The Miscellany News Volume CXLVI Issue 12

The Miscellany News

Volume CXLVI | Issue 12

January 31, 2013

Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

Chan’s, Zorona closed indefinitely Sudden resignations strain VSA Council Vice President for Academics and Vice President for Student Life to be filled by appointment Carrie Plover

Guest RepoRteR

O Jiajing Sun/The Miscellany News

n Sunday, Jan. 27, Vassar Student Association (VSA) President Jason Rubin announced via email that the VSA Council would appoint successors to fill the currently vacant positions of Vice President for Academics and Vice President for Student Life.

Matt Harvey ’13 and Michael Moore ’14 both stepped down from their positions for personal reasons; however, their resignations were separate occurrences.

Moore is currently on a leave of absence from the College.

Vice President for Operations Deb Steinberg and the Board of Elections had recommended

Local restaurants closed several weeks ago after a devastating fire which is still under investigation. See FIRE on page 4.

that both the Student Life and Academics positions be filled by appointment rather than through special election. The VSA Council confirmed this decision through a vote on Sunday.

The position of Vice President for Student Life is officially described as the “primary liaison to the Dean of the College division.

The VP for Student Life deals with all of the non-academic aspects of the Vassar experience, including Residential Life, Campus Dining, Security, and the Campus Life offices. Due to the close relationship between this position and the Dean of the College division, the VP for Student Life represents the student voice on a See VSA on page 4

Students Daily Show comedian ‘wintern’ Mo Rocca to visit VC over break Emma Daniels RepoRteR

Juan Bautista Dominguez Guest RepoRteR

Mo Rocca’s presentation this Tuesday will be in the form of an interview, and will explore the sometimes fuzzy boundary between “fake” and “real” news.

Women’s basketball seeks to clinch third consecutive Liberty League championship Christian Ladu Guest RepoRteR

W courtesy of Vassar Athletics

hen it comes to preparing for the inevitable leap from Vassar into the job market stress and anticipation combine resulting in emotions ranging from nervous excitement to sheer terror. Some write cover letters and update resumes with gusto and eagerness while others recoil and shudder at the thought of having to pay rent and meet real-world deadlines, where extensions are rarely awarded.

Very much aware of all of these concerns, the Vassar College Career Development Office (CDO) works to make the transition as smooth as possible. The CDO’s Winter Break Shadowing Program, provided an opportunity for students to dip their toes into the workforce under the wing of an alumnus. Some hoped to stumble across an unexpected passion, while some simply crossed their fingers that the career path they have been working towards is one they truly want to pursue.

The office’s Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Matt Wheeler ’12 wrote in an emailed statement, “The goal of the Winter Break Shadowing Program was to offer students meaningful career and networking experiences over the winter break.”

He explained that because winter break is not the optimal time See WINTERNSHIPS on page 8

hen asked about the difference between his roles as a Daily Show contributor and a CBS correspondent, humorist and political satirist Mo Rocca said in an online interview: “I get paid now and I may get insurance.”

This year’s Krieger Memorial Lecture: “Fake News vs. Real News: Just How Fine is the Line?” will address this distinction, amongst others, between Rocca’s jobs. Given Rocca’s reputation for his off the cuff, con-

courtesy of Thom Kaine

W

W

versationalist attitude, he will be giving his lecture in the format of a live interview with Louise Dufresne ’13 on Tuesday, February 5th at 8:00 pm on the second floor of the Students’ Building.

The Krieger Memorial Lecture is given annually in memory of Alex Krieger ’95, who was killed in an automobile accident during the spring of his freshman year. Candidates are primarily public figures that somehow embody Krieger’s interest in witty American writing, and past lecSee MO ROCCA on page 15

Women’s basketball has won its third Liberty League championship in a row, putting the record at 7-3. The team is gunning for playoff contention.

hile most of the student body has enjoyed a wonderful month away from Vassar whether relaxing at home, hitting the slopes, or pursuing internships, the women’s basketball team has been grinding away in their relentless pursuit of a third straight Liberty League championship. Since starting up again with the December 29 game against Widener College, the team has gone 7-3 (14-4 on the season) and is squarely in playoff contention.

Key to the team’s success this year is the sheer energy that the team puts into its play. Though the exact schemes may switch defensively

from matchup to matchup, the activity levels and pressure that the Vassar women apply to their opponents keeps them out of their comfort zones, forcing bad shots and turnovers. Once possession is gained there is no let up in pace, as Coach Brown encourages her players to attack in transition, and fleet guards sophomore Nyah Berg and freshman Caitlin Drakeley often find success going the full length of the court after a long rebound.

This policy of constant attack both defensively and offensively is made possible by the impressive depth of the Vassar team, stated senior forward Natalie Allen. “The biggest See WOMEN’S B-BALL on page 18

Miscellany News spring interest meeting this Friday, February 2 at 5pm in the Faculty Parlor. Free pizza!

Inside this issue

5

FEATURES

Highs and lows: juniors share their tales from abroad

9

OPINIONS

Staff Editorial: our thoughts on Obama’s second inaugural

13 HUMOR

“Fill it with dirt,” and other strategies to avoid the fiscal cliff

Page 2

The Miscellany News

January 31, 2013

Editor-in-Chief

David Rosenkranz

Contributing Editors Hannah Blume Rachael Borné Adam Buchsbaum

Welcome to the new online home of

The Miscellany News Blogs Multimedia Comments Subscriber accounts Low-cost student ads and more.

Coming soon to miscellanynews.com

News Bethan Johnson Leighton Suen Features Chris Gonzalez Marie Solis Opinions Lane Kisonak Humor & Satire Jean-Luc Bouchard Arts Steven Williams Sports Meaghan Hughes Photography Katie de Heras Design Aja Brady-Saalfeld Online Alessandra Seiter Assistant Opinions Gabe Dunsmith Assistant Arts Jack Owen Assistant Photo Jacob Gorski Jiajing Sun Crossword Editor Jack Mullan Reporters Amreen Bhasin Christopher Brown Charlacia Dent Columnists Zoe Dostal Luka Laden Zach Rippe Joshua Sherman Jill Stein Juan Thompson Eli J. Vargas I Photography Cassady Bergevin Jonah Bleckner Spencer Davis Rachel Garbade Emily Lavieri-Scull Design Palak Patel Bethany Terry Online Victoria Bachurska Rachel Dorn Youngeon Kim Copy Farah Aziz Sophia Gonsalvez-Brown Jacob ParkerBurgard LETTERS POLICY The Miscellany News is Vassar College’s weekly open forum for discussion of campus, local and national issues, and welcomes letters and opinions submissions from all readers.

Letters to the Editor should not exceed 450 words, and they usually respond to a particular item or debate from the previous week’s issue. Opinions articles are longer pieces, up to 800 words, and take the form of a longer column. No letter or opinions article may be printed anonymously. If you are interested in contributing, e-mail misc@vassar.edu.

ADVERTISING POLICY The Miscellany News (1) reserves the right to reject or edit any advertising copy at any time; (2) will not accept advertisements that promote discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex or sexual orientation, nor will it accept advertisements of a political nature or advertisements that promote products or services illegal in the State of New York: (3) will print every advertisement with the word “advertisement” above it; (4) shall not be liable for failure to print, publish or circulate all or any portion of any issue if such a failure is the result of circumstances beyond the paper’s control.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

January 31, 2013

NEWS

Page 3

Unexpected incidents mark beginning of Chenette’s term Bethan Johnson neWs eDitoR

O

Cassady Bergevin/The Miscellany News

n Jan. 1, Jonathan Chenette officially assumed the role of Acting President for the spring semester. In the month since his arrival, Acting President Chenette has dealt with numerous issues, both standard and unexpected, and anticipates a busy semester.Previously Dean of the Faculty, Chenette will hold his current position until President Hill returns from her sabbatical in June. Chenette will take a yearlong leave as Dean of the Faculty because, following the return of President Hill, Chenette will take his own sabbatical; this fact is not lost on Chenette, who noted, “I do miss the day-today contact with faculty and thinking about the curriculum; however, I’m not too far removed from that because there’s also an Acting Dean of the Faculty, and he and I talk regularly.”

Although the role of Acting President largely grants Chenette the same purview as President Hill, the Acting President does not anticipate any drastic alterations to the operation of the college or to students’ everyday lives. Chenette explained, “In a six month appointment as Acting President I am not going to be making any substantial changes from what President Hill would do. My job is to make sure the campus runs well this semester.”

While he maintains that his term will not produce unexpected changes, Chenette does anticipate some differences in leadership. “My primary focus is more campus-based than Cappy’s has been able to be during the past couple of years of her extensive travels for the college’s capital campaign and sesquicentennial celebrations,” Chenette observed.

The Acting President also plans on maintaining communication with President Hill during his term. While the two have been in communication numerous times thus far, Acting President Chenette hopes to transition away from frequently phoning the President on her leave.

“I am trying very hard to minimize the num-

ber of times I need to contact President Hill,” he said. While he noted that he can always seek President Hill’s advice, Chenette hopes to instead continue utilizing other members of the administration. “We have a very competent, experienced group of senior officers,” Chenette noted.

Despite dealing with unexpected issues and focusing more closely on Vassar’s internal issues than President Hill has in recent years, Chenette does intend on preserving one important policy as Acting President: presidential office hours.

In order to remain connected with students, Chenette has been working with the President’s student interns to coordinate times to meet with concerned students. “President Hill had two regular office hours weekly reserved for student appointments,” Chenette noted, “I plan to continue that practice.”

Despite weeks of training alongside President Hill, Acting President Chenette has had to tackle many unforseen events, such as the execution of the deer cull and an anonymous threat against the College. Opposition to the cull emerged in its final stages. “Dealing with the high level of passion that sort of thing arouses is very challenging and time consuming,” Chenette noted.

Acting President Chenette also needed to respond to the sudden death of Andrei Buryachenko ’13 on January 10. Acting President Chenette has responded to the news by sending out a campus-wide email, speaking with the students’ parents and helping plan a memorial service.

“The death of a student was an incredibly sad thing,” Chenette observed. “We’ve been working with the family to figure out how to honor Andrei in a way that accords with their wishes and is sensitive to their loss.” A memorial celebration will be held on Friday, February 1st at 3:00 p.m. in the Vassar Chapel.

Apart from working with other administrators in holding this service, Acting President Chenette also hopes to help the community through this loss in other ways, such as provid-

Former Dean of the Faculty and current Acting President Jonathan Chenette accepted the executive position during a difficult time, marked by tragedy, controversy and other unexpected circumstances. ing students with forums to express their grief.

“Trying to express our collective grief at losing a member of our community,” noted Chenette, “but also ensuring that we put in place appropriate ways of honoring his memory and helping those who are most deeply, directly touched by his loss is a really important thing for the president’s office to be involved in.”

Another unexpected tragedy struck Poughkeepsie only days after Chenette assumed his new role: a fire at Chan’s Peking Kitchen. The blaze, which began a little after 1 a.m. on January 7, quickly spread throughout the building, which includes a three-story apartment building and Zorona Restaurant. Chenette explained, “Led by the Office of Finance and Administration, we’ve had to spend some time…confirming, first of all, that people were safe who lived in some of the apartments in that building.”

The incident, which has left Zorona, Chan’s

Peking Kitchen, and apartments with substanial fire, water and smoke damage, will also have larger implications for the college. “[We’re] then thinking through, at least, what some of the possibilities are that we might need to consider.

There will need to be broad discussions relating to those options,” Chenette noted.

Acting President Chenette will also have to address finalizing the annual budget in the coming weeks. “One of the big things that happens from the presidential point of view during the next couple of months,” Chenette explained, “is laying the groundwork for the approval of next year’s budget with the Board of Trustees.”

Working alongside the Vice President for Finance and Administration Elizabeth Eismeier and Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources Marianne Begemann, Chenette will solidify a budget plan to present to the Board of Trustees in the beginning of March.

College culls II deer on farm and ecological preserve, despite controversy, legal action, and anonymous threat Leighton Suen neWs eDitoR

O

n Thursday, Jan. 10, the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve concluded its second deer cull. The cull, which took place on the Monday and Thursday nights of that week, drew more attention than its predecessor, including increased publicity, legal actions, community protests, and an anonymous threat of violence directed at the College.

On Dec. 6, Save Our Deer founder Marcy Schwartz, Doreen Tignanelli, and animal rights group In Defense of Animals (IDA) filed a lawsuit against Vassar College, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, claiming that the College should be required to complete an environmental review that would discourage the cull.

After the lawsuit was dismissed, the plaintiffs appealed the decision and requested a temporary restraining order on Jan. 8, calling on the Town of Poughkeepsie to enforce an ordinance prohibiting gunfire noise. The appeal was later denied by the State Supreme Court.

“We followed the letter of the law in the process from the beginning to the very end,” said Vassar’s Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs Jeff Kosmacher. “From our standpoint, there was nothing that we could have done to be abiding the law any better. The fact that the lawsuits were dismissed, I think, upholds our approach, which was to work within every guideline that was placed before us.”

In spite of the judge’s decision, Doreen Tignanelli remains opposed to the cull. “I would like to say that I hope that Vassar isn’t planning a repeat performance and that college officials will seriously consider alternative methods for controlling deer population,” she wrote in an emailed statement.“If not, they are likely to face legal action yet again.”

When the plans for the cull began, Vassar had estimated the number of deer regularly populating the Farm. “The specifics of how many deer were populating the Farm and Preserve

are not completely verifiable. We do the flyover photograph given a moment in time to get us a nearly certain number, but not an absolute certain number. There was no count done any other way. We can’t say for certain how many deer are actually there at this time, but we were confident when we made the plans to do the cull that there are at least 30 to 40 deer that are regularly populating the Farm and Preserve,” said Kosmacher.

Among her main critiques of Vassar’s planning of the cull, Tignanelli believes that Vassar overestimated the deer population on the preserve to begin with. “Vassar claimed the population to be 39 to 50 per square mile, with negative impacts seen when density exceeds 10 deer per square mile. Using their numbers, 29 to 40 deer should have been killed in order to reduce impacts. So, why was the kill stopped at 11 then?”

Peter McGinnis, a Vassar Farm neighbor of 40 years, approved of the cull because his yard was ruined by deer. He has tried everything from deer fences to deer sprays to no avail. However, he complains that the cull was too short to make a substanial difference. “They didn’t have it long enough,” said McGinnis. “The other day we had sixteen [deer] in our backyard. Killing 11 deer on Vassar Farm isn’t nearly enough… They should have the deer cull for three months.”

In response to the question of why only II deer were culled, Kosmacher said “Our deer population data is solid. In fact we relied on two complementary sources, a year-round deer fecal pellet count on the farm and preserve and a flyover photo of the land taken last year. Ultimately the results of this year’s cull reflect a variety of new factors. For example, because of the City of Poughkeepsie’s decision on its firearms ordinance we were limited to using only the Town of Poughkeepsie portion of the farm and preserve, roughly half the acreage used in 2010. The Town also requested that we cull only until 10:00pm rather than into the later hours made use of three years ago.”

Vassar Farm neighbor Deborah Di Caprio

also supports the deer cull. “We regularly have 10 to 15 deer in our yard daily,” she explained.

“They have pretty much eaten every plant that we had. Anything that we tried to grow in terms of a garden is completely decimated by the deer.

Frankly, they’re thin, and I just feel that it’s not ideal for the amount of deer to exist in heavily populated areas.”

Kosmacher revealed that the decision to end the cull after two nights was made jointly by the organizers of the cull, Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources Marianne Begemann and Field Station and Ecological Preserve Manager Keri VanCamp. “We made our assessments based upon the results of the two nights of culling that were conducted,” Kosmacher noted. “We certainly began the process thinking that more animals would be culled, but we felt like the result was a good step forward, and again, we’re assessing for the future based upon the new circumstances...culling only in the Town of Poughkeepsie portion of the preserve.”

The most recent cull, in contrast to the 2010 deer cull, was restricted to the portion of the Vassar Farm within the Town of Poughkeepsie.

The City of Poughkeepsie had previously determined that there could be no gunfire within city limits, which it allowed in 2010. Said Kosmacher, “Because we conducted the cull in only the Town portion of the Farm and Preserve, that changed the outcome. Once we began to see that there would be a difference, we made our assessment accordingly.”

Dr. William H. Schlesinger, President of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York, supports Vassar’s management of the increasing deer population, since it mitigates the effects of overgrazing on tree seedlings. However, he is also critical of the decision to stop the cull after two nights. “My suspicion is that [killing 11 deer] was nowhere near enough. Certainly, some is better than none.” He continued, “I have not heard a statistic on how many were does and how many were bucks.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

When asked on his recommendations for the future, Schlesinger replied, “More effective culls. I don’t know it has to happen every year.

But if it happened on a regular basis, that would be healthy for the ecosystem and the individual deer, which would have trouble finding food in the winter in a natural situation.”

At the present moment, however, Vassar has no plans for future culls. “We are definitely in the assessment phase right now, having this outcome, which certainly is a different one than what we anticipated when we made the original plans,” said Kosmacher. “It’s premature at this point to be able to say what our future plans will be.”

Some feel, however, that the damage has already been done. “At an institution that prides itself on innovation and critical discourse, I was very disappointed by the complete lack of open dialogue surrounding an issue that not only took several lives, but scarred our relationship with allies in the local community, posed a risk to residents (both from gun use and contaminated meat), and failed to employ up-to-date science,” wrote Vassar Animals Right Coalition (VARC) Co-President Rocky Schwartz ’15 in an emailed statement. “A very small group of individuals made a decision that has had a massive negative impact. Going forward, as this is clearly not an issue that is over and done with, I would like Vassar to actually engage students and the community in exploring humane, modern, effective methods of restoring biodiversity at the VFEP.” All of the venison from the second cull, like the venison from the first cull, was processed by a local group, Hunters Helping the Hungry, before being donated to local pantries. According to the Vassar Farm website, the venison from the 2010 cull provided 12,000 to 15,000 meals to needy individuals.

An anonymous threat of violence in response to the deer cull was reported to the Town of Poughkeepsie police, and an investigation is currently ongoing.

NEWS

Page 4

News Briefs

Six residents caught in local fire, rescued Noble Ingram

State of emergency declared in Poughkeepsie

On January 15, Mayor John Tkazyik quickly declared a state of emergency for the City of Poughkeepsie, after a break in a water main unleashed gallons of water on the Mansion Street entrance to City Hall, disrupting everyday operations.

City employees were told not to come in for work the next day, Jan. 16. The only public workers who did not cease operations were emergency personnel.

In the case of City Hall, water ran down the cement sidewalk and onto the streets, which had to be closed from traffic until repairs were made.

This situation affected a Mobil gas station on the sequestered block, which spent 15 hours without a motorist coming by to fill up. “It was crazy,” said Mobil employee Matt Ahmed. “There were no costumers from 5 p.m. until...the next morning except those who had had to walk.”

On that same day, only a few blocks away, a second, unrelated water main broke on Cannon Street.

Workers responded to the scene and shut off the water valve in order to make repairs.

A Boil Water Notice released by the Department of Public Works warned businesses and residents of Cannon Street from Market Street to South Cherry Street to take precautions with the their water during the valve shutoff: “Bring tap water to a rolling boil, boil for one minute, and cool before using.” The Notice was lifted on Jan. 22 when testing confirmed that the water was safe.

Mayor Tkazyik rescinded the State of Emergency at 9 p.m. on Jan. 16, and government employees returned to their offices the next day.

“Our staff did an outstanding job,” Tkazyik told the Poughkeepsie Journal. “They were very prompt and attentive to the issue at hand.”

The reason for the ruptures and the costs of repair have not yet been reported.

— Eloy Bleifuss Prados, Guest Reporter Bipartisan effort results in a new immigration plan

Senators from both parties have revealed a framework for future immigration legislation to be voted on in March. These plans represent a compromise between parties; the senators include four Democrats and four Republicans.

The text of the legislation highlights six main points in regard to future immigration policy: a pathway toward citizenship for illegal immigrants, stronger enforcement measures, more border security, an increase in employment verification, increased measures to prevent immigrants awaiting their status from receiving public benefits, and an easier path to immigration for high-skilled workers (Huffington Post, “Immigration Reform Framework Includes Citizenship, Drones, Dreamers,” 1.28.2013).

The bill will allow undocumented immigrants to achieve legal residency after paying off fines and taxes, but they will be put behind those who have legally applied for residency.

This pathway to citizenship comes with an increase in border security and surveillance around the U.S.-Mexico border as well as an increase in vigilance in the U.S. An employment verification system will be created in order to decrease the number of unauthorized workers that are hired.

Lastly, the importance of skilled workers and the expansion of visas for those pursuing higher education is recognized. (Washington Post, “Bipartisan group of senators to unveil framework for immigration overhaul,” 1.27.2013).

This proposal is the first successful bipartisan attempt at reconstructing immigration laws since a reform bill failed in 2007. (Washington Post).

In an article published by The New York Times, President Obama is quoted as being in favor of the bill, but cautions that the debate will heat up as times goes on. (The New York Times, “Obama Urges Speed on Immigration Plan, but Exposes Conflicts,’” 1.29.2013) In the same article, The Times reveals that the White House also seeks to create similar paths to citizenship for same-sex couples as exist for heterosexual couples.

The bill will face deterrence in the Republican-controlled House, but Speaker of the House John Boehner said he embraced the work of leaders like Florida Republican Senator Rubio, who worked on these plans. (The New York Times, “Senators Call Their Bipartisan Immigration Plan a ‘Breakthrough,’” 1.28.2013).

— Emily Hoffman, Guest Reporter

January 31, 2013

Guest Reporter

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n Jan. 7, Chan’s Peking Kitchen, a popular Chinese restaurant on Raymond Avenue, caught fire in the middle of the night. Firefighters rescued a man trapped in the apartment complex above the restaurant, who was taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center to be treated for injuries sustained in the fire. One firefighter sustained a minor injury and was also taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

“Firefighters, during their search of the building, found a male occupant located on the second floor of the residential portion and rescued him from the building,” Arlington Fire Chief Tory Gallante told the Poughkeepsie Journal (“Official: Raymond Avenue fire cause, origin still under investigation,” 1.08.2013). According to Gallante, this was just part of fire department procedure. “They search the structure as best as possible, looking for potential victims. It’s done in a systematic manner.”

Investigators now know that the fire originated in Chan’s Peking Kitchen, a favorite of Vassar students. The restaurant was located inside a larger building that included the three-floor apartment complex and Zorona, a Middle-Eastern restaurant to its left. Both restaurants are only a short walk away from campus.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 1:26 a.m. The Arlington Fire Department worked alongside firefighters from Pleasant Valley, New Hamburg, Roosevelt, LaGrange, and City of Poughkeepsie to fight the blaze. When they arrive four minutes later, firefighters saw smoke billowing out of the buildings, though the fire had not yet become visible. At its peak, the fire engulfed much of the restaurant and filled the apartments above with thick black smoke.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control in a litte over two hours. Although some adjacent buildings suffered from some smoke and water damage, Gallante credited the responding firefighters for stopping the blaze before it spread to other buildings.

