Misc11 9 17

The Miscellany News

Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

Volume CL | Issue 9

November 9, 2017

Trustees reflect on a Art exhibition combats ableism decade of achievement I Matt Stein Arts Editor

Clark Xu

Assistant News Editor

T

Courtesy of John Abbott

he Vassar College Board of Trustees provides institutional continuity and stability to the campus community, but its inner workings are often left unexplained to the groups and people who benefit from its work. In its annual October meeting, the Board highlighted this concern and discussed possible avenues for increasing the transparency of its proceedings.

Board of Trustees Chair William Plapinger ’74 P’10 reflected, “In looking back over the period since 2006 when I became Chair, I would place the following among the most important achievements of the Board, which during that time has included more than 70 different Trustees from seven different decades of College graduates—significantly expanding access and affordability to students from diverse socio-economic and other backgrounds [...] establishing the first Veterans posse in partnership with The Posse Foundation [and] funding and construction of the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences.” In achieving these goals, Vassar has remained committed to an admissions policy that meets students’ demonstrated financial need and has expanded the Posse program, which now serves as a model for similar programs in other institutions of higher education.

Plapinger also noted that since 2006, the Board has selected two Vassar presidents and an interim president, super-

William Plapinger ’74 P’10 is Vassar’s current Chair of Board of Trustees.

n 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act. The goal was to prohibit discrimination for the disabled community and provide accessibility accommodations. However, 27 years later, little change can be seen. Stigmas and misconceptions still impact members of the disabled community, with an assumptive belief that those who are disabled are limited in their actions and expressions. There is a severe lack of discussion about the topic of ableism, and the current dialogue around ableism often doesn’t include voices from the disabled community.

Sponsored by the Office of Health Education, Office for Accessibility and

can’t do certain things. And that’s definitely not the case. For me, people say I need to work harder, but it isn’t about working harder; it’s about working differently and to do my best that I can.”

As a wellness peer educator, Corleto came up with this event idea as his semester project, reaching out to the various centers on campus in the hopes of receiving submissions by the various members of the disabled community on campus.

Post-Baccalaureate Fellow in the Office of Health Education Sam Hoher ’17 spoke via emailabout how the Office of Health Education helped Corleto develop his idea fully. “Since the beginning of the semester, Robin, [Director of Health Education] Renee [Pabst] and I have See EXHIBIT on page 14

Vassar soccer falls in LL finals Kelly Pushie

vised the growth in the endowment from $741 million to over $1 billion, refinanced $350 million in bond offerings and raised $430 millions in capital campaigns and updated the Governance of the College in collaboration with students, faculty and administrators in the Governance Review Steering Committee.

The Board can vary between 22 and 35 members plus the President of the College. The current iteration is at the upper limit in terms of its number of members.

Six members of the Board are nominated by the Alumnae and Alumni of VasSee TRUSTEES on page 3

the Disability Rights Coalition (DRC), “Unmasking Stigma: Ableism & Ability Through Student Art” will be exhibited in the Old Bookstore. The exhibit features artwork by students of differing abilities that express their experiences and raise awareness of the misconceptions and stigmas around the topic of ableism. An opening reception for the exhibitwas held on Nov. 8; “Unmasking Stigma” will be on display until Nov. 27.

The main coordinator behind this exhibit was Wellness Peer Educator for the Office of Health Education and President of the DRC Robin Corleto ’19. Corleto addressed the biggest misunderstanding he hopes this event disproves: “I feel like there’s this huge stigma that once you are labeled with disabilities that you are limited, that you

Guest Reporter

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams put up valiant fights in their Liberty League championship games, but both ultimately fell to the teams from Hobart and William Smith College, respectively.

The men were up first, kicking off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5th. Vassar went into the game sitting at the number two seed, while Hobart secured the number one seed. Coming off a huge win against St. Lawrence University in the semifinal matchup, the men’s team was fired up to get a chance to defend the Liber-

ty League title. Facing off against the Statesmen of Hobart College, the Brewers played a statistically even game, but could not convert on any of their opportunities to score, which ultimately cost them the championship.

Vassar outshot Hobart 15-14 throughout the game. Sophomore Mattie Mrlik took four shots with one of them on goal, senior Reid Smith took two shots and nine other players all had one opportunity to score.

Hobart scored in the first half off a header from junior Alex Weisbein.

At the half, the score was 1-0, but Weisbein soon scored again, putting

Hobart up 2-0.

Vassar did not give up and finished out the game strong. Unfortunately, they still struggled to convert their shot opportunities they had at the end of the second half.

Senior keeper Matt Marcelino posted five saves, and Mrlik led the team with four shots.

Sophomore defender Henrik Olsson reflected on the performance of the team this past weekend. “I thought we played really well this past weekend.

Looking back at the semi-finals, we came into the game very prepared and See LIBERTY LEAGUE on page 18

A cappella lights up Villard Room A full day in the life of ‘Fuddy Meers’ actor A Sasha Gopalakrishnan Assistant Arts Editor

Matt Stein Arts Editor

A

Courtesy of Hannah Benton

s Sam Smith’s “Writings on the Wall” rang out through the hallways of Main Building, a wave of uplifting energy reverberated throughout the packed Villard Room. Gracing the stage with a medley of sounds that left the audience breathless, the Nor’easters­, Northeastern University’s premiere a cappella group, collaborated in a joint concert with Vassar’s very own Devils on Saturday, Nov. 4.

The two acclaimed groups have both made a name for themselves among the country’s collegiate a cappella scene by competing at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), releasing albums of their own and receiving accolades at a number of different festivals and competitions. Both groups have also performed for former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama of the United States at the White House on separate occasions.

The Nor’easters currently hold the title of the 2017 ICCA Champions and are recording a new album. While the Devils and the Nor’easters first met in 2015 on the set of PopTV’s docuseries “Sing It On,” their alliance began last spring when the Devils were on tour in Boston. After performing a joint concert at Northeastern, it seemed inevitable to the two contemporaries that they would collaborate once again, with the next time being for Vassar audiences.

Human Resources Advisor for the Devils Olivia Keane ’20 illuminated on See A CAPPELLA on page 14

Prior to their joint on-campus concert, the Vassar Devils and Northeastern’s Nor’easters first met in 2015 on the set of PopTV’s docuseries “Sing It On.”

Inside this issue

8

Aikido Festival promotes comradery, FEATURES martial arts

15 ARTS

Spud Cannon on the rise, remembers campus roots

s a Senior Drama major who is involved with multiple orgs, balancing life as an actor while maintaining my responsibilites, both academic and extracurricular, can be a bit of a hastle.

Most of the time, it requires napping when I can and drinking an obscene amount of tea. But Thursday, Oct. 2, was a special day for two reasons. One: My show, “Fuddy Meers” opened today in the Shiva. And two: After flying in from Chicago, my mom drove up from New Rochelle with my uncle to visit Vassar to see my performance.

7:45 a.m.: The alarm went off, first with Herb Alpert’s “Spanish Flea” and then with “We’re All in This Together” from the “High School Musical” soundtrack.

9:00 a.m.: I made myself some double-bag ginger tea to help my voice for the performance.

9:30 a.m.: After quickly grabbing breakfast from Express, I met two of my classmates outside the Powerhouse Theater for DRAM 304 The Art of Acting: Classics. We were rehearsing a scene from George Bernard Shaw’s play “Major Barbara.” In this class, we’ve studied various acting techniques, including Stanislavski’s Method and Laban’s Movement Analysis, and performed scenes from Shakespeare and the Commedia dell’Arte.

10:30 a.m.: Art of Acting begins. Be-

19 SPORTS

fore we started the Shaw scene, each of us performed a “Universe” project, where we created what the world of our character is like. We’ve done these for several scenes already. For the Shaw scene, I played Andrew Undershaft, Barbara’s ammunitions manufacturing father, so for my Universe I read the newspaper while Gustav Holst’s “Mars: The Bringer of War” and Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” played consecutively. After we each performed our Universes, we went straight into the scene. The professor, Shona Tucker, gave us notes and we restaged several parts. Then, Professor Tucker led us in a Michael Chekhov workshop. Chekhov created his own method of “Psychological Gestures,” where the actor uses external gestures to physicalize a character’s internal need. We performed several exercises that involved moving in a very expressive way.

1 p.m.: For DRAM 202 The Art of Theater Making, we were divided into groups with the intention of devising a presentation around various themes.

Some people summarize Drama 202 as Drama 102 but on speed. In the past, we’ve looked at John Cage’s work, the Fluxus Movement, Bertolt Brecht’s concept of Gestus and the choreography of Pina Bausch. For this week’s presentation, we picked from a list of haiku and were supposed to explore See DAY IN THE LIFE on page 6

Spike in home runs sparks juiced baseball controversey

The Miscellany News

Page 2

November 9, 2017

Editor-in-Chief

Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson

Senior Editor Noah Purdy

Contributing Editors Sarah Dolan Eilís Donohue Rhys Johnson

News Laurel Hennen Vigil Features Laila Volpe Humor and Satire Leah Cates Yesenia Garcia Arts Matt Stein Patrick Tanella Sports Mack Liederman Robert Pinataro Design Yoav Yaron Copy Tanya Kotru Gode Sumiko Neary

Courtesy of Elena Schultz

Courtesy of Elena Schultz

Throughout her adventures in Cheffes-sur-Sarthe, Elena Schultz ’19 reflects, “While the vivacity and grandeur of Paris is intoxicating, it was refreshing to plunge into the rest of the country that exists quietly beyond the bustling city’s borders. Living in the country’s capital, it’s easy to fall prey to the kind of self-important belief that Paris is the nucleus around which the rest of France revolves.”

To read more about Elena’s exciting JYA experience and read about other students’ travels, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!

The Miscellany News 9

November

Thursday

Music on the Bridge

11:30 a.m. | Bridge Indoor Cafe | Music Dept.

Coffee House

12:00 p.m. | AULA | Religious and Spiritual Life Office

Gallery Recpetion: Internal Architecture: Paintings by Stephen Niccolls 5:00 p.m. | Palmer Gallery | Campus Activities

History and Memory After Charlottesville

Weekender_ 10

November

11

Friday

November

Eurydice

FWA Cabaret

SASA Fall Dinner

Vassar College & Community Wind Ensemble

Indecent Exposure Sketch Show

Eurydice

12:00 p.m. | AFC | Athletics 6:00 p.m. | AULA | SASA

8:00 p.m. | RH 200 | FWA

7:00 p.m. | Shiva Theater | Merely Players

9:00 p.m. | SC 212 | Indecent Exposure

Pablo Aslan Quintet - World Music

First Year’s Choice

8:00 p.m. | Skinner Recital Hall | Music Dept.

9:00 p.m. | CC 223 | Big Night In

7:00 p.m. | CC 223 | CDO

VC Filmmakers Present: A Filmed Concert 8:00 p.m. | The Mug | Vassar Filmmakers

Enjoy community and the theme of home over coffee with RSL.

Women/Femmes/NB Performance Spotlight

7:45 a.m. | Walker Field House Bays | Athletics

Reporters Talya Phelps Columnists Izzy Braham Jimmy Christon Jesser Horowitz Steven Park Sylvan Perlmutter Blair Webber Design Maya Sterling Copy Isabel Bielat Natalie Bober James Bonanno Gabriela Calderon Teddy Chmyz Jillian Frechette Abigail Knuckles Jessica Moss Anna Wiley Andrea Yang

3:00 p.m. | Skinner Recital Hall | Music Dept.

RISE: Helping a Friend Workshop

6:00 p.m. | RH 112 | Athletics

Paper Critique

9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News

8:00 p.m. | Ferry House | Ferry House

Comedy Normative Show

Courtesy of Pixabay

Careers in the Sports Industry Alumnae/i Panel

November

Sunday

Fencing Tournament

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

7:00 p.m. | Shiva Theater | Merely Players

12

Basketball (M) vs. New York University-Scrimmage

7:00 p.m. | Shiva Theater | Merely Players

5:30 p.m. | RH 300 | History Dept.

Eurydice

Saturday

Assistant News Dylan Smith Clark Xu Assistant Arts Sasha Gopalakrishnan Assistant Online Kayla Holliday Jackson Ingram Abby Lass Assistant Design Rose Parker Assistant Copy Claire Baker Assistant Social Media Hannah Nice Web Master & Technical Advisor George Witteman

9:00 p.m. | SC 212 | Comedy Normative

Cheer on the Vassar fencing team during their Sunday tournament!

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed.

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

November 9, 2017

NEWS

Page 3

Trustees consider challenges of emerging social issues TRUSTEES continued from page 1

sar College and all other members of the Board are nominated by the nominations committee for election by the Board. Amendments to the Governance of the College may be enacted by simple majority vote, and removal of a member from the Board requires a two-thirds majority vote.

Plapinger and Vice-Chair Tony Friscia ’78 jointly commented via email, “The Trustees are of the highest integrity, dedicated to serving the best interests of the College and its constituencies, and represent national and international leaders in many areas, including the arts and entertainment, financial services, law, medicine, business and investments, academia, education, philanthropy and the not-for-profit sectors. They all serve as volunteers, and each of them spends an enormous amount of time working for the good of Vassar College.”

The Board also appoints the Officers of the College that consist of the President, the Vice President for Finance and Administration, three other Vice Presidents, the Dean of the College, various other Deans, the Controller and any additional officers.

The Board regularly meets three times a year in October, February and May to discuss matters pertaining to Vassar-owned property and its business affairs. Special meetings may also be convened by the Chair or eight members of the Board, and 15 Trustees constitute a quorum for any meeting. At the meeting, the Board as a whole only considers issues with either majority consent, considerations from the previous Board meeting or recommendations forwarded by a committee of the Board. Some of the committees include the Trustee Investor Responsibility Committee (TIRC), the investments and the nominations committee, executive, budget and finance, buildings and grounds, development, academic affairs, student affairs, audit, communication, personnel and compensation and admissions and financial aid commitees.

Faculty Observer and Professor of History Sumita Choudhury described the most recent

meeting in October, saying, “The issues discussed include how to continue making Vassar a diverse and vibrant community that engages all members in different ways. There were discussion surrounding accessibility and Vassar’s global profile.

In addition, the question was raised as to importance of the faculty in terms of its varied research and pedagogic efforts.”

Also in attendance at the full Board meetings, Student Observer and VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18 noted, “This year, a significant portion of time was spent in discussing the ‘public face of Vassar.’”

The Board’s committees make many of decisions that affect the College’s policies and practices. For example, on Nov. 1, TIRC unanimously voted to decline consideration of the Vassar College Fossil Fuels Divestment Resolution after it was presented by the Campus Investor Responsibility Committee (CIRC) in April 2017 as an issue of overriding social concern. The decision contrasted with a Vassar Student Association referendum in April 2016 that showed 91 percent of the student body in favor of the resolution, but supported a similar decision by TIRC against fossil fuels divestment in 2013.

The Governance of Vassar College allows for CIRC to propose resolutions to TIRC related to the ethical investment of the institutional endowment. While TIRC is composed of Trustees, CIRC is representative of students, faculty, administrators and alumni. CIRC Chair Marianne Begemann ’79 explained, “CIRC brings issues of ‘overriding social concern,’ that might cause the College to take into account that concern in the management of its investments, to the TIRC for review. CIRC considers the question of fossil fuel divestment as a tactic in addressing global climate change in that context and reviews a potential divestment policy from multiple perspectives, whether political, environmental, social, institutional or otherwise.”

TIRC makes the final decision regarding any changes to investment policy. Plapinger and Friscia noted, “The primary responsibility of TIRC is to determine how the College casts its

shareholder votes (‘proxies’) on resolutions that come before annual meetings of corporations in which Vassar holds shares of stock. The vast majority of Vassar’s investments are managed by independent managers who are responsible for voting proxies on shares owned by them.”

Describing TIRC’s voting history on social issues, they continued, “The College’s proxy voting over the past decade, involving dozens of votes, demonstrate that in the vast majority of instances, TIRC concurs with the recommendations of CIRC and broadly agrees with CIRC.” Points of agreement between CIRC and TIRC have ranged between sustainability and recycling, corruption and transparency in political donations, human rights, slave labor and worker safety.

Divestment from fossil fuels is unique in representing recent differences of opinion between CIRC and TIRC. Plapinger and Friscia elaborated, “In the past 10 years, the only issue presented by CIRC to TIRC involving an issue of ‘overriding social concern’ is the divestment of holdings of specified securities in public companies involved in the fossil fuel industry.” CIRC’s decision in April to recommend this resolution for consideration

by TIRC was the first time CIRC took this position on the issue after deliberating it many times in the past.

In an open letter that announced and explained TIRC’s decision, Plapinger, TIRC Chair Christianna Wood ’81 and Investments Committee Chair Henry Johnson ’88 wrote, “While the College may on occasion have followed divestment strategies in the past, albeit rarely, the evidence now is that divestment can be damaging and costly for investment portfolios and ineffective in driving social change.” They concluded, “We support the College’s many ongoing efforts to help address the effects of climate change. The Board of Trustees is unified in purpose with this goal and those efforts but firmly disagrees with the use of the endowment as an instrument to achieve these ends” (TIRC Letter, 11.01.2017).

Though some of the Board’s decisions have been controversial among students, the Trustees

believe that it is important to distinguish between the personal background of decision-makers and the decisions that they make. Plapinger and Friscia commented, “The members of the Board of Trustees as a whole are of the highest integrity and represent some of the finest examples of graduates of Vassar. Each is dedicated to serving the best interests of the College. Anyone with lingering concerns about the character of the Board, as opposed to merely disagreeing with any decision of the Board, is ill-informed about these outstanding individuals.”

Both CIRC and TIRC agree, however, that there is much more to be done for the environment and other social issues than fossil fuels divestment.

Begemann reflected, “Reducing our carbon footprint and creating a more sustainable future are priorities for Vassar. The issue of divestment is only one facet of this important topic.”

Considering the broader responsibilities of the Trustees and the institutional change they have the power to create, Kanoria added, “I think the biggest tension between young alums/current students and older alums is the very conception of what Vassar and its student body is. Vassar has changed while retaining some of its most important qualities, but this change is something the institution has to really grapple with. This translates into understandings of financial aid, national, international and campus climate and engaging across difference.”

Plapinger and Friscia added, “The College intends to support a vibrant and diverse learning community with a commitment to both equity and inclusion, to reimagine the campus through significant capital improvements, to demonstrate a deep commitment to the liberal arts and to Vassar’s mission, to maintain the sustainability of Vassar’s financial aid policies and the College generally, to inspire and support continuing curricular innovation and scholarly endeavors, to significantly increase fundraising for the College, to continue to embrace our shared governance and to communicate and engage with all Vassar constituencies.”

Vassar hosts annual high school debate tournament Dylan Smith

Assistant News Editor

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Courtesy of Tabraiz Lodhi

n Saturday Nov. 5, the Vassar College Debate Society held its second annual high school invitational debate tournament. Fifty-four teams, most from nearby northeastern states, competed in the tournament, held in various academic buildings on campus. The teams were split into two categories, Varsity and Novice. The team from the Horace Mann School in New York City won the Novice finals, and a hybrid team with competitors from the Dalton School and Horace Mann won the Varsity finals.

The tournament consisted of five regular rounds plus a semifinal and final round for the two best scoring teams in each category. The tournament began at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and ended at 7:00 p.m. Though the debate format mimics that of parliamentary governments, the proposed motions—the subjects of the debates—weren’t limited to governmental issues. One, for example, read “This House regrets the popular narrative of good triumphing over evil in children’s entertainment.”

Others regarded the salary of elected officials or infrastructure investment. “Our motions covered everything from pop culture to international relations,” Vassar Debate Co-Vice President for Operations Seth Molwitz ’18 said.

Molwitz, along with the other Co-Vice President for Operations Tabraiz Lodhi ’20, planned and coordinated Saturday’s tournament. Both agreed that the tournament was a success.

There were a few hurdles, however. Once of the roadblocks organizers ran into this year, Molwitz explained, was the amount of food they ordered for the competitors. “Next year we will be ordering many fewer pizzas,” he said, half-joking.

Molwitz explained the structure and style of the tournament, saying, “We ran the tournament the way we did because of what we learned from last year ... We operated under the advice of the leader of the Connecticut Debate Association (CDA), who has a lot of experience planning and running tournaments.” Molwitz himself is an alum of the Connecticut Debate Association.

