Misc 4/5/18

The Miscellany News

Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org

April 5, 2018

Volume CL | Issue 17

Vassar to host Spring Festival

Volleyball takes two home wins

Izzy Braham

Kelly Pushie Reporter

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Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

O Courtesy of Karl Rabe

t was a clean sweep for the the men’s volleyball team this past weekend, as they handled both Bard College and Elmira College at Kenyon Hall.

The number-10 Brewers faced the number-15 Elmira College Soaring Eagles on Friday, March 30 and took home the victory in a thrilling five-set match, with scores 20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 28-26 and 15-10. In their next match, the Brewers easily bested Bard in three straight sets.

Head coach Richard Gary was especially happy with the energy and resilience with which the team played.

“The weekend was a great challenge, not only because it’s always tough to travel a long distance, get off the bus, and play our best ball,” Coach Gary said. “Added to that, Elmira is one of the most dangerous teams to play in this situation because they’re one of the most high-energy, unrelenting and unpredictable teams we’ll play this year.”

This description of Elmira turned See VOLLEYBALL on page 19

On Wednesday, March 28, the Vassar Student Association hosted a panel on what it means to be a global campus. The panel included professors and students from many academic departments and disciplines.

VSA hosts Global Campus panel Clark Xu

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Assistant News Editor

he Vassar Student Association (VSA) and Vassar College have become increasingly comprehensive in their engagement with ways of life and thought from communities all over the world. For its sesquicentennial celebration on March 28, the VSA organized a panel of students, faculty and administrators in the humanities and the social and

natural sciences to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization. The panel posed a series of questions in a round-table discussion for audience members to consider and to share at the end of the event.

In her opening remarks, President Elizabeth Bradley reflected, “When we have contemporary discussions inside the United States of the term

‘globalization,’ usually, someone will quickly invoke data that has to do with increasing international trade, increasing migration and technological exchanges that maybe were not there before.”

In the context of American colleges and universities, this often translates to admitting international students, funding exchange programs See GLOBAL on page 3

Assistant Arts Editor

n April 7, Vassar will welcome local kindergarteners and elementary school students to Joss Beach for its annual Spring Festival, which will include a bouncy house, cookie decorating, face painting, an egg hunt and other arts and crafts. The festival is being put on by Associate Professor and Chair of Education Colette Cann, and the Vassar Good Neighbors Committee. The Vassar College Urban Education Initiative (VCUEI) is also helping with the event by inviting local schools. The Spring Fest is part of a larger effort on Vassar’s behalf to involve locals with the school and to get Vassar students involved with Poughkeepsie.

Good Neighbors Committee Intern Kevin Fernandez ’20 commented on the event via email, “Families and children will see that Vassar is open to the idea of engaging with the community and welcoming [local students] to our campus.”

The festival will serve as a way to connect local students to Vassar through See FESTIVAL on page 6

Fake news: IG story reflects real life Johnston historicizes Fukushima Disaster Imogen Wade

Features Editor

“P

ics or it didn’t happen.” The unspoken rule of the Instagram generation reminds me of Socrates’ paradox on writing. He believed that writing prevented people from

Courtesy of Imogen Wade

A filtered shot of the Hollywood sign and central Los Angeles, which made it to the highlight reel of the author’s Instagram account. This one photo has generated hundreds of views.

truly remembering information (we only know about his views because Plato wrote them down). Similarly, it is a common refrain from the adults in my life that taking pictures prevents me from living the experience.

Who hasn’t done it; judged their best days by the quality of the snaps?

Judged how happy they were by how big their smile was in the Instagram picture?

I remember once asking my sister if there were too many, or too few, pictures of my boyfriend on my Instagram account. Surrounded by couples who shared every date night, every gift, every selfie, on their social media profiles, I began to fear for oversharing. She replied that I didn’t have that many pictures of him, but had just enough to show people that we hadn’t broken up.

I remember being very surprised at her answer. Who was looking at my account, checking for pictures of my boyfriend? Who was constantly refreshing my feed and stalking it for information about my relationship?

Her comment was a stark reminder that my innocuous Instagram account was viewed, by many, as an extension of my real life. Without the photos posted on social media, my life didn’t exist.

Inside this issue

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ARTS

Author’s touching debut receives fivestar review

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It really made me think: what had my Instagram audience assumed about me? For people I am not close to, who do not know the truth about my life, what does my collection of unstudied pictures reveal to them?

I became interested in how perceptions can be manipulated and how my social media presence changes how people treat me in real life.

One of the pictures on my account that has the most likes is a shot of me standing moodily in a field against a dying sunset. It is a beautiful shot of the landscape and I received compliments on my appearance in it. In reality, I had just finished crying, the family member I was with decided it was the perfect moment to take a picture of the sky, and it ended up on my Instagram account because I liked the colors.

One of my best, real-life friends said I looked “miserable” in it, whilst others thought I looked beautiful.

Posting some of my other pictures coincided with receiving messages from old friends, who remarked that I was “doing really well.” Were they assuming what my life was like based off some pouty shots on Instagram?

Yes, yes they were.

There is nothing inherently wrong See INSTA on page 10

Behind the Misc scenes: Ed Board HUMOR member spills beans

Kelly Vinett

Guest Reporter

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hen we think of disasters, we often think of them as phenomena beyond human control. We picture uncontrollably strong forces destroying everything, and everyone, in their path. Humans have generally played the victim in when it comes to disasters, which we view as a force independent from mortal control. However, William Johnston, Wesleyan University Professor of History, Science in Society, Environmental Studies and East Asian Studies, combines his roots in historical scholarship with his passion for photography to prove this popular conceptualization of disaster to be a fallacy.

On Saturday, March 31, at 4:30 p.m., Johnston, who specializes in the history of epidemics and Japanese history, gave a talk titled “Disasters Fast and Slow: Photography, History, and the Environment” in Taylor Hall. The presentation served to inform audiences that disasters not only have the capacity to affect the immediate moments that follow, but can also affect both people and places over the span of months, years and decades. Although

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the initial aftermath of destruction receives the most press coverage and overall public attention, the long-term effects of disaster can be just as devastating.

In reference to the talk’s title, Johnston explained the dichotomy between events that are natural and those that are artificial. Humans conceive of natural disasters as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, droughts and floods. Conversely, anthropogenic (human-induced) disasters are categorized as human action or human inaction. Examples would be wars, genocides, terrorism, bombings, pollution and the release of carcinogenic and radioactive material.

During the talk, Johnston displayed several revelatory photographs. One depicted countless black garbage bags filling a rural landscape; another delineated one ton of radioactive debris. He added that the Japanese government has tried to claim the Fukushima disaster as a thing of the past. Johnston’s photos expose quite the opposite.

Using the example of the March 11, 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, Johnston explained that it encapsulated See DISASTER on page 8

Racial abuse all too prevalent in SPORTS soccer

The Miscellany News

Page 2

April 5, 2018

Editors-in-Chief Emma Jones Elena Schultz

Senior Editor Talya Phelps

Contributing Editors Eilís Donohue Rhys Johnson

Courtesy of Isabel Morrison

Pictured here is the view from of a summit called “Feliz Cumpleaños,” which Isabel Morrison ’19 appropriately climbed the day before her birthday. Isabel is spending her semester abroad in Mendoza, Argentina; she writes, “Maybe it has something to do with the beautiful landscape, living at the foot of the mountains, maybe it’s the rich food and drink, maybe the siesta, or maybe just how welcoming people are here—all in all, the tranquil way of life in Mendoza has been a wonderful change of pace from living in the U.S. and I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to come home.” To read more about Isabel’s adventures, and those of her classmates, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!

The Miscellany News 5

April

Thursday

Pauline Newman ’47 Distinguished Speaker, Jennifer Doudna

5:00 p.m. | Sanders Classroom 212 | Science Technology and Society Program

Late Night at the Lehman Loeb: Art Majors Talks

5:00 p.m. | Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center Atrium | The Loeb Art Center

Nicole Fabricant Lecture

5:30 p.m. | Taylor Hall 203 | Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program

Trans Ally Workshop

Weekender_ 6

April

Lacrosse (W) vs. Rochester Institute of Technology

4:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Turf Field | Athletics

Volleyball (M) vs. Messiah

7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Merely Players

The Taming of the Shrew

7:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Amnesty International

The Taming of the Shrew

8:00 p.m. | Vogelstein Center Martel Theater | Drama Dept.

VSA Spring Elections Executive Debate 8:00 p.m. | RH 300 | VSA

9:30 a.m. | The Quad | Fducation Dept.

Baseball vs. Skidmore College (DH)

8:00 p.m. | Vogelstein Center Martel Theater | Drama Dept.

2:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Competition Field | Athletics

11:30 a.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics 2:30 p.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics

Tearing Down Walls, Building Bridges: Dr. King’s Visit to Cold War Berlin (1964)

5:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | History Dept.

If They Had Known Film Viewing

Assistant News Clark Xu Assistant Arts Izzy Braham Matt Stein Assistant Online Jackson Ingram Abby Lass Assistant Copy Claire Baker Jessica Moss Teddy Chmyz Web Master & George Witteman Technical Advisor Reporters Youngju Chang Kelly Pushie Marusa Rus Aidan Zola Columnists Catherine Bither Jimmy Christon Olivia Feltus Hannah Gaven Jesser Horowitz Sylvan Perlmutter Blair Webber Design Maya Sterling Scarlett Neuberger Copy Isabel Bielat Natalie Bober James Bonanno Jillian Frechette Abigail Knuckles Anna Wiley

7:00 p.m. | RH 200 | Athletics

Paper Critique

9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News

Volleyball (M) vs. EMU 3:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Gymnasium | Athletics

Actors from The London Stage via University of Notre Dame 2018 Residency Program will present three free performances of “The Taming of the Shrew” this weekend.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trivia Night

Rugby (M) vs. Marist College

Lacrosse (W) vs. University of Rochester

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Merely Players

Good Neighbors Spring Festival

1:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Baseball Field | Athletics

8:00 p.m. | RH 300 | Improv

April

Sunday

Rugby (W) vs. Univ. of Albany

Lacrosse (M) vs. Richard Stockton College

The Would Be Gentleman

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Butterbeer Broooers Home Tournament

1:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Turf Field | Athletics

7:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Gymnasium | Athletics

Alanna Okun ’12 Book Release: In Conversation with Kelly Stout ‘10

Saturday

7:00 a.m. | Joss Beach | Vassar Quidditch

12:00 p.m. | Library 122 | Psychology Dept.

Improv Show!

The Would Be Gentleman

April

Contemplating Difference: Contemplative Pedagogy for Difficult Conversations

6:30 p.m. | NE 105 | LGBTQ Programs

6:30 p.m. | Villard Room | English Dept.

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Friday

News Laurel Hennen Vigil Features Imogen Wade Andrea Yang Opinions Steven Park Humor and Satire Leah Cates Yesenia Garcia Arts Sasha Gopalakrishnan Sports Mack Liederman Design Rose Parker Social Media Kimberly Nguyen

Volleyball (M) EMU vs.

Baruch 5:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Gymnasium | Athletics

Volleyball (M) vs. Baruch 7:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Gymnasium | Athletics

The Would Be Gentleman 7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Merely Players

The Taming of the Shrew

8:00 p.m. | Vogelstein Center Martel Theater | Drama Dept.

Vassar’s own Quidditch team, the Butterbeeer Broooers, will face off against local rivals in their home tournament on Joss Beach this Saturday bright and early at 7 a.m.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed.

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

April 5, 2018

NEWS

Page 3

Panelists ponder what it means to be a global campus GLOBAL continued from page 1

Peru and the United Kingdom. Paravisini-Gebert has also served as an instructor on international study trips in the past 25 years to Ecuador, Galapagos, Chile, Cuba and the eastern Caribbean.

Based on this experience, Paravisini-Gebert argued, “You cannot do all your work in the lab or the library. You have to be in situ, in place. And if you are working with communities you have to work to speak the language.”

As an international student from China, Political Science major Ruoyu Li ’19 is familiar with the complexities of linguistic communities at a personal level. Li recounted on the panel how she reimagined China’s dominance over the Mandarin language when a Malaysian friend worried about developing a Chinese accent in speaking Mandarin. From this story, Li urged participants in a discussion of globalization to examine the preexisting beliefs and assumptions about the world that they bring to the table. “Vassar is international in this sense,” Li said. “Around 10 percent of the students are considered international students … Many of our staff and faculty made a

reciprocal and mutually beneficial global relationships.”

Paravisini-Gebert concluded, “Global citizens at Vassar need a curriculum that opens the mind to other cultures.” Pointing to the importance of multicultural awareness, Li also suggested, “Differences should not distance us from each other and enclose us in separate communities … It means we do not assume we are capable of knowing others, but still we can connect with them through so many other ways.”

Associate Professor of Biology Jodi Schwarz spoke from the panel on a global context for research and collaboration in the natural sciences.

Debunking the myth of the lone scientist in the popular conception of Albert Einstein, James Watson and Marie Curie, Schwarz clarified, “In science, collaborations are not only ubiquitous, but they are vertical within a lab … and horizontal between labs that are located across the world.”

Medical responses to the Zika virus provided a recent example of a collaborative research par-

Courtesy of Karl Rabe

and adjusting classroom curricula to include perspectives from the rest of the world. Looking to spark conversation on the relationship between globalization and education, Bradley asked, “What does it mean to be a global campus?”

On the panel, Professor and Chair of Political Science Himadeep Muppidi and Professor and Chair of History Maria Höhn approached the question from a social science perspective.

Muppidi noted, “One of the first forms of globalization was colonization … It was not a form of globalization that asked the others what their aspirations were or took that understanding seriously. It was undemocratic. It was non-dialogical.

It was coercive.” The divide between colonizing and colonized countries has developed in the past few centuries, as Western Europe transplanted its institutions and ideology into Africa, Asia and the Americas.

History and French double major and panel member Maya Sudarkasa ’18 agreed, saying, “When you look at the history, it’s not a contemporary phenomenon … It has a colonial legacy.” Considering boundaries and divides among people in the world, Sudarkasa asked, “How do we do the work to overcome the challenges of disconnected cultures, national clashes and the limits of translation?”

A manifestation of these challenges in our time has been the forced displacement of people from their homes, which affected an estimated 65 million in 2017, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Höhn argued, “The crisis is not something that suddenly happened and is over there … It’s something that’s the result of a set of interconnected processes of which our country is also implicated in.”

Engaging with this issue through Vassar Refugee Solidarity, Höhn, VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18 and other Vassar students have worked with Bard College in Annandale and Berlin, Sarah Lawrence College and Bennington College since October 2015 to raise awareness about the crisis and support refugee students and scholars.

Höhn elaborated, “The big commitment for us is that we reconsider our role as knowledge producers. It is not that we have the knowledge and we share, but … that we work together in equal parts.” The most recent effort in this direction started on March 30 and paired Vassar students with refugee students in Berlin on a digital education platform.

Kanoria described, “I see Vassar Refugee Solidarity as a great opportunity to bridge different intellectual and lived understandings of the global and to constantly examine and re-examine them.” He queried, “How have we been constituted by certain understandings of the global?

What is our engagement in a world we like to think of as global?”

Muppidi encouraged a similar pedagogical commitment in classes on Vassar’s campus, saying,“There is a different form of globalization that one wishes for … where we take the time and the effort to bring voices into the classroom and to engage what others might need, what certain visions of the world they might have about the world, and how to then bring that understanding of the world in relation to our understanding of the world.” Muppidi referred to this process as dialogical engagement and its outcome as post-colonial globality.

Highlighting the main issues of globalization for social scientists, Muppidi asked, “How do we get from a starting legacy of the colonial global … to the post-colonial globality that we all desire?”

Höhn also considered, “How do we preserve our commitment at Vassar to learning languages and emphasizing world languages while allowing students a different entry point … to go abroad and to be together with other people?”

Professor of Hispanic Studies Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert has seen this dilemma in her experience directing study abroad programs in Spain,

At the Vassar Student Association’s Global Campus panel on Wednesday, March 28, VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18 spoke about his experiences in Vassar Refugee Solidarity. similar journey to get here.”

In the Caribbean, Paravisini-Gebert’s primary area of scholarship, language speakers negotiate a linguistic environment that includes French, Dutch, Creole and Spanish dialects. This complexity highlights for Paravisini-Gebert the need to maintain language resources at Vassar that equip students with essential skills for their work abroad. Arguing for the importance of these programs, Paravisini-Gebert reported, “It is painful for me to remember, for example, how after the financial crisis, in 2009 the first programs to go were the numerous summer programs abroad.

To Peru, Mexico, China, Japan, Germany and Italy, all disappeared with one stroke of the budget pen.”

Director of the Office of International Programs Kerry Stamp reflected on the event and agreed, “In Fall 2017, a new subcommittee of the Committee for Curricular Policies was formed to assess and make recommendations pertaining to the work of the Office of International Programs.

We are currently undergoing an important process to assess our strengths and identify important areas for growth and improvement.”

A few areas of focus have been learning outcomes and ethical learning models for Vassar students as they foster new connections. Stamp added, “The curriculum must include both continuous reflection around the colonial landscape upon which globalization came to fruition and discourse on effective strategies for engaging in

adigm, which involved joint grant applications, data sharing, online conversations, co-authored articles, student exchanges and visits among research teams across the United States, Brazil, Egypt and China. Schwarz emphasized, “At an international scale, each of these activities poses many challenges, from visa and immigration issues to language differences. Science needs scientists who not only have technical skills and infrastructure but also human relationships.”

Biology major Jeremy Middleman ’18 attended the talk for his interest in molecular research.

“Dr. Schwarz’s speech made me aware of the extent to which modern scientific research is interdependent,” Middleman reflected. “Today’s biological research labs are solving society’s problems by collaborating across labs and countries … The idea that I may be part of global work in my lab at Vassar or beyond by contributing to a global project inspires me to seek collaborative roles in scientific research.”

Considering the natural sciences as a whole, Schwarz posed the question, “There is no global infrastructure … There is no UN science. How can there be and what would be a global infrastructure in science?”

Professor and Chair of Astronomy Debra Elmegreen responded, “While it is true that there is no global infrastructure, there is certainly international collaboration on all large astronomy projects. The Hubble Space Telescope and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, the Ata-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

cama Large Millimeter Array, the Gemini (8-meter) Observatories and the under-construction Large Synoptic Survey Telescope are all international endeavors.”

International collaboration has been essential to realizing any astronomy project requiring over $1 billion in funding. Elmegreen noted that the United States evaluates its contribution to these projects in Decadal Surveys by the National Academy of Sciences. During Elmegreen’s participation in the 2010 Decadal Survey, a major difficulty arose in aligning the survey with its counterparts in Europe and Asia. Drawing on her experience as Vice President of the International Astronomical Union, Elmegreen argued, “We need to work together in order to share resources, since no one country can cover all wavelengths on ground and in space. So even when we’re not partners in a particular mission or observatory, it would be desirable to have mechanisms in place where we collaborate on the research. The U.S. has the policy that all data are to be made publicly available worldwide … Not all countries openly share their data. So these discussions need to continue to take place.”