Six people, three adults and three children, were in the building at the time of the fire, and all made it out alive. Additionally,

three cats were rescued. One was sent to a local animal hospital.

In addition to the fire department, a Mobile Life Support Services ambulance, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., The American Red Cross, the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response and members of the Town of Poughkeepsie building and water departments responded to the fire. According to Executive Director of the American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley Darryl Lafferty, volunteers gave a family of five clothing, shelter and food assistance following the fire.

Officials closed much of Raymond Avenue on the 7th until about noon in order to clear away vehicles and debris.

Firefighters reported fire, smoke and water damage in both restaurants and the apartment complex. As of today, all three buildings remain empty with ply board in the windows. Others working in the Arlington community said that the buildings didn’t currently meet building codes and would have to undergo significant renovations before they could be reopened.

The fate of the buildings affected by the fire is still unclear. Fliers on the doors of both Zorona and Chan’s Peking Kitchen state that neither restaurant is in suitable condition for business, though no reference is made to when or under what conditions they could reopen.

The answering machine of Chan’s Peking Kitchen currently has a message stating that the owners are going through the rebuilding process and hope to reopen in a couple months.

The future of Chan’s Peking Kitchen is shaky. Individuals working in stores and restaurants in Arlington unaffected by the fire expressed doubts at the possibility that it would reopen soon. The restaurant has been popular with Vassar students, and its closing has come as a disappointment to many.

“I didn’t eat there often but it was nice to be able to grab Chinese food nearby whenever I was in the mood for it. It’s a shame.” said Becca Jannou ’16 in response to the news.

It remains unclear when or if Zorona, the other restaurant closed by the fire, will re-

open. People working in nearby shops and restaurants were unsure of the future of the restaurant. Zorona’s phone line remains disconnected, and its website does not mention the fire.

This is not the first fire to damage residential buildings in Poughkeepsie this year.

On Jan. 4, a house fire destroyed a two-story house on Haight Avenue. Four people were in the house at the time of the fire, but all were rescued. In that case, the fire was caused by the improper disposal of a cigarette. Another fire on Friday the 25th devastated a Dutchess County home and took the life of a semi-retired doctor, who died of smoke inhalation; the victim’s wife was rescued and treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Captain John Watterson told the Poughkeepsie Journal that the cause of the fire was electrical, and that authorities believe that the fire originated with a bedroom lamp.

Last year on Jan. 21, three people, including two senior Marist students and a Dutchess Community College student, died of smoke inhalation in an early-morning house fire on Fairview Avenue. Four other people escaped the blazes by jumping out of other windows in the building and sustained only minor injuires. The town of Poughkeepsie’s police investigation failed to identify the cause of the fire.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, December and January are the most dangerous months for fires, largely because of the increased risk for electrical fires: “Fire deaths are highest in winter months which call for more indoor activities and increases in lighting, heating, and appliance use.”

The U.S. Fire Administration also states that cooking is, by far, the leading cause of residential fires, according to statistics from 2006 to 2010. Heating Equipment was the second-leading cause of residential fires. Although neither cooking nor heating equipment has been designated the cause of the fire in Chan’s Peking Kitchen, both remain possible options. According to the Arlington Fire Department, the cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation by both the Arlington firefighters and the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department.

Large, unfinished projects await new reps VSA continued from page 1

number of committees including the Committee on College Life (CCL), the Residential Life Advisory Committee (RLAC), and the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence (CIE).”

According to the official description of the position, the Vice President for Academics is the “primary liaison between students, faculty, and administration on academic issues. To this end, the VP for Academics represents the student voice on a number of College Committees regarding the academic experience at Vassar, including the Committee on Curricular Policies (CCP) and the Library Committee. The VP for Academics sits on the Advisory Group on the Allocation of Faculty Resources, and also chairs the VSA Academic Committee, which is comprised of members of VSA Council.”

Candidates interested in applying for either position must file their application, which asks candidates for statements of experience, motivation and ideas, through the VSA website. The Operations Committee

of the VSA, which consists of Class of 2015 President Ali Ehrlich, Joss House President Casey Hancock ’15, Class of 2013 President Vince Marchett, Jewett House President Ben Morse ’13, Cushing House President Benedict Nguyen ’15, Class of 2014 President Dan Shaw and at-large member Claire Grosel ’14 will interview applicants.

Discussing the interview agenda of the Operations Committee, Nguyen noted, “We have prepared certain ideas and questions we would like to discuss.” Elaborating on the interview process, Rubin added, “These meetings are open and all interested students are welcome to attend.” All attending will be able to ask the candidates questions.

The open interview for candidates for VP for Student Life was held January 30 from 5 to 6 p.m. in the VSA Office. The interview for VP for Academics will follow on February 4 from 8 to 9 p.m. in the VSA Office.

Interviews for the VP for Student Life position will be evaluated before the Operations Committee prepares a similar process with the candidates for the VP for Academics.

After holding interviews, the Operations

Committee will make a recommendation for appointment for the VSA Council to vote on for the VP for Student Life and the VP for Academics on February 3 and February 10, respectively. “Depending on how the interviews and deliberations [go], we may ask candidates to come to Council so Council can make a more informed decision,” Benedict Nguyen added.

Vice President for Operations Deb Steinberg noted that the VSA hopes to find candidates willing to approach these positions with dedication, elaborating “we’re looking for someone who has the time to make this a priority since it’s a huge time commitment.”

Steinberg added, “It would help if [candidates] have [some] sort of experience since they’re coming in halfway through the year.”

In his student body-wide email, Jason Rubin noted, “we look at this as an opportunity, and look forward to welcoming not one but two new colleagues with fresh eyes and new ideas to the team.” Both Rubin and Deb Steinberg urge students with concerns about recent VSA changes to contact them via email or office hours.

Andrei Buryachenko 1992-2013 A memorial service will be be held Friday, February 1 at 3pm in the Chapel.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

January 31, 2013

FEATURES

“Meet Me in the Aula” returns for spring Modest attendance creates greater intimacy Chris Gonzalez FeAtuRes eDitoR

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waited in line with my friends; my fingertips were tingling from the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Finally, I reached the front, wrote down my email and grabbed my number. My friends and I searched around the Aula, finding our numbers taped to one of the numerous tables. I was close enough to [my friends] so that I didn’t have to fear for my life, but far enough away that I could branch out. And the games began,” wrote Nate Wulff ‘15 in an emailed statement, recounting his experience from Meet Me in the Aula.

The speed-friending event took place for the third time this school year on Jan. 25th, 2012. Around 40-45 people attended the event, a decrease from the original event, which filled all possible 72 seats.

Organized by CHOICE, the original idea arose out of a need and desire, expressed within the student body, to connect with other people on campus.

“Basically, we wanted to offer a space as free of drugs and alcohol as possible for students to meet each other without fear of rejection (we have a face-to-face-rejection free method of connecting people after the event).

We want to help people have the healthiest relationships possible, which we believe in-

cludes open communication. We also know that many students feel frustrated with the small size of their friend group, and that many don’t know how to approach meeting new people on campus. We wanted to provide a space for that as well. ” said CHOICE Co-President Mara Feingold-Link ‘13 in an emailed statement.

Though Feingold-Link and the rest of CHOICE had their beliefs in why an event like this would be fitting for the Vassar campus, students had their own reasoning for attending the free event.

“Everyone’s so busy with their academic and extracurricular work that they find it hard to establish and maintain relationships with people outside of your clubs and classes,” offered Wulff.

While the purpose of the event was aimed at starting new friendships, some students only expressed interest in attending due to an already existing friendship. Lorraine Kwok ‘15 wrote in an emailed statement, “I didn’t know Meet Me in the Aula was happening until my friend mentioned it to me and she was excited about it. At first I was a bit hesitant to go because I did not want to meet new people in that type of setting, but I ultimately decided to go because she didn’t want to go by herself and I also wanted to see what it was all about.”

There are some slight changes that were made between the first event from last semester and the most recent:: no more background music, longer time to interact with people, and markers instead of pencils for writing names on nametags.

Additionally, the smaller number of attendees allowed for a more intimate setting, which makes the entire situation less daunting for those involved. “[People get] to meet a larger percentage of the attendees when we are a smaller group. The first time around we definitely heard complaints that people were frustrated that they didn’t get to meet everyone.But to meet 71 people for a couple minutes each would be completely overwhelming (not to mention incredibly time consuming!),” wrote Feingold-Link And while the event might have some kinks to work out in the future, Wulff noted that it was still an enjoyable experience. “Only a few awkward encounters and some logistical problems in the seating arrangements hampered an overall fun night. By the end of the night, I had written down some numbers of people that were especially enjoyable, and the event staff connected me by email to those who had written down my number. I have no regrets,” he wrote.

Meet Me in the Aula will return again sometime after spring break.

Returning home a culture shock for JYA-ers Chris Gonzalez FeAtuRes eDitoR

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tudy abroad experiences of Vassar students run the gamut, ranging from homestays with indigenous families to semesters learning the ropes of sailing on the pacific ocean to traveling to four continents within a few months; however sometimes the simpler experiences result in a more lasting personal growth. “I think I learned more about myself [than anything],” stated Lizzy Tepler ‘14, who spent last semester polishing up on her Spanish skills in Madrid, Spain.

“Classes weren’t as exciting as they are here at Vassar,” Tepler stated, adding that the culture of Madrid, at times, provided her with an interactive classroom. “I learned more when I was figuring out how to navigate [the streets of a] foreign place.”

For some students, the opportunity awakened within them a sense of independence.

“Traveling so much was an experience that I hadn’t had before and it definitely made me more independent and confident in my abilities to deal with challenging situations. Since returning to Vassar, I am finding I am much more outgoing and less hesitant to act in certain circumstances,” Kelly Harrington wrote ‘14 in an emailed statement.

Harrington, who studied in Denmark, added, “Even though I was in a very safe country/

city, traveling to other countries exposed me to much less safe environments unlike the Vassar bubble. It made me very anxious knowing that my wallet could get stolen at any second but having that feeling made me appreciate the Vassar community even more.”

While some students learned about their strengths and weaknesses through exploration, others were tested by coursework. Dan Kessler ‘14, an Italian and Philosophy double major, recalled that perhaps his greatest achievement involved a heavy-duty assignment for a class he took at the University of Bologna. “At the end of November, I handed in a nineteen page paper that I had spent every day working on. I remember that feeling of finishing and being happy with it,” he said. This sense of pride he took in his work came from the fact that the paper was written entirely in Italian.

While these students enjoyed their time in far off places, life at Vassar continued to move forward. Religion major Elana Fruchtman ‘14, who lived in a monastery in India for the last semester, commented that she had no way to stay well-informed about campus life while away. “I didn’t have any internet access, so I really had no idea what was happening,” she laughed. Additionally, she said her learning experience differed significantly from the typical Vassar curriculum in that the majority of it was comprised of field work activities.

Jacob Gorski/The Miscellany News

Dan Kessler ‘14, an italian and philosophy double major, studied abroad in Bologna. Although he soaked up his time under the Tuscan sun, he also stayed updated on events in the U.S. and at Vassar.

Conversely, social media and the Internet helped bridge the gap between Vassar and may students during their time abroad. “I still got invited to all of the events [on Facebook],” said Tepler. “None of it was that different. It was more comforting to have that connection, to be reminded what happened. It made me excited to come back. Reminded why I love being here.”

Harrington, too, was able to update herself more regularly than Fruchtman. She wrote, “I did read the emails I received from Vassar and talked with friends about what was happening around campus but I don’t think it affected my outlook on returning. If anything it made me want to come back to campus to experience what was going on.”

Kessler checked with CNN and [National Public Radio] to keep himself informed about U.S current events. At the Vassar level, he frequented The Miscellany News Blog for minutes from the Vassar Student Association meetings.

“I loved my program, but I was thinking,’’Wow, it’s been almost four-and-a-half months.’ I was ready to come back to what’s normal,” said Fruchtman. “I think that so far it has been easy to transition back, because I was really out of touch for so long. At the end of sophomore year I was feeling a little bit burned out, ready to get off campus. This break was really nice, and I’m ready to get back into things.”

Tepler commented, “ I kind of feel like I’m picking up where I left off. Academically, I’m switching gears a bit—last semester everything was in a different language.” Tepler added that now she will return to classes that focus on her major in Urban Studies.

Harrington added that classes may prove to be the most difficult transition. “It was very easy to get back into the flow of things but the academic work might take a little more effort to get used to. I definitely did work for classes abroad but it didn’t quite compare with the Vassar curriculum,” she wrote.

Kessler said he has multiple feelings about being back on campus. “In short, it’s nice but weird being back: You’re obviously not starting back at the exact point before. All relations with the college, your studies, and people, change.”

Still, he added that there are some benefits to these changes. “The nice part is reconnecting with people—what people have been doing here, and in other countries. They’re bringing their own experiences into your life,” he concluded.

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Profs bring sabbatical work to class Chris Gonzalez and Marie Solis FeAtuRes eDitoRs

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ith most students constantly lamenting the workload their professors have dumped on them, one thought fails to cross their mind: Professors have homework, too. While vacation days for Vassar students are meant for catching up on sleep, for professors, extended breaks, called sabbaticals, are certainly a lot less leisurely.

A sabbatical is a paid leave of absence, including full benefits and regularly scheduled paychecks, that professors take once every seven years or seven semesters to research, travel and complete projects outside of the classroom. Of course, the use of this time is completely the professor’s own prerogative and allows them to explore their interests in way that is not only beneficial to themselves, but also to their students.

For some professors, like Professor of History on the Marion Musser Lloyd ‘32 Chair of History and International Studies Maria Hoehn, taking a sabbatical every seventh semester is necessary for completing projects she might not have the time for during a semester of teaching.

Hoehn, who did not receive her bachelor’s degree until the age of 36, wanted to start her projects as soon as possible: she opted to take a leave every third year instead.

“I thought, ‘I can’t wait six years, I need the time to do this now,’” she stated.

The bulk of Hoehn’s work last semester is tied to her focus on the experience of African-American soldiers in Germany and their contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in America: She spent time translating her book, A Breath of Freedom, into German (a documentary of the same name is to be produced in French, German, and English); she worked on another documentary, The Germans in the Vietnam War, which focuses on German students who collaborated with African-American GIs to protest the war in Vietnam; and was asked to serve on the board of two museums dedicated to the United States military presence, in Augsburg and Baumholder, Germany, as an advisory historical consultant.

“I’m really interested in reaching out...making history available for not only academics but also the public,” said Hoehn of her work with these Germany-based museums.

Despite the international focus of her work, she remained on campus for the majority of her sabbatical. “Normally I go abroad, but this was one of my first leaves where I didn’t. I continued being the chair of the Vassar-West Point Military Initiative. It just started last year and I wanted to stay on top of it,” Hoehn stated, honoring her commitments to both the College and her international work.

For Eva Woods, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies, travel continues to be integral to her time on sabbatical: the films and documents she studies cannot be removed from their homes in archives located in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain. “Most recently I’ve been working on: a new book on how race and transport technology (cars, planes and trains) get imagined in Spanish films of the 1920s and 30s; a collaborative book on the oral history of Spanish cinema-going in the 1940s and 50s; an article on visual surveillance and digital cinema in the context of the prison film genre in transnational Spanish cinema,” wrote Woods in an emailed statement, adding that she also continued work on her book, White Gypsies, which came out last year.

However, in order to write about these film periods, it’s necessary that she not only does formal research, but also cultural exploration.

She stated, “Getting a full sense of the visual and journalistic media, conversing with colleagues at institutions in Spain, seeing first hand how culture is being produced... this kind of contact is crucial for constructing analyses that don’t merely superimpose an Anglo-American theoretical perspective on a different cultural reality.”

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Grad school Outreach enriches Grace Smith House programming U popular in Bio Marie Solis

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Chris Gonzalez FeAtuRes eDitoR

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“FlyPeople will be running regular classes for the kids at Grace Smith, teaching them fun dances and mentoring them in the process of learning to use dance as an outlet for energy, stress, expression, and emotion,” said Glorsky.

Glorsky emphasized that there is certainlyvalue in just having the chance to have fun with children who might need a boost.

She said, “FlyPeople’s working with Grace Smith gives us the opportunity to empower kids through dance and teach them to carry this empowerment with them into other aspects of their lives. For FlyPeople it’s just about sharing what we love in the hopes that someone else will find the same joy that we feel when we dance and maybe it will make a positive change in their afternoon, their day, their week, or maybe their whole life.”

Lombardi noted that while Vassar volunteers work to educate younger students, it is crucial to apply the values they teach to their own lives and ensure that their peers are too.

Lombardi said, “People often have a misconception that domestic violence isn’t something people have to worry about in college, that it’s something that happens to their parents. There’s an alarming amount of violence in relationships. People should be thinking that violence isn’t about a black eye or a broken bone but about power and control. Just because you aren’t a college student doesn’t mean you’re immune, you should be thinking about healthy relationships right from the beginning.”

courtesy of Grace Smith House

s undergraduate students, we often find ourselves bashing our heads against the wall from the frustration associated with planning out a realistic future after college.

And when it comes to science students, they may have a limited of view of what that future holds. The Biology Majors’ Committee, however, seeks to provide a greater picture of what post-grad life looks like.

Chair of the Biology Majors’ Committee Ethan Rundell ‘13 expressed the importance of the committee given the interest that students have in the subject area.“Biology is definitely a popular major here which I think helps motivate the committee to stay active and to offer plenty of opportunities for students to get involved,”he said in an emailed statement.

“The majority of freshman interested in a major in Biology start out interested in going to medical school. Part of our job is to help them understand all of the options available to them,” wrote Professor of Biology and Biology Chair John Long wrote in an emailed statement.

Rundell added, “[Last semester] we organized a panel, mostly of faculty, to speak about their experiences in graduate school and answer questions from students about graduate schools. The panel members included people who had made a wide variety of choices about graduate school, including people who had gone straight to graduate school after undergraduate, [and] people who spent many years working before pursuing a graduate degree.”

Long further explained that Ph.D programs for students pursuing careers in sciences are ideal because they tend to come with a paycheck—a stark contrasts to paying to attend medical school. “Most of the time you get a great package: tuition, medical benefits, and a living stipend of up to $30,000. So if you go to private university, that whole package can equal nearly $70,000 per year. And then, after five or six years, you’ve also earned a PhD,” Long wrote.

However, Long acknowledged that this may not be the path for everyone. He said, “Foremost, you really have to enjoy and be very good at research in the lab, on the computer, or in the field.”

Moreover, Long explained that there is always the option of entering the workforce after graduation. These jobs usually involve being a lab intern or a research technician, but they provide students with invaluable experience.

“These kinds of jobs pay you enough to live, sometimes starting in the mid-$30’s, and, more importantly, they give you a chance to get your feet wet in labs that have graduate students and may be doing research in which you are interested,” wrote Long.

Of course, the Committee allows students in the department to interact and engage with one another.

One of the few juniors on the committee Kevin Lee ‘14 wrote in an emailed statement, “The committee itself is made up of people with a diverse range of interests and it’s made me realize that I have many options for future schooling and my career.”

For sophomore Dara Davis ‘15, getting the opportunity to work with and learn from upperclassmen makes her time with the committee worthwhile. “It’s comforting to be surrounded with classmates interested in the same discipline because my daunting future of medical school seems more attainable with their counsel,” wrote Davis in an emailed statement.

Jillian Josimovich ‘13, a member of the committee for the last two years, appreciates the relationship students share with the department.

“We try to get an idea of what students want to see in and know about the department so that we can talk to the faculty and work together to plan events and provide the necessary resources to help provide those things.”

Rundell ended, “We hope, by offering many activities for biology students, we will make everybody feel at home in the department.”

pon visiting the webpage for the Grace Smith House for battered women, the first thing that greets you is a pop-up. It’s not a typical pop-up though—it reads in big, bold letters, “BE AWARE your computer use can be monitored by your abuser” and goes on to advise those who might be under close scrutiny to immediately close out of the window and contact their hotline instead. In that moment, it’s hard to ignore that this warning which you can ex-out without much thought is an inescapable reality for some women.

Every year about two million women are assaulted by a male partner in the U.S. Annually, Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie helps an average of 2,500 of these families, offering two shelters, several nonresidential groups and a number of other community programs, providing local victims refuge, comfort and tools to take charge of their lives. Vassar students have teamed up with Grace Smith House in creating awareness and fostering empowerment concerning issues of domestic violence. ”The students have provided many hours of service over the year that have been helpful to our clients. They roll up their sleeves in the shelter and do whatev+er’s needed: they take clients to court to advocate with clients, with the department of social services, they help show caring and attention to children in the shelter, answering the hotline… it’s been very beneficial to both the students and the house,” said Director if Outreach and Support Services Judy Lombardi.

When Leigh Yakubowski ’15 volunteered to work at the Grace Smith House she saw herself doing work like that which Lombardi mentioned. However, during her 12-hour training mandatory for all volunteers and interns, she met Himali Gandhi, the coordinator for the Education Outreach branch of the House.

For Yakubowski, a Sociology major with a correlate in Education, this opportunity was a perfect fit.

“In Education Outreach, a lot of our work is in school presentations, and our offerings cover every[thing] from gender roles to healthy friendships and bullying. Besides presentations, I do some other tasks here and there, but working directly with students in this capacity has been a really fun and valuable experience,” she said in an emailed statement.

Lombardi explained that the Outreach program has only been established for a year, but it has quickly become a crucial component to their mission at Grace Smith.

She said, “We have many clients who need emergency help right now but it’s also important to talk about it before it starts. Get-

ting to teenagers in the time when they’re thinking about relationships and their futures is a very important part of this problem.”

Though most schools are already keen on informing students about the basics of healthy relationships, Yakubowski said it can be hard to make these principles things students think about every day.

“Students often don’t get a chance to spend a whole hour really going into, say, what makes a friendship unhealthy, or if the way a girl dresses should dictate how she’s treated by peers.” Yakubowski stated.

Though speaking to middle school students is not without its difficulties.

“The hardest part of the job, of course, is making sure that the conversation stays meaningful and engaging for students.”

One of Vassar’s dance organizations, FlyPeople, is finding a different way to engage adolescents, which is perhaps less vocal.

This semester, members of the group will teach dance classes to children at the Grace Smith House.

“We have raised money for the Grace Smith House as part of our annual event, Pour Some Sugar on Me, a dessert cabaret that is usually Valentine’s Day themed. Last semester, we were approached by Brittney Walkerat the Grace Smith House about running a clinic for some of the kids there,” said Rachel Glorsky ’13, a member of FlyPeople’s executive board.

FlyPeople is now in the process of training and figuring out a schedule of classes.

Outreach efforts give volunteers at Grace Smith House the opportunity to develop creative prorams for youth in the community. Fly People offers dance classes to children living at the shelter.

