The Miscellany News October 22, 2020
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 154 | Issue 8
Vassar cancels study abroad for spring semester Olivia Watson News Editor
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Juliette Pope/The Miscellany News.
Inside this issue
Poet muses on life and YA novelist speaks on presence in quarantine representation, empathy Nina Ajemian
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Guest columnist Ben Fikhman documents the FEATURES mid-pandemic life of New York City over a summer of biking and selfdiscovery.
n the morning of Oct. 19, Dean of Faculty William Hoynes emailed the student body to inform them of Vassar’s decision to cancel study abroad for the coming Spring 2021 semester. Hoynes cited many reasons, including differing quarantine requirements in various countries, unpredictable resources for evacuation should there be an emergency, diminished quality of education and cultural experiences, and concerns over future outbreaks. Additionally, according to the Vassar College Policy on Student Travel, students cannot participate in study abroad programs if the country is designated with a level 3 or above travel advisory by the U.S. State Department or the United States Center for Disease Control. According to Hoynes, nearly all of the countries in which students had planned to study are classi-
fied with a level 3 or above travel advisory. He acknowledged the inevitable letdown this decision brings. “I understand that this continued disruption to study abroad will be disappointing, especially for the many juniors who have long planned to integrate study abroad into their time at Vassar. I regret how the pandemic has impacted these plans that many students have worked very hard to pursue, but I am encouraged in knowing that there are many potential routes towards achieving your global learning goals.” Director of International Programs Kerry Stamp followed up with an email in which she shared that students, particularly juniors, will have the option to study abroad in the fall semester of their senior year. Alternative opportunities include fellowships and summer study abroad programs. This decision comes on the See Abroad on page 3
Assistant Arts Editor
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uried somewhere in the eaves of my house back in New Jersey is a poster board that I made in fifth grade. It’s a collage of scrapbook paper, glossy magazine cutouts, sticker letters and dust in response to Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem, “How Do I Know When a Poem Is Finished?” I first read the poem in 2012, just before Nye came to speak at my school as part of our visiting author program. Though eight years
have passed since then, this poem is always somewhere in the back of my mind, glued to my brain like I glued images onto that poster board. Nye is a Palestinian-American poet, author, songwriter, and educator. She is a self-described “wandering poet,” and her poetry reflects the breadth and depth of her life experiences. When I learned that Nye would be speaking virtually at Vassar for this year’s Elizabeth Bishop Poetry Lecture, I was thrilled; in fact, I audibly squealed See poet on page 6
Leila Raines
Assistant Arts Editor
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he young adult literary genre has blossomed into a rich assortment of stories that capture the complexity of adolescence. These stories have explored teenage identity and relationships while covering contemporary issues, like mental health, racial inequality and immigration. This form of literature is crucial in that it not only allows teenagers to discover who they are, but also provides them with the opportunity to critically
engage with bigger problems in the world around them. Last Wednesday, Oct. 14, Vassar community members were able to take part in a discussion with young adult author Erika Sánchez through a webinar sponsored by the Education Department. The event focused on Sánchez’s journey as a writer and woman of color, especially in relation to her 2017 debut novel, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.” The novel explores the family See Novelist on page 7
Student-organized coalition clashes with local nonprofit
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The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court OPINIONS comes with tons of implications— namely, will our court remain a court of nine?
Tiana Headley News Editor
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onprofit Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson (NLMH) is a well-known grassroots presence in the Poughkeepsie activism ecosystem. The Mid-Hudson region has witnessed the organization mobilize and win key victories for immigrant rights, housing and utility access and racial justice. During the nonprofit’s 2020 remote summer internship program, interns and staff disagreed on which issues campaigns to focus on and workplace transparency. Amid uprisings for racial justice, students wanted to see NLMH take a stronger stance Ever wondered in support of Black Lives Matter. That whether your discord crescendoed into the terminacheering or booing tion of the internship program for all works? Sports 60 volunteers. Students and a former SPORTS Editor Alex Eisert employee are now publicly critiquexamines the ing NLMH’s integrity and reigniting effect of fans upon performance past controversies. Their coalition is in this week’s Stat Chat. named “Contra La Máquina,” Span-
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See Nonprofit on pages 4
Above, the symbol adopted by student coalition Contra La Máquina. Courtesy of Luna Aros/Contra La Máquina.