The Miscellany News
Volume CXLIX | Issue 7
November 3, 2016
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
Community promotes stronger firearm laws Laurel Hennen Vigil Guest Reporter
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Exhibit fuses art, activism Courtesy of Vassar Communications
raving near-freezing temperatures, hundreds of people gathered at the foot of the Walkway Over the Hudson Saturday morning, Oct. 29, preparing to march across the bridge in a demonstration calling for gun sense laws. It was the fourth annual Walk for Gun Sense, an event prompted by the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012. The Walk is organized by members of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Stop The Violence, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and the Million Mom March. These groups all advocate for “gun sense” legislation—they use the phrase to avoid the negative connotation many have with “gun control.” Their preferred policies include safe storage (locking up guns when they are not in use), universal background checks, closing the gun show loophole (many sellers at gun shows do not require background checks) and prohibiting those on the No Fly List from purchasing firearms. One of the event’s organizers, Dutchess County Coordinator for New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and Professor of Film at Vassar Sarah Kozloff, stated, “We’re hoping to embolden our legislators to take on the gun violence issue. They think if they talk about guns at all they’ll be voted out of office, and we want to show them how strong and
deep support is for smart gun laws.” Regional Organizing Manager for the Brady Campaign Kim Russell added, “We know that background checks work. Since they started in 1994, we’ve stopped 2.4 million gun sales.” At the Walk, dozens of eager marchers arrived well before the 10 a.m. start time, bundled up against the chill and holding colorful signs with gun sense advocacy group logos, as well as homemade placards proclaiming “Smart Gun Laws Protect Our Kids,” “No Fly, No Buy” and other such slogans. Most attendees were parents in their 40s and 50s with young kids—and even a few dogs—in tow. Most asserted they came to the event out of concern for their children’s safety in a country where it is easy to access high-caliber weapons. Many marchers cited Sandy Hook as the event that galvanized them into action, though some noted that they have been involved gun legislation advocacy much longer, having participated in the Million Mom March in Washington D.C. in 2000. Hudson Valley Coordinator for New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Alex Dubroff said, “[Before Sandy Hook] I didn’t know anything about the gun violence problem in our country. To learn that there are 90 people every day who are killed with guns was eye-opening for me, and I just knew I had to do something.” On the other hand, Russell’s motivaSee MARCH on page 3
Professor Marshall Pregnall works with eager Biology students to discover methods of protecting Blanding’s turtle eggs from predators, as pictured above.
Pregnall remembered by students, colleagues Zander Bashaw Senior Editor
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n Oct. 22 2016, Vassar College lost a beloved educator, scientist and community member when Professor of Biology Alexander Marshall Pregnall passed away. Pregnall was unexpectedly struck by cancer early in September, but lived his entire life to the fullest, and was peacefully with his family when he died. There will be a memorial celebration of Pregnall’s
life on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Vassar Chapel, and a reception will follow in the Alumnae/i house. Pregnall had worked for Vassar’s Biology Department since 1986, serving as Department Chair during his time and also teaching within the environmental sciences. He taught a wide array of subjects during his academic career, from courses like Plant See PROFESSOR on page 5
Fashion show weaves VC swimming makes past style with present splash at season opener Kirk Patrick Testa Columnist
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ast Thursday, Oct. 27, I had the pleasure of attending Contrast’s Annual Fashion Show. For those unfamiliar with Contrast, know that it is Vassar’s style and fashion magazine. The theme of this year’s show was the year 1969. This was a watershed year for Vassar’s histo-
ry as it was the year that the College became co-educational. Additionally, 1969 was the time in which many revolutionary events occurred, such as the moon landing, the rise of Black feminism, Woodstock, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed Peace Hair Peace Protest. In short, 1969 was a year of events that See CONTRAST on page 14
Inside this issue
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Dining workers struggle to bring FEATURES home the bacon
15 ARTS
Olivia O’Loughlin Sports Editor
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he men and women’s swimming and diving teams dove into their regular season in meets against Bard College on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Both teams emerged victorious as the men’s team captured the win with a score of 130-85, while the women’s side dominated the Raptors 137-67. Vassar has started its past three seasons with meets against Bard College and has claimed all six wins. This year, a number of swimmers and divers had impressive finishes and contributed to Vassar’s ultimate domination. While the upperclassmen supplemented their previous success in the pool, the freshmen came out with a splash to also achieve great results. On the men’s side, junior Jonah Strand grabbed the Brewers’ first win as he finished the 100 breast stroke with a time of 59.72. Soon after, senior captain Anthony Walker finished the 100 butterfly in 53.19 seconds to earn a first place finish of his own. In this victory, Walker impressively defeated Bard’s powerhouse Dio Tzortzis, who has claimed a myriad of wins for the Raptors. “I am really focusing on the 100 and 200 butterfly this year, as I have in previous years. Probably my main goal this season is simply to beat my
Director puts gang culture in sharp focus
best times in both of those events,” Walker noted. “I also love being a part of relays, and I think we have a chance of breaking some relay records, especially the 800 freestyle relay record this year.” Fellow seniors Patrick Lai and Chris Cerutti also swam well at the Brewer’s season opener. Lai swam a strong 1:05.50 for the 100 breast stroke as Cerutti handily clenched the win in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.71. Cerutti was the only swimmer to finish the race in less than one minute. Behind Cerutti, junior Luke Morrison claimed second place with 1:01.76, followed by junior Kyle Gray with 1:06.28 for third place. With a time of 51.51, sophomore Lukas Harries earned first place in the 100 free as sophomore Ian LaBash trailed him by 1.2 seconds to earn third place. As they suited up for the very first time, the freshmen also posted strong standings against Bard. Freshman Jordan Kalina won two events of the day as he finished the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:56.46 and swam the 500 free in a fast 5:11.23. Soon after, fellow classmate Yoav Yaron finished the 500 free in 6:34.67 minutes to claim the fourth spot. To round up the freshman class success, Harrison Taylor finished in See SWIMMING on page 19
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Emily Sayer
Features Editor
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amed for Norman Rockwell’s depictions of FDR’s Four Freedoms, the first artist-run super PAC, For Freedoms, challenges classic conceptualizations of democracy with visual activist campaigns representing a broader range of American narratives. The super PAC aims to involve its audiences in politics using art exhibitions and spectacle to help them reimagine their role in supporting various domestic and international agendas. Capitalizing on the buzz generated by this election season, For Freedoms encourages viewers to consider the intersectionality of race, gender, socioeconomic disparity, citizen/migrant status and other aspects of identity politics in public discourse. UnFramed is a student organization founded by Matthew McCardwell ’17 on the ideals of inclusive political dialogue and art as a tool of activism. The org is horizontally structured, unfettered by hierarchical managerial pressures. Like For Freedoms, unFramed agitates around liberal social causes and policies. McCardwell explained his rationale for bringing For Freedoms to the Vassar Collaboratory, saying, “This summer my friend Samantha Kohl [and I] were both working at different art nonprofits that focus on community and public art and we saw this exhibition at the Jack Shainman gallery by the first ever art super PAC called For Freedoms and we fell in love with it. We got in touch with the founders and asked if we could start a dialogue about how that would look at Vassar and we got in touch with the two primary founders. One [of the founders] is Eric Gottesman, who’s an artist who’s currently teaching at Hampshire college in Amherst, MA and he was like, what if you guys See EXHIBIT on page 6
Emily Sayer/The Miscellany News
Courtesy of Vassar Contrast
In Contrast’s annual fashion show, student models walked the runway, displaying couture inspired by the revolutionary spirit of the year 1969.
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
The For Freedoms installation on display at Vassar provides students with the opportunity to analyze social and political discourse as it effects groups both on and off campus.
New coach scores points SPORTS with squash team
The Miscellany News
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November 3, 2016
Editor-in-Chief Rhys Johnson
Senior Editors Zander Bashaw Emma Jones
Contributing Editors Elizabeth Dean Yifan Wang
News Features Opinions Humor and Satire Arts Sports Design Courtesy of Katie Nordstrom
Katie Nordstrom is spending the semester in Clifden, Ireland, and has been able to travel to three Irish cities: Galway, Cork and Dublin. Blarney Castle, pictured above, was her favorite part about her visit to Cork. To read more about Katie’s adventures, you can visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org.
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November
Thursday
Music on the Bridge
Weekender_ 4
November
Friday
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November
Saturday
High Performance Computing & Amazon Web Services
Butterbeer Classic Tournament
Volleyball (W) Liberty League Semi-Finals
Squash (M/W)
4:00pm | Kenyon Gym | Athletics
10:30am | Kenyon Squash Courts| Athletics
Adrienne Maree Brown Talk
Black Solidarity Dinner
Swimming & Diving (M/W)
Artful Dodger with James F. Challey
Ubu Rex
Field Hockey (W) Liberty League Championship
12:00pm | Bridge Café/North Atrium | Music Dept.
“Enough is Enough” with Lt. Governor Kathleen Hochul 2:00pm | Villard Room | Campus Activities
4:00pm | College Center 223 | Religious and Spiritual Life Office
5:00pm | Loeb Atrium Gallery | Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
Jennine Capo Reading
5:30pm | Taylor 203 | LALS Program
Welcome Back with CJC
6:00pm | UpC | Chabad Jewish Community
CAAD Kairo Italy Theater
7:00pm | Aula | Dean of the Faculty
Wordsmiths SLAM
2:00pm | Bridge 101 | Computing and Information Services
7:00pm | Villard Room | Black Students Union 8:00pm | Shiva Theater | Philaletheis
Gals and Pals
9:30pm | Sanders 212 | Indecent Exposure
9:00am | Joss Beach | Vassar Quidditch
Sunday
VBC Fall Alumnae/i Panel
1:00pm | Rocky 200 | VC Business Club
Escher String Quartet with Todd Crow, piano 3:00pm | Skinner | Music Dept
1:00pm | Walker Pool | Athletics
2:00pm | Prentiss Turf Field| Athletics
Assistant Arts Patrick Tanella Assistant Copy Claire Baker Laila Volpe Assistant Social Media Hannah Nice Web Designer George Witteman Web Master Andy Carrera Reporters Sasha Gopalakrishnan Saachi Jain Sieu Nguyen Sabrina Oh Clark Xu Andrea Yang Columnists Jimmy Christon Jillian Elkin Jesser Horowitz Steven Park Kirk Testa Design Scarlett Neuberger Maya Sterling Yoav Yaron Copy James Bonanno Gabriela Calderon Leah Cates Diana Henry Sumiko Neary Jessica Roden Laura Wigginton
ASA Night Market
6:00pm | College Center | ASA
Volleyball (M) Alumni Game 7:00pm | Kenyon Gymnasium | Athletics
Vassar College Women’s Chorus
8:00pm | Skinner Hall | Music Dept
Ubu Rex
7:30pm | Rocky 300 | Wordsmiths
8:00pm | Shiva Theater | Philaletheis
Ubu Rex
ViCE Fall Concert
8:00pm | Shiva Theater | Philaletheis
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Eilis Donohue Emily Sayer Nick Barone Evelyn Frick Noah Purdy Elena Schultz Olivia O’Loughlin Talya Phelps Charlotte VarcoeWolfson Kelsey Quinn Jackson Ingram
8:00pm | UpC | ViCE
Gals and Pals
9:30pm | Sanders 212 | Indecent Exposure
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CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only corrections for any misquotes, resentations or factual errors for ticle within the semester it is
accept misrepan arprinted.
November 3, 2016
NEWS
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Annual march raises awareness about gun safety issues MARCH continued from page 1
Drew Solender ’20. Rivers explained her attendance at the march, saying, “It’s very important that if you believe in something, you shouldn’t be quiet about it.” Solender said that he thinks the laws these groups are advocating for are common-sense measures that most people can agree with. “[The influence of] powerful lobbies with a lot of money and a very passionate, active membership is the only thing stopping us from having [gun sense laws],” he added. In an emailed statement, Vassar’s Interim President Jonathan Chenette commented on student participation in the event: “Vassar supports—and encourages—students’ rights to legally and safely protest. We consider this form of nonviolent protest an important part of life in a democracy and are heartened when we see our students engaged in this way.” Chenette went on to say that though the school does not take an official stance on gun control, “Vassar would oppose any new legislation allowing guns on campuses in New York.” “Vassar has a strict policy on guns,” concurred Vassar Director of Safety and Security Arlene Sabo via email. “They are not allowed on campus, not in houses, not in vehicles, and not on people. This is not only Vassar’s policy; it is New York state law. Should anyone reading this not be aware and have any type of gun (including a BB gun, pellet gun, or paintball gun), I ask that they immediately call Safety and Security to come and secure the gun,” she continued. On Monday, Oct. 31, Sabo sent out emails to the student body detailing three BB and/or pellet gun-related incidents that occurred on or near campus over the weekend. At around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a LaGrange Avenue resident heard what were possibly two BB gun shots and later discovered damage to her window that may have been caused by a BB. At approximately 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, three unidentified persons illegally entered a Terrace Apartment, and, when surprised by one of the residents, shot him in the shoulder with a BB gun. About 15 minutes later, four men
approached a student outside the ACDC, and he heard a noise that sounded like a pellet or BB gun as he walked away, but was not hit. The Town of Poughkeepsie Police are investigating, and, as a result of the incidents, security patrols on campus have increased. Though New York has the country’s third lowest statewide gun death rate, the issue still deeply affects the Poughkeepsie community. According to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, from 2006 to 2015, there were 734 violent crimes involving firearms committed in the City of Poughkeepsie, including 181 people who were wounded by guns, and 26 who lost their lives to gun violence. Since these statistics are crime-related, they may not include suicides, which account for nearly two-thirds of gun-related deaths in the United
States, according to the Brady Campaign. These numbers also do not include gun-related crimes in the Town of Poughkeepsie, as well as the surrounding towns and villages. Back at the march, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence’s Kozloff summed up why gun sense laws are so important to the hundreds at the rally, and to millions across the United States: “No other country in the world allows 90 of its citizens to get killed [by guns] every day. This is one of the major moral issues of our time. This carnage gets publicity when there’s a mass shooting, but dayin and day-out, people are dying because our gun laws are so lax.” Jaime Pessin, the New York State Chapter Leader for Moms Demand Action, concluded, “[Gun violence] is not an issue that we need to accept as normal in our lives.”
Courtesy of Lauren Hennen Vigil
tion was more personal. “I’m a victim of gun violence,” she said. “I was robbed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1999. I was shot and my friend was killed. I didn’t do anything for a long time [and then] Sandy Hook happened and I realized what had happened to me could happen to my children, and that changed everything for me.” Attendee Jason Zetoff, a teacher in Newtown, CT, where the Sandy Hook shooting took place, said, “I’ve seen firsthand what gun violence does to a community. If it can happen in Newtown, it can happen anywhere.” The Walk opened with live renditions of popular folk tunes, such as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Next, the event’s organizers and special guests, including former New York State Senator and current State Senate candidate Terry Gipson, Stop the Violence founder Robert Pemberton and Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner, spoke to the assembled crowd. Tyner started a passionate call and response with the audience: “Newtown, Columbine, Virginia Tech. What’s so crazy about a background check?” He also spoke about the County budget, noting that the upcoming review could affect funding for enforcement of a potential safe storage act, but that in the past, budget hearing attendance by gun sense advocates has been scant. At 10:45, the ralliers began the 2.56-mile march across the Walkway over the Hudson and back, their signs and the children’s hats and coats bright splotches of color against the gray sky. Some chanted their legislative demands: “What do we want?” “Background checks!” “When do we want them?” “Now!” As the marchers made their way across the bridge, a small group of men in National Rifle Association hats stood silently observing the procession. Asked if he was there to protest the event, one man in an NRA cap curtly replied, “This is a public park. Don’t I have right to be here?” Several Vassar students also participated in the march, including freshmen Sarah Rivers ’20 and
Local people gathered on the Walkway Over the Hudson on Oct. 29, marching and holding signs to protest the current New York State gun laws, which they feel are too lax.
Mathematical models challenge efficacy of prison system Clark Xu Reporter
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s the design of the new Dutchess County Jail, with a budget of $192 million and a holding capacity of 569 beds, moves toward the set construction date of March 2017, an investigative project at Arizona State University conducted by Tulane University student Jessica Conrad and supervised by Professor of Mathematics Benjamin Morin reveals conflicts of interest between prisons and the public good. Conrad’s presentation on Oct. 27 engaged students and faculty from various departments, including Mathematics, Economics and Political Science, with a lively discussion of a quantitative model and its sociopolitical implications. The investigative project focused on the recidivism programs of for-profit prisons in Louisiana, informally known as the prison capital of the world for its current incarceration rate of 816 per 100,000 people, exceeding even the highest annual national incarceration rate of 755 per 00,000 in 2008, according to the World Prison Brief. Due to state stipends for keeping inmates and providing recidivism programs, Louisiana for-profit prisons receive the most government funds when they run programs that are ineffective at reducing recidivism or reducing the chance that criminals will become second-time or third-time offenders under the three-strikes law. Conrad affirmed, “Prisons don’t work. That’s been known for decades. They don’t reduce crime rates at all, and in fact in some cases they increase crime rates. Because most of the offenders you have in jail are non-violent, what they really need is some sort of rehabilitation program to go back into society.” She gave an example of a more successful alternative, explaining, “France actually doesn’t have prisons anymore; they just have jail for violent offenders and their crimes rates have dropped in the last five years. If you’re building a jail, I would say don’t.” Assistant Professor of Political Science Taneisha Means agreed, “Conrad’s suggestion is quite accurate; the construction of a new, expensive and larger jail in Dutchess County
is not the solution to jail overcrowding in the area. There are various alternatives to incarceration, which can, among other things, reduce prison and jail costs, and rehabilitate offenders. Such alternatives to jail expansion can take the form of restorative and transformative justice.” In addition to community-based responses to criminality, Means suggested, “Many of the individuals incarcerated in Dutchess County have substance abuse and mental health issues; emphasis also needs to be on diverting these individuals from arrest and jail into treatment. As groups such as End the New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN) advocate, the county’s focus needs to be on the sources of jail overcrowding.” A major argument for advocacy groups like ENJAN is that 70 percent of the prison population was convicted of non-violent crimes, with the vast majority entering the prison system as a result of the War on Drugs in the 1970s. “Being that Louisiana is largely a state of people of color, there are already many prejudices that others have about the people who live there,” reflected lecture attendee Jessalyn Nelson ’17. Elaborating on the causes rather than the effects of criminality and recidivism, Nelson continued, “There are also not many economic opportunities for those who live there so it limits the legal options people have to make money, leading to an increase in drug involvement. The fact that [Conrad] said the new jail is not necessary is no surprise to me. Putting people in jail for non-violent crimes only defers the drug process, not prevents it. That fact does not change no matter where the location.” Placing the discussion of prison issues in the contemporary political context, Morin reflected, “As this election season has highlighted, there are conflicting views on the issues of poverty, crime, race and privilege. As we make incremental change, it is important to take a multifaceted approach to understand the underlying mechanisms that allow such things to remain systemic, e.g., the way we are failing our citizens in the mission of reformation and rehabilitation of criminals.” Nelson framed recidivism as a recurrent sociopolitical issue, arguing, “When people
cannot find jobs, they turn to other, less legal, means of earning income, which causes them to get arrested and become institutionalized once arrested. This endless cycle makes it so people cannot live unless they are partaking in these activities, which won’t break unless they receive help and education on how to live independent of the drug system. Unless the [Presidential] candidates really act on their propositions in securing more jobs and investing in breaking recidivism, the cycle will remain.” One major aspect of the discussion about prisons, criminality and recidivism is rigorous data collection and analysis. Morin noted, “[Our government] should seek to serve the will of the people, a population that presumably wishes to lead fulfilling lives free of crime, and a criminal justice system that should seek to serve justice in such a way that all are made better for it.” He continued, “A quantification of...these goals, a description of the feedback loops that exist between them and a proper formulation of how the execution of these directives is sensitive to various demographics would be the most fulfilling direction to take this model moving forward.” Means emphasized the importance of hearing real stories, not just extrapolating information from numerical data. “Numbers can only tell part of a story. Qualitative methods often enrich and provide nuance to a topic. This type of nuance is particularly important when studying mass incarceration because incarcerated individuals are human beings, and communities and human lives are greatly and deeply affected by this problem,” she elaborated. Pointing out the importance of reducing conflicts of interest and maintaining a fair discussion, Means continued, “[T]he primary goal is, or at least should be, to create a more just and equitable society, so being open and receptive to what it will take to achieve that goal is crucial.” On the theme of diverse methodologies, Means said, “It was great to interact with the Math Department and other departments about this salient issue, because mass incarceration is undeniably an inter- and multi-disciplinary problem.” Nelson agreed, “Both of my parents, as well as all of my extended family, are from
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Louisiana so I’m always interested to hear about the state. There also isn’t much ever said about Louisiana, especially in the north, so I was excited to see there was a lecture just on Louisiana. Conrad’s lecture was on profit maximization which sounds a lot like an economic problem and was why I was particularly interested in the lecture. I’m an economics major so I was interested to see how this economic problem was addressed from a mathematical perspective.” Morin also expressed appreciation for the multidisciplinary aspect of this work, saying, “The take away message would be that real problems are hard and that hard problems cannot be solved within single disciplines in ways that can effect meaningful change.” Referring to recent academic trends at Vassar, he noted, “[O]ur Cognitive Science Department is a prime example of a melding of philosophy, computer science, mathematics and biology. Politics and social equity are both studies of financial opportunity. Understanding the economics that drive social change has become an ever-increasing focus of study between economics, political science and social/cultural anthropology. And wouldn’t you know it, a readily available common language already exists that can facilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideas–that of mathematics.” Means, in contrast to Morin’s focus on mathematics as the common language, concluded, “One of the most important take-away points of Conrad’s lecture is mass incarceration is an inherently political topic. There are multiple and often times conflicting political and economic interests, which makes discussing and working towards ending mass incarceration and reducing recidivism challenging.” Returning to the broader role of applied mathematics in investigative projects, Morin concluded, “I try to teach my students to use equations the way I do, as a straightforward formalism of our intuition and a way to ascribe structure to beautiful things. It is important to me that mathematics at Vassar is not just something for the mathematicians, physicist or computer scientists. To me it is a tool that we can use to better understand our world.”