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The price is rice: sushi for the ethical environmentalist Alessandra Seiter online eDitoR

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courtesy of HealthyCrush.com

henever I whip out my bamboo rolling mat, pile on the brown rice and veggies, and start my Japanese-inspired culinary adventure, someone invariably will reply to my vegan sushi-crafting with,“Isn’t vegan sushi an oxymoron?” On the contrary, and certainly not sacrilegious to traditional Japanese cuisine, fishless sushi actually fits the literal definition of the word sushi quite well. Reflecting its fermented roots, sushi translates to “sour-tasting,” while Western dictionaries describe sushi as “cold rice dressed with vinegar, formed into various shapes.” Thus, sushi depends upon the rice and its form, not on fish.

Indeed, the different forms of rice distinguish one type of sushi from another. For example, rice formed into a bite-sized mound and topped with a vegetable is called nigiri; while rice layered with chopped ingredients, rolled into a sheet of nori seaweed to form a log, and sliced into bite-sized circular pieces is known as maki.

The fact that sushi need not include fish may serve as a comfort to students who eagerly anticipate sushi dinners at Tokyo Express, yet harbor concerns about both the high mercury content of and sustainability issues associated with many fish commonly used at Japanese restaurants. Bigeye tuna, for example, contains a 0.689 concentration of mercury, prompting the Natural Resource Defense Council to advise consumers to avoid eating the fish at all costs. On an environmental level, 85 percent of the world’s fisheries are being harvested at capacity or are in decline, and few factors impact ocean ecosystems as greatly as fishing, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium SeafoodWatch. Fear not though, sushi lovers, for you can still heartily enjoy sushi without risking the health of your brain or nervous system—simply order the avocado roll instead of the California.

Or, if you’d prefer to try your hand at making your own vegan sushi, why not experiment with the following recipe? You can find all of the ingredients at either My Market or House of Nutrition.

through.

Once you’re ready to prepare the tofu, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tofu in a single layer in the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then slice into ½-inch strips. Set aside.

To make the sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside.

To make the sushi, lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, onto a bamboo rolling mat. Scoop about 1/2 cup rice onto the bottom-middle section of the nori. Spread the rice either with your hands or a spoon to evenly cover the whole sheet, leaving a 1-inch thick strip of nori rice-free at the top.

Drizzle a layer of Miso-Tahini Sauce onto the rice, about 1/2-inch away from the bottom of the nori, to span the entire width of the sheet.

Lay the torn kale leaves in a single layer on top of the spread, then cover them with the julienned carrots and the strips of tofu.

Flip up the front veggie-less 1/2-inch of the Tofu miso-tahini sauce pictured above adds a savory touch to these vegan sushi rolls. By eliminating the use of raw Fish in the rolls, these treats are totally environmentally and ethically friendly. nori over the veggies with the bamboo mat.

Continue tightly rolling the sushi, pressing evenly on both sides of the bamboo mat un• Pinch of cayenne pepper Brown Rice Sushi with Coconut-Lemograss til you’ve rolled up the whole sheet. Cut the • 3 tbsp water Tofu and Miso-Tahini Sauce roll seam-side down into 8 pieces with a very sharp serrated knife. Repeat with the remainFor the sushi: Original recipe by Alessandra Seiter. ing ingredients.

• 4 sheets of nori seaweed Makes 4 sushi rolls.

• 2 cups cooked brown rice Sources: • 1 medium carrot, julienned Ingredients: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercu• 1-2 large leaves of kale, torn into ry/guide.asp small pieces For the tofu: http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/prod• 4 oz of firm tofu, sliced in to ½-inch uct-specificinformation/seafood/ Fold a dish towel in half and lay it on a flat thick rectangles foodbornepathogenscontaminants/methylsurface. Place the tofu on top in a single lay• ½ cup coconut milk, regular or lite mercury/ucm115644.htm er and cover it with another doubled-over • 1 tsp dried lemongrass http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/ dish towel. Place a cutting board on top of the • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped cr_seafoodwatch/issues/ second dish towel, along with as many heavy • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictiobooks as possible. Allow the tofu to press for • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari nary/sushi at least one hour.

• 1 tbsp lime juice http://www.compassionatecook.com / Meanwhile, combine the marinade ingrediwritings/podcast-media/five-favorite-japaents—coconut milk through lime juice—in a For the sauce: nese-foods-misolarge plastic bag. Place the pressed tofu in a • 2 tbsp miso sushi-agar-sea-vegetables-shiitakemaitasingle layer in the bag, seal the bag, place it • 2 tbsp tahini ke-mushrooms-3 on top of a plate, and marinate in the refrig• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi erator for at least two hours, flipping halfway • ¾ tsp maple syrup or agave nectar

Alums reflect upon experiences in Teach for America Hannah Blume

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very quickly about immigrant communities is how tied together the different needs that students have,” he said. “For example, it was very difficult for me to help a student teach English when they didn’t have anything to eat or had a relative who was sick and didn’t know where the free clinic was or didn’t have access to transportation... I learned very quickly how integrated these needs are.” After teaching, Greenhill took this knowledge to Tuscon, Arizona where he served as the mayor’s chief of staff for 13 years. Now, he works for the city manager. “It is my responsibility to oversee how the city is working. If one system breaks down—whether it is health care, transporta-

tion or public safety—I need to figure out.”

As for Conant, he is not sure if he will stay in the classroom, but he is definitely interested in using his computer science and coding skills to build software and other tools for teachers. His advice for anyone who is thinking about applying: “It is not a life decision to be taken lightly. Talk to some people who have done it and make sure that that is something that you want to do for two years of your life.” He continued, “TFA is an amazing place if you are interested in politics. You are put right in the middle of it in the way that being an armed chair Vassarian does not allow you to.”

—The TFA application deadline is Feb. 15th.

courtesy of Ben Conant

en Conant’s alarm clock goes off at 5 am every morning in his apartment in Manhattan.He rushes to the PATH train station and is in his classroom in Newark New Jersey by 6:30 to prepare for a full day of teaching sixth grade math. He gets home at 6 or 7, (10 or 11 when he coaches basketball) leaving an hour for the gym and an hour to get ready for bed. Then he gets up, and does it all again.

“Physically exhausting,” he said, describes his schedule. “It kind of feels like you are always in finals week.”

Conant—who graduated Vassar last year with a double major in Philosophy and Economics and minor in Computer Science—is one of the 5,000 new teachers who joined Teach for America (TFA) in 2012. TFA currently reaches over 700,000 students nationwide in 48 regions, ranging from New York, to rural Mississippi to Detroit to Alaska. The organization’s mission, according to its website, is “growing the movement of leaders who work to ensure that kids growing up in poverty get an excellent education.”

“I think the most common misconception is that Teach For America is a program intended to boost the resumes of college students at elite institutions,” wrote Alexandra Rallis, Recruitment Manager for upstate New York, in an emailed statement. She explained that applicants also must be able to act as leaders, overcome challenges and think critically, “Our corps members must believe that educational inequity, as it relates to the broader project of anti-poverty work and racial justice, are the most pressing issues of current,” she wrote.

Conants admitted that, while he was excited about doing work related to social justice, he entered to program not fully understanding the challenges of the job. “I applied because

I thought it would be a learning experience that would allow me to grow…” he said. “I thought it would not be that hard. And it’s really hard. At Vassar it was possible to be tired and to go to class and learn stuff. You can be kind of grumpy. As a teacher, a large part of your job is to be positive and full of energy.”

Rallis wrote that incoming corps members should expect a challenge. “We tell our corps members that they will eperience failure while in the classroom, but that they must preservere, reflect, and adapt... I think this is a challenge for anyone entering the classroom for the first time.” For Conant, the challenge is worth it.

Conant described the feeling he gets when class is going well as one that is unmatched: “[It’s like] living in the moment when you have succeeded at a hard exam for 45 minutes. You get to live it up for 45 minutes. When you don’t, it feels like you got a 68 on that exam.” This pressure, Conant said, is what separates teaching from other post-grad jobs.

Conant’s leadership in his schoolhas been a uniquely rewarding part of his experience.

“These kids came in and they had no idea of what it would be. There was no pre existing skeleton; there was no culture. I had a few weeks of training and then… boom… you are teaching at a school that is entirely new. The entire thing is up to you.”

But according to Rallis, the two years in the classroom are only the beginning. “Many will stay teaching far beyond two years, others will move into spheres of related work (policy, law, health). We need to challenge the status-quo from multiple points of pressure simultaneously if we are to make this a movement.”

Andrew Greenhill ’91 taught English as a Second Language in Houston to students from Mexico and Central America. Greenhill insisted TFA continues to influence his career in public service. “One of the things that I learned

Ben Conant ‘12 pictured above works with a student in his middle school math classroom. Conant is one of many Vassar students who has found meaningful work with the Teach For Ameria Program.

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Vassar Islamic Society seeks partnership on campus Lily Choi

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ombating stigmas and misconceptions is something all religions must deal with, especially on a college campus. However, not all religions are equally subjected to these intolerances.

The Vassar Islamic Society (VIS) aims to create a greater understanding of the religion and its practices for its members, other religious organizations and the campus as a whole through open discussion and collaboration.

Though it primarily serves as a community for Muslim students, VIS encourages students of all different faiths, or none at all, to learn about Islam.

“VIS aims to provide an opportunity for Muslim students to gather in a supportive environment and talk to others who have the same religious beliefs. It’s a place where students can discuss any topic they want or share their experiences as Muslims,” wrote VIS Administrative Advisor Mariyah Salem and VIS President Marriam Khan in a co-written emailed statement.

“VIS also aims to welcome non-Muslims regardless of their religious beliefs, who are interested in learning about Islam or simply want to be part of the organization,” stated Salem and Khan.

As such, it is important, in their opinion, for religious organizations to be open to all members of the Vassar community.

“We face the same difficulties other religious [organizations] do in that we are trying to get out word that just because we are a religious [organization] doesn’t mean that its only open to those who practice that particular religion.”

As VIS’s Administrative Advisor, Salem, along with the other staff members in the

Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL), works to promote an open environment where students can learn and be receptive to one another’s experiences.

“As an Advisor to VIS, I try to be a resource and support [to] the members of VIS,” she said.

Salem further stated,”As a practicing Muslim I try and share my own experiences and limited knowledge of Islam when relevant to discussions and event planning.”

Farah Aziz ‘16, a member of VIS’s Executive Board, was eager to be a part of the community Salem described.

“I got involved as soon as I found out [about it]! I think the goal of VIS is to give Muslim students a voice on campus and provide a place for anyone immersed or even just interested in Islam to work together...it’s where I can unwind and just talk to everyone about topics that are relevant to the Muslim-American community,” she said.

These topics can be anything from prophets in Islam to current events and continue to branch out into other areas which are of interest to its members.

“I think contemporary Islam and Islam in politics is really interesting. Unfortunately, what makes these topics interesting is also what makes them controversial,” stated Zoheyr Doctor ‘16, the treasurer for VIS. Despite the sensitive nature surrounding prejudices and stereotypes often associated with the Islamic religion, Aziz noted that they are definitely worth discussing in a group setting. These conversations resonate with memebers of the organization due to the implications they hold for their everyday lives.

“I think some of our best topics of discussion come from life experiences we’ve had, like the misconceptions people have approached us

about after 9/11,” she said.

In order to gain a better understanding of these hot-button issues as well as their larger contexts, the Islamic Society finds it helpful to reach out to Islamic resources in the Poughkeepsie area.

Said Aziz, “We’ve...invited the imam from the local mosque to give us talks on important topics like jihad and pre-Islamic history that help us further understand our religious teachings that we ourselves don’t always know everything about.”

VIS’s devotion to expanding knowledge about Islam is one they hope will extend to the larger Vassar community, a goal they make strides towards by hosting campus events and collaborating with other religious organizations.

Salem and Khan said, “In the past VIS hosted a comedy night and invited a Muslim comedian to perform and we have held successful movie screenings such as the screening of Malcolm X and Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. Every year, VIS also plans a trip to the Mosque for the Meet Me in Poughkeepsie event. Anyone is welcomed to attend any of the regular meetings or any events hosted by VIS.” Additionally, in the fall, VIS participated in an RSL Coffeehouse and an Eid-Diwali dinner.

These events, said Salem, are important for the Islamic Society as well as all religious organizations to assert their presence at Vassar.

“Religion is a huge part of some students’ lives here at Vassar and it’s important for them to be part of a supportive community within Vassar campus where they can share in those beliefs,” said Salem, underscoring religious diversity as being crucial to Vassar’s environment.

Aziz works towards encouraging communication and collaboration between different

Winter shadowing internships engaging, eye-opening for students choosing careers WINTERNSHIPS continued from page 1

frame in which to have a formal internship experience that the span of summer vacation allows for, the CDO uses the Shadowing Program to offer a shorter but more personal perspective of the daily tasks and responsibilities in professional sectors across all fields.

The office narrowed their search for alumnae/i willing to lend their expertise to the program to the New York and San Francisco Bay metro areas due to their high concentration of both alumni and students.

Their pursuit resulted in secured responses from over 100 alumnae/i.

Previously being named “Previews” and “Winternships”, this sort of opportunity has been offered at Vassar for at least fifteen years. However, different from past shadowing itineraries, more emphasis was placed on alum-student coordination.

The next step, Wheeler said, was to compile information about their shadowing opportunities into a booklet and distribute it to Vassar students. He said, “To apply for a shadow, students were asked to provide a letter of interest and, if specified by the host, a resume, which our office reviewed before sending along to the alumnae/i, who in turn chose which student(s) to take. In this sense, our office facilitated only the initial contact, leaving the details to be worked out between the students and the alumnae/i themselves.”

Wheeler added, “Several hosts took the time to customize the shadowing experience around the student’s interest by intentionally introducing them to certain colleagues or inviting them to certain meetings.”

Neuroscience major Dante Varotsis ’13 found the people and experiences he was exposed to during his internship invaluable.

Shadowing research technician Maureen Byrne ’11 at Weill Medical College of Cornell University not only exposed him to the real-world practice of his studies, but also reinforced his desire to become a doctor and clinical researcher.

He said, “I first sat through a lab meeting where they discussed the current projects

that were occurring within the lab as well as the problems they were attempting to solve.

In layman terms, they were attempting to understand what roles different mental processes may play in autism. I then observed the actually wet benchwork that Maureen [Byrne] did in order to come up with her findings.”

Like Varotsis, Tarryn Sanchez ’13, a Media Studies major with correlates in Economics and Education, was able to view the exploration and attempts to resolve everyday problems. For Sanchez, though, these problems were those surrounding education. Two shadowing experiences allowed her to immerse herself in her field and expand her knowledge about the different facets of careers in education which she may not have considered before.

She said, “I was really interested in learning more about careers in education, especially those that take place outside of schools.” Her first opportunity to do so was at the New York City Department of Education where she met Melissa Silberman ’94, the Executive Director for the Office of Post Secondary Readiness.“She arranged for us to meet all of her colleagues and we spent several days talking to nearly 30 different people who worked for the DOE, learning about their positions and work history as well,” said Sanchez, underlining the opportunities she was given to do something every job seeker is encouraged to do: network.

Sanchez’s second week was spent with Sara Stoler ’10 who is an achievement coach for an organization funded by the DOE where she directs large professional development presentations for NYC public teachers and administrators.

Sanchez said, “Sara [Stoler] and I...went to many NYC public schools in Brooklyn and Staten Island to observe different classrooms and provide assistance to principals and teachers.”

Together, she said the shadowing experiences coincided with each other in that they allowed her to learn about larger policy work while also working with teachers and

students. Doing so, she said, exposed her to the full scope of choices a career in education could allow her.

She concluded, “They opened my eyes to a range of environments related to education.”

Though Sociology major Alyssa Chai’s ’14 shadowing experience is one which gave her access to a private sphere of the law, she still gained insights on larger problems of the public sphere. “For my first week, I shadowed Michael Horn ’88 who is in private practice as a defense attorney and got to sit in on “closed door” negotiations with district attorneys and other plaintiffs and their attorneys.”

Her second shadowing was spent with Katherine Greenberg ’04 who works in the unemployment division of legal aid in Manhattan. Chai explained, “It was definitely different from my experience with Michael but also really rewarding. The work that Katherine does literally helps people every single day... she really opened my eyes to the blatant legal problems associated with poverty and unemployment.”

Though she admits the legal process is not one which is particularly cheerful, it did make her appreciate those who devote themselves to it. She said, “...it was uplifting in the sense that there are people like her that work solely for the benefit of others and use law as the arena to do so.”

While Wheeler assures that the CDO hopes to expand the number of destinations for students, he is confident there won’t be a shortage of interest. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive! Students were excited to get a firsthand look at a career that interested them, and alums seemed pleased to accommodate and eager to participate again next year,” he explains.

And for those who are anxious to land the perfect job, Sanchez offered wisdom she gained from shadowing, “Very different pathways may indeed lead up to a similar job. I left with an overall piece of advice— that students should value all opportunities because one door opens the next.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

religions not only as part of Vassar’s Islamic Society, but also on a national level.

She participates as a member of the forum for the Obama Interfaith Initiative, a movement to promote interfaith cooperation across college campuses.

“I’ve met a lot of wonderful people from other RSL groups on campus which inspires me to learn more about every group’s goals, activities, etc,” she said.

“What I’m hoping for next semester, which my fellow [executive] members would agree with, is more interaction between the rich and often overlooked RSL community on campus because I firmly believe the more we interact, the more we’ll understand and appreciate each other,” said Aziz, adding that the group is looking forward to the possibility of attending one of the Vassar Jewish Union’s Shabbat services in the future.

Salem and Khan echoed Aziz’s call for a partnership among RSL organizations on Vassar’s campus They said, “It’s important for all religions including Islam to be represented on campus just as they are throughout this nation. Having any religious organization, including [Vassar Islamic Society], enriches the Vassar community because anyone in the community can visit the religious [organization], either to participate in it, to observe or to to learn more about it.”

Doing so is not only crucial to for the members of these organizations, but also to the creation of an accepting campus atmosphere.

Said Salem and Khan, “It opens up students’ minds to things they might not have been exposed to before and increases understanding and tolerance.”

—VIS meets Wednesdays at 7 in the Rose Parlor.

Sabbaticals a time for work and rest SABBATICALS continued from page 5

Like Hoehn, Woods values the contributions her own research make to the academic and public spheres. Moreover, Woods sees her work outside of Vassar as inextricably connected to her success as a professor, particularly in the way of empathy.

She said, “I couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to teach students about research and writing, and expect it from them, if I myself were not doing it!”

Professor of Earth Science and Geography Jill Schneiderman expressed a similar importance in relating to her students.

During her sabbatical last semester, in addition to starting a new collaborative project with a colleague in the Chemistry Department, going to the Lamont-Doherty Observatory affiliated with Columbia, giving a lecture at a faculty seminar at Hebrew Union College, preparing for an address she will make to the freshman class of Occidental College and finishing a paper she had been working on from her last sabbatical, Schneiderman audited an art history class on campus.

Though art history does not seem necessarily related to her concentration in earth science and geography, Schneiderman found more than one connection between the two subjects.

Schneiderman said, “I was curious to understand how in art history they teach students how to read something that doesn’t involve words, but involves images, which is what I do with earth history--how do you read the earth, how do you read a painting?” Both skills, she added, have to do with visual learning.”

Though her time away from campus was certainly productive, Schneiderman’s personal philosophy on sabbaticals does not require it to be so. “The question is always, ‘what are you going to do on sabbatical?’ The point of the Sabbath is not to do anything and the purpose of a sabbatical is to rest and see what arises.”

This approach, she said, makes productive sabbaticals all the more personally rewarding, and advises professors and students alike to embrace similar ideologies.

January 31, 2013

OPINIONS

Page 9

THE MISCELLANY NEWS STAFF EDITORIAL

Obama’s second inaugural address a proud testament to nation’s progress, and a long-awaited call to social action

I

t seems fitting that, for most of us, President Obama’s second inaugural address was the only speech of its kind that we will hear while we are in college, a time of transition between youth and adulthood. Obama’s speech made abundantly clear that this transition comes at very timely moment.

For the majority of our lives, fear and war have colored political rhetoric. George W. Bush began his second inaugural address, “For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny—prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder—violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a moral threat.” So when Obama boldly addressed gay rights, climate change, immigration and the tax code in his address, it was a breath of fresh air. He gave time to specific items on the progressive agenda, rather than promising vague hope or demonizing a foreign enemy.

The speech had some meat to it. This type of rhetoric is long overdue; gay rights, for example, has never before been mentioned in an inaugural address, and immigration was almost completely absent from the campaign trail this past election.

If Obama hopes to accomplish any of his stated goals, he will have to approach Congress with this same type of gutsy conviction. He must stand his ground. However, none of these

items can be accomplished without bipartisan support from Congress. His inaugural speech was in some respects a call to House and Senate leaders to rally together to push legislation through, to fulfill the great potential for change, redress and reform that Capitol Hill still allows. It means legislation despite the tyranny of the majority—domination and oppression by the many upon the few, as James Madison introduced in his influential The Federalist No. 10—nor the tyranny of the minority: obscure procedural roadblocks that obstruct debate and passage, like the infamous Senate filibuster.

And that is exactly why we found it disheartening that Obama failed to address gun control—an issue that is currently on so many Americans’ minds. Glossing over this issue during such a crucial and tumultuous time may be politically expedient, but it is not the kind of daring leadership that we need. If Obama is going to get anything done in his second term, he will have to face the tough issues head on. This is no time for second-hand acknowledgements.

President Obama chose to use his second inaugural address as a platform. He voiced his opinions on issues such as women’s rights and tax reform, while also strongly stressing the importance of bipartisanship and compromise.

In some respects, this was a guaranteed recipe for political discontent. Democrats and liberals likely appreciated the progressive points of his

speech, but desired not only a more concrete platform but also hearing a gesture toward his agenda for gun control. Its absence amid the string of other issues noted was conspicuous.

Republicans and conservatives, on the other hand, likely found his appeal for bipartisanship and the proclamation of his liberal agenda contradictory; although he called for unity, he raised a number of partisan opinions that undoubtedly conflict with the beliefs of millions of Republicans.

While we certainly respect Obama’s call for reform and his call for bipartisanship, we believe that his address would have been stronger had he chosen to present his progressive agenda in a more detailed, concrete manner, rather than attempt to walk the line between a partisan call to action and an appeal for bipartisanship. The line cannot always be walked. To reach compromise on some of the social issues raised in Obama’s address is an extremely difficult, if not impossible, enterprise. In some cases, basic human rights have become the focal point of ongoing debate made by both parties.

Although it would have made his address less universally palatable, Obama should have truly articulated his own political opinions. He has the bully pulpit; use it. Take a stand.

Although it is undeniably crucial for Obama to embrace bipartisanship, we also feel that it is important to remember that the responsibil-

ity to reach compromise and push legislation through Congress falls on the heads of Representatives and Senators of both parties. Congressional leaders, such as John Boehner and Harry Reid, must work toward the good of the country and the effectiveness of government rather than the strength of their party. They are charged with representing the desires of their constituents, and their inaction is a failure to follow up on their implicit duty and promise.

Without a working Congress, there is little President Obama can hope to accomplish in his second term without stretching the boundaries of executive power.

