The Miscellany News
Volume CXLVII | Issue 14
February 19, 2015
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Movement Activist panel confronts VC race issues resists A test culture Rhys Johnson News Editor
Bethan Johnson
Contributing Editor
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Sam Pianello/The Miscellany News
e are now currently in the biggest revolt against highstakes testing in US history,” Seattle’s Garfield High School history teacher, author of “More than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing” Jesse Hagopian told Vassar students and Poughkeepsie community members on Thursday, Feb. 12. Hagopian was also a participant in the 2013 educational protests in which teachers refused to administer the mandatory state MAP exam. In his lecture and by his accounts of his participation in education activism, Hagopian challenged students and Poughkeepsie community members to see high-stakes testing as a method of de-funding public education and depriving young students of fair and equal learning opportunities, particularly those from impoverished and underprivileged social and ethnic backgrounds. The veteran teacher and union representative for the teachers at Garfield High School focused on his experiences working alongside students and teachers to prevent the students from forced high-stakes testing, which took the form of the MAP test. The MAP, or Measure of Academic Progress, is a computerized examination that assesses and tracks students’ understanding of mathematics and reading comprehension starting in primary school. It is one form of highstakes testing in a group that includes the SAT and the ACT among others. See SUPE on page 3
A panel of social activists representing students, faculty and alumnae/i hosted an open dialogue surrounding issues of diversity and inclusion between the Vassar community and the College, as well as within the movement itself.
The War on Drugs: Are there any winners? Claire Standaert Reporter
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now was falling heavily on Nov. 26 and everyone, including myself, was ready to get on the train and go home for Thanksgiving. Soon the doors opened with a loud swoosh. I sat down next to a boy listening to his iPod. After some time, he turned to me and asked how old I was. 18, I answered. When I asked him the same, he gave a much more complicated answer, revealing that he was 17 and had just gotten out of prison that day. At that point, I felt comfortable enough to ask the question that was burning in the back of my mind.
“If you don’t mind me asking, why were you in prison?” “Well, long story short, I could make 200 a week as a busboy, which I did for awhile, or sell drugs and make that much in a day. I’ve gotta support me and my mom. So I made the choice.”
injustice and systems of oppression that exist in the war on drugs. The war on drugs in the U.S. has recently become the object of intense debate and discussion locally and nationally, with opinions over whether it does more harm than good starkly contrasting on opposite ends of the spectrum. Lee spoke to me about one side of the spectrum. “The Drug Policy Alliance is a national organization and its prominent work is in ending the war on drugs. With that, we are especially trying to move the policy from the criminal justice system and move it more closer to a public health view.”
Flawed numbers It was 2 p.m. on a Friday and Melody Lee was expecting my call. The phone rang three times and was promptly answered. Lee, a policy coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance’s (DPA) New York policy office, spoke about the problems of racial
Kling blends activism with humor Emma Rosenthal Arts Editor
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Erik Quinson
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Rebecca Kling brings an educational and humorous edge to transgender activism. She will be hosted by multiple departments to create a far-reaching performance
Inside this issue
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Cauliflower pizza makes for a FEATURES sweet surprise
14 ARTS
London Actors bring Macbeth to Vasssar campus
According to the DPA’s statistics, the number of people arrested in 2013 on nonviolent drug charges was 1.5 million. Lee suggests these numbers are the result of a flawed system. “Where we are currently, we see that with the war on drugs in place, drug use has not gone down, it is actually more pure and accessible now than before the war on drugs was instituted. In fact, what we are seeing is it has fueled mass incarceration.” Not only is mass incarceration for petty crimes an issue, but racial discrimination continues to plague See PRISON on page 8
Athletes: more than just haircuts Assistant Sports Editor
courtesy of Rebecca Kling
onversations surrounding issues of gender and sexuality might not be the easiest to have. Humor, though, often works as a filter through which these topics can be made more accessible. Rebecca Kling, a transgender artist, brings humor and education into her multifaceted performances and will be performing her piece, “Uncovering the Mirrors” at Vassar in the Rocky 200 Auditorium. With support from the Women’s Studies Program, the Campus Life LGBTQ Center, the Dean of the Faculty, the Africana Studies Program, the American Studies Program, the Drama Department and the English Department, three Vassar faculty members set in motion the plans to host Kling on Feb. 25. Director of the Women’s Studies Program and Associate Professor of English, Leslie Dunn was one of the instrumental faculty members to organize this event and wrote in an emailed statement about Kling’s upcoming performance. “Rebecca is coming to Vassar as part of a ‘The Glittery Armario,’ a series of performances by queer and trans [people] of color artists, organized by Elias Krell and Judy Jarvis. It was Eli’s See KLING on page 16
midst the troubled relationship between students and the College’s current leadership surrounding issues of diversity and inclusivity, Professor of English, writer and social activist Kiese Laymon hosted an event in Rockefeller Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The gathering was meant to serve as an open conversation between activist voices on campus and students about intersectional justice and the Administration’s failure to make observable progress towards solving such problems. The conversation began with short speeches from the speakers on the panel, which included Laymon, student Storm Vonhundley ’17, alumna Rachel Gilmer ’10 and Professor of Political Science and Co-Founder of the African American Policy Forum Luke Harris. Although he was unable to attend See PANEL on page 4
ports teams are some of the most closely knit groups in Vassar’s community. From the cross country’s loud library table to swimming’s decision to dye their hair before states, Vassar’s teams are there for one another, regardless of how ridiculous or obnoxious they may appear. The process of training for a sport is hard, physically and mentally. The risk of failure at a game, meet or race is something that weighs on the mind of any athlete; a loss on the weekend can set the tone for the rest of the week. On the other hand, a win can make you see the world through rose-tinted glasses. Sophomore and one of the captains of the volleyball team Trey Cimorelli wrote in an emailed response, “It’s easy to come together and enjoy spending time together as a team when things are going well. It’s harder when things aren’t going well. That’s
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what helps build the relationships on the team the most.” Senior captain of the cross-country team Andrew Terenzi reflected, “During really hard work outs, which can last a long time, we tend to pack up and have to work hard to stay together, and when everyone’s working so hard it’s a real bonding experience.” The commitment that teammates show to one another is absolutely essential. Terenzi’s comment about working hard covers the aspect of communal spirit. What he doesn’t mention is the competitive nature that is instilled when one has to keep up with his teammates. Senior volleyball player Taylor Mosley wrote in an emailed response, “Sometimes practice can be intense because we are constantly competing with and against each other.” Mosley fills in what Terenzi left out. Teammates are consistently challenging each See BONDING on page 18
Men’s Tennis swings into their SPORTS spring season
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The Miscellany News
Vassar’s student newspaper of note since 1886. Available online at miscellanynews.org. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
February 19, 2015
Editor-in-Chief Palak Patel
Senior Editor Noble Ingram
Contributing Editors Bethan Johnson Meaghan Hughes Marie Solis
News Opinions Arts Humor & Satire Sports Photography Online Social Media Copy
Rhys Johnson Joshua Sherman Emma Rosenthal Chris Gonzalez Zach Rippe Samantha Pianello Gwendolyn Frenzel Maddy Vogel Ashley Pecorelli
Crossword Editors Collin Knopp-Schwyn York Chen Alycia Beattie Assistant Features Julia Cunningham Assistant Design Sarah Dolan Assistant Social Media Hannah Nice Reporters Amreen Bhasin Emily Hoffman Penina Remler Columnists Sophia Burns Delaney Fischer Sam Hammer Sarah Sandler Claire Standaert Design Sixing Xu Photography Alec Ferretti Emily Lavieri-Scull Copy Hallie Ayres Claire Baker Antigone Delton Shelia Hu Anika Lanser Macall McQueen Alessandra Muccio Kelsey Quinn Jessica Roden Emma Roellke Sophia Slater Rebecca Weir Laura Wigginton
The Miscellany News does not expressly endorse any of the opinions of the columnists featured within the pages of the paper, except for the staff editorial. LETTERS POLICY The Miscellany News is Vassar College’s weekly open forum for discussion of campus, local and national issues, and welcomes letters and opinions submissions from all readers. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 350 words, and they usually respond to a particular item or debate from the previous week’s issue. Opinions articles are longer pieces, up to 800 words, and take the form of a longer column. No letter or opinions article may be printed anonymously. If you are interested in contributing, e-mail misc@vassar.edu.
February 19, 2015
NEWS
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VARC film showing targets factory farming industry Chris Pompetzki Guest Reporter
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lthough it is common knowledge that fossil fuels are the source of a number of environmental problems, a lesser-known threat is that of animal agriculture, which is responsible for 51 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2009 report from the Worldwatch Institute. (Worldwatch Institute, “Livestock and Climate Change: What if the key actors in climate change are...cows, pigs, and chickens,” 11.09) The Vassar Animal Rights Coalition (VARC) mission statement reads, “[VARC] works to promote a cruelty-free diet.” Also known as factory farming or as industrial livestock production, animal agriculture refers to the modern practice of raising animals for human consumption, and has become largely synonymous with a cruel and unsustainable diet.
As part of its larger efforts to combat speciesism, on Thursday, Feb. 12, VARC hosted a screening of the anti-factory farming film “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” to help educate students about the lesser-known, yet no less detrimental effects that the animal agriculture industry has on the planet. The film records the experience of environmentalist and documentary filmmaker Kip Anderson as he explores the practice of factory farming and its consequences. At the screening of the film, VARC representatives from the event fielded questions about intensive livestock production and other themes presented by Anderson. One such question was about the role that speciesism plays in people’s avoidance of addressing problems associated with animal agriculture. VARC event coordinator Alessandra Seiter ’16 commented, “I think that it is really
courtesy of Alessandra Seiter
VARC hosted a screening of environmentalist filmmaker Kip Anderson’s “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” to help spread awareness of the detriments animal agriculture pose to the planet.
easy to look away from non-human animals in all contexts because I think that yes, there is this ingrained speciesism of human superiority over other animals.” She continued, “I think that that also really ties into assumed human superiority over the entire earth. If we hold one notion of being superior to other beings, then we are inevitably going to perpetuate that in other forms of our life. The attitude behind speciesism is really responsible also for the destruction of our planet, and so I think that really we need to eradicate both if we want to sustain this planet.” In the film, Anderson argues that animal agriculture is the greatest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, species extinction, habitat degradation and ocean dead zones. Many, however, have pointed out that focusing on only one issue is detrimental to achieving sustainability. “I don’t think that we should take an either/ or approach,” wrote DivestVC event coordinator Elise Ferguson ’17, in an emailed response. “Focusing on one or the other is a pitfall; our approach to such a massive issue needs to be broad-sweeping and comprehensive.” Also addressed at the Cowspiracy screening was the question of how VARC plans to bring further consciousness to related issues at Vassar. “I think that the change really needs to come from below,” Seiter commented. She went on to say, “I am hoping that we will be able to engage with other organizations on campus, beyond the Greens, though we would love to engage more with the Greens as well.” This was in reference to the desire for greater synergy between Vassar student environmental organizations. VARC has held joint-meetings with the Vassar Greens and Feminist Alliance in the past, and plans to collaborate with other on-campus organizations in the future to address issues in “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” from a multifaceted perspective. Greater collaborative work has been a common goal for environmental activist groups on campus in recent years. In an emailed comment, VARC campaign coordinator Rockwell
Schwartz ’15 said, “VARC is constantly discussing new ideas on how we can bring this issue to light. She went on to write, “We intend to canvass the dorms in advance of the annual Earth Week Veg Pledge, during which hundreds of Vassar students pledge to spend a week without animal products in recognition of their impact on the planet.” The film has, to many, called to mind other environmental issues on campus, most notably the College’s January deer cull. “It is well past time the Vassar community center a discussion on the realities of animal agribusiness for both the planet and the billions of animals it victimizes,” commented Schwartz. The overarching theme from the screening of “Cowspiracy” is that a transition to a diet free from meat and dairy is a decision that benefits the environment. VARC emphasizes the importance of this choice, and it helps students interested in changing their lifestyle in a variety of ways. “VARC provides a supportive community in which students can learn more about nonhuman animal issues, meet rescued formerly-farmed animals at local sanctuaries and even be paired with an experienced vegan mentor to help in their transition toward more animal-friendly living,” said Schwartz. In “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,” Anderson chronicles his decision to adopt a diet free from meat and dairy. He emphasizes that the benefits of such a decision are twofold in that it benefits both the planet and the person making the decision. Seiter later commented, “In April, we host a ‘Veg Pledge’ in collaboration with the Vassar Green’s annual Earth week.” Students are provided with ample opportunities to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle easier through VARC campaigns. Although VARC’s and Kip Anderson’s goals remain distant, their efforts are winning the support of new followers every day, and are becoming ever more realistic.
Students bring social acountability to high-stakes testing SUPE continued from page 1
According to the official Seattle Public Schools website, the test, which is administered for 45 minutes per subject multiple times each year and was introduced to Hagopian’s school district in Seattle only a few years prior, is used in 131 districts in Washington state. Three million of these high-risk tests are taken annually in the United States and around the world. Although the problem is a national phenomenon, Hagopian presented the issue of high-stakes testing from his own recent experiences in Seattle. First approached by a teacher who had discussed refusing to administer the test, Hagopian recounted how his participation in countless meetings with fellow Garfield High School teachers illuminated the overwhelming problems many members of the school community had with the test. He explained, “Uniformly, all the teachers found this test to be completely irrelevant. We heard that it wasn’t aligned to the curriculum.” Teachers recounted how the MAP test’s decision to include questions not formulated around the school curriculum to evaluate student progress and teachers’ ability was impractical and unfair. Despite concerns about the punishment for refusing to administer the test and being labeled insubordinate, the teachers unanimously voted to defy the district mandatewhen placed to a whole-faculty vote. The teachers of Garfield High School, Hagopian explained, quickly learned the systemic nature and sheer bredth of the problem when, after officially announcing their defiance, a school in Florida sent them free pizzas to raise their spirits. The speaker reflected on his thoughts and feelings at the time, recalling “We are not in this alone. People on the other side of the country are counting on us. This isn’t just about us here at Garfield with this one bad test. This is about an entire system that is predicated upon reducing the intellectual
process of teaching and learning to a single number that they can then use to punish children. It’s happening all over the country.” The teachers then received unwavering support from their students, which Hagopian interpreted as a sign of hope and ideological strength in the coming generation. In spite of intimidation tactics by school administrators and teachers, Garfield students staged classroom sit-ins, begged parents to allow them to opt out of taking the test and intentionally invalidated test sheets so that almost no tests were deemed admissible. Hagopian expressed his optimism about this united effort by students and faculty and referred to the school’s resulting decision to make the MAP optional in the following year. Although the MAP test became optional for students within his district, Hagopian quickly noted that high-stakes testing is currently causing similar damage across the country, highlighting contests between school administrators and teachers in Illinois, New York and Colorado. He explained that, currently, tens of thousands of families living within the state of New York alone have opted their children out, or allowed their children to choose to opt out, of high-stakes testing. The battle over high-stakes testing, Hagopian and members of Vassar’s new chapter of the national organization Students United for Public Education (SUPE) agree, stretches beyond the field of education. As they argue, this struggle is deeply intersectional with contemporary issues of race and inequality in America. Although ostensibly created to help schools improve the quality of education that they provide students, particularly students from impoverished communities and backgrounds, Hagopian pointed to the perceived hypocrisy of those seeking education reform through testing. He called this system “a corporate education reform movement.” He argued that the use of standardized tests to label a school as failing, close it and then utilize the funding for charter schools
reveal the true nature of this reform movement to be harmful and oppressive. “The test really has nothing to do with wanting to improve achievement for students of color. It’s really about a ‘test and punish’ model to starve public education and to privatize education,” Hagopian later went on to explain. “Everything that they are trying to do [is] getting rid of critical thinking so students don’t have the tools to challenge oppression…to produce educational inadequacies.” SUPE echoed this in an emailed statement, writing, “Testing is a huge social justice issue. Standardized tests originated from the eugenics movement and continue to perpetuate inequities by unjustly labeling students and schools as ‘failures’ and unjustly allocating resources.” He continued, briefly explaining the educational history behind the culture of highstakes testing. “After the passing of No Child Left Behind in 2002, many students, especially those in schools labeled ‘failing,’ have spent hours on test preparation. Test-prep limits the amount of time teachers can spend on curriculum that really matters —lessons designed to promote creative, critical thinking,” he said. Hagopian also noted the depth of the intersection of this issue through his expertise as a history teacher, recounting famous detractors of testing methods in education. He observed, “This movement, while its the biggest that it’s ever been in U.S. history, stands on the shoulders of giants because the first test resisters that really organized and brought out the severe problems with these tests were black intellectuals in the early 1900s, people like W.E.B. DuBois.” While Hagopian placed high-stakes testing in the context of K-12 education, SUPE noted that Vassar students have retained their stake in the discussion, despite having graduated from high school. They argued, “College students will take more standardized tests as they apply to grad
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
school and to various work fields, that means more time and money will be spent on test preparation. Standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, also help to decide who is admitted to Vassar.” This development marks the first major event by both the Education Majors Committee and the Vassar chapter of SUPE, save for some small tabling conducted by SUPE last semester encouraging students to resist Teach for America. The organization formed due to a perceived gap in student activism and recognition of the intersectional nature of this issue. The group explained, “We created SUPE because the campus was missing a group that discussed education policies and focused on the root causes of educational injustice.” The national SUPE organization’s mission statement reads, “SUPE is a community based organization because we believe that public schools are the heart of every community. We understand that in order for our goals to be reached, we must work with not only K-12 students, but parents, teachers, and community members as a whole.” It continues, “We want to work with communities to find what their needs are, and have them lead the way in the struggle as we work as equals to organize the change they believe is best.” Among the group’s chief goals are eliminating high-stakes testing, supporting teachers’ unions and preventing any funding cuts or closures to public schools, particularly schools already beleagured by low funding and heavy testing. Pleased with the attendance of the their first official campus event by both students and other community members, SUPE looks to continue its development as a student organization this semester. Although the group has yet to announce any upcoming events or campaigns, SUPE members encourage any students who may be interested in helping to combat inequity or to support educational reform to contact Alexia Garcia ’18 with any questions.
NEWS
Page 4 Outside the Bubble Comedy legend Jon Stewart will leave host spot on “The Daily Show” Political satirist Jon Stewart announced his departure from Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” on Feb. 10, after 16 years of hosting the critically acclaimed comedy-news show. In January 1999, Stewart became the show’s host and added to it a discourse of politics. He also utilized the role of correspondents, transforming the show into a news-driven program. By 2014, The Daily Show had won 19 Emmy Awards and a Grammy, and its nightly viewership had reached over 2.5 million. The date of his final show has yet to be announced. Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless said, “We haven’t set a date for [Stewart’s] final show, but it will be sometime before the end of 2015. Through his unique voice and vision, ‘The Daily Show’ has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come” (The Los Angeles Times, “Jon Stewart, a force in comedy and news, will leave ‘The Daily Show,’” 02.10.15). Many politicians and journalists, some even targets of his mockery, have lamented Stewart’s decision to leave. New York Senator Charles Schumer, whose “Brooklyn accent” Stewart imitated in his show, said, “It’s top two or three in terms of influence on public opinion — and with young people, he’s probably No. 1.” Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, who has also been one of his targets, admitted Stewart’s ability to make young audiences pay attention to serious political matters. He said, “He taught them why they should care” (The New York Times, “They’ll Just Hate to See Jon Stewart Go (So They Say),” 02.11.15). Although Stewart has often held that his show is not real news, it has become the primary news source of many. The idea of blending some of the more bland elements of news with comedy has been to many a valuable introduction into social and political affairs. It is unclear what Stewart’s next step will be, as is the identity of his successor. The fast food chain Arby’s even jokingly tried to recruit Stewart (ABC News, “Jon Stewart Reflects on Departure Reaction: ‘Did I Die?,’” 02.12.15). Wherever Stewart goes, overcoming his shadow will be a challenge for whomever Comedy Central picks to take up his mantel. – Sieu Nguyen ’17, Guest Reporter
– Chris Pompetzki ’18, Guest Reporter
Dialogue evaluates Vassar protest culture PANEL continued from page 1
the event in person due to inclement weather, Adjunct Instructor in Africana Studies Darnell Moore uploaded a video to YouTube which was played to commence the event and set a general tone for the conversation. In the video, Moore remarked, “There is no need for a university, or any institution, for that matter, to hold a talk, a dialogue, a conversation, teaching that is centered on Ferguson or the notion of ‘Black Lives Matter’ unless it itself is up for the challenge of examining the extent to which it itself is Ferguson.” He continued, “Why are you going to hold a conversation on Ferguson in an institution that is itself Ferguson? Institutions like Vassar have to do the work, which I’m assuming it’s doing right now, of looking at its own policies, its institutional practices, its structures.” One of the main concerns the panelists, particularly Laymon, voiced was about the Administration’s recent movement to show commitment to change through such admission of past failures and the launch of the “Strengthening Vassar” website, which lists the College’s goals on the issues of diversity and inclusion and allows students to monitor progress towards them. Many feel as though the institution is attempting to craft a narrative of proactive change in which future Vassar students may not know the real efforts made by former students and faculty members. “We have to recognize the tactic they’re using and respond to it,” Gilmer commented. “They’re not crediting you all in the work that they’re doing. They’re not saying, ‘This [progress] is because faculty and students have been
asking for this for the past ten years.’ They’re just saying, ‘Well, we just decided to do it because we’re good people.’” Laymon echoed, “[T]he institution is taking credit for what a lot of folks in this room have been working for for the past three years, what alums have been working for for the past 50 years, and there’s no running website that says, ‘We came to this because you all shamed the fuck out of us. We came to this conclusion after 50, 60, 70 years of people fighting and strategizing and organizing.’” He went on to say, “[President Catherine Hill] is fighting the fight for access, and the truth is, she is fighting the fight for access. She is fighting against some very right-wing people of color and white folk who believe that our presence here weakens this College. What [Hill] has done is she’s let that make her believe she is morally right, and [she’s] not doing shit on this campus to stop institutional terror.” The speakers also encouraged students to reject the College’s pressures to weigh the negative aspects of Vassar with some of the more positive elements, and applauded those who have done so. “You said to the world,” Kiese remarked, “‘I’m in this institution because I fought to get in this institution. There’s other people who fought to get in this institution who don’t get a pat on the back for giving me some shit I deserve.’” The panelists sought to address not only the issues students and community members have had with the College and the Administration, but problems within Vassar’s activist community as well. Vonhundley commented, “Vassar’s activism often troubles me. From the classes
I’ve taken, the retreats I participate in, I get a hard look at what social justice really looks like on Vassar’s campus, and it often looks just like this room. We are an introduction, a conversation. People get inspired, people get ideas, and then they don’t follow through, and then we have another conversation.” She continued, “Vassar’s activism is a large performance where people learn their lines, such as ‘prison industrial complex,’ ‘intersectionality’ and ‘structural inequality.’ Their stage is in the classroom. People in my classes can perform in class discussions, regurgitate the reading and have the same great thought reiterated five times by five different people because nobody is listening to anyone.” During the open conversation portion of the event that followed, the panel and the audience agreed on the importance of acknowledging institutional practices and structures as changeable, warning that failure to do so threatens future progress and invalidates past successes. “One of the things that I think institutions do is they feed all of us with these ideas that these superstructures cannot be punctured. ‘It’s structural.’ Why don’t we ever try to fight anything that’s structural?” said Laymon. “We’re here because structures have been punctured, and we’re here because we need to puncture more structures.” He went on to say, “The structure never intended for my black ass to be here. If anything, my black ass being here is not a congratulations to Vassar. My black ass being here is a congratulations to my grandmomma, to the social justice workers who worked hard to get us here.”