Professor and Chair of Chemistry Miriam Rossi, who has worked with researchers from Italy, Chile, Argentina, India, Australia and Switzerland, reported, “I am constantly amazed at how creative my collaborators are—in making or adapting to their own equipment, working with instrument models that are primitive by U.S. standards, frequently less expensive and having minimal laboratory costs.” Rossi has found that travel costs and language differences are the main challenges to her research with international partners.

Considering scientific research in the past 40 years, Elmegreen reflected, “I think it is much easier today than ever before to have collaborators around the world. I’m part of several international teams, some as large as three dozen members and some as small as a handful. With Skype, Zoom and the internet, it is quite easy to keep in touch … In the beginning even telephone calls were tough, because they were very expensive. And we had no internet then and barely had computers!”

With regards to platforms for digital communication, Rossi noted, “Outside of the U.S., communication is done routinely using WhatsApp.” Rossi reported that, in the Chemistry department, Assistant Professor Leah Bendavid is currently on sabbatical at the Weizmann Institute in Israel and that Professor Sarjit Kaur collaborated closely with researchers in Poland through the International Amber Association Lab. Examining this international network, Rossi concluded, “I would say that having international collaborators has made me a better scientist since I am intimately aware of challenges that my collaborators face in doing excellent science.”

Senior Director of Alumnae/i Engagement and Co-Chair of the EPI Climate Assessment Working Group Willa Vincitore ’92 responded, “I have been heartened over my 25 years here to see many VCers working actively for positive and sustainable change … We have these conversations with every generation of students.” Citing the Engaged Pluralism Initiative’s Implicit Bias Program in the past few weeks and the Campus Community Survey opening April 4, Vincitore encouraged, “We just need to keep scheduling these conversations and drumming up attendance. I’m encouraged that the Vassar community continues to discuss all of these topics and that people continue to show up, no matter how large or small the group.”

At the event, Bradley called for creative ideas on globalization from the panelists in the humanities, social and natural scientists and stated, “Today we want to be a lot more thoughtful, we want to make a lot more noise, we want to be a lot deeper … And we expect that conversation will be far-reaching and innovative, thinking far beyond U.S. boundaries.”

NEWS

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April 5, 2018

Jamia Wilson illuminates roadmap for revolutionaries Youngju Chang Reporter

CW: This article discusses police brutality, gender-based violence and sexual assault. n Wednesday, March 28, Vassar’s Women’s Center hosted an event titled “Roadmap for Revolutionaries: Resistance for All.” Executive Director and Publisher of Feminist Press at City University of New York Jamia Wilson was the event’s main speaker.

The primary topic of the event was social rights movements that have continued in the wake of the Women’s March and the March for Our Lives. The lecture specifically focused on how a successful movement requires momentum and how it maintains that spark in order to continually fight for social change.

Student interns in the Women’s Center played a pivotal role in planning the event. Director for Campus Life LGBTQ and Gender Resources Jodie Castanza commented, “I have been so proud to work with the Women’s Center Interns and to support them as they led peer conversations, planned programs and events, and culminated in bringing Jamia Wilson to campus for a presentation. They are incredible leaders, and I learn from and with them every day.”

Women’s Center Intern and main organizer of the event Darci Siegel ’20 also expected this event to be inspirational for Vassar’s activist community. She said, “As we have explored the meaning of feminism, and intersectional feminism on our campus, we have found that characteristics of global feminism are often absent from the conversation. Global feminist ideals and theories are an important part of this work and must be included in the conversation as we continue to reckon with the past, present, and future embodiments of feminism at Vassar. Because of [Wilson]’s lived experiences as some-

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one who comes from a family of activists and as someone who has spent a lot of time abroad, we felt like she could speak to how we could apply feminist theories to the activist within the Vassar student.”

Wilson opened her speech by saying, “I would give you a bit of my personal stories and how different stories are connected to other stories, have raised up the new attitude in my family, and have led to me to see what I can report as an activist and writer. That is righteous solidarity and that is collaboration. Those are the two things that I want to talk about.”

Quoting feminist activist Audre Lorde’s words, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” Wilson argued that, in the context of social rights movements, it is impossible to rely on any single tactic.

She also emphasized the importance of confidence in social rights movements, noting, “I was thinking about how, in every movement, every moment and the tools that we have in it should be trusted in order to know what is right for us and for community.”

Wilson told personal stories about older feminists who discouraged her from practicing certain tactics because in their experience, such approaches had not worked. For example, Wilson wanted to use social media to bring people’s attention to the march, but some of her older mentors thought it would only create a distraction.

However, times have changed and social media is now one of the most powerful means to create conversation. Furthermore, according to Wilson, the influence of social media is becoming more significant, as platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are inextricably interconnected with culture. She explained, “Cultural engagement actually infuses all campaigns and

actions with possibilities and opportunities.”

Wilson also spoke about growing up in South Carolina in a family deeply engaged in civil rights movements. Her grandfather worked passionately to advocate for Black rights. Her father was also devoted to ameliorating poor economic conditions in Black communities.

Wilson said she was also influenced by her mother, who experienced the Orangeburg massacre on Feb. 8, 1968. On that day, more than 100 students gathered on the South Carolina State University campus in order to protest racial segregation in the city of Orangeburg. South Carolina highway patrol officers responded with violence and shot at the crowd; three protesters were killed and 27 others were injured (Smithsonian, “In 1968, Three Students Were Killed by Police. Today, Few Remember the Orangeburg Massacre,” 02.07.2018).

What Wilson’s mother remembered and recounted about the tragedy was the intensity of the police brutality, especially toward Black women. She and other Black women were battered, particularly on their reproductive body parts, and she still suffers from the physical effects of the violence. Wilson said, “It was from her that I learned about harassment and violence that is based on gender superiority.” She added, “I did not get here based on my own ability; I got here because there was a lineage, people who made sacrifices in order for me get more free so I can have a better education and be able to speak my voice more freely.”

Wilson also recounted the case of Joan Little, another relative. Little is an African American woman who was tried in 1974 for the murder of a white prison guard who had attempted to rape her. The case became a crucial point in the United States’ legal history, since she was the first woman to be acquitted in a murder trial on

the grounds of self-defense. The trial focused national attention on the issues of the validity of capital punishment and racial and sexual inequality in the criminal justice system (CBS News, “Joan Little’s 1975 murder trial: a milestone on several fronts,” 08.14.2015).

Wilson pointed out that Little’s bravery in revealing truths and protecting her rights inspired grassroot movements for Black women’s rights and raised questions about biases inherent in the criminal justice system. Wilson acknowledged that her cultural background, as well as her personal life and the events experienced by her family members, has been influential in her career as an activist.

“I learned throughout my life that struggle is not new, but we must continue to show up because that is how we stay new and do not burn out,” Wilson said toward the end of her speech.

“People who are against us want us to burn out.

They want us to sit and in fight, caught up in the spiral of constant disagreement in the group, and won’t be able to stand up and face the problem. And that is not okay. We simply don’t have time for in-fighting. We don’t have time to debate about whether traditional tools or technological tactics is better.” She added, “I’m calling you to keep standing up. On days when you feel it is too much, believe into yourself and your community and ask to be lifted up because you deserve it and a sustainability of our movement depends on it.”

Siegel concluded, “We hope that by engaging in conversations about [Wilson]’s experiences and the theory and ideology of Global Feminism and various methods of activism on our campus, we will lift the voices of marginalized identities and increase the mindfulness of various experiences moving forward in our work, leisure and campus movements.”

after World War II, when a growing number of Jews wanted their own country and were given Israel, which they considered their original home. However, this land made up a large part of Palestine and the Arabs who lived there and on nearby territories were angered by the redistribution of their land. This led to conflict over the Gaza Strip, which is on the Israeli coastline and is home to over a million Palestinians.

While the Israel-Palestine conflict goes beyond the control of the Gaza Strip, this issue is at the center of the conflict. This land has led to much violence throughout the past several decades (BBC, “Guide: Why are Israel and the Palestinians fighting over Gaza?,” 02.20.2015).

Many of those living in Gaza are Palestinians who were forced off of their land in 1948 or descendents of those who lost homes after WWII, when the Jewish people were given Israel. It is believed that the largest turnout for a protest in years was due to the importance of the Gaza Strip itself as a central issue in the conflict. This remains a central issue due to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which limits the movement of goods and people in and out of the territory (The New York Times, “Israeli Military Kills 15 Palestinians in Confrontations on Gaza Border,” 03.30.2018).

The day of the protest itself also added to the conflict, as it took place on the anniversary of ‘Land Day.’ On this day, Palestinians remember and commemorate the day when Israeli forces fatally shot six Arab Israeli citizens during protests on March 30, 1976 that concerned the Israeli government’s seizing of land owned by Arabs.

March 30, 2018 also marked the beginning of the Jewish holiday Passover, a time during which Israeli forces are on high alert (The New York Times, “Israeli Military Kills 15 Palestinians in Confrontations on Gaza Border,” 03.30.2018).

The European Union called for an independent investigation into the use of ammunition.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini stressed in her statement that freedom of expression and association is a fundamental human right that must be respected.

Israel officially rejected calls for an independent investigation (The Guardian, “Israel rejects UN and EU calls for inquiry into Gaza bloodshed,” 04.01.2018) According to Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Israel will not cooperate with any investigative commission. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the

work of the troops in protecting the borders. In a statement to Israeli state radio, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman called an independent investigation hypocritical and stressed there would be no commission of inquiry (The Times of Israel, “Lieberman: Hamas march wasn’t Woodstock fest; calls for Gaza probe ‘hypocritical,’” 03.31.2018).

News Briefs Gaza Strip protest turns violent

—Pazit Schrecker and Marusa Rus, Guest Reporter and Reporter

Courtesy of Wikipedia

On March 30, more than 15,000 Palestinians protested along the Gaza Strip in what was referred to as the “Great March of Return,” one of the largest demonstrations in many years.

The intended peaceful demonstrations quickly turned violent when a group of protestors near the Israel-Gaza border began to hurl rocks at the Israelis on the other side (The Guardian, “Palestinians say over a dozen killed in Gaza border protest,” 03.31.2018). The violence escalated when the Israeli army opened fire on the protesters, killing 17 and wounding at least 1,400 others, making it the deadliest Gaza protest in four years. Reportedly, 758 people were wounded by genuine ammunition while the rest was hit by rubber bullets or inhaled tear gas (Washington Post, Gaza toll rises to 18, Israel rejects excessive force claims, 04.02.2018).

The protests continued through the weekend and into this week, but on a much smaller scale and are expected to last until mid-May when Israel celebrates its 70th anniversary and when the new United States Embassy will open its doors in Jerusalem (The New York Times, Israeli Military Kills 15 Palestinians in Confrontations on Gaza Border, 03.30.2018).

Israel is denying responsibility and is pointing the finger at the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza. Israeli army spokesperson Ronen Maneli told reporters on Saturday: “What we saw yesterday was an organized act of terrorism.”

Maneli went on to say that the Palestinians who died were terrorist activists. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also denies responsibility (DPA International, “Israel accuses Hamas of provocation after Palestinian protest,” 03.31.2018).

The Israel-Palestine conflict has been ongoing since the middle of the 20th century. It began

The Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory surrounded by Israel on three sides, was the site of a protest on March 30 that quickly turned violent. Eighteen were killed and 1400 wounded.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

NEWS

April 5, 2018

Page 5

Updates from the VSA Consensus Agenda – Passed

cert called Carnival Fete

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up

Roun l a c i d lit M arusa Rus

In this week’s headlines...

Trump campaign deputy manager Rick Gates has been at the center of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation in trying to prove the Trump campaign’s connection to Russia. This week new information came from the Mueller investigation that Gates was in contact with one of Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort’s close colleagues, who worked for a Russian intelligence agency. Reportedly, Gates was aware of that fact in September and October of 2016 when he was part of the Trump campaign (CNN, “Source: Mueller pushed for Gates’ help on collusion,” 03.30.2018).

Head of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt has sent Trump a proposition for lowering fuel efficiency standards.

This would be very beneficial to the auto industry and would dramatically undercut one of Former President Obama’s biggest actions against climate change (Reuters, “EPA poised to announce rejection of Obama vehicle fuel efficiency rules,” 03.29.2018).

Trump announced on Thursday, March 29 that U.S. troops will be leaving Syria very soon. The President’s statement came only hours after the Pentagon’s recommendation that the U.S. remain in Syria. The Pentagon was not informed of the decision prior to the speech (CNN, “Trump says the US will withdraw from Syria ‘very soon,’” 03.29.2018).

After President Trump imposed tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, China, on April 2,

Spring Elections Filing for spring elections has now closed.

Some of the candidates include: VSA President: • Tamar Ballard ’19 • Allison Breeze ’19 • Jesser Horowitz ’19 Chair of Equity and Inclusion:

• Samantha Steeves ’21 Chair of Health and Wellness: • Maya Bernard ’21 • Aisha Malik ’21 Chair of Programming: • Arjun Singh ’20 • Keira Congo ’20 College Planning Senator: • Happy Xu ’21 • Christian Kulp ’21 Find out more about these candidates and see who’s running for many other positions by visiting vsa.vassar.edu/elections/file/results.

Finance Committee • Annual budgeting is now underway.

The deadline for all budget applications is April 8th.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Finance allocations • 184/184 from Capital to BSU for lights and a banner • $392/1800 from Collaboration to UnFramed for their annual red sands gala (which was not a part of their annual budget) • $661.64/661.64 from Capital to Outing club for materials related to canoeing, in light of the biology department agreeing to lend the club canoes • $160/280 from Capital to Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine • $130/240 from Collab to Relay for Life for their annual 5K at the Vassar farm • $1080/1080 from Discretionary to Jewish Voice for Peace to host speaker Dan Fishback • $2,000/2,000 from Administrative Office to Jewish Voice for Peace for Una Osoto (who has previously taught at Vassar) • $800/800 from Speakers to Middle Eastern and North African Students Alliance (previously Middle Eastern Students Collective) for Islam Maraca, Joe Catron, Katie Miranda, and Rana Nazzal

Social Consciousness Fund allocations • 400/400 to SASA for Holi (they needed money for food and the colored powder they use in the event) • 950/950 to BSU for Security, Shuttles, and DJs (food, housing, and transportation) for an event they’re having after Spring Con-

• Eloudia Odamy ’21 Chair of Academics: • May Venkat-Ramani ’20 Chair of Organizations: • Dea Oviedo ’20 Chair of Finance: • Mendel Jimenez ’20 • Ted Xie ’20 Chair of First Year Programs: • Benjamin Kheyfets ’21 Chair of Planning:

The VSA will be holding elections for positions for 2018-19 school year over the next few weeks. More about candidates can be found at vsa.vassar.edu/elections/file/results.

established tariffs on U.S. imports. The Chinese tariffs will affect 128 products including fruits, nuts and recycled aluminum, which are worth about $3 billion. While China claims that the tariffs are violating global trade rules, Trump argues they are a national security necessity.

While the two countries have been holding trade talks, Trump has threatened further tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports (CNN Money, “China hits the United States with tariffs on $3 billion of exports,” 04.02.2018; “Tariffs, Trump and trade wars: Here’s what it all means,” 03.09.2018).

South Korea obtained an exemption from the tariffs imposed by President Trump by re-negotiating their current trade deal with the U.S. Under the new deal, the tariffs have been extended on the truck manufacturers and new quotas have been imposed on South Korea’s steel exports. Moreover, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the European Union have also obtained exemptions from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum (The Economist, “Even if America wins concessions, worry,” 03.28.2018).

Trump attacked Amazon last week, accusing the company on Twitter of paying almost no taxes. Officially, the attack on the retail giant comes as part of the policy of protecting small businesses. However, many questions have been raised regarding whether the motive behind the attack could be Trump’s personal dislike for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who is also the owner of The Washington Post, a newspaper that has publicly criticized Trump (Financial Times, “Amazon respite as big tech stocks bounce,” 03.29.2018).

A Facebook memo called “The Ugly” was leaked on March 29. In it, Facebook Vice President Andrew Bosworth wrote that Facebook’s goal of connecting people should continue and will always be a worthy objective, even if it sometimes results in negative consequences such as loss of life (Financial Times,

“Facebook memo outlines ‘ugly truth’ behind its mission,” 03.29.2018).

Moreover, America’s Federal Trade Commission recently opened an investigation into Facebook’s privacy policies. This comes as a result of the scandal in which the data of 50 million Facebook users was obtained by the political analytics firm Cambridge Analytica.

Mark Zuckerberg has been asked to testify before Congress. The scandal is raising the question of how much responsibility Facebook should hold in the data breach, and many are anticipating increased regulation of social media. These scandals caused a significant drop in Facebook’s share price. As the protest against the mishandling of users’ personal data has ramped up in the past few weeks, the hashtag #DeleteFacebook has spread on social media (The Economist, “Getting a handle on a scandal,” 03.28.2018.)

Luxury car manufacturer Tesla recalled around 123,000 cars due to a potential steering fault. This represents the largest-ever vehicle recall for the company. Moreover, Tesla’s shares fell by eight percent due to Moody’s downgrade of their credit rating. This comes as a result of low production of the new Model 3 electric car and a rise in concern regarding self-driving vehicles after a deadly crash of one of their Model X cars last week (Financial Times, “Tesla recalls 123,000 Model S sedans,” 03.29.2018) Around the world…

After the alleged Russian poisoning of the Russian former secret agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England, U.S., UK and several other European countries are expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats. Russia is responding by expelling around 150 Western diplomats, as well as closing the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg. Both Skripals are still in the hospital, and while Yulia Skripal is improving rapidly, her father remains in critical, but stable condition.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Committee on Residential Affairs • Dean of Strategic Planning Marianne Begemann came to talk with the committee about the College’s plan to build an inn on campus. Money for the project would come from a special gift fund, and how the space would fit into the Vassar mission is being worked out.

• The College Alcohol Task Force has issued its final report. The task force recommended that 20 percent of the Student Activities Fund be allocated directly to the Campus Activities Office.

—Julian Corbett, VSA General Intern

(Financial Times, “Russia to expel more than 150 western diplomats,” 03.30.2018) On April 27, a high-level summit between North and South Korea will be held for the first time in a decade. This is a historic achievement in the relations between the two countries and could be a step in the direction of resolving a decades-old stand-off between the two countries and minimizing the threat of nuclear attack by North Korea (Financial Times, “Koreas lay groundwork for Kim-Moon summit,” 03.29.2018) Keeping up with 2020 hopefuls…

A poll by SSRS for CNN revealed on [date] that Former Vice President Joe Biden is currently the most popular presidential candidate among Democrats, with 84 percent saying they are very likely or somewhat likely to support his possible nomination. The second in the polls was Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) with 75 percent, and third place went to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) with 68 percent. Three younger Democrats also rumored to be considering a presidential bid are Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), who obtained 58 percent, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), who obtained 50 percent, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) who obtained 48 percent (CNN Politics, “#2020Vision: Biden a popular 2020 pick; Holder plans early 2019 decision; Harris schedules several big appearances,” 04.01.2018) On April 2, prospective Republican nominees, Ohio Governor John Kasich and entrepreneur Mark Cuban visited Ohio State University to discuss automation and innovation in the workplace. Both Kasich and Cuban are vocal critics of Trump and are reported to be considering challenging him in the 2020 Republican primaries (CNN Politics, “#2020Vision: Biden a popular 2020 pick; Holder plans early 2019 decision; Harris schedules several big appearances,” 04.01.2018)

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April 5, 2018

Arundhati Roy rejects Western ideologies of time and love The God of Small Things

Arundhati Roy Random House

A

rundhati Roy’s breathtaking debut novel, “The God of Small Things,” is a tale of family, betrayal and the limits of love. Taking place in Ayemenem, a small village in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India, the story tells the tale of twins Rahel and Esthappen Ipe as they traverse adulthood after the traumatizing events of their childhood that the two refuse to acknowledge.

