Conversations between the two institutions started somewhere around late January or early February as part of the show-cause order SVC was issued, justifying why their accreditation should not be withdrawn or placed on probation.

“One of the parts of the show-cause order from NECHE was that they wanted us to develop what is called a teach-out plan and that is what they want to see from distressed institutions to ensure that they are properly planning to support their students,” Evans said.

Evans also said that conversations took a more serious tone following the board of trustees vote March 1, and that Daniel Summers, vice president of enrollment management, was responsible for bringing different offices at MCLA to the SVC campus.

For Evans, MCLA was a good fit for the students affected by the decision because of its familiarity.

“We think that the student body is pretty similar to ours, the campus community is similar and supportive, we have relationships with the faculty and staff there,” Evans said. “So MCLA is a known quantity for us and has people who we trust to work with our students in a way that will help them be successful.”

Regardless of how many students decide they want to come to MCLA, Birge said that MCLA is prepared to do what it takes to support them.

“We are happy to be helpful for one of their students or all of their students,” Birge confirmed.

PHOTO FROM SOUTHERN VERMONT COLLEGE WEBSITE

President David Evans from Southern Vermont College feels that a teach-out agreement with MCLA is a good fit for the affected students because of it’s familiarity academically, campus culture-wise and in terms of student body. nington and lost its religious affiliation, adopting its current name.

In February 2013, the college was hit with scandal after acting-president James Beckwith allegedly embezzled approximately $850,000 from the school, later committing suicide the same day a federal complaint was issued.

As part of the show-cause order, SVC was required to develop a teach-out plan, which requires institutions in the position SVC found themselves in, to determine an equitable path forward for students should that institution cease to exist.

See companion story, MCLA Announced as Preferred Teach-Out Partner for SVC Students for more information as to how MCLA will help and how students can transfer schools.

Features

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Is Netflix Getting Too Powerful?

And is Spielberg the Man to Save Us?

BY MARY MCNAMARA COLUMNIST/CRITIC LOS ANGELES TIMES

When I read headlines that Steven Spielberg was “at war” with Netflix, I literally burst out laughing.

First of all, that “war” appears to consist of Spielberg planning to suggest that any film Netflix produces or distributes have a four-week theatrical release before being considered for an Oscar. He’s not circulating a petition among his friends to Never Work for Netflix or demanding the streamer release its viewership numbers or tax returns.

Netflix slapped back, suggesting it is a populist institution that makes cinema available to those who live in towns without theaters. Which is pretty hilarious considering that one of the reasons small movie theaters are dying is … Netflix.

But it is also hilarious that it’s Spielberg who, in the parlance of the coverage, is going to battle. I recently watched portions of the Wim Wenders film “Room 666,” in which Wenders brought filmmakers one by one into a hotel room during the 1982 Cannes Film Festival to ask if cinema was dead.

Directors like Jean-Luc Godard and Rainer Werner Fassbinder waxed eloquent about the meaning of cinema, but Spielberg leaned back in his chair and spoke nonstop about money. About how expensive filmmaking was, about how he would have never been able to make “Jaws” at that time what with inflation and the desire by studios to make sure they got a big return on their investments.

He had a point back then, but his past protest seems at odds with his current perceived “anti-Netflix” stance.

Netflix is spending lots of money, doling it out to all sorts of people with, seemingly, no strings attached.

Or maybe one string. One very big string. No matter what their reps may say at the moment, what Netflix really wants is to be able to win an Oscar for a film that is never released in theaters. They want to redefine cinema without the cinema. And that’s the string Spielberg wants to cut.

This is the part where I feel obliged to say that, like mil-

TRIPS From Page 1

unrest,” according to the U.S. Department of State website.

“I understand the College’s perspective on it, but it was sad to hear about, especially since this is my last semester here at MCLA,” said Celine Manigbas ’19, who planned to attend the Haiti trip.

The ultimate decision for the China course cancellation was made by Whalen; Ben Kahn, business administration professor; James Moriarty, business administration department chair; and Emily Williams, vice president of academic affairs, Whalen said.

“We had to take this very seriously because it puts not only our instructors in danger but especially the students that travel,” Moriarty said.

The China travel course faculty members met with Williams Jan. 7, and students were given the announcement

by Williams via email Jan. 8.

Despite the Level 4 travel advisory for Haiti being issued on Feb. 14, Moser and the students remained hopeful they would still be able to pursue the scheduled trip.

“We were really hopeful that time would be on our side,” Moser said.

Followed by several conversations throughout February, after the issued travel advisory, Moser said that late last week is when he met with Cath-

lions around the world, I love Netflix. I love much of their original content. I love when fabulous but underwatched shows are saved by the “Netflix bump.” I love how it has brought us the world and all its subtitles and launched a streaming industry that makes so many things available to me exactly when I want them. (Strangely, I could not find “Room 666” on any streamer.) I have the Netflix app on my phone, and I bought a new iPad just so I could utilize the new download feature.