Candlelight vigil honors UNC victims Rhys Johnson News Editor
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n Friday, Feb. 13, the Vassar Muslim Student Union (VMSU) hosted a candlelight vigil in honor of students Deah Barakat, 23, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21 and Razan Abu-Salha, 19, who were shot and killed on Tuesday, Feb. 10, near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over 80 students, faculty and other community members came to show their respect for the deceased. The vigil was one of many across campuses and cities around the country in the days following the shooting. According to their mission statement, “The Vassar Muslim Student Union (VMSU) is an organization whose main purposes are to provide a supportive network, space, and community for Muslim students to enhance, maintain, and embody their faith to whatever degree they choose, as well as provide an environment that enables and encourages dialogue of issues pertinent to being Muslim in the 21st century. In addition, we also aim is to serve the needs of anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, who is interested in learning more about Islam through the works of VMSU.” The shooting occurred on Tuesday afternoon after what the police described as an ongoing parking dispute. After it was reported that shots had rung out in the condominium complex, the police arrived on the scene to find the three students; a newlywed couple and the bride’s sister. Although the victims’ relatives have asserted that the killings, committed by the students’ white, middle-aged neighbor, were racially inspired, authorities have not yet acknowledged them as a hate crime (The New York Times, “In Chapel Hill Shooting of 3 Muslims, a Question of Motive,” 02.11.15). As soon as news of the students’ deaths broke, the VMSU set out to organize the vigil. According to VMSU president Farah Aziz ’16, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life stepped in to ensure that the event would take place as soon as possible. She commented, “We had a lot of the backbone set, but our biggest fear was advertising in terms of how quickly the word would spread. With the help of the [Religious and Spiritual Life] Office, we were able to get the Administration to have an all-campus email sent out.” She continued, “We had planned most of the details of the event, but the Religious and Spiritual Life Office just stepped in and said, ‘We’re going to get this done this week.’ Along with the ALANA and Women’s and LGBTQ Centers, as well as class representatives on [the] VSA, we
were able to make advertising a success.” At the event, the hosts encouraged a moment of silent reflection or prayer while candles were lit and passed around. After the silence was broken, many gathered around a small poster featuring several pictures of the victims in their everyday lives. Many were encouraged by the turnout, particularly on such short notice. VMSU Co-Vice President Nora Abdelrahman ’18 commented, in an emailed statement, saying “As a Muslim student at Vassar College, I was overwhelmed by the amount of support from the student body, faculty and administration. To have so many people show up at the vigil and be so supportive and have so much respect for the lives that were lost and to ask us, as VMSU, if we needed anything at the vigil was amazing and a really humbling experience.” Many of those who attended the vigil had hopes that such events would promote greater solidarity between different communities at Vassar and would promote a more honest, open dialogue about issues facing Muslims on campus and across the country. Aziz remarked, “We have a strong but vibrant community here on campus. Religious and spiritual things on campus are a little more under-
ground at places that are more skeptical of such things like at Vassar, so it makes programming and campus awareness slightly more difficult. Going forward though, we have some really great programs and educational opportunities coming up.” Abdelrahman also commented, “In light of this tragedy, people were united. It is extremely unfortunate that a tragedy of this magnitude brings people together but everyone at the end of the day is the same. No matter what you look like, what you believe in, everyone is the same and we as students especially, just want to live a happy and successful life. It is an issue that faces the global community in its entirely and no sort of discrimination should be tolerated.” Such a sentiment is what many have encouraged members of the Vassar community, as well as across the country, to take to heart. “We’re here. We were your lab partner. We were your roommate. We were your neighbors,” said Aziz. “I think people still associate a lot of ‘otherness’ with something that’s not really so ‘other’ in the status quo anymore, and Vassar is not an exception to that. But the good news is that things have the potential to change. They are changing. The amount of support we got tonight was a sign of things going in the right direction.”
courtesy of Vassar Muslim Students Union
First fully-automated hotel to open in Japan Huis Ten Bosch, a Japanese theme park, recently unveiled its plans to open a new hotel in July, which will employ androids to replace human labor. The hotel will be named the Henn-na Hotel, which translates from Japanese roughly either to the “strange hotel” or the “change hotel” to English (CNN, “Bleep blorp: New Japanese hotel to be staffed by robots,” 02.05.15). The Henn-na Hotel’s robotic staff is a product of Kokoro Co. Ltd., which develops innovative technology in collaboration with Osaka University (CIO Today, “First hotel staffed by robots set to open in Japan,” 02.06.15). Known as actroids, the machines are capable of speech, eye contact and body language. First displayed in 2003, the actroids will be the futuristic hotel’s replacement for human concierges, bellhops and receptionists. Japan’s history of innovation in the robotics industry includes the Advanced Step in Innovative MObility, better known as ASIMO. Built by Honda in 2000, the humanoid robot was designed to help people with mobility issues. In the same fashion, the automated hotel will attempt to keep room prices more affordable and accessible. At a press conference, Huis Ten Bosch Co. President Hideo Sawada remarked, “We will make the most efficient hotel in the world,” adding, “In the future, we’d like to have more than 90% of the hotel services operated by robots” (Japan Times, “Huis Ten Bosch theme park to get hotel staff entirely by robots,” 01.28.15). Although some human workers will supervise the actroids, visitors will interact primarily with the robots. Amenities at the hotel will include facial recognition scanners and body temperature monitors, which will replace older technologies such as keycards and thermostats respectively. According to a press conference for the Huis Ten Bosch, room prices will start at around $60 (Telegraph UK, “Robots to serve guests in Japanese hotel,” 02.03.15). If all goes according to the company’s plan, the automated hotel is poised to become a new trend in the industry. The hotel will also use an auctioning system to determine room prices more efficiently, hoping to revolutionize not only the way hotels of the future function, but also how they will operate economically and strategically.
February 19, 2015
The VMSU hosted a vigil in honor of the victims of the UNC shooting on Tuesday. Although the issues facing Muslims on campus and across the country are numerous, many remain hopeful for the future.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
February 19, 2015
FEATURES
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College Ave. and beyond: The would-be frat houses of VC Marie Solis
Contributing editor
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campus, though, Vassar students no longer live there. She and Gregoline went back and forth, reflecting on how off-campus dynamics have inevitably shifted. “Sad House moved to Blue House. Sad House used to be the [VC] Punx house…” Masters said. “Yeah! And now Davis is like Fancy House,” Gregoline chimed in, alluding to the house where Meryl Streep’s daughter lived during her time at Vassar. The College Ave. house, however, is known as Fancy House mostly because of its private washer and dryer—a luxury for a college apartment. Aside from the organic changes that have shaped and transformed houses’ characters, there are more concrete reasons for the evolving milieu. For one, Cao pointed to the increasing stringency surrounding off-campus parties. Recently, the City of Poughkeepsie implemented a noise ordinance, fining residents up to $1000 for their first noise complaint and up to $2000 for their second. Cao believes the ordinance was implemented to target Marist frat houses but backfired on Vassar students. At the beginning of the school year, the members of 146 incurred one of these fines when they threw a birthday party for one of their housemates. “We honestly invited about 20 people to our party and it seemed as though all of campus showed up to it,” Cao recalled thoughtfully. “Luckily, we got the minimum fine the first time, but we can’t afford to get in trouble again. That has totally deterred us from having big parties, even though we really want to because that’s part of the fun of having an off-campus house. That’s how I met so many people who used to live here and I think that culture has dwindled.” Added Gregoline, “There would be more parties if people weren’t worried about getting fined and going to court. The scene is maybe more relaxed this year because of that. People used to be crammed into 152 College Ave. shoulder to shoulder. That
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
doesn’t happen anymore.” Though Safety & Security’s jurisdiction over off-campus houses is unclear, Cao said that she and her housemates had to meet with Vassar administrators following the aftermath of receiving the fine. Now, Cao and other students living on College Ave. are more cautious about disturbing their neighbors, some of whom are professors. “We used to leave a bottle of wine outside our downstairs neighbor’s door every time we had a party,” Masters laughed. However, her junior-year apartment was located beyond the realm of College Ave., making it less likely that Safety & Security would patrol the area. Cao speculated that over time, it is likely students will branch out and look for off-campus houses slightly farther away, where it is less likely they will be a bother to their neighbors or be bothered by Poughkeepsie police or campus security. In the meantime, Cao said that the rigidity makes the off-campus community feel more insular. “I remember Chabad parties being huge because 10 people lived there. And they would have shed shows and use it as an art exhibition space,” she said. This past year, 146 attempted to keep the tradition alive, hosting a “shed show” in their house. However, now that she’s the Town Students treasurer, Cao hopes to use the funding and resources to reinvigorate the off-campus scene. So far, it’s been tricky. What events need first and foremost is space, and it’s not always plentiful in students’ apartments. Cao and her friends have played around with the idea of bringing them to campus, though she agrees it seems counterintuitive. “The fun is getting off campus and we don’t want to move those events on campus, but it seems like that’s the only way to go,” Cao lamented. “The off-campus dynamic is changing and there are so many forces that are changing that.”
Alec Feretti/The Miscellany News
hen I moved into my TH this summer, it was an empty box waiting to be filled. The walls a standard beige, a bare tile floor and dorm-regulation couches. Over the year, my housemates and I have added posters, artwork, throw pillows and an illegal green armchair we store in the house Prius during fire inspections. But at the end of the year, all of these personal stamps will be stripped away again, creating a blank canvas for its next inhabitants. Off-campus houses, however, come with a little more baggage. In some cases these homes, most of them along College and Lagrange Avenues, hold nearly a decade worth of stuff. “The house was a little run-down and came with a bunch of junk,” said Amy Cao ’15, who lives at 146—colloquially known as one-four-six—College Ave. She explained, “In our house in particular, there’s this room off of the living [room] that’s the size of a large walk-in closet and over the last three years, it’s been filled with junk.” Cao said she and her housemate Taylor Pratt ’15 spent the last two weeks of the summer sifting through old notebooks, textbooks and belongings of residents past. Most of the long-forgotten items were destined for the trash, but Cao and Pratt uncovered some salvageable clothes, records, furniture and miscellany, keeping what they wanted and selling the rest at a yard sale the first weekend of the semester. “What hasn’t changed for a really long time is the living room—there’s this yellow couch that has been there for at least five years. When you walk in, it’s the first thing you see. It’s so gross, but I don’t think we’ll ever get rid of it,” Cao added. Many pieces of furniture have evolved into permanent fixtures at 146. “My room came with a desk and a dresser and everything I needed because when people graduate they usually don’t take that stuff with them,” she said. For Sofie Cardinal ’15 and Jeffrey From ’15, the sheer amount of things filling 136 College Ave. wasn’t welcoming so much as it was overwhelming. As they planned to live in the house, called Brown House, over the summer, the process of cleaning up and clearing out began much earlier and went on for much longer. “Jeff told me a story about when he was helping to clean the house after they had all moved in this summer. They pulled up a couch cushion and there was vomit encrusted on it. Dry, moldy vomit,” recounted Emma Gregoline ’15, who lives with Cardinal, From and three other housemates. Alix Masters ’15 made a horrified face as she split a cookie with Gregoline in the Retreat. “Brown House used to be the Frisbee house. They just trashed it and it’s a really cool house once you unearth the architecture of it. But when we all started moving in, there was shit everywhere,” she said. She added, “When Sofie and Jeff were cleaning the house, one of the Frisbee boys said, ‘You’re turning our house into an Anthropologie.’” Over the course of the summer and into the school year, they cleaned out garbage, discovered more hidden vomit (this time on window blinds) and repainted the kitchen, living room and some bedrooms. Though it’s no Anthropologie, the house is discretely different from just a year ago, marking a fissure in Brown House’s history. However, more often than not, off-campus houses get passed down among friend groups, giving each one a distinct identity. All of this is to say that houses have lineages and legacies, myths and mysteries. “It feels like the closest thing to sororities or fraternities at Vassar, where they get passed down, but it’s kind of unofficial,” said Gregoline. “But you can think back to when something happened in the corner of 152 or remember back to when you kissed someone at Chabad.” For Cao, the continuity of one-four-six’s history remains almost self-evident. “It’s a place where all of my friends used to live last year: Hannah Ryan, Jonny Gottlieb, Jo-
anna Kloppenburg and Robbie Troccia. It’s a really competitive process to get an off-campus house because there are only a handful of ‘staple houses,’” she said. October of her junior year, Cao reached out to Ryan, who helped her get in contact with their landlord. And now that she lives there with three of her closest friends, she jokes that they have all taken on the personas of its most recent residents. “So often in our house we reference how each of us has taken a role of someone who lived there before. Joanna and Thea Ballard used to live in my room, and I’ll post pics showing how I changed the space,” said Cao. She continued, saying, “We joke about how I’m the Joanna, Taylor’s the attic boy, Julia [Kawai ’15] is living in the tiny room like Hannah [Ryan] did, and they’re both good at utilizing the tiny spaces, Layla took on Robbie’s room…” But sometimes, along with the inheritance of identity and memory comes the very Real: defaulted mortgages, wasp infestations and black mold. All of these things led to the foreclosure of 150 College Ave., fondly remembered as Chabad. Boarded up and condemned, it’s a dark mark on the history of off-campus houses. “Whenever I walk past Chabad, it’s like a haunted house of off-campus parties past. It’s kind of looming,” said Gregoline. Mike Pauker ’14 remembers it well. So well, in fact, that when I emailed him asking for details, he sent me back a two-page narrative article and attached a dozen photos and an 18-page legal document from the Supreme Court of New York State. “I arrived at ‘Chabad House’ having seen the house only once during sober daylight hours. From the outset, it was immediately clear that [it] would be a strange place to live. Each room was filled with the personal possessions, furniture and detritus of previous ‘generations’ of students: handmade paintings, a broken piano, old mattresses, with scuff marks on every surface,” he wrote. Though this image of dilapidation is a familiar one to most off-campus residents, it gets worse. Pauker and his housemates battled wild overgrown vegetation, a dangerous wasp’s nest—”We shared our kitchen with the wasps until the winter,” he noted—and a shower leak that caused “black, yellow and green molds to bloom.” As the state of the house deteriorated further, with the landlord becoming increasingly negligent, Pauker noticed other aspects of the house’s ownership and operation that seemed questionable. “To begin with, this registered ‘Chabad House’ was not in fact a Jewish shelter, only a regular residence. We suspected that the Rabbi listed the Chabad house as a religious site to avoid paying property taxes,” wrote Pauker. “The situation became even sketchier when we were served foreclosure notices by Credit Suisse.” The foreclosure notices alleged that the landlord owed the bank $269,378.83 in total. When Pauker and his housemates arrived back on campus for their senior year, Chabad was shuttered. The property was deemed “unfit for human occupancy.” “For all its flaws, living at Chabad was pretty fun, and allowed us freedoms and privacy we would have not had in VC housing... We still have no clue which of the myriad of flaws caused the house to be condemned or whether it was even structurally sound, and for that reason I think that Vassar students losing this gross little gem on College Ave. was probably for the best,” said Pauker. For his senior year, Pauker lived at a house on LaGrange, which was purchased by a former student’s father. However, since the Class of 2014’s residents moved out, the house has been for sale. This ebb and flow has made for an off-campus landscape that is ever-changing. “I do wish the off-campus scene was more vibrant, because it was a huge part of what I loved about Vassar my first two years— Chabad and LaGrange. It felt really fun...it felt like a scene,” said Masters, who lived in Moon House, an off-campus apartment her junior year. Now that she’s moved back on
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February 19, 2015
Not quite ‘home free’ for students seeking NYC housing Julia Cunningham
Assistant Features Editor
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experience renting apartments, commuting distances to class/work, and handling their own apartment wear and tear, but if you live in the dorms and then senior housing you don’t gain those experiences until you move away.” To make things easier, Einstein wrote, “If you live in NYC, you should adapt pretty quickly as there are many VC alums roaming around the city. Many of your friends will probably be there with you.” Bukowski added, “All of the cheesy cliches are true—transitioning is hard but you will find a new home and a new safe space and a new group of people with which you want to surround yourself. I Skype with far-away friends regularly. But an unsung glory about living in a really awesome place with a Monday-Friday job? WEEKENDS. They’re not just for homework and VSA meetings anymore.” Einstein had a few tips regarding housing as well: You can’t get away from the fact that
the apartment search can be expensive and a bit hectic, but if there’s an available apartment in your budget, get it before anyone else does. “Also, try to be as transparent as you can with the person showing you the apartment. Drill them with questions and make sure they aren’t trying anything funny (like showing you an apartment that’s already taken, so that they can then show you another apartment that is more expensive),” he wrote. Most of all, Einstein, Bukowski and Lomeli agreed, enjoy your time at Vassar before it’s over. ”I always felt excited for graduation, and post-Vassar life is good. But savor your time at Vassar,” Einstein wrote, “It’s a special place.” “Last summer was a test run to see if I could survive working two jobs, living on my own and balancing fun with that too,” Lomeli wrote. “I’m graduating in May and will have to do the whole process all over again, but now I know that I can.”
courtesy of Danielle Bukowski
hile Vassar’s four-year housing plan is a central part of college life, it’s not always the best way to become accustomed to living on your own. With room and board paid in one lump sum, it’s easy to take for granted the costs of water, heat and electricity. And though room draw can be a pain, Vassar alums will attest that it’s far easier than sifting through dead ends on Craigslist. For Lorena Lomeli ’15, it was well worth the initial headache. “I’ve dreamed of living in New York City since I was about 12 years old,” Lomeli, who grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif. wrote in an emailed statement. Last summer finally provided her with the opportunity she had been waiting for when she interned at Magnet Media, a film production company. Danielle Bukowski ’14 had been planning on living in the city for as long as she’d known she wanted to go into publishing. After graduation, she had a relatively smooth transition into living on her own. “My parents lived in Pennsylvania, so I moved back home after graduating and starting interviewing for jobs in NYC, and moved in once I got a job in July,” she wrote in an emailed statement. The initial search process for housing for others can be the most difficult part of the transition. Evan Einstein ’14, who moved to New York City immediately following graduation to attend New York Medical College Einstein, agreed. He wasn’t even sure he was going to need housing until midway through the summer. “It was a mad rush because I was accepted off the waitlist in late July, and orientation was within two weeks of that.” Being able to live with his girlfriend from Vassar, Emily Denn ’14, who is attending Cardozo Law School in Manhattan, however, made the move a little less stressful. Einstein added that, in general, living with other people is an easy way to make things cheaper. “Splitting rent is a good way of reducing costs. The more roommates, the easier it usually gets,” he wrote. Lomeli wasn’t as lucky when it came to find-
ing Vassar roommates. “A couple of friends and I did some scoping on Craigslist day in and day out,” she wrote. “We had to go into the city a couple times to look at apartments and that got expensive really quickly. We decided that looking for whole apartments just wasn’t as easy and so we each ended up subletting rooms in different parts of town.” She added, “I actually didn’t even know where I was going to be living until two days before I left Vassar. It was rough.” Lomeli ended up living in Harlem with professional dancers she met through a Facebook page. It wasn’t what she had planned on, but she said it worked out in the end. Bukowski noted that having clear priorities can be helpful. “I highly recommend figuring out where you want to live in a city before you start seriously looking at apartments or it can be really daunting. What do you prioritize most: being in a cool area, having a large living space, having a short commute, living in a specific borough?” she wrote. Bukowski lives in an income-controlled building with two Vassar roommates in South Harlem bordering the Upper West Side. Living directly in the city was a better call than commuting, which could get expensive. Bukowski wrote, “Commuting isn’t actually that much cheaper in NYC, depending on where you live: I was commuting from my parents’ house for a few weeks, and they didn’t charge me for rent, but daily train tickets, a MetroCard, and food all added up to close to what I pay now to live here.” She added, “Commuting is also a painful time-suck, especially when you’re working entry-level hours. Living at Vassar could have worked but even then, commuting would have been pricey.” Nonetheless, living in the city provides its own series of obstacles and there’s not always a helpful hand to show you the ropes. Lomeli wrote, “You don’t know much about signing leases or looking at neighborhoods, etc. Moving into the city was a crash course in all that, which was a somewhat scary if ultimately rewarding transition.” She added, “Most college graduates have
Though for many students, living in New York City has been a long-term dream, the process of finding an apartment and roommates can make for a rude awakening. But in the end, it can all be worth it.
