The Miscellany News
Volume CXLIX | Issue 12
February 2, 2017
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Elizabeth Bradley named Vassar’s 11th president Global health expert, Yale professor to begin term in July 2017
Bradley talks public health, budget Students march, decry Trump administration O Laurel Hennen Vigil News Editor
Emily Sayer
Features Editor
Courtesy of Vassar College
n Tuesday, Jan. 10, Vassar appointed Yale professor Elizabeth Bradley as the 11th President of the College. Her appointment concluded an eight-month nationwide search for a new College president after the departure of former President Catharine Bond Hill last August. Bradley was chosen out of over 200 candidates and unanimously elected by the Board of Trustees. Her husband, John Bradley, also a Yale professor, will move to Vassar as well, taking on the position of Executive Director of the Vassar College Urban Education Initiative. Bradley will take over from Interim President Jonathan Chenette on July 1. The Miscellany News recently spoke with Bradley about her experience directing Yale’s controversial Grand Strategy Program, the possible ramifications of Vassar’s $54 million loss in the 2016 fiscal year, her work concerning public health and what she hopes to achieve as the College’s next President. See PRESIDENT on page 3
At Yale, Elizabeth Bradley currently serves as Brady-Johnson Professor of Grand Strategy, Head of the residential Branford College, and Faculty Director of the Global Health Leadership Institute.
On Jan. 21, five million individuals marched on major cities worldwide in an act of defiance against the inauguration of President Trump. The Women’s March on Washington and rallies in sister cities in the U.S. comprise the first organized reaction to the Trump administration since the election— protesters are not only demonstrating, but also enacting step-by-step plans to get previously disengaged citizens involved in political representation. In the face of a new type of threat to the progressive agenda, Americans are learning to mobilize, and be both vocal and effective in an era of heavy-hitting conservatism. Countless Vassar students descended on the protests to champion reproductive rights and gender equality, among other protections compromised by Trump’s cabinet appointees. Despite the gravity of these grievances, many students report feeling empowered upon arriving at the various
locations. Suzanna Varrichione ’18 described her expectations of the march, saying, “Shortly after the news broke of a March on Washington I was determined to go, but due to timing I decided to attend the NYC march instead. On the day of the march, before arriving, I was heavy hearted. The inauguration had taken a lot of my emotional strength from me. However, once I arrived it was hard not to feel uplifted by the sheer number of people gathered together in solidarity. I took the subway downtown, and at each stop more women got on wearing pink hats and carrying signs. New York City provided a clear stance with the election results, and on the day of the march it was no different.” Varrichione recalled that there was a palpable tension and agitation amid the crowd. Since it was the day after the inauguration, marchers were imbued with a renewed passion for change and sense of civic duty. She See MARCH on page 5
Volleyball Opening concert tours the campus Food for opponents L thought at get served ECVC Lucy Ellman
Guest Reporter
Fiona MacLeod Guest Reporter
T
Inside this issue
4
NEWS
Filmmaker zeroes in on universality of mental health
8
Andrea Yang
Staff Reporter
T
Courtesy of Karl Rabe
his winter, the men’s volleyball team is looking to top their impressive 2016 season, in which the Brewers finished with a 24-7 record. The men competed their way to the semifinals of the United Volleyball Conference before falling to the Stevens Institute of Technology 1-3 at New Paltz. These 24 wins in one season account for the second-best season in Vassar history, with an exception only for the 26 victories that the Brewers earned in 2008. Following this feat, the squad was voted eighth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 15 Poll. Coming back this season, the players are led by new Head Coach Richard Gary, as former Head Coach Rob Wolter left the squad to accept a coaching opportunity at Aurora University in Illinois. Coach Gary has plenty of volleyball coaching experience under his sleeve, as he spent the last five years instructing both men and women’s volleyball at Wells College in Aurora, NY. The players are ready to adapt to new coaching and improve their game even further this season. Their proxSee VOLLEYBALL on page 19
ast Thursday evening, the Vassar community was invited on a musical journey as the first audience of the Modfest season was guided through a variety of locations where they had the chance to experience some of the finest music Vassar has to offer. While Meryl Streep was unfortunately not in attendance, the evening was packed with joy and contemplation as music rang out from the Chapel hall all the way to the library atrium and back. With this opening event, the annual Modfest festival began its 15th season on Vassar’s campus. A festival celebrating the arts in the 20th and 21st centuries, the spring series of arts events known as Modfest—this year focused on the theme of “Raising Voices”—looks to feature unique voices from across Vassar campus and the local community in the spoken word, visual and performing arts. While the campus is currently buzzing with excitement for Audra Mcdonald’s upcoming appearance at Skinner Hall, the final concert of the festival, Modfest has quietly gone through a changing of hands. As the beloved Professor of Music Richard Wilson retired last semester, he and his wife Adene Wilson stepped down from running the event after 14 years and handed off the reigns to co-chairs Associate Professor and Chair of Music and Director of Choral Activities Christine Howlett and InterdisciplinSee MODFEST on page 14
Modfest 2017, the 15th anniversary of the annual series of arts events on campus, opened with a bang this past Thursday, with concerts throughout the campus, from the Chapel to the Loeb and the library.
Women’s march should support OPINIONS sex workers
15 ARTS
he Episcopal Church of Vassar College (ECVC) Free for All Supper is a weekly opportunity for members of the Vassar community to get together, dine, share and reflect on the past week. Participants come regularly and always find themselves joined by wonderful company and food. President of ECVC J.D. Nichols ’17 explained, “The event is a very informal dinner, usually of pizza and salad, held in the Jade Parlor every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Most of the people who come are either members of ECVC, the Vassar Catholic Community (VCC) or the Vassar Christian Fellowship (VXF). Sometimes community members come, and it’s always good to have [them].” People relate to each other not only through religion but also through common interests or mutual friends. Nichols remarked, “It’s a time to mingle together and to have conversations, whether focused on religion or not. Because it is hosted by ECVC’s Affiliate Advisor Reverend Robin James, though, topics relating to the Episcopal Church or to church in general usualSee ECVC on page 7
Exhibit centers medallions and WWI battalions
The Miscellany News
Page 2
February 2, 2017
Editor-in-Chief Anika Lanser
Senior Editors Emma Jones Elena Schultz
Contributing Editor Yifan Wang
News Features Opinions Humor and Satire Arts Sports Design Online Copy
Courtesy of Kohei Joshi
Kohei Joshi is studying at Oxford University’s St. Catherine’s College, which he describes as modern compared to other parts of the university. Pictured is Christ Church College, where scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed. To read more, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!
The Miscellany News 2
February
Thursday
US Dept of State “Careers in Diplomacy” 5:00pm | NE 105 | CDO
The World After January 20, 2017: Works by Artists and Poets Reception
5:00pm | Palmer Gallery | Campus Activities
Tourneé Reception
5:00pm | Taylor Hall Jade Room | French and Francophone Studies Department
Women at the Margins of Greek History Lecture 5:30pm | Library Class of ‘51 Reading Room | Library
Is Religion the Problem or the Solution?
Weekender_ 3
February
Friday
ACS Workshop
2:00pm | Library 160-Electronic Classroom | Computing and Information Services
Basketball (W) vs. Union College 6:00pm | AFC 102 | Athletics
Modfest Performance: Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre 7:00pm | Kenyon Dance Theater | Dance
Basketball (M) vs. Union College 8:00pm | AFC 102 | Athletics
Big Night In: Games and Snacks
8:00pm | College Center 223 | Big Night In
4
February
Saturday
Basketball (W) vs. Skidmore College 2:00pm | AFC 102 | Athletics
Basketball (M) vs. Skidmore College 4:00pm | AFC 102 | Athletics
Lunar New Year Celebration 6:00pm | Villard Room | ASA
5
February
Sunday
Modfest: Raising Voices: An Afternoon with Audra McDonald
Laurel Hennen Vigil Emily Sayer Nick Barone Evelyn Frick Noah Purdy Patrick Tanella Olivia O’Loughlin Talya Phelps Charlotte VarcoeWolfson Kelsey Quinn Laila Volpe
Assistant Copy Claire Baker Assistant Social Media Hannah Nice Web Master & Technical Advisor George Witteman Reporters Sasha Gopalakrishnan Meg Howell Kaitlin Prado Andrea Yang Columnists Jimmy Christon Jesser Horowitz Steven Park Kirk Testa Design Scarlett Neuberger Maya Sterling Yoav Yaron Copy James Bonanno Gabriela Calderon Leah Cates Diana Henry Sumiko Neary Jessica Roden Laura Wigginton
3:00pm | Skinner Recital Hall | Music Dept.
Paper Critique
9:00pm | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News
Modfest Performance: Vassar Ensembles 7:00pm | Skinner Recital Hall | Music Dept.
Modfest Performance: Cabaret Night
8:30pm | Skinner Recital Hall | Music Dept.
Courtesy of Drama League
5:30pm | Villard Room | VJU
May Allah Bless France (Abd Al Malik) 6:30pm | Taylor 203 | French and Francophone Studies Department
FIX Launch Party
8:00pm | Rose Parlor | PHOCUS
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only corrections for any misquotes, resentations or factual errors for ticle within the semester it is
accept misrepan arprinted.
NEWS
February 2, 2017
Page 3
President-elect Bradley speaks about hopes for Vassar PRESIDENT continued from page 1 Miscellany News: Can you tell me a little about your current position at Yale?
Misc.: What appealed to you about coming to Vassar?
EB: Many things. I think, to begin with, I really enjoy the culture of the students—the fact that they’re willing to question everything, the fact that they just are not afraid to speak up and be active and make changes in the world that they think are important. That was really exciting to me. I really also enjoy the shared governance model of the faculty and the Board [of Trustees] and the President together. I think that strong faculty voice is essential in higher education and this is a college that really takes that seriously. I’m also attracted by the diversity and the aspirations to be an inclusive campus, which I think is so important. That’s fundamental to higher education, it’s fundamental to the United States, and even the globe—how we make communities like that—so I wanted to contribute to that effort. Misc.: How do you think your background in public health will inform how you will approach this job?
EB: My background in public health has been very important to the way I understand leadership. One of the fundamental tenets of public health is that you meet people where they are and you work with communities. It tends to be very grassroots, bottom-up, not very heavily top-down, very inclusive. And I think it’s a flexible science in that it’s very multidisciplinary. So I guess the implication of that for someone in a leadership role is the recognition that, in that leadership role, you’re really trying to meet people where they are—understand where the community wants to lead, where do they want to go, what are their aspirations— and they hopefully play the concrete role that someone with a leadership responsibility can do to try to organize and coordinate and inspire a group to meet the goals they have for themselves. So that’s how I work and I think it’s been pretty much consistent with the way public health works. Misc.: What’s your vision for Vassar? What do you hope to achieve during your time here?
EB: It’s a good question, I think it’s a little early in trying to respond to it. I guess broadly, my vision for Vassar would be to continue its tremendously high quality—top quality—education that can be accessible and is in an environment that is diverse and inclusive, and really be a national model of doing that. Now, that’s a very broad, broad statement, which I think is consistent with the mission of Vassar and the history of Vassar. I think it really should be led by the faculty, the students, the alumni, the staff, the main constituents. And I want to learn. I want to learn what people have on their mind, how they see themselves. And over time, together, we really can create the strategies that keep us consistent with that high aspiration for a great quality, inclusive environment. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten so far. Misc.: What will your first priorities be as
EB: My first priority is to listen—that’s a top priority—listen and get to know people. I’m so excited to get to know the faculty, get to know what they’re writing, understand their work, learn their names. The same with students, really having relationships with students where they can tell me what’s on their mind and I can share my thoughts on things. So my top priorities are to listen and learn. Misc.: When Vassar announced your appointment, the school stated that in addition to serving as President, you’ll also be a Professor of Political Science and Science, Technology and Society. Are there any courses in particular you would like to teach?
EB: I think in the first year I will not be teaching, because I’d like to spend the majority of the time getting to know the community. But in time, I really would like to teach. I’ve taught all kinds of courses that I would be happy to teach again. I think it’s important to understand how that might fit into the curriculum that already exists and what’s really needed. But I have taught courses in leadership and strategy, I’ve taught courses in grand strategy, research methods, even, so I have a pretty broad background. But I think the seminar style that Vassar supports so regularly is really exciting. I think that I’ve enjoyed most the seminars I’ve taught. Misc.: Many have felt over the past years that Vassar is starting to turn its attention from the humanities towards the sciences. Going forward, how do you plan to balance maintaining the school’s reputation in the humanities and the arts while expanding our offerings in the sciences?
EB: The liberal arts education must have strengths in the humanities as well as in the sciences and the social sciences. There’s no choice to that; if you want to be a top higher education college in the U.S.—or globally—you have to be strong in the humanities. There’s no question of that. Just like before, I don’t have a specific of exactly how we’re going to do it, but the value of [the humanities] I absolutely take seriously. I think that it’s fundamental. The course, or the program, that I direct here in Grand Strategy actually does take a humanist look at literature and history, but that is then, in the second semester, applied to real-world problems. I’ve found that to be a really exciting approach, where you’re able to show exactly how being informed by the humanities and thinking creatively suddenly gives rise to new ways to think about old problems we have around the globe. So I’m very inspired to be sure the humanities stay strong and are there. And it’s so wonderful that this Bridge [for Laboratory Sciences] is put together to reinvest in the sciences. Misc.: I’d like to turn our attention to some budgetary concerns. In the 2016 fiscal year, the Vassar endowment lost over $54 million. How might you alter the budget to avoid such losses in the future?
EB: Critical to understanding the budget and making budget decisions is the shared governance model that we have at Vassar. So this is never one person’s decision, this is a community decision about how one uses scarce resources to achieve the large aspirations that we have. So I think fundamental to that is really understanding—understanding what’s short-term, what’s long-term, thinking creatively about all the different options and being transparent about how different trade-offs are made. And that, I think, is the way a community can lead itself to really make the best use of the resources it has. That’s the kind of process that I’d like to contribute to as president. The specific decisions, I wouldn’t really be well enough versed in the background yet to know what those will be over time and how we’ll approach them. But I do think the shared governance model is front and center in being able to make good decisions for the community. Misc.: Many fear that this loss might push the Board of Trustees to try to implement needaware admissions, which could result in the acceptance of more applicants who can pay the full price of attendance but who may not be as academically qualified as the students who are admitted under the current need-blind policy, making Vassar less accessible for students of all socioeconomic statuses and decreasing our prestige as an institution. As President, would
Courtesy of Vassar College
Elizabeth Bradley: Sure. I have a couple of different roles at Yale. I am the Brady-Johnson Professor of Grand Strategy, which is kind of a funny title, but it’s the person who directs the Yale program on Grand Strategy, which you can see on the web is an interdisciplinary program for undergraduates, primarily—though graduate students are in it as well—that’s basically like a world history course highlighting key moments in time where there have been really fascinating strategies that have emerged related to all kinds of problems. It could be problems of security or economics or even human rights or food supply, et cetera. So it teaches a fair amount about that and then also has people take on pretty practical, difficult problems to try to develop strategy around them. It’s an interesting program and I direct that. That’s one of my roles. I also direct our Global Health Leadership Institute, which is an interdisciplinary institute on campus to try to promote students’ and faculty’s work in the area of global health. And I’m the head of Branford College, which is a really fun part of my job, living right in campus with 500 undergraduates around me, which I love. So I’m pretty busy here.
President?
President-elect Bradley says she is most excited to get to know Vassar’s students and professors and to work with the Board of Trustees. She plans to dedicate her first year to these goals. you consider making the move to need-aware admissions?
EB: That’s also a very good question, and as you know, the commitment from Vassar is very generous in terms of its financial support for people who couldn’t otherwise pay for Vassar. And that’s in the root of Vassar’s culture and I think it’s a great attraction. I think, at the same time, there always is debate about how to implement that exactly. I have not been part of the conversations to date, but I know that they are on the table; these are conversations that have to be discussed as a community, using the committees that exist that involve students and faculty, et cetera. And this is not an easy one, so I don’t really have an answer to your question. I know this is something that every college is really having to wrestle with. It’s the same question as before: How do they use their relatively scarce resources to achieve everything they want to achieve, and achieve that for people who can’t always pay for the college? Misc.: During President Hill’s time at Vassar, the College created several new administrative positions. Some members of the Vassar community feel that the funds earmarked for these salaries could be better utilized elsewhere. What is your feeling on the matter?
EB: I don’t really have the background to be able to comment on that. I’m sorry. I think it is very important that one looks at the staffing patterns and is clear about what everybody’s job is and that it’s as productive and effective and efficient as possible. But the specifics of jobs that were created and how much the cost and all of that, it’s not something that I really have the background on yet, and that I’m really not in the position to weigh in on at this point. Misc.: I’d like to back up for a moment to your experience as Director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. Grand Strategy programs at elite universities have been criticized for promoting conservative ideals of U.S. exceptionalism and imperialism in foreign policy. How would you respond to such critiques, particularly coming to an extremely liberal institution like Vassar?
[Editor’s note: To those unfamiliar with Grand Strategy and the criticisms thereof, Yale’s program—the first and most influential—was founded in 2000 by historians John Gaddis and Paul Kennedy, as well as Hoover Institution research fellow Charles Hill. The program received significant funding from Reagan and Bush Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady and influential GOP donor Charles Johnson. In 2011, the nonprofit news organization Truthout stated, “‘Grand strategy’ is little more than imperial doctrine, a ‘soft’ public relations term for strategic studies, a growing academic discipline with origins in the war ministries of an earlier era’s imperial powers” (Truthout. “How Private Warmongers and the US Military Infiltrated American Universities,” 11.28.2011). In 2012, The Nation wrote, “The more the output of grand strategists is examined, the more the enterprise comes down to a desire by statesmen, and their would-be tutors, not so much to understand the world as to stake their place in it” (The Nation, “Grand Flattery: The
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Yale Grand Strategy Seminar,” 5.9.2012).] EB: It’s a really great question. Grand Strategy programs throughout the country have often voiced a more conservative perspective in looking at U.S. foreign policy. And actually, my role in starting to direct the program had a lot to do with trying to open it up and trying to anticipate that, actually, developing Grand Strategy could be done from a global perspective, not just a U.S. perspective; that the problems one would tackle would not just be security, but also the environment, and health and human rights; that these strategies you use might not just be military, but they might also be scientific, or cultural or grassroots. And, in fact, in this last year, we read Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals and we studied Aung San Suu Kyi and we studied Gandhi. So I think that the framework of Grand Strategy is a very large framework and it can be taught from different perspectives. The way we’ve taught it [at Yale] since I’ve directed it is very multidisciplinary, very open to all sides of the political spectrum—from the most conservative to the most liberal. And that, I think, frankly, has been the most fun; to actually have students have to wrap their brains around, “Jeepers, how does the other side of the argument make their argument here?” and try to really understand fully and get into a serious debate. And I think that concept, of trying to look at something from all sides, is very consistent with Vassar and consistent with liberal arts, consistent with, “Gee, how are we going to think about the world?” But I agree with you; it hasn’t always been that way, and I’ve enjoyed trying to broaden its perspective and hopefully have been successful at that. Misc.: What are you most looking forward to at Vassar?
EB: I can’t wait to get to know the students. You know, I had one [Vassar student] stop by my house this weekend who was at the Hackathon at Yale. [They were] really the first student I’d met, other than the two who are on the search committee, and I had so much fun hearing about Vassar from their perspective. I think this time in life of young adulthood, it’s such an exciting time to be present with people during that, so I’m really looking forward to that. I’m also looking forward to reading new things and knowing what the faculty are studying. I started already reading some of their books and reading some of their articles, and they’re just an amazing faculty. To come to a new place where you have all these gems creating new output is thrilling. I am looking forward to the Board [of Trustees]; I haven’t worked directly with a board. It’s just so creative, there’s some amazing people on the Board and the senior staff. So I guess it’s all getting to know a new community and people I’m really looking forward to. Misc.: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
EB: I would like them to know that I’m really honored to have been given this role and I’m really looking forward to being part of the community and I’ll see people in July.