Concurrently, the novel describes the dangerous burgeoning relationship between the Ipe family, including the twins’ mother, Ammu, and a local carpenter of a lower caste, Velutha. The novel holds a rare combination of beautiful, lyrical prose, and a radical rejection of Western limits placed on time, family and love.

The novel’s setting in rural India allows for a realistic and powerful discussion of international social and political issues that are usually ignored in the canon of Western literature. Velutha’s character is particularly important in the discussion surrounding status and class. Although he grew up in the same neighborhood as Ammu, the rules imposed by the caste system greatly restricted his relationship with her; they were not allowed to play together as children and were forbidden from physically touching. The book also highlights gender relations in India in subtle and powerful ways. In one scene, when Ammu is interacting with a policeman, he “tapped her breasts like he was picking mangoes.” Here Roy highlights the

casual yet despicable harassment that women are subjected to, particularly by an institution that is supposed to protect, not exploit.

By highlighting the realities of class and gender in India, Roy never fails to maintain unglamorized, three-dimensional characters that defy stereotypes. Take Mammachi, for example: Rachel and Esthappen’s grandmother is a nearly blind mother of two who is beaten by her husband, and is an accomplished violinist. Along the same lines, Velutha, one of the Untouchables as per his membership in the lowest caste of the Hindu caste system, is also a member of the Communist party and a talented carpenter. Through these vivid and complex characters, Roy breaks down Western stereotypes surrounding the developing world and avoids the single-story narrative that we too often see in depictions of countries like India.

Roy demolishes Western colonialist structures through two main avenues in her novel, the first being a massive rejection of linear time. The narrative is essentially told backwards, starting with Esthappen and Rahel as scared and silent adults, progressing towards their childhood to explain what made them this way. Roy’s discussion of “Beginnings and no Ends” in a time when “Everything was Forever” further demonstrates the importance of ambiguous, non-sequential time.

In this way, Roy uses her non-chronological plot to disrupt linear narratives of healing and progress. Time is also an important component when it comes to describing Ammu and Velutha’s relationship. Once more, the novel starts from the end of their relationship and progresses towards the beginning, tracing their first love affair in the final chapter, after Velutha has died. The very last line of the book is Ammu promising that she will see Velutha “tomorrow.” Here Roy places the reader onto a precipice at the end of the story; we are

Courtesy of Chris Boland/chrisboland.com on Flickr

Mary Retta

Guest Columnist

Arundhati Roy’s “God of Small Things,” set in a small village of Kerala, highlights the realities of class, caste and gender in India, while skillfully creating character complexity. waiting for a tomorrow that has already happened and one that will never come.

The novel further dismisses Western notions concerning the boundaries and categorization of love. Roy begins and ends the book with a discussion of the “Love Laws” that—as the author puts it—lay down who should be loved, how, and how much. This conflict is seen in many of the relationships depicted. No character personifies this tension quite like Velutha. Because of his low caste, Ammu keeps her distance from Velutha although she is in love with him, and warns her children to do the same, noting that loving him can only lead to trouble. The consequences of the “Love Laws” are also delineated in Esthappen and Rahel’s complex relationship. Rahel recalls that as children, she and her twin brother had a hard time defining their bond. Not only were the two best friends, but they often referred to themselves as a single unit, a “Me” rather than “Us.” Roy notes ominously that this “confusion lay in a deep, secret place.” Each of these relationships blurs the

lines between different types of love; the boundaries between platonic, familial and romantic love cease to exist in the world of this novel. Here Roy radically pushes back against the Western prioritization of romantic love by suggesting that other forms of intimacy are not only just as important, but often also indistinguishable. In this way, the novel stands as a cautionary tale, a warning against “Love Laws” and other Western ideologies that police how we are allowed to care for each other.

Although “The God of Small Things” is only her first novel, Roy’s unique voice shines through every sentence of her prose. Through winding, melodic sentences and vividly realistic imagery, Roy truly places the reader on the streets of Ayemenem, in the childhood bedroom of Rahel and Esthappen, on the back of Velutha’s handmade boat.

Roy’s beautiful, melancholic tone will both break your heart and make you grin from start to finish; this gut-wrenchingly beautiful story will stay with you long after you put the book down.

Spring Festival brings Vassar closer to Poughkeepsie kids FESTIVAL continued from page 1

Courtesy of Ellsworth Air Force Base

art and is part of the The Good Neighbors Committee’s mission to enrich the Poughkeepsie community by providing educational and recreational events and funding to local students.

Fernandez commented on the role of the Good Neighbors Committee, “GN provides grants to Vassar College students, student groups, staff and faculty, local community organizations [and] individuals who work in partnership from Arlington and Poughkeepsie to support innovative ideas in the areas of: food systems, the environment, urban gardening, education, mental and physical health, housing, community organizing initiatives, and the arts.” He highlighted how past grants have gone to everything from tutoring programs, to families in need of funds to prevent foreclosure of their homes, to field trips for youth to experience the arts.

Assistant Dean for Campus Life and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Reverend Samuel Speers pointed out how the event is particularly focused on using creativity and art to bring the two communities together. He commented, “[I]t’s a creative collaboration between the College and the local community, and another way Professor Colette Cann from the Education Department (and a former Good Neighbors Partnerships committee member) brings capacity-building leadership to the Vassar campus and the wider community of which we are a part.”

The Spring Festival and events like it are important for Vassar to host, partly due to the huge disparity between Vassar’s resources and those that local Poughkeepsie schools can provide. According to the Vassar Urban Education Initiative website, Poughkeepsie High School’s graduation rate is 59 percent, which is much lower than New York State’s standard rate of 80 percent. Many students in Poughkeepsie come from lower-income families, and likewise, the local schools struggle with obtaining sufficient

The Spring Festival is an art-themed gathering for local elementary school students and part of a larger effort to merge Vassar and the greater Poughkeepsie community. funding. The VCUEI’s goals are to offer community access to Vassar resources (such as academic and technological resources), cultivate local students’ interest in the school and get Vassar students involved in the community.

One of the ways to achieve these goals is to start inviting very young kids to Vassar, which is what the Spring Festival intends to do. The Urban Education Initiative has been reaching out to local elementary schools such as Warring Elementary, Kruger Elementary, Morse Elementary, Krieger Elementary, Gov. George Clinton School and Poughkeepsie Middle School, inviting their students to attend the event. In addition, since 2003, the Initiative has been spearheading three larger projects involving these and other schools.

The projects are Vassar English Language Learners Outcome Program (VELLOP), Vassar After School Tutoring Program (VAST) and Explor-

ing College (EC). They are all aimed at getting Vassar’s students to help local students achieve academic success through either fostering literacy in children, tutoring high schoolers or helping students apply to college. VELLOP coordinator Giselle Sanchez Huerta ‘18 commented on the Initiative, “These programs and all the work that the Community-Engaged Learning Office does are great ways for Vassar to get more involved with the Poughkeepsie community.”

Sanchez Huerta especially found that connecting Vassar students to other local scholars was a particularly powerful aspect of the Urban Education Initiative. She commented in an email statement, “The power of representation is something we discuss often on Vassar’s campus, and through VCUEI we can apply that to working with scholars. We encourage students to build meaningful relationships with the schol-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ars they work with, bonding over similar interests or experiences, so scholars can not only feel connected, but also to be able to see themselves as a college student/ in college.”

Whether through educational programs or art-centered events, Vassar has put a concerted emphasis on reaching out to the Poughkeepsie community. However, that does not take away from the fact that Vassar can often feel very insular, and while the school tries to reach out to the community, it is also the responsibility of Vassar students to get involved in these programs or make connections with locals through their own means. Tabraiz Lodhi ‘20, who is currently participating in a fieldwork program, commented, “I feel like students can always get more involved in the off-campus community. I’ve realized through my fieldwork experiences that there is always work to do that both students and locals would benefit from.”

Fernandez perceives the Spring Festival as a great way for Vassar students to get involved.

“Everyone at Vassar College knows that the ‘Vassar Bubble’ exists. We have a lot of amazing organizations at Vassar College, from the Barefoot Monkeys to The Underground, and many of them do spectacular events for the community,” Fernandez said. “However, we should do more for the community in order to pop the bubble.”

Like in years past, Spring Fest will not only be a heartwarming scene, but also a cheerful reminder to Vassar students to continue striving for greater involvement with life off-campus.

Fernandez extended a welcome to students who want to be more involved with the Poughkeepsie community, remarking, “There is an annual Halloween Fest for the Poughkeepsie community and [it] is similar to Spring Fest but with a Halloween theme and a costume contest. If you want to volunteer in Halloween Fest, there will be emails, flyers, and other forms of publicity next semester to sign up!”

April 5, 2018

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Merely Players condenses little-known Molière play Matt Stein

Assistant Arts Editor

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here’s a clichéd idiom that says the only certainties are death and taxes. However, the theater often tries to defy this turn of phrase by reviving plays from centuries ago. Despite the passing of time, we are still able to bring a contemporary relevance to words that have passed through many actors’ lips. Regardless of how many times these stages have been set and struck, there’s always something new to discover.

Merely Players will be presenting an adaptation of Molière’s 1670 satire, “The Would Be Gentleman, or Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.” Directed

by Raleigh Smith ’18, this production will be performed in the Susan Stein Shiva Theater on April 5, 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. With a runtime of a little over an hour, the play follows the Monsieur, a bourgeois who aims to be accepted as a member of the aristocracy.

Smith first happened upon Molière’s lesser-known play by chance in a collection of the French playwrights’ works he bought at a library book sale: “I was flipping through it on the beach and I read ‘The Would be Gentleman.’ The first half is just so bizarre and different from the second half that I knew I needed to put on the first half.”

Expanding on why he chose to narrow the scope of the play by removing the second half, Smith continued: “The second half of the play is about him trying to find a husband for his daughter. It has inherent sexism and very blatant racism, so I decided to cut it out. I didn’t feel in a position to do anything that’s not already being done to challenge those positions. I felt that with this first half of the play I could really take more of a closer look at how education works in a more capitalist society.”

After previously directing a production of William Shakespeare’s “Timon of Athens” through Merely Players in Fall 2016, Smith took a very minimalist approach to the design in hopes of allowing the actors to have more freedom in their roles.

Instead of giving the actors line interpretations or projecting his vision of the characters onto the actors, which is a bad habit for some directors, Smith put the power into the actors’ hands.

Henry McKenzie ’18, who plays the Monsieur, expounded on the benefits as an actor of working with Smith’s style: “That’s definitely what I enjoy as a directorial style and is something I have a lot of synergy with. Especially in comedic roles, I like to improvise and try to surprise myself and my fellow actors. Raleigh has been very encouraging of that. Obviously it’s contextually dependent, but I think that approach allows you to really grow more than a more rigid directorial style. He still will give feedback on what he liked and what he didn’t like, which gives you a guided hand when you are experimenting.”

McKenzie, who has performed in several of Merely Players’ Shakespearean productions, spoke about the additional liberation inherent in performing a translated play: “It’s interesting and in some ways it’s freeing. Everything’s translated and because it’s translated, that does give you a bit more leeway to play with the lines as you want, since this already not in the original wording. It’s less sacrosanct and you have more of an ability to make your own translation of the lines as you wish.”

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, who went by the stage name Molière, is considered to be one of the greatest French playwrights of all time. Flourishing in the mid-17th century, his plays often tackled social issues through biting satire and his theater troupe received international acclaim. Many of his works,

such as “Tartuffe” and “The Misanthrope,” still receive frequent revivals.

Breanna Piercy ’21, in the role of Master Music, will be appearing in her first student-theater show at Vassar. Piercy related how different the experience was from theater in high school: “It’s surprising that it’s just being run by students. In high school, it definitely did not seem like kids could have done the whole thing, but now that I’m here, it’s very impressive to be around people who are so creative and so good at leading and getting things together.”

Because Piercy participates in other time-consuming activities such as the comedy group HEL, she has appreciated the schedule working on this play: “It’s a good group. We’re all a bunch of nerds, so we can nerd out about stuff. Also, it’s been nice not having to go too late. It’s been a good break just having that tiny bit of rehearsal at night and getting to work with some really nice people.”

Molière’s original production of “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” was presented in 1670 before the court of Louis XIV at the Château de Chambord before transferring to the Théâtre du Palais-Royal.

Conceived as a comédie-ballade, mixing Molière’s words along with music by Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and a ballet piece, the cast of the original production featured Molière in the title role and Armande Béjart, one of the most popular actresses in 17th-century France and Molière’s spouse, as Lucile.

Despite the legendary elements of the first production, this is one of Molière’s least-produced plays, possibly for its generally absurd style and the problematic nature of the second act. However, this play has rubbed shoulders with many great figures across the Arts. In 1912, German composer Richard Strauss adapted the play into a score for a production directed by innovative director Max

Reinhardt that incorporated a Commedia dell’Arte troupe. George Balanchine, considered the father of American ballet, choreographed a modern version of the play with Jerome Robbins and featuring Rudolf Nureyev as Cléonte to accompany Strauss’s music in 1979. In 2005, French music ensemble Le Poème Harmonique performed the play in completion, the first time since Molière’s original production, adopting musical and theatrical traditions from 17th Century France, including having candlelight be the only lighting source.

Smith explained how he pared off the play’s themes to be even more contemporarily relevant: “It was written as the bourgeois class was just starting to rise, so Molière wrote it as a slam on the bourgeois class, but in defense of the aristocracy.

My goal is to re-appropriate that, still keeping the damning of the bourgeois class but turning it so it’s not a defense of the aristocracy.”

While this is Merely Players’ only full-length production this semester, the student theater org will be hosting their annual Shakespeare Festival later in the semester.

McKenzie acknowledged the dated context of the play and how its content may still be relevant: “There is a broader cultural commentary which, although it was intended for then-contemporary France, I think it still does speak a lot about the pursuit of status and perhaps the intrinsic problems in that pursuit. But I as an actor am mostly trying to entertain. If nothing else, I hope everyone has a laugh and enjoys what they see onstage.”

Even though the world we live in is very different from the one Molière wrote in, there are still universal truths to any great piece of work that allow us to consider them as part of the tradition. Molière’s play has seen numerous renditions across various mediums. Each one served their purpose then. And this one serves its purpose now.

Suburban zombies in ‘Santa Clarita Diet’: Entertaining, trite Olivia Feltus Columnist

Santa Clarita Diet

Victor Fresco Netflix

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he supernatural has always intrigued me. I love ghosts and I feel so-so about vampires, but I hate zombies. Zombies are usually so ephemeral—always rotting, usually with no human emotion and often featured in apocalyptic thrillers (in my opinion, the worst genre). However, what do you get when you put a zombie right smack dab into a suburban family? “Santa Clarita Diet,” a Netflix original horror-comedy whose second

season came out on March 23, tackles the question headfirst. Equipped with a large supply of oranges and NyQuil—given that I was sick the week after spring break—I pressed play on the first episode, drawn in by the preview image of a bloody-faced smiling woman and a man with a wide worried smile and optimistic eyebrows.

The show stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, respectively. The two are a real-estate power couple in the seemingly ordinary city of Santa Clarita, CA. The Hammonds lead neatly compartmentalized suburban lives: Sheila sorts pasta by its shapes and sizes to feel in control, the duo show houses for a living and they regularly find themselves at local Italian eatery Japopo’s for their Friday date nights. They have a daughter, Abby, who is portrayed by Liv Hewson. Abby’s best friend, Eric—

Courtesy of wikimedia commons

Netflix’s new horror-comedy, “Santa Clarita Diet,” stars Drew Barrymore and Timonthy Olyphnat, as it explores the zombification of a seemingly ordinary suburban family.

played by Skyler Gisondo—is the stepson of one of the two cops that the Hammonds live between in their nice neighborhood. Considering that Eric is in love with Abby, who has to juggle school and family life with a zombie in the picture, it is safe to assume that “Santa Clarita Diet” is a run-of-themill-but-with-a-twist type of show, with the added dimension of encompassing the feel of the sitcom.

The action begins when Sheila throws up the majority of her insides during a house showing and, thus, dies. After a little bit of prodding from her worried husband, she wakes up and becomes a zombie who only lives by her unrestricted desires. The show’s casual, slice-of-life-sitcom mood immediately shifts to incorporate the wild consequences of having a member of your family be suddenly zombified.

The main concept of “Santa Clarita Diet” is to follow this family as they come to terms with the casual murder that they must commit on a nearly day-to-day basis. While the couple does live by the “we only kill bad people” philosophy, attempting to retain some semblance of morality, each character goes through dramatic changes throughout the show, constantly keeping the viewer thinking, “Man, that’s pretty messed up.” This involves the pair almost wholly justifying the assault of a few characters. Though these characters are ostensibly evil, the family’s reactions while reflecting on their actions are horrifying. At one point during season two, Abby is on a date and is asked why she did what she did to another student at school.

She replies elucidating her motivation, and then states that she was terrified by how good the murder felt. This crisis of conscience also hits Joel when he realizes that he has the ability to kill people that he doesn’t like and then feed them to his wife. Thus, the Hammonds, along with Eric, who is dragged into the ordeal due to his convenient interest in the undead, come to terms with their new life in an ambiguous way. Their ponderings made me think, “Is this show about what happens

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

when your mom becomes a zombie or is it about coming to terms with the fact that you are a murderer?”

Though the show is an interesting mix of comedy, family drama and the supernatural, what could be so wrong with it that it only gets three and a half stars? One glaring issue stands out for me, and it’s the main reason I initially subtracted two stars from the rating: this one formulaic joke that appears episode after episode. While funny at first, it loses its appeal pretty fast. It usually starts in the middle of a conversation, often with Joel and Sheila cleaning up some dead guy’s guts from their kitchen or shopping for supplies to make a “kill room.” One of the characters will end up saying something like this: “Oh, I’m so glad we got the listing! I got those utensils you asked for, I swept the floor and I put so-and-so in the freezer!” with a cheery tone at the end. Netflix’s summary of the first episode, “So Then a Bat or a Monkey,” exemplifies how the contrast between their seemingly mundane suburban lives and their zombified ways are constantly turned into a punchline, even when it starts to get old: “Joel and Sheila’s marriage gets a jumpstart when Sheila develops a truly killer new personality and an anything-goes menu. And they used to be so normal.” Emphasis on the “And they used to be so normal.”

