The Miscellany News Volume CXLVI, Issue 11

The Miscellany News

Volume CXLVI | Issue 11

December 13, 2012

Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

CWA, VASSAR REACH AGREEMENT Wages to grow 2% annually for three years; 3% in fourth Hannah Blume and Bethan Johnson senior editor and assistant neWs editor

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Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

Posters published by the CWA are being removed across campus after the union’s seven month long negotiations with the College have finally come to an end. Both parties are satisfied with the new contract which will last for four years.

fter seven months of negotiations, The Communication Workers of America (CWA) and the College reached a deal last Sunday, Dec. 9, when the CWA members voted to ratify the latest proposal.

The most notable features of the four-year contract include a 2% increase in wages for the first three years, and a 3% increase in the fourth year. Employees would also be required to pay a 7.5% contribution for single-payer health insurance. To offset this new cost, employees will be granted a $200 signing bonus and a $1100 bonus in the fourth year.

Other items agreed upon in the negotiations include a mandatory 90day notice for layoffs, improved severance pay for layoffs and an agreement that the College cannot contract out work that will result in layoffs.

“Management is very satisfied with the contract,” wrote Ruth Spencer, Associate Vice President of Human

Outing club travels beyond beaten path Meaghan Hughes sports editor

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2012-2013 student gift announced

sponder and is extremely passionate about the Outing Club.

“We are mainly concerned with giving students the opportunity to explore the big, beautiful world outside of the Vassar campus,“ she wrote in an emailed statement. The group plans trips throughout the region, and some of their favorite spots are Slabsides, Beacon Mountain and Bonticou Crag. Additionally, the club has traveled as far as the Adirondack Mountains and South Carolina during extended breaks in the school year.

Trips typically involve some hiking, climbing, biking, kayaking or a combination of several of these activities. Most take See OUTDOORS on page 20

Fund to support financial aid and need blind policy courtesy of Katie Ewen

hen students want to get away from Vassar for a bit, they might limit their options to a ten minute drive to the Poughkeepsie Galleria or a daylong trip to New York City. But for those looking for a change of scenery, there is another, more refreshing alternative. The Vassar Outing Club (VOC) brings students to a wide variety of locations in the nearby area, and they actually tend to burn some calories while doing it.

One of the leaders of the VOC is Co-president Katie Ewen ’15.

She has been involved since her freshman year, recently became a certified Wilderness First Re-

Student hikers navigate their way over rocky terrain on a trip with the Outing Club.

Beacon Mountain and Bonticou Crag are among the group’s favorite locations.

Music class introduces Students, RCF propose new frontiers of sound sustainability initiatives Adam Buchsbaum arts editor

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djunct Instructor in Music Peter McCulloch wants to change your mind about electronic music—it’s not just dance music. “If you’re gonna use a painting analogy, dance music is to the Mona Lisa as what we do is to Picasso,” McCulloch explained.

“We’re interested in a much more raw form, and a much more almost sculptural approach to sound, rather than, ‘What’s the melody?’ or ‘What’s the rhythm? So, it’s really sound for sound’s sake.”

McCulloch teaches a year-long class on composing electronic

music. Now, his students are preparing their final compositions for a concert on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Chapel.

The class’ style of electronic music is known as experimental, electroacoustic music. The course first begins with the history of electronic music, before getting to the composition.

“What most people don’t know about electronic music is it has substantially older history,” McCulloch explained. Most think synthesizers began in the 1970s, but the first synth, the Teleharmonium, was played publicly in the See MUSIC on page 15

Inside this issue

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FEATURES

Once again, VSA to begin collecting opinions on ban

Resources, in an emailed statement.

“We had to give on some issues, yet we were able to address other issues that were necessary for the College.

There are always concessions by both sides in contract negotiations.”

“The bargaining team and the membership are pleased with this deal,” wrote Carl Bertsche, a business agent for the CWA and Science Support Technician at the College. In an article published two weeks ago in The Miscellany News (“Wages and healthcare holding up CWA deal” 11.28.12), Bertsche cited economic issues—such as wages and healthcare—as the primary factors for holding up the deal.

In recent weeks, wages have been at the center of the debate. The red posters published by the CWA claimed that full time CWA employees could earn as little as $10.58 an hour, or $20,631 per year, with an average salary of $34,469. In her all-campus email, sent Nov. 19, President Catharine Bond Hill refuted this figure, claiming See UNION on page 4

Dallas Robinson Guest reporter

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hen thinking about advocating for environmental consciousness, terms like “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” are far more common than “Lambscaping” or “The Plight of Wasted Light at Night.” Nonetheless, students, staff and administrators submitted propositions with both of these titles, along with many others, in hopes that the College Committee on Sustainability (CCS) will implement them using the finances of the Resource Conservation Fund (RCF), with the aim of moving towards a greener campus.

CCS revamped its strategy for pro-

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OPINIONS

Staff Editorial: Our endorsement of the low-income center

moting submissions for the Resource Conservation Fund (RCF) and displayed ten of fifteen applications, the largest amount received in the fund’s three-year history, at the Idea Expo this past Wednesday, Dec. 5.

The committee wanted a way to publicize the RFC to the campus while also implementing an educational component about environmental issues at home.

The Fund is open to the new cost and energy-saving projects proposed by a wide range of members of the Vassar community to be taken on by the committee in collaboration with Buildings and Grounds.

See CONSERVATION on page 7

13 HUMOR

Jessica Tarantine Features editor

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his past Saturday at the Class of 2013 99 Nights celebration, the Student Gift Committee announced that this year’s Student Gift fund will be used to finance student aid.

After fielding suggestions from the Senior Class, the Committee made recommendations to the Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development (OAAD), which ultimately decided that the gift would go towards the Class of 2013 Scholarship fund. At the discretion of the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, the Scholarship fund will go towards financial aid.

“Financial aid was chosen as this year’s gift in order to show our support for the school’s dedication to ‘need-blind’ policy,” wrote Student Gift Co-chair Xiao Chen ’13 in an emailed statement. “This year Wesleyan moved away from their need-blind policy and opted for one that will factor in a student’s family income and ability to pay once it runs out of aid. The co-chairs and I felt like Vassar has shown a big commitment to stay with its policy and it was our responsibility to try and help.”

Assistant Director of the Annual Fund Lindsay Roth said, “62% of students currently receive some sort of financial aid. As recently See FINANCIAL AID on page 4

How to prepare for THE END OF THE WORLD!

The Miscellany News

Page 2

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December

Thursday

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December

Friday

Lecture by American Studies Scholar Nikhil Pal Singh

Study Abroad Info Meeting

Singh will speak about “Settler Sovreignity and the US Empire”

Measure 4 Measure Final Concert

5:30pm | Taylor Audit | American Studies

Electronic Music Fall Concert

11:00am | Taylor Audit | Dean of Students

7:00pm | RH 200 | Measure 4 Measure

6:00pm | Chapel | Music Department

AirCappella Final Concert

The Night Towels: Night Owls Final Concert

No Offense Winter Show

The Night Owls will host their final concernt of the semester.

Bath wear is encouraged.

Shabbat Game Night

7:00pm | RH 300 | Night Owls

Rob O’Reilly

8:00pm | Villard Room | HEL

8:00pm | RH 300 | AirCappella

Saturday

Beauty and the Beats

3:00pm | RH 200 | Beauty and the Beats

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December

Sunday

Paper Critique

9:00pm | Rose Parlor | The Misc

Come tell us all about our typos!

7:00pm | RH 200 | Axies

Matthew’s Minstrels Fall Concert

9:00pm | Sanders Audit | Matthew’s Minstrels

Chanukah game night at the Bayit.

BAM Final Concert

“Venus in Fur” Performance

9:00pm | RH 200 | BAM

8:00pm | Sanders Audit | Unbound

Study Break Filming: Dark Knight Rises

No Offense Winter Show

9:00pm | RH 200 | Vassar Devils

10:00pm | Sanders Audit | No Offense

Letter to the Editor David Davis-Van Atta Guest Contributor

Two categorical corrections need to be made, one to each of two articles that appeared in the Misc. dated November 29, 2012.

First: “Vassar grade inflation at double the national value”

Grade inflation is a difficult phenomenon even to define, much more so to measure definitively. However, by no lights of credible national data is Vassar’s rate of “inflation” double a national average. It makes a great deal of difference how many years one goes back to measure a rate of increase (it’s not really an inflation) in GPA’s. Nationally, GPA’s increased almost wildly during the era from the early 1960’s through mid-to-late 1970’s, at annual rates very close to 4.0 times the annual rates found today. So the exact time period over which one elects to measure GPA growth rate often makes a big difference in the values that one finds.

Limiting ourselves to more recent times, Vassar’s rate of increase in the average GPA of its graduating class (which, BTW, excludes all grades earned by non-grads, most of which are lower than average, so this measure among only grads is somewhat inflated to begin with), finds an annual growth rate of 0.01625 per year over the past 24 years. Over the most recent 10 years, 0.01750 per year. And, over the most recent 6, 0.01667. These three values are all close to each other. So, a good round figure for this hard to measure statistic is probably a rate of increase in overall Vassar GPA (of grads) of something between 0.015 and 0.017 per year.

Nationally, a good measure of GPA increase is difficult to come by. First, most schools never report GPA’s publicly. Not quite a case of no data, but definitely one of limited data. Exactly how representative the existing data are of the true national norms is difficult to know definitively. However, the Misc. article referenced one good paper on the topic (“Grading in American Colleges and Universities,” Rojstaczer and Healy, 2010). The national rate of growth in GPA reported in their data, from the mid-1980’s through 2007, roughly the same era as the Vassar data above, is 0.0125 per year. If Vassar’s annual rate were taken to be 0.016, i.e., the mid-point of the range noted above, this would be about one-third (28%) greater than the national rate of increase. Higher, yes, but far below double.

Hannah Blume Ruth Bolster

Contributing Editors Hannah Blume Rachael Borné Adam Buchsbaum

News Danielle Bukowski Leighton Suen Features Chris Gonzalez Marie Solis Jessica Tarantine Opinions Lane Kisonak Humor & Satire Jean-Luc Bouchard Arts Adam Buchsbaum Steven Williams Sports Tina Caso Meaghan Hughes Photography Katie de Heras Design Aja Brady-Saalfeld Online Alessandra Seiter Nathan Tauger Copy Maxelle Neufville

8:30pm | Bayit | VJU

Vassar Devils Final Concert

Editor-in-Chief

David Rosenkranz

Senior Editors

Axies Final Concert

8:00pm | Sanders Audit | No Offense

ViCE and HEL come together to present Rob O’Reilly

10:00pm | RH 300 | ViCE

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December

December 13, 2012

So where is the source of the “error?” Probably this: rounded to two decimal points per year, or a single decimal point per decade, as is done far too often, the national rate becomes 0.01 per year, 0.1 per decade, although it is actually about 20% higher than this figure. These values are often-seen layman’s round-figure values. Vassar’s rate when rounded would rise to 0.02 per year, or 0.2 per decade, although it is in fact fully 20% below this value! Thus, yes, the rounded Vassar rate is exactly double the rounded national rate. However, the genuine need to be more accurate in one’s statistics than using highly rounded values when it comes to studying GPA could not be made more clear.

Other data from Rojstaczer and Healy, and other authors with research in this topic, find somewhat different exact national values for recent rates of GPA increase, depending on the specific years studied, type of school, and other factors. However, values in the range 0.011 and 0.014 per year comprise most of the largeschool samples of annual rates of increase reported for recent eras.

Again, Vassar’s recent annual rate of increase in GPA of graduating seniors, about 0.016, is not double any credible, recent national value.

Rojstaczer and Healy carefully note how different rates of grade “inflation” can be by type of school. Ergo, some comparison of Vassar to similar colleges and universities is called for.

A graph of Vassar’s average rate of increase over the past 24 years (see above) placed into the context of similar values from Rojstaczer and Healy for a number of selective, private peer colleges and universities, is attached. We stand squarely in the middle of these schools, at 0.01625 increase in GPA per year, with the average for this group of schools being 0.01651 per year.

Another note: The 3-D toroidal graph of Vassar grades at the head of the Misc. article unfortunately masks a great deal of important information.

It should, at least, split out the proportions of A’s and B’s. A solid A is so very different now from a B-, even from a B, as to be more or less in another world, at least in terms of perceived value and message. Lumping everything from B- to the top into a single graph segment removes a great deal of important information.

Even when disaggregated into A’s and B’s, the point can still be made narratively that these two categories now comprise fully 83% of Vassar’s grades.

The “Student-Friendly Endowment Guide”

First, the essential correction. In no way is Vassar’s endowment per student “below average for institutions of higher education,” as stated in the caption under the graph. Quite the opposite is the case. Nationally, there are roughly 2,000 public and private 4-year colleges and universities. Vassar’s endowment per student, as of the end of fiscal year (FY) 2011, ranked 44th among all these schools. Further, Vassar’s endowment per student, $340,830 (per NACUBO’s annual study), is greater than 15 times larger than the average of the known endowment per student values among the nation’s four-year colleges and universities (about $22,100 per student).

And final note: The Misc. article missed what is almost certainly the primary current issue for Vassar and its endowment: the rate at which Vassar has spent its endowment funds, for very good purposes, but problematically high, particularly when viewed in the context of the investment earnings returned to the endowment in order to grow the principal. Vassar’s annual investment earnings on the endowment have been almost exactly equal to the annual averages earned by the endowments of our set of 21 peer highly selective, national, private liberal arts colleges, going as far back as good data can be located (FY 1980). No one consistently beats the market over long periods of time, and Vassar has equaled the average earnings achieved by our peer colleges, year by year, over a 30-year period. However, Vassar’s rate of spending these earnings to support its annual operations, certainly an enriching thing to do for the programs, services, employment levels and other benefits that this spending supports, as opposed to returning the earnings to the endowment principal, has been consistent above, to well above, the peer group average for more than a decade. Long-term, this is likely to be a critical problem for any college because the endowment value slowly, but relentlessly, erodes to levels below the average available to similar schools. As of the end of FY 2011, Vassar’s endowment market value ($814,130,058) was almost exactly equal to the average found at our set of peer colleges ($804,332,765). However, its value per regular undergraduate student ($348,564) was 12.5% below the peer group average ($398,220).

—David Davis-Van Atta is the Director of Institutional Research at Vassar College.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

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Bethan Johnson Gabe Dunsmith Burcu Noyan Jacob Gorski Jiajing Sun Jack Mullan Amreen Bhasin Bobbie Lucas John Nguyen Zoe Dostal Luka Laden Zach Rippe Joshua Sherman Juan Thompson Eli J. Vargas I Cassady Bergevin Jonah Bleckner Spencer Davis Rachel Garbade Emily Lavieri-Scull Palak Patel Bethany Terry Victoria Bachurska Rachel Dorn Youngeon Kim 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.

December 13, 2012

NEWS

Page 3

Town Board considers banning wind turbines, solar panels Noble Ingram Guest reporter

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courtesy of ForResidentialPros.com

n Dec. 5, the Poughkeepsie Town Board agreed to have a hearing regarding the “Energy Facilities and Systems Moratorium” Local Law, a resolution that would temporarily prohibit the installation of wind power or solar power energy systems on residential property.

Citing “Matters of Local Concern” on the Poughkeepsie Zoning Office document, the Town Board explained its reasoning: “Although the development of sustainable energy systems to capture wind and solar power for residential and commercial use is desirable as a green energy alternative, the Town Board of the Town of Poughkeepsie has determined that the placement and location of such facilities is of concern.”

The Town Board went on to specify that concern in the same document. “Ill-planned wind and solar power facilities may significantly reduce or impair the visual quality of residential and non-residential areas.” The emphasis, as previously reported in the 12.05.12 issue of The Poughkeepsie Journal (“Town of Poughkeepsie wants a timeout on wind, solar power”), is the concern that the installation or improper installation of wind and solar energy systems could cause a drop in property values in the residential area.

As co-President of the Vassar Greens Jillian Guenther ’13 said in an emailed statement, “It seems that the core of this proposal is the idea that alternative energy will lower property values and/or drive away residents. I think this is a reflection of deeper ideas about what sort of community Poughkeepsie is.”

Karmen Buckey, a zoning board member, told the Poughkeepsie Journal in response to a recent case involving a homeowner who wanted to install solar panels in his front yard, that while she was in favor of solar energy, she thought the panels would detract from the appearance of the neighborhood.

Alistair Hall ’11, the Sustainability Assistant to the Resource Conservation Fund at Vassar,

A local house equipped with solar panels has become one of many forced into the spotlight as the Poughkeepsie Town Board considers a ban on highly visible residential alternative energy devices. spoke to the issue of wind power. “As I understand it, frankly, wind power in the Poughkeepsie area isn’t a useful option. We don’t have strong enough wind potential for it to be really effective. So if there is someone considering a wind turbine, I think there needs to be a discussion. Is it just vanity? Is it just symbolic?”

In response to the issue of solar power, Hall questioned the motivations for someone who wanted to install solar panels in his front yard.

“Is it because they want everybody to see that they have solar panels?” He then posed the question to homemakers: “Given your property, where does it make the most sense to put them?”

Guenther echoed this concern: “The real obstacle for both wind turbines and solar panels in residential areas is how efficient they will be given the surrounding area (trees or other

things blocking the wind/sun, things like that).

This has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”

Hall criticized the Moratorium for being unnecessary. According to him, any concerns stemming from the appearance of the neighborhood are already handled. “For any residential installation, you’re going to have these localized zoning board meetings anyway. And there you would address, ‘Is it really worth having solar panels in your front yard? Is it because of geography and where the most impact would be or is it because you want them to look cool?’”

Guenther also speaks to the concern about the appearance of the neighborhood. She said in an emailed statement: “I would like to note that scenic views and sense of place are really important to Hudson Valley culture, especially

around the River, so on one hand it is very important to consider that.”

She continued, “[However] I’m not sure that scenic views are an issue within residential neighborhoods where views are not physically visible anyway. So what they’re actually getting at is whether the appearance of the wind turbine/solar panel is bothering a neighbor.”

While Hall states that the installation of residential alternative energy systems in Poughkeepsie should begin with a real conversation, he emphasizes the benefits of alternative energy generation in residential areas. “If I have a solar panel in my back yard, if I’m not using electricity during the day when the sun is out, it means I could be generating more power than I’m using. The net meter which records my energy usage could spin backwards and the utility company pays me instead. It’s one of the main ways that reusable energy can make financial sense.”

Hall goes on to discuss the ways in which the Town of Poughkeepsie deals with other questions of alternative energy. “As this is going on, there is an effort to create a regional sustainability master plan for the Hudson Valley—energy generation is a big part of it—and as the discussion has been going on, it’s sort of come to the forefront that a lot of these smaller towns already have local plans and Poughkeepsie hasn’t even breached the subject yet.”

Asked about the way in which Poughkeepsie responds to alternative energy initiatives launched by other towns in the Hudson Valley, Hall said, “I think it’s kind of silly because a lot of our neighbors are very much on board with this but we’ve been seeing some resistance on this from the city government level. We should just get on board as well.”

Hall concluded by confirming that while alternative energy systems are good for the environment, Poughkeepsie residents shouldn’t all decide to construct wind turbines and solar panels in their back yards. “On a residential level, I think energy efficiency is much more effective.”

Local residents protest as college prepares for January cull Leighton Suen and Ruth Bolster neWs editor and senior editor

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Jonah Bleckner/The Miscellany News

n Sunday, Dec. 9, nearly 50 local Poughkeepsie residents, Vassar students and faculty gathered on the corner of Collegeview and Raymond Avenues for two hours to protest the deer cull that is planned for January 2013.

In order to prevent the cull, Save Our Deer founder Marcy Schwartz, Town of Poughkeepsie resident Doreen Tignanelli, and the group In Defense of Animals (IDA) filed a lawsuit against Vassar College, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation on Dec. 6.

Jeff Kosmacher, Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs at Vassar, responded to the lawsuit in an emailed statement: “Our goal is a healthy and sustainable environmental balance for the benefit not only of the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve but in consideration of the impact the deer population creates in the larger community,” he wrote. “We take these efforts very seriously, and we believe we are proceeding appropriately under state and local law.”

Despite this, a number of protesters expressed concerns about the legality of the deer cull itself, particularly in regard to local firearms laws. “We did learn soon after [the 2010 cull] that the College had been granted permission to carry out the mass shooting in the City of Poughkeepsie due to a legal error,” said Schwartz. “Under state law, there is an agricultural exemption that you can obtain if you do have a large farm operation and deer is eating your crops. You can get a permit to shoot a few deer. What happened was because [the City Attorney at the time] saw on the application ‘Vassar Farm,’ he actually thought this was a 500-acre agricultural operation, which obviously is not true.”

Within the past two weeks, the City of Poughkeepsie has written to the College, reaffirming that there can be no gunfire within city limits.

In response to these claims, Kosmacher stated that in both 2009 and 2012 Vassar offi-

cials met with the appropriate authorities in the City of Poughkeepsie and Town of Poughkeepsie so as to best manage the deer according to Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) rules and regulations. “Each municipality made its own decision about how to proceed based on their relevant laws, regulations, and ordinances,” he stated. “Based upon the City’s most recent determination the upcoming cull will not be conducted within the city limits.”

The deer cull is still scheduled to occur within the roughly half of Vassar Farm that is in the Town of Poughkeepsie.

“If I was still Supervisor, I would very quickly pass a law saying you cannot discharge firearms,” said former Town of Poughkeepsie Supervisor Ann Barcher, a resident since 1948, who opposes the deer cull. “And I can tell you the deer herd in Dutchess County has not yet recovered from the slaughter in 2010. There are not very many of them...they’re very skittish. They hear noise, and they disappear.”

Other local residents are very much in support of the deer cull. Burt Gold ’50 explained why he approves: “The deer are really making it difficult for normal life. Every member of my family has had Lyme disease, and it’s come from deer that are residing on the Farm. So Vassar did the absolute right thing in eliminating deer a couple of years ago. The population has grown back again, and they absolutely, positively should continue with this program.”

Town of Poughkeepsie resident Diane Oktay echoed Gold’s sentiments. “[The deer are] here every day traveling through my yard and there are piles of poop everywhere...They eat bushes, flowers, shrubs, vegetable gardens.

They also drop ticks and increase the chance of Lyme disease.”

Students and Poughkeepsie residents against the deer cull argue that culls are not effective, because of a reproductive rebound effect. “Reproductive rebound is when large populations of deer are killed and the deer remaining have access to increased food supply and produce more deer and begin to reproduce at an earlier

Burt Gold ’50 was among the few attendees of last week’s rally who was in support of the VFEP deer cull.

Protesters against the cull cited animal rights and ecological concerns as their primary motivations. age. The ones killed are replaced and the size of the herd increases. The cycle is endless,” wrote Tignanelli in an emailed statement.

