The Miscellany News April 16, 2020
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 153 | Issue 9
Recorded lectures, synchronous classes: a gap in faculty standards Dean Kopitsky Sports Editor
I
Juliette Pope/The Miscellany News.
n the soon-to-be-dubbed decade that was March 2020, many students traded in their college classrooms for a less traditional learning environment—home. Gone are the trappings of a traditional college classroom: high-tech projectors, fume hoods, charming old desks (and their charming graffiti). The most striking difference, however? The absence of students and professors. When the college evacuated most students from campus and announced a shift to online learning on March 12, a high-pressure keg of emotions, confusion and nerves burst in the middle of spring break. The overall structure of college—its supportive network of colleagues, resources and advisors—disappeared. Underlying this stress was an increasingly alarming pandemic. Students and professors alike had little over a week to wonder how
online classes, dubbed “remote learning,” would affect the rest of the semester. Questions regarding grading, class style and workload abounded. Professors were largely on the receiving end of those anxious queries. Yet, just as students were faced with the novelty of remote learning, their professors were scant more prepared. “I’ve been at Vassar since 1987, and I’d never taught remotely before,” said Professor of Political Science Stephen Rock. “I wasn’t sure how well this old dog would be able to learn new tricks.” Rock recalled no faculty meetings held on remote learning after President Bradley announced the shift. Tasked with guiding professors through this new reality is Dean of the Faculty Bill Hoynes, who noted several measures in place to guide faculty members: “We have provided technical assistance, including offering a wide range of consultation regarding support See Professors on page 5
Indie pop debut puts life on pause Bringing pets to the people: Pups get the Zoomies Meghan Hayfield Reporter
T
his morning I stood in line to get into Whole Foods. It was raining and cold and I was not aptly dressed. My Birkenstocks were collecting raindrops and I looked out into the sad parking lot. A life without people, without touch, without adjectives. Enter Chicago indie pop band Beach Bunny. “Honeymoon,” Beach Bunny’s debut album was released on Valentine’s Day of this year. It feels like it was written on another planet. Its sounds are often dissonant and always vibrant; listening is like looking into a
kaleidoscope, a shifting array of images. Sometimes these images are solemn, like watching water lap across the shore. Against this backdrop, singer Lili Trifilio coaxes herself out of a broken relationship and into the dreamy promise of a new crush as she expounds on love and hate, jealousy and self-affirmation. Motifs of heartbreak and renewal are refreshing in a moment where it feels as if life is on pause. There’s an intensity to Honeymoon that complements this kind of life. The album races forth with a speed that is distracting and commanding and cultivates acceptance of the current
reality while simulating another one. In the opener “Promises,” a steady drum beat pulses alongside Trifilio’s breathy voice, gentle and luring. The tempo quickly builds and Trifilio breaks into a yell: “Do you ever think of me?” She exclaims the simple question over and over. The song does not indulge this aching insecurity but finds momentum in the pulse of a high hat, Trifilio’s youthful voice and an energetic guitar riff. While the album is bound in uneasy love, it is buoyed by sonic exuberance. “Are you out there? I’m still here/I wish that when I said your See Beach Bunny on page 3
Janet Song
Assistant Features Editor
I
n an effort to combat loneliness amid social isolation, the Animal Farm Foundation’s “Pets Together” program aims to virtually connect pets and people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through these connections, the foundation hopes to bring lovable animals to those who require some fluffy company, offering visitors—who range from elderly folks looking for companionship to doctors working at hospitals in need of a pick-me-
up—comfort at a time of uncertainty. The “Pets Together” program is one way Animal Farm Foundation (AFF) fosters connections between pets and people. According to their website, AFF works to bring dogs and people together as a way of ending discrimination among all individuals, bringing change through its service dog program, PAWS prison program, and training for K9 detection dogs, as well as other initiatives. AFF seeks to See Pets Together on page 5
Under quarantine, columnist concocts comforting cuisine Tamika Whitenack Guest Columnist
T
he world we live in under the COVID-19 pandemic finds many of us unexpectedly at home, searching for pockets of peace amidst the chaos. Like countless others, cooking is part of my coping: I have turned to the kitchen as a creative outlet, and four weeks in, I find myself enjoying the opportunity to cook nourishing meals for my family. I am grateful to still have ample access to food, and for my family’s ability to make dietary changes to accommodate the less frequent trips to the grocery store. While I recognize that massive shifts in our food chains are posing difficulty for many across the country, I feel lucky that my own circumstances allow me to take the shift in ingredient availability as a chance to experiment—each night’s meal is a diversion of delicious discovery and edible innovation. Over the past
few weeks, my culinary escapades have ranged from simple staples to newfound nutritious nosh. Cooking is a consistent source of comfort in my life, and I offer this collection as an ode to practices that sustain health and well-being, even in these times. I, like many an internet citizen, have turned to bread baking, as we no longer visit our favorite bakery. Removing a fresh, warm loaf from the hot oven instills a sense of accomplishment hardly worthy of a simple mixture of flour, yeast, salt and water. A crusty round of bread is greatly satisfying, and continues to gift carbohydrate goodness throughout the week in the form of toast! I began my bread endeavors with the easy recipe for NoKnead Bread, but my most recent attempt has been a loaf of sourdough, lovingly made with a sourdough starter bequeathed upon us by my grandma a few years ago. See Culinary on pages 6-7
Courtesy of Tamika Whitenack.