Saturday’s tournament, like the first hosted by Vassar Debate, operated on the High School American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA)

The Vassar College Debate Society (pictured above) hosted an invitational high school debate tournament on Saturday, Nov. 5. Fifty-four teams competed in the tournament. format. APDA is one of the two major debate formats practiced in the United States, the other being the British Parliamentary (BP) format. The leaders of Vassar Debate worked closely with the leaders of the Connecticut Debate Association to plan and execute the tournament. A representative from the CDA, Everett Rutan, directed tab for Saturday’s event. This means that he oversaw the tabulation of scores, determining who moved on to the semi-finals, finals and ultimately who won the tournament.

According to the APDA website, “Parliamentary debate on APDA focuses on skills which are not greatly emphasized by other forms of intercollegiate debate. Rather than concentrating on extensive preparation of evidence, APDA encourages a breadth, as well as a depth, of knowledge — as students can be forced to debate almost any topic at short notice, they must have a working knowledge of all manner of political, economic, social and philosophical issues. A high premium is placed

on quick thinking and logical, rigorous analysis” (American Parliamentary Debate Association, “About,” 2016).

During a given round, two teams will debate their given motion. One team, naturally, is for the motion, the other against. The teams learn what this motion is 15 minutes before the round begins, a feature borrowed from the BP system of debate.

However, in the style of APDA, each side of the debate consists of a team of two people, both from the same school, working together to make a clear and convincing argument. Each round, which lasts about 40 minutes, is assessed as an extemporaneous debate, meaning students are not permitted to reference briefs, prepared cases, research materials or the Internet.

There was no shortage of logical, rigorous analysis on Saturday. Debaters donned professional attire to compete, with many traveling from Connecticut and upstate New York, but some from as far as California, to face off against their debating

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

peers. It was clear that these competitors were serious; even before a round began, teammates spoke in hushed tones, preparing their case or anticipating what challenges the round would bring.

During Saturday’s debates, the participants took on an air of formality, even of gravity. When a competitor wasn’t speaking, they focused unwaveringly on the person who was. Debaters had no time for idle watching or listening; they hung on to every word, though undoubtedly contemplating their own argument at the same time. A competitor would often write down notes, either to reference themselves when it was their turn to speak or for a teammate to reference.

When it was a competitor’s turn to speak, their speech was hypnotic. The students at Saturday’s tournament showed off an impressive breadth of knowledge, alongside the admirable ability to articulate it. The debaters rarely stumbled, and when they did, it was almost always shrugged off with competent grace and dignity. Passion and persuasiveness were on display in bounds on Saturday.

The goal of the tournament for Vassar Debate, according to Molwitz, was not only to observe these impressive high school debaters but also to raise money for Vassar Debate to attend tournaments throughout the year. Vassar Debate competes in about five BP tournaments in a year and hopes to cover some of their registration and travel costs with funds raised through the tournament.

Lodhi, who began debate during his sophomore year of high school, elaborated on the importance of debate tournaments. “Through doing debate and competing at tournaments,” Lodhi said, “you really grow as a debater. This means growing as a critical thinker and a student.” Lodhi added that participating in debate has just generally helped him in both high school and college.

Even watching tournaments, according to Lodhi, improves a competitor’s debate skills. “Seeing other people’s growth makes you want to do better as a debater. After a certain point, there’s really no upper limit on how good you can be,” he said.

“I see no reason to stop doing debate,” Lodhi concluded. “It was really great to see all of the freshman join the team this year ... it almost never ends. It’s great to see the community keep growing.”

NEWS

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November 9, 2017

News Briefs Eight killed in NYC terror attack

has been present in the discourses of all the big tech companies.

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—Pazit Schrecker, Guest Reporter Mueller make first indictment charges

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ver since Trump’s election, tremendous suspicion of Russia’s involvement in the election is omnipresent in the news cycle, which eventually led to a federal investigation. This week, incriminating information about key figures from Trump’s foreign policy sector of the campaign revealed potential collusion between Russia and the United States.

The first indictment charges were made under the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller last week. The investigation is focusing on potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia that gave Trump his November victory. Those from Trump’s campaign who were charged were scheduled to be taken into custody as soon as Monday. However, these charges were sealed from the public eye. Mueller’s sealing of the documents sends a signal to other defendants that these are serious allegations worth decades of jail time (CNN, “First on CNN: First charges filed in Mueller investigation”, 10.30.2017).

The indictments include Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, all former Trump campaign aides. Manafort and Gates,

—Marusa Rus, Guest Reporter ISIS loses control of Deir al-Zour

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Courtesy of Pixabay

n Tuesday, Oct. 31, there was a terrorist attack in New York City. Just after 3 p.m., a rented Home Depot truck swerved into the Houston Street bike line along the West Side Highway, located in the lower part of Manhattan. The attack took place not far from the site of the Sept. 11 attacks. After striking multiple pedestrians and bikers, the driver crashed into a school bus near Chambers Street. Of those struck when the truck turned into the bike line, six were presumed dead at the scene and two more died at the hospital. Two children and two adults on the bus were wounded, but none of them fatally (New York Times, “Terror Attack Kills 8 and Injures 11 in Manhattan,” 10.31.2017).

After the crash, the driver, Sayfullo Saipov, got out of the truck and ran through traffic, waving a paintball gun and a pellet gun. After yelling “Allahu Akbar,” meaning “God is great” in Arabic, he was shot in the stomach by New York Police Department officer Ryan Nash on Chambers Street (CBS News, “‘This Was An Act Of Terror’: 8 Dead, More Than A Dozen Injured When Truck Strikes Pedestrians In Lower Manhattan,” 10.31.2017).

The motorist is still alive, but is in police custody. The attack has been compared to the terrorist attack in Nice, France last year, in which a different motorist struck those celebrating Bastille Day. Saipov, who is 29 years old, came to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010. Prior to the attack, Saipov, a New Jersey resident, did not have a criminal history, and his only law violations were traffic-related. When he moved to the United States seven years ago, Saipov worked driving cars and trucks and recently begun driving for Uber, for which he passed the background check.

Law enforcement officials have concluded that Saipov was “self-radicalized” because he did not have ties to the terrorist organization, despite being inspired by it. This was further supported by findings of a note by the vehicle, reading “ISIS Lives Forever” in both English and Arabic. Saipov, who spent a year planning the motor attack, also requested that an ISIS flag be hung in his hospital room. On Thursday, Nov. 2, ISIS took credit for the attack that it had inspired (NBC News, “Sayfullo Saipov’s Path from Immigrant Trucker to Suspected Terrorist,” 11.01.2017).

Normally, presidents of the United States are discourgaed from providing their opinons on unsettled criminal cases, as these thoughts can interfere with the trial. However, President Trump tweeted his response to the attack, stating that “In NYC, looks like another attack by a very sick and deranged person. Law enforcement is following this closely. NOT IN THE U.S.A.!” This was later followed up by another tweet reading, “He killed 8 people, badly injured 12. SHOULD GET DEATH PENALTY!” (New York Times, “Trump Declares Suspect ‘Should Get Death Penalty,’” 11.01.2017).

On Tuesday, Oct. 31, there was a terrorist attack in lower Manhattan, near the location of the Sept. 11 attacks. Eight people were killed and several more were injured. The perpetrator, Sayfullo Saipov, is alive and in custody, awaiting trial. who are longtime international business associates, were the first to be indicted on 12 counts, including conspiracy to launder money on behalf of the campaign. Gates and Manafort were both ousted from Trump’s inner circle amidst rising suspicions about their lobbying work in Eastern Europe, especially in the Ukraine (Washington Post, “At least nine people in Trump’s orbit had contact with Russians during campaign and transition,” 11.5.2017).

According to their indictment, Manafort and Gates funneled millions of dollars to the United States from consulting a Ukrainian presidential campaign. The seemingly democratic candidate Victor Yanukovych had close ties to Vladimir Putin. Gates was found to have opened as many as 30 bank accounts this year alone—one with over $10 million dollars in Cyprus—which constitutes massive tax fraud (CBC News, “How cases of Paul Manafort and Sergei Magnitsky are linked: money laundering through Cyprus,” 11.04.2017).

This week, it was discovered that Papadopoulos, a seemingly low level advisor to the campaign, was trying to set up meetings in Moscow with the Trump campaign. Evidence in Mueller’s investigation suggests that Papadopoulos may have been directed by higher campaign members to spark collusion between the campaign and Russian authorities, including Vladimir Putin. It was later discovered that he sent emails to other campaign aides, notably Manafort and Gates, working on Trump’s foreign policy about collaborating with Russia. In an email sent from Manafort to Gates, he wrote, “We need someone to communicate that DT is not doing these trips. It should be someone low level in the campaign so as not to send any signal” (NPR, “Former Trump Adviser Admits To Seeking ‘Dirt’ On Clinton From Russians, Lying To FBI,” 10.30.2017).

Although he went to great lengths to skirt around Trump’s national security, the 29-yearold Papadopoulos confessed to lying to the FBI about his relations with Russia. However, the exact question of the Trump campaign’s alleged illegal collusion with Russia remain unanswered. Mueller’s investigation suggests that the Russians had disclosed they had important, and perhaps incriminating, information about Hillary Clinton. These illegal meetings never happened, as the campaign claimed to have refused them.

The Trump administration tried to stop the investigation but ultimately failed. Furious after receiving notice about Mueller’s strong prosecution advocating for electoral justice, Trump’s tweet read, “This is the greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!” (CNN, “Trump ‘seething’ as Mueller probe reaches former aides,” 10.31.2017). In the upcoming weeks, the Mueller probe will continue to uncover the hidden truths behind Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election.

—Kelly Vinett, Guest Reporter Congress holds hearings for tech giants

L

ast week marked the start of Congressional hearings for the biggest tech companies in

the country in connection to their role in Russia’s meddling in 2016 presidential election. On Tuesday, Oct. 31, and Wednesday, Nov. 1, three of the tech giants, Facebook, Twitter and Google, had to defend themselves in front of Senate in a series of three hearings over the two days.

The hearings were conducted to investigate the role social media played in the 2016 presidential election and the extent of the reach and influence it had. It was the first time that tech companies testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about the role they played in the elections. While the senators were hoping for a conversation with top executives, the corporations instead sent their in-house lawyers, putting themselves on the defensive.

At the beginning of this year, the U.S. Intelligence Community jointly confirmed Russian government interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. One of the tactics was the use of social media to spread controversial and divisive messages, focusing on race, religion, gun rights and gay and transgender issues in the U.S. They used Facebook in two ways: firstly, by paying Facebook for advertisements and secondly, by creating Facebook groups where they promoted divisive messages and encouraged debate. The Russian government influenced the election by using Facebook’s own strategy of encouraging people to be more engaged, by commenting, liking and sharing content. It has been revealed that a shadowy Russian company with links to the Kremlin, Internet Research Agency, posted around 80,000 pieces of divisive content that reached 19 million people between January 2015 and August 2017 (The Atlantic, “15 Things We Learned From the Tech Giants at the Senate Hearings,” 10.02.2017). These posts were then shared, liked and commented on, spreading them to an even wider group of people. Moreover, Internet Research Agency paid Facebook more than $100,000 in advertisements (Reuters, “Facebook says 126 million Americans may have seen Russia-linked political posts,” 10.30.2017).

Last week’s hearings presented a shift in the relationship between Washington and Silicon Valley. For years their relationship has been very friendly, especially in regards to favorable regulatory treatment of Silicon Valley. However, the hearings revealed the increasing frustration with Silicon Valley in Washington. This was apparent in the line of questioning from Minnesota Senator Al Franken, who asked Facebook’s general Counsel Colin Stretch: “You put billions of data points together all the time ... you can’t put together rubles and a political ad? How did you not connect those two dots?” (Reuters, “U.S. senators hammer Facebook for power over elections,” 10.31.2017). The past month has also seen a circulation of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s bipartisan Honest Ads Bill, which would require political ads on the internet to be regulated in the same way as those on TV and radio (Business Insider, “McCain, Democrats introduce first major legislation targeting Facebook ads since Russia intervened in the 2016 elections,” 10.19.2017). Facebook has taken some steps to change its practices when it comes to political ads in order to avoid regulation from Washington and has hired 1,000 new people to review political ads. The argument for self-regulation

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ast Friday, the Islamic State suffered an important defeat by Syrian government forces, Iraqi militaries and international backers of both armies and lost much of its territory.

Syrian forces declared victory in Deir al-Zour, the last major city held by ISIS. The city is regarded as an important place geographically and economically; it is near the Iraqi border and has abundant amount of oil. As a result, the Syrian government and ISIS had an ongoing territorial dispute over the city. Deir al-Zour has been divided into a Syrian portion and an ISIS portion for three years (Independent, “ISIS Driven Out of Final City Stronghold in Syria,” 11.03.2017).

However, allied with Russian and Iranian army, Syrian forces started to besiege Deir alZour against ISIS and have been moving forward ever since. Finally, last Friday, they succeeded in recovering control over the city (Independent, “ISIS Driven Out of Final City Stronghold in Syria,” 11.03.2017).

“The armed forces, in cooperation with allied forces, liberated the city of Deir al-Zour completely from the clutches of the Daesh terrorist organization,” Syrian state media reported, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS (Reuters, “Islamic State on Verge of Defeat After Fresh Losses in Syria, Iraq,” 11.03.2017).

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the border, the Iraqi military allied with Iranian army took over al-Qaim, the border-crossing city near the Euphrates River. Iraq’s Prime Minister Haidar Abadi announced that government forces succeeded in seizing power over the city (Independent, “ISIS Driven Out of Final City Stronghold in Syria,” 11.03.2017).

After these defeats, ISIS is now isolated in the small desert countryside surrounded by its opponents. Indeed, it has lost 90 percent of its territory in the last three years, including key cities such as Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria (Reuters, “Islamic State on Verge of Defeat After Fresh Losses in Syria, Iraq,” 11.03.2017).

Syrian forces against ISIS anticipated that a few more wars are left in order to annihilate ISIS influence on territories. They estimated that ISIS does not have many soldiers left; around 1,500 to 2,500 soldiers are estimated to remain in al-Qa’im and 2,000 to 3,000 in Abu Kamal (Independent, “ISIS Driven Out of Final City Stronghold in Syria,” 11.03.2017).

Refugees from Deir al-Zour and al-Qa’im were also relieved by the victory. Hosna Quray’a, a refugee from Deir al-Zour who has stayed at a school shelter in Qudsaya, commented to The New York Times, “I want to return. Most of my relatives left there, and I don’t know what happened to them” (The New York Times, “ISIS, Squeezed on Two Sides, Loses Syrian City and Border Crossing,” 11.03.2017).

However, there are several obstacles to the fully recover the lost territory and to wipe out ISIS’s power. To begin with, the war is not finished yet. Both the Iraqi and Syrian government are cautious about guerrilla attacks of ISIS (Independent, “ISIS Driven Out of Final City Stronghold in Syria,” 11.03.2017).

Moreover, for the refugees, the victory does not mean they can immediately return to their homes. The cities may still contain numerous land mines and ISIS sleeper cells. It will also take a huge amount of time to rebuild the destroyed cities again (The New York Times, “ISIS, Squeezed on Two Sides, Loses Syrian City and Border Crossing,” 11.03.2017).

Finally, the political conflicts among the militaries would be a critical concern in the aftermath of the war. The New York Times reported, “That battle for the remaining Islamic State territory could inflame tensions among the competing forces fighting the militants as they converge on the region ... the competing armies [are] seeking not only to vanquish the Islamic State, but [are] also racing against each other to win influence in the strategic border zone” (The New York Times, “ISIS, Squeezed on Two Sides, Loses Syrian City and Border Crossing,” 11.03.2017).

— Youngju Chang, Guest Reporter

NEWS

November 9, 2017

Page 5

Updates from the VSA Committee Updates Operations Committee: — They are going to try to schedule a joint meeting between Finance, Operations and Planning to discuss Finance restructuring.

— They had a discussion on wanting to have forum norms with speakers whenever there is a guest at VSA Senate.

— Senators for Strategic Planning Micah Fedenko ’20 and Jacob Sowder ’18 created a proposed outline for the VSA Senate retreat.

Planning Committee: — They are creating a flow chart and publicity materials to advertise the Student Discourse Forum.

— They will start a free trial of the forum.

Committee on Equity and Inclusion: — They discussed ideas for an identity orgs dinner. They have not settled on a date but will hopefully host the event at the Aula or the CC MPR (maybe UpC). They’ll be collaborating with the Orgs committee, work on getting a list of the identity orgs on campus and get feedback from them on how they would like the event to be structured.

Orgs Committee: — They talked to 2019 Senator for Strategic Planning Robin Corelo ’19 about ACCESS and the Disability Rights Coalition (DRC). They heard DRC’s and ACCESS’s positions about becoming two separate orgs and their reasons for needing to have two separate orgs.

Roun l a c i d lit

up

Po

Programming: — They are in the process of planning an all-campus event.

— They’ll be reaching out to other com-

Talya Phelps In this week’s headlines...

On Nov. 2, the Islamic State belatedly claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack by Sayfullo Saipov in Lower Manhattan on Oct. 31, which killed eight people and injured 12 more (The New York Times, “Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Lower Manhattan Terrorist Attack,” 11.02.2017). A day earlier, President Trump railed against the U.S. criminal justice system and tweeted that Saipov should receive the death penalty, ignoring conventional wisdom that presidents should not opine on pending criminal cases (The New York Times, “Trump Declares Suspect ‘Should Get Death Penalty,” 11.01.2017).

Republican House lawmakers on Nov. 2 revealed their proposal for a tax code overhaul, which would slash taxes for corporations and deliver mixed benefits for individuals and families, depending on location, income level and tax breaks claimed (The New York Times, “Republican Plan Delivers Permanent Corporate Tax Cut,” 11.02.2017). Trump reportedly wants to include a rollback of the individual mandate, which is a cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act (The New York Times, “Lobbying Frenzy Begins on Tax Bill,” 11.03.2017).

On Nov. 5, Trump opened his 12-day, trade-focused travels through Asia with a speech to American troops in Japan, in which he touted his domestic accomplishments and emphasized the toughness of the U.S. Trump is likely to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week to discuss North Korea, which the White House has indicated may soon be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism (The New York Times, “Trump Opens Asia Trip Talking Tough in Campaign-Style Rally,” 11.05.2017).

mittees about establishing a list of guidelines for orgs holding events so that they meet the committee’s goals of inclusion and safety.

Board of Residential Affairs: — In recognition of all of the hard work that the dining and custodial staff do, there will be a Worker’s Appreciation Dinner in a few weeks.

— They are working on getting funding for first-aid kits in the dorms; they are thinking of keeping them with student fellows to avoid inappropriate use. They will contain things such as band-aids, alcohol prep-pads, 2x2 gauze and Neosporin. They may want to consult with Health and Wellness to add more supplies and get a more realistic sense of funds.

— They are looking into offering a Town House Talent Showcase, probably next semester, taking place in the THs. They want to bring in students from all parts of campus who have a skill or talent that they do not get to express otherwise and maybe coupling it with a BBQ or Food Truck.

Health and Wellness: — Restocking of Project Period supplies to take place this Thursday — They continued planning of the Mental Health Fair:

- Activities divided up among different houses

- Ideas for flyers to advertise were discussed

- TLC and EMS to co-sponsor one of the events for the day

- They are solidifying what the socialization aspect of the events are, where/ when they will be, who will lead them

- Members were tasked with writ-

On Nov. 7, former Interim Head of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Donna Brazile released her book, which tells the inside story of the turbulent presidential campaign that led to Trump’s election. She writes that she considered working to replace Hillary Clinton and Senator Tim Kaine (DVA) with former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) on the ballot after Clinton’s fainting spell in New York City on Sept. 11, 2016 (The Washington Post, “Donna Brazile: I considered replacing Clinton with Biden as 2016 Democratic nominee,” 11.04.2017).

She also asserts unethical behavior within the DNC, describing a fundraising agreement that gave Clinton outsize control of the party long before obtaining the nomination (Politico Magazine, “Inside Hillary Clinton’s Secret Takeover of the DNC,” 11.02.2017).

Trump, on Nov. 2, nominated Jerome Powell to replace Janet Yellen as chair of the Federal Reserve. Powell is a centrist Republican who has worked as lawyer and investment banker, and he would be the first Fed chair in 40 years who does not have a degree in economics (The New York Times, “Trump Announces Jerome Powell as New Fed Chairman,” 11.02.2017).