Cauliflower, broccoli’s ‘bland cousin’ no more in this pizza Penina Remler columnist
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courtesy of Alpha Coders
auliflower seems to be making a serious comeback. It used to be that this vegetable was nothing more than broccoli’s blander cousin, but today, many dishes have begun to incorporate cauliflower in innovative forms that branch out from the traditional steamed veggie serving. Cauliflower’s best kept secret is its unique texture, which consistently absorbs any rich flavor, making it a canvas for spices, sauces and much more. It also has the ability to effortlessly stand in as a substitute for carbs—a serious plus for individuals with dietary restrictions. As this new phenomenon is rapidly gaining attention in our everyday culinary culture, some people have gone on to claim that cauliflower may be, in fact, becoming the new kale. The most popular ways to cook cauliflower tend to be mashing it, roasting it, baking it or using its thick consistency to fill in for bread. Cauliflower thin-crust pizza is a clear winner when it comes to a recipe that is both satisfying for your taste buds and a healthy alternative to a typically carb-loaded dish. The secret to this recipe is mastering its crust, which, when done right, will impress you so much that you are likely to forget you are consuming a vegetable and not a carb. Perfecting the pizza crust is key to a delicious cauliflower pizza. It’s generally cooked on top of a pizza stone; however, if you can’t get your hands on one, a baking sheet is the next best thing. As you wait for your oven to reach 450 degrees, it’s time to prepare the cauliflower. Begin by washing the vegetable and drying it entirely. Next, cut the florets and omit the stems from your pile (they don’t have the same consistency). Transfer the florets into a food processor for approximately 30 seconds, or until the cauliflower turns into
a powder-like mixture (a cheese grater can also be used to break down the cauliflower into powder form). Following this procedure, your florets should produce around two to three cups of cauliflower “powder” which you can now place into a bowl and cover. Next, microwave the bowl for about four minutes and transport the cauliflower onto a clean dish towel to cool before moving on to the next step. If you don’t have a microwave, the floret powder can be steamed as well. Once the cauliflower powder has cooled down, wrap it up in the dish towel and wring out as much water as you can. It is important to rid the cauliflower of all liquid because too much water will produce a crumbly concoction as opposed to chewy pizza crust. Once you have removed all its liquid, the cauliflower should feel very light—resembling an alternate form to flour. Transfer this new consistency into a bowl where you will now add parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, kosher salt, crushed up dried basil and oregano, garlic powder and a pinch of red pepper into the mix. Lastly, add a raw egg and use clean hands to mix the collection of ingredients into one solidified dough. Now it is time to formulate the dough crust by using your hands to mash out a circular shape on parchment paper. Use a cutting board to slide the parchment paper onto a pizza stone or baking sheet and put it in the oven for eight to 11 minutes, or until the edges appear to be a crispy brown. The rest of the recipe is simple. Once your crust has cooled down a bit, add the toppings you desire for your pizza and finish it off! Whatever you wish to decorate your pizza with, place it back in the oven for another five to seven minutes so the cheese is perfectly melted, bubbly and a tad golden. Cool again for two minutes and finally use a pizza cutter to serve this irresistible and innovative treat. 1 medium sized head of cauliflower (should
The Ingredients
form 2 to 3 cups after being processed) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried basil 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Pinch of crushed red pepper 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese 1 egg
Desired pizza toppings (typically marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese)
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February 19, 2015
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Trading spaces: Offices, lounges turned dorms for juniors Megan Forster Guest Reporter
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Emily Lavieri-Scull/The Miscellany News
ach spring, a large number of third-year Vassar students return to campus from semesters spent abroad. This year, over twice as many students went abroad for fall semester than left in the spring. As a result, the Office of Residential Life was faced with a housing shortage situation throughout the month of January that called for some creative solutions. Luis Inoa, Director of Residential Life, oversees the office’s staff and was part of addressing the shortage, at the core of which was simple math. Said Inoa, “The difference is in the number of students abroad in the fall, 191, as opposed to the spring, 84.” Over the final weeks of winter break, ResLife converted some unconventional spaces, such as the ROC office and the commuter lounge, into rooms. “We also reopened spaces that have not been used in a few years, like tower rooms in Main and third floor rooms in Joss,” said Inoa. Many freshmen and sophomores who were living in doubles by themselves—fondly known as “dingles”—also received new junior roommates, to much chagrin. Though ResLife leads students to expect a single upon returning from abroad, many self-selected to live in doubles with friends rather than risking having to room with a stranger. One student, Victoria Elias ’16, doubled up with her roommate from freshman year for a double in Main. Said Elias, “I’m living in the Main towers in a double. The towers have been closed off in previous years because there is arguably only one safe fire exit.” What’s worse, Elias said, is the bathroom situation. “We have one toilet and one shower for 10 people,” she lamented. Though some of the new spaces may lack larger bathrooms or elevator access like new-
James Haxton ‘16 and Alex Moulton ‘16 are two of the many returning juniors who were affected by the Junior Housing Crisis. They currently reside in the former ROC offices in the back of Joss. ly renovated dormitories, they still required some small renovations in order to accommodate returning residents. “B&G helped with painting the spaces and getting furniture into them, but not much needed to be done to make them into rooms,” said Inoa. While the renovation process was simple, some students will recall this housing application process as the most hectic of their years at Vassar. Said John Mason ’16, “It was definitely more hectic than usual.” He added, “A lot of juniors, myself included, were trying to arrange last-second living situations in friends’ THs, TAs, or in one of
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the last-second housing options that ResLife opened up in Joss.” Inoa did point out a success of the residential predicament. He said, “At this point, we can say that every returning junior who did not request a roommate is now in a single.” Though the time crunch of housing proved stressful for students, there are some perks. Due to unusual spaces being turned into dorm rooms, some students are now enjoying much larger living spaces than the average student. Said Mason, “It’s kind of out of the way, but it’s a great room.” Yet, as with any deviation from the norm, the housing shortage crisis sparked a barrage
of feedback from students and parents. “We got a lot of feedback,” said Inoa, “Mostly positive but certainly concern about the timing of the communication.” Students were mostly distressed by the short notice of housing assignments—given about three days before most students returned to campus. When asked about the late communication, Elias commented, “This [seemed] ridiculous to me, considering that ResLife knew how many juniors were abroad, and also knew, in general, how many juniors were going abroad in the spring.” Both Elias and Mason felt they could have been kept more up to date on the situation. Moving forward, Inoa said that whether or not there are sufficient spaces on campus, ResLife will likely encourage returning juniors in the spring to consider off-campus housing, which will possibly put a dent in the 98 percent of Vassar students living on campus in either the residence halls or the apartment complexes. Though ResLife managed to remedy this crisis, in addition, Inoa believes a permanent fix to this problem would be better communication and collaboration with the JYA office. He said, “I do not know if it can be avoided unless we become much more intentional about balancing the number of students abroad each semester.” Meanwhile, students had vague ideas as to how ResLife could handle a similar problem in the future. “In this situation as in all, it seems to me that planning ahead would be a wonderful first step in avoiding such problems,” reflected Elias. Mason remained hopeful. “I can’t imagine that there will be another housing shortage after this, but if there is, I’m not sure what could be done better other than informing students earlier,” he said.
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FAIRNESS TO ISRAEL A Vassar alumnae/i group dedicated to fair treatment of Israel in the classroom and on campus
For more information, write to: fairtoisrael@gmail.com
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February 19, 2015
Poughkeepsie police call for joint action for drug prevention PRISON continued from page 1
care about how many people you help.”
Behind The Door Every prison has it, and that’s “The Door.” The door that separates the free person from an unpleasant world of imprisonment. Sitting outside that door in Dutchess County Jail, any visitor can’t help but notice it, as the only two chairs in the waiting area face it. I was escorted by a heavily clad police officer through this door. The white linoleum floor turns into cozy rug. Sheriff Anderson’s office is big and bright, its walls and shelves full of colorful knickknacks, pictures and cards. Sheriff Anderson, or as some call him, “Butch,” has been Sheriff of Dutchess County since 1999. Graduating from the 110th session of the FBI National Academy, he was appointed Undersheriff in 1993. He has seen everything—murder, robbery, assault and so on. So quite naturally, his voice exudes volume and authority. “You know what? Let’s just bring them all in.” Five men in suit and tie filed into the room. Detective Lieutenant Patrick Whelan, Detective Sergeant Jason Mark, Captain John Watterson, Captain Jerry Lennon and Undersheriff Kirk Imperati sit down, in that order. The conversation began with Sheriff Anderson. He said, “Our weakness is money and equipment and education.” The last quarter of 2013 shows this weakness, with Dutchess County having experienced a heroin epidemic. And although the number of reported heroin overdoses have gone down since then, the police prefer a proactive approach, rather than reactive. Undersheriff Imperati said, “As the Sheriff said, we are hand strung a bit to a lack of funding, reduction of funding, also repeal on the Rockefeller laws have taken the teeth out of the charges that we can do as law enforcement in reference to drug related cases. So it makes our job more dif-
courtesy of The Poughkeepsie Journal
the justice system. Lee said, “Based on our data, communities of color are being targeted and this law (the legalization of marijuana possession in New York since 1977) is not being enforced equally. Our work has been around legislation to standardize this and address this very injustice.” In fact, DPA has many victories to show for. It spearheaded major reforms under New York’s Rockefeller Drug Laws. The reforms include the restructuring of New York’s sentencing structure, as well as expanding rehabilitation and incarceration alternatives. In other words, these reforms were grounded in compassion for the people arrested in minor drug offenses. The DPA and Lee take a humanistic approach in their understanding of people arrested in drug-related crimes. She said, “We actually don’t refer to people as drug convicts because, first and foremost, we see them as people. At DPA, we see language as something that is incredibly powerful. So recognizing something like the word like ‘convict’ continues to perpetuate stigmatization and further dehumanizes these individuals.”
Pictured above is a cell in the Dutchess County Jail. These cells exist beyond “The Door”— the division between freedom and imprisonment. The jail has a population of 500 inmates. ficult. In my opinion, there aren’t severe enough consequences on drug-related offenses.” But there is unanimous agreement in the room that money is only part of the problem. There are a whole host of factors. Like Melody Lee, Sheriff Anderson acknowledged the crucial importance of treatment and rehabilitation. He said, “In Dutchess County, you had several psychiatric units in Harlem Valley and Hudson Valley… These were huge facilities that handled people with mental illness.” In a tone of bafflement and frustration, he continued, “They closed them and just turned them out on the street! It makes it very, very difficult.” Even the police realize they can’t do it alone. Captain John Watterson said, “You have to have a triad affect, you have to have parents and children as one group, schools as another group, and law enforcement and the community as a whole working together to combat these crimes.” And to the problem of mass incarceration, Detective Lieutenant Patrick Whelan said, “The mass incarceration term, was, I think, a buzz word used to gain some notoriety. There is no wholesale arresting people. Each individual is judged on their crime or their innocence—whether they are guilty or not.” Undersheriff Imperati doesn’t think mass incarceration is a problem locally. He said, “In Dutchess county, we are actually ahead of the curve in terms of our alternative to incarceration programs that we have, and with working through probation and the entire criminal justice system. We come up with recommendations with these low-level related drug offenses and even if it reaches the level of criminal court or even to
county court, they have a drug court.” Imperati references numbers to show that they are always looking for alternatives to mass incarceration. “In Dutchess County, we have over 3,000 people in the criminal justice system and our daily population in the Duchess county jail is 500. So over 2,500 people are not in jail because we are doing the best we can to provide programs to reduce recidivism. So the numbers speak for themselves that there is no mass incarceration in Dutchess County.” It seems that on a local level at least, places like Dutchess County are making efforts to combat national issues. After a period of silence, Jerry Lennon said solemnly, “Let me remind you that police don’t put anybody in jail, it’s the court system. We arrest the offender, the court system decides if they need to be incarcerated.” In terms of racial bias, Sheriff Anderson believes Dutchess County is fair. “Where I think this comes from is Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, the big cities...That’s who the media covers. I don’t see it as a problem here.” Recognizing the possibility for a wide range of views on this topic, he turned to the other men in the room, “What do you guys think?” For Captain Watterson, the answer was exceedingly simple: “No.” “Unfortunately,” said Imperati, “Sometimes the media paints with a broad brush. Do some people do it?” He thought for a brief moment. “Locally, no.” Sheriff Anderson said, “One of the missions since I’ve been here, is that: 1. Treat others how you want to be treated. 2. I don’t care how many arrests you make, how many tickets you write. I
Vassar students speak The words, “I’m wearing a green jacket and white scarf,” popped up on my screen. And sure enough, there was Michelle Zhang ’15 off in the corner table, ready to talk about what she thought of the war on drugs. A student here at Vassar, Zhang is involved with the Vassar Prison Initiative, an organization that raises awareness about problems of mass incarceration and the prison system through annual publications, book drives, film screenings and local activism. Zhang said, “This is a tough question to deal with. This practice of incarcerating hundreds of thousands of people for nonviolent drug offenses is not economically viable, let alone for human reasons.” Zhang used a metaphor to explain how these sorts of problems need to be addressed. Think of a tank of gas. It is leaking potentially explosive liquid, or in this case, human suffering and injustice. “Education and other community based support structures need to happen concurrently, because if you just plug one hole, things are going to come spilling out of the other hole. Things like homelessness, mental health and education. I think we need to plug all these holes at the same time.” And in this case, we don’t want to lose gas. Zhang suggests human perspective is currently a hole. “Change won’t come from the top down, but more of an individual shift in consciousness and in this ideology of punitive rhetoric.” An hour after speaking with Zhang, Deborah Altman ’16 sat down in the same exact chair and spoke similarly on the war on drugs; the only difference was how she came to learn about the problems. Altman took a class offered by Vassar at the male prison in Green Haven. “We took the class with pretty much the top tier of educated people who had been doing very well while they were in prison.” Altman contiued, saying “Some of the people were going to be in prison for life. I think that in another life they would be my educators, my professors in different circumstances, because they were that powerful and moving and eloquent in everything they had to say.. It’s hard to understand why people don’t care more, but it might just be because they didn’t sit in class with people as powerful and as amazing, and as crippled by their circumstance early on. A lot of them don’t know how to handle anger, you know, without father figures, mother figures, academic or social support.” Toward the end of the interview, Altman smiled and said, “It’s been a while since I took the course. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m thinking ‘Man! I forgot how mad I was every time we came out of that class.’ It feels like, ‘How do people not know about this? How are people not reacting? There is nothing good coming out of it!’” Then in a somber voice, she said, “It’s a really hopeless feeling.”
Stress-busting strategies for the over-burdened mind Sarah Sandler Guest Reporter
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ith a semester of college under their belt, first-year students have made adjustments to handle the whirlwind of changes Vassar life brings. Still, stress levels can be tough to navigate, especially with course load, extracurriculars and work ethic. For freshmen, taking the time to step back and find a way to relax is key. Rating her first semester stress level at a six out of 10, Anna Beeman ’18 explained why she felt so overwhelmed. “I was taking a full course load, plus ballet, plus VRDT, so I definitely had to be good with time management and organization.” She continued, explaining, “My classes were definitely challenging, but I felt I had a good grip on them if I had thoughtfully done my work.” Powering through a course load doesn’t come easy for all freshmen, particularly when the amount of work seems endless, as is the case for Ultimate Frisbee player and member of the Food Committee Sophie Deixel ’18. In an emailed statement, she wrote, “I’m definitely someone who easily gets stressed out and overwhelmed, but it also had to do with the classes I chose (all very reading and
writing heavy).” Connor McIlwain ’18 agreed, adding, “My classes weren’t particularly hard, but had a ton of reading and writing, so when deadlines overlapped, it got really stressful.” To combat stressful activity, Beeman found an outlet in a half-credit ballet class. There, she found a way to relax and let her brain decompress from daily concerns. Beeman said, “Ballet class helps me destress the most, mostly because it takes my mind off of everything happening in my life. I have been trained my whole life to only focus on my technique and devote 100 percent of my concentration to the specified one-anda-half hours.” While discovering a method to unwind is personal and varies from one student to the next, physical activity tends to be a common thread—whether it be dancing, taking a course offered at the gym or just walking around outside. For McIlwain, any fun time must wait until after he finishes his all of his assignments. Once that happens, he makes use of the campus. He said, “I usually go for a run and listen to some music, and then if there’s time left I’ll watch Netflix.” Deixel agreed pursuing an athletic endeav-
or has been useful for her. However, with rigorous exercise, a need for adequate rest and relaxation arises. She wrote, “Exercise definitely helps destress me, but the best thing for me is just sleep. If I’m tired, I really don’t function well and will get way more stressed out than I need to, so I’ve definitely learned to prioritize sleep.” The weather outside might not be the most appealing for some students, but for Delphine Douglas ’18, any time spent in the fresh air is better than none. She said, “I like to make sure I go outside a little every day. I think the light and nature is positive.” Exercise is only one tool a student could use to combat stress levels. Relaxation is about self-care, according to Bea Land ’18. He commented, “I think it is important for me to keep up with my family and friends from home. Ideally, I think writing in a journal is good for self-care, but I find that I don’t actually do that as often as I would hope.” McIlwain noted, “Alone time is really important for self-care. Just going for a walk once in a while or giving yourself a few minutes to think and process things really helps. I think the opposite is important, too.”
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He continued, “Sometimes it really helps me to be around other people and talk and be social. It kind of forces you to process your emotions in a socially-acceptable way.” Vassar often plans events with de-stressing students in mind, such as putting a bouncy house in the College Center during finals or having dogs visit. Additionally, each house holds weekly events for students to have snacks, socialize and participate in fun community-building activities. McIlwain commented that these planned events don’t necessarily tackle the issue at hand. He said, “They’re more of a distraction than a solution.” Though they might not always succeed in fully distracting students from their homework, they’re usually a welcome mental break. Deixel wrote, “I actually really like the study breaks that house team organizes. It’s really nice to just take an hour once a week and just try to forget about all the stuff you have to do.” Beeman concluded, “Other than ballet, having dinner with my friends at the end of the day always helps me remember that I have a support system and talking about other people’s days or experiences reminds me that my life is not the only life.”
February 19, 2015
OPINIONS
Page 9
The Miscellany News Staff Editorial
Finance funds should be more easily accessible to orgs.
