The Miscellany News | Volume CXLVI, Issue 13

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

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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.

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The Miscellany News

February 7, 2013

Editor-in-Chief

David Rosenkranz

Contributing Editors Hannah Blume Rachael Borné Adam Buchsbaum Aashim Usgaonkar

News Bethan Johnson Leighton Suen Features Chris Gonzalez Marie Solis Opinions Lane Kisonak Humor & Satire Jean-Luc Bouchard Arts Jack Owen Steven Williams Sports Meaghan Hughes Photography Katie de Heras Design Aja Brady-Saalfeld Online Alessandra Seiter

It’s here.

miscellanynews.com

Assistant Opinions Gabe Dunsmith Assistant Sports Chris Brown Assistant Photo Jacob Gorski Jiajing Sun Assistant Copy Farah Aziz Crossword Editor Jack Mullan Reporters Amreen Bhasin Charlacia Dent Noble Ingram Carrie Plover Eloy Bleifuss-Prados Columnists Zoe Dostal Luka Laden Zach Rippe Joshua Sherman Jill Stein Juan Thompson Eli J. Vargas I Photography Cassady Bergevin Jonah Bleckner Spencer Davis Rachel Garbade Emily Lavieri-Scull Design Palak Patel Bethany Terry Online Victoria Bachurska Rachel Dorn Youngeun “Ellis” Kim Copy Sophia Gonsalves-Brown Jacob ParkerBurgard LETTERS POLICY The Miscellany News is Vassar College’s weekly open forum for discussion of campus, local and national issues, and welcomes letters and opinions submissions from all readers.

Letters to the Editor should not exceed 450 words, and they usually respond to a particular item or debate from the previous week’s issue. Opinions articles are longer pieces, up to 800 words, and take the form of a longer column. No letter or opinions article may be printed anonymously. If you are interested in contributing, e-mail misc@vassar.edu.

ADVERTISING POLICY The Miscellany News (1) reserves the right to reject or edit any advertising copy at any time; (2) will not accept advertisements that promote discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex or sexual orientation, nor will it accept advertisements of a political nature or advertisements that promote products or services illegal in the State of New York: (3) will print every advertisement with the word “advertisement” above it; (4) shall not be liable for failure to print, publish or circulate all or any portion of any issue if such a failure is the result of circumstances beyond the paper’s control.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

February 7, 2013

NEWS

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Animal Studies Conference highlights need for advocacy Carrie Plover and Leighton Suen RepoRteR and neWs editoR

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Alessandra Seiter/The Miscellany News

unday, Feb. 3, marked the third and final day of the First Annual Student Conference for Critical Animal Studies, which was held in Vassar College’s Kenyon Hall. During the international conference, speakers highlighted the importance of discussion and advocacy in furthering animal rights. Additionally, the conference served to launch Students for Critical Animal Studies (SCAS), a network of student activists for animal rights.

“Students for Critical Animal Studies was first thought up last March when former Vassar Animal Rights Coalition (VARC) Co-President Kacey Kogachi ‘12, my Co-President Daniel Frank, and I traveled over spring break to Buffalo, NY for the Institute for Critical Animal Studies’ annual North American conference,” wrote Rocky Schwartz ’15, who co-organized the conference, in an emailed statement. “We were inspired and wanted to bring a similar event to Vassar. Anthony Nocella, the executive director of ICAS, suggested we create our own sub-organization, focusing on students.

We loved the idea and entered the extensive planning stages for SCAS and the first SCAS conference.”

Schwartz noted that discussions concerning animal studies were lacking at Vassar: “Critical Animal Studies, and animal rights more broadly, are under-discussed by Vassar’s otherwise very social justice-oriented student body. It was exciting to bring a conference to campus that not only raises awareness about animal rights, but also provides context for and lends support to other social justice movements.”

Sunday morning’s program, divided into two workshops, had approximately 20 people in attendance, although about 70 people attended the conference in total. McGill University

students Maude Ouellette-Dubé, Agatha Slupek and Isaac Stethem led the first workshop “Internal and External Struggles.” Slupek opened the workshop by noting the degree of absence of non-human animals in our cultural discourse: “The truth is that today, non-human animals are the ghosts of our lives.”

In light of this lack of visibility, Ouellette-Dubé noted the importance of joining together as advocates to further the animal rights agenda. “It is through our collectivity…that we will improve the situation of non-human animals,” she stated.