The White House approved the release of a Nov. 3 scientific report by 13 federal agencies that implicates humans as the dominant cause of global warming and thus stands in opposition with the Trump administration’s position on climate change (The New York Times, “U.S. Report Says Humans Cause Climate Change, Contradicting Top Trump Officials,” 11.03.2017).

In our backyard...

Thanks to the efforts of a third-grade class at Joseph D’Aquanni West Road Intermediate School in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro signed a law on Nov. 3 banning the use of environmentally hazardous polystyrene foam cups and food containers in chain restaurants and county facilities.

The class was introduced to the issue in May 2017 by their teacher, Barbara Kurdziel, during a persuasive writing unit. The students presented their research to other middle-school classes, wrote letters to Molinaro and Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo and ultimately presented their concerns to Molinaro at a June

ing instruction sheets for different activities Other Miscellaneous Events/Promos: — Kaleidoscope is coming up on Nov. 17, in UpC, as part of a weeklong event.

— Lathrop Love will be on Dec. 1 in Villard Room from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Senate 11/5/17 Consensus Agenda: Passed Finance allocations — 1343/1343 from Capital to Senior Class for Cap and gown loan program: Working with Terry Quinn’s office to cover costs of caps and gowns for students based on need.

— 4500/5500 from Council Discretionary to WVKR for Pink Noises event “to showcase women, femme, gender-queer and other non-male identities in electronic and hip-hop music.” Thet want to host four workshops on music and DJ-ing.

— 0/1600 to ASA. The committee agreed to review the application again once the costs have been recalculated because some specifics were lacking. For ECAASU conference with discussions around “political, social and cultural issues relevant to the Asian American community.”

— 1005/1005 to Sori from Capital for instruments and casing (2 Ganggu and 1 Jing).

— 3300/3300 to Hip Hop 101 from Council Discretionary. For Noname coming to perform. Probably in the Shiva, most of costs coming out of their budget.

— 200/200 to Vassar Finance Club from Discretionary.

— 451/661 to Vassar Business Club from Speakers for Design in the Digital Age: Crafting Your Career in Design panel. Gives stu-

22 meeting and to the county legislature at the vote on Oct. 10, where the ban was approved 23-1 (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “Third-grade class project leads to polystyrene foam ban for Dutchess,” 11.3.2017).

On Oct. 31, Molinaro released his 2018 county budget proposal. Citing the more than 4.75 million visitors to the county, who generate $568 million in annual visitor spending, Molinaro allocated $1.5 million for Dutchess Tourism Inc., including a 20 percent bump in arts funding. More than $3 million will go to continued domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, including tracking domestic violence incidents through a coordinated database for police agencies. Monetary support is also set aside for a World War I commemorative event and special recognition for Gold Star families (Hudson Valley Post, “Molinaro Releases $480M Dutchess County Budget Proposal,” 10.31.2017).

An October report by the non-profit Education Trust—New York revealed that statewide, the demographics of educators do not reflect those of students. In Dutchess County specifically, about 40 percent of Black, Latino and white students attended schools with no Black or Latino teachers in the 2015-16 school year. Moreover, although more than 25 percent of the county’s public school enrollment is Black and Latino, the same can be said of only 4 percent of its teachers.

Poughkeepsie led the county in terms of its ratio of Black and Latino teachers, who still only made up 21 percent of the total. According to the Education Trust, having a Black or Latino teacher can help improve academic performance, reduce suspension and dropout rates and improve college prospects for Black and Latino students (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “Dutchess teaching workforce lacks diversity: Report,” 11.02.2017).

Spotlight on 2020 hopefuls...

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) Born and raised in San Francisco, Harris had a bicultural upbringing—her father is Jamaican and her mother Tamil Indian—that has inspired comparisons to President Barack Obama. After high school, she studied at historically Black Howard University and then returned to the Bay Area to earn her J.D. at Hastings College of the Law. Joining the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as deputy district attorney, she

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

dents opportunity for mentorship in the design/graphics industry.

— 802/802 to Vassar Business Club from Speakers for “Artificial Intelligence and Echo Chambers: When Machine Learning Goes Wrong” with Google’s Debarghya Das panel.

A leader in computer science and engineering, Debarghya Das will give insight on the ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

— 145.88/145.88 to Flypeople from Conference For baseball jerseys for uniform costumes for performances.

— 266/266 to unFramed from Conference for Curatorial Activism and the Politics of Schock, a day-long conference in NYC surrounding curatorial activism with rising nationalism and radical conservatism.

Appointments — Ellie Winter ’18 was appointed as Senior Class President. BoEA interviewed a lot of great candidates for Senior Class Council President and unanimously decided to select Ellie Winter ’18 for the position. They were impressed with her wide range of experience in both leadership and event planning roles (such as in her position as Editor-in-Chief of Contrast) as well as her experience communicating with administrators to represent student interests. They also appreciated the thoughtfulness Ellie put into her awareness of the position’s serious time commitment, and they are confident that she will be able to make the transition to SCC President smoothly and effectively.

The Senate also held a forum with Dean of Students Adriana di Bartolo. For more information, visit Twitter.com/MiscellanyNews — Sarah Jane Muder, General VSA Intern

prosecuted child rape, robbery and murder cases until 1998, when she became managing attorney of the Career Criminal Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and then headed the San Francisco City Attorney’s Division on Families and Children.

In 2003, she became San Francisco’s attorney general, making history as the first Black person and the first woman to fill that role (ThoughtCo., “Biography of California Attorney General Kamala Harris,” 07.19.2017). Her refusal to defend Proposition 8, which prohibited same-sex marriage in California, helped lead to its being overturned in 2013. In 2009, she published “Smart on Crime,” co-authored with Joan O’C. Hamilton, which addresses the problem of criminal recidivism (Encyclopedia Britannica, “Kamala Harris”). Harris is known for being tough on crime, working in her various roles to double trial conviction rates for gun felonies, raise the percentage of dangerous criminals sentenced to prison and prosecute the parents of truant children. Harris announced her U.S. Senate bid in January 2015 and defeated Loretta Sanchez to become the second Black woman to fill a Senate seat (ThoughtCo.). Key issues for her platform included immigration and criminal justice reforms, raising the minimum wage and protecting women’s reproductive rights (Britannica).

In June 2017, Harris drew media attention when she stood her ground after being cut off by her colleagues during two Senate Intelligence Committee hearings. Senator John McCain interrupted Harris during her questioning of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr told her in both instances to stand down and allow the interviewees to answer. Following the incidents, Senator Elizabeth Warren (DMA), who had been similarly shut down in February by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), offered her encouragement to Harris (CNN, “Once again, senators cut off Harris as she rails on Sessions,” 06.14.2017). In response to September comments by MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell about a possible 2020 presidential run, Harris laughed and replied, “Lawrence, I don’t even know what I’m having for dinner” (Washington Examiner, “Kamala Harris bursts into laughter over 2020 talk,” 09.06.2017).

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November 9, 2017

A dramatic day: family, acting, Netflix a satisfying combo DAY IN THE LIFE continued from page 1

This isn’t usually one of the responsibilities of an editor, but we’re here to help.

5:05 p.m.: Even though call time wasn’t for another hour, I got to the Shiva to review my lines and read some of Jen Sincero’s “You Are a Badass” to boost my self-confidence for the performance. I also scheduled an interview for the next day for one of my Misc articles.

6:00 p.m.: By then the rest of the cast and crew had arrived. We got into costume. Because I had a costume change, I arranged my clothes to easily get dressed.

6:15 p.m.: Fight calls. Because the show involved several fights, grabs and falls, we were supposed to hold a fight call before we perform so nothing goes wrong and nobody gets hurt.

Because our fight choreographer is in “Caesar Noir,” a Merely Players show that took place the same weekend, another actor and I ran the fight call, going through each routine slowly first and then at full speed.

6:30 p.m.: Warm-ups. As a cast, we included a variety of warm-ups to help with concentration, voice and movement. Oftentimes we play theater games like “Wah!” I like to lead a vocal warm-up of “Lolita,” which consists of the first few lines of Nabokov’s novel, to help with enunciation.

7 p.m.: With the house doors open, we waited in the dressing room for the show to start. Even though the show time did say 7 p.m., performances traditionally start five minutes later to allow for latecomers.

8 p.m.: Intermission. The first act of the play was extremely hectic. Because it was a Thursday show, the audience wasn’t as large, but they were still very responsive. I managed to hear my uncle’s distinct low chuckle in one of my scenes.

8:45 p.m.: We took our bows, and the show was over. We still had three more performances to look forward to before the post-show blues set in. My family hugged me. My mom, who flew from Chicago, hadn’t seen me perform since I was a sophomore in high school, so this moment was pretty significant.

8:50 p.m.: I showed my mom and uncle my TA.

Courtesy of Sam Peterson

our chosen poem through free association, incorporating different elements of time. My group chose one that went: “First crickets— / the pulse / in my wrist.” After free-associating about nervousness and exercise, we decided to stage the piece at Sunset Lake. We set the audience up on one side of the lake, holding a metronome. One member ran around the lake in exercise gear. We felt that the pulsations were similar to when two people meet. I stood on one side of the hill, clad in all purple, and another member of the group is dressed in yellow on the other side. The fourth member was dressed in a morph suit and acted like a cricket, instructing me to follow before rolling down a hill. Eventually, I met with the other member and we embraced. If any of this doesn’t seem logical or coherent, then we’re doing Drama 202 right.

3:15 p.m.: I headed to the Deece to do some work and review my lines. I made myself another round of tea: chamomile to calm my nerves.

I also read some of “The Lee Strasberg Notes,” which are edited transcriptions from the famous acting teacher’s classes. It’s been a bit of a tradition for me to read an acting-related book before opening night to summon up the confidence that I can act.

4:15 p.m.: My mom and my uncle arrived on campus, driving up from New Rochelle. I showed them around the library, the location that first made me interested in Vassar and where I spend most of my time. Because my uncle is an alumnus of Vassar, he walked around with a sense of nostalgia that forced us to move very slowly as he recognized each differing detail that’s changed since he was a student. I often like to mention that this uncle was at Vassar at the same time as Meryl Streep and was actually an acquaintance of hers, so I enjoyed the little tidbits of information he gave about his experience, knowing Meryl probably experienced it too.

4:45 p.m.: The News Editor of The Misc, Laurel, and I lead a transcribing interview workshop with The Miscellany News’ distributors.

Matt Stein ’18 describes his day in which he acted in the show “Fuddy Meers.” His day ranged from seeing his family, who flew in to watch the performance, to watching “Stranger Things.”

One of my costumes pieces is a bathrobe, which I use every day in reality, so after every rehearsal and performance I lug it back home. They got to bear witness to the piling up clothes, papers and books in my room. It’s not that I abhor cleanliness, it’s just that this week was so busy that every time I entered my room, I simply took what I needed and went on my way.

9 p.m.: My mom and uncle treated me to Acropolis Diner food, which was very enjoyable after such a physically demanding performance.

I had an order of mozzarella sticks and an omelet

with feta. It’s very obvious that I love cheese. It’s the best ingredient in the ideal late night meal.

10 p.m.: My family dropped me off in front of my TA. I was fortunate that I didn’t have to show them my messy room. My mom tends to get very emotional with goodbyes so I gave her a long hug and promised to call her in the morning when she’s back in Chicago.

10:30 p.m.: I began watching Season Two of “Stranger Things” and fell asleep out of exhaustion to the synth-tuned soundtrack filling my ears.

Aspiring chef roasts sweet potatoes, inept former self Talya Phelps Reporter

A

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Talya Phelps/The Miscellany News

t the beginning of the semester, I published a food column detailing the wretched gastronomic choices I was making here in Prague after the unfortunate breakage of the stove and oven in my apartment. Dishes of choice included Fruit Medley (actually just Haribo gummies) and Scrambled Eggs à la Microwave. Two months later, I am happy to report that while my stove is still broken, I now have a mini-range and toaster oven, and I have stepped up my culinary skills to the point where I am no longer filled with shame if anyone sees what I’m eating for dinner. In fact, while I was genuinely concerned a couple of months ago that I was suffering from scurvy due to the lack of fruits and greens in my diet, I am now about to share with you a recipe that contains not one but TWO vegetables.

Before you get too excited, let me issue a disclaimer. While I now have two different grocery stores in my rotation and my regular shopping list includes ingredients as diverse and esoteric as oat flakes and dried apricots, I am still a lazy, frugal and frightened little kid at heart, and I refuse to devote the time and funds to buy any measuring cups or spoons beyond the 1/3 cup and the 1/4 cup I found in my apartment. Thus, most of the measurements in this recipe require you to use your own good judgment. If you choose to make this dish, just roll with it. After all, cooking is an art, not a science.

To start, preheat your oven to somewhere between 425° and 450° F. You’ll be roasting two different things that require two different temperatures, so just split the difference. I don’t have a real oven and I don’t understand Celsius, so I just crank it up and trust that everything will work out. Peel your sweet potatoes and chop them into bite-sized cubes, then toss them with a few splashes of olive oil and grind some salt and pepper on those suckers. Spread them out evenly on a baking pan and pop them in the oven. Next, prepare your broccoli, washing and drying it well and chopping it into bite-sized spears. Coat the broccoli with oil, salt and pepper as you did with the potatoes. The latter require 40 minutes to bake while the former needs

only 20, so chill out and take a few minutes to congratulate yourself on all your work thus far.

After the potatoes have been in for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven and use a spatula to flip them over so they can cook evenly. Then add your broccoli and shake the pan to even everything out before putting them back in. After another 10 minutes, flip everything once more so your broccoli gets some heat on both sides.

While your vegetables brown to perfection, prepare your salmon to be pan-seared. Use your fingers to rub a generous coating of paprika onto the fish, then add a touch of salt and pepper.

Note here that you could use any combination of sauces and spices; consider throwing some garlic powder or turmeric on there as well. I chose paprika because it was sitting pathetically untouched in my cabinet, and it reminds me of the paprika-crusted salmon my parents make at home (which is of course far superior to mine). Over medium heat, warm some olive oil in a saucepan for a few minutes, then slap the salmon in the pan and crank the heat up to high. Depending on the thickness of your fillet, let it sizzle for three to five minutes, then flip it over and cook for two to three more. Anoint the fish with a few squeezes of lemon juice and serve with a generous helping of sweet potatoes and broccoli.

There you have it: a simple meal that takes less than an hour but can still be whipped up to impress visiting family members or friends—or at the very least, give them the illusion that your life isn’t completely in shambles. In fact, it’s a proven rule that as long as your dinner consists of more than one element, you’re doing just fine; if it consists of more than two, such as this recipe, you are #thriving. In all seriousness, while I desperately miss the ease of the Deece and the luxury of my dad’s cheesy egg sandwiches served to me on request when I’m home for break, having to shop for ingredients in a foreign language and cook for myself has upped my confidence and convinced me I might actually survive after graduation. If you wish to thank me for the sense of independence you’ll surely gain when you cook this, I am accepting gifts in the form of teaspoons and tablespoons.

Ingredients 2 sweet potatoes 1 head of broccoli 1 salmon fillet (approx. 4 oz.)

Several drizzles of olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 large dash of paprika 3 squeezes of lemon

November 9, 2017

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Page 7

Org of the week: TLC proves to be students’ ‘cup of tea’ Laila Volpe

Features Editor

I

t’s always nice to have someone to talk to, especially during these stressful college years.

One student org that offers such services is The Listening Center (TLC), which began as a peer-listening organization that had a member on call 24/7. Anyone could call in anonymously and discuss their problems or stressors with a listener regardless of their issue. Both TLC and CARES, an org that deals mostly with interpersonal violence, conducted their services over the phone. Ever since Spring 2016 however, when TLC and CARES, were taken off call, TLC has struggled to remain an anonymous peer-listening support resource for students.

Co-President Sarah Dolan ’18 [Full disclosure: Sarah Dolan is a Contributing Editor at The Miscellany News], who joined TLC her sophomore year, discussed the transition period. “We spent most of last year brainstorming and figuring out where we fit into the campus community and how to best help students,” she explained.

Now TLC works closely with Director of Health Education Renee Pabst to ensure that the org can continue to operate through a website called 7 Cups of Tea. 7 Cups provides an online chat site where students can log in and anonymously chat with a member of TLC. Every day between the hours of 8 p.m. and midnight, there is a listener available to chat with students and support them. The group noticed that in previous years most calls came in around those times, so to avoid overworking the TLC listeners, they decided to have someone on call only during those more active hours instead of 24/7. However, sometimes TLC has extended hours due to the demand of the campus climate.

TLC also hosts open hours in CC 237 on Mondays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for those who prefer

to talk to a trained listener in person.

At the beginning of the fall semester, students can apply to be listeners, a position that requires thorough training.The Executive Board goes through the applications and accepts certain students to train. This year TLC could only accept 10 people because of limited training resources and number of shifts.

According to treasurer Sarah Altman-Ezzard ’19, the various trainings cover topics such as academic stress, grief and loneliness and relationship problems.

Dolan added that all listeners get QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.) training, a suicide prevention model used to train House Teams and administrators. The trainees learn about how to be an active listener among other trainings conducted by various campus administrators. For example, the listeners learn about different resources on campus so they can direct students to the appropriate office as needed.

In addition, new TLC members practice scenarios and discussions with other members of the org; these exercises prepare them for possible chat topics based on previous experiences so they know how to handle different situations. Their training is as all-inclusive as possible, usually spanning the entire first semester, and the new listeners enter the subsequent spring semester prepared to fully serve students. However, part of their training had to be adapted to the new media form after being taken off-call.

It was inconvenient for TLC to adjust to some drawbacks of conducting their service online rather than via phone. For example, when they were on-call listeners could transfer someone to CRC immediately if need be; now emergency help is more indirect. However, there are benefits of the chat service as well. Altman-Ezzard explained that some people might find it easier to get support via a chat service rather than through a phone.

Because the chat is online and conducted through the 7 Cups service, TLC still provides an anonymous service. As Co-President Olivia Hodel ’19 stated, “[Anonymity] is really important, too, because Vassar is such a small campus [...] and to be able to talk to someone that’s a peer [...] is really important.” For example, if someone is describing their situation via chat and the listener thinks they might know who it is, there is someone on backup who can take over and retain the anonymity of the student.

TLC prioritizes students’ comfort. Hodel stated, “[TLC is] an organization of very dedicated Vassar students who are motivated to support other Vassar students in any way they can, specifically through just listening and lending an ear rather than trying to fix a problem.”

She stressed that TLC does not make giving advice its priority, explaining, “We’re not really here to give advice, we’re here to listen to people and let them come up with their own action plans.” TLC asks people what the best scenario would be, or simply lets them talk.

Even just putting the situation into words can help the students understand what happened and make it easier to form a response or figure out how to move forward. Altman-Ezzard agreed, adding, “A lot of the time a person may know about resources and they’re not really there to get advice, they just want to talk, so we stress listening.”

Not only is the org beneficial for students, it is also rewarding for listeners. Dolan has loved her time working with TLC, stating, “It’s been a super valuable experience because I think I’ve learned a lot of listening skills that [...] I think are applicable to my personal life, and I’ve become really knowledgeable about resources on campus.”

TLC members gather together with the common goal of supporting the Vassar com-

munity, a goal that connects amazing people dedicated to helping others. As Altman-Ezzard concluded, “All the people are so supportive and some of the most genuinely loving people I have met. TLC is a group with great people to be around.”

Try this ‘FRIENDS’ quiz­: What should you do this weekend?

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Courtesy of Flickr

Quiz created by Andrea Yang

FEATURES

Page 8

November 9, 2017

Vassar students martial their stress at Aikido Festival Benjamin Kheyfets Guest Reporter

A

Courtesy of Caroline Beech

Courtesy of Caroline Beech

ikido might be one of the lesser known martial arts, but you wouldn’t get that impression at Vassar. The Fall Aikido Festival, held by the Vassar Aikido Club in Walker Fieldhouse on Nov. 4 and 5, would make any student feel like aikido is breathing new life into campus.

The Vassar Aikido Club has had a difficult history, with a low number and irregular set of members. In recent years, however, the club has been seeing new growth within its membership.

New members, mostly first- and second-years, have joined and have been attending consistently, and this allowed the club to coordinate to throw an aikido festival after a few years of struggle.

