The Miscellany News
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CL | Issue 7
October 26, 2017
VC swim starts out strong
Why artists do the play
Kelly Pushie
Matt Stein
Guest Reporter
Arts Editor
T
A Courtesy of Ed Pittman
he Vassar men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams took on Brandeis University in the season opener this past weekend in Kresge pool. The women took home a solid 196.5-110.5 win, while the men fell in a well in a 175-106 loss. On the women’s side, upperclass swimmers performed well for the Brewers, but it was the first-years who stepped up to help secure the win. The Brewers started off the meet strong with a win in the 200yard medley relay, where first-year students Rhea Randhawa, Ellie Kennedy-Wood and Brynn Lautenbacher swam with junior Hayley Schultz and posted a time of 1:52.57 to secure a first-place finish. In that same event, sophomore Sarah Boese, first-year Shannon Schrope, and juniors Kael Ragnini and Meg Harrington finished in third with a time of 1:59.89. The women continued to pull in first-place finishes. First-year Angharad Healey swam a 11:09.38 in the 1000-yard freestyle. Ragnini finished first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:04.69. Tabbed Liberty League Rookie of the Week for her performances this past weekend, See SWIM on page 18
Last week, Vassar screened the documentary “I’m Not a Racist...Am I?,” which follows several high school students from different backgrounds as they learn about race. The screenings were required for all first-year students.
VC screens documentary on race Sasha Gopalakrishnan Assistant Arts Editor
V
assar is no utopia. Many students feel that the idea that this space is a liberal haven, free of social prejudice simply due to the progressive values seemingly imbibed by our student population, is an easy screen to hide behind. A common sentiment on campus is that Vassar is just as susceptible to prejudice as any other campus in the United States, and the Vassar bubble is not going to protect us from that. In recognition and response to the
fact that racial bias does indeed exist here, the Offices of Campus Life and Diversity and Residential Life and the Engaged Pluralism Initiative—along with the Drama and Film Departments—came together to host screenings of a documentary titled “I’m Not a Racist...Am I?” for first-year students, in a significant move by the administration. Attendance at the screenings was required of all first-year students, and each screening was followed by small group discussions facilitated by faculty and administrators in order to give
students the opportunity to voice their reactions to the film, discuss how they perceive issues of racism and think about the role it plays in their own lives. A feature documentary that specifically aims to deconstruct race in the United States, “I’m Not a Racist...Am I?” highlighted how the next generation is going to confront racism. It depicts 12 teenagers from New York City who come together to discuss race, racism and privilege in a series of workshops See FILM on page 3
Be safe on Halloween at Vassar party scene CARES
Courtesy of Twitter
Since its inception in 2016, “Skam” has shattered records throughout Scandinavia, and has even acquired cult followings across the world.
Norway leads TV with popular show ‘Skam’ Patrick Tanella Arts Editor
L
Inside this issue
8
Halloween at long last! Visit VC legends of FEATURES the past
13 HUMOR
[Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence.]
W
ith the semester well underway, it seems as if the whole campus is excited for one of Vassar’s most anticipated weekends: Halloween! Throughout campus there are many events going on that cater to a variety of preferences. Whether you choose to go out and party or stay in and watch a movie, there will certainly be something to do. CARES wanted to take this opportunity to inform the campus about ways that an individual can take action to prevent sexual violence in our community. Unfortunately, even though Halloweekend is a time of relaxation and celebration, it also presents the opportunity for individuals to perpetrate sexual violence. Through understanding situations that can lead to interpersonal violation, individuals can keep themselves and others safe. The Halloween Party this year will be held in Noyes Circle, in an outdoor setting. The administration hopes that this will increase accountability and make it more difficult for violation to happen than in a dark, cramped space such as the Villard
JYAer evades censors to recount Russian adventures
Room. While this is a commendable action, there is still a need for prevention and intervention on an individual level. By prevention, we mean: Be respectful of others’ personal space. Provided there is enough room, don’t dance too close to another person without their consent, and if you want to dance with them, just ask! Remember to always ask for consent before touching someone, even if it’s just giving them a hug or a pat on the back. Also remember that revealing or tight-fitting costumes are NOT an invitation to touch. Individuals can dress however they please regardless of gender identity or body type and deserve respect towards their bodies. Hooking up happens often during Halloweekend. Remember that the definition of consent is a voluntary, knowing “yes” that does not come about through intimidation. The lack of a “no” in itself does not qualify as consent. Intoxication from substances such as alcohol or other drugs impairs judgment so that the intoxicated individual may be unable to give consent to a sexual act. If you find yourself in a situation where you or your partner are inSee CARES on page 6
20 SPORTS
Courtesy of Rachel Wallace
ast year, I wrote about the impact “Skam,” a Norwegian television show created for teens, had on my life and how it changed how I viewed the world. Shortly afterwards, the fourth season of the series was announced, and with this came a notice from the show’s producer that this would be its last. I was immediately hit with a wave of devastation. While I had only been aware of the show since December of last year and the announcement of the fourth season was in April, I felt as though the show had been with me for much longer. It was nothing like I had ever watched before, with its unique usage of media and realistic portrayal
of the characters, who each come with a different burden they carry throughout the show’s run. Clips are posted in real time to NRK’s website, which is the channel that the show is featured on, and then compiled into a 30-minute episode airing on Fridays. So, if the season lead has a breakdown after a party at 3 a.m. on a Saturday, then viewers get to see the clip at that time. It creates a special relationship between subject and viewer, one that has never been explored on this media platform. I was first drawn to the show after seeing images of Isak, the protagonist of Season Three, on Twitter and reading tweets of people freaking out about how amazing this weird Norwegian See SKAM on page 15
Guest Columnist
rt, in its essence, is a collaborative process. Even if one person produces the art, there’s still a shared experience created between the artist and the spectator. In theatre, this is no different. The audience doesn’t just see actors on stage. They also get to witness the efforts made by the director over a month of rehearsals, the set a designer spent hours of their time constructing, the words of a playwright that developed after many drafts from a single idea and the hard work of a stage manager who made sure nothing fell apart. In The Miscellany News’ Sports section, there is a weekly column called “Why We Play.” Here in Arts, we decided to reach out to several Vassar students involved in various production roles in student theatre to understand why they do the play. Leora Randall-Tavori ’18, president of Merely Players and Unbound, will be directing Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” through Unbound. She originally developed a love for theater in general from her grandmother, seeing shows every year for her birthday or watching VHS recordings of 1950s musicals and old ballets in her grandmother’s living room. As a playwright, however, Randall-Tavori developed a linguistic fascination from her father: “I’ve always loved words. I’ve been calling myself a ‘word nerd’ since I could read. I grew up listening to my dad tell me stories, and loving how the way that he used language felt like magic. It sounds corny, but it’s true.” While she only began writing within the last two years, Randall-Tavori has produced a significant amount of work. In addition to helping establish Unbound’s staged reading program, Randall-Tavori has been involved with initiating the TA Reading Series, where once every several weeks there is a See PLAY on page 14
Nicholas Franzen ’20 first became interested in acting from his storytelling father and appearing in a fifth-grade production of “Peter Pan” as the father and Captain Hook.
Vassar’s SAAC strives to bridge student/ athlete divide