Additionally, Schwartz noted that at the public information session on Nov. 10, the only animal identified as being adversely affected by the deer population was the migrating ovenbird. She said, “Our indigenous, mammalian, intelligent, affectionate wildlife population is actually more important to most of us than the migrating ovenbird who is not endangered!”

In an emailed statement, Kosmacher added, “By managing the deer population on the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, the college is addressing deer impact on the entire ecosystem there, not simply animal species. Our deer enclosure studies show that the overabundance of deer is preventing the establishment of young trees and reducing the diversity of herbaceous plants on the VFEP.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Kosmacher also noted that alternative options that are suggested by the protesters, such as growing species of plants that are less palatable to deer, spraying deer repellents, giving the deer contraceptives, or building a fence around sensitive areas of the Farm, are not necessarily feasible. Further explanation can be found on the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve website.

“In the past three years Vassar professors have worked hard to keep the College informed and actively thinking about this issue,” Kosmacher wrote. “They have closely monitored the latest research findings on deer impacts and population management, monitored developments in state policies, and discussed our circumstances with a wide range of people in the region and further afield.”

The court date for the lawsuit has been set for Dec. 18.

Page 4

NEWS

December 13, 2012

Controversy Agreement reached after 7 months of talks follows gift announcement FINANCIAL AID continued from page 1

demonstrated in the actions of some of our peer institutions, need-blind admissions is at constant threat, but remains in high priority at Vassar. The Student Gift not only reflects an existing, growing need, but addresses a timely issue in higher education as a whole.”

Overall, the Committee and the OAAD were optimistic that students would respond to a cause which affected such a large proportion of the student body.

“Everybody likes to give to a good cause, especially when that good cause affects them,” wrote Chen.

While the Committee was excited about the cause, some students felt that it didn’t reflect what students feel most passionately about. “My understanding is that the Student Gift is supposed to be from the students and that is why it is titled such,” said Vassar Student Association (VSA) VP for Finance Alex Koren ’13. “I’m not sure this year was reflective of what students wanted to give.”

Koren helped to put together the proposal for the Social Consciousness fund along with other members of the Finance Committee.

He said, “My understanding is that the [Social Consciousness] fund had popular support and was the Committee’s first choice. The students wanted this gift.”

The proposal which designated the gift for the Social Consciousness Fund was one of two proposals which the Student Gift were considering and ultimately recommended to the OAAD. Student Gift co-Chair Aashim Usgaonkar ’13 explained that the Committee did feel the Social Consciousness Fund was a strong proposal. “We thought there was room for the Student Gift to be aware of its context in terms of time and there were several instances on campus that reflected that there is room for improvement in students’ general level of social consciousness,” he said. “At the same time, it is something we can raise money for and something we can set a goal for...it was also an achievable actionable goal.”

Usgaonkar said that while the Committee supported the+ Social Consciousness proposal, they were in no way unhappy with the choice of the OAAD. “We had spent more time researching it because it was a more complicated proposal in terms of logistics. [So] I can understand why it would seem as though we were unhappy with the scholarship fund, but I don’t think that’s true.”

He explained that while the Student Gift would not support the Social Consciousness fund directly, the Gift would support social consciousness more broadly, in that the issue of accessibility was intrinsically related to the idea of social consciousness.

“By fundraising for financial aid, we are, in a very real way, addressing social issues,” said Usgaonkar.

“We are achieving the same goal [as the Social Consciousness Fund], just going about it in a different way.”

Dean of the College Chris Roellke said that he was happy with the announcement of the recipient of the Student Gift, “[Financial aid] is a great choice.

Clearly connected to issues of social consciousness, support for financial aid is critical at Vassar and is a top priority in the current capital campaign.”

“Traditionally, the students’ own gifts are symbolic in that they express student support, but then the matching gift is what contributes the chunk of the gift...We’re showing our support and enthusiasm [by participation] which then I am confident will be matched by other donors, given that Access to Excellence is a Pillar of the Vassar 150: World Changing campaign,” Usgaonkar said.

With the Student Gift going to financial aid this year, the Committee will consider the needs of those students who are unable to give in their plans for fundraising. “This year, the committee will aim to be especially sensitive to the requests of students who are unable to give,” said Minigan. “We’ve also had a reputation for being persistent, but we’re improving the way we keep records so that we don’t end up accidentally requesting donations from people who have already given.”

Altogether, those involved with the Student Gift were happy with the message being sent by the decision to give the Gift to financial aid. Roth said, “Students contributing to the 2013 Scholarship Fund will support their peers, neighbors, classmates, friends; each other. It allows us to connect as a campus through a cause where the donors are the recipients.”

UNION continued from page 1 that the average “annualized base pay” for CWA employees was $41,000.

But Hill drew criticism from CWA members for misrepresenting actual salaries, since “annualized base pay,” reflects the amount of money employees would if they were to work full time for 12 months a year, despite the fact that many CWA employees work part time or only during the academic year.

The 7.5% healthcare contribution is another new feature of the contract. Though employees historically have paid for coverage for dependents, contributions for single payer insurance will be an unprecedented cost for CWA workers at the College.

Though Hill’s email did not mention the subject, according to CWA members it was among the most hotly contested issues. In a Nov. 26 interview, Spencer cited healthcare contributions by all employees as a guiding principle for the College during negotiations.

Though the College’s demand was criticized by CWA employees for being regressive for members at the bottom of the pay scale, especially in relation to faculty and members of the administration, Spencer remained firm in this stance. Said Spencer in a Nov. 26 interview, a few weeks before the parties reached a deal, “We believe everyone should contribute something. Currently, faculty and administrators pay 15%. We are trying to negotiate a contribution.”

In addition to wages and healthcare, the deal includes measures that would soften the blow of a possible layoff, given a recent history of austerity measures and job cutbacks at the College.

“I am very happy that we were able to negotiate for gains in job security,” noted Bertsche, citing the College’s controversial decision to cut 13 staff positions in 2009. “The membership went through great turmoil in December 2009...CWA didn’t want to put

that burden on the members again.”

The contract also works proactively to protect future employees from low wages.

Said Spencer, “The longevity schedule has been modified to have future salaries more in line with regional wages; This doesn’t impact any current employees.”

This was likely in response to the criticism made on CWA posters: “The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the mean Administrative Assistant starting salary in Poughkeepsie is $32,720.00, while Vassar College Administrative Assistants start at $23,7868.00.”

The agreement headed off a potential strike, which Spencer feared would be an increasingly likely byproduct given the long duration of the negotiations. “I’m very glad we were able to avoid a strike,” Spencer said.

She continued, “There are many unintended consequences when a strike happens.” Specifically, Spencer noted that a strike would have resulted in the loss of a retroactive payout, which is money owed to an employee for hours worked based on the newly negotiated hourly rate.

Bertsche also noted the unusually long length of the negotiation process. “The process was long and drawn out at the bargaining table, he said. “This was due to the fact that the College would have to take each proposal back to the powers that be, and rarely responded within four or five days.”

In addition to the bargaining process, Bertsche noted fundamental differences between the visions of each party. “The College maintained that CWA should settle for less because of the ‘bad economic times,’” he noted. “I guess the College realized that we were not going to back down and had the membership’s approval. Mobilization increased each week as our resolve strengthened.”

This resolve, Bertsche said, was strengthened by support from the community. “We had to show our strength through mobiliza-

tion which included support from the students and some faculty members to gain a fair and equitable contract,” he observed.

Vassar Young Democratic Socialist (YDS) specifically advocated on behalf of the CWA on numerous occasions. YDS member Spencer Resnick ’15 wrote, “By attending pickets and rallies, students in YDS and other groups demonstrated worker and student unity. By gathering signatures we involved more of the community in CWA’s struggle. And by delivering those signatures at President Hill’s [town hall meeting] we showed the administration that students were ready to fight for a fair contract.”

Despite the concessions, both sides view the hard-won deal as a success. Bertsche and Spencer entered into the negotiation prepared to compromise on some issues to ensure a deal was eventually made.

If anything, there seems to be a consensus of relief between both parties. Hill and Bertch both cited satisfaction at the agreement given the upcoming holiday season.

Wrote Hill in an emailed statement, “We are delighted that we were able to do this before the holidays. The agreement is a good one for all parties involved, and therefore benefits everyone at the College.”

While the contract signals an improvement in Vassar’s relationship with the CWA, the groups remain divided on the larger significance of the negotiations. Spencer seemed optimistic with the closure of the negotiation process. “We had a good relationship with CWA before the negotiations and still do,” she wrote.

But Bertsche remains hesitant to completely close the book on the disagreement.

“There is a great deal of work that needs to be done to repair the relationship between CWA and the College,” he noted. “But the contract is a good first step. Then it all comes back to how you treat your employees, and only time will tell.”

Outside the Bubble Supreme Court to hear case on legality of gay marriage

Changes in global energy programs may impact America’s place in the world

Defying international sanctions, North Korea launches new experimental rocket

The Supreme Court agreed on Friday, Dec. 7 to hear a pair of cases challenging state and federal laws that define marriage as between a man and a woman.

The two cases in question originated in California and New York, the former dealing with the state’s constitutional ban on gay marriage and the latter addressing the denial of various benefits to legally married gay couples that are otherwise available to married heterosexual couples.

The court’s decision on the California case, Hollingsworth v. Perry, could resolve in several ways: it could keep the ban on same-sex marriage in place, allow same-sex marriage in California while not requiring it elsewhere or address the broader question of whether the Constitution requires all states to legalize same-sex marriage.

Reactions from gay marriage advocates have been mixed regarding the cases. Edith Windsor sued the United States government after the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act precluded the Internal Revenue Service from treating her as a surviving spouse. Windsor, 83, is thrilled about the court’s decision to hear her case (“Justices to Hear Two Challenges On Gay Marriage,” 12.07.2012).

Other supporters of same-sex marriage have expressed concern that the Supreme Court does not often rule progressively on hot-button social issues. Mary Bonauto, director of the Civil Rights Project at Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, told The Huffington Post, “Mindful of history, I can’t help but be concerned.” (“Supreme Court Gay Marriage Cases Spark Hope, Fear,” 12.09.2012) A Supreme Court loss for gay marriage advocates would prevent same-sex marriages in the nation’s largest state, though the nine states where gay couples can or soon will be able to marry, plus the District of Columbia, would not be affected. The court’s decision on these cases is expected in June.

—Carrie Plover, Guest Reporter

On Dec. 10, The New York Times (NYT) ran an article entitled “Study Predicts Future for U.S. as No. 2 Economy, but Energy Independent.” The National Intelligence Council conducted the study and analyzed the data over four years, and has come to the conclusion that China’s economy will overcome that of the United States by the year 2030.

While the report noted that the U.S. will remain “first among equals,” the Telegraph quoted: “Nevertheless, with the rapid rise of other countries, the ‘unipolar moment’ is over and Pax Americana­—the era of American ascendancy in international politics that began in 1945—is fast winding down” (“US will be ‘first among equals’ in 2030,” 12.11.12).

The study also noted several “game changers” that will most influence global politics in the upcoming decades: “a crisis-prone world economy, shortcomings in governance, conflicts within states and between them, the impact of new technologies and whether the United States can ‘work with new partners to reinvent the international system’” (NYT).

Russia, along with other countries dependent on oil, will wane in power as the world moves towards alternative energy sources.

Over a dozen countries, from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Uganda and Yemen, were singled out as “at high risk of state failure” by 2030 (NYT).

The study also analyzed population. As reported in The Telegraph, “The National Intelligence Council estimated that the world will have nearly 8.3 billion people in 2030, up from 7.1 billion now, but that the average age will be older—with potentially giant consequences.”

The reported concluded: “In terms of the indices of overall power—GDP, population size, military spending and technological investment—Asia will surpass North America and Europe combined” (Politico, “Intelligence community: U.S. out as sole superpower by 2030,” 12.10.12).

—Danielle Bukowski, News Editor

Last Wednesday, Dec. 12, North Korea successfully launched a long-range rocket test, defying international sanctions and surprising American officials who believed the Korean space agency had suffered a significant technical setback. The rocket entered orbit and appeared to reach as far as the Philippines, according to articles published in The New York Times and Al Jazeera last Tuesday night.

According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the missile was not a threat to North America at any time during its flight.

The New York Times further asserted that this rocket’s success brings North Korea closer to developing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, although it is still far from being capable of deploying nuclear missiles.

North Korean officials claim that the purpose of the launch was merely to place a weather satellite in orbit.

For Victor Cha, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, the launch carries more symbolic than practical meaning, saying to The New York Times, “It’s not as if the U.S. can describe them anymore as a bunch of crazies who could never get anywhere with their technology. And it ends the argument that Kim Jong-un might be a young, progressive reformer who is determined to take the country in a new direction.”

Former Australian Ambassador to South Korea Richard Broinowski takes a different view in the Al Jazeera article. “There’s a certain double standard here: when North Korea does this, it’s obviously according to the United States, a missile test, but when South Korea or Japan launches their own missiles to put satellites in orbit, it is regarded as a peaceful demonstration of their technology.”

On Wednesday, The UN Security Council will have held an emergency meeting to consider issuing further sanctions.

—David Rosenkranz, Editor-in-Chief

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

December 13, 2012

FEATURES

Community Works supports local orgs Marie Solis

Features Editor

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hen caught up in the flurry of finals, it’s easy to forget that many of the issues we’re writing our papers about are happening in Vassar’s own backyard.

Community Works, however, an organization whose goal is to raise funds for local nonprofit agencies, is thinking about it all of the time.

Every year, Community Works accepts nominations from the Vassar community for recipients of the fund’s donations and through a selection process undertaken by the board, composed of coaches, professors and employees alike, typically choose around 10 of them.

John McCleary, Professor of Mathematics and Community Works Chair, said, “We’re interested in everyone’s suggestions because so many different people are connected to Poughkeepsie and the surrounding community in a variety of ways. This year we had almost 40 nominations. A subcommittee gets that number down around 20, and then the full committee meets, discusses and votes on the organizations to be funded.”

Vice President for Communications Susan DeKrey added, “People with different backgrounds and experiences on the committee bring greater knowledge about community needs and the organizations and agencies working to meet those needs.”

This year, there are 11 recipients including The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Dutchess County, the Children’s Media Project, the Dutchess County SPCA, Dutchess Outreach, the Grace Smith House all of which general fall under the categories of need which the Works program historically supports.

Their goal is to raise $100,000 to disperse among the organizations.

While $100,000 may seem like a nearly impossible goal, the Works’ organization is confident they will achieve it. In fact, there have been some years in which they have surpassed this mark. More importantly, DeKrey noted, “The groups Community Works funds have ambitious goals as well so it’s well worth

doing all we can to achieve it.”

McCleary said, “Work done by agencies in certain areas has always been important for Community Works to support, such as domestic violence, housing, hunger, education and the arts.” He went on to note that the Works’ alliance with these programs have more ties to Vassar than just through Community Works and are frequently in collaboration with individual Vassar students or other Vassar organizations.

“Many of our organizations are well known to Vassar through their involvement in the Field Work program, and the college’s other educational and outreach projects. Talking with some of the directors of the agencies selected for the new Community Works grants, I found that they view Vassar and our students as real partners. Combined with support from Community Works, these partnerships do a lot to burst the bubble,” said McCleary.

DeKrey echoed his sentiments, stating, “That strong foundation with many of the organizations Community Works funds is already there. The funding further reinforces the college’s commitment to being part of and supporting the local community.”

Libby Pei ’13, Assistant to the President and Community Works member, is working even harder to involve students in these initiatives.

She said, “As one of only two student committee members, my role is primarily focused on getting the student body involved in the campaign. Fundraising initiatives are often hard with students but it seems that so far, students have been eager to contribute to Community Works.” Though many students don’t have that much spending money available to them, Pei said students have certainly been made an effort to get involved.

“Working with individual institutions allows for what feels like a more direct connection and contribution back to Poughkeepsie.

There are so many great local organizations that would benefit from our support; I only wish we could assist more groups each year,” said Pei. One of the organizations which has received continual support from Vassar over

the years is Dutchess Outreach, an agency whose mission it is to meet the basic needs of those in need as well as create a greater consciousness of hunger and other social problems.

Of their successes, DeKrey said, “[They] served over 200,000 meals between July 2011 and the end of June 2012. That encourages the committee to keep working to raise funds and we hope it encourages people to give.”

Executive Director of Dutchess Outreach Brian Ridell remarked that the need for food has become increasingly pressing over time and most of the money will certainly go towards stocking their pantry and funding free meals.

“Right now our biggest initiative is for food. I would say if you spoke to me three years ago we were averaging about 240 households a month. Now, we’re close to 400 a month which has picked up particularly in the last year—there’s also a tremendous increase in the amount of people coming to our food pantry from the city limits,” he said. As it turns out, Outreach’s evening meals program also has ties to Vassar. Ridell said the idea had originally come from Vassar’s Hunger Action organization about 10 years ago. It started humbly, offering a few nights a month of free dinners, but now has garnered enough support to be hosted almost every night, said Ridell.

However, he went on to mention that the needs of the Poughkeepsie are constantly evolving which is why it is ideal that Community Works allows Outreach to use their funds unrestrictedly, that is, in whatever way they see fit. For Ridell this freedom is crucial to the success of collaborative efforts in achieving their mutual goals.

He said, “The need is growing and when we look at the scale of hunger and all of the different groups involved in trying to alleviate it, I think when resources are put in the right place, and this is an example of this, unrestricted money being able to be used where we need it, these problems are manageable.

There are terrific social problems but when resources are put in the right place they become surmountable.”

Sociology students, professor share bond Chris Gonzalez Features Editor

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or those studying a social science, there is a certain freedom that comes with choosing a specific area of interest to study.

Since the Sociology major is more expansive, the Majors’ Committee strives to bring all students within the department together, no matter what their varying disciplines may be.

Chair of the Sociology Majors’ Committee Jessica Metlay ’13 wrote in an emailed statement, “We are responsible for putting together events to help everyone in the department get to know each other better; as well as creating a fun and supportive community! We also work to make sure that our events help potential majors and anyone interested in sociology become more involved with the department.”

Metlay went on to express her optimism and positivity about her position on the Committee, as well as touch upon a few of the things she enjoys most about it.

“Working with and brainstorming ideas with everyone on the Committee has been very rewarding, said Metlay. “This has also helped me meet other majors in the department; especially, people from other class years. We have a great department of excited students and professors, so I definitely want to create an open and welcoming majors committee that everyone can get involved with and plan events to make sure that people feel connected to the major.”

Metlay continued by adding that she wants to live up to the high standards and precedents set by the Committee in prior years.

“Last year’s majors’ committee did an amazing job, so mostly I want to continue the tradition of hosting exciting events for majors and interested students. Since we

have such a good group of students on the committee, I am hoping that we will be able to host a few more events this year,” Metlay explained.

The Committee, which is made up of Sociology majors from the sophomore, junior and senior classes, has already put together several events this semester that have allowed for ties to form within the department.

Earlier in the semester, the Committee held an open forum for majors, as well as students interested in majoring, to engage in discussion with professors in the department. At the forum, professors were able to inform students about the classes they offer in the spring, allowing students a chance to start thinking about what classes they might be interested in taking.

“We invite all of the sociology professors to a lot of our events and it is always exciting to see how many are able to make the time to come,” expressed Metlay.

In an emailed statement, Josh Solomon ’13 commented on the close rapport between students and faculty that exists not only as part of the Committee, but also the department.

“I think the Sociology Majors’ Committee is unique because of our close relationship with [Sociology Administrative Assistant] Terri Cronk and the professors in the department, most of whom went to our first event,” wrote Solomon.

Moreover, Liz Annis ’13, another member of the Committee, added that students are also able to form close bonds with one another.

“Many sociology classes have students from a variety of disciplines, so the committee helps bring us together. Additionally, it is nice to meet and discuss ways to bring awareness to the major and plan events

to bring other majors together,” Annis addressed in an emailed statement.

In addition to forming a strong bond, the Committee also wants to educate the Vassar community on what the discipline of sociology actually is.

“I think one of its most important purposes of the committee is to make sociology approachable for students who might not know much about it, because a lot of people have no idea what sociology is before they have taken the Intro class, and even after that there’s so much more to learn about what the discipline means,” wrote Jonathan Bix ’14 in an emailed statement.

Other perk of being a part of the Committee is being kept up to date on any changes going on within the Sociology Department.

One such change has been happening online.

“As a member of the Committee, we have been made aware of the development and improvements being made to the Sociology department website which other students may not know is happening. Hopefully, the website will help provide information to other students interested in the major,” commented Annis.

In attempt to bring all these students together one last time, the Committee is hosting a study session on Friday, Dec. 14.

“It is for all students in sociology classes this semester to come and write together in an open space while enjoying some refreshments and snacks. The idea came from the Sociology Senior Thesis Seminar, where there are multiple [occasions] during the spring semester [when] seniors spend [time] writing together with the advisors,” Annis explained.

“We had a great fall semester and I’m excited for us to plan additional events in the spring,” concluded Metlay.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Page 5

VSA to solicit opinions on smoking ban Eloy Bleifuss Prados Guest Reporter

Though previously Vassar has largely resorted to student opinion when it came to the question of implementing a smoking ban, the Vassar Student Association (VSA) is now turning to more empirical evidence before any final decisions can be made.

The Charter for the Smoking and Tobacco Action Research Team—or S.T.A.R.T.—was unanimously adopted on Sunday Dec. 9 at the VSA Council meeting, creating a joint committee whose mission will be to research current smoking and tobacco policies, culture, and practices at Vassar. This need has grown out of the recent discussion of the possibility of a campus-wide smoking ban being currently being considered by members of the administration and the Committee on College Life.

Student representation of S.T.A.R.T. is comprised of four VSA council members: Terrace Apartments President Devin Griffin ’13, President of 2014 Daniel Shaw ‘14, President 2015 Allison Ehrlich ’15, and President of 2016 Maximilien Moran ’16, along with Member at Large Sasha Brown ‘14. The joint committee also will invite one or two members from the faculty and one or two members of the administration to join, allowing for a diverse set of perspectives.

Griffin, who presented the charter to council, will be a co-chair alongside one of the unfilled faculty or administration seats. The committee is designated as ad hoc, which means that once its goals have been met it can dissolve.

Moran ’16 said the team was formed primarily out of a desire to pin down the complete range and character of students’ response to the potential ban.

“We don’t have detailed information on where the student body stands why,” said Moran. “As their representatives we need to make informed decisions based on something.”

Later in the year, the joint committee will publicize their findings and present a conclusion to the Committee of College Life, in an effort to provide what the VSA saw as crucial, but lacking data and testimony to the decision process.

Vassar’s consideration of a smoking ban isn’t unique to Vassar; in fact, it is part of a wider movement promoting smoke-free college environments. “It’s part of a natural trend, said Griffin. “We’re seeing a lot of smoking ban on campuses all over.”

In 2011, the City University of New York system banned smoking on all their campuses. This year, the State University of New York System did the same. Private colleges have also been going smoke-free.