In Walker Fieldhouse, mats covered the floor. Many students attended wearing aikido uniforms, but some came in dressed in just T-shirts and shorts. Multiple sensei from around Sensei who came from around the country taught the country came to teach at and support this new moves and techniques to the eager students. event, students found themselves learning new moves from new teachers, which was a highing weight are essential as well, and after those, light of this festival. The different sensei took The Vassar Aikido Club, which has been gaining members in recent years, hosted the everything else will fall into place. “The moves turns teaching different moves and techniques Fall Aikido Festival this past weekend in Walker Fieldhouse to promote their practice. don’t look as fancy as other martial arts, but and often helped to demonstrate moves. It was they’re still effective.”

Something Fishy Ben Costa a very casual setting where students of all levels Phoenix, AZ, came to teach for the festival as the people are so nice and friendly and I’ve reSimply yet effectively seems to be the motto gathered and practiced at their own pace and well. ally grown closer to them, so it’s fun to go for that aikido subscribes to, and this is what makes learned new moves at their own pace as well.

Aikido, as Zhao explained, might be the per- the aikido, but it’s also fun to go just to see their it great for students, especially those who might 27.

DOWN The phrase “work hard play hard” clearly ACROSS ap- fect form of martial arts for many people who faces and have a fun time with people I like.” not Hoarfrost initially get involved with martial arts. Kang plied here, with students getting rest time and a are otherwise wary of them. As he explained, Not only does the club enjoy new consistent has especially felt this, saying it’s a way she can 30. Alter to improve 1. What plagues you 1. In the manner of lunch break to relax and chat with others. Aiki- ”Aikido is pure self defense, meaning that all of members with a growing enthusiasm for aikido, feel powerful, knowing she is able to defend do, as a defense martial art, often requires pairs the technique and actions would not work to but the club’s vice president, Caroline Beech ’20 31. herself when she needsagent to. It’s the combination Government 2. Surfaced magma 4. Slice roughly to perform and practice the moves, which only attack in aikido. It’s also good for people who hopes to see more new members come consis- of aikido’s design and the relaxedness and caIs inofdebt tothat has drawn her to stay, 3. A bareven or iftavern 8. A are tight necklace makes the sport more enjoyable. not very strong [...] because you actually use tently, it’s for a few times just to try the 33. sualness the club Jun Zhao, the club’s sensei, is thrilled to 12. see Glass your opponent’s energy against them.” sport and see if they like it.

“If it’s something and she, and many of the club’s members, 34. Hungry or other starving 4. Nemo's fish species container this new growth and hopes to attract new memMichelle Kang ’21, a first year who joined aiki- that interests you, come try it out,” she stated. hope that that sense will draw others to try the Given a lesser crown 5. Attend! bers in the future: “We’ve had some ups 13. and Overdue do, confirmed this and said that she’s happy that As for what makes aikido special for her, she 35. sport. downs and it doing great and for a few years she joined the aikido club. “I had done taekwan- added, “It’s definitely a good way to stay active Coming from a club that has managed to 36. Appendices or afterwords 6. Elevator manufacturer 14. Russian mountain we didn’t have a lot of members, and also we do, which is a different kind of martial arts, and [...] but it can also teach you some really good maintain a consistent flow of first years, there’s didn’t have a lot of stable members [...] and 15.

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Caring about energy and balance and shiftas demonstrated in this past weekend’s festival.

41. Without delay; ASAP 9. Public speaking axes

20. Fighting fish species 21. Verse of glory “Something Fishy” 22. Winfrey's channel (abbr.) by 23. Lock on to (2 words) 24. Roman co-ruler ACROSS 39. About a birth 1. In the manner of 43. Wedding vow (2 words) 26. The Southern Cross 4. Slice roughly 44. A badger’s den constellation 8. A tight necklace 45. Grown together 28. The matter 12. Glass container 46. Loves dearly at hand 13. Overdue 48. Nominative ‘hers’ 29. Japanese string instruments 14. Russian mountain 49. Decorative fish species 30. Activist Brockovich 15. Complete a crossword 50. Repurchase membership 31. Ocean-spanning 16. Found a tradition 51. Something worth doing current 18. Hatchets or axes 54. Fastermetal than walking, in music 32. Rare used in magnets 20. Fighting fish species 56. Harper Lee’s Atticus 35. Dory's fish species 21. Verse of glory 57. Babybel cheese 38. Clean a board 22. Winfrey’s channel (abbr.)

58. An unpleasant smell 23. Lock on to (2 words) 59. A scissor’s blade 39. About a birth 24. Roman co-ruler 60. Week components 43. Wedding vow (2 words) 26. The Southern Cross constellation 61. Fuse metals 44. A62.badger's den 28. The matter at hand Not don’ts 29. Japanese string instruments 45. Grown together 30. Activist Brockovich DOWN 46. Loves dearly 31. Ocean-spanning current 1. What plagues you 48. Nominative 'hers' 32. Rare metal used in magnets 2. Surfaced magma 49. Decorative 35. Dory’s fish species 3. A bar or tavern fish species 38. Clean a board 4. Nemo’s fish species 50. Repurchase membership 5. Attend!

Answers to last week’s puzzle51. Something worth doing 6. Elevator manufacturer 54. Faster than walking, in music 7. A wooden fastener 8. Instrument adjusterAtticus 56. Harper Lee's 9. Public speaking 57. Babybel cheese 10. More scraggly 58. An unpleasant smell 11. Wash of filth 12.

African Diaspora religion 59. A scissor's blade 15. Store of product 60. Week components 17. Curly-horned goat 61. Fuse metals 19. Leather perforator 23.

Pueblo peoples 62. Not don'ts known for gemcutting

42. Poet Walter Ra____ 10. More scraggly 44. Stitched 11. Wash of filth 45. Take On Me singers 12. African Diaspora religion Benjamin Costa 47. Sheaves of paper 15. Store of product 48. A knight's48.blade 17. 27.Curly-horned goat Hoarfrost 37. The day’s midpoint A knight’s blade Alter to improve 40. The profit of51. an enterprise 51. Carnival attraction Carnival attraction 19. 30.Leather perforator Government agent Without delay; ASAP 52. Alkenol, for short 52. Alkenol, for short 23. 31.Pueblo peoples known41. for 33. Is in debt to 42. Poet Walter Ra____ 53. First Queen of Carthage 53. First Queen of Carthage gemcutting 34. Hungry or starving 44. Stitched 55. ‘Arrest’ a car 35.

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Take On Me singers 61.

An elegant dress 55. 'Arrest' a car 25. A rhythm and a tune Appendices or afterwords 62. A round of a playing card game 26. 36.Tomb or sepulcher 47. Sheaves of paper

The Miscellany Crossword

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November 9, 2017

OPINIONS

Page 9

The Miscellany News Staff Editorial

Halloween success affirms need for alternate event spaces

T

his past Halloweekend, the VC Traditions Committee broke from its practice of recent years, moving the annual Saturday night Halloween party from the Villard Room to a large heated tent on Noyes Circle. Traditions Committee Co-Chair Ashley Hoyle ’18 explained the decision in an all-campus email: “The increase in capacity will dissipate crowding issues, as the second floor of the college center created a large issue with crowd control and with monitoring entries & exits. The tent will also be a much more open and bright place to hold the party which will hopefully lead to more accountability and more effective bystander intervention in interpersonal situations,” (Email, “boo!”

10.1.2017).

Although the event did have some logistical limitations, such as the party ending at midnight instead of at 2 a.m., as in previous years, it is fair to say that the night was an overall success. Although in previous years, Halloween has been a weekend notorious for its unsafe partying behavior, according to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Captain Lauren Middleton ’18, calls were down over 50 percent since last year, from 15 in 2016 to only seven this year. The statistics suggest that the change in venue was effective at accomplishing the VC Traditions Committee’s goals of making the Halloween party safer.

However, the success of this all-campus event seems to be an anomaly on the Vassar campus. Given the current party rules implemented last fall, which have since been the subject of debate and discussion among the campus community (see The Miscellany News, “New college party regulations catch students by surprise,” 10.12.2016), students have limited options for large social gatherings on the weekends. Fire regulation codes have limited Town House (TH) occupancy to 25 people or fewer, making these spaces—historically the site of a majority of campus parties—near impossible locations for

larger-scale gatherings. Drinking rules and noise complaint policies mean that parties in the THs are often shut down early in the night. Residents of THs, as well as the Terrace Apartments (TAs) and South Commons (SoCos), are now hesitant to host events, in fear of how quickly the administration could enforce disciplinary action and write-ups. In light of the College’s stringent party rules, we believe that Vassar should make more of an effort to create additional options for largescale events on the weekends.

Due to the lack of such spaces, moreover, many students socialize in more private spots like the dorms, which are unregulated spaces that can encourage overdrinking. In addition, many students have given up on Vassar parties entirely, electing instead to venture to bars near Marist and take risks with fake IDs. Much of this behavior can be attributed to the disappointing lack of available and acceptable spaces for parties on campus.

We understand that the administration must follow certain security policies that students find unfavorable. It is nonetheless encouraging that the Vassar Student Association (VSA) and administrators such as President Elizabeth Bradley and Dean of Students Adriana di Bartolo are actively aware of these issues and pursuing alternatives, as in their respective Senate forums on Sept. 10 and Nov. 5.

A logical resolution to this dilemma, then, is to establish campus-sponsored party spaces. If students are no longer allowed to create these spaces themselves, it is up to the school and various student organizations to fill the void. Many colleges and universities have bars or other designated party spaces on campus, but Vassar does not. Right now, the only place that somewhat resembles this type of space is the Mug. Back in its heyday, the Mug was a fully-functioning bar where both professors and students—of legal age, of course—could interact and socialize (The Alumnae/i Quarterly, “Matthew’s Mug: The

Groove is in the Heart,” Spring 2002). It was a lively, popular space from its opening in 1975 until 2010, when it lost its status at a bar and become a venue primarily for org-sponsored events, music and student theater.

Frankly, nowadays the Mug is nowhere close to being the center for campus nightlife that it once was. Although Mug nights provide an outlet for students wanting to dance, they are few and far between. The space is now predominantly used to showcase student theater and music, which in itself is a positive feature of campus life, except that it precludes other programming from happening in the Mug. Additionally, the location is aged and dangerous. The staircase entering the Mug is treacherous, lines are long and the dance floor is overheated, cramped and dark.

In a discussion following the Oct. 22 VSA forum with President Bradley, several students reported that a student passed out at Queer Mug Night was left unattended for a substantial amount of time (The Miscellany News, “VSA Senate Forum with President Bradley,” 10.27.2017). Any space where these types of life or death situations can go unnoticed are not places to be hosting parties.

While there are some students who are regular patrons of the Mug, many avoid the space entirely, largely due to these damaging logistical issues.

We would like to see campus-sponsored nightlife take place in better locations, and particularly more outdoor events, in the spirit of the tent at Halloweekend. These spaces are easily accessible and visible for all students, and they might discourage boredom-fueled binge drinking by drawing them away from their residences and into a collective activity.

The reduction in EMS calls over Halloween weekend demonstrates this potential already.

However, Poughkeepsie noise regulations require that outdoor events end prior to 10 p.m., and security is forced to turn away many students at the door of these events

due to attendance limitations. These stipulations are obviously not ideal for nightlife events. VSA Programming and Vassar administration should make efforts to host outdoor parties whenever possible; if programming is planned well in advance, they may be able to argue for exceptions to the rule, which they have done in the past.

Another alternative space to consider for future events of a smaller scale than Halloween is the Villard Room. The Villard Room is a spacious area that could likely host all students interested in going out on a given night.

The location in Main is central to the entire campus, and the room is secluded enough from residence halls that students who wish to stay in will not be disrupted by noises from the party, with perhaps the notable exception of Main residents. Most parties in the Villard Room last year were well received by students, and it has potential to become a central hub for weekend nightlife programming. Given the existing infrastructure on campus and the proximity of residence halls to large event venues, there is no perfect location where no one will be disturbed, but there are ways to compromise.

Overall, creating safe spaces to enjoy weekend nightlife at Vassar is an important step in the right direction, one that VSA Programming has started to make already with their planned upcoming event with the intent to combat negative campus party practices. We support the VSA’s efforts to improve these conditions this semester in conversation with a number of administrators, such as President Bradley and Dean di Bartolo.

We recognize the recent history of unsafe party practices in conjunction with the lack of all-campus party spaces, and we see ample opportunity for shifting this trend.

—The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.

Violence against disabled children egregious, indefensible Jesse Horowitz Columnist

[Content warning: This column discusses violence and abuse.]

O

n June 5, 2015, 28-year-old Courtney Liltz, who had cerebral palsy, died nine days after being fed high quantities of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The woman who murdered her pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. On Oct. 11, the Chicago Tribune reported that Courtney Liltz’s murderer petitioned Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to void this sentence.

On June 9, 2013, 14-year-old Alex Spourdalakis, who was autistic, was given an overdose of painkillers by his mother and caregiver. When that failed to prove lethal, they then proceeded to stab him to death. Alex’s murderers both pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and were sentenced to four years in prison each. They were immediately released on time served.

These were described as mercy killings. These were described of acts of love, not malice. These were described as understandable, necessary.

But it is time to use the words that society and the legal system refuses to use. It’s time to call it was it is—murder—to call its perpetrators what they are—murderers. It’s time to describe these acts as they ought to be described: unjustifiable.

Alex Spourdalakis was stabbed in the chest four times with a kitchen knife. His wrists were cut so deeply his hands were nearly severed. Yet I am expected to believe that this was an act of mercy, that his murder was an act of love, that this was necessary. I am expected to accept it as a legitimate opinion that a judge could look at such a heinous and callous crime and say it deserves no more than four years.

If the boy was not autistic, his killers would have died in prison. David Lohr, a former investigative crime writer for CourtTV’s Crime Library, points out just a year after Alex’s murder,

“11-year old Raashanai Coley...died from a stomach rupture after her mother...punched her repeatedly.” Raashanai’s murderer will be in prison for at least the next 40 years (The Huffington Post, “How Murder Victims With Disabilities Get Blamed For Their Own Deaths,” 03.15.2017).

The court system only values certain kinds of bodies. Murder is unacceptable. Murder of a child is doubly so. Yet, when the victim is disabled, certain allowances are made.

To a certain extent this stems from a bizarre cultural reverence of parenthood and the idea that parents always know what’s best for their children. At the very least, it stems from the belief that parents should be allowed to handle their children, regardless of the harm of their actions so long as it doesn’t qualify as abuse.

We frequently hear this stance brought up by parents defending spanking or refusing to vaccinate their children. A 2014 Reuters poll found that “nearly seven in 10 Americans believe spanking a child is acceptable at home” (Reuters, “Exclusive: For most Americans, spanking is OK, implements are not,” 10.01.2014). While refusal to vaccinate could hardly be called a cultural norm, 17 percent of Americans still believe that parents should be able to refuse to vaccinate their child and still send them to public schools (Pew Research Center, “Vast Majority of Americans Say Benefits of Childhood Vaccines Outweigh Risks,” 02.02.2017).

Still, Americans favor the rights of parents above those of children. Instead of believing that parents have a responsibility to care for their children in a way that will help them grow and learn, we believe that they have a right to raise their children however they see fit. In this way, we excuse potentially abusive behavior. What’s worse, we view children as being undeserving of agency. Children are, first and foremost, subject to the decisions of their parents.

In this sense, society has relegated disabled people to the position of children, who require

appropriate guidance. This is the case even for disabled people who are well into adulthood.

Remember that Courtney Liltz was 28 years old when she was murdered. Society relegates disabled people to a permanent juvenile status.

But disabled people have even fewer rights than children do. A parent that murders their child and then claims it to be an act of mercy would go to prison for a long time. Again, consider the case of Raashanai Coley, whose mother is currently serving a 43-year prison sentence.

Society holds the belief that parents not only deserve control over every aspect of a disabled person’s life, but even whether they may continue to live. It’s almost as though it is seen as but an unfortunate, slight overstepping of legal boundaries. Just a tad outside what is acceptable.

Consider Charles Frederick White. In September, USA Today reported that White, a 77-yearold man from Polk County, MO, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for growing marijuana.

Courtney’s murderer got four years. Alex’s murderers didn’t serve a day. Murdering a disabled person is not even considered as serious a crime as growing marijuana. That is the extent to which the criminal justice system does not value disabled people, that the criminal justice system validates and in a sense endorses murder.

Of course, these events are not always viewed as rightful decisions, but rather as senseless tragedies brought about by larger policy issues. Alex Spourdalakis’ murderers claimed that they were motivated by an inability to get him the services he needed. That this was an obvious lie ignored both by the public and the legal system. Americans would rather believe that the parent could not truly be at fault—more sinister forces must have been at work. The true culprits are the vaccine-makers, big pharma, the government, social services, school system, the CDC or literally anyone besides the actual murderer.

There may be a liberal impulse to accept this reality. Murder does not occur in a vacuum;

there is a cause—poverty, lack of services and so forth. It is easy to be tempted to believe that those who commit these horrible crimes are not truly at fault for their actions, for they are victims of a system that does not support them.

But Alex Spourdalakis, a living, breathing person, was butchered by two people he trusted and relied upon. Austin Anderson was left in a field by someone he loved where he slowly died of dehydration. Tracy Latimer was forced into her father’s truck and gassed with carbon monoxide. These murders were brutal and anything but merciful. Even if we are to accept that these killers are not completely responsible for their actions (which we shouldn’t), could we not at least agree that the brutality of these murders is appalling?

When society and the legal system calls the murder of disabled children understandable or excuses this behavior in any way, it encourages other parents on the brink of homicide to believe that their murderous thoughts are normal. If a parent believes that wanting to kill their child is normal, then some may inevitably come to feel that the act itself is acceptable. Moreover, they may convince themselves that not only is this attitude acceptable, but it is, in fact, commendable.

In fact, not killing their child would be immoral, because that would be trapping them in a life not worth living. This leads them to go the extra mile and commit murder.

This mentality isn’t about freeing disabled people from their pain; it’s about giving non-disabled people the authority to determine when someone gets to live and die. Tracy Latimer did not choose to die. Austin Anderson did not choose to die. Alex Spourdalakis did not choose to die. Courtney Liltz did not choose to die.

Someone chose for them, and when a person chooses when another person dies independently of or in spite of their own wishes, we call it murder. That is what this is: murder. It’s just time for someone to call it what it is.

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

OPINIONS

Page 10

November 9, 2017

Prevalence of sexual harassment demands intervention Roger Han

Guest Columnist

[Content warning: This column discusses sexual harassment and assault.]

B

efore I came to Vassar, I lived in a conservative setting where discussions regarding social change rarely occurred among high schoolers. Hence, I had no idea that some people felt unsafe in party environments.

I’ve known people who felt uncomfortable in such settings—myself included—but it struck me personally as a great surprise to find out that so many people have and continue to experience legitimate anxiety in atmospheres that may have seemed benign and friendly to most others.

Many of my new friends at Vassar have told me of first-hand experiences regarding inappropriate treatment of women—although clearly, it isn’t just women who are mistreated. Experiences spanned from childhood to just a couple of weeks ago at Vassar—here at Vassar, where it seems as though most people are extremely conscious of such issues and ever-motivated to fight against such things.

I couldn’t help but ask myself, if these few friends of mine have gone through this, how many more of these people and stories are out there? And, also importantly, how many perpetrators are out there lurking?

I initially felt a strange sense of guilt at hearing my friends’ personal stories. However, I began to see it as a means of becoming more personally aware—not just about the bare, factual existence of rape, but about the day-to-day prevalence of sexual harassment at Vassar and the grave, traumatizing consequences that survivors are forced to face while perpetrators are so frequently let free and while third parties remain woefully ignorant.

For some people, sexual harassment may seem like an irrelevant issue, one that’s detached from their personal reality. Those people may realize one day, with shock, that so many people around them have been victims, and that the is-

sue is, in fact, relevant to everyone. Just look at the numbers.

For example, as is cited in Boilerplate Magazine: “The [What Happens Here] survey, completed by Vassar College, found that 21 percent of female-identifying students at Vassar were sexually assaulted and 77 percent of incidents were left unreported. 90 percent of assault cases involved a cis-male perpetrator, and in 57 percent, the victim identified the perpetrator as a peer, colleague or friend” (Boilerplate Magazine, “What Happened Here,” 05.08.2017).