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November 3, 2016
News Briefs Filmmaker Julie Bertuccelli came to campus on Oct. 27 for a conversation following a screening of her 2014 film “La Cour de Babel” (translated as “The School of Babel”). Bertuccelli was visiting several institutions around the U.S. in October. She was elected President of the Société Civile des Auteurs Multimedia, a group that defends filmmakers’ copyrights, in 2013, and was notably the first woman to be elected to the position. The film, which takes place within the Ecole de la Grange aux Belles in Paris, follows the journey of a group of students who are recent immigrants to France. The students came to France from countries all over the world. They spend a year together in a class designed to help them learn French and adapt to their new home. In her introduction to Bertuccelli, Professor of French and Francophone Studies and event coordinator Patricia-Pia Celerier wrote, “Bertuccelli’s documentary could be understood as an aesthetic response to the intricacies of the French education system.” The film illuminates issues in contemporary education, as well as the difficulties and joys of experiencing new cultures. On Oct. 25, as a response to the posters found on campus over October break, the Campus Life and Diversity Team in conjunction with the Office of the President hosted a “Let’s Talk” gathering. According to the posters advertising the event, “‘Let’s Talk’ is a Campus Life and Diversity program that is both a planned and responsive dialogue series in the wake of campus, national and global events.” The offensive posters found around campus were produced and distributed by affiliates of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a national organization known for targeting and confronting college communities on issues regarding the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The posters explicitly referred to specific members of the community with intimidating language. Interim President Jonathan Chenette
wrote in a campus-wide response to the event, “This was not an exercise of free speech – this was bullying and intimidation in its truest form and it will not be tolerated.” He explained that the College was taking actions to follow up with the targeted victims, and asserted that he believed Vassar would rally around them, saying, “At this time of divisive discourse and personalized attacks in the public arena, I am confident that the Vassar community will remain true to its core values of compassion and respect, and our belief in the virtues of vigorous and productive debate about important ideas.” The on-campus conversation was an opportunity for students, staff and other Vassar community members to gather and discuss how they were affected by the incident, and to think collectively about how to move forward. On Oct. 28, the Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns co-hosted a cleanup of the Malcolm X Park in downtown Poughkeepsie. The Co-Op has hosted several cleanups on campus and elsewhere this past year, and often partners with other organizations to improve the local environment. According to their statement, “The mission of the Environmental Cooperative is to expand and coordinate conservation throughout the Hudson Valley by supporting current efforts and developing new programs to inspire further engagement in conservation education, outreach, and research by the community and region.” The other host of the cleanup, Hudson River Housing’s Middle Main Initiative, is dedicated to community building and engagement in the center of the City of Poughkeepsie. Their mission includes sponsoring cultural demonstrations and workshops, advertising council meetings and political engagement opportunities and providing information about the neighborhood. —Eilis Donohue, News Editor
Outside the Bubble Alternative birth control proves viable Last week, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published a study on the efficacy of an injectable form of birth control designed to reversibly reduce the fertility of people with testes which took place between 2008 and 2012. The injection, which contains the hormones estrogen and testosterone, would be the long-awaited answer to decades of hormonal birth control designed only for people with ovaries that has long placed the responsibility for effective birth control on women. The shot works by reducing the sperm count of users, which substantially reduces the likelihood of a pregnancy resulting from intercourse with an ovary-bearing partner. The addition of higher amounts of hormones tricks the brain into believing the body has produced sufficient amounts, so the reproductive organs cease to produce their own testosterone and sperm. Researches during the study found the method to be about 96 percent effective, which is comparable to the effectiveness of condoms with typical use. The injection was administered only every eight weeks, and at the end of the study most of the 270 participants, all aged 18-45 and in monogamous relationships, said that they would be willing to continue using this method for birth control (Science, “Male birth control ‘shot’ study yields promising results,” 10.31.2016). After the study was terminated, almost all participants returned to their baseline fertility levels (CNN, “Male birth control shot found effective, but side effects cut study short,” 11.01.2016). However, like all medical interventions, the “male birth control shot” has potential side effects. 20 men dropped out of the study because of hormone-related mood changes, and more participants who remained in the study also complained of increased mood problems and symptoms of depression. As a result of these and other health concerns, the study was subsequently terminated.
Other side effects included muscle aches, acne and increased libido, but according to these researchers, the mood changes were the most significant side effect for the participants (BBC, “Birth control: Male contraceptive injection ‘shows promise,’” 10.28.2016). This news comes on the heels of recently-released psychological studies from Denmark showing an appreciable increased risk of depression for long-term users of hormonal birth control that has previously been created for women (NPR, “Does Some Birth Control Raise Depression Risk? That’s Complicated,” 10.09.2016). Statistics about traditional birth control and depression have only recently become available, despite the fact that women have been encouraged by doctors and governments to use hormonal birth control for more than 50 years. These results have raised concerns from women, doctors and feminist commentators alike. Professor of Biology and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Indiana University Elisabeth Lloyd explained, “Twenty percent or thirty percent of the women who take oral birth control pills experience depression and have to take medication for it. So the difference just struck me. They terminated this study once it showed three per cent depression for the men” (CNN). Many women have also published op-eds this week pointing out the irony, and historical inequity, of the fact that only after a half a century of birth control use are women’s mental health risks finally being addressed, while the researchers for the male version of hormonal birth control saw the need to protect the mental health of their (male) subjects immediately after risks were observed. The researchers of the “male birth control” study expressed their intention to continue developing a low-risk, reversible form of hormonal birth control for people with testes. They believe a 75 percent approval rate, the result of the study, indicates a viable interest in the product (CNN). The medical commu-
nity at large believes they are drawing closer to greater gender equality in who assumes the responsibility, and the risk, of pregnancy prevention. —Elizabeth Dean, Contributing Editor Pipeline explosion will limit gas supply On Oct. 31, an excavation machine struck the Colonial Pipeline in Shelby County, AL, resulting in an explosion and subsequent fire that killed one of the pipeline’s workers and injured five more. As of Tuesday, four of the five remained in hospital, being treated for their injuries. The fire is currently under control by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Reuters, “Colonial may open key U.S. gasoline line by Saturday after fatal blast,” 11.01.2016). Overall, the complete damage to the pipeline and surrounding area cannot yet be assessed since recent drought has caused a multiplicity of fires in the region, rapidly draining the state’s emergency resources (The Weather Channel, “Colonial Pipeline Explosion Prompts Fears of Higher Gas Prices For Weeks to Come,” 11.01.2016). The incident prompted authorities to shut the line down following the accident, but it may be reopened as soon as Saturday. A spill in September following a break in the same pipeline, just a few miles away from the site of Monday’s eruption, was the largest in that location in about two decades and caused a 12day shutdown (Reuters). The state of Alabama declared a state of emergency to deal with the aftermath of that accident. The Colonial Pipeline carries gasoline 5,500 miles from refineries in the Gulf Coast to New York, and is a crucial source of fuel for the East Coast, providing about one third of all gasoline to the region. It carries gasoline in the first line, and diesel and jet fuels in the second. Company officials say they may be able to ship gasoline through the second line, as they did after the September incident, to alleviate the gas shortages and meet demand (The Wall
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Street Journal, “Gas Prices Jump After Pipeline Fire,” 11.01.2016). Global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service Tom Kloza reflected on the accident and response. He said, “It exposes the flaws of a just-in-time inventory system for a lifeblood product” (Wall Street Journal). The shutdown will likely restrict gas availability for people in the southeastern states which rely on the pipeline for gas, depending on the duration of the repair process. The shutdown could possibly even affect the supply of gas to the Northeast. However, the northeastern states which receive gas from this pipeline also get imported fuel from waterborne suppliers, a luxury the land-locked areas in the Southeast do not have, and so will be less likely to experience a shortage (Reuters). Because the primary provider to the Southeast is currently out of service, gas prices in the region will likely spike. After the September spill, gas prices in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee went up 20 cents in just a few days, and residents recall gas stations being completely empty of fuel. Prices have not yet risen at the pump, since stations have not needed to refill since the incident. However, officials fear that motorists, especially drivers of large trucks, may panic and rush to fill their tanks, causing difficulty for other customers as the shutdown continues (Wall Street Journal). The governor of Alabama waived legal restrictions on the distance drivers may travel to transport gas, in order to better facilitate the flow of fuel through the region, and the governors of North Carolina and Georgia have followed suit (Wall Street Journal). The Southeast is still recovering from gas shortages and price hikes from not two months ago. However, President of the pipeline advisory firm Accufacts Inc. Richard Kuprewicz estimated, “My experience tells me that even with a fatality, I would not expect this to go as long as the last one” (Reuters). —Eilis Donohue, News Editor
November 3, 2016
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Dining employees call for reconsideration of conditions Andrea Yang Reporter
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ach day, bustling crowds of students line up in the All Campus Dining Center (ACDC), the Retreat and the Kiosk, waiting for their orders of omelettes, paninis and smoothies to be made. At the other side of the counter, workers hurriedly accommodate these needs. According to many employees in Vassar Dining Services, they sometimes struggle with inadequate staff, hours and pay. About 80 people are currently employed at ACDC, including the head-chef, chef, assistant chef, baker, assistant baker and the kitchen staff. Kitchen workers are the only positions filled by both full-time and part-time employees. Although they share identical responsibilities, there remains a sizable wage gap between these positions. Full-timers earn 13 to 15 dollars per hour while part-timer earns only 8.5 to 9.5 dollars for each hour of work. Aside from the difference in pay, full-time employees receive inequitable benefits depending on the number of years they have worked for Vassar. A part-time employee who wished to remain anonymous explained, “If you work five years, you will receive two weeks of paid vacation; if you work more than 10 years, you get three weeks or even a month.” She disclosed, “I feel that we should also share benefits like health insurance, which currently is only for the full-time workers. There should be some kind of subsidy for part-time employees being that we also pay union dues.” Normally, a full-time employee works 40 hours, five days per week. However, another part-time employee reported that she works a maximum of 52 hours every week. “I also cover full-time hours because they need help. So I come during days and nights depends on the flexibility and demand of the restaurant. Except for working here, I also do housekeeping work for the elderlies outside of campus.” An anonymous full-time worker noted that part-time employees have to work extra hours
because they are often short-handed. She described, “Sometimes students come in and no one is behind the line to serve them. Sometimes there aren’t enough clean dishes out. So we need a lot of part-time workers to substitute the full-timers who are unavailable. They may work from 4 to 7 p.m. or 5 to 9 p.m., filling in the shifts with high demand.” She went on to comment, “Although a lot of the part-timers are getting more hours now, they still don’t receive equivalent benefits. I do wish Vassar would open up more opportunities, more jobs because we need these positions ... Now instead of posting more jobs, they wait for current employees to go out, maybe for a knee surgery, and upgrade the current part-time workers. However, it’s only temporary. They still are not offered paid vacation time or sick time. They just get paid as a regular wage.” The difficulty in finding full-time work on campus is that job openings are incredibly limited. Another full-time employee agreed, saying, “I worked here part-time for about four years before I applied for an opening. There happened to be a big buy-out with Vassar. A lot of people took the buy-out and it opened up a whole new world for the part-timers.” She continued, “Vassar has great benefits and we love working with the students, so I’m happy here. That’s why no one leaves when they get a full-time job. We usually have to wait until someone retires, which could be another 17, 20 years. So it’s hard for our newcomers to get a full-time position.” A cashier at the Retreat seconded, “I’ve worked here part-time for three years. The other cashier has worked here for two years but hasn’t yet found an opening.” “There’s a priority list,” a part-time ACDC employee said. “We are hired according to seniority, who has worked for the longest gets the job. She further contributed that it is difficult to distribute their time because part-time employees have other jobs and commitments. She commented, “It’ll be more efficient to promote them
Crowds of students mill about the All Campus Dining Center during the dinnertime rush hour. Food service workers struggle to manage the sporadic nature of part-time employment. to full-time positions and have them on a stable schedule. But unfortunately, with limited full-time positions and funds, the part-time employees are not getting used wisely. They might come in on a Friday when there are few students but on a busy Thursday night yet there’s nobody on the floor. “I think Aramark, the corporate food provider, negotiates the budget with Vassar; and because of its limitation, there are not a lot of full-time employment opportunities.” On the contrary, a student Kiosk worker shared that nobody working there seems to be struggling to get more hours. In fact, they are dealing with a lack of enthusiasm due to the working conditions at night. She wrote in an email, “You choose how many hours you wanted at the beginning of the year and now it is what it is. We recently had someone disappear (not officially quit, just never showed up to work again). Honestly, I probably will too next semester. While the work environment is nice and the people are great, the shifts are at difficult hours and the incentive ($) just isn’t worth it
when/if my grades fall.” The employees at the Kiosk are primarily students, and for the most part, first-year students. They all share the battle of balancing work, study and sleep. For instance, there is a student employee from a nearby college who not only has to make the 30-minute commute to and from work, but also has to work an entire night shift, meaning that she works until 2 a.m. on a night before she has classes at 8:30 a.m. Kiosk workers feel that they should be paid more because of the intensity of job demand. One acknowledged, “Upon talking to my Vassar coworkers, we all agreed that $10 per hour feels a bit unreasonable. The hours the kiosk are late (8-2, each shift 2 hours).” She continued, “Don’t get me wrong, the Kiosk isn’t a bad place to work. I’ve been a hostess and have worked at a fast food joint before–the Kiosk is fairly manageable. But the night is the most difficult part. We are required to be on our feet for the entire shift. After a long day, working at the Kiosk is just–you just gotta get through with it.”
Pregnall imparts passion for exploration, collaboration PROFESSOR continued from page 1 Physiology and Aquatic Ecology to The Biology of Salmon. Students who took classes with Pregnall often reference his infectious enthusiasm for the subjects he taught. David Won ’18 took Plant Physiology with him, and explained how he maintained student interest during the more challenging and tedious topics. “Pregnall was amazing. He was just such a caring guy who was passionate about his work. I just remember being in class...and there were some times when it was really dry, but he would get so excited about it that got me to pay attention.” Shigeru Kaneki ’18, who was also in the class with Won, corroborated, “I think everyone in the class could tell how much he loved plants.” In addition to this charisma in the classroom, Pregnall’s influence on Vassar and the scientific community extended far beyond campus. His research focused on the ecology of coast-
al algae and sea grasses, but he was currently working on the conservation of threatened Blanding’s turtles in the Poughkeepsie area. He also worked with faculty and students on intersectional local watersheds within Vassar’s Environmental Research Institute, served on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Vassar Brothers Hospital and was also a member of the New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) for many years Through all of his different involvements, Pregnall focused on relationships and collaborations with members of the Vassar community. In addition to collaborating with students on Casperkill and Fonteynkill Watershed research with Vassar’s Environmental Research institute, he also often brought undergraduates to the semi-annual NEERS meetings. Pregnall’s commitment to sharing his excitement about research and discovery did not stop there. He also led Alumnae/i trips to Iceland, Patagonia
and Easter Island. Associate Professor of Biology Jodi Schwarz spoke to this culture of collaboration that Pregnall fostered. “Marshall was passionate about the oceans and nature and he lived for sharing the natural world with everyone in his life, students and friends and family. He was also a kind and enthusiastic colleague,” she wrote in an email. A Tribute to Pregnall from Poughkeepsie-based Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home demonstrated that Pregnall shared his commitment to exploration and engagement with the natural world with his wife Maribel and their two children: “Marshall was always an explorer, a climber and a fighter. He inspired and encouraged his family of four up all 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks. He started their 46er quest when Hali was five and Drake was 11, and they achieved their goal nine years later. It was an incredible journey and a testimony to Marshall’s drive and vision. He was their navigator, counselor, father, and the love of their lives.” Pregnall’s infectious enthusiasm for adven-
ture was present until the very end of his life. Jon Alperstein ’18 recounted, “I was enrolled this year in his aquatic ecology seminar, we were planning on going to a trip to Upton Lake and he was getting a canoe ready for a class just before we heard the news of his health.” Appropriately, there is currently an interactive memorial display in the atrium of Olmsted that features a canoe filled with objects of relevance to Pregnall’s life and work, including a underwater camera case, a laboratory notebook, flippers and a net among other objects indicative of his love of aquatic research. A sign above the canoe encourages the addition of meaningful objects and cards to celebrate Dr. Pregnall’s life. The sign also includes a picture of Pregnall with his students and a quote from Rachel Carson, part of which reads, “Eventually, man, too, found his way back to the sea.” Marshall Pregnall’s life brought so much positivity to Vassar College as an institution, and while the entire community will miss him dearly, it will never lose the valuable lessons he taught.
Zander Bashaw/The Miscellany News
Courtesy of Vassar Alumnae/i Quarterly
Olmstead Hall of Biological Sciences currently displays a tribute to late professor Marshall Pregnall, highlighting his passion for aquatic ecology and his contributions to the Biology Department at VC.
Professor Pregnall uses a transmitter to track Blanding’s Turtles during the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) circa 2013. His project focused on protecting turtle nests from predators.
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November 3, 2016
Comedian uses absurdity to parody talk show format Cristian Uriostegui Guest Reporter
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Courtesy of Maryanne Ventrice
he first time I encountered comedian Eric André’s stand-up was in the summer of 2010. I watched a lot of Comedy Central Original standup comedy specials during that time and an excerpt of his performance came on TV. “I’m bluish. I’m Black and Jewish,” he said, wearing a bright blue t-shirt, “which is why I look like a Muppet from Sesame Street.” I had been watching so much stand-up that a comment on appearance felt like a trope. The one commonality of the audience and performer is that they can both see what the performer looks like. It was an easy point of audience connection. And I thought it was corny. Without ever knowing his name I wrote him off and didn’t see any work by him until five years later. While in a YouTube K-hole, I stumbled upon a clip from “The Eric Andre Show.” In what feels like a scene out of David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” André interviews Chance the Rapper, who is sitting shirtless in a giant cup of coffee. Meandering, he asks Chance questions but falters and Chance tells him to shut up, causing the audience to applaud. Meanwhile, a desperate Questlove, who sits among the show’s house band, insists that “Questlove’s in the house,” only to have André and his co-host Hannibal Buress tell him that he is not in fact in the house. As if taunting Questlove, the audience breaks into mocking laughter. The band leader turns to Questlove and tells him that he is his father, triggering suspenseful music to play out the clip. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and it was terrifying and unusually hilarious. “The Eric Andre Show” is an absurdist take on the talk show, a format so stale and formulaic that one could easily describe the parts which constitute it: there is the opening monologue, followed by a sketch or perhaps a man-on-the-street bit; then come the interviews, typically two which are then followed by a musical performance. The show documents the attempt and failure of its host to break free of the chains of this formula. André has described the host as being stuck in purgatory.