But I also hate Netflix, sometimes more than a little. I hate how it launches the next episode before I can even check what time it is, how so many television writers seem obliged to add unnecessary minutes to their episodes just because they can, how much really crap TV it imports from other countries, especially the U.K., how its “you might also like” algorithms seem presumptuous and nonsensical.

I also worry about the Ayn Rand-ness of it all — that Netflix is a superbug of capitalism, promising to release artists from the mundane world.

I am also a tiny bit afraid of Netflix; there’s something aggressively menacing about how it continues to gather into its fold so many talented makers of television and film. Netflix deals are announced on a nearly weekly basis, and though I rejoice whenever a person I admire gets the money and, one assumes, the freedom to tell great stories, I also worry about the Ayn Rand-ness of it all — that Netflix is a superbug of capitalism, promising to release artists from the mundane world while really creating an artistic super-race.

Agatha Christie wrote several books about entrepreneurs with dreams of omnipotence whisking the world’s best scientists away to an undisclosed location in the Atlas mountains, which raises the question: Has anyone actually seen Ryan Murphy or Shonda Rhimes lately?

Yes, Netflix and its fellow streamers are to be praised for their willingness and ability to fund and platform a much wider variety of storytellers than legacy television networks and film studios are doing. (And maybe those networks and studios should look more at the content and less at the digital platform as they attempt to compete.)

Still, monopolies are always troubling, especially when

rine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, and President James Birge to come to a final decision for the trip’s cancellation.

Spencer explained he decision was made with the students’ safety and well-being in mind.

“People were disappointed and sad, but I didn’t pick up anger or resentment,” Moser said.

The China trip cost for students was a total of $3,200 and the Haiti trip cost was $1,700.

Moser works alongside a local program known as the “Haiti Plunge Inc.,” which charges a fee of $940, which is incorporated into the total cost of $1,700. The remainder of the cost, $760, is for airfare.

According to its website, Haiti Plunge Inc. is a “501(c)(3) non-profit which receipts all donations for tax purposes.”

When the course cancellation was decided on, Whalen said he worked on a proposal with Moriarty to request that the committed students be given a full refund of the trip’s expenses.

“We made a case to the administration that the course was canceled through no fault of the students,” Whalen said.

The proposal was agreed upon and the College is currently in the process of issuing full refunds to students.

The students who were planning to attend the Haiti trip were only refund-

PATRICK T. FALLON / FOR THE TIMES

Steven Spielberg, at the AMPAS Governors Awards in November 2018.

they involve art of any sort. As with Disney, Netflix is part of a consolidation of content in which a handful of big and highly profitable companies control the stories we tell and the stories we see.

Like Amazon and all the other streamers, Netflix is mostly in the business of convenience, and convenience can lead to mindless dependence. Spielberg may or may not succeed in forcing Netflix to support the traditional notion of cinema if it wants to win the industry’s biggest award, but by taking a stand, he’s at least forcing a discussion we should be having, not just about the difference between film and television, but about how dependent we should become on one platform or another.

I love Netflix, but it isn’t, and should never be, the only game in town.

ed the program fee. The airfare tickets were, however, non-refundable but will remain valid for a year.

With the trip being named a priceless experience by both students and Moser, the possibility of rescheduling the trip within the year is being discussed.

“Last year, the complete cultural immersion through volunteering was what attracted me, along with the idea of a service learning trip,” Manigbbas said. “I didn’t want to go on a spring break trip where I am a tourist and just seeing the culture; I wanted something that was more immersive.”

The Haiti trip is an opportunity to explore the history of the country and the current influences on the Haitian population. Moser said that students are able to experience new values and realities within the world.

“It’s not a charity, it’s an exchange,” Moser said.

For those students who were committed to the trip and received scholarships for the trip’s cost, the total amount of scholarship funds are being put on reserve for those students.

“It’s going to be used for their MCLA experience because they earned it and it’s their reward,” Moser said.

In the past, travel courses have most often been canceled due to a lack of enrollment, according to Daniel Shustack, associate professor of environmental studies and member of the travel course scholarship advisory group.

The travel course scholarship advisory group is made up of nine faculty members. The group is responsible for attaining and dividing the annual trip scholarships.

“It’s a forum for discussing, getting ideas and brainstorming for travel courses,” Shustack said.

These cancellations not only affected the students but also leave the associated faculty members without the organized and scheduled spring break plans.

“I was bummed,” Whalen said. “This also means I lost a course I was teaching.”

Since the travel course to China was canceled early in the semester, many of its students were able to sign up for other travel courses with open slots.

