The Miscellany News | Feb 18.

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The Miscellany News Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com

February 18, 2010

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

Volume CXLIII | Issue 15

Lab credit likely not possible Hao Fu

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Guest Reporter

Image courtesy of Rachel Goss

subcommittee of the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Academic Committee recently sent a letter to a group of natural science department chairs discussing

the possibility of granting an extra half credit for natural science courses with a lab requirement. The letter was sent to Environmental Studies Chair and Assistant Professor of Biology Erica Crespi, Chair of Biology and Associate Pro-

fessor of Biology Alexander Marshall Pregnall, Director of the Neuroscience and Behavior Program and Professor of Biology Kathleen Susman, Chair of the Chemistry Department and Associate Professor of Chemistry Eric Eber-

hardt, Chair of Physics and Astronomy and Professor of Astronomy Debra Elmegreen, and Director of Biochemistry and Associate Professor of Biology David Jemiolo. The departments that these chairs See LABS on page 3

Chris Taylor, bass player for the alternative-rock band Grizzly Bear, performs at the ViCE concert in the Vassar Chapel on Oct. 9.

Misconceptions of ViCE

Erik Lorenzsonn

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Arts Editor

ake a look back at the week in arts and entertainment at Vassar: Three Brooklyn DJs blasted dance mixes in Matthew’s Mug on Thursday, the popular independent romantic comedy Away We Go was screened in Blodgett Hall on Friday and Saturday, an eight-piece jazz band called Rubblebucket jammed the night away on Tuesday, and exactly one week ago it was announced that The Flaming Lips are coming to Poughkeepsie. It may come as a surprise that this diverse slew of events is attribut-

able to the work of a single student organization: Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE). “ViCE does a lot,” said President of ViCE Peter Denny ’10. “In the broadest sense, we are a large part of what defines college culture here.” The student-run behemoth is a certified Vassar Student Association (VSA) organization with a mission statement to provide entertainment for the student community. Currently, “entertainment” encompasses jazz nights, Mug nights, student singer-songwriter per See VICE on page 16

VSA’s Proposal Endorsed By CCP

Faculty to vote on Athletics proposal Matthew Brock

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News Editor

Inside this issue

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FEATURES

Late book requests are annual financial burden to students

Associate Professor of Biology William Straus instructs a student during a biochemistry lab on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Olmstead Hall. Earlier this semester, a subcommittee of the VSA Academic Committee drafed a letter proposing that students receive an additional half credit for labs.

English discusses cuts with majors Jillian Scharr

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News Editor

he English Department held a town hallstyle meeting last Thursday evening, Feb. 11, in Sanders Classroom’s Spitzer Auditorium. Advertised as an open discussion for English majors and interested students, the meeting created a space for conversation about the

Department’s recent and upcoming changes. Approximately 14 students attended the meeting, which was moderated by Chair of the English Department and Associate Professor of English Peter Antelyes. Although the curriculum for the 2010-2011 school year will actually increase compared to its size this year,

Antelyes said that the number of English classes being offered was “fairly low for us…[at] 109, 110 courses overall.” Next year, the Department will offer two fewer freshman writing seminars, although Antelyes expressed hope that “other departments can pick [them] up.” One creative writing class

and two courses in medieval and modern literature were cut as well. It is expected that further cuts will be made in the next academic year, 2011-12. Dean of the Faculty Jonathan Chenette commented in an interview this week that the curriculum’s growth from this academic year to the See ENGLISH on page 4

“It was the hope of the Founder that, if the institution should prove a success, o … ther benefactors would arise to carry out the work he began.” John Howard Raymond, Vassar College President, 1864–1878

Reading Vassar’s will Angela Auito

Opinions Editor

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pon his death in June 1868, Vassar College Founder Matthew Vassar left the College approximately $275,000 to be invested, with the income being devoted to specific purposes: $50,000 for a lecture fund; $50,000 for an auxiliary fund, the purpose of which was to provide merit scholarships; $50,000 for a library, art and cabinet fund, created for the “preservation and enlargement of the

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FEATURES

library, art gallery and cabinets;” and, finally, $125,000 was to be put toward a repair fund, which would be devoted to the maintainence and expansion of the campus. It is difficult to understand the magnitude of Vassar’s donations in today’s U.S. dollar. This figure can vary depending on the statistical methods used. Using one indicator, Vassar’s legacy would be valued at about $4,296,685.41 in 2008 dollars, but only at $3,887,037.85 See FOUNDER on page 6

Features reporter reviews Five Guys in Poughkeepsie

Molly Turpin/The Miscellany News

he Committee on Curricular Policy (CCP) voted on Feb. 3 to endorse a proposal that would award half an academic credit to students who participate in varsity sports. The proposal began as a resolution introduced by the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Executive Board at the VSA’s first Council Meeting of the year, and has since been endorsed and revised by the Athletics Department. The proposal will not come to fruition, however, until endorsed by a majority of the faculty. “[CCP] voted fairly strongly in favor of the proposal, but with questions,” said VSA Vice President for Academics

Stephanie Damon-Moore ’11, According to Strong House President Laura Riker ’11, who also sits on CCP, “All the students support it, but I think that it’s sort of split. The faculty would like to have more conversations about it.” “When we voted, not all of the professors [who sit on the committee] were there,” explained Damon-Moore, who added that many of the members who were not present had serious questions about the proposal, leading to a second round of discussions in a Committee meeting during the following week. One of the major reservations amongst some faculty members was that, if the College was to award credit for See PROPOSAL on page 3

Molly Turpin/The Miscellany News

ViCE responds to student criticisms

Vassar College Founder Matthew Vassar is buried at the heart of the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery on Route 9.

14 ARTS

Vassar’s NSO to bring tenth annual NonCon to campus


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