At the beginning of every show, in an attempt to escape the madness, he thoroughly destroys the set only for it to be hastily reassembled in time for him to perform a monologue. This season seems marked by a certain sense of prominence. The show’s nightmarish character and feverish pace remain unchanged but these installments come at what feels like the show’s cultural apex. This is reflected in the show’s guest roster which is studded with stars of various calibers and degrees of relevance: Amber Rose, Jesse Williams, T.I., A$AP Rocky, Danny Brown, Howie Mandel and Jack Black are among a few prominent entertainers who have graced André’s dirty stage. André has lamented the increased prominence of the show, citing the loss of the element of surprise. He prefers guests who do not know what to expect because if they come expecting a talk show, their inevitable surprise will be that much greater. It is surprising enough that the show has guests to begin with. Often agents do not look too much into promotional bookings but he has admitted to piecing together footage reels which create the false impression that his guests have a good time. The show’s growing notoriety has given the showrunners the added task of seeking out guests solely for their ignorance. Other guests, despite advanced knowledge and love of the show, come on expecting to enjoy themselves, but André quickly ensures that they are not in on the joke. In these cases André physically engages his guests to provoke a reaction. He treats Jack Black to “whippits,” huffing the aerosol fumes from cans of whipped cream and hooks him up to a lie detector which shocks him despite the veracity of his responses. Another fan, Howie Mandel is exploited for his germaphobia and used dental floss is rained down upon him from the ceiling. One of the show’s seminal bits, “Ranch It Up,” returns throughout the season in various installments, but admittedly, it feels lackluster. Other man-on-the-street bits are strong enough to make up for it. In one André rollerblades around New York City wearing a Sprite shirt with multiple bro-
The Eric André Show satirizes the low-budget talkshow series of mainstream cable TV, inviting quirky and intelligent humor icons onto the show to bolster the comedic prowess of his program. ken bones piercing his skin. The sickly host denies help from concerned bystanders and blades into corporate lobbies asking to be given a Sprite sponsorship. He claims that the people inside probably know someone at Sprite. While the fourth season can at times feel a bit redundant, the writers have managed to mix up the editing and their bits enough that it still manages to feel fresh. With the conclusion of this season, André has intonated that if there is a next one it will be the show’s last. At this point, he feels like the secret is out. When asked about future projects he has not specified anything in particular but ensures that there are things in the works. In the meantime, Eric is making a trip to perform stand up in the New York Comedy Festival. He insists he will be performing only stand-up and has reported facing disappointed fans who come
to shows expecting to get covered in ranch but wind up only getting jokes. Upon revisiting his pre-“Eric André Show” stand-up material, I realized that I had originally mischaracterized his comedy. The energy and absurdity that inhabits his show is apparent. In one bit from 2007, a year after he began writing the show’s script, André talks about seeing police officers on horses and hypothesizes about a world of half-horse half-cop centaurs. He acts out the scenario of a burly centaur cop pulling over an elderly woman. Eyes bugged and breath heavy, he asks the woman if she knows how fast she was going. Her response is fearful. He then asks her for a sugar cube. Eric André will be performing stand-up at Carolines On Broadway in New York City on this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 4, 5 and 6.
Collaboratory engages community with visual activism EXHIBIT continued from page 1
started a charter...so this is the realization of the first ever charter of For Freedoms.” The exhibit at the Collaboratory is plastered with student-made posters representing participants’ individual convictions regarding human rights in the U.S. Many of the posters express the desire for freedom from structural racism, marginalizing policies and practices and different forms of gender violence, among others. McCardwell stated, “For Freedoms is a collective of about like 40 plus artists. Their slogan is that they’re using the medium of American democracy, so they registered themselves as a super PAC back in the spring and they’ve been campaigning with basically an advertisement campaign with all the different artists’ works so it’s something that’s grown as the super PAC has grown. More artists have become involved– they have hundreds of events all over the coun-
try and there are billboards up of different artists’ projects and the first realization of it this summer at the gallery where they took over the gallery as a campaign office headquarters kind of like this. We’re trying to recreate that here.” Another facet of the display, a campaign by Swedish-American artist Michele Pred titled Her Body, Her Vote, is also featured at the Collaboratory. The project urges onlookers to write letters to senators addressing their positions on pro-choice politics and flood social media with hashtags like #HerBodyHerVote, #MyBodyMyVote and #MyBodyMyChoice. When Pred collects all of the letters from the installations of her exhibit, she will to mail them to senators in transparent envelopes so that the receivers will be forced to confront the contents of the package prior to opening. Liza Ayres ’18 perused the exhibit, taken with the Pred project. Ayres exclaimed, “I love how unFramed
brought to campus something that mixes art with social justice. I just wrote a paper about the pro-choice movement for one of my seminars, so I especially enjoyed learning about Michele Pred’s project. Her project is a great way to enact change because it exposes many diverse facets of society to the pro-choice movement as the packages to the senators go through transport. It’s a new take on how to combine art and social change through a platform that is engaging and fun.” On For Freedoms’ actions as a super PAC specifically, McCardwell added, “The thing that we’ve been talking about...[considering] the almost surreal nature of this election season, the artists are campaigning for a new vision of democracy. They aren’t necessarily promoting one candidate or another. They’re not running for political office...they’re more running a campaign and they declared themselves as a super PAC, and in that way they’re holding meet-
ings about democracy and about the nature of campaigning and the nature of how we choose based on a representative democracy and an electoral system ... So what I’d say they’re campaigning for is art.” A curious passerby stopped in the Collaboratory while dropping off his high school-aged daughter for an overnight. Wishing to remain anonymous, he remarked, “It’s cool that you guys are doing things like this. You should take it out into the community!” Continued collaboration between groups like For Freedoms and unFramed is guaranteed to further foster relationships between students and broader U.S. sociopolitical spheres. Hopefully, the political consciousness and activism on campus that such projects perpetuate will ensure that students remain engaged and thoughtful citizens during and after their time at Vassar.
Emily Sayer/The Miscellany News
Emily Sayer/The Miscellany News
Pictured above are posters created by Vassar students for For Freedoms that confront myriad forms of systemic oppression. Their sentiments encompass a range of reactions to the current political climate.
For Freedoms encourages audiences to rethink their perceptions of human rights in the U.S. and acknowledge the lived experiences of people both within and outside of their communities.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
November 3, 2016
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VC students embrace stereotype with homemade granola Sarah Evans and Rafaela Vega del Castillo Guest Reporters
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Courtesy of Rafaela Vega del Castillo
ituated in the bustling streets of Lower Manhattan is Two Hands Restaurant & Bar. This small establishment combines Australian café culture and delicious, simple food for a scrumptious dining experience. Entering into the light airiness of the restaurant front, a short walk up the stairs places you face-to-face with a coffee machine, hissing and clanking as it whips up a freshly frothed almond milk latte. The space is bright and its corners are filled with vegetation and thoughtful decor. But once you sit down, the menu is what becomes the most enticing view. Centered around wholesome, simple ingredients, Two Hands has something for everyone, assured to provide an exceptional breakfast! But these Aussie owners don’t stop here. This newly opened eatery also offers lunch and dinner, with exceptional drinks from smooth, full bodied lattes to a lengthy wine list. Immediately after being seated, we were offered various options for coffee. These were unlimited, including the different styles of coffee and creamers available. We ended up choosing almond milk lattes, and a few minutes later we knew that we had made the right decision as our server brought our drinks to the table. Served in small, minimalistic, clear glasses, the coffee aroma oozed out of the cup, inviting us to taste it, delighting all our senses. We were also pleasantly surprised by the creaminess of the latte, since creamy texture is not easily achieved when using almond milk. Delving into the menu became a battle of choices, where the decision of what to order was delayed by the indecisiveness of our entire brunch party. After a few more just-a-minutes and multiple caffeine boosts, we finally arrived at a relative certainty of what we would order, although one can never be sure if it was the right choice until your taste buds give an ultimate acknowledgment in experiential flavor divinity.
After the final consensus was made and orders were placed, our plates arrived with equal attention to taste and presentation. In between spinach leaves, perfectly hard-boiled eggs and delectable portions of berries, each one of the members of our party admired their plate in awe and couldn’t wait to start tasting these marvels. One of the most delicious plates was the Housemade Granola, complete with a generous smear of tart passion fruit yogurt, crunchy granola which was just sweet enough to contrast the passion fruit, and a bountiful bowl of fresh berries. The hands that crafted such a thoughtful breakfast cannot be more celebrated. Before the meal was over, we were already imagining another visit to Two Hands on a quest to sample new dishes, flavors and fresh food concepts. Add all your ingredients into a medium sized bowl, except the maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil on the stove or in the microwave until the oil liquefies. Pour the coconut oil into the large bowl, mixing ingredients together evenly. The oats should be lightly glazed, but not saturated. Next, add maple syrup and vanilla extract into the mixture and combine. Place parchment paper on a large cookie sheet. Pour granola mixture onto the sheet, and spread evenly. Break apart any clumps to prevent burning. Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. This will ensure that all side of the oats are being crisped, giving you an even golden color and a crunchy finale. If you would like the granola more or less crunchy, watch the time and sample the granola’s texture as it bakes. For a more flavor packed granola, try adding different nuts (pistachios, Brazil nuts, etc.) or dried cranberries and coconut flakes. A tip for dried fruit and coconut: add these ingredients to the granola in the last 10 minutes of the baking process. This will ensure that they do not become overly cooked, but just roasted enough to blend with the other ingredients.
Ingredients 2 cups oats 3/4 cup quinoa 1/2 cup chia seeds 1/2 cup crushed almonds 1 tbsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt 3 tbsp coconut oil 3 tbsp maple syrup or agave 1 tsp vanilla extract
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November 3, 2016
Born presents cheeky take on the Trump phenomenon Imaan Lamba Guest Reporter
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n Tuesday, Nov. 1, exactly one week before Election Day, Professor of Political Science Richard Born gave a lecture, interestingly titled, “How the Elephant Got Its Trump and Why Political Scientists Never Saw It Coming.” This lecture, sponsored and initiated by the Office of Interim President Jonathan Chenette, provided Born’s invaluable insight into a widely asked question on this campus: in his words, “How Donald Trump could ever have been nominated for President.” Born has been a member of the faculty of the Political Science Department at Vassar for 40 years and his research interests are in congressional elections. His research has been published in The American Journal of History and American Politics Research, and he has been called upon often by major media outlets such as The New York Times for his expertise. Born’s most recent work involves analyzing the consequences of the growing partisan homogeneity of U.S. House districts. This lecture was initiated by Chenette him-
self, who pointed out, “[Born] could have had a career in stand-up comedy...[but] he makes Vassar a richer place for choosing to be here instead.” As to how the idea for this lecture came about, Chenette explained, “As Interim President, I gave welcoming remarks at the ‘Vassar Classroom Revisited’ event in NYC and attended several of the talks. Professor Born’s highly entertaining and timely take on the Trump phenomenon and how it came about seemed like something that Vassar students and others on campus should hear.” He added that the other faculty members presenting at the event were equally memorable. “I would have loved to invite all of the eight faculty members to give their talks on campus, but it wasn’t practical to squeeze them all in before the election,” Chenette mused. Regarding the title of the lecture, Chenette opined that it captured Born’s approach to the election exceedingly well. “He came up with his own title and topic,” he said. “The title seemed delightful to me and captured well the offbeat approach Professor Born takes to presenting serious political science research and making it
Courtesy of Imaan Lamba
Professor Born discusses the ways in which Trump blindsided the field of Political Science in his talk titled, “How the Elephant got its Trump and why Political Scientists Never Saw it Coming.”
relevant to the current election.” Born, however, attributed it to his nephew. Born’s inspiration is the “fascinating” phenomenon of Trump being nominated for President. As promised, Born had the audience laughing throughout the speech, and provided a very interesting perspective on the current election. He began, “This lecture will end well before the most important event of the day, Game 6 of the World Series.” Born’s lecture was structured around explaining different theories as to why political scientists failed to predict Trump’s nomination and the reasons for Trump’s success. Explaining the second half of his title, he remarked, “Political science findings on how nominations have been won in the past would never lead us to believe that an extreme outsider like Trump could have been victorious.” He emphasized the shortcomings of political scientists who were unable to predict this event, and pointed out that two cartoonists, including Matt Groening, the creator of “The Simpsons,” and Ann Coulter, a conservative political commentator, were the only individuals who had been able to foresee Trump winning the nomination. Throughout this lecture, Born drew from Marty Cohen’s 2008 novel, “The Party Decides: Presidential Nominations Before and After Reform.” According to media portrayal of the novel, party insiders determine the candidate who will win the nomination a year before the election, in what is known as the “invisible primary period,” and go on to disproportionately endorse this candidate. Born asserted that this could not, however, have been the case with Trump, who was not the choice of party insiders. After reform following the 1968 Democratic National Convention, winning the primaries and open caucuses is the key to securing the presidential nomination. Born then provided several alternative theories for why voters are getting behind Trump, and have been since February. He noted that some were difficult to believe, such as one indicating that Republican voters with a strong fear of death choose the strongest, “most authoritarian” candidate. Another suggested that the increase in death rates of male, white, Republican voters in certain counties was positively correlated with increased support for Trump. Born also referred to the “Heir Apparent
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Effect,” in which an individual is crowned the “heir apparent” to the next nomination directly after elections. Born’s own research, however, showed that Trump had zero endorsements from the “big three categories” of the Republican party on the eve of the Iowa Caucus in February, only for him to go on to win the primary in New Hampshire later that month. Another factor leading to Trump’s nomination, he explained, is the “paranoid style of conspiracy politics.” Several theories introduced by right-wing bloggers and radio show hosts were discussed, calling to attention Dinesh D’Souza’s documentary, “2016: Obama’s America,” which suggests that Obama has been working to undermine the United States, and Alex Jones’ conspiratorial radio show, on which Jones has declared that Obama and Hillary Clinton are demons. Finally, Born said that even though he hated to explain it in this manner, Trump’s winning the election could ultimately be attributed to being simply a fluke. He described Trump as a “European-style populist” who has taken very conservative stances on several issues. He remarked, “[T]rump is no ordinary Republican.” The opportunity to hear Professor Born’s insight into this topic did not end with the lecture. The Office of the President organized a special dinner with Born and Chenette, held at Chenette’s home directly after the lecture. 20 students attended, chosen based on a lottery system. In Chenette’s words, “The dinner will provide a chance for students to continue the conversation with Professor Born and for me to thank him for giving his talk. We’ll have a fun time sitting around and talking about the presidential election, as if we’re not all tired of that already!” Dinners at the home of the President are usually held on an invitation-only basis. However, the students serving as Assistants to the President this year–Abby Johnson ’17, Carmen Kloer ’17 and Seamus Taylor ’17–came up with the idea of opening this dinner out to the entire student body, an idea at which Chenette expressed delight. “It promoted interest but also ensured that everyone had an equal chance to join us and that the group assembled will have a random element to it,” Chenette commented. “I assume the attendees are all interested in a better understanding of this crazy election.”
November 3, 2016
OPINIONS
Page 9
The Miscellany News Staff Editorial
Sexual assault allegations against trustee must be addressed Trigger warning: Please be advised that the following covers sensitive topics, including sexual assault.
T
he Board of Trustees is one of the most powerful groups at Vassar. According to the Vassar Governance, “The ultimate responsibility for Vassar College rests with the Board of Trustees, which manages the property, business and affairs of the College.” The Board now includes 32 alumnae/i and the President of the College, together with one student observer and one faculty observer. a trustee’s regular term is four years, and those elected to a regular term may be re-elected to a second or third consecutive term by the Board. Meeting thrice per year, the Board appoints all officers, grants degrees, authorizes the annual budget, approves all contracts of appointment, receives all monies, executes deeds of gift and maintains capital investments. With such a powerful group, it is essential that its members represent our institution appropriately, and their values are aligned with those of the Vassar community. Recently, The Miscellany News received a tip that a trustee, Richard W. Roberts ’74, was accused of sexual assault, allegations that were covered by such outlets as The Washington Post and NBC News. In March 2016, a woman named Terry Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Roberts, claiming that he raped her repeatedly in 1981, when she was a witness in a high-profile murder trial in which Roberts was part of the prosecuting team. She was 16 at the time, then the legal age of consent in Utah. Roberts was 27. According to the suit, Mitchell was already the victim of sexual assault by several other men. The suit further asserts that as a prosecutor Roberts used his access to her mental counseling records to deceitfully gain the trust of Mitchell and her parents. She reported that he raped her once in a hotel room, and “intimidated, coerced, and manipulated Mitchell to have sexual intercourse nearly every day for several weeks.” Roberts acknowledged the existence of the sexual relationship at that time, and that “the relationship was indeed a bad lapse in judgment. How-
ever, the relationship did not occur until after the trial and had no bearing on the outcome of that trial.” On the day that Mitchell filed the suit, Roberts retired from the bench, citing unspecified health issues. He has not stepped down from his position as trustee, however. He served as a trustee from 19952007, received the Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College award for outstanding service to Vassar in 2009 and is now serving another term as trustee during the 2016-2017 school year. The case never went to trial because the statute of limitations had expired before Mitchell brought forth her allegations. Thus, Roberts is innocent in the eyes of the law. However, concerning factors remain that make The Miscellany News question his overall judgment and conduct. For example, he admitted to having a consensual relationship with a witness as a public prosecutor, and he resigned from his position the very same day that the allegations surfaced. Further, although Mitchell had reached the age of consent by that time, a relationship between a 16-year-old girl and a man of 30 implies the potential use of exploitative power dynamics–a choice on Roberts’ part which calls for greater scrutiny. Therefore, Roberts’ legal innocence does not preclude the question: Why is he still a trustee? While a court has not found him guilty, Roberts has not presented a convincing case for his innocence or any evidence that exonerates him of reasonable suspicion. If Roberts did commit sexual assault, there is no doubt that he is unfit to serve on the Board of Trustees or be further affiliated with Vassar College in any way. On the other hand, even if Roberts is innocent, the facts of the case still expose professional misconduct and poor judgment on his part; this behavior should itself warrant investigation into whether he is a suitable representative within Vassar’s most powerful governing body as well. At an institution that has already struggled in recent years to adequately support the rights and safety of survivors, the trustees’ tacit acceptance of Roberts’ behavior–whether or not that behavior was exploitative professional
misconduct or sexual assault–reflects poorly both on Vassar’s values its capacity to ensure a safe, supportive environment for survivors on campus. The most comprehensive and accessible information about the the Board can be found in The Governance of Vassar College 2015-2016, last updated on July 1, 2015 and available on the Dean of the Faculty webpage. It details the legal obligations the College upholds with its employees and affiliates and includes information about the nomination and election of trustees. Article VII, “Indemnification of Trustees and Officers,” confirms that the College will cover the legal expenses associated with any action, lawsuit or proceeding, on behalf of any trustee, director or officer of any organization in which the College has interest, whether or not they are still in office. The stipulation is that the person in question must have acted in “good faith” and in consideration of the best interests of the College. As to criminal cases, the statement reads, “[The defendant must have] had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful.” The costs will only be covered if a “disinterested majority” of trustees approve of it. It is clear that the College will indemnify its trustees if they believe them to have been acting in the best interests of the institution. What is not clear is if the Board would or did do so in Roberts’s case. This ambiguity demonstrates well the core problem with how the Board of Trustees and the Vassar Administration operates: a lack of transparency. On a very basic level, most students do not know who is on the Board of Trustees, how they are chosen, what these trustees have done to represent them or the overall power that the Board wields. Some of this information is available on Vassar’s website and in the Governance, yet these sources are not presented to students. Rather, they must seek out these documents to gain any understanding about the Board of Trustees. In fact, the most candid source about the Board of Trustees (and the Administration as a whole) is the website Vassar Transparency Coalition (http://vassartransparencycoalition.weebly.
