The Miscellany News
Volume CXLIX | Issue 4
October 6, 2016
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
VC wants diversified courses
Posse students flourish Mack Liederman
Emily Sayer
Guest Reporter
Guest Reporter
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V Courtesy of Laurel Hennen Vigil
ike every other member of the Class of 2020, Brian Lepak arrived on campus for orientation on Aug. 22. Originating from Newport News, VA, Lepak acts just like many other Vassar freshmen. He’s ambitious, driven, interested in student government, plays sports and sometimes doesn’t love the food in the Deece. What sets Lepak apart, however, is that at age 27, he is almost 10 years older than his fellow first years. While his peers are fresh off of puberty, prom, high school graduation and living with their parents, Lepak has spent the last two years living in DC, and before that, five years in the Marine Corps, serving two tours in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Despite his added experiences prior to Vassar, Lepak declares that he feels at home already. “I went to convocation, serenading and other first year activities to make a statement that I’m not any different than the traditional firstyear student,” Lepak said. “The age gap is noticeable, but students don’t really give it much attention. Everyone is very accepting for who you are. Students respect your experiences and really put forth an effort to make you feel safe and See POSSE on page 6
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Students wait in line for their meal at the All Campus Dining Center. If the ongoing renovations continue according to plan, the interior of the building will be transformed into a more open, inviting space.
ACDC renovations to continue Laurel Hennen Vigil Guest Reporter
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assar’s All Campus Dining Center (ACDC), colloquially known as the Deece, is often the subject of students’ derision. “The Deece is not great,” said Nic Gedigk ’19. “The variety of food isn’t too good and the vegetables could be fresher and more flavorful.” Fortu-
nately, if all goes according to the plan that’s been in place since 2012, the Deece will be renovated and Vassar will have a new food service provider by next fall. “Dining is central to campus life and socialization,” said Assistant Dean of the College for Campus Activities Teresa Quinn, who was instrumental in the development of the project, in an
emailed statement, “With an opportunity for renewal, coupled with intentionality and innovation, we can transform and improve the dining experience at Vassar.” In recent weeks, however, there has been talk that the Board of Trustees might put the brakes on the project due to an increase in the projected cost. See DEECE on page 4
assar’s Philosophy Department features courses on the birth of Western philosophy, on Neo-Confucianism and on Hegel and Taoism. However, the bulk of upper-level classes still focus on European and American philosophers and are taught by professors who specialize in Western philosophy. Despite efforts to increase the representation of non-Western perspectives through classes cross-listed with the Chinese and Japanese Department and Women’s Studies Department, Vassar’s Philosophy Department remains typical of many American departments in that its studies are tilted more toward the West than the universal title of “philosophy” might imply. In the pushback against the Eurocentricity of many curricula in higher education, professors in American colleges and universities, including from Vassar’s Philosophy Department, are calling for either a restructuring of the program, or even a different label for the philosophy major more broadly. Professor of Philosophy Bryan W. Van Norden states in an article he co-wrote in the New York Times titled “If Philosophy Won’t Diversify, See PHILOSOPHY on page 7
Exhibit features Marist artwork Vassar coaches score big with new careers O Emma Jones Senior Editor
ver Under: A way of working, making use of actions; adding, removing, stacking, pairing, compressing. After Over: Circling back around to layer a gesture, thought, moment. The cryptic description of the exhibit at the entrance to the Palmer Gallery reads rather like an incomplete thought. Moving further into the gallery, it becomes clear that this imprecision characterizes the thought-provoking ambiguity of the nebulous collection of pieces, which range from collage-style images to
three-dimensional forms. On Thursday, Sept. 22, an exhibition of sculpture and two-dimensional works on paper titled “Over, Under After Over” opened in the Palmer Gallery. The show features three Hudson Valley artists—Donise English, Laura Kaufman ’95 and Christina Tenaglia ’97–all of whom also teach in the Art Department at Marist College. The exhibition will be on view and open to the public through Oct. 13. The show explores the processes of adding and subtracting from a space and of circling back to specific thoughts or moments in this process. Newman elaborated in an emailed
Inside this issue
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Rosh Hashanah services ring in FEATURES sweet new year
14 ARTS
Indian dance performance steals spotlight
Olivia O’Loughlin
Assistant Sports Editor
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he athletic department lost two esteemed coaches as the women’s squash coach Jane Parker and men’s baseball coach Jon Martin stepped down from their Vassar posts in August to accept job offers elsewhere. Both Coach Parker and Coach Martin had significant impacts on the athletics program and led their teams to many impressive accomplishments during their tenures. With their departures, the athletics department
has a challenging task of filling such large shoes. After 13 years on the baseball squad, Coach Jon Martin announced his resignation to accept the head coach position at Bates College. Moving from the Liberty League to NESCAC, Martin will take the reins of Bates’s baseball team, which had an overall record of 14-21 and a conference record of 4-8 last season. Although Martin will pack his bags for Lewiston, MN, his impact will See COACHES on page 18
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Courtesy of Christina Tenaglia
Christina Tenaglia ’97 (work pictured) is one of three Marist art professors —and a Vassar alumna—featured in the new Palmer Gallery show “Over, Under After Over,” which showcases sculpture and 2D paper pieces.
statement, “The three of us share a process that engages a structure (for me this is a system) that we then use to react to by layering, adding or subtracting gestures.” While the three featured artists have markedly different styles, processes and purposes, the artworks in the gallery flow seamlessly and interact in ways that enhance the individual effects of each piece. Each artist moves fluidly between sculptural and two-dimensional pieces, often blending the distinction between the two. English asserted in an emailed statement, “Honestly, I think our work looks great together. I love Christina and Laura’s work and am delighted that it is being shown together.” Beyond the Hudson Valley, English has exhibited her work all over the United States, from the University of Wisconsin, to the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, CA, to the AG Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. English’s work explores a variety of mediums, but, she explained, “Whether using hand-stitching, tiny collage fragments, gouache or embedded wax, the obscure processes of all of the works share an intricacy that allows me to explore my ongoing interest in the sense of touch and the way that it embeds itself in, and indelibly records, human involvement in an object’s making.” The artist has three different bodSee PALMER on page 17
Head baseball coach Jon Martin, shown above, as well as head squash coach Jane Parker are leaving Vassar athletics after long, successful careers.
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Leadership program hits SPORTS home run