Does anyone take real action after looking at these numbers? It seems impossible to motivate people to do anything if they have never been involved in relevant cases. If you are one of those people, think again. Those numbers apply not just to some random strangers out there, but also potentially to people about whom you care the most.

While the #MeToo movement on Twitter is a positive sign and a powerful gesture that encourages victims to come forth and share their experiences, its limitations are glaring, as The Miscellany News Editorial Board has recently pointed out. It can be argued, for example, that the movement detracts from attention given to perpetrators’ culpability (The Miscellany News, “#MeToo movement must prompt mass action, education,” 10.25.2017).

Perhaps the most frequent criticism of the #MeToo movement is of the idea of the movement itself, insofar as it relies on the victims to come forward and be the actors, which is difficult beyond measure. Hence, the alternative that I am proposing is that the third parties—ones that are neither victims nor perpetrators—proactively prevent and report instances of sexual assault in addition to being more generally aware on a daily basis.

A group of knowledgeable third parties can create an atmosphere that attaches stigma to any type of inappropriate sexual comment or behavior. At the moment, we don’t have enough of this stigma. For example, some people see having sex

as an achievement, regardless of whether or not there was consent given by all its participants.

Such thoughtless remarks slip past our consciousness in the absence of real social stigma amongst all members of this society, and this must change.

But when third parties are aware and nearby, they can discourage such patriarchal discussions regarding sex. That discouragement is in itself a step towards fighting against sexual harassment.

Any patriarchal remarks about sex or casual attitudes towards sexual harassment need to be met with immediate criticism and opposition.

In addition, innocent third parties need to be made more aware. I was blind to the pervasiveness of sexual harassment until I heard first-hand stories for myself. Yet, I pity that this was the only way for me to come to understand this issue better; it shouldn’t be the victims but the third parties—ones who are perhaps more aware and/or more personally prepared—who help other innocent third parties understand the prevalence and seriousness of sexual harassment.

Awareness is not only for the perpetrators, but also for third parties themselves. Innocence is ignorance when the topic is sexual harassment.

And ignorance in third parties means that they may have actually been unknowing contributors to rape culture in the past; if you don’t know the fact that every kind of sexual harassment is serious, however minor it may seem to you, how are you going to stop yourself from becoming a perpetrator?

Third parties need not only to be made aware, but also to act proactively in confronting perpetrators. In preventing sexual assault and harassment, third parties can play a much greater role than victims or perpetrators. In a party environment where an intoxicated person is about to be taken advantage of, for example, a third party can step in to ask the perpetrator what they may be trying to do—or, in a much clearer situation, the third party may be wise to simply separate that person from the potential perpetrator. The

victim, on the other hand, is often completely powerless and vulnerable.

Without third parties, there is frequently no one to protect the victims, because Vassar may continue to be largely ineffective at handling sexual harassment cases; indeed, as a recent Miscellany News Staff Editorial has pointed out, Title IX coordinators at Vassar tend to leave their positions after a short amount of time, preventing the building of trust between the coordinators and the Vassar community (Miscellany News, “Title IX adjudication process needs critical examination,” 05.04.2016).

Of course, there is a whole new set of difficulties for third parties themselves. If the potential perpetrator is a close friend of a third party, there’s a relationship issue in addition to a sexual harassment one. If the two are strangers to each other, it is tempting for the third party to remain silent due to a lack of knowledge about the potential perpetrator and about the situation itself.

Lack of knowledge doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of a relationship to the issue, however.

We no longer live in the times of “not my business” or “their problem” if sexual harassment is involved. Much like child abuse and bullying, the ongoing issue of sexual harassment requires educated third parties to make a conscious effort to be proactive. No one will be faulted for trying to help. Even if they are, consequences of misunderstanding the situation is miniscule compared to consequences of rape, so step in.

It doesn’t take much more than that to bring about a tangible, positive impact for our people and for society. We simply need to be wary of all this on a daily basis, and we must be willing to condemn the perpetrators rather than to give them some arbitrary patriarchal respect.

As members of Vassar College—a community that has always been proud to stand on the front lines of progressive social change—we all have a moral duty to better educate ourselves on what sexual harassment is and what it means to the survivors.

Over-glorification of scientists belies realities of field Steven Park Columnist

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or some reason, there is something dignified and respectable about being a scientist. Seeing as how science is a career dedicated to the pursuit of truth and knowledge in the natural world using logic and evidence, it’s no surprise that so many people look to the task of scientific research as some kind of noble, almost illustrious profession brimming with success. According to a 2013 report by the Pew Research Center, public views of scientists are largely positive, with 65 percent of Americans believing that scientists contribute a great deal to society—only falling short of medical doctors, teachers and the military (Pew Research Center, “Public Esteem for Military Still High,” 07.11.2013).

In general, it seems very clear that we as a society regard scientists and their works with very high esteem, almost to the point of societal worship. As a result, ambitious college students and overbearing parents tend to think that the career path of a scientist in academia is one that guarantees a respectable level of fortune and recognition. However, we must understand that blindly revering anything, from renewable energy to cancer research, often leads to serious consequences instead.

In short, over-glorifying the scientific profession may motivate people to pursue careers in science, but it also instills in people a set of unrealistic expectations that may crush them in the face of harsh reality.

For instance, when we think of what it’s like to become a scientist, an idyllic story comes into mind: A young but passionate individual enters a prestigious graduate school and immediately begins work on the research project of their dreams. Soon, the experiment becomes wildly successful and the results are published in an esteemed academic publication like Science or Nature, and thus follows a life of wonder and scientific discovery for our intrepid fledgling scientist who aspires to change the world.

Needless to say, you would need the devil’s luck for that to happen to you because scientific

research isn’t nearly as idealistic or forgiving as most people want to believe.

For one thing, despite constant calls for more people in the sciences, reports show that the United States is producing too many research scientists—to the point of extreme industry congestion, in fact. According to the 2014 Survey of Earned Doctorates by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, over 54,000 research doctorate degrees were awarded in the U.S. in 2014, representing the highest number ever recorded by this survey (National Science Foundation, “Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities,” 12.2015). Of those doctorates, 75 percent of them belonged to the science and engineering fields, which has increased from 66 percent in 2004.

Although there is an overwhelming number of qualified scientists out there today, there simply aren’t enough desirable science jobs available to support everyone. For many science graduates, the prospect of obtaining a tenure-track professorship at a university is the ultimate goal because it’s one of the few positions in academia that features cutting-edge research and permanent financial security. However, there is such a surplus of PhDs in most fields that the odds of actually achieving that goal is around one in six (The New York Times, “So Many Research Scientists, So Few Openings as Professors,” 07.14.2016).

“Whether we like to admit it or not, science today is a pyramid scheme. Over the last two decades, there has been a period of unsustainable growth ... As a consequence, it’s child’s play to get a PhD position but almost impossible to secure a faculty job,” remarked David Keays, a biomedical researcher at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (ScienceDirect, “The Biggest Challenges Facing Young Scientists,” 05.08.2014).

As a result, an overwhelming number of science PhDs in academia end up spending their next four or five years as a postdoc working under a professor for very little pay and meager benefits. For instance, the average postdoc

in biomedicine gets paid an annual salary of about $45,000 (Science, The Price of Doing a Postdoc,” 01.10.2017). To put that into perspective, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a typical librarian has a median annual salary of $55,370, while the median annual salary of a postal service mail carrier is $57,200 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” 2017).

Not only that, a recent study found that ex-postdocs in biomedicine make significantly lower wages in the first 15 years of their career than their peers outside academia (Science).

And yet, people are desperately vying for these postdoc positions because of the severe lack of academic jobs. Ironically, the 2014 Survey of Earned Doctorates reported that the highest rates of academic employment are reported by doctorate recipients in the humanities and other non-STEM fields with a rate of almost 80 percent, while the lowest rates are reported by engineering—15 percent—and physical science—29 percent—doctorates (NSF).

But even once you become a certified scientist, the cutthroat competition doesn’t end. Every year, scientists from around the nation must compete for funding and grants to conduct their experiments. However, grant money is always in short supply and can’t keep up with the rate of young scientists entering the workforce. For instance, the National Institutes of Health, a major funding source for scientists, has been suffering from severe budget cuts for the past several years—all while the cost of conducting experiments has skyrocketed as well. As a result, only about 17 percent of NIH grant applications get approved, a significant decrease from 30 percent in 2000 (Vox, “The 7 Biggest Problems Facing Science, According to 270 Scientists,” 09.07.2016).

The high rejection rate for grant money has fueled a cascade of worrying patterns. For instance, a survey run by Nature found that academic researchers of all ages spend so much time on writing countless applications and other administrative tasks that they spend only

about 40 percent of their time on actual research (Nature, “Young Scientists Under Pressure: What the Data Show,” 10.26.2016). Not only that, researchers are being worked to the bone to juggle all these tasks. A recent poll of more than 8,000 scientists showed that almost 40 percent of the respondents work for more than 60 hours per week (Nature, “Hard Work, Little Reward,” 11.04.2016).

Even worse, the ironclad law of “Publish or Perish” dictates that all scientists must pump out as many research papers as they can as quickly possible, or else they risk putting their careers significantly in jeopardy. As a result, many scientists in all fields resort to desperate measures to stay afloat by rushing experiments, exaggerating results and cherry-picking evidence.

In 2012, researchers at the biotech firm Amgen could only reproduce six of 53 “landmark” studies in cancer research (The Economist, “How Science Goes Wrong,” 10.21.2013). In fact, one in three researchers stated that they know of a colleague who has “pepped up a paper” through shady means. Many have even turned to profit-driven “predatory journals” to publish their papers, casting scientific credibility into doubt and proliferating the dangerous culture of pseudoscience (The New York Times, “Many Academics are Eager to Publish in Worthless Journals,” 10.30.2017).

It should be clear that the science profession is not as pure and righteous as many may believe, but that doesn’t mean being a scientist is a dead-end job either. Despite all the hardships they face, the majority of scientists seems content with what they do; surveys showed that at least 60 percent of scientists are satisfied with their careers (Nature, 10.26.2016).

Simply put, pursuing a career in scientific research is no better or worse than any other job option that you may end up choosing is. It goes to show that all career paths, no matter how highly society may view them, will be fraught with challenges, but those who are most likely to succeed are those who genuinely love what they do.

The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

November 9, 2017

OPINIONS

Dems must dismantle ICE, anti-immigration Sylvan Perlmutter Columnist

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inally, the Democrats are beginning to think correctly about immigration.

During the Obama administration, the Democrats sought to work out bipartisan immigration reform with the Republican Party, only for their efforts to be rejected as too weak by the right. The original DREAM Act, which would have given legal status to undocumented youth, was scuttled, forcing Obama to issue the DACA executive order to fill the gap. During the same eight-year period, the United States deported more than 2.5 million people, surpassing the numbers of the Bush administration. Critics on the left began to refer to Obama as the “deporter-in-chief.”

Now though, following Trump’s Muslim ban and his decision to repeal DACA, many Democrats, under pressure from activists, have finally come to embrace a more uncompromising vision for a progressive immigration policy, and have started to call for the passage of a clean DREAM Act. A clean DREAM Act is the DREAM Act without harmful compromise measures such as increased border enforcement and immigration detention that the Democratic Party would have certainly accepted during the Obama years.

It can not be overemphasized that this seachange in certain segments of the Democratic Party is not a result of a sudden upsurge of compassion for immigrants, but rather due to the work of tireless organizations like United We Dream, The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and Make The Road New York.

For the Democratic Party to truly protect immigrants, however, it must go far beyond calling for a clean DREAM Act. The parents and other family members of the young people who would be given legal status under the DREAM Act could still be deported, in fact. Often, as was the case for the thousands of Central American refugees who fled from violence in their home countries, deportation places their lives further

at risk.

One important way that the Democrats can start to become a party that represents the best interest of immigrants is by calling for the dismantlement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an organization created in 2003 that has been at the forefront of the most draconian anti-immigrant measures in the United States.

I specify dismantlement and not total abolition because half of ICE actually has some practical use. That half, Homeland Security Investigations (HRI), confronts real problems like transnational drug cartels, human trafficking and arms trafficking. The same cannot be said of its other half, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). HRI could continue to exist independently and be strictly kept to international operations, or it could be merged with another agency. ERO must end, and henceforth in this article when I refer to ICE, I primarily mean ERO. ERO’s sole purpose is to detain and deport people. Although the Obama administration emphasized that it wanted to focus on deporting dangerous criminals, the bulk of deportees who committed crimes had only committed misdemeanor offenses like speeding, DUIs or not paying a fine. This led Obama to proudly state that they had “increased the removal of criminals by 70 percent” (Politifact, “Obama says deportation of criminals up 70 percent under his administration,” 05.11.11). To legitimize its existence, ICE wastes resources on deporting people who do not pose any threat to the United States because it produces misleading statistics that frame their efforts as ensuring public safety.

We have seen ICE (ERO) detaining protesters and entering work places, courts and hospitals.

Undocumented immigrants are fearful to report crimes or seek medical assistance because they do not want to be ensnared by ICE, and ICE has been further emboldened to act with such cruelty after Trump’s election.

In reaction to these acts of state terror, a number of municipalities declared themselves to be

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sanctuary cities. ICE has responded to these efforts by specifically targeting sanctuary cities for deportation efforts.

By publicly taking a stand against draconian detention and deportation policies and calling for the dismantling of an agency that is deeply involved in enforcing them, the Democrats can gain the trust of the immigrant communities they have consistently alienated and make strides in building a progressive coalition that can advance a new and viable alternative to Trumpism.

To those who worry that this would alienate the white working class and “moderate” Republicans, I would say the following: These groups will think Democrats were weak on immigration no matter how many people they deport. Why should Democrats not go all in and actually pursue a radical immigration policy that the right wing has long imagined it to have? The right already believes that the Democrats want to give sanctuary to millions of undocumented immigrants. Why not realize their worst fears?

As with the white working class, and specifically white members of unions in the industrial sector, it’s time for Democrats to stop moderating policies to avoid alienating immigrants and instead actually offer them something concrete in the way of better wages, strengthened unions and an expanded social safety net that would incentivize them to vote for Democrats despite their misgivings on Democratic immigration policy.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those on the left who believe that the Democratic Party is beyond hope and that salvation only lies in grassroots organizing. This belief is justified. The Democrats have been terrible to immigrants, but community and municipal initiatives are not enough. The levers of federal power must be seized because ultimately there are constitutional limits to what can be accomplished within states. The only force that can conceivably wrestle this federal power from the Republican Party is the Democratic Party.

Page 11

Word on the street What is your greatest accomplishment?

“Repairing a camera and then breaking it again” — Cassie Jain ’20

“[A]llow[ing myself ] to complete my major requirements and also take three dance classes” — John DeSantis ’18

“I got out of bed today” — Elizabeth Gay ’21

“Traveling 22 hours to get to Vassar” — Sara Shirodkar ’21

“Deece drinking” — Fate Syewoangnuan ’18

“Getting Niall Horan tickets for my birthday” ­­— Lisset Magdaleno ’19

Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

HUMOR & SATIRE

Page 12

November 9, 2017

Breaking News From the desk of Leah Cates and Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Editors Several students arrested after hacking into registrar database in attempt to obtain better draw numbers Need a lift? Vassar’s ten Up-and-coming artist’s new sexiest elevators revealed work proves worse than old Chris Allen

Vertical Transportation Connoisseur

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ife at Vassar College certainly has its ups and downs. One of the advantages is having so many great buildings (in varying stages of dilapidation) in which we can live, learn and do lots of fun things that don’t involve candles or upholstered furniture. But one of the disadvantages that comes with that freedom is the unfortunate necessity of traveling from one floor to another.

This is one of many reasons why elevators are so important. They are always there for us, ready to give us a lift when we need it the most or when we don’t need it at all. In order to celebrate some of the hardest working (and sometimes not working) vertical transportation vessels on campus, here is a list of Vassar’s top 10 sexiest elevators.

Where would be without them? Probably still on the ground floor because nobody likes stairs.

10. Noyes: The “Mine Shaft” Just because it’s at the bottom of the list doesn’t mean it doesn’t have that special charm.

The Noyes elevator is a wild ride from start to finish. Its slow, creaky nature and old-fashioned gate are a blast from the past, taking you all the way back to the Victorian Era. If only Noyes had more than four floors because the risk factor is the best part.

9. Joss: The “Hard to Get” Oh, Joss elevator. You had me at “This is not a passenger elevator” written in bold, red letters.

Only authorized elevator operators and cleaning supplies can understand your greatness. The rules may keep us apart, but that only makes our love grow stronger.

8. Davison: The “Slow and Steady” Davison’s lift likes to take things nice and slow.

It takes a full minute and 15 seconds to get from the basement to the fifth floor, so bring an engaging book, relax and enjoy the ride. Life is too long to take the stairs.

7. Library: The “Shoebox” Like a good book, this hidden gem is tucked away somewhere in the center of the library. It is just barely big enough to fit a library cart and a person inside, so practicality is prioritized over

comfort. If you are in the middle of a long study session and you find yourself running out of ways to procrastinate, try taking this bad boy for a spin.

6. Rocky: The “Standard Fare” What do philosophy, math and political science have in common? That unbearable staircase that makes four flights feel like 12. John D. Rockefeller would be happy to know that the building he financed has a very functional, maintenance worker-like elevator. It’s not fancy or frilly, and it isn’t very spacious, but it always gets the job done.

5. Lathrop: The “JFK International” With its metallic finish, backlit buttons and the sharp electronic HONK that signals a change of floor, Lathrop’s elevator is reminiscent of one you would find in a bustling airport. It’s easier to bask in the greatness of a quality elevator when you aren’t surrounded by tourists and rolling suitcases.

4. Strong: The “LaGuardia” This one is just as sophisticated and airport-like as its fraternal twin in Lathrop but with some nice coffee brown walls. Overall, this is a fantastic means of getting from floor to floor.

3. The Bridge: The “Powerhouse of the Cell” The most recently built elevator on campus is certainly an interesting specimen. First of all, it is confusingly large. Why would a building with only two stories possibly require a freight elevator? Also, nothing says science and experimentation like vibrant lime green flooring. This one is worth the ride simply for the sense of intrigue.

2. Jewett: The “Employee of the Month” Situated in a building that’s basically a skyscraper, this is undeniably the hardest working elevator at Vassar. When you press the call button, it may take several hours for the Jewett elevator to arrive at your floor, but you can’t rush greatness. It is well worth the wait.

1. Main lobby: The “VIP Box” From its smooth, oaky walls to its “space gray” linoleum floor, this elevator is designed to maximize comfort and style. In fact, this elevator is so special that you need to swipe your ID card to use it. It’s like a highly exclusive jazz club, except with more saxophone.

Blair Webber

Former Freezecup Fanboy

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hen I was 13, I was in middle school. I had braces, I had bangs and I had a spray can full of dreams and aerosol. For a kid like me— outcast, nobody, different, outsider, punk —no one was more important than my street art hero, Freezecup. His art could be seen on the sides of bridges, tunnels, overpasses, underpasses, walls, trains, planes, automobiles- any flat surface that was stationary for one to 12 hours. His signature “mushroom cloud forests” appeared everywhere from the north side of town to the other side of town. He was unstoppable.

Freezecup has become a household name since then, finding commercial success after collaborating with his close friend and fellow street artist Shepard Fairey on an exhibit for the Whitney a few years back. I was so happy when all my friends started appreciating what I’d been seeing for years.

It was nice to be able to discuss his work without being ridiculed as a “loser,” a “nerd,” a “dork” or “lame.” People listened to what I had to say about his work instead of just yelling “You don’t even skate!” and then skating away, leaving me to wait for my mom to pick me up at Sonic all alone.

Freezecup and I have both changed a lot in the past few years. I’ve graduated middle and high school, gone to college, dropped out of college, gone to a different college, become a celebrated and much beloved humor writer and figured out that bangs were not a good look for me.

I thought Freezecup was doing well, too. He had two major murals commissioned, one in LA and one in Chicago, that maintained the authenticity of his original public works while looking to the future and bringing an underappreciated style to the world of high art. His latest work, however, is a drastic departure from his humble beginnings.