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com/trustees). This website provides names and biographical information for most everyone involved with the institutional hierarchy at Vassar. Even still, this source is a years out of date–meaning that no mention of the allegations against Roberts is made– and was put together by Vassar students; this information would be more meaningful if it came directly from the Administration as a means of bridging the obvious disconnect between students and the Board. Considering this fundamental lack of transparency between the Board of Trustees, the Administration and students, perhaps it is not surprising that when the allegations against Roberts surfaced last spring, the Administration did not facilitate a discussion for students to voice their opinions about the matter. At the very least, students should have been notified that these allegations were made. Neither course of action was taken by the Board or the Administration. For a college leadership that talks so much about the importance of sexual assault prevention and centering survivors’ voices, failing to proactively address these allegations promotes a culture that silences survivors and implicitly excuses predatory behavior. To say that Vassar is a space that promotes safety while simultaneously ignoring allegations of sexual assault against a Board member is inherently negligent and hypocritical. We at The Miscellany News respectfully ask for clarification as to the how the community can be sure that Richard W. Roberts, and the trustees more broadly, appropriately represent Vassar’s institutional integrity, ethical standards and values. If the trustees have reason to believe that Roberts is not the man these allegations say he is, we hope that they will share these reasons with the campus community so that we, too, can have confidence in our leadership. If they do not have reason to believe in Roberts’ ethics, then, we at The Miscellany News would like to ask why they still feel his position as a trustee is appropriate. — The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board
OPINIONS
Page 10
November 3, 2016
United States should pass Trans-Pacific Partnership Kylan MacLeod Guest Columnist
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he Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, is a trade agreement that is currently up for ratification. The countries that are part of this agreement include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. This deal would greatly lower tariffs and other barriers to trade between these countries. While the creators of the deal say it would benefit trade between all the member countries, it is greatly opposed in the United States. At this point in the election, neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump support the TPP and Bernie Sanders, and many of his followers were extremely opposed to it during the Democratic Primary. Hillary Clinton originally supported the deal, but when it was clear how extremely unpopular it was, the candidate took an opposition opinion. However, while there are some negatives to the TPP and free trade in general, this agreement would overall be to the benefit to the United States and should be implemented. The benefits of more open trade between nations is quite clear. It allows for goods to be sold cheaper in the United States since many goods can be produced for less in other countries than in the United States. Lower prices mean that a person’s wages are worth more even if they have not increased. Reduced barriers to trade also opens more markets to U.S. businesses, so companies will be taking in more revenue. Increased revenue will eventually lead to increased wages for workers of companies that trade internationally, which will help to grow the economy. Consider NAFTA, the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, between the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is not the “single worst trade deal ever approved in this country” as Donald Trump argues, but actually gave rise to a small growth in GDP (gross domestic product). It also led to wage increases for service jobs since the U.S. has a surplus when it comes
to trading services. While more open trade provides many economic benefits, many people oppose it because it takes jobs out of the country. This is, unfortunately, true. Many businesses would prefer to move manufacturing to other countries that would allow them to produce goods at a lower price than they could in the United States. The people who lose their jobs are typically workers with low skills and are among the lowest paid in the country. Some of these workers would be able to find jobs in exporting companies, but some workers would still be left out. While this is terrible for those people, this trend is occurring with or without free trade. Manufacturing is becoming increasingly automated, and as robotics and artificial intelligence continues to improve these jobs are going to be disappearing over time anyway. The U.S. economy has largely shifted to being service-oriented, so it can be difficult for these displaced workers to find jobs. But the reaction to this should not be to oppose free trade and other causes that lead to the loss of jobs because it is a suffering that can only be prolonged. As long as it is beneficial for businesses to use new technology or move overseas, they will continue to do so eventually, as barriers to trade put challenges in their path. Instead of using time, money and energy to oppose deals like the TPP, efforts should be made to help bring unskilled laborers into the new economy, funding educational programs and other locally-oriented programs to help workers adjust. Many jobs can and should be created by giving government-based opportunities for rebuilding our collapsing infrastructure. When discussing trade deals like the TPP, it is also important to consider the benefits it provides to the poorer members of the agreement. Trade has typically been the way poor countries gain more wealth. Citizens in the countries manufacturing jobs move to will now have access to more jobs that pay better (though less than what an American worker would be paid). This
helps to improve life for many people around the world, and this benefit is worth consideration. Americans lose some of the lowest paying jobs in our country and other countries gain new jobs that increase wages. The trick, again, is helping U.S. workers find new jobs in a different type of economy. The United States economy has also changed because globalization is an important aspect of its reality. Cutting off trade with other nations would not benefit the United States—it would likely harm it. Historian Kiran Patel found that the United States entered a nationalistic phase in 1929 in which it increased barriers to trade immediately following the stock market crash that would eventually lead to the Great Depression. Patel believes that by cutting off the rest of the world, the situation was only exacerbated. Even at that point, global trade was a necessity for the economy, and its importance has only grown as time has passed. To attempt to isolate the country now would likely cause an economic catastrophe for the United States and potentially the world. Environmental protection must always be considered when forming trade deals. It is easy to see how countries could move factory locations under a trade agreement to an area with looser restrictions for environmental protection. However, the TPP includes extensive rules for defending the environment by opposing overfishing, defending natural environments, ending wildlife trafficking and protecting endangered species. While some environmental protection groups oppose the TPP, many others are in favor of it. Environmental protection is becoming an increasingly important part of trade deals; it featured as a prominent issue in CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement), a trade agreement between the EU and Canada. As the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnerships (TTIP) between the United States and the EU is being negotiated, it is extremely likely
that the U.S. will have to improve its environmental protection standards for the deal to ever go through. The EU views the United States the way the United States sees members of the TPP agreement; in both cases, standards would have to be increased for a deal to happen. In this way, trade agreements could improve the global environment and U.S. environmental protection laws. The TPP and other trade deals can also function as tools to control or counteract the power of other countries. TPP is lacking on a significant member from Pacific Rim countries: China. In fact, the TPP agreement is designed as a control on Chinese power within that region to the benefit of the U.S. and other member countries. TPP would serve as a form of soft power, a way to assist our allies against growing Chinese power with increased U.S. involvement and without starting any wars or other conflicts. If TPP were to not pass, our allies in the Pacific would question American reliability. This trade deal was started and has been led by the United States and would be very little policy change for the country. However, the other members agreed to massive reforms to meet American standards. If the U.S. were to then abandon the deal, in a time when disputes in the South China Sea are increasing and North Korea is becoming increasingly provocative, our allies would doubt if these are matters of importance for the U.S. The TPP promotes the security interests of our country in this region. The TPP should be approved by the United States. It would be to the overall benefit of the country in the long term and provides for new opportunities in the economy. It is considered by many to be one of President Obama’s signature accomplishments. However, no trade deal is perfect. None will revolutionize the economy or destroy it. Most trade agreements will likely follow the path of NAFTA and be of a small overall benefit to the country and to the benefit of our trading partners.
Johnson’s behavior to blame for his campaign’s failures Jesser Horowitz Columnist
A
s the campaign began, the Libertarian Party, spearheaded by former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, appeared to be having a moment. The major party nominees, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, aroused deep feelings of resentment within the electorate. As the general election began, it appeared that Johnson was but a stone’s throw away from the debate stage and national recognition. He regularly polled above five percent, with some polls showing that one in 10 Americans planned to vote for him. Now, many polls show Johnson failing to achieve even the five percent necessary for federal funding. The promise of legitimacy and electoral success that had motivated the party to nominate him above Libertarian purists never came to fruition. Governor Johnson has become a punchline, barely more credible than Jill Stein or Darrell Castle. This delegitimization is not without good reason. It would be too easy to conclude that Johnson’s failure is a result of a lack of media attention, bias, or a rigged system. While it is true that the two-party system significantly disadvantages third-party candidates, to chalk it up to this is to only touch the tip of the Johnson anomaly. No, if we are to truly grasp the Johnson campaign’s fall from grace, we must work our way to the base of the problem, the realization that Johnson’s failure is direct result of him gaining credibility. When Gary Johnson sought the Libertarian Party nomination, many believed him to be the key to national credibility for the party, and in truth they had good reason to be optimistic. Not only was the American public deeply cynical about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but Johnson appeared to be the perfect candidate. He was a popular governor of a swing state, had earned over a million votes leading the party in 2012, had significantly more experience than his opponents for the nomination and by every measure seemed to be the moderate, mainstream, reasonable Libertarian the party needed to introduce the public to their ideas.
He even had the perfect way to introduce those ideas. Governor Johnson pitches Libertarianism as the perfect blend of ideologies, borrowing the social liberalism of the Democratic Party and the fiscal conservatism of the Republican Party. While many Libertarians take issue with this explanation, and it may not be strictly accurate, most Americans view Libertarianism through this lens.
“It would be too easy to conclude that Johnson’s failure is a result of a lack of media attention...or a rigged system.” Governor Johnson’s fall, in fact, has very little to do with the ideology itself, he barely subscribes to it anyway. Instead, it has to do with how the media treats him and his lack of preparation for the spotlight. The first sign of trouble for Libertarians began far before 2016, during Gary Johnson’s tenure as Governor of New Mexico. According to the Washington Post, Johnson “paid little attention to details” and “preferred to discuss his fitness routine rather than focus on the minutiae of policymaking.” Many activists reported that he rarely took their ideas seriously. State Senator Mimi Stewart (D) related, “It is easy to make simple decisions when you don’t spend time learning about the nuances of policy.” Johnson’s meetings would last only five minutes, at the longest, which he believed gave him plenty of time to grasp the issues (The Washington Post, “Years before ‘Aleppo moment,’ Gary Johnson Showed Little Interest in details of governing,” 10.03.2016). The most concerning aspect of this is the idea that not only did Gary Johnson not understand the details, but he appeared to be under the false impression that he didn’t need to. Not only is that a disastrous position to take as a presiden-
tial candidate, but it would be a concerning quality in any public official, especially one serving in a position that demands an extraordinary understanding of nuance like the Presidency. This attitude can be excused for minor candidates who know they don’t have a chance at winning. When a candidate is focusing on getting to five percent rather than becoming president, the public is generally willing to accept a lack of attention to details. Take Jill Stein, for example. Her goal is to motivate the base to vote for her instead of Hillary Clinton, not to win the election, and thus she can make promises that major candidates wouldn’t be able to, safe in the knowledge that she’ll never be in a position to fulfill them, like her promise to appoint Edward Snowden to her cabinet. As Gary Johnson started to rise in the polls, however, the media began to treat him as a viable candidate, if perhaps not with the same fervor in which they covered Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. They started asking him important policy questions, and this is when we see a decline. His repeated failure to understand even the most basic elements of foreign policy, as demonstrated in his infamous “Aleppo” moment and failure to name even one world leader, significantly damaged his credibility. Johnson has even demonstrated a relative misunderstanding of domestic and fiscal policy during a recent incident in which he blew up at a reporter and refused to answer questions about his tax policies. If we are going to view Johnson as a conservative alternative to the Republican nominee, he must similarly be held to the same standard. Trump has repeatedly given contradictory answers about his policies and personal political beliefs. Several conservative commentators have slammed Trump for his erratic behavior and lack of savvy in terms of policy-making. How is Gary Johnson any different in this regard? While some of his diehard supporters may claim his exclusion from the debates hurt his chances, it is very unlikely that he would have been able to effectively deliver his message to the electorate regardless. Were he asked a ques-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
tion about foreign policy on the debate stage, or was asked to elaborate on specifics, he would have found himself both unknowledgeable on the issue and without the deflecting abilities of the other major candidates. He very easily could have had an “Aleppo” moment. This of course is combined with the relative strength of Hillary Clinton’s campaign. While she has recently had some difficulty, Hillary Clinton’s campaign has not collapsed in the way that the Libertarians probably hoped it would, and Republicans abandoning Trump have shown a reluctance to vote for Gary Johnson that he likely didn’t anticipate. But if he really wants to seek the cause of his inability to further spread libertarianism, Gary Johnson should look no further than himself. His inability to listen, his complete lack of interest in policy and his stunning ignorance of major issues affecting the country have harmed his credibility and prevented him from succeeding. He failed to assert himself as a credible alternative to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
“Gary Johnson did not run a good campaign, and has failed to assert himself as a credible candidate.” Gary Johnson will not be elected President. He most likely understood this when he started his campaign and he definitely understands it now. But that is not why his campaign ought to be considered a failure. Gary Johnson’s campaign is a failure because he failed to truly bring his party to prominence, he made Libertarianism appear less credible and he very likely won’t receive the five-percent share of the vote that he needs in order for his party to receive federal funding. This is no one’s fault but his own. Gary Johnson did not run a good campaign and has failed to assert himself as a credible candidate.
November 3, 2016
OPINIONS
Clinton unfit to protect minority groups Pietro Geraci
Guest Columnist
I
have to be blunt: Hillary Clinton is not an ally of marginalized groups. The Clinton Foundation received money from countries where queerness is illegal and often punishable by death in exchange for political favors while she was Secretary of State. According to Wikileaks, Hillary is still privately against gay marriage, confirming accusations that she only changed her stance on the issue because it was politically expedient for her to do so. In reality, she does not care about us–she just wants our vote. These same countries also treat women like property, violating their most basic rights, so clearly Clinton also lacks concern for women. She doesn’t care about Muslims either. Her foreign policy decisions, coupled with Obama’s,
which is itself mostly a continuation of Bush’s, further destabilized the Middle East and North Africa, and allowed ISIS to prosper. She supported the drone strikes that killed thousands of Muslim civilians and she would continue this hawkish foreign policy if elected. Hillary cannot even be counted on to stand up for Native Americans. After mounting pressure and protests at her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, her campaign released the following statement: “We received a letter today from representatives of the tribes protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. From the beginning of this campaign, Secretary Clinton has been clear that she thinks all voices should be heard and all views considered in federal infrastructure projects. Now, all of the parties involved—including the federal government, the pipeline company and con-
Nick Barone/The Miscellany News
The most recent ABC News/Washington Post polls show a tightening race between GOP nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as Election Day draws nearer.
tractors, the state of North Dakota, and the tribes— need to find a path forward that serves the broadest public interest. As that happens, it’s important that on the ground in North Dakota, everyone respects demonstrators’ rights to protest peacefully, and workers’ rights to do their jobs safely.” Needless to say, the protesting tribes and others were not pleased with this statement. 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben tweeted, “Hillary Clinton managed to make a statement about the Dakota Pipeline that literally says nothing. Literally.” MSNBC host Joy Reid called it “kind of a BS statement.” I don’t believe I need to explain the utter disregard and sheer ignorance shown by the former Secretary of State pertaining to the showdown currently happening in North Dakota. Does she at least stick up for Black people? Only if they’re American. Her foundation robbed the people of Haiti after a devastating earthquake already robbed them of so much. The millions of dollars raised did little to help the poor; instead the money went to projects that helped Haiti’s elite, and projects that were intended to help the lower classes were completed by companies with ties to the Clinton Foundation. These companies did not deliver their highest quality work and in several instances, the projects were entirely useless. If she doesn’t care about these marginalized groups, what logic can be employed to persuade that she cares about other groups, including Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, other people of color, the disabled, the autistic or any other group? While she claims to be a champion of the marginalized and the oppressed, she is really a cold, calculating, callous politician who, according to President Barack Obama himself, “will say anything to get elected...and change nothing.” Crooked Hillary Clinton does not share the social justice values enshrined by the majority of Vassar students. If these students truly care about social justice and ending the systemic oppression and marginalization of people living in this country, which I believe they do, then they would put their vote to better use by selecting another candidate or writing in somebody else.
Candidates must acknowledge #NoDAPL Nick Barone
Opinions Editor
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n Oct. 31, more than one million Facebook users “checked in” to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. This was done in response to a post purporting that inundating Facebook with public check-ins could divert police monitoring of activists who were protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. As reported in The Guardian, “Members of more than 90 Native American nations have converged on Standing Rock in North Dakota since April to protest against the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline, saying it would jeopardize the tribe’s water supply and threaten sacred tribal sites” (The Guardian, “Standing Rock: One million people ‘check in’ on Facebook to support Dakota pipeline protesters,” 10.31.2016). The proposed pipeline would run from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to Southern Illinois, crossing parts of the Mississippi River and Lake Oahe near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Tribal leaders expressed concerns about potential impacts on water quality and the risk of desecrating sacred lands. The Army Corps of Engineers would later approve water crossing permits anyway, despite protests from the Standing Rock Sioux and concerns expressed by the Department of the Interior (Common Dreams, “What You Need To Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline,” 09.09.2016). In defense of land that is rightfully theirs, indigenous protesters faced heavily armed riot police and a multi-pronged operation to clear encampments with pepper spray and tear gas. Hundreds of protesters were subsequently arrested and jailed. Cody Hall, a member of the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, described his harsh treatment in jail to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! Hall related to Goodman that Morton County police strip-searched him, describing the process as “one of those tactics that they try to break down your mentalness of everyday life, because not every day do you wake up and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to get, you know, naked and have somebody search me today,’ you know?” (Democracy Now!, “Dakota Excess Pipeline?
Standing Rock Protectors Strip-Searched, Jailed for Days on Minor Charges,” 10.27.2016). While the public check-ins have not yet been verified as having any effect on police surveillance, this trend imbues one of the most critical controversies of 2016 with much needed visibility. The Facebook campaign, while easily dismissible as “armchair activism,” centers indigenous struggle against such blatant violations of both national sovereignty and the constitutional right to organize. Reckoning with toxic solipsism in public expressions of solidarity–especially among white folk–is essential. Furthermore, public displays of solidarity are only first steps in collectively aiding indigenous peoples in their struggle to stop the pipeline’s construction. For readers with sufficient financial means, consider donating to the Legal Defense Fund for the Sacred Stone Spirit Camp or directly to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe at standingrock.org One thing that can be said is the Facebook check-in phenomenon has certainly helped generate greater awareness for an issue that has been consistently excluded from mainstream media outlets since the protests began back in April. Most outlets did not begin reporting extensively on the protests until confrontations turned violent in late October. Moreover, such visibility is especially crucial when indigenous narratives of resistance are further silenced in the realm of national politics. One would assume that the ongoing struggles in North Dakota would be a hot-button issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. This has not been the case whatsoever. Donald Trump’s relative silence on the pipeline can be traced to the fact that the real estate mogul owns stock in the pipeline. Financial disclosures show, “[H]e owned between $15,000 and $50,000 in stock in Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners ... Trump’s form also shows he holds between $100,000 and $250,000 in Phillips 66 stock, which has a one-quarter share of Dakota Access” (ABC News, “Trump Holds Stock in Dakota Access Pipeline,” 10.26.2016). His opponent’s response was not much more substantive. Hillary Clinton’s campaign wrote,
“Secretary Clinton has been clear that she thinks all voices should be heard and all views considered in federal infrastructure projects. Now, all of the parties involved—including the federal government, the pipeline company and contractors, the state of North Dakota, and the tribes—need to find a path forward that serves the broadest public interest” (Indian Country Today, “Clinton Campaign Responds to DAPL Face-Off,” 10.27.2016). The Clinton campaign’s words reflect a thinly-veiled attempt at neutrality in regards to an issue where neutrality isn’t an option. Vocal support from the Democratic presidential nominee could have pressured Energy Transfer Partners and the government of North Dakota to cease plans for further construction of the pipeline. Her campaign’s cop-out response, instead, implicitly justifies the actions of these entities as potentially serving “the broadest public interest.” This is an unacceptable insinuation that ignores the reality on the ground for indigenous organizers. According to the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, Native Americans constitute 1.9 percent of police killings, though make up just 0.8 percent of the country’s population. In South Dakota, indigenous individuals “were handed down 57 percent more prison time than whites, according to research from the University of South Dakota” (Al-Jazeera America, “5 things that may surprise you about Native Americans’ police encounters,” 01.27.2016). The construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline must be viewed in the context of persistent erasure of indigenous struggles in the United States. As indigenous social justice organizer and commentator Kelly Hayes wrote, “The harms committed against us have long been relegated to the history books. This erasure has occurred for the sake of both white supremacy and US mythology ... Our struggles have been kept both out of sight and out of mind ... It should be clear to everyone that we are not simply here in those rare moments when others bear witness” (Transformative Spaces, “How To Talk About #NoDAPL: A Native Perspective,” 10.27.2016).