Moser said approximately four freshmen were signed up for the trip to Haiti, along with one senior. The remaining students who were to attend were a mix between sophomores and juniors. Approximately three of these students have been on the trip in the past.

According to Moser, the organization, Haiti Plunge Inc. announced a cancelation for many of its upcoming travel programs in response to the travel advisory.

Moser, along with the volunteer center, is looking to work with a Williams College program that currently offers local volunteer service opportunities to students who will remain on campus during the spring break.

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Dr. Kimberly Juanita Brown Inaugurates the Honors Program Lecture Series

BY SABRINA DAMMS A&E WRITER Students, alumni and faculty of MCLA came together Thursday evening, Feb. 28, to attend the first lecture of the Honors Program Lecture Series with speaker Dr. Kimberly Juanita Brown. The event was organized by MCLA English/ communications professors Zack Finch, Jenna Sciuto and Victoria Papa.

Along with her positions as chairperson of gender studies and associate professor of English and Africana studies at Mount Holyoke University, Brown has written a book, “The Repeating Body: Slaver’s Visual Resonance in the Contemporary,” and is currently working on another entitled “Their Dead Among Us: Photography, Melancholy and the Politics of the Visual.”

“Dr. Brown portrayed her message very eloquently and powerfully because she is presenting this research from a personal place,” said Zack Finch, director of the Honors Program and professor of English/communications. “Research as what comes out of a question is what scholarship is all about.”

During the event, Brown examined how Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye’s renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner demonstrate the work still to be done in Amer-

PHOTO BY SABRINA DAMMS

Dr. Kimberley Juanita Brown spoke at the first Honors Program Lecture Series held in Murdock Hall last Thursday. ica. Marvin Gaye had sung it as “my Star-Spangled” and along with Houston extended the word “freedom” in both of their versions.

“One of the wonderful things Dr. Brown did in her talk was model for our students how everyday objects of culture can become a source

of critical inquiry,” English/ communications professor Victoria Papa said. “And so by focusing on the renditions of the renditions of the national anthem, Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston, and thinking through the way they resonate with black culture and black life.”

Brown also discussed the use of the flag as a way of protest and examined artists who use the American flag in this manner. Hip-hop duo, Outkast, used the flag to lay claim in their album “Stankonia,” and artist David Hammons used the American flag in his painting, “Injustice Case.” The

flag can also be seen burning at the beginning of the film “Malcolm X.” “The visual companion piece to this register is the ubiquitous American Flag, that which often collabs with Patriotism and Irony in one fell swoop,” Brown said. “Artists, activists and organizers from across the country drape the flag over their concerns and consideration hoping to visually signal the profundity of national erasure present in the stars and stripes.”

This talk showcased performances by African-Americans in the 20th century by including registers such as senses, sight and sound to help demonstrate how “registers of citizenship” is not easily accessible to all in a contemporary cultural context.

“I enjoyed the number of diverse sources and protest images she [Dr. Brown] presented,” MCLA alumnus Jamal Ahamad ‘11 said. Ahamad is an ELA and math teacher at Taconic High School in Pittsfield and is currently a MCLA Masters in Education student.

“Her talk was fantastic at bringing out the complexities of the situation,” said James Owens, a student working on his Ph.D. at UMass Amherst.

The Honors Program will be hosting several more lecture events every other Thursday over the next couple of months.

SAC to Bring Talent Show to Campus March 9

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR MCLA’s Student Activities Council (SAC) will be hosting their first ever talent show at the Church Street Center Social Hall Saturday, March 9, at 8 p.m.

The show will feature a number of different talents from students including stand-up pieces, singing, spoken word acts, instrumental performances and many more.

“I got this idea from my high school when the student council there put on a talent show and it was a really big hit,” SAC President Jordan DeGaetano said. “I wanted to give students an opportunity to do anything they wanted and be able to bring campus together.”

DeGaetano has been a part of SAC for the past three years. She first applied to be SAC’s Saturday night spotlight chair at the start of the second half of her fresh-

man year. Later on, DeGaetano took on the role of the comedy stop, where she was able to plan what comedians came to campus. That position later became known as SAC’s entertainment chair, but it no longer exists.

Now as president, DeGaetano has become more involved than ever with the MCLA campus and has really enjoyed meeting new students and people along the way.

“Those who have signed up [for the talent show] are people that I think others on this campus have not seen talent from before,” DeGaetano said. “We also have a lot of faculty and staff involved — so it is a big collaboration that can hopefully happen every year and become a tradition here [at MCLA].”

SAC’s talent show is going to be cosponsored by several other on-campus clubs: Yorick, WJJW, Dance Com-

pany, Birge Club, and Cheer Squad. There will also be a performance from the Cheer Squad.