Freezecup designed his first solo museum show, which opened last month at the Hirshorn Museum. I was super disappointed. His new art just isn’t as good as his old art. I mean, it’s fine, but it looks a lot like all the other art that’s getting made right now. He maintains certain signature figures from his early days of tagging, but they’re just not the

same anymore. And he decided to do a tribute to Andy Warhol where he just copied Andy Warhol’s repeated picture of Marilyn Monroe, but instead of Marilyn it was a mushroom cloud. I understand his throwback to his much beloved “mushroom cloud forests,” but, I mean, why? What’s he saying that’s new? Every piece in that show is so banal and predictable, especially his “Chicken with Four Legs.” Who didn’t see that coming?

Like many artists over the years, Freezecup has been corrupted by the hectic, fad-obsessed world of mainstream art. Or maybe he’s just out of ideas.

He did get married and have a baby recently, so he has a lot going on in his life, but I’m still dismayed at the shift from his edgy, power-fighting beginnings to this pandering. It hits hard.

Part of me is still that 13 year old, beanie-wearing kid who just wants to fit in and only feels at home staring into the swirling colors and shapes of Freezecup’s works on my walk to school. I felt like he was saying something right to me and to only me, even among the throngs of people all around us.

It’s disillusioning, realizing that these heroes, these moguls, these giants among men, aren’t endless fountains of creativity primed to churn out timely revelations about life for each stage of my development. I don’t really know how to process it.

Do I just start liking a different artist? Do I decide that, yes, his early art is good, but maybe it’s time to move on? What if he does something killer while I’m not closely following his every move? No one takes time off and comes back with fresh perspectives after formative life experiences, so being patient is out of the question. Where do I find the fulfillment that the bond between Freezecup and myself provided?

These questions don’t have answers. All I can do is take it as a personal affront that Freezecup is no longer the powerhouse he used to be. I could acknowledge the good one work of art did in my life when I encountered it and then wait without expectation to find that experience again. I don’t think that’s reasonable though. Freezecup just needs to be less of a sellout.

Coughing plague ravages first-year population as roommates reinfect each other Abby Knuckles, Patient Zero

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he first runny nose of the season might as well be a nail in the coffin of any firstyear student. Exposed to a new communal microbiome due to living in close proximity to people who ardently refuse to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, first-years hardly stand a chance when it comes to remaining virus-free.

Throw in students flying back to New York from all corners of the globe after October break trapped in pressurized germ containers populated by sticky infants and unhygienic businesspersons too busy to bother with hand sanitizer, and falling ill becomes all but inevitable.

When Sam Steeves ’21 noticed her roommate sniffling, sneezing, coughing and wheezing, she broke out the Lysol almost immediately. She tended to her ailing friend, the proud owner of a single functioning white blood cell.

Steeves offered herbal tea and Nyquil, along with a healthy dose of moral support.

But alas, these extreme efforts of disinfectant and kindness were no match for the latest strain of the common cold. Soon enough, her throat became itchy. She and her roommate, who declined to be interviewed, were spotted

making their way to the Deece, their call-andresponse coughs echoing across the quad every step of the way.

Steeves commented, “This is just my life now. I’ve accepted my new, lower lung capacity.” She then erupted into a cacophonous coughing fit. Indeed, the two roommates have entered a vicious cycle. The pair reinfects each other with new strains of the same virus in perpetuity.

Steeves and her roommate were far from the only first-years to fall to this formidable foe of an illness. Abby Lass ’21 [Full Disclosure: Lass is the Assistant Online Editor for the Miscellany News] described a particularly poorly timed infection: “My illness started out in my throat, which is just sort of the worst possible scenario since I’m in two choirs and multiple shows. Talking is kind of crucial.”

She chugged as much tea as she could stomach and persevered, but not without extreme discomfort and unfortunate voice cracks. “I pretty much forgot what it is to be able to breathe through my nose,” Lass lamented, sniffling.

Owing to the rarer symptom of watery eyes, she finds herself in a downright deplor-

able state. Tearfully, she explained, “I’m just weeping constantly and then blinding myself with mascara as I try to rub my eyes to make it stop.” The poor Lass needed more tissues than anyone could feasibly carry around without a dolly.

Unfortunately, the carnage does not end there. Emma Fraizer ’21 experienced the same telltale sign: an almost inconspicuos, seemingly mild sore throat. Convinced that there must be some explanation for her suffering, she told of her search for a diagnosis: “I took my temperature eight times because the thermometer kept on telling me I did not have a fever.”

Fraizer continued, “One time it got up to 99.4, degrees though! That’s sick enough that I don’t have to go to class, right?” As of yet, both the question of this mysterious malady’s identity and Fraizer’s medical advisory status remain unanswered.

Mark Gross ’21 learned the hard way not to belittle the suffering of his fellow first-years.

Fed-up with his roommate’s incessant hacking, he made the questionable decision to tempt fate. “I started fake coughing to tease him. But then those turned into real coughs,

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

and I knew in that moment that I would be in pure agony from henceforth,” Gross recalled in a remourseful tone. Let this be a lesson to us all: Never let your guard down when fighting the first-year plague.

Jessica Moss ’21 knew better than to underestimate such a widespread ailment. Taking the matter into her own rubber-gloved hands, she began a rigorous regimen of daily multi-vitamins.

She went through several travel-sized hand sanitizers. She refused to enter the rooms of the infected. So far these tactics have been successful, but no one knows whether they will take her all the way through cold and flu season unscathed.

Perhaps if we all follow Moss’s survival tips, we too can be so fortunate. “Really, all you need is multivitamins and hand sanitizer. Maybe a flu shot as well,” she advised. Or maybe she just has a better immune system than the rest of us have In any case, consider this your warning: If you value your ability to breathe deeply without coughing up a lung, be cautious of your surroundings. It’s a germ-infested world out there.

HUMOR & SATIRE

November 9, 2017

Page 13

How to survive release of your fave band’s new content Tanya Kotru Gode

Watching BTS Vid on Replay

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pitchfork at the ready. But violence is never the answer. You can always just secretly hate them.

4. Share the joy with those who understand.

Text them 100 times with 1,000 emojis expressing your love for the song and/or artist. Screaming, crying, shrieking and jumping around together are acceptable, but not in the library. Find a place to fangirl where you won’t disturb other, boring humans. Post about your excitement on social media. If people complain about too many posts, unfriend them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!

5. Download the song and make sure your earbuds work! The world’s biggest tragedy would be if technology failed you and you couldn’t listen to your jam. I wouldn’t recommend stealing, but you can always, you know, “borrow” someone’s earbuds without asking them. As long as it really is “borrowing.” Don’t take my word for this.

6. Change your laptop and phone wallpaper and put up a gazillion posters in your room. You should be able to look at your favorite artist’s face constantly. If you think this is creepy, I’d advise not coming to my room or looking at my phone or laptop. You might report me for being a creeper.

7. Sing and dance to your jam all day long.

Shower singing is acceptable, but out of courtesy to fellow bathroom users, try to sing in tune.

No one likes listening to a dying cat.

Over the next few days: 1. The fangirling can continue, by all means.

Try to fit your jam into your daily schedule.

You have to continue living your life, even if life seems meaningless after your soul has been taken over by the music. Fight the desire to become a zombie fangirl who stays and fangirls in her dark and dingy room all day and emerges only during mealtimes. Use your jam to reward yourself when you get stuff done. If you eat

HOROSCOPES

your vegetables, listen to the song twice. If you write a paper or work out, listen to it four times.

Whatever floats your boat! Put your passion to good use.

2. Seek help if the emotions get too overwhelming. All outbursts of joy and excitement described above can be considered perfectly normal, but if you’re so obsessed with this artist that you’re planning your wedding with them, then maybe you need totone it down a tad. I hate to tell you this, but that famous person has no idea that you exist. Or I’d be Mrs. Chris Evans (Captain America) by now.

That’s all the advice I can offer, one overzealous fan to another. Happy listening! Don’t become a creeper, and please don’t report me. I swear I’m fine.

Courtesy of Pixabay

few weeks ago, one of my favourite K-pop groups, BTS, released a new music video.

Being a fangirl, I’m still recovering from all that joy. I absolutely adore those seven very talented guys, who are prettier than all the Disney princesses put together. Naturally, like many of their fans, I too had some extreme reactions resulting from all the built-up excitement. Some people asked me if I needed help. Anyway, since I seem to have composed myself, I decided to offer some advice to those who feel extraordinary amounts of joy, love and excitement when their favorite artists release new songs.

Before the release day: 1. Accept the fact that you won’t be able to listen to any other song for (at least) the next week and that you’ll have only one tune playing in your head. Accept that your workout playlist will not be listened to for a while and that you’ll constantly be humming one single tune. You’ll be dreaming about it, you’ll be singing it in the shower, it’ll be playing in your head while taking an exam. Be prepared. And if one of your pesky friends says, “Hey, check out this random song I like,” tell them to go take a hike, as your ears shall only hear your new jam. But try not to be an ass about it.

2. Prepare your friends for your exuberance in advance. Tell all your (boring) non-fangirl friends to watch out for your random outbursts of joy and your (amazing) fangirl friends to join you and share the sheer euphoria when the song releases. Explain to those who are not aware of how excited you can get that any extreme reactions are perfectly normal, as are expressions of your love for the artist in the song. Tell them not to call 911 or Baldwin, no matter how ecstatic you seem. This is what fangirls do.

3. Make a plan for the day of the release. Aca-

demics, dinner plans, social gatherings—everything is secondary. Be prepared for the fact that nothing productive will get done that day. Make a plan to deal with your shit on another day because once the new song is out, your brain won’t function.

On the day of the release: 1. Carefully listen to the new song and like and watch the video, preferably in an isolated place where people won’t get to witness your elation. (Unfortunately, I was at the Deece when I watched the new BTS video. People were wondering why I was gleefully staring and pointing at my laptop screen and also grooving and hyperventilating at the same time.) Keep a first aid kit nearby in case you faint (from whether the song is amazing or terrible), in addition to oxygen masks for hyperventilating. Extra precautions are needed if the artist is attractive. I remember experiencing some difficulty breathing because every guy in BTS is too good looking to be true.

2. Keep some food and water around. Selfcare is of utmost importance. I understand the need to become a zombie and watch the video continuously for days on end, but don’t forget to feed yourself. It’ll help you appreciate the music more.

3. Be kind to others. A fit of joy is acceptable with your closest friends, but not with everyone. Don’t get too annoyed if people repeatedly ask you if you need help. Some people don’t understand fangirling, and they’re just trying to be helpful. If they judge you for your enthusiasm, try not to get violent. Just ignore them. Also accept that some people just don’t have good taste in music, and so they might not be able to appreciate your new jam. I know it’s absurd, but don’t feel too bad if they say they don’t want to listen to it. In the event that they do listen to the song and say that they don’t like it, have your

Basic necessities for release day include gauze, antiseptic, needles, tweezers and scissors.

Theresa Law and Natasha Sanchez amateur astrologists

ARIES

March 21 | April 19

TAURUS

April 20 | May 20

GEMINI

May 21 | June 20

CANCER

June 21 | July 22

LEO

July 23 | August 22

VIRGO

August 23 | September 22

You dream of being a hero, an action star, the person who saves the day. You better up your swordplay skills if you ever want to make that dream a reality.

Luckily, there’s intramural fencing. Perhaps Vassar’s most under-the-radar IM sport, it’s run by Graeme Mills, and he’s so cute, so that’s a plus, too.

LIBRA

Your stubborn nature fits nicely with sports that don’t end with a timer but instead by reaching a certain score. Try volleyball. You’ll always have the opportunity to fight back, even if you’re down 21-0 in the second set. (After losing the first set. Who needs the first set?! That’s why it’s best of three!)

SCORPIO

The intramural sport where you’ll thrive the most, Gemini, is the 3v3 single-day basketball tournament.

The quick pace and constant action is good for your short attention span. But please remember to be nice to the poor IM workers. There’s no need to yell at us if we miss a basket. We’re just students, too.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll do best in a game that’s more about having fun than winning. The best intramural sport for that is wiffleball. Yes, you will run into Kyle Estrada’s team who will take it way too seriously, but even playing against people like that is fun! But if you do want to win, practice your knuckleball. It’s a killer.

September 23 | October 22

October 23 | November 21

November 22 | December 21

CAPRICORN

December 22 | January 19

Outdoor soccer is Vassar Intramurals at its finest. The teams are dedicated and intense, and Mike Callahan always says that “it’s the only intramural sport that Vassar kids would beat Iona kids at,” and THAT’S saying something. Leos want the most glory they can get—Weinberg Turf is the place for you.

AQUARIUS

Virgos love order, but it’s time to try something out of your well-organized comfort zone. Make an intramural floor hockey team and embrace the controlled chaos. People seem to really be all over the place for floor hockey; are there even positions? And what’s up with being able to play BEHIND the net??

PISCES

January 20 | February 18

February 19 | March 20

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Badminton is the intramural sport for you. It’s a single day tournament, but the athletic center offers free play every Wednesday, so you can practice year round. Do be careful, though, because overplay can result in shoulder injuries, and saying you have a badminton shoulder injury can result in weird looks from peers.

Like Leos, you like the spotlight, but you don’t desire it quite as intensely. Go with indoor soccer. The smaller fields mean it’s often easier to score, and you won’t be running as far. But it’s also the sport where we’ve seen some pretty intense injuries, so just remember you opted to sign a waiver.

As a fire sign, you’ve got a lot of energy. You’ll enjoy the workout you get from an intramural season of 5v5 basketball. Be warned that you’ll be going up against THE Mike Callahan, overlord of VC intramurals, and his team of Vassar staff. They’re already warming up for the Old School vs. New School game.

Try your hand at intramural kickball this year.

For the first time, it’s going to be a single day tournament instead of a full season, so you can really put all your energy into it and leave everything out on the floor. Just don’t expect to win— the Intramural Staff team is undefeated.

You don’t want to commit to a full season of an intramural sport, so a tournament is the way to go.

You’ll have fun with dodgeball, where you can get a lot of your pent-up, confused emotions out by crushing people with squishy nerf balls. Is there a more cathartic pastime?

The best intramural sport for you to join is flag football. Unfortunately for you, Pisces, Vassar stopped offering intramural flag football when we realized we don’t have enough of the proper bros for it. But Marist isn’t that far, and I’m sure it’s not that hard to moonlight as a Marist student twice a week for intramural games.

Page 14

ARTS

November 9, 2017

‘Unmasking Stigma’ gives voice to disabled community EXHIBIT continued from page 1

are the DRC and ACCESS. The DRC is focused on community building and creating a safe space at Vassar for members of the disabled community to exist and belong. ACCESS is more advocacy focused, addressing ableism through tangible policies that affect Vassar and beyond.

President of ACCESS Jesse Horowitz ’19 [Full Disclosure: Horowitz is an Opinions columnist for The Miscellany News] expressed admiration for the work that Corleto and the DRC has set out to accomplish and the message behind this exhibit: “Personally, I am very thankful to the DRC here. I’ve met Robin on quite a few occasions. He strikes me as being an exceptionally good and honest and reasonable person who truly, truly cares about disabled people and about empowering voices. And I’m very glad that events like this exist to empower disabled voices because we desperately need to.”

Concerning the larger discourse about ableism that “Unmasking Stigma” aims to address, Horowitz believes that there are still glaring omissions in that conversation: “I encourage people who are interested in fighting ableism who are not disabled to research the real atrocities that are going on that target disabled people in our country.

People are talking about it but we don’t listen to those people. It doesn’t have to be me. More importantly, don’t tell a disabled person how they’re supposed to talk about themselves. Allow it to be centered around disabled voices.”

Besides “Unmasking Stigma,” the Office of Health Education is currently working on a video that addresses the stigma surrounding mental health. The DRC is hoping to collaborate with Big Night In or an identity org to bring a greater focus to intersectionality and mental health.

After previewing the works that will be in the exhibit, Corleto already believes that this event will disprove the assumptive beliefs of the artistic talents within the disabled community: “I feel like people believe we can’t create art. I’m already looking at the art pieces and they’re beautiful.

They’re amazing. I feel people think we can’t do things and this helps show that we definitely can.”

Courtesy of The Office of Health Education via Facebook

been working closely to make his brainchild a reality. Robin has been leading the charge, while I’ve helped with some of the smaller tasks (including some of the publicity, sending the artists’ work to the printer, and coordinating the hanging of the artwork with [Associate Director of the Palmer Gallery] Monica Church).”

In an email, Pabst expanded on how her office helped Corleto facilitate his project: “As the Director of Health Education, my goal is to help my wellness peer educators to think about programming to help students thrive at Vassar. One of the areas that Robin is interested in is accessibility and the intersectionality with other identities. I encourage the wellness peer educators to think about the issues that are important to them and how to raise awareness around those issues, so when Robin came to me with this idea we discussed how to make it happen and I supported him in his vision.”

Every event on the Vassar calendar includes a paragraph about providing accommodation for those with disabilities, but the conversation surrounding ableism rarely develops beyond formalities like this. During President Bradley’s forum with the VSA in October, several students addressed the lack of accommodations that still impact the campus, asking for the administration to give this subject the attention it deserves.

Pabst spoke about how her office has tried to facilitate a conversation around ableism at Vassar and what she feels is still missing from that conversation: “Our office tries to keep in mind how all identities effect [a] student’s ability to be well and access support which is always at the center of our discussions. As for the current conversation around ableism—on a community/holistic scale, I think we need to do a better job thinking about the stigma around these issues, especially ones concerning mental health or other ‘invisible’ abilities and elevating the stigma so students feel supported, seen and empowered to seek support.”

Beyond the administration’s policies and actions, for students, the two disability rights orgs

The Office of Health Education is working on addressing the stigma surrounding mental health and disability on campus, especially through the upcoming event “Unmasking Stigma.”

Vassar Devils hold collaborative concert with Nor’easters A CAPPELLA continued from page 1

The acclaimed Vassar Devils held a joint concert with Northeastern University’s Nor’easters. The event successfully brought the groups together through the power of music.

Courtesy of Hannah Benton

iar songs so as to pleasantly surprise viewers and built up their pieces to climaxes that ultimately left audiences with chills running down their arms.

Underscoring where the two groups diverge, Keane continued, “I think the Nor’easters have become a brand of their own and have sort of surpassed the realm of college a cappella. They’re very professional and committed to the group.

While the Devils are very committed to the music, I feel we approach a cappella as a concept a little differently. But either way it is always exciting to have insight into how another group that likes to perform the same type of current music as us operates and carries themselves.”

Interspersing their songs with comical plugs for their new album, as well as heartwarming appreciation for the Devils, the Nor’easters performed a setlist starting with Troye Sivan’s “Fools” into Drake’s “Too Good” followed by a breathtaking rendition of “Writings on the Wall” as a finale.

As raucous applause and a standing ovation followed, Northeastern University’s representatives took a bow and then made way for the Devils, who closed the show with a set of four incredibly powerful pieces. Keane performed a touching rendition of “I Am” by JoJo, a beautifully chilling solo that steadily built in crescendo and left the audience deeply moved.

Keane elaborated on her experience performing it: “I really love that song because I connect to it a lot, and I think it can be very empowering to hear. I always try to do it justice and convey the message because audiences usually do react quite strongly to that piece. It definitely has the potential to move people, and it’s powerful to be able to transfer that emotional experience to others.”

As the joint concert wrapped up, both groups basked in the joy of delivering performances that left spectators whooping wildly. Audience member Samantha Hodes ’20 mentioned, “It was cool to witness the Devils watching the Nor’easters and the Nor’easters watching the Devils as each respective group took the stage. They both were very supportive of each other and it was nice to see that comradery break through the Vassar bubble, allowing all of us, as the audience, to witness this union of talent and musical expertise.”

Courtesy of Hannah Benton

providing a comfortable visit. She explained, “It was definitely stressful hosting another group because we wanted to ensure that they had enough time for a sound check and could get a chance to be in the room and get a sense of the acoustics. We wanted to make sure that we really provided them with what they needed, so as to do them justice.”

Moreover, Music Director of the Devils Lily Carmichael ’20 expanded on the work done by their friends: “The Nor’easters are what a lot of people in the musical community would consider the quintessential a cappella group. They exemplify the new a cappella style, which is far more intricate than the old style and focuses on the human voice as human voice as opposed to human voice as an instrument. The Devils make use of this style as well, and we definitely see the Nor’easters as an inspiration.” Keane explained that the two groups have similar styles and musical influences, and thus they are often able to bounce off each other’s ideas and song arrangements quite easily whenever they meet, making collaboration an enjoyable and easy process. She said, “This concert really gave us the opportunity to learn from another group, spend time with them and understand what their experience has been. Having them be in the audience was pretty nerve wracking, at least for me, because they’re so talented, but they were incredible supportive and it was a wonderful experience.”