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uring the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council meeting on Feb. 8, the VP for Finance delivered a standard update to Council on the state of the special purpose funds and continued by expressing a belief that all of the funds are underused and that student organization are not applying for additional funding often enough. However, this viewpoint only looks at the numbers and not the reality of the financial want and use on campus; we at The Miscellany News believe that the funds are not accessible enough and that, despite well-intentions by the Finance Committee and the Council in general, money is not being allocated properly and responsibly to student organizations. As the report stated, the money that the VSA holds in the special purpose funds is for students, yet students often do not benefit from it in the way that they should. Council broached the topic of changing the student activity fee as a possible solution for the supposed problem of having an excess of funds. Aside from the fact that such a change could only come to fruition through larger channels outside of the VSA Council, we at The Miscellany News do not believe the matter of a student activity fee gets at the heart of this issue. Instead, for now, the as of yet unexplored issue of to how current funds are allocated, and the avenues for funding must be acknowledged and addressed. On a superficial level, most students remain ignorant of how the finances of the the Vassar Student Association works. Each year, the accesses found in these funds are placed within the Discretionary fund to be rolled over to the next year. We at The Miscellany News feel that public acknowledgment of the roll over each year would help increase transparency in the VSA and help ensure that the VSA’s fiscal power can be checked by the VSA’s constituents. We at The Miscellany News feel there is
a bias within organizations funding towards official and more established ones; for example, pre-orgs cannot rollover their funds or, according even to recent changes in VSA policy, apply for large amounts of money from VSA. This makes it difficult for them to enact change, plan events on campus or establish themselves. This financial limit is made only more challenging by the reality that, for many, planning an event for the first time proves difficult. There are many rules and regulations for actions such as financing a visiting speaker or panel of speakers to campus or planning an all-campus event, but almost no resources for new organizations to turn to for this. SARC is a good resource for the logistics of event planning, such as finding a space and making sure there are tables, and attempts to be helpful in other matters, but where can students go to learn how to write up a secure contract and get it approved or to make sure a panel has enough speakers? We suggest creating a resource similar to SARC where student organizations can exclusively receive help for financial matters and non-logistical event planning. This resource could additionally help groups navigate how exactly to host members of a panel or speakers brought to the College, as well as work to allay anxieties for new student groups or inexperienced student group leaders and event planners. The Fall Leadership Conference makes a valiant attempt to teach organization leaders how to plan events but ultimately fails. A prominent aspect of the conference is to inspire groups to collaborate with each other to create exciting new events, but the way they achieve this aim is flawed. Pairing up two groups who have nothing in common will only occasionally result in a fun event, but more of an awkward struggle. We suggest re-evaluating the Fall
Leadership Conference and having this event bring together similar organizations to learn from each others’ strengths and experiences. For example, putting The Miscellany News together with The Chronicle to come up with a panel on jobs in journalism would be much more efficient than putting The Miscellany News with the Equestrian club and expecting the groups to plan a party. While students can come up with creative events to host, and there is merit in teaching student leaders about the breadth of student organizations they could collaborate with in the future, their knowledge of how best to access special funding may be limited and thus hinder the purpose of such activities. Further, we at The Miscellany News believe Finance should trust that organizations know best how to host events specific to their missions. While the VSA has historically proven to lack institutional memory, many other campus groups—especially those with longstanding histories—understand how to function and the reality of their own needs. Educating an organizations on how it should plan its programming does no one a service— it comes off as paternalistic and dissuades student organizations from applying to funds. Unlike the proposed SARC-like group, which would provide support when asked, the Finance Committee assumes it is automatically best prepared to entity to understand the best kind of funding for a wide range of student organizations. For a group being called into a Finance meeting to explain why they are requesting a specific amount of funding only to be rejected, implies that the Finance committee does not have faith in student organizations to run their own events. Moreover, it shuts down any conversation. If Finance Committee feels an organizations is applying to an inappropriate fund, we believe that the Finance Committee should help the groups figure out which fund would
be most applicable to the specific event. The Fall and Spring Leadership Conferences work to prepare groups to apply for funding, as does the more limited Treasurer Trainings, so Finance should trust that organizations will use the knowledge acquired from the conference to apply for funds when necessary, and that applying to the wrong fund almost always happen when people are confused about the process. If students are supposed to use this money for campus events, they should not be made to feel intimidated or afraid; Finance Committee must be careful not to question groups only so much as to prevent overt financial propriety, not to instill a degree of fear in groups that they will not attempt new forms of programming for fear of rejection or failure. The issue is not groups lacking the responsibility to handle funds, it’s the accessibility of the money meant for our use. If the VP for Finance believes that, despite good intentions, the VSA it is unable to provide resources through the current established funds, we at The Miscellany News believe that money should be diverted to benefit the larger student body. Many students on campus are investing time and effort into accomplishing important work with regards to activism and social justice; their efforts could possibly make more of an impact to the Vassar and Poughkeepsie communities with more accessible funding, better training and then the trust from the VSA. Listening to the student body and figuring out where students are directing their interest could help find a use for the excess funds. If the money is going unused, we at The Miscellany News would like to see it used under its inherent purpose: for the students. —The Staff Editorial represents the opinions of at least 2/3 of our Editorial Board.
Othering of Muslims evident after Chapel Hill shooting Sophia Burns Columnist
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hen I first read about the shooting of three students at UNC-Chapel Hill this past Wednesday, the first thought that came to my mind was how my best friend, a Muslim woman, and her Egyptian-American family felt upon learning of the tragedy. While I was fully aware of the unchecked Islamaphobia that constantly pervaded their lives, this event truly made me feel afraid. While I have known these friends of mine to always shake off the remarks in the 11 years they have lived in America, this incident was something completely unshakable—this time, I was not just afraid for my friends’ feelings, but also for their lives. Scouring news sites for more information, the site I found with the most information about the incident was Al-Jazeera. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, they also featured pieces regarding the media’s portrayal of Muslims, which I found disturbing but at the same time necessary to be documented. The Feb. 11 piece, “Chapel Hill shooting and western media bigotry,” by Mohamad Elmasry was particularly enlightening as it extensively outlined the media’s role in this and other crimes, as well as microaggressions toward Muslim people that are so often overlooked and even justified in our Western society’s media and culture.
“...I was not just afraid for my friends’ feelings, but for their lives.” This article most appealed to me, I believe, because it gave me something to consider in a time where I felt deeply concerned but equally unsure of what to do about it as a person
outside of the community it directly affects. I am especially grateful for this article because it allowed me to view the following events with a critical yet still emotionally conscious outlook. To me, the most glaring offense in the coverage of this event has been the content of the headlines, which insist on mentioning the victims’ religion as if they were unlike the rest of the students. It is almost certain that if students of any other religion were murdered, the headlines would not read “Christian Students Slain” or “Buddhist-Americans Murdered.” Why is it that these sound ridiculous, yet “Obama denounces ‘outrageous murders’ of three U.S. Muslims,” written by Reuters, sounds just fine? Is It perhaps because our society is still unsure of how to appropriately “categorize” and assimilate this religious group in the post-Sept. 11 era? Are they to be grouped with Christianity and Judaism, or with the other “non-Western” religions? Because the U.S. is still so pervasively Christian, no matter what liberals or conservatives have to say, it has to constantly reconcile its religious identity because of the fact that 83 percent of the population in America adheres to this particular belief system. It took the atrocities of the Holocaust for this country to finally begin to accept people of Jewish faith into what it considers “normal,” frighteningly enough. Because the rise of Muslim immigration to America has unfortunately coincided with the rise of Islamaphobic thoughts following the events of Sept. 11 and our countless engagements in the Middle East, it seems as though America and its media organizations are hesitant to consider Muslims and even non-Muslim Middle Easterners as equal people deserving the same rights and treatment, at least compared to the rest of “The People of the Book.” that live across the country. It is as if Americans do not want to accept the fact that all three of these religions share so many elements, and that Islam, the young-
est of the three, encompasses the teachings of both the Bible and the Torah. It seems as though they wish to group Islam as some “other” faith without any similarity and disregard the fact that if an open dialogue could even occur in this country, it would be apparent that this belief system is really not so “strange” after all. But, of course, it should not be that Americans must realize that Islam is not so different from what they consider to be the norm in spirituality. Islam should be able to exist in America without needing to be compared to other faiths to quell the fears of such closed-minded individuals. Thinking on this topic has made a particular experience in my own life stand out in my mind: One day at my predominantly Catholic workplace last year, I was telling the women I worked with about my weekend and how I got to join my friend and her family at an event at their mosque. As soon as I said the word “mosque,” though, I could feel the conversation shifting from just being about our weekends to, “What goes on in those mosques?” because that was exactly what followed.
“The atheist in me wishes in a way for a more secular society.”
Feeling uneasy as an outsider unfit to speak for a group I am not a part of, but also obligated to defend the beliefs of people who virtually made me a part of their family in the past five years, I found myself describing the bit that I knew of their teachings. My co-workers’ reactions, to summarize, were along the lines of “That doesn’t sound so different from church!” and, “That reminds me of the Bible.” Part of me was relieved by their harmless
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reactions, while another part reminded me that had it not been for my personal friends and this experience, I would have probably reacted in the same way as my coworkers even though I am not even a Christian. The atheist in me wishes, in a way, for a more secular society, while the rest of me just wants a better understanding between those in the world who are actively religious and those who are not. While it is known that in race relations, minorities should not have to explain racism to white people, does this apply when ideology and belief systems, rather than racial identities, are the central issue? Because religious and spiritual beliefs sometimes bring specific feelings toward those who believe differently, it may be time for this country to stop ignoring these realities and instead to start addressing them. While there is no surefire formula for tolerance, this recent ideological hate crime should alert us all to the ignorance that plagues this country, not just toward Muslim Americans but toward all people with differing beliefs. Perhaps it is time that public schools begin to teach about religion—not in a way that preaches or attempts to promote any one viewpoint, but in a way that informs children in the way that history classes are meant to help us understand the world, although in the current state of affairs this could easily go awry. Nonetheless, this issue brings about feelings and ideas that our nation has long failed to recognize, and this ignorance has bred nothing but baseless hatred, seen in the murderer’s militant atheist ideals. In the coming months, this event should not be lost in the sea of pseudo-activist hashtags, but taken into consideration by those in leadership positions to solve the extreme lack in what our country considers an informed perspective. —Sophia Burns ’18 is a student at Vassar College.
OPINIONS
Page 10
February 19, 2015
In Charlie Hebdo’s wake, free speech remains repressed Pieter Block
Guest Columnist
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he recent attack on the publishing offices at the famed satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” left far more wreckage and ruin in its wake than the bodies of the 12 victims shot inside the building. For starters, this tragedy was, tragically, not universally condemned. In Turkey, two Islamist newspapers ran headlines saying, “Attack on the magazine that provoked Muslims,” and “Attack on the magazine that attacked our Prophet” (Hurriyet Daily News, “Islamist Turkish dailies draw ire after Charlie Hebdo attack,” 01.07.15). These outbursts and others, by such notables including Boko Haram, ISIL (also known as ISIS), Noam Chomsky, AlShabaab (A Somalian branch of Al-Qaeda) and the Taliban in Afghanistan show that passions over Western free speech and satire laws continue to stoke religious indignation and outcries of supposed hypocrisy. Violent protests held the following week, over the release of the next Hebdo issue, by large crowds in Niger and Pakistan show that the slaughter in France, far from being a catalyst of peace, is bringing to surface rabid and visceral emotions regarding the question of free speech (Al Jazeera, “Deadly Niger protests over Charlie Hebdo,” 01.17.15; Al Jazeera, “Anti-Charlie Hebdo protests held in Pakistan,” 01.16.15). The attack galvanized many governments into publicly reaffirming their continued support for the freedom of speech. At a mass rally in Paris, dozens of world leaders marched shoulder to shoulder in solidarity. However, the supposed power of this great image was somewhat diluted by the presence of particular rulers, including President Erodgen from Turkey, Qatari Sheikh Mohamed Thani, and Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra—all who represent notably repressive governments (Times of India, “List of Leaders who attended Paris Rally,” 01.11.15). The concern I hold regarding Charlie Heb-
do is not that the world will publicly decry those who insist on limiting free speech, for by-and-large freedom of speech is enshrined in the majority of constitutions round the globe. However, I do see a consistent hypocrisy, at least in particular countries, in the enforcement of free speech laws. Broadly speaking, the world has actually become more repressive of dissent despite strides in some nations.
“Broadly speaking, the world has actually become more repressive of dissent.” The rise of President Jokowo in Indonesia, a moderate man of the people promising to end and investigate abuses in state powers by previous leaders, doesn’t quite balance out the increasing repression of free speech in Turkey, Russia, China and France. Since the rise of the Justice and Development Party (AK or AKP) in Turkey, headed by Recep Erdogan, Turkey has locked away more journalists than any other country in the world, 100 at last count (The Guardian, “In Turkey the right to free speech is being lost,” 06.10.12). Russia and China are well known for their consistency in silencing dissent as well as their brutal methods of ensuring compliance from those deemed threatening or disharmonious. China, ruled by Premier Xi Jinping has, under the auspices of rooting out corruption, sent thousands of citizens to prison and further solidified his airtight grip on the Communist Party (National Public Radio, “China’s Fierce Anti-Corruption Crackdown: An Insider’s View,” 12.24.14). Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister of the
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Russian Federation is a masterful political leader, constantly refracting questions over his handling of the economy and diverting attention with Russia’s proxy war in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Part of his tactics on the home front have recently involved a new law that designates any NGO (non-governmental organization) receiving foreign funding and engaging in something broadly defined as “political activity” as a potential threat and requiring them to register with the Kremlin as a potential spy (European Council on Refugees and Exiles, “We Are All Foreign Agents!”). This obviously disruptive law has already driven out droves of NGOs, including USAID, or the United States Agency for International Development. This NGO provided funding for groups that included Golos, an election monitoring group that had criticized the 2011 Russian elections (World Socialist Web Site, “American NGOs pull out of Russia,” 02.26.13). The reason I included France on the list reviously, but did not elaborate, is because the governments above have a fairly long history of limiting free speech. France, as an extremely well developed nation, is generally held to a higher standard by its own citizens simply due to the age of the Republic and its history of debate on invididual liberties. French peoples are accustomed to certain liberties, prominent among them freedom of speech, and generally any attempt to revoke them is met with massive protest and public rebuke. France does however have some significant contradictions regarding free speech that are worth pointing out. Due to the collaboration of the Petain Government with the Nazis during World War II, there was a tremendous push by the French people to enshrine the protection of Jews above other minorities. This led to the creation of laws, ostensibly to protect a damaged minority from any more hate, which prevent French citizens from
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recanting the Holocaust as well as set strict limits on the publication of material deemed “Anti-Semitic.” These laws, prevalent in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark, have only tightened their restrictions since Charlie Hebdo. France’s controversial ban on Hijabs, a traditional form of wear for practicing Muslim women, has been seen by many as hypocritical, banning the free speech of one religious minority while protecting another. These concerns are extremely valid. Although increasing immigration and devastating encounters with Islamic extremists could lead some to believe that Europe is “under siege” by Muslims, the reality is that Muslims are not only, on the whole, peaceful and productive members of the societies they inhabit, but they are minute in terms of size and power. For every European Muslim that sympathizes with the Hebdo murderers, there are a hundred more that protest the slaughter for the travesty it is. To malign the many on the actions of a few is not only unwise, but deeply flawed. When European nations criticize others on their human rights record or attempt to push for international efforts combating the suppression of free speech, their marble pedestal is eroded by the deep gullies of their biased free speech laws. Henceforth lies the tragedy of Charlie Hebdo. Rather than a stirring reminder of the power of the voice, regardless of its utterances, the massacre became a platform for populists to criticize and further restrict Muslims. The consequences of these actions will be felt by the next generation of Europeans for which suppression of free speech is the norm. No longer will France or The Netherlands be excluded from the list of “traditionally” repressive regimes. Indeed, they will be heading it. —Pieter Block ’18 is a student at Vassar College.
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OPINIONS
February 19, 2015
Page 11
$1 billion bank heist reveals ongoing vulnerability of digital lives, accounts Delaney Fischer Columnist
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he Internet is a scary place. You are never truly alone, for someone or something is always watching your every move. You are being tracked, possibly by people or computers, to see what sites you visit and what your interests are. If you are doing some online shopping, you will probably see some ads for the site you have visited the following day and this isn’t an accident. Along with being tracked by companies, you might be tracked by individual people, especially if you are using an unencrypted public Internet connection—but even private connections are not free of risk these days. Every time you enter a password or an account number, there is a chance that someone is intercepting the message and can use it whenever they want. That’s what happened recently for too many banks to count. In what is being called perhaps the largest bank heist ever, hackers stole potentially more than $1 billion from over 100 banks and ATMs across 30 different countries. Reports from the Internet security firm Kaspersky Labs have stated that the hackers installed spyware on bank computers, through which they then mimicked employee protocols for transferring funds for accounts and ultimately moved a vast amount of money into funds specifically created for the online heist. (CNN, “Hackers stole from 100 banks and rigged ATMs to spew cash,” 2.15.15) The criminal group receiving credit for the crime has been called “Carbanak,” based on the name of the backdoor malware they used—though they have also been cited as “Anunak”. Carbanak is comprised of members from all over the world including Russia, Ukraine, China and other areas in Europe. This isn’t the group’s first strike either; they have already been credited with lifting $17 million
By the Numbers
from banks over the winter holiday season and stealing inside trader information to obtain a trading advantage on the stock market (Security Week, “Cyber Gang Linked to Theft of $17M From Banks, Retailers: Research,” 12.22.14). Along with these charges, they are also suspected in smaller online heists dating back to late 2013. How could this happen, one might wonder. It sounds like it would be complicated to hack into over 100 banks at the same time. Here’s the sad reality: It’s really not. Hackers can insert phishing mechanisms into emails or through websites with shockingly little hassle. In the specific $1 billion hacking instance here, Kaspersky Labs has stated that phishing devices were transferred through Microsoft Word: “All observed cases used spear phishing emails with Microsoft Word 97–2003 (.doc) files attached or CPL files. The doc files exploit both Microsoft Office (CVE- 2012-0158 and CVE-2013-3906) and Microsoft Word (CVE- 2014-1761)” (Kaspersky Labs, “Carbanak Apt: The Great Bank Robbery,” 02.15). After bank employees’ emails were infiltrated with these exploitative devices, the group was able to surf through hundreds of banking computers in search of an administrative computer. Once that administrative system was found, Carbanak could intercept any clerk’s screen at any time using a mirror system. With reading about all the recent hacking, we must be mindful that anything we do online is not personal and isn’t ever 100 percent safe. While researching for this article, I was trying to find recent data on the hacking of passwords and how many passwords have recently been compromised. Instead, I was introduced to a website that easily explained how in five to 10 minutes I could hack any of my friend’s Facebook passwords and take over their account. Is it really that simple?!
Upon further investigation, I found that recently 10 million-plus usernames and passwords for a variety of sites have been published, ranging from Facebook and Twitter to bank and medical accounts. The publication, by researcher Mark Burnett, claims to have “no new data” but is actually a complication of information gathered from various security breaches. In response to the uproar over his publication, Burnett has spoken out saying, “It is important to note that I didn’t leak these passwords, they are already out there.” Burnett makes it clear that what he has done isn’t real hacking, and most of us have a blind eye to criminal acts of cyber nature until its too late. He followed up saying, “If a hacker needs this list to hack someone, they probably aren’t much of a threat” (The Hacker News, “Researcher Publishes 10 Million Usernames and Passwords from Data Breaches,” 02.10.15). With this recent Carbanak attack following the Sony hack late last year, I think this is just the beginning of cyber warfare. Security companies, such as Kaspersky Labs, have quickly been able to identify how major attacks have occurred, but the perpetrators still remain at large. How one can take preventative measures isn’t always clear, besides staying off the Internet, but that doesn’t appear to be possible for many of us. Hacking has been going on for quite some time and it’s nothing new; it just might be something to be more mindful of. We all know the basics: Don’t open attachments from strangers, use secure Internet sources as much as possible. At the end of the day no matter what, our online information is at risk, and it seems the best thing we can do is be prepared to be hacked and try and make a plan of what to do when it happens.
Word on the street Who do you want to speak at Commencement?
“J. Cole.” —Faith Adongo ’16
“Bob Marley.” — Joel Johnson ’18
—Delaney Fischer ’15 is a neuroscience major.
submit to misc@vassar.edu
“Beyoncé.” — Sara Goldberg ’18 and Nina Nakao ’18
$397,057
$418,916
$424,435
$462,732
$475,031
$502,333
$503,405
$508,787
$528,105
$538,206
$549,518
$553,300
$561,249
$566,162
$567,466
“Paul Blart.” — Christian Prince ’18 $579,638
$619,043
$621,447
$666,871
$693,607
$1,118,678
2012 COLLEGE PRESIDENT COMPENSATION
“The guy below me.” —Nick Vargish ’16
This graph depicts the total compensation for college presidents, including Vassar as well as 20 of its peer institutions. Compensation data was compiled from the Chronicle for Higher Education based on IRS 990 data, published Dec. 8 2014. The peer institution list is based on Vassar’s Factbook, published by the Vassar Office of Institutional Research.
“The guy above me.” — Tim Brown ’16
Editor’s Note: “By the Numbers” is a regular showcase of data we find noteworthy to share with the Vassar community with some additional context. Compensation for college presidents depends on several factors, including not just a president’s base pay, but also additional compensation such as nontaxable benefits and deferred pay. The data shown is based on IRS 990 information for FY 2012, which for most institutions is the 2011-12 school year..