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
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Word on the street What should Obama do with his free time? “Finally found a hair metal band with Joe Biden.” — Jimmy Pavlick ’18
“Sleep, he needs it.” — Annie Greene ’19
“Go on a nice long walk, maybe go backpacking with Bo and Sunny.” — Maria Martin ’20
“Throw a pool party.” — Victorien Jakebson ’19
“He should rollerblade.” — Chiara Mannarino ’18
“Stay president... don’t worry, #ImWithHer.” — Lily Kitfield ’18
Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor
HUMOR & SATIRE
Page 12
November 3, 2016
Breaking News From the desk of Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor People continue to be angry about Hillary Clinton’s email scandal as if they actually understand what a “server” is Read the #1 (and only) article about listicles here! Lily Horner
Best Humor Writer 2016
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appy November! Though I am heartbroken that Halloween season is over, we are now on the verge of the most wonderful time of the year: list season. I’ve been following the development of listicles since I only had computer access for an hour a day (after I finished all my homework). As we grow closer to the end of the year, the “bests” and “worsts” of 2016 are going to be ranked by hundreds of newspapers and magazines and websites, thus consolidating a whole year of our lives into 15 manageable bullet points. Here are just a few examples of the lists that I am looking forward to. The most-anticipated end-of-year list is, of course, broadwaybeat.com’s “Best ‘Hamilton’ References of 2016 that Definitively Prove that ‘Hamilton’ is Not Just Another Fad.” As an avid “Hamilton” fan that has definitely seen “Hamilton” and thinks “Hamilton” is the zenith of musical theater, I can’t wait for this list. I can’t get enough “Hamilton”! And since pop culture feels the same way, I find it impossible to keep up with every single “Hamilton” reference made. Broadway Beat has been hyping this list since September, and I honestly tear segments of my hair out of my scalp I get so excited just thinking about it. For those of you who prefer 140 characters over the musical stylings of Lin Manuel Bandana, Twitter is coming out with a few lists that I’m pretty excited about. They are going to have a list for “The Worst Tweets of 2016 with 5k or More Favorites,” because even Twitter knows that a lot of people out there only get favorites because they pay for their followers. However, just to be fair they will also make a list “The Best Tweets of 2016 with 5 or Less Favorites,” which is good news for me because my twitter only has two followers; I am not a sellout. They are also coming up with another pair of lists: “The Best Tweets of 2016 About How Much 2016 Stunk,” and “The Worst Tweets of 2016 About How 2016 has been the Best Year Yet.” A divisive year, 2016 will be remembered not only for the election, but also for the triumph of Kim Kardashian West over Taylor
Swift. Speaking of the election, that will be a minefield for lists. MSNBC will come out with the “Worst Things Donald Trump Did in 2016” list on Dec. 15, while Fox News will release their list, “Worst Things Hillary Clinton Did in 2016,” the next day. Gee, this election sure has been one for the books! Not only have the candidates been controversial and divisive, but there have been a lot of memes made about them. Which brings me to my next list! Knowyourmeme.com revealed exclusively to me that they will release a list called “Every Meme About the Election You’ve Probably Forgotten About By Now.” Your two favorite things: more talk about the painful 2016 election and stale memes! Check it out; it’s coming out in late November; it’s being released in tandem with another list “Most Tired Memes of 2016.” Though we dismissed her in the beginning of the year, Kylie Jenner was right when she said that 2016 would be the year of realizing stuff. One of the things the human population collectively realized was that Taylor Swift is a snake. There will be many lists coming out both about the Swift-Kardashian-West feud and Taylor herself. Some examples will be the “Worst Taylor Swift Moments of 2016” lists from various sources like People, CNN, Snapchat, Yahoo! and Mark Zuckerberg’s blog. Taylorswift.com will have its own list, “Best Taylor Swift Moments of 2016.” Just thought I’d mention it for the two people who are still Team Taylor. These lists about 2016’s outstanding moments are most definitely noteworthy. However, I do recommend you keep an eye out for these lists as well: “Worst Costumes of 2016 NOT Worn on Halloween” from the Party City Newsletter (Dec. 1), “Best SNL Skits of 2016 that Definitively Prove SNL is Better Than Ever” from lornemichaels.com (Nov. 27), “Least Watched Music Videos of 2016” from Rolling Stone (Nov. 13) and “Worst Nip-Slips of 2016” from TMZ (Nov. 20). I’d also be remiss if I didn’t plug my own list that’s coming out Dec. 5: “Most Desperate-Looking Celebrity Fights of 2016.” I will post it on my website, www.lilyloveslists. com. Keep on keeping on, my fellow list lovers.
Letter to the Editor To the Editor: I am writing to express my considered opinion on Talya Phelps’ opinion article from October 13, 2016: “Possible write-in candidates are scarier than Trumpkins.” As the fifth posited write-in candidate in the piece, I, Gym Guy (Karl), take great umbrage—yes, “umbrage” (I know words; I know the best words)—at being lampooned in such fashion. First of all, let’s dispense with the ad hominem attacks. Yes, I’ve been called everything from “Mr. Constipated” to “Ozymandias” (“Look on my Floors, ye mighty, and Despair!”) but none of these childish labels diminish the righteousness of my position, which is a zero-tolerance policy of allowing footwear that has been worn outdoors to be worn in the AFC. Students, faculty and staff of the College can mock me all they like, but I have toured over 1,000 college fitness centers around the world, and I can assure you that, because of my absolute shoe-change policy and the fly paper I’ve installed at the fitness room door, Vassar’s facility is the cleanest anywhere. The hand towels in my fitness center are the plushest, cleanest towels, folded and re-folded dozens of times a day for your convenience. A confession: sometimes on rainy nights when I can’t sleep, I come back to the fitness center, mess up all the towels and fold them again. It’s more soothing than Klonopin with a Bushmill’s chaser; that’s for sure. I realize that many of you set aside the sneakers you wear while mucking stalls on the Farm or while swamp-running, just so you can spitefully change into those sneakers, but I know who you are. When you walk into the gym and see me hunched over a computer, it might seem like I’m just randomly surfing the web, but I’m not; I’m consulting the databank of the 437 hidden cameras around campus; I know what sneakers people are wearing.
I have given hours and hours of deep thought to the conundrum of the inside-outside sneaker duality, so I am aware of the scientific principles at work, too. I realize that because electron orbits extend the distance of a football field, your inside sneakers are technically outside at the same time; but the fact is, the nuclei of the sneakers are on your feet, which are inside, so I have decided to overlook this seeming contradiction.
“First of all, let’s dispense with the ad hominem attacks.” And those of you who think you’re clever, buying two pairs of the same sneakers—I know about that gambit as well. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of buying sneakers, for once and for all I want it known that all rumors of my receiving kickbacks from Foot Locker at the mall are greatly exaggerated. Ms. Phelps, alluding to how I “gruffly ordered [her] out of the AFC” and caused her stomach to drop, went on to write, “Any man who can make me feel like that is a man with the power to lead a country.” Let’s be clear: I do not want to lead this country. I like my little fiefdom. Furthermore, I know I am doing the world a great service by having some rules on this God-forsaken campus and then enforcing those rules. You spoiled Baby Ivy brats need me, because, trust me, when you get out into the Real World, you’re going to quickly discover that the world makes you do a hell of a lot more than change your sneakers. You’re going to have to conform, fit in, blend, assimilate...so it’s better that you learn how to do that now. One day you’ll thank me for it. Most surlily, Gym Guy (Karl)
Rad Brad’s Career Corner: Networking Edition Leela Stalzer and Gabi Anspach, “Brad”
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n this week’s edition, we delve into the art of networking, also known as Phase Three in the process of Human Commodification. Tip No. 1: Suffuse your life with self-promotion. You may have heard run-of-the-mill self-promotion tips like attend networking events! And hand out resumes! Or business cards! But we at Brad’s Corner find such tips grossly inadequate. You must take it to the next level. We recommend bringing 20 to 30 copies of your resume with you on the first day of class (the earlier the better!), handing them out and going through each bullet point in detail. This should flow quite naturally if the professor has everyone go around and do introductions. If the professor does not do this, just unobtrusively hand your resume down the rows, then raise your hand and explain your accomplishments. Both weekends and late nights at the library present opportune moments for networking. Put on your best suit or business casual, copy those resumes and take a risk! If people are intensely studying, simply slide your business card over their homework and move on without a word. If you see people
slacking off (tsk, tsk) and talking to each other, engage them in conversation and tell them that you are hoping to bring them into your professional network. Weekends present ample opportunities as well. With your free time, attend parties and catch the attention of high-power potential mates, repeatedly suggest carrying out mock interviews with your friends, or practice your marketing skills by posting unwanted items on Free & For Sale. Tip No. 2: Network with faculty. We see faculty everyday, all around campus, but few of us are truly taking advantage of the opportunity this presents. It is, of course, best to network with faculty when they are in large groups, so you can get more bang for your buck. To accomplish this, we recommend you look up the faculty meeting schedule and burst into the nearest upcoming meeting to introduce yourself. See a script below: “Hello, excuse me. Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!? Hi. I want to start by thanking you all very much for inviting me to speak to you today. My name is ______. (Begin handing out resume and sign up sheet.) I began my career ______ years ago in the lowly position of
a ______. I’ve come a long way since then. But while I realize that you allotted 45 minutes for this presentation, I only have time for a brief introduction. As you’ll see, there’s a sheet coming around the room with times for you to sign up to meet with me one-onone, which will be a rare opportunity for you to learn more about my accomplishments...” You can take it from here. Just remember, when introducing yourself to college faculty members and administrators, you may want to use a pseudonym to protect yourself from identity theft (people may be a little bit too impressed with your accomplishments). A couple old favorites include “Datharine Bond Hill” and “Don Chenette.” Tip No. 3: Congratulate your peers on their achievements. Make sure to let your LinkedIn connections know that you are eagerly monitoring the development of their careers. Notice that whats-his-name from your class got a new job at Campus Patrol? Start the next class with an announcement to make him feel supported in his new responsibilities: “I was overjoyed to hear that um, our fellow student here, recently began a semester-long career. I
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
can tell he’s really committed to following his passions. I think it’s worth spending the rest of class celebrating his achievements with this cake I baked and discussing how this step relates to his life-long career goals. ” While we recommend that you always do these celebrations in person, unfortunately not all of your LinkedIn connections will be as quickly accessible. Some people, like your boss from last summer’s internship, might live across the country. In this case, you’re likely going to have to wait a few days before you can fly to the nearest airport and meet up with them outside their new office. Keep in mind, once you get there, they might not be available. In this case, order a flower arrangement to be sent to their office at least once a week for the next several months, making sure to express remorse that your visit didn’t work out. Senior Snippet: You should be thinking about yearbooks and senior pictures at this time of year. While you’re at it, consider ordering a 50ft x 50ft poster of your favorite photo. This will make for a lovely installation in the College Center.
HUMOR & SATIRE
November 3, 2016
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Costumes and money thrown out after Halloweekend Maya Sterling
Party City Associate
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ow that the clowns have run through the quad, the leaves have found themselves caught in fake wigs and red solo cups have gotten trapped in corners with candy wrappers and a few lost V-cards, we’ve finally come out of our daze and are now faced with the most daunting Halloween prospect: what to do with your costume! This unique problem may not have presented itself to you in your youth, when coming home at 8:30 p.m. after a wild night of trick-ortreating (and filling half the pillowcase! Hell yeah!) all you had to do was crash from your sugar high and never have to see your magic wand and power ranger onesie for a whole year. Parents were nice enough to whisk away your fashion faux pas, but now you’re in college and on your own to find a home for fishnet tights. I’ve compiled a list of my best recommendations that I am pleased to share with you today.
2. Dress a small child: We all know your outfit didn’t actually fit. Even if you think it did, your v-neck leotard gets a C-rating for skin coverage. Maybe next year your New Hallo-Year’s Resolution to lose a few pounds before you eat your weight in candy will come true! For those costumes that did fit, yes I’m talking to you Harry Potter, Tinkerbell and Minnie Mouse, your costume was originally meant for a small child. So you’re all set! 3. Wear it on Nov. 8: Everyone knows Halloween and the 2016 Election share countless similarities: seeing horrifying scenes on a TV and generally gathering around and exclaiming, “Well, we’re all fucked!” Distract your friends from the tragedy of the whole state’s electoral votes going to Donald Trump with your equally as disturbing Kate-McKinnon-Hillary-Clinton mocking hand waving. (If we don’t laugh about this, we’ll probably cry and have panic attacks.)
Sanana Srestha/The Miscellany News
Answers to last week’s puzzle Mack and Kim go to Disney!
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© 2016 (Published via Across Lite)
7. “Lose it” in the laundry room: After a careful scientific study, I have concluded that 10 percent of Vassar students use the laundry room to do laundry, and the other 90 percent go to purposely dispose of things they don’t want. Your unicorn head will fit right in with the lint balls and single socks. I hope at least one of these options appealed to your post-Halloween clean up needs. Remember, Halloween is just one night, the rest of the year...are all the days you are being remembered for last year’s Halloween. P.S. None of these options apply if your costume contained any tie-dye. Please and thank you bring your donations for Joss 3 West.
The Miscellany Crossword
“Mack and Kim Go To Disney!” 1 The preferable Donald 5 “Golf ball capitalist dystopia” park 10 Skinny Jim 14 American Guinea Hog Association (abbr) 15 When two lanes become one 16 Mickey and Minnie 17 Chef Bobby 18 Ghost disapproval, past tense 19 Shakespearean “soon” 20 Bird name you laughed at in middle school 21 Musical featuring “Falling Slowly” 22 Adventure, Tomorrow, Frontier, or Fantasy 23 Frees oneself from 26 Many of this mineral in baby powder 28 The full name of Donald’s dog pal 33 By yourself 34 Refreshing your browser... again 39 Office note 40 Life’s building blocks 41 To agitate 42 To put something forward as fact 44 Type of ray 45 Lovely art/literature movement 47 “It’s a 10-down __ after all” 50 A small buffalo, or sapiutan
6. Mail it back to the family: If keeping colored contact lenses around kills your “vibe,” you may consider this option. You don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your hall mates when they come into your room to see your Where’s Waldo shirt clashing with your turquoise medallion tapestry. When you send off the goods, you don’t have to put a return address. I’m pretty sure the mailman will send it anyway if you can make up for it with extra postage. No letter will be necessary; simply opening your shoe box (aka your poor excuse for a mailing package) to find your ripped Rosie the Riveter bandana will prove how much you still think “We can do it!” (Answer: you are done caring) *Warning, this option may include parents placing a call to the school to confirm your survival.
5. Develop a clothing line: Now that the whole school has seen your costume, it’s proof you are hot shit when it comes to fashion. (Besides, literally anything comes off as fashion at Vassar. Mom jeans? Fashion. Crocs? Fashion. Trashbag? Fashion.) It might be time to take on launching a business in your copious amount
1. Save it until next year: You heard me right! As a college student on a steep budget (food and beverages are excluded) there is no better way to save a few bucks then to hold onto your chocolate-stained plaid shirt and shaved down eye liner pencil until next year! But wait, I may have been unclear; you aren’t saving the costume for yourself; it’s for a fellow Brewer of course! You can’t be caught in the same bunny ears or Donald Trump mask next year; all of your friends have a very clear and undistorted picturesque image of you from Saturday night in their mind, and if you were to wear the same costume you would be in for a night of mockery in 2017. Instead, you can sell your themed cape and slobbery fangs on the Vassar Free & For Sale Facebook page. Or, you could always leave it in front of someone’s door like a weird, unwanted Secret Santa gift. At any rate, your prized possessions are sure to be some else’s trash!
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of college student free time. All the great fashion designers get their ideas from late night, thundering-music-induced hallucinations. Just ask Kanye West! Your young, progressive Vassar mind can do way better than baggy shirts, sweaters and coats. Or maybe I’m giving you too much credit.
4. Burn it: I asked Siri the other day where I can hide a dead body (which is a pretty accurate description of your costume, actually) and she told me I could use a dump, reservoir or swamp. Fortunately enough for you, I’m a fan of Sunset Lake. My backup recommendation is to turn to the classic torch-and-gasoline technique. If we all pool our fake fur, string chokers and non-allergenic, non-irritating, tear-free, vampire blood together, we might be able to generate enough toxic fumes to block out the sun for a week! #FallBreakRoundTwo (Seriously, start using this hashtag and it’ll happen.)
by Kim Carlson and Mackenzie Little
51 Neck base 52 To encourage in wrongdoing, along with aid 55 What sitcom wives do, according to lazy husbands 58 “Young Diaries” band 59 Rain and snow, combined 60 Internet secret agent 61 Handsome fella 62 How much I’m excited for finals: not __ (2 words) ACROSS 63 Cry a whole lot 1 1 The preferable Donald 64 Philosophical doctrines 5 "Golf ball capitalist 65 The big cheese himself 14 dystopia" park 66 Defining feature of 65 across, found on 10 Skinny Jim Disney hats 14 American Guinea Hog 17
37 A bunch of lice eggs 38 Glitter rock 40 Peridot’s insult of choice 43 Website link 44 Max’s opposite 46 A bad kind of tale 47 Multiple of the man without whom this crossword would not exist 48 Found in poppy seeds and hard drugs 49 What a parent does to their child before bed, 2 3 4 5 6 7
Mack and Kim go to Disney! Mackenzie Little and Kim Carlson
sometimes 51 Latin meaning “unless” 52 The most underrated singing part 53 My new French boyfriend 54 Indie rock band known for “Mr E’s Beautiful Blues” 56 Another animal word for “copycat” 57 Vulture genus 59 Won’t eat green eggs, ham 60 A female sheep 8 9 10 11 12 13
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Association (abbr) 15 When two lanes become 21 20 one 1 Punk band 16 Mickey and Minnie 2 Jamaican tangelo 23 24 25 26 17 Chef Bobby 3 Internet meeting places, circa 2005 18 Ghost disapproval, past 4 Every kiss begins with ___ tense 28 29 30 31 32 5 Make laminated 19 Shakespearean "soon" 6 Worthless pawn 20 Bird name you laughed 33 34 7 1 bad meme shoe at in middle school 8 An S-shaped line 21 Musical featuring 9 He has many talks 40 39 "Falling Slowly" 10 Little 22 Adventure, Tomorrow, 11 Linear particle accelerator 42 43 Frontier, or Fantasy 12 User pics 23 Frees oneself from 13 26 Fix Many clothingof orthis relationships mineral in 45 46 24 “Perhaps even...” (2 words) baby powder 2528 A fee The full name of 47 48 49 50 26 More than onesdog pal Donald’s 2733 American organization for the digestive By yourself system (abbr.) 51 52 53 54 34 Refreshing your 28 British slang for an umbrella browser... again 29 Generic term for oils 39 Office note 59 58 30 Something that comes true when you wish 40 Life’s building blocks upon a star 41 To agitate 62 31 Airline where “life is a fucking nightmare” 61 42 To put something 32 The Flash’s last name forward as fact 35 The only person hugged by Voldemort 65 64 44 Type of ray 36 Divides Italy and Greece (2 words) 45 Lovely art/literature movement © 2016 (Published via Across Lite) 47 "It’s a 10−down MISCELLANY __ after NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE27 American organization all" for the digestive system DOWN 50 A small buffalo, or (abbr.) 1 Punk band sapiutan 28 British slang for an 2 Jamaican tangelo 51 Neck base DOWN
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November 3, 2016
Screening delves into personal stories of homelessness Sasha Gopalakrishnan Reporter
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n Wednesday, Oct. 26, ViCE organized a film screening of “Pier Kids: The Life,” a documentary focusing on the lives and struggles of homeless gay and transgender youth of color in New York City. The director, Elegance Bratton, a gay man of color who himself battled homelessness for 10 years of his life, personally screened his documentary for the Vassar audience. He followed it up with a question-and-answer session that revealed his personal journey as he went about filming this unfortunate but often under-explored social reality. Bratton is a director/writer who was pushed out of his home in New Jersey by his mother at the age of 16 for being gay. With no place to go, he found himself in New York City on the Christopher Street Pier, the same street where the Gay Rights Movement began. He then struggled with homelessness for the next 10 years, after which
he spent five years in the United States Marine Corps. Then, from 2011–2014, he completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia University and it was during his time there that he returned to the streets where he had wandered as a homeless youth to document the stories of three Pier Kids, DeSean, Casper and Krystal. As Bratton explained his impulse and experience creating this documentary: “The film is a memoir. I lived this; this is not a form of entertainment. I shot it while I was at Columbia because I was trying to understand what my life was at that point. It was weird to go from being homeless for 10 years, like the people recorded in the film, to studying with people like yourselves and being 10 years older than all of them. So this was a personal journey for me. I didn’t know anything about professional filmmaking when I started, I didn’t have a script, I would just spend Thursday to Sunday on the Pier every week, homeless and filming.”