To highlight the beauty of each group’s unique dynamics in complement to the other’s, the two groups performed their sets separately. The Devils opened the show, delving right into their two songs. While the group started the audience off with an upbeat performance, the Devils were quick to contrast it with a beautifully haunting piece that showcased the variety in their repertoire from the very beginning before handing the mic over to the Nor’easters.

The visiting group’s set was an absolute pleasure to watch. Moving from recognizable pop favorites abounding with energy to chillingly powerful ballads, the Nor’easters never failed to lose their vibrancy, holding the audience’s attention throughout. They dabbled in different genres and styles, added twists to the arrangements of famil-

While each group performed their sets separately, both were very supportive of the other’s performance, and they beautifully complimented each other, leaving the audience in awe.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

November 9, 2017

ARTS

Page 15

Marina Diamandis, come back to the music industry Patrick Tanella Arts Editor

hungry / I’m not hungry for love, your love anymore.” Now, obviously the track is unfinished at the production level, but it is 90 percent there.

I cannot give the song a rating, though, because there’s no way of knowing whether this is what Marina wanted the song to sound like when it was finished.

Now, you shouldn’t have a discussion about a leaked song without discussing the relationship between artist and listener. Fans should respect the right for an artist to release music at their own pace, as everyone is different. You might get a quickly-produced Drake or Taylor album in a feeble attempt to maintain their relevancy, but artists like Marina, Lorde and Frank Ocean take their time to tell a story lyrically.

Lorde mentioned on Twitter that it might take 10 years for her to release another album and

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

If you ask anyone who’s met me, they’ll tell you that my favorite artist is Marina and the Diamonds. I became enraptured after first listening to her second album, “Electra Heart,” and viewing the brilliant album visuals, which included almost a dozen music videos. There’s been no going back. I had the opportunity to meet her after an intimate show in Brooklyn, and it was definitely one of the most incredible moments of my life.

After her tour for her exceptional 2015 album “Froot,” Marina took another one of her usual hiatuses from the music industry. However, this one seemed permanent.

Two weeks ago, her song “I’m Not Hungry Anymore” leaked, which resulted in mass waves of tears from Marina fans. The track was one of the three cut from “Froot.” While I am all for respecting artistic integrity and not listening to leaks, I was desperate to hear anything from the elusive Marina. “Disconnect,” her song with Clean Bandit, had been released in July, but it felt forced— unfinished, perhaps. It was only released so fans of Marina would stop sending death threats to Clean Bandit for waiting two years to release the track after they had performed it in 2015 at Coachella with Marina. No, I’m not kidding.

I think “Disconnect” is obviously excellent because it was written by Marina, but it left me wanting so much more. Then came this leak.

“I’m Not Hungry Anymore” was everything I had been craving from the artist. It’s very similar to the groundbreaking track “Savages” on “Froot,” with overwhelming instrumentals, Marina’s typical brass and herscolding vocals directed at those who have wronged her. Marina had thought about a deluxe edition for the album, but like most of her ventures, it didn’t come to fruition. The leak of “I’m Not Hungry Anymore” feels like the warm return of a truly immaculate artist, like a pumpkin spice latte in the midst of a chilly fall day. Yes, I am aware of how basic that sounds, but let me live.

The hook, “That chip on my shoulder is almost gone / And that savage desire to belong. I always

thought that I would die / If I didn’t have you by my side. But I’ve changed my mind / Yeah, I’ve changed my mind.” is indicative of her current mindset. The track details Marina’s complicated relationship with the music industry, as she has always said she doesn’t want to be considered a celebrity. Additionally, it focuses on how she has grown as a person between the “Electra Heart” and “Froot” eras, as she was in a difficult relationship during her second album, one that left her spiritless. However, as shown in this track and others such as “Happy,” Marina has found that she doesn’t need to rely on others for her happiness, but rather that happiness comes from within.

Its brilliant chorus begins, “Been feeling like myself more than ever before / And now I don’t even know what I need you for. Been feeling like myself more than ever before / And now I’m not

Pictured here is my absolute favorite artist, Marina and the Diamonds, performing during her 2015 Froot tour. Her signature cherry headband was one of her many iconic looks.

that it is not about rushing to release something because these albums do not exist on one plane.

They are supercellular, with accompanying visuals and storylines. This creates such a special relationship, one that transcends music. When I’m listening to Marina or Lorde, I feel as though I’m sitting at the piano next to them, eagerly taking in their heartbreak and melodrama.

In the past three years, Marina has incrementally moved farther away from her music persona and even changed her stage name to her real name, Marina Diamandis. She is not one to post on Instagram each day but rather tries to live life outside of social media. She has created a blog discussing loneliness and attempting to find oneself, which can be found at marinabook.uk.net. It’s wonderful to be able to catch a glimpse at what this artist thinks about beyond music, and I know it has helped some of my friends who suffer from similar feelings.

I know that if Marina knew that one of her songs leaked, she would be deeply upset. While other songs from past eras have emerged onto the Internet, one being “Buy the Stars,” my favorite song of all time, this feels different. Maybe it’s the amount of time between albums or the changing relationship between Marina and her fans, but I feel some semblance of guilt whenever I listen to the track. She curates everything she puts out into the world, and she wouldn’t want an unfinished work that she deemed unfit for release in the hands of her listeners.

Does this mean that I’ll stop listening to the track? No, I am honestly not strong enough. But I respect Marina as an artist and as a person, and if she wants to take 10 years to produce another album or never release music again, I’ll be okay.

I am just grateful for her presence in my life, as she truly has shaped some of my most definitive years so far. From trying to understand myself in high school to the confusing nature of coming to college, Marina has been there for me. I wouldn’t sleep in a tent at the end of wintertime in Brooklyn in an attempt to get tickets for any other artist.

I’ll love her forever.

Spud Cannon debuts album, has Vassar homecoming Izzy Braham Reporter

“D

Courtesy of Spud Cannon via Facebook

o you just dress like you play the drums or do you actually play the drums?” Jackson Lewis ’19 said to Sam Saias ’20—who was wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt and aviator glasses—in the Deece a year ago.

Flash forward to the next fall, in a dimly lit but packed Ferry living room, and there they are, along with lead singer Meg Matthews ’20, keyboardist Ariana Bowe ’20 and bassist Lucy Horgan ’20, as Spud Cannon, debuting their first album for all the world to hear.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the band, Spud Cannon is a pop indie band composed of five Vassar students and formed by Jackson Lewis. Recently, they released their first 12-song album, “Next Time Read the Fine Print,” which they performed at Ferry House on Oct. 20.

“I thought it was fun. Especially after doing a lot of smaller gigs. However, I wouldn’t say it was our best performance,” Matthews commented following the Ferry performance..

While the performance at Ferry seemingly reaped effortless hype among Vassar students, it was the result of the band’s ongoing hard work.

There is a long history between Spud Cannon’s humble beginnings and where they are now, and additionally where they would like to go.

It all began during the first semester last year when the band would practice three times a week in a secret location. This is where the band first started to mesh as the members got to know each other, settle into their respective roles and start the ardous writing process.

In fact, the group formed in a very congenial, old-fashioned way—the members were strangers to each other. “I saw a poster that said ‘bass player needed’ with a number and so I just texted the number and started playing with them,” recounted Horgan.

From then on, it was all about experimentation, practice and writing. Moreover, they were united by a collective motivation that helped the band create their first album. Over the summer, Spud Cannon convened in Los Angeles to finish writing and record the album. “We had a

seven-day window to do something and a lot of people told me, ‘Don’t go for an album,’ but we just knocked it out. We wrote four songs in two days,” Lewis commented.

When asked about how they usually come up with songs, it became clear that there was a certain pattern and group dynamic the band has embraced. “Well, first Jackson always comes in and says ‘This one’s going to be our next hit,’” Matthews laughed. The band begins the process by coming up with a melody first. “It’s usually guitar, drums, bass and then sometimes a keyboard line over it.” Bowe commented. “Then we’ll start getting to the point where Meg will take her laptop and start going over into the corner and writing lyrics,” said Lewis.

After recording their album, the band took up the do-it-yourself touring lifestyle, playing small gigs all over the country. Commenting about when they performed in a fancy but tiny venue in Los Angeles, Matthews remarked, “We played so loudly that glasses fell off the shelf.”

Spud Cannon has also performed at other schools such as Bard a few times, and even a venue in New York City, but for their Ferry show, performing at Vassar was especially exciting for the band. “This was our homecoming,” Lewis commented. “We played so many weird, one-off, empty rooms, but this was home base.”

With their dual experiences of “empty rooms” and rooms packed with their original fans, the band still maintains its optimism and looks forward to some exciting projects and gigs lined up. They are scheduled to go to Syracuse this Friday to play for a record label that transforms albums into cassette tapes.

In fact, “Next Time Read the Fine Print” will be loaded on to a cassette and sold in some record stores such as Rough Trade in New York City, an epicenter known for getting new artists started throughout the city and in its other headquarters in London. In addition to the cassette tape, the album is also going to be featured on the radio by a company called Terror Bird that does radio promotional runs. “We don’t really know what is going to happen right now.

Maybe through this, we’ll try and get some label interest and then we could make another

Comprised of five Vassar student musicians, Spud Cannon released their debut album, “Next Time Read the Fine Print,” on Oct. 20. The album can be found on Spotify and iTunes. album,” Lewis explained.

However, the band really emphasized that right now is a pivotal moment for the them.

While getting signed to a label and touring would be fun, they are trying to go with the flow because everyone has different plans to go abroad.

Lewis stated, “We are trying to do one more Vassar show, but to be honest this might be the last one. The band is staying together, but in a different capacity than what they’ve been doing.” Matthews agreed: “We are going to do what we are going to do with our lives and hope that this is something we can keep doing.”

Regardless of their uncertain future, the band still loves to perform, write and practice together. When asked what their favorite part of the band is, the group agreed that they liked their

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

dynamic and those special moments in the creative process “when everything just clicks and it becomes a song,” as Bowe put it. This dynamic is truly special, as bands throughout history have been known to have fights that lead to their eventual separation. However, the comradery and collaboration seen in this group promise that they will be one of the exceptions.

Catch Spud Cannon’s debut album on Spotify and iTunes, and don’t forget to look for them at Vassar, as the next concert they play here might be their last. Who knows where the music industry, and the world, will take them?

“Also, please let everyone know that the band is just a side thing for Meg—she is actually a two-time lettuce eating contest champion so regardless of what happens, she’s at least got that going for her,” Lewis smiled.

ARTS

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November 9, 2017

‘Bojack Horseman’ transcends dark comedic stereotypes Olivia Feltus

Guest Columnist

Bojack Horseman

Raphael Bob-Waksberg Netflix

B

season, a bridge to Hawaii is built from Los Angeles—which admittedly does provide quite a bit of political ridicule buried beneath the concept of a thousands-of-miles-long bridge over open ocean.

The originality of the individual concepts in different episodes never ceases to amaze me. One of the most arguably beautiful episodes of the show in general is the third season’s “Fish Out of Water.”

Nearly completely without dialogue, the episode takes Bojack on a below-sea-level odyssey, complete with seahorses and a fish-filled metropolis.

Another episode, this time “The Old Sugarman Place,” brings the viewer through an old neighbor’s dark, emotional past that intertwines with that of Bojack’s family. “Downer Ending” consists of a frustrated group of people combating writer’s block in a very ineffective way, creating an alter-

nate reality in which Bojack himself makes drastically different life choices. These are just a few examples, though, and each subplot brings a lot to the table in terms of adding to the overall storyline.

If anyone couldn’t tell, I personally am quite a fan of “Bojack Horseman.” This horse will forever be immortalized as the only photo on my graduation cap, and my senior quote was originally said

by Vincent Adultman: “Don’t be sad, good horsey!”

Two other people in my senior class used quotes from the show in the yearbook.

My ringtone used to be Sarah Lynn’s “Prickly Muffin” and text tone, “BRRAP BRRAP PEW PEW,” as said so eloquently by the dolphin Sextina Aquafina (baaabayyy), and I will never fail to take a screenshot of an official social media post of Bojack in bed next to Kim Kardashian.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

ack in the ’90s, he was on a very famous TV show. For those who don’t know who this is referring to, it’s Bojack Horseman, the anthropomorphic horse from Netflix’s eponynmous original series.

It was December of senior year when I first laid eyes on the famed horse. The last week of winter break was winding down quite slowly before I went to a friend’s for a night of baking and meditating to cello drones.

We had just gotten back from a walk next to the lake when one of my friends suggested that we watch “Bojack.” I had heard rave reviews throughout the years from various classmates and acquaintances, and more recently I had heard friends constantly singing the outro: “Back in the ‘90s I was in a very famous TV show!” I did not know then, but watching “Bojack” was about to become a very big part of the culture of my high school.

That night, my friends and I sat around the television as one said, “I can’t ever stop watching the introduction!” Subsequently, the intro started playing: Bojack waking up, getting out of his bed, moving throughout his day and then to the iconic scene of him looking up at Diane, a human writer, and Mr. Peanutbutter, a famous anthropomorphic dog, looking back down at him from above a swimming pool. I would soon learn that many of the characters Bojack casually passed in the first intro would become very important throughout the series, even in the recently released fourth season.

With a small main cast, the characters’ journeys in “Bojack Horseman” become more complex and existential with each episode. Nothing is ever shown at complete face value, especially compared to other “adult cartoons” that I have watched. By

keeping details that happen in an episode constantly through the rest of the series, the structure of the show is very similar to that of “Arrested Development,” in which Will Arnett, the voice of Bojack, co-stars as well.

I have to say that “Bojack Horseman” has a wonderful set of actors. The fluidity that they have to carry out a message throughout the life of the show and characters astonishes me. Along with that, “Bojack” even bleeds over into real life. The show’s official Instagram is run by Bojack Horseman himself, as well as the official Twitter. Official art—not screenshots—are consistently appearing on social media, featuring Bojack with celebrities like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Channing Tatum or even Mr. Peanutbutter himself!

“Bojack” transcends many stereotypes of its perceived genre. In theory, it seems like it is simply a dark comedy about a drunken horse. After watching multiple episodes, though, it morphs into a conglomeration of nuances of small realizations.

The characters lie, but it isn’t shown on screen.

The characters cry, and the show isn’t even afraid to deal with the discussion of mental health, death and addiction. Characters are constantly struggling with identity. “Bojack” is a an extension of real life; the issues and problems that the characters face are very real, albeit sometimes exaggerated, but always parallel some sort of the human experience.

All of this stands true until some of the not-so-dark comedy comes into play, however.

Again, the show takes real issues and real people discovering who they are as they grow into themselves and try to change, whether they are “bad” or “good,” and juxtaposes this with absurd comedy, which is sometimes an extreme repercussion of their actions.

It’s all deep until it involves buying hundreds of tons of spaghetti strainers. For example, at one point in the first season, a TV show is made entitled “Hollywoo Stars and Celebrities: What Do They Know? Do They Know Things?? Let’s Find Out!” For those who have not seen the show, Hollywoo results when someone steals the D off of the end of the Hollywood sign. During the most recent

“Bojack Horseman” may seem like another cartoon comedy. However, it transcends this by providing a gripping reality of different issues and brilliant character development.

‘Thor’ film continues average standard of Marvel franchise Jimmy Christon Columnist

Thor: Ragnarok

Taika Waititi Marvel Studios

I

t’s already hard enough as is to call any piece of art good or bad, regardless of medium. It becomes quite another thing to judge pieces of art that are meant for such wide appeal both in terms of the moment of consumption and in regards to a larger societal context as a whole.

Am I thinking too much about a movie that is ultimately just supposed to be fun schlock? Is it a faulty, embarrassing blunder on my part to get so serious when reviewing something as light as “Thor: Ragnarok”?

I think not. I think it’s more important now

more than ever to take movies like these seriously. I think this is because human society in general is going through a phase where we are redefining what a piece of art is when it is labeled as ‘good’.” I am not in a position to declare something good or bad. I can only say how I feel about something; I can only express my opinion.

And my opinion is that “Thor: Ragnarok” is a very serviceable movie, and that it is plagued by an overwhelming sense of blandness that is indicative more of the process by which this movie was created, rather than anything pertaining to the movie itself.

For instance, Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” is used in this film twice. I found the scenes in which this song was used to be some of the most trite, cringey and ridiculous in this movie. They were action scenes, so they shouldn’t really stick out that much, but they just made me feel so disinterested and repelled.

I am bothered by this because through linking

Courtesy of Marvel Movies Wikia

The newest “Thor” film continues the pattern of blockbuster films producing average content that just hits the bar that audiences have set for them to be willing to view them.

these action scenes to this Led Zeppelin song, the movie is keying us in as to how we should feel during these scenes and is very obvious in how it uses music as a tool to create an effect. I hate this. I hate this so much that I think it is an affront to the arts.

It is an enviable skill to be concise. When Walter White declares in the beginning of season two of Breaking Bad that Tuco Salamanca is an “insane, degenerate piece of filth that deserves to die,” we feel that this derision is earned, and it is supremely satisfying to hear Walt say something we’ve been thinking for a while now. The piece of art is telling us how to feel and we agree with it: we have been coerced by what has come before to agree with the statement being made.

“Thor: Ragnarok” tries to be concise but fails utterly. It is nothing other than masturbatory to indulge in scenes set to “Immigrant Song” not just once, but twice. The only basis to include this song in these scenes is because of the lyric “we come from the land of the ice and snow” and because Marvel’s Thor is inspired by Norse mythology. That’s it.

On the note of Norse culture, can I mention how gross it feels for Marvel to just blandify an entire mythos? The respect given towards the culture that gave us the characters of Thor and Odin is minimal at best. The same thing happened in “Dr. Strange” in how it amalgamated Buddhist and Hindu traditions that exist only to be used by the white characters in the movie.

In a perfect world, we’d call this stuff out for being the lazy and harmful whitewashing that it is. But because it’s Disney, and because they have enough money to advertise otherwise, we’re just supposed to accept that it’s a lighthearted movie.

And that the appropriation blatantly on display is only “lighthearted” appropriation.

It just feels so lazy and disingenuous to have a good song serve as perfume to cover up the festering scent of a terrible action scene. And it is terrible: the actors flail, jump, punch and fling as if they were weightless. It’s just a glorified version of the fighting done in old “Power Rangers” episodes, only Thor has Uncle Walt to help reinforce its scenes.

Instead of doing anything new or taking any

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

risks, the movie presents itself with the same set of actions and plots that we’ve seen so many times before at this point. The problem is that this is so par-for-the-course for movies nowadays that it’s honestly depressing.

The only parts of this movie that I felt were exceptionally well done were the scenes including the character of Korg the revolutionary rock man. I loved Korg’s entirely universal, entirely chill societal revolution. There is something so charming about Korg the rock man walking up to the disenfranchised and going “Hey man. We got a space-ship, we got a revolution, wanna join?” in his high-pitched voice. I wish Korg was the entire movie, but he isn’t.

And what are the other parts of this movie? A gladiator plot-line. A brother and sister warring over their homeland. A forced romance where the protagonist creepily hits on a newly introduced female character. And a narrative about finding yourself in the wake of a death in the family. It’s not just that this is unoriginal—nothing is entirely original—it’s just that I can feel the unoriginality so blatantly that I’m bothered by it. This movie desperately lacks any sort of personality.

And what is the one thing that Marvel’s comic book movies cannot be? Idiosyncratic. We aren’t supposed to feel that these movies are unique.

We’re supposed to feel that they fit into a universe of related pieces of art. But when this universe is filled to the brim with bland and lifeless things repeating the same formulaic plots, is it really such a bad thing to ask for these movies to feel more individual than “this one is about hammer man” and “this one is about web boy.”

The more movies that Marvel releases, the more I find myself asking why I went to see these movies in the first place.

I’m giving this movie an average rating not because I think it is an average movie, but because movies like these are what we, as moviegoers, are starting to accept as “the bar” for movies.

That is, “Thor: Ragnarok” is “the average” movie nowadays. And as an average movie, we can all have our own opinions about it (as is tradition with art). And in this reviewer’s opinion, I want my money back.