As Griffin sees it, Vassar is deciding to act now before it’s hand is forced.

“There is an inevitability of legal pressure,” said Griffin, “and this is providing a very strong impetus for this movement.”

S.T.A.R.T. has not yet approached any faculty or administrators who they hope to recruit to their committee, though Griffin mentioned they were interested in faculty from the psychology and geography department for a wide berth of research experience. In the mean time, the committee’s first steps of next semester will be holding town halls and dorm meetings to start the dialogue on smoking at Vassar. Students will be able to share their thoughts, feelings and suggestions on the matter of smoking, as well as contribute proposals, ideas, and alternative solutions.

In his presentation before the VSA council, Griffin stated that S.T.A.R.T. is about constructive discussion rather than siding one way on the smoking ban. “This committee is not setting out to find out who is on the yes column and who is in the no column,” said Griffin, alluding to the limitations of online surveys.

Last year, a poll conducted by the VSA asked if students thought smoking should be prohibited on campus. The results found that roughly thirty-five percent of students answered yes, while sixty-five percent of students answered no. For Moran, this yes-or-no poll failed to reflect a smoking ban’s finer points.

See SMOKING on page 8

FEATURES

Page 6

December 13, 2012

Ambassador Platt inspires students to enter public service

courtesy of Katonah Museum

Ambassador Nicholas Platt was America’s ambassador to China, Japan and the Philippines during his illustrious career. Last month, he gave his culminating lecture as the year’s Ambassador-in-Residence.

John Nguyen reporter

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very year when studying abroad, junior year students become enamored with the foreign countries they encounter. However, in spite of their love of travel, very few consider the possibility of making a career out of it.

Similarly, many students are exposed to dozens of opportunities to pursue public service professions such as City Year, Teach For America, and other comparable programs. Through foreign service, an option not represented as often as its domestic counterparts, students have the ability to marry their globe-trotting desires with their activist passions.

U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Platt, Vassar’s first “Ambassador-in-Residence”, made students aware of the rewards of a career in for-

eign service—part of which is being able to bring back roadmaps from those paths less traveled.

Platt, a former U.S. diplomat who was stationed in various locations on the eastern side of the world, including China, Japan, and the Philippines, spent several days at Vassar this past November.

His time on campus culminated with the History Department’s C. Mildred Thompson Lecture, a tradition with origins dating back to 1963, took place on Nov. 13.

Coincidentally, the first lecturer, Dr. Virginia Thompson Adloff ’24, was a specialist and author on topics related to Asia, which has resonance for Platt, whose lecture was titled “China: Then and Now.” Platt reflected upon his experiences in Chi-

na while serving under President Nixon during his historic 1972 visit to the previously tightly closed-off communist country, and offered an analysis of U.S.-China relations.

In an emailed statement, Professor of History Robert Brigham, who helped organize Platt’s visit, said, “[The talk attracted] an overflow crowd of nearly 300...the Ambassador shared ‘home movies’ from Nixon’s historic 1972 talk and insightful analysis on U.S.-Chinese relations.”

Stacy Bingham, Acting Director of the Career Development Office (CDO), wrote in an emailed statement, “Ambassador Platt (joined by his wife) gave an incredible, intimate talk to approximately 40 students in the Jade Parlor, covering all aspects of their life in the foreign service.”

At the talk, which the Career Development Office promoted, Bingham said Platt covered aspects of his experience ranging from the professional to the personal, offering students all of the advantages and disadvantages they must weigh when considering a possible career in this field.

He said, “Students learned about a variety of topics, from the Ambassador’s specific career path to diplomacy to the realities of foreign service life on a family.”

In addition to delivering the Thompson Lecture, his visit also included making presentations to several classes and giving a talk which the Career Development Office organized, aimed towards educating students who expressed interest in careers related to foreign service.

Such concerns, which are of special interest to those who are currently interested in International Studies and considering futures in foreign service in the State Department, were outlined by Ambassador Platt during his time at Vassar and complimented his comprehensive treatment of international issues.

Ambassador Platt served the State Department for 35 years, in offices such as Zambia, the

Philippines and Pakistan.

As a young diplomat, Platt began studying Mandarin Chinese in the ’60s, despite China’s firmly-shut borders at the time, which put him in an important position when Chinese-American relations suddenly opened forty years ago.

According to Brigham, “The Ambassador was one of the leading U.S. officials to oversee the normalization of relations between the United States and China,” an experience which featured prominently in Ambassador Platt’s talk.

The 1972 visit resulted in the reopening of the People’s Republic of China to the United States after 25 years of political separation between the two countries. It then gave rise to images of Communist China reaching U.S. shores during the highly-televised eight days during which President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon were in the country.

After his long service in the State Department, Ambassador Platt retired, and served as President of the Asia Society for 12 years.

Brigham found Platt’s experiences illuminating to his understanding of both the history of foreign relations and how the U.S. might seek to proceed.

He said, “The highlight of the week for me was Ambassador Platt’s visit to my two courses on U.S. foreign policy. He brilliantly described the normalization process between Beijing and Washington and the keys to a better relationship in the future.”

Brigham and others have come to refer to Platt as the “Ambassador-in-Residence.”

Though this position is neither official, nor precedented, he found Platt to be more than worthy of the epithet.

He said,“This is not a formal program, but we thought the title [was] appropriate given Ambassador Platt’s willingness to spend the week meeting with various classes, students interested in careers in the Foreign Service, Departments and Program.”

Teach-in confronts, deconstructs semester’s bias incidences Bethan Johnson

assistant neWs editor

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Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

his semester, Vassar has experienced what some may describe as an onslaught of hate speech which has manifested itself in the way of graffiti in dorm spaces. However, over the course of the last month, these instances have taken a new form.

Residential Life and Security were allegedly notified last month of an incident involving freshman members of the baseball team knocking on the doors of students’ Town Houses and asking specifically for women’s underwear as part of a baseball initiation.

Much to other students’ concern and confusion, this event still remains unreported to the campus.

Though the administration focused on the campus climate following three hate-based graffiti incidents and responded with the creation of a WordPress blog, displays on the Student Activity Resource Center (SARC) window, and a Community Forum, no administrative programming directly addressing campus climate has taken place since October Break.

On Dec. 8, Sharon Onga ’13 facilitated a Campus Climate Teach-In to respond to the numerous bias incidents that have occurred over the course of this semester, including this one. The Teach-In arose out of a desire to continue discussions about the campus climate that have largely in the second half of the semester.

Entirely student organized, the event informed students about these recent occurrences and prompted collective steps students and student organizations can take in improving the campus climate.

The conversations which took place contributed to the development of a student-written document recommending further action to change the campus climate. Though this statement, which compliments discussions within the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence, is still in the works.

The attendees of the Teach-In felt that administrative omissions overlooked the reali-

Sharon Onga ’13 led a Campus Climate Teach-In in Rockefeller Hall to address recent incidents like the VSA MEChA application, racist graffiti and the baseball team’s alleged sexist hazing practices. ties of the campus climate and students cited the numerous unreported bias incidents as proof that the dialogue should continue.

Krystal Cashen ’13 explained, “I feel like the campus climate is in a moment of crisis right now. I think that a lot of things have been brought to the front.”

With the increased administrative scrutiny dying down and what the administration considered noteworthy hate-based events subsiding, student initiatives like this represent the newest wave of responses to the campus climate.

Most notably, students expressed concern over the lack of notification regarding a recent hazing and gender-targeted episode.

Students questioned how the administration and general student body should approach the issue of raising consciousness when such bias incidents arise.

Some suggested using other methods in addition to those which the administration has previously implemented. In the event of a lack of an official response, other tactics such as emails by the VSA or merely word-of-mouth have the potential to make the student body more aware of the scope and frequency of such events.

Cashen said, “I think that it’s really important that we start to doing things like this, coming together and talking about our experiences, talking about the way things can change, and also talking about the people we can work with to make things change.”

According to one student who was directly affected by the incident, the presence of VSA President Jason Rubin ’13, VP for Academics Matt Harvey ’13, and VP for Student Life Michael Moore ’14 also prompted dialogue on the VSA’s past and future responses to bias

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

incidents. Noting the failure of the VSA to adequately respond to issues of campus climate and identity-based student organizations, the representatives pledged attempts to improve in the coming semester.

Rubin promised that the VSA would further the organization’s knowledge and appreciation of issues of race, sexuality, and gender and advance the discussions on the these topics and the general campus climate.

After attending a conference on race and social issues with other VSA Executive Board members earlier in the semester, Rubin explained the committee is investigating, with the help of Associate Professor of Education Collette Cann, the possibility of bringing a similar program to Vassar in the coming months.

Moreover, in conjunction with the events of All College Day in February, which will deal with issues of race and inclusion, the VSA has invited Tim Wise, an author and anti-racism activist to speak.

The VSA also hopes to host a smaller meeting with Wise, attended by council members, to educate the group on issues of racism and how to address those prevalent on Vassar’s campus. Finally, Rubin told other attendees that they should consider applying to the new Social Consciousness Fund to bring similar conversations to campus.

Aside from the specific programming student organizations or the VSA could provide, the Teach-In tied the campus climate to personal initiatives for growth and cooperation around the issue. Onga challenged students to analyze and vocalize their own roles in combating the troubling campus climate.

“I have been taking it upon myself to try to personally educate myself a bit more,” Moore said.

He went on to say, “These are not issues I have a huge amount experience in, and I didn’t actually think I would be spending so much time addressing it, even though now that I am, I’m glad…I want to spend a long time improving [VP for Student Life and ALANA Center’s] relationship.”

December 13, 2012

FEATURES

Page 7

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls a delicious (and gluten-free!) treat

The Recipe: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Adapted from Rachel Gutie rez.

Makes about 8 rolls. courtesy of VeganBaking.net

Filled with raisins, maple syrup, and cinnamon; and topped with coconut butter and vanilla, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are a sure-fire hit for friends and family alike this holiday season.

Alessandra Seiter

online editor & Guest Comlunist

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ith three million Americans suffering from celiac disease, six times that number harboring a milder sensitivity to gluten , and an increasing amount of Vassar students choosing to follow a gluten-free diet, Vassar dining services have risen to the challenge of providing plenty of gluten-free options on campus. You’ll often find gluten-free whole grain options such as brown rice, quinoa, and gluten-free pasta in the Deece, as well as an entire gluten-free section near the salad bar boasting brown rice cakes, tamari-spiced brown rice crackers and Gorilla Munch corn puff cereal. The Retreat also often features gluten-free soups and uses gluten-free bread in many of their premade sandwiches.

Unfortunately, though, there remains a dearth of gluten-free baked goods on campus. Why should those of us enduring an inability to digest gluten also have to forgo the pleasures of delectably sweet treats? Luckily, with a bit of knowledge about substitutions for wheat flours, some baking equipment and an oven, you can craft your own cookies, cakes and muffins to accommodate any gluten-related dietary restrictions.

Creating a homemade replacement for all-purpose or whole wheat flour requires a simple 7-to-3 ratio of mixed gluten-free flours to a type of starch. The starch makes up for the gluten in

wheat flour, which provides ample structure to baked goods, by acting as a powerful thickener. To make your own wheat flour replacement, combine 700 grams of gluten-free flour (almond, amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, corn, millet, oat, quinoa, sorghum, teff, coconut, or garbanzo bean) with 300 grams of starch (arrowroot, tapioca starch, potato flour, or cornstarch). The absence of gluten in this mix renders it impossible to overmix doughs for cookies or quickbreads so that you’ll never end up with a tough, dense baked good.

While you can find all of the flours and starches listed above in health food stores as well as in many grocery stores, you can also make your own flours. To make flour from almonds or any other type of nut, including coconut, whir the nuts in a food processor or coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground. To make flour from gluten-free grains, spread your grain of choice out on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-60 minutes at 250 degrees, depending on the size of the grain, making sure they do not burn. After baking, process the grain in your food processor or coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground.

This recipe for Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls calls for specific flours, though you can replace them with two cups of your personalized gluten-free flour mix, the template for which I’ve provided above.

Ingredients: For the rolls: • 1 cup almond flour • ½ cup sorghum flour • ½ cup arrowroot, tapioca flour, or potato starch • 2 tsp baking powder • ½ tsp salt • ¼ cup coconut oil or vegan butter (like Earth Balance), at room temperature • ¼ cup pumpkin puree (or applesauce, but then they won’t be pumpkin cinnamon rolls anymore!)

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar • ½ tbsp vanilla extract For the filling: • 2/3 cup raisins • ¼ cup maple syrup or agave nectar • 2 tsp cinnamon For the icing: • 3 tbsp almond, peanut, or coconut butter • 2 tbsp plant-based milk (soy, almond, etc.)

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with aluminum foil and spread a large piece of parchment paper across a flat surface.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (almond flour through salt).

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (coconut oil/vegan butter through vanilla extract).

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, add the

wet ingredients to the dry and stir well to combine until a dough forms.

Sprinkle some flour onto the parchment paper you laid out and on a rolling pin.

Place the ball of dough in the center of the parchment paper and roll it out into a large rectangle between ¼-1/2 inch thick.

To make the filling, combine all of the filling ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until somewhat smooth.

Pour the mixture onto the middle of the rolled-out dough and spread it out evenly, leaving about an inch of dough uncovered on the edges closest to and farthest from you.

To roll the dough around the filling, lift up the edge of the parchment paper that’s closest to you and gently tuck in the dough as you go, using the parchment paper to guide the dough as you roll—be sure to take your time.

Once you’ve rolled the dough, use a serrated knife to gently slice the dough into 2-inch-thick rolls. Place the rolls cut-sidedown in your prepared cake pan, leaving a bit of space between each roll.

Bake for 15 minutes in your preheated oven.

To prepare the icing, combine all the icing ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the nut butter is soft, about 30 seconds. Whisk together all of the ingredients to form a smooth, pourable mixture.

When the rolls have cooled for 5 minutes, drizzle the icing on top, serve, and enjoy.

Fund encourages energy efficient projects, saves money CONSERVATION continued from page 1

All of these proposals were subject to further suggestions offered by those in attendance of the Idea Expo.

Visitors were encouraged to leave constructive and substantive thoughts about the projects on questionnaire cards during the event for the CCS to generate feedback from the Vassar community.

The Fund’s goals, however, extend beyond the execution of the proposals. RCF operates as a jump-start for creative thinking, discourse and awareness of how Vassar can decrease its detriments to the environment with large cost-saving projects.

Alumna and Assistant for Sustainable Activities, Alistair Hall ’11 explained, “The overall goal is not just to save resources and money, but [also to] spark dialogue and conversations.”

Associate Professor of Geography Mary Ann Cunningham’s, whose environmental studies class made up half of the 10 applications that made it to the Idea Expo, said engaging her students in material issues was invaluable. She said, “I was glad to have an opportunity to do projects that could make real contributions to sustainable practices here at Vassar.” She went on to applaud the efforts of the committee’s members, stating, “CCS has been working on building the RCF for at least a couple of years, but [Hall, Buckner, Michelle Dingsun ’13 (CCS Communications intern)] and others really built it into something bigger this year.”

With respect to financially supporting these initiatives, Dingsun explained, “Dramatic fund increase is a goal; the difficulty is counterbalancing the projects with large costs saving with those that are highly impactful and have an educational component.” This principle is a major factor in deciding which five projects are chosen to be implemented. Dingsun went on to say that Buildings and Grounds has the final say on

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

“The ideas are all creative, innovative, and exciting. My personal favorite application was the ‘lambscaping’ idea,” said Ethan Buckner ’13, a CCS Community Relations intern. The title of this submission is not meant to deceive—the proposal endorses the use of sheep and goats for lawn maintenance on Sunset Hill. Doing so, it says, would be financially advantageous and help to reduce emissions, decrease sound pollution and allow for natural fertilization. Other ideas included encouraging students to hangdry their laundry, making efforts to cut back on electricity costs, and recycling electronics, all outlined on posters displayed in the College Center. Each poster stated the environmental issue, introduced and followed through with a solution, including detailed calculations of initial costs and annual savings.

One proposal suggested Vassar eliminate all paper towel dispensers and replace them with electric hand dryers. Its poster displayed graphs and charts claiming Vassar’s annual paper towel costs exceed $70,000, and in undertaking this project, the College would save $50,000 a year.

Another proposal, “The Plight of Wasted Light at Night”, claims that the College could save up to $27,280 a year if they were to simply turn all of the lights on campus off at night. This amount equals the total that Vassar spends per year, which averages about to $89 a night. The proposal further emphasizes that if the College were to make use of more efficient light bulbs, they could save over $7,000 a year.

Other ideas, such as a plan urging for a service that provides the rental of personal hang dryers for clothing, were more simple in their approach to saving money for the College. According to this proposal, the College spends over a $1000 of electricity via 1,200 loads of laundry a semester.

The Resource Conservation Fund’s recent Idea Expo featured dozens of project nominations, including a project claiming that the College could save up to $7,000 per year by switching to efficient light bulbs. which projects will be actualized.

Even so, the CCS is considering other avenues for the projects that will not receive support from the RCF this year and is hopeful they have the ability to bring them to completion, given the fund’s potential to grow each year.

The money the RCF saves the college through their projects then goes back into the fund to pay for future projects.

Hall stated that he is very optimistic about the future of the fund. “The fund could grow and open the door for more…renewable energy and larger projects that are on the table for discussion,” Hall said.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

According to Hall, forty percent of people who answered the questionnaires said they would apply for the Resource Conservation Fund in the future.

Hall said, “The committee at large hopes that with the RCF we can continue to foster that love of place.” Dingsun explained that the next steps for the committee are to choose five projects to implement with the use of the Resource Conservation Fund and Buildings and Grounds.

Even though the committee is applying the fund to only half of the proposals, she stated, “We are dedicated to seeing all ten projects through, one way or another.”

FEATURES

Page 8

December 13, 2012

S.T.A.R.T to Senior housing a yearly challenge for juniors disseminate O information Chris Gonzalez Features editor

SMOKING continued from page 5

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

“Regardless of its strengths and weaknesses, there are a lot of misconceptions about smoking ban,” said Moran. “Our purpose is to collect information and disseminate it so students can take informed position.”

In the council discussion, Vice President of Academics Will Harvey ’13 asked about why the authors had included “Tobacco” in the committee’s name and whether or not S.T.A.R.T. will look into alternate methods of tobacco consumption. S.T.A.R.T. member Shaw ’14 saw a fundamental similarity in all types of tobacco use. “Smoking creates an image in people’s minds,” said Shaw.

“It’s been unclear if a ban would include smoking and all other tobacco usage,” said Griffin. “That could be part of the conversation. There is also no harm in opening up a conversation on other types of tobacco usage.”

Another uncertainty not among the VSA, but among the student body according to Griffin is when a smoking ban would go into effect if it were to be decreed.

“The minimum amount of time before a ban would be implemented would be two years or longer,” said Griffin, suggesting that this timeline is perhaps most salient to freshmen.

“A smoking ban may not affect everyone here before they graduate,” said Moran, “But it will certainly affect us, and that’s why it is important to get involved.”

Gina Greco-Guyhto ’15 encouraged students of all class years to consider participating in the conversation as a duty to the school. She said in an emailed statement, “The very nature of Vassar is based on the idea that we as members of this college, have the right and responsibility to lend our voices in discussions about things that will impact our day-to-day life.”

n Nov. 30, Director of Residential Life Luis Inoa sent out an email containing the application for the 2013-2014 Apartment Draw, causing hundreds of third-year students to face the issue of deciding where to live in their senior year.

While students with plans to stay in a dormitory, move into a cooperative living house, or even live off-campus don’t have to worry, those desiring apartment housing must decide whether they will live in a group of four or five housemates.

While the application goes into detail about how being a student on probation will hinder a group’s point system, putting them further down on the draw list, during the draw (a student’s point total will decrease from 5 to 4.5 if they were on probation between now and last April), it does not go into much detail about other issues that students may have to take into consideration when applying.

House Advisor for Main House and Apartment and Cooperative Living Assistant Director for Training and Selection Thomas Park shed some light on anxieties that often arise when students decide to apply for senior housing.

“We have noticed that there tends to be two recurring concerns, year after year, when juniors begin planning for Apartment Draw…The decision between a 4-person group and a 5-person group tends to weigh on students as there always seems to be one person or another that gets “left out” of a group or added with reservations,” Park commented in an emailed statement.

Matthew Ortile ’14 addressed his plan of action for the drawing process in an emailed statement.

“My housemates and I are approaching [Apartment Draw] very cautiously. We’re gunning for a four-person [Terrace Apartment (TA)], so we decided to keep our group at four people, which is hard because you just want to live with everybody,” wrote Ortile.

Park noted that there are some potential downfalls in applying as a group of four. “Groups needing to decide if they take the “risk” of going in as a 4-person group and not getting into 4-person Draw versus simply going in as a group of 5 and guaranteeing themselves a spot in Apartment Draw,” Park stated.

As next semester approaches, juniors will begin the housing draw process. This has historically been a challenge for some because of the difficulty in choosing just a few friends to live with for ten months.

Although this is a possible issue for students, there is an upside to going in as a four-person group: forty-five out of the fifty-eight TAs are four-person apartments.

Park added that choosing housemates becomes complicated when individuals are abroad for their spring semester, as there tends to be a lack of communication between parties.

Vicky Qiu ’14, a student who is currently studying in Germany, and will study in England next semester, has already made living arrangements for next year; however, she hopes that her being away will not change this.

“Well I was very fortunate, in that I was asked by a group—a good friend of mine had already found two people she was very close to and they wanted to live in a TA and they happened to need a fourth person and she knew me… I mean I’m not super sure it will go through since I’m [studying away] and we won’t really be talking about it, but I trust their word,” Qiu admitted in an emailed statement.

For a number of students, choosing close friends always seems like the easiest option.

Park, however, pointed out that, while it is fine to pick people with whom you share a good rapport, there are other factors to take into consideration.

“More often then not, students don’t take the time to consider everyday apartment living issues and how each person in the group views them - i.e. not just how people feel about cleanliness but about actually cleaning, how will food/ groceries be shared, and how will the purchasing of commonly shared household items be determined. Sometimes groups are able to just jump right into the year and figure things out, but it’s definitely recommended that things like these get discussed beforehand,” Park wrote.

Ortile added that many of these issues have come up within his own group. “We’re very conscious of trying to match up living habits and schedules to make sure that we don’t kill each other when we’re all under one roof,” Ortile wrote.

Still, when it boils down to it, Ortile noted that the process is really only one aspect of your senior year, and it should not be one that defines the entire experience.

“You always dream of who you’re going to live with as a senior as early as freshman year, but a lot of factors come into play because people and situations change…but you just have to take it all in stride; it’s just housing, friendships don’t have to change just because you don’t share a bathroom any more,” offered Ortile.

Students from Poughkeepsie confront hometown stigmas

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

Sam Plotkin ’15 of Wappingers Falls is one of many Vassar students from the Hudson Valley region.