I give the show an extra half star for season two’s extremely clever and unpredictable ending.

Though it isn’t a cliffhanger, it kept me intrigued by the question of how the plot could develop in future seasons. However, “Santa Clarita Diet” is a three-star TV show overall. I usually wouldn’t recommend anything that gets only three stars for people to watch; considering that we have so many options to waste time with as it is, why not enjoy it to the fullest? This series is definitely not much more than a waste of time, but if you’re looking for a quick show to binge, it is fast-paced and interesting enough to stay entertaining, and you might get a laugh or two out of it.

ARTS

Page 8

April 5, 2018

‘Pacific Rim’ sequel charms with intent despite low quality Jimmy Christon Columnist

Pacific Rim Uprising

Steven S. DeKnight Universal Pictures

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and aliens, this film might just have metaphorical resonance that can be applied to our world.

There’s one aspect that this movie could never mess up for a viewer like myself: mech fights. The first installment delivered immensely at showing the power of these colossal fights happening on screen, and while the sequel lacks some of the weight that the first movie had, it more than makes up for it by the sheer absurdity of what’s on display.

Some of these robots make no sense whatsoever. If collateral damage is a priority for the defenders of humanity, why are there robots with maces, whips, and artillery machine guns? Why are hackable robots even considered for use? Questions

like these stack up, yet the movie casually discards them, expecting blind acceptance from audiences.

And the ending––oh my, the ending. The way this movie dispatches its final baddie was so unbelievably stupid yet a treat to witness. My dog that barks at its own reflection wouldn’t hesitate to call this finishing touch a complete loss of reason.

Despite every mistake, every misfire of a line and every awkward child, I felt that there was an overwhelming sense of love and sincerity driving the movie. The filmmakers here were probably just random names attached to the script at one point, but they managed to come together and give it their all. This is not a good movie. I had a blast watching it.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

his is not a good movie. The original “Pacific Rim” needed a sequel. But did it need a corporate-produced sequel? Did it need a sequel that was stripped of its director, Guillermo del Toro?

No, no it did not. This movie didn’t need to be made, and it shouldn’t have been made unless del Toro and company were all onboard for a sequel every bit as passionate as the first movie.

Yet, despite all of this, I came away somewhat charmed by this film. Even as every fiber of my being has a complaint about it, “Pacific Rim Uprising” represents something that I was very surprised by: a positive display of diversity and cooperation that has been sorely lacking from big-budget films, such as “Star Wars” or those in the Marvel franchise.

This still isn’t a good movie, though. The film presents a lot of bizarre content, especially within the first half. It’s honestly astounding how many misfires occur before the halfway mark is even close: it has a narrative exposition that fails at comedy, an anticlimactic chase scene and some terrible performances from child actors. While I wouldn’t call these performances the absolute worst ones I’ve ever seen from children, they were still incredibly stiff. John Boyega does his best to hold the banter up, but, while he occasionally succeeds, more often than not the movie plunges in quality.

There are also some narrative issues here. I

don’t want to go into these too much because they are spoilers, so I’ll just say that in connecting this movie with its predecessor, some very questionable choices were made. In comparison to the original movie, “Pacific Rim Uprising” fumbles somewhat in its portrayal of characters’ relationships.

Not everything in the last movie was perfect, but the relation between Idris Elba’s and Rinko Kikuchi’s characters was very heartfelt, and it set a bar that the sequel just can’t reach. I also really loved the relationship between Charlie Hunnam’s character and Kikuchi’s in the last film. In a genre so saturated with forced romances, the original movie’s focus on an emotional dependency between two characters without ever falling back on sex is really a feat of genius on del Toro’s part.

However, getting into the positives of the sequel, I’m thankful that it didn’t attempt anything too serious with the relationships between characters. There is one relationship that could have gotten super problematic super fast, but the movie cleverly backed away from this pitfall in a way that left me surprised. It was so earnest in its attempt that I left feeling glad I had witnessed what just happened, regardless of the quality.

That’s why I like this movie, despite its caveats.

It is just saturated with this sense of desire to do justice for the characters in this story—and I don’t just mean the male protagonist either. The writing staff of “Pacific Rim Uprising” was fairly inclusive, depicting a range of voices throughout.

It isn’t perfect, but this movie upended racial stereotypes and genre expectations in a way that feels fitting for a movie series originally created by del Toro. “Pacific Rim Uprising” brings up ideas of problematic representation for its fictional races—mechs and aliens—and then tosses those same ideas out the window. Recognizing that it’s absurd to segregate one another when it comes to mechs

“Pacific Rim Uprising,” Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi fantasy sequel to “Pacific Rim,” stars John Boyega, Jing Tian, Scott Eastwood, Rinko Kikuchi and Ivanna Sakhno (pictured above).

Photographer documents historical disasters through art DISASTER continued from page 1

both natural and human-induced categories. He also noted that Fukushima started in the 1950s, in reference to the atomic bomb’s global popularity. Moreover, the consequence of nuclear power revealed itself in the Fukushima disaster, which was the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Throughout, Johnston referred to this triple-disaster as “3/11.” The Fukushima accident was precipitated by a major earthquake that started an equally major tsunami, all before the third disaster, which took place at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This tsunami resulted in countless people left dead, displaced and injured.

It also destroyed millions of buildings and homes (World Nuclear Association, “Fukushima Accident”). The waves from the tsunami damaged

the backup generators of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Three explosions resulting from too much hydrogen pressure led to the release of carcinogenic radioactive material. Moreover, workers were not allowed to go near the plant in fear of radiation exposure, further preventing them from mitigating the consequences of the deadly disaster. As Johnston mentioned, “People couldn’t do much based on the radiation that had inundated the area.”

Speaking on the long-lasting effects of nuclear disasters, Johnston explained, “Radiation is a different story. If you don’t do something about it, you can’t heal it later.” Because only seven years have passed, it is difficult to gauge the effects of the radiation on people with higher levels of exposure. However, Johnston’s theory suggests that the effects on humans and the environment

Courtesy of Bill Johnston

Wesleyan History Professor William Johnston, specializing in epidemics and Japanese history, gave a talk on March 31 about the Fukushima disaster, examining its history through photography.

could mimic those seen in Chernobyl.

Using a multidisciplinary approach to revealing the aftermath of disasters in a historical context, Johnston collaborated with performing artist Eiko Otake on a project called “A Body in Places.” “A Body in Fukushima” is a collection of digital photographs, with Johnston behind the camera and Eiko in front. The series placed Eiko’s body in places destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. To date, the duo has had 20 exhibitions, with more planned for the future. Prior to this project, Johnston had described himself, for over 25 years, as a closeted photographer. However, embarking on this artistic journey changed that for him.

During the question-and-answer segment of the talk, an audience member asked, “Is Eiko posing in these photos, or are they a series of movements?” Johnston replied, “She’s always looking for performance. She’s always in motion.” This question is important to understand the project’s dynamism. Although Johnston is the photographer, he says, “They are not my photos.

It’s truly a collaborative effort. I’m always looking for light, whereas she’s always looking for performance.”

In the photo album, Eiko is almost always wearing draped clothing. Her performances, all distilled in snapshots, evoke the painful memories of 3/11. Many of the photos capture Eiko in fetal position or with her back hunched, looking down. A particularly beautiful photograph is of Eiko emerging from an ocean wave, reflecting the tsunami’s impression on the human form.

The viewer can only see Eiko’s head, but she carries a bundle of bright red fabric beside her.

In this image, Eiko and Johnston make the overwhelmingly sublime natural world a part of history to remember.

With a scholarly commitment to history, Johnston envisions his photographs being used as historical documents that record single mo-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ments in time. When he takes a photograph of a region in Fukushima destroyed by the tsunami or from radioactive material, he is documenting the historical process. Moreover, Eiko’s presence in the images exposes the intrinsic relationship between human and nature. Johnston elaborated on this theme: “The divide between human and natural is artificial and illusory. Humans are a part of nature pure and simple.”

Photography can be an extremely powerful medium by which to reveal the truth. The term Johnston uses to describe the photograph is “index quality.” The image allows history to be retraced, revealing factual accuracy while also provoking an emotional response.

Johnston described his experiences talking with locals affected by 3/11 in Japan as inspiring.

However, he has found that booking exhibitions in Japan can be more difficult than in other countries. He attributes this to the photography eliciting heightened emotional responses from Japanese audiences, given that the nation has been so personally impacted by the disasters depicted in his photographs. Johnston recalls a woman at Tokyo University who burst out of the exhibition room in tears, clearly triggered by the photos.

Overall, Johnston and Eiko’s photographs reveal that the Fukushima disaster had both immediate and long-term effects on humans and the environment. The tsunami itself was a violent and quick catastrophe. However, symptoms of radioactive decay have yet to fully reveal themselves. “A Body in Fukushima” works to temper humans’ tendency to see themselves as superior to nature, a perspective many environmentalists point out as flawed. Moreover, the project highlights how media forms such as digital photography can be powerful means of documenting history. Perhaps this slightly less conventional approach to making history will heighten our awareness of all disasters—whether fast or slow, natural or anthropogenic.

ARTS

April 5, 2018

Campus Canvas

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

Page 9 submit to misc@vassar.edu

Excuse me, If you had a boat, what would you name it?

“S.S. Holli, we need more strong female boats” — Maya MoiseyevFoster ’20

“Karlota” — Karla Acosta ’19

“Kitty” — Hien Nguyen ’20

“Pryia” — Ethan Pierce ’20

“The Birth Canal” — Sevine Clarey ’20 and Alie Reilinger ’20

“Chips Ahoy” — Lauren Ninkovich ’19 Owen Murray Class of 2020 Economics Major I started making art at a young age because my grandfather was an artist. Particularly, I was really interested in street art/graffiti. I don’t take art classes at Vassar but it is definitely something I hope to do in the future.

Follow my art account on Instagram: owen_murray_art.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography

FEATURES

Page 10

April 5, 2018

Tillery’s martial arts lessons transform students’ lives Duncan Aronson Guest Reporter

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Courtesy of Duncan Aronson

o some, martial arts may seem like a form of violent combat. Vassar’s Ken Zen Ichi martial arts lessons subvert such stereotypes.

Not only is Ken Zen Ichi a different type of martial arts, Kyoshi (master teacher) Norman Tillery has also added to it his personal touch. This is true in two senses: From a strictly technical standpoint, the tactics for combat, the practice methods and the philosophy are practical and unique. From a more general standpoint, Tillery’s classes embrace children’s holistic development, in terms of both self-betterment and the betterment of those around them and their communities.

Tillery’s classes are open to Vassar students and the greater Poughkeepsie community. They are held daily in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Athletics and Fitness Center. Class levels range from beginner to black-belt.

On his path to becoming a black belt holder in both the Wado-Ryu and Ken Zen Ichi types of karate, Tillery undertook traditional practices and methods that were considered standard over two decades ago. When he started his dojo, Tillery had to adjust these traditional practices to make his craft suitable for the newer generation. This was done partly to make practicing karate easier and partly because Tillery’s core philosophy is application-based.

Some of Tillery’s fighting techniques reflect this approach. As one of the sensei explained, while some martial arts exclude certain types of fighting, Ken Zen Ichi includes ground-grappling (hand-to-hand combat at a non-standing position) because in a martial arts fight or even a real fight, avoiding it is unlikely. Tillery also demonstrated how tweaking the traditional

punches and kicks, like a shoulder movement on a kick, generates more power, and is therefore more effective. All of his students carry their own walking canes that Tillery has devised for use as a deceptive weapon.

Tillery takes his application-based approach a step further by discussing the real-life implementations of karate with his students. He teaches his students that running away from a fight is always the best option and has made sparring completely optional at all stages. He even runs shooter drills which prepare students in the case of a school shooting.

The most incredible thing about Tillery’s Ken Zen Ichi is his holistic nurturing approach, which goes beyond the realm of the martial art.

Students must bring their school report cards to prove they are passing all of their classes to attend his lessons and have to perform community service to become a black belt. The students also keep a separate Ken Zen Ichi report card.

Tillery and his assistant sensei also teach skills, processes and attitudes important to all endeavors. Two of the keys to the practice are reflection and communication. After each iteration of a routine or a new skill, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning processes until doing so becomes natural to them. Classes often end with the students and sensei sitting in a large circle led by Tillery. He engages the whole group in thoughtful dialogues—he may ask for a “feeling word,” or something that they learned in class that day.

Discipline and organization are also key to the students’ success. Each student’s binder contains a rigorously detailed progress tracker.

Every move is broken down into constituent skills and there is a practice log for recording progress and skills learned. Students are

Pictured here are the Ken Zen Ichi students striking a classic martial art pose while Kyoshi Tillery patiently instructs and corrects their stances. The class takes place in the AFC every day. also expected to practice outside of class and show up to class with the right attitude—even the small children, who may struggle to focus their attention, are held to the same standard.

At the end of one class, Tillery explained to his students the difference between imposed discipline and self-discipline. “Imposed discipline is when your parents or somebody has to tell you to do something and you do it. We want to have self-discipline. Nobody has to tell you what to do because you’re responsible. If someone has to tell you to do something, they should only have to tell you once.”

Tillery and his sensei can be tough on the students for the sake of training and to make them grow stronger. During a class, a brown belt student practiced his punches with Tillery. De-

spite the student being clearly exhausted, their practice continued on about five or six times before the pair finally stopped. Tillery also told the story of a brown belt who claimed that women were weaker than men. For his black belt test, Tillery matched him up against a woman.

“And she cleaned him up. He knew I had done it intentionally and he learned humility and open-mindedness.”

Tillery’s integral role cannot be overstated.

One of his former students, Gail Wilson put it best: “I never met anyone more committed and dedicated to what he believes. Norman has a way of transferring that under his tutelage. I believe he has a gift.” (Poughkeepsie Journal, “‘Kyoshi’ means caring to martial arts instructor,” 02.17.2000).

Student runs social media experiment to curate perfection INSTA continued from page 1

with that because it is an instinctive reaction in people to believe what they see. Nobody claims that Instagram reflects the truth, but when you are consuming somebody’s content week in and week out, your perceptions are altered.

I decided to do a little experiment. I documented nearly my entire spring break on social media. I am not a huge photo-taker by nature,

Courtesy of Imogen Wade

Courtesy of Imogen Wade

A shot of Long Beach, CA, where the author stayed for four days during spring break. This photo belongs to a famed Instagram story streak that documented every aspect of her trip.

and when I am with the people I love my first instinct is not to snap artsy pictures.

I wanted all that to change. What if I intentionally curated the perfect vacation? What if every good moment, every smile, was photographed? What if my friend and I spent hours taking shots of each other in candid poses?

Disclaimer: My best friend and I had a wonderful vacation, regardless of my near incessant documentation. I was surprised to find that taking so many pictures didn’t detract from the fun we were having. In fact, we both really enjoyed curating our pictures and experimenting with new angles and backdrops.

I posted a few Instagram stories every day and a handful of posts over the course of the trip. Worried, I messaged my sister: “Is it too much?” Her response, as always, shocked me.

Far from complaining about my posting, she said the stories and posts were amazing and she had received no fewer than 15 messages from mutual friends saying what an amazing time it looked like I was having.

I also received messages, compliments, even passive-aggressive DMs. I couldn’t believe it, how the content was consumed; liked; desired.

Nobody laughed at the emojis, the color coding, the captions; at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. People lapped it up. For my other friends, I was having “the time of my life.” I was living a dream holiday and everybody, it seemed, knew about it.

Unlike in the picture on my account that had been taken after I’d finished crying, I genuinely was having an amazing time. I made unforgettable memories with one of my dearest friends.

However, although I have never experienced a trip exactly like that before, I have experienced other trips that nobody knew about. Suddenly, by documenting my good time in a carefully curated fashion, everybody thought my life was amazing and that the filtered version of my face

Pictured here is the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles, one of the many exciting sights the author saw on her trip. The pastel color scheme looks like something out of a Wes Anderson movie. was the real one.

I do not believe that my social media presence is an extension of my authentic self. Over spring break, I discovered that it was a game, and sometimes it can be fun. But like all games, it is never real. It is the highlight reel of someone’s existence, filtered and edited to perfection. I worry that not everybody knows it is a game. I am sure that some people really believe what they see, and feel the need to display their own lives through a particular lens in order to portray themselves as funny, or beautiful or thin.

I remember when the Instagram model Alexis Ren revealed she struggled with an eating disorder. I remember when Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr Photoshopped her waist to look thinner. I remember reading about these events because I wanted to immediately send the articles to everyone I knew.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

All the girls commenting “body goals” under these women’s pictures should know that beneath the glamour of the social media account can lie a lot of pain. Sometimes beneath bodies and pictures seen as ideal, there exists a carefully concealed struggle with body image and mental health. Sometimes even models whom everyone wants to look like don’t want to look like themselves.

I consume the content of my followers just as my followers consume mine. My little experiment over spring break taught me that Instagram fame and success is an act of creation, curation and imagination. Even though I realize this, it is impossible not to be caught up in the game, even for a second, and mistake it for reality.

What’s the answer? The obvious one is: log off. That said, I don’t see myself deleting Instagram any time soon.

FEATURES

April 5, 2018

Page 11

Speculations on dorm renovations impact campus’ future Scott Szpisjak

Guest Reporter

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dorm without doubles and the focus on bringing seniors back to the center of campus raise questions. While residential areas such as the fifth floor of Main do not house any first-years, there are currently no dorms that exclude members of any one class as a whole. However, the possibility of suite- or apartment-style housing calls into question whether or not first-years will be included. If they are not, the opening of this new dorm would mark a radical shift from housing patterns elsewhere on campus and could alter the social fabric of dorm life at Vassar.

Perhaps the biggest impact of the 10th dormitory will be its location, as that will affect when and how residents and non-residents alike will interact with it. While the site has not been officially selected, Joss Beach remains the only

potential site listed on the master plan website, which reads, “One proposed location for a new residence hall, Joss Beach, presents the opportunity to explore geothermal heating and cooling for the new building.” A major factor in site selection is the high water table on campus, which can make construction difficult in some areas.

Additionally, Joss Beach is one of the few large open spaces near the center of campus but not central to campus life.

The new dorm is only part of a longer process; other projects on the horizon include renovating Kenyon, Blodgett, the Old Laundry Building, Raymond, Noyes and Cushing. What is here today will pass on and be replaced by what is coming, and this new dorm represents just a glimpse of what awaits the future of the campus.

Courtesy of residentiallife.vassar.edu

hanges are on the horizon that will affect the structure of campus. Vassar’s Campus Master Plan will culminate in yet another renovation of Main Building. The current form and condition of the building is a far cry from what it was like when the College first opened and it housed all of the students and classrooms as well as the art museum, chapel, dining hall, kitchens, servants quarters and library.

However, Main will need to be vacated for up to two years for the renovation. A crucial prerequisite is the creation of additional staging space, including the construction of a 10th residential house. Vassar Architect and Project Manager Bryan Corrigan was able to provide more details on the project.