ARTS

November 9, 2017

Campus Canvas

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

Page 17 submit to misc@vassar.edu

Excuse me,

“Looking Back” And having left the garden I can not see Why anyone would want to be back there

If you could be any character in any play or musical, who would you be?

Sure Food was always plentiful The sky was always blue The animals posed no danger We had not a single care But How could I come to know you as I do If I had never left?

“Adelaide from ‘Guys and Dolls’” — Kelly Glascoff ’18

How could I come to know myself If I had never left?

We both came from one And we found ourselves there Made of the red earth that grew the trees

“Peggy from ‘Camp Rock’ because she won the final jam” — Brenda Dzaringa ’20

The dust of our souls Did settle upon The ground But we continued to claim That we were doing just fine If I know you And you know me Then we both know that the apple was nothing But a catalyst to the inevitable clash Of student and teacher Of servant and master That is written into the fiber of our being The snake told us wonderful tales Spun from the finest silks of your imagination In color like no man has ever seen And yet We knew it false We knew what was hidden behind the trees Deep in our minds The earth of our bones could not hide it The feeling The ache Of our needs to be followed The love to be won The babes to be born The work to be done For a lazy life, though fun, bored us to tears And I’m not sure he could have Deduced a way to keep us alive If not for the terrible woes that need fixing So he planted the tree He knew we would bite the rich red fruit Red as the blood, earth Smooth as a rock run over by water So he planted the tree The question was not if, but when?

—

“I would be ‘Mary Poppins’” — Kirk Testa ’19

“Elphaba from ‘Wicked’ because of the sick belting” — Jorden Schreeder ’20

“The policeman from ‘Les Mis’ because he’s super angsty” — Madhavi Jere ’20

“Brett from ‘The Sun Also Rises’ because all she does is engage in hedonism” — Zoya Qureshi ’20

Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography

Zane Diamond ’20

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

SPORTS

Page 18

November 9, 2017

After valiant fights, soccer loses in league championships LIBERTY LEAGUE continued from page 1

Senior Reid Smith and the rest of the Brewer starting lineup celebrate his decisive goal in the 30th minute of the team’s 1-0 semifinal win over St. Lawrence. Vassar lost the final to Hobart the next day.

Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon

outshot, the Brewers were able to hold the Herons scoreless for the first 35 minutes of play.

Unfortunately, the one goal deficit was soon hiked up to two, the second goal coming just three minutes into the second half on William Smith’s Megan Barwick’s shot.

Up by two, the Herons controlled the ball for the rest of the game, only allowing the Brewers to take one shot in the second half.

Although the season did not end the way the Brewers had hoped, sophomore midfielder Gabrielle Deitch was happy with the united effort the team put forth in the last game of the season.

“I think the team played really well on Saturday.

Our win definitely came from a huge collective effort and a mentality that we did not want it to be our last game,” she reflected. Everyone worked extremely hard and took care of the small but important details. The forwards did a great job of tracking back, the mids dominated the 50/50 balls in the air, and our defense was strong and patient.”

The men’s team ended the season with a 10-5-3 overall record, going 6-1-2 in conference. Olsson was proud of the way the team competed throughout the whole season. “We carried along a lot of experience from last year’s team and bolstered our team depth with the freshmen class, which helped us in the final stretch of games. A big high was our double header victories versus Clarkson and St. Lawrence, which gave us a lot of confidence and belief,” she explained.

The women’s team ended with a 10-6-3 overall record, securing exciting wins over opponents such as Skidmore, Clarkson, Union and RPI. The women’s team also named 14 student athletes to the Liberty League Fall All-Academic Team.

“Overall this was an awesome season that I am proud to have been a part of,” Deitch commented.

“I would have loved to have matched our in-conference record from last year, but making it to the Liberty League finals [...] definitely set this season apart from the last one.”

While the outcomes of both games were not ideal, making it to the championship game is still something for the Brewers to be very proud of.

Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon

played with a lot of confidence. We moved the ball around really well and created numerous chances, which we capitalized on early in the game,” he explained.

However, with only one day in between the semifinal and final, the quick turnaround time for the Brewers proved to be detrimental. “Coming off a hard-fought win against St. Lawrence definitely made it tougher for us to play again on Sunday in the final,” Olsson noted. “Conditions were extremely challenging and it was hard to control the tempo of the game. Everyone put in everything they had and although the result wasn’t what we wanted, we fought hard and battled until the final whistle.”

The Brewers grit did not go unnoticed, as seniors Tanner Sands, Reid Smith and Hayden Van Brewer, as well as sophomore Mattie Mrlik, were all named to the All-Tournament team.

On the women’s side, Vassar faced up against the Herons of William Smith right after the men’s game, at 3:30 p.m. The Brewers had beaten RIT in the semifinals the day before and came out with high energy and confidence. The women put up a great fight and were able to hold the Herons to just two goals. Unfortunately, the Brewers were unable to find the back of the net the whole game, crowning William Smith as the champions.

After the game, Coach Corey Holton was interviewed by an athletics correspondent. Holton recognized the talent that the Herons have this year, but was proud of the way the team battled.

“That’s a great William Smith team, but I thought our kids played hard, they played tough and they gave them a run for their money,” she commented.

William Smith possessed the ball for the majority of the game. The Herons took 23 shots, 10 of which were on goal while the Brewers only took two, one of which was on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Fiona Walsh kept the Brewers alive thanks to the eight saves she made in the net.

Junior Audrey Pillsbury was the only Brewer to take a shot in the first half, but despite being

Women’s soccer senior captain Amanda McFarland fights for possession in the team’s semifinal mathcup against RIT. Vassar would win that game 1-0 off of a MacFarland goal.

Volleyball wins bid to NCAA tourney; FH drops semis Robert Pinataro Sports Editor

O

Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton

n Nov. 6, the Vassar College women’s volleyball team was selected to compete in this year’s Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament. They received the at-large bid, which means that they were allowed to compete in the playoffs even though they did not win the Liberty League championship.

The Brewers’ last match was a tough loss against Clarkson University, but the Brewers played them very well. The Brewers just could not seem to put together much of an offensive showing. In the opening set, they had 43 attempts and just six kills to show for it.

The second set got off to a better start for the Brewers, who at one point held a five-point lead with a score of 17-12. However, they were unable to keep this lead together. Clarkson quickly worked its way back into the set, taking a 23-21 lead over the Brewers. The Brewers took another lead, but Clarkson tied the game at a score of 26. Thanks to a clutch block by sophomore Colette Cambey, the Brewers took the lead and went on to win the set 28-26.

Sets three and four were tight, and Vassar was in it until the very end thanks to strong play by junior Devan Gallagher. Despite her efforts and close scores in both sets, the Brewers could not take either set from the Golden Knights.

Though the box score ultimately reads 3-1, the Brewers played far better than that reveals. Further, there were some notable individual performances that deserve recognition. Junior captain Annie MacMillan helped her team immensely, with 43 assists and 6 digs in the contest. Gallagher also stepped up and led the team in kills with 20 on the day. Gallagher was undoubtedly a huge part of keeping Vassar in the game.

MacMillan commented on her team’s play, as a whole, against Clarkson. “Despite the first set, we battled Clarkson quite well,” she said. “We got a bit unlucky at crucial points, which ended up being the difference in the match. We didn’t have as balanced of offensive production as we would have liked, which we look to gain back this weekend.

Our defense was very solid, and we had flashes of brilliance.”

The women’s volleyball team huddles up during a timeout in a win earlier this season. For their performance this season, the team earned an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The team will need to learn from this match in order to show well in the NCAA tournament. MacMillan offered her thoughts on areas that need improvement and the importance of playing to their strengths in the tournament: “This week, we’re really focusing on maintaining command of our passing and serving, and spreading out the offense,” she reflected. “We will count on production out of our middles, which will play a vital role in our success this weekend, as it has all year. Mostly, we need to be confident in how good we are and play passionate, relentless volleyball.”

This year marks the sixth time in history that Vassar has made it to the NCAA tournament. The Brewers are both well equipped and excited to make a deep run at a championship.

MacMillan commented on the team’s attitude entering NCAA’s: “We’re more than excited. We’re very ready, eager to get back on the court, and eager to make a run at a championship. We’re really focusing on enjoying every moment of this special

experience, and, knowing anything can happen, taking it one game at a time and seeing what we can do!”

The Brewers will play their first game of the tournament against Babson College Friday, Nov. 10. Clarkson will be hosting the match in Potsdam, New York, and the winner of the match will play the winner of match between Clarkson and Morrisville State University.

Moving from the court to the astroturf, Vassar’s field hockey team wrapped up their strong season this past weekend in an unfortunate overtime loss to Skidmore College in the Liberty League semifinals.

Vassar got off to a quick start in this game, taking four shots in just the third minute. Just eight minutes later, sophomore Sam Plante almost turned a penalty corner into the first goal of the game with a great shot, but her efforts were thwarted by Skidmore defender Marissa Folts.

As Skidmore started to take shots of their own, sophomore goalie Liz Rotolo did outstanding work

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

in the goal including a spectacular diving save in the 16th minute. Skidmore managed to sneak one of their shots past Rotolo by the end of the half.

The second half of the game was intense, with both teams unable to score until the game’s final minutes. With 1:34 left to play and down a player due to a yellow card, junior Emily Poehlein scored on the rebound of junior Molly Youse’s blocked shot. Poehlein says the goal was a team effort. “[First-year] Natalie Johnston inserted the ball to [junior] Megan Caveny, who in turn slipped the ball left to Molly Youse. Molly took a great shot around the goalie into the corner of the goal.

Unfortunately, a Skidmore defender was there to make the defensive save, which many thought was illegal and would result in a penalty stroke. The play did not stop there, though. After the defensive save, the ball landed right in front of me and I put it in past the goalie. The goal took everyone being in the right position at the right time; it was definitely a team goal,” said Poehlein.

After the big goal, the clock expired with the score locked at 1-1. The game was sent to overtime.

Skidmore’s Miranda Davenport scored the game-winning goal.

Though the loss was a tough one for the Brewers, their season as a whole was a good one. They finished 11-7, and only one of those 7 losses was by more than one goal.

Part of this success is due to the strong leadership from junior captains Megan Caveny, Monica Feeley and Alyssa More. Caveny says she has thoroughly enjoyed her experience as a captain and the opportunity to help her team in more ways than just her own on-field prowess.

“I am very happy to have had the opportunity to help my teammates grow,” Caveny said. “I aspire to help my teammates and the team as a whole grow every day, whether that be in communication, skills, working as a unit or other things. Having Alyssa and Monica as co-captains has been a great experience and I think the different perspectives and leadership styles that we bring to the team make for a great dynamic.”

The team is already excited about their chances for success in the upcoming season. Said Poehlein: “I already cannot wait to see what my senior season has in store for VCFH.“

SPORTS

November 9, 2017

Page 19

Juiced baseballs create rise Yankees release Girardi, in World Series homeruns look for fresh management Daniel Bonfiglio Guest Columnist

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verybody likes home runs. There is nothing more exciting in the game of baseball than seeing someone mash a ball deep into the night sky and watching its majestic path as it plants itself into the cheering crowd for a game-changing play.

This year during the regular MLB season that happened 6,105 times, 412 more times than ever before in a single year. To boot, the previous single season record, 5,693 in the year 2000, also came smack dab in the middle of baseball’s steroid era.

The trend continued through the playoffs, with this year’s World Series smashing all earlier home run records. So how were Major League hitters this year able to not only beat, but demolish the previous home run records?

Perhaps the most controversial answer is the theory that this year, the MLB changed the composition of its baseballs to promote home runs.

It is no secret that home runs have been on the rise. Home run totals have steadily increased over the last few years, and not by accident.

Hitters are changing their swings and approach to hit more home runs by learning to swing with an uppercut in order to cut down on groundouts and weak hits. The result is more balls in the air, and more home runs. New data and technology is allowing hitters to fully optimize their swing potential by learning the most efficient swing path possible. It makes sense home run totals would increase, but the jump from 2016 to 2017 was statistically unprecedented.

The discussion of the baseball itself’s role in increasing home runs began at the beginning of the 2017 season, when it became clear that players were hitting home runs at a historical rate.

The Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred repeated many times throughout the year that the baseballs were the same as they had always been, but a large number of pitchers throughout the year were not satisfied. They contested that this year’s balls were slicker, making certain pitches simply harder to grip and to throw effectively.

The debate grew into the playoffs, where pitchers said they noticed a significant difference between balls used during the regular season and the playoffs.

A pitcher on the World Series champion Houston Astros, Lance McCullers, supposedly took a blindfolded test and immediately identi-

fied a World Series ball compared to one from earlier in the year.

His teammate Justin Verlander was very vocal about the baseballs in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “The World Series ball is slicker. No doubt. I’m telling you, we’re in here signing balls before the game, and it’s hard to get the ink on the ball sometimes [...] that’s how slick the leather is.”

Yu Darvish, a pitcher on the Los Angeles Dodgers, reported having significant trouble getting a grip on the ball to throw his slider, a crucial pitch for him. He ended up as the losing pitcher for the Dodgers in the final game. Verlander claimed to have completely ditched his slider during the World Series, opting instead for an improvised cutter, a pitch less difficult to grip.

From a less biased perspective, while it is clear some pitchers struggled with their sliders, there were others who did not. Dallas Keuchel on the Astros, for example, used it very effectively in every game he pitched. Many other stats are inconclusive. Some support the theory of an altered baseball, and some do not. Ultimately, it is hard to tell with only a seven-game sample size, but with the players so adamant and the ball Dodgers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig hit out of the park with seemingly one hand, it certainly passes the eye test.

An altered baseball makes sense from the business side as well. It is no secret that baseball has been trying hard to re-sell itself to a slowly dwindling audience and break its boring-towatch stereotype. The plethora of new “pace of game” rules can attest to that. What better way to add some offense, excitement and ultimately money by changing the balls a little bit? It would appear to have worked as well, with this year’s World Series being unquestionably one of the most exciting of all time.

The unfortunate truth of the whole matter is, however, that it appears Major League Baseball decided to pull a fast one on its players and fans in search of a little thrill.

The balance of how the game is played and the necessary skillsets required to excel at it has seemingly been altered, as well. If they did in fact change such a fundamental part of the game, they have risked the career integrity of its players and the outcome of the games. Yu Darvish, Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw and many more might be remembered as bad pitchers in the playoffs, and it might not be their fault. For that, and covering it up, at a minimum, we are owed an apology from the front office of America’s pastime.

Jonathan Levi-Minzi Guest Columnist

T

his past Monday, New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman told reporters via a teleconference that Joe Girardi, the club’s outgoing manager, was not enough of a player’s coach. “I made the recommendation based on over a number of years now,” Cashman explained, “some experiences that I was able to validate—whether it was directly or indirectly—about the connectivity and the communication level of the players in the clubhouse” (NY Daily News, “Brian Cashman explains why Yankees moved on from manager Joe Girardi”, 11.06.2017).

From an outsider’s perspective, the notion that Girardi does not relate with his players seems plausible. To look into the team dugout is to see Girardi standing on the first step alone, his arms carefully crossed, his steely gaze directed forward.

It is hard to dispute the former catcher’s coaching record, though. Girardi presided over the Yankees 27th World Series Championship in 2009, and he recorded a 910-710 regular season record. This record is all the more impressive because he has been at the helm during a major transition period in which several key players retired or saw their performance fall off precipitously.

There are some holdovers from the early 2000s Yankees that Girardi inherited, but the story this fall has been that of the “Baby Bombers,” a new core of young promising players coming through the minor league ranks to take up starring roles.

Pitcher Luis Severino established himself as the squad’s ace, catcher Gary Sanchez reaffirmed his dangerous power bat in the middle of the order and, out of nowhere, gargantuan rookie rightfielder Aaron Judge took the league by storm with over 50 homers. Judge will likely be rewarded with, at the least, a top-three finish in Most Valuable Player voting to go with his Rookie of the Year plaque.

One could argue that this influx of millennial youth may have influenced Cashman to look for a less stoic, more “new-school” manager. The two similarly young and burgeoning teams that competed for the World Series Championship this past October, the Dodgers and the champion Astros, were indeed helmed by young, forward-looking managers. Perhaps Cashman saw something of a blueprint in those clubs’ managerial decisions.

The other aspect of hiring a less-seasoned manager is that these younger candidates tend to be more open to incorporating the latest baseball analytics into their decision making.

If you have been tuning into baseball games

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer

Vassar College 0, Hobart 2

Vassar College 0, William Smith 2

November 5, 2017

November 5, 2017

Vassar College #

Player

00 2 3 5 9 14 17 18 19 21 22 6 7 16

Walsh Alvarez Trasatti Thayer Chroscinski Seper Lavelle McFarland Ferry Moss Pillsbury Deitch DeBenedictis Cutler

Totals.......

Goalie Walsh

Minutes 90:00

William Smith

Sh SOG G A

#

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 6 9 10 11 13 17 18 20 24 30 7 8 12 16 25 28 29

2

1

0

0

Player

Vassar College

Sh SOG G A 3 1 0 7 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 2

Barwick Kogelmann Lohr Manning Colpoys Sutphen Keogh Spiegel Moore Campbell Romines Adams McQuillen Mitiguy Carpenter Bekauri MacLeaqn Richard

2 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2

23

Totals.......

this fall for the first time in a while, then you were probably shocked to see the second baseman playing in right field and the third baseman playing in the shortstop hole. Major League front offices are now filled with quantitative types who rummage through huge amounts of data to derive, often with advanced mathematics, competitive advantages for their ballclub. The example of grouping infielders on one side of the diamond against hitters who pull the ball very often is, of course, not an example of advanced mathematics in any sense, but it is emblematic of the way in which data-driven decision making has quickly become in vogue at the expense of a conventional wisdom approach.

Girardi never seemed vehemently anti-analytics. He embraced changes like extreme infield shifting and what I’d call “bullpen carouseling,” or using throngs of relief pitchers in single games to set up favorable hitter matchups.

But it has been well documented that Girardi took issue with the front office over an analytics-driven mandate to continue playing first baseman Chris Carter early in the season. When MLB. com’s Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch asked Girardi about the possibility of replacing Carter, he replied that it had been an “organizational decision” to keep Carter in the lineup (Twitter, 06.21.2017). Carter’s batting average was comfortably below .200, and his broad, sluggish presence in the field certainly wasn’t keeping him in the lineup.

The current analytics-driven thinking, though, is that a player like Carter does, after all, give his team net positive value. This is informed by the widespread analytical approach of statistically deriving player value by relativizing the impact of player production on the likelihood of their team winning with the help of linear weights.

Carter, for example, had a positive Wins Above Replacement (WAR) result in each of the five seasons prior to his miserable Yankees stint. The first baseman was ultimately released, as he never seemed to find his bat, but it probably wasn’t entirely unreasonable to expect that Carter might turn it around and give the Yankees front office the production they would have expected based on the precedent of the past half-decade.

Girardi probably lost his job over an imprecise mix of the player relations and the analytics-balking factors, but the Yankees will be hard-pressed to find a new manager with half as much success.

Perhaps, though, these are the rules of engagement in an increasingly data-driven baseball era.

Keep up with the curve or fall beneath it to opponents who are constantly pushing its boundaries.

This seems to be Brian Cashman’s thinking.

1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

10 2

2

# 00 5 7 8 12 14 16 18 19 21 22 2 6 9 15 23

Player

Hobart

Sh SOG G A

Marcelino Smith Stansell Olsson Novas Van Brewer Karaiskos Heitmann Collins Lukasik Mrlik Sands Goldsmith Bow Baliat Davis

Totals.......

0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 1 1

0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1

15

6

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0

# 1 3 4 7 8 9 10 21 25 26 35 2 5 6 11 14 16 24 28

Player

Sh SOG G

Kaminer O’Connell Escamilla Emmanuel Dosky Acheampong Colmenares Critchlow Weisbein Schulz Widoycovich Barnes Poberts Cary Diouf Palmer Wigglesworth Patrick Martini

Totals.......

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 4 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0

14

A

7

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

2

1

GA

Saves

Goalie

Minutes

GA

Saves

Goalie

Minutes

GA

Saves

Goalie

Minutes

GA

Saves

2

8

Romines

90:00

0

1

Marcelino

90:00

2

5

Kaminer

90:00

0

6

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Page 20

SPORTS

November 9, 2017

Brewers put best foot forward in Liberty League finals

All photos courtesy of Carlisle Stockton

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