The first workshop was followed by a discussion break. In one discussion group, Isaac Stethem noted his recent involvement with the animal rights movement. “It was actually only this year that I became involved in this issue and became vegan,” Stetham said, adding that the Quebec student protests inspired him to get involved with animal rights. Audience member Anthony Sorge also became interested in the animal rights movement through an indirect channel: “I was just exposed to this stuff in the late ’90s, early 2000’s, when some of the anti-globalization stuff was heating up… and everyone was very politicized.”

Alan Darer ’14 of VARC led the second workshop “Effective Vegan Advocacy”, in which he noted that a video on the egg industry had inspired him to become an animal rights advocate. In his presentation, Darer discussed the importance of advocacy. “By convincing just one other person to adopt a healthy vegan lifestyle, we can double our impact.” Darer provided tips for how to be an effective vegan advocate, which included being respectful, optimistic and prepared.

After the workshops, Gabe Dunsmith ’15 noted, “I’m really taking away a sense of being compassionate about activism... Activism

Last weekend’s animal studies conference promoted vegan diets and participation in the animal rights movement. Proponents suggested non-human animals are poorly represented in modern culture. doesn’t have to be an antagonistic enterprise, it can be very loving.”

The conference also left a positive impression on Moiz Bharmal ’16. “I was not aware of how well known this event was to the general public outside of Vassar and was surprised to see so many adults attend the panels in addition to Vassar students. I was also very impressed by the coordination of students at different colleges and universities all around the U.S.” He added, “It definitely fostered a sense that collective effort is necessary to make a change, whether it be for animal rights, women’s rights, or activism in general.”

After the enthusiastic response that they received from the attendees, the organizers of the conference are already planning on a second annual conference. “Overall, we were very pleased with how the conference went,” wrote Schwartz in an emailed statement. “Many great discussions took place and attendees expressed interest in furthering exploring the intersectional topics covered. I’m glad we were able to host an event that brought together such a diverse group of presenters, with undergraduates, grad students, professors, many women, [people of color] and disabled speakers from across the U.S. and Canada speaking.”

After national controversy, Buried under a parking lot, CIS implements safeguards bones of a British monarch EARLY DECISION continued from page 1

ting this is for those students who viewed the inaccurate decisions that we posted online, and we are very sorry to have added to the overall stress of the college admissions process for these students and their families,” said President Catharine Bond Hill in a statement at the time (NBC New York, “Dozens of Vassar College Applicants Mistakenly Get Admissions Letters”, 1.30.12).

The debacle was a national story and brought unexpected attention to the school.The Washington Post offered the headline “Vassar Accidentally Accepts Students.”

The literary journal McSweeney’s published a satirical letter of condolence “penned” by President Hill, which at one point says, “You are young, and there is ample time for you to regroup, to look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I can be anybody I want to be, except a Vassar alumnus/a.’”

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid David Borus now says Vassar has transitioned past that incident. Early admissions this year was up over 8% from the previous year.

“We have now gone through three additional cycles of posting decisions (regular decision in March, ED I in December, and ED II last week),” said Borus in an emailed statement, “and all has gone quite smoothly.”

For this he applauds the work of the Computer Information Services (CIS).

Shortly after the incident, Director of the Administration Information Services (AIS) Elizabeth Hayes met with her colleagues, a group of programmer analysts, to discuss what could be done. They drew up a list of measures that would prevent last year’s type of mistake, which is admittedly scarce, from happening again in admissions or any other department.

AIS purchased new hardware that separates out test code from production code. Then an automated system performs an additional check, again sifting for test code that slipped the server.

“That can’t happen anymore, but it [the automated system] still checks,” said Hayes.

Humans are screening for mistakes, too. Programmers peer-review each other’s code, and,

as a final line of defense, the programmer who enters the code into production is never the same one who wrote it.

Hayes framed these changes as part of a basic responsibility between a service provider and the recipient.

“We sit with our costumers, our departments,” said Hayes, “and we evaluate every single step of that function of the code to make sure what they’re asking for is what they’re going to get and what we provided is what they’ve expected.”

She said she and the AIS call the administrative departments they help “customers,” not because they contract out their work, but because they want to provide excellent customer service.