Emma Rosenthal, Arts Editor Sam Pianello, Photo Editor
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
OPINIONS
Page 12
February 19, 2015
Drinking age a dangerous policy that’s failed in America Sarah Sandler Columnist
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n the past century, the United States has been host to a smattering of drinking ages from 18 to 21. In some states, loopholes allowing 18-year-olds to drink alcohol were not closed until as recently as 1995. As of now, all 50 states and the territories of the United States, besides Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, hold minimum drinking ages of 21 years-old. The United States is one of only seven nations to have the highest drinking age of 21, with most countries in the world falling somewhere between the ages of 16 to 18. So why, in a country who’s had a younger drinking age for so many years prior, has the minimum drinking age been fixed at so high a number? In reality, a drinking age of 18 would be much more feasible and able to ensure safe, healthy drinking for people between 18 and 21 years old.
“...the drinking age is hardly successful in preventing high schoolers from obtaining alcohol” A common argument in keeping the drinking age so high in America is to keep alcohol away from high school-aged kids. The biggest reason for this is the fact that alcohol can be dangerous to the adolescent brain, inhibiting development and even possibly causing bad habits and addiction later in life. These concerns are certainly valid, but the
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R A G L
“...many underage drinkers are reluctant to seek help for a friend who drank too much...” If an 18-year-old drinking age existed, the practice of “pre-gaming” in college would be virtually eliminated. Without the fear of being punished by police or college campus security officers, students would not feel the need to get drunk prior to going out for the night. Most importantly, many underage drinkers are reluctant to seek help for a friend who drank too much because of the risk of getting in trouble. A lower drinking age would encourage more openness and promote safety when kids are drinking. What is really shocking is the number of opportunities 18-year olds have without the ability to legally drink. Today in the United States, 18-year-olds, who are considered adults in our society, can drive a car, vote in elections, get married and even fight for their country. However, what they cannot do is drink legally. These four things together arguably hold much more responsibility and require more responsibility than drinking alcohol does. Drinking alcohol is simply very much a part
of adulthood. People drink at business dinners and social gatherings and it’s unfair to make young people wait to be exposed to that part of life. One of the biggest reasons people promote a higher drinking age is preventing car accidents and saving lives. Drinking and driving, or driving under any sort of intoxication is a very significant issue, proven by the fact that in this country, a person is injured in a drunk driving accident every two minutes, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). If this is not shocking enough, two out of every three people will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime. While this is a huge concern, the fact of whether lowering the drinking age would affect these statistics is debatable. For example, “countries that use 18 for both the drinking and drive age generally have safer highways than the United States” (The New York Times, “Lower the Drinking Age to 19”, 02.10.15). Raising the drinking age since the 1980s has been successful in decreasing drunk driving incidents, but this also has to do in part with stricter seatbelt and D.U.I. laws (The New York Times, “Return the Drinking Age to 18, and Enforce it”, 02.10.15). It is true that drunk driving is higher for newly-legal drinkers, but any increase in drunk driving for 18-year-olds would most-likely be counteracted by a decrease in drivers close to the age of 21, due to the fact that they will be more familiar with alcohol as a drug as well as its effects. —Sarah Sandler ’18 is a student at Vassar College.
by Collin Knopp−-Schwyn, York Chen and Alycia Beattie
ACROSS 1 Dick head 6 Eureka! 9 Your grandmother’s Russia 13 Bolero composer 14 East coast pop 16 Sound of mind 17 Sniper’s aid 18 Stoic Ray of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” 19 Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic 20 Pitcher? 22 Bread with pockets 24 Where the poop is on the boat 25 “Once ___ a time...” 27 God of wine and revelry 29 God of wine and revelry 33 When doubled, a slide dance with one hop. This time. 34 With regards to (2 Latin words) 35 Magnifying glass kindling (please don’t do this) 36 Messenger god 40 “Shoo! Scram!” 41 Baltic or South China 43 Keats wrote one on a Grecian urn 44 Goddess of wisdom 48 Big bird 50 Dorian or Mixolydian 51 Got flipped? 52 God of the 41-Across
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authorities could show up to subsequently get them in trouble (The New York Times, “Return the Drinking Age to 18, and Enforce it”, 02.10.15).
The Miscellany Crossword
“OMG”
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drinking age is hardly successful in America with preventing high schoolers from obtaining alcohol. In fact, more and more teenagers today are acquiring fake identification early in the high school career, with some people acquiring fake IDs as early as their sophomore year (LiveScience, “Fake ID use is common, fuels underage drinking,” 10.18.13). Because of this and their desire to make more money, many liquor stores are rather lenient with younger buyers—as long as they have some sort of reasonable ID. If these high schoolers do not have a fake ID, they can also instead use older siblings, friends, acquaintances or even parents who are willing to purchase alcohol for them. If the drinking age were lowered, it would prevent this whole slew of black market illegal activity that puts so many people at risk. As for the health risk and bad habit dangers that alcohol poses, introducing alcohol at a younger age will help to prevent the binge drinking culture that this country has developed. What raising the drinking age has failed to do is reduce drinking itself. Now, compared to when drinking was legal at 18, teenagers instead just drink in unsupervised settings. The imposing risk of getting caught causes teenagers to drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time, increasing the likelihood that they will drink a lot more than they can handle. Proof of this mentality is apparent in the age of Prohibition. When alcohol was banned in the United States from 1920 to 1933, everyone continued to drink alcohol, but they instead did so in secret. This meant that people drank as much as possible before
54 Messenger god 58 Space out, like type 59 Its reciprocal is one 60 Nice and tidy 62 Keanu from the movies and stuff 66 Mix 68 Dread week in May 70 Flat flapjack 71 Thusly 72 Digg, or a dig? 73 Where your gramps caught Cronkite (2 words) 74 Load up your tunes 75 Stitch flesh 76 Gluts
38 Taro corm 39 Witnessed 42 Rogue robots run like this 45 “But wait, there’s more!” 46 41-Across, 62-Across, or 28-Down 47 Concurs 49 Admin or guest 50 Goddess of wisdom 53 Viagrafies 54 He helped popularize tablets?
DOWN 1 Dept that might deal with 27-Across, 29-Across, 36-Across, 44-Across, 52-Across, 54-Across, 4-Down, 50-Down 2 Your gram’s doilies 3 Barksdale, of The Wire 4 God of the 41-Across 5 Lethargic dwarf 6 One Wednesday a year 7 Earrings Gretchen Wieners is not allowed to wear 8 Wing it (2 words) 9 “___ only as directed” 10 Silverman or Hyland 11 Kerfuffle 12 When you ain’t playin’? 15 Glom on 21 Diaz on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” 23 IcyHot’s target 26 God’s wives 28 Yugo, for one 29 “Tell me” in Spanish 30 “___ to win it” (2 words) 31 Prefix for straight 32 Like prices at the Retreat, amirite? 37 Melancholy or grumpy
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
55 A pie at the state fair, maybe 56 Monarch’s rule 57 Vertical departure from the origin 61 Modern museum in London 63 Word with life or sweater 64 Fencing instrument 65 Makes the table for dinner 67 Vassar keyholders (abbr.) 69 Pokémon #151
HUMOR & SATIRE
February 19, 2015
Page 13
Breaking News From the desk of Chris Gonzalez, Humor & Satire Editor Fire safety inspections to finish up in coming weeks; early March to mark beginning of black light checks Prof. Bashaw guest lectures Bam, Wham, Seriously Man?: for new course ART 1sn0w6 proper job interview etiquette Zander Bashaw
Avid Art Student of Art 106
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ood afternoon, students! If you are wondering where Professor Tallon is, fear not. He has given me a tour of the campus so that I can investigate these creations for my presentation. I am Professor Al Bashaw of the Polar Vortex University, and I’m the voice in the back of your head. Let’s start our discussion by looking at the mystical art of snow portraiture. To merely assume the only way people represent the human form is through a “snowman” is exceedingly fallacious. In fact, the three works on your monument list show an incredible diversity in ways that people can be portrayed. First, I would like to discuss “Olaf,” created in 2015 within the northeastern sector of Vassar. The artist here uses specific iconography to alert the viewer to the narrative behind the piece. The carrot nose, sticky arms and weirdly-shaped head express the form of Olaf, created in the far-off land of Dizknee. Olaf was fabled to walk and talk, and the artist here shows his reaching arms and twinkling gaze as much alive as can be achieved through sculpture. The second work of portraiture we will discuss today is the “Jossian Colossus.” This massive sculpture was built in the round, and also has rounded segments. Its geometric forms are highly stylized, and non-naturalistic. The colossus represents a desire for the Jossians to be a big part of campus, yet its puny arms render it nearly helpless. Still, to hoist a midsection as large as this colossus’ is a feat to be reckoned with. However, the most interesting piece of sculpture resides at the northern end of campus, next to the tall phallic building. This well-sculpted head mirrors the Moai from the Easter Island statues. This figure’s eyebrows happen to be on fleek, and its deep-set eyes and neutral mouth form an almost disapproving expression as it looks down its long nose. Is he looking down on kids who slip on the ice in front of him? Perhaps he is expressing disdain for drunken disasters that drift into his depth of view? Either way, the artist/artists behind this beautiful piece are expressing daily feelings of annoyance experienced at Vassar. Researching here throughout this winter has alerted me to these daily struggles. When the Retreat grill is closed I make the same face as
Mr. Easter Island Head. The same thing happens when UpC’s Nilda Cookies choice is more limited than the Mona Lisa’s eyebrows. Instead of emulating the emotions one feels when they can’t find a spoon at the All Campus Dining Center, snow architecture focuses on creating a space within a frigid landscape. These domed spaces I will discuss today represent feats of human engineering, and possibly marijuana-induced whims. The “Hagia Snowfia” from your monuments list is a strong dome structure found in the northern edge of the quadrant, right in front of the tallest building. Entering this dome, you are dazzled by the white walls and ceiling. Within the confines of this space, which is shaped just like the bowl one smokes out of, worshippers reach a heightened state. Sometimes, if you walk by this lovely chapel, you can hear the muffled coughs and giggles of enlightened pilgrims, who have traveled across campus to revel in its flawless geometric construction. The penultimate work on your monuments list for today is the San Deece Cathedral. This is located along the path from the All Campus Dining Center to Main, and consists of three rounded chambers, connected by narrow barrel vaults. Upon entering the main nave, you are presented with two possible directions of uncomfortable snow crawling to reach the other areas. Professor Tallon and I recently did a laser analysis of the structure, and we found some shocking results. We have come to the groundbreaking conclusion that by the time spring comes, this lovely Cathedral will no longer be standing. Yes, folks, the engaged pillasters supporting the heavy domes are merely transitory, and my best estimate says they will collapse from the weight of the dome by around April. And finally: we have symbols on the Quadrant, traced into the snow using a technique called boot-stride packing or “footprints.” On your monument list, the two works, “Big Dick” and “Hearts in the Snow, Winter” (both from 2015) are important works to analyze for the symbolism pervading collegiate minds. The love-sex duality is often thought to be something that college students cannot find simultaneously; however, I suggest these pieces are interconnected and imply hope for all the post-coital cuddlers out there. Our hearts and genitalia need not be cold forever—spring always comes.
Chris Gonzalez Employable
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s someone who has all the jobs, I can say with confidence that interviews are the most painful part of the whole application process. Like, physically painful. Flogging is standard practice and, in rare cases, handcuffs are sometimes used. And blindfolds. And whips. But, Chris, you’re probably saying, I’m not applying to be Christian Grey’s ass double in “Fifty Shades.” I hear you, buddy, but we have to start somewhere, don’t we? Truthfully, no one really prepares you for interviewing. Oh sure, the CDO will send out a million emails in one week about events starting five minutes after an email has been sent, and I guess those might help if you’re into that sort of thing. But people, right? Real ones. It’s all so terrifying. Plus, I’ve always imagined the CDO to be like LinkedIn. We all know it exists, and we have a basic understanding of what it’s supposed to do, but no one actually uses it. Maybe that’s our fault, but for my purposes I’m going to say that the world, society and your parents have failed you. And as a result: you can’t interview for shit. But fear not, because below I’ve provided you with some helpful ways to tackle your interviewer’s toughest questions. (Please, for all that is holy, do not actually tackle your interviewer. Save that for the first company outing.) Why are you interested in the position?
OK, personal much? This interviewer is relentless and clearly doesn’t know where their business ends and yours begins. Don’t answer this question. It’s clearly a trick, and you don’t need that in your life. Try asking them why they applied for their position and why they decided to stay with the company. Let them know that you’re not going to sit back and just accept your “role” in the interview process. Exert your dominance. Start yelling. Clap a little. Maybe both at the same time? You aren’t applying for the position, because you are the position. The position is you. How would you describe your strengths and weaknesses?
This person’s asking for a fight. The obvious answer is that you don’t have any weak-
nesses, but we both know they aren’t going to buy that. Even Achilles had his imperfections, I guess. In this case, allow your actions to do all the talking. Bench press their desk. Do a handstand on their shoulders. Maybe do a quadruple pirouette, hover in passé and then land in a lunge—you know, if you’re into that. Literally don’t stop doing an accelerated gymnastics/ breakdancing routine until they hire you on the spot. What can you bring to the company?
Didn’t know this was a potluck, but let’s just play along for a second. A job is obviously a ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ situation, and they want you on board from before you even get a chance to sign a contract. You’ve gotta be much faster than them, so show up to your interview with your cooking specialty: a baked Alaska, a piping hot lasagna and scalloped potatoes. Can’t cook? Then be that person who shows up to family outings with napkins and spoons. But don’t be upset if you lose out on the job due to your lack of experience in the kitchen. An employer’s gotta eat, just as you do. I see you mentioned _______ in your cover letter. Could you talk about that experience?
Since when was your cover letter in the public domain? These people really do their digging, and they’re so shameless about it! You know their dirty tricks, though, so this question won’t catch you off guard. Instead, tell them you know nothing about this alleged “cover letter” you drafted. You want them to know you aren’t about to open your flappy maw to just anyone. Because, let’s be real for a second, they want to make sure they can trust you. All questions are part of that test. It weeds out the blabbermouths from the steel traps. So shut up and wait for the dollar bills to rain down on you. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
You’re probably thinking right now, “Uh, that’s not a question, dude.” Maybe on the surface it’s not. Look closer. No, closer. I want you so close you can taste the ink with your eyeballs. See it? Expressed as a statement, it’s questioning your tenacity. You’re not going anywhere. You’re going to sit in the room until they make you CEO. Works every time.
Ask Banner: Haiku Edition of the Misc’s “weekly” “advice” column by Banner, Always On Your Mind My Dear Banner, I thought once Valentine’s Day had passed, I would stop doting on the subject of love as much as I do. And yet, it seems like every day I wake up consumed by this great feeling of loneliness (LOL?). I know it’s not a big deal, or it least it shouldn’t be. So what if I’m 22 and I’ve never been in a relationship? So what if the last thing I kissed on the lips was the gerbil I owned in the 3rd grade (and her subsequent death was the result of my sitting on her cage while high on Whip-Its)? So what if I still sleep with a macaroni portrait of said gerbil taped on the underside of my pillow? Should I feel any shame? SOS, Lonely Del Ray
Banner, Vassar revealed how much it hates me today. But doesn’t Vassar hate me every day? Wait, don’t answer that. When my three best friends all decided they’d rather live in a Main suite than share a TA with my shower-oncea-week ass, I thought, OK, fair. So I reached out to three less-than-stellar friends, who I guess I could see myself living with if it were between them and, like, living with mountain lions. I finally completed my group of four and was ready to take on the TAs next year. Alas, Vassar did not agree. How do I find a fifth “friend” to fill the slot when I ultimately suck so hard as a person? Signed, With A Little Help From My Who?
Hi Banner, Are you well? Good, that makes one of us. I can’t for the life of me shake this blasted cold. It’s been an on-and-off thing since, oh I don’t know, December? November? I’ve lost count, and, what with all the sneezing, coughing, bleeding and oozing, I’m not much sure what year it is, let alone the day. My housemates are pretty annoyed with me—they say I get my icky germs on all the dishes, toothbrushes and packs of opened salami. I can’t help it that my sneeze has got some reach! I’m pretty proud of it, but I’m not into this whole ‘being a social pariah’ thing. Can you help me cure my sickness? Best, So Sick
Dear Banner, I honestly don’t know how I’m going to make it. Don’t even mention graduation! From where I’m standing, I’m convinced graduation is a myth they tell children to trick them into going to college. I swear this is limbo and we’re all trapped here until we decide to eat one another alive. And to top it all off, I have a thesis. I know, Banner, you’re probably spraying your venom all over my words over such a foolish decision. I admit I was not thinking clearly when I signed on to research and write about the intersectionality of race and class in “My Little Pony.” Any words of advice? Thank you thank you thank you, Thesis Chokehold
Dear Lonely,
Dear Friendless,
Dear Icky Vicky,
Dear Choked,
Love will come to all (That’s the standard spiel we’re told) Maybe not for you
Living with strangers Would be an awful mistake Only on their part
When it’s time to sneeze Remember that Banner says, “Plug your fucking nose”
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Banner wants to help He truly, honestly does But, dude, you are screwed
ARTS
Page 14
February 19, 2015
Palmer Gallery hosts collaborative sensory exhibition Connor McIlwain Guest Reporter
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t’s easy to miss the Palmer Gallery, whether you’re rushing to the Retreat for a snack or just not paying much attention. While the gallery is always worth a stop inside, its newest exhibition should not be missed. Running from Feb. 26 to March 13, Palmer will feature an interactive exhibit called “Boundary-Crossing: Case Studies in Collaborative Creativity.” The exhibit is supported by the Creative Arts Across Disciplines (CAAD) initiative. The initiative is a three-year project that is new to Vassar and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. It aims to bridge the gap between art and other disciplines at Vassar as well as engage more students through activities, events and curricular tie-ins. According to the Interdisciplinary Arts Coordinator and curator of this exhibit, Ariel Nereson, “CAAD is a three-year project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to enhance integration of the creative arts across the curriculum through supporting curriculum development, guest artist residencies and summer multi-arts collectives.” Their events are loosely themed around the senses. In 2014-2015, their events revolved around “Vision;” in 2015-2016, they will revolve around “Sound” and in 2016-2017, “Touch.” CAAD also curates a blog to better reach the student body. “Our blog is a source for creative inspiration and insight into what is happening on campus and the world, with sections such as ‘Podcast of the Week and Weekend,’ ‘Creativity
Breadcrumbs’ and ‘Field Work,’ says a student assistant with the initiative, Sofia Benitez ’18. The “Field Work” section generates responses to events on campus. It includes reviews of various plays, recitals and performances that all take place on campus. “This exposure to the work of students and faculty across campus has been incredibly nurturing and revealing,” says Benitez. “When I first discovered CAAD, I was really attracted to its mission to foster more interdisciplinary work between the various departments here at Vassar. I have always had various academic and extracurricular interests, so the idea of promoting the combination of various subjects in student and faculty work through this program really interested me,” says another CAAD student assistant, Kayla Schwab ’17. Benitez echoes this sentiment: “I began to work for Creative Arts Across Disciplines this year out of a deep interest in being a part of, and exploring artistic collaboration within and among the arts.” Both students mention the access CAAD has given them to the Vassar community and the force with which it has kindled their interest in arts on campus. “My experience at CAAD has been amazing so far… [it] has also allowed me to become more involved at Vassar, especially in terms of going to different performances, lectures and exhibitions,” says Schwab. Student Assistant Taylor Nunley ’16 wrote, “The CAAD team will be pretty busy this semester because of the work we’ll be doing with artists from and outside of Vassar. And it’s the best
kind of busy, because it won’t feel like work. It will feel like a group of creative people coming together to appreciate, promote and respond to various types of art.” The initiative recently brought the Collaboratory to campus, a movable truck-like structure that houses students’ works. “I’m eager to witness how the space transforms with each project it hosts and the way that the audience interacts with the work,” says Benitez. She describes the project as a “blank canvas” for students’ artwork. According to Nereson, “‘Boundary Crossing: Case Studies in Collaborative Creativity’ is an exhibition focused on Vassar students, faculty and guest artists’ creative work that crosses disciplinary boundaries. For example, we are including video from recent projects involving physics and graphic design students, and cognitive science and dance students.” Damian Duffy and John Jennings, graphic novelists who will be in residency at Vassar in March, will also have their work showcased. CAAD student assistants have also interviewed many other students about the role of creativity in their lives. “The students working for Academic Computing Services have turned the editing of this footage into their own creative, collaborative project that will be on view in the exhibition,” says Nereson. CAAD student assistants are also contributing murals inspired by the Collaboratory. Benitez will be collaborating with another CAAD student assistant for her mural. “Alex Raz ’16 and I chose to create a collaborative piece that
we are excited to share. We’ve worked together in the past, but it’s the first time we explore the medium that will be up in the Palmer,” she says. “We’re convinced the collaborative experience is something truly invaluable, where energy is focused both on process and product.” As for the interactive aspect of the exhibit, visitors will have plenty to experience. Nereson described the experience that the viewers will likely have, “Visitors will have the opportunity to solve ‘creativity equations,’ essentially mash-ups of works from Vassar’s Special Collections Library and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, that are in very different genres but connected thematically.” Benitez wrote, “There will be a lot to see and feel.” CAAD plays an important role in bringing together the incredibly diverse talents and interests on a campus like Vassar’s. “Boundary Crossing” highlights the potential of these interdisciplinary efforts. The exhibit showcases student and faculty artwork from various genres and disciplines. On this collaborative interaction, Benitez notes, “I think it’s crucial that we engage with the thoughts and representations of the interests of the Vassar community in order to grow and delve into spaces that question, inform and transform our realities.” “Boundary Crossing” presents an exciting opportunity for gallery aficionados and passers-by alike to experience something new at Vassar. Whether that something new is feeling art, learning physics or just listening to other students’ stories, “Boundary Crossing” has it.