Although there has been ample debate over the controversial content of Obama’s address, his speech was not so much a declaration of his platform, but general descriptions from the re-elected, second term President. Regardless, to hear our President’s position on gun control and the nation’s recent string of deeply troubling shootings would have been more than appropriate, if not warranted. Walking the line between progressive call-to-action and palatable—but unsubstantial—pep talk may have been the wisest move, politically, for the president to make. But we feel that it was not the most powerful.

—The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of at least 2/3 of the Editorial Board.

With children endangered, On divestment: an open letter country must confront guns to Vassar’s Board of Trustees Rachel Anspach Guest Columnist

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n March 2012, Aliyah Shell was sitting on her front porch with her mom and baby sister waiting to go to a friend’s birthday party. Her mother was trying to neaten her long, wild hair, and they were waiting for their cousins to meet them to leave for the party. Then, out of nowhere, a truck drove by a gunman fired several shots. Aliyah was hit more than once.

Her mother called 911, but it was too late. She was gone. Aliyah was six years old.

This same year, seven year-old Heaven Sutton set up a candy stand in front of her house to try to raise money for a trip to Disney World. Heaven’s mother remembers that she had already picked out all the outfits she wanted to bring, all of which were pink. “But the little diva, who loved singing about hope, never made it to Disney World.” Instead, she was the victim of a drive-by shooting that ended her young life. Aliyah and Heaven—two innocent young children who did not deserve to die— were both victims of the gun violence that plagues the south and west sides of Chicago.

Children have been dying in Chicago due to gun violence for years, and their deaths often go unnoticed. During the year 2012 alone, 55 children under the age of 18 were killed in homicides in Chicago, Aliyah and Heaven among them. Some of those killed by gun violence were as young as six years old. But for some reason, none of the children’s deaths in Chicago or other cities have been enough to gain media attention or convince our government to act to control gun violence.

Recently, the country drew together in the wake of unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, where a lone gunman killed 26 innocent people, 20 of whom were children as young as six and seven. The massacre shook the entire country, and finally spurred the White House to take action to increase gun control throughout the US. When the massacre occurred, I was inspired by how the Vassar community came together to support the victims and those from our student body who were impacted personally. But even as I was heartened by how much my fellow students and the Vassar administration truly seemed to care about the victims of Newtown, my thoughts kept going back to my hometown of

Chicago. 55 children were killed in Chicago last year, an extreme tragedy by all accounts.

Gun violence against children plagues the entire country—87% of the gun murders of children in the 23 wealthiest countries in the world occur in the US.. Yet, I have only heard a few voices on campus, in Washington DC, or on the mainstream media talking about the violence that plagues Chicago and other cities throughout the US. Our President is from Chicago, and has acknowledged gun violence there, as he notably did during his announcement for his new gun safety initiative. However, it was not the extreme violence in his own city that spurred our president to take action on gun safety. It is certainly better late than never when it comes to passing legislation on something as important as this issue. But it also strikes me as sad that none of the gun violence that has been ongoing in cities like Chicago has drawn enough sympathy from the media, the American public or the US government for this to happen earlier.

The huge number of children who have been caught in the crossfire of gun violence is part of the ongoing epidemic of violence in my home city of Chicago, and that violence has been increasing over the past year. Last year there were 506 homicides in Chicago, a 16% spike since 2011. In terms of raw numbers, this is more murders than any other city in the US. In terms of murders per person, the numbers are even more shocking. In Chicago, the rate of homicides per 100,000 people is 19.5. Of the murders in the Windy City last year, 440 were shootings. During 2012, police only solved 129 of the 506 killings, or about 25%. Clearly, this is a dire situation, and is one that merits national attention. This violence is not limited to Chicago in the 21st century—it is part of the American culture of violence and racial inequality that stems back to when this nation was founded by committing genocide against indigenous peoples and brutalizing the Africans we brought over as slaves.

It seems to me that as a nation we have not given the violence in places like Chicago the attention it deserves because any in depth investigation would reveal the structural racism that pervades US society. Most of the homicides in Chicago occur in a few neighSee GUN CONTROL on page 12

Gabe Dunsmith Columnist

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o the Vassar College Board of Trustees: I write to you today with a great hope: that you, as esteemed trustees of Vassar College, will act promptly to secure a sustainable campus, economy, and climate for the 21st century by divesting the College’s endowment from the fossil fuel industry. 2012 was the warmest year on record, and tragedies such as Hurricane Sandy demonstrated the catastrophic social consequences of global warming. There is no better time than now to divest—and to show Vassar’s commitment to a sustainable world.

Divestment is not only the morally right thing to do to secure a world free of mountaintop removal, hydraulic fracturing, and deepsea drilling, but it would furnish Vassar with innumerable benefits. Among those benefits: - Positive press (Imagine the headlines!

Vassar would become a national leader in the fight against climate change.)

- The established initiative to lead peer institutions in environmental actions - A bolstered commitment to sustainable development in the 21st century - A new selling point for the Admissions Office (divestment could attract many more potential students to the College) - A champion in the fight against hydraulic fracturing here in New York State Clearly, Vassar has much to gain. With an endowment re-invested in renewable energies and in our neighborhood of Poughkeepsie, the College can simultaneously promote local, human-centered development and provide a pivotal shift towards the wind and solar energies that America will need in the coming years.

Vassar’s endowment has also shown remarkable growth in the last few years, and re-investment in sustainable energy would only improve that growth. Between 2008 and 2011, the endowment grew from $700 million to $814 million—an increase of more than 16 percent in just three years. As such, an investment plan that favors renewables and local investments may make Vassar’s endowment all the more stellar. Vassar has much to gain from riding the wave of renewable energy.

And though the endowment brings obvious

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

monetary advantages to the College, Vassar should also keep in mind the health of future generations of students and the environment they will depend on. Vassar cannot afford to become complacent with climate change as the earth continues to bake and more hurricanes slam into our shores.

In the long term, an endowment divested of fossil fuel makes sense—it allows Vassar to project a vision of a healthier earth long into the future, and it builds a safer world for people all across the globe. Vassar will thrive all the more when the global environment, too, is thriving.

“Vassar cannot afford to become complacent with climate change.” gaBe DUNSMith ’15 A world free of global warming is the world that future students will need. For the past few months, students all across the nation have been organizing for divestment because our future depends on it. Already Unity College and Hampshire College have divested; Middlebury is considering divestment; and strong student-led campaigns have cropped up at Vassar’s peer institutions like Columbia, Harvard, and Swarthmore.

Vassar students are ever more attentive to climate change—an issue that will define our generation. We know, too, that just as Vassar divested from apartheid in the 1980s, so too can it divest from Exxon, Massey, BP, Halliburton, and the other dirty corporations holding our planet hostage.

Vassar has a tremendous opportunity to lead the nation in fossil fuel divestment. It is time to build a brighter world—and, with your help, Vassar can take charge. I hope you will join me, hundreds of concerned Vassar students, and thousands of students across the United States, in shaping a fossil-free future.

—Gabriel Dunsmith ‘15 is an Environmental Studies major, and is Co-Coordinator of the Vassar Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign.

OPINIONS

Page 10

Ag-gag bills deserve fierce opposition Alan Darer

U

Guest Columnist

ndercover investigations serve as vital aspects of organizations like Mercy For Animals (MFA), a national non-profit organization for the protection of farmed animals. These types of important and effective investigations have resulted in landmark criminal animal cruelty charges, led to some of the largest recalls in the meat and egg industry, uncovered urgent food safety and environmental concerns, encouraged companies, including McDonalds, Costco, and Kraft Foods, to cut ties with particularly brutal farms and/or adopt higher animal welfare standards, and exposed consumers to the egregious treatment animals endure during their lives on factory farms and at the slaughterhouse. These investigators serve as the eyes and ears of the American public, who have a right to know where their food comes from and how farmed animals are treated, so that they can make informed decisions about what they consume. Since many people can’t visit farms themselves, video footage is key in achieving this. The number of undercover investigations has risen in recent years, resulting in a mass shift in the behavior of both consumers and companies.

So how have the meat, dairy, and egg industries responded? At their request, politicians in several states have introduced so-called “ag-gag” legislation—laws aimed at criminalizing undercover investigations and silencing those who expose the cruel, corrupt and even illegal practices carried out at factory farms and slaughterhouses. Instead of reforming these practices, animal agriculture has targeted those who work to expose them by criminalizing investigations. The language of each bill is slightly different, but their ultimate goal remains the same: to stop undercover investigations.

In 2012, Utah and Iowa became the first two states to pass ag-gag bills; over winter break, New Hampshire introduced one of their own. Due to my experience both interning and working for MFA, the organization asked me to represent them at the Environmental and Agriculture Committee’s first public hearing on the bill, held at the New Hampshire State House on January 15. During the four-hour hearing, a diverse group—lawyers, local activists, national animal protection organizations, and the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union— testified against the bill, while only farmers and the New Hampshire Farm Bureau testified in support.

My role at the hearing was to explain that not a single federal law protects farmed animals from abuse or neglect during their lives on factory farms, and that many states specifically exclude farmed animals from protection against even some of the most egregious forms of cruelty commonly exhibited on factory farms. If corporate agribusiness truly cared about animal welfare, they would offer incentives to whistleblowers and install cameras on their facilities to prevent animal abuse, instead of making it more difficult to expose.

I found it difficult to gauge the committee’s response, as some of the twenty representatives seemed to oppose the bill, while others asked difficult and leading questions—one representative even felt it relevant to raise the questions of plant suffering and abortion. The New Hampshire bill is on its way to subcommittee, which will make a decision in a matter of weeks.

Time and again, undercover investigations at factory farms and slaughterhouses nationwide have revealed abuses that shock and horrify most Americans—which is why the animal agriculture industry is fighting so hard to keep the suffering of farmed animals hidden behind closed doors. Ag-gag bills have profound ramifications and endanger the public by concealing animal abuse, unsafe working conditions, food safety issues, and negative environmental impacts in industrial animal agriculture.

While it remains important to combat ag-gag bills whenever they emerge we should remember that corporate agribusiness fights to criminalize investigations and keep the public in the dark because they know that consumers don’t support the abuse and suffering that farmed animals endure. Visit www.meatvideo.com to see the footage that the animal agriculture industry is fighting so hard to keep from you, and www.chooseveg.com for free recipes and tips to make the transition to a meat-free diet.

—Alan Darer ‘14 is a biochemistry major.

January 31, 2013

Magazines continue to pigeonhole women Angela Della Croce Guest Columnist

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he beginning of 2013 marked a noteworthy occasion for feminists both young and old: the 50th anniversary of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. A hallmark of the 20th century, The Feminine Mystique is widely acknowledged for its role in starting the second-wave feminist movement. In this work Friedan took a critical look at the magazine industry, which was the main reading material for women at the time. Because of its pervasive nature, women’s perceptions of what was normal, what they found to be important, and what they thought about themselves was essentially dictated by the magazine industry. Friedan analyzed the impact of this phenomenon upon American women.

Returning from the horrific experiences of World War II, men harbored a strong desire for a traditional, stable home—with women as caring, supportive mothers and wives and men as workers and breadwinners—and thus transformed the image of women when they took over the magazine industry after WWII. The ideal woman changed from the goal-setting, career-seeking woman to the childish housewife, whose highest objectives were finding a suitable husband and having many children. Women with careers were portrayed as neurotic and pitiful. Friedan called the image of the ideal woman the “feminine mystique”. She included several examples of magazine articles that portrayed women in this light. She also blamed the feminine mystique for the growing sense of unease, anxiety and depression plaguing women of the time.

A woman’s highest goals were to marry, raise children, and be a good housewife, but what about after? “What happens after I become a caring mother and wife and do all house chores with maximum efficiency? Is this all that life has to offer?” Many housewives asked themselves this and often ended up in psychological distress. Friedan explained that the image the magazine industry had imposed upon women was unnatural and was a hindrance on growth. Without the pain of going through the “What do I want to do with my life?” stage, women were left immature and unable to reach self-actualization.

Since the publication of this influential work, this country has gone through two feminist movements and a civil rights movement, massively affecting women and minorities.

It would seem that we’ve come a long way since the days of the one-size-fits-all image by which women were supposed to abide.

Surely our modern society has eradicated the ancient stereotyping of women, right?

I went to the magazine section of Barnes & Noble earlier this month, turning my attention to the “Women’s Interest” subsection.

The fact that they even had an area geared just to women drew red flags. How could a store possibly know what every woman was attracted to, given the vast array of interests women had? Though there were at least 40 different titles, they all looked the same: Glossy, colorful, featuring a painfully happy model on the cover. Looking closer, I realized that these magazines not only looked alike, they were spouting the same information too.

I took a sample of the most widely read/ most popular magazines geared specifically towards women: Seventeen, Self, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Instyle, Bazaar, Glamour, Elle, and Marie Claire. I browsed through their articles and generalized their main focus. Glamour offered diet tips for a smaller waist, fitness workouts, secrets to getting beautiful skin, ways to please your man, and advice for struggling couples.

Seventeen claimed to know how to get your best body, new fashion trends for the year, the “super bowl of beauty”, great kisses to turn your man on, and how to make a low-calorie smoothie. Elle gave us women head-to-toe style, an affordable fashion makeover, better sex tonight, and a better body in three weeks.

The other magazines spewed the same general dogma on the attainment of the perfect body, perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect relationship, and perfect home life.

This image of how women should look and behave comes as no surprise. We are bombarded with it not only in magazines but in virtually all other media, idolizing women with shining locks, luscious lips, and perfect breasts. It seems that what women should primarily focus on has shifted from the family and home to primping and priming, from

the obedient wife to the sexualized Barbie.

After fifty event-filled years, has the modern image of women become any more desirable than the feminine mystique of the 1950s?

True, society has become much more tolerant of females in the workforce. Yet apparently women’s work efforts are less desirable since they still get paid less, and the concept of the “trophy wife”, which still thrives, is one that embodies a woman who not only doesn’t work but is physically “flawless”. I suppose you can say that the modern feminine mystique portrays women who are able to work and achieve their aspirations but must look beautiful doing it. The focus of a woman’s life has turned more towards all things physical and exterior—hair, skin, makeup, clothing, body shape. And though women feel liberated enough to pursue their lifelong dreams, they are still confined to the male perception of the ideal female.

All of the magazines I sampled are produced by one of the following three corporations: Hearst Corporation, Conde Nast Publications, and Time Inc. Under Hearst Magazines, half of the executive team members were men. Under Conde Nast, all but one were male. Under Time, seven out of twelve were men. I guess it’s no surprise that an industry controlled by men would produce stereotypes, images, and ideas women should conform to that are desirable to men, just as it did when men dominated the industry fifty years prior. Needless to say, these unrealistic images have resulted in numerous negative effects for women, including depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and immense social pressures to conform in a way that is unnatural to them. After fifty years of struggling with the “problem that has no name”, the unnatural, male-generated view of women still persists, for whether women are satisfying men’s needs as wife or as sex object, the public view of the woman is that which to service the man. As Betty Friedan stated in her book, “The only way for a woman…to find herself, to know herself as a person, is by creative work of her own.”

—Angela Della Croce ‘15 is an Economics major.

Endgame approaches in Syria’s civil war Stacey Nieves

Guest Columnist

I

f you’re looking for a military briefing on the status of the nearly two-year-old Syrian civil war, you’re out of luck. Getting clear information from the area is understandably difficult, and anyway you already have an idea of what’s going on. It’s a war. Shots are being fired, people are being killed, you know how it works. Okay, I’ll tell you this much. Bashar Al-Assad’s regime has retreated to a few core areas, and is pounding rebel-held regions with airfire. The rebels are holding their own, and for now the conflict is deadlocked.

What’s more in flux, and even more important, are the positions of other countries in regard to the conflict. Most of the major players seem to have decided that the Assad regime will fall, and for now they’re circling around the crumbling country like a pack of vultures. A few nations, namely Russia and the United States, have the power to affect, and ultimately shorten, the war. Others, like Jordan and Israel, are watching with wary eyes to see how the nation’s next move will bear on them.

Let’s start with the superpower. It’s obvious that the U.S. has the military power to go rushing into Syria and pummel the Assad regime out of existence, but our commander-in-chief is reasonably unwilling to put boots on the ground in yet another Middle Eastern nation. At a recent meeting with donors in Paris, the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the main body of the opposition, specifically requested cash for the heavy weapons needed to take out Assad’s airpower and better their chances of winning the war. So why doesn’t the U.S. just give them what they need?

The answer is Salafi Al-Nusra, or the Al-Nusra Front, a group active in Syria that

was recently labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. The United States fears that weapons provided directly to the rebels may fall into the hands of this jihadist group, meaning that U.S. support thus far has been small-scale and nonlethal. With Al-Nusra around, the U.S. government is uncomfortable with just handing weapons to the rebels.

“Most of the major players seem to have decided that the Assad regime will fall.”

Stacey Nieves ’15 So what about the United Nations? They pulled a no-fly zone for Libya; the Syrian rebels have asked for the same treatment and resent that they’re not getting it. The problem here is that our next major player, Russia, which has been preventing the UN Security Council from helping the Syrian rebels. Russia and Iran have so far stuck by Assad’s side, to an extent. Lately Russia’s started talking out of both sides of its mouth, pushing the rebels to drop their demand for Assad’s ouster as a precondition for talks, while openly commenting on the regime’s dwindling chances of survival.

Russia’s support seems like it’s shrinking too, so a little chat with the U.S. might be enough to get them to stop blocking the UN. While Russia and the United States equivocate and evade, the nervous eyes of Jordan and Israel look on. Since the start of the

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

conflict, 700,000 refugees have fled Syria, 200,000 of them in the last two months alone, most of them choosing Jordan for their destination. The country’s single refugee camp is already over-capacity, and the UN doesn’t have enough money to feed them all. The longer the conflict drags on, the more Syrians Jordan will have to worry about.

But Israel’s got even bigger troubles. With the recent discovery that the Assad regime has chemical weapons, Israel’s getting nervous. About the chemical weapons: Assad won’t use them. But others might. Israel’s fear is that Hezbollah will get its hands on them, so Israel’s been testing its missile defense system just in case. Another missile defense system has been set up in Turkey, by NATO, because Syrian missiles have been hitting the country for quite some time now. If the conflict doesn’t end soon, new battles are likely to erupt in the region.

But let’s say the rebels prevail, as they likely will. Maybe Russia stops blocking the UN, maybe the U.S. starts handing over weapons—either way, imagine they win. It won’t mean the end of trouble for Syria. The country is beset with sectarian, political, and ethnic tensions, differences the current conflict between the Alawite regime and military and the Sunni-majority-backed rebels have only highlighted. With many Sunni dead from the war, the mass revenge-killing of Alawites may follow Assad’s fall. Iraq and Lebanon are vulnerable to these sectarian tensions as well.

Regardless of when Syria’s civil war ends, its conflict is likely to spill over its borders and contribute to further destabilization in the troubled Middle East. So if you’re tracking the Syrian conflict, all I can say is keep watching.

—Stacey Nieves ‘15 is an English major.

January 31, 2013

OPINIONS

Smoking ban contradicts Vassar ethics Evan Seltzer

Guest Columnist

T

he general health of the Vassar community is at risk, and we must follow the appropriate steps to address this major problem.

As an institution, it is our obligation to take action when we see students jeopardizing both the short and long-term health of their bodies. Consequently, I support a school-wide ban on a particularly harmful and addictive substance to ensure that no members of our community compromise their health. I refer, of course, to the alarming consumption of chocolate among our students.

Chocolate contains large amounts of sugar, the key ingredient that causes tooth decay and gum disease. Further, chocolate is fattening because it is high in calories. While some believe this will only mean a few extra pounds, the reality can be much worse. Excessive consumption can lead to obesity, one of the greatest health conditions plaguing our country.

Ailments associated with obesity are numerous and serious: diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. In addition, obese people are more likely to experience heart problems, with heart attacks being one of the greatest causes of death in our country. There are studies that suggest chocolate can be both physiologically and psychologically addictive.

Even if some studies suggest potential health benefits, it is evidently more harmful than beneficial to our bodies—especially the type of highly processed chocolate widely available at Vassar. It is our duty to protect fellow members of our community and banning chocolate is a clear-cut way to do so.

Try rereading my justification of such a ban but substitute the word “chocolate” with “cigarette”. The difference between the first reading and the second is that the latter is an actual proposal by the Administration while the former clearly is not. But are my justifications for banning chocolate any less valid than the Administration’s justification for prohibiting smoking? I substantiate my claim by citing numerous, legitimate health risks caused by chocolate. While chocolate is obviously not as det-

rimental as cigarettes, it is still undoubtedly an unhealthy substance. What is the rationale for allowing it on our campus then? If we are considering the health of our community, doesn’t it make as much sense to ban chocolate as it does cigarettes?

Keep in mind, College Regulations already prohibit smoking indoors, “in all buildings on campus and within fifty feet of all building entrances [and windows].” Since these rules already address the possibility of being harmed by second-hand smoke, a ban’s purpose must be to eliminate the harm students cause themselves by smoking. Last year, the Administration conducted a school-wide poll to gauge student opinion on this ban of smoking on campus. The poll revealed that 65 percent of students do not approve of a smoking ban. This in and of itself should have nixed any possibility of a ban since the overwhelming majority of students do not support it. Shouldn’t we have control over the laws we live by in our school—our micro-society as college students?

The most important factor in school-wide bans should be the will of the students, those who would live under them.

But more importantly, is it really the Administration’s job to dictate how we take care of our bodies? Admirable as the intent may be, it should not be within the Administration’s jurisdiction to control our diet. If some Vassar students wish to consume a dangerous yet legal substance, we must respect their right to.

A unilateral prohibition of smoking cigarettes would be stripping us all of individual choice, not just those students who smoke.

According to our Mission Statement, Vassar’s goal is to develop a “diverse student body which, in the aggregate, reflects cultural pluralism, and to foster in those students a respect for difference.” I personally don’t smoke because I know cigarettes are unhealthy and potentially very dangerous. But that is only my choice, and it is my obligation as a Vassar student to respect the choice of others. A schoolwide ban won’t affect my own health, but it will fundamentally affront my principles. It is also the Administration’s obligation to respect the

different choices and lifestyles of its students, regardless if they are healthy or not. If the overwhelming majority of students favored the ban then perhaps the Administration would have a more tenable viewpoint. But their decision to go forward with a ban that is antagonistic to our Mission Statement and lacks support of the student body must be viewed as egregious.

“The most important factor in school-wide bans should be the will of the students.”

Columnist

S

ince its founding, Vassar has had a close bond with books. The original plans for the College called for a library within Main so that its students could access their books without leaving on the same cold, chilly nights we experience to this day. While we’ve since evolved from Uncle Fred’s Nose to the much more elegant Thompson Memorial Library, our impressive collection of more than a million works is a testament to our dedication through the years to grow with our student’s demand to learn. However, As much as I love the smell of an old book, it’s about time Vassar start abandoning books in favor of tablets.