These students often feel the need to defend their home from negative stereotypes on Vassar’s campus.

Juan Bautista Dominguez Guest reporter

W

hile the town of Poughkeepsie remains an unexplored mystery to many Vassar students, some have been familiar with it for their entire lives. Though their presence is nuanced, students hailing from the local area are a proud and vocal lot who are loyal to their hometown.

In fact, Vassar reaches out specifically to students who live in Poughkeepsie to ensure they don’t discount the school just because it’s too close to home.

Dean of Admissions David Borus explained, “Vassar recruits actively in the local area. As an active and prominent member of the Pough-

keepsie and Mid-Hudson Valley communities, the college feels that it is appropriate and desirable to make certain that excellent students from close by are familiar with Vassar’s offerings and hopefully consider it among their college options.”

In recent years, Vassar has seen an increased matriculation of students from Poughkeepsie High School, with twelve students currently enrolled.

Borus said, “This increase, while due in part to more aggressive outreach efforts at [Poughkeepsie High School] by the Admissions Office, is largely a result of the Poughkeepsie High School Scholarship Initiative, an effort begun five years ago at the urging of the Committee

on Inclusion and Excellence.”

He continued, “This program replaces loans with grants in the aid awards of any Poughkeepsie High School graduate, and has helped to increase awareness of and interest in the college at our local school.”

The Admissions Office noted that there are currently sixty-six students from the local area currently enrolled in classes, with the largest numbers coming from Arlington and Poughkeepsie High Schools.

Amelia Livingston ’15, a graduate of Arlington High School, said, “I’ve always wanted to go to Vassar, and it helped that my dad is a professor here. I’d say that it’s been my top choice since I figured out what college was.”

Livingston, whose father was a House Fellow before, spent part of her childhood living in the dorms. So while calling Vassar College ‘home’ is nothing new to Livingston, a new experience for her has been combating preconceived notions about Poughkeepsie in her fellow classmates.

She said, “Poughkeepsie is really not as bad as some students make it out to be. It’s safe, diverse, historic, and really very beautiful if you know where to go.”

Sarah Milone ‘14, a former student of Poughkeepsie High School, also believes there are misconceptions of her hometown.

“I think the majority of students are respectful of Poughkeepsie and the people who live here, but every so often you hear students making generalizations that I don’t think they would make if they knew the entire city,” she said.

She went on to say that her desire to go to Vassar far outweighed any hesitations she had about staying in her hometown.

Milone said, “When I spent an overnight here as a prospective student...I realized I liked it so much that I wouldn’t mind not going to school away from home.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

She did note that coming to Vassar was, at times, a cultural shift for her. “There was definitely a bit of a culture shock going from Poughkeepsie High School to Vassar, since PHS is predominantly black and VC is obviously more affluent. The diversity aspect of Vassar wasn’t too jarring though, since at PHS there are a lot of kids with Hispanic, Asian, and Caribbean background,” she said.

Justin Nesheiwat ’14, who originally wanted to go to school in Boston, didn’t change his mind until he received what he said was an unexpected acceptance to Vassar.

He said, “My experiences on campus have definitely changed the way I perceive and interact with my hometown. This school has made me see the potential of my hometown because there is real value in all of the community members just like Vassar sees in all of its students.”

Charlotte Andrews ’14, too, said her perspective of the town has changed.

In an emailed statement, she explained, “Being at Vassar makes me appreciate my hometown much more. This is especially true when people hate on Poughkeepsie. I’m sure if I went to his/her hometown and got sub-par pizza and sat at a gas station, I wouldn’t love it either.”

She went on to lament what is, in her opinion, ignorance towards what is beyond the boundaries of campus.

Andrews said, “I would say the majority of students I know have no concept of Poughkeepsie outside of the little part they are exposed to. Many of them think Poughkeepsie is just the shabby buildings along Main Street down to the waterfront and don’t know there is the entire town of Poughkeepsie, which extends to cover four different school districts.”

Livingston concluded, “I defend Poughkeepsie all the time—I know it isn’t a metropolitan haven like many Vassar students might be more used to, but it’s home to me.”

December 13, 2012

OPINIONS

Page 9

THE MISCELLANY NEWS STAFF EDITORIAL

Low-income center would be vital resource for students

R

ecently, a coalition of students called the Students’ Class Issues Alliance (SCIA) publicly proposed that Vassar consider instituting a center for low-income students. Similar to the Women’s Center or the LGBTQ Center, this new community organization would act as a resource and support group for students from low-income households.

The SCIA has argued that students at Vassar who come from low-income families are put at a disadvantage because of a lack of institutional support. The center would not only provide an accessible liaison between students and the financial aid office, but would also offer an emotional support system. Students who represent first generation college-goers may have a hard time seeking advice from their parents when writing papers or studying for final exams. Additionally, many students struggle in navigating the complications of financial aid.

Especially those who are the first in their families to attend college have expressed difficulties in receiving adequate advice from the Office of Financial Aid. Although we understand the the proposal is preliminary and subject to change, we at The Miscellany News support the SCIA’s efforts in the creation of a center for low-income students. We imagine that such a center would come at small cost, be primarily student-operated, and require only minimal oversight, perhaps from a single junior administrator.

The greatest anticipated complication may be from a lack of extra space for a meeting loca-

tion, but we believe that appropriate compromises should be made to meet the needs of all students.This tangential issue alone should not prevent low-income students from receiving an important support system.

The establishment of this center might help the low-income community at Vassar in several important ways. For one, the center would act as a long term extension of the Transitions program. The program, which runs for three days before the start of freshman orientation and is aimed at first-generation college students and students from low-income households.

Unfortunately, it has a capped attendance and is scheduled during the fall athletics preseason, and as a result it does not accommodate the needs of all new students. Thus, a significant number of students seeking support are excluded from this valuable experience, as an overflow of applications has resulted in many freshmen being turned away. A center for low-income students would provide a physical space for the Transitions program, which would facilitate freshmen meeting with their peer advisors all year long, as well as provide an opportunity for students who were unable to attend the program to meet and get support from those who did. Transitioning into and happily functioning within the Vassar community it not something that happens after one brief program during freshmen year. Also, with the unstable economic state of the country and recent natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy, the possibility of suddenly shifting income levels is

higher than ever. In a school environment with students from so many financial and economic backgrounds, the support offered by such a center is valuable throughout all four years at Vassar, not just during orientation.

Additionally, issues of economic status are among those least-discussed outside of the classroom at Vassar. So many courses focus on the implications of socio-economic status, but few acknowledge that economic diversity is a part of the Vassar community as well. A center for low-income students would aid in destigmatizing this topic by bringing visibility and giving a voice to this part of the student body.

However, it is important to note the difference between a low-income student center and other identity organizations on campus, such as the ALANA and LGBTQ Centers. The current SCIA proposal tentatively suggests the ALANA Center and low-income student center share a director, similar to the current relationship between the LGBTQ Center and the Women’s Center. We at The Miscellany News feel that to closely link a low-income student center to any other minority group would be an oversimplification of either organization’s purpose. A specific economic position does not necessarily follow one’s social, racial, or gender identity. While a low-income student’s center would probably work closely with many other identity organizations through collaborations, its mission should remain wholly separate from these existing resources.

However, although we at The Miscellany

News believe that this low-income student center would be valuable for the community, we think it is important that the student body excessively compartmentalize itself. We recognize that some issues within different subsets of a community are best discussed internally, but we firmly believe that we as a college must remain conscious of our student body’s intersectionality, and that a healthy community communicates across socioeconomic, racial, sexual and gender boundaries. If we begin to isolate ourselves into niche organizations, then Vassar’s extraordinary diversity may become meaningless. In fact, we hope that the center encourages conversation about topic such as socioeconomic status and higher education, that the center fulfill its plans to host teach-ins open to the entire student body.

The creation of a center for low-income students would substantially benefit members of the student body by providing an official space to build community. The center would provide a place for discourse and guidance, it would extend the Transitions program past the beginning of the school year, and bring visibility to economic issues on campus, all of which would come at little cost. We hope that the Vassar Student Association, to whom this proposal was made several weeks ago, and the Vassar administration will work closely with members of the SCIA to make this idea a reality.

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

End of year an occasion for Rejecting triggers ignores reflection on tech in society trauma’s lasting memories Josh Sherman Columnist

D

ecember is a bit of a magical time of year.

It’s the moment when everyone has a little bit of extra charm in their voice, when prices are a bit more reasonable, and more people are back to work for seasonal employment. It’s the real “win-win” of the year in business since sales skyrocket, leaving companies in the black, and customers save a little cash and have presents for friends and loved ones. December is also a time of reflection and, for Vassar students, a great moment to look back at the last semester and see how technology has evolved in just a few short months—not to mention make a few predictions for the future.

The last four months have proven eventful in the technology world as are every Q3/Q4 for the year. While tons of new devices made their way to the forefront, perhaps the most apparent were the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III in the area of phones, and the iPad Mini and Nexus 7 for tablets. The iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III are important because this is first time ever Samsung have claimed the same brand identity and fashion statement behind their products that Apple has. This is why the Galaxy S III is the best-selling phone of the year thus far, and a credit to the years Samsung spent marketing and advertising the series as an iPhone alternative. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5 is continuing to work hard to stay relevant against a wave of Android devices and difficulty in maintaining its unique brand identity. I highly doubt Apple is going anywhere— not to mention the iPhone—but I do think they may finally begin to see their brand status weaken against the power of other brands. The Nexus 7 and iPad Mini, meanwhile, are ushering in a whole new category of sub-tablets The 7” tablet, once solely identified by eBook-hybrids like the Nook Color and Kindle Fire, is joined by the much stronger (and better fashion statements) iPad Mini and Nexus 7.

At Vassar, this was the semester we first saw the usage of Google Apps for Education in full swing. For years, Vassar had utilized an absolutely outdated and atrocious mail system that now, thanks to Google, has been streamlined for the 21st century. The power of Google Apps has also given the campus other features and services for better communication, collaboration, and education. Furthermore, we’re creating a

seamless environment between our computers and our favorite devices. Together, these elements are saving us tons of time and tons of money (given that Google sells Apps for Education at a fraction of its closest competitor’s price) but are we forgetting the bigger picture?

Google’s very business model feeds off of relevance, and Google is not only offering competitive Apps services to Vassar, but also hiring student ambassadors to spread this philosophy.

For a company so invested in knowing what we want to buy and what services we desire, is it safe that they now have a grip tighter than ever on our education? I digress; this is not a question with a right or wrong answer, it’s merely an acknowledgment of the sweeping changes in our lifestyle.

In the end, I expect the next semester and rest of 2013 to only continue this trend of exponential change toward a more integrated technical environment. In the world of consumer electronics as a whole, I expect the sub-tablet to explode as a much more compact and convenient alternative to the 10” tablet experience, and for smartphones to continue dominating the market—the only difference being Samsung and Apple’s competing on a level closer than ever. BlackBerry will try to stay relevant next year, but with a March or April release date, I’m not sure who will be willing to wait for the once-famous manufacturer.

At Vassar, I hope our forms of technology continue to integrate and that the administration and CIS look for ways to better unite our campus experience with our gadgets. I’d love it if we had a faster internet connection myself, but I’m not asking for miracles either. The biggest reality for the coming decade will likely be how relevant our internet spaces—SayAnything, LikeMeMaybe, et cetera—are set to become; future classes, including the incoming Class of 2017 (which just received its Early Decision I results, as it happens) will be ever-more tech-oriented and drawn to these unique spaces. This is the dominating trend of our entire social world, and that’s where we will see a culture emerge from.

The question that remains is how we decide to use these powerful, new, seamless, and ever-present elements of communication.

—Josh Sherman is a freshman at Vassar College.

Kaylee Knowles & Faren Tang Guest Columnists

In response to many of the negative reactions to the VSA’s resolution in support of the use of trigger warnings, we would like to clarify what triggers are, how they affect the Vassar community, and how trigger warnings will be used.

“Trigger” does not simply denote content that is emotionally intense or heavy, but rather content that prompts someone to re-experience feelings of trauma. Both Drama Department chair Gabrielle Cody, quoted in the Miscellany News’ article on trigger warnings (“VSA considers trigger warning resolution,” 11.29.2012), and Josh Solomon in his opinion piece last week (“VSA’s new trigger warning requirement detrimental to student events, courses,” 12.06.2012) seemed to use the word “trigger” to refer to material that is intensely thought-provoking, while we, and the VSA in its resolution, are using the word “trigger” as a psychological term to denote something that will cause an individual who has experienced trauma to re-experience that trauma in some way.

Although we all experience and deal with trauma and triggers in different ways, we want to provide a few examples of what being triggered can feel like. From both our own personal experiences and from experiences that others have shared with us, here are some examples of how Vassar students have experienced being triggered by campus events: having flashbacks to the original occurrence of trauma; intense anxiety and difficulty breathing, sometimes resulting in panic attacks; intense, all-consuming fear; inability to focus or function due to intrusive thoughts about trauma or heightened emotional stress; as well as other, individualized physical and emotional reactions.

We are not talking about abstract concepts here. These are actual reactions to trauma and to being triggered that are actually experienced by students on this campus, and are reactions that could have been avoided had students been given fair warning that events contained triggering material.

Trigger warnings can help to prevent these experiences in numerous ways. In some cases, students may decide not to go to an event. In other cases, simply having seen the warning may allow any given student to mentally prepare themselves to see potentially triggering material. Stu-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

dents may plan extra free time for after the event takes place so that they can engage in self-care practices if they are triggered, or they may ask a close friend to come and support them through the event. Everyone has their own different ways of coping and protecting their mental health, and having warnings about triggering content allows students to plan ahead and take better care of themselves.

Asking that potentially triggering content be appropriately labeled to allow those of us who have experienced trauma to ensure our own well-being has nothing to do with censorship.

Content will in no way be restricted, nor will it even be affected. The only change that is being made is that a small warning will be added to programming, and we are only asking for this change because the current system has NOT been effective, and has resulted in students unnecessarily re-experiencing various forms of trauma.

“We are not talking about abstract concepts. These are actual reactions to trauma and to being triggered that are experienced by students at Vassar” KAYlee KnoWles ’13 And FAren tAnG ’13 Students’ exercising their own “discretion” as to whether or not a trigger warning is needed has not been working for the most part. We were distressed to read that Josh Solomon considered an “independent moderator” at a talkback to be an appropriate substitute for a trained CARES counselor for students who may have had to re-experience trauma without forewarning.

This reflects a lack of understanding that being triggered is different from simply being provoked to think. A talkback would probably not be helpful for someone who had been triggered, as a talkback is meant to discuss potentially See TRIGGERS on page 12

OPINIONS

Page 10

December 13, 2012

VC not alone in debate over ethics of animal slaughter Alessandra Seiter Online Editor

O

ver one month ago, the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve (VFEP) alerted all Vassar students to the college’s second culling of white-tailed deer on the VFEP’s land, scheduled to take place during winter break. Beginning their email to the students with the assertion that they have “a commitment as good stewards to protect and preserve the biological diversity of the land,” the VFEP has hidden behind this rather subjective notion of environmental sustainability in order to avoid and downplay the ethical implications involved in unnecessarily killing a substantial chunk of the deer living on the farm—I say “unnecessarily” because Macrae Marran in his two previous columns, as well as general logic and science, has proven the effectiveness of immunocontraception in regulating the deer population.

In the words of James McWilliams, animal rights proponent and published scholar on the subject of sustainable agriculture, Vassar “isn’t the only liberal arts institution using eco-rhetoric to mask the unwarranted killing of animals.” McWilliams here refers to Green Mountain College (GMC), a four-year liberal arts college in Poultney, Vt. whose mission statement contains a dedication to environmental responsibility. GMC also functions as a working farm and employs many animals to work the land, including, until recently, two oxen named Bill and Lou. Early in October, Lou sustained a leg injury and thus could not plow the fields anymore, while Bill refused to work without his companion beside him.

Realizing the inevitability of Bill and Lou’s slaughter, VINE Sanctuary, a nearby sanctuary dedicated to rescuing animals from the abuses of factory farming, generously offered to take the two oxen off of GMC’s hands free of charge and provide them with an ideal environment in which to live out the remainder of their nat-

ural lives. This solution seemed ideal; Bill and Lou would live, GMC would not lose any money, and all parties involved could continue on their merry ways.

“The VFEP has hidden behind a subjective notion of sustainability.”

Alessandra Seiter ’16 However—and this is where the façade of responsible environmentalism comes in— GMC announced in late October their decision to reject VINE Sanctuary’s offer and to instead slaughter Bill and Lou “in the name of sustainability,” as expressed by GMC’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bill Throop. In a public statement, GMC’s Director of Communications Kevin Coburn attempted to justify the killing of Bill and Lou by asserting that alive, the oxen would continue to “consume resources at a significant rate,” while in death, they would provide hamburger meat for the GMC cafeteria. His later avowal that GMC’s decision to slaughter the oxen proved the college’s role as a “responsible steward for all the earth’s resources” eerily parallels the language implemented by the VFEP. Both Vassar and GMC insist upon slaughtering innocent animals when there exist viable alternatives to the colleges’ inhumane solutions for maintaining their roles as environmental “stewards”—immunocontraception for Vassar, or sending Bill and Lou to VINE Sanctuary for GMC. Should the lofty principle of sustainability, the meaning of which remains quite vague, earn precedent over the clearly defined notion of compassion for all beings? Given the irre-

mediable nature of killing, shouldn’t one err on the side of caution and refrain from doing so if there remain doubts about its absolute necessity? In the cases of both Vassar and GMC, academic institutions are subordinating lives to an abstract ideal of environmentalism, sacrificing said lives unnecessarily to uphold some sort of coherence with previously stated philosophical positions.

As I mentioned previously, GMC further defends the killing of Bill and Lou by insisting that doing so would yield a valuable edible resource for its students, though I quite doubt that this well-endowed college suffers from a lack of food and would benefit substantially from the flesh of the oxen. Nonetheless, this justification draws another comparison between GMC and Vassar in that the latter intends to donate the deer meat accumulated post-cull to local food pantries. While Vassar undoubtedly views this act as highly philanthropic, it actually poses serious health threats to those who will potentially consume the donated meat. Consider the method by which the deer will be killed: lead bullets will enter their bodies, often exploding rather than remaining intact and easily removable. Consider the plants on which the deer feed: Poughkeepsie residents who live next to the VFEP often treat their lawns with pesticides. Finally, consider the absence of an inspection to ensure the safety of the deer meat: the USDA is not required to inspect any meat that comes from game animals. Taking into account the possibility for food poisoning, due to potential lead and pesticide contamination of the meat and increased by a lack of examination in determining the meat’s safety, feeding the byproducts of the deer cull to elderly and impoverished citizens (read: those with already compromised immune systems) proves much less benevolent than Vassar originally thought.

As if GMC and Vassar have not already

engaged in an inexcusable amount of secrecy under the shadow of eco-rhetoric, GMC’s mysterious claim to have euthanized Lou in secret adds yet another layer of corruption to the nightmarish story of the two oxen. Since the pain medication Lou took due to his leg injury rendered him unfit for human consumption, and thus useless in the eyes of the college, GMC allegedly had the ox put down on November 11 and buried him in an undisclosed location, yet they have still not provided a veterinarian’s certificate for the euthanasia. As for Bill, his life still hangs in the balance.

“Academic institutions are subordinating lives to an abstract ideal.”

Alessandra Seiter ’16 In their faultily considered conclusions as to how to best promote environmental sustainability, whatever that ambiguous ideal may be, both Vassar and GMC have overlooked serious ethical concerns. Given that a liberal arts education aims primarily to provide students with a set of intellectual tools that will allow them to assume an active role in civic life, I would urge both of the colleges to rethink the examples they have provided for their students that relegate ethics to a place of diminutive importance. Indeed, the colleges’ courses of action endanger not only lives of numerous animals, both human and otherwise, but also their own reputations as progressive institutions.

—Alessandra Seiter ’16 is an active VARC member and prospective English major.

Mystery ‘Deer Science’ Theater: Cull backers skew debate Richard Born

Guest Columnist

B

y now, virtually everyone on campus knows that the College plans to carry out in January a repeat “bait and slaughter” of the great majority of surviving deer on the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve (VFEP). This is despite the fact that the current deer population compared with that in January, 2010, just before the initial kill was performed, is down by approximately 50% according to fecal pellet count and infrared flyover estimates. Of the 32 to 41 deer now estimated to be on the 527.5 acre VFEP, the intent is to leave fewer than 10 alive.

The November 5 and 10 information sessions held by the Vassar Farm Oversight Committee, open to members of the College and Poughkeepsie communities, were Vassar’s efforts to avoid the public relations fiasco that transpired at the time of the January 2010 slaughter. Back then, The Poughkeepsie Journal criticized the College for failing to give adequate advance notice to area residents living in the immediate vicinity of the VFEP. Tens of angry letters to the editor were published. And the College, in a front page Journal story on Jan. 7, 2010, falsely claimed that the shooting by White Buffalo, Inc. would not start until the following week, when in reality it commenced that same night.

The following are some of the things that I learned from attending the Nov. 10 information session. Making presentations and answering questions were four Oversight Committee members: Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources and Associate Professor of Chemistry Marianne Begemann, Biology Professors Meg Ronsheim and Lynn Christenson, and Preserve Manager Keri VanCamp. If I’ve gotten anything wrong, I hope they will correct me.

I had assumed, probably along with most readers of this column, that the private hunting option for holding down deer numbers after the initial White Buffalo, Inc. slaughter ended had been scrapped. This option was first suggested in the Oversight Committee’s June 12, 2009 “kill the deer” Memorandum.

Boy, was I mistaken. Among those in atten-

dance at the session were four hunters, three of them dressed in full camouflage regalia, and all hoping for permission to share in the fun. They seemed delighted to have learned that Vassar’s renowned liberal values weren’t so liberal after all, at least not when it came to animal rights. Joining them was Bill Conners, the Fishing and Hunting columnist for the Journal, who stressed that everyone in the room liked animals, regardless of their position on the deer cull issue. (Unfortunately, he failed to distinguish between those who liked their animals alive and those who liked them dead.) The Bow-and-Arrow spokesman from the hunter ranks (no, not Paul Ryan) revealed that he had been in communication with the Oversight Committee during the past 2+ years, making the case that his species of hunter could regularly take care of Vassar’s deer problem for free, and that arrows have only a limited range and are highly accurate (honest). Professor Begemann confirmed that this contact had, in fact, occurred, and added that while New York State law presently prohibits bow hunting during the January period favored by the College for killing deer, she intended to keep the conversation going. I assume that the archery “conversation” she has in mind will not be about the virtues of recursive versus compound bows in future Olympics competition.

“Hunters at the info session seemed delighted to have learned that Vassar’s renowned liberal values weren’t so liberal after all.”