Toil and trouble: Londoners spotlight humor in Macbeth Yifan Wang
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Reporter
courtesy of Vassar College Media Relations
ive actors performing a Shakespeare play— how does that work? Actors From The London Stage, one of the oldest touring Shakespeare theater companies in the world, might have an answer to that question. Supported by the Dean of the Faculty, the company will be performing “Macbeth” at Vassar College from Feb. 26 to 28. The performances are free and open to the public. Each show begins at 8 p.m. in the Martel Theater of the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film. Reservations are required and will be accepted beginning Feb. 10. Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS) is an educational theater company of British actors touring in the United States. Based at the University of Notre Dame, AFTLS presents two nationwide tours per year during both the fall and spring semesters. Before each tour, a troupe of five actors come together in London to devise and design a Shakespeare piece. They then go on tours to the U.S., offering week-long residencies of both performances and in-class workshops at approximately eight to 10 colleges and universities. The actors hail from major British theater companies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre of Great Britain and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. According to Notre Dame’s website on AFTLS, the program’s mission is “to make exciting Shakespeare, performed by fine professional actors, available and affordable to American colleges and universities in the context of an extraordinary, week-long teaching experience.” AFTLS’ visits to Vassar can be dated back to the year of 1997. Associate Professor of English Zoltan Markus brought the company to Vassar for the first time. He was also one of the faculty members who proposed to host an AFTLS residency at Vassar this year. AFTLS has visited Vassar six times in the past; plays performed by the company include “As You Like It,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “The Tempest,” “Twelfth Night” and “The Winter’s Tale.” This time, the decision to perform “Macbeth” was made a year or two in advance. Five freelance actors came to AFTLS solely to work on this project. Most of them hadn’t met prior to rehearsals. Without a pre-existing concept in mind, the actors created the piece through organic and spontaneous rehearsals. Joanna Bending, one of the five actors playing in the production, shared their artistic goals. “In essence, this is a collaborative, simple but fun process forcing us to strip the play back to its bare bones. Amazing where imagination
springs from when there [are] no special effects, no elaborate costumes, just ideas, a modicum of silliness, let’s call that juvenile enthusiasm and Shakespeare of course!” Michael Palmer, who will be playing Macbeth in this production, also pointed out that the performance itself could be an integral part of the creation and production. “The main issue for myself—I play Macbeth—is its sheer complexity. If one focuses on, for example, his ‘vaulting ambition,’ one could leave out his indecision. Too much warrior, not enough of the poet. As the play goes on, he becomes, in his own words, ‘bear like.’ At the same time, he is also part philosopher, bully, optimist, pessimist, even nihilist. As an actor, the only way I am finding to do this is to play each moment for its full worth and trust the author. Fortunately, he was a genius so doing that is easy,” he wrote in an emailed statement. He continued, “The best goal I think we can achieve is that audiences of all ages, experience and expectations can enjoy a great evening at the theatre.” Charlie Armstrong, who will be playing Macduff in the production have similar expectations for the piece. “I hope it will be engaging and fun to watch for the first-time viewer and also for audience members who have seen multiple productions. I hope it’ll be a fresh and original experience for our audience.” Besides the play performances, AFTLS also collaborates with faculty members to provide in-class workshops. Walen said that these workshops are engaging and interactive. Students in various classes would be able to work together with one or two actors in smaller groups. Markus noted, “These classroom sessions are designed to enhance the students’ knowledge beyond the discussed subject matter as well as to develop their verbal, rhetorical and communication skills.” The educational value of these workshops for drama and English students are self-evident. Walen commented, “They do brilliant work in the drama and English classrooms to help students understand Shakespeare, but not only to understand his plays, but also to make them enjoyable and engaging, not dry and hard.” At the same time, AFTLS is both willing to and adept at extending their pedagogical influence to disciplines not traditionally associated with Shakespeare. During this residency, as Markus introduces, they will be conducting workshops for classes not only in English and drama, but also in Greek and Roman Studies, history/medieval and Renaissance Studies, philosophy, psychology and women’s studies. Interdisciplinary Arts Coordinator for the
Actors From the London Stage return to Vassar for the 18th time to perform Shakespeare. The actors will bring elements of humor into their unique five-person rendition of “Macbeth.” Creative Arts Across Disciplines (CAAD) initiative Ariel Nereson is responsible for the coordination of the AFTLS residency, providing administrative and promotional work to help this visit become a reality. According to the CAAD website, CAAD is a new initiative at Vassar that aims to foster collaboration among different forms of arts, as well as between the arts and other fields at Vassar. With such a goal in mind, Nereson worked to reach out to different disciplines and communities on and beyond the campus. As she explains, all performances are free and open to the pubic. Students from the Exploring College (EC) program will also come to see “Macbeth” on Friday, Feb. 27, and a special workshop for these EC students will take place on Saturday at Poughkeepsie High School. There’s also a special AFTLS workshop for cadets from the United States Military Academy and Vassar students. Nereson also thinks that the benefits of such a residency is multi-disciplinary. “One of the things I hope we achieve with this residency is to demonstrate the versatility of the arts. So the work that the artists are doing is really applicable to a variety of disciplines, and especially not
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
only the product of what they do, but the process—how they work as a collaborative team and how they generate creative ideas. I think those are processes and skill sets that are really beneficial to the entire campus, regardless of your major.” Three of the actors unanimously emphasized the humor of the production. Palmer stated, “The story—which we have worked very hard to make clear—is exciting, the lines are profound and beautiful even shocking, and it is also a funny play. There are, and should be, plenty of laughs.” As the touchstone of British literature, Shakespeare’s cultural significance probably goes without saying. But in the eyes of Walen, there has been a decline in the recognition and influence of Shakespeare, and companies like AFTLS may help draw more attention to England’s national poet. She concluded, “Whenever AFTLS comes to visit, it kind of revitalizes interests in his work, which I think [is] a benefit to us. Not only because his language is amazing, but his insights into human nature are so important as well. So, the opportunity to re-engage interests in Shakespeare and his complex works is really great.”
February 19, 2015
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Southeast Asia, a focal point of socio-political cinema Sieu Nguyen
Guest Reporter
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not only attracts students that hopes to pursue a great quest for international knowledge, but also Southeast Asian students who desire to explore the complexities of their region through a new standpoint. A student from Singapore, Suzie Shin ’17 remarked, “I think the films we watch are very honest depictions of Singapore culture and people. I have to say it is hard for me to analyze scenes that look so familiar. When I watch them, my immediate reaction is, ‘Oh, that is just Singapore,’ and I just don’t realize the details until people comment on the MRT [Mass Rapid Transit], the food, the buildings, etc.” For the first screening, Harvey’s pick was “Be With Me,” a 2005 Singaporean drama film directed by Eric Khoo. The film features three love stories of three different genera-
Sam Pianello/The Miscellany News
he screen faded into black. The credits signaled the end. All of a sudden, room 308 in Vogelstein was filled with light. The students remained in their seats for a second, then looked at each other, breathing out heavily. A couple of “oh my Gods” were uttered. They just finished a 93-minute screening of “Be With Me” for FILM 239, “Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinemas.” After a gap of five years, the Vassar College Film Department has brought back FILM 239, “Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinemas.” A Singaporean herself, Assistant Professor of Film Sophia Harvey is teaching the class. Having done a great amount of research on cinemas of the region, Harvey is also an active member of the Association for Southeast Asian Cinemas Conference. On her choice to focus on this particular region, Harvey said, “Southeast Asia is underrepresented in Vassar’s general curriculum. This course offers students a productive and engaging intellectual space to immerse themselves within the region’s dynamic and diverse cinemas and moving image cultures.” Not only a global hotspot of rapid economic growth, Southeast Asia is also a region with a long history of colonization. The blend between a history of struggle and modern development is embedded in the content and aesthetics of regional films. The course not only explores film as a medium or a work of art, but also studies the socio-cultural and political context of these products. The four selected countries of focus are Singapore and Malaysia, due to their history of conflict and separation; Thailand, being the only nation never officially colonized; and Cambodia, a nation suffering from one of the greatest genocides of the 20th century. Harvey said, “Students will hone their abilities to engage critically with cinemas from the region. It is also imperative that students develop a more
nuanced understanding of the political, socio-cultural and economic contexts out of which these cinemas emerge.” Each student comes to this course for different reasons. “It is important for me to take a class that reflects my Southeast Asian identity,” said David Pham ’17, “I am really interested in trauma and collective memory, so I want to see how filmmakers document these through their movies.” The popularity of the course also extends beyond the border of the classroom. As a freshman, Nicole Yaw ’18 is not eligible to register for the class, but she showed up at every screening on Sunday anyway and discussed the films with her friends afterwards, remarking, “I simply love to watch the movies.” “Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinemas”
Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinemasî explores political surrounding four Asian countries. Students with varying perspectives are interested in the course, bringing many experiences.
tions, each of which has its own beauty and struggles. The first story is about two lesbian schoolgirls, which ends tragically with betrayal and suicide. The portrayal of queerness is also a daring move, considering the illegality of homosexuality in Singapore. The second story revolves around a “heartlander’s” feelings for a “cosmopolitan,” but their class gap hinders their interaction. This story takes place predominantly in the working environment. The third story is of the older generation, the loyalty of a man towards his deceased wife, which occurs mainly in homely apartments. The film is inspired by the life of Therasa Poh Lin Chan, who is both deaf and blind, playing the role of the narrator in the film. Harvey said, “I selected “Be With Me” for multiple reasons...First, it is directed by seminal filmmaker Eric Khoo. He is widely considered to be a key filmmaker during Singapore’s revival period of filmmaking in the 1990s. This film represents a maturation of his oeuvre. Second, the film explores themes that are generally invisible or rendered marginal in Singapore’s cinematic landscape.” The screening of “Be With Me” on February 3 kept the class breathless from beginning to end and left students passionately discussing the film on the way back to their dorms. Serena Hovnanian ’17 commented, “This is by far the best movie I’ve seen this year.” Samantha Smith ’16 added, “I thought “Be With Me” was a wonderful film. I was moved by the way it explored social interactions and the way people can connect with others, even without words.” Suzie Shin ’17 said, “I like the intensity of “Be With Me” and how all the senses are used and played with.” Although film production is prolific in Southeast Asia, the amount of research on it remains modest. With this class, Harvey hopes that the students will produce good-quality scholastic writings, helping contribute to the study of the region’s cinemas.
Joss House concert in tune with student music scene Emma Rosenthal Arts Editor
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he Joss House Team plans to transform the Shiva stage into Vassar’s own Madison Square Garden for the upcoming Battle of the Bands. The bands performing in the event on Feb. 21 include: fouronefour, Soviet Space Dogs, Smash Brothers Karamazov, Beagle Beagle, Jah and Young Troll, Velvet Elvis, Sad Housekeeping, Revolting Hags and Aural Burrows. Josselyn House President Luke Dowker ’17 continued the tradition of Joss House Battle of the Bands this year, and wanted to make sure the emphasis was put on student support and encouragement. Dowker wrote in an emailed statement, “Most of the shows that happen on campus are played by outside bands that [ViCE] or No-ViCE or ViCE Jazz give money to. Battle of the Bands is more student-centered. Everyone who’s gonna be taking the stage in [Battle of the Bands] goes to Vassar.” He continued, “Plus this campus is so small—
if you take even one look at who’s playing you’re probably gonna see someone you have class with two days a week. I think that’s pretty cool. And for the patrons/attendees of the event, it’s a chance to see their friends shred.” While this year’s Battle of the Bands event will be the second of its kind, the organizers of this event have experienced some new challenges during the planning process. Dowker wrote, “This year, we had two and a half times as many applications as last year so we unfortunately had to cut some bands that I thought were really cool.” House Student Advisor Sophie Asakura ’16 commented as well on the issue of choosing bands to play at the event and establishing a diverse atmosphere of sounds. “This year, we had so many bands that asked to play that we had to make the super hard decision to cut it down to nine bands. We tried to encourage a variety of sounds and wanted to ensure an underclassmen presence,” she said. One such underclassmen ensemble is called
courtesy of The Revolting Hags
The Revolting Hags are one of nine bands to compete at the Josselyn House Battle of the Bands. The winner of the Battle recieves a $25 VCash prize and a slot in a No-ViCE show.
fouronefour and operates as an alternative poppunk band composed of members Annie InnesGold ’18, Zechariah Lee ’18, Harry Wedel ’18 and Micah Katz-Ziegler ’18. Innes-Gold, who plays guitar and sings lead vocals, wrote in an emailed statement, “We will be playing four original songs...My favorite part of preparing for the battle has been seeing how these original songs have progressed—we are constantly coming up with new ideas and changing our arrangements.” Another band, Soviet Space Dogs, consists of four sophomores and will play a mix of original songs and covers. Drummer Jackson Dammann ’17 commented on the band’s history and current sound, “Before this event, we’ve played numerous times at Vassar last year and the previous semester. My favorite part is just the excitement of being in the show with other great bands, and getting a chance to play some of our original music in front of a crowd... As for our band, we’ve gone through a lot of changes, but we’re finally solidifying our sound, although we still love to experiment with lots of different styles.” Once the House Team went through the selection process, it was time to figure out the logistics of the Battle. Dowker commented on the House Team collaboration which lead to the execution of the event: “In planning any all-campus event, you’re gonna run into a lot of institutional barriers unless you know all of this school’s different offices inside and out. But thanks to our lovely house advisor/SARC director [Dominique Waldron] and a very supportive house team it’s been a pretty smooth process.” Asakura went into more detail about this process to make Battle of the Bands possible. She said, “The process is ongoing, but we got the Shiva as early as we could and then opened up a call for artists. We cut the list down and then started with budgeting, logistics, and publicity. The biggest challenge, in my opinion, was trying to narrow down the list of bands. We really wanted to have time for everyone, but, alas, we cannot have a 4 hour event.” Joss student fellow Kelly Yu ’17 was involved with a different aspect of the preparation. “I am in charge of decorations, prizes and food for the staff members. Furthermore, I am working with
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a few other House Team members to ensure that the show runs smoothly....We are currently working with the Shiva staff to get the space ready for the show with musical equipment and lighting,” said Yu in an emailed statement. As the House Team gears up for the music-filled and student-focused night, its members are each looking forward to the event for different reasons. Dowker commented, “Tons of people I know are playing and I haven’t seen most of them in a musical/creative setting before and I’m so excited to see how their personalities translate into their sound.” Yu, who is new to not only this type of event planning, but also to Joss House itself, wrote, “My favorite part about planning Battle of the Bands is the different people I get to interact with and the new things that I will be learning. Although I will not be working directly with the equipment, I am excited to see how sound and lighting works for when putting on a concert.” Asakura commented on her favorite aspects of Battle of the Bands, from its early stages to its final ones: “My favorite part of this event has been seeing the way my wonderful, talented and dedicated house team has really poured their efforts into making a great event...I’m looking forward to the end of the event. That moment of relief/satisfaction in having put on a successful and fun event.” Guitarist and vocalist Nick Kohomban ’17 of Soviet Space Dogs commented on his anticipation for the event, “I’m super amped to hear all of the over groups play; it’s so special to have an event like this where we can all come together and show our talent.” Dowker closed with a sentiment regarding the nature of this specific event, compared to ones that other Houses have held in the past. “I think it’s a pretty novel event to throw on a Saturday night, especially when so much of all-campus programming is based around stuff like Villard Room parties and Mug nights. It’s a space where you’re not really encouraged or pressured to drink which is cool..” He continued, saying, “The creativity of our peers comes out in tons of other ways–the Misc, theater, dance, a cappella–but I think a Battle of the Bands opens up a new outlet for that.”.
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February 19, 2015
B4.DA.$$ Artist’s unapologetic approach to living reinvigorates older rap era KLING continued from page 1
Christian Prince Guest Columnist
B4.DA.$$ Joey Badass Cinematic
he mixtapes “1999” and “Summer Knights” established Joey Bada$$ as a votary of the ’93’94 golden age of hip-hop, an era he wasn’t even alive for. With “B4.DA.$$,” his first full-length album, Joey pours syllabic rivers over boom-bap productions and crafts a head-bopping argument against the digital distance in today’s synthesizers. Joey joins the thriving pantheon of rappers—Kendrick, Chance the Rapper, Run the Jewels—who are re-politicizing hip-hop and mining for personal revelations and hard-hitting societal verities. Due to the obvious influence of a bygone era of hip-hop, Joey has earned the label “dusty”— antiquated, atavistic. But, Joey embraces the diss and turns it into a self-actualizing sobriquet in “Big Dusty.” In the hook, Joey urges us to “Check my style, check, check, check it out.” Far from self-conscious of his style, Joey wants you to explore his flow although the eerie piano riff suggests you may not be ready for what you’ll find. Joey is well-aware that his detractors are bumping his shit, because they’re “forever bitin’ his forbidden style.” Forbidden is appropriate, at least from a corporate standpoint, because Joey does not produce chart-toppers. Joey forgoes poppy choruses and light subject matter; his hooks seem like little more than intermissions for the listener to gather himself after a mind-bending verse. Joey addresses the radio-unfriendly bent of his songs through his strong wariness toward money. In “Paper Trail$,” another song featuring a long, centripetal verse, Joey raps, “They say money is the root of all evil/ I say money is the route of all people.” Joey does not rap to get rich; he raps for catharsis and truth and as a civil rights activist giving voice to his friends mired in a broken system. Repeatedly, Joey’s journalistic eye for corruption and distortion denounces white collars invested in his incarceration, police brutality and a profit-driven education system. Hardly a song goes by without Joey referencing his ascendant intellectualism. Joey paints himself as the brainy wunderkind with a “Christ Conscious” (track 10) and an all-seeing “Hazeus View” (track 5); he has surveyed the landscape and returns with a vital poetry. In the opening lines of the first track, “Save the Children,” Joey sums up why his message demands listening: “It’s all a hidden history of mysteries/I see vividly, hysteria...But I share wisdom with Sumerians.” Then his concrete-grown intellect bursts into aphorism as he raps “You choked out for really thinkin’ that this shit is a silly dream/ when actually reality ain’t what it really seem.” Joey displaces dormroom philosophizing to grimy inner city streets where it takes on a life or death significance. Much of the intellectualism of “B4.DA.$$” revolves around a perceptive brainiac trying to make sense of his dark surroundings. The dynamic takes on a man-on-the-moon vibe in “Hazeus View,” where Joey decries that his boundless consciousness “still feel[s] so trapped in the solar system.” “No. 99” is an anthem for the oppressed underclass, with lyrics “We comin’ for groups of guys in suits and ties/ Who choose to hide truth from the eye.” These are the proclamations of an subversive revolutionary getting out “how I used to feel on the metro home” when he “used the underground railroad like a runaway slave.” However, Joey falls short in some respects: he lacks the authorial touch for building Illmatic-style narratives, his references can seem puerile (“Dragon Ball-Z”), and the repetition of certain tropes and conceits makes a few verses threadbare. But the record remains important and profound in moments when Joey looks back and realizes how far he’s come. Joey frames “Piece of Mind” as though he is playing the song to his friend in jail over the phone. At the end, Joey’s friend relates that he heard another one of his songs on the radio, and Joey, in a moment of unfiltered joy, says, “Oh you heard that shit!”
courtesy of Rebecca Kling
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idea to bring her to campus, and Judy and I were eager to support the series,” she said. One of many people and groups to arrange the series that Dunn mentioned is Director of Campus Life LGBTQ Center and Women’s Center Judy Jarvis, who co-planned Kling’s performance as well. Jarvis gave an added insight into “The Glittery Armario” series, saying, “Rebecca is our second of three performers in the series. The goal behind our series is to feature trans artists and educators, whose stories are often co-opted by others, reflected on only during Trans Day of Remembrance, or minimized in LGBTQ histories and narratives.” She continued, “Performance studies is a specialty of Professor Krell’s, so their leadership has been key in determining which artists to bring to campus.” Post Doctoral Fellow of Women’s Studies Elias Krell has been an important contributor to not only the Queer and Transgender Performance series, but especially to the event with Kling. They noted a key aspect of “The Glittery Armario” performances which involves the audience members. They said, “For every performance there is a question-and-answer session, a small reception, we have a dinner that a small number of students can attend on invitation, and the performers visit at least one class in the Women’s Studies Program in conjunction with their visit.” The series and it’s organizers are now focused on Kling and her show, and Jarvis described it as such, “Her performances incorporate conversational storytelling, personal narrative and humorous critique. ‘Uncovering the Mirrors’ is an autobiographical travelogue that traces Rebecca’s gender explorations from age six to her Bar Mitzvah and beyond.” She continued, “‘Uncovering the Mirrors’ confronts the gender policing we experience in our day-to-day lives, examining how we live with regret, push past our mistakes, and look in the
Rebecca Kling performs in one of her six solo performances and energetic theatrical workshops. Kling brings her shows around the country to high schools, universities and theater fesitvals. mirror everyday without flinching.” Dunn commented on the powerful messages that Kling conveys through her unique blend of art, education and storytelling. Dunn wrote, “Kling takes the position that sharing accessible queer narrative with a wide audience is a form of activism, and that understanding combats bigotry. She will perform a full show of performance art with talk-back afterwards.” Krell, who is a musician and performer, as well as a professor, has known Kling for about four years and wrote about their experience with her. Krell commented, “The initial idea was mine. I was discussing with Judy Jarvis and Leslie Dunn last spring about how I’m committed to bringing in artists who are outside of the academy into academic spaces. It’s not only about supporting queer and trans independent artists
but also about building connections between communities.” They continued, “I’ve seen Rebecca perform several times in Chicago. I also performed music in a show that she co-produced last spring in...the Trans 100, a Chicago based yearly event started by Jen Richards that celebrates activists across the country who work for trans rights.” Krell closed with a nod to Kling’s humorous and relatable style, and her ability to reach audiences of any kind. “Rebecca makes complex and poignant topics relevant, interesting, and accessible to everyone. I’d recommend everyone to come but perhaps especially people who think they don’t know anything about the subject of trans/gender. They will be entertained by her wit and humor and also learn a lot,” they said.