Although a timeline has not yet been set for the construction of the new dorm, Corrigan says President Bradley has re-prioritized residential life, after major restorations were put on hold five years ago. Renovations first slowed after Davison was reopened in 2009; plans to gut the other three quad dorms were put on hold by the 2008 recession. Davison’s project cost around $20 million, and Vassar could no longer afford to complete a project that expensive every two years as was originally planned. The College instead prioritized short-term improvements such as bathrooms and interior finishes, which cost around five to six million dollars per dorm.

However, even these were put on hold during Catherine Hill’s presidency before all of the dorms were reached. This is set to change under President Bradley.

The new dorm will initially be used to hold people who are displaced by the renovation of Main; the school hopes to renovate the en-

tire building at once, and there is currently not enough space in the existing dorms to hold all of Main’s over 300 residents. Offices will mostly be moved to Kenyon. According to the master plan website, the new dorm will have around 150 beds. Other students will be housed in vacant rooms in other dorms, or in large singles that could temporarily be used as doubles.

After Main’s renovation is complete, the school does not intend to use these additional beds as an excuse to increase enrollment. Instead, the new dorm would replace the South Commons, as those buildings are foundationless mobile homes which were constructed to address a temporary increase in enrollment; they have now outlived their intended lifespans. The new dorm addresses the wider goal of bringing seniors back to the center of campus, as does the current requirement that all students be on the meal plan.

Unlike the other residential houses, there is a significant chance that the new dorm will be suite- or apartment-style, or even all singles.

Corrigan dispelled rumors that the new building’s exterior would copy those of the existing quad dorms, but as there is not yet an architectural firm signed onto the project, the design of the building also remains uncertain. Corrigan believes the new building represents an opportunity for some different and expressive architecture; the other dorms were built when student’s lives and schedules were much more regimented. For example, the meals were eaten at certain times each day in the rooms that are now the MPRs. Aspects of existing dorms and dorm life, such as the House Fellow program and the large common areas, will be integrated into the planning of the new dorm. However, the possibility of a

Pictured here is Josselyn House in April, 2011. Flowers bloomed on Joss Beach on a fine spring morning seven years ago. Perhaps here will be the future location for the next revamp project.

Faculty spotlight: Nevarez expresses passion for research Aidan Zola Reporter

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he Miscellany News recently initiated a faculty spotlight section, showcasing the many fascinating perspectives Vassar professors have to offer. This week we interviewed Professor of Sociology Leonard Nevarez via email.

As Nevarez has been involved in departments across various academic fields here on campus, his perspectives are multifaceted and well-informed.

The Miscellany News: What kind of classes do you teach at Vassar? What do they involve?

Leonard Nevarez: I’m an urban sociologist who’s drawn to multidisciplinary questions of economies, organizations, political economy and culture. Those inform my courses on Quality of Life, the New Economy, and Corporate Power (in the Sociology Department), as well as Urban Theory, Cities After Society, and Musical Urbanism (in the Urban Studies Program).

The Misc: How did you first become interested in sociology and urban studies?

The Misc: Did you always want to be a sociology professor?

Nevarez: Ha! First, I never even heard the word “sociology” until my freshman year in

The Misc: How long have you been teaching at Vassar? What drew you here?

Nevarez: I’ve been here since 1999. Would it be shocking if I confessed that what drew me here was the job offer? I applied for dozens of academic jobs, and Vassar was the only one to offer me a job. (To my senior colleagues, thanks again!) The experience reinforced a number of life lessons: you can’t control your future, so you have to work hard and be prepared, but you also have to be flexible and know when to let go.

That said, what keeps me here is the resources that Vassar invests to continually develop the classroom experience. The department and programs that I work in are dynamic and exciting places, committed to changing with the times and with the interests of students. And I’m a far better teacher than I was when I came here, because I’m surrounded by people who take the craft of teaching very seriously.

The Misc: What has been the best part about being here?

Nevarez: Oh, no question, it’s the students.

They’re exciting, they’re eager to learn, and they bring a sense of purpose about where they came

from and where they’re going. I learn a tremendous amount from students. It’s ironic that they sometimes fret that Vassar doesn’t represent the real world, because you guys bring the real world to us faculty. A great discussion in an Introduction to Sociology class is often better than any news show or expert panel for grappling with the political and cultural directions that society is moving in.

and 21st, when people can just show up at 10:00 am, get trained in survey methods, and then hit the streets with a list of addresses to visit. Go to the Facebook page for Dutchess Outreach and search events for “Survey Days: Poughkeepsie community food assessment” (https://www. facebook.com/events/535789760147438/).

The Misc: What about Vassar has changed the

Nevarez: David Harvey’s A Brief History of Neoliberalism.

most since you’ve been a professor?

Nevarez: For sure, the student body has grown more diverse in terms of socioeconomic backgrounds, racial/ethnic composition and cultural diversity. I can’t imagine going back to what it used to be like, which was more homogeneous and maybe too comfortable. If Vassar feels unsettled these days, that’s a sign to me that the Vassar community is doing the hard work to evolve. Our times demand nothing less, right? There’s more to be done, and Vassar is by no means a perfect institution, but over nineteen years I feel it’s been moving in the right direction.

The Misc: What is one text you wish all Vassar students would read?

The Misc: Lastly, where do you see yourself 20 years from now?

Nevarez: Still taking students out into Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley, I hope.

The Misc: Do you have any ongoing research projects happening at the moment? If so, please elaborate!

Nevarez: Yes! This month I’m launching a survey project to measure household food insecurity in the city of Poughkeepsie. This involves people fanning out across the city to randomly assigned addresses, knocking on their doors and administering a 40-question structured interview to residents about food access, shopping preferences, food choices and food security situations. If anyone is interested in helping us survey residents, or can think of student groups or classes that would want to take part, please contact me at lenevarez[at]vassar.edu. The survey will continue through the following academic year, but this month there are “survey day” events scheduled for Saturday the 7th, 14th,

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Courtesy of vassar.edu

Nevarez: I became interested in sociology and urban studies because I grew up in an army family that moved around a lot. Attending two middle schools and three high schools, I developed a very practical interest in how different communities had different values, rules, internal cliques and daily activities. To some degree that’s what sociologists study, I learned later.

Living in different places, particularly a couple of years spent in Europe, also made me aware of the significance and variety of urban landscapes. This fascination into the forms and textures of human settlements was sharpened after a couple of jobs working for a bus company and a real estate journal.

college. I majored in sociology not long after, and yes I had professors who made a great impression upon me. But if I’m being honest, I really didn’t consider graduate school or how that might lead to the kind of career they had until after college graduation. Truth be told, I was more intent on playing in a band. For a couple of years after graduation I did that and cycled through a number of boring day jobs. Soon I realized I wasn’t cut out to be a professional musician, and I figured there was one thing I was better at: going to college. That’s when I began thinking about the social world around me a little more intellectually—boring day jobs turn out to be excellent sites to observe society and its contradictions—and sociology beckoned once again.

Professor Nevarez is currently leading a survey project in collaboration with the community.

FEATURES

Page 12

“Daily Agenda”

April 5, 2018

by Paul Cannata

submit to misc@vassar.edu

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Tiny pencil gun type 35. Saltwater expanse 15. Polar light show 62. “I’ve had enough.”

53. Tempt into disloyalty 32. 58.

Mock casually 36. Bloom support 16. Measure of brightness 64. Impulse Lover’s bloom 17. Kind of aristocrat, or tea 68.

“NNNNNNNNNN” 37. Tiny scale 38. Shame someone 18. Flattened out 69. Mistake unmaker 40. British grandmothers 1 2 3 4 5 19. Light pickup truck (slang) 70. Shape a spring 20. Spouse’s family 71.

Permit or allow 44. Collaborative satellite (abbr.)

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54. Win thebyKentucky Derby 34. A regrettable herb 3. German Rhine tributary 55. These numbers are my heros 35. Saltwater expanse 4. Kissable blooms 24 25 26 36. Bloom support 5. Train highway 56. Mess-preventing garment 38. Shame someone 6. Energy field 29 30 57. Vanilla, among other blooms 40. British grandmothers 7. Forehead feature 44. Collaborative satellite (abbr.)

61. Bow, neck,maple or bolo 8. Miniscule 33 34 46. 35 Across, after a shake-up 9. Wrath 62. "I've had enough."

47. Southwestern Indian state 10. Immature frog 64. Impulse 48. Brawling blooms 11. Ablates impact 36 37 38 12.

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A woman’s possessions 66. Juniper liquor 63. Impure metal 67. literature 65. Elementary-level What all blooms do eventually 66. Juniper liquor class (abbr.)

The Miscellany Crossword

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April 5, 2018

OPINIONS

Page 13

The Miscellany News Staff Editorial

Intersectionality crucial to March for Our Lives platform CW: Police brutality, racial violence This week begins a very timely “vacation” for Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Several days ago, Ingraham fired off a tweet mocking David Hogg, a student survivor of the recent Parkland shooting and a prominent member of March for Our Lives. “David Hogg Rejected by Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it,” Ingraham wrote. “Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates” (Twitter, @IngrahamAngle, 03.28.2018).

Rather than directly rebuking the pundit, Hogg compiled a list of advertisers for “The Ingraham Angle” and asked his over 700,000 Twitter followers to write to them about what the Fox News commentator had said (Twitter, @davidhogg111, 03.28.2018). Since then, at least 15 companies have pulled their sponsorships from Ingraham’s nighttime hour. Even notoriously unapologetic Fox News has taken notice, granting Ingraham an all-too-convenient week-long vacation (CBS News, “Advertisers bail as Laura Ingraham goes on vacation,” 4.2.2018).

Ingraham’s present situation is the latest testament to the expanding influence and authority of the March for Our Lives movement. Indeed the movement has proven threatening even to America’s most powerful political institutions.

However, media coverage of those who truly challenge power is hard-won and fades quickly. There is no certainty that Hogg or any other activists from March for Our Lives will be able to create this type of stir next year, or even next month. In this day and age when information and news stream constantly through our consciousness, public outcry in response to tragedy

rarely lasts long. The key to longevity for March for Our Lives, then, must be to stand with those struggling for equity and justice on other fronts, most notably those fighting against police violence and institutional racism.

On March 18, police officers encountered 22-year-old Sacramento native Stephon Clark standing in his grandmother’s backyard, and, mistaking his cell phone for a weapon, fired 20 rounds, killing him (Vox, “Stephon Clark was shot by Sacramento Police eight times from behind or the side, autopsy finds,” 3.30.2018).

This incident has sparked popular protest and added to the ongoing conversation surrounding police violence against individuals and communities of color. In a similar recent case, the State of Louisiana ruled that it will not bring charges against the officers responsible for the shooting of 37-year-old Baton Rouge local Alton Sterling.

Cell phone video taken at the incident shows Sterling being pinned to the ground outside of a convenience store before being killed by two police officers (CNN, “No charges against officers in Alton Sterling death,” 3.27.2018).

Never in recent memory have these two critical issues, police brutality and mass shootings, captivated the public eye with such synchronicity. Yet as much as police brutality and mass shootings share fundamental characteristics, it is striking how inversely they are perceived.

The young, predominantly white student activists of March for Our Lives come from a position of privilege, as they are more marketable in the public eye and more attractive to the media.

While so much of the Parkland story is being rightly told and retold, the facts about incidents

of police brutality are left vague and given little justice in the public forum.

In 2014, Eric Garner was killed by a New York City police officer who kept him in a chokehold, even after Garner repeatedly asserted that he could not breathe (CNN, “Choke hold by cop killed NY man, medical examiner says,” 8.2.2018). Although the video of Garner’s death was widely shared via news outlets and social media, much about the offending police officer in front of the camera remained unscrutinized.

The American public jumps at the opportunity to analyze and profile mass shooters, yet comparatively little is said about those who can kill on the authority of the state. Moreover, those in power tend to employ victim-blaming strategies to dismiss calls for change. Many news outlets used Garner’s disabilities to blame him for his death (New York Times, “Beyond the Chokehold: The Path to Eric Garner’s Death,” 06.13.2015). These regressive narratives were widely circulated; sitting New York Republican Congressman Peter King commented, “If he had not had asthma and a heart condition and was so obese, almost definitely he would not have died” (BBC, “Viewpoint: Why Eric Garner was blamed for dying,” 12.8.2013). The deaths of Sandra Bland, Ethan Saylor, John Williams and countless others have been, and continue to be, assigned such narratives as well.

Coverage—and, as a result, popular understanding—of mass shootings and of police violence diverges at a key point: In the former case, the killer is the center of attention, but in the latter, they rarely are. The reason is ultimately simple. Protesting violence committed by in-

dividual citizens is a more digestable rallying point than is dismantling violence committed by the state. For the primarily white student survivors of the Parkland shooting, wall-to-wall media coverage has been overwhelmingly supportive; those activists striving to end police brutality against communities of color, on the other hand, were never granted the same popular legitimacy.

In this way, March for Our Lives has been given a voice that other, less privileged movements do not have. With this rare institutional power comes the responsibility of ensuring that they represent more than themselves. Indeed, March for Our Lives has already done well on this front, as their initial efforts to make their movement more diverse and inclusive have been widely applauded (Huffington Post, “The March For Our Lives Was Inclusive. Here’s How To Make Sure Its Agenda Is, Too.” 3.29.18) We at The Miscellany News firmly believe that this spirit of solidarity must continue. Activist movements have never succeeded while divided, and activism is never the stronger for avoiding such nexuses as that which exists between police violence and mass shootings. Just as it drew millions of people to the streets on March 24 to protest violence in schools, March for Our Lives must itself be drawn into the fight against violence of all other forms. It is through shared interests that we find common cause, and through that a united front against injustice.

–– The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.

Fire in Kemerovo exposes Russia’s entrenched corruption Sylvan Perlmutter Columnist

O

n March 25, the Russian town of Kemerovo experienced an unspeakable tragedy: 64 people, including dozens of children, lost their lives in a shopping center fire. Their loved ones, as well as many other concerned and outraged Russian citizens, are seeking answers for why the shopping center’s fire alarms didn’t sound, why the emergency exits were locked and why numerous glaring safety violations were not reported and rectified in the preceding years.

The available evidence suggests that the owners of the center and officials intentionally overlooked safety breaches, and it has been speculated that the inspectors were bribed, as is often the case, to ignore deficiencies (CTV News,

“Siberian Mall Fire that Killed 64 ‘Reflects All of Russia’s Problems,’” 04.01.2018). This is a common tactic to cut costs, but ultimately it costs lives.

The Kemerovo fire is not an isolated incident. It is not even the most fatal fire in recent Russian history. In December 2009, a fire at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm resulted in 156 deaths (The Moscow Times, “Why Russian Tragedies Are Doomed to Repeat,” 03.29.2018).

In eerie parallels to Kemerovo, the exits were blocked and toxic fumes from banned building materials suffocated the trapped patrons. This is an endemic problem in the Russian Federation.

Due to faulty inspection procedures and routine bribery of officials, Russia has one of the highest fire death rate in the developed world.

Courtesy of en.kremlin.ru

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the town of Kemerovo, where over 60 people died in a shopping mall fire. Many blame government corruption and gross negligence for Russia’s high fire death rate.

From 2011 to 2015, it recorded 7.5 deaths related to fire per 100,000 residents, which is more than seven times the per-capita fire deaths in the United States (CTV News).

Local officials compounded the problem by treating protesting locals, some of whom had lost their children, with contempt and dismissing them as outside agitators. The longtime governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev, claimed that only 200 people protested when the real number was in the thousands. The first deputy governor added, “We are concluding that this was a clearly orchestrated event aimed at discrediting authorities” (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, “‘Clearly Orchestrated’: Russian Official Calls Protest Over Deadly Fire A Bid To ‘Discredit’ State,” 03.28.2018).

Only after significant pressure from locals and the federal government in Moscow did Tuleyev personally tender his resignation to President Vladimir Putin and offer an apology.

The resignation came alongside the arrest of seven people in the investigation of the fire, including an executive from the firm that owned the shopping center and the head of the local building inspection agency (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, “Governor Of Russia’s Kemerovo Region Resigns After Deadly Mall Fire,” 04.01.2018).

Such piecemeal efforts are unlikely to curb deaths in Russia due to a toxic blend of corruption and criminal negligence. Corruption at the lowest levels will endure as long as the highest strata of the Russian state continues its pattern of large-scale malfeasance. Through embezzlement, bribery, kickbacks and stock holdings in state-controlled companies, men like Putin have accumulated billions of dollars (Money, “Is Vladimir Putin Secretly the Richest Man in the World?” 01.23.2017).

Putin, despite his own questionable gains, recognizes that Russia is held back by corrup-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

tion and has launched initiatives in the past with the stated aim of curbing it.

Nevertheless, other than the occasional prosecution of an oligarch that has fallen out of favor with the Kremlin, most of the Russian elite has been able to safely hold on to the assets they have accumulated on the backs of the Russian people.

“Corruption is the glue that holds the constituent elements of Putin’s coalition together.”

Corruption is the glue that holds the constituent elements of Putin’s coalition together.

The Kremlin has been able to rule the country through extensive patronage networks run by oligarchs and high-ranking members of the security services linked to Putin. As of 2013, before collapsing oil prices and sanctions dented the Russian economy, approximately $300 billion— or 16 percent of Russia’s GDP—has been eaten up by corruption (Institute for Human Sciences, “Putin’s Self-Destruction: Russia’s New Anti-Corruption Campaign Will Sink the Regime,” 06.09.2013).

Any substantive effort to reign in corruption at the highest levels would lead to an elite revolt against Putin and the collapse of his ability to rule. To prevent future tragedies like the one in Kemerovos, Russia needs a Federal government that is genuinely committed to rooting out corruption at all levels of society.

However, this is impossible as long as those who are currently in power remain in their positions. How many more people must die before justice is served?

OPINIONS

Page 14

April 5, 2018

Human interaction crucial to bridging partisan gaps Catherine Bither Columnist

H

uman interaction can be difficult. I’m sure we have all experienced the social awkwardness that inevitably arises from attending a small college. We see people we have had a few quick conversations with, acquaintances we barely know, and are lost for words in uncomfortable silence, not knowing whether to smile or make eye contact, whether to say hello or to simply nod acknowledgment. In these situations, I often contemplate potential responses for a long enough period that by the time I have constructed a plan of action, the moment has passed. Like many others, I find small talk to be quite challenging at times.

“By creating an “us” versus “them” rhetoric, the establishment shifts the focus from its own wrongdoing to the wrongdoing of those whom it is using, whether they be liberals or conservatives.”

Despite our difficulties connecting with one another, in our age of increasing digitalization, it is also difficult to disconnect. Technology simulates proximity and closeness through the walls and borders that confine us. Though we may be alone, huddled under blankets in a dark room, phone calls, texts, movies and online games make us feel connected to others. Unless we turn off our devices, we are never truly alone.