“It really surprised me that a lot of people who signed up for the show I have actually never met or talked to before,” DeGaetano said.

“I think it is really cool that they are going to get this chance to show others what they can do.”

A People’s Choice Award will be given out to the act with the best talent; the audience will be able to vote for who gets that award by using their cell phones.

“People should definitely come,” DeGaetano said.

“The faculty and staff support for this has been really huge and I don’t think we see that a lot, so that itself is one of the greatest things about this event.”

Catch SAC’s talent show at 8 p.m. this Saturday over at the Church Street Center Social Hall.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SAC

SAC’s talent show flyer that has been posted around campus.

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‘Cloud 9’ Coming to MCLA Theatre

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR MCLA Theatre’s spring production of Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud 9” will have its opening Friday at 8 p.m.

“Cloud 9” explores unexpected trysts, gender swaps, role reversals and power plays. The story takes place during the Victorian era, where repression clashes with liberal expression, specifically following a British family from colonial Africa to London in the 1970s. This provocative comedy challenges the ever-changing world of sexual politics as it asks what it takes for each of us to reach our own Cloud 9.

“Even back in the late ‘70s, Caryl Churchill was aware that gender was a social construct,” said Laura Standley, co-director and associate professor of theatre, in a press release. “In the play, she [Churchill] subverts gender through a series of unorthodox acts: cross-casting devices like purposeful crossgender casting, cross-racial casting and crossgenerational casting.”

Taking a journey through self-discovery and self-acceptance, the show wants its audience to think about one of the most powerful struggles we face in our everyday lives— the struggle of identifying who we really are to our families, our society and ourselves.

“The play is basically about exploring who you are and who you want to be,” said Makayla Keeney ‘21, “Cloud 9” stage manager. “Compared to who society forces you to be and

PHOTO BY CRYSTA CHEVERIE

MCLA Theatre’s “Cloud 9” cast, pictured from left to right: Charlotte Donnelly, Amanda Gilmore, Victoria Gentile, Declan McDermott, John Archer-Harvey, Morrison Robblee and Alex Aleksandrov. what others expect you to be.”

Currently a sophomore at MCLA, Keeney has been a part of the theatre department since she was a freshman and has taken on roles such as lightboard operator, props design and assistant stage manager. She has been involved with five previous productions with MCLA Theatre: “Passing Strange,” “Tartuffe,” “Rhinoceros,” “Into the Woods,” and “Macbeth.”

Now as stage manager for “Cloud 9,” Keeney is more than excited for this semester’s production.

“I love theatre so much and I think my favorite part about my position right now is just being in the rehearsal space,” Keeney said. “Getting to see the development of the relationships between the actors — whether they have done a show before or it’s their first time — is really neat.”

“Cloud 9” will be split into two different acts. Act one takes place in the Victorian era, while act two moves forward a bit in time to the late 1970s.

The characters of “Cloud 9” will be the same throughout both acts, but the actors will

be switching their roles from the first act to the second act.

The show’s cast features seven actors, four of whom are male and the other three female.

“It’s a story more so about the characters than it is about the plot,” Keeney said. “So I think people can expect to see real emotions from these actors, and severe honesty is definitely going to be there, but it will also be very comical at the same time.”

The dates for “Cloud 9” are March 8, 9 and 12-14 at 8 p.m., and March 9 at 2 p.m.

An alumni reception will take

Global Film Series: ‘Born This Way’

BY SALI BAH A&E WRITER The Global Film Series for Black History Month concluded with a showing of the LGBTQIA+ film “Born This Way.” Students gathered in Sullivan Lounge Monday, Feb. 25, to watch the documentary hosted by Chief Diversity Officer Christopher Macdonald-Dennis.

After the showing, attendees discussed their thoughts on the film.

“Born This Way,” directed by Shaun Kadlec and Deb Tullmann, is a 2013 film that follows the lives of four young homosexuals living in a constant state of fear because of their sexual preference.

In countries such as Cameroon, homosexuality is illegal and punishable by the

government. It is not uncommon for people to be killed for being gay or lesbian, and the murderer will not be put in jail. Despite the hate and backlash, Cameroonian LGBT people are taking on the challenge and fighting back by speaking out and standing their ground; because if they don’t, who will?

The film takes us inside Alternatives Cameroon, one of the only safe spaces for LGBT people run by LGBT people.

Here, they play soccer and hold fashion shows — one of the few light-hearted moments in the film’s surreal truth.

After the murder and torture of a dear friend, the film’s focus subject, Cedric Tchante, found himself traveling through the night to escape his small town of Douala, where he worked

at Alternatives Cameroon.

Tchante, along with his family, was followed and received death threats, forcing Tchante to leave Cameroon and relocate to Benin as a political refugee.