Surprising AMC spin-off makes solid start in the shadow of ‘Breaking Bad’ Saachi Jain
Guest Columnist Better Call Saul Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould High Bridge Productions
“B
etter Call Saul,” a prequel and spin-off to the critically acclaimed and widely loved “Breaking Bad,” had to live up to extremely high expectations. The show, created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, centers on the character of Saul Goodman and his life six years before meeting Walter White, the protagonist of “Breaking Bad.” The original show’s fans will know the character well, and there are certainly many ties to “Breaking Bad” that are interesting and unexpected, but the show isn’t meant to discourage new viewers who know nothing of the former show. It is easy to follow without any knowledge of “Breaking Bad,” and Saul’s character is fully fleshed out and expanded upon separately from his former role. At first, I was hesitant to watch “Better Call Saul”; I had watched all six seasons of “Breaking Bad” and loved the show, and Saul had always been an interesting character, but I didn’t know if I cared enough about him as a stand alone to watch a show in which he was the main character. I’m glad I did eventually give it a chance, though, because even though it’s unknown whether the show will live up to its predecessor, it has many of the elements I loved about “Breaking Bad.” The show starts off with depicting Saul’s life after the finale of “Breaking Bad.” He is working at a Cinnabon, and looks visibly different from his last appearance in the former show, due to being paranoid about being recognized. Later, he is shown at his home, alone and depressed, replaying his old commercials. The show then goes back to 2002, when
Jimmy McGill (who later appropriates the name Saul) was a public defender. A courtroom scene is shown in which Jimmy is defending three teenagers, and though he tries his best to paint them as nothing but mischievous youths who made a mistake, they end up going to jail, and he gets a measly $700 for his efforts, causing him to quit working for that court. From that point on, Jimmy’s financial and work troubles are made clear and emphasized, from his fighting over having to pay three dollars to exit the parking lot to pretending to be his own secretary on the phone with potential clients, to his denied credit card and tiny office in the back of a nail salon. Prospective clients hesitate to sign with him, and there are no missed calls or messages on his office phone to suggest new opportunities. We also get a glimpse of Jimmy’s relationship with his brother, Chuck, whose firm is trying to cheat him and who believes he has electromagnetic sensitivity and hasn’t gone to work for over a year. Chuck claims he will get better, but Jimmy doesn’t seem to believe him. Chuck refuses Jimmy’s advice, and Jimmy admits they are both broke. As he is driving back home from work one day, he appears to hit a young man on a skateboard, whose brother records it and threatens to call the police if he doesn’t pay them $500. Jimmy realizes they staged the incident to make some cash, and the two boys run away. Driven by his financial problems to consider extremes, Jimmy finds the two youths that had attempted to trick him earlier, and convinces them to let him join and make their operation better and more efficient, with three times the profit. He describes his former role as “Slippy Jimmy,” who used slip and falls to get money and was great at it. Their partnership is reminiscent of that of Jimmy’s with Walter and Jesse, and even to some extent of Walter and Jesse’s, as Walter had gone to Jesse and turned to criminal activity in times of
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desperate need. Jimmy and the boys try their first ruse, and it seems like it will go smoothly until things go awry and Jimmy ends up at the doorstep of none other than Tuco Salamanca, another character familiar to “Breaking Bad” fans. The strongest point of the show thus far is no doubt Jimmy’s characterization. His unique personality shines through in every scene, but his struggles and his sadness are also made abundantly clear. Characterization was always “Breaking Bad[‘s]” strong point as well, as shown with Walter White especially. Everything is depicted slowly and subtly, with small details painting a vivid picture of Jimmy’s current situation. The dynamics between the existing characters thus far, such as Jimmy and Chuck and Jimmy and the two boys are depicted with the same precision. However, the show is definitely in need of other main characters aside from Jimmy to focus on. The show is equally serious and funny, with Jimmy’s character as a lighter protagonist counterpart to Walter White. I enjoyed the more humorous and lighthearted approach that “Better Call Saul” took, though it’s probable that the show will get darker later on. It started off a bit slow, and there were moments that were certainly confusing, such as Chuck’s situation with his firm. However, I was hooked by the end, and was especially interested in Jimmy’s new partnership and the appearance of Tuco. For “Breaking Bad” fans, “Better Call Saul” is a must-watch. Gilligan brings back a lot of the same “Breaking Bad” crew for this prequel show, giving the show a familiar view and vibe for returning fans. For other viewers, it can also be entertaining as the show itself functions well on its own, though perhaps not as much as “Breaking Bad.” It’s unclear whether the show will reach the level of “Breaking Bad,” but it definitely has a great start.
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Foreign film’s aesthetic distinguishes Excuse me, ‘Ida’ from Academy Award contenders Charles Lyons-Burt Columnist
Ida Paweł Pawlikowski Canal+ Polska
I
t’s rather fitting that Paweł Pawlikowski’s film “Ida,” nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in this week’s upcoming 87th Academy Awards, is presented entirely in black and white. This is not because the subject matter or thematic content of the film particularly warrants this bold aesthetic choice, which is made all the more so by the film’s aspect ratio. It was shot in the now-antiquated Academy ratio, producing a boxy 1:33:1 frame rather than the widescreen viewing experience to which most modern audience members are accustomed. No, despite “Ida[’s]” striking and sometimes beautiful visual uniqueness, form does not match content in Pawlikowski’s movie, which deserves its inky color palette only in the way it deals in frustrating simplicities and all-too-basic absolutes. “Ida” is a brief, quiet tale of a lifelong but not yet avowed nun, Anna (the gorgeous Agata Trzebuchowska) who grew up without a biological family in a convent in Poland. The film is set in 1962 when, just before making her vows, Anna’s superiors send her to spend time with a relative of whom the young woman was previously unaware: her apparent aunt, Wanda (Agata Kulesza). They’re certainly an odd pair, as one character needlessly points out: Ida is devout, always dressed in her religious garb, behaviorally calm and plain, and naïve in the sense that she hasn’t seen any part of the world except her immediate home in the church. Wanda, on the other hand, is a former state prosecutor and judge who now spends most of her time chain-smoking, drinking liquor and bedding anonymous men in her upscale urban apartment. The events of the film follow the unlikely
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duo, connected by blood and a feeling of isolation, as they uncover secrets about Anna, whose birth name is Ida, her past, familial history and a tragic turn of events involving the crimes of Nazi Germany. Unfortunately, Pawlikowski treats his characters more as icons than finely developed or complicated people, a limitation reinforced at one point by the director’s cutting from a shot of a dormant Jesus statuette to Anna/Ida sleeping in bed.
“Unfortunately, Pawlikowski treats his characters more as icons than finely developed or complicated people...” Characters are defined with blunt simplicity as either being similar or glaringly obvious foils to one another—while traveling to a location along their journey, Wanda and Ida pick up a hitchhiking jazz musician (Dawid Ogrodnik) who emerges as an admirer and possible love interest for the latter woman, far too obviously and predictably representing both an antithetical lifestyle (he admits to never having vowed something and also of actively avoiding military service, in addition to his free-spirited profession) as well as a perfect-match counterpart to young Ida (in response to her revealing her Jewish roots, he quips that he shares a similar genealogical background). The nun’s relationship with her aunt is more interesting, mostly due to Trzebuchowska and Kulesza’s exacting performances, but Pawlikowski and Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s screenplay nonetheless paints the two women as irreconcilable opposites defined each by one pursuit: the habit (which Wanda laments in one moment as hiding her niece’s beautiful red hair) and the bottle.
In its first half, the film’s distinctive visual style intrigues for its austere elegance and its director’s off-kilter framing, often pushing his characters into the corners of his compositions, intentionally excising their bodies at angles that emphasize discomfort or mere strangeness. For a good deal of the enjoyment and artistic mileage derived from Pawlikowski and DPs Łukasz Żal and Ryszard Lenczewski’s self-conscious framings, especially in the first 40 minutes, are due to our lack of understanding as audience members as to the intention of the images being so stylized. Things become less compelling when we realize that there isn’t much of a purpose to the choices at all beyond wispy flirtations with ideas of isolation and doubt. Certainly, there is an importance placed on what is allowed to exist within each confined shot, with characters exiting and entering the frame’s static space at key moments of significance. But the filmmaker never fully justifies his employment of such techniques, and as the film devolves into a sensationalistic treatment of its sensitive subjects in its back half, it becomes clear “Ida” is averse to truly exploring the subjects it name-checks. The most poignant moments of the film are also problematically attached to Pawlikowski’s fascination with the past. “Ida[’s]” shots frequently include frames within the larger frame, communicating that the movie is about piecing together a certain narrativized history and seeking an understanding of the images and stories that came before us. In a scene late in the film, Wanda attempts to construct something of a family tree with a pile of old photographs, her hands carefully arranging the little rectangles in front of us. It’s a gorgeous shot, but one that betrays the filmmaker’s mission here, looking back to a past era with an aesthetic that is making reference to the stylings of another time. The shot is more weakly retrofitted than purposefully retro, impressing in its commitment to superficially pleasing techniques, but with questionable substance to back it up.
A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists
“Topography”
The ocean gathers herself from where she’s spilled, Unladylike, a long night, All over your paws. She leaves behind the sharper edges of your exterior, The firm shapes of shoulders Claws A searching nose. You cannot see yourself like this, Bound up in your own borders. But the ocean that shapes you has been many places And heard many things It calls you bear Big and warm Firm ground Low sounds. It soaks into your black sands. You remember a time when you were a shapeless peak– Earlier that day, maybe, years ago– But you know how to look like more, now. How to call yourself by a name. Bear.
What song would you fuck tenderly to?
“‘Birds’ by Death Grips” — Iyana Shelby ’16
“‘I Love You’ by Tila Tequila” — Ben Simpkins ’15
“‘Rocket’ by Beyoncé” — Sam Smith ’16
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Here is the sound of jealous stomachs, The desire to jump from high places, An inexplicable love for that one part, Of that one person’s palm, The smell of a food you can’t place, But that makes your chest feel smothered in bright home. The time you were four and ten and sixteen and nineteen And almost did things different. They blow together in the salted air. It is the oldest part of yourself. But it’s a long climb, And the wind hurts your ears, and makes it hard to balance. So, Mostly, You are a bear. And sometimes, Like all of us, When we have the energy, When the ocean is loose on your shores, You are a mountain.
At the top of you, Where the ocean cannot reach, There is still a shapelessness. It’s windier there, Not so clear. The stone is warm in the sun.
“‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ by Billy Paul” — Joe Capotorto ’15
“‘All About That Bass’ by Meaghan Trainer — Lindsay Lucido ’16
“‘Let’s Get It On’ by Marvin Gaye” — Austin Khym ’15
I was given a very specific, very convoluted prompt for a composition class in which I had to create and then explore a “map” of another human being. It felt traitorous to the whole function of maps, which is to illuminate and guide you through places that are foreign. My partner struck me as a bear in that she seemed very grounded, very solid, and very dignified. But that was mostly it. It was disingenuous to assume anything else about her - we had, after all, only known each other for a single class. And let’s be real, no one shares the deep parts of themselves on the first day. So instead I focused on the way that I understand all of us to be both formless and clearly shaped, bears and mountain peaks. This is a map of her as it is a map of all of us. -Madeleine Schafer ‘16
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Chris Gonzalez, Humor & Satire Editor Sam Pianello, Photo Editor
SPORTS
Page 18
February 19, 2015
Basketball looks to rebound from injury ridden season Ashley Hoyle
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Reporter
their dress shoes with sneakers for a game. Another high point in the men’s season was an exciting victory against Union College on their home turf on January 31. The Brewers were down an entire seven points at half time but came back to win 69-67. With 29 seconds left to go in the game, freshman guard, Jesse Browne putting up the winning two points. “My favorite part of the season so far was beating Union at home a few weeks ago,” said Wasyl, “We had a raucous crowd, so it was a very fun environment to play in.” This huge success coincided with alumni weekend for Vassar men’s basketball, adding some more
courtesy of Vassar College Athletics
he Vassar Men’s basketball squad has been a little beat up this season. Their record currently is resting at 7-16 overall and 3-11 in conference play. This weekend the Brewers battled with Hobart College and Rochester Institute of Technology. Ultimately, they fell 67-69 to the tigers of RPI but clawed their way ahead of Hobart, winning 65-63. This type of play was not expected in the 2015 season, as the Brewers were picked by the preseason coaches’ poll to win the Liberty League. Skidmore and Clarkson were respectively just below Vassar, but have pulled ahead in actual season play with records of 15-7 and 18-5. One reason that VC men’s basketball has struggled is rampant injury. “So far this season, we have underachieved. We came in with very high expectations competing in the liberty league, but we have been plagued with injuries all season which has been difficult to overcome,” said junior captain and guard from Durham, Conn., Erikson Wasyl. This was apparent in the Brewer’s senior day match up when both Luka Laden and Andrew Adkins had to sit their big game due to injury. Senior captain and forward from Rutland, Va., Alexander Snyder agreed, chiming in, “Our season has been disappointing. We have a lot of talent and due to injuries we were never able to really get into a groove.” While the team has not achieved all of their goals concerning season outcome, there have been good moments for the men. “My teammates do a very good job of getting me open by setting a lot of screens, which makes it easier for me personally to score and make plays on offense,” said Wasyl. “We unfortunately have [not had] too much success,” agreed Snyder, “but most of our success comes from sharing
the ball and working together as a unit.” Snyder has had an outstanding career with the Brewers, and reached an important landmark on February 14 playing Hobart at home in the Athletic and Fitness center. With a foul shot, Snyder reached his 1,000th career point. In Vassar’s history, Snyder is only the 13th to hit 1,000 points scored in a career. And with 1,002 points currently, Snyder is the 12th highest scoring player in all-time Brewer history. The coaching staff participated in Coaches vs. Cancer Awareness Week, organized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society, replacing
From left to right: Seniors Jonathan Safir, Andrew Adkins, Alex Snyder, Luka Ladan and Curtis Smith. The Brewers finish up their season against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this Friday.
excitement to the feat. “Alumni Weekend is always a good time. We get to see all of the guys who graduated during our time here, and we were able to get a win in front of the awesome home crowd,” said Snyder. There are only a couple weeks left in the 2015 season for VC men’s basketball. The men will face off with Bard College on February 18th in Annandale-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. Then the Brewers will finish their season on the 20th against Renesslaer Polytechnic Institute at home for one last game. “I guess I would say that playing together and enjoying our limited time left on the court is how we will have to play in order to get a win,” said Snyder about finishing 2015 strong. “I am most looking forward to closing out the season strong and with pride,” said Wasyl, “We are out of playoff contention for this year, but we have a lot of freshmen who are gaining valuable experience adjusting to playing basketball at the collegiate level.” This experience will be helpful for the very young team. The class of 2018 has made big contributions so far this season, freshmen Jesse Brown (guard from Barrington, RI), Tony Calletti (guard from Mill Valley, Calif.), John Madsen (forward and center from Needham, Mass.), Fabien Bessez (guard from New York, NY), Jonah Sens (forward from Arlington, Va.), and Spencer Einhorn (forward from Birmingham, Ala.) all have seen playing time and put up big numbers for VC. Caletti was named ECAC Division III Upstate Rookie of the Week for his career-best performance against Hamilton College in December. While the Brewers did not reach the goals set back at the start of the season, the team agrees that 2016 will be better. Rehabilitation from injury and experience will do wonders for VC men’s basketball moving forward.
Vassar teams go big at practice, much bigger at dinner BONDING continued from page 1 other, whether it is for a spot on the starting line up, or simply a demonstration of prowess in a given skill. This can be stressful, as Mosley suggests, but it is also the key to what drives individual members and the team forward. There is also the simple matter of time spent together. Varsity teams practice six times a week, for at least two hours each session. “So when you are spending that much time together, especially when a lot of that time can be physically and emotionally exhausting, you definitely bond over shared experiences,” wrote senior captain of the cross-country team Harper Cleeves in an emailed response. Cimorelli felt the same way, “Between working out and being in the gym for practice and traveling, it’s a lot of time. It’s something we all really enjoy though.” Senior and captain of the basketball team Alexander Snyder added in an emailed response, “We see each other every day
and we compete against each other. It would not be enjoyable if it was with a group of people that I did not like.” All of Vassar’s sports teams have preseasons, and therefore they spend more time on campus than the average student. The swim team has been on campus since January 3 preparing for their final push, which is happening this week at states. Volleyball’s Cimorelli feels that this is a particularly important time for the team as not only do they have more practices than usual, they also live together, “Preseason also brings us together a lot, as we spend all day together on campus before the rest of the students get there. We usually come back two weeks early, have practice about three times a day, eat meals together, and even room with each other.” Senior rugby captain Geoff Matthes discussed some of the rugby team’s preseason customs in a telephone interview. Arriving two weeks before classes start in the Fall, the men’s
and women’s teams have practice twice a day, but have a light practice on Saturday and a trip to Lake Minnewaska on Sunday. The teams also gather for movie nights and a BBQ at the end of the two weeks. As far as time outside of practice goes, results are varied. Some athletes felt that the time spent away from practice was more important than time spent in it, Cleeves wrote, “I think it is the time spent outside of practice that really ends up cementing relationships. Even if that is as simple as getting meals together at the All Campus Dining Center, or studying together at the library.” Junior basketball player Rose Serafini agreed with Cleeves, writing in an emailed response, “I would say that most of the team bonding is done outside of practice. Obviously we learn to play with each other and determine what type of people we are basketball wise while on the court but the more concrete bonding is done off
courtesy of Wade Crouch
Senior men’s rugby captain Geoff Matthes points to a teammate in the distance. The men’s and women’s rugby teams partake in a grueling, yet character building two-week preseason before classes in September. One of their trips during said preseason involves an excursion to Lake Minnewaska state park.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
the court.” While most reported the usual activities one would expect from any group of people, Mosley reminisced on some previous excursions, “In the past, we went apple picking, to a haunted house for Halloween and dinners off campus.” Junior cross-country runner Kyle Dannenburg wrote in an emailed response, “We spend hours together playing board games, such as Resistance and Coup.” The men’s rugby team expressed a fondness for eating. Matthes said in a phone interview, “One tradition we have is after practice on Fridays, we drive to Five Guys. The ritual is aptly named, ‘Five Guy Fridays.’” He also mentioned eating competitions at Billy Bob’s. One such evening saw Matthes face off against then sophomore Matthew Brown. The two began with a piggy mac, a dish comprised of a pulled pork base baked under a creamy macaroni and cheese layer with bread crumbs sprinkled on top. They then proceeded to attack 18 wings. Brown staggered and Matthes took the win by a six wing margin. When considering the place of their coaches in their lives, all of the athletes reported that though they were very important within practice, most coaches did not involve themselves outside of that. There was the rare exception; Coach Penn of the women’s volleyball team has them all over for dinner at the end of the season, while Snyder mentioned that the coaching staff set up events for the team and Terenzi spoke about a holiday party at the end of the cross-country season that their coach comes to. On the whole, coaches seem to encourage a good working environment for their team at practice and let the team work out activities for outside the court, field or track. All the Brewers voiced the same commitment to their teammates, but all were also equally appreciative of the friends they had made off the team. Cimorelli was happy for the friends he’d made outside volleyball, as well as the other opportunities he has here at Vassar. “We all have really close friends outside of volleyball. This is one of the great things about D3 sports. We get to spend a lot of time doing other things as well as volleyball.” Vassar athletes function as more than teammates and peers to one another. They become a family.