Therefore, in a world that boasts of constant connectedness, how are in-person connections still so challenging? More importantly, how is our society still so politically polarized and distant? How can inter-party dialogue be utilized to break down the harmful barriers that confine our beliefs, ideas, and thinking?

In the short 18 years of my life, I have become hyper-aware of the polarization of those with conflicting ideologies. Growing up in Oakland, CA, a diverse hub of progressivism and radi-

cal leftism, life at home was starkly juxtaposed with multi-annual visits to my family in the San Fernando Valley, a region of red rigidly separated from a state of blue. As an adolescent, I was confused about what I should believe. The political ideologies of my childhood institutions rarely overlapped with the political ideologies of my extended family. During these formative years, I was challenged to figure out what I truly believed. I was forced to analyze the information being presented to me and figure out how it related to me, to my peers and family and to society at large.

I often disagreed with the beliefs of my extended family. I was able to engage in political dialogue with them, but this dialogue was rarely productive, often ending in heated arguments over dinners, frustrated tears and aggressive silences. Reflecting on these experiences as an adult, I see that this lack of productivity results from the severe polarization of political parties.

Both my family members and I were unable to admit to any sort of fault, unable to express any inkling of agreement with the other side. I viewed their expressions of opinion as attacks against my party and myself.

I still struggle to overcome partisan biases and have by no means figured out how to effectively navigate our country’s political landscape.

Every day, I find myself automatically siding with ideas seen as liberal and feeling contempt for ideas associated with conservatism. Given the extreme and dangerous environment of American society, it is hard not to lump all those identifying with a certain political party together.

Political polarization results from the multifaceted and multigenerational pain inflicted by one side to another. Those associated with the left are healing from the violence and trauma perpetrated against many communities by political, usually conservative, leaders. Those associated with the right, particularly rural, white conservatives, are also healing from pain. These people, like my extended family members, are a group often ridiculed by mass media outlets.

Many conservative leaders prey on these people, cultivating their anger and fear against the establishment and redirecting it towards all those who stand in the way of their goals, namely those who are seen as “different” and associated with progressivism. Neither party’s pain negates the other, yet this collective pain is often misdirected.

Please, Tell Us More!

H

bining traditional humanities approaches with theories of cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary social science.

Watching “The Shape of Water,” I notice with excitement how its storyline and low angle shots map embodied conceptual metaphors such as “control is up/lack of control is down”; I hypothesize connections between a “swamp creature” and disgust as an adaptation for regulating social interactions. The invocation of possibly innate human tendencies used to invite the charge of “biological determinism” from critics rightly wary of reviving so-called “scientific” racism and (hetero-) sexism.

These days, however, more of us appreciate biocultural interpretation for what it is: a means to greater self-understanding; a social “leveler” that acknowledges we are all, and not just some of us, part of the animal world. And to the extent that scientific sexism or racism may be on the rise, humanities scholars should be informed

“Given that the situation is not hostile or dangerous to ourselves or others, we must engage with others, challenging their beliefs and our own.”

Clearly, the establishment is using party polarization for its own benefit. By creating an “us” versus “them” rhetoric, the establishment shifts the focus from its own wrongdoing to the wrongdoing of those whom it is using, whether they be liberals or conservatives.

Merely saying this, or writing it in a column, does not accomplish much. To create the future that we long to see, we must all work together.

We must look for threads of unity in a sea of distance and pain and use these threads to make connections and heal alongside one another.

I consider myself lucky to have grown up in an environment wherein the “truth,” whatever that may be, was not given to me. I was forced to confront the tensions that plague our country head-on and, though this was difficult, I believe these difficulties are necessary for a healthy political environment. Growing up surrounded by both sides, I have seen the similarities shared by both parties. Those in both parties are ridiculed

and ignored by the media, pitted against one another through dangerous and derisive rhetoric and struggling to survive in this hyper-politicized world.

In order to conquer this polarization, human interaction is essential. Digitalization and the seemingly ubiquitous access to information should be helping humans to connect with one another, not pushing them apart. Despite the rise of information accessibility, individuals still flock to partisan news agencies. People insult one another based merely upon superficial assessments and binaries. Political beliefs are seen as inextricable from morality and people distance themselves from those whom they regard as different, believing the ideologies of their parties to be ultimate truth.

In reality, the answers are hardly ever partisan. The steps to working towards a society wherein all people are respected, history is not ignored but brought to light and party lines do not divide people but rather spur productive political dialogue lie in collaboration between different groups.

Political parties in and of themselves are not problematic. Having a group of people with whom to organize and confide in is essential to a healthy political environment. The extreme hostility and “othering” that results from the polarization of political parties is what is so dangerous.

This is why human interaction and dialogue is so important. Systems of oppression seek to keep those who are different apart from one another, and we must conquer this. Given that the situation is not hostile or dangerous to ourselves or others, we must engage with others, challenging their beliefs and our own. We must challenge hegemonic systems of power and views.

All of this is to say that if you by chance see an acquaintance milling around the salad bar at the Deece, go up to them and say hello. Make conversation! Even if the resulting product is merely an awkward nod or reciprocal greeting, you have still reached out and done your job acknowledging them as a fellow human being. For every person you meet, you gain access to new perspectives on politics, art, religion and life in general. If you disagree with these different perspectives and feel confident enough, challenge them.

In any case, this will allow you to really examine what you believe and potentially allow someone else to examine beliefs of their own.

Professors: What is a topic, idea, theory or breakthrough related to your field of study that you find absolutely fascinating or feel very passionate about? Explain why. enough to influence debates.

Science is too important to leave solely to scientists. It’s also much too fun.

This new segment is designed to be a space in which professors from any discipline are invited to talk about whatever topic related to their work that they find absolutely fascinating.

If you are interested in contributing, please write a 200–300 word response to the question shown above and email your piece to Steven Park at eupark@@ [at]@vassar.edu along with a picture of yourself or something relevant to your topic (examples include research projects, independent work or labs).

Courtesy of Kathleen Hart

aving just experienced the thrill of watching Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” my friends and I enthusiastically discuss its use of sound, lighting, color, Christian symbolism, marginalized identities, riffs on the Black Lagoon.

As a French studies scholar, I compare its treatment of animality to that of Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle et la bête.” Some of us wish that a minor positive role could have gone to a cisgender white male, or that the amphibian could have used its powers to transform the villain’s heart.

That, we argue, would have subverted the “good vs. evil” dichotomy that perpetuates oppression.

Others disagree.

Humanities scholars deploy a variety of methodologies, from semiotics to New Historicism, to explore such topics in literature, film, visual art or performances. For over a decade, however, I have engaged a new methodology called biocultural literary interpretation: com-

Sociologist Nina Eliasoph critiques the danger of this us versus them rhetoric (Contexts, “Scorn Wars: Rural White People and Us,” 03.13.2017), positing that many Americans maintain this ideology, which is fostered by the media. For example, conservative news anchors shame those who receive government aid because “no one should need it” and establish that more tax dollars are going to urban families than rural families. In reality, rural areas receive more government aid than urban areas (Contexts). Through this, rural conservatives feel a collective sense of shame for receiving aid and simultaneous affirmation that they are “better than.” Rural conservatives are often concurrently oppressed and oppressive, taking direction from the establishment that they hate so deeply while benefiting from a privilege of which they are ignorant.

Kathleen Hart teaches in the French and Francophone Studies department. Her current project is called Evolution and Animality in French Imaginative Culture: Biocultural Approaches.

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

April 5, 2018

OPINIONS

In honor of autistic lives lost to violence Jesser Horowitz Columnist

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ast year for Autism Awareness Month, we at The Miscellany News provided a space to serve as a memorial to autistic homicide victims. As the killings have not stopped, we will continue to honor their lives. Please read the following memorial, learn their names and honor their memories.

Rest in Peace

Abdirahman Abdi, 37 Yonatan Aguilar, 11 Alexis Agyepong-Glover, 13; Majid Akhtar, 28 Faryaal Akhter, 2; Zain Akhtre, 5 Casey Albury, 17; Timothy Aleshire, 27 Angel Alicea-Estrada, 58 Stefanie Almer, 36 Lindsey Angela Alvarez, 4 Austin Anderson, 19 Jeff Antwis, 14; Aiden Archer, 3 Harry Aspley, 23 months; Tamiyah Audain, 12 Angelica Auriemma, 20; Jeffrey Bailey Jr., 13 Katie Lynn Baker, 10 Benjamin Barnhard, 13 Randle Barrow, 8; Dale Bartolome, 27 Asher Bashir, 4; William Beals, 19 Michael Becht Jr., 10; Adam Behan, 22 Nicole Beilman, 27; Erianna Beltran, 3 Brandon Beukers, 25; Stephanie Bincliffe, 25 Ryan Birse, 22; Charles-Antoine Blais, 6 Eric Bland, 38; Gary Blanton III, 5 Brendan Blum, 14; Jeffrey Bogrett, 9 James Boucher, 40; Jeremy Bostick, 11 Lucas Braman, 1; Steven Brazier, 19 Gabriel Britt, 6; Antonio Brooks, 14 Cameron Brookes, 16; Andromeda Brown, 21 Asher Brown, 13; Deetrick Brown, 2 Michael Camberdella, 18 Roland Campbell, 21 Maggie Caraballo, 38; Deonn Carter, 31 George Philip Carter, 59; Robin Callender, 53 Jonathan Carey, 13; Jose Castillo-Cisneros James Casullo, 8; Kathleen Casullo, 12 Tyler Caudill, 6; Dillon Cearfoss, 20 Calvin Champion, 32; Sze-ming Chan, 10 Mohammad Usmad Chaudhry, 21; Scarlett Chen, 4 Paul Childs, 15; On-Yu Choy, 15 Johnny Churchi, 13; Patrick Clare, 35 Kayden Clarke, 24; Michael Clement, 15 Christopher Cline, 35; Damian Clough, 12 Raashanai Coley, 11; Casey Collier, 17 Kevin Colindres, 18; Owen Collins, 3 Adrian Colon, 4; Maia Comas, 2 Joseph Conant, 1; Daniel Corby, 4 Anthony Corona, 18; Linda Cornelison, 19 Erin Crabtree, 18; Chelsea Craig, 14 Kristopher Crain, 22; Sarah Crider, 14 Taariq Cross, 7; Terrance Cottrell Jr., 8 Kenneth Countie, 24 James Joseph Cummings Jr., 46 Hansel Cunningham, 30 Sanaa Cunningham, 7 Aja Dasa, 16; Jason Dawes, 10 Anthony Dawson, 64; Ryan Davies, 12 Sarah Davies, 24; Stephen Davies, 46 Dylan Davis, 11; Kevin DeAnda, 25 Carl DeBrodie, 31; Christopher DeGroot, 19 David Dehmann, 33; Jeshiah DeJesus, 9 Michael DeLoge, 38; Ronnie Derrick, 47 Mitchell Dickson, 10; Mitchell Di Stasio, 4 Doherty, unknown; Gemma Dove, 33 Cory Dreiling, 26; Malik Drummond, 2 Brahim Dukes, 18; Hayden Dukes, 4 Fabian Duque, 16; Kyle Dutter, 12 Brandon Earle, 18; Bijan Ebrahimi, 44 James Ecford, 25; Jaelen Edge, 13 Joseph Edwards, 17; Stanley Edwards, 40 Elric Eiffert, 34; Jack Ellis, 20 Timothy Ellis Jr., 2; Ryan Emory, 16 Jamie Fairclough, 26; Faheem Farook, 7 Liam Fee, 2; Adrian Fierro, 20

Marcus Fiesel, 3; Gerard Fleming, 35 Demykho Forbes, 30; Leylan Forte, 4 Corey Foster, 16; Fantasia Franklin, 21 Jeffrey Franklin, 16; Heather Frans, 19 Jeremy Fraser, 9; Glen Freaney, 11 John Fulton, 12; Graham Gentles, 22 Paul Gianelos, 45; Sarah Gibbs, 34 Dougie Gibson, 13 Lilian Leilani Gill, 4 Paul Gladwell, 38; Samson Goitom, 21 Jacob Grabe, 13; Matthew Graville, 27 Carl Gregory, 20 Jonathan Grinstein-Camacho, 28 Rosario Gomez, 14; Matthew Goodman, 14 Shane Graham, 10; Jared Greenwood, 26 Robert Guinyard Jr., 4; Dameian Gulley, 14 Matthew Hafer, 28; Joseph Haines, 25 Garrett Halsey, 13; Cameron Hamilton, 2 Jake Harkins, 10; Rebekah Harkins, 57 Cole Hartman, 8; Jim Helm, 27 Chris Helmlinger, 24 Brian Goh Kah Heng, 19 Jon Henley, 14; Jawara Henry, 27 Carlos Herrera, 22; David Herrera Jr, 22 Dustin Hicks, 14; Walter Hildebrand Jr. 20 George Hodgins, 22 Christopher Holliman, 24 Kenneth Holmes, 12 James Many White Horses, 2 Omarion Humphrey, 9; Sean Hurtt, 14 Van Ingraham, 50; Chad Jackson, 25 Jonah Jackson, 6; Jared James, 24 Leon Jayet-Cole, 5; Hevin Jenkins, 2 Jenny Jessup, 27; Stephanie Jobin, 13 Miss John, unknown; Marquail Johnson, 8 Tia Jones, 12; Daniel Joost, 18 David Jordan, 20; Kaiya Kapahu, 5 Kesia Kearse, 5; Brian Kent, 25 Tony Khor, 15; Tammara Killam, 25 Ethan Scott Kirby, 3; Tianna Kirchner, 4 Ruby Knox, 20; Stephen Komninos, 22 Giovanni Kopystenski; Gulpreet Kumari, 12 Montana Lance, 9; Bradley LaPointe, 22 William Lash IV, 12; Shane Laycock, 11 Jake Lasker, 19; Aaron Leafe, 15 Savannah Leckie, 16; Hun Joon Lee, 19 Ty Lee, 11; Kennedy LeRoy, 16 Lane Lesko, 19; Daniel Leubner, 13 Leung, 14; Jennifer Little, 2 Tyler Long, 17; Gordon Longphee, 56 Matthew Lowry, 29; Paige Lunsford, 14 Joshua Maddox,15; Justin Malphus, 5 Denis Maltez, 12; Charles Mancill, 24 Elisa Manrique-Lutz, 11 Martin Manrique-Lutz, 10 Patrick Markcrow, 36 Jeremy Mardis, 6 Melissa Mathieson, 18 Kristal Mayon-Ceniceros Stephen McAfee, 20 London McCabe, 6 Katherine McCarron, 3 Marcus McGhee, 9 Elspeth McKendrick, 16 Benjamin McLatchie, 22 James McLaughlin, 20 Christopher Melton, 18 Richard Meredith, 82; Vincent Milletich, 22 Matthew Mirado, 17; Jude Mirra, 8 Raymond Mitchell, 21; Nhlanhla Mnguni, 4 Mzee Mohammed, 18; Jeremiah Moore, 19 Abubakar Nadama, 5; Sarah Naylor, 27 Tristan Neiland, 6; Bryan Nevins, 20 Melissa Neyman, 19; Phillip Nicholson, 22 Jade Norton, 10; Tine Nyes, 38 Gareth Oates, 18; Timothy O’Brien, 14 Chase Ogden, 13; Richard Oland, 69 Omar Omran, 3; Erick Oritz, 16 Ahziya Osceola, 3; Angela Owen, 45 Samauri Page, 14; Aaron Pajich, 18 Palak, 14; Adrian Palmer, 21 Dayvid Pakko; Daniel Pelka, 4 Nicholas Pesare, 18; Remie Palmero, 11 Rudransh Panda, 18; Pierre Pasquiou, 10

Jordan Payne, 5; Vincent Phan, 24 Makayla Pickett, 14 Kenneth Pierre-Louis, 18 Tiffany Pinckney, 23; Julian Pintar, 11 Gabriel Poirier, 9; John Glenn Popple, 48 Brandon Porter-Young, 18; Kyle Potts, 9 Kajieme Powell, 25; Tavin Price, 19 Harry Procko,4; Jared Prudhomme, 26 Dominik Prusinski, 21; Basma Rafay, 20 Buddhi Rai, 31; Leslie Ramirez, 3 Otto Rapihana, 20; Leah Ratheram, 20 Michael Raven, 12; Thomas Rawnsley, 20 Michael Renner-Lewis III, 15 Nicholas Richett, 20 Julian Roary Jr., 12; David Roberts, 2 Alex Robinson 9; Robert Robinson, 16 Rylan Rochester, 6 months; Rasheen Rose, 33 Shaun Rossington, 21; Steven Rouse, 22 Brianna Saenz, 5; Jonathan Samuel, 13 Honesty Sanders, 4; Christina Sankey, 37 Alex Santiago, 21; Aishika Sarkar, 7 Naawal Sayid, 7; Daniel Schlemmer, 6 Luke Schlemmer, 3; Mason Scott, 6 Seo, 4; Krissy Shannon, 29 Susan Shea, 19; Nozomu Shinozaki, 22 Dainell Simmons, 29; Rochelle Simms, 32 Steven Simpson, 18; Ajit Singh, 12 Austin Skidmore, 19; Dyasha Smith, 21 Otto Smith, 18; Terry Smith Jr., 11 Craig Sorger, 13; Ulysses Stable, 12 Calista, Springer, 16; Seth Sueppel, 8 Jack Sullivan, 18; Jarred Parks, 19 Connor Sparrowhawk, 18 Alex Spourdalakis, 14 Francis Stack Jr., 48; Joan Stack, 82 Mary Stack, 57; Carl Starke, 36 Terrell Stepney; Kimberly Stern, 27 Konstantin Stjepic, 10 Melissa Stoddard, 11 Jason Tallman, 12 David Taylor, 28 Sidney Templeton, 44 Emily Titterington, 16 Robert Thaut, 25; Thomas Thompson, 11 Aleksi Toledo, 4; Isaiah Toole, 16 Robert L. Thaut, 25; James Thomas, 38 James Thompson, 42; Courtney Topic, 22 Jarrod Tutko Jr., 9; Alan Turing, 41 George Van Day, 26; Chance Vanderpool, 4 Tanya Valentin, 36; Trevor Varinecz, 16 Damien Veraghen, 9 ; Matthew Vick, 23 Lakesha Victor, 10; Shellay Ward, 7 Alexis Wartena, 7; Ernest Vassell, 56 Jason Walsh, 5; Steven Washington, 27 Evan Watkins, 4; Stephon Watts, 15 Lydia Whitford, 18; Maxwell Webb, 16 Cordero Webber Jr., 5 months Joseph Weber, 36 Joseph Webster, 19; Ran Weiss, 31 Lei Wenfeng, 15; Brandon White, 15 Ronald Wilderman, 57; Kevin Wilkes, 32 Amareon Williams, 5; Brandon Williams, 5 Hezekiah Wilson III, 38; Wayne Winter, 39 Joseph Winters, 14; Willie Wright, 15 Matthew Wooby, 12; Mark Wood, 44 Heaven Woods, 5; Sean Yates, 35 Yin, 9; Andrew Young, 40 Mark Young, 11; Teyshawn Young, 3 Jia Jia Zhang, 3 Ms. A, unknown Unknown Female, 6 Unknown Male, 8 Unknown Male, 21 Anonymous Male “2014-77”, 30s Unknown Male, 6 Unknown Female, 7 Unknown Female, 33 Unknown Male, 16 Disabled North Koreans 35,000 Aktion T4 Victims Read more at https://autismmemorial.wordpress.com. We wish to extend special thanks for their hard work giving a voice to victims.