Vassar already provides an impressive amount of resources through digital channels, but I think the prevalence of our digital world is demonstrating that we should be doing more to bring a transition to a more accessible and digital world. I think the things that should be done to improve our overall digital experience boil down to increasing the variety of content available while simultaneously increasing accessibility to such content beyond normal means. One of the best ways Vassar can accomplish this is by either giving students tablets, or giving them access to tablets through loan or rental programs This process is far from unknown. Some digitally-oriented elementary schools even hand out to their students iPads for class, and dozens of universities and institutions give their students Macbooks or PCs when they arrive at orientation. But this is more than just handing out a bunch of free iPads or e-readers to students, or simply making them more available for usage. Frankly, this is about increasing the accessibility of digital content to students. If you want to encourage students to be productive, to read more, and to have more access to the resources we provide to the campus, then hand each one some sort of tablet device, or give them opportunity to access

them in better ways than they can already.

Whether or not the College offered the tablets to each student or through some sort of loan or rental program, the benefits are clear not only from the concept, but from the College being the one to perform this task. While any student could go out and buy a tablet, the College has the authority to not only offer tablets at a discount to the students, but also negotiate access for resources and programs on these very devices. For these tablets or e-readers to be truly useful for students, they should have access to essential academic works, and the College is in a position better than anyone else to negotiate these resources. Plus, this puts the College in a position to be proactive with the growing digital realities of the academic establishment, and to be progressive in helping shape a more digital future for our campus. So long as the demand is sufficient, there is no reason why the College should not be at the forefront of such a project.

“The College is in a position better than anyone else to negotiate resources such as tablets.”

JOSh SheRMaN ’16 The benefits for each student to have a tablet vary greatly, but in the end it comes down to making things cheaper, easier, and more accessible. Ecologically, Vassar would save countless sheets of paper by promoting the usage of digital readers over the dated process of printing paper for each syllabus, each assignment, and each report, leaving piles of paper in its wake. Vassar is a campus that has also always been about being accessible and

Word

on the street

How do you keep warm?

evaN SeltZeR ’14 The unhealthiness of cigarettes is a real problem and I support an investment in education on the issue. Workshops would be a valuable means of educating the student population on the consequences of smoking. I would welcome a decrease in the number of students who smoke at Vassar. It would, however, betray our mission statement, our liberal arts education, and the rights of our students, to combat smoking by enforcing a school-wide ban. The Drugs and Alcoholic Committee survey, conducted in 2008, found that less than three percent of Vassar students smoke regularly. That means over 60 percent of students who do not smoke still oppose a ban. It would seem that most students share my belief that respect for the right to govern your own body trumps that of health issues.

Yes, we must persuade members of our community to quit smoking, but we cannot force this upon them. We must respect individual choice and personal freedom, even if our goals are genuinely well-intentioned. If we don’t, then we must also say goodbye to chocolate, and I don’t plan on giving up my Kit-Kats anytime soon.

—Evan Seltzer ‘14 is a Political Science major.

Vassar must consider tablets, e-readers Josh Sherman

Page 11

convenient for its students, and there is no step forward that is more convenient or accessible than to give each student a tablet, or at least make such devices accessible to students. There are resources beyond our campus that can take advantage of these e-readers and tablets. For example, the Gutenberg project is one of the largest efforts to compile public domain works for public access, and offering students an easy avenue to access its more than 40,000 works is one example of the advantages on offer. Beyond this there are countless digital libraries, databases, media sources, and other projects both free and priced that can be made more accessible through an e-reader or tablet initiative, and the College should be at least considering this option.

In the end this is not an idea without its faults. For those who don’t enjoy reading from an e-ink or digital display this entire concept will appear fruitless. The point though is that Vassar should be doing everything it can to be providing more resources to its students in more accessible ways, and the idea of a tablet or e-reader is one that has many advantages worth considering. While I highly doubt we will ever get tablets or e-readers on behalf of the College, I do hope the school continues to invest itself in a more digital lifestyle, and will consider the notion of offering tablets and e-readers for students to loan. Why invest in yet another static asset like a public workstation when you can invest in a mobile asset that allows the same resources of a standard public computer, plus so much more? While we have an impressive campus in terms of accessibility, there’s no doubt in my mind we could gain more from tablets. While it may be crazy to give everyone a tablet, it makes sense in almost every respect for the College to be making such devices accessible.

—Josh Sherman ‘16 is a student at Vassar College.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“Put a sweater on.”

—Brian Muir ’13

“I’m not leaving Main. But actually, I’m not leaving Main.”

—Reuben Moncada ’15

“Drinking hot chocolate.”

—Amy Sullivan ’16

“Well, I’m wearing long johns...”

—Daniel Bogran ’14

“Not going outside.”

—Julia Martin ’14

“I’m cooking with my friends and housemates.”

—Sam Garcia ’13

Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor and Satire Editor Katie de Heras, Photo Editor

OPINIONS

Page 12

January 31, 2013

Issue of guns Criminal justice system tears families apart too narrowly T framed Juan Thompson Columnist

GUN CONTROL continued from page 9

borhoods on the city’s south and west sides, where most residents are black or Latino. I am not equipped to assess all the roots of our urban violence, but a long history of America’s institutional racism seems to me to be at the heart of both why this violence occurs and why as a country we are unwilling to try to remedy it. When gun violence occurs in urban communities of color, it seems that it is often written off as gang violence, or as a culture of violence somehow endemic to the residents of these isolated neighborhoods. Not only can this rhetoric be racist, it also oversimplifies the problem of gun violence. This narrow framing turns Chicago’s gun violence into an issue that can be viewed as impacting a small segment of our population—“them” not “us”—rather than something we should all care about. As a country, we have used this marginalizing narrative to justify ignoring the root causes of this violence. Addressing them would take much more than gun control on its own. The current system benefits those who have power and have no incentive to shed light on this issue.

What happened in Newton was unspeakably tragic, and it certainly warranted the attention it garnered from our newspapers and politicians. Any attempt to finally deal with gun violence in this country is positive.

But, as a nation I call on us to remember that whenever an American child is murdered it is equally tragic. When a six-year old girl is shot in a small town in Connecticut or when she is shot on the south side of Chicago, a child who is equally American is killed.

—Rachel Anspach ‘13 is a Poli. Sci. major.

he police, tipped off by an informant, raided a stunned Stephanie George’s residence one hot day in August 1996. After kicking in her door they found powdered cocaine and thousands of dollars in cash. George told the police that the drugs and money belonged to the father of her children, Michael Dickey, who admitted the seized materials were his. Dickey, however, also accused George of allowing him to use her home for his drug business. She denied the allegations, but Dickey and several others testified against George; because of a prior drug offense, she ended up with the harshest sentence of anyone charged. The poor mother of three, who lacked a bank account and was on food stamps, was sentenced to life in federal prison at the age of twenty-six.

We have the highest incarceration rate in the world with 753 Americans imprisoned for every 100,000 residents. Russia, Rwanda and Cuba are next on the list and it is quite clear that we have no problem being in the company of such brutal regimes since we refuse to embrace genuine reform.

If America is genuinely interested in reforming its criminal justice system and stepping into the modern age, there are certain moves we can make. First, we should throw out archaic sentencing guidelines for the mere fact that every crime is distinctive and committed by different people with divergent motives and backgrounds. Secondly, it should solely come down to judges to decide sentencing for prospective incarcerated persons, not subject to the constraints of pandering ego-driven politicians in legislative bodies.

Furthermore, almost half of inmates are behind bars for nonviolent offenses. It is completely unsurprising, then, that those people are negatively transformed by their time in prison. Recently I have acquired a rather

shameful viewing habit: prison porn. No, it is not the televised sexual exploits of incarcerated people; it is a negative moniker for exploitative television shows, such as MSNBC’s Lockup, that document life behind bars.

In one telling scene a pugilistic inmate tells the cameraman “I was not like this before I came here”.

An immediate step that can be taken now involves the President. Obama, who signed the Fair Sentencing Act in 2011, also has the power to commute federal sentences and pardon inmates like Stephanie George. Unfortunately, the man who likes to quote Martin King as saying that “the arch of the universe bends towards justice” has so far commuted and/or pardoned fewer people than his predecessors at similar points during their respective tenures. If Obama is truly serious about rectifying injustices he will start exercising his constitutional power immediately.

Sentencing guidelines, like those that shackled George, are a major cause of our startling incarceration rate. George had served one nine-month sentence in a work release program for a previous drug offense and yet she was punished with life in prison for a pile of coke and cash that did not belong to her. The judge in George’s case made clear his distaste for the sentence he was forced to hand down. The New York Times quoted an apparently remorseful judge who said to George at sentencing, “Your role has basically been as a girlfriend and bag holder and money holder but not actively involved in the drug dealing, so certainly in my judgment it does not warrant a life sentence”.

The absurdity of our criminal justice system would be quite humorous if it were not so terribly tragic for the families and particularly for the children of individuals like Stephanie George and Weldon Angelos, whose case is similar to George’s. Indeed, George’s children belong to a very unappeal-

ing club; they are a few of the 1 in 15 black children (the rate is 1 in 40 for all of America) who have a parent in prison. With every murder on Chicago’s south side or every robbery in west Saint Louis, uninformed hacks flood the airwaves to admonish poor people about their lack of responsible parenthood. How can these parents be guiding lights for their offspring, though, when so many of them are behind bars?

Despite what may happen henceforth it will be too late for Stephanie George. Her children, who were 5, 6 and 9 years old when she left for prison, are now adults aged 20, 21 and 24. Their lives have not been easy without George—there have been dropouts, unemployment and crime—and yet they speak with their mother every Sunday on the telephone, thanks to the money she earns at her 92-cents-an-hour prison job. George was not home snapping pictures when her daughter went off to prom and she was absent when her son made his first three-pointer at a basketball game. And unless the President intervenes, she won’t be there when her eldest walks down the aisle or when her grandchildren are born. No family deserves to be ripped apart like the Georges, nor did her crime justify the state’s destruction of her children’s lives.

George’s oldest daughter told the Times she doesn’t “want to blame things on my situation, but I think my life would have been a whole lot different if she’d been here, When I fell off track, she would have pushed me back.

She’s way stronger than any of us.” It is past time that President Obama behaved like the strong leader we need him to be. He can start by sending fathers, like Weldon Angelos, and mothers, like Stephanie George, back to their families, where they belong.

—Juan Thompson ‘13 is a Political Science major.

The Miscellany Crossword

by Jack Mullan, Crossword Editor

ACROSS 1 Pour 5 Go over 11 Matey’s word of approval 14 “The Thin Man” pooch 15 Paris−based peace grp.

16 Stephen of “V for Vendetta” 17 *Gardening vehicle 19 Dorm police, for short (except at Vassar) 20 Neighboring land to 15−down 21 Light bulb unit 22 He’s played a gladiator, a boxer, and an economist 26 Ministry of Social Development: Abbr.

27 ___ ex machina 28 Two of the three gifts of the Magi 30 Crunch targets

31 Dye−yielding plant 32 Five Pillars faith 36 Nonstick cookware brand 40 Origin 41 Old TV channel that hosted “Smallville” and “One Tree Hill”...and a hint to the answers of the starred clues 42 Business Assn. of Newfoundland: Abbr.

43 Sage or thyme 44 Usher’s domain 45 2012 Ben Affleck thriller 46 Row 48 Gets the soap out 50 Happy ___ 52 Veterans of the street, for short 55 “Seven Samurai” director Kurosawa 56 Hideout 57 Marshall Mathers,

Answers to last week’s puzzle

familiarly 59 NY Knicks’ stomping ground 60 *Vacation from which Vassar has just returned 65 Japanese drama 66 Blotter entries 67 Mate or matum prefix 68 Toronto’s prov.

69 Turn (to) 70 Tandoor−baked bread

29 The late great Shankar’s instrument 30 “...For ___ waves of grain,” 33 Japanese comic book series 34 “___ Misérables” 35 Cobbler’s tool

37 Persian tongue 38 One of the five stages of grief 39 2010 Nobelist Mario Vargas 47 Baseball division 49 Metric of verse 50 *Office supplies shop

DOWN 1 Uncooked 2 Pokémon protagonist 3 Back to Brooklyn?

4 Dundee denial 5 Massages 6 Equip with weapons, old−style 7 Fashion’s Wang and Tennis’ Zvonareva 8 Looks embarrassed 9 Environmental sci.

10 “Unbelievable!”

11 Concert pianist Claudio 12 *Irish poet who wrote “In dreams begin responsibility” 13 Direction after Near, Middle or Far 18 Property claim 21 *Disputed territory near 20−across 22 2004 Oscar−winner for Best Picture 23 2003 Oscar−winner Zellweger 24 Basket material 25 *Untamed male swine 27 Dean of Students Brown

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

51 Black billiard ball 52 Bygone Dodge models 53 U.S. Cuban detention complex, in brief 54 Draco Malfoy’s look 56 K−P interval 57 Home of County Clare 58 Once, once

60 West Central Railway: Abbr.

61 Do a 5K, say 62 She, in São Paulo 63 One day ___ time 64 Family

January 31, 2013

HUMOR & SATIRE

Page 13

OPINIONS

Breaking News

From the desk of Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire Editor

Chan’s Peking Kitchen III burns down; in unrelated news, local Humor editor loses 60 lbs, no longer has scurvy A Vassar girl in Italy: less A fiscal update from Jill, who romcom, more food stains once NRO-ed Economics 101 Lily Doyle

Guest Columnist

M

ath is stupidly hard for me, and just looking at a problem that involves adding, subtracting, or doing anything at all with fractions makes me want to cry like Taylor Swift over her guitar. Because of this, I logically made the decision to not apply for MIT or CalTech, and I took Intro Psych as my quant course. At Vassar Freshman year, I also made the decision to take Italian, and I was promptly shown that math is not the only thing I really, really suck at. In a move strongly reminiscent of my dog when he is convinced that if he continues to bark at the mirror, the “other dog” will come over and be his friend, I decided to keep it up.

I decided to keep it up to the point of traveling a casual 7,000 miles away from home to live in Italy, where, it turns out, they actually speak faster and with bigger words than my professor did in Italian 105. When I first arrived to my dorm, I informed my roommate that “I am called of the Lily”, and then proceeded to answer everything she asked with “si”. She now believes that I was born in New York and am studying to be a nurse. Clearly, it is a miracle that members of the Italian Embassy have not been beating down my door in order to demand that I come and work for them. I have been in Italy for only a few short weeks, but I have eaten twice my body weight in Nutella, which makes me a qualified “Italian” (no, it doesn’t). It seems blatantly unfair to the Vassar population that I not share the undeniable wisdom I have gained since arriving:

slapped them in the face and challenged them to a duel while simultaneously insulting their mother. Unless you are prepared to fight someone to the death with a sword, take the wine.

Or, spend five minutes in really uncomfortable silence with a prospective employer, like I did.

5. People in Italy do not appreciate it when you are so busy looking at beautiful buildings in the falling snow that you fail to notice that they have stopped walking and bump into them, causing them to burn themselves with their always-existing cigarettes.

6. Say, hypothetically, you open a bag of nuts a little too aggressively and they fly all over your spotless apartment. Your new roommates will not appreciate your comment about “exploding nuts, amiright!?”.

7. People on airplanes would generally prefer for you not to rest your drooling head on their shoulder when sleeping on a 9 hour flight.

8. As you progressively learn the colloquial expletives of the language, it’s not actually in any way socially acceptable to practice them, endlessly and loudly, in public places that happen to be filled with the elderly. Or so I’ve been told.

9. No one, ever, likes it when you pour balsamic vinegar over a white table cloth because asking for a plate in Italian “seemed pretty hard.”

1. Italians dining at the same fancy restaurant as you do not like it when you yell in their native language, loudly, that you wish to “TAKE THAT PICTURE OFF THE WALL AND CARRY IT FOR HOME WITH ME”.

10. People apparently find it impolite to ask for extra bread in Italy. They also find it impolite to ask for extra bread and then proceed to fill your bookbag with it for a “midnight snack.”

2. Do not expect to eat anything but bread based items, because Europe treats grain as if there will be a national shortage at any second.

Catch-22?

11. If you suspect you have bedbugs, the best option is to calmly speak with the head of your dorm as soon as you suspect something. The best option is NOT, however, to burst into your apartment and loudly yell “I THINK WE ARE ALL DISEASED AND IT IS BECAUSE OF ME” when your roommate and her family are eating dinner together.

3. People in Italy, in general, do not like it when, at midnight, you loudly bang on doors because the key won’t work. How upset they are with you increases depending on whether the door you are hitting in the middle of the night actually belongs to you or not.

4. If you refuse to take wine that someone has offered you, it’s literally as if you just

And finally, 12. When you are ordering penne alla vodka, make sure to say “penne” and not “pene”, unless you want a vodka covered penis. Yum.

Jill Levine Columnist

T

his break the government pulled a Thelma and Louise and drove that 1966 Thunderbird a little too close to what people on Facebook and, like, the news are calling the “fiscal cliff.” I personally prefer “The Grand Budget Canyon” or “The Money Abyss of Doom” but whatever, apples and much less awesome apples. Your call, government. The basis of this financial cliff disaster end of the world deal is that the government seems to have a really tough time staying on budget. I for one totally relate to this. I, like the government, spend most of my money on important things. They buy highways, I buy Gogurt and leg warmers.

I get it, government. I’m right there with you.

But as a (one-time) student of higher economics I have some solutions for the government to fight the debt-ceiling-fiscal-cliff-budget-we’retotally-screwed-crisis-problem. You can thank me later, Obama. Or now, if now works for you.

Step one of my master economics plan is to create a cuddly mascot to teach the American youth about financial responsibility. Economics are scary, like the people who study it, so why not create a character that doesn’t frighten children? Enter: Fiscal Clifford, the family-friendly, whimsically green giant muskrat. Stick him somewhere on PBS (or on Nick with Bob the Builder, spokesperson for the growth of small businesses). His adventures will help children understand things like “debt,” the “recession,” and “no more Disneyland vacations ever.” You might also want to have him teach the children of America some Chinese phrases as, you know, a backup plan.

The second step is to get the country out of debt. I have three solutions to get the official cash flow going (that’s some serious insider Wall Street jargon, people). First of all, bonds are boring (unless followed by [pause] James Bond), but we need people to invest in the government. The government should sell a product that people actually want to buy. So what do the people want to buy? Say it with me: Chalky tasting soy based energy bars! Seriously though, everyone I know is hitting themselves wishing they bought “Kashi” stock in the beginning of the last quarter. Healthy (ish) bar things are huge. Americans are so lazy and those things are mostly sugar, you just have to slap a “Made in USA” sticker on the Fiscal Clif Bar and Goodbye debt, Hello America is #1.

The next obvious step in my grand solution is to exploit hipster internet culture. But ac-

tually. Hipsters are rich now (holding the monopoly in key American industries such as kale chips, grainy film, irony, and also Brooklyn).

Hipsters will invest in anything that sounds quirky. That’s why organizations such as Kickstarter can help artistic folk (read: poorer hipsters) find funding from the hipster elite for unique projects such as hand-bound Russian language picture books with the same sketch of a crying man on every page or a gluten-free iPhone case. You see, government, if you can put a “hip” spin on the current financial situation, you can internet fundraise your way out of any debt. I suggest a project title with the tag words “poetry,” “fight the” “knitting,” and “mixology” included in it. You can mention, “USA”, but only if it seems ironic. Maybe use “Copenhagen” instead, your call.

The fourth solution is to take a note out of Vassar’s fundraising book of tricks and blackmail a high profile celebrity into paying off all of our nation’s debt...Wait, hang on, I just got a call from Cappy on her trek through the Himalayas/sabbatical. Apparently, we’re not actually blackmailing Meryl with incriminating photos from her Vassar days. She actually likes us? Wait, really? Oh my God. OK, regardless, blackmail is a great economic idea for the nation. (Actually, it’s still a great plan for Vassar.

Someone find out Justin Long’s email address.

Can you say “TWO new science buildings??”)

If all else fails, I have a back-up plan: a US-China merger (if corporations are people, then they are definitely countries too). As a Chinese major, I’m suggesting this option for slightly selfish reasons (I might finally have a chance over all those science nerds)...however, it also makes total fiscal sense for our government. China holds a lot of our debt. We have Beyonce. We’d start the relationship on fairly equal footing. Of course, a few years after our debt is cleared and we’re all working at the plastics and animal poison factories, we’d obviously eventually rebel blah blah blah George Washington yadda yadda yadda revolution.

They’re even farther away than England was the first time around. What could possibly go wrong?

With all these great options, the government can breathe a sigh of relief. After Congress thanks me for “solving” the economy, they can go back to what they always do: meddle in our business and play touch football with Joe Biden. (Though that may peter out in the next few months...Biden really pushes the boundaries of “touch.”)

Mr. Bouchard’s tips for staying warm

by Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire Editor With the recent cold snap killing off most of the Southern Californians and forcing the rest of us to burn their bodies for warmth, I figured it was prudent to draft a list of tips for staying warm this winter. Read on and avoid frostbite, my friends!

1. Increase your body fat.

Fact: Walruses do not get cold. Why? Because they are tremendously fat. So, so fat. How fat?

They’re so fat that their fat is called blubber.

Their fat gets its own name, and it has three b’s in it—the fattest letter. Take a page out of the walrus’ book and eat a lot of food. When you’re in the Deece, skip by all the healthy food like the bagels, pizza, and French fries, and go right to the source: the cooking oil. Next time you’re

in the omelet line, watching them pour a slipand-slide amount of oil onto the grill, just hand them a backpack lined with wax paper and tell them to fill ‘er up. After a few days, you’ll be amazed at how much warmer you feel—especially when you attempt to climb stairs or even just get out of bed.

2. Spray a bunch of aerosol cans into the air to hasten the process of global warming.

What has nature ever done for you? Besides that. Besides that. OK shut up and do it.

3. Stop going outside.

You’d be amazed at how much warmer you’d be if you never went outside again for as long as you live. Now, I know what you’re thinking:

“Jean-Luc! You handsome fool! What about classes? How will I get food? Will I ever see my family again?” Simple: Classes could be held over Skype, Bard graduates can deliver food to our dorms, and no, you will never see your family again. Small price to pay.

4. Stop eating Deece food.

It can’t hurt, right? Certainly it can’t hurt.

5. Learn black magic.

I know you’ve probably heard this a million times from your grandmother, but an age-old way to stay warm during the winter is to teach yourself how to shoot fire from your hands or transport yourself to a horrible lava world using the ancient scrolls of Galkanore the Dark,

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Wizard of Shadows. That’ll keep you (and also whatever human guinea pig you use as a test subject) nice and toasty. The scrolls should be on reserve in the library. If not, just look it up on GoogleBooks. The bookstore copies are, like, twenty dollars more, and they don’t even come with the vials of orphan tears and lunatic nightmare screams.

6. Find fun ways to get a sweat going.

Literally never stop having intercourse. The second you stop, it gets colder. Find a mate and go. Go! Faster! No, not that fast.

7. Cut open a tauntaun and nestle yourself in-between its organs.

And you thought it smelled bad on the outside.