NEWS
Page 4
February 2, 2017
Film screening sheds light on mental health in India Meg Howell Reporter
O
rphaned by two tragedies that claimed the lives of both their parents within the span of a month, Dinesh Das Sabu and his four siblings had no choice but to support each other during their childhood years in Albuquerque. “We grew up like boxcar children,” Sabu, now an independent filmmaker, commented in his autobiographical documentary “Unbroken Glass” (2016). On Friday, Jan. 27, members of Vassar’s South Asian Student Alliance (SASA) and Vassar Campus Entertainment (ViCE) Film hosted a screening of the film in the Sanders Classroom Spitzer Auditorium for the campus community. Finishing off the event was a question-and-answer session with Sabu, who was also in attendance. In an email, SASA Vice President Samanvaya Sharma ’18 spoke positively of the event. “It was a very moving documentary to watch,” reported Sharma. “After the screening, [Sabu] boldly answered both questions about his personal life and about the technicalities of making a meaningful film under a budget. We greatly appreciated his courage in coming out and being so vulnerable to our audience tonight. We hope that many more people watch the film...and that we continue to bring such fascinating people to campus.” Sabu’s ciné-verité project, which chronicles the demystification of his schizophrenic mother’s past, faced moderate fanfare following its premiere at the 2016 Seattle South Asian Film Festival last October. For his work as a director and co-producer,
the Indian-American documentarian won a Jury Award-Special Mention for Documentary Feature at the festival and garnered critical praise; the critic Nick Allen of the notoriously scathing RogerEbert.com deemed Unbroken a “promising directorial review” (RogerEbert.com, “Preview of the 2016 Kartemquin Fall Festival,” 10.31.2016). Sabu’s success extends beyond his 2016 directorial debut on mental health. After graduating from the University of Chicago in 2006, he became a finalist for the Prize for Emerging Artists in 2011 and, in 2014, won a fellowship from Firelight Media’s Documentary Lab. However, “Unbroken Glass” was by far the most personal project of his career. “As this very personal journal continued, it got bigger than just my family. The idea of making a documentary...seemed very natural, like something we should do, a conversation we need to be having in our community,” Sabu commented at the 2014 Eye on India convention in Chicago (YouTube, “Unbroken Glass Part One,” 8.19.2014). Spanning across five years, three states and two countries, the film revolves around the theme of mental illness and how it is misunderstood within the South Asian diaspora in a time when exploring mental health is less taboo than it used to be. Increasingly, intersectional advocacy groups have begun challenging mental illness shaming in ethnic communities as more become aware of how such a stigmatization transcends all social and ethnic groups. Using a South Asian enclave in Harrow, North West London as a sample group, Rethink Men-
tal Illness, an English-based interest group that champions the rights of the mentally ill, cited six major factors that contribute to the maltreatment of mental health problems in the South Asian community: Shame, misconception, not wanting to ostracize ill family members, social pressure to conform, prejudice and the possibility of damaging arranged marriage prospects (Time-to-Change.org, “Attitudes towards mental health problems in the South Asian community in Harrow, North West London”). Speaking on arranged marriages as well as the claustrophobic cultural pressure that can surround them and other conventions, Priya Misra ’17 said in an interview, “My father’s family is Indian and had a difficult time accepting my mother, who’s from Australia, because their marriage was the first non-arranged one in his family.” The study goes on to highlight the universality of mental disorders, pointing out that one in every four people will be affected by mental illness at some point of their lives. “There is a deep-rooted misunderstanding of mental health problems passed through generations,” reads the study’s conclusion, drawing parallels between similar types of mental health shaming in various ethnic communities. “People with mental health problems must battle to get the right professional support and treatment while also struggling with ingrained attitudes that promote stigma, discrimination, isolation and [shame].” Like in much of the West and in particular racial enclaves in Western countries, India’s acceptance of the mentally ill has come gradually. In 2010, the country celebrated its first National
ADVERTISEMENT
News Briefs Trump’s Executive Orders Polarize Nation
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders calling for the immediate construction of a border wall with Mexico, and increased efforts to find and deport undocumented immigrants. He also announced plans to decrease legal immigration, including preventing Syrian refugees from entering the United States. These executive orders are poised to fulfill some of his campaign’s most controversial promises. American citizens and international leaders alike are debating their constitutionality, impact on foreign relations and effect on American identity. As Trump presses forward, the world is paying careful attention. Trump’s legal immigration initiatives will block Syrian refugees from entering the United States and will prevent refugees from other countries from entering for at least 120 days. After, the refugee program will resume on a much smaller scale, admitting 50,000 people per year as opposed to the 110,000 admitted in 2016. In addition, all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries will be suspended for 90 days as an act of terrorism prevention (The Wall Street Journal, “Donald Trump’s Immigration Ban Sows Chaos, 1.30.2017). During this period, the government will refine its terrorist screening procedures (The New York Times, “Trump Orders Mexican Border Wall to be Built and Plans to Block Syrian Refugees, 1.25.2017). To combat illegal immigration, Trump mandated the hiring of 5,000 border control agents and tripled the number of Custom Enforcement Agents. He also called for the construction of the highly-disputed barrier wall, insisting that it will be paid for by Mexico. Sean Spicer, Trump’s press secretary, suggested that an import tax on Mexican goods could supply the necessary funding. President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a trip to Washington on Thursday, however, to emphasize that Mexico has no intention of financing the project. In an interview, former Mexican president Vicente Fox said that U.S.-Mexico relations are the worst that they have ever been. He added, “I never thought the U.S. people would go for a president like this” (The Washington Post, “White House Says Mexico Border Wall Might Be Funded by Tax on Imports,” 1.26.2017). Trump’s executive orders not only target Mexico, but also sanctuary cities. These cities, such as Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. To increase compliance with immigration laws, Trump plans to halt funding for all
Mental Health Awareness Day. “General physicians were not aware of mental illness. Initially they would say, ‘Do some yoga and meditation,’” said Rukmini Pillai, a New Delhi housewife turned government lobbyist whose daughter suffers from mental illness, in an interview with National Public Radio. She continued, “They would say, ‘You must not have given proper food diet to your child, that’s why she became ill,’” “Unbroken Glass” challenges not only racial norms, but also stereotypes about the mentally ill present in the entertainment media. Despite the fact that the real life people on which they are based are statistically more likely to be victims, mentally ill fictional characters are portrayed as perpetrators of violence more often than those who aren’t. On the opposite end of the spectrum, popular media has the tendency to reduce mentally ill characters into reductive social oddities. Films like “Me, Myself & Irene” and television shows like “Monk,” which falsely subscribes the symptoms of sophomoric silliness to dissociative identity disorder and anal retentiveness to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, respectively, wield the power to alter how society views the mentally ill. Perhaps the most disquieting fact of all is that, according to a report by the US News & World Report, studies indicate media as a primary informational source on issues of mental illness for the public in spite of its pitfalls (U.S. News and World Report, “How Mental Illness is Misrepresented in the Media,” 4.16.2015). “Unbroken Glass” is scheduled to air on PBS this May.
of their programs except law enforcement. He also intends to frequently publish a list of the cities that refuse to cooperate (NBC News, “Trump Signs Executive Order Aimed at Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration,” 1.25.2017). California state senators argued that this plan violates the Tenth Amendment since it forces local governments to implement federal statutes. Mayors of several sanctuary cities spoke out against it, as well. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee stated, “We will not give in to threats, or political grandstanding. Together, the Bay Area will stay true to our values of inclusiveness, compassion and equality” (The New York Times, “‘Sanctuary City’ Mayors Vow to Defy Trump’s Immigration Order,” 1.25.2017). While many believe that Trump’s immigration reforms enhance national security, others see them as threats to American identity. Traditionally a nation celebrated for welcoming newcomers, the United States has assumed a very different persona. Deputy Director of America’s Voice Education Fund Lynn Tramonte spoke out, asserting, “[The orders are] a dramatic, radical and extreme assault on immigrants and the values of our country” (The New York Times, “Trump Orders Mexican Border Wall to be Built and Plans to Block Syrian Refugees,” 1.25.2017). Tramonte is not alone in her opinion. On Saturday, a New York federal judge ruled against the order banning immigration from the seven Muslim countries, saying that those who arrived legally could not be deported. Two federal judges in Boston placed a seven day restraining order on Trump’s travel ban. Lawyers in Virginia earned the right to protect detainees for a week (NBC News, “Trump Defends His Immigration Ban Amid Uncertainty, Public Outcry,” 1.29.2017). In addition, several protests erupted across the country. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at U.S. airports this past weekend to denounce Trump’s travel restrictions. New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, tweeted his support for the protests. “I never thought I’d see the day when refugees, who have fled war-torn countries in search of a better life, would be turned away at our doorstep ... This is not who we are, and not who we should be” (NPR, “Thousands Protest Nationwide Against Trump’s Immigration Order,” 1.29.2017). While not everyone agrees with Cuomo, he touches on something important: Trump, with his nationalist policies, is redefining America’s values. In the weeks that come, the world will see the implications of this redefinition. – Hanna Stasiuk, Guest Reporter
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
February 2, 2017
FEATURES
Page 5
VC questions efficacy, accessibility of women’s march MARCH continued from page 1
direction.” Optimistic that the march will ultimately support the rights of all femmes, the Women’s March’s mission statement reads, “We support the advocacy and resistance movements that reflect our multiple and intersecting identities. We call on all defenders of human rights to join us. This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up.” Varrichione remains hopeful that marches such as these will continue to mobilize, and that they will evolve into the more intersectional, inclusive protests of the activists’ hopes. She said, “... There is definitely room for improvement in regards to these kinds of marches, which there will be more of, for sure. Hopefully there will be increased intersectionality, more room and visibility for trans women, more awareness of the power behind the words put onto signs and into chants, and a continuing growth in participation.” In the days following the marches, both the media and public turned to protesters for answers regarding the sustainability and efficacy of the event. Was this march a one-time uprising, or does it have hope as a continued movement? And above all, the most prevalent response to the surge of femmes across the globe was, ‘where were you in November?’ President Trump himself tweeted, “Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn’t these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.” Conservatives and liberals alike are now wondering if, despite Clinton’s victory with the popular vote, enough individuals took proactive action at the polls before turning to reactionary action in the streets. Varrichione echoes this sentiment, lamenting that the tone of the event was overshadowed by the grim reality of U.S. politics. “The event was a mixed bag of emotions for me. I was comforted to see how many of my neighbors and fellow New Yorkers were passionate and active,” she
Courtesy of Suzanna Varrichione
said, “I would say that the entire crowd was on edge… The aim of the march was to provide solidarity and a voice for all women, as well as to send a message to the new administration of the resistance that is to come for the next four years. “I think the goal is strength in numbers and change through action. The Trump administration can bully its way through politics for only so long, and the more resistance Trump faces, the harder it will be for him to get away with his tyranny. His scorched earth-style leadership cannot sustain longevity, and if our voices continue to be loud, he will have to listen.” Soraya Perry ’17 attended the march in Philadelphia, but described a more joyous atmosphere. She recounted that her interactions with fellow protesters were cheerful, but noted that there was a discrepancy between the march’s goal of inclusivity and the demographics of the protesters. Like others who attended the marches worldwide, Perry surmised that the lack of friction among protesters themselves or between protesters and police was caused by the dearth of diversity in the march. She said, “The atmosphere was joyous and people were very friendly and patient with one another. However, I think that may be a result of the protestors being quite uniform in race and class background.” In fact, one of the larger critiques of the march was the homogenous nature of the protestors. Perry observed, “Many of the protesters seemed to be coming in from wealthier and whiter suburbs of the city. Though the majority of the rally leaders were Black folks, the Black people of Philadelphia largely didn’t participate in the march. I think this made it easy for those marching to imagine a solidarity with one another, because they didn’t have to do the work of bridging a socioeconomic divide.” Sophie Koreto ’18 agreed, noting, “I would say it felt invigorating to be there and I’m a firm believer in strength in numbers, but there were definitely shortcomings in terms of inclusion. I wish the march had taken a more intersectional
Protesters gather at major cities in the U.S. and around the globe to protest President Trump’s inauguration. Pictured above is the New York City rally, which hosted approx. 400,000 protesters. said, “Additionally, it was uplifting to see marches take place around the country and globally.” Despite the positive emotions of the march, Varrichione could not forget the reason they were marching. “However, it was also immensely frustrating to see all of this action but know that at the end of the day, our flawed system of the electoral college allowed Trump to win the election, against the majority of the vote, and to the detriment of society. In the week following the march, too many appalling policies have already been enacted,” Varrichione noted. Protests have also sprung up against Trump’s executive orders surrounding an immigration ban on seven Muslim countries. Many see this as a response to critiques of the Women’s March as a one-time protest, hoping the airport protests
signify that women and their allies will continue to challenge the administration. For activists, the prospect of progress lies solely on the capabilities of the movement. When more femmes can vocalize their grievances and find solidarity in the movement, it will grow into a formidable political agent. Without space for all women, however, the campaign will surely and rightfully fall short of its aims. Perry mused, “I think this movement is a useful tool during this initial period where we’re all grasping for any form of protest and resistance that is available to us, but I don’t think it’ll be sustainable until it has been reshaped into a movement constructed and led by people of color. If people of color aren’t participating in a movement, it’s probably a broken movement.”
Modfest 2017 centers on community-building, activism Jakob Eckstein Guest Reporter
M
odfest has been a yearly occurrence at Vassar since Adene Wilson initiated it in 2003 with help from her husband, Richard. A Vassar alum, Wilson drew inspiration for the festival from a method she employed as an elementary school teacher. Adene elaborated: “ [I would] take one idea and find as many different disciplines as possible, social sciences, science, math, art, music, history, writing, to branch off from that idea to develop it with the kids.” This philosophy informed the way the Wilsons organized Modfest for the next fourteen years, and although the festival’s structure has been flexible, the nature of its interdisciplinary core remained. The Wilsons retired last year, but the festival’s new organizers, Chair of Music and Director of Choral Activities Christine Howlett and Interdisciplinary Arts Coordinator of the Creative Arts Across Disciplines (CAAD) Tom Pacio, have collaborated to deepen Modfest’s commitment to an interdisciplinary celebration of the arts. The Vassar music department has traditionally been the body central to Modfest’s organization, so this close collaboration between the music department and CAAD marks an additional step to integrate departments that wasn’t taken in the past. The CAAD initiative is a three-year experiment on campus that is funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In fact, Modfest was one of the programs included in the grant proposal Vassar sent the foundation to showcase its ability to do interdisciplinary work. Thus, both Howlett and Pacio view their collaboration as conducive to achieving Modfest’s mission. The festival began on January 26th with an ambulatory concert that traversed a variety of spaces on campus, and will culminate on February 5th with an event featuring broadway superstar Audra McDonald. McDonald will perform some of her favorite works with music director, Andy Einhorn, and later sit down with faculty member, Mia Mask,
for a conversation on some of her most passionate causes. McDonald has won many awards, including six Tony awards, and is best known for her roles in Ragtime, Raisin in the Sun and Porgy and Bess. Although Howlett stressed her excitement for Modfest as a whole, she thinks McDonald’s presence alone would make this year’s Modfest truly special. “Having a singer like Audra McDonald, we’ve never been able to bring someone like that for Modfest… she’s a brilliant performer but she’s also an activist herself.” The event featuring McDonald requires an online reservation, and all available seats have already been filled. Members of the Vassar community were so eager to attend the event that, according to Howlett, every ticket was claimed within two minutes of their availability. February 5th’s “An Afternoon with Audra McDonald” is Modfest’s crown jewel this year, but the festival’s program is chock-full of additional events that would make Adene Wilson proud (and already have, she’s been to every event so far). Modfest connects different artistic disciplines, but music is still the core of the festival. In addition to the opening concert, which showcased Vassar’s chamber music ensembles and the Vassar College Choir, there was a concert on Jan. 28 to honor Adene and Richard Wilson. Upcoming musical events include a concert by the Vassar Ensembles and Cabaret Night on February 4th. However, due to CAAD’s influence on programming this year, there are also a number of unique interdisciplinary events on the docket. Last Saturday, Modfest hosted a professional development workshop in the Aula for aspiring artists of all kinds. Pacio notes, “Something that I rarely see happen on this campus is an event where there’s a representative from music, dance, art and drama. What if we had a representative form all of those departments talking about the printed materials for the beginning of your career. It feels like a great follow-up for Sophomore Career Connections,” a networking event the college hosted the weekend before classes started. On January 27th, the Rosenwald Film Theater
housed a panel discussion that focused on approaches to creative healing. Panelists included Christine Rodman, an opera singer turned health attorney and speech pathologist, Shanna Richey, a social worker who specializes in treating children with selective mutism and Joe DeGrand ’17, who created a documentary film about the transformative effects of music therapy in hospice care. DeGrand’s presence on this panel was a testament to the collaboration between CAAD and the music department. In the summer of 2015, DeGrand was part of a CAAD-funded team of students that created a multimedia project from narratives they collected from patients at Hudson Valley Hospice. A film major, DeGrand later went on to create a documentary for his senior project about the the music therapists he met there. As a film student who hasn’t mingled much with the music world at Vassar, this is Joe’s first time being involved with Modfest, and he’s thrilled about it. “It’s largely been a music thing, and still a lot of it is centered around the music, English and art departments. So there aren’t too many people I usually associate with, but I’ve met people i’m very interested in working with and collaborating with. I’m glad I was able to interface with people in those departments through the documentary because I think, you know, music gets strangely relegated to a past time. Its bizarre. It’s universally heralded as a very moving thing. But at the same time it’s sort of like its kind of common to have moving experiences with music. Which I think kind of belittles the impact it can have on people. Like its just entertainment. But once you see the amazing things that music is used for, its pretty hard to deny the power of music.” Joe’s film, and the project he was involved with in 2015, embody Modfest’s theme this year: “Raising Voices.” The theme is broad, and can be applied to almost anything, but this is by design. Matthew McCardwell ’17, one of Tom Pacio’s student assistants who was integral to CAAD’s involvement in Modfest this year, explained it best. “Raising Voices takes on a lot of different tenors in our office. We’ve been thinking a lot about
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
how the spine to Modfest is the music department, so raising voices is inherently all about music, and we’ve made sure there’s a vast array of music represented… But we’ve also been thinking about how raising voices applies to all the arts, and that this is an era where we need to raise our voices and stand up for what we believe in. We need to make sure the arts are heard and that they can play their integral role in community building, community awareness and coming to our senses. That’s what we’ve been trying to facilitate.” McCardwell’s explanation reveals the political slant that many campus events, including Modfest, have taken on in response to Trump’s election. This bias is most easily recognizable in the ongoing exhibit in the Old Bookstore called Engage! The Artist’s Voice, also a part of Modfest, which displays a bold collection of artistic works of political protest that ask “each of us how we might… SPEAK UP.” Organized by McCardwell himself, The Old Bookstore is also the location of the upcoming event called Connecting Voices, which takes place this Thursday. The event will be a workshop featuring artist Ann Daily and the Spanish musician Álvaro Marcos, who are collaborating on a translations project to preserve the voices of multiple generations of the Podemos Party, a group that opposed Francisco Franco’s fascist regime in Spain. Political science professor Katherine Hite, who is teaching a class called “Politics of Memory” this semester, will also be present. Daily and Marcos were strangers before they began collaborating on this project, and that is the focus of Connecting Voices. McCardwell hopes students who attend will learn to work together with people they don’t know, to use creativity to foster community and solidarity in the face of political chaos. Exhibits like Engage! serve as reminders that art is simultaneously a comfort, and a tool of political action. Christine Howlett reminds us, “art, in itself, is hopeful.” Modfest has a lot to offer in the way of hope. Go check it out.
Page 6
FEATURES
February 2, 2017
ADVERTISEMENT
Call For Papers The Vassar College English Majors’ Committee is proud to announce the launch of the Vassar Critical Journal, a student-run publication sponsored by the English Department that publishes critical works on literary topics from Vassar undergraduate students. The goal of the Journal is to stimulate public intellectual discourse among students on literary topics, to acknowledge the high quality of the written work created by Vassar literature students, and to provide opportunities for Vassar students to learn about the academic publishing process. For the inaugural 2017 issue of the Vassar Critical Journal, the English Majors’ Committee would like to invite the submission of papers on literary topics from all current Vassar students. Students from all disciplines are invited to participate, as long as their work focuses on some literary work or aspect of literature. The papers should be academic in content, style, and tone, and should adhere to MLA guidelines for citation and formatting. In order to encourage the inclusion of underclassmen writers, the Journal will not be accepting full theses. However, thesis chapters which are edited to stand alone are acceptable. Papers will be read and evaluated by a volunteer editorial board from the English Majors’ Committee, under the guidance of English Department faculty. Works will be selected for publication based on the originality of ideas, strength of argument, and effectiveness of academic techniques in the paper. Submission guidelines: All papers should follow MLA style, focus on a work or works of literature or engage theoretical approaches to literature, and should be literary/critical in content, form, and style. Submissions should be at least five pages double-spaced, and no more than 20 pages (excluding Works Cited). All essays must be submitted in English, and any essays that analyze a text in a language other than English should provide translations for quoted material. Each student may submit up to two papers for consideration. All materials should be submitted online via the Vassar Critical Journal website no later than February 20, 2017. For papers that focus more on philosophical ideas than the analysis of literature, we recommend that students submit to the The Vassar College Journal of Philosophy instead. We encourage students focusing on literature relating to Jewish Studies to consider submitting to Neshama, Vassar’s Jewish Studies journal, as well. If you are submitting the same piece to more than one journal, please indicate this on your submission. No identifying information should appear on your document. Members of the The Vassar Critical Journal editorial board may submit their own work for consideration, but the Editor will ensure that any board member’s anonymized submission will be reviewed only by a different member of the board. Visit pages.vassar.edu/VassarCriticalJournal for more information.
February 2, 2017
FEATURES
Page 7
ECVC offers space for religious discourse, reflection ECVC continued from page 1
ly come up at some point. Because it has largely been such a Christian space in the past, there have been great opportunities to talk about and explore the difference between various Christian denominational traditions. Discussions aren’t planned, and there aren’t any guest speakers or activities. All of the talk flows naturally.” Everyone is welcomed and included in the dinner and discussion. Rev. James stressed, “I want to be clear that students DO NOT have to be regular participants in ECVC, VCC or VXF to come to the dinner as it is open to all on campus.” As students file into the parlor, the reverend meets them each with a warm and personal greeting. First-time visitors receive the same welcome and are familiarized with the group in no time. The general ambiance is like that of an intimate dinner party. Old acquaintances fill each other in on their winter break experiences, and new relationships are forged with every budding conversation. Similar to a study break, students and community members chat as the reverend passes around chocolate cookies. Rev. James noted that the dinner provides a
restorative place to for people to relax and clear their minds during times of stress. Before midterms and finals, students often spend an hour there snacking, chatting and napping. According to Rev. James, the dinner began with Reverend Barrows, her predecessor, in the early 2000s. At the time, Rev. Barrows held the chaplaincy and was providing worship on Tuesday evenings in a closet in the basement of the Chapel. Because both the VCC and VXF were meeting mid-week with food, she decided to start the Tuesday dinner. She had the time to cook for the gathering and did so for several years, and when she was short on time she’d purchase take out from local restaurants. Siennah Yang ’18, who has been a regular attendant since her freshman year, said, “I have three other ministries for which I am responsible which limits my time to cook, so I regularly order pizza and salad for the dinner. This is supported by program funds allocated by the Episcopal Diocese of New York Campus Ministry committee.” She adds that the ECVC likes to finish off each semester with a big splurge. Last year Rev. James
ordered from Bacio’s and cooked chili for the event. The ECVC Free for All Supper is an amalgam of organizations, an opportunity for members of different groups to meet. Rev. James stated, “I assumed the ministry in July 2015 and have continued the long-standing tradition of the Tuesday ‘Free for All’ dinner. I am pleased that this academic year has brought a more ecumenical feel to the evening with students from ECVC, VCC, VXF and also no affiliation to any of these groups in attendance.” “It’s really all about fellowship,” James said. Participants of the Free for All Dinner enjoy a weekly assembly that fosters communication in a safe and relaxing atmosphere. Corinne Sigmund ’20 reflected, “I usually go to the dinner every week. It’s a friendly and welcoming environment and it’s nice to connect with people I might not get to know otherwise.” Nichols shared, “The Tuesday night dinners are valuable, I think, because they provide a space where talk about religion is encouraged, but it’s not strictly one tradition or one denomination. Around 20 or 25 people generally show up, and I think they come (in addition to the
draw of the free food) because it’s a place that’s open to talk of religion, but not a formal setting like a church service.” He added, “I personally find it rewarding because it’s one of the few spaces where casual discussion of religion and religious differences can happen at Vassar in my experience. It also provides a space where people from various religious orgs can regularly meet together and plan events like the ecumenical day of service that Rev. James organized, in which people from ECVC, VCC and VXF spent a morning at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, helping fulltime workers and volunteers sort through vast quantities of food that had been donated.” At a campus commonly labeled as nonreligious, events like the ECVC Free for All Supper allow students a safe haven for religious exploration and contemplation in a community where the public discourse is either discouraged or lacking. Students with religious backgrounds or the desire to interact with different faiths find in the ECVC a new resource. And for those with no interest in Christian denominations there is, if nothing else, free food.
Andrea Yang/The Miscellany News
Andrea Yang/The Miscellany News
Reverend James continues Reverend Barrow’s Tuesday night dinner tradition, inviting students of all faiths to enjoy free food and discuss topics ranging from religion to their personal hobbies.
Members of the Vassar Catholic Community (VCC) and Vassar Christian Fellowship (VXF) come together on Tuesdays to learn about and discuss the different denominations.
Vegan bean-inspired dessert sub proves aquafab-ulous Brooke Thomas Guest Reporter
A
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Courtesy of Pixabay
few years ago a friend told me about a Facebook group where people were talking about meringues with the goo from canned chickpeas. Naturally, I asked her to add me to the group immediately. First of all, what do we call it? Fortunately, the official name is aquafaba, not chickpea goop; aqua: water, faba: beans. Aquafaba can be made from all beans and many legumes. It’s basically just the liquid that remains after the beans or legumes have been cooked. So if you are boiling dried beans, it is the liquid left in the pot when they are done. Or if you are buying a can of beans, it’s the liquid in the can. Aquafaba is basically starch, protein,and some other plant stuff that combines to make an incredibly cheap and effective vegan egg replacer. It can be used straight up by adding three tablespoons of the liquid for one egg to most recipes. As I’ve discussed in previous articles, every baked good has an egg replacement that works best for its particular type. For example, I’ve found that aquafaba works great in cookies and bread, but it isn’t my favorite in brownies. It can also be used to make macarons, pancakes, French toast, mousse and pretty much anything else you thought might be hard to make vegan. The most incredible thing about aquafaba is revealed when it’s whipped. The more people I’ve talked to about aquafaba, the more I’ve realized that a lot of people don’t ever make or eat meringue. My main exposure to it (other than store-bought freezer lemon meringue pies) was in the form of little cookies my mom made around holidays that looked like mushrooms. (She basically made a little meringue stem and little meringue cap and put them together with melted chocolate.) If you’ve never experienced meringue before, it can come in a couple shapes and siz-
es, but it’s essentially a whipped egg white (or aquafaba) with sugar and vanilla extract. It can be cooked lightly, like on top of a pie, or dried out completely, like in the case of the mushroom cookie. My favorite way to eat aquafaba is as a whipped cream/marshmallow fluff topping for cakes and pies, or as an ice cream substitute. Although you can make your own, it is certainly easier to buy it in a can, so that’s what I usually do. Another aquafaba perk is that it forces me to eat a can of chickpeas. You can use the liquid from any can of beans, but the aquafaba whip will be the color of the liquid; so black bean aquafaba whip, for example, might not be as appetizing as chickpea or even kidney bean. The first step is to drain the liquid from the can into a mixing bowl. Next you are going to whip it! It is possible to do this with a whisk, but you’d have to have some very strong arms to pull that off. A stand mixer or an electric beater will both work fine. Whip the aquafaba until it has soft peaks. Some troubleshooting: your bowl should be room temperature or colder and should be free of any oil or oily residue. Oil deflates aquafaba, so make sure it has no part in the process. After you are done marveling at how cool it is that the chickpea goo is fluffy, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract and gradually add about three-fourths of a cup of granulated sugar. Keep whipping until you have stiff peaks. The amount of sugar and vanilla you add is ultimately up to you— taste the whip and add more (or less) until it tastes good to you. You can also use extracts other than vanilla just make sure they have no oil in them. And there you have it! You can put this fluff on pretty much anything; fruit, cake, pie, or even freeze it and have an awesome vegan cool whip. For more troubleshooting and recipe inspiration, add yourself to the Facebook group called Aquafaba (Vegan Meringue - Hits and Misses).
Ingredients
Liquid from one can of chickpeas or other beans 1 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup granulated sugar
OPINIONS
Page 8
February 2, 2017
The Miscellany News Staff Editorial
Women’s March overlooked complexities of movement
A
fter a large discrepancy between the results of the popular vote and the electoral college in the presidential election, the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States was received with lukewarm support. On Friday, Jan. 20, President Trump was sworn in and on Saturday, Jan. 21, half a million people took to the streets in Washington, D.C., as well as in sister marches across the nation, to protest. Together the marches became the largest protest in United States history. While crowd estimates comparing the march to the inaguration aren’t readily available due to the difficulty of crowd science, D.C. metro ridership is indicative of the differences in support of the events. On Friday, Jan. 20 by 11 a.m. there were 193 thousand trips taken in comparison to 275 thousand on the day of the women’s march. According to the official website of the march, around 4.9 million people participated in 673 marches around the world for women’s rights and equality. Despite the historical significance of the march and the strong message it sent to our lawmakers and Trump’s administration, there were numerous shortcomings. The march did not support transwomen, sex workers, sexual assault survivors or people of color to the same extent that it advocated for the rights of women of less marginalized identity groups (read: straight cis white women). Thousands of supporters wore pink knitted hats, called “pussy hats,” and carried signs reading phrases such as “pussy power,” “viva la vulva” and “this pussy grabs back.” While the latter serves as retaliation against President Trump’s statement, “Grab them by the pussy,” the graphic nature of this slogan is insensitive towards sexual assault survivors by triggering traumatic memories and beyond. Collectively, these slogans also tell another
story: one in which anatomy defines womanhood. They exclusively support cis females and utterly disregard trans women. As a result, the dangerous presence of TERFs, or trans-exclusionary radical feminists is strongly felt by many trans women and more. This group consists of two subgroups, accidental TERFs and intentional TERFs. Accidental TERFs unknowingly express that trans women are not real women by referring to anatomy or sex as the defining factor of gender. On the other hand, intentional TERFs outwardly claim that trans women are not women, but rather are men in disguise. But whether accidental or intentional, the presence of TERFs and their positions is always a harmful phenomenon. Confronted with anatomy-based slogans and signs, trans women felt excluded and targeted at the women’s marches worldwide. In addition to signs, trans women were visibly underrepresented during the speeches and performances at the marches, especially at the Women’s March on Washington. According to Advocate, out of 60 performers and speakers at the D.C. march who took the stage for the six-hour program, only three of them identified as trans. While the platform of the Women’s March stated, “We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us,” it failed to sufficiently center marginalized women (Hispanic Federation, “HF Heads to Women’s March on Washington,” 01.20.2017). While the march was meant as a demonstration of inclusive pro-woman strength, many people of color took issue with the role that white women chose to play in these marches. Some questioned whether the protest was so successfully peaceful because the police viewed the march as predominantly white, and therefore less threatening, noting that the police were not heavily armed and even posed
in photos with protesters. Additionally, many protestors brought up the fact that 53 percent of white women voted for Trump, illustrating the importance of centering marginalized voices within the march. For some straight white cis women attending the march, the only discrimination they face is in response to their gender. It is critical that feminist groups and events such as the Women’s March focus on marginalized women, to whom the Trump administration poses a significantly greater threat. Although the speeches and performances were a necessary part of the march, it is crucial to practice as well as preach intersectionality, and to respond to transmisogyny, racialized sexism and other multilayered forms of discrimination. Women’s movements in the United States are rooted in Black feminism and trans activism, and yet Black Lives Matter protests and marches for trans rights rarely see the outpouring of support from white cis women that was present at the Women’s March. Additionally, the fact that the march took place after Trump’s inauguration rather than during voting periods means that it was mainly symbolic and did not produce any direct results. However, such a show of unity against Trump could have had a real effect on his election had it taken place before Jan. 20. In response to the march, Trump tweeted, “Why didn’t these people vote?” acknowledging the impact that this movement could have had on the election. While we can assume that most people who attended the march voted, as shown in the results of the popular vote, he raises a unnerving point. If everyone who protested Trump’s election in January had taken action beforehand, perhaps they could have changed the complacency of white women who were not immediately in danger at the time and easily stayed silent.
Despite the lack of concrete results, the marches that occured in the days following the inauguration indicate the amount of power and unity people could gain by coming together, which shows potential to affect change in the current political situation. However, moving forward, it is crucial to focus on the immediate and long-term results that this administration will have on marginalized groups, and to show support in informed, productive ways. As protesters returned from the marches, the question asked by many was, “What next?” The actions and advocacy cannot stop here. If we want to spark real change, we must continue to fight. Donate to Planned Parenthood; reach out to local representatives to urge them to support or dismiss political actions; organize to defend our rights. Within our own campus, it is more crucial than ever to support trans women, women of color, undocumented students, students from Muslim countries and survivors of sexual assault. While the mission statement for the Women’s March proudly proclaimed, “We invite all defenders of human rights to join us,” it failed to specify that they must defend all human rights (Women’s March on Washington, “Mission & Vision”). There will surely be more marches and events of this sort during this administration. Recent protests in airports across the country following Trump’s executive order limiting the admission of refugees shows that the determination and anger displayed on Jan. 21 has not died down. It is vital to build off this momentum and continue to center the voices of marginalized women in our fight against the Trump administration. — The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.
Contemporary feminisms must include sex workers Emma Jones Senior Editor
T
he week before the Women’s March on Washington, coordinator for Sex Workers Alliance Ireland Kate McGrew noticed that the platform for the event no longer showed explicit support for sex workers’ rights: the words “in solidarity with the sex workers’ movement” had been edited to read, “those exploited for labor and sex.” Hesitancy on the part of women’s rights activists to include sex workers in their definition of “women” is nothing new. Throughout history, sex workers have been repeatedly shut out of feminist movements. Only in the past few decades has the public begun to recognize sex workers’ rights activists groups, such as the English Collective of Prostitutes, Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, the Scarlet Alliance in Australia, in any significant way. But in a modern feminist context–one in which activists are largely striving to dismantle the notion that women can be sexual objects, but never sexual subjects–it is hard to understand how language perpetuating this very myth could end up in the platform of one of the largest protests in United States history. By changing the phrase to passive voice and presenting “exploitation” as synonymous with “sex work,” the Women’s March team painted female sex workers as inherently powerless and submissive. The change makes it clear that, “‘The Women’s March only stands with people exploited for sex, not those abused and exploited by the state for having sex’” (Reason, “Women’s March Waffles on Sex-Worker Rights, Disinvites Women Who Oppose Abortion,” 01.17.2017) (emphasis Brown’s). The Women’s March team has yet to comment on the word change. Eventually, after an online uproar, TV host and transgender rights activist Janet Mock, who was responsible for the initial statement, worked with the writers to return the original language to the platform (Mic, “Is the Women’s March on Washington Welcoming to Sex Workers?” 01.18.2017). Mock also spoke at the Women’s March, and verbalized fierce support for sex workers, as well as for transgender women of
color and others who are disproportionately in danger under the Trump administration. Before the event, she tweeted, “‘Sex work is work. We must be free to make choices about our bodies, our lives. We must respect one another’s agency. Period’” (The Blaze, “Women’s March: Pro-Life Groups Not Allowed, but ‘Sex Workers’ Welcome?” 01.19.2017). She elaborated in a Tumblr post that she rejects the myth that sex workers are “selling their bodies” and that they inherently need to be saved. She went on to call out feminist movements for erasing sex workers from their efforts altogether, or unquestioningly equating their work with human trafficking.
“...communities within the industry have used a variety of methods to mobilize against Trump.” Kate McGrew commented following the restoration of the original phrasing, “I actually cried for all of us sex workers...The feminist movement has been splintered for so long over this, I thought finally we are being recognized for what we are: women working according to our personal circumstances, often with very few resources” (The Blaze). The incident motivated an outpouring of explicit support for sex workers’ rights from individuals and activist groups alike. A post on the Canada page for the Women’s March stated, “‘We, at Women’s March Washington-Canada do not support the removal of this language and apologize to anyone who was hurt by this’” (Mic). Many anti-Trump protesters used Twitter, Facebook and other social media to make it clear that they stood with sex workers unconditionally. While the organizers of the Women’s March explicitly stated, “‘The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us–immigrants of all statuses, Mus-
lims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault,’” they notably left out those who willingly work within the sex industry (The Huffington Post, “The Women’s March on Washington Needs to Better Embrace Sex Workers,” 01.19.2017). This is not only a glaring oversight, but also a markedly hypocritical one. Sex workers, who are inevitably at greater risk under the Trump administration by virtue of their industry, are overwhelmingly women, and many are undocumented immigrants, queer or transgender. Additionally, nearly all workers rely on independent contractors, and therefore rely on low-cost health insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act or clinics such as Planned Parenthood who serve uninsured patients on a sliding scale (Rolling Stone, “How Sex Workers are Fighting Back Against Trump,” 11.23.2016). A platform that fervently supports accessible health care for women and low income people and advocates improved sexual health care is remiss to leave out one of the communities that will be most severely affected by the potential elimination of these already scarce resources. Whether or not mainstream feminist movements have chosen to include sex workers in their cause, communities within the industry have used a variety of methods to mobilize against Trump. Leading up to the election, a small number financially well-off women within the industry began setting aside a portion of their income to funnel into a number of sex-positive causes. Ari, a New York-based social worker and escort, reported that Republican clientele kept the city’s sex workers particularly busy in the week following the election (Rolling Stone). Many of these workers subsequently redirected a portion of the money they earned from their Trump-supporting clients into causes such as Planned Parenthood and Standing Rock protests. Others are organizing special fundraising shifts at strip clubs, which they advertise in Facebook groups and online forums. A large portion of the sex industry, however,
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
does not have the disposable income necessary to fight back against Trump. Therefore it is necessary for NGOs, feminist activist groups and individuals to champion the rights of sex workers alongside queer women, women of color, differently abled women, low-income women, Muslim women and victims of sexual assault. Although a fraction of sex workers are in fact entirely autonomous, they cannot reshape the industry if they stand alone. Inclusion of all women does not mean taking a uniform approach to each individual issue. While feminist efforts must fundamentally be intersectional and all-encompassing, it would be remiss to expect our visions of change to ever be identical. In fact, a multifaceted issue, such as that presented in the Women’s March platform, necessitates a multifaceted approach.
“Audre Lorde once said, ‘I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.’ ” It is important to remember that millions of women, as well as men and children, are, in the words of the Women’s March team, “exploited for labor and sex.” Acknowledgment of the women who voluntarily work in the sex industry does not mean dismissing the victims of exploitation, sexual assault and human trafficking; a greater understanding of all sides of the industry is potentially beneficial to both autonomous and nonautonomous workers. If “pop feminism” continues to gloss over sex workers’ rights because it is uncomfortable or foreign or inconvenient, we can never truly make progress. Audre Lorde once said, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” Empathy for the plight of sex workers in all pockets of the industry is crucial to not only their futures, but ours as well.
February 2, 2017
OPINIONS
Page 9
Economies must adapt to technological advancement Samin Huq
Guest Columnist
M
ore than a month has passed since the historic upset that took place during the US Presidential Election of Nov. 9, 2016, in which Donald Trump against all odds defeated Hillary Clinton and has become the 45th President of the United States. One major group often credited for Trump’s shock victory is the working class of America, particularly in the Rust Belt. For some time now, millions of workers and their families have been left reeling from the collapse of commodity manufacturing employment and despondent due to no longer having a way to provide for themselves. Enter Trump, who boldly claimed to bring back manufacturing jobs from China and an assortment of other places, through rejecting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, repealing NAFTA and challenging China with tariffs and other trade barriers. Of course, as many economists and scientists have pointed out, it isn’t that simple. For one, robots–not trade–account for an increasing number of lower-skill job losses in manufacturing, easily taking on repetitive tasks. A recent study by the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University pegged productivity growth (largely automation) as the cause of 85 percent of manufacturing job losses (5.6 million in total) from 2000 to 2010. In comparison, only 13 percent of the jobs lost were the result of trade. According to the Boston Consulting Group, it costs only $8 to use a robot to do spot welding in the auto industry, as opposed to $25 for a human worker (about thrice as much). Business employers are in it to make profits, and forcing them to pay thrice as much severely cuts into their profitability. When discussing the relative effects of automation and trade on American jobs, Lawrence Katz, a Harvard economics professor who researches labor and technological change had this to say: “Over the long haul, clearly automation’s been much more important — it’s not even close.” In fact, manufacturing jobs have decreased nearly everywhere including China, dubbed one of the “largest losers of manufacturing jobs,” as
Charles Kenny noted in his Bloomberg piece, “Why Factory Jobs Are Shrinking Everywhere.” Robots have played a role here, even in China. According to the South China Morning Post, Foxconn Technology (a supplier for Apple and Samsung, infamous for horrific cases of workplace abuse and worker suicide) has replaced at least 60,000 workers with robots in one factory alone. It’s not as simple as bringing jobs back from China, when workers even there are being replaced by the thousand with robots. While research conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology pinpoints a quarter of the job losses from the 1990s to 2007 as a result of trade with China, other records indicate that manufacturing jobs were decreasing before China’s rise as a manufacturing superpower. According to the Boston Report, even as U.S. manufacturing employment falls, the industry itself has only grown stronger. Output has risen by around 40 percent, whereas yearly value added by American manufacturing factories is higher than it has ever been, accounting for inflation. It was also noted that had the US manufacturing sector been a nation itself, it would be the seventh richest. So much for the oft-repeated myth that US manufacturing as a whole is under attack. What is also often ignored is that the number of job vacancies in the United States is actually a staggering two million, a 15-year high, when it comes to high-skilled manufacturing jobs, according to the Manufacturing Institute. Few skilled workers, in spite of factory owners’ best attempts to find them (even paying more than the market wage), exist to take on these jobs. Among the causes for these vacancies are boomers retiring, younger generations looking at the manufacturing industry in a negative light, a shortage of workers possessing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills and declining technical education programs in public high schools. The Wall Street Journal states that even as skill requirements have increased with modernization, education and training of workers have not. The Manufacturing Institute also reported
that 80 percent of manufacturing executives have claimed that six out of ten manufacturing job positions remain unfilled due to this skill shortage, 82 percent report a moderate or serious skills gap in skilled production and 74 percent report that the skills gap has hurt their company’s ability to expand operations. Connecting the issues of automation and skill demand is the fact that many manufacturing companies have already returned to the US from China and elsewhere, only to bring back fewer human jobs due to having robots to take on the more repetitive and lower skill-oriented jobs. One example is the private Michigan manufacturing company Ranir. As described in the Los Angeles Times, Ranir returned a fifth of its production of toothbrush heads from China to the United States. However, automation ensured that only four human workers would be required to perform the same work that dozens were required to do in China, so fewer jobs came back. There are ways in which the government can address this issue. For one, the government could invest more in technical education and STEM-oriented programs in public high schools and colleges, as well as provide economic and transitional support to displaced workers. Retraining should be provided so that lower-skilled workers can move into new careers if they choose. On the flip side, both displaced and potential workers alike should be encouraged to pursue higher-skilled positions in the manufacturing industry. In addition, workers and potential workers should be encouraged to enter trade schools or perhaps gain a technical degree. President Obama and others have already suggested making community college (where manufacturing companies increasingly look for potential workers to fill gaps) free for all. Others have suggested primarily directing this benefit at American students who truly need the financial support, are training in skills or degrees in high demand among American employers and attend community colleges that have a relatively high retention rate (many of them apparently do not). Community colleges and manufacturing com-
panies have teamed up in providing personalized training to displaced or potential workers, allowing them to easily secure well-paying jobs. When 10,000 jobs were lost in the St. Louis auto industry, the St. Louis Community College trained workers in using new technologies, enabling many to acquire jobs assembling Boeing jets. Another example would be Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s cooperation with the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance in training ship-building workers. One of the companies that was a part of the Alliance was given a contract to build ten US Navy ships, creating 1,000 new jobs in Wisconsin that may have gone elsewhere if trained workers didn’t exist to take them. There is no question that working class Americans have suffered immensely. However, trade is not the true problem and trade protectionism not the solution. Increased productivity is what has swallowed up so many lower-skilled jobs, and increased productivity is actually a good thing for the American manufacturing industry, the American economy and the United States as a whole. As such, attacking international trade with China may seem appealing to politicians on the left and right who care about being elected or re-elected as a simple “solution” for the problems of the working class Americans (as opposed to robots, which they conveniently never mention, and ultimately do more harm than good to that very same working class in the long run. Recent and continuing improvements in technology simply mean that the “good old days” remain in the past. The solution should be to assist displaced and potential manufacturing workers in either accepting and adapting to American manufacturing as it is today or pursuing work in a different albeit still prosperous industry. In any case, a stronger social safety net, increased access to community colleges and investments in STEM training will all do far more to help potential and/or laid-off manufacturing workers than senseless, counterfactual protectionism ever will.
Journalism will continue to suffer, decline in the Trump era Andrew Solender Guest Columnist
U
nless you have been living under a rock since break, you probably saw Donald Trump’s press conference at which he called out CNN for being “fake news.” While this comment may seem somewhat run of the mill for the man who gave us such classics as casually bragging about sexual assault, committing high treason in public (asking Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails), and now golden showers, it is actually quite dangerous. In hijacking this term and throwing it back at the liberals that fake news most negatively impacted, Trump is attempting to erase the visibility of one of the leading factors to his election. This may be a controversial topic to write about in a newspaper, but journalism is a quickly dying industry. This idea may depend on how one defines journalism. Some might say that the subjective think pieces, news blogs and listicles that are saturating the internet-news world could be considered journalism. They would therefore conclude that the journalism industry is simply taking a new form rather than hemorrhaging jobs, capital and quality reporting. For the purpose of this piece, however, journalism will be defined as reporting from traditional news outlets such as the The New York Times or Time Magazine. To many, the names of such outlets seem antiquated, or even unfamiliar. Millennials prefer increasingly to get their news from Facebook feeds and more non-traditional news sources like Upworthy or Now This. These newer, social media charged outlets pride themselves on picking up stories that the mainstream media wouldn’t cover. Articles on these sights have eye catching titles such as “Republican Millennials Have Surprising Views About Birth Control” and “This Bald Eagle Lost One of His Wings — But a Man Found the Most Amazing Way to Let Him Fly Again.” All of these topics could easily fall under the umbrella of news, but they are definitely not the kinds of topics that traditional sources would choose to cover. The New York Times, for instance, prefers to talk about news items that are presently relevant, and often stories that cover overarching societal or political themes. These sites certainly do have validity in modern
society; millennials choose them overwhelmingly over traditional sources, and millennials are no fools. However, they cannot be defined as traditional news sources because they don’t have the same reliability and responsibility to their readers that most publications have. So why are traditional news stories losing their appeal? Well, for a start, partisanship could be pointed to as one reason. Before social media made its big hit, Fox News and MSNBC were widely considered the non-traditional news sources, though Fox News to a larger extent. They did what no other channels dared to do; they were openly partisan. Fox News clearly shows a bias in favor of Republicans. The same is true for MSNBC, but with Democrats. Some have disparaged these networks for this partisan reporting, but really, they just responded and are just responding to the times. Bill Clinton governed over a period marked, not only by its prosperity and peace, but by the hyper-partisan divide it fostered between the two parties. It also marked the founding of identity politics, which rooted people more and more into their beliefs and ideologies. This made identity politics an integral part of who people were, making them more stubborn about their beliefs. MSNBC and Fox News, both founded in 1996, took advantage of this partisan divide. People wanted news that supported their world view and philosophy, and the cable news companies delivered it on a silver platter. Social media and the Internet, which connected people and opened up lines of communication and virality never before possible, took the next step. With the Internet, people no longer had to turn to singular sources like The New York Times and take whatever they provided. They could now use search engines to isolate the topics, ideologies and perspectives they want to read about to get their news. Social media then allowed them to connect with like-minded people and share like-minded articles about topics that are important to them. This new platform allowed for identity communities to increasingly segregate themselves from other viewpoints, and create social bubbles in which people’s views were affirmed, but rarely challenged. Effectively, social media destroyed heterogeneous political discourse in society, and
greatly increased groupthink. Now we come to what recent analyses have shed light on as a significant factor that may have probably had a massive influence on the outcome of the election: fake news. One analysis of community Facebook pages during the 2016 election showed that 38 percent of posts on Republican-leaning Facebook pages and 19 percent of posts on Democrat-leaning pages were somewhere between partly and completely false. While the conservative pages were twice as bad, the liberal pages were, as so gracefully put by comedian John Oliver, “still terrible!” One example of fake news comes from a Democratic-leaning site called USUncut.com. The fake news article in question is entitled, “Surgeon General Warns: Drinking Every Time Trump Lies During Debate Could Result in Acute Alcohol Poisoning” and has been shared over Facebook and Twitter more than 240,000 times, which is insanely viral. It’s especially insane, however, when you consider that it is completely false: the Surgeon General never said this because it would be politicization of a government position for what is essentially just a snide joke, and likely a violation of the Hatch Act. When you click the link that cites what the Surgeon General allegedly said, it brings you to RawStory.com, another Democratic-leaning internet news source. Raw Story does not cite anything at all for its story. Some of these internet news sources even used the ability to easily stoke hatred and partisan animosity towards Hillary Clinton to generate ad revenue. For instance, it turns out there is a town, Veles, Macedonia, in which over 150 pro-Trump or American conservative domains were registered to residents, mostly teens. These sites churned out both false news like “Hillary’s Illegal Email Just Killed Its First American Spy,” and hyper-partisan news like “This is How Liberals Destroyed America” which were then picked up and shared by Trump supporters on Facebook, making them go viral. According to exit polls, over 40 percent of the electorate got their news primarily from Facebook. That means that they likely believed any story that came on their feeds, including false and hyperpartisan ones from sites such as WorldPoliticus. com, USADailyPolitics.com and DonaldTrumpNews. com was true.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
That is just the political side of journalism; it also affects our culture and way of thinking. Blog-news sites such as the Odyssey Online put out thought provoking think pieces which often masquerade as news. The posts on Odyssey, in general, contain little research or citation, and often don’t even discuss topics that would require any because they are subjective first hand opinion pieces. Then there are sites like Buzzfeed, which are first and foremost traffic-oriented sites. They want views and clicks and subscribers and likes. This is why they produce a large quantity of clickbait: eye-catching headlines that usually lead to stimulating but non-news listicles and quizzes. This often leads to a lack of journalistic integrity, such as recently when they published unconfirmed allegations against Trump. Given their growing influence on the millennial community, these mistakes can be very dangerous. All these new news sources take up space in the journalism industry previously occupied by the old institutions. Now the institutions must compete more fiercely both economically and in terms of readership. So journalistic standards are lower as selling papers and getting readers become the primary concerns in a newly competitive market. They introduce native advertising, ads disguised as articles, to bump up revenue stream. An example of this is a New York Times article entitled “Women Inmates: Why the Male Model Doesn’t Work” which was actually technically native advertising for Orange is the New Black. This lowers the quality of journalism to the point where its primary purpose is business, not information. All of this is not to say that traditional news outlets were flawless before the Internet came along. They had many flaws, but the difference is that they were held accountable for those flaws, and that system of accountability may have even contributed to their downfalls. People have lost their faith in news outlets whose flaws could be easily exposed, so they have turned to those that simply can’t be held accountable. This is what real fake news looks like, and despite the President’s attempts at appropriating the term to use against any outlet which attempts to disparage him, we must acknowledge it and fight it in order to protect our long-valued tradition of high journalistic standards.
OPINIONS
Page 10
February 2, 2017
Public misconceptions of dark matter pervade news cycle Steven Park Columnistr
O
n Dec. 25, 2016, astronomer and Vassar alumna Vera Rubin ’48 sadly passed away at the age of 88, a solemn yet graceful conclusion to a life rich with brilliant research and revolutionary ideas on both the universe and the role of women in the sciences. But upon the announcement of her death, countless news publications have fallen into the trap of overdramatizing Rubin’s life and achievements by establishing her as the person who “discovered” dark matter. An article by The Washington Post labeled her as a pioneer who “confirm[ed] the existence of dark matter” (“How Vera Rubin Changed Science,” 12.27.2016), while an article by NPR ran the headline, “Vera Rubin, Who Confirmed Existence of Dark Matter, Dies at 88” (12.26.2016). Even Vassar’s own webpage on Vera Rubin stated that “Rubin is credited with proving the existence of ‘dark matter.’” This is not true. Vera Rubin did not discover dark matter, nor did she confirm its existence. In fact, no one has. Dark matter remains an unproven theory, a hypothesis that researchers are still studying today. Vera Rubin herself has stated several times that she didn’t “prove” anything (Scientific American, “Vera Rubin Didn’t Discover Dark Matter,” 12.29.2016). What she actually did was uncover a strange oddity while studying galaxy rotation rates and postulate that the conventional understanding of our universe was flawed. In order to truly appreciate Rubin’s legacy without exaggerating her achievements, we need to understand the importance of what she noticed and why this anomaly remains a highly controversial topic among modern astronomers. In the early 1970s, the entire world was embroiled in the matters of astronomy as the Space Race between the United States and the USSR reached its peak following Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon in 1969. At the time, Rubin was studying galaxy rotation curves with
her colleague W. Kent Ford Jr. at the Carnegie Institute of Science (The New York Times, “Vera Rubin, 88, Dies; Opened Doors in Astronomy, and for Women,” 12.27.2016). Her goal was to map the distribution of mass in spiral galaxies by measuring how fast the stars in those galaxies were rotating around the center.
“Dark matter remains an unproven theory, a hypothesis that researchers are still studying today.” According to Newton’s law of universal gravitation, the star closer to the center of the galaxy should orbit faster than the star that is farther away. This is because the closer the star is to the center, the more it feels the gravitational pull of the galaxy’s center, and the faster it moves. Assistant Professor of Astronomy Colette Salykcompares the rotation of the stars to swinging a ball tied to a string: “The harder you pull on the string, the faster the ball will travel...Gravity has everything to do with the speed of stars, since gravity provides the force that keeps the star in orbit.” In other words, Vera Rubin was tracking how fast the stars were moving in order to determine the force of gravity they felt and thus how much mass they have. By this logic, the stars at the edge of the galaxy should be moving slower than those near the center. However, Rubin discovered a contradiction: the stars at the edge of the galaxy were not orbiting slower than those near the center. In fact, they were moving so fast that the galaxy should have been flying apart. Given this discrepancy, Rubin proposed that some sort of unseen mass was holding their orbits together (The New York Times). This invisible mass that
doesn’t radiate light is what people commonly refer to as dark matter. To reiterate, Vera Rubin did not discover dark matter in this instance. The concept of invisible matter holding together galaxies has been around since Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky first suggested it in 1933. What Rubin’s discovery really did was provide detailed calculations regarding dark matter that swayed many astronomers to believe in its existence (The New York Times). By the time Rubin finished her investigation, she determined that each spiral galaxy possesses a “halo” of dark matter and that more than 90 percent of the universe is composed of this material (Carnegie Science, “Vera Rubin Who Confirmed ‘Dark Matter’ Dies,” 12.26.2016). At that point, many astronomers were already convinced. But as stated earlier, the dark matter hypothesis is still a hypothesis. Once the scientific community agreed on the concept of dark matter, they did everything they could to find decisive evidence for it. Unfortunately, even after three decades of intensive searching and developing expensive technology specifically designed to detect dark matter, astronomers have yet to find any signs of ever getting close (The Guardian, “Will Scientists Ever Prove the Existence of Dark Matter?,” 12.31.2016). The latest blow to the dark matter hypothesis came in January 2017 when the promising XENON100 dark matter detector failed to offer any positive results (New Scientist, “No Sign of Seasonal Dark Matter After Four Years of Searching,” 01.12.2017). Astronomer Stacy McGaugh at Case Western Reserve University aptly surmised the grim situation: “This generation of detectors should be the last. If we don’t find anything, we should accept we are stuck and need to find a different explanation, perhaps by modifying our theories of gravity, to explain the phenomena we attribute to dark matter” (The Guardian). In truth, Vera Rubin herself began having doubts as early as 2006 (Scientific American). In a 2011 interview, Rubin wondered whether
the galaxy rotation problem that brought dark matter into fame was actually a flaw in our understanding of gravity. When asked if she really believed that dark matter wasn’t the solution, Rubin shrugged and asked “Why not?” And this response illuminates what science is really about: The willingness to broaden our understanding of the universe, even at the expense of one’s pride. The value of science stems from this pursuit of knowledge, not the fame and prestige that come with a scientific discovery. However, it is not as if the theory on dark matter has been disproven. There are still countless astronomers who are hard at work in search of dark matter. But, one significant contribution that is not up for debate is Rubin’s role as a pioneering advocate of women in the sciences (NPR). All throughout her life, she faced brutal and humiliating opposition towards her position as a scientist.
“The value of science stems from this pursuit of knowledge, not the fame and prestige that come with a scientific discovery.” Teachers and colleagues alike pushed the notion that science was a men-only field and Rubin was often chastised for intruding where she didn’t belong (The New York Times). Yet, she continued to break boundaries, becoming the only astronomy major to graduate from Vassar in 1948 and eventually receiving the National Medal of Science in 1993 (NPR). As Rubin once stated, “There is no problem in science that can be solved by a man that cannot be solved by a woman” (NPR). That alone should be enough for us to honor her legacy as a truly brilliant scientist.
More nuance needed in discussions of Vassar finances Joshua Sherman ’16 Guest Columnist
E
nglish Professor Don Foster recently published two op-eds in Boilerplate discussing the College’s financial situation. His most recent article refers to our college’s recent endowment decline as a “budget-busting collapse” and suggests that students should “clutch their chests and hyperventilate.” I do not intend to write this exclusively as a response to Professor Foster’s article. In fact, I hold great admiration and appreciation for his interest in fostering a dialogue driven from the mindset of long-term success for our institution. Instead, I’m interested in pointing out an underlying trend I’ve seen constantly when students, faculty and alumnae/i discuss our college’s financial state. It’s a trend driven by exaggeration and sensationalism that deserves awareness so we can realize what harm can come from it. With this in mind, I do want to make a few clarifying points related to his op-ed. First, Professor Foster is incorrect to state, “Last year many investments did just fine: fossil fuels were the only sector that suffered significant market losses.” Most financial investments, not just Vassar’s, saw flat or declining performance in the 12 months between June 2015 and June 2016, which is the period covered in Vassar’s latest financial results. The S&P 500, an index of the 500 largest companies, declined 3.05 percent. The technology-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index declined 3.4 percent in the same period. For comparison, the S&P 500 Energy Index declined 3.4 percent (Google Finance). Now, onto Vassar. The overall endowment decline ending in June 2016 was indeed 5.5 percent. However, only 1.7 percent of this decline was driven by market performance. That’s right: Vassar beat the market last year. What generated the most significant decline was our endowment spending. This is, to an extent, intentional: An endowment is designed to be spent to support a college’s functions, no matter how the market performs (“Vassar College Financial Statements”, KPMG). At a glance, a 5.5 percent decline is significant. It’s also the first decline in our endowment
since the 2007-08 Recession. But when you look at the big picture, it’s nothing to hyperventilate about, because this happened to almost all other colleges and universities with large endowments. Professor Foster suggests we could have invested more wisely, but if that’s the case, then someone should tell Harvard. Sure, we lost $55 million, but they lost a whopping $1.9 billion, twice our college’s entire endowment! This number is not very meaningful without knowing it as a percentage of Harvard’s overall endowment. That number is 5.3 percent, not far off from our own endowment value decline. Swarthmore lost 5.4 percent. Williams declined 5.8 percent. If we’re on a financial highway to hell as Professor Foster insinuates, then we’re in good company (“America’s richest universities — including Washington University — see their endowments stumble” (St Louis Business Journal). This isn’t the first time (nor I doubt the last) I’ve seen strongly worded rhetoric appear in the Vassarsphere discussing our finances. After four years on Vassar’s campus, countless VSA meetings, and two terms on the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid, Professor Foster’s op-ed is just one of many recent examples in dialogue I’ve seen contain concerning rhetoric that frames our school’s endowment and giving performance as dire. I think we ought to talk about our endowments more. We ought to discuss publicly the morals and ethics of investing and how we should work toward an endowment that reflects our own institution’s values. We ought to ask our community of 40,000-plus worldwide why they do or don’t donate, and how Vassar’s mission should reflect their own. But we can’t let this be weakened by the invalidating nature of hyperbolic dialogue that I’ve seen far too many times to count at Vassar. It may generate more interest and in turn more shares on Facebook, but this activity ultimately produces a less meaningful and effective dialogue while adding unnecessary anxiety to the campus. Unless things have changed dramatically since my last committee meeting in May, I’m fairly confident that Vassar is not on the brink
of its extinction. Additionally, this committee of administrators, faculty and students acknowledged and supported the VSA’s recent resolution stating the importance of need-blind admissions last spring. That said, I don’t want to take away from Professor Foster’s valid points. The College does have much higher spending on administrative offices and buildings and grounds compared to many of the 21 schools we self-identify as part of our peer group. We do spend far less on instruction resources than our peers. We have practically doubled our debt to fund a new science building project while many other departments continue to express a sense of academic stagnation. Our giving is down compared to our aggressive sesquicentennial campaign just a few years ago in conjunction with a tumultuous campus climate.
“I also caution trying to simplify Vassarís overall educational experience...as something that can prescribed to a dollar value.” But these facts should not be interlaced with simplified analogies to somehow compare endowment performance to free cars and incoming financial catastrophe. Doing this doesn’t just falsely construe that rich families measure Vassar’s value by the size of its endowment, but it also plants the idea that Vassar isn’t a valuable institution to attend, and that this is in part due to how we focus far more of our budget on financial aid and programs like Posse than other institutions. It, broadly speaking, implies that students who see Vassar as accessible through these programs are reducing Vassar’s inherent value by leading us to put more into financial aid and less into areas like instruction. Financial aid is, after
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
all, a much bigger budget outlier than administrative spending compared to our peers. It also ignores what we’ve gained from such a commitment in the last decade. According to a report by the New York Times, Vassar is fifth among elite schools that enroll the most low- and middle-income students. We’re ahead of Harvard, Yale and all but one of our entire peer group. Ask an admissions officer at Vassar or elsewhere; this effort is not the byproduct of overnight investment. A school doesn’t just snap its fingers and suddenly become accessible, even if it has forty times larger an endowment than ours (like Harvard, for instance). Making a financial commitment is part of this, but it’s also the byproduct of a decade-long and continuing effort by the college to focus on those who’d otherwise not know of Vassar, or imagine Vassar as an accessible and affordable institution. Myself included. That is just as much President Hill’s legacy as are the other, problematic elements. I also caution trying to simplify Vassar’s overall educational experience for a student as something that can prescribed to a dollar value. There is a cost to attend, but I don’t think it’s calculated by what Vassar is “worth,” as every student, including those that receive no financial aid, benefits from our endowed funds. An endowment is designed to support Vassar’s mission statement, not to be a big number to point at. Our endowment has indeed not grown as much as some of our peers in the years since 2007-08, but we cannot argue that difference without also acknowledging what is subsequently different about our campus, both good and bad. I hope Professor Foster continues to write on this topic, just as I’ll encourage interested students, faculty and alumnae/i to make their voices heard on this topic. I also hope he and the rest of the Vassar community consider more broadly the facts at hand, as well as the power of our words in the continuing dialogue about Vassar and its financial priorities, institutional values and other topics in the years ahead.
February 2, 2017
OPINIONS
Politics of difference deserves recognition Sylvan Calko Perlmutter Guest Columnist
L
ast Friday, the Trump administration provoked outrage in the Jewish community by releasing a statement on Holocaust Memorial Day that did not once mention Jews, its primary victims. Sadly, this is not unknown in public discourse surrounding the Holocaust. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada and polar opposite of Donald Trump, made a similar error last year when his statement on Holocaust Memorial Day also neglected to mention the Jewish people. This is deeply offensive because although the Holocaust was a universal human tragedy, it was a universal tragedy enacted upon a specific set of people’s, most prominently the Jews but also including Roma, political dissidents and queer people, in the name of a specific ideology, a fascism centered on anti-Semitic racial struggle. To eliminate the centrality of the Jewish element of the Holocaust acts to perpetuate the genocidal legacy of the Holocaust by erasing the people it killed from memory and commemoration. More often than not the failure to include Jews in Holocaust commemorations is unintentional. Liberal democratic rhetoric tends to overstress society as a whole and couches its statements of the sufferings of particular ethnicities and races in a dehumanizing homogeneity. Thankfully, in the case of Trudeau, the mistake was rectified after a public outcry. This year’s statement led with the affirmation of Jewish suffering by saying, “Today, on the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we remember the more than six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust...” before expanding to noble universal sentiments such as “Today, and every day, we reaffirm our commitment to stand against anti-Semitism, xenophobia and prejudice in all its forms.” I do not think that the Trump administration’s statement purposefully neglected to mention Jews, but its reaction to criticism from Jewish
Letter to the Editor I write with respect to the editorial, “Sexual assault allegations against trustee must be addressed”, published in The Miscellany News on Nove. 2, 2016, to clarify certain statements made in that editorial. The Board of Trustees welcomes student interest in our activities and our members. As you state in the editorial, our ranks include a Student Observer, a position always held by the then-current President of the Vassar Students Association, and he or she should be an excellent source of information about the Board’s activities for the students. Members of the VSA Executive Board also meet regularly with the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. The President of Vassar is a member of the Board of Trustees, which delegates responsibility, with accountability, over operations of the College to the President, who is also an on-campus source of information about our activities. With respect to Richard W. Roberts ’74, last spring when the disputed allegations involving him to which you refer were first filed, he immediately offered to do whatever was in the best interests of the College, including taking a leave of absence from the Board of Trustees pending final resolution of the judicial and other proceedings in which he is involved. Mr. Roberts is now voluntarily on such a leave of absence from the Board. With respect to indemnification of trustees, your attempted close reading of the By-Laws of the Board of Trustees contained in the College Governance unfortunately missed a critical phrase—that indemnification is only available for liabilities incurred in connection with legal actions involving trustees by reason of being or having been (emphasis added) a trustee. Indemnification is not available to trustees generally, but is intended to protect trustees only for actions they take or omit to take while performing their duties as a trustee of Vassar College.
leaders and advocacy organizations regarding its lack of recognition of Jewish suffering further demonstrates that Trump’s government disdains the concerns of ethnic and religious minorities. When given the choice between admitting a simple reversible mistake and doubling down on alienating an entire community, the Trump administration chose the latter. White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, said, “It is pathetic that people are picking on a statement.” That’s right, Jews demanding adequate recognition of the slaughter of the loved ones is now “pathetic.” This case of diminishing the Holocaust intersects in a curious fashion with the new executive order on immigration–the Muslim ban. Like in the statement on the Holocaust, generalities and bland categories are employed to a discriminatory and vile effect. The word Muslim never appears once in the document, but all the countries listed are majority Muslim. It is obvious what the intention of the order is because Donald Trump himself called for a ban on Muslim entry into the USA during his campaign. While omitting Jews in the statement on the Holocaust inflicts pain through erasure, the omission of the word Muslim from the executive order, although its targets were clear, makes it far more difficult to challenge the ban on the basis of religious discrimination. The flexible power of generalities in public and legal discourse is on full display. Furthermore, the executive order states that refugees who are religious minorities in the countries subject to the ban can still go to the United States. For the vast majority of cases, this means that refugees with maximum priority from the countries subject to the ban will be Christians. However, the word Christian does not show up once in the executive order either. Nevertheless, we know that favoring Christians is Trump’s goal because he erroneously claimed on Friday that Muslim refugees were being given priority. He stated in an interview with CNN that “If you were a Muslim you could
come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible.” The Trump administration operates on two levels regarding the executive order: It speaks on TV in the language of ethnic particularity to attract Christian nativist support and stir up Islamophobia, while in the legal sphere it employs non explicitly racialized or Islamophobic language to bring about Islamophobic goals. While never specifying religion and race/ethnicity, broad terminology terms of the executive order amplify and reify ethnic division in the political sphere. Yet, while the employment of bland generalities has been used to insidious effect by the Trump administration, that does not mean we should react by solely recognizing diversity and difference and refraining from an emphasize on shared humanity. There has been pushback against the slogan, “We are all Muslims.” Emphasizing common humanity has sadly been increasingly dismissed in places like Vassar as a dated liberal trope often used to justify imperialist projects in the name of “liberating” our fellow humans from tyranny. There is much truth to this criticism. However, the fact that the slogan is, “We are all Muslim” as opposed to “We are Muslim” itself shows that the slogan is self conscious of difference while at the same time advocating common identification. This political moment calls for a politics that negotiates between the affirmation of difference with an emphasis on a common humanity instead of dismissing the latter sentiment altogether. And yes, although most of us are not truly Muslims, we can say that we are to highlight that discrimination against Muslims is discrimination against all of us. If we allow our country to be complicit in shutting out refugees from Syria and elsewhere, like it did to Jews in the 1940s, the virtues of our flawed but laudable constitutional republic will further corrode. It is time to reclaim the universal from falsehood.
Page 11
Word on the street What was the worst gift you got this holiday season? “Trump was elected on my birthday... so that” — Jackson Goldberg ’18
“Scarf and I’m currently knitting one for myself ” — Maya Moiseyev-Foster ’20
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you an aspiring shutterbug? Join the Misc!
Share your artistry and join the community!
The Miscellany News
“Money...it’s underwhelming” — Jill Frechette ’20
“The company of my family” — Olivia Zane ’19
“None” — Josh Carreras ’20
“Love for the first time in my life” — Tabraiz Lodhi ’20
Email us for more information! misc@vassar.edu
Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor
– Bill Plapinger ’74 P’10 Chair, Board of Trustees
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR & SATIRE
Page 12
February 2, 2017
Breaking News From the desk of Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor Trump chooses Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court pick based on great record of having the whitest name possible No one did anything fun over Try New Year’s Resolutions break, lies about it upon return that are morally questionable! Maya Sterling The Riddler
I
have a riddle for you. “You say me at the Deece. In the bathroom. In class. To a professor. To your roommate. To everyone you vaguely-actually-don’t-really-know that you see. As soon as you say me, you regret it. You’ve said me almost 100 times over the past week. When teachers say, ‘There is no such thing as a dumb question,’ they were forgetting about me. Preceding asking me you run through all worst case scenarios in your head. ‘Do they even know my name still? Will they recognize me? Are we going to hug? Wave? Shake hands? No, absolutely not, go for the hug.’ I leave you scrambling for words. In a state of panic. With a blank mind. The only response you have ever heard from asking me is, ‘Good.’ All you can think of when I am in your midst is, ‘This is so awkward.’ What am I?” Have you figured it out? Did you cringe your way through this riddle knowing you would have to read the four abominable words written on a page? Of course you have. So here is an unnecessary reminder of how these interactions go down. Every. Single. Time. “Hey Jamie, didn’t see you there!” (When of course you had, you pretended you didn’t see them so when they did the work and caught your eye and you could act fake surprised.) “Oh hi Alex, how was your break?” *sigh* How was your break? That’s right: the detestable, cruel and revolting torture of this question. Why is this even asked? Are you somehow expecting that the next time you ask someone this, instead of saying “good” they might go off onto some beautiful, captivating and enlightening answer of, “It was fine?” I mean, what a game changer! Furthermore, do you actually care what the person has to say? Of course not. The whole point of this question is to start up some form of conversation. The problem is, this question starts no conversation. However, maybe there is some satisfaction out of hearing the word “good.” At least you now know that your friend had an equally average five weeks that you did.
And it makes sense why “how was your break” seems like your only good option. Your repertoire of conversation starters looks something like this: How was your break? What classes are you taking this semester? Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see. (Well, maybe not that last one.) The point is, our conversation-starting skills have declined in recent years. I mean, think back to how easy it was in 2003! All you had to do was ask, “Do you want to be my friend” and BOOM instant friendship for life. In this tumultuous time of strained face-toface interactions I have come to a conclusion. This question is not just a silly question or a dumb question or even a are-you-sure-you-graduated-kindergarten question, but a plague on our society! “How was your break” is the new “like” and “literally.” People will spend their days counting on their fingers how many times they hear their friends say it. Somehow we have been infected with a lie that we need to fake politeness when we haven’t seen someone for an extended period of time. In response to the overwhelming outcry for change I have heard far and wide across our Vassar lands, I propose a question-asking revolution! 90 percent of the trove of good questions lie with the top one percent of our population! Think about how many more interesting conversations you could have if you started off by asking, “Hey Jordan, when’s the last time you pooped? Give me hug!” “Oh my gosh, Ray, did you also cry for 17 hours straight last week? Wow, I missed you so much!” “What’s up Sky!? Did you find that rat I put in the third floor bathroom? It’s been so long!” I know these may seem a bit much. But I’ve been conducting some real research here and I’m confident these are sure to get some kind of conversation started, even if it’s not the one you initially intended. And even if this drastic revolution is not possible, we can at least take small steps. Emails will no longer read, “How was your break,” but instead, “Hope you had a great break!” See, that is true progress.
Evelyn Frick
Criminal Mastermind
E
very New Year’s Eve as the clock ticks closer and closer to midnight, everyone seems to ask themselves the same general questions: “Who will I be in the New Year?” “What goals will I accomplish this year?” Or “Will this year be as shitty as last year?” In a way, we each have our own mini-identity crisis which we proclaim the all-too-familiar phrase, “New year, new me!” For most people that entails going to the gym for the first few weeks of the year before wholly abandoning their cause of physical health. But in my opinion, that is not enough. There are plenty of new and interesting ways to reinvent oneself, and I have listed them below: 1. Fake your own death This idea might be a little complicated, but nothing says, “New year, new me” like pretending you perished in a horrific fire. This option (and most of the others to be honest) is probably best if you don’t have any family, but hey, I’m not here to judge. All you have to do is create some circumstances under which people might think you died. For example, stealing a corpse and setting fire to your house with said corpse inside, rolling your car into the ocean, buy a yacht and tell people you’re going on a cruise in the Bermuda Triangle or you could just copy the exact plot of Gone Girl. (Although if anyone investigating your death has read the book or seen the movie, your plans might be a tad foiled.) After the event takes place and people think you’re dead, the possibilities are endless! Want to buy a condo in Florida? Do it! Want to take a salsa class? Why not! Who knows, it might even be fun to pretend you’re the ghost of your former self and haunt anyone who doesn’t bring flowers to your funeral! 2. Disappear This plan is basically the same principle as faking your own death, except a little bit less work. And perhaps a little bit more mysterious! After you ghost everyone in your entire life, try walking in the nearest downtown area wearing dark sunglasses, a trench coat and a large hat. Not only is this a sure-fire way to be incognito,
ADVERTISEMENT
but you’ll definitely feel like a badass. And who knows? You might get an entire special about your disappearance on the Investigation Discovery Channel. 3. Steal someone’s identity
If your identity type is Chaotic Evil, this might be the option for you. If you do decide to steal someone’s identity, though, at least try to be a little creative. Don’t use the same-old, same-old African Prince email phishing scam. Try being a Norwegian Prince! Or perhaps try being a little more up-to-date. Seriously, who uses email anymore? That’s such an impersonal way to take someone’s identity. Once you’ve taken someone’s identity there are a few different avenues you can pursue. The first one is trying to steal their identity completely and to replace them in their family structure. You could even recreate that scene from Captain Phillips, but instead of saying, “I’m the Captain now” you could say, “Sorry Gene; I’m the father now.” 4. Run for President If you’re interested in reinventing yourself but don’t want to alienate or leave behind your family, try running for the Office of the President of the United States! Granted you would have to wait for the next election cycle, but this definitely seems like a viable option since apparently America doesn’t care if its Commander-in-Chief has any relevant experience. If you think your ideology leans toward being hateful and intolerant, try running as a Republican! Or if you are into self-sabotage, perhaps try running as a Democrat! Either way, if you win the election your life (and perhaps the lives of thousands of other Americans) will forever be changed. Obviously these ideas might be considered a little drastic by some but, to be honest, I think these suggestions are the only true way to reinvent oneself. Other New Year’s Resolutions encounter the problem of having very little accountability. But what’s more binding than doing something morally, ethically and legally questionable? If you’re against abandoning your family I suppose you could try CrossFit instead, but in my opinion that’s way less fun.
Go on an adventure with the Misc!
Publish your illustrations in the humor section! Email evfrick@vassar.edu for details. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR & SATIRE
February 2, 2017
Page 13
You really shouldn’t have: when gifts become forced Leah Cates
olent enthusiasm. So when the giver inevitably suggests, “Why don’t you open it now?” I want to respond with, “Why not now? Because what if you wrapped up your ill-tempered cat and a jello mold like the endearingly unhinged Aunt Bethany from ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?’ Please allow me to call the Humane Society and run the InSinkErator in the privacy of my own home, and not with you standing over me, grinning expectantly.”
So I bring home the present, which inaugu- should have written but never did). Furtherrates the next phase of the gift-giving venture: more, while many of us might not need all of hen any well-intentioned individual figuring out what in the name of Hallmark I’m this stuff, someone else does [though I’m not proudly hands me an object wrapped in going to do with it. Regifting is a very risky en- certain anyone needs a “Sun-Mate Solar Powbright paper and adorned with a shiny bow, I deavor. The gifter could come over for dinner ered Electric Fan Hat” (vagabondish.com) nor experience a gnawing sense of foreboding. It’s and ask, “Where’s that vintage vase with the an inflatable unicorn horn for your pet cat (offtcomparable to the sinking feeling in my gut clown face engraved on the front?” Years later, hewagonshop.com)]. when my history professor handed out an eight you could inadvertently regift the gift to the section packet assigning our ten-page term pagifter. Or, if you’re my hapless mother 13 years per, to be completed with original research and ago, your simple-minded five-year-old daughter Chicago Style footnotes. Of the two scenarios, (guilty!) could matter-of-factly announce at a I prefer the latter (a potentially enlightening neighbor’s birthday party, “We got this from a challenge), to the former (a multifaceted and friend last year, but we didn’t want it, so we’re protracted onus). Let me explain. giving it to you.” I know what you must be thinking. But before Gifts are like cockroaches (which, by the way, you accuse me of being an ungrateful, spoiled, should never be gifts); if there’s one, there’s cynical, grouchy, bah-humbug-y killjoy, please bound to be more, since birthday, graduation note that I embrace gift-giving when presents and holiday gifts usually come from parents, There really are millions of hurting people are heartfelt, and when givers bestow them extended family, friends, co-workers... I know who can’t afford life’s basic necessities. With spontaneously, purposefully and sparingly. InI sound like an over-indulged Veruca Salt, but this in mind, that hypothetical pile looks less deed, I have enjoyed many a triumphant bounce indulge me this hypothetical: Suppose that, 50 like an eyesore and more like gluttonous waste; out of the mall with bulging plastic bags in hand years from now, you scoured your cluttered every one of those gifts represents a missed opand visions of damp-eyed recipients’ genuine But of course I can’t. Instead, I exclaim, “Ok!” closet, begrimed basement and grubby garage portunity for a charitable donation. (Maybe this “Thank you’s!” in head. and start ripping off the wrapping like it’s a for every gift you’d ever received and dumped article can be a lesson to us all in our gift-giving But unfortunately, the gift-giving rituals that band-aid that’s gonna sting. Sometimes, I’ll for- them all into a pile on your bedroom floor. and donating tendencies.) (You should try dohave come to characterize birthdays, holidays, go band-aid-style and slow down with the hope It would appear as though Santa’s workshop nating to Goodwill next holiday season instead graduations and the like are too often stress-in- that I’ll glimpse the item while methodically had vomited all over your room; gifts, bows, of going out on Black Friday.) Color by Number and Carlson ducing, time and money-sucking manifestations peeling away each piece of tape and can, sans presents and all. The motley mishmash wouldMackenzie But alas, I Little perpetuate the Kim ceaseless cycle by of consumerism that serve as incubators for the giver’s knowledge, quickly concoct a tactful probably feature clothes (some with tags), ob- reciprocating, for I fear that failure to abide by social awkwardness and peril. Their obligatory response to a potentially awkward interaction, solete gadgets, stuffed animals suffering from the tacit laws governing gift-giving will result in baby makesfriends this often 68.mouse Aromatic chemical compound ACROSS nature often breeds exchanges bearing (almost) featuring a hurried exchange of pleasantries. nibbles, shoeboxes, movies you never 25. myAempty-handed and family shunning as much emotional genuineness as the ClinThe great reveal mandates a gift-specific comquite got around to watching, some seriously me once and for all. Plus, I am pitifully competresponsible for the scents of many fruits 26. UFO's love them 1. #000000 ton-Trump handshake preceding presidential pliment, even if said gift is the homemade birth- stale chocolates, flat mylar birthday balloons, itive. As a result, I feel the need to outdo, or at 6. Last name of Spencer and Carly from 69. Implements used in fishing, hunting, 27. Sunfish, or Moonfish debate number one. day cake to which you’re allergic (just toss it in seasonal decor, a couple bars of decorative soap, least match, the gift I have received; the more Makesthe Steve want to wagupon his tail butterfly catching the show "iCarly" along with the jello mold), theandpicture The gift-giving protocol begins with my forc- the InSinkErator frames featuring models, an array of 28. elaborate present bestowed me, the ing a bright-eyed, wide-grinned “Thank you!” sweater twoEiffel sizes 65 too small (which bewell-intentioned wrinkled 29. harder I must work, the deeper the dread. Other options 70.other Christian pre-Easterclutter, periodsome of fasting 10. Only hit that songis by to (hopefully) conceal my instinctive dread of comes uncomfortably obvious when you hold it tissue paper, ripped bags and wrapping paper 34. Perhaps should proffer gifts strictly when Cervix we prodding procedure (2 words) and spiritual discipline 14. Arch nemesis the ensuing ordeal. See, there’s a certain sense up to yourself so as to demonstrate its swanki- balls. Indeed, Hurricane Holiday would have we feel so moved, and not at socially mandated White 71.ravaged #ffffff your room, leaving an unsightly, co- 36. 15. Theoretically, where car stays of impending terror associated with the gift’s ness) or a cryptic objectawhich requires a quick times. Firstcondiment of all, that would definitely remove What Vassar madeyours as well. whileGoogle drivingsearch for identification (again, better lossal and altogether overwhelming pile in its 37. pre-wrapping-ripping, enigmatic state. It’s like stress from my lifealmost and probably that scene from “Psycho” when you know 16. the RATA done in the privacy of home). All the while, the wake. Further, that might make giving more surpris38. Subtracts a negative number DOWN slasher is lurking behind the shower curtain, and giver is watching you, scrutinizing your expresEvery one of those decaying thingamabobs ing, memorable and sincere, and less liable to 40. Discipline, Holy, or Shadow for 17. To anoint someone, especially while 1. Be haughty about you’re anxiously anticipating his knife-wielding sions and analyzing your “Thank you’s!” and represents not only an unhappy hunt for a result in a viral pet video of a befuddled, uni2. You have to draw it somewhere giving extreme unction figure to emerge and bear down on you with vi- “You really, really shouldn’t have’s.” home, but also a thank you note (or one you WOW cornedpriests cat. Not-So-Secret Santa
W
It would appear as though Santa’s workshop had vomited all over your room.
See, there’s a certain sense of impending terror associated with the gift’s pre-wrappingripping, enigmatic state.
3. State to be the case 18. Auto insurance covering employers 4. Comes before the storm when employees use their own cars for 5. A famous Calvin business 6. What fun it is to ride and sing this 19. Campus elevator brand song 20. Disinfectant, kills microorganisms by Kim Carlson and Mackenzie Little 7. Real integrated work (2 words) (adj) ACROSS 39. What a waiter does to 28. Makes want tobuffalo wag his keeps tail 8. This wordSteve for small 22. Temporary swelling ofyou? the skin from 1. #000000 41. Opposite of ketchup, maybe 29. Other options appearing an allergic reaction or injury 6. Last name of Spencer and Carly from the 43. To awkwardly carry something 34. Cervix prodding procedure (2 words) 9. Coldplay's #4 UK hit 23. What mom does at me about show “iCarly” 44. A narrow valley 36. White condiment 10. Only hit song by Eiffel 65 46. Kind blackor peas led by a Fergie What Vassarwith almost madewords 10. 37. Intimidated harsh cleaning my of room getting job, 14. Arch nemesis 47. Dye on #40 the day Subtracts a negative number 11. 38. Aligator Goodbye depending 15. Theoretically, where a car stays while driving 49. ____, Pray, Love (2010) 40. Discipline, Holy, or Shadow for WOW 12. priests Useful 24. Hair styles involving subtle shading 16. Not how to pluralize rats 50. Lots of presents 13. 42. I thought dark to light 17. To anoint someone, especially while givingfrom 51. Right up you to said weasts A quick peek extreme unction Podium ship stuff 54. Baby bed 21. 45. Precious 26. COMA 18. Auto insurance covering employers when 56. Inletter Indianofmusic, a pattern of notes having 1 2 3 4 5 6 30. 17th the Greek alphabet employees use their own cars for business characteristic intervals & used as a basis for 31. Smol, in Scotland 19. Campus elevator brand improv 14 15 20. Disinfectant, kills microorganisms (adj) 32. Artemis villain Koboi 57. HivesFowl (2 words) 22. Temporary swelling of the skin from an 33. Seagram's 63. The job of a beta reader Extra Dry, Beefeater allergic reaction or injury 64. Big tall plant friends 18 London Dry, and Tanqueray London Dry 17 23. What mom does at me about cleaning my 65. Writer of self-insert Virgil fanfiction in the Brazilian room or getting a job, depending on the day 35. Famous Late Middle Ages dance style and 20 21 24. Hair styles involving subtle shading from musical 66. Or what? genre dark to light 67. A couple of thin MacBooks 39. What a waiter does to you? 23 26. Long unconscious period 68. Aromatic chemical compound responsible 41. Opposite of ketchup, maybe 30. 17th letter of the Greek alphabet for the scents of many fruits 43. To carryinsomething 31. Smol, in Scotland 69.awkwardly Implements used fishing, hunting, and 26 27 28 29 30 32. Artemis Fowl villain Koboi 44. Abutterfly narrowcatching valley 33. Seagram’s Extra Dry, Beefeater London Dry, 70. Christian pre-Easter period of fasting and 46. Kind of black peas led by Fergie 32 33 and Tanqueray London Dry spiritual discipline #40 35. Famous Brazilian dance style and musical 47. Dye 71. #ffffff genre 39 40 DOWNPray, Love (2010) 49. ____, 1. Be haughty about of presents Answers to last week’s puzzle50. Lots 2. You have to draw it somewhere 43 44 51. A quick peek Octo-peace out 2016 3. State to be the case W H O A S Q U I D54. Baby E A S T bedbefore the storm 4. Comes 47 48 O O P S O U N C E I N T O A famous Calvin a pattern of notes 56. In5. Indian music, O P E C R A D O N G N A W 6. What fun it is to ride and sing this song having characteristic intervals & used as F I N I S H U P B R U N T 51 52 53 7. Real integrated work (2 words) C E R E S a basis for improv E T A L 8. This word for small buffalo keeps appearing O U S T L E G A T E 57. Hives (2 words) 9. Coldplay’s #4 UK hit 56 57 58 I M P U T E L I S P R A M 10. Intimidated with reader harsh words 63. The job of a beta N E T C O R D R E S I D U A 11. Alligator Goodbye K N O T E N E O W N E R S64. Big tall plant friends 63 64 12. Useful E G A D 65. Writer of self-insert Virgil fanfiction in I M C A R D 13. I thought you said weasts F L O A T O U S E the Late Middleship Ages 66 67 21. Precious stuff S L A N G T E N T A C L E 25.what? A baby makes this often 66. Or V I N E N A R C O D O O M 26. UFO’s love them 69 70 A C N E A R G U E A C A I 67. A couple of thin MacBooks
“Color by Number”
P E E P
S
T S A R
M O N T
42. Right up to 45. Podium 48. Teeth related things 51. Jill Stein's party 52. Soup scooper 53. To care for cattle as payment Teeth related 55.48.Make damp things with drops 51. Jill Stein’s party 58.52.Lake stretching from Buffalo to Soup scooper Sandusky 53. To care for cattle as payment Make damp drops patch 59.55.Urgent redwith scratchy Lake stretching Sandusky 60.58.These heroesfrom are Buffalo usuallytonot so 59. Urgent red scratchy patch pure 60. These heroes are usually not so pure 61.61."Let stand"inin Latin “Let it it stand” Latin this place 62.62.InInthis place
The Miscellany Crossword
27. Sunfish, or Moonfish
© 2016 (Published via Across Lite)
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
36
37
38
60
61
62
16 19 22 24
25
31 34 41
35 42
45
46
49
50
54
55 59 65 68 71
© 2017 (Published via Across Lite)
ARTS
Page 14
February 2, 2017
Modfest exhibit traces expressive history of protest art Tori Lafon
Guest Reporter
W
hile protest has long been a crucial part of history, social activism has in the last few years been brought to public attention like never before, with groups like the Black Lives Matter movement and events like the recent Women’s March garnering unprecedented support and media attention. With the turbulent political state and subsequent reactive events happening around the country, a celebration of protest and social activism has never felt timelier. This spirit is celebrated in the current exhibit entitled, “Engage! The Artist’s Voice” as part of the 15th anniversary of Modfest, Vassar College’s annual exploration of 20th- and 21st-century art. Featuring political posters and artworks from 1945 to now, the exhibit focuses on artists’ renderings of both national and global issues of
protest, social engagement and political commentary. On view in the College Center Old Bookstore Exhibition Space through Feb. 5, the show features pieces of art loosely grouped according to the issue they address, such as environmental sustainability, social activism and economic equality. Beyond exploring common themes, the exhibit focuses on several artists, such as Ben Shahn, Keith Haring and Sister Mary Corita Kent, who have committed their lives and their work to promoting tolerance, equality and justice. “I really appreciate the breadth of the exhibit,” said the Interdisciplinary Arts Coordinator and Co-Director of Modfest Tom Pacio. “All those messages and gorgeous designs really activate that student space in a way that creates work from students that is somehow informed by it,” he continued. “I, therefore, hope that students
Noah Purdy/The Miscellany News
Pictured above are French posters from 1968 protesting unemployment and poverty under President de Gaulle, part of the exhibit “Engage! The Artist’s Voice” in the College Center Old Bookstore.
will recognize themselves in it and will be inspired by it, challenged and maybe even motivated to create their own protest posters.” Though such inspiration and creation are always at the forefront of Modfest, this year’s events are for the first time centered around a unifying theme. Fitting to the idea of Modfest as an opportunity to bring the voices of faculty, students and guests together in a variety of contexts and spaces, this year’s theme is “Raising Voices.” “When he heard the theme, Rick Jones came to me with this idea for an exhibit and I felt it fit the idea perfectly,” said Pacio. “I had seen previous exhibits that Rick curated. I always love the chance to collaborate with him, and I just knew this could be something really incredible and timely.” Curator and Earth Science & Geography Department Laboratory Technician Rick Jones put the exhibit together using unfamiliar works as well as some personal favorites. In fact, some of the pieces, such as the Angel Bracho’s woodcut “¡VICTORIA!,” which celebrates the defeat of Adolf Hitler and fascism, are personal possessions of Jones. “We planned on this before the elections and who knew it would go this way?” expressed Jones. “I personally wish the connection [with the Women’s March] weren’t there, but I hope that this exhibit reflects the idea that many of the ideas we exist with...[such as] equal rights for every person...haven’t always been the norm, and that it takes effort, a lot of it, over the long term, to keep these ideas alive.” The exhibit emphasizes the similarities and differences between current and historical protests. For example, the “Indian Power” poster created in 1971 depicts the Peabody Mining Company’s environmental assault on the Black Mesa, an issue relating to a lack of regard for native land rights. This sentiment is echoed in the more contemporary Dakota Access Pipeline protest. By including many pieces created through different media and throughout different periods, the exhibit compellingly conveys how art
can create effective messages, although crafted through different means. For example, Barbara Kruger’s “Your Gaze Hits the Side of My Face” is a 1981 photograph on paperboard about the subtle interactions of gender, while Shepard Fairey’s “Paint it Black” is a 2014 screen print about making policies based solely on oil. Both are visually stunning and manage to convey important messages successfully, albeit in different ways. Although the exhibit was not originally meant to coincide with the Women’s March, the present-day connection is unable to be ignored. “It seems quite apparent that there are forces in the world whose interest is to deny those rights we consider progressive, so it is up to ALL of us to fight. Always,” declared Jones. Coincidentally, the Modfest exhibit taking place upstairs in the Palmer Gallery entitled, “The World After January 20, 2017: Works by Contemporary Artists and Poets,” now on view until Feb. 16, features works of art that address, reflect and comment on Trump’s first 100 days as president. The overlap between the two exhibits allows for a more nuanced conversation between the historical posters and present protest art. “It was a happy accident, but I feel having the two exhibits happening in the same building at the same time really allows for an interesting dialogue between the past and present,” said Pacio. “You have the history of protest posters downstairs and the immediate reaction upstairs, which is very empowering.” “Engage! The Artist’s Voice” is undoubtedly a moving and very relevant part of Modfest. As people try to find comfort during these troublesome times, this exhibit hopes to act as a suggestion, inspiring people to fight for their beliefs and respond to destruction of justice with creation. “I hope that any visitor to the space will appreciate different viewpoints, differences in expression, differences in the kinds of voices that can and should be raised,” said Jones. “It’s our world, and we all need to figure out what is important and express it, and speak up!”
Annual spring cultural celebration kicks off, delights all MODFEST continued from page 1
evening), the choir, as always, sounded magnificent in the Chapel, whose acoustics are perfect for capturing the human voice. As the audience was ushered to each new space, any sense of the ordinary vanished, as they were invited into an extraordinary concert experience. The string quartet that performed in the library atrium was a highlight, as the sound of strings echoing through the space was breathtaking. The goal of the evening was to “embrace the space”: letting each location and ensemble work in a collaboration of sorts, creating a refreshing and exciting sound experience at each step along the way. Close to the end of the performance, the grandfather clock behind the string quartet began to ring opposite the performers. What might have derailed an excellent performance was easily shrugged off, incorporated into the music and the evening as a whole. The night continued with a lovely performance by the Majors ensemble in the Jade Parlor of Taylor Hall, and finally concluded with the Vassar College Choir, this time in the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center. While many choirs performed throughout the night, this performance was entirely different from ones earlier in the evening, as the changing of locations from the vaulted Chapel to the modern architecture of the Loeb allowed for a distinct listening experience. The placement of the ensemble at the alcove situated on the top steps of the gallery allowed the voices to effortlessly carry throughout the entire Art Center, and their performance of “Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine” was the perfect conclusion to an extraordinary evening. Member of the Vassar College Choir Steph Saint Germain ’18 shared how meaningful this event was to her as an artist. She said, “My favorite part of Thursday’s concert was definitely performing ‘Leonardo.’ It was a piece that we had prepared last year for our Cuba trip over spring break, and singing it again brought back some amazing memories from the trip.” After Thursday’s concert, this year’s Modfest is shaping up to be yet another exciting, col-
laborative event. As Saint Germain explained, “What I love about Modfest is being able to witness several different disciplines come together to create an incredible collaboration that may otherwise not be possible.” The theme of “Raising Voices” is certainly more pertinent than ever, and the voices shared over the next week will allow us to think more deeply about
the experiences of others and demonstrates how art can help find empathy and reach common ground. Pacio is hopeful that this element of Modfest will continue into the future: “We created a program that helped to give a voice to as many perspectives as possible. I hope that in the future, regardless of the theme, that this continues to be present in the festival.”
Courtesy of Karl Rabe
ary Arts Coordinator Tom Pacio. Howlett, who, besides teaching music, conducts many of Vassar’s acclaimed choral groups, is grateful for all the work the Wilsons, especially Adene Wilson, have done in cultivating this event over the years. As Howlett explained, “Dee, who is an alumna, was the lead person on the event. She would connect with the different departments and ask, ‘What can you do? How can we bring these different collaborations to Modfest?’” As Modfest seeks to include as many different departments on campus as possible, successfully putting on an event like this every year is quite the accomplishment. Howlett asserted, “These are very big shoes to fill. It’s amazing to see how much they accomplished over these 14 years.” Both Howlett and Pacio are excited to begin a new chapter while still carrying on the legacy that the Wilsons worked hard to create. Pacio, who coordinates the Creative Arts Across Disciplines Initiative, said, “We met with the Wilsons several times last spring to understand what was important to them about Modfest. It is our collective goal to keep those priorities in the fabric of the festival, while leaving room for it to grow and change over time.” This year’s opening concert was entirely new to Modfest, based on one of last year’s most successful and unique musical events. Howlett described the planning process: “We modeled it after an event supported by the Creative Arts Initiative last year called ‘The Sound of Space,’ where we traveled all around campus to experience different musical performances in different spaces. We went from the Chapel to UPC to Kenyon [Hall], and we thought it was a cool way to experience the campus.” Thursday night began in the Chapel, where the Vassar College Women’s Chorus performed “How to Survive Winter,” a piece by American composer Jocelyn Hagen with poetry by Julia Klatt Singer. Accompanied by a string quartet made up of professional musicians from around the area (the only non-student performers of the
This year’s opening concert was like none before. This year’s theme of the “Raising Voices,” in addition to new co-directors Christine Howlett and Tom Pacio, has carried on the event’s legacy.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
February 2, 2017
ARTS
Page 15
Loeb Art Center showcases vibrant Indian miniatures Noah Purdy Arts Editor
C
Noah Purdy/The Miscellany News
ollege art museums serve many functions, from showcasing student art to serving as renowned exhibition spaces in their own right. Most often, however, these museums shine the brightest when they enhance the work of students and professors, especially relating to art that is unfortunately undeserved elsewhere. Luckily for Vassar, the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s extensive collection allows it to do just this, and a current exhibition, “India in Miniature: Works from the Permanent Collection” (through April 23) is a prime example. Assistant Professor of History Julie E. Hughes, who studies India, expressed interest in the Indian art in the College’s collection, which she learned about from the Loeb staff upon arriving to Vassar. “I love going to [the Loeb] and I have always found it a painful disappointment that there is only one item from India on permanent exhibit,” Hughes expressed. The piece is a Gandharan Buddha sculpture, the kind viewed by the British as the only good art to come from India, mostly because it looked Greek enough for their European taste. Stemming from this underrepresentation in the permanent on-view objects, Hughes worked with the Loeb’s Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Academic Programs Elizabeth Nogrady to devise a show that would exhibit the various Indian paintings— known as miniatures for the scale of their figures—held in the museum’s permanent collection and in Special Collections. “When I met with Julie Hughes to plan a class session at the Art Center for her course ‘Indo-Islamic Kingdoms and Cultures,’ she was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the Indian works of art in the collection,” said Nogrady. “I knew that these works did not go on view in the galleries very often, and felt that through an exhibition we could capture that valuable experience... talking with Julie, and provide it to our visitors.” The miniatures on view date from between the late 16th and late 19th centuries, and many were painted by non-court artists, often for foreigners
“India in Miniature,” on view in the Loeb through April 23, includes beautiful works of Indian paintings from the 1500s-1800s, a history and culture underrepresented in the Vassar curriclum. to buy as souvenirs. Many of the paintings in the show were donated by Vassar alumna Ruth Lamb Atkinson ’18. Atkinson must have traveled throughout the so-called Golden Triangle in northern India—Delhi, Jaipur and Agra—the area which most British and American collectors primarily visited. Among her donations to Vassar were artist’s preparatory sketches, also featured in the gallery. The pieces on display—generally the best preserved and least light-damaged—were chosen to showcase a diversity of subject matter and size. The paintings range from religious to royal, all in vibrant colors like topaz blues, creamy pinks, earthy forest greens and brilliant reds. One painting in particular posed a challenge, namely that no one knew exactly what it was. Hughes had been puzzled since she saw the piece in 2009, and even visiting lecturers on Indian art
were stumped. The complex battle scene featured angels overlooking soldiers fighting on horses and elephants and animals and decapitated heads floating in an ill-defined space. Further investigation (including a helpful Google search) solved the mystery: Hughes was finally able to identify it as a Ragamala painting, one depicting not a narrative but rather a complex musical mode called a Raga. Hughes’s research assistant last semester, Lars Odland ’17, aided with this identification: “I spent some time researching the characteristics and rules that determine how Ragamala paintings were named, and then double-checking that the names... matched up with those criteria,” he explained. Nogrady appreciated Hughes’s contribution in solving this mystery, as well as her translations of inscriptions on some of the paintings. “It is particularly gratifying when a professor can provide new
information...,” she commented. “When visiting the exhibition, I think viewers will appreciate this intellectual richness, a direct result of the Art Center’s position as a museum on a college campus.” Despite their size, full narratives and worlds of their own exist within all the pieces in the exhibition, presenting not only a heterogeneous view of Indian art, but of art as a whole. “It’s reifying that we only really think of religion when we think of India. That’s just the way Americans have been taught, that’s the way India has been in our consciousness,” Hughes explained. “It’s a place where religion is how you engage with it, it’s not through politics or history or innovation or, God forbid, an alternate style of aesthetics...” Essentially, Hughes described, many Indian artists of these eras were playing with newfound forms and modes of depiction from an influx of British and European paintings. Patrons favored these foreign styles, Hughes explained: “Access to those paintings is a sign of being elite, so...you’re going to bring a little bit of the exotic Occidental into your paintings...The point is to show familiarity with it, and play with it, and include it amongst this worldview that is enclosed in the painting that somehow is associated with the patron or the king’s sovereignty or power.” Experiences and knowledge like those evident in “India in Miniature” are, Hughes believes, a necessary corrective to the unbalanced Western focus of our own Loeb Art Center and Art History Department. Since it is her last semester on campus, Hughes fears that India—an entire subcontinent and the second most populated country with an immense array of history and cultures—along with all of South and Southeast Asia will slowly cease to be taught at Vassar, whereas courses and programs about East Asia continue to thrive and grow. “Part of the reason I wanted to bring these paintings out was [because] I would really like to see Vassar fix this problem,” she said. “We need people working on India here.” For now, at least, we have the opportunity to enjoy the quiet resplendence of “India in Miniature,” a testament to the power of collaboration between museum and scholar.
Collaborative show features treasures of the Great War Sasha Gopalakrishnan Reporter
T
First World War art medals and posters, including state and institutional sponsorship, the use of similar or identical imagery and their function of urging action,” explained Phagan in a statement released by the Art Center. On Friday, Jan. 27, an opening lecture for “The Art of Devastation” took place in Taylor Hall, followed by a reception in the Art Center Atrium. The lecture, given by the other co-curator of the exhibition, the Head of the Curitorial Department of the ANS Peter van Alfen, was entitled, “America Under Pressure: Identities, Loyalties and Medallic Art during the Great War.” It highlighted the history of coins and art medals from before the Great War up until the end of it. He traced their birth in the 15th century as Italian Renaissance medals, where they were regarded as the currency of fame, to their progression into a form of artistic expression in France and, soon after, in Germany. The lecture raised some interesting questions,
including one about why German medals in particular appeared to be so harsh and violent, while France’s medals were so saccharine. Alfen suggested that it was perhaps because Germany engendered that sort of brutality at the time even in their media and publications. Another question related to the rarity of the medals, to which Alfen responded that they weren’t seen much by the common people because they were rather expensive and were usually bought by curators and bourgeois collectors. Wrapping up his lecture on this note, Alfen elucidated, “We are moved by these medals, by their intimacy and power to reflect so much history, but it’s unfortunate that not many people really saw them, as opposed to posters which were seen by hundreds and thousands daily.” This is why both the medals and posters have been brought to Vassar audiences in this exhibition, which provides an opportunity to reminisce over the familiar and discover the unfamiliar.
Courtesy of American Numismatic Society via FLLAC
he Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center never fails to surprise us with its illuminating and diverse range of works, and this semester is no different. The new exhibition, “The Art of Devastation: Medals and Posters of the Great War” is a true coup in its ability to bring history to our doorstep. Running from Jan. 27 to April 9, the exhibition features rarely seen, globally-inclusive art from World War I. Medals were seen as an esteemed European art form during the Great War, such that the medium not only reflects the artistic interests of the age but also their historical and political context. Furthermore, while Olympic and military medals are fairly commonplace, art medals are a rarity, making this exclusive Vassar exhibition highly distinctive. The show features 117 medals from both sides of the war, with 14 complementing war posters interspersed between the cabinets housing the medals. The Art Center procured the medals in collaboration with the American Numismatic Society (ANS), while most of the posters have come from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Two of the posters, though, are from Vassar itself, pulled from the College’s Special Collections. The Philip and Lynn Straus Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Loeb Patricia Phagan, who co-curated the exhibition, explained her interest in these medals: “I was taken by the different kinds of images on the medals and how they fit into the artistic age and context of the time. I was interested in their background—some integrate a Beaux-Arts style, others reflect neo-classicism, and some are even satirical and rather grotesque!” “As an Art History major,” she continued, “I was intrigued and wondered why I had never heard of or studied these medals before. Once I encountered them, their intriguing nature pushed me to reveal them to everybody else: to our audiences here at Vassar and really, across the globe, because they are educational, beautiful and so revelatory.” The exhibition is divided into three galleries: The first deals with “Leaders and Commanders”
as well as the “Realities of the War,” the second highlights “Atrocities and Propaganda,” while the last one—”America Goes to War”—demonstrates the U.S.’s entrance into the war. The early medals displayed, especially the ones of leaders and commanders, reflect Beaux-Arts classicism, a style incorporated by many artists who studied in Paris before the War. The fronts of these medals commonly illustrate a portrait in profile view, similar to a coin, which commemorate authority figures. Once the Treaty of Versailles was signed, however, American artists started to use medals to commemorate the victories of wartime heroes. In the gallery of “Atrocities and Propaganda,” numerous medals featured are by German medallic artists. In fact, the majority of medals of the war, a staggering 67 percent, were produced by Germany. A lot of their works, as Phagan mentioned, are satirical and macabre, blatantly broadcasting and mocking the horrors of the war. A particular series the “Dance of Death” is responsive to the sinking of the British ship the Lusitania in 1915: It depicts Death, personified by a skeleton, in various situations related to the sunken ship. For example, one medal illustrates this skeleton with his hands on his hips, standing triumphantly over the Lusitania, while another shows Death standing in a ticketing booth, selling tickets to the men who drowned, as if it were their tragic fate. After the U.S. entered the war in 1917, artists saw the medal as a tool for propaganda, and thus they began to feature didactic, discriminating messages, such as “NO ROOM FOR HYPHENS OR KAISERISTS.” Medals by Paul Manship, a famous American sculptor, are also featured in the exhibition. One medal in particular displays a young child being protected in the front, while the flip side depicts men going into battle, thus conveying a larger message about the dual nature of the war. In selecting the posters for the exhibition, Phagan decided to juxtapose the intimacy of the small coin-sized medals with the larger art form from the era, posters, which are filled with color and loaded with political messages—a fusion of artistic expression and dogmatic propaganda. “There are actually numerous parallels between
The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center—with support from the American Numismatic Society— debuted a new exhibition highlighting rarely seen medals and posters from the First World War.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ARTS
Page 16
Sci-fi still dominant on Netflix
‘Skam’ transcends teen television norms Patrick Tanella Arts Editor
Skam
Andem NRK
Izzy Braham
Guest Columnist
The OA
Marling, Batmanglij Netflix
O
ver winter break I watched this ridiculous sci-fi drama mini-series on Netflix called “The OA.” I am not a huge sci-fi person, especially after having already watched my fill with the show “Stranger Things,” but since I had five weeks to spare I gave it a try, and I ended up binge watching it all in three days. And boy, were those a crazy three days. “The OA” is a mysterious, cerebral experience. Intense and strange at times, the mini-series echoes “Stranger Things” in its otherworldly elements, stunning cinematography and eerie atmosphere—but it’s even better. First, let me tell you what “The OA” is about. The series walks the viewer through the story of Prairie Johnson, a young woman who went missing for seven years. The first episode begins with Prairie being found. However, there’s a twist— when she went missing she was blind, but when she was found she can see. Reluctant to tell anyone what happened to her, Prairie assembles a group of five outcasts to whom she tells her story. She reveals to this group that she was taken hostage by a crazed scientist who wanted to study near death experiences—an experience in which one dies temporarily, crosses over into a different world and then is resuscitated. Sounds wacky, right? “The OA” had a bit of a slow start, so I wasn’t immediately hooked. In the first episode, the main character refuses to tell anyone what had happened to her until its end—and that was a little frustrating. However, once she gathers this cult of five people, her story unfolds, and by the end of the first episode, I felt that I had been a part of an emotional, mystical whirlwind. Overall, what I thought made “The OA” better than “Stranger Things” was that it had the most beautiful and tense moments between characters. Even in the chaos, there are scenes in which Johnson is in a magical world, among the stars and talking to angels with a simple grace. There are also scenes in which she is just talking to a normal person, but revealing this inner omniscient wisdom that is both beautiful and eerie. With that said, the main character did irritate me at times. She was very serious, amusingly so, and in telling her story, she tries to make her tale extremely profound. Some of these moments seem very meaningful and enchanting, but other times they were a little over-the-top for me. That is why I think this show can only be watched in a humorous light. It is so dramatic, yet bizarre that I couldn’t help but make fun of it as I watched. For instance, there is a scene in which the characters are doing these “five movements,” or as I saw it, interpretive dancing, to bring someone back to life. I found myself laughing and mimicking their crazy movements with my mother. The finale was quite shocking, though as the episodes progressed I felt that the show kept compiling more and more unresolved mysteries— however, the mini-series does answer what “The OA” stands for. I’m unsure if the loose ends are a set-up for a Season two or if the directors purposely made the show more convoluted. I think the show would be most powerful if the directors simply left it at one season, leaving behind some unexplained, yet beautiful content. If you do watch the show, just remember that a lot of what happens doesn’t make perfect sense. Actress Brit Marling acknowledged this element, saying, “There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just what you feel, which is kind of what being alive is like” (Variety, “‘The OA’ Creators Explain Netflix’s Mysterious New Drama,” 12.16.2016). Even with the loose ends and the exaggerated intensity, I would recommend “The OA” to anyone who loves “Stranger Things” or beautifully shot films. It is not a casual show to watch, but if you want something that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then I would recommend it.
February 2, 2017
I
never thought that I would find a show spoken in Norwegian about the daily lives of teenagers to be so enrapturing. From the first several minutes of “Skam,” which translates to shame, I was hooked. The Norwegian drama manages to illustrate what being a teenager is really like by capturing all of the highs and lows, while also making each character seem human. It does not stumble through the unrealistic and often uncomfortable dialogues that surrounded “Skins” and “Degrassi.” “Skam’s” constantly developing plot and its usage of modern media has been a refreshing change in the television world, and I am confident that it will shape how other shows broadcast to their audience in the future. In a similar fashion to “Skins” and “Degrassi,” each season of the series follows a particular character’s struggles, whether they be due to a toxic relationship, taxing friendships or finding the courage to accept themselves. Each character possesses so many layers that only by the audience viewing from their perspective can people truly understand how they feel and what goes on each day in their complicated lives. The audience is able to watch the protagonist’s every move through text messages and clips that are posted on “Skam’s” website. Each Friday these clips are compiled into an episode that is aired on NRK, Norway’s major television network. The series has quickly become of the most popular in Norway, with up to 40 percent of the country’s population watching a given episode. To put this in perspective, about 1 in 3 people watch the Super Bowl in the United States each year. This popularity has not been restricted to Norway. The clips are translated into dozens of
languages, including English, and posted onto sites such as Tumblr and Twitter so that people around the world can be kept up to date. I discovered a Twitter gif of Isak, who is the main character of Season three, and looked into the show. Two nights later, I had watched all 33 episodes and found myself wanting to move to Norway and befriend each character. I know that you are probably thinking that this is just another teen drama that Tumblr loves to constantly talk about, but that is not the case. The fact that you can watch each clip as it is posted live makes it feel like these characters are really just Norwegian high schoolers that are dealing with current issues. The usual separation between the audience and a show’s characters is gone, and you can even follow them on Instagram! Each episode brings up a multitude of important topics such as the difference between bisexuality and pansexuality, mental illness, islamophobia, eating disorders, the refugee crisis, coming out, religion, evolution and sexual abuse. Yet, these overarching themes never seem forced but rather provide necessary education to the characters on the show and audience members that may not fully understand what pansexuality really is or how to help a friend with bulimia. Viewers watch Isak in Season three come to understand that a loved one’s mental illness should not mean that they cannot be a positive member of your life but rather you should embrace them, faults and all, and work together towards making sure they are happy and healthy. These are important issues that many viewers may not fully understand, and I believe that it’s so important to show people who may be struggling with mental illness or an eating disorder themselves that it is possible to not only survive but thrive. In addition, each season so far has surrounded a complicated relationship. While everyone loves to watch a happily ever after love story, the audience is quickly brought back down to reality, which is especially true in the first season. As Eva, the main character, explains
to Jonas why they need to break up, she says, “Your happiness meant more to me than mine, and that cannot be the case.” In addition, when Eva asks Isak whether Even is the man of his dreams, Isak says that he doesn’t know, and that it shouldn’t matter as long as he is happy now. Love is not a fairy tale, and while the deeply felt romances in “Skam” may make it feel like one, the characters are quick to remind each other and the audience that love is work and you have to take it a day at a time, or as Isak says, minute for minute. A pivotal moment in the series surrounds Isak discussing being gay with Eskild, who is a proudly out, completely-himself individual. When Isak says that he does not want to be associated with gay pride and just wants to love Even, Eskild is quick to educate him rather than challenge him. He says to Isak, “They’re people who, throughout the years, have chosen to endure harassment and hate, who’ve been beaten up and killed. And that’s not because they’re so insanely keen on being different but because they’d rather die than pretend to be something they’re not. And I think that before you’ve fought that battle yourself, before you’ve dared to stand up for who you are, you should be fucking careful with talking and raising yourself above gay pride.” The show serves as a reminder to surround yourself with people who are going to help you grow as an individual. With those who will stand up and speak up in instances of prejudice, who will take the time to teach you about things you may not understand, and most importantly won’t let you or others remain complacent in your ignorance. “Skam” has truly changed my perspective on life. I am one who is constantly thinking about the future, about what to do next rather than live in the moment. In the last line in Season three, Isak says, “Whether you believe in Allah or Jesus or evolution or parallel universes there is only one thing we know for sure: that life is now.” Everyone should remember this sentiment in their daily lives and focus on being their best self now.
The xx delivers lackluster album—again Jimmy Christon Columnist
I See You
The xx Young Turks
T
he band the xx has made some incredibly boring music in the past. I found that the group’s last two albums, the 2009 self-titled debut and “Coexist,” were absolute snore-fests. Not only was their music unexciting, but the style of soft pop they were going for was and has been done better by artists ranging from Arcade Fire to FKA Twigs–there wasn’t anything to set them apart from these artists’ quieter tracks. Not to say that all boring music is bad, it’s just that the type of music the xx made on their past two albums never brought anything new to the table. Their music went in one ear and out the other; it never left any impressions on me. I can find no better proof of how this uninspired music brings the group down than on their new album “I See You.” There are genuine moments of greatness on this album, but these moments are utterly hampered by a plethora of derivative tracks that make this 39-minute album feel like an hour. For those who don’t know, the xx consists of vocalists/instrumentalists Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim and producer Jamie “xx” Smith. You might have heard of Jamie xx before from his awesome electronic-album “In Colour” from 2015. One thing that I really loved about “In Colour” that I hoped would carry over into this new album was how it managed to be more energetic than the xx’s previous work, while still being a very relaxed album. Yet, the soft, soothing voices were all too apparent, and did nothing to ease my fears. It’s hard to say whether the album as a
whole accomplishes this feat. There are some undeniable high-points on this album, mainly the tracks “Say Something Loving,” “A Violent Noise,” and “On Hold.” These tracks are great examples of what this band can do really well. The rest of this album, however, is just a boring, dull slog. First up: the bad. The bad is that a good portion of this album is bland and derivative. Over half of the album, from the track “Performance” to the closer “Test Me” (with the exception of the track “On Hold”) were songs that I felt sounded very bland and uninspired compared to the opening tracks. The trio of songs “Performance,” “Replica” and “Brave For You” are easily this album’s worst stretch. These songs could have been cut from this album and I would’ve happily given a 27-minute EP a higher score. It’s like the xx haphazardly combined some whispered cliché lyrics with some quiet, down-tempo instrumentals, listened to it once and said, “Yeah, this sounds like something we put out on the last album,” and then didn’t touch the song again. These songs lack meaningful progression, sound utterly similar and pale in comparison to the other tracks on this album. Then there are the tracks that bring a little bit more to the table, but are they still hindered by the xx’s derivative style of making music. “Lips” is one such track that comes so close to being a great song, but just misses the mark for me. I love the cool, echo-y instrumental on this track with this synth that sounds like it’s being revved up like a lawnmower engine. At first, the vocals sound nice with the instrumental, but the more I listen to this track, the more I feel like the vocals just get in the way of everything else. The lyrics on this track, like the majority of the songs from this album, are simply clichéd and mindless. They just feel like filler. I wouldn’t be surprised if the only reason tracks like these were even given lyrics in the
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
first place is because the members of the xx feel as if they have to put lyrics over instrumental tracks to justify their existence as bona-fide songs. This is something that I saw Jamie xx’s “In Color” pushing against by being able to set a mood on the album as a whole with a minimal use of vocals. If this is the case, why am I even reviewing this album if I like “In Colour” so much more than this? Well, I mentioned earlier that there are good parts to this album, and I would be remiss if I did not to mention how much I did enjoy it. When Romy and Oliver actually bring their A-game, the band proves that there is something to their music worth pursuing. The xx can really hit gold and produce some great tracks, like “Say Something Loving,” “On Hold” and “Violent Noise.” The track “Say Something Loving” is handsdown my favorite track on the album. The track sees Romy and Oliver trading verses and sharing a chorus over a stellar instrumental, a great use of a vocal sample from an Alessi Brothers track. Despite the song’s lyrics being clichéd for the xx, the execution makes up for its lack of originality. The track is about anxiously chasing affection, of not letting moments be lost to that folder in our heads labeled, “What if?,” and the xx delivered. This track is excellent. And if the rest of the album was as excellent as this track? But that’s just another one of those “What ifs?” this track is about. Instead, this track is one of three outliers among the norm (the other two tracks I mentioned, “On Hold” and “Violent Noise,” are also well worth your time). Unfortunately, the xx delivered another album that was the status quo for them. An album that is mainly boring, airy, whispery and dull. But there is a handful of tracks that point towards a promising picture of what the xx’s music could be. In the meantime, I hope Jamie xx releases another solo project.
ARTS
February 2, 2017
Campus Canvas
A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists
Page 17 submit to misc@vassar.edu
Excuse me, What Can Be Done?
Beyond For Carole
She was listless on that day, Listen to the leaves in the trees, but bound to walk along
What advice do you have for Elizabeth Bradley?
look at the pretty colors. slowly, over roots and pods Forget your mistakes. along a path beside the lake. They are twigs on the ground She saw the pads of leaves
“Try Chili Wednesday” — Heather Nguyen ’20
soon to blend into earth crowding out the sun. crushed underfoot if you walk “People won’t like you no matter what you do” — Zoey Weissman ’19
Many, too many, covered the lake. that way again. It should have been a pleasant walk, But meanwhile, cherish, a hike at summer’s end, like the religious person you were, but no, the cluttered green the next day and the day after, had steely roots, sunk deep
“Be nice” — Takunda Maisva ’19
whatever task awaits. into the mud. And so she thought Who comes this way? “What has this lake become? “Get ready” — Alexia Garcia ’18
Who is there? Whose fault is this? You are not a savior, Who interferes and blocks out but one who saves. all the sun?”
“Don’t eat the Deece scrambled eggs” — Nic Penn ’19
Ruth Cohen is a psychiatrist who trained at the NYU School of Medicine after graduating from Vassar in 1963. At Vassar she majored in zoology. One of her favorite classes was English 105 taught by Susan Turner, where the students studied James Baldwin, F. Scott Fitzgerald and
“Listen to your students; they’re your allies” — Hollace Francy ’15
Sigmund Freud, among others.
Evelyn Frick, Humor & Satire Editor
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
SPORTS
Page 18
February 2, 2017
Basketball keeps heads high after league upsets on the road Kelly Pushie
Guest Reporter
C
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
oming off a four-game winning streak against Bard, Clarkson, St. Lawrence and RPI, the Vassar women’s basketball team struggled to find their rhythm. They fell to William Smith and RIT in their past two contests this week. Although the squad lost to William Smith earlier in the year, the RIT Tigers upset the women’s team in a shocking 85-61 defeat. In the game against William Smith, freshman Sophie Nick put up a career-high 22 points, paired with 10 rebounds. Alongside Nick, freshman Isa Pezuch totaled 13 points while sophomore Nicole Teta tallied 11 points and eight rebounds. Although several Brewers put up impressive numbers, the team struggled with getting the ball in the basket. This difficulty can be seen in the difference of shot percentage, as the Herons scored 47 percent compared to the Brewers’ 33 percent. Throughout the game, Vassar was just unable to close the gap and in turn, unable to give themselves a lead. In the first quarter, the Brewers started out on top thanks to points from Pezuch. However, William Smith answered and was able to assert a five-point lead going into the second quarter. VC fought back in the second quarter but were unable to convert on the offensive end, allowing William Smith to score 10 of the final 12 points of the half and stretch their lead to 46-32. The second half followed a similar model, with the Brewers trying to close the gap but William Smith continually putting points up on the board. Eventually, the clock got the best of VC as the team fell short 65-75. The squad left Geneva, NY with a broken winning streak and a tough game ahead of them the next day. Against RIT, the Brewers were “upset” in more than one way after the game. The Tigers, after losing to the Brewers 72-83 earlier in the season, put up 85 points against the Brewers’ 61. Leading Vassar was junior captain Ariella Rosenthal, who tallied an impressive 24 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Behind Rosen-
thal, Teta poured in 11 points and nine rebounds, while Pezuch contributed 10 points. However, shot percentage bested Vassar yet again, as the team only scored 34 percent from the floor in comparison to the Tiger’s 51 percent. The inability to convert on the offensive end of the court plagued the Brewers in the first quarter. The Tigers went on a 25-3 run to give themselves a comfortable lead early on, which they were able to keep for the rest of the game. The teams entered halftime with RIT ahead 50-25. However, the Brewers caught a second wind after the break and responded by going on a 14-4 run to pull the game within 16. Then in the fourth quarter, play was even with both sides posting 14 points, but RIT had already given themselves a marginal lead and the Brewers were unable to catch up. Although this past weekend was tough, the team does not plan on letting these two games define their season, nor do they plan on continuing this losing streak next week against Skidmore and Union. Freshman Sophie Nick has been a remarkable addition to the Brewer’s roster this season. The 6’1” forward averages 12.4 points per game and leads the team with 160 rebounds on the season. Nick has been a driving force in the team’s success this season and believes that the team has potential to get back on track and play better in the upcoming league games. Nick mentioned, “We had a tough weekend against William Smith and RIT but we are planning on working hard at practice this week to improve the areas we struggled in over the weekend and come out this weekend with confidence and energy.” Nick continued, “Skidmore and Union are tough teams but we match up well and if we play our brand of basketball we can definitely get two wins.” Continuing her positivity, Nick notes how crucial the upperclassmen’s leadership and support have been to the team’s success this season. In particular, the Brewers are very happy to be led under the team’s three juniors: Rosenthal,
Sophomore Nicole Teta looks for teammates in league match-up against Clarkson on Jan. 13. Teta scored a buzzer-beating three-point shot to push the Brewers over the Golden Knights 64-61. Samarah Cook and Kim Romanoff. Rosenthal has had an incredible season thus far and has aided the team in securing so many wins. She leads the team in scoring and assists with 288 and 53 respectively. Coming off two losses, Rosenthal is hopeful that the team can take something away from their performance this past weekend. “Obviously it was a tough weekend for us but I think it was a good wake up call for our team,” Rosenthal noted. Furthermore, Rosenthal mentioned that although they will be playing league competitors for a second time each, past results are irrelevant and whichever team shows up more ready to play will be the victor. “Going into the second round of league play you can either step up or get complacent, and I think that is what happened to us. You can never expect anyone
in the Liberty League to allow you to come into their gym and roll over them; each game is a dog fight, and we lacked the grit we needed to win this weekend,” Rosenthal pointed out. In terms of what the team needs to get back on track against Skidmore and Union, Rosenthal is focusing on confidence and making sure that the team does not get down on themselves. “I think keeping our heads up and making sure people understand the importance of looking ahead and not dwelling on what is done is important for us to move forward and continue to get better this week,” she stated. Rosenthal wants the team to use these losses as motivation to keep improving as the season progresses. With heads held high, the Brewers will face two more league opponents, Union and Skidmore, on Feb. 3 and 4 on their home court.
Women’s squash regains momentum, honors seniors Desmond Curran Guest Reporter
T
out of a possible 18 individual matches, bringing the team to a three-game winning streak. This past Saturday was also a special day for three of the Brewers, seniors Isabelle Bertram, Howland and Scher, who were honored on Senior Day. Each individual won both of her matches on the day and was excited to end their regular season on a high note. Expressing joy at the team’s ability to finish its regular success with such finesse, Howland said, “Getting the wins was great! We were pretty confident going in, and we all executed really well. Good vibes all around.” Howland has played for the team for two years, earning an overall record of 15-11, including an impressive 9-1 record this year. Scher was also overjoyed at the finish of her final regular season. “Senior day was all we could’ve wanted and more. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my last match at Kenyon and begin the end of my career at
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
his Saturday, Feb. 28, the Vassar women’s squash team secured two wins in emphatic fashion to celebrate Senior Day. Returning home to Kenyon Hall for the first time since December, the Brewers swept Boston University and Northeastern in the 2017 Hudson Valley Team Tournament. The victories this Saturday were a continuation of Vassar’s return to winning ways. Before winter break, the team suffered a close 4-5 loss to a very talented Tufts University squad, which ended a five-match winning streak. Although going into break after such a loss would seem to be a large challenge for the team to overcome, the break proved to be an opportunity for the team to recover and focus on their training in preparation for their return in January. In terms of Vassar’s winter recess, Coach David Ames explained, “The break actually affected the team far less than expected. Most players practiced and worked out at home and arrived on campus on Jan. 14. We did two-a-day practices all week, with conditioning in the morning and standard squash practice in the afternoon.” Senior captain Carly Scher pointed out that the break also allowed the team to study the game in addition to the hard training regimen they followed. “We also had the opportunity to go watch the professionals in the Tournament of Champions in Grand Central as it was happening during our training week. So that was really cool and a great way to think about what we do on court,” shared Scher. The hard work paid off, as the Brewers returned to action on Jan. 21 with a prominent 8-1 win over Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania. Against the Fords, junior captain Hannah Nice led the Brewers with a win in three sets, earning her fifth straight win in five matches for the Burgundy and Grey. The longest streak on that day belonged to the freshman Sydney Nemphos, who defeated her opponent Isabelle Agnew in four sets to reach a six-match winning streak. Nemphos and fellow classmate Alessandra Pilkington have proven to be a prolific duo for the Brewers in their rookie
year. Acknowledging their success, Coach Ames stated, “Sydney and Allie are working very hard and have won the majority of their matches.” Coach Ames continued, “I am very sure I will see them being leaders and tremendous assets to the team in the future.” Other results on the match against Haverford went Vassar’s way as sophomore Jiamin Wu defeated Olivia Francom, Scher fought Mason McNulty through a tough four sets and junior Cherylann Mucciolo swept Emilia Cobbs in three straight sets. Senior Diana Howland and junior Emma Glickman also dispatched their opponents with ease through three sets. Building on the momentum from the match against Haverford, the Brewers brought it home this past Saturday in Kenyon Hall, facing a daunting day of double matches against Boston University in the morning and then Bucknell just five hours later. Up for the challenge, the team provided a dominant display, winning 17
Freshman standout Sydney Nemphos finished with a perfect 2-0 record on Senior Day. After a strong finish to regular season play, the team will head to the Seven Sisters Championships on Feb. 11.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Vassar,” smiled Scher. “I’m so proud of all the women who not only wowed me on Saturday, but have been amazing me all season with their passion, hard work and spirit.” Scher finished the regular season with a record of 8-3, and an overall record of 21-22 over three years on the team. On another impressive note, Bertram finished her regular season with an overall record of 2018 over three years, and an 8-3 record in the 2016-2017 season. Looking ahead, the Brewers will travel to Mount Holyoke on Feb. 11 for the Seven Sisters Championships. The Seven Sisters Championships bode to be Vassar’s biggest challenge to date. Posting an overall record of 9-2 this season, the team has high hopes for their performance at the championships. Howland expressed a strong confidence and determination among the team as they prepare for the tournament. Howland elaborated,“We have a very deep team this year, both in terms of emotion and talent. We believe we can do anything we put our minds too.” Continuing these sentiments, Scher stated, “We have an extremely strong team this year, the strongest it has been in all my four years.” Coach Ames also demonstrated measured excitement going forward. “The Seven Sisters Championships are a big deal for us. Other than Nationals at the end of February, it is the biggest competition in which we participate all year...But I am really looking forward to playing Wellesley,” explained Coach Ames. The only Seven Sisters competition the Brewers have faced this year has been Mount Holyoke. Heading into Feb. 11 is thus an exciting time for the Brewers, as they look to transfer their out-ofleague form to the League Championships. As the historic season reaches its conclusion, it has been a season to remember for all. Scher captures the emotion of this moment in time, “My freshman year I played on the men’s team; there was no women’s team. But today the women’s team has grown larger than the men’s. That in itself is an accomplishment. We definitely have a lot to be proud of this season. I think we’re going to go out with a bang.”
February 2, 2017
SPORTS
Page 19
Executive order presents Underdogs prepare to take Super Bowl by storm threat to athletes’ careers Mack Liederman Guest Columnist
I
n a new act of racial and religious exclusion, President Donald J. Trump signed one of his first executive orders, banning non-American citizens of seven countries from entering the United States for 90 days. The countries barred (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq) are all majority-Muslin nations. Although most Americans may not know someone affected directly by Trump’s order, the ban has left several notable immigrant professional athletes fearing if they can compete. One of the impacted athletes is Thon Maker, a center for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. Maker was born in Wau, Sudan and is a South Sudan citizen who travels under an Australian passport. Following the Buck’s Jan. 28 game against the Toronto Raptors in Toronto, Canada, team officials held concerns that Maker might be barred from re-entry into the U.S. Fortunately, Maker was able to make it back to state-side safety. Since that close call, however, the NBA has reached out to the State Department to clarify the status of two of the league’s players: Makers and Luol Deng of the Los Angeles Lakers. Both Maker and Deng were born in Sudan and are non-US citizens, but hold dual-citizenship in a country not included on the ban list, creating a gray area for their status in international league travel. “We have reached out to the State Department and are in the process of gathering information to understand how this executive order would apply to players in our league who are from one of the impacted countries,” said NBA spokesman Mike Bass. “The NBA is a global league and we are proud to attract the very best players from around the world.” Bucks senior vice president Alexander Lasry sent out statements over Twitter in support of his player. “I appreciate all the fans’ concerns
and prayers for Thon,” Lasry wrote. “And today, a Sudanese refugee who fled oppression and is an incredible young man will make his second NBA start. I’m incredibly excited and proud of him. He’s a symbol of what makes America great and all immigrants believe about America.” The impacts of the ban go beyond just Maker and Deng. With international athletes being unable to enter the U.S., bids to hold the 2024 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the 2026 World Cup in the US, might soon be sweltered by international governing committees. In an act of retaliation, Iran has banned US citizens from entering the country, preventing two American-born basketball players from playing professionally in Iran. Four-time gold medalist British and Somalian distance runner Sir Mo Farrah is another notable athlete who can be impacted. Farrah now lives in the United States, but is currently training outside the country. “I am a British citizen who has lived in America for the past six years–working hard, contributing to society, paying my taxes and bringing up our four children in the place they now call home,” said Farrah. “Now, me and many others like me are being told that we may not be welcome. It’s deeply troubling that I will have to tell my children that Daddy might not be able to come home–to explain why the President has introduced a policy that comes from a place of ignorance and prejudice.” Nazr Mohammad, a former NBA player who identifies as Muslim, wrote on Twitter, “It’s a tough day when u find out that so many ppl that u thought were fans or friends really hate u and everything u believe in.” “Freedom and liberty packing up their things...” tweeted former two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. America nervously waits to see what will become of their beloved role model athletes.
Robert Pinataro Guest Columnist
F
or the first time in nearly two decades, the Atlanta Falcons will be in the Super Bowl this year. They have had several strong seasons during this span, but rarely made the playoffs and could never quite make it all the way to the Super Bowl. This year’s sucess came as even more of a surprise because this season was not supposed to be a good one for the Falcons. At the beginning of the season, the Falcons were given 80/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Only four teams had lower odds, including the Philadelphia Eagles (100/1), Los Angeles Rams (100/1), Cleveland Browns (200/1) and the San Francisco 49ers (200/1). These poor odds were largely a result of the Falcons’ lackluster 2015 campaign. They had a very average 8-8 record, and starting quarterback Matt Ryan played poorly. This season, however, the Falcons shattered expectations and won 11 games, earning themselves a playoff berth. Their offense is currently ranked best overall in the NFL, and their defense is ranked eighth. They have been a force to be reckoned with all season and will continue to be a tough team to beat on Sunday. The Falcons will be put to the test against the storied New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots have a team of similar caliber to the Falcons, but with a lot more playoff experience under their belts, having won four Super Bowls, all within the last 15 years. They have made it to the Super Bowl five other times, though they did not win. To top it off, since 2001, they have won the AFC East Division 14 times in 16 seasons. 2001 was also Tom Brady’s first year as the Patriots starting quarterback. The Patriots’ resume and playoff experience is extremely powerful, and this is part of what has led them to the playoffs year after year. The fact that Tom Brady, the quarterback and lead-
er of the team, has been around for all of these years and has all of this experience is particularly important, since he has a huge impact on the game. The Patriots do have a significant advantage in this game because of this experience. Despite having the best offense in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons have been projected by many analysts to lose to the Patriots this Sunday in a close game. In order to beat the odds, Matt Ryan will have to perform at his absolute best. They need to expect New England to double cover and essentially shut down star wide receiver Julio Jones. Rather than continuing to throw to the stand-out, Ryan needs to use any lapse in coverage to throw to less notable receiver Taylor Gabriel. On defense, the Falcons are in decent shape, as they have one of the best passing defenses in the league. The area they need to watch is the run. Pats running back LeGarrette Blount can be dangerous, especially when coupled with Tom Brady’s ability to pass. If the Falcons become too consumed with stopping the run, this will create weaknesses in their pass defense. This will certainly be a juggling act of sorts for the Falcons defense, as they attempt to combat an offense that poses many different threats. A win would be fantastic for the city of Atlanta being that, for the most part, all of their professional sports teams have struggled for years. The city needs something to get fans excited about Atlanta sports. The Atlanta Braves built a brand new stadium for the 2017 season in hopes that it will increase ticket sales, but the impact of a Super Bowl win on Sunday night would be exponentially greater. The Falcons will face their greatest challenge on Sunday, and it will undoubtedly be a great game to watch. Ryan has taken his game to a new level this season, and as long as the game is well managed there is no reason the Falcons should not be crowned Super Bowl Champions.
Vassar sets up and spikes into successful 2017 season
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
VOLLEYBALL continued from page 1 imity to competing in the championships last season has not been forgotten, and only exacerbates the team’s desire to succeed. A collective goal for the squad this year is to take home the United Volleyball Conference championship win. “We are lucky to be in the toughest conference in Division III men’s volleyball, which includes three national champion teams and great schools like NYU and MIT,” Head Coach Gary commented. “Our goal is always to improve as much as we can through the season, so that we can compete hard at our conference championships. That would offer a great shot at NCAA birth.” Senior libero and three-time captain Trey Cimorelli agreed, but emphasized the bond that the players and coaches develop during their season. “Our goal for this season is definitely to compete for the championship, and ultimately make it to NCAA matches. But I also really just want to enjoy my last season. Volleyball and my teammates have been such a huge part of my life at Vassar, and I’m really focusing on enjoying my last season as a student-athlete no matter what the outcome is.” Though only two men’s volleyball players graduated from Vassar’s team this past spring, the absence of last year’s captain Reno Kriz will be felt most greatly on the court. In his last year, Kriz worked to become one of the all-time leading hitters for the Brewers, finishing third in the United Volleyball Conference in total kills with 385. “The biggest impact of graduating the seniors is the lack of Reno’s presence on the court,” Cimorelli noted. “He was our go-to hitter when we were struggling, and filling that role will be really tough.” However, the team possesses skilled returners as well as incoming freshmen, all of whom are determined to offset this loss. “With a smaller roster than most of our opponents, it’s great to have guys who aren’t obsessed with specialization and can adapt when the team needs them to,” appreciated Coach Gary. The Brewers recognize that in order to improve as a whole, they must step into whichever roles need to be filled.
Senior captain Trey Cimorelli bumps the ball in game during the 2016 season. With a few wins under their belt, the Brewers will continue their 2017 season on Feb. 3 against NYU. “Reno took a lot of swings before he graduated, and now a lot of that responsibility is being transferred to me,” told senior captain Christian Lizana, ready to step up to the plate. “I am trying to take that role in stride and do my best to provide a consistent hitting option that my teammates can trust,” Lizana continued. Lizana finished last season with astounding stats, including 393 service receptions, 131 digs and 146 kills, equating to the fourth most on the team. Cimorelli matches this level of experience, earning all United Volleyball Conference Honorable Mentions both his freshman and sophomore year, and taking home the league’s Libero of the Year award following his junior season. Cimorelli played in 111 sets last year in each of the 31 matches. He posted 90 assists, as well as 263 digs, which earned him the highest on the team, third most in the conference and 32nd nationally in digs per set. These standout players are joined by junior hitter Matthew Knigge, who has arrived back
to Vassar after spending the semester abroad in Russia. Knigge is enthusiastic and ready to contribute to the team’s efforts once again. In his last season, Knigge earned Athletic Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All-American, All-United Volleyball Conference First Team, ECAC First Team and Betty Richey Outstanding Performer of the Year Award. He finished third in the nation in both hitting percentage and blocks per set. Supplementing the returners’ mass of talent, the team’s three freshmen are making themselves known as well. “All three of our freshmen have made a big impact for us so far, each contributing in very different ways,” noted Coach Gary. “Kevin Ros is working incredibly hard and despite moving into a more offensive role, which could have thrown off most defenders, he has really worked to make an impact. Zach Bygall came back from a brutal flu to lead us in the fall and has continued to push hard in that role. Yoni Auerbach has come back from a back injury this
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
fall and is now playing the best volleyball we’ve ever seen from him. It’s exciting to see each of them improve every day,” Coach Gary shared. The Brewers’ determination and work ethic have already shown through in recent matchups. The team has won five games out of nine in their pre-conference season to tough competition. Three of these wins came in three sets, while only one went into four sets and one went into five. “The best part of this group is their ability to solve problems and consistently push themselves in our training,” Head Coach Gary praised. “Our up and downs seem to be the natural result of trying to incorporate new ideas and players, and we are very confident we are on a growth trajectory.” One of the team’s significant learning experiences came in a game against Rivier College in Union, NJ. The Brewers let Rivier win the first two sets, but battled back in order to win the next three in a row, taking the game 3-2. Coach Gary recalled, “We barely snuck out the win through very consistent and focused team effort. I think it really taught us that we can rebound from a tough set and come out re-focused and present for the next one.” The team is exceptionally optimistic moving forward in their season and heading to Liberty League matches. Although they are matched up against tougher competition before the entering the United Volleyball Conference, they acknowledge the opportunity to use such strong competition to advance their skill. “We have a much tougher schedule this season so, while challenging, it will prove to be valuable in preparing us for our conference matches,” Lizana stated. “We hope to show we can compete with top teams.” Lizana acknowledges that the team has room for improvement but does not doubt their ability to continue growing individually and as a unit. “We still have a ways to go. While we have performed well, we definitely have not reached our full potential. We are still looking to find our groove, but we are driven and know what we want to accomplish this season.” Next up, the Brewers will face New York University in Springfield, MA on Friday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.
SPORTS
Page 20
February 2, 2017
Talented opponents test prowess of VC winter sports Olivia O’Loughlin Sports Editor
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Traveling to Saratoga Springs, NY, the women’s swimming and diving teams competed in the Skidmore Sprint Invitational against William Smith, Skidmore, SUNY Cobleskill and Bard. William Smith won the invitational with 472.5 points as Vassar finished at third with 347 points. To start off the day, the 200 medley relay team of senior captain Julia Cunningham, freshman Laura Vidano and sophomores Hayley Schultz and Meg Harrington earned second place with a time of 1:58.17. The squad touched in just over three seconds behind William Smith. Sophomore Kael Ragnini annihilated her competition in the 500 free as she finished over nine seconds before the second place swimmer, Skidmore’s Elizabeth Levy. Cunningham and Schultz then each collected another second place win in the 100 backstroke and 50 backstroke, respectively. Vidano then returned to the pool to swim the 100 butterfly in a season-best 1:04.10 to clinch the
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
The Brewers started off the spring semester with a splash as they earned first place in the Skidmore Sprint Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 29. To earn this win, Vassar accumulated 466 points to surpass Skidmore, Bard and SUNY Cobleskill. VC displayed domination early in the four-day meet as seniors Chris Cerutti and Anthony Walker, junior Jonah Strand and freshman Harrison Taylor earned first place in the 200 medley relay, the first event of the invitational. The success continued as freshman Jordan Kalina took home first place in the 500 free with a time of 5:03.42. Senior Patrick Lai then clinched second place in the 50 freestyle, finishing in 30.18. Walker, Strand and Taylor swept the leaderboards of the 100 fly, taking home first, second and third place, respectively. Walker tapped in at 53.16, soon followed by Strand at 53.75 and Taylor at 57.78. In the 400 IM, junior Luke Morrison bested his seed time by 10 seconds with a time of 4:46.79 to earn second place. As the Brewers took the top five spots in the 50 fly, VC earned over 62 points, the point differential between meet-winner Vassar and second-place Skidmore. In the event, Walker claimed first place with a time of 24.17, followed by Taylor (25.84), Morrison (25.89), freshman Matthew Imiolek (26.59) and Kalina (27.36). Other victorious Brewers include sophomore Michael Colletta who took home third place in the 100 free, Cerutti who finished in second in the 50 backstroke and Walker who was victorious in the 200 freestyle. Not losing any momentum, Strand returned to the pool to take home two more wins in the 100 yard IM and the 100 backstroke. Morrison finished behind Strand in the 100 yard IM to get third with a time of 1:01.48. Finishing the meet on a high note, Vassar took home first and second place in the 200 free relay with Walker, Gabriel, Cerutti and Yaron at finishing first, followed by Colletta, Kalina, Morrison and Taylor for second. The Brewers will dive into action against Montclair State University on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. at home.
win. Behind Vidano, senior Zoe Kurtz tapped in at 1:18.17 to earn seventh place. The 400 IM was a big event for the Brewers as Cunningham brought home first, junior Emily McDaniels finished in fifth with a season-best time of 5:17.81, followed by and senior captain Kayla Schwab for sixth. Cunningham continued demonstrating her prowess as she earned first place in the 50 butterfly, shortly followed by Vidano at two. More Brewers reached the leaderboards in the 100 freestyle as Harrington grabbed second and Ragnini took home fourth. To wrap up the meet, the 200 free relay finished in second as Vidano, McDaniels, Ragnini and Harrington tapped in at 1:48.47. VC will next head to the biggest competition of the year, the Upper New York State Swimming and Diving (UNYSCSA) Championships from Feb. 15 through 18 at Ithaca College. Men’s Basketball
Vassar men’s basketball faced a tough weekend on the road as they fell to both Hobart (70-92) and Rochester Institute of Technology (83-86) on Jan. 27 and 28. On Friday, VC held strong the first half and entered the break leading 34-30. During the first half, the Brewers outshot the Statesmen with a 45.8 percent success rate for field goals as Hobart only scored 28.57 percent. However, Hobart turned things around in the second half and shot 68.97 percent for field goals and 60 percent from the three-point arc. Vassar was unfortunately unable to hold the lead shortly after halftime and trailed the Statesmen for the rest of the competition. The captains commanded Vassar’s points as junior Jesse Browne led the squad with 24 points, followed by sophomore Alex Seff with 12 points and senior Mickey Adams with nine. Following the captains, freshman Mattie Mrlik tabbed six points as sophomore Mason Dyslin scored five and sophomore Steve Palecki posted four. Hoping to turn things around, the Brewers took the court against the RIT Tigers the next day, Jan. 28. Early in the game, RIT capitalized on offensive opportunities and quickly took the lead. The Liberty League squads entered halftime with RIT ahead 48-39. After the break, RIT increased its lead by 18 points, with a score of 77-59. Nevertheless, Vassar regained momentum and went on a 24-5 point run to take the lead with a mere 29 seconds left. Being fouled twice, RIT converted three out of its four foul shots to take the final lead and the game. Freshman Kyle Kappas was Vassar’s standout player as he added a career-high 13 points, an assist and a steal. Browne was the leading scorer of the day with 20 points as Dyslin tabbed 18 and Seff contributed 13. The men will return for more league play on Friday, Feb. 3, taking on the Union Dutchmen. Women’s Fencing
On Saturday, Jan. 28, the women’s fencing squad traveled to Providence, RI to compete against Brandeis University, Boston College, Brown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University. These matches constituted the first day of the Northeast Fencing Conference.
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Senior Olivia Weiss competes in epee during the Matt Lampell Invitational in Vassar’s Walker Field House. Weiss and the rest of the squad will next face Yale University on the road.
Junior captain Jesse Browne sets up play in recent home match against non-conference opponent Trinity College. Brewers continue league play against Union College on Friday, Feb. 3. VC earned two wins against Brown (14-13) and Tufts (15-12) while falling to Brandeis (7-20), Boston (13-14) and MIT (10-17). Against the Brandeis Judges, senior epee Olivia Weiss dominated and finished with a perfect record of 3-0. Continuing Vassar’s success, junior Annie Innes- Gold captured two wins in the first match of the day. Next up, the foil team led the efforts against the BC Eagles as senior Elsa Stoff earned three wins while fellow senior Sophie Blumenstock notched two. Also against Boston, Weiss earned another two wins while sophomore Rose Hulsey-Vincent notched another win for the epee team. For the sabre squad, Innes-Gold held a perfect 3-0 record as freshman Stephanie Gull collected a win. Later in the day, the Brewers clinched their first victory in program history over Brown. Contributing to this great accomplishment, Weiss and Innes-Gold again finished 3-0 and Hulsey-Vincent, Stoff and sophomore foil Mirit Rutishauser each picked up two wins. Even though VC fell to MIT next, Innes-Gold and Gull each went undefeated in the match. Vassar then earned its second win against Tufts as Stoff, Rutishauser and Blumenstock finished with two wins apiece in foil, Weiss and Hulsey-Vincent each tabbed two wins in epee and Gull and InnesGold earned two in sabre. With these wins, InnesGold and Weiss finished with strong records of 13-2 and 11-4, respectively. Up next, Vassar will head to New Haven, CT to face Yale University on Saturday, Feb. 4 at noon. Men’s Fencing
Similar to the women’s team, Vassar men’s fencing competed in the Northeast Fencing Conference and faced Brandeis, Boston College, Brown, MIT and Tufts on Saturday, Jan. 28. The Brewers finished 1-4 on the day with a significant 21-6 win over the Tufts Jumbos. Although Vassar fell to Brandeis 12-15, the foil team finished victorious as junior Tom Racek and freshman Jack Holmes both finished 2-1. Freshman Ethan Levine and junior Eli Polston also earned two wins apiece in sabre. The Brewers then unfortunately fell to BC 16-11. Nevertheless, Racek, Holmes and freshman Noe Berger each tabbed a win in foil as junior epees Jonathan Alperstein and George Whiteside posted two wins apiece. Polston and Levine both collected two victories against the Eagles. Against VC’s 11-16 loss against Brown, Racek, Alperstein, Polston and sophomore Michael Skolnick posted two wins each. Then against MIT, Racek finished with a perfect 3-0, followed by Alperstein and Polston with 2-1 finishes. Without losing hope, the Brewers turned things around to defeat Tufts, earning victories in all three weapons. The foilists dominated as Berger and Racek earned three wins each and Skolnick also finished undefeated at 2-0. Senior Jackson Dammann and Whiteside helped the epee team earn the 5-4 with a contribution of two wins. Lastly, Polston clinched three more wins in sabre as junior Eric Lee and freshman Graeme Mills collected two wins apiece as well. On the day, Racek and Polston led the squad with the strongest records of 11-4. Meanwhile, the most success weapon team was foil, which ended with a 4-1 record. VC will next face the Yale Bulldogs away on
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Saturday, Feb. 4. Men’s Squash
Celebrating senior day, the Brewers took on Boston University and the University of Vermont on Saturday, Jan. 28 and Northeastern University on Sunday. The team recognized its four seniors: Richard Bryenton, Lucas Fifer, Samuel Hammer and Vincent Mencotti. While the Brewers first fell to Boston 2-7, the squad shifted momentum to later crush UVM 9-0. Sophomore Caden Gruber was Vassar’s standout as he went 2-0 on the day, defeating BU’s Adam Witaker 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-2 and Vermont’s Emily von Weise 11-0, 11-2, 11-2. Fellow sophomore Isaac Stuart also earned a win against Boston with close scores of 6-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11. Against Vermont, Mencotti, Hammer, Bryenton and freshmen Viraj Nadkarni and Ankit Khosla each earned wins in straight sets. At one and two, Mencotti and Nadkarni earned the victories with scores of 11-4, 11-4, 13-11 and 11-2, 11-1, 11-4, respectively. Returning on Sunday, the men faced Northeastern for day two at the Hudson Valley Team Tournament. Junior Alex Riccio and Mencotti notched impressive five-set wins against the Huskies. With great endurance, Riccio turned things around in the last two sets to win 11-13, 11-1, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9. However, these efforts were not enough as VC fell 5-8. The Brewers will return to action on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4 and 5 to compete in the Liberty League Championships at the University of Rochester.
Weekend Scoreboard
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING VASSAR
VS
466
SKIDMORE
433
WOMEN’S FENCING VASSAR
10
VS
MIT
17