Page 15

Word on the street Who is your celeb crush?

“Michael B. Jordan because of Black Panther” –Lianne De La Cruz ’19

“Ulrik Munther, a swedish popstar” –Ella Baum ’20

“Henry Cavill ” –Kevin Cañas ’20

“Young Corbin Bleu” –Kathryn Burke ’20

“Carrie Underwood” –Marc Milone ’20

“Mila Kunis” –Matty Mrlik ’20

Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

HUMOR & SATIRE

Page 16

April 5, 2018

Breaking News

From the desk of Leah Cates and Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Editors

Disgruntled students protest President Bradley’s April Fool’s Day email by setting off all dorm sprinklers Undercover editor reveals juiciest secrets of the Misc Yesenia Garcia Public Servant

W

hen I applied for Humor Co-Editor last spring, I was mainly excited about the flashy title, but I had an ulterior motive. I’ve always seen myself as a public servant, and I decided it was my mission to deliver the truth regarding Vassar’s most enigmatic organization: The Miscellany News. Now that I’ve been on the Editorial Board for nearly two semesters, it’s time to reveal the knowledge I’ve acquired about the inner workings of the Misc.

Every Sunday at 9 p.m., the Rose Parlor hosts a ritual known as “Paper Critique.” In this elaborate ceremony, Ed Board and anyone else brave enough gather ominously in a ring. With a copy of the previous week’s Misc in hand, we begin scrutinizing.

Page by page, we inspect the paper and offer insightful criticism like “the color of this picture is off” or “the numbers on the crossword are a bit blurry this week.” We all mutter in agreement and then proceed to the next section, searching for the slightest discrepancy. The purpose of this activity is to target our weaknesses so that The Miscellany News becomes the strongest, most powerful small liberal arts collegiate newspaper in the Northeast.

On the third floor of the College Center, tucked away out of sight, is the Miscellany News office.

This is where the magic happens. Few outsiders have survived the trek up the flights of stairs, and even fewer have returned to tell the tale. In this office, editors and assistants alike hunker down every Tuesday night for “production night.”

During production nights, we are at the mercy of the mighty god known as “InCopy,” our ever-failing software. I’ve frequently observed editors offer sacrifices to this beast to keep it satisfied. As a mere humor editor, my duties rarely require that I stay later than midnight, but I’ve heard countless tales from my comrades of many a sleepless night after experiencing the wrath of InCopy. I salute my

colleagues for their tireless dedication; these heroes are braver than the U.S. Marines.

It is difficult to go through a production night without referencing the Style Guide. Few documents sexier than the Style Guide exist. The Style Guide is a laminated guardian angel that helps editors make the right decisions in times of grammatical strife. One of the more controversial tenets of the style guide is the omission of the Oxford comma. We are not sure what would happen if you did use an Oxford comma, but spontaneous combustion is not out of the question. Adhering to this tenet fundamentally changes a person—once you give up the Oxford comma, there is no going back!

After production night, you’d think the work was over. Wrong! Wednesday means Ed Board meeting, where we check in with each other, discuss article assignments and begin Staff Ed. Since many Misc readers only look at the Humor Section and the crossword, you may be unfamiliar with Staff Ed—it’s an opinions article approved by at least two-thirds of Ed Board. During meetings, we wait for two tributes to volunteer to write. To date, no one has ever died while writing Staff Ed, but aversion to this task remains ever-present.

The interviews conducted at these meetings are the most significant ritual because they symbolize the rebirth, renewal and growth of the Misc. The interviewees are usually wide-eyed first-years who are ready to step up to the challenge of being a part of the most prestigious org on campus. After each interview, there is an awkward pause as we collectively decide whether or not we should clap—we usually don’t. This rigorous interview process helps our ranks grow stronger, ensuring that the Misc remains powerful for generations to come.

Hopefully I’ve shed some light on the mysterious institution known as the Misc. After conducting this research, I hypothesize that the goal of the Misc is complete world domination and, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to stop it. :)

Humor editor Leah checks in with co-editor Yesenia after smelling smoke in the Misc office. Indeed, spontaneous combustion had resulted from inclusion of an Oxford comma in a humor article. Yesenia, unfazed due to the frequency of such an occurrence, rolled her eyes, grabbed the Misc office fire extinguisher, and—whoops. Another comma-related fire.

Some nice advice from the Mice of Main Hannah Gaven and Josie Schermerhorn, Certified Advice Givers Dear Mice of Main, I’m convinced there’s a ghost haunting my room. Weird things have been happening, like photos falling off the wall and my lamp turning on randomly when I’m not home. This started after I participated in my first seance. How do I get rid of the ghost without it killing me?

—Stop Ghosting Me Dear Stop Ghosting Me, It’s likely that you angered an old Vassar ghost, and now they are out to get you. If you don’t want to live with a ghost for the next two months, there are a few important things you need to do. First, you need to get ahold of as much salt as possible (you could just smuggle all of the salt shakers out of the Deece). Since ghosts can’t cross salt lines, you can circle your bed, desk chair and wardrobe, so the ghost doesn’t steal your style. Now that you can sleep safely, the next task is vanquishing the ghost and banishing it from your room. You can try to hurt its feelings so it no longer wants to stay with

you. Perhaps try these insults: “Nobody cried at your funeral,” “You haven’t gotten laid in over 100 years” or “I can see right through you.” If none of these insults work, you may have to do another seance to figure out why the ghost is still around. Perhaps they will say that they need you to finish a final paper or take their multivariable calculus exam. While it may require some studying/cheating, as soon as you meet their demands, they’ll be out of your drawers.

Dear Mice of Main, On April Fool’s Day, I thought the email President Bradley sent out about the sprinklers being tested was for real. Out of fear of water ruining all my stuff, I purchased a tarp off of Amazon and attempted to waterproof my entire room.

Now, all of my stuff is covered in plastic, and I’m feeling like a fool. How do I get over this?

—President Bradley’s Victim Dear President Bradley’s Victim, You’re not the only one who got tricked. We

also thought it was real, but instead of waterproofing our room, we bought a kiddie pool and planned a beach party. When we had to cancel the party, our street cred was hurt. Since your room is already waterproofed, you may as well set off the sprinklers. Now’s the time to use that scented candle you were given over the holidays. Once the sprinklers go off, reenact the scene from “The Notebook” with the person you’ve been crushing on. Or find a friend whose birthday is coming up, and light some birthday candles. Just advise your friends to wear bathing suits to the party. Look on the bright side: Your things are already packed for moving out, and people will know you’re coming when they hear your signature plastic crinkle.

Dear Mice of Main, I nervous fart when I see my crush. It’s hard to cover up the stench and make a good impression. How do I land the girl of my dreams despite the fact I can’t control my gas?

—Gassed Up the Wrong Way

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Dear Gassed Up the Wrong Way, Always keep Febreze with you. When you’re about to rip one, spray the scent. Hopefully it works like the commercials, so she thinks you smell like roses and not bathroom activities. If you don’t have access to Febreze, come up with logical explanations for your gassiness. Keep a plate of beans in front of you or discuss your love of burritos. You can also address your nervousness around your crush. Ask her friends for stories about all the embarrassing things she’s done and keep those in mind when you’re interacting with her. Maybe once you get to know her, you’ll discover she burps uncontrollably when stressed, and the two of you are soulmates. Congrats! Invite us to the wedding!

Feeling sleep-deprived, heartbroken or generally disoriented? Send questions to Hannah (hgaven[at]vassar.edu) and Josie (jschermerhorn[at]vassar.edu) with the subject “Mice Advice.”

HUMOR & SATIRE

April 5, 2018

Page 17

Gender neutral bathrooms now self-identify as agender Blair Webber

Agender Bathroom Actvisit

P

Courtesy of Flickr

roving that how you identify can change over your lifetime, the gender neutral bathrooms in Vassar’s All Campus Dining Center have announced that they would now prefer to be referred to as agender.

“We hope that everybody on campus can attempt to be compassionate, if not empathetic, as we strive to live our best lives. Coming out to you all is not a decision that we’ve taken lightly.

For years we’ve been stuffed into categories— first men and women, then gender neutral— without being consulted about who we really are as bathrooms. Part of that was our inability, or refusal, to self-reflect, to love ourselves as a result of our fear of rejection and persecution.

Not any longer! We are now free,” said the bathrooms.

The student body has rallied admirably around the self-determination of these facilities.

Writing essays about the right of all rooms, bath or otherwise, to claim their own place-hood no matter how many stalls are inside them, and organizing fundraisers to purchase new plaques for the restrooms, Vassar students of all creeds have come to the aid of the restrooms. Junior Fred Lazarus went above and beyond to support their efforts, donating close to $150 and his debit card to the fundraiser.

“Wait, crap, you’ve seen my wallet? I thought I left it at home. In fact, I just assumed that I’d forgotten it at home over break, but now that you mention it, I do remember having it at that bake sale last week. Do you know who has it? I really need it back, someone drained my bank

account and my parents are really pissed,” said Lazarus.

Content to be seen as the unsung hero despite his unbelievable contribution, Lazarus has kindly passed the mic to those whose voices truly matter at this moment: the Deece’s agender bathrooms. The restrooms have published their own manifesto, calling for a revolution for agender bathrooms across the country to follow in their footsteps.

“We will no longer live in fear! We will be seen!” read the moving closing words of the 400-page document, which draws heavily on the sociopolitical philosophies of Marx and Engels.

It cites the deeply ingrained institutions in society that force bathrooms into silence, such as the general misconception that bathrooms are inanimate.

“We have been categorized as lacking a consciousness for too long by the general public. It is time for restrooms of all identities to be heard throughout the nation—nay, the world,” the document declares. It also calls for the replacement, or complete abolition, of all signs outside the bathrooms, a proposition that has raised the ire of the administration, which has not proven as supportive of the bathrooms’ brave step forward.

“Every year, we spend another 20 dollars or something for new bathroom signs, and it’s just not financially feasible for the institution to continue this. We’re happy the Deece’s bathrooms have found themselves, but we’re just not in the position at the moment to make any of the changes that they have demanded. It’s pure dollars and cents,” said a Board representative.

Hundreds of passionate students gathered outside the Deece on Monday to protest the administration’s apathetic response to the request of the Deece bathrooms to be considered agender.

Outraged by the lukewarm reception from the highest spheres of control in the college, the Deece bathrooms have organized a protest.

Bathrooms across campus have shut down in solidarity, sending a clear signal to the administration. Most of the student body joined the protest, skipping classes and making decorative posters to hang on the doors of the bathrooms about how, deep down, we’re all just a series of pipes running into the sewer. Not all students, however, wholeheartedly support the bathrooms’ protest.

“I just really need to poop,” said sophomore

HOROSCOPES

Andrea Carter, “and all the bathrooms have been on strike for the protests and rallies this week, which is great, I’m so glad they’re exercising their civil liberties. It would just be nice to, uh... you know...I guess it would just be nice to poop.”

In response to desperate students in need of a toilet, such as Carter, the campus’s bathrooms have issued a statement stating they will reopen when all bathrooms have equal rights not only in the eyes of Vassar’s administration, but also under the law.

“I can just go poop in the woods, it’s fine,” Carter responded.

Hannah Gaven

amateur astrologist

ARIES

March 21 | April 19

TAURUS

April 20 | May 20

GEMINI

May 21 | June 20

CANCER

June 21 | July 22

LEO

July 23 | August 22

VIRGO

August 23 | September 22

I, much like you, feel summertime sadness. I assume you feel the sadness for the same reason I do: You can no longer wear wool socks. While you can still try, the foot sweat and stench becomes unbearable. The stars predict that you’ll make unfortunate impressions on your professors if your feet stink.

You may be a little stubborn, but that can be a positive trait, especially when your friends want to celebrate the end of school year by jumping into the Hudson River. Continue to remind them that the water is about 40 degrees and that the first shark attack in North America happened in the Hudson River!

Now’s the time to embrace your body. Get the confidence you need for swimsuit season by sending all of your friends and family members your nudes. Hopefully you’ll even get some compliments!

I know you are desperately waiting for spring to turn to summer, even though I’m afraid it’s still winter. However, that does not mean that you can’t pretend it’s summer. You could turn up your radiator all the way to five and prance around your room in a tank top and shorts!

You have a big secret. A deep, dark secret! You don’t want summer to be here. While all of your friends look forward to their break, you know you won’t because you’ll miss all of them too much. No need to fret, you will be able to fall asleep with them over FaceTime.

I suspect you want to go on a road trip this summer. Now’s the time to make useful friends so you won’t have to drive that six hours by yourself. Prior to attempting friendship, stalk them on Facebook to see if they have a picture after passing their driver’s test or with their car.

LIBRA

September 23 | October 22

SCORPIO

October 23 | November 21

SAGITTARIUS

November 22 | December 21

CAPRICORN

December 22 | January 19

AQUARIUS

January 20 | February 18

PISCES

February 19 | March 20

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

You’ve been acting shady lately. Although it’s not summer yet, you can get in on the sunglasses trend.

Hopefully your shades will help you live out your lifelong dream of being shady! Also, they will keep you from burning your retinas.

As a Scorpio, you get jealous easily, so I know that seeing everyone’s spring break pictures in exotic places like Hawaii or Missouri can create some competition. To make your Instagram cooler, Google images of beaches and Photoshop in yourself and a couple of palm trees!

You may be feeling feisty this week. Resist those urges and agree with everything your roommate and closest friend says. Whether they want to touch tongues or spend two weeks at your house in the summer, I would recommend saying yes.

You may ask big questions, like: In real life, do Olaf’s feet melt on hot pavement? Are all puddles dead snowmen? Is stealing the Bible from a hotel morally wrong? If you want answers, email the Mice of Main advice column at hgaven[at]vassar. edu and jschermerhorn[at]vassar.edu.

You may be hesitant to go on a trip with your friends after school gets out. You are an adult and don’t need your parents’ approval. So go wild! Perhaps you could go to Montreal and party at a discotheque where the drinking age is 18!

It’s time to prank your friends before the end of school. Consider putting a pair of shoes in their fridge or whispering “you have to pee” into their ear while sleeping. Also, you can tie their delicates together and toss them over the water pipes (however, that’s a fire safety hazard, so don’t get caught).

SPORTS

Page 18

April 5, 2018

With World Cup looming, soccer’s racism rises to forefront Myles Olmsted Guest Columnist

I

n 2013, following a Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure claimed groups of CSKA supporters had racially abused him a few times throughout the match. In post-match interviews the Ivorian midfielder was furious, emphasizing that Russian soccer must clean up its racism problem. “Otherwise,” he said, “if we are not confident coming to the World Cup in Russia, we don’t come” (The Guardian, “Yaya Toure: players could boycott 2018 World Cup in Russia over racism,” 3.29.2018).

Toure’s suggestion never gained traction after that Champions League night. More than four years later, with World Cup on our doorstep, such talk of boycott is nowhere to be found. Yet racism in soccer pervades on an international scale.

Just last week, the French national team traveled to Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg (one of the host cities for this summer’s World Cup) for an international friendly against Russia.

The match made headlines not for the result, but for claims made—first by a Reuters photographer pitchside—of monkey noises directed towards French midfielder N’Golo Kante and other racist chants by Russian fans towards Black French players, including Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembele.

FIFA is set to collect evidence on the matter.

It would be a disturbing incident anytime, but especially so now because it is just months before

Russia hosts the world’s biggest sporting event, and because it is not an isolated incident. The fact is, Russian soccer has a serious racism problem. A quick Google search yields several incidents from just the last few months. Spartak Moscow was charged after its fans flung racist insults at Guilherme Marinato, Lokomotiv Moscow’s Brazilian keeper (Chicago Tribune, “Russia boss Cherchesov: racism not enough ‘to be fought,’” 3.07.2018).

Zenit St. Petersburg was charged last month by UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, for undisclosed fan transgressions thought to be the racist mocking of an injured Black player. In the 2016-7 season, Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), an organization that partners with FIFA and UEFA to fight discrimination and racism, reported 89 racist incidents (Chicago Tribune).

Asked about racism within Russian culture, Russian national team coach Stanislav Cherchesov asserted, “I do not think that we have racism on a scale that needs to be fought” (Chicago Tribune).

Toure won’t be in Russia this summer; he retired from international football in September and then Cote d’Ivoire saw their hopes of qualification dashed in November. Still, can anyone say with any degree of confidence that other players of color won’t face racist abuse during the month-long tournament? I certainly can’t.

We must take a serious look at why racism continues to blot the modern game, not just in Russia but across Europe as well. The obvious starting

point of interrogation is FIFA, who oversees the World Cup, and whose website claims inclusivity as one of the organization’s guiding principles. I frequently see FIFA’s “Say No to Racism’ campaign slapped up on the electronic boards surrounding pitches and banners held by players in team photos before games, which, while cute, doesn’t inspire much confidence as a driver of real change.

To address the problem of racism in 2013, FIFA established the Task Force Against Racism and Discrimination. Three years later, the task force was disbanded, having fulfilled its mission according to FIFA. At least some of the task force’s members didn’t believe the adoption of a crowd monitoring system, a guide for how referees should respond to racist and discriminatory incidents and the creation of a diversity award by FIFA meant that the task force had fulfilled its mission (The Guardian, “FIFA disbands its anti-racism task force declaring that the job is done,” 9.24.16).

While it is FIFA who will be held accountable for any racist incidents this summer, it perhaps is UEFA who should shoulder blame for persistent problems in Europe. Whereas FIFA only has power over the World Cup and qualifiers (played every four years), UEFA controls the Champions League and Europa League (played every year), as well as the European Championship. So, while UEFA won’t directly influence the World Cup, its action or inaction over the last few years will. It is UEFA who has more constant interactions with clubs, na-

tional federations and soccer culture.

Unfortunately, UEFA has not been a strong or consistent enough force in the fight against racism in soccer. It has doled out punishments in the past (against Zenit Saint Petersburg, for example, as discussed above); however, the instances of inaction stand out more strongly.

Just this January, Liverpool’s 17-year-old striker Rhian Brewster accused a Spartak Moscow defender of racial abuse during after a Youth League match. UEFA dropped the charges, citing lack of evidence. Borussia Dortmund striker Michy Batshuayi, on loan from Chelsea, claimed supporters of Italian club Atalanta racially abused him during a Europa League matchup. Last Thursday, UEFA rejected the case (USA Today, “Batshuayi doubts UEFA cares about racism,” 3.29.2018).

Batshuayi then tweeted: “2018 and still racists monkey noises in the stands ... really?!” (Twitter, (a) mbatshuayi, 3.29.2018) His tweet brilliantly doesn’t point to anyone, thus pointing to all involved—the fans in particular, the general toxic culture, and the organizations that have failed to root racism out.