At one point in the documentary, two lesbian lovers are in court awaiting the council’s decision and the opposing lawyer compares their love to acts of pedophiles and rapists.

In the end, Tchante sought asylum in the United States and is now living in San Francisco, still advocating for LGBT rights across Africa.

After the movie, audience members discussed the most intense parts of the film, the effects of colonialism, and how change would happen in Cameroon.

PHOTO FROM IMDB.COM

MCLA’s Global Film Series for Black History Month concluded Feb. 25 with “Born This Way.”

place Saturday, March 9, after the 8 p.m. show. A talkback will be hosted after the 8 p.m. show Wednesday, March 13.

Tickets can be reserved online at mcla.ticketleap.com/ cloud-9/.

Tickets are: general admission, $15; MCLA alumni, $12; MCLA faculty, staff, and non-MCLA students, $10; and free for MCLA students. ”Come see the show!” Keeney exclaimed. “It’s funny and light-hearted, but there are also some moments that will surprise you — it will be a good time.”

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Trailblazers Drop Season Opener for Second Straight Year in 7-4 Loss to Stevenson

BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS CO-EDITOR Owings Mills, MD - The MCLA Trailblazers Baseball team started off their 2019 season with a tough loss to the Stevenson University Mustangs, who put together a three-run seventh inning to win Saturday’s game 7-4, in game one of a three-game series.

The Blazers and the Mustangs came into the seventh inning having scored four runs apiece. With the game in crunch time, the Blazers committed errors that would end up costing them the game.

The inning began with Stevenson junior Mark Terrell reaching first on a throwing error from Blazers senior shortstop Jeff Bink. With one man on, Stevenson freshman Brian McAdam put down a great bunt to advance the runner to second, while also allowing himself to reach first base safely.

After McAdam’s bunt, the Mustangs pulled a bold move having sophomore Nate Perkins lay down yet another bunt. Perkins’s bunt was also successful, advancing both runners and getting himself on first base.

With bases loaded and no outs, the Blazers were unable to tighten up on defense. Stevenson junior Kevin Murray Jr. drove a run-in and reached first base on a throwing error from MCLA junior Logan Rumbolt putting the score at 5-4.

Blazers senior pitcher Bobby New couldn’t keep it together from there. Following Murray’s hit on an error, New lost control and hit Stevenson batter junior Brady Kessler, driving in another run to make it 6-4 with the bases still loaded.

The final run of the game was batted in by Mustang senior Jordan Moore. After Kessler was hit by a pitch, Moore was able to record a sacrifice fly to send in their seventh run before MCLA’s New would finish the inning off with the final score of 7-4 already set.

Despite the rough ending to the game, the Blazers started the game off on the attack. The Blazers opened, scoring in the second inning with a string of hits, accompanied by an error, to get on the board with two early runs.

After Rumbolt reached on a throwing error and senior catcher Antonio Archina singled to center field, the Blazers were in scoring position. Following Archina, sophomore Jake Ferrara sent a ball back up the middle into center field that allowed Rumbolt to score and Archina to reach third.

Junior Dillon Mixon added to the spurt, grounding out to second following Ferrara’s single, allowing Archina to score on the play. The Mustangs were able

PHOTO FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

MCLA Senior pitcher Bobby New throwing in a game last season. New was the leader in appearances for the Trailblazers last year with 11, and looks to lead the rotation again this season. In the first game of the year, New pitched seven inning against Stevenson. New gave up 10 hits for seven runs, but only allowing three earned runs. He recorded no strikeouts and walked one batter. to end the inning just after Mixon’s ground-out with another roller to second for the third out.

After giving up three runs in the fourth inning, and another in the fifth, the Blazers were only able to record two more runs in the sixth inning of play.

After Bink reached first on a fielders choice, Blazers junior Christian Seariac singled to left center and eventually stole second, to place runners on second and third for the Blazers with a chance to score.

Rumbolt followed Seariac’s stolen base with a single up the middle that allowed Bink and Seariac to reach home plate and tie the score at four before the Mustangs’ seventh-inning spurt that led to the final score of 7-4.

MCLA was paced offensively by Seariac, who had a

PHOTO FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

MCLA junior outfielder Christian Seariac at bat in a game last season. In the season opener against Stevenson, Seariac went 2-4 with one run, a stolen base, and one stirkeout in the loss. Seariac is currently batting .250 with a .400 on base percentage (OBP) after three games.

pair of hits in four at-bats in the loss. The Mustangs received a pair of hits from junior Alex Kidwiler, sophomore Thomas Holcomb and Perkins in the win.

The Trailblazers were outhit by the Mustangs 10-7.

MCLA ended up dropping both games against the Mustangs the following day by scores of 1-0, and 11-1 beginning their season at a slow 0-3.