She described the new changes in an email, “We have implemented a rigorous change management process to all the code that we write.”

Meanwhile, dozens of students who were applicants last week have joined the ranks of the Class of 2017.

Xiangyi Tan from Hefei, China, was also accepted through Early Decision II. She wrote in an emailed statement that when she read her decision letter at 5 a.m. in the morning, she screamed so loud her mother thought she had fallen out of her bed.

When asked why she decided to apply to Vassar, Tan explained, “Vassar is more of a character than other schools. I especially admire its accepting, free artistic environment and its focus on multidisplinary studies. It’s my top choice.”

Although hundreds of spots for those who applied regular decision remain unfilled, the Office of Admissions is already satisfied with this years’ pool of applicants.

“This year’s early decision applicant pools in both the first and second rounds were very strong,” said Borus. “We feel that the early decision process has resulted in an excellent base on which to build the rest of the Class of 2017.”

James, however, doesn’t see herself as special. “I certainly do not feel unique or interesting let alone even a smidgen talented, intelligent, or worldly,” she wrote. Instead, she considers herself a normal suburban teenager.

Noble Ingram RepoRteR

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n Monday, a team of experts from the University of Leicester confirmed the new reports that a skeleton discovered last fall in Leicester, England belonged to the infamous King Richard III of England. In addition to the titular Shakespeare play, the monarch plays a seminal role in the legend of “The Princes in the Tower”, a story that is told to British children.

According to the researchers, the conclusion had been reached “beyond any reasonable doubt” that the bones belonged to the fallen King who died on August 22, 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field, a significant loss in the Wars of the Roses.

“I think he wanted to be found, he was ready to be found, and we found him, and now we can begin to tell the true story of who he was,” said Philippa Langley, a member of the Richard III Society, an organization that aims to promote research into the life of the monarch (The New York Times, “Bones Under Parking Lot Belonged to Richard III”, 2.4.13). “Now, we can rebury him with honor, and we can rebury him as a king.”

The team’s leading geneticist, Turi King, said at a news conference that the DNA extracted from the remains matched samples taken from two modern-day descendants of Richard III’s family.

Also indicative of the findings are the array of injuries to the skeleton that are consistent with historical accounts of the fatal blow Richard III suffered. The fatal wound found on the skeleton was almost certainly a massive skull fracture resulting from a large medieval weapon called a halberd.

The most conclusive evidence from the skeletal remains is the deep curvature of the upper spine, demonstrating that the remains belonged to someone who suffered scoliosis, a disease many think Richard III suffered from.

The disease has been famously highlighted by such works as Shakespeare’s play, Richard III, which deemed it the monarch’s most unappealing feature.

Among those who found his remains, there

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

is a growing belief that the new attention drawn to King Richard III could inspire a reevaluation of the medieval king. They believe that perhaps, the remains would portray him as a leader who greatly sympathized with the plight of the common man. This would be in stark contrast with the prevailing opinions of the former monarch, whose depictions in English literature paint him as a withered, hunchbacked murderer who would kill anyone who got in his way.

Now, the remains can be honored and given a proper burial. The British government confirmed in October the remains would be interred at Leicester Cathedral, and the mayor of Leicester said on Monday that a ceremony would take place sometime next year. This process is complicated by the town of York, who also claims ownership of the newly-identified remains.

Richard III was the last monarch of the house of York, grew up in Yorkshire Dales and visited York several times during his short reign; He ruled over England from 1483 until his death two years later. Some historians even believe that Richard III wished to be buried at York Minster.

An online petition to the British government pushing for the king to be buried in York has received more than 1,100 signatures. A similar petition has been started in favor of Leicester’s claim to the remains. This petition has received 271 signatures.

Although people from both York and Leicester have claimed the king’s remains, under the terms of the exhumation license, Leicester is likely to win the fight.

Even so, the campaign for the relocation of the remains to York is gaining more noticeable support from citizens.

As Paul Toy, from the York Gateway Richard III Museum said, “It seems unfortunate that if he is buried at, say, Leicester, his wishes are ignored and he has to fit in with the parameters of other people’s preoccupations.”

He added, “It’s purely by chance that he was in Leicester because he got killed at Bosworth” (MailOnline.com, “Richard III: Why England’s most maligned monarch may prove to be the unlikely tourist ‘attraction’ of 2013”, 2.5.13).