Richard Born In response to an attendee who maintained that killing is an act of mercy for deer who otherwise would starve during the winter, Professor Christenson pointed out that deer

in the VFEP area have been in good physical condition during previous winters. Ms. VanCamp added that the deer enjoy a “good life” before being shot in the head. Professor Ronsheim did not add her previously expressed view that the deer, even fawns, enjoy a good death as well: “…killing the deer in this way is actually one of the most humane options…the sharpshooter only killed deer if he could kill an entire social group, leaving no fawns without their mothers and no one deer without the rest of its social group” (Miscellany News, Jan. 28, 2010).

I had anticipated that most pro-cull support from the Poughkeepsie community would come from those afraid of Lyme disease. Indeed, a man who said he had contracted the illness brought up the issue. In response, I mentioned the work of Richard Ostfeld, Senior Scientist and Animal Ecologist at the nearby Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, who is arguably the leading scholar today studying the etiology of the illness (Lyme Disease: The Ecology of a Complex System (Oxford University Press, 2010)). In attacking the Lyme disease rationale used by the village of Cayuga Heights, N.Y. to justify its own planned, but now jettisoned, deer kill, Mr. Ostfeld has written that on the basis of his own two decades worth of research and that of others, there is little to no relationship between numbers of deer and the prevalence of the ailment. (Check out his affidavit at http://www. cayugadeer.org/news.htm#1-28-11; while you’re there, you can read similar testimony by Tamara Awerbuch of the Harvard School of Public Health, based upon her own independent work.) Oversight Committee members simply would not acknowledge Mr. Ostfeld’s conclusions, not surprising in light of what they say in the FAQ that is contained on the VFEP website: “High densities of deer are correlated to higher incidence of tick borne diseases.” Perhaps the Lyme disease experts on the Oversight Committee have themselves done research on the topic, which they might want to share with the rest of us. In the meantime, I am reminded of the expert pollsters working for Mitt Romney who ever-so-effectively were able to refute Barack Obama’s expert pollsters

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

over who was going to win the election.

If you’re interested in learning how the decision to slaughter the deer was made, the answer lies with a special six-person sub-committee of the much larger Oversight Committee, which reported its recommendation to the Senior Officers of the College earlier this year.

There was no opportunity for any kind of outside input. The parent Oversight Committee is one of the many so-called “ad hoc” committees that have proliferated on campus; however no elections have ever been held to fill positions. An email to faculty soliciting interest in serving was sent out in late August 2008, not mentioning the deer issue as one that the committee had been, or would be, considering. More than four years have now passed without a further request for volunteers, who might have been able to open up the Committee to a fresh array of viewpoints, especially in the wake of the 2010 deer kill. Any surviving members of the old Soviet Politburo must be green (red?) with envy.

“There was no opportunity for any kind of outside input into the decision to slaughter the Vassar Farm’s deer.”

Richard Born Finally, I learned a vital lesson at the session about how to be a deer “scientist.” In response to ethical objections about the inhumane nature of deer culling, the fact that many neighbors of the VFEP have grown very fond of the Vassar deer that sometimes wander into their yards, etc., you say with your most sanctimonious game face: “It’s a complex issue.” And then you tell White Buffalo, Inc. to start blasting away at its baiting site.

—Richard Born is Professor of Political Science at Vassar College.

December 13, 2012

OPINIONS

Page 11

Trigger warnings do not restrict choice Matt Harvey

Guest Columnist

I

have encountered a variety of negative responses to VSA Resolution 27-4, which was passed by VSA Council on Sunday, Dec. 2. The resolution stated that Council would seek to expand the use of trigger warnings on campus, by asking Campus Activities to add them to the SARC event registration form and by asking faculty to add them to the Course Catalogue. Various complaints have been voiced, none of which pertain in the slightest to the resolution: trigger warnings are not an unreasonable dispensation for the students they benefit, they are not obtrusive or prominent, they are neither an obstruction nor an inconvenience. They are not censorship. Trigger warnings are a simple action that we can all take to show our respect for the mental well-being of others.

I am the author of this resolution, but it was written in collaboration with and at the urging of Vassar students. I’d like to clear up a couple of points, briefly, because I think that most of the complaints and objections have been born of misunderstanding rather than genuine disagreement. The most troubling of these to me is the failure to distinguish between a warning about content in general (a content warning) and a warning about content that might be triggering (a trigger warning). The two differ in their target audience and in their intended effect: a content warning applies to any potential viewer or audience member, and its purpose is to alert them all to the potentially aversive nature of the text, image, sound, film, or other medium regardless of their individual history or background.

By contrast, a trigger warning is intended only for potential audience members who are trauma survivors. It is not a statement about the general nature of the content; it’s a safety advisory about a particular potential reaction, one that’s contingent on a traumatic history.

To the members of Council, promoting the widespread use of trigger warnings is a recog-

nition of the needs of those who have survived traumatic experiences; they do not in any way pass judgment on the safety, quality, enjoyability, or value of an event or medium. Of course, no list of potentially triggering content can ever be exhaustive, but we can at least try to respect those around us as well as we are able.

There have been other forms of confusion as well. Several students have expressed concern that widespread use of trigger warnings will in some way dilute their effect. Council wishes to promote the use of trigger warnings because it will have precisely the opposite effect: it will help students understand their purpose and remember to look for them.

I have been told by some representatives of theatre groups that trigger warnings can spoil the plots of shows or, alternately, that some art is meant to be triggering. Moving beyond the fact that in both cases appreciation of student theatre has been prioritized over basic mental health, we ought to be clear that neither of these objections actually obtains. Art is not meant to be triggering any more than strobe lights are used in order to cause seizures. Art can be intended to produce profound emotional effects, or to force us to confront our emotions and to feel deeply what we usually do not. This is not the same as being triggered.

Being triggered is harmful, painful, negative.

It has no upside, no introspective value. It is psychologically damaging, not conducive to personal growth. In response to the first objection, I argue that it’s nothing more than a challenge of phrasing to word a trigger warning carefully in order to preserve the aesthetic experience of a show and yet alert audience members when content might be triggering for them. The wording can be flexible; our resolution does nothing more than ask event organizers to self-identify some types of content that can commonly be triggering, and suggest wording for a trigger warning. It requires nothing, constrains nothing, and includes no details of font size or location on your event advertisements.

In the realm of art more generally, there remains the censorship objection: trigger warnings censor artists’ work, preventing them from expressing their creativity. I can guarantee that the Council has no intention of censoring anything whatsoever. We are trying to encourage basic precautions to preserve students’ mental health. Trigger warnings don’t prevent anything from taking place or being put on display, which is a minimal requirement for censorship. More than this, the only time a trigger warning would ever prevent someone from attending an event or taking a class is if that person is likely to be triggered by attending, in which case the effect is no more censorship of art than is labeling allergens in food is censorship of cooking.

Phil Chen

T

he newest addition to a decade-long process of merger and consolidation in the financial consulting industry was recently announced. Top strategy firm Monitor Group filed for bankruptcy in Delaware, with $500 million in debt against $100 million in assets.

Often considered a member of the “big five,” Monitor used to go head-to-head with the leaders of the industry—McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Co. Right now, however, Monitor is being purchased for a meager $116 million by Deloitte, a less-prestigious firm known primarily for its accounting services. This event confounds many in the industry, as well as many students and new grads who are looking into entering the consulting business.

Monitor was founded in 1983 by the most celebrated competitive strategist, Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, in Cambridge, Mass. Dr. Porter is the author of 18 books on strategy, having produced bestsellers in business and management, which are also standard textbooks in virtually every business school. It is confounding to see that after all the strategic advice his firm has offered, the strategy firm itself is has failed.

According to the jobseekers’ hub, Vault.com, Monitor has dropped from No. 6 to No. 11 in industry ranking in only one year. Scrambling to come to terms with this drama, the business world has come up with different theories.

Outside the business circle, Monitor is perhaps better known in the “pro-democratic” community for providing public relations service to improve the image of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The $3 million fee provided by Libya’s autocratic regime churned out pro-Qaddafi stories in acclaimed journals such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Newsweek, and The Washington Post, among others mentioned in the leaked document. Monitor also helped with the Ph. D. dissertation of Qaddafi’s son at the London School of Economics, a favorite JYA destina-

tion for Vassar students. The campaign concluded with the end of the Qaddafi regime, and was leaked out by the Libyan opposition to the world.

However, the failed pro-Qaddafi campaign alone didn’t cause Monitor’s sudden fall from fame, although it didn’t help either. Instead, the Monitor’s collapse is a symbolic end for the zeitgeist in business strategy today—“sustainable competitive advantage.”

One of the most critical opinions, spearheaded by Steve Denning, champion of the new school of radical management, is that Porter’s philosophy on strategy is fundamentally flawed. Porter’s strategy consists of securing the most slices of the pie by creating “moats” around one’s “castle.” This method of creating barriers to entry is what he terms “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Denning disagrees with the notion of an industry as a zero-sum game, defined by finiteness and stasis. In fact, Denning argues, businesses can create their own customers, just as performing artists create their own audience and “the arts flourish.” Porter’s method of creating barriers to entry, therefore, is futile, outside a scenario like the board game “Monopoly.”

Instead, Denning says, the core of a business is the value it creates for customers, and innovation is what enabled value creation for successful firms like Apple and Zara. In contrast, firms that only focus on short-term stock market gain, such as Walmart, have been going downhill.

No one truly knows where the truth lies, but Denning’s critique has its merits. Monitor has been static in its direction, while many consulting firms have stayed in business by providing one-stop solutions for slimming corporate and governmental customers. For example, even the biggest firms such as McKinsey integrated IT solutions into their strategy-focused service. If we take this point of view, “financial pressure” for the “pure-play strategy firm” didn’t bankrupt the company, as argued by Monitor’s press release. The

“Social justice per usual.”

“Trigger warnings do not pass judgment on the value of an event or medium.”

—Kyle Casey ’15

MAtt hArVeY ’13 Finally, the VSA Council has no desire to impinge on the academic, intellectual, artistic, or organizational freedom of any member of the Vassar community. Our intent was to raise awareness of trigger warnings, and to ask that all of us weigh our objections carefully against the potential beneficial effects. We ask only that you make the choice to use or not use trigger warnings deliberately, and be clear about your reasons. What exactly is more important to you than the basic mental health of another person?

“The word of Brett Zaziski and his sword of 1,000 truths”

—Parker Werline ’15

“A loving embrace.”

—Matt Harvey ’13 is a Neuroscience & Behavior and Cognitive Science double major. He is VSA Vice President for Academics.

Firm’s demise discredits zero-sum strategy Guest Columnist

What weapon would you choose for the upcoming zombie apocalypse?

reality is just the other way around. Under equal amount of financial stress, other innovative firms have used the consumer need to cut costs in order to stay in business. Employees’ comments on Glassdoors.com have confirmed this issue: “Business portfolio currently too focused on Marketing Strategy for Pharma companies...company is very limited in industry and scale.”

Aside from the core strategy failure argument, some emphasize Monitor’s lack of U.S. government contracts that guarantee future income.

This is correct, but Monitor’s spreading itself too thin has contributed more to its failure. Monitor’s demise more rightfully signifies the end of its outdated business philosophy.

What has been happening will continue to happen. As Denning argues, the sustainable competitive strategy isn’t sustainable after all, in the face of others’ innovation. The industry will only further be consolidated and will focus on how to create new value through innovation. Nobody will be willing to pay millions in consulting fees if the value doesn’t justify the cost.

The lesson businesses can learn from this event is a philosophical one. Blind competition that focuses on creating monopolies might seem effective sometimes but are not sustainable in the long term. Therefore, we might ask: Is it value creation, not money making, that defines a business after all? In other words, should a company’s success be measured in monetary terms, a practice we see daily on stock market indices? These are deep questions few seem in the business community seem to care about, which continue to confuse the CEOs of struggling companies and by the way have sunk major players like Monitor. These questions deserve special attention from Vassar students and alumnae/i who are interested in pursuing careers in business and entrepreneurship, since no one wants to work for a company destined to fail.

—Phil Chen is a freshman at Vassar College.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

—Brendan Kiernan ’16

“A swarm of killer bees.”

—Jacqueline Geoghegan ’16

“An axe.”

—Jesse Graff ’15

“The power of my anxiety.”

—Stephanie Goldberg ’14 —Katie de Heras, Photo Editor Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire

OPINIONS

Page 12

December 13, 2012

Vassar must take lead in coal divestment

Warnings necessary for safe campus

Gabe Dunsmith, Jillian Guenther & Celia Castellan

Assistant Opinion Editor & Guest Columnists

T

he Vassar Greens, having launched a campaign this year to encourage Vassar to divest from fossil fuels, are thankful for last week’s coverage in the Miscellany News (“Greens push for VC to divest from fossil fuels, 12.06.2012). As colleges’ pulling of funds from fossil fuels becomes a national issue, we are excited to work with the student body, administration, and Board of Trustees to bring divestment to the table. Moving into 2013 with hundreds of signatures and having held talks with other student organizations, the Campus Investor Responsibility Committee (CIRC), and President Hill, the Greens’ Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign is hard at work to ensure that Vassar’s endowment reflects the values of a 21st-century education.

The Greens have partnered with environmental organizations like Bill McKibben’s 350. org to help fight climate change from our own campus. 350.org’s name is derived from the safe amount of carbon, in parts per million, that can be in the atmosphere—and we’ve already reached 390 ppm. 350.org has launched a huge nationwide effort surrounding divestment, in concert with the group’s other efforts to combat climate change with people-powered organizing. When our political leaders fail to address issues like this, students across the nation—and their administrators—are compelled to act. What does this mean at Vassar?

It means divesting from corporations that have recklessly endangered our health and put our future in jeopardy.

When donors give money to Vassar, that money goes into the endowment. Vassar then uses that money to invest in the stock market, and those returns on investments go back to the endowment or enter the school’s operating account. A portion of Vassar’s stock market holdings, however, support the fossil fuel industry, which has a track record of environ-

TRIGGERS continued from page 9

provocative or difficult material, not address experiences of trauma.

Further, talkbacks or other measures taken after the fact are not an appropriate substitute for forewarning individuals. We understand that theater groups in particular are concerned about plot spoilers, but warnings about thematic elements (i.e. relationship abuse) are not the same as divulging the entirety of the plot. Audience members may be aware of themes and plots of productions for a variety of reasons, and this does not reduce enjoyment or artistic merit of any given play or other event; indeed, it is quite uncommon for anyone to go to an event they know absolutely nothing about. Reducing the likelihood that students who attend plays and other events will unexpectedly re-experience past trauma contributes to the goal of engaging audiences in provocative and enjoyable art.

We don’t expect trigger warnings to be perfect, or that their implementation will mean no one on this campus will ever be triggered again. Of course that is impossible, but by using trigger warnings when event organizers do know that attendees will be exposed to triggering content, we can work together to reduce the extent to which students at Vassar re-experience trauma.

We hope that this has clarified why we feel that trigger warnings are important and how they will be implemented and used. We understand that many students may still be concerned, and we hope that we can continue to engage in dialogue about trigger warnings. Please feel free to email either or both of us at (kaknowles@vassar.edu) or (fatang@ vassar.edu) if you have further concerns or questions.

—Kaylee Knowles ’13 and Faren Tang ’13 are Women’s Studies majors.

mental and social abuse (e.g., BP’s oil spill, the Exxon Valdez, or blowing up West Virginia’s mountains for coal). Divestment—withdrawing our stock investments from fossil fuel companies and redistributing those funds elsewhere—appears to be the best way to target corporations that put profit above health.

Vassar’s investment policy should ensure that its money does not support the abuses of corporations like BP, Exxon, or Massey.

The Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign wants to work with Vassar to align our investments with a vision of social equality and human health. As such, divestment is in keeping with the College’s mission of “a humane concern for society, and a commitment to an examined and evolving set of values.” Vassar’s endowment, which now sits at over $800 million, has performed admirably in recent years. We expect it to continue doing so without fossil fuel companies. In fact, there is tremendous potential for growth in the endowment if funds are reinvested in renewable energies.

Though Vassar as an individual institution may not have an impact on the targeted companies if it withdraws its shares, multiple institutions acting in solidarity will have a major impact on the industry. We are not asking Vassar to single-handedly take on the fossil fuel industry. We are asking Vassar to join a national movement. A national divestment movement has begun—large institutional endowments divesting from a set of the most harmful companies will generate economic consequences for the fossil fuel industry. Vassar’s divestment would signal a social, moral, and ethical rejection of politics as usual.

As a historically progressive institution, it seems inconsistent at best for Vassar to tout an education of critical engagement with systems of oppression while investing in those same systems. Vassar expects its students and alumni to challenge themselves and others; and now, we expect our college to align its principles with its actions. We want the student

body’s choices to be heard, respected, and acted upon. To carry on with “economics as usual” is to disregard Vassar’s social responsibility to its students and society at large.

Divestment goes hand-in-hand with a reduction in campus energy use. Vassar has already proven its dedication to reducing energy usage on campus in myriad ways. Without providing an exhaustive list, we can quickly note the College’s dedication to phasing out coal usage; we can note the geothermal systems that now heat Davison House and the new TAs and THs; we can note the school’s dedication to its co-generation plant which assures less energy is lost in the process of production and dissemination. All of these steps are excellent, yet they do not challenge the fossil fuel industry’s business model of extraction and pollution.

And that’s where divestment comes in.

Through divestment, Vassar can demonstrate that the fossil fuel industry’s business strategy is antiquated and destructive. Vassar can tell the coal, oil, and gas industries that their days of pollution are over and that it’s time for a new age of renewables. Not only will divestment help build a better future for all of Vassar’s students, but it will gain the College nationwide recognition and draw many prospective students who are looking for a sustainable and socially-aware college in a world that all too often lacks these traits.

Vassar has divested twice already: from South Africa in the 1980s, and from companies involved in the Darfur genocide in 2006. We know that divestment can happen again. When we work as a collective of students, employees, and administrators, or as a collective of colleges, we have power. Let’s use this power make the decisions that our future requires.

—Gabriel Dunsmith ’15 is Assistant Opinions Editor. Jillian Guenther ’13 is an Environmental Studies major and co-president of the Vassar Greens. Celia Castellan ’13 is an Urban Studies major and co-president of the Vassar Greens.

The Miscellany Crossword

by Jack Mullan, Crossword Editor

ACROSS

1 Prepare to shoot again 7 Cheat, in a way 11 “2001” computer 14 Gives way to 15 Wheel turner 16 ___−Wan Kenobi 17 Involve 18 Tree in a Christmas carol 19 Letter following pi 20 Feaudal worker 21 Portrayer of J.J. Gittes and R.P. McMurphy 23 Toothpaste container 25 People before rehab 26 Plod (through) 29 Regime opposed by Gandhi 31 Off one’s rocker 32 Composer Stravinsky 33 Visigoth leader who captured Rome 35 “Dinner and a Movie” channel

38 Gas light 39 San Diego’s region: Abbr.

40 Ayatollah’s home 41 Auction ending?

42 Become understood 43 Setting for an Agatha Christie novel 44 Pvt.’s superior 45 Poughkeepsie−to− Long Island dir.

46 “It’s all Greek ___!”

47 Wagner composition 50 N.Y. Phil, e.g.

52 Doctor who professed that “death is not a crime” 56 Mother of Ares 59 Koufax’s stat.

60 Puerto ___ 61 Prada and Gucci 63 Chic, in the ’60s 64 Wilson of “Wedding Crashers”

Answers to last week’s puzzle

65 “It must be love” tournament 66 “A Chorus Line” song 67 Sage 68 Michael C. Hall’s show

37 Dagger in “The Mikado” 40 With 30−down, pop− out children’s toy

42 Captain of the Caribbean 44 ___−Magnon 47 Vermont ski resort 48 1940s−1950s dictator

DOWN

1 Kind of bread 2 German article 3 Tennis redos 4 With 30−down, a carved Halloween ornament 5 A farewell to François 6 High−speed inits.

7 Fenway slugger Big ___ 8 Business V.I.P. 9 “In the Valley of ___” (2007 film) 10 “On the Road” author 11 Basketball shooting game 12 Detest 13 Detroit footballers 21 “SNL” alum Kevin 22 It was dropped in the ’60s 24 Home, to Jobim 26 Merlot, for one 27 Author James 28 Jim Morrison, e.g.

30 Playground game with a ball...or what connects 21− and 52−across, and 4−, 10−, 40−, and 42−down 31 Actor Martin 34 ___ d’être 35 Many a jazz combo 36 Ointment

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

49 Dodge 51 Action film staple 53 New Zealander 54 Decorates, as a cake 55 Top−notch

57 Weather info: Abbr.

58 Not windward 61 Grandson of Noah 62 Elderly: Abbr.

HUMOR & SATIRE

December 13, 2012

Page 13

OPINIONS

Breaking News

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

Politically-apathetic junior runs for VSA President solely on promise to burn Main tree that makes everything smell Apocalypse Now(ish): How The VC Axis of Judgement to know when the end is near to conclude the fall semester Arick Wong

is better off used as the student space. Eventually, no conclusions are reached, and Vassar students take Xanax on the farm just to be meta.

Grim messages start appearing on our VPrint machines such as “The end is near,” “No sesame oil at the stir-fry station,” and “You will become a barista after graduation.” But luckily, these bleak messages create a glitch in the carding system where you can use your leftover VPrint as money for chasers or concocting the perfect jungle juice. Or practicing for your barista license.

All of a sudden, the Zombie Apocalypse will commence. Emergency Medical Services has trouble discerning whether zombies are attacking campus or this is just a new trend where students are experimenting with bath salts made in the Cushing basement. Regardless, zombie survival kits will become readily available at UpC with your smoothie for a meal swipe.

Due to its close proximity to Mudd, contaminants from our chemistry building will find their way into the pita and hummus express lunch, resulting in a contagious food-borne illness. Symptoms include uncontrollable twerking hypersensitivity to politically incorrect statements, and high aversion to anything gluten free. Baldwin has yet to find a cure for the epidemic, but students develop a homeopathic remedy consisting of a fifteen-second keg stand, turning off the light, and shouting “Cappy Hill!” in the bathroom mirror.

Finally, Matthew Vassar returns from the dead. He will attempt to consume all the beer on campus unless a sacrifice is made of two Strong virgins and the chicken fingers platter from Acrop (with honey mustard and ranch dressing as dipping sauces). He also wants to relay the following messages: “That statue makes my ass look enormous,” “I’m so post-Chili Wednesdays,” and “omg y is pbr so bad????”

Guest Columnist

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he world, as we know it, will end on Dec. 21, 2012. Our campus will be flooded with womp-womps who will slowly masticate Jewett House into the shape of labia. The ground will split apart between the TA bridge, and construction will be postponed until Summer of 2020, assuming that you’ll survive by hiding in the underground tunnel beneath Main or have just woken up years later from a post-Sushi Village food coma. All of your Apple devices will self-destruct unless you have unsolicited phone sex with Siri and offer five sacrificial oranges or Android products.