The Blazers are set to face off against the College of Mount Saint Vincent in a doubleheader Saturday in Chester, New York, before departing for their annual Florida trip.

The Mustangs improved to 6-2 after the eventual series sweep of the Blazers and will look to add another win when they face off with Gettysburg College Thursday, March 7.

PHOTO FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

MCLA junior shortstop Logan Rumbolt fielding a ball in a game last year. Rumbolt went 1-4 with one run scored and one RBI (Run Batted In) in the loss at Stevenson.

Mar. 7, 2019

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SCORE BOARD MCLA Baseball MCLA (0), Stevenson University (1) Dahndray Sistrunk(MCLA) 1-2, 2B

Brady Kessler (Stevenson) 1-4, 1 Runs , 2B

NBA

Boston Celtics (128), Golden State Warriors (95)

Gordon Hayward (Celtics) 30 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST

Stephen Curry (Warriors) 3 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST Ast, 2 Blk 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl

PHOTO BY MCLA ATHLETICS

Currently in the MASCAC conference, junior pitcher Shawn James is placed overall first in strikeouts, fourth in walks and fourth in strikeouts per game.

Trailblazers Lose Back-to-Back Sunday in Doubleheader

BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS CO-EDITOR The men's baseball team lost in their doubleheader visit against the Stevenson University Mustangs Sunday, March 3, at Sugar Field in Stevenson, Maryland.The Trailblazers' record drops to 0-3 overall and the Mustangs improved to 6-2 overall.

Coach Gladu is looking at his team's strengths and weaknesses to better the team as a whole.

"When you have a lot of strong parts you have to look at what are the weaknesses and that's what you want to take care of," Gladu said.

The final score of the first game was 1-0. The Trailblazers' junior pitcher Shawn James threw seven strikeouts and three walks while allowing three hits and one run in the five innings he played.

Sophomore pitcher Ryan Ruef relieved James in the bottom of the sixth inning. He finished with two walks and allowed one hit. Junior pitcher Dillion Maxon, freshman catcher Dan Buchanan, freshman first baseman Diego Rivera, and junior second baseman Dahndray Sistrunk all contributed to the team's effort with one hit each.

The Trailblazers concluded with a

total of 24 at-bats, four hits, five walks and seven strikeouts.

Coach Gladu is not worried about the beginning of the season; he is more focused on how to finish the season and enter into the playoffs.

"It really does not matter when you start the race, it is where you are at when it is done and I think we have some guys who can compete for that," Gladu said.

Mustangs' junior pitcher Tyler Graham led the opposing team, throwing two strikeouts while allowing four hits. He pitched for a total of seven innings, shutting out the Trailblazers.

In the third inning, junior Mustangs infielder Brady Kessler scored on a passed ball. Stevenson University ended with 24 at-bats, four hits and two strikeouts.

In the nightcap, the final score of the second game was 11-1. Senior MCLA pitcher Brendan Kelly led the team with three strikeouts, two walks and five errors, allowing five runs and six hits in two total innings played. Third baseman Jake Ferrera uplifted the team with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring in junior outfielder Christian Seariac for a run batted in (RBI).

Coach Gladu is confident in his team and wants them to remain fo-

cused during the regular season and the end goal.

"We are excited to get started and excited to see how far we can go. It's going to be fun, the expectations are high.

As long as my guys keep their eyes on the prize I think we going to be alright," Gladu said.

The Trailblazers finished with 22 atbats, two hits, one RBI, six walks and three strikeouts. Conversely, the Mustangs concluded with 24 at-bats, 11 hits, nine walks, eight RBIs and three strikeouts. Freshman Mustangs pitcher Sam Downs led with three strikeouts, five walks, one error and two hits in four innings played.

Coach Gladu is pleased with his team's quickness, defense and scoring.

However, he still wants to push for better improvement.

"For me, we have a lot of team speed, good defense, and guys who can hit the baseball so the pitching aspect pitching to contact and not walking guys and letting our defense work, that is the key to how long we go," Gladu said.

The Trailblazers will head to the Frozen Ropes facility in Chester, New York, Saturday, March 9, to play a doubleheader against Mount Saint Vincent University at 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

MLB

Boston Red Sox(8), Washington Nationals (4)

Tzu-Wei Lin(BOS) 2-4, 1 Runs, 3 RBI 10-12. 100 yds, 0 TD

Trea Turner (WAS) 1-3, 1 Runs

MLB

New York Yankees (5), Atlanta Braves(1)

Estevan Florial (NY) 1-2, 2 Runs

Dansby Swanson (ATL) 1-2, 1 Runs

NHL

Boston Bruins (4), Carolina Hurricanes(3)

David KrejÄ?Ă­ (BOS) Goal, Assist, 4 SOG

Sebastion Aho (CAR) 2 Goals, 7 SOG

NHL

New York Rangers (0), Dallas Stars (1)

Chris Kreider (NY) 3 SOG Ast, 2 Stl

John Klingberg (DAL) Goal, 4 SOG 22 Reb, 3 Ast

Opinion

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Emulation Should Be Celebrated, Not Shunned

BY RON LEJA EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Were you aware that nearly half of the films made before 1950 simply cease to exist?