NEWS

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February 7, 2013

Robinson’s relationship with ALANA orgs key for Student Life

Cassady Bergevin/The Miscellany News

STUDENT LIFE continued from page 1 recommendations.”

The deliberation process took roughly three hours, broken up into two separate meetings— an hour and a half on the first day and for over an hour the next afternoon. The result was a majority, though not unanimous, decision to recommend Robinson to the empty position.

This advice was delivered to and reviewed by Council on Sunday night, along with the applications of each student, before the VSA officially voted in Robinson.

Although the Council unanimously chose Robinson, the appointment process remains an imperfect system. Class of 2015 President Benedict Nguyen, a member of both the Operations and Student Life Committees, noted in an emailed statement, “It’s already a difficult process having seven candidates and the time constraints we were under didn’t make things easier but I believe the Operations Committee chose the best candidate for the job in the end.”

Concerns about the time needed for a special election also resonated with Robinson. “I sat on council last year as Lathrop President, we had to do a few appointments ourselves, and just for time purposes it makes a lot more sense…You can’t go two three weeks without a member of [the Executive Board]. And they are elected people so we trust their judgment to some extent.”

With this sentiment in mind and amid the pressing need for the completion of the Executive Board and a permanent leader of the Academics Committee, the VSA will use the appointment system again when it selects its VP for Academics this Sunday.

The weight of the Operations Committee’s recommendation to the VSA Council cannot be understated. While a number of representatives sit on the Operations Committee, many in the VSA utilized only the applications and the recommendation to inform their decision. Steinberg explained, “Almost always Council takes [Operations Committee’s] recommendation because Ops has deliberated at that point…Frequently they assume we have thought through everything at that point.”

Robinson appealed to the Operations Committee for a number of reasons, both ideological and logistical. Steinberg mentioned matching concerns for the upcoming semester playing a role in this decision. “Easily half the candidates were saying a lot of the same things Dallas was

Dallas Robinson ’14 pictured above has previous served VSA Council as Lathrop House President during the 2011-2012 academic year. Her appointment fills a vacancy created by Michael Moore ’14 saying,” Steinberg observed. “Most people really did want to focus on issues of campus climate and social consciousness, and that’s really exciting because that has been one of our overarching themes as a Council this semester…so that was something that Operations Committee wasn’t necessarily looking for but was definitely a plus.”

The sudden departure of Moore and the Student Life Committee’s weeks without a chair necessitated a quick transition in order to ensure prior projects did not break down. “[Robinson] had experience being on VSA Council before as a house president last year,” Steinberg pointed out. “That was appealing because the transition is just that much easier, because there’s definitely a learning curve with these positions.”

Robinson’s experience with Council as an observer also proved to be another positive quality. According to Steinberg, “One thing that really appealed to Council was that they already sort of knew her because she had come in and met with all of us before. After MEChA had come and we had had a lot of issues at that point…[Dallas] had reached out to us and said, ‘I noticed a problem and I want to talk to you

guys.’ So she had come in. Everyone knew her and respected her, so that was definitely a plus.”

Robinson also took initiative upon hearing that the position had opened. “Before I even knew about the appointment, after I applied, I talked to [TA President] Devin Griffin ’13 as a just-in-case to see what was going on in Student Life Committee, and he gave me a run through of last semester and what might be going on this year,” Robinson explained.

Steinberg, who heard about this meeting, noted that this would also prove beneficial in ensuring a swift return to the normal operations of the Student Life Committee.

Another concern that Operations Committee used to reach its conclusion, and one that Robinson has already begun thinking about, was the state of the Student Life Committee. Following weeks without a chair and a semester without many sizable accomplishments, the task will fall on Robinson to breathe new life into the group. “We liked that she was really interested in boosting the morale of the Student Life Committee because a lot of them felt like they hadn’t got as much done last semester as they had hoped,” Steinberg explained. “So coming

in with excitement and a fresh pair of eyes was something that really appealed to us.”

Although Robinson did not describe any concrete plan for changing the pace of the group, she considers it among her most important responsibilities. “I just hope that [the committee] could pick back up maybe with a new spark of energy,” Robinson admitted.