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January 31, 2013

Constantine finds her style using unconventional approach Charlacia Dent RepoRteR

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Emily Lavieri-Scull / The Miscellany News

ianna Constantine ’15, a pensive visual artist from South Jersey, must re-think many of her artistic foundations as she is encouraged to push the boundaries of art at Vassar. The studio art major who once made painting her central focus has quietly transitioned into creating sculptures and installation art, now interested in creating less traditionally beautiful art and exploring what that means for her at Vassar.

“I came here with a style that was very smoothed out and kind of surreal. Everything in my work matched. The colors matched each other and they always had to be bright,” the sophomore spoke of her art before coming to Vassar.

The artist recalls her first canvas painting at age fourteen of a photograph taken while on vacation at Disney World. Constantinewas moved to paint the snapshot of Epcot Park after witnessing a deep blue sky in the background.

Constantinealways knew that she loved art, mentioning enthusiastically that she’d been experimenting with it since she was young.She was frequently encouraged by art teachers early on to pursue her budding talent,At that point, her passion wasnot grounded in anything particularly thought provoking.

“I had a really uneventful introduction into art. It was just like hey, I really like doing this so I should do it and keep going,” Constantine explained.

On a new and hopeful note, Vassar’s Art faculty including Professor Harry Rosemanhave drastically begun to change this sentiment and challenge her assumptions about her craft. Leaving the comfort zone of her days painting canvases, Constantine has begun to pursue many different modes of ex-

pression, through which she’s found great success.

Last semester, the sophomore tackled an installation piece involving 1,000 sheets of paper that Roseman immediately encouraged her to further her project, which she evolved into a full fledged tornado. The installation now hangs threateningly in the display room of the New Hackensack building on campus.

Constantine had begun to grow weary of her tradionally styled paintings, and she decided to take on other themes and media.

“I got tired of the way I was painting and felt like I wasn’t able to make any significant impact with my style or my imagery, and I’ve felt that my sculptures have been more successful at producing an effect or creating an environment that I was trying to produce,” Gianna explained in an emailed statement.

In addition to her exploration of installations last semester, Constantine approached her artwork from a more critical standpoint, examining issues of gender through an art show created with Sydney Hassle ‘12 and organized by the on-campus groups CARES and Breaking the Silence.

The idea was born in part through Gianna’s reflection upon Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW) and the personal feelings she sought to interpret through art.

Constantine’s previous education helped shape her perception of the topic. “I ended up thinking that this was really appropriate even with my own experience of going through the public school system. We all know how prone sexual harassment and control can be in these systems,” she explained.

Constantine contributed three pieces to the show all depicting desert landscapes under the titles The Voyeur and The Voyeur II. In the beginning, Constatine didn’t intend for the pieces to be allegorical or symbolic, but the longer she worked on them, she realized

Sophomore Studio Art major Gianna Constantine says that her perception of art has shifted towards an interest in ideas over form since coming to Vassar. Her work consists of sculptures and installations. that they were, explaining how they represented an invasion of a pristine environment.

Because of this she felt that the pieces reflected the problem of sexual assault.

The spring semester has only just begun and the sophomore already has ideas for several different pieces that will follow her newfound goal, Constantine is developing a mind for work that defies the typical conventions of sculpture as well as other common themes.

“I have a few ideas for a few sculptures, really large ones. There’s a picture of my friend with a box over his head and he’s threatening me with an umbrella. I thought that was pret-

ty cool. I might make something out of that,” Constantine said.

In art classes at Vassar, Constantine has found that there is more emphasis placed on creating something that is interesting rather than something that immediately appears visually attractive, but of course attractiveness is never discouraged. This perception of art has allowed her to further develop her own unique style.

Regardless, she intends to explore less conventional approaches. “I can’t really say much for my artistic style now, but I’m looking forward to painting with bigger, weirder and even uglier subjects,” Constantine said.

Palmer features pieces by young artists from Mill St. Loft Moorea Hall-Aquitania Guest RepoRteR

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Jiajing Sun/The Miscellany News

he carefully selected pieces in the Palmer Gallery’s exhibition Dual Visions represent the top young artists from Poughkeepsie’s Mill Street Loft Art Institute. Only 130 of over 1500 pieces of art ranging from photography to collage to painting were chosen to be showcased in this year’s event.

This juried 10 percent was chosen to represent the talent of the institute’s students, who range from 14 to 19 years old, some only having taken one class while others have up to four years of experience. The process was a subjective one in which the panel attempted to showcase the breadth of work produced by the students during the year. There was no official set of submission rules and no set subject matter, just class work.

“We do not select all the best work, but instead select work that we feel best represents the breadth of the program and students body,” said Todd Poteet.

The more than one hundred pieces have been split into two distinct shows, as a result of the diversity and prolific output of the students’ work..

“Because there is so much work produced by these students, this is the first year we’ve split the show into two parts. Last year the gallery was salon style from floor to ceiling—it was almost like an installation in and of itself in that it was just so intense. This year we decided to try something different so that the work would have an opportunity to have its own presence,” Vassar’s Director of Campus Activities and member of the Board of Directors of Mill Street Loft Teresa Quinn remarked.

The vision behind this separation into two back-to-back shows is that of Associate Gallery Director Monica Church, who used her experience installing and curating previous shows as well as her talents as an artist herself to split the work into two balanced groups.

“You always try to build a show that tells a story, with pieces that work together and relate well. Monica is the brilliance behind that,” Quinn commented. Lens 1 runs from Tuesday, Jan. 15 to Monday, Jan. 28 and Lens 2 will run from Thursday, Jan. 31 to Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Sam Rebelein ’16 and Carrie Plover ’16 admire the work of a young artist from the The Miss Street Loft Art Insititute. The program trains teenagers, preparing them for top art and design schools.

The opening reception for Lens 2 will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31. Vassar students are warmly invited to attend and meet the young artists and the families that support them.

Quinn appreciates the nature of having such young students as opposed to older, more cynical artists. The exhibition represents an important connection between Vassar’s campus and the greater Poughkeepsie community. The youth artists approach their work with fresh, genuine enthusiasm; they are heartfelt and eager to discuss their works.

“I’ve been to a lot of gallery openings and the artists are usually so jaded, just there to talk to people. But these students stand right next to their work and they love people to come up to them and ask them questions,” Quinn reflected on the Lens 1 opening.

She encourages Vassar students to come talk to those from the institute and promises that attendees will be deeply impressed and moved by the caliber of the work of such a young age

group.

The Mill Street Loft Art Institute seeks to cultivate the talents of youth by encouraging career-minded students to work with professional artists as mentors and instructors.

The institute offers a wide range of classes including Portfolio Development, Figure Drawing, Photography, Digital Photography and Roads to Scholarships. The goal of these courses is to give students the opportunity to prepare portfolios to compete on a national scale for merit-based scholarships from some of the country’s best art schools.

To date, 100 percent of Art Institute graduates have received merit-based scholarships from colleges, the average student receiving an offer of $62,000. Since 2000, Mill Street Loft students have been offered $27 million in total in scholarships.

Students attend top art colleges such as Pratt Institute, Cooper Union, Savannah College of Art & Design, Carnegie Mellon, Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University, The

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Parsons School of Design.

Alumni of the program go on to lead very successful artistic careers, working in high level positions.

“Among our alumni we have a talent scout for comedy central, store designer for Anthropologie, an app designer for Apple, a 3-D environment designer for Google, fashion designer for Victoria’s Secret, costume designer for Snow White and the Hunstman, stage designer for Julliard, internationally known fine artists, published illustrators, nationally awarded graphic designers, furniture designers, photo-retouchers, location photographers, college and high school educators, and some have gone as far to found their own arts-based companies,” explained Tom Poteet.

But students are not exclusively drawn into arts related careers, instead pursuing other alternatives. “About 5% of our students go on to careers or programs of study outside the arts.

The others have had great successes,” said Poteet.

Director of the Art Institute Todd Poteet believes that much of the program’s success stems from the drive and motivation of the students.

None of the students have to interview or submit a portfolio.

“We believe that if they have the desire to learn, then we can teach them. The principles are deeply ingrained in us. We want our students to be empowered to dream and achieve; to be taken seriously for the work they create,” he stated.

For many of these students, the Dual Visions show in Vassar’s Palmer Gallery is one of their first steps toward recognition of their work.

Quinn urges the Vassar community to participate in this display of talent and vision. According to Quinn, this recognition is important to the students’ sense of self. There is an important internal relationship between the artist and how their art is perceived by their contemporaries and those whom they look up to .

“When you’re engaged in artistic expression there’s so much of yourself that you put into it and so you’re putting yourself out there, and at this particular age that’s a big deal,” Quinn stated.

January 31, 2013

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Silver Linings Playbook stands out this award Rocca’s season despite Cooper’s flat performance arrival highly anticipated Lily Sloss Guest Columnist

Silver Linings Playbook David O. Russell The Weinstein Company

U

tterly charmed. That’s the easiest way to describe the feeling produced by the recently-hyped Silver Linings Playbook. Admittedly, I am a fairly easy sell. Give me Jennifer Lawrence doing a comedy bit, Robert De Niro crying, and a smooth combination of uproarious and grim, and I’m sold.

Silver Linings Playbook opens with Pat Solitano (played by Bradley Cooper) explaining to an unseen person how things are going to be “better now.” We realize that he is standing alone in a mental hospital room. Pat was institutionalized after nearly beating his wife’s lover to death. Nicki, his wife, now has a restraining order against him, but Pat is determined to get her back. He imagines that if he searches for the positives in life, and loses some weight by exercising obsessively, Nicki will trust him again.

Upon his release from the hospital, the audience is introduced to his family. Robert De Niro plays his father, a neurotic Eagles fan with serious aggression issues who works as a bookie. Pat’s older brother is a successful married lawyer, who serves to point out Pat’s dismal situation: fired and dumped. De Niro attempts to bond with his son by inviting him to watch Eagles games with him, but Pat repeatedly refuses—an issue which comes to a head more than once throughout the film.

The father/son dynamic parallels the highs and lows of a football game: at once joyous, the next moment abusive. As a child who has had a severe lack of “sports time” with the fam, I was both intrigued and confused by the idea that football could tear a family apart.

Silver Linings Playbook quickly introduces us to Pat’s various mental disorders: anger issues, bi-

polar disorder, anxiety—but hammers home the point that Pat’s main problem is his inability to get in touch with his wife. The restraining order forces the two apart, and he believes if he could “just talk to her” everything would be solved.

His hope appears in the luscious form of Tiffany, the sister-in-law of Pat’s best friend. Jennifer Lawrence, as Tiffany, is perfection. A recent widow, and more recently self-proclaimed “crazy whore,” Tiffany is, like Pat, attempting to put her life back together. Following her husband’s death, depressed and alone, she searches for salvation in one bed after another. When her sexually deviant acts inexplicably deny her happiness, she turns to dance as a healthier avenue to enlightenment.

Silver Linings Playbook is successful in its attempt to manipulate the audience’s emotions.

The film passes fluidly between disturbing familial and mental issues and light, hilarious scenes.

The transition is achieved largely through the camera work and editing, done up-close and personal in order to physically place the audience in the mindsets of the characters.

The handheld style protects the audience from the weakest part of the film, namely Bradley Cooper’s acting, or lack thereof. When De Niro cries, we cry with him. When Lawrence says something that’s supposed to be funny, it is funny. We laugh until we cry. But Cooper stands in front of us, blank and handsome expression on his face, and he feels entirely unreadable. I have no idea what he’s thinking, or feeling, and therefore am unable to relate.

He has no power over his audience, besides perhaps the ability to ellicit hormonal tingling.

However, the constant circling and diving of the camera prevents the audience from really noticing Cooper’s hardened expression. In the most illustrative scene of this issue, Pat stands outside of a movie theater while Tiffany yells at him.

Bradley Cooper is supposed to be experiencing a feeling of entrapment and coursing anger, an emotional wave which the audience realizes through the clever editing and sound mixing. The camera flies around his head, the music builds, the image becomes fuzzy—but Cooper’s expres-

sion remains fairly blank. Perhaps he had a small knot of consternation between his eyebrows. I can’t remember, I was too busy being obsessed with Jennifer Lawrence.

To be fair to Cooper, his acting might not be that bad, but the other actors, such as De Niro, Lawrence, Julia Stiles, and Pat’s terrific Indian therapist, Anupam Kher, were so brilliant that they highlighted Cooper’s shortcomings.

My only other bone to pick with Silver Linings Playbook was its inability to fully engage in dark moments. While watching the film, I was reminded of Little Miss Sunshine, a film which impeccably maneuvered moments of heart wrenching suffering and hilarity.

When those characters suffered, you really felt for them. Silver Linings Playbook dances on the line, reluctant to immerse. It always stops just before things get very bad. At one point, Pat is flying around the house looking for his wedding video, accidentally hits his mother, and then his father begins to beat him.

The music reaches a deafening point, the images flash quickly and thrillingly, and then, before any audience member can get upset, everything is fine. A policeman arrives at the home, apologies are thrown around, no one is mad, no one is upset, all is well. Silver lining being: life is a struggle, but it’s not that bad. We come close, but the film avoids indulging a moment of tragic significance. It hurries back to witty lines and sexual tension, an easier space for the audience to relate to than mental illness and domestic abuse.

Despite these failings, I believe Silver Linings Playbook ultimately succeeds in its attempt to manipulate emotion. The audience feels sad or amused when they are supposed to, and leaves the theater entirely charmed. While I recognize just how contrived the emotional journey is, it didn’t make me any less delighted by the movie.

When the film came to a close, my friend turned to me and said, “Can we clap? I want to clap,” and I hurriedly stopped her, because that’s ridiculously embarrassing. But on the inside, believe you me, I was standing and cheering. Like in one of those darn dance movies.

Muralist brings attention to neglected public art, seeks to boost tourism in Poughkeepsie Zoe Dostal

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Columnist

hen he sees Poughkeepsie, he sees a blank canvas. Franc Palaia, local artist and husband of Vassar Professor of Art Eve d’Ambra, has put forth every effort to literally make his mark on the city while also bringing its more charming qualities to attention. His well-recognized mural “Olde Main Street” and his most recent project “Little Italy Heritage Mural” join the richest trove of public art in the Hudson Valley.

His guided walking tour of thirty-five public works is the only of its kind, and the only way visitors, residents and students alike can discover the hidden gems of the Queen City.

When Mr. Palaia first arrived in Poughkeepsie over twenty years ago, he was amazed by the city’s potential. Walking around, he noticed an abundance of blank walls and empty spaces— perfect venues for public art. “I saw a little bit of graffiti here and there but not even graffiti.

And I’m thinking, boy, the apathy around here is so bad the graffiti artists don’t even care about the walls!”

But as a newcomer, Mr. Palaia was full of new ideas and energy to rejuvenate the city’s art scene. He presented the mayor and city council with pictures and models of potential projects, and after much hemming and hawing, he was finally given permission to move forward. The funding came from the Weed and Seed Federal Grant, an attempt to fund anti-crime community projects that had to fulfill three criteria: create jobs, reduce crime and beautify the city. Mr. Palaia argued that murals would do all three.

As time has told, he was right. According to Mr. Palaia, the “Olde Main Street” mural has been graffiti-free since 2002. And as anyone who has driven on Main Street can attest, it certainly adds quite a bit of color and vibrancy to the downtown area. The featured seven storefronts

are all historic local businesses that are now defunct, yet hold a special place in the history and hearts of the city’s residents. In fact, Brother’s Pizza was a closing business that inhabited the building on which the mural is painted, an eternal homage. Most recently, Mr. Palaia completed “The Italian Heritage” mural on Mill Street, just above the descent to the train station. This mural plays the double purpose of representing the Little Italy businesses in the area and serving as a map for tourists who arrive from the train, completely unable to find the Walkway Over the Hudson or Bardavon Theater. The central map is surrounded by images of Italian immigrants building the bridge, their historic churches and today’s community members enjoying street festivals.

For years, Mr. Palaia has argued that Poughkeepsie should be called the Mural Capital of New York or some other such nickname to encourage tourism and awareness of the multiple contemporary and historic works that abound.

Having toured the Hudson Valley himself, Mr. Palaia believes that “Nobody even comes close to Poughkeepsie, and the variety is amazing.

It’s nice to have some historical things, abstract things, realistic things, humorous things, a variety.”

The abundance of neglected public art is what inspired Mr. Palaia to start leading walking tours. About two hours long and covering thirty-five works (out of over 100 in the area), he takes visitors to both outdoor and indoor locations, including City Hall, the Poughkeepsie Journal and the Post Office. Concerning the last location, Mr. Palaia explains that FDR commissioned the Post Office in 1937 as a WPA project.

“He was like a control freak, but in a good way,” he enthused. “He was very smart and knowledgeable about a lot of things, even art and architecture.” FDR specified that construction

would use local, grey stone rather than more commonly used brick, and was heavily involved with the details of the murals. There are a total of five murals that represent the development of Poughkeepsie over the centuries. Notably, a mid-19th century view of Poughkeepsie from the Hudson River by artist Georgina Klitgaard features the Vassar Brewery front and center. As Mr. Palaia describes FDR’s view of public art, he is clearly making the case for a continuation of these projects today. “He knew, and he insisted that art should be informative, it should reflect the local history and should be beautiful, attractive, bring people up and employ artists, create local jobs.” As my previous column about the public art in Newburgh expounded, I couldn’t agree more. Public art is a win-win for cities and their residents, and if used properly can generate not only jobs but also revenue from tourism.

There was a reason that FDR included public art in his New Deal program and that Philadelphia has produced over 3,000 murals since 1984. Yet the Weed and Seed Fund is no longer available, and Mr. Palaia has been met with resistance at every level as he has tried to explain the benefits to local government. Mr. Palaia will start offering his tours again in April—perfect timing for Parent’s Weekend and Commencement. It’s a lovely way to enjoy the sunshine and discover Poughkeepsie’s hidden treasures before leaving for the summer or—gasp—leaving forever. Until then, Mr. Palaia is continually engaged in fostering a community of art and artists, producing a documentary about Poughkeepsie’s Little Italy and creating art installations on video monitors in local restaurants entitled “Flatworks.” A real tour de force, I hope to see more of his works around town and one day hear a New York City resident say, “Hey, do you want to go to Poughkeepsie this weekend and see the murals?”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

MO ROCCA continued from page 1

turers include Ira Glass, Andy Borowitz, Michael Chabon, Wendy Wasserstein, Augusten Burroughs, Nora Ephron, and David Sedaris.

Like the other candidates, Rocca is a comedic public figure, yet he represents a unique new approach to American journalism. He has transitioned from his wellknown role on VH1’s I Love the 80s and his 1998 to 2003 stint on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to his current position on CBS Sunday Morning.

“I went from a news parodist to a talking head,” Rocca noted in an online interview That doesn’t mean that Rocca has become one of the people he formerly parodied, though, but instead a new kind of journalist, who uses comedy as a means to reveal ironies and hidden truths in current events.

“Comedy gives him and others like him the opportunity to be outside of the conversation that other journalists are often restricted to,” Dufresne noted, who herself is well-versed in media; she has interned for CBS’s Face the Nation, CBS at the Democratic National Convention, and CNBC. She also is an avid writer of letters to the editor and has published five in the New York Times.

Rocca’s latest project, Electoral Dysfunction, is a feature-length documentary film that was broadcasted on PBS, explores voting in America. It seeks to promote dialogue about the importance of legitimate voting practices. It was screened at the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions to universal acclaim. In the film, he talks to activists, experts, election administrators and some highly opinionated third graders about the electoral college and the aftermath of the founding fathers’ decision to deliberately not include the fundamental right to vote in the United States Constitution.

According to Dufresne, the film epitomizes Rocca’s approach to journalism.

“The film is not a comedy,” she said, “but approaches the issue of the electoral college in a naturally, organically funny way, revealing the institution’s absurdity through humor.”

During the event, Dean Chris Roelke will give an introduction, and then Dufresne will ask a set of questions about real and fake news and the role of comedy in journalism. The conversation will last thirty to forty minutes, and then the floor will open up for questions from the audience.

Dufresne hopes to keep the spotlight on Rocca. “My goal is to disappear and make the interview as much about Mo as possible,” Dufresne said. “Our generation is skeptical to a point of paranoia about big media and politics. Yet he has a way of being deliberate and genuine in his discourse that I want the audience to see,” This is reflected in all Rocca does: from his role on CBS, to his position on popular NPR weekly quiz show Wait Wait…

Don’t Tell Me!, to his role as the host and creator of the Cooking Channel’s My Grandmother’s Ravioli, in which he learns to cook from grandmothers and grandfathers across the country. He is also the author of All the Presidents’ Pets: The Story of One Reporter Who Refused to Roll Over and a frequent judge on the cooking show Iron Chef America.

Roman Mohr ’14 echoed Dufresne’s sentiment of admiration: “I saw him as a regular on I love the ‘80s, and I always thought he was funnier than everyone else who seems to try too hard, and I think he’ll appeal to a Vassar audience because his personal style and humor is absurd and quirky which is very reflective of the student population. Oh, and he’s gay. That too.”

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January 31, 2013

Eve Dunbar grounds research in multidisciplinary analysis John Plotz

Guest RepoRteR

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Jonah Bleckner/The Miscellany News

y integrating her unique academic background into her English courses, Associate Professor of English Eve Dunbar shakes up the typical conception of literary exploration.

“I was trained that art comes out of a historical context, and that it’s a conversation with the world, and that’s what my work has always meant to me,” Dunbar said. Indeed, her most recent project contains elements of Anthropology, Women’s Studies and Africana Studies.

Her most recent book, Black Regions of the Imagination: African American Writers Between Nation and the World, explores ethnographically the way in which certain African American authors in the mid-20th century dealt with issues of race and culture. African American authors often would have to construe their culture in a way that was readable for a mainstream (and largely white) audience.

Certain authors, she argues, resisted being tied so tightly to issues of race as they existed in 20th century America. Richard Wright, for example, left the United States in his attempt to change the course of his writing. “He would write about Spain, Indonesia and Africa, but his publishers told him that people don’t want to read that. He was trying to rid himself of cultural translation,” Dunbar said. For other authors, Dunbar does not even research their fiction. In the case of Zora Neale Hurston, Dunbar’s interests extend to the author’s anthropological work.

“I’m a literary scholar—so if I’m going to write about her in the traditional sense, I will look at her novels. But I don’t write on her novels—she was also an anthropologist,” Dunbar said.

Hurston spent a good deal of time in the Caribbean collecting folklore, which she wrote about in her book Mules and Men, . “In order to do her role as an American, African American, and woman justice, I need to understand racial inequality, gender inequality, and nationalism as it is understood in the early part of the 20th century,” she said.

Dunbar explains that understanding writ-

Associate Professor of English Eve Dunbar says that her most profound teaching experience was Family, Law and Society, which she taught at the Taconic Women’s Prison with inmates and students. ers of literature outside of their literary output reveals that there are no strict boundaries between disciplines. Here she finds a parallel between her own study and that of Hurston.