Courtesy of Pier Kids on Tumblr
“Pier Kids: The Life,” screened by ViCE this past Wednesday, documents the harsh realities of gay and transgender youth of color in New York City, a deeply personal subject for the director.
The documentary, which is a work in progress, is an extremely stark representation of the life led by these homeless LGBT youths of color, and it unabashedly captures the essence of the Pier, of Christopher Street, of the people and their struggles. Alcohol, drugs, prostitution, pornography, theft, confrontations with the police and death are all deeply embedded in the way of life of these youths, and the documentary very candidly depicts these terrifyingly real aspects of being out on the streets. And yet, it’s a home in some form. As one of the subjects in the film asserts, “The Pier is like our living room; it’s where we socialize. With the beauty, the ugly, the drama, this is our home. We have the beautiful moments and the bad moments—everything that happens in a home.” The documentary’s focus is on three main characters that are homeless due to their sexual orientation. Bratton chose these three particular participants because they seemed to best reflect his own story. He saw himself in DeSean, known to all as the mayor of Christopher Street, who was a natural-born leader whom people would approach and consult. When Bratton was on the streets, he had tended to fulfill that role for people. He also saw himself in DeSean’s hypermasculinity, one of the motivations for which Bratton later entered the Marine Corps. On the other hand, Bratton stated, “[Casper] represented the risk of it all because he had been killed by a hit-and-run driver while skateboarding at 2 a.m. to go see his transgender girlfriend. And it was so painful for everyone because he was so charming; everyone wanted to be friends with him.” Casper died just two weeks after the interview that Bratton documented, and so he felt it was his duty to put Casper’s story into the film. In regards to Krystal, a transgender woman, Bratton declared, “She was the star of the documentary. She’s the lead character. She navigates HIV/AIDS housing while trying to hold together a family. She was the mother and, even though she didn’t have a lot to give, she adopted a lot of gay children.” Krystal’s story documents complicated
familial relationships while portraying the harsh reality of the battle with HIV/AIDS, especially in the homeless LGBT community. During the question-and-answer session, Bratton remarked at what he felt his role was as the maker of the film: “I feel I bring myself in through the camera movement, the adjustments of light, my voice or my presence. Whatever angle you’re viewing a particular scene from, it’s because I want you to see it from that perspective. So I would say I’m the viewer’s entryway into the film.” Yasemin Smallens ’20, the member of ViCE Film who organized Bratton’s appearance, explained why she thought it was a good idea to bring this film to Vassar: “There’s a large queer presence at Vassar, but it’s very homogeneous. We all live in a privileged bubble and have the safety net of college. We will never have the fear of where we’re going to sleep or how we will get food, and we don’t like to think about the role class plays in queerness. We don’t like to think about the prostitution, sex work and pornography parts of the queer community because they’re not kosher. So I think it’s important for us to face that and be exposed to it.” Chair of ViCE Film Cyrus Cohen ’18 expressed his feelings towards the documentary: “I was struck by how autobiographical it was and how he was able to tell his story through other people’s experiences without co-opting or exploiting them.” He also addressed why he wanted to showcase Bratton’s work, saying, “We wanted to expose Vassar students to this work in progress because it gives insight into a creative process and what it’s really like to be a filmmaker or creator.” In regards to being a creator, Bratton ended his session with distinct advice for prospective filmmakers and documentarians. “Film what you’re most uncomfortable with,” he stated. “Go to that place inside of yourself and ask yourself really, really honest questions, and when you come back with answers that you don’t like, that’s the thing that you’re supposed to be doing.”
Annual fashion show pays homage to revolutionary year CONTRAST continued from page 1
an orange and rust tie-dyed dashiki dress. Some of the other looks featured included highlights of fashion from 1969, such as floral prints, power jumpsuits, stripes and wide-legged trousers. There was also a direct reference to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s protest in the form of two models each dressed up as John and Yoko holding up signs that read, “Bed Peace” and “Hair Peace,” respectively. The makeup on the models’ faces was very simple and understated, aside from the bold eyeliner details that served as a nice touch referencing the time period of 1969. One of my favorite looks from the show was Look #6, which was a hybrid of a jumpsuit and a cape rendered in a striped fabric of teal, dark blue and white. Another eye-catching look was one that featured a lavender mini dress with eye motifs paired with bright orange leggings and black pumps. Overall, the collections gave a sense of the archetypal free-spirited nature evocative of the late ’60s mixed with urban self-confidence through statement pieces like a large faux fur coat and the overall ready-to-slay attitude embodied by the student models themselves. Fortunately, I was able to interview one of the models, Sydney Lee ’19. When asked about her experience with Contrast she said, “This year’s experience particularly, as I was a part of this process last year, was incredibly pleasant. The [Contrast] org leaders right now are some of the sweetest people in the world and by far the most dedicated to the fashion community here at Vassar.” I would like to end with some thoughts that I had in mind during the show, however. Though Contrast did a fantastic job in making sure that their model line-up was full of a spectrum of models, I could not help but notice the underrepresentation of Asian student models. I would also like to point out that, historically, Contrast has produced fashion shows that involved transporting their audience to a past time period. I invite Contrast to look to the future and to look to Vassar—a place where experimental fashion and style thrives— as sources of inspiration for themes to celebrate. However, the show indeed demonstrated hard work, dedication and talent from Contrast and everyone that contributed to the event.
Courtesy of Vassar Contrast
shocked American culture and the world at large. Hence, it is no wonder why Contrast decided to celebrate such a revolutionary time. The overall event had two components to it: the fashion show itself and a talk from a guest speaker. This year, Contrast was fortunate enough to have Ivan Bart–the president of IMG Models–come to Vassar and give a talk to open the fashion show. This was a huge deal. Bart has launched the modeling careers of some of the world’s most famous supermodels like Tyra Banks, Kate Moss, Giselle Bundchen, Joan Smalls and Gigi Hadid. Bart’s talk highlighted the importance of the liberation that accompanied the youth culture of 1969. Today’s shift in communication via social media—a revolution in its own right—has created stars out of seemingly nowhere and is important to a new wave of models that are making a splash in today’s catwalks and magazines. Bart gave an anecdote on the rise of Vine star Cameron Dallas and how inviting him to a Calvin Klein show in Milan had the city streets flooding with fans of the 22-year-old up-and-coming fashion it-boy. The concept of the social media star, Bart explained, allows individuals to showcase their personality on top of their physical features. Some other interesting highlights of Bart’s speech involved his discussion of how IMG Models is pushing boundaries in the modeling and fashion industry by the inclusive nature in which it operates. For example, IMG has expanded to giving opportunities to plus-sized men and women, transgender people and people with disabilities. His talk ended with a video from IMG that highlighted the success of the spectrum of models that the company has led to stardom. The most remarkable part of Bart’s talk was the life advice that he gave the crowd. He stated the importance of having vision and how despite life’s curveballs and uncertainty, it is vision that allows someone to remain true to who they are and ultimately be able to find one’s calling and happiness. Soon after, the fashion show began. The show featured 18 looks, the first three from Vassar’s costume department. A very striking ensemble from these three costumes was Look #3, which featured
Contrast’s annual fashion show was visited by Ivan Bart, president of IMG Models. Bart is credited with bringing renowned supermodels like Tyra Banks and Gigi Hadid to stardom.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
November 3, 2016
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Despot-centric play in tune with today’s election, politics Kaitlin Prado
Guest Reporter
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Courtesy of James J. Conway/Strange Flowers
his weekend in the Susan Stein Shiva Theater, The Philaletheis Society (lovingly referred to as Phil) presents: “Ubu Rex.” Phil is one of the many student theater organizations on campus that produces theatrical events, including full-length productions like this one, throughout the year. Director Julian Corbett ’19 detailed the most important plot points by saying, “‘Ubu Rex’ is the story of a vulgar, greedy, self-obsessed, hate-spewing, cowardly officer in the Polish army whose wife convinces him to kill the King of Poland and seize the throne. Once he’s king, Ubu kills the nobles to seize their property, kills the judges because he doesn’t like their rulings and kills the economists because they criticize his tax plan.” At the time of its original premiere in the late 1800s, “Ubu Rex” elicited in audiences many visceral reactions which were due largely in part to the play’s ill-received profanity and sacrilegious themes. Corbett explained, “It starts with the word ‘Shittr!,’ and when the play premiered in 1896 there was a riot immediately after the first line.” Corbett continued, “People called [playwright Alfred] Jarry’s play immoral, blasphemous, seditious, anarchistic—but it was also the start of a new era in the theater and in art. Jarry is really trying to challenge his audience, to show them a part of human nature that they would probably much rather ignore.” Jarry’s work still remains relevant even 120 years after its first production. The completely absurd and satirical nature of this play are only parts of its great success as a text. The power of “Ubu Rex” also lies in the show’s ability to start up conversations relevant to the current political moment. Corbett explained that he chose to direct this play because he was struck by its freshness. He commented, “Right now we find ourselves dominated by a multiplicity of Ubus. Obviously the most prominent is Donald Trump—he’s the
This weekend, Philaletheis will present “Ubu Rex,” a French play from the late 1800s that explores themes of political despotism.
reason I thought we had to perform this piece right now...we’re greatly informed by his persona and by his public image, but the fact is that there are Ubus in every part of our society and our culture. Corbett continued to explain the cultural relevancy of the show, saying, “From people like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian to someone like Paul LePage, the governor of Maine, we’re obsessed with these people who create their celebrity by maintaining a constant state of anarchy around everything they do. We’re fixated by it, and as a result we give tremendous power to these people who are pretty much only good at talking about themselves and who do it in the most destructive manner possible. So that’s what I wanted to explore with Ubu: the question of power and how it intersects with a strong personality.” Corbett’s responsibility to this show did not end with an exploration of these themes. Another vital aspect of producing a student theater show is putting together a production team. One position to be filled is that of a set designer. Elianna Scheide ’20 was chosen to take the lead on transposing words from a page into an informative set. Scheide delved into part of her artistic vision, saying, “I wanted to try and emphasize the childlike qualities of the show—in particular, the absurdity and vulgarity of the show reminded me of a young child’s tantrum.” Scheide continued, “For the shape of the set, this comes across in the box-and-crate-like nature of the unit pieces, which are meant to emulate a play that you might have put on in your backyard in the summer with whatever boxes you had lying around for the set ... I wanted the set to look two dimensional and flat, as is a black and white cartoon or an image from a story book.” Settling on a specific vision for a show is only one of the many challenges a cast and crew face as they create the world of the play. Scheide explained, “One of the challenges of working on this show has been...making adjustments to
what is realistic and what I would like to do. Theater is a collaborative process and there is always a back-and-forth dialogue between the artistic vision, practicality and needs of the show. Time is also a difficult factor. We only had a few days to build the set, and I am coming to ‘Ubu’ off of two other shows.” Scheide is a fitting example of the usual Vassar theater-maker in that she has simultaneous commitments to numerous productions on campus. It is not uncommon for actors and members of production teams alike to be involved with multiple shows at once, and these responsibilities tend to only intensify over the course of the semester in direct correlation with academic schedules and other co-curricular commitments. The beauty of student theatre at Vassar is that, for example, it is not unusual for a newly-initiated person to be chosen for an important design position. The student-run nature of these orgs allows for an expansive and inclusive atmosphere for students of varying levels of involvement and experience. Scheide explained, “It allows for unlimited creativity and a chance to test our organizational, design and production skills ... Student theater has allowed me to truly design and lead my peers as a set designer and in the other capacities in which I have served.” As stressful as the high-stakes nature of putting on a show may be, “Ubu Rex” actress Lexi Karas ’17 recalled a highlight and redeeming part of the often rigorous rehearsal process: “One of my favorite parts of this rehearsal process has been the constant laughter. This play is absurdly comedic in the best of ways. During the rehearsal process, our cast has been filled with energy and a willingness to take acting risks, often with the most hilarious results.” In anticipation of performing for a live audience at long last, Karas shared, “I’m very excited...comedies are so dependent on the audience’s energy and laughter. I’m excited to feed off the audience and to see which parts of the show make the audience laugh the most.”
Documentary presents timely view of Native youth Lucy Ellman
Guest Reporter
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Eyre recognizes how the film tackles serious problems, such as a broken foster care system, through Brown’s eyes. He noted, “What the hell happens in our system when somebody isn’t red flagged when they go through 39 foster care homes?” Brown’s story left a huge mark on the film due to the nature of this largely character-driven piece, and the filmmakers tried to capture the world through Brown’s eyes. Quintanilla explained, “We wanted to make it a film that fit with Rob’s sensibilities. He’s a very lyrical, poetic thinker and we wanted to do justice to the way he saw the world.”
After a vibrant post-film discussion, it was clear that everyone involved had a deep connection to each featured individual and their stories. Eyre put it simply, “When you make something, it’s part of you and this is all part of us.” For too long, the stories of Native peoples have not been considered a part of us and instead are distanced from the collective “American Experience.” This film and our contemporary climate clearly demonstrate that the time is now for their voices to be heard. So if you’re looking to engage with the stories of Native Americans after you “check in” at Standing Rock on Facebook, a viewing of “The Seventh Fire” certainly would not hurt.
Courtesy of John Ritter via Instagram
n Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 5 p.m., a day before armed soldiers and law enforcement officers dressed in riot gear began arresting protesters at Standing Rock, a packed audience gathered in the Vogelstein auditorium to view a screening and discussion of Jack Riccobono’s film, “The Seventh Fire.” At a time when the issues of Native people have started to emerge into the public consciousness, the film tells the story of two Native American men struggling to break out of the cycle of gang violence that plagues Native communities. Proving that the fight for the rights of Native people is far from over, “The Seventh Fire” and the discussion that followed brought to a fresh audience the struggles of a people whose voices have been almost universally silenced. Origins of the film stem back to director Jack Riccobono’s 2007 short film, titled “The Sacred Food,” about wild rice and its impact on the oral traditions of the tribe that would be featured in “The Seventh Fire.” At the panel, Riccobono said, “A few years after making that short, one of our producing partners on this project read about this phenomenon of gang culture migrating from inner cities and prisons out to remote Native communities across the country.” After seeing that there was very little information on the topic, Riccobono thought, “Let me go back to the community where I made the short to see if it’s happening there and if people will talk to us about it.” The director made his first research trip in October of 2010, where he met Rob Brown, the man who would become one of the film’s central characters. “The Seventh Fire” focuses on the stories of Rob Brown, an experienced Native American gang leader, and Kevin Fineday Jr., his adolescent counterpart, who are both caught in the cycle of gang violence that plague their community. Filmed over a period of three years with 14 shoots and over 300 hours of footage, the film details the lives of the two men as they move in and out of prison, struggling to decide whether to break out of the vicious cycle of violence or
continue on the same path. With its candid, impartial style, the filmmakers never look to impose judgment on their subjects and instead seek a “fly-on-the-wall” perspective. Assistant Professor of Film Shane Slattery-Quintanilla, the writer, producer and co-director of photography on the film, sought to bring viewers to a place that has very little representation on screen. As Quintanilla emphasized, “[Our goal was to] transport the audience to a place they might not have ever seen but that is important for citizens of this country to understand better.” In terms of forming a narrative arc from over 300 hours of footage, Quintanilla stressed the job of a writer on a documentary feature, and discussed how the writer credit is becoming much more common in non-fiction film. As he stated, “[E]ven if there isn’t a script, there is still the shaping of a story.” On his role as an editor, Quintanilla said, “The decisions about what to include and leave out are difficult and take a lot of time, in large part because you’re dealing with real people, real lives and real issues that don’t–and shouldn’t–necessarily fit neatly into existing narrative forms.” Ultimately, the immersion of the audience into the world of the characters was of the utmost importance for the filmmakers. Quintanilla said at the screening: “If you fail at that, none of the other story points will even matter.” The characters, specifically Rob Brown, draw viewers into the story and stay with you long after the credits have rolled. At the discussion panel, Riccobono spoke of his first encounter with Brown: “We sort of hit it off—he had been pretty recently released from his fourth trip to prison and was at an interesting moment in his life.” Soon Brown was on board with the project and, Riccobono stated, “He saw this as an opportunity and became a collaborator at that point interested in telling his story.” Native American filmmaker and Executive Producer Chris Eyre on “The Seventh Fire” also spoke of his first impression of Brown and told how he was immediately struck by his charisma despite years of tremendous hardship.
“The Seventh Fire,” shown this past Wednesday in Vogelstein, delves into the harsh realities facing many of today’s Native American youth, including gang violence and family instability.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ARTS
Page 16
November 3, 2016
New NxWorries album a smooth, charismastic listen Jimmy Christon Columnist
Yes Lawd!