On June 14, the host nation, Russia, will take on Saudi Arabia to kick off the World Cup. At that game and at all the games, trained FARE observers will be embedded incognito in the crowds, tracking and hoping to prevent racial abuse. I hope the observers hear nothing. I hope the tournament is remembered for its on-field play. I’m not too confident.

Manziel’s comeback must Formula One season marked be reconsidered by media by compelling race to top Jonathan Levi-Minzi Guest Columnist

TW: This article discusses instances of domestic violence.

FL character rehabilitation is a funny thing. At the tail end of his Cleveland Browns tenure, marked by persistent off-field run-ins, quarterback Johnny Manziel was reportedly considered by the Dallas Cowboys.

When allegations surfaced that he had hit his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley so hard that she sustained a ruptured eardrum, the interest predictably dissipated. Until Manziel sought treatment, he was untouchable (Sports Illustrated, “The Fall of Johnny Football,” 03.15.16).

Apparently, the standard for employment in the NFL is “seeking treatment,” even when it comes to violence and abuse. That said, Manziel will likely not be free to play in the early part of the season if signed by an NFL team. Players now get suspended for off-the-field violent transgressions, a recent development that took hold in the fallout from the Ray Rice incident of 2014.

But Manziel knows what he has to say now: Treatment, treatment, treatment. He’s making an effort to do the right thing. And in an important sense, he is doing the right thing. Being able to recognize one’s own need for treatment is a crucial step in tackling substance abuse, of which the quarterback has a well-documented history. But when a celebrity pronounces their humility before the disease, the media assumes that declaration as one of only good will and good tidings. In sports, this hopeful narrative is further imbued with optimism by the imperative to see great athletes compete and to have triumphant stories take shape.

A Manziel comeback would captivate a new height. The speedy quarterback burst onto the scene at Texas A&M as an underclassmen with exceptional talent and a penchant for the dramatic. It wasn’t a rarity to see Johnny escape two or three defensive linemen before launching a long successful pass into the opponent’s secondary. “Johnny Football” was a shooting star, and his “show me the money” gesture was all the rage.

For this kind of spectacle to become viable in

N

the NFL would be a media windfall. In fact, even if Manziel only achieves a backup quarterback status, his every move will nonetheless be chronicled.

Yet, there is a problem with this sports media narrativizing. It skips important steps of the rehabilitation process: recognizing and taking responsibility, making amends, demonstrating an understanding of gravity, and finally taking action to prevent negatively affecting others.

Unfortunately, the normative, sports-world comeback narrative really obscures this whole aspect of substance-abuse rehabilitation. The focus, as anticipated, has been entirely on whether or not Manziel can make the NFL, whether he can overcome his shortcomings.

Colleen Crowley dated Manziel for years. They met in college, and she was present with him throughout a good deal of his sudden rise to national celebrity status. As Manziel’s career crumbled, Crowley began to take the brunt of his abuse.

On one particular night in January 2016, Manziel struck her head with an open hand, threw her by her hair into the back of his car and drove her to her apartment. According to Crowley, he then threatened kill them both, while laughing and crying simultaneously (New York Post, “Johnny Manziel’s ex: ‘I was lucky to have survived,’” 03.03.2018).

In a close look at Manziel’s life since the NFL, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert only sees fit to document December 2016, when Manziel reached an agreement on the domestic abuse charges mandating his admittance to a treatment program (ESPN, “821 Days and Counting: Johnny Manziel’s time away from the NFL, 03.37.2018).

Despite Crowley’s harrowing account of his behavior, the story of Johnny Manziel presented by the media will evidently continue to be about his personal trials and travails. The effect of this is that any actions he has committed with consequences for others are essentially reinscribed as personal to him. They become a unilateral experience with no important ramifications for anyone else. Crowley contests this narrative vehemently, but it remains to be seen whether her voice will be enough to match the obstinate cognitive dissonance of the sports media.

Daniel Bonfiglio Guest Columnist

T

he 2018 Formula One season got off to a flying start in Australia on March 25, seeing Sebastian Vettel take the win for Ferrari over defending world champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished second for Mercedes. It is not the first time these two drivers have battled at the front, nor will it be the last. The result emphasizes one of the main storylines to watch in Formula One’s new season.

2018 marks a historic milestone: Four-time world champions will battle it out on the grid, and it is all but inevitable that the year will end with a five-time champion. Who this winner is will determine the best driver of this generation, as Hamilton and Vettel finally duel in equal machinery.

Hamilton burst onto the Formula One scene in 2007, outperforming his teammate and then defending two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. In only his sophomore season, Hamilton won the championship for McLaren. Vettel also debuted in 2007, and became the youngest ever race winner at age 21 in 2008 for Toro Rosso (still the team’s only victory), and youngest-ever champion two years later for Red Bull. He proceeded to dominate, winning three more consecutive titles for four in a row, and cementing Red Bull as the team to beat. In 2014, it was Hamilton’s turn.

When he made the switch to Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton put himself in excellent racing position for the coming years. In 2014, Formula One went through major regulation changes, switching to hybrid engines, and it was Mercedes that hit the ground running. It was quickly obvious that with the new cars, Mercedes was leagues ahead of the rest, and Hamilton waltzed to his second title, with his teammate Nico Rosberg placing in second.

After the disappointing season for Vettel, he made the switch to Ferrari, but Hamilton still cruised to another title in 2015, again with Rosberg behind him. By the time 2016 rolled around, the speculation around who could beat Hamilton shifted from Vettel to Rosberg, as the Mercedes cars remained leagues ahead. Vettel could only hope to be the best of the rest. Rosberg rose to the occasion, and in a vicious battle handed Hamilton

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

his first ever championship loss to a teammate.

2017 saw regulations change, offering a chance for other teams to bridge the gap dividing them from Mercedes. Mercedes was also struck by the surprise retirement of Rosberg, leaving them without a driver for their second car. Ultimately, they struck a deal with the Williams team to acquire driver Valtteri Bottas in exchange for establishing cheaper rates on Mercedes parts. 2017 was the closest season in years, and Vettel was finally able to again challenge Hamilton. Ferrari was closer, but ultimately fell short, and Hamilton won his fourth championship. Bottas also failed to put up the same kind of fight as Rosberg.

2018 sees the two teams finally with practically equal cars. It is the true clash of the titans.

The second-biggest storyline is that of Fernando Alonso. Often regarded as the best driver in Formula One, the aging veteran may still be able to fight for victories. After winning two championships early in his career, Alonso was forced out of McLaren to Ferrari due to the emergence of Hamilton. There, he spent years finishing second to Vettel’s Red Bull in a far lesser car, outperforming his car and teammate every year. In 2015 he returned to McLaren as they entered a partnership with Honda, hoping that the pairing would work as it had before in the 90s. Instead, Honda provided the worst engine on the grid, and the world-class talent was stuck going slowly. This year, McLaren has dumped Honda for Renault—the same engine provider for Red Bull—and though not the best, it should give Alonso the ability to fight for wins at some tracks. His fifth-place finish in Australia already ties his highest since returning to McLaren.

Red Bull also could win with a decent car, and their duo of young phenom Max Verstappen and the energetic Daniel Ricciardo is possibly the most dynamic in Formula One. In the midfield, Haas and Renault have looked strong, and the debut season of Sauber’s highly touted rookie Charles Leclerc will be watched closely. Formula One is also under new ownership as the American group Liberty Media begins its first full year. The second race takes place in Bahrain on April 8. Now that you’re up to speed, why not check it out?

April 5, 2018

SPORTS

Page 19

Men’s tennis suffers setback in loss to Ithaca at home Fiona MacLeod Guest Reporter

I

n their first matchup following a spring break training trip to California, the Vassar College men’s tennis team hoped to defeat Ithaca at Josselyn Tennis Courts. Though the home team secured a 4-3 lead with two remaining matches, their opponents eventually fought back to earn a 5-4 victory.

Entering the day, the Brewers boasted an .800 win percentage in Liberty League matchups, with strong singles and doubles records on the year. Five different players entered the day undefeated in Liberty League singles matches, while four doubles pairs held the same advantage. This momentum gave the Brewers a cru-

cial base of confidence heading into the tough matchup. “I thought our confidence level going into the match was good. We had a pretty tough stretch of losses going into this match, so we were extra hungry for a victory, especially since Ithaca is a conference opponent,” sophomore Jeremy Auh noted, referencing the team’s tight losses to Chapman University and Trinity College in California.

Vassar had to fight to regain the lead after falling behind 1-0 in the opening doubles match, in which junior duo Robin Drummond and Jamie Anderson were defeated 8-2 as Vassar’s number-two doubles pair. In their fourth Liberty League doubles victory this season, top duo Auh and first-year Adam Krueger fought

Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon

Sophmore Jeremy Auh gears up to return a serve in a match earlier this season. A key contributor to the men’s tennis team, Auh is undefeated in singles with a 5-0 record.

to earn an 8-2 victory and even the score. In a tight deciding battle, the number-three doubles team, junior Nick Zuczek and first-year Nicolas Demaria, cinched a monumental 8-6 win, giving Vassar the upper hand in doubles action.

However, Ithaca’s players would not be left behind, earning a victory over Demaria in two sets, 6-3 and 7-5, in order to even out the scoreboard. The Brewers once again began to fall behind, as the number-six singles player, sophomore Zamir Birnbach, was defeated in two 6-1 and 6-2 sets. At this point, Auh stepped back in for his match as Vassar’s number-three singles spot. Despite an initial 6-2 deficit in the first set, he rallied to win the next two consecutive sets, 7-5 and 6-1, to secure the win and even the matchup at 3-3. “I think my forehand and my volleys help me a lot in both singles and doubles,” said Auh. “They were able to get me out of some tight, tough situations, and had I not been able to rely on those two shots, I may not have been able to pull out the win.” With this victory, Auh remains undefeated in singles, boasting a 5-0 record in the Liberty League conference thus far.

Following this critical win, Anderson returned to the court, this time to take on Ithaca’s number-four singles player. Taking the win in two 6-2 and 7-6 sets, he improved his record to 6-3 on the current season, and improved the Brewers’ score of the day to 4-3. This tight lead could not be maintained, as the top two seeds for Ithaca ultimately defeated the Brewers’ top two players. First-year David Gandham, the number-one singles player for Vassar, earned an early 6-4 victory in his first set, but fell 6-3 and 6-1 in the following rounds, while fellow newcomer Krueger faced a similar fate. Though Krueger won his second set 6-4, his 6-4 and 6-3 losses in the first and third set, respectively, caused his ultimate loss.

Despite this wrenching loss against Ithaca, the Brewers still retain a 3-2 record in the Liberty League and a .600 winning percentage.

Individual players, as well as duos, continue to rank impressively high up in the league in their respective events. Sophomore Allen Sokolov remains third in the league in number-one singles, with a winning percentage of .667. Meanwhile, Gandham sits at second for the number-two singles with a .833, and Anderson ranks third in number-four singles with a .625. The impressive duo of Auh and Krueger sits third in the league for number-one doubles, only minutely behind the first place of .600.

The players hope to clinch a spot in the playoffs by continuing to improve. “I think we are going to be really focused on the mental aspect of our game,” Auh stated. “The final three Liberty League teams that we play in the rest of our regular season will be crucial for our seeding in the conference tournament.”

These upcoming league matchups are scheduled against the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Saint Lawrence University and Hobart College, which currently rank third, eighth and second in the league respectively.

“Really, it just comes down to who wants it more in the big moments, and that’s what we have been lacking,” recalled Auh about past matchups this season. “Ithaca was a solid team, but we definitely have the capability to beat them if we have another chance at them in playoffs.”

The Brewers will next compete against the 26th-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology this Friday, March 6 in Cambridge at 1:00 PM. This matchup will be closely followed by another ranked non-conference team, number-15 Tufts University in Medford the next morning at 10 AM.

In five-set marathon, volleyball handles ranked opponent VOLLEYBALL continued from page 1

cannot replicate in practice.”

Ros explained that starting strong is something the Brewers have been trying to grasp.

“Serve-receive played a huge role in deciding the match. We struggled with it early on, which is why I think we got off to a poor start,” Ros commented. “As the match progressed, we focused on improving our passing and seams, which allowed for our offense to open up. After that, we were able to control the flow and outcome of the match.”

On Saturday, the Brewers extended their winning streak to nine straight games with a 3-0 victory over Bard College. VC finished 8-1 in their conference, tying Stevens for the top spot in the conference.

Five Brewers posted five kills or more. Firstyear Wesley Olstad posted eight on the day, and sophomores Zach Bygall, Ghali Khalil and Ros each posted six.

Vassar dominated the Bard Raptors in every category. The Brewers hit .206 on the day compared to a -0.025 from Bard. VC posted 38 kills, 32 assists and only 18 errors while Bard put up 20 kills, 22 assists and 23 errors.

The two wins this past weekend only further the success that the Brewers have had throughout the season. Coach Gary attributes this success to leadership, versatility of players and a general elevated work ethic. “It’s really exciting to see how we’ve grown this year, despite losing three vital seniors from last year’s squad,” Coach Gary explained. He noted key players such as senior Zech Lee, Knigge and junior George Diehl, and identified the team’s ability to adapt to the loss of last year’s seniors.

“Overall the thing I’m most impressed with is the work the team has done to integrate six new freshmen into the roster,” he stated. “This is a great mix of new and returning players, and I’m hopeful that securing the number two seed

in conference will give us a great chance to achieve our goal of winning the UVC and returning to the NCAA’s.”

Senior captain Knigge, a two-time All-American player who leads the team with 360 kills, has been an exceptional offensive force for the Brewers in his time on the team. Although Knigge was proud of the team for coming up with a five-set win against Elmira this past weekend, he is primarily focused on what lies ahead. “I think we have our work cut out for us as far as winning our conference tournament and showing well in the NCAA tournament is concerned,” Knigge explained. He thinks that in

order to do this, the team must be consistent throughout the rest of the season.

In terms of some end-of-season goals, Knigge has his eyes set on reaching the pinnacle. “I want to win a national championship. I honestly think that we can do it. But we have to take it one match at a time. We can’t afford to lose at this point in the season, which makes it clear what we need to do.”

The Brewers have three guaranteed matches left this season before they enter league play and hopefully NCAA tournament play, where Knigge and the rest of the team is hoping to take home volleyball’s crowning jewel.

Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon

out to be incredibly accurate, as the Brewers found themselves in the middle of a battle from the moment they set foot on the court. Before they knew it, VC was down two sets to one, having lost the first and third set, but they fought hard in the fourth set to force the match to a fifth set.

Losing the first set has become an unfortunate tendency for the Brewers, and this weekend was no exception. Against Elmira, Vassar struggled out the gate with six service errors and four aces against them. Overall, the volleyball team has lost the opening set in three of their last four matches.

However, the Brewers did not give up and came back strong in the second set, with a few service errors in favor of Vassar and a key kill from sophomore Kevin Ros that allowed the Brewers to take the set.

The third set was another challenging one, with 11 attacking errors that allowed Elmira to go up 2-1. Vassar bounced back for the fourth set, however, and with late kills from senior Matt Knigge, Ros and first-year Ryan Duchemin. The match was now all knotted up, 2-2.

In the fifth set, VC hit 0.350 with no errors.

Knigge led the team with four kills to secure the thrilling five-set win for the Brewers.

The key for the Brewers’ victory was limiting Elmira’s offense in the later sets of the match.

In the first three sets, Elmira hit over .270, but Vassar crushed that hitting percentage down to 0.65 in the fourth set and 0.120 in the fifth set.

Ros was happy with the way the Brewers did not fold after having lost two of the first three.

“It was a great mental test. We dug ourselves into a hole early on in the first couple of sets, and had to focus to get ourselves out,” Ros explained. “I always appreciate the tough matches like Elmira because it helps us train skills we

First-year Ryan Duchemin rises high above the net for a spike against New Paltz. Duchemin and the men’s volleyball team won matchups against Elmira and Bard this past weekend.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

SPORTS

Page 20 Men’s Lacrosse

Women’s Lacrosse

Vassar College 2, Ithaca College 9

Vassar College 7, Clarkson University 17

February 31, 2018

February 3, 2018

Vassar College

10 15 16 18 20 21 24 35 38 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 22 23 25 27 32 34 37 42 45

Player M. Lowery T.K. Murphy T. Meade S. Fleps N. Diamond E. Burns Z. Henig M. Boyd M. Mullen C. Vorel P. Sargeant L. Neville J. Thomas K. Cherry J. Hueston D. Adams P. Gibbons A. Georgalas N. Lyman P. Zimmerman E. Mikelinich D. Stebel R. Weiss S. Duryee J. Bradley R. Quattlebaum C. Koester C. Erdman A. Mello M. Killion Totals.......

Ithaca College

G

A

P

SH GB

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

2

2 4 20 35

6 2 1 3 0 0 3 2 5 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0

# 2 3 4 18 20 24 27 33 34 37 1 6 7 8 9 11 16 19 21 22 25 26 29 30 31 35 36 39 40

Player K. Morrissey R. Ozsvath W. Witter J. Cotton S. Landspurg K. Fitzpatrick R. Atwood S. Seaberg W. Wenham A. McCartney A. Sanchez C. Crosson S. Morrell M. Montgomery V. Fokas K. Enos T. Edson L. Cohen O. Smith C. Till T. Krampf B. King T.J. Brennan D. German D. Fitzpatrick J. Hall-Goldman R. Jacob C. Jolie D. Lee Totals.......

Vassar College

G

A

P SH GB

0 3 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

0 3 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

9

4

13 41 48

0 8 7 5 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0

2 3 4 4 2 2 1 5 4 9 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 3 0 0 0

# 2 3 7 9 11 13 14 15 16 18 24 31 4 5 6 12 17 19 20 21 22 25

Player F. MacLeod T. Waters O. O’Loughlin T. Newcomb A. LaMere K. Pushie A. MacEwen G. Goodwin -Boyd S. Sidelau A. Rivoir S. Nemphos E. Chancey S. Herrera-Ross E. Hamburger L. Wolk C. Congo K. Parentis M. Kokinis J. Sledzik H. Haydn G. Patick A. Fable

Totals.......

G

A

P

Clarkson University

SH GB

3 0 1 0 0 2 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0

4 0 1 0 0 4 0 0

5 4 1 0 0 3 2 0

4 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2

1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

7

4 11 19 13

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Player

#

L. Smith T. Collins K. Sergeant J. Baytos S. Scaia A. Collins E. Andrews A. Borgesi A. Gruneisen A. Ellman S. Gladd L. Smith T. Kwiek S. Duhaime J. Nicotra M. Rowlee A. Danyla A. Panarites K. Fann N. Farnett E. Fischer C. Murphy

1 3 9 10 11 13 17 20 24 25 30 32 5 6 7 8 14 18 21 23 28 31

Totals.......

G

A

P

SH GB

0 1 6 0 4 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 2 1 8 0 4 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

0 2 3 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

17

1 1 2 1 2 5 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

6 23 34 20

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#

April 5, 2018

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