Dunbar explains that Hurston, in her own frustration at the rigidity of Anthropology as a discipline, would use narrative techniques and dialogue in her anthropological work Mules and Men. “What you begin to see when you think in an interdisciplinary fashion is that the rigidity of disciplines is fabricated and that we’re always crossing boundaries,” she said. For Dunbar, this work across disciplines exemplifies what it means to be a Vassar student. She recognizes the unique nature of the liberal arts education, and how it encourages the use of multiple perspectives and a creative approach to understand material.

In light of this, the most affirming teach-

ing experience for Dunbar was the course she taught at the Taconic Women’s Prison with Professor of Political Science Molly Shanley. This course included ten Vassar students and ten inmates at the prison. The subject was Family, Law and Society. This opportunity gave Dunbar a chance to examine a topic with a completely new set of perspectives. “Some were mothers or grandmothers, in partnerships, and they had the experience of being incarcerated for a period of time, so it gave the kinds of conversations that we had about family a different tenor because they were bringing points of view that you don’t get in a Vassar classroom,” she commented.

Dunbar noted that the benefit was not just for the Vassar students. Hudson Link, a program that provides college education, life skills, and support for re-entry into society for Prison inmates, sponsored the course. “The women got

credit for the course, so when they get out they can go to junior colleges and the credit will transfer,” she commented.

On a personal level, Dunbar found that teaching this course opened her eyes to see the way other people live. “When you go out into the world I realized, people have lives that aren’t about the mind,” she said. Still, she was moved by the equally serious attitudes towards the course by the Vassar and Prison students.

She continued by noting that it gave her a greater appreciation for her own work. “It helped me realize how much of a privilege it is to spend your life thinking and talking about meaningful materials. Even as a teacher you can get caught up in the Vassar bubble into thinking that everyone cares about books. It was a really profound revelation,” she said.

The success of the course for Dunbar hinged on the unique discussion that was fostered. For her, discussion and student involvement in a course is the best way to engage with course material, citing the creativity and ownership that it encourages. In the academic year 2008-2009, Dunbar was awarded with a research post-doctorate fellowship at Rutgers University . She spent the first semester researching and writing, and in the second she taught a course. The first surprise was the size of the class: she had 45 students in a class that might have less than half of that number at Vassar. She recalled with amusement the first day of class. “I tried to get them to rearrange their chairs into a circle. They couldn’t do it!” she said with a laugh.

While she was soon divested of the purely discussion-based model, she was able to develop a discussion-lecture hybrid that she felt challenged the Rutgers students, who were used to the lecture model, without completely forcing them out of their comfort zones. Ultimately, she found the Vassar model for classrooms more valuable. She said, “I didn’t want to let go of what I think is so valuable here at Vassar which is the opportunity for students to digest and reflect and talk about the things that they’re learning,” she said.

Modfest to address censorship, McCarthyism, and the arts Jack Owen

AssistAnt ARts eDitoR

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courtesy of vassar.edu

perpetual work-in-progress turned staple of the Vassar arts community, Modfest kicked off its eleventh annual festival last Thursday and will run through February 8th.

The brainchild of alumna Adene Wilson ’69 and her husband Professor of Music Richard Wilson, Modfest explores art of the 20th and 21st centuries through a series of events that spans literature, poetry, dance, drama, visual art, film and music.

Modfest has always strived to showcase student, faculty, alumnae/i and Poughkeepsie students’ work in a way that encourages integration of the arts and collaboration across departments. However, the festival has another goal: acknowledgement and comprehension of historical trends.

“History is real, and music and the arts give you historical context,” explained Wilson.

“It’s a sense of connection to the past, and you place things in their historical contexts through the arts.”

Wilson assures that acknowledging the ties between art and history is pivotal to education, and when planning Modfest each year she tries to see themes that bond specific events in the festival together. “Overall, Modfest is just about the arts of the 20th and 21st century. It’s a very loose theme, so I can do anything with that and then find a little thread that connects events,” she explained.

This year, one of the major themes of Modfest is censorship and the arts, specifically the impact of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

McCarthyism, a practice which defined 1950s America, was characterized by extreme paranoia of communism and hasty accusations of political treason and disloyalty. HUAC was the most infamous government committee involved in these investigations.

According to Professor of Film Sarah Kozloff, who teaches Film 233: The McCarthy Era and Film, the impact of McCarthyism is still being felt today. “People underestimate how

much the conflicts and issues that came to the fore during the late forties and fifties are still reverberating today. The charges that Obama is a closet socialist or communist grow directly out of the paranoia of the McCarthy Era,” she said in an emailed statement.

According to Kozloff, this paranoia has undoubtedly affected the public’s perception of the media and the arts as well. “The fear that films and media are secretly polluting and brainwashing the American public similarly rehearses the charges that led to repression of a cycle of films that sought to address social problems, such as racism, anti-Semitism, and labor grievances after WWII,” Kozloff furthered in an emailed statement.

Kozloff is pleased that this subject is being addressed in such a wide forum at Vassar, and feels that it is directly relevant to students.

“Of course I’m excited that this complicated and fascinating era, which engulfed the country and affected not only the film community but all walks of life, is being highlighted,” she said in an emailed statement. “Looking back at the anti-communist scares from the perspective of 60 years brings clarity and perspective that may elude us today,” she added in an emailed statement.

Several of Modfest’s events directly relate to McCarthyism and HUAC. For instance, this evening, the Vassar student drama group Philaletheis is performing dramatic readings of testimonies from the McCarthy and HUAC hearings at 8 PM in the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center. In addition, on February 2nd Professor of Political Science Sidney Plotkin will be giving a presentation on McCarthy and HUAC from 8-10:30 PM in Sanders Classroom Building Spitzer Auditorium (room 212). The presentation will include live dramatic readings and video of the testimonies.

Wilson asserts, however, that this year’s Modfest is not exclusively about censorship and the arts. Rather, censorship is just one prominent trend of the festival that is among many other themes and works. Modfest includes an eclectic array of work, ranging from

Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre is pictured above performing for Modfest 2012. They will perform again this year on Friday, February 3 in the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater in Kenyon Hall. a wide variety of sources, and therefore various themes surface.

“It started small, and it’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” Wilson reflected. “I would say now that this year and last year are exactly as I had originally envisioned it,” she explained.

On February 2nd, Tarik O’Regan, renowned British composer, will premier Night City for the first time, an opera which sets a poem

by Elizabeth Bishop ’34, titled “Night City (From a Plane).” It is commissioned for the Vassar College Choir and Women’s Chorus.

In addition, the Vassar College Orchestra will perform Three Letters by Harold Farberman, and the Vassar Mahagonny ensembles will perform as well. The concert is from 8-10 PM in the Skinner Hall Mary Anna Fox Martel Recital Hall.

A long time festival favorite, Readings. Translation as Art took place in the College Center Villard Room on January 30th.

Vassar students read texts in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, with the aid of language fellows from the participating departments.

Texts were first read in their original form,

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

followed by the translated version in English.

Vassar film students also will get to showcase their work in a screening of their original films in the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film 109-Rosenwald Screen Room on Wednesday, February 6th from 8-10 PM. A question and answer session will follow the screening.

Evidently, this year’s Modfest will again strive to engender collaboration across disciplines, while at the same time delving into the significance of censorship of the arts during the McCarthy Era and how it has affected society today.

“As a teenager I had a poster with the famous quote from George Santayana, “‘Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’” said Kozloff in an emailed statement. “Students may think that this era is no longer relevant, but questions of freedom of speech and association; ethical choices about where one’s loyalty lies when placed under state pressure; the role of the arts in society; and valid concerns about national security are front and center in American society right now.”

ARTS

January 31, 2013

Page 17

Jeselnik’s irreverent Caligula pushes the Excuse me, comedic envelope, tests limits of his craft Steven Williams ARts eDitoR

Caligula Anthony Jeselnik

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hould I laugh or should I walk away and pretend that I didn’t hear what he just said? That’s what I asked myself after many of the punchlines on stand-up comic Anthony Jeselnik’s recently released comedy album Caligula. Like his first album, Shakespeare, Jeselnik tortures the listener with jokes that are simultaneously crass, disgraceful and undeniably smart. He confronts the boundaries of hard-to-swallow topics, only to ignore them completely. But underlying the sheer offensiveness of his material is a complex commentary on the nature of comedy.

Jeselnik’s stage persona is arrogant and confident. He engages the crowd, asking them questions occasionally, and there is never any doubt who is running the show.

Considering the nature of his jokes, his confidence is almost unnerving. His delivery is steely and direct, each joke as slow and deliberate as the one before.

It is as though he has no concern for audience laughter to validate his jokes—he knows, himself, that they are funny, and that is all that matters. This disregard for approval, interestingly enough, seems to make it easier for the crowd to laugh. It seems that his confidence eliminates any sort of anxiety that the audience experiences allowing for them to focus solely on the content. Similarly, you can tell he has honed his set in comedy club after comedy club. He knows when the laughs are coming, and similarly when to pause for maximum effect. He has it down to a science.

Caligula touches on subjects that people in general, not just comedians in the public eye, would shy away from. Most emblematic of this disregard is that the first track on the album is unapologetically entitled “Rape.”

This is an area where many comedians have been criticized, but when confronting the

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topic, he is as confident as he would be making a joke that is politically correct. But in the jokes that Jeselnik makes on the touchy subject, it seems as though he is examining the sensibilities of the listener. The jokes are not funny because they marginalize the victim, but because they reveal the absurdity and abhorrence of the perpetrator and the act. In fact, this theme is true throughout the content of the album. He is not justifying or condoning things like racism or misogyny, but insteadis exposing them for what they are, vile characteristics of close-minded people.

And the facade that he presents is just that, one that is vile and close-minded. He consistently embraces jokes about other, similarly taboo subjects. One notable track exemplifying this is “Suicide Chunk.” In it he begins by letting us peek into part of his motivation for doing this. “One thing I’ve learned in all my years of doing stand-up comedy is that... audiences get really upset if I tell jokes about suicide,” he says. “So because of that, here are four jokes about suicide.” In this case, he is pushing the boundaries to the point that nothing is holy. And it makes one question whether these topics are truly as off-limits as many consider them to be.

“He is not justifying or condoning things like racism or misogyny, but instead is exposing them for what they are.”

SteveN WilliaMS ’15 Jeselnik’s variety of comedy is classic in its form, with only rudimentary flow and connection between jokes. His style is much different than those of comedians such as Mike Birbiglia or Eugene Mirman, who tend to draw humor from their own humble experiences. Birbiglia, for example is known for his

long, emotionally charged stories, and Mirman draws from true, real life absurdities. As Jeselnik’s act goes on, it becomes clear that Jeselnik’s premises are obviously disengaged from reality, something that is important to remember when looking at the implications of his humor.

Each joke on the album is very finely crafted. They tend to begin mundane enough.

Even though I knew the punchline was going to make me squirm, the lead-up never fails to misdirect. At times, I wanted to laugh because of how clever the joke was on a technical level, but couldn’t bring myself to, because of how remarkably appalling the topic was.

Though, after a while it becomes obvious that Jeselnik’s set is very much an act. He divorces himself from the content of his set through such extreme abrasion. The Anthony Jeselnik on stage telling the audience jokes is a calculated caricature fabricated by the real Anthony Jeselnik. In this way, Caligula reminds us of the artistic nature of stand-up comedy. It is a performance, not necessarily a reflection of who the comic is as a person.

Because there are lesser comics than Jeselnik who are offensive without a more thoughtful pretense (and get laughs not because their jokes are funny, but solely because they are vile), it is easy to cast him into a category of unintelligent comics, but this is not the case. This is most apparent when he breaks character to seemingly mock the fact the audience is indeed laughing at what he recognizes is a disgusting joke.

It’s not hard to listen to Caligula and dismiss it as too offensive for its own good. But doing so would miss a much deeper message of questioning your sensibilities and realizing that you can confront distasteful topics through comedy and still maintain you morals.

Reading a book in which a character commits a contemptible act is not an endorsement by either the author or you. It presents an idea and allows you to draw your own conclusions. Caligula and other comedy albums like it should be viewed in the same way. But quite honestly, Jeselnik wouldn’t care either way.

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

if you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

“Dead Man by Jim Jarmusch.”

—Caitrin Hall ’13

“The Lives of Others.”

—Phil Chen ’16

“The Lion King.”

— Casey Zuckerman ’15

submit to misc@vassar.edu

“Bridemaids.”

—Alexa Levine ’15

“The Godfather.”

—Aaron Steinberg ’13

W

hat I love most about stenciling is being able to render extremely elaborate images into nothing but negative space by cutting away shapes. I try to create intricate images and simplify them down to black and white, while maintaining dimensionality and detail. Sometimes you have to look at a stencil in a certain way in order to understand its perspec-

tive; my goal is to produce an image that is as lifelike as can be depicted by positive and negative space. The typewriter is such a beautiful, seductive machine.

I remember having one in my nursery school classroom; I’d sit down in front of it and play it like a piano. No matter how you look at a typewriter, there are shadows and hidden contraptions, mak-

ing it hard to draw and impossible to cut.

While most people make stencils for the sake of painting them, for me the beauty lies in the stencil itself. I used to paint my stencils, but I find that the image created is never as pristine and striking as the cutout. Now the stencil is my final product—a holey, ailing piece of paper.

-Nicole Massad ‘14

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“Titanic.”

—Aashim Urguankar ’13

Steven Williams, Arts Editor Jiajing Sun, Assisant Photo

SPORTS

Page 18

January 31, 2013

Matsuoka leads both women’s b-ball team and conference Chris Brown RepoRteR

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Jacob Gorski/The Miscellany News

hough all sports programs at Vassar have their own collection of accolades, women’s basketball is one of the most decorated teams on campus. Vassar’s women’s basketball team has had a very successful string of seasons, which most recently includes two backto-back Liberty League regional titles. This season has been no exception; the Brewers hold an overall record of 14-3 so far. Although all of the players have done extremely well this year, junior Cydni Matsuoka has had an unbelievable season. This year alone, Matsuoka was the leading scorer on her team, achieved top Liberty League honors, and set a record for the fastest player to reach 1,000 career points, solidifying herself in Vassar’s athletic history.

Matsuoka went to John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento, California. Matsuoka played varsity basketball for three years and was named to the First-Team Delta Valley Conference as well as awarded the Sacramento Bee All-Metro Honorable Mention honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. Such recognitions caught the eye of Vassar Head Coach Candice Brown, who recruited Matsuoka. “I’m from California, and it was a big decision for me to come out to the East Coast, because I wasn’t planning on doing that,” stated Matsuoka. “But once I found out that I could continue playing basketball and get a really good education, that was pretty much what sealed the deal.”

Since being on Vassar’s women’s basketball team, Matsuoka has clearly made her mark on the program. She has started all three years of play and is the co-captain of her team. Matsuoka attributes most of her success to the team.

“I am happy with the way I have been playing so far, but it won’t mean much if we as a team don’t accomplish the goal we have set before us,” wrote Matsuoka in an emailed statement.

“I think we have shown how talented we are on multiple occasions. However, I do not think we

have played to our full potential yet. Once we do, I don’t think there is any team in the Liberty League that can compete with us.”

As co-captain, Matsuoka has to balance her responsibilities to encourage her teammates while also trying to constantly improve her own game. “Sometimes it is difficult being a captain because you are not only responsible for yourself, but also your teammates. However, I have great teammates and every one of them are leaders in their own right. We all try to motivate each other,” wrote Matsuoka.

This season, Matsuoka currently averages around 16 points a game, making her the leading scorer overall on the team. She earned her 1,000th career point in a game against Hunter College back in November of 2012. With this accomplishment, Matsuoka became the 10th player in Vassar women’s basketball history to reach this milestone, as well as the fastest player overall to get 1,000 points. Matsuoka also received Liberty League Honor Roll recognition five times.

Matsuoka has no specific routine when it comes to preparing for a game. “Before a game I usually listen to my iPod and try to visualize myself playing. That usually calms the nerves a little bit. Other than that, I just try to stay confident in myself and think positive thoughts,” she stated. Once Matsuoka steps on the court, however, her nerves seem to go away, as she continues to lead her team to multiple victories.

As is true with all student athletes, Matsuoka sacrifices a lot of her free time to play basketball. “Basketball is a huge time commitment as our season runs from mid-October to the beginning of March. We practice/play six days a week, watch game film, and scout our opponents. While most Vassar students were home for winter break, we were back on campus the day after Christmas for practice,” wrote Matsuoka. Yet she expresses no discomfort about the amount of time spent on the court. “Although our season is extremely long, it makes

Cydni Matsuoka ’14, of women’s basketball, has not only earned Liberty League honors, but became the 10th player in Vassar women’s basketball history to earn 1,000 points in her career. it that much more rewarding when we accomplish our goals at the end of the season.”

Matsuoka’s teammates show tremendous respect for their captain. Junior Hannah Senftleber admires Matsuoka’s abilities, calling her the “Silent Assassin.” “Her work ethic and constant strive for excellence are unmatched.

Despite the score of the game Cydni remains composed and ready to drain another jumper in the opponent’s eye,” wrote Senftleber. Fellow captain, sophomore Colleen O’Connell, understands Matsuoka’s dedication to the team. “Cydni is the player that no one on the opposing team wants to guard, and the teammate that everyone wishes they could have.

She works extremely hard to not only improve her individual game, but also to elevate the play

of everyone on our team. Her passion for the game is evident every time she steps onto the floor. She makes playing basketball easier for everyone on our team and I feel lucky to be her teammate,” wrote O’Connell.

Matsuoka shows a lot of love for her team.

She openly admits that it is because of her teammates that the basketball program has been so successful here at Vassar. As the season continues, Matsuoka strives to show that the women’s basketball team has worked hard for all the achievements that they have earned. “I truly believe we are one of the hardest working teams on this campus. It takes someone with both mental and physical toughness to be a part of this team. I am honestly just one piece of this great puzzle,” wrote Matsuoka.

Team’s aggressive tactics VC Athletics gears up for the keep opponents on guard new year, returns to practice WOMEN’S B-BALL continued from page 1 thing that has changed since I came in as a freshman is the depth of our roster. 1-15 we have incredibly talented players and this has given Coach Brown a lot of flexibility,” she said. Junior forward Hannah Senftleberger agreed. “[Coach Brown] wants you to exert all of your energy on defense, then the offense will take care of itself. My freshman year with 8 people with played a 3-2 zone [defensive formation] for the entire season, but since we have plenty of numbers this year we play man to man and rotate people through the lineup if they are tired.”

Basketball season stretches almost all year long, and even with such a large roster the crucible of time, sweat, and emotion forges extremely strong bonds. Berg shared, “Our team is basically a family unit. Our season runs from October to March, and we start pre-season right in September so we are constantly...together,” she said. “It is really hard not to think of each other as family with everything that we do and go through together in a season. How close we are only helps with our chemistry on the court. We know each others’ personalities and how to help one another when they make a mistake or seem to be in a bad mood.” This chemistry is apparent at home games, where the entire team can be seen chanting through warmups and jumping up off the bench to cheer and support their teammates throughout the game.

Despite the primary focus being on defense in practice, Vassar boasts the top offense in the Liberty League both in points per game (67.7) and in field goal percentage (42.5%). Allen believes that this is because of the their hard work in the offseason. “Coach Brown prides herself in having the best conditioned team in the league and because of that we play a running game,” she said. “We are constantly looking to push the ball up the court and get easy transition buckets. When we can’t get the shots in transition, we have

somewhere around fifteen different offensive sets to fall back on.” The guards attack initially, and then let forwards sophomore captain Colleen O’Connell and junior Hannah Senftleberger go to work, resulting in a balanced attack with four starters all averaging about nine points per game. Vassar’s offense cannot be discussed without crediting junior Cydni Matsuoka, who’s wizardry with the ball has made her one of the Liberty League’s best, being third in scoring (17.4), second in assists (5.4), and first in field goal percentage (55.7%) and three-point percentage (48.8%).

At this midpoint in the season the team agrees that the goals remain the same.

O’Connell spoke about the energy of the squad. “Our past successes have not only given us a sense of pride, but also motivated us to continue to work harder. We know that we cannot be complacent at any point in time, because defending our title as Liberty League Champions requires continuous effort and hard work.” The achievements of the past few seasons have created a new phenomenon for Vassar basketball. Allen noted, “We absolutely have a target on our back this year. Over the past few years we have killed the postseason dreams of multiple teams in the league multiple times. You can tell this year that our opponents are hungry to beat us. It’s definitely a new challenge for us not to be the underdogs anymore, but I think it makes all of us want to work harder to defend our titles, and we all have a taste of what the NCAA tournament is like and want to get back there. And the only way to do that is to win the championship again.”

Vassar will host Clarkson on Friday at 6 p.m., and then in what is likely to be a playoff matchup Vassar will play St. Lawrence University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, a game that will pit Vassar’s league best offense versus what is statistically the second best offense. Come up to the AFC to see the show, and show some support for our wonderful women.

Meaghan Hughes spoRts eDitoR

Men’s Volleyball

In the team’s first match of the 2013 season, the Brewers were able to overcome a 2-1 set deficit to defeat Stevenson University 3-2. Vital to the comeback was freshman Reno Kriz, whose 15 kills and eight digs led the team to victory.

Vassar won the first set, thanks in large part to three consecutive kills by Matt Elgin ‘13, who also had a .435 attack percentage. Though Stevenson took the second and third sets, the Brewers came back to win the last two. Joe Pyne ‘14 had nine digs and senior John Konow had 30 set assists.

The second match, this one against the Juniata College Eagles, did not have the outcome the team desired but was still a competitive game. After coming close to taking the first set, the Brewers had a good chance to win the second. An assist by Konow and a kill by Kriz gave Vassar the 20-17 lead, until Juniata scored four points and regained control. The Brewers came back to tie, but an error and a miscue provided Juniata with the win. The Eagles had an aggressive third set and were able to secure the win, leaving the Brewers with a 3-0 loss.

results: a 5-4 win against Haverford but an 8-1 loss to Georgetown. Senior Libby Pei won both of her matches against Haverford’s number one player as well as Georgetown’s top player. Fellow senior Jill Levine pulled off a narrow 3-2 win against Haverford’s number four player. This leaves the Brewers with a 5-6 record as they prepare for the Seven Sister’s Championship on Saturday, February 2 at Mount Holyoke.

Women’s Fencing

Saturday was also very important for the women’s fencing team, who faced the top programs at the Northeast Fencing conference.

Overall the Brewers finished 1-5, with the only team win being a 19-8 victory over Smith College. The day was still a strong showing for many individuals, such as the epee squad’s two wins over Brown University and three wins over MIT led by co-captain Caitlin Clevenger ‘13. Foil also had several wins with Katie LeClair ‘13 going 14-4 in the conference. The sabre squad managed two wins against Brandeis, and Tracy Bratt ‘13 and Kathleen Konno ‘15 both had multiple wins throughout the day. The women’s final home match will be on Saturday, February 2 in the Kenyon Gym at 1 pm.