You will never find these works scattered across the internet, showcased on Netflix or Hulu, nor rereleased on DVD. These relics of the film industry were never properly archived and, as a result, have suffered a fate that’s about as tragic as one could imagine for any artistic piece — they’ve not only been lost to the expanse of time, they’ve been forgotten.

We are currently facing a similar dilemma when it comes to the art of video games.

The video game industry is nearly 50 years old. In 1975, PONG was released on the ATARI home entertainment system, helping to literally spearhead a general interest in gaming that led to the development of what is now a multibillion-dollar industry, one that continues to capture the hearts and minds of more than 2 billion people the world over.

Since PONG, thousands upon thousands of video games have been developed

across multiple generations of home consoles, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to say that they’ve been forgotten, many of them aren’t easy to find — at least not in their original state, nor legally.

I’m talking of course about emulation, a “dirty practice” as far as the industry is concerned, but arguably the best means by which to preserve titles and consoles that are no longer in development.

Emulation is a process by which a program known as an emulator allows one type of computer to act like another. In regard to gaming, emulators currently exist that replicate older consoles.

When coupled with copies of older games, known as ROMs, a user is able to play these titles across a multitude of modern devices. For example, one could run a Super Nintendo emulator on their cellphone and play “Su-

per Mario World,” a game originally released in 1990.

Emulation is generally frowned upon by game developers due to its association with piracy, but should it really be cast in the same light?

While the pirating of unreleased movies, music and new, current games is unquestionably damaging to those involved in their respective industries, can the same be said for creative works that are several decades old? What if there simply isn’t any other means by which to acquire them?

Nintendo, in particular, has taken a pretty heavy stance against emulation as of late, going so far as to sue two major emulation websites, LoveRoms.com and LoveRETRO.com, just last year. They also asked that they receive upward of $100 million as compensation for potentially lost profits over

the course of time, ultimately resulting in the termination of both websites.

While I understand that yes, technically, Nintendo has every right to ask that their properties not be distributed this way, I can’t help but wonder how much damage the emulation of these older titles actually caused them.

Furthermore, I’d like to know when they plan on actually rereleasing all of these retro games that they claim they lost profits on, many of which simply don’t have a large enough fan base or cult following to ever warrant their redistribution. It’s a move that again, they have every right to make — but it doesn’t do them any favors in regard to public relations, as far as I’m concerned.

Given the sheer impact that gaming has had on society as a whole, I’d like to

think that there is something to gain from playing these older titles. Not only is each and every game part of the industry’s history, but they are part of our own.

I would argue that many of our readers have at least one fond childhood memory involving video games.

How many of us have bonded with a sibling through video games, made friends, or found interest in other subject matter through their representation in games?

How many of us can name at least one game from our youth that you think everyone should get the chance to experience for themselves?

More importantly, games have the potential to be special for reasons that transcend their salability. Like books and movies, they too can impact us in ways that spark our imagination, capture our intrigue and teach valuable lessons.

While many would argue that they aren’t as profound as literature and cinema, the potential is still there.

They deserve to be preserved for future audiences.

Bryce Harper - The 330 Million Dollar Baseball Player Recently, the Philadelphia Phillies signed super star outfielder Bryce Harper to a gargantuan 13 year, 330 million dollar deal. The deal predictably includes a no-trade clause. Interestingly, it also does not include an opt-out, meaning that Harper could very easily simply play out the entirety of the contract.

Harper, 26 years old, would reach his age 39 season if this were the case. Because baseball’s contracts are fully guaranteed, Harper will, barring retirement, see the entirety of the massive 330 million dollars entailed within the contract.

Let’s first discuss the behindthe-scenes schematics here: there is a no trade clause, which is pretty par for the course in a deal like this. However, there’s no opt out clause at all, which is unprecedented for a contract like this. As previously mentioned, Harper is totally in control of his own destiny; he could play for the Phillies for the entirety of the contract. They can’t

ANDREW BAILLARGEON THE CALL trade him unless he agrees to waive the clause, and they’re obviously never going to be able to release or otherwise cut him from the team, especially at the exorbitant rate they’ll be paying him.

So, what you then have is Harper, at age 26, in his prime for roughly six seasons. Some baseball players can still perform well at an old age (think guys like David Ortiz) but playing by the numbers, you figure to get Harper’s best baseball for a

little bit less than half the length of that contract.