NxWorries Stones Throw Records
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much to appreciate and it is an absolute joy to listen to. I enjoyed this album a ton, but it’s definitely not for everyone. If you know the lyrics to the album “Madvillainy” from beginning to end, or if you’re a fan of Madlib’s “Beat Konducta” tapes and wished they had vocal performances to go along with the beats, then you will find a lot to love on this album. That being said, if you aren’t a fan of short, experimental soul/hip-hop, then this album probably won’t be the one to convert you (although I can’t think of an album that might be more accessible). The songs are short and the lyrics never go much deeper than women, booze and dancing. But at least it sounds nice. There’s just something so charming about hearing .Paak’s croons fade away on the end of “Jodi,” only to be replaced by the ghostly vocal
Courtesy of Pigeons and Planes
o you like soul music, Madlib’s beat-tapes and Anderson .Paak? Well you’re in luck. The album “Yes Lawd!” by NxWorries is a combination of those three things. NxWorries is the name of the duo consisting of recent XXL Freshman inductee Anderson .Paak and producer Knxwledge. Anderson .Paak had a mini surge in popularity last year with the commercial success of his LP “Malibu.” “Malibu” struck a nice balance between nostalgic hip-hop and heartfelt R&B in a way that felt like a cohesive whole and not two separate paradigms. But the album feels a little bit too bloated for my tastes; I always feel like I’m forcing myself to finish the album when I listen to it. Knxwledge, on the other hand, seems to be following in the steps of producers such as Madlib and J Dilla, but for the SoundCloud age. The comparison might be a little unfair because of how prolific Madlib and Dilla are (“Yes Lawd!” is even released under Madlib’s record label Stones Throw Records), but Knxwledge is shaping up to follow in their shoes. In addition, he is releasing tons of short, inventive beats. He has his hands in the production of tons of MCs from Blu to Action Bronson. So .Paak & Knxwledge come together to form the act NxWorries. They released the “Link Up & Suede” EP last year before the release of “Malibu,” and now we have a full LP. If there’s anything I can say right off the bat about this album, it’s that this album is smooth. The tracks are short, the album is short and the beats never sound overbearing or aggressive. Even the pseudo-opener “Livvin,” with its triumphant horns, still sounds a little laid-back
with drawn-out refrains from the horns. This isn’t an album you’re ever going to hear being “bumped” because it’s not an album that bumps. .Paak & Knxwledge knew what type of music they wanted to make—calm, cool and confident—they excel in this regard. Where this album also excels is in the act of chilling. You have to walk to Shipping and Receiving and want to relax on your way? Put this album on through your headphones and be amazed at how quickly the walk goes by. Are you hanging out with some friends and want a throw rug to cover up that awkward silence when no one is talking? Look no further than NxWorries. I’m not trying to be patronizing towards the album in any way. “Yes Lawd!” is easy listening in the best way possible. This isn’t cheesy elevator music, though, this is music that doesn’t take
The new album by NxWorries, the collaboration between Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge, is easy listening in the best way, featuring cool and catchy beats in a lighthearted style.
samples on “Link Up.” And when .Paak’s vocals come back in on the track, you’ll be amazed at just how smooth the ride is. It goes without saying then that Knxwledge and .Paak are a dynamic duo. .Paak’s vocals work absolute wonders over Knxwledge’s soulfully spacey production. Take, for instance, the track “Wngs.” The beat on this track has this heavy bassline that forms a foundation for the bright keyboard notes, and then .Paak’s vocals chime in. It sounds like Neapolitan ice cream laced with serotonin, and it is an absolute treat to listen to. Notice how I’ve only talked about this album in terms of how it sounds. That’s because the lyrics aren’t that special. As much as I was raving over the track “Wngs,” the lyrics aren’t anything you haven’t heard before, and they could really come from any of .Paak’s contemporaries. My other problem with the album is that it’s almost too short—not in the sense that this album left me wanting more (which it still does), but in the sense that sometimes the tracks are too short to fully develop into songs in their own right. I love the track “Wngs,” but it’s only a minute and a half long. It left a sweet taste in my mouth, to be sure, but it felt like I ate half a box of Nerds—I was left wanting more. This problem really makes itself apparent on the longer tracks. These tracks are consistently the standouts. “Suede” and “Link Up” are two of the longest tracks, and they feel the most complete. Whereas “Wngs” just kinda cuts itself off, these two tracks end where they are supposed to. If I could sum up this album in one word, it would be charismatic. There aren’t any real virtues that dictate what it means to be charismatic; a charismatic person is just charismatic. This album is the musical equivalent of that. It’s not a deep, personal or necessarily rewarding listen, but I thoroughly enjoy listening to it and in the weeks since its release, something has been drawing me back to this album over and over again.
Brazilian national psyche writ large in exquisite film Noah Purdy Arts Editor
Aquarius
Kleber Mendoça Filho Netflix
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simplistic plot allows the film to refreshingly and unapologetically depict a woman’s life with verisimilitude. Its message, however, achieves a national—and ultimately universal—appeal. The film captures the Brazilian spirit in the way a sweeping history film just cannot. Braga’s character is certainly not the efígie da República, the female personification of the Brazilian nation printed on its currency. But then again, why can’t she be? Clara, as a retired music journalist, taps into an essential piece of Brazilian culture. The film’s wonderful soundtrack offers the expected (but never tired) bossa nova grooves, along with other fun cameos like Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls.” Clara is multiracial—as is Braga herself as well as many scores of Brazilians—a fact referenced disparagingly by her antagonist. This is reflective of the extant racial hierarchy in the country, a remnant of its extensive slave history. “Aquarius,” though, presents an even more nu-
Courtesy of Zimbio via AFP/Getty Images
thena, Marianne, Europa, Columbia, Lady Liberty... The list goes on, but throughout the world, countless nations have chosen to personify themselves in the form of an idealized woman, embodying notions of peace, justice, progress and mythological greatness. But can one person, one woman, really embody an entire country? Can one person’s story encompass a whole nation’s driving spirit? “Aquarius,” acclaimed Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s newest film, confronts these questions head-on. The film—nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes—stars Brazilian film icon Sônia Braga, who is adored both in Brazil and throughout the world. After a hiatus from acting in her native tongue, Braga delivers a phenomenal performance in “Aquarius,” a treat for lusophiles and film lovers alike. (I can vouch for Braga’s magical presence both on and off screen, as I was lucky enough to see her, unexpectedly, at a screening of and Q&A about “Aquarius” in Los Angeles.) The film centers on Dona Clara (Braga), a former music writer living in Recife, a northern Brazilian town on the Atlantic shore. She, a widow, lives alone but carries on a rich life, mirroring the opening scenes of a birthday party in the ’80s celebrating her beloved and charismatic aunt. Clara lives in relative peace until she learns that a nasty young developer has plans to buy her apartment building, called the “Aquarius.” She is the only remaining tenant yet to sell her unit, but she staunchly refuses to give in, despite the nefarious lengths they go to get her to move out. This is crux of the plot, as Clara fights fiercely to preserve the physical world she knows and loves—represented by her apartment—while also sensing that her reality— her family, her body, her youth, her happiness;
in short, everything that constitutes home—is slowly slipping away. We follow her journey as she confronts life as a sexagenarian: searching for love and sex, not always in the same person; dealing with children who respect her yet resent her stubbornness; and struggling, but in the end triumphing, over her evolving relationship with her personal freedoms. It is fantastic to watch the portrayal of Clara unfold considering the dearth of films treating women, and most of all older women, with such care and complexity. That such depth, moreover, can be relayed in a digestible storyline is commendable in itself. Granted, “Aquarius” runs long at around two hours and 20 minutes, but every last, languid second is worth savoring. “Aquarius,” it can be said, tells the story of Brazil in microcosm. The film features an epical structure, divided into chapters and casting obvious heroes and villains. This relatively
Brazilian film icon Sônia Braga stars in “Aquarius,” which tells the story of a woman fighting to maintain her world while exploring the intersection between femininity and old age.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
anced picture of this reality in Clara’s relationship with her maid: They band together to save the apartment, but Clara’s economic status often painfully eclipses her ability to see her as a full member of the family. Clara, lastly, is resilient and optimistic, two characteristics that Brazil as a whole deserves to own with pride. All things considered, Clara can indeed be read as a representation of Brazil. Kleber Mendonça Filho, though, shatters the notion of an idealized female national figure, instead presenting her with all her glorious faults and victories. In this way, Mendonça Filho is challenging notions of both womanhood and nationhood. The challenge is only exacerbated by the cast and crew’s bold protest staged at Cannes in which they held up signs denouncing what they called the “coup d’état” against ex-Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff this year. The controversy only grew amidst the Ministry of Justice’s overly high initial rating, which would have limited how wide an audience it can reach, and Brazil not selecting “Aquarius” as its submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. Politics aside, you can think of “Aquarius” as borrowing from Antônio Carlos Jobim’s famous bossa nova track “Aguas de Março,” in which he paints a picture of life as a collage of objects and images—some sad, some happy, some without any feeling at all—as the season changes from summer to fall. Life, like Braga’s character, quite simply refuses to stop marching forward. Clara, thus, is a perfectly imperfect incarnation of the Brazilian national motto, “Ordem e Progresso” (“Order and Progress”). Her life, on the one hand, is messy, advancing and receding in fits and starts. However, her personal strength and conviction bring a certain order and stability to her time of crisis, all while empowering the traditionally female space of the home evoked in the film’s title. She is “clara,” clear: a distinct individual, a source of light, a beacon among obstacles. She is an inspiring figure, an idealized “real” woman if you will, who constantly progresses forward—fearful and unsure, yes, but never giving up hope.
ARTS
November 3, 2016
Page 17
NYC group set to perform classic piece Elena Schultz Arts Editor
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ailing from New York, Kairos Italy Theater will be performing Niccolò Machiavelli’s satirical play, “La Mandragola” (“The Mandrake”), in the Aula in Ely Hall on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. This event will be free and open to the public. Founded in 2000, Kairos Italy Theater (KIT) works to bridge the physical and cultural gap between Italy and the United States. The performance group has produced over 20 plays and events over the course of its existence, from popular works to never-before-translated plays. KIT has innovated the “Double Theatre Experience,” the performance of a single-act play in English and Italian, each version done by a unique cast. The group has also created an Italian theatre festival called “In Scena,” which spans all five of the New York City boroughs. KIT has been brought to perform at Vassar through the Creative Arts Across Disciplines
(CAAD) initiative and Italian Department, as well as through co-sponsorship by the Drama, English, French and Francophone Studies and Philosophy Departments. Nearing its 500th anniversary of being published, “The Mandrake” is constrained to a single day’s timeline, featuring everything from fertility drugs to a wily priest. The play will be presented in its English translation for KIT’s performance at Vassar. KIT’s youth troupe first performed “The Mandrake” in 2013, and its current iteration will be presented by members of the company for Thursday’s performance. Involved with bringing KIT to campus, Associate Professor of Italian Eugenio L. Giusti acknowledged that the performance troupe worked well in conversation with his class: “I did this for CAAD...because the course that I’m teaching right now, Roots and Branches, investigates the way that culture is transmitted from one to another,” he remarked. “Because we’re in a language and culture department, that’s why
Courtesy of Paolo Quadrini via Kairos Italy Theater
The New York City troupe Kairos Italy Theater will perform Machiavelli’s satirical 16th-century play “La Mandragola” (“The Mandrake”) in the Aula this Thursday, Nov. 3.
Campus Canvas
we really welcomed this company to come and perform with us.” To continue the conversation between cultures, Artistic Director of KIT Laura Caparrotti will be visiting classrooms during the performance group’s stay on campus. Among the professors to welcome her to their classrooms is Associate Professor of English Zoltán Márkus, whose freshman writing seminar will be visited by Caparrotti. “Situating the selected works in their contemporary cultural and historical contexts, my class explores significant differences as well as possible continuities between past and present interpretations of basic concepts and institutions as gender, family, marriage, filial and marital duties, the private sphere and sexuality...” Márkus explained. “We look forward to...learning more from her about the Commedia dell’arte tradition and the play they are performing this time at Vassar.” Interdisciplinary Arts Coordinator for CAAD Tom Pacio shared his excitement for KIT’s presence both on the stage and in the classroom. “[I] t is exciting to see how many different faculty members are interested in bringing this residency into their classes,” He remarked. “As with all the programming CAAD creates, it is always interesting and inspiring...to see the reach different artists have coming to campus. I studied this form of theatre briefly in graduate school, so I am personally really looking forward [to] this event.” Following the performance, Mauro Sessarego, an associate professor from the nearby Culinary Institute of America, will hold a gelato tasting session during the reception. “It’s part of what the Italian Department and what the cultural department is trying to present, to share and learn about a different culture,” Giusti commented. “Using even a food tool, like gelato, it would just present good things to others if they’d like to enjoy and share it. I’m happy to say it’s an integral part of my culture, the idea of sharing and having a good time together.” KIT’s performance of “The Mandrake” will give Vassar a richer taste of what it means to be Italian—from gelato to satirical drama, and everything in between.
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Excuse me, Why is voting important?
“It’s a way to make sure our voices are heard!” — Yasemin Smallens ’20
“Because you don’t want the wrong people in power.” — Stephen Kpundeh ’19
“Because democracy is an enduring component of our country.” — Jordan Buhmann ’19
“It’s a right that if you exercise, you make a difference.” — Taylor Lodise ’19
“Stop Trump.” — Max CantyHilchey ’19
I drew this during October Break when I went to visit my sister in Manhattan. It is based on a Victorian-era photograph I found of two sisters. My sister and I have always been very close and so it was interesting to be drawing this as a quasi-self-portrait. Even though we are separated from these subjects by many generations, we immediately saw ourselves in these two girls. I reimagined the photograph as an illustration because I think it deserves textual exploration. —Ryan Holguín ’17
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
“We have the opportunity that many people around the world don’t.” — Lily Carruthers ’19
Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor
SPORTS
Page 18
November 3, 2016
Women’s soccer ends impressive season with tough loss Fiona MacLeod Guest Reporter
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Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
n the last game of the regular season, despite forcing the Union Dutchwomen to a game of particularly intense competition, the women’s soccer team was unable to ultimately pull out a win. Although the Brewers outnumbered the Dutchwomen in shots, they fell in goals scored, losing 2-3 in a tough battle. Sophomore Audrey Pillsbury earned the first goal of the game, scoring her seventh of the season just 13 minutes into the contest. Union returned this initial lead soon after, tying the game at 1-1. Both teams were unable to get their shots into the back of the net for the remainder of the first half. However, sophomore Rebecca Andrews was able to produce another lead for the Brewers at the beginning of the second half, scoring her ninth goal of the season off of a penalty kick. This lead was once again returned by a Union goal within minutes. Though it seemed as if the game would head into overtime, the Dutchwomen received a penalty kick in the 85th minute and found the back of the net, securing their win. Head Coach Corey Holton explained that the team is ready to move on from the loss and continue its season. Coach Holton stated, “We’re not focused on what happened this past week, we’re focused on coming out ready to compete in playoffs.” Despite unfavorable results against Union, multiple Brewers recently earned various accolades for their outstanding performances. Sophomore midfielder Rebecca Andrews earned a place on the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District 3 team for her role on and off the soccer field. She is only the second Vassar player to earn this award, following in the footsteps of goalie Emma Nichols, who graduated this past spring. Andrews has been a consistent player in helping lead the Brewers to success in their games since her introduction to the team, earning Liberty League Rookie of the Year in her freshman
Sophomore Rebecca Andrews carries the ball down the field in match against the Mount Saint Mary’s College Pioneers. Andrews’s performances have helped lead the team to a record-breaking season. year last season. To rake in more awards for the Brewers, sophomore midfielder Audrey Pillsbury and senior goalkeeper Stephanie Tapolsky earned spots in the Liberty League Honor Roll for their notable performances on the field. With the help of Andrews, Pillsbury, and Talpolksy, the Brewers were hopeful for their Liberty League semi-final game against the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers. Over the past week, the women made note of their weaknesses in their face-off against Union and sought improvement. Pillsbury noted, “The biggest take-away from our game against Union is that we can’t become complacent after we score and take the lead. In order to beat RPI moving forward, we will have to check in mentally for the entire 90 minutes.”
Freshman Gabrielle Deitch, who places third on the team for both goals and overall points, upheld these possible improvements. “Though one of our strengths against Union was our ability to pass around them and keep possession, we didn’t step up to the ball enough while defending. We gave players too much time and space to play balls in the box, so we will focus on that in our upcoming playoff game.” Regardless of their ultimate loss against Union in the final game of the regular season, the Brewers had already solidified the No. 2 seed in the Liberty League Championships. Having won six games in the league this season, the team has set a current record for their program in conference victories. The most wins prior to this season occurred in 2010 when the Brewers won five games and
tied two in the Liberty League, earning the No. 2 seed then as well. On Tuesday, Nov. 1, this year’s team took the field to battle RPI for the seat in the Liberty League championships against William Smith College. This home game marked the first time the Brewers hosted a Liberty League playoff game since this memorable season in 2010. “This is actually the fourth time in history we will be competing in the Liberty League tournament. Last year, we were seeded fourth and played in the playoffs as well,” Holton commented. “We’re excited about everything we’ve accomplished this season and we’re looking forward to continuing success.” Although the women fought hard and demonstrated great talent, the Engineers defeated the Brewers in a 1-0 upset on Wednesday. With strong performances from Tapolsky and RPI’s goalkeeper Joey Lyons, both teams headed into halftime scoreless. Unfortunately, the Engineers eventually reached the back of the net in the 64th minute as RPI’s Emily Kaplan passed to Jacqui Richard who launched the ball above Tapolsky. Down by a goal, Vassar’s squad then changed momentum to keep the ball on RPI’s end for most of the second half and shoot a total of 15 shots. While the Brewers were able to get off great shots, Lyons claimed the shutout on Wednesday and eliminated the Brewers from further championship play. In fact, as a freshman, Lyons has already earned the program’s record for most shutouts in the season. Regardless of this upset,the women should be proud with their performances this season. The squad wrapped up a successful season with an overall record of 9-8-1 and a conference record of 6-2-0. T hough the squad will lose seven talented seniors, a significant crew of impactful underclassmen will return next season. The team will now begin training and practicing in hopes for an even more successful season in fall 2017.
Vassar rowing closes fall seasons at Head of the Fish Kelly Pushie
Guest Reporter
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Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
he Vassar College men’s and women’s rowing teams finished up their fall seasons on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Head of the Fish race in Saratoga Springs, NY. The rowing team participated in the second of two fall meets and left feeling confident about their potential for the spring season. Coach Shawn Turner, who has returned for his second year as head coach of both teams, is pleased with the way the teams performed at both the Head of the Housatonic and the Head of the Fish. Even in the mere three weeks between the two races, Turner feels that the team was able to improve and performed better the second time around. The teams’ improvements are evident as they compare their performances to varying competition. Turner noted, “Racing primarily against DI and DIII varsity teams, we have narrowed the gap to our competition.” Although they had a successful fall season, Turner believes the squads still have room for improvement. “The team needs to continue to improve to achieve our internal goals,” he mentioned. This will be the driving force behind their workouts in the off-season so they can be as strong as possible during the spring. As the teams transition into their off-seasons, they will begin focusing on strength training. “During the winter, the team will reduce practice to three days [per week] and focus on gaining fitness on the rowing machines and in the weight room,” Coach Turner stated. The team hopes this extra training will prepare them for their spring seasons. The Head of the Fish proved to be a great end of the fall season and Coach Turner has high expectations for how the spring season should shape up. Junior Millie Cunningham also shares positive reflections on the team’s performance on Saturday. Although the conditions were not necessarily favorable, the Brewers did not let a little wind and rain stop them. Cunningham noted, “The team had a solid day on Saturday, with all four varsity boats taking on challenging condi-
tions to finish close to the middle of the pack.” Cunningham pointed out the novice rowers in particular for helping out the team at the race. “In terms of people who stepped up, I think the novice did a great job handling their first race in tough conditions,” she commented. As far as what improvements have been made over the past few weeks, Cunningham believes that the women’s boats were able to step up their performance in the time between the Head of the Housatonic and the Head of the Fish. “I think we definitely improved between Housatonic and Fish; it felt like we found a really good rhythm and we passed a few boats in each race, which is a great feeling,” she mentioned. In the off-season, there is a large focus on making sure the team improves their strength. Cunningham indicated that there is a strong emphasis on getting stronger and faster as they transition from longer races into shorter sprints in the spring. Cunningham also wants to ensure that the team is in the best possible shape for when the season starts up again in March. She remarked, “Winter training is also a great time to let our bodies rest and recover between seasons so we can be in good shape for the spring.” On the men’s team, senior Lucas Kautz is proud of the improvements that the team made in their second race of the fall season. “Being the last head race of the season, I couldn’t be happier with the results and overall spirit of the team. Every boat had a fantastic row and the results show just how far we have come from last year,” Kautz pointed out. “Although we have more work to do, the team as a whole has made amazing strides and this race was the proof we needed.” Kautz applauded the ability of the team to perform at such a high level, even though the conditions for the Head of the Fish were different than they were at the Head of the Housatonic. As he mentioned, “Regattas, specifically Head of the Fish, are stressful, fast-paced and often unorganized due to the large amount of competitors.” However, even with nerves running high, the team made sure that they all worked as a cohe-
Junior Millie Cunningham helps the team prepare for its Head of the Fish race. With a strong showing, Vassar rowing has completed a successful fall and will resume competition in Spring 2017. sive unit to ensure that everything was running smoothly. Kautz was elated with how the team worked hard to both prepare for the race and keep teammates warm and dry during the difficult conditions. In terms of team improvement, Kautz explained, “We are all very happy with the results from Head of the Fish. Even in the harsh conditions, everyone was able to find their rhythm and finish well within our expectations.” Like Coach Turner, however, Kautz acknowledges that the team can make some improvements to reach its greatest potential. This desire to continue getting better is evident in the way the team was able to improve their race in just a mere three weeks after the Head of the Housatonic. “In the men’s V8, we felt that we had made huge improvements in set and power as compared to our last race. That being said, it was the perfect race to end our fall season on,” Kautz declared.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
In regards to preparation for the spring, Kautz is excited to see how the team responds to the increase in intensity of practices over the winter. Kautz stated, “This year we hope to increase the number of meters from 10-15 thousand to 1520 thousand per practice. Although this is a step up from last year, we believe that every member will be able to achieve this goal.” Both the men’s and women’s teams are excited to begin the off-season with high hopes and grand expectations for the spring. Explaining the teams’ mentalities, Coach Turner explained, “We’re just looking to go a little faster every day.” With Turner at the reins and prominent upperclassmen leadership from coxswains and rowers such as Cunningham and Kautz, the rowing teams are optimistic about resuming their seasons in the spring. After an off-season of high intensity, the Vassar rowing squads will get back in the water in March of 2017.