Men’s Squash

Men’s Fencing

This past Saturday was the Haverford College Challenge, and the men’s squash team traveled to the game hoping to improve their 1-9 record.

The Brewers’ number one player, Jake Harris ‘13, had a close match against his Haverford opponent. Despite a competitive score of 16-14 in the last game, Harris narrowly lost 3-1. The team will travel to Fordham University for the school’s Round Robin Tournament on February 3.

The men’s team played alongside the women in the same conference at Brown University.

The team was 1-4 for the day, their only victory being a 17-10 win over Tufts. Epee had a few scoring opportunities against Tufts and Boston College, with Tavish Pegram ‘13 securing several wins. In addition to going 9-0 in the only team win of the day, the foil squad scored on multiple occasions with Matt Scheinschneider ‘14 going 9-5 for the day. Sabre had several narrow losses against Boston College and MIT, with junior John Arden finishing 8-7. The men’s last home game is also on February 2 against Yale University, Hunter College and Drew University at 1 p.m.

Women’s Squash

The Women’s Squash team returned from the Haverford College Challenge with mixed

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

SPORTS

January 31, 2013

Te’o hoax merely a juicy fib gone wrong Zach Rippe Columnist

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here have been many important developments in the sports world over winter break. The NHL lockout finally ended, the 49ers and the Ravens won the NFC and AFC Championships, respectively, the Baseball Hall of Fame voted and rejected everyone and Lance Armstrong showed us all how big of a jerk he is. But perhaps the most publicized event this break has been more like an episode of the MTV series Catfish than sports news. Yes, I am talking about Notre Dame football star Manti Te’o and the tragic death of his girlfriend Lennay Kekua.

Kekua was said to have lost a hard fought battle with leukemia after having already survivied a car crash several months prior.

Making matters worse was the fact that Te’o’s grandmother had died only the day before Kekua’s alleged death. Te’o has been an incredible defensive player at Notre Dame, winning numerous awards and finishing second in Heisman voting to Johnny Manziel, the Texas A&M Quarterback. His accolades on the field as well as his team’s immense success (making it to the BSC championship game) only added to the publicity. It was the shocking reveal of this hoax, however, that sparked the disastrous media explosion.

Manti Te’o was seen as good guy and the victim. When his “girlfriend” passed, he told multiple press outlets that he promised her that he would not miss a game regardless of what happened to her. Te’o received tremendous praise for his strength and courage as well as his dominant play. It was only on January 11 when the sports blog Deadspin got involved that things got ugly. Apparently Deadspin received an anonymous tip about Te’o’s dead girlfriend being a hoax. They leaked this conspiracy, which was quickly validated through a later article that mentioned that there was no record of anyone named Lennay Kekua. The death was essentially proved to be false. Things then got even messier for

Te’o. It immediately became obvious that he had known this all along and that he was blatantly lying to the public.

But why was he lying? Was he doing it to maintain their sympathy? Perhaps partially.

But to delve into this debate without weighing all of the variables is a sore mistake. Manti Te’o is not a bad kid. He was not out from the beginning to deceive anyone. He simply got caught in a lie. Albeit a pretty big one. Te’o did not mean this to spite America, he was just scared and embarrassed. Yes he’s big and yes he’s older than I am, but he’s not a perfect adult yet. It’s like when you tell a white lie to your mom about breaking something in the house and hoping she never finds out about it. Only this lie was a dead girlfriend and the “mom” here was the national media.

“But to delve into this debate without weighing all of the variables is a sore mistake.”

Zach Rippe ’16 Manti Te’o was caught in a vicious cycle of lies and hopefully he will be able to climb out. Many wonder if he was the helpless victim of the hoax like he proclaimed to be or an evil conspirator the entire time. I might be tempted to explore that conspirator theory if not for the fact that there is just no reason to do such a thing. Why would this incredible football player who received multiple accolades create a fake girlfriend and make her die the day after his grandmother? There’s just no need. Te’o’s saga was no doubt embarrassing because of how he got duped, but it was by no means intended. The Notre Dame star has since held interviews with ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap and ABC’s Katie Couric. In

both of those he professed his innocence and humiliation. “Well, when they hear the facts, they’ll know...that there is no way I could be part of this,” Te’o said in an interview with ESPN. One would think that Te’o would learn enough from his first lie to not lie again.

As many people know, the mastermind behind this hoax was Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a family friend of Te’o. The pictures were reportedly those of one of his acquaintances and the high-pitched voice on the phone was indeed his. Either Tuiasosopo does a great falsetto or Manti needs to get his ears checked. But nonetheless, this added detail sparked even more controversy to the exploited story. In her interview with Te’o, Katie Couric asked him if this escapade was actually “a gay thing?” The incredibly noble and reliable news site entitled TMZ perpetuated this proclamation. They claimed that Tuiasosopo had developed “intense feelings” for Te’o, which were channeled into the Kekua persona. It was claimed that due to Te’o’s deep religious ties to the Mormon religion, he would have had trouble coming out. This fake girlfriend was thus simply just an alibi and Te’o was just in the closet.

This theory, however, makes no sense. Why would he need a fake girlfriend from across the country when there were plenty of girls at school? Why would he perpetuate this lie and broadcast it to the entire media?

Manti Te’o had way too much going for him and way too strict morals to fall to such a disastrous level. Is he completely innocent?

No, in the sense that he deceived everyone familiar with the college football world for several months. But is he really this evil conspirator that toyed with the hearts of fans and NCAA football people in order to boost his Heisman chances? Give me a break. Manti Te’o is just a good clean kid who made stupid choices and then attempted to clean them up through more lies. He was scared and foolish. But come on, an online relationship with a dream girl? Hasn’t he ever seen Catfish?

No students, no classes, just practicing Break is no respite for the student-athlete Luka Ladan Columnist

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hile most students escape the confines of Vassar College for winter break to revel in the delights of family time, travel, and perpetual relaxation—a much-needed vacation from the pressures of cramming and anxieties of testing—the men’s basketball team doesn’t go anywhere.

Vassar’s most dedicated basketball players stay put in Poughkeepsie, NY for almost all of dreary January.

Games are there for the playing, and they won’t be put off for February, March and April.

There are no beachside margaritas in Mexico or sightseeing tours in the Swiss Alps; the most realistic escapades revolve around Marist basketball games and team dinners, more often than not at Pizzeria Bacio’s on Collegeview. Our vacations are filled with grilled chicken Caesar salads and forays to local supermarkets, where we scour the aisles for premade dinners and easily accessible snack containers. Food is a very, very big deal during winter break. There are no ACDC breakfasts, lunches or dinners. We can’t just wait in “the omelet line” every morning. The Retreat’s doors remain firmly shut. You have your room, maybe an upperclassman’s car and your teammates’ much-needed company. No students. No classes. No schoolwork. No athletic events or social gatherings of any sort, save your own.

No parties.

So, what do we have every January? Practices. Team lifts. Shootarounds. Our days are filled with fine-tuning, endless repetitions, and the overarching theme of “getting better”—this applies to shooting, rebounding, team defense, scouting and strengthening our core muscles in front of the dumbbell rack.

While another Vassar student may gloss over

a romantic novel by the fireplace back home, we compete with each other in preparation for Union, for Hobart, for Bard. Someone else may be fretting about that all-important tan on the Côte d’Azur, before embarking on a shopping trip to Marseille and stopping by to scope the historic Opera. We aren’t that demanding. Beating each other up in intense drills in order to get ready for the opponent is the be-all and end-all name of the game over winter break (figuratively speaking, of course.) Sightseeing of any sort is virtually nonexistent—Vassar College isn’t the most breathtaking attraction in the world when its halls are devoid of students and the trees are devoid of colorful foliage.

For the most part, our school is bleakness personified during winter break. Snow, snow, snow everywhere. Bareness all around.

A nonexistent student body. So, the sight of Vassar students filing back—one by rejuvenated one—to campus for the spring semester is interesting, unique and fascinating all at once. They don’t know what we’ve been through.

There is no break for us. Of course, there’s no schoolwork to be had, but there’s still much of the same—even without the early morning lectures and late-night library runs. Hanging out in Noyes. Working out at the AFC. Going back to the dorm to rest up for the next session. Nothing really changes. You’re still at Vassar when everyone else doesn’t have to be, and plain isn’t. Coming from the experiences of one such basketball player, there’s probably nothing more frustrating than hearing Vassar students—who are completely unaware of the plight of men’s basketball players incapable of going away anywhere—complain about their winter breaks. They take their finals and then leave, get away and clear their minds.

Of course, that’s the fundamental purpose

of winter break—playing basketball, no matter how entertaining it may be, doesn’t truly feel like a cycle is being broken. Maybe it’s living in Noyes for almost a month. Maybe it’s the absence of homemade meals at night.

Whatever it comes down to, the monotony that sometimes creeps in at Vassar doesn’t really go away, even without those morning classes and lengthy lectures. And, you can’t really understand that without going through it yourself. Experiencing definitely translates into understanding in this case.

In the end, the men’s basketball team spent most of its lengthy winter break in Poughkeepsie, NY—no clubbing, no luxurious dinners, no romantic strolls along some warm Caribbean waters. Other Vassar students just can’t really comprehend what it’s like to go through an entire school vacation without even having a break. With all of the practices, team meetings and other basketball-related activities that I can’t even recall at this point, we just don’t encounter the rest and relaxation emblematic of winter break at home or abroad on some tropical island. “Taking it easy” just doesn’t even cross our minds. Pardon the overused cliché, but staying here in January represents a true grind. It’s a grind of different sorts, but a grind nonetheless. Afternoon practice to lift to meeting to team dinner to morning practice, and back at it again. Our schedules are packed, packed, packed. The only thing missing is that morning class in Rocky, but in its place lies an early practice (and some shooting drills to boot.)

For men’s basketball players, the beginnings of coursework and morning lectures are just another step in the process of being a student-athlete—one less practice a day, but a few more classes. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but it’s not to say that an actual break wouldn’t be enjoyable sometimes.

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Ray Lewis may never escape past Eli J. Vargas I Columnist

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his Sunday, February 3, about 111 million viewers will tune in to watch the second most-viewed sporting event worldwide, the 47th annual NFL Super Bowl. As one of the most anticipated events of the year, there will be plenty of storylines to capture the attention of fans.

Among these are the San Francisco 49ers’ possible return to former glory and the exciting clash of opposing quarterbacks both trying to prove themselves once and for all. But what may intrigue fans most is this being the last game of one of the greatest defensive players of all time.

This man who seems to be the perfect role model for our nation’s youth has commanded the respect of players across the NFL, but this remains to be seen for the rest of America, who have difficulty forgetting his troubled and dark past.

If you search for a list of the greatest defensive players of all time, Ray Lewis will be right near the top of that list, and for good reason too.

Over his 17-year career he has amassed over 2000 career tackles, 41 sacks, and 19 fumble recoveries, which is good enough to have earned him two defensive player of the year honors, a Super Bowl MVP and 13 Pro-Bowl selections.

Along with these spectacular numbers, it is his leadership and die-hard will to win by any means necessary that have fueled his successes.

Indeed, it will be a sad day for Baltimore Ravens fans when their iconic football player no longer steps out onto the field and performs his pre-game antics, his moving speeches and his highlight reel tackles. But for others, it may not be Ray Lewis’ on-the-field exploits that gained him notoriety. During the week of Super Bowl XXXIV, in 2000, Ray Lewis along with two other people were involved in an altercation which resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men. Facing murder charges, Ray Lewis was able to enter a plea agreement, confessed to obstruction of justice and received one year of probation. But nobody outside of Lewis and his two friends know what happened that night, and the white suit he wore that night has never been found, which leads many people to believe that he too took part in the murder of two men. So no matter what Ray Lewis may do on or off the field, the association of murder will still be in some people minds.

“It is his leadership and die-hard will to win by any means necessary that have fueled his successes” Eli J. Vargas I ’16 That Lewis is adored for his success on the field and seemingly cleaned up lifestyle may only further inflame those who despise Lewis’ criminal record. To make amends for what he has done, Lewis has travelled across the country preaching his story to inspire others to do better things, along with setting up foundations to help the youth and the underrepresented. Additionally, Lewis is an unquestionable leader on the team, inspiring people to follow him anywhere, and that is what has made the Ravens defense so fearless all of these 17 years.

Nothing can reconcile the families who have lost their sons in the murders that Lewis is known for, and that is understandable. But Lewis seems to be doing the best he can to reconcile America with his tearful speeches before, during and after games. But will this ever be enough to sway the hearts of his oppositions? Should it be enough, in a man’s life where he has inspired so many people after reaching rock bottom? And should people look past his mistakes? For Ravens fans this is enough, and it will be more than enough if he delivers a spectacular performance in this Sunday’s 47th annual Super Bowl.

SPORTS

Page 20

January 31, 2013

Swimming, diving players set records across the board Amreen Bhasin RepoRteR

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courtesy of Vassar Athletics

he Vassar College men’s and women’s Swimming and Diving teams have had a busy and eventful start to the second half of their season. While most of the school was still on winter break, these athletes were already back in action beginning with competition on January 11, 2013. The women’s team came off of a sixth place finish in the Liberty League before break where sophomore Jane Cardona pulled off a school-record performance in the three-meter, leaving her 19 points away from an NCAA Qualifying mark. The men’s placed seventh in the Liberty League despite senior captain Mathue Duhaney’s injury during competition, keeping him out of the 400-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Luc Amodio finished 11th in the meet overall, and the day included several other standout performances. Head Coach Lisl Prater-Lee was incredibly happy with her team’s performance at that meet. “Everyone stepped up all the way through the meet. We were enthusiastic and glad with our progress and our races despite [it’s] being a fast and highly competitive meet,” she said.

The teams traveled to Florida for part of the break in order to train and compete. The men’s team managed to place third out of four teams at the Florida Relay Invitational with RPI, eventually capturing first place on January 11. The Vassar men’s highest placing relay was a second place finish in the 4 x 50 yard breastroke. The team included freshman Isaiah Hale swimming a 31.31, sophomore Matt Weiss swimming a 29.08, Amodio swimming a 29.47 and sophomore Chuck Herrmann swimming a 31.50. Overall Vassar scored 42 points.

At this same Invitational, the Women’s team placed fourth overall with RPI once again capturing the first place title. Two particular standout performances included the second place finish by the 4 x 50 yard backstroke team and the third place finish for the 200-yard freestyle relay. The 4 x 50 yard backstroke team included freshman Anna Kuo swimming a 31.91, freshman Millee Nelson swimming a 30.25, freshman Marie Schmidt swimming a 31.47 and sophomore Liz Balter swimming a 30.71. The

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams began the second half of their season with a January 11 competition. Team members bested many of their personal and seasonal scores at the meets.

200-yard free relay team included freshman Lilliana Frye swimming a 27.13, Balter swimming a 26.93, sophomore Juliana Struve swimming a 29.03 and sophomore McKenzie Quinn swimming a 27.79.

On January 12, the men competed in the Kumpf Invitational at RPI. Senior diver Simon Whitelaw hit a personal best on the one-meter board and placed ninth with a 203 point finish.

Sophomore viver Jeffrey From also scored a personal best on the one-meter board finishing in 12th place with 144.65 points. This team included freshman Greg Cristina, Amodio, Hermann and Duhaney. Duhaney also finished 11th in the 50-yard freestyle. The 400-yard Medley team of Amodio, Weiss, Hale and Duhaney also finished 12th. At the end the Brewers placed seventh with 73 points overall.

The next day, the teams hosted Trinity College in a dual meet on their Senior Day where all seniors were honored in pre-meet ceremonies for their commitment and contributions

to the team over the past few years. The women fell to Trinity in close competition 121-103.

Standout performances included a victory by Schmidt in the 1000-yard freestyle. Schmidt claimed her victory by over eight seconds as compared to the second place Trinity finisher. The 100-yard backstroke was particularly successful for the Brewers. Nelson took first place, Balter took second and Kuo took fourth. Zoe Fullerton ’15 finished second in a tight race for the 200-yard individual medley. Freshman Maya Pruitt managed a lifetime best score on the one-meter board, as she ended the meet with a score of 143.62.

The men’s team lost as well to Trinity College with a score of 117-95; however, there were many positive notes to the day. Whitelaw swept the diving events scoring 211.79 on the one-meter and 220.27 on the three-meter. Sophomore Rory Moon was second and From was 3rd in each event. Cristina placed second in the 100 yard freestyle and Hale finished 3rd, edged out of second by .01 seconds by Trinity’s Carl Gib-

ney.

The women’s team then travelled to Wellesley for the Seven Sisters Championship. They placed third overall at the intense two day meet. The first day was highlighted by performances from senior co-captain Shannon Sara and top finishes by relay teams. Sara took second in the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley races and third in the 100-yard breaststroke. In the 200-yard individual she set a new in-season personal best. The 400-yard medley relay “A” team along with the 800-yard freestyle relay team both took third. The 200-yard medley relay “A” team finished fourth while the “B” team finished sixth. Cardona broke the school record with 384.45 points. The second day of championships was just as successful. Sara placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke setting a season record in the process and Struve placed fifth. Nelson was fourht in the 200-yard backstroke and Schimdt was fifth followed by Kuo in seventh. All three had season bests.

On January 23 the men’s team fell to Montclair State University despite some great individual showings. Whitelaw swept diving, winning the one-meter and three-meter events.

Moon was second in both events. Amodio won the 100-yard backstroke and Weiss and Hale took first and second respectively in the 100yard breaststroke. Duhaney had a season best performance and came in second for the 50yard freestyle. Hermann came third in both the 100-yard fly and 200-yard individual medley.

The women lost to NYU during the final away dual meet of the season. However Sara swam a season best in the 200-yard breaststroke where she placed first. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Quinn, Alquist, Frye and Balter also won. Divers Cardona and Wilkinson placed second and third in the three meter.

Cardona also placed second on the one-meter board. The men’s team fell to NYU as well.

Highlights included wins by Amodio in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard breaststroke. Cristina won the 100-yard freestyle. The men’s 200-yard free relay team of Cristina, Hermann, Whitelaw and Duhaney took first as well. Hale had a season best with a third place finish in the 500-yard freestyle.

Men’s basketball team faced steep competition over break Kerrin Poole

Guest RepoRteR

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courtesy of Vassar Athletics

he Vassar Men’s Basketball team has been busy this past winter. Having faced eight opponents since early January, the Brewers have added another win to their record which now stands overall at 6-12 and 2-7 in the conference.

Beginning on January 8, the team traveled to Bard College to open their 2013 Liberty League schedule. Seeking to defeat Bard after having lost to them twice last season, the Brewers fell short, losing to the Raptors 47-43. Vassar held a steady 8-point lead at halftime and was even up by 15 points at one time in the second half. Baskets made by Bard, however, left the Brewers behind as the second half began to close. Bard’s Ben Kane sealed the game with a pair of free throws in the last 30 seconds, leaving a score of 47-43. Highlights of the game included junior forward Evan Carberry, who led Vassar with 12 points and a seamless three-for-three from behind the 3-point arc, and sophomore forward Alex Snyder, whose 10 rebounds put him in the lead of both Vassar and Bard.

On January 11, the Brewers defeated Liberty League opponent St. Lawrence 48-47 in an exciting finish. Having entered the second half being down 27-17, Vassar picked up offensive momentum and scored 31 points while only permitting the Saints to score 20 points. Led by sophomore guard Curtis Smith, who scored a season and career-high 13 points in the game, the Brewers walked away victorious as sophomore guard Andrew Adkins made a jumper with 1.7 seconds remaining.

The following day, the VC men’s basketball team traveled to play Clarkson University. After fighting back from a 42-27 deficit at halftime, the Brewers were unable to close the gap enough for the win, and lost 75-67. Vassar’s Curtis Smith and junior forward John Donnelly had a combined 37 points in the game, keeping the second half very close, but of the 18 offen-

The men’s basketball team rec0rd stands at 6-12 after a recent victory over Bard. Its upcoming game against Clarkson University provides a shot at a League win. The match is set for Feburary 1 at 8 p.m. sive rebounds the Brewers claimed, they only scored 14 points.

Vassar next hosted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the highest scoring team in the Liberty League, on January 15. RPI stayed true to their record and outscored VC in an 86-72 win over the Brewers. Having scored 14 points in the first 2:55, RPI played a close, physical game, which caused 28 Vassar turnovers, resulting in 28 points for the Red Hawks. Despite this pressure, Vassar’s John Donnelly scored a career-high 27 points, while freshman Erikson Wasyl experienced a career-best of 16 points during his 24 minutes of play. For his team-leading performances in games against RPI, Skidmore, and Union, junior forward John Donnelly earned weekly recognition from the Liberty League’s

Honor Roll Selection the week of January 22.

On January 18, the Brewers were defeated by Skidmore College at home as the Thoroughbreds came from behind and won 64-59. With 15:36 remaining in the second half, Skidmore was down 44-33. By 5:35, however, Skidmore’s offense had been able to tie Vassar at 55-55 and continued to rack up several 3-pointers in the ensuing minutes. VC held the lead for 32 of the 40 minutes of play, having had four players who scored double-digits, included John Donnelly (15), Erikson Wasyl (11), Curtis Smith (11) and Alex Snyder (11). Snyder also had the most rebounds with nine.

The following afternoon, Vassar hosted Union College, who then stood second in the Liberty League, at the Athletics & Fitness Cen-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ter. Defeated 85-74, the Brewers’ record fell to 5-10. Despite trailing a dominant lead by the Dutchmen in the first half (once at 31-17), Vassar gained strength offensively and closed the gap to 63-62 with 7:55 in the game. The Brewers witnessed great efforts from junior forward Evan Carberry, freshman forward Nick Johnson, Alex Snyder, Erikson Wasyl and John Donnelly, most of whom scored double-digits.

On Friday, January 25, the Brewers were away at Rochester Institute of Technology, where an upset gave RIT their first Liberty League win of the season. The competition was close, resulting in eight lead changes throughout the game. Vassar, only having gone 19-35 from the field and having had 26 rebounds compared to RIT’s 42, was outperformed. One highlight from the game included junior guard Sam Rappaport, who hit 4-7 from behind the 3-point arc, resulting in the 12-point team-high score.

The following afternoon, the Vassar men’s basketball team traveled to Liberty League No. 1 Hobart College, where they fell 76-59 despite intense efforts made in the second half. Without the talents of top scorers John Donnelly, Jon Herzog and Alex Snyder, the Brewers were left short-staffed on Saturday. In their absence, freshman guard Erikson Wasyl tied his career-high 16 points as he went 4-6 beyond the 3-point arc.

The team’s most recent game against came on January 29th against Bard College. Vassar took the win with a narrow six point lead, 74-68.

Freshman Nick Johnson set a new career high for himself, scoring 15 points, all from behind the 3-point line. Adkins also reached a career high, scoring 20 clutch points duing the game.

Snyder and Wasyl also pulled double digits, contributing to the team’s win. This win puts Vassar ahead of Bard in League standings, improving their record to 2-7. The next chance for a League win will be against Clarkson University on Febuary 1 in the Athletic Fitness Center at 8 pm.