Also consider that Harper is coming off a down year last season in Washington, which likely led to it taking a long time for him to find his new home. He batted 30 points below his career batting average (.249), and while he hit the second most homers in a season in his career (34) his Wins Above Replacement (WAR; the amount of games that his performance won the team juxtaposed to a replacement-level, average player) was a paltry 1.0, the worst it has ever been for him. Consider that he also had, by far, his worst defensive season of his career last year.

Additionally, Harper is a right fielder. While every position in baseball is obviously important, right fielders are debatably the most expendable, generally easiest to find at relatively low value. If Harper was a shortstop, catcher or a pitcher, his position would be at an ultimate premium, and a massive investment

like the one the Phillies made would have been much more justifiable.

That said, Harper and his agent, Scott Boras, undeniably fleeced the Phillies in this one. It is difficult to see how Philadelphia will end up getting what they paid for. Even if Harper returns to his form of old, and puts last season behind him, the Phillies will still be fortunate if he ends up playing top-level baseball for more than half the contract. But, the team has strapped themselves to him, by including a no trade clause and not including an opt out. Harper’s fellow free agent super star Manny Machado signed a large deal with the Padres where none of this is the case; Machado’s has an opt out, isn’t nearly as long (10 years vs Harper’s 13) and Machado’s positions, third baseman and shortstop, are at a much greater level of demand than the rightfielder position.

What we’re left to wonder is, just how massive of a contract is Mike Trout going to be due for next season?

Want to write a guest column?

If interested, contact Jake Vitali at jv1339@mcla.edu or Nicholas Bassett at nb3227@mcla.edu

Opinion

Mar. 7, 2019

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Editorial

The Future of Liberal Arts Times like these bring newfound stress on the idea of a college education, and particularly that of a liberal arts education. In this time of sound bites and clickbait titles, myths and misconceptions about the job market gain more traction than ever. Steve Jobs never had a college degree and Jeff Bezos started Amazon.com from his garage; so is higher education and a liberal arts education truly a necessity?

Yes. Liberal arts allows for the students to take a variety of classes and explore a variety of subjects that are of interest to them. Now more than ever, graduates are going to a perpetually changing job market with more career turnover and need for a wider variety of skills. With the greater tool-set that a liberal arts education provides you, you are better equipped for movement within a wider world.

For example, within a business setting leaning to deal with creative issue or multiple projects/clients at once and the high pressure moments. Additionally, when doing women’s studies, knowing how to writing critically as well as passionately.

Task management, creative and critical thinking, and communication skills are all topics that a liberal arts education hones in and asks students to focus on. At MCLA in particular, these are not only skills that professors prioritize, but there are also resources in place to help the students who need extra support in developing them. Things like the Writing Studio and Math Drop-In Center are all here for the students and to help them excel.

In 1949, Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at Smith College and asked: “How well prepared are we to live in a world that has constantly grown smaller and where we must rub shoulders with people of different cultures, of completely different customs and habits and religions, who live under different legal systems, whose languages are different?”

Liberals arts education prepares you to be flexible in the unfamiliar and ever-changing situations present in the world outside of the college environment. These invaluable skill sets should not have to suffer with the closing of small liberal arts colleges.

Letter to the Editor

Hazardous Conditions on Campus To the Editor: MCLA student and faculty lives are being put into dangerous situations during the winter time. Either it’s the commuters trying to get into their designated lots that are ice and snow covered, or resident students leaving their living places and being afraid to walk to class with the fear of falling.

I’m friends with many students who have voiced their concerns online about how hazardous the walkways to class the previous winter have been, and how upset they are that they must go through the same issues again. I’ve also come extremely close to slipping and falling, and my roommate fell down the stairs last year when leaving his town house.

Not only are the walkways treacherous, but the stairs are ice shelves. After a snowfall the stairways leading to the townhouses are usually untouched and whatever

snow was on them turned to ice. I understand that there are only a few maintenance workers on campus, but the snow needs to be plowed off the walk ways and off the stairs before nightfall.

As far as solutions go, I’m sure the college is working on this situation due to all the complaints. My idea was to open temporary maintenance positions on campus for the students who have been trying to find jobs. Let them work for a few hours every night to clean up the sidewalks, walk ways, stairs and parking lots around campus so we can all get to our destinations safely.

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Thank you for reading my concerns.

Sincerely, Madi Gigliotti 2021

Jake Vitali

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Mar. 7, 2019

IN OTHER BEACON NEWS

Accepted Student Day A new b at Accepte ch of students attende d Stude d n t past Sat D a y t h i urday to s get a tas MCLA te of the ex discussi perience. Betw een pan ons, mo nel c k tours, th c l a s s e s ey took a the time nd campus MCLA t mascot, Trail Bl o pose with azer.

PHOTOS BY JAKE VITALI

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