Other members of the Student Life Committee already anticipate a change in productivity jumpstarted by new leadership. Casey Hancock ’15, a member of Student Life and Operations Committees, noted in an emailed statement, “Student Life this semester will likely be much more active. As it stands, the only thing going in that division is the START committee, which the VP for Student Life doesn’t sit on. So, I imagine [Robinson] will have the committee doing much more…I imagine this will be a new beginning in areas that weren’t touched on before and I am really excited for the upcoming semester.”

The other aim Robinson has for her semester is improving the tense relationship between the VSA and many identity-based organizations connected with the ALANA Center and Spectrum. Robinson anticipates her other experiences at Vassar as assets to her new position.

“I guess you could say I am cheating,” Robinson joked. “I am involved in ALANA as a member of BSU [Black Students Union], and the Spectrum orgs, I visit the LGBTQ Center a lot. I know people in there…With my mindfulness and my relations to people already, I can help them feel more comfortable approaching VSA.” However, Robinson remains aware of the potential constraints this semester-long position will entail. Steinberg noted, “Dallas also had reasonable expectations of could be done in such a short time frame…[and you] have to recognize that you can’t do everything.”

With the limited time she has in office, Robinson hopes to use her past experiences in VSA and membership in identity-based groups to more effectively and fully bridge the divide between the VSA and students, ever conscious that her time will not necessarily solve the problem, but rather begin the healing process.

“To be realistic, some sort of conversation at least can be achieved, and I mean a meaningful discussion that will open eyes on both sides… and to create a bond that’s not even there right now,” Robinson noted. “As a leader of a student group, attempting is a good thing for me. That would make me happy.”

News Briefs Senior class renames student gift as a tribute to Andrei Buryachenko ’13

Each year, the senior class gives a gift to Vassar as a token of appreciation. This year, the Class of 2013 proposed to create a scholarship fund that provides money for financial aid. Announced in early December, the gift was initially called the 2013 Scholarship Fund.

The senior class maintained that they were passionate about providing financial aid and giving other students the opportunity to experience Vassar.

After the tragic loss of Andrei Buryachenko ’13 in January, Class of 2013 President Vincent Marchetta emailed the class to address and discuss Buryachenko’s passing and asked what they wanted to do to memorialize him. Many students responded with the idea of naming the student gift after Buryachenko. Marchetta asserted, “The gift serves as a statement made by our community as a whole - that we honor the life of one of our own, and that the Vassar community, filled with the spirit that being a part of this college engenders, can come together to support one another in difficult times and is committed to recognizing the value of each of its members.”

In order to make this happen, Marchetta ran the idea by the Senior Class Council Executive Board, all of whom approved. He then contacted the Gift Chairs, 3 members of the Senior Class Council, who then contacted the Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development (OAAD).

While the student gift program is student-run, Assistant Director of the Annual Fund Lindsay Roth works with the senior class leadership as a liaison with the OAAD. She is a part of a nine-member team who looks over

projects relating to fundraising efforts for the graduates of the last decade and creates cultural philanthropy on campus, through venues like the student gift. After Marchetta contact her, Roth helped them get the idea approved by the office. She said, “Everyone in the OAAD was touched by the gesture of the senior class and student body to come together in this way to honor the memory of [Buryachenko]- their friend, classmate, and peer.”

Within a few days the decision was approved and was announced at Buryachenko’s memorial on Friday.

— Emily Hoffman, Guest Reporter TA Bridge to be Reopened in April

After several rounds of bidding, Vassar College has selected local contractor The Storm King Group to begin off-site fabrication of the Terrace Apartment (TA) bridge, which is due to be completed by April 1.

According to project manager Michael Quattroiocchi, the new bridge will be constructed from black locust wood, which fits with the desired aesthetic of the area and is intended to be both sustainable and long lasting. He noted that the materials are supposed to last for nearly 100 years.

“This bridge will be here long after we are gone,” said Quattroiocchi.

Quattroiocchi went on to say that offsite fabrication of the bridge will begin within the next two weeks. The bridge will be created offsite in the Storm King Group’s indoor workshop to avoid taking up large amounts of parking space on campus and installed via crane in late March.

The new bridge will be built on the concrete supports of the old bridge. “If we were

to expand the bridge or change the location of the concrete foundations, then we would have had to get Planning Board approval.” said Quattroiocchi.

After a routine inspection of the old bridge, which has been unusable since March of last year, the College decided that the bridge needed to be replaced.