February 19, 2015
SPORTS
Mad for March, fed-up with long April Sam Hammer Columnist
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hen you ask a casual sports fan whether they prefer college or professional basketball, they will likely reply that they prefer the NBA regular season, but that the NBA playoffs just cannot compete with NCAA March Madness. For several reasons which I will address in this column, playoffs in the NBA cannot come close to matching the hysteria that surrounds March Madness. For those who are unaware, in Division I NCAA basketball there is a tournament held every year in March and April to determine that year’s national champion. 68 teams enter the tournament and play through a series of rounds, each taking place in a different geographic location. The teams that participate in the tournament are chosen based on both their performance in conference tournaments and their season as a whole. For example, a school such as Bryant University that plays in the lowly Northeastern Conference (NEC) will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament if they win their conference. Schools that play in more competitive conferences, such as Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference, have a harder time winning their conference but can still be given an at-large bid for the tournament if tournament voters feel they performed well during the regular season against quality opponents. These types of bids are generally reserved for teams that play in the major conferences, yet teams from less competitive conferences still have the match to qualify so as they can win their divisions. The tournament itself involves the teams playing in single-elimination games against opponents based on seeding. Prior to the start of the tournament, teams in each of the
four regions are ranked one through sixteen. In order to weed out the worst teams, the first round of the tournament involves the one seeds playing the 16 seeds, the two seeds playing the 15 seeds, and so on. Unlike in the NBA where every team plays each other during the regular season, college basketball teams will mostly play conference opponents during the regular with a few games reserved for out-of-conference games. With the hundreds of basketball programs in Division I, it is impossible for teams to encounter every potential opponent they might face prior to the tournament. This makes the matchups more exciting and unpredictable, since a lower seed has a good chance of upsetting a higher seed, if the two come from wildly different conferences. For example, a team such as the University of Connecticut last year, who plays in the lowly AAC, did not face many big-name opponents during the 2013-14 regular season, and as a result, they were ranked as a seven seed. Yet, they beat higher ranked opponents who they were not able to play during the regular season, and went on to win the whole thing. It is not uncommon for particularly low seeds, such as 11th-seeded Dayton last year, to advance past the early rounds. These teams are known as “Cinderella teams.” Due to the unruly nature of March Madness, placing bets and filling out tournament prediction brackets has become wildly popular for even the most casual fan. In contrast, playoff series in the NBA are all best-of-seven rather than single-elimination. This means that barring injury, upsets in the NBA playoffs are extremely unlikely. Even if the better team has an off-night and loses one or even two games to their opponent, they still have a chance to win the se-
ries. Playing best-of-seven removes much of the suspense from NBA playoff series, and causes the playoffs each year to be exceptionally predictable. Another factor that makes March Madness more popular is the regular season structure. NBA teams play long 82-game seasons whereas college teams generally play around 30 games. Usually, the teams that make the NBA playoffs will be known weeks in advance, whereas there is much more uncertainty and speculation surrounding which college teams will qualify since teams are selected based on votes rather than their win-loss record. The nature of NBA contracts creates a situation where teams generally have similar rosters year after year. In college, there is much more turnover, and a spectacular recruiting class one year might turn a lowly program into a contender overnight. NBA teams are built more slowly and alternate years of competitiveness, with periods of rebuilding where they do not make the playoffs and have poor win-loss records. In college basketball, any team has the chance to win it all in any given year. This is simply not the case in the NBA. Last season, for example, I knew that my favorite team, the Boston Celtics, were going through a rebuilding phase. It was boring to watch them play during the regular season and I knew they would not make the playoffs. On the other hand, as a Connecticut resident and proud UCONN basketball fan, it was incredibly exciting to watch the team upset strong opponents such as Michigan State, Florida and Kentucky. As long as a college team can make the tournament, anything can happen. Hopefully this year’s March Madness will be as crazy and unpredictable as ever.
Little League addresses real big issues Rob Carpenter Columnist
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ast Wednesday, the governing body of the famous youth baseball program, Little League, punished the reigning U.S. National Champion for geographical recruiting violations, stripping the team of its championship title. The team, Jackie Robinson West, was from South Side Chicago and was composed of 25 boys ages 11-13 years old. The Chicago team was found guilty of manipulating the set boundaries of their program to geographically allow better talent to funnel onto their the team. Little League International went on to suspend Darold Butler, the team’s head coach, and the area’s district administrator, Michael Kelly. But the most severe aspect of the punishment surely is the removal of team’s hard-earned regional and national championships, won by 12-year-old boys who were not even aware of the violation. The decision must be shocking for the team’s 25 players who impressed Little League’s global audience with equally strong play and sportsmanship. The team became known for deep home runs as well as coming up with elaborate handshakes with their opponents. Jackie Robinson West showed that good things happen to teams that play hard and have fun as the team won the U.S. Championship before moving on to the international championship were they lost to Seoul, South Korea 8 to 4. Even so, the team was the first Little League with all Black players to win the national title.
“Jackie Robinson West showed that good things happen to teams that play hard and have fun” The situation is additionally tragic considering what the team did for the morale of the entire Chicago metro area. During the team’s amazing championship campaign, the city’s mayor organized game viewing parties that
brought the city closer together. Then when the team returned, the entire city celebrated their success and near World Series win with a victory parade. Now Chicago’s Mayor has stated that “the city remains united in its support of these great children and in our hearts, they will always be champions in Chicago.” But for fans and supporters of Jackie Robinson West and Little League Baseball, it is easy to be frustrated and confused. Furthermore, the team’s success was a hopeful sign for baseball, where Black participation has been on a steady decline. According to the New York Times, as of the beginning of the 2014 only 8.3 percent of Major League Baseball players were Black, a large drop from 1986 when Black participation composed 19 percent of the league. In an article on Derek Jeter’s website, “The Players’ Tribune,” Pittsburgh Pirate’s Center Fielder Andrew McCutchen responded to this decline and the controversial decision to strip Jackie Robinson West of their championship. The 2013 National League Most Valuable Player attributed the dropping numbers to a deeper problem that is affecting low-income kids of all races. McCutchen said of youth baseball, “[It is] a sport that increasingly freezes out kids whose parents don’t have the income to finance the travel baseball circuit.” He asked the audience to consider the disqualified managers not as cheaters who broke the rules but instead as heroes to the Little League players, “who stepped in” and allowed the teams championship run to take place. In my opinion, Little League’s decision reveals another problem altogether, a culture in sports where cheating can be justified if it leads to a successful outcome for the cheater. Whether it is in the N.F.L. where the Patriots saw no repercussions for supplying deflated competitively advantageous balls on their way to a Super Bowl or NCAA Football, where recruiting violations involving bribery are said to be commonplace. The U.S. has developed a culture where as long as it is not done blatantly, cheating or rule bending often goes unpunished. This is a trend that baseball has come to symbolize. At the Major League level, the all-time home run record is held by Barry Bonds, who was
never punished for utilizing performance-enhancing drugs to power his career. Last week, Alex Rodriguez, one of baseball’s highest-paid players, apologized to the Yankees for his one-year suspension given for his use of human growth hormone. Yet, the American sports audience must ask: Would Alex Rodriguez be sorry if he was never caught? Jackie Robinson West could be asked the same question, but I bet the answer would be the same. That is: no way.
“Little League’s decision reveals another problem all together, a culture in sports where cheating can be justified.” America cherishes winning so much more than playing with good sportsmanship and falling short that cheating has acheived an elevated moral level. For this reason, I am glad that Little League made a tough decision and decided ultimately to strip the U.S. Champions of their trophy. The ruling is harsh, but it works hard to protect Little League from future coaches who believe that if resulting in victory, bending the rules is justified. It will stand to ensure that when the members of the phenomenal Jackie Robinson West team raise their own children and coach, they will value sportsmanship over any type of victory. Brandon Green, a pitcher on the Jackie Robinson West team commented that the players were not connected to anything that could have caused them to be stripped of their championship. They maintained, “We do know that we’re champions.” For all of the members of the disciplined team, it is critical to remember that what happened was not their fault, and they are still champions even if it is no longer in writing. The players will always stand as an example of sportsmanship and championship caliber baseball, no matter the exterior circumstances.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Page 19
E-revolution is here: play Hearthstone Josh Sherman Opinions Editor
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hen you think of sports, do video games come to mind? I ask because of the recent growth in a field called e-sports, a shortening for electronic sports. Specifically, it refers to games that are organized competitively, whether individually or as a team, against players in local, national and even international setting. In reality, this can mean just about any game—even with casual competition among friends. First, by my usage of the word “accessible,” I acknowledge access to video games means a number of privileges and comforts already, such as the equipment or computers to play, the electricity and potentially the Internet access to enjoy such a game. What I mean by accessibility is that games like “Hearthstone” are casually paced, require just about any working PC, Mac or tablet and can be played for free whether rain or shine. Some games require a team to play or some other commitment, but what I mean is that there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t at least try these games and see if they like them before dismissing them as not worth the investment. By describing this accessibility, I also lend to the diversity within e-sports. Some games are played alone, on a casual pace. Others are fast-paced and team-oriented. The term for one extremely popular category is Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) which includes games you may have heard before, such as “DOTA 2” and “League of Legends.” By extension, perhaps e-sports can even include other competitive aspects, such as how quickly someone can complete a game from beginning to end. The fact that one can compete with not just others, but also themselves opens up many diverse avenues for competitive gameplay, and adds to the many ways one can get in a variety of games and game modes. In terms of popularity, I’m not talking about small fish either. Last year’s Electronic Sports League (ESL) in March 2014 yielded a live audience of 73,000 for four days in Poland, with millions more watching online. In terms of prize money, “DOTA 2” and “League of Legends” collectively generate more than $57 million annually among thousands of players. I don’t think the audience or the money is what ought to make e-sports significant among a collegiate audience, nor would such huge money and audiences exist in a collegiate circuit, but it does represent the significance these games are gaining worldwide. Two institutions of higher education, Robert Morris University and The University of Pikeville, offer scholarships to students who join their school as competitive League of Legends players. These institutions are not well known or ranked among their peer groups, and the approach to offer gaming scholarships seems, to me, like an opportunity to build interest among a small, but rapidly growing group of competitive players and students. Yet another example of this evidence comes from the U.S. State Department, who is responsible for issuing visas to foreign players. These competitive players, when they enter the U.S., are given visas just like those issued to foreign athletic players in other sports and competitive fields. E-sports have their roots in gaming from as far back as the 1970s, with competitive arcade and early competitive PC gaming. It still has a long way to evolve before it could perhaps be something that an organization like the NCAA ought to identify and structure. I see the NCAA as the key organization especially because of scholarships, which without regulation and policy can end up varying greatly among institutions and have a detrimental effect on the way students perceive recruitment for these competitive events. These are all things I wonder about regarding the evolution of e-sports as it begins to focus on collegiate spaces. I think we should have a clearer structure to controlling these factors like scholarships and recruitment, as well as general organization to promote the many types of e-sports and ways people can enjoy these games competitively. As far as I know, NSO is the only Vassar organization promoting such competitiveness, though this would vary from institution to institution. I highly encourage others to try at least some sort of competitive gaming, and I also hope a clearer regulatory structure emerges at the collegiate level in the coming years.
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February 19, 2015
Double trouble: tennis looks to ace tough spring season Zach Rippe
Sports Editor
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courtesy of Vassar College Athletics
espite the piles of snow and freezing winds, the spring sports season is already underway. While some teams are stuck in the bays waiting for the snow to melt and their seasons to start, others have been able to navigate the poor conditions and are starting their spring campaigns indoors. Men’s tennis is one such team. The men went 2-1 during their fall campaign, with wins against Bard and Union College. They also competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Tournament where sophomore Nick Litsky advanced to the semifinals. Vassar has only one returning senior but will look to a strong core of sophomores and juniors to help carry the load. The Brewers began their season on Feb. 7 in Massachusetts against Clark University. Playing at the Paxton Sports Centre, an impressive indoor sporting complex in Paxton, Massachusetts, the men were able to shut down Clark 5-0. This proved a good win for a competitive men’s team looking to build on its success last fall. While they did accumulate some good wins over the course of the season, they fell to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Liberty League Tournament. Perhaps the biggest change last year, however, came from the top. Men’s head coach Alex Wong was brought on in the middle of the year in what was a bit of an adjustment period. Wong gave his input on the season in an emailed statement. “The team handled [the coaching transition] well and we were focused from the beginning. We always have a goal of winning the Liberty League Championship so in that sense, we fell short of our goal, but I am still proud of the way that improved and competed.” Going into the offseason, the men knew exactly what they had to improve. “One of our main focus points last year and this year has been doubles. We have been working hard from the first day of practice on improving our
doubles strategy and mentality. We know that this is crucial to our success this year,” stated Coach Wong. Apart from improving their doubles games, the men have been working hard on their fitness and conditioning. “We’ve also had condition after practices and lifts with Cam, so we’ve been getting into top physical condition as well,” stated Cooper. Cooper added how crucial doubles was to success in Division III tennis. While the offseason can be quite cold and distant, it is important for athletes to keep in shape. Practicing together while developing and maintaining chemistry is vital to future success. For a student athlete, this can be quite difficult to maintain with classes and other commitments. After their first match, Coach Wong provided some additional input into how their work over the offseason has paid off so far. “We have only played one match and I am obviously happy that we walked away with a win. I was happy that with some different strategy in doubles, that the team kept with the plan and though it was not easy, played through adversity and came away with three hard fought wins. I am hoping that we can build off of that success and see even more progress in upcoming matches,” he said. Unfortunately, the men fell 9-0 to The College of New Jersey last Saturday. Yet the Brewers had several close matches. Despite the loss, everyone has high hopes for the spring season. Cooper, Udine and Coach Wong all agree that their main goal is to win the Liberty League, giving them an opportunity to compete at NCAAs. Udine added, “The team has big expectations this year. Our team is a year older, returning all six singles starters from the end of last year. We are hoping that that experience and our improvements will help us.” For Udine, this experience is vital. “Individually, my mindset going into matches has improved a lot. Last season was my first full season as a starter, so I was able to gain a lot of experience and confidence moving from practice to matches.
Junior tennis player Evan Udine concentrates fiercely as he winds up for a forhand. Udine has made the most of his opportunities this season, seeing significant time as a starter and making an impact. The team has made tremendous strides since last season,” he stated. “All I hope to do is fight for every match as hard as I can. As long as I do this, I know I’ll have a chance to win every match I play this year.” Even for experienced veterans like Cooper, this season brings its set of individual goals. “All I hope to do is fight for every match as hard as I can. As long as I do this, I know I’ll have a chance to win every match I play this year,” he elaborated. Cooper, a former First Team All-Liberty League singles and Second Team All-Liberty League doubles player, also hopes to be regionally ranked in both singles and doubles this year. Still, the men’s success depends on the team as a whole. “We have a pretty small roster so everybody is going to play a major role in our
success. Even our non-starters are so important for us in practice so we are counting on every player on the team to contribute in their own way,” explained Coach Wong. Luckily the men’s chemistry off the courts is about as good as it gets. Said Udine, “Even though we have a wide variety of personalities on this team, you won’t find any thats closer. No matter what the situation is we are going to fight for each other more that for ourselves.” The men’s team relies on its cohesive bond on and off the court to sustain success and team chemistry. One commonality they share is the desire to win. “I just know that we are all looking forward to the season. The Liberty League is wide open this year and we are looking forward to competing for the title,” stated coach Wong. The Brewers continue their season next Saturday at Skidmore.
Look out: Brewers break records like chefs break eggs Amreen Bhasin Reporter
Men’s Fencing
The Vassar College men’s fencing team faced two tough matches in New York City last Tuesday. The meet was hosted by New York University and featured Vassar, NYU, Sacred Heart University and No. 2 nationally ranked Columbia University. The men started off the day with a close battle with NYU. NYU just edged the Brewers 15-12. Freshman Eli Polston went 3-0 against NYU. Junior Captain Elam Coalson had 2 victories and sophomore Campbell Woods was 2-1 while the sabre team went 7-2 overall. For the épée team, sophomore Ry Farley went 2-1 and freshman Jonathan Alperstein had 2 victories as well. In foil, sophomore Benjamin Xiong picked up a win. Having already fenced Sacred Heart twice this season, the men then faced off against Columbia University. The Brewers fell to Columbia 9-18 but the épée squad picked up a 5-4 win over the Lions. Farley got two more wins, as did freshman George Whiteside. Alperstein also won a bout. Polston went 3-0 again against Columbia. The Brewers are back in action this weekend, fencing in the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Championships on Saturday at Walker at 8 a.m.
3-1 to NYU. Junior Reno Kriz had a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs. Lee had 39 assists, five service aces, 11 digs and five total blocks. The Brewers then fell to No. 14 Elmira College 3-1. Kriz had 13 kills. Freshman Jorge Rivera had his first career double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs. Women’s Squash
The No. 33 ranked Vassar College women’s squash team was seeded No. 1 in the E Division of the Collegiate Squash Association National Championships. They began competition with a strong 8-1 win over No. 40 University of Rochester in the quarterfinals. Freshman Hannah Nice in the No. 1 spot padded her record with a three set win, allowing her opponent just four points. Sophomore Isabelle Bertram also had a 3 set victory at the No. 2 spot allowing just five points. Vassar College also got wins from juniors Stephanie Zhu and Parisa Halaji. Fresh-
men Cherylann Mucciolo and Emma Glickman both had wins as well along with senior Roxanne Ringer, who picked up her ninth victory of the season. In the Semifinals, the Brewers fell to Northwestern University 7-2. Nice had another victory and moved to 12-2 on the season. She will most likely be playing in the CSA Individual Championships later this month. Bertram also picked up a 5-set win. The third place match was postponed due to bad weather and would have featured the Brewers and Washington University of St. Louis. The Brewers finish their season 7-7 and will have nine returners next year. Women’s Basketball
The women had a 2-0 weekend with some strong play. They started off by defeating Rochester Institute of Technology 60-49. They forced the Tigers to just 30 percent shooting
Men’s Volleyball
Women’s Tennis
courtesy of Vassar College Athletics
The Brewers had a strong day last Thursday as they topped Medgar Evans College 3-0 in Kenyon. The Brewers set multiple records on the day. To start off, freshman Zechariah Lee had 7 service aces in the first set. The Brewers scored the first eight points of the set. In the second set, the Brewers got nine service aces, senior Luke Sobieraj knocking in six. In the third set, Vassar had another seven aces and broke the school record for service winners with 23. The Brewers finished the night with a hitting percentage of .688, breaking the record set in 2008 of .562. The Brewers had 34 kills on only 48 swings and had just one error. Lee broke the record for aces in a three-set match with seven. This weekend, the Brewers opened United Volleyball Conference play. Despite defeating No. 10 NYU earlier in the season, the Brewers fell
and with the win, the Brewers eliminated the Tigers from the Liberty League Tournament. The Brewers are now also 8-0 all-time over RIT. Junior Caitlin Drakeley finished with a gamebest 23 points and also added seven boars and three assists. Junior Rose Serafini had 12 points and a game-best eight rebounds. The next night the Vassar College women honored their lone senior Pemberton with a 5343 win over William Smith on Senior Day. This was the Brewers’ 10th win of the year and this is the fifth consecutive season in which they have finished with double-digit victories. Drakeley finished with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. She now has 983 points total with two games left this year. She needs just 8.5 points during the final contests to reach 1000 for her career. Serafini had a record-breaking night. She had eight points, eight rebounds, six blocks and three steals. Serafini tied and broke the school record for blocks in a single season. The previous record had stood at 50, set by Emily Haeuser in the 2007-08 season. Serafini now has 51 total blocks this season. Overall, the Brewers held the Herons to just 28.1 shooting and that was the fourth lowest percentage for the Herons all season. Drakeley also was named to the Liberty League honor roll once again for her efforts during the Brewers’ stellar weekend.
Junior guard Caitlin Drakely drives to the hoop with force. Drakely has maintained her stellar play as of late, winning herself a spot on the Liberty League honor roll as she helped the women to victory.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
The Vassar women opened their spring season at the United States Military Academy on Saturday. Division I Army swept the Brewers in Doubles competition and then took five out of six singles bouts and earned the 6-1 victory, consistent with Division I scoring. Freshman Kate Christensen earned a 6-3 and 6-4 win at the No. 1 spot in singles after a very strong fall season. Senior Samantha Schapiro was the only Brewer to take her match to three sets. Schapiro at the No. 2 won the first set 6-4, lost the second 6-2 and then played a marathon super tiebreak before falling 10-9. Christensen earned her second career selection as Liberty League Top Singles Performer of the Week. The women will be back next Saturday at Muhlenberg College.