Don Marsala will send out emergency emails to warn the Vassar community about the catastrophes, but his computer will only type in Wingdings and emoji. The apocalypse is encroaching, and here are some telltale signs of impending doom: First, Sunset Lake is drained and replaced with Franzia. The administration debates what to do with all their confiscated Franzia boxes, and a group of Poughkeepsie locals will break into the Franzia vault and spew gallons of Franzia into Sunset Lake. The administration becomes furious and labels Sunset Lake as a health hazard. However, Environmental Studies majors predict that eventually, the lake residue and Franzia mixture will ferment into mystery flavor kombucha, which will be sold at the Retreat and labeled “local”.

Then, a cervine army raids the Deece on Meatless Mondays, stealing lost VCards from the info desk and guest swiping themselves.

One Deece worker reports that they left the dining center cleaner than they’ve ever seen it before and regrets there was not more vanilla Silk in the dispenser. The deer leave a review that reads, “Why aren’t there more vegan options?”

Following this terrifying deer feat will be The Great Famine, occurring during study week across the nation. Many communities will resort to cannibalism, while others will relocate to Canada. Luckily, Vassar students adapt by drinking copious amounts of Diet Coke and feeding on each other’s crippling social anxiety.

Soon, random crop circles suddenly begin appearing at Vassar Farm, creating patterns that look like bars of Xanax. The Art History Department wants to add this exhibit to the Loeb, but Vassar Student Association argues it

Matt Ortile Guest Columnist

Maybe it’s time to accept that the world is ending. On our last feeble days before Dec. 21, 2012, put everything you possibly can on your VCharge account. Sell your organic chemistry textbook and fly to the Bahamas. Replace your daily water intake with Crystal Palace, and end up as that drunk, naked guy streaking at the THs and screaming about neoliberal multiculturalism. The end of the world is looming; maybe it’s time to stop worrying about your internship next summer and prepare for the end.

The Misc’s Beside Astrologer (Holiday Edition!)

by Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire Editor Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): For Hanukkah this year, Sagittarius, you will be given the greatest gift of all: being at Vassar instead of home, so that you don’t have to watch your little brother gloat about how he gets to light the candles. (Even though he ALWAYS gets to light the candles, Mom.) Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Start planning your New Year’s Eve party now, Capricorn. Things that are hot this year: baggy jeans, streamers and pizza bites. Things that are so not hip this year: Mosquitos, Anderson Cooper and pop music.

Aquarius. But do you know what’s even more stressful? BEES. THOUSANDS OF BEES. Pisces (February 19-March 20): Why yes, Pi-

sces, the uncle who is steadfast in his use of the term “Red China” will indeed be at Christmas Eve. I recommend spending another year pretending you’re a Physics major and not a Hispanic Studies/Jewish Studies double.

mas shopping can be a very stressful time,

son, not necessarily the gift itself.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): You understand the

Virgo (August 23-September 22): We get it, Virgo, we get it: your dreidel is made out of clay.

significance of Hanukkah gelt less than anyone I’ve ever met, Gemini. They’re more than just chocolate coins, okay? They’re also the world’s number one source of annoying gold-colored foil bunches you step on at night.

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Cancer, do you ever

Aries (March 21-April 19): Stop laughing every

time your friend goes “Ho ho ho!” He isn’t imitating Santa; he has a legit respiratory issue.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Taurus, did you

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): Christ-

ing. My advice is to buy a freakin’ dictionary.

know Kwanzaa has two “a’s” at the end? Probably not, because you’re famously bad at spell-

think about how your astrological sign is a giant crab? That’s, like, kind of hilarious.

Leo (July 23-August 22): Your dad definitely wants a tie for Christmas, Leo. That inevitable look of disappointment in his eye will be just because he’s so unsatisfied with you as a per-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Libra (September 23-October 22): You may want to add some spice to your holiday traditions this year, Libra. Normally, your family eats Chinese food and goes to a movie, right?

This year, you should eat a VHS cassette, and then go to Beijing and people-watch some Chinese citizens. New twists on old traditions!

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Try not to

get caught lingering under the Misc-letoe this year, Scorpio. Happy holidays, y’all!

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December 13, 2012

Axies president Trujillo draws on blues, soul in own work John Plotz

Guest reporter

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person because of it,” he continued. However, Trujillo does insist that has stories and poems are not autobiographical, even if they are inspired by his personal experiences.

Trujillo’s current project, entitled “Weight,” is a hybrid between prose and poetry. In it, Trujillo presents the story of a boy who struggles with a tumultuous relationship with his parents, his body, and the people around him.

Throughout the story, the events that unfold challenge the boy to view his mother as a complex person going through her own personal struggle. Unfortunately, a tragedy prevents him from fully realizing his growth, giving the piece a mournful air. “I like to make my characters suffer,” Trujillo admitted.

After he graduates this May, Trujillo plans

to continue pursuing his love of music and writing. Currently, he is working with Kenzie Cook ’13 on producing a demo of Trujillo’s own music, which he describes as containing a mix of indie, blues, and R&B influences. He cites artists ranging from Amanda Palmer and St. Vincent to Nina Simone and Billie Holiday as having a profound influence on his musical interests.

He has plans to return to his native city of Denver to tour the local music scene with a group of musicians. In addition, he has pitched his writing to online blogs, from which he is waiting to hear back. While he does not completely look forward to leaving Vassar, he is excited about exploring his artistic voice in the real world.

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

hane Trujillo ’13 grew up listening to Motown and classic rock—he was singing Diana Ross and the Supremes before even knowing what singing was. Trujillo had to admit the irony: he is now was president of Vassar’s allmale a cappella group, the Accidentals (or The Axies, for short).

The vitality and passion of Trujillo’s early musical idols are a model for all of his artistic endeavors, which include not only singing but prose and poetry. “I try to do everything I can with soul. No matter what kind of music it is, it has to have passion, depth and complexity,” he said.

Trujillo has been a member of the Axies since he was a freshman before becoming president this fall. The Axies usually perform twice a semester, often collaborating with the Night Owls, one of Vassar’s all-female a cappella groups. As president, Trujillo must coordinate performances, organize rehearsals, and manage rehearsals, a task he said can occasionally be difficult. “They can be a rambunctious group of guys,” Trujillo said.

The Axies, as an all-male a cappella group, can explore the male voice in a dynamic but subtle way, Trujillo observed. “In co-ed a cappella groups, you have a tenor and a bass. In the Axies, we have tenor one, tenor two, baritenors, baritones, and finally basses, so we can make our music more complex,” he explained.

According to Trujillo, the group’s secret weapon is its wide variety of voice types, from powerful belting voices and strong falsettos to those in the middle with a solid, universal chest voice, adding that being able to exploit the diversity of the male voice allows the group to create a richer, more complex sound.

Trujillo feels that performing with other people is a very powerful experience. “It’s so nice as a singer to have other people surrounding you and backing you up. It can be really

scary on stage, especially by yourself, so it can be nice to have other people who know you really well to be able to sing with you,” he said.

In addition, he appreciates the laid-back nature of the group, citing their willingness to acknowledge mistakes by raising their hands— and even making a joke out of it during performances.

Trujillo recognized the relaxed attitude of the group even before he was a member. He recalled that during the audition process, the Axies made an effort to ensure that those auditioning felt comfortable, and were looking not only for those who could sing, but those who would fit in with the group environment. “My audition for the Axies was fairly low-key and intimate,” he said.

In addition to his work with the Axies, Trujillo is an avid writer. He writes both short stories and poetry, and sometimes even a combination of the two. Because of his singing background, he has a special connection with poetry, citing its similarity to the lyrics of a song. “When I write poetry, I ask myself how I would sing it. What would I want my audience to hear?”

As an extension of his impassioned approach to singing, Trujillo does not shy away from heavy or controversial topics. Indeed, his most common subjects are difficult ones, since for him, the best human emotions are those gathered in sadness, anger and fear. In the past, his themes have included issues of race, class, and sexuality.

Trujillo relates his thematic choices to his own college experiences at Vassar. “I’m a working class Hispanic student. I came to Vassar not believing I necessarily belonged here.

For a long time I regretted that I had so much emotional weight on me from childhood until now,” Trujillo said.

“I thought it hindered me more than helped me, but by connecting through music and writing, it made me realize that I’m a stronger

Senior Shane Trujillo, president of the Axies, Vassar’s all male a cappella group, is currently working on a demo of his own music and plans to take his music on the road to Denver after graduation.

VCTV unites novice and experienced filmmakers alike Hayley Lemoine Guest reporter

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VCTV’s producers. “A large part of why we chose the Suit is because it is a little ambitious in terms of special effects—just involving projectiles and superpowers, and how you convey that in a not-cheesy way,” Smith noted.

VCTV is not a VSA-certified org, but is currently in the application process. The club is already structuring itself with an executive board to smoothen the transition, organizing itself by branches of production—a head producer, a head writer and a head director, for example, alongside the usual positions of treasurer and secretary.

“Even though we aren’t officially an org, we have the organization of an org, and we have the membership that a normal org would have, if not more,” she said.

VCTV hopes to expand its online presence—and audience—through social media outlets like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Even an official website is in the works, set to launch on Dec. 31 of this year.

Jacob Gorski/The Miscellany News

assar College Television (VCTV), which touts itself as Vassar’s first student-led video production group, started about a year ago. It began as a small group of Vassar students banding together over their shared passion for filmmaking. Now, the unofficial club has grown to comprise about 40 students engaged in each branch of the filmmaking process, from writing and producing to editing and lighting.

Nicole Glantz ’15, a director in VCTV, is one of the org’s original founders. “We wanted to provide the opportunity for students to engage in filmmaking and production with other students who share the same interests in an environment that isn’t necessarily inside of a classroom, but that could better accommodate their own schedules outside of class,” Glantz explained. “It’s a chance to explore your different interests in pre-production, production, and post-production, and decide what suits you best.”

Glantz and Wendel Smith ’14, another founding member, described VCTV’s first year as the club’s trial run. “Last year was a learning process,” said Glantz. “We were trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. We were able to use that experience to create something that is structured and organized, and that works.”

VCTV produced and screened a 20-minute pilot for the episodic series “We Are Young.”

The series documents four Vassar freshman ingratiating themselves into college life. The pilot episode followed roommates Gaby and Mona, who live down the hall from roommates Alex and Jesse, as they struggled to fit into a group and identity on the campus. By the episode’s end, the four form an unlikely friendship together.

“We Are Young” has been tabled for VCTV’s new project, “The Suit.” Glantz hopes VCTV will make five to six episodes of the web-series. “This year we chose to go with a new story idea, just because of new membership and starting off on a new foot, and to break it up into smaller episodes in the interest of time,” explained Glantz.

To begin the new semester, after recruit-

ment efforts and ample membership, the org’s writers devised 10 possible scripts for VCTV production.

After a group vote, “The Suit” won out. The series revolves around four college misfits who must band together to fight crime on the Vassar campus. They lack superpowers, and so must use whatever they can to defeat the college’s malevolent supervillian—who actually has superpowers.

VCTV is currently working on the pilot episode, which establishes the main characters.

This includes shy, smart protagonist Theo, a comic book fan frustrated with campus injustice who creates a suit and develops a superhero persona with the help of his friends. And yes, there are romantic subplots.

“The Suit has everything you could possibly want: action, drama, comedy, even a little bit of romance,” VCTV founding member Nick Chianese ’14 said.

The Suit provides a fun challenge for

Two students prep for a production of “The Suit,” the latest project by VCTV. Though the group is not yet certified by the VSA, its membership is over forty actors, script writers, filmmakers and editors.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“Our website will host our video portfolio of all of our work, VCTV information and bios of members, our video blog, interactive content, and more,” Glantz wrote in an emailed statement. “We released a teaser trailer about a week ago and received nearly 300 views thus far, which has been encouraging for VCTV to continue its work on producing entertainment for the Vassar community and beyond.”

Glantz doesn’t have any plans for future VCTV projects yet. The members are waiting to see how creating “The Suit” goes before making any final decisions. “We are not owned by a studio or anything, so we have the opportunity to be flexible. If it’s not working, we’ll fix it— again, it’s a learning experience,” Glantz said. “That’s our aim—to facilitate a production company on campus, but if our series is not working, we can change it and make something else.”

Beyond “The Suit,” VCTV has acted as a production crew to facilitate other film project on campus, such as a recent music video for student musician Aaron Steinberg ’13 and a short video sketch for The Limit.

“VCTV has really become a presence on campus,” Glantz said. “We have a lot of people that will contact us, because we do so many projects that our name shows up in a lot of different places.”

Juan Dominguez ’13 recently acted in one of the parts for VCTV’s recent pilot episode for “The Suit.” He appreciates that the group is open to non-professional and inexperienced students like him. “I’m not a drama major or anything, so it’s cool that I was able to participate in something like this, and it’s been really awesome,” he said.

Carly Belko ’15 echoed Dominguez’s positive experience. “It’s an easy atmosphere. Everyone is very easy to work with, and everyone is very professional. The whole thing is very structured,” Belko said. “They know what they are doing, so even if you are unsure, they can direct you.”

Glantz is optimistic that VCTV will earn certification. “Our vision had always been there,” Glantz said. “It was just been about getting the right group together to make that happen.”

December 13, 2012

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Newburgh offers a rich variety of public art for curious visitors with attentive eye Zoe Dostal Columnist

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here isn’t much to attract Vassar students in Newburgh—at least, not on the surface. But I spent this past Saturday there on a build for Habitat for Humanity. Driving around, I couldn’t help but be awestruck by the stunning architecture and pervasive public art. Neo-classical churches, grand Victorian manors, murals and street art were to be found around every bend.

By asking questions of fellow volunteers and embarking on a little research of my own, I learned about the great number of cultural secrets Newburgh has to discover. Take the Dutch Reformed Church, for example. Just a half a block from one of the build sites, it stands like a sentinel over the waterfront. A mixture of a downsized Athenian Parthenon with La Madeleine church in Paris, the façade of massive pillars supporting an enormous pediment is a prime example of the Greek Revival. The church was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1835, and is now a National Historic Landmark.

While the columns have recently been repaired, it is clearly in desperate need of some restoration—in 2005 it was even on the World Monuments Fund “100 Most Endangered Sites” list. Yet a quick visit just to see the current exterior is worth it, and I intend to return to take in the massive interior, as well.

Just down the street is Washington’s Headquarters, the nation’s first historic site. General Washington spent more than a year in this house from 1782 to 1783, directing the war and planning America’s future. It was here that Washington ordered a cessation of hostilities, effectively ending the Revolutionary War in April of 1783. In the same neighborhood you can find the David Crawford House, host of the Newburgh Historical Society. Build in 1830 in the same Neoclassical style of the Dutch Reformed Church, it also serves as a museum of

wealthy 19th century American life. Unfortunately, both the Crawford House and Washington’s Headquarters run full throttle April through October—for now, poking around the exterior is your best bet.

What is most striking while driving through Newburgh is a wall of black and white portraits. Located on the side of the Ritz Theater (sidenote: a then-unknown Frank Sinatra sang there in 1940 and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez debuted there as a Vaudeville act in 1941), the forty-four portraits of both Newburgh citizens and crumbling Victorian mansions proffer the heart of the city to every casual observer. The pictures are hung to resemble windows in the side of the building, and I think it is appropriate to draw the metaphor that they are like windows to the soul of Newburgh.

The artwork immediately reminded me of the famous international artist JR, whose project “Inside Out” is essentially printing out enormous portraits of faces and pasting them in public places. I inquired after a Habitat volunteer the artist’s identity for the work in Newburgh, and he dedicatedly tracked down the name for me: Dmitri Kasterine. Kasterine spent his life photographing cultural icons (think Johnny Cash, Roald Dahl and Rudoph Nureyev), and some of his work currently resides in the collections of the Smithsonian and London’s National Portrait Gallery. For the past sixteen years, Kasterine took portrait pictures of Newburgh residents, and just this past September published a book entitled “Portrait of a City.” But it is the public element of his work on the side of the Ritz Theater that is most impactful worth a quick trip.

Finally, on the south wall of the Ritz Theater is another mural—this time a colorful and made of paint, not black-and-white photography. It is entitled, “Transcendence”, and is the first in a series of five murals planned by the The Newburgh Mural Project in collaboration with artist Dasic Fernandez. “Transcendence”

is about the unifying power of the arts to extend beyond all boundaries. A second mural, “Roots”, is about the connection of one’s past, present and future while the third, “Transformation”, expresses the connections between the material and the individual. All three can be found within the Historic District, and from all I can tell two more are forthcoming in the next year or so.

The contrast between the crumbling buildings of Newburgh and these cultural and historical sights is not as tension-filled as one might expect. Especially when it comes to public arts projects, I am a huge fan. Murals can brighten someone’s day and bring a community together—the presence of art and color spreads hope and a sense of renewal. Indeed, during the Great Depression, the government formed a Public Works of Art Project both to employ artists and create works to inspire the American people. Philadelphia currently boasts the moniker “City of Murals” from the over 3,000 murals created by the Mural Arts Program since 1984. Murals provide the chance for artists to give back to the community visually and also the opportunity for education.

I thought I would be inspired by my work with Habitat on Saturday, and I was—just not in the way I expected. The restorative efforts Newburgh has undertaken are visibly making a difference, and already I am dying to return to explore some more. The Old Town Cemetery began in the early 18th century, and there are other public art projects I glimpsed from the corner of my eye that require further investigation. More importantly, it got me thinking about Poughkeepsie, and the potential for Vassar to undertake such art projects, potentially collaborating with schoolchildren in the area. Just a little food for thought as we all part for Winter Break—visit Newburgh and think about the possibilities, and let’s revisit the subject next semester when we are refreshed.

Who knows what spring will bring.

Artists Collective Through January 2 4388 Albany Post Rd., Hyde Park This local group of artists from many media have united their work into a collection of small artistic objects in time for for the holiday season. Gallery hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Barrett Art Center Through January 19 55 Noxon St., Poughkeepsie This center, devoted to not only exhibiton but teaching, is currently featuring an exhibition of holiday-themed works, including photography, mixed media, and jewelery. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment.

Mariapolis Luminosa of The Focolare Through December 24 200 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park Every year, the city of Mariapolis Luminosa features over 150 Nativity scenes from cultures around the world. They are on display from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.

Montgomery Row Through December 28 6423 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck The “Sempre Italiani” exhibit features the fine art photography Hudson Valley Photographer Mary Ann Glass. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Students to showcase culminating works at Chapel concert MUSIC continued from page 1

Emily Lavieri-ScullThe Miscellany News

1900s, even at Carnegie Hall, he explained.

“I know at least one or even more hotels in Manhattan actually piped in music from the Teleharmonium. It was gigantic. Took up eight railroad cars,” McCulloch said. “It was like the first elevator music, really.”

After examining the history, the students made graphical scores—non-traditional, visual music notation—for short excerpts of old, electroacoustic pieces from the 50s to 70s.

“I ask them to draw the music, essentially. Look at the parameters and come up with ways of really showing what’s going on, and also showing how things evolve and how they transform,” McCulloch said. “It’s not just drawing pictures but really like a graph of the music over time.”

The next project was to write a short, 30-second composition. McCulloch provided a 30-second long sample of him batting some paper in front of a microphone. “You can use any part of the sound file. You can do whatever you want to it. But you have to use that material, and that material only,” McCulloch said.

“I like to introduce constraints because I think they force people to be creative in ways that they wouldn’t otherwise necessarily be, or might not be, perhaps,” McCulloch continued.

“Constraints help. I do this in my own composition. When anything is possible, it’s rare that anything gets done.”

Randy Ortiz ’14 at first thought the 30-second project would be limiting, and that everyone’s project would sound similar—but was surprised to hear everyone’s results were pleasantly different. He found it difficult to work on, because he expected a more traditional, rhythmic sound.

“When I listened to my sound file, I’m like, ‘What kind of picture does this paint in my brain?’ And I drew that. Like crescendos would be lines going up. Decrescendos lines going down. If it had a lot of noise in it, there’d be hashmarks on the paper,” Ortiz said. “The final result was really abstract.”

Adjunct Instructor in Music Peter McCulloch teaches students to use amplifiers and electronic music software to compose their own 30 second clips, and, ultimately, to reconsider their definition of music.

But as Ortiz adjusted his expectations, it became easier for him. He even appreciates having had the limitations. “It definitely teaches you to how to use what you have, in ways that you never would have thought of before.

I never would’ve thought of stretching out a sound sample, and cutting it, and reversing parts, changing the pitch on some parts—using a real quick, less than a second sample,” he said.

“I can stretch that out and make a two-minute song.”

Now, Ortiz—alongside the rest of the class— is working on his final project to culminate the semester’s work. Ortiz is manipulating a recording of his dog to create his composition.

“I’ve stretched out his vocals and then chopped it up, so I get a lot of different sound files. From just one bark, I get so much out of it. Right now,

I got a 30-second intro that’s just my dog—you wouldn’t even recognize it’s my dog at all,” Ortiz explained.

He first experimented with other sounds to evoke a horror atmosphere—the sound of breaking glass, of a creaking door—but found it lacking. Ortiz plans to incorporate an old synthesizer in the class’ recording studio, the Theremin, into his final result.

Marinna Guzy ’13 had wanted to take this class since her freshman year—she has an irrational love of synthesizers, she said—but couldn’t ever fit her schedule around it. It still doesn’t, but Guzy worked it out with McCulloch; it being her senior year, this is her last opportunity. Guzy attends class on Thursdays, and meets McCulloch individually on Tuesdays.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Guzy is taking the class as part of her growing interest in doing sound design for film. “I thought that this would be a very interesting foray into the creation of soundscapes,” Guzy said. “I’m not a film major, but I am planning on going into film after I graduate. I’m an Environmental Studies major.”

For her final project, Guzy recorded herself playing the harp in the harp room of Skinner, and the outside sounds that bleed into the notso-soundproof room—clanking radiators, outside voices, the doorknob turning.

“My idea for my piece was to take the harp— and at first you recognize it as being the harp— but then the room starts to come alive and have a mind of its own,” Guzy said. “It’s gonna jump off from that and go down the rabbit hole…[the harp is] struggling and it’s being transformed, and it’s being transformed into something less harp-like. And I haven’t exactly figured out who’s going to win, and how it’s going to get resolved quite yet.”

To create the raw materials for her project, Guzy recorded herself plucking individual strings, arpeggios and glissandos on the harp.

She angled the microphone to her sound sources many ways to have a wide range of samples to experiment with. She is the middle of the piece now, trying to articulate its structure.

Guzy feels the class has made her broaden her definition of music. “The first half of the semester, we had to do these listening responses, and so we got exposed to a wide variety of electroacoustic music repertoire out there, and I had never really been exposed to,” she said.

“Some of the things we did listen to were a little off the deep end, even for me, and I’m pretty open to these things. And I think that now, music doesn’t necessarily have to have a really clear, delineated structure,” Guzy continued.