November 3, 2016
SPORTS
Page 19
Ames and his tattoo bring Newton calls for changes new energy to VC squash in NFL to keep players safe Mack Liederman Guest Reporter
A
ll you have to do is look at Vassar’s new squash coach David Ames’s right forearm to understand his commitment to the game of squash. “I got this tattoo about a year ago,” Ames said, pointing to the squash racket on his arm. “I watched this movie called ‘Chef,’ and the guy had a chef’s knife tattooed on his arm. And I saw that, and I was like, he’s a chef, and he has a chef’s knife. Well, I love squash. And it just clicked in my brain.” After nearly 20 years of coaching experience at Bard, 10 years as an assistant coach and 10 years as the head coach for the Raptors, Ames has been hired this year as an interim head coach for the Brewers. “Squash was the first sport that I ever played that I really clicked with,” Ames said. “I love the combination of the mental and physical challenge. You can’t be just a really good athlete and a good squash player. If you don’t think on the court, it doesn’t matter how fit you are or how well you hit the ball, you’re not going to play well. And you can’t just be smart. You have to have that drive to just run and run and run, and to not give up and to not quit because you hit a bad shot. I love that combination.” Ames will be replacing 16-year Head Coach Jane Parker, who left Vassar midway through this semester to accept a position at SquashSmarts in Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that introduces inner-city students to the game and keeps them on track for graduation. Ames admits that replacing Parker, whom he has known through the entirety of her tenure at Vassar, will be an adjustment. However, he has big plans to continue to move the team in a positive direction. “I’m hoping over time to put substantial effort and emphasis into recruiting, and bringing in play-
ers with more experience,” Ames said. “I really want to expand the schedule and have the teams playing more matches per semester per year, because there is no substitute for competition. The more matches the teams play, the better they play.” With a talented freshman class on both the men’s and women’s teams, Ames believes that this year’s team will be a step up from last year’s. “I believe Vassar can eventually be amongst the best teams in the country,” Ames said. “The support for the Athletic Department is tremendous and so is the reputation for the school. However, you’re not going to be able to steal players from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Trinity and St. Lawrence to come here now, because it’s not enough of a draw. So it has to be progressive.” For right now, however, Ames is focusing on this season and he is excited for the opportunity to finally be a full-time squash coach. “I always felt Vassar was like my second home because we played here so often,” Ames said. “Vassar has always amazed me when I’ve brought teams here because there is always a good group of supporters to watch the team. May not be 100 people, but there is always six, or eight, or 10 or 20 people in the stands cheering on the team. I’ve been to a lot of schools with other teams and there is nobody there to watch. So for Vassar, I think the support is great.” After over 40 years in the game, Ames said that his passion for squash has never changed, once again pointing to his forearm. “This tattoo keeps me motivated to play because I can’t have a squash racket on my arm and not be a good player,” Ames said. “It also just reminds me how much I love the game, you know, on a constant basis. I could be out doing something else and I’ll look at my arm and be like, ‘Yeah, I get to go play squash later, that’s so cool, I love playing squash.’ And I do.”
Robert Pinataro Guest Reporter
C
arolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton had a lot to say about NFL referees after his Oct. 30 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Throughout the game, Newton took numerous hard hits to the head and the legs while he was in the pocket. Since being drafted as the first overall pick of the 2011 NFL draft, Newton has had a tremendous impact on the Carolina Panthers and the game of football as a whole. He led the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance in just his fifth year. Newton is known for his tremendous athleticism, strong arm and flashy touchdown celebrations. Whether or not people agree with his taunts and celebrations, two things are certain: Newton is an outstanding young quarterback and he is being hit far too often, far too hard. The hit that sent him over the edge occurred late in the third quarter, when Cardinals’ Calais Campbell tackled Newton in the side of his leg, just below his knee, at full force. Newton fell to the ground, his leg bent in awkward position. According to the NFL’s official rules, hits below a quarterback’s knees are allowed so long as the hit is non-forcible and/or is a swipe with the arm. Campbell’s hit was done with the shoulder, which is forcible, to say the least. A personal foul should have been called against Campbell on the play, resulting in a 15yard penalty against the Cardinals. This penalty, called “roughing the passer,” often results in a massive fine against the offender. In the case of Newton, no flag was thrown on the play, no penalty issued and no fine was issued. Luckily no harm was done, but it was a scare. As he said in the post-game press conference, “I could’ve torn my ACL.” Newton also explained that these hard hits have been taking place his entire NFL career. Most NFL quarter-
backs are not taking these kinds of hits, because defenders know they will be penalized for dealing them. So the question is: Why Cam Newton? It may be, in part, because Newton is colossal, as quarterbacks go. Standing six feet and five inches tall and weighing 245 pounds, he may seem less affected by the hits than he takes than other, smaller quarterbacks. On the other hand, perhaps it has to do with his style of play. Newton does what few quarterbacks do. He runs the ball up the middle despite having the arm strength and accuracy to be a great pocket passer. Perhaps his size and style are the reasons referees are not watching the pocket as closely as they might for quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Newton’s discontent is so strong that he told the media he will be speaking to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about ways to fix this problem. A couple of solutions have been mentioned, including the addition of an eighth referee or changing instant replay rules to include penalty calls. This would allow teams to review plays in which they thought the referees missed a penalty call. It will be interesting to see whether or not these new regulations will be implemented. As a whole, the NFL does not struggle with a lack of “roughing the passer” penalties. It seems this is a problem that is unique to Cam Newton. Many others support Newton’s claim that he is over-subjected to this mistreatment, including the coaches and managers of the Panthers. Fans of all teams, not just the Panthers, have also entered the debate on social media. It is clear that something needs to change in the NFL, because soon the cost of referee inaction will not be an unsavory press conference by Cam Newton. It will be a serious injury to an NFL quarterback. It could be anyone, at any time. Newton has shined light on the fact that something needs to change and soon.
Defeating Bard, VC swim and dive begin victorious seasons 1:22.45. The senior class also raked in impressive wins against the Raptors. Senior Julia Wieczorek finished in third place in the 100 back with a time of 1:12.60. Senior captain and All-American Julia Cunnigham earned first place in the 100 fly with a 59.33, while also claiming the second seed in the 500 free behind Stone. In her collegiate diving premier, Senior Elisielle Wilson recorded third place as she finished the 1-meter with a score of 83.95 points. Prater-Lee is very impressed with Wilson’s transition into the diving pool and early results in her first season as a diver. With these results, Coach Prater-Lee excited about the senior class leadership and their ability to guide the team to victory. “Despite not having the full squad due to injuries, we still were able to produce some impressive results and come out with a win. Winning that first meet was important to set the precedent for the season,” Cunningham shared. “I would go as far as to say that our support for each other is unmatched from many of our competitors. Despite not having a full squad in the pool, we definitely were present as a full team on deck.” With these wins under their belt, the Brewers look to continue this success for the rest of the season under the leadership of Coach Prater-Lee. Prater-Lee has had the reins of both the women and men’s squads for the past 21 seasons and has led the Brewers to great success In her tenure, teams have collected a total of 26 new school records while two Vassar swimmers earned All-American accolades. Her outstanding coaching was recognized in 2005 as Vassar was named the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Although Prater-Lee has a large roster as she commands both the men and women’s squads, players on both sides express appreciation for her dedication and leadership of both teams. Walker beamed, “Lisl is a phenomenal coach. She is extremely dedicated and passionate about the sport and the team. When I walk into practice every day, I know she will be there
ready to do everything she can to make us a better team.” Coach Prater-Lee emphasized that she enjoys coaching both the men and women’s programs as the teams have different dynamics and face varying obstacles. In regards to the men’s side, Prater-Lee elaborated, “We have a large group of men and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do as big group. We will be more competitive as a group this season and in the practice pool we will be able to push each other quite a bit.” On the other hand, the women’s team is significantly smaller this season and therefore must overcome distinctive feats. Prater-Lee said, “The women will be challenged this year to have strong dual meet results; we have tough competition. That also makes it exciting and important for each woman’s involvement and need to step up.” Up next, the Brewers will face the Skidmore
Thoroughbreds on Nov. 5 and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers on Nov. 12 in back-to-back home meets. Both Walker and Cunningham expressed heightened excitement about competing against Skidmore and RPI due to the strong competition. Last time around, the women’s defeated the Thoroughbreds 171-98 and the men had a closer victory as they won 155-131. However, against the Engineers, both the women and men fell in 111.5-188.5 and 100.5-194.5 deficits, respectively. Prater-Lee described, “We are looking forward to using our dual meets as stepping stones for the December 2016 Liberty League championships where we hope to improve on last year’s team performance.” The Brewers hope to improve upon last season’s performances and use those meets to prepare for the upcoming championships, especially the Liberty League Championships, which are merely one month away.
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
SWIMMING continued from page 1 third place in the 100 fly with a time of 57.61. With five new freshmen, the team looks for continued success from the first-year swimmers. “The freshmen are doing very well so far. They really stepped up this week at their first meet and I am very excited to have their energy throughout the season,” stated Walker. The Vassar diving team also reached great success against Bard College. Sophomore Michael Deiner won both the 3-meter and 1-meter diving events with scores of 175.90 and 166.45, respectively. Junior Connor Martin also placed in the 1-meter as his score of 138.35 earned him third place. “The win against Bard was great. Everyone really stepped up and pushed themselves during their races,” shared Walker. “We also did a great job of cheering each other on. Starting the season with that kind of meet really establishes momentum that we can carry forward to our next meets.” The women’s side reached even more success in the pool on Wednesday. While several Brewers earned top spots, the sophomore class raked up the most wins on the day. Sophomores Kael Ragnini and Sammy Stone both earned two victories in the opening meet. Ragnini won the 1000 free with a time of 11:21.04 and dominated the 100 back with a 1:07.20 time. Stone then clenched the 200 free and 500 free in 1:59.13 and 5:17.75, respectively. Vassar then swept the leaderboards in both the 100-yard free and the 100 breast stroke. In the 100-yard free, sophomore Meg Harrington earned first place with a time of 59.10, junior Cali Corbett claimed second with 1:01.96 and sophomore Margaret Reisert placed third for her 1:12.42 time. Head Coach Lisl Prater-Lee expressed enthusiasm about middle distance and distance freestyle swimmers Stone, Corbett and Ragnini and explained that they have been training very well together thus far this season. Meanwhile, senior Kayla Schwab nabbed first place in the 100 breast stroke with 1:19.79, followed by freshman Abby Kirsh with 1:21.50 and junior Emily McDaniels with a time of
Senior captain and All-American Julia Cunningham completed the 100 free with a time of 59.33 in opening meet against Bard College. The team will next compete on Nov.5 against Skidmore College.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
SPORTS
Page 20
November 3, 2016
Big week for Brewers as four teams play in League playoffs Jamie Anderson Guest Reporter
Women’s Volleyball
Men’s Soccer
The Brewers clinched a berth in the Liberty League Championships and earned the No. 2 seed with a 2-0 win over Bard College in their last regular season game on Saturday. Vassar opened the game with aggression, taking three shots on goal within the first 10 minutes. On their fourth attempt, they were finally able to connect. Junior Alex Gonzales hit a cross into the box and sophomore Toby Stansell headed in the opening goal in the 16th minute. The men then added some cushion in the 87th minute. Following a free kick, sophomore Tyler Gilmore flicked a header to freshman Mattie Mrlik, who recorded his eighth goal of the season and put the team ahead 2-0. Senior goalkeeper Adam Warner kept Bard scoreless, registering six stops. Vassar hosts RPI for the first round of the Liberty League Championships on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Kickoff from Gordon Field is timed for 2:30 p.m. Women’s Soccer
Vassar women’s soccer dropped their regular season finale against Union College on Saturday, 3-2. In the 14th minute, sophomore Audrey Pillsbury put the Brewers ahead, scoring for the seventh time this season. Union equalized 12 minutes later and the game remained level going into halftime. Sophomore Rebecca Andrews opened scoring for Vassar in the second half, converting from the penalty spot to give the Brewers the edge, 2-1. However, Union answered just two minutes later and with the score tied at 2-2 in the 85th minute, the Dutchwomen converted a penalty of their own and held the 3-2 edge until full time. Regardless of this loss, the women clenched the second seed in Liberty Leagues and hosted No. 3 RPI on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Although both squads fought hard, the teams’ strong defenses kept the game in a stalemate to enter halftime with a score of 0-0. Rensselaer’s Jacqui Richard was the only one
Men’s Rugby
Vassar played Monroe College in the Tri-State Conference tournament over the weekend. Despite taking the lead 6-5 courtesy of two made penalty kicks from Trevor Kennish, Vassar went into halftime down 6-10. In the second 40 minutes, VC scored to get back on top 13-10 as sophomore Rob Eder fed classmate wing Stephen Kpundeh who was tackled high and earned the penalty try. Monroe responded and scored a physical try of their own, taking the lead 15-13. Junior flanker Anthony Brown, after a Monroe drop, managed to get the try for Vassar to again take the lead 20-15. With the game tied 2020 and time dwindling, Monroe conceded a penalty, which Kennish slotted to put the Brewers up by three, which would prove to be enough for the win. Vassar moves on and will next play SUNYNew Paltz next Sunday at Siena College field. Women’s Rugby
In a lopsided affair, the Brewers toppled Siena College in the Tri-State Conference tournament to the tune of 92-0. It was 47-0 at the half, and the Brewers never looked back as they kept possession and scoring opportunities out of the hands of Siena, scoring a further seven times in the second 40 minutes of play. Senior flyhalf Mary-Margaret McElduff had a prolific scoring day, as she converted 11 of 14 tries, and also scoring a try to make her responsible for 27 of VC’s 92 points. Seniors Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild and Nathalie Freeman scored twice, so did junior Abigail Alexander, junior Amanda Saich and sophomore Rachel Elson. Another trio of juniors, Andrea Ramsay, Sarah Mawhinney and Alicia Menard-Livingston, added a try each as well. Men’s Cross Country
Men’s cross country competed on Saturday at the 2016 Liberty League Championships, hosted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges, taking third place with 69 points, just seven off of St. Lawrence University. Junior Michael Scarlett was strong for the Brewers as usual, earning All-Liberty League First Team after finishing in seventh place with a time of 25:51.3. Freshman Adin Becker ran a 26:17.3, good for 13th place overall and an All-Liberty League Second Team mention. Sophomore Luke Arsenault finished just shy of the All-Liberty League cutoff, taking 15th with a 26:21.2. Jesse Schatz finished close behind Arsenault in 16th with a time of 26:22.3. Senior Gabe Fishman had a strong race as well, placing 19th with a 26:25.3 and scoring points.
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Women’s volleyball team had an emotional win on senior day over Ramapo College in front of an energetic home crowd in Kenyon Hall Saturday, 25-16 25-22 19-25 and 25-17, marking their 20th win on the year. Before the match, Vassar honored its three seniors: Gabby Miller, Sarah Roberts and Sierra Tobin. During the match, freshman Jane McLeod posted 22 kills for the Brewers, Devan Gallagher posted 14 and one block, and Miller had four kills, seven aces and two blocks. Annie MacMillan accounted for 41 assists on the day, which gives her 1070 for the year, the fourth-most in a season for VC. She is now only 17 off third place all time Next up, No. 1 seed VC will host No. 4 seed Rochester Institute of Technology Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Liberty League Championship play, after Clarkson University and Union College start the tournament at 5 p.m. in Kenyon Hall.
to get on the board in the 64th minute as she was assisted by teammate Emily Kaplan. The Brewers were unable to pass the Engineers to reach the back of the goal. Senior Stephanie Tapolsky had a strong performance with one save in the first half and three more saves in the second half. This loss ended the team’s season with an overall record of 9-8-1 and a conference record of 6-2-0.
Senior captain Anthony Walker earned an impressive win against Bard’s top swimmer Dio Tzortzis in meet on Oct. 26. Walker took first place as he finished the 100 butterfly in 53.9. Vassar will return to action next Saturday at the ECAC Championships Nov. 5. Women’s Cross Country
The Brewers traveled to Geneva, NY for the 2016 Liberty League Championships on Saturday, competing at Seneca Lake State Park, where they finished fourth, totaling 108 points. Senior Lucy Balcezak had an outstanding race for VC finished ninth overall with a time of 23:47.7, earning an All-Liberty League selection. Fellow senior Laura MacDonald had a strong race as well, next across the line for VC in 24th place with a 24:23.7. Sophomore Christiana Prater-Lee finished just behind MacDonald in 25th with a time of 24:24.1. Freshman Meghan Cook also scored points for Vassar as she took 26th place with a time of 24:26.3. Sophomore Cameron Daddis was the fifth finisher for the Brewers, coming in 28th place, running a 24:30.0. The team will be back competing at the ECAC Regional Championships Saturday, Nov. 5. Field Hockey
The Brewers set a new program record for wins in a season with 14 after overcoming a twogoal deficit Saturday against New Paltz. New Paltz opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, as Justine O’Reilly tipped in a shot from teammate Hayley Kim that came from outside the circle, which they would double eight minutes later despite a slew of shots from VC. With no time on the clock in the first half the Brewers earned two corners, with freshman Cristina Lopez putting one in, assisted by sophomore Megan Caveny. In the second half, senior Hayley Beach found the equalizer, as her shot deflected off a New Paltz defender and into the back of the net. Four minutes later, Lopez scored again solo to cap the team’s comeback effort and make the score 3-2. Vassar heads into the 2016 Liberty League Tournament as the No. 2 seed and will host No. 3 Skidmore College Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. on Weinberg Field.
1000 free, registering a time of 11:21.04, while her classmate Sammy Stone got the win in the 200 free event with a 1:59.13. Sophomore Meg Harrington started her year with a win in the 100 yard free with a 59.10. Vassar will be back in action next weekend at 1 p.m. hosting Skidmore College at Kresge Pool.
Weekend Scoreboard MEN’S RUGBY VASSAR
VS
23
MONROE
20
WOMEN’S RUGBY VASSAR
VS
92
SIENA
0
MEN’S SOCCER
Men’s Swim and Dive
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Sophomore Alyssa More carries ball down the field in close 2-1 win against Skidmore College. The Brewers will face the Thoroughbreds again on Nov. 2 for Liberty League play-offs.
VCMSD topped 130-85 Bard College away to start their 2016-17 season on Wednesday evening. Junior Jonah Strand took the 100 breaststroke event with a time of 59.72 as freshman Jordan Kalina won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:56.46. Senior captain Anthony Walker took home another first with his time of 53.19 in the 100 butterfly. Sophomore Lukas Harries then got the win in the 100 free with a time of 51.51 and senior Chris Cerutti won the 100 backstroke for the Brewers. Sophomore Michael Deiner won the 3-meter dive event, scoring a 175.90, as well as the 1-meter event with a 166.45. The Brewer will next face off the Thoroughbreds of Skidmore College at 1 p.m. on Nov. 5 in Kresge Pool. Women’s Swim and Dive
Women’s swim and dive also opened its 201617 season on Wednesday by defeating Bard College. The Brewers came out of the dual meet winners by the score of 137-67. Sophomore Kael Ragnini placed first in the
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
VASSAR
VS
2
BARD
0
WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY VASSAR
3
VS
NEW PALTZ
2