“We do periodic inspections of different facilities and our bridges are one of the things that we’ll try to inspect on a regular basis,” said Quattroiocchi. “It was decided, in looking at the age of the old bridge and the condition of the old bridge, not that it was unsafe, that it had reached its lifespan.”

The process of building the new bridge has been time consuming. “When you get the townships involved, even though we didn’t need to get Planning Board approval, the timeframe that it takes to go through that process and making those decisions with the town of what you can and can’t do is just a very slow process and it eats up a lot of time.”

Additionally, the need for multiple rounds of bidding and changing the design of the bridge also delayed construction of the bridge.

“We had several rounds of bidding on the project,” said Quattroiocchi. Initially, the pricing on the project came back in quite expensive, so we sent the project back out to bid and we made some changes to the design that would help to lower close and yet not compromise the design.”

—Aja Brady-Saalfeld, Design Editor OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE: House of Commons Passes Same-Sex Marriage Legislation

On Tuesday, the House of Commons in Britain voted in favor of the Marriage (Same

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Sex Couples) Bill by 400 to 175, a majority of 225, after a full day of debate.

The legislation would permit civil marriage between same-sex couples in England and Wales, but it would specifically exempt churches and other faiths from an obligation to perform such ceremonies. Some faith groups, including the Quakers, have stated that they want the legal right to perform samesex marriages. The bill still has to pass in the House of Lords where the legislation could be slowed by delaying tactics, but Prime Minister David Cameron, the champion of this measure, has stated he plans to enact the bill into law sometime this summer.

Even so, the passage of the bill has been, in one way, a major setback for Cameron. It appears that more than half of the lawmakers in his Conservative Party voted against the measure or simply abstained.

The majority of votes supporting the measure came from the opposition Labour Party and the center-left Liberal Democrats.

In recent times, few prime ministers have faced such an extensive rebellion in their own ranks, and the outcome seems likely to add to the growing frustration among British conservatives about Cameron’s leadership.

Still, Prime Minister Cameron was pleased with the passing of the bill. He told reporters just before the vote, “Today is an important day. I am a strong believer in marriage. It helps people commit to each other, and I think it is right that gay people should be able to get married too” (BBC News, “Gay marriage an important step forward, says PM”, 2.5.13).

“Yes, this is about equality,” he added. “But it is also about making our society stronger.”

—Noble Ingram, Reporter

February 7, 2013

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Ashinaga interns assist needy orphans in Uganda, Japan Chris Gonzalez FeatuRes editoR

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courtesy of Ashinaga.org

ith summer only a few months away, the pressure is on for students to obtain internships, fellowships and various other opportunities worthy of occupying space on a résumé. And while New York City may be the premier location for such possibilities, one should not feel confined by the Nation’s borders within their search. Last summer, for example, Contessa Mwedzi ‘13 worked for Ashinaga, a Japanese-based organization, as a tutor for students in Uganda.

The non-profit organization, which strives to provide financial support, as well as psychosocial and educational resources, for orphans who lost their parents to AIDS, car accidents and other devastating circumstances, has locations in both Japan and Uganda.

The care and treatment of orphans has been an issue of the utmost importance for Ashinaga President and Founder Yoshiomi Tomai for the last fifty years, starting when he was around twenty-eight-years-old.

“I began working with orphans when my mother died an accident. I cared for her for a month. During that time I recognized issues in the government with [how they cared for these children],” Tomai said.

Tomai, a journalist at the time, discovered he could use his abilities and power to point out flaws he spotted within the system and make the public more aware of them.

“As a journalist I focused on three main points that needed to be changed: the medical emergency environment in hospitals were not very organized; there was no financial support available for the families left behind; the promotion of harsher legal punishments for the people who caused these accidents,” Tomai stated.

Forty-five years ago, Tomai believed that he could make a difference in these kids’ lives.

“Throughout those five years, I used my pen and written word to support the victims. I realized through my abilities these children who lost parents did not have the means to go to school.”

Tomai has spent the last forty-five years fundraising and building his non-profit organization. Today, through this program, students are supplied the means to obtain a higher education. In fact, every month in Okinawa, 4,000 participating students receive scholarship money. In the history of the organization, around 1 billion US dollars have been raised, and 90,000 orphans have received some sort of support.

The program in Uganda works similarly to the one in Japan. Orphaned students who wish