Going into next semester, the year-long class will explore interactive electroacoustic music—meaning, music made with algorithms that dynamically process and react to live, musical input.

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December 13, 2012

Letters reveal Dominik film complicates crime genre Vonnegut’s W inner musings Max Rook

Guest Columnist

Victoria Youngblood Guest Columnist

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“Dominik avoids the clichè of idealizing the characters in a crime story.”

MAX rooK ’14 The only time a female character appears is when one of the prostitutes leaves Mickey’s room, and other characters only talk about women as sexual objects. It certainly makes the characters easier to dislike, but it also gives the film as a whole a level of ugliness that seems unnecessary.

Of course, this is a story about a hitman, so moments of violence inevitably arise. These moments are heavily stylized, as Dominik uses slow-motion shots and handheld camerawork to differentiate the violence from the rest of the film. However, Dominik avoids the common use of such stylization of violence to make it seem unrealistic and more acceptable. Instead he forces the viewer to see not only the violence itself but the effect it has on the human body.

There are quite a few deeply uncomfortable shots of the aftermath of a beating or gunshot in the film. While these moments stand out from the style established in other sections of the movie, they do so in such away that enhances, rather than distracts from, the ongoing story. We see why Cogan prefers to avoid killing people up close, because even killing from a distance is deeply unpleasant.

As you might gather from that description, this is not an uplifting film. In fact, it is quite cynical. The story is set during the American election of 2008, when the country’s current recession had just begun. Throughout the film, various characters listen to the lofty promises in the speeches of John McCain and Barack Obama, or to the tired tones of President Bush as he attempts to explain his actions.

The contrast between the rhetoric of the presidential candidates and the dirty, harsh lives of the characters of the film highlights the disconnect between national politics and the reality of people’s lives. None of these characters believe they can count on receiving help from anyone else, so they do what they have to on their own.

Thankfully, the film does not overstay its welcome. At a length of just 97 minutes, it tells a concentrated, direct story. In a longer, more bloated version of the film, the unrelenting cynicism would become overwhelming, but in this shorter form it is acceptable.

Viewers who disagree with the movie’s philosophy will at least be able to see how other people come to such conclusions about life.

The story winds down as all of the loose ends from the initial heist are resolved, and the final scene gives Cogan the opportunity to give his own, and by extension the film’s, mission statement, ending in one of the most memorably final lines of dialogue in recent memory. Killing Them Softly will not leave you feeling happy with the world, but the questions it asks are more novel than would be expected of a typical crime story.

DeMaria leads scholarship in British Lit Yuhan Shui

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Guest reporter

his is my first and last job,” Professor of English Robert DeMaria observed.

He has taught at Vassar for 38 years, ever since receiving his Ph.D degree at Rutgers University. A well-known expert in academia on 18th century British literature, DeMaria particularly specializes in the works of famed 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson.

DeMaria’s dissertation director in graduate school, Paul Fussell Jr., inspired his initial interest in the English author. This interest would prompt DeMaria to write a book on Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, an analysis of his works, and a biography of the eminent writer himself.

“It was the greatest dictionary that had been written at that time in English. One of its most important features is its wealth of a lot of quotations. He doesn’t just define a word. He illustrates [it] by quoting famous writers who views the word,” DeMaria said.

To better study these quotations, DeMaria made a personal database by hand. DeMaria devised cards for the quotations in Johnson’s dictionary. Then, he ordered the cards by topic, rather than alphabetical order.

Now, DeMaria devotes most of his time and energy editing the Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson. DeMaria began work on the edition about 20 years ago. After the death of the work’s general editor, DeMaria took over leading its creation.

The edition, started in 1955, only has two volumes left, and will be completed in a couple of years. DeMaria also is editor of The Johnsonian Newsletter, a Vassar College-supported journal publishes twice a year that explores Johnson’s contemporary reception and historical context.

Asides Johnson, DeMaria is working on a book for Blackwell Publishers, entitled Keyworks. The book functions as a dictionary for the most important words of the 18th century, such as “judgment” and “sensibility.” He also is the editor for the Penguin Books edition of Gulliver’s Travels.

This semester, DeMaria is teaching a Freshman Writing Seminar, “What is a Classic?” The class examines what it means to label a piece of literature “classic.” The reading materials vary from The Aeneid to Jane Eyre.

DeMaria attributes the durability of such works to their ability to illuminate permanent truths that remain throughout multiple generations of readers. These classics are classic because they stay relevant, and relatable to other works of literature.

“The Aeneid is not only about a Roman soldier, a Greek soldier, but it’s about everyone,” DeMaria said. “And Jane Eyre is not just a tutor in the 19th century, but somehow she has characteristics that we all understand.”

DeMaria enjoys teaching freshmen. “I have taught a lot of freshmen writing seminars but I have never taught this subject. And I thought it would be fun, partly because it’s impossible to define a classic.”

“We can get infinite answers. And it also provides me opportunities to read a lot of books that I like. None of them are by Samuel Johnson,” DeMaria continued. “I also thought I would get an interesting group of students, and I do. I found them fascinating.”

DeMaria thinks all his freshmen students are smart in varying ways. “They are not convinced that studying English is important.

And I like the challenge,” DeMaria said. “I want to know how they think. That’s my goal as an English teacher. Not to tell them what I think, but to find out what they think, and have a conversation with them, in which they developed their thoughts.”

“I am a teacher, I am older and I read a lot more. So I think I have something to offer. But they have something to offer me to. Do I inspire them? I don’t know,” DeMaria said. “But they inspire me. I always learned a lot from, particularly, freshmen.”

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

don’t think that Vonnegut was the kind of writer who constructed new worlds in order to escape his own—the imagined world that permeates his novels seems a brilliant kind of coming to terms with the pains of the reality he experienced. This was achieved usually through the use of the sardonic metaphor, shamelessly dark comedy and terse undermining of glamor and glory. His bold but judicious use of them was revolutionary.

One can no doubt see Vonnegut’s style developing and continuing throughout his correspondences, now collected in a new volume called “Letters.” The compilation surveys Vonnegut’s entire adult life, organized by decade, beginning with his return from the war in the ’40s, ending with his death in the ’00s. In reading “Letters,” it quickly becomes clear that Vonnegut’s narrative voice was a seamless extension of himself. His mode of communication was always partial to a sort of paralipsis (mentioning by not mentioning)—his refusal of sentimentality in his life and writing actually called attention to sentimentality itself. He conceived a voice such that when it comes to emotion, the lack is more powerful than substance might be.

The memorable “so it goes” refrain from Slaughterhouse Five is a delightful example of the trivialization of the horrors of war which was so iconic of Vonnegut. It seems that there was a real-life manifestation of the “so it goes” mentality, recounted in one of the first letters in the collection, written not by Kurt but by his Uncle Alex Vonnegut, to Kurt’s cousin Ella: “In the distance we saw a tall lad approaching, carrying a big heavy bag. Could it be Kay? Those long legs. It might be; it was! We let Alice go to meet him. A hug and a kiss. ‘Now, no emotions, please!’ Kay pleaded.”

“Letters” provides an interactive biography of Kurt Vonnegut, while also revealing or confirming conceptions about his goals in creating literature. Before he became a renowned author, Vonnegut was working towards a Master’s degree in anthropology, which he did not actually succeed in acquiring until he published Cat’s Cradle in 1963, which The University of Chicago considered adequate qualification for the degree.

“Stories” were especially important to Vonnegut, not in the obvious way that stories are important to any novelist, but in that he had a tremendous capacity as a writer to essentialize a large idea in a self-contained, paragraph-long, anecdotal story, within the larger stories that were his novels.

In a letter to his wife discussing his teaching job at The University of Iowa, he contended that his students’ inability to write “simply and clearly” was not “the fault of their previous teachers.

It is their own fault: they have no stories to tell.

I am going to take them on walks, and make them look at people.” While Vonnegut clearly concerned himself with “looking at people” and recording the harsh reality around him, and successfully expressed certain universal truths in his work, most of his writing was also deeply personal.

On occasion this has made writing a struggle for Vonnegut, who wrote in a letter to his friend and editor at Scribner’s Harry Brague, “The trouble seems to be that I’m a compulsive, irrational writer, rarely on top of the creative process, but that my id, or whatever it is that Hemingway and Faulkner get in touch with way down deep, down among the dead men, isn’t a very interesting one—not even to me.” Vonnegut’s disregard of traditional intensity and emotion was arguably what made is literature so successful and intellectually fascinating.

In the spirit of Vonnegut, I will give away the ending of the book. Wakefield tells us that these were the last words of advice Vonnegut wrote to be delivered to an audience: “And how should we behave during this Apocalypse? We should be unusually kind to one another, certainly. But we should also stop being so serious. Jokes help a lot. And get a dog, if you don’t already have one…I’m out of here.”

hen Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) gives his manifesto on how he operates as a hitman halfway through Killing Them Softly, he explains that he likes to kill people from a distance, so emotions can’t get in the way.

The rest of the film is spent illustrating exactly how emotions complicate Cogan’s job.

Directed by Andrew Dominik, who previously teamed with Pitt for 2007’s underrated The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the film tells a lean crime story that highlights the mundane nature of the lives of hitmen and thieves.

The movie begins with two low-level criminals, played by Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn, who rob an illegal poker game. The local crime bosses hire Cogan to find and kill them, so they can reopen the poker game and continue to make money. Throughout the film, Cogan acts as an agent of efficiency. He is someone who does what needs to be done to clean up messes so that everyone can return to the business of profit.

Pitt excels in the role, seething with frustration as the people around him make mistakes on account of their emotions, which he then has to fix. Much of the film is made up of long scenes of dialogue between Cogan and one other character, as he explains what they need to do next, and which they inevitably fail to do.

The rest of the cast is equally strong, particularly the two younger thieves. McNairy and Mendelsohn show how their criminal lifestyles have already worn them down, playing men with no other options left to take. Their false bravado in the early scenes gives way to despair as they begin to understand the consequences of their actions.

The characters higher up in the criminal structure serve a different purpose, showing how banal the problems faced in such a life are. Richard Jenkins plays the intermediary between Cogan and bosses as a bureaucrat,

struggling with the bosses as they attempt to lead by committee.

By focusing on these normal problems, Dominik avoids the cliché of idealizing the characters in a crime story as larger-than-life figures. These characters speak plainly about the ugliness and violence they have to commit, and they don’t struggle with existential problems so much as immediate concerns. When another hitman, Mickey (James Gandolfini), is hired to help Cogan out, the first thing he does is explain how his marriage is falling apart. He then goes on a bender, drinking heavily and hiring multiple prostitutes. This moment also highlights the complete lack of female voices in the plot, an unfortunate flaw of the film.

Professor of English Robert DeMaria’s professional career at Vassar spans 38 years, during which time the Samuel Johnson specialist published an anthology of 18th century British Literature.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ARTS

December 13, 2012

Page 17

Capoeira club fuses martial arts, dance Steven Williams arts editor

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sually, when two people face off in a circle surrounded by a group of chanting onlookers, something ugly and violent is about to happen. But three days a week, when the still-unofficial Capoeira Club comes together in the Walker Fit Center MPR, it’s the exact opposite. “Capoeira, most simply, is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance style,” said Gabe Back-Gaal ’14, the founding member of the group. And for a martial art, it is remarkably non-violent. “Capoeira is mostly non-contact, especially the style that we practice here at the College,” he explained.

Capoeira has been a staple in club leader Back-Gaal’s life since 2008 when he began attending a studio named Raízes Do Brasil near his home in Brooklyn. He is very conscious of the importance of instructors in helping him grow in the art. “My teachers are a hugely important part of my experience,” he said.

Back-Gaal fondly refers to them by their traditional nicknames, Mestre Foca (seal) and Instrutora Rouxinol (nightingale). “I don’t get to see them as frequently but they’re still absolutely and integral part of my practice and of helping me set up this

practice here,” he said. Mestre Foca has even done a workshop on campus for the group.

Now, Back-Gaal has an opportunity to pass on his skills to others at Vassar, and he appreciates the opportunity to grow a closely-knit group. “For me, the joy of teaching capoeira here at Vassar comes in large part from the work of developing a community,” he said.

Still seeking their official VSA certification as a club on campus, the group regularly draws 6-10 people to every meeting. The gatherings have brought in students with no previous knowledge of capoeira, such as Victoria Youngblood ’16. “I started Capoeira at the beginning of this semester, and have learned a ton since, solely from my experience in the club,” she said.

And each member is an integral part of the experience. “Everyone plays a part in a roda [circle] de capoeira: not just the players in the roda, but the people clapping, singing, and playing the instruments as well,” he noted in an emailed statement. And as the group grows, it becomes even more of an event. “A roda of 20 people is a very different experience than a roda of five people,” he wrote.

“The energy is exponentially greater, and the high that people tend to get from the experience comes as much from the social aspect

Jiajing Sun/The Miscellany News

Vassar’s Capoeira club meets three times a week in Walker MPR. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian dance style with martial arts influences that, like yoga, encourages a philosophy of life.

Campus Canvas

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

as the physical aspect.”

Capoeira is a cross-cultural amalgamation.

“The metaphor that’s most commonly used is that Capoeira is a child conceived in Africa and born in Brazil,” said Back-Gaal. The focus of capoeira is not to physically hurt an opponent, unlike other marital arts. “It’s martial in the sense that it’s teaching you the instincts of combat and the give and take of a fight,” said Back-Gaal.

However, many of the moves are akin to other forms of fighting. “It incorporates kicks and dodges as well as more gymnastic movements: cartwheels and flips,” he said. “For the most part, the skills that we’re learning aren’t pointed towards combat, they’re pointed towards learning an art form and a philosophy of life, and a fun way to spend time.”

The philosophy of capoeira is evident foremost in the fact that two people engaged in the roda is not called a match, or anything so confrontational, but a game. “The idea of play is central to Capoeira so when you have two people engaged in a game together what they’re doing is playing,” said Back-Gaal.

“Just the language evokes the spirit of it.

There is a certain exuberance and a freedom to it.”

The blending of martial art and dance is quite evident in the art’s musical accompaniment. Always practiced with live music around the roda, it is a lively affair. “The main instrument in the roda is the berimbau,” said Back-Gaal, explaining the bow-like contraption. Other instruments include an atabacque (drum), pandeiro (tambourine), even an agogo (cowbell).

Meetings encompass a variety of activities. Generally, Back-Gaal leads the group first in warming up, based on what he senses the dynamic of the day to be. Youngblood appreciates the nature of the meetings. “The club meetings are designed so that players who are really passionate about capoeira can always learn new things and continue being challenged every week, while those who cannot make as much of a commitment, can always stay in a comfort zone,” she said.

“What is so fun and interesting about capoeira, is that all the members who come to the club, beginners and more advanced players, can all interact and play capoeira with each other and still have a fun time, not to mention getting a good workout!”

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“‘Firework’ by Katy Perry.

Just the line, ‘Baby you’re a firework.’”

—Ashlei Hardenburg ’13

“‘The Final Countdown’

by Europe”

—Sam Plotkin ’15

“‘Lands End’

by String Cheese Incident.”

—Evan Obligin ’14

“‘New York State of Mind’

by Billy Joel.”

—Stephanie Goldberg ’14

“‘These Days’

by Jackson Browne.”

—Sean Eads ’16

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his picture was taken at Croton Point Park on the Hudson River. I used a Nikon F2 analog SLR camera and developed the film in a darkroom. I shoot a lot outside; the aura of natural objects, alive or ‘inanimate,’ speak to me in both a visual and a spiritual sense. Each of these rocks has a presence; they

are sitting in peaceful apathy on the Hudson shore. I was trying to capture the dark charismatic nature of the rock in the center, although the stones in the background have personalities as well.

To capture the drama and personality in natural structures, I am influenced by Ansel Adams. This photo is

a response to his landscape of Mount Williamson—however, my photo is without the mountain, and the background recedes into hazed hills and pale sky. The Hudson Valley has a tamed ennui that the Sierra Nevada of Adams’ image has not had to succumb to.

— Layla Fassa ’15

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“‘Everybody Wants to be a Cat’ from The Aristocats.”

—Julia Boskov-Ellen ’15

—Adam Buchsbaum, Arts Editor Katie de Heras, Photo Editor

SPORTS

Page 18

December 13, 2012

Despite mixed record, men’s basketball seeks strong finish Christian La Du Guest reporter

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Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

en’s basketball wrapped up the Fall 2012 semester of their season in competitive fashion. The team recently had a close match against Hamilton College at home despite losing 54-69. They also trounced Sarah Lawrence University on the road 78-19, with a 4-4 record before last night’s home match versus Mount St. Mary College.

Vassar’s successes this year have come from a combination of new and familiar sources, as sophomore Alex Snyder and junior John Donnelly have shouldered much of the scoring load with 12 points per game and 11.5 ppg respectively. Senior Co-captain Jon Herzog has been the most prolific floor-spacer, leading the team in 3-pointers made and attempted with 14 out of 43 and closely followed by junior Sam Rappaport at 14 out of 38 and who was 7 for 7 in scoring after Monday’s performance behind the arc against Sarah Lawrence University.

Going into this past off-season, Snyder made physical preparation a priority by slimming down and improving both strength and stamina in order to increase his court time. He wrote in an emailed statement, “I wanted to make sure that I would be able to play more minutes.

I felt that if I was able to be on the floor longer I would be able to help the team out more.”

He also listed his performance last year as one of his reasons for this change: “I also wanted to be quicker defensively. I did not want to be a liability on defense this year like I feel I was last year.” His hard work has paid off, as his minutes have increased from 21.4 to 29.4 minutes per game, while his stats are up across the board. Additionally, team defense has helped opposing offenses to a shooting percentage of 37%, down from the past two years where opponents shot 45%.

Junior Andrew Adkins spoke on the team’s improved defense, declaring that it has achieved a much more solid backing. “[There is] a greater sense of urgency on the defensive end. We learned the hard way last year about

what happens when the other team takes uncontested shots. We are making a better effort at challenging every attempt this year.” The team’s primary defensive scheme is a man-toman defense anchored by its collection of bigs but initiated by pesky on-ball defense. Sophomore guard Curtis Smith has always been able to use his quickness to attack on offense and is doing a much better job applying his speed on the other side of the floor as well, while wily veteran Herzog ’13 leads the team in the unofficial stat of drawn fouls and is second on the team in combined blocks and steals (11 total) behind Snyder (with 13).

Competition will now intensify as the team begins to prepare for Liberty League play with upcoming matches against the Union College Dutchmen and Clarkson University, but the team has set high standards for itself, and is eager to keep on working and improving. Snyder spoke for the team when he reflected on the Hamilton game, and wrote that, “I feel we could have won, or at least put up a better fight than we did. I think we competed hard, but we could have played smarter.” The first half saw the Brewers down only four points at 3026 despite the Hamilton Continentals shooting a blistering 8-11 from three point range for 24 of their 30 points. The Brewers stayed in the game with Donnelly recognizing his mismatch and repeatedly attacking off the dribble and getting into the paint for turnarounds and freethrows and Snyder thoroughly outclassing his counterparts on the block with both footwork and physicality.

In the second half the Brewers saw their field goal percentage drop from 41% to 36%, while the Hamilton Continentals took 15 free throws and shot 50% from the floor after only managing two and shot 37% in the first half. They were aided by coaching decisions by the Vassar staff, which briefly switched to a 2-3 zone (inadvisable against a good 3-points shooting team like Hamilton), and a called a timeout after there were no more available.

The team stayed focused, however, and

Forward John Donnelly ’14 scores a point at last weekend’s close match against Hamilton College.

The team hopes to make Liberty League playoffs in January, ending their season on a strong note. bounced back with a dominant win against Sarah Lawrence despite playing without Co-captain Herzog, who dislocated his shoulder when he grappled for a rebound during Sunday’s practice. Snyder, while hoping for a quick recovery from the team’s leader in assists, isn’t too worried, and feels that this provides an opportunity for the underclassmen, specifically the sophomores, to step up their game. “I came here believing that the class of 2015 would be instrumental in turning around this program.

We are a very dedicated, hard working group of guys that all have the same goals. We all want to win, and to bring a winner’s mentality to Vassar men’s basketball. We want to create a program that is feared by opponents, and respected by our fellow classmates.”

The team will need that mentality going into the upcoming slate of Liberty League matches

in January. Co-captain Evan Carberry ’14 stated the goal for this team: “We are focused on making the Liberty League playoffs, which means finishing in the top four. This means that every league game is a big one. Once league play starts in January we need to be playing our best basketball.” They will have plenty of opportunities to practice—they return on New Year’s Day to start practicing again on Jan. 2, followed by six league games before the semester starts up. Snyder is looking forward to that challenging stretch, and stated, “I am confident that by the time conference play comes around Vassar College will be a name that other teams will hate to see on their schedule.” Their next match after break will take place on the first Tuesday of classes (Jan. 29) when they host the Bard Raptors at 8 p.m. in the Athletic and Fitness Center.

Vassar recovering from string of end-of-semester defeats Kerrin Poole

Guest reporter Men’s Basketball

The Vassar men’s basketball team took on the College of Mount St. Vincent on Tuesday night and lost 72-78 in overtime. Sophomore guard Sam Rappaport hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in the second half to tie the game and send it into overtime. The entire game was highly contested, with a second half where there were six lead changes and six instances where the score was tied. The Brewers’ only overtime lead came when senior guard and Co-captain Jon Herzog hit a layup seventeen seconds into overtime, leaving Vassar ahead 64-62. Junior forward John Donnelly had the game-high point score with 23. On Saturday afternoon, the Brewers faced off against Hamilton College and lost 54-69 despite a strong

first half. A severe drop in scoring percentages by Vassar—from 41.7 percent hit from the floor in the first half to 34.6 percent in the second—along with a rise in scoring percentages

by Hamilton College, from 36.7 percent in the first half to 50.0 percent in the second, left the Brewers crippled. Traveling to Bronxville, N.Y. on Saturday night, Vassar played Sarah Lawrence College in the final road game of the semester and won 78-19. With three Brewers having hit double-digit scores, Rappaport led the charge with 21 points, all 7-7 shots came from beyond the 3-point line. Sophomore Alex Snyder had his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and ten rebounds, while sophomore guard Curtis Smith had 12 points. Next, the Brewers (4-4) host Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. for their final non-league game, and its final match of

courtesy of Vassar Athletics

Forward Colleen O’Connell ’15 pushes through Berkeley College’s (NY) defense at last Saturday’s game. The women’s basketball team won the match with a score of 72-55 and will face Bard on Jan. 8.

the year. The game also marks Student Appreciation Night, and more than 50 athletes and teams will be honored during half time for their 2012 performances. Next semester, the Brewers will continue the winter season with a match vs. Bard College on Jan. 8 at Annandale-on-Hudson at 8 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

On Saturday, the Vassar women’s basketball team faced off against Berkeley College (NY) and won with a score of 72-55. With a career high 16 points from sophomore guard Nyah Berg, the Brewers extended their undefeated record of 6-0 as they defeated the short-handed Knights. Next, the VC women’s basketball team will play Widener University at the Montclair University Holiday Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. Another exciting memoment in women’s basketball this week was the perfromance by junior guard Cydni Matsuoka, who has been honored for the second consecutive week and for the third time this season by the Liberty League for her excellent play when she earned an Honor Roll citation. This marks the 12th time in her career she has been honored by the league. In VC’s win over Drew University and Berkeley, Matsuoka scored 19 and 18 points respectively and also shot a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. So far this season, she has averaged 20.2 points a game while shooting 58 percent from the field, and .559 in 3-pointers. Matsuoka currently is leading the Liberty League in scoring, field goal percentage, assists, 3-point field goal percentage, 3-pointers made per game and assist to turnover ratio. Their first match of 2013 will take place on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. vs. Bard College at Annandale-on-Hudson. Their first home game will be against Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute at 6 p.m. in the AFC. Women’s Squash

On Saturday, the Vassar College women’s squash team had a tough loss against the Connecticut College Camels at Yale University’s Brady Squash Center. Brewer Seniors Jill Levine

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

and Avery Siciliano went all five in sets with their opponents in the no. four and five spots respectively. Levine had a two-set lead over Camel freshman Alexis DiTomasso 11-9, 11-8 before dropping the third and fourth sets 9-11, 4-11.

Despite a hard-fought effort, she fell in the fifth set 8-11. Siciliano likewise fell to her opponent senior Lucy Wallace in the fifth set 10-12. The Brewers’ only wins were by senior Andrea Fahmy who defeated sophomore Myra Jacobs 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 in the no. eight spot, and sophomore Davina Vaid who defeated freshman Alhel Garza 11-6, 11-2, 11-2 in the no. nine spot. The VC women’s squash team will continue play after break when they travel to Haverford, PA for the Haverford College Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 26. They will play Georgetown University at 1 p.m. and Haverford at 3 p.m.

Men’s Squash

On Saturday, the Vassar men’s squash team lost to Connecticut College 9-0 at Yale University’s Brady Squash Center. Senior Jake Harris was competitive in his match against Connecticut’s sophomore Brian Mullen, but ended up losing 5-11, 9-11, 9-11. David Garkinel ’15 also had a close match, but his competitor won 11-5, 11-1, 11-1. More matches will occur when school resumes after break when the VC men’s squash team will travel to Haverford, Pa. for the Haverford College Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 26.

They will play Georgetown University at 1 p.m. and Haverford at 3 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) honored sophomore defender Ariel Bridges on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Because of her overall defensive performance, she earned Third Team NCAA Division III Women’s All-East Region honors. After starting in all 16 games, Bridges has consistently shut down the top attackers in the region in the center back position. She had one assist in the Fall 2012 season in a game versus St. Lawrence, which led the team to a 3-2 win in double overtime.

December 13, 2012

SPORTS

Lockouts have no place in NHL culture Zach Rippe Columnist

I

t wouldn’t be professional sports without some sort of lockout.

In the aftermath of a potential NFL lockout during last year, and an NBA lockout that shortened the season to only 66 games, the National Hockey League has decided to once again join the party.

The last NHL lockout took place more than seven years ago during the 2004-2005 season, and it began the day the collective bargaining agreement from the 1994-1995 lockout ended.

Go figure.

Thus, today in 2012, the year that the 20042005 collective bargaining agreement ended, there is yet another strike. I mean, these guys really need to make their money right?

The previous average salary had been a measly $2.4 million. The minimum salary was $525,000 last season—practically nothing.

These guys certainly deserved to make more.

Therefore they would speak their minds and strike, just like they do every other time. Now this is not to say that ownership is in the right and is not corrupt, but is it really to the point where it is necessary to sacrifice an entire season?

The latest development is that games for the 2012-2013 season in the NHL have been canceled through Dec. 30. Forty-three percent of the season has already been canceled, and that is including the all-star game and 526 regularly scheduled season games. As stated ad nauseam in regards to lockouts, the real victim here is neither the players nor the owners, but the fans. Sports have become such an institution and business that they are beginning to have guaranteed lockouts every time collective bargaining agreements run out.

It is as if lockouts are now part of the culture of the games themselves. This goes back to the ethics of sports in general. Sadly, playing “for the love of the game” seems to no longer even be a plausible reason. People often get laughed at rather than lauded for

questioning why players don’t play for the love of the game. And honestly, from a certain perspective, who can blame them?

If I were making millions I would certainly be concerned with more than just the “love of the game.” The question here lies with how far these players would go to secure that extra $500,000 when they are already multi-millionaires. Are they simply fighting against the evil ownership? Is this more about principle of contract than the physical money itself?

The season was originally slated to begin on Oct. 11, 2012. Commissioner Gary Bettman declared a lockout after a new agreement could not be made. What exactly did the owners want to do?

They wanted to reduce the 57% of the share of hockey-related revenues guaranteed to the players, along with changing free agency, creating term limits on contracts and ultimately eliminating salary arbitrations. Bettman and the owners seem to only be hurting themselves at this point in time. The amount of money the league is losing due to a lack of games and promotions is quite a hefty price to pay in exchange for new contract negotiations.

Bettman stated to ESPN that, “The business is probably losing between $18 and $20 million a day and the players are losing between $8 and $10 million a day.” Employee pay was also cut by 20 percent. To make matters worse, some teams flat out fired their employees. These sports strikes seem to heighten the effects of not being able to reach a consensus to the max. You do the math.

There have been two months and twenty days completely canceled. Does the NHL wasting an opportunity for billions make any sense?

The league may also be sacrificing some of its fan base due to these multiple strikes.

Many fans may not agree with this heaving business like influence over the league. The Purists may dismiss the NHL for putting more focus on money than actually just play-

ing the game. Who would want to support a league that doesn’t have a season every four or five years simply because its players want to make $4.6 million rather than $4.4 million.

Speaking of these players, what are they going to do?

“The question here lies with how far these players would go to secure that extra $500,000 when they are already multi-millionaires.”

Zach Rippe ’16 At the moment there are various places these NHL players can go to continue to keep up with their hockey skills. A variety of European leagues are available at the moment, allowing players to either return home to or travel to Russia, Finland, Germany, etc. The younger guys can also opt to stay here and play in the AHL (American Hockey League) or even junior hockey if they are young enough.

Is there hope?

It is true that the 13 games on New Year’s Eve have not yet been canceled. The NBA lockout last year lasted just short of Christmas, proving that there is indeed a chance for this season to still be played, at least partially.

In fact, there is still a strong possibility for a 57-game season if a deal is reached soon and games begin around Jan. 1. This may very well not be the last NHL lockout, but let’s just hope that next time, their agreement lasts at least ten years.

Bryant rouses respect across team divides Luka Ladan Columnist

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his past week, Kobe Bryant surpassed 30,000 total points for his career, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to do so. He accomplished the incredible feat against the New Orleans Hornets (or, should I say Pelicans?) in typical Bryant-is-still-thesmoothest-scorer-alive fashion. He quickly attacked from the wing, weaved through the lane, stutter-stepped through and around a couple of overmatched defenders, and floated the ball over the outstretched arms of a shot-blocker, all while looking off two completely unguarded three-point shooters on the perimeter.

May I say typical Kobe Bryant fashion, anyone? Come on, I deserve at least one tiny jab at the guy, considering that he inflicted unwarranted fear and nervousness upon my fragile adolescent psyche these past few years, I’m a die-hard Boston Celtics fan and very proud of it, and the Los Angeles Lakers are right up there as one of my least favorite sports teams (joining the repulsive Miami Heat, New York Giants and New York Yankees.)

Regardless, Kobe’s accomplishment is well worth celebrating and shouldn’t, under any circumstance, be overlooked. I would be hard pressed to recall a more complete scorer than the future Hall of Famer, and that includes Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the rest of the historic company that he joined on that one play against the Hornets/ Pelicans. The man has it all—dunks, floaters, pull-up jumpers, three-pointers, fade-ways, savvy post moves, crafty pivots and the instinctive knack to hit in-your-face, fallingout-of-bounds, demoralize-the-opponent shots that win you close games. Jordan had it too, but Kobe very well might represent the most complete scoring package in NBA history. With the ball in his hands, opposing players and coaches know that he can literally score from anywhere on the floor. And Kobe seems to come through.

When you look at the numbers that he’s

putting up this season, Kobe is still coming through more often than other teams would like. He is currently averaging 28.4 points per game on 19.4 shots a game, which means that Kobe is scoring at his best rate since the 200607 season, while taking the least shots that he’s ever taken since the 2003-04 season. This rate of efficiency may not continue, given that only over a month of the season has passed and it exceeds even Kobe’s standards, but the statistics definitely look incredible early on.

By all means, Kobe finds himself nearing retirement these days, working through the legacy-cementing part of his career rather than the up-and-coming or top-of-the-world one, otherwise known as the Russell Westbrook and LeBron James, respectively. But it isn’t foolish to say that he hasn’t looked this good and this efficient in a long, long time. On top of the scoring numbers, has there ever been a more durable player than Kobe Bryant? He just never misses games, whether his finger is dislocated or his ankle is swelling, and this is perhaps my favorite part about Kobe, the player. Over the past decade, his commitment to showing up in each and every game is unparalleled. I have never turned off a Lakers broadcast regretting that Kobe Bryant didn’t come to play, or just didn’t seem to care about the outcome of the game. Even if he’s facing a lowly, underwhelming opponent, Kobe seems to be driven to prove something. Perhaps, he has his legacy in mind, even when his opponent is the Charlotte Bobcats. Perhaps, the statistics are really, really important to him, which they surely are. Maybe, he just wants to break some obscure record that seemed unbreakable.

Whatever the reason, Kobe Bryant never fails to make an impression, and that is a testament to his Jordan-esque work ethic and willingness to compete, even when his team doctors and assistant coaches are advising him against suiting up. When Carmelo Anthony declined to play in two games this week, one of them nationally televised on TNT, due to a finger injury, I ended up ask-

ing myself one question—would Kobe Bryant have played? And the answer that I found encapsulated the true legend of Kobe, which we have never quite seen and will probably never see again. In my heart of hearts, I came to the personal conclusion that Kobe Bryant would have played, even if he was nursing a relatively minor injury. For me, he’s the standard-bearer turned measuring stick when it comes to playing through pain.

Once you start using “fill-in-the-blank would have” clauses to describe somebody, you know that you have something special.

His competitiveness is transcendent; the love of every single tedious game comes around once in a generation. In the end, it’s inevitable that somebody will surpass Kobe Bryant as a scorer someday. Down the road, someone like Kevin Durant (whose scoring efficiency is worth noting in its own right) will become the youngest player to join the prestigious 30K club, just like Kobe did this past week. However, the inevitability of the future should not take away from the magnificence of the present. Kobe’s accomplishment is something that should be reflected upon, talked about, and commemorated because reaching a milestone of such magnitude just doesn’t happen every day—or every decade, for that matter.

Knowing him, Kobe will keep on scoring and scoring and scoring throughout the 201213 campaign, but it’s worth stepping back for a second after his record-breaking performance in New Orleans. No matter the buzzer-beaters, floaters and in-your-eye jumpers that he will certainly keep on hitting during this current NBA season, the tricky little maneuver up and over Robin Lopez should—and will—stick in our minds as just another remarkable chapter in the illustrious career of Kobe Bean Bryant, the scorer, the competitor, the legend. Let’s all just hope that he keeps on playing—and scoring—for as long as possible.

Knowing him, the baskets will keep on coming in bunches, this year and beyond.

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Lakers’ slow start shocks longtime fans Eli J. Vargas I Columnist

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hen picturing success in basketball, one imagines sixteen champsionships and the likes of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Shaquille O’Neal. Those championship banners, trophies and the bright lights of the Staples Center where the Los Angeles Lakers play are all what makes this franchise one of the best in the modern era of sports. With the great Los Angeles weather, proximity to Hollywood, courtside celebrities and the legacy of winning, the Lakers franchise just oozes with success and flash, which has made it easy to bring in big name talent to continue its history of winning.

So when the Lakers bring in future hall of famers Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to the nucleus of virtual hall of fame locks Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the expectations are the same: championship or bust.

Fast forward four months and the Lakers are an abysmal 9-12 this season. That doesn’t appear to be too atrocious, because hey, they’re almost .500. But for a franchise like the Los Angeles Lakers, winners of sixteen NBA championships—a franchise that has only failed to make the playoffs five times in their history—this is a catastrophic meltdown. All around the league, people are wondering how a team with one of the league’s highest payrolls and four future hall of famers could start off so slow. Well, the answer to this glaring question isn’t so easy to produce. It is a conglomeration of multiple reasons.

Injuries have plagued the Lakers, but this is no surprise. The Lakers have assembled a team that they say only has a winning window of two years. True to the Lakers way, this is a win-orbust mentality. The Lakers thus far have been the latter of the two. So maybe the Lakers front office should notice that it isn’t the coaching that is wrong, but the team. Along with an older roster, with aging superstars Kobe Bryant and two-time MVP Steve Nash, the Lakers have had to deal with an injured lineup. Backup point Steve Blake will be out six to eight weeks with an abdominal tear requiring surgery, and Pau Gasol has been suffering from tendinitis in both knees, leading him to produce career lows of 12.6 ppg and 8.8 rpg. But the most notable injured Laker has to be Steve Nash, who has been out since the second game of the season with a fractured fibula. Mike D’Antoni and Steve Nash have experienced great success with one another in D’Antoni’s run and gun offense from 20052009, so naturally once Steve Nash returns, he will be the much needed boost that the Lakers have been pining for. To some extent this may be true, but it seems as if Coach D’Antoni has been using Nash’s absence on the team as a goto excuse for everything relating to losses. However, there are such glaring faults in the Lakers’ defense, age, susceptibility to injury and bench depth as evidenced in the past few games, that Nash’s return cannot fix everything. To put it in perspective, this is a team that won 57 games last year, and was pretty formidable, all without having an above-average point guard or Dwight Howard.

Only recently has D’Antoni begun to realize that a 38-year-old Steve Nash may not be the savior that this team is hoping for in his addressing its many deficiencies. Despite the absence of success, Mike D’Antoni maintains a cavalier attitude, which to me doesn’t seem to be the way a coach should be behaving considering the Lakers’ previous coach, Mike Brown, was fired after a 2-3 start. All of Lakers nation seems to be in panic mode, wondering how a team with four future Hall of Famers and a proven coach could be putting up such poor results. For a fan base and franchise that are used to constant success, what is happening in the sacred name of the championship-winning Los Angeles Lakers is unfathomable, especially after such an eventful off-season with such high soaring hopes.

The ever-smiling Dwight Howard, the franchise center, still expresses hope: “We’re too good of a team to let everything slip away here. We’re going to get it. It’s going to click one day and then all this mess will be over with.” Let’s just hope that this happens sooner rather than later.

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December 13, 2012

Bolstad joins Prater-Lee on Vassar’s swim and dive staff Chris Brown reporter

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courtesy of GoRedFoxes and Jonah Bleckner

s Vassar nears the end of the semester, winter sports all have a good idea of how their season is going and what they need to do for the off-season. However, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving team has gone through a major shift in the recent weeks, losing their longtime Diving Coach after he sent in his resignation mid-season. With a team in turmoil, swimming and diving team Head Coach Lisl Prater-Lee and new Diving Coach Brian Bolstad have kept the group on a steady path, making them the two featured coaches of the week.

Lisl Prater-Lee is now coaching her 18th season as the men’s and women’s swimming and diving Head Coach. Prater-Lee graduated from Oberlin with bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Sports Psychology and joined the Vassar coaching team in 1993. Since then, she has made a huge impact on the swimming and diving team, steadily increasing the size of the program. “Lisl is one of the most passionate people I have ever met,” sophomore Elizabeth Balter, who is a competing member of the women’s swimming team, wrote in an emailed statement. “Her dedication has not once faltered.

She is extremely committed to advancing our program, and puts in many extra hours outside of practice trying to do so.”

Prater-Lee takes a very unique approach when coaching her team. She looks at each athlete’s individual performances and works with them to make adjustments to their form and improve their overall skill level. “Her passion and dedication to the team shows through her willingness to help swimmers individually outside and inside the pool. She genuinely cares about the physical and mental well-being of her swimmers,” wrote freshman Anna Kuo. Kuo is one of the many teammates who was recruited into the Vassar swimming and diving program.

Freshman Lilliana Frye commented on Prater-Lee’s keen eye when it comes to practices.

“Lisl is very good at creating workouts: the sets she chooses and the intervals she chooses for them are not just random day-by-day. She has a long-term plan for us, and although not ev-

Marist graduate Brian Bolstad started his job at Vassar earlier this week as the new diving coach.

Lisl Prater-Lee, the head swimming and diving coach, is excited to have him on board the staff. ery single practice is bone-crushingly brutal, all the practices put together add up to us being the most successful at the end of the season,” wrote Frye in an emailed statement. “She is understanding and changes the practice for each person’s needs.”

Prater-Lee also relates to her team by participating in an excessive personal training schedule. Balter wrote, “One of the most impressive things about Lisl is that she is still incredibly active herself. Every day before practice Lisl has already swam, ran and/or biked multiple miles. She leads by example in this way, and has an incredible amount of integrity and passion.

I work my hardest because I know how much time and energy she puts into coaching us. I strive to be a good sportsman and teammate because I don’t want to disappoint her. It is inspiring to have a coach like Lisl, and the whole Vassar community is very lucky to have her.”

Prater-Lee, with a history as a collegiate swimmer, has terrific insight on the sport of

Novice hikers seeking time outdoors welcome in VOC OUTDOORS continued from page 1 place on the weekend, except for the occasional 5 a.m. sunrise hike to Beacon Mountain. The VOC is not limited to the outdoors: the group has gone taste-testing, watched documentaries and visited skating rinks as well.

For Ewen, the chance to explore a new area or skill is one of the main draws of the VOC. “Vassar is such a beautiful place, but so is its surrounding area! There are so many things to see and do off this campus, and our Outing Club allows students to explore those opportunities. Students who join the club can improve their outdoor skills, try something new, and meet some really wonderful people along the way.” Included in these outdoor skills are basic survival skills, similar to the ones that Ewen is familiar with from her Wilderness First Responder training. The VOC very recently traveled to Bard for a primitive skills workshop to further their knowledge of these survival techniques.

There are a wide variety of trips offered by the club each week. Hikes to several locations in the nearby Hudson Valley area are common, as are indoor and outdoor climbing trips. Although the Outing Club receives some funding from the VSA for equipment and other expenses, many of the members are so passionate about the outdoors that they bring their own equipment to Vassar to use on their trips. The club also purchases some of their equipment through outdoor retailers such as REI. One of Ewen’s most memorable experiences in the club was certainly a unique and potentially scary one. “We...were on a bushwhack in the Catskills on the weekend before Halloween [2011], which, if you recall, was the weekend of the Snowpocalypse. We hurried down the mountain as the snow began to really fall, but...couldn’t drive out of the tiny Catskills

roads. We ended up staying the night in an apartment above some nice stranger’s barn, watching football, and eating hot dogs. When I woke up in the morning, there was about a foot of snow, and it was really beautiful! I guess I have been hooked on the VOC ever since.”

There is no training necessary to be involved with the VOC, and novices are welcome. “One of my favorite parts of the Outing Club is its inclusion of all experience levels. If someone has any desire to take an occasional hike, to get outdoors, to venture off of the Vassar campus or just to meet new people, they can join the club,” Ewen noted.

While scheduled workouts are not a part of the Outing Club agenda, many of the members do stay in good shape. As Ewen comments, “People who hike, climb, and do other outdoor activities are getting good exercise!”

The future looks bright for the Outing Club.

They have an upcoming partnership with Alpine Endeavors, a climbing company who will allow members of the club to climb with the aid and advice of professionals. Even before the five trips planned with the company next semester, the VOC will be taking a trip to Beacon Mountain on Dec. 13 to view the meteor shower occurring that night, which is just one of several events planned for the rest of the semester..

In just one year, the Outing Club has become a way of life for Ewen, who values the fun as well as the health benefits of being in the club.

“For me, the Outing Club keeps me sane. When everything gets too crazy with my work and with my campus routine, I can wake up on a Saturday morning, put on my boots, go on a hike, see some new faces, laugh, take a breath of fresh air and have my whole life refreshed. I really believe that the VOC can be that restorative source of happiness for anyone on this campus!”

swimming and diving. “[It] has many pieces and parts. It provides the individual sport mentality with the team sport product. Trying to figure out how a group trains and covers 14 swimming and 2 diving events in a dual meet to the best of our ability, to enable us to be the most competitive group that we can be, can be a significant challenge. And that comes most readily when a bunch of individual swimmers and divers come to the realization that they have more left and can put that much more forward,” wrote Prater-Lee. Contrary to Head Coach Prater-Lee, who has been coaching at Vassar College for many years, the new diving instructor, Brian Bolstad, is a very new addition to the swimming and diving program. Earlier in the current season, the former, longtime diving instructor left the team after turning in his resignation. The team struggled to find a new coach after his departure. The responsibility was taken on by Bolstad, who, a collegiate diver himself, knows a lot

about the sport.

Bolstad was a Division I diver who graduated from Marist College in 2011. The current staff approached Bolstad and asked him to come on as the new diving coach for Vassar’s swimming and diving program, and his main focus is with the diving section of the team. During the interim between the retirement of the previous Diving Coach and Bolstad’s employment, Greg Sullivan, a 2012 graduate and former diver from Vassar, temporarily stepped into the coaching position.

Bolstad has already made an impact during his short coaching career here at Vassar. Junior John Nguyen, who is a diver on the team, is excited about the prospect of a new perspective on the team’s performance. “It’s an interesting experience being coached by him because it really brings out how different coaches will have different styles and notice different things about your form. After being coached by three individuals in the course of a semester, it’s nice to have another perspective that’s fresher because he’s been diving more recently. He’s in his twenties,” Nguyen wrote in an emailed statement. Although Bolstad has only been here for a week, the divers are hopeful. “From the week that we’ve been practicing so far, the team has made dramatic improvements, and I’m happy to see what comes of it,” wrote Nguyen.

A lot of the team members are excited by the prospect of having such an accomplished diver as one of their coaches. Senior diving captain Rafael Ricaurte is extremely confident in Bolstad’s abilities as a coach. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows his techniques very well and is able to use his previous experience to coach our team effectively. It is very nice to have a new perspective to our routine training. His coaching style seems very relaxed and focused on drill and techniques to fine tune small, but crucial aspects of execution of a dive. The focus on these will definitely help making learning new dives and working on the ones we already know much easier. As a person, he seems very charismatic and energetic. I feel that’s due to him being a young coach. Overall, he seems like a great guy who’ll definitely help us improve as athletes in our sport,” expressed Ricaurte.

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