The Miscellany News
Volume CXLVI | Issue 13
February 7, 2013
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Robinson Community protests jail expansion FLLAC picked for welcomes O Stud. Life new works Rachael Borné
ContRinutinG editoR
VP for Academics to be filled later this week
n the night of January 20th, 2013, a group of local activists and community members gathered under the light of the Bardavon Theatre’s glowing marquee in protest of a proposal to expand the Dutchess County Jail. That night, Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinar0 spoke to an audience of nearly 600 at the annual state of the coun-
ty address held at the Bardavon in downtown Poughkeepsie. The contentious jail expansion would figure prominently into Molinaro’s agenda for 2013. According to the County Executive , the driving force behind the jail expansion is an issue of numbers, as the jail has a maximum inmate capacity of 292 and over 400 individuals remain incarcerated daily. This discrepancy results in a mass exodus
of inmates from Dutchess County into surrounding institutions, some as far as four hours away. As Molinaro explained in his speech last Wednesday night, “Several times in 2012 inmate population in Dutchess County exceeded 500, the number of inmates housed out is more than the number housed in.” Local legislators have mulled over this complex issue for years. See PROTEST on page 6
Bethan Johnson neWs editoR
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Rachael Borné/The Miscellany News
n Sunday, the Vassar Student Association (VSA) unanimously appointed Dallas Robinson ’14 as VP for Student Life for the spring 2013 semester. The first of two executive board appointments this month, Robinson will assume Michael Moore ’14’s vacant position immediately. The appointment process, which officially began with the VSA’s decision to select a new VP for Student Life through appointment rather than special election on Jan. 27, consisted of three steps. The proceedings fell largely under the purview of the VSA Operations Committee and VP for Operations Deb Steinberg ’14. As stipulated by the VSA, interested students were asked to submit applications to the Operations Committee for review. The main components of the applications were the candidates’ experience, motivation, and ideas statements. Armed with these applications, the Operations Committee then held open interviews with each candidate. According to Steinberg, candidates reviewed their applications and answered questions from the committee for roughly ten minutes. “We did each interview and then we asked the atlarge members [non-Operations Committee members] what their impressions were and if they had any candidates that stood out for them,” explained Steinberg. “Then we asked them to leave while we were doing final deliberations and See STUDENT LIFE on page 4
Protestors gathered on Market Street last week to rally against the expansion of the Dutchess County jail. Calling for “jobs not jails,” local community members seek to bring issues of socioeconomic and racial inequality to the forefront.
Steven Williams aRts editoR
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s you enter the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s (FLLAC) newest exhibition, you are greeted by Andy Warhol’s iconic “Cow”. This work is part of a group of 55 new additions to the FLLAC’s permanent collection, entitled Recent Acquisitions: Works on Paper. Along with three rarely seen paintings on loan from the Century Association, these pieces are viewable in the FLLAC’s galleries for a limited time, before being placed in the center’s permenant storage or, in the case of the aforementioned painting, returned to their home in New York City. The Recent Acquisitions represent a temporal and stylistic array, taken from a variety of sources. “In the Works on Paper show, we just tried to get a really representative sample. We’ve had an abundance in the past two years, a large number through acquisition or gift,” said Margaret Vitare, the FLLAC’s Coordinator of Public Education and Information. “We’ve also chosen a wide range of works, which is also characteristic of this show. It has See FLLAC on page 16
EDII letters delivered without complication Number of Early Decision applicants grew by 8% since last year
Eloy Bleifuss Prados RepoRteR
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year after a technical glitch erroneously told 76 Early Decision II applicants they had been accepted into Vassar, the Office of Admissions released its digital decision letters this past Friday, Feb. 1. This time, a network of programming safeguards ensured a similar mistake would not occur. In the hours before reading her decision, Elliot James of Gilbert, Arizona, was not expecting good news. “I was dead sure I was going to be rejected,” said James in an emailed
statement. “There was no hope--I couldn’t allow myself even one tiny iota of hope, lest I’d let it crush me entirely when the time came.” So when she read her acceptance letter, preparing to see the words “unfortunately,” but instead finding a “congratulations,” she was certain there had been a mistake. The Early Decision II letters for the Class of 2017 were posted online without any mishaps, unlike the Ear-
ly Decision II letters for the class of 2016. Last year’s mistake was caused when, as a test, a generic acceptance letter was put up online before the decisions went live. This letter was mistaken for the actual decision letters which told some students that they had been accepted, but also told others that they had been deferred or denied admission. Within half an hour, 122 of the 254
students who applied ED II saw the test letter (The New York Times, “For Some Vassar Applicant, Joy Then Misery as College Corrects Mistake”, 1.28.12). The college notified all applicants of their real admissions decision only a few hours later. Later, in a gesture of apology, the College refunded the $75 application fee for all students who had been misled. Vassar also offered to contact colleges from which students had retracted their other applications. “We understand how very upsetSee EARLY DECISION on page 3
Men’s volleyball set on fresh start in new year Chris Brown
assistant spoRts editoR
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Inside this issue
7
FEATURES
Not just pets any more, Chia growing popular in kitchen
9
OPINIONS
courtesy of Vassar Athletics
hough many upcoming sports have tough seasons ahead, Vassar College men’s volleyball team are placed in what they are calling the toughest draw they have faced during a single season. The Brewers aim to improve their standing in the league, coming off of a disappointing previous two seasons. Upping time on the court and increasing their level of intenisty, the members of men’s volleyball seek to prove themselves as a mighty force within the league and uphold their reputation as a nationally ranked Division III team.
The men’s volleyball team is currently ranked number 11 in the national American Volley Coaches Association (AVCA) pre season pool. Yet, in a region that contains the most top 15 nationally ranked D-3 teams in the country, the caliber of teams that the Brewers are scheduled to face is daunting. The team will attempt to improve last year’s record of 19-11. Middle hitter, senior Matthew Elgin, expressed his determination for the team to have a stronger season. “While we have always been ranked in the Top 15 nationally during that period, we have not made it out of the first See V-BALL on page 20
John Konow ‘13 leaps to block an oncoming hit in a men’s volleyball game last season. The team seeks to improve their record this season with more intense training, strategy, and good chemistry after two years of disappointments.
Staff Editorial: VC must spur campus’ digitalization
13 HUMOR
“Wait, what?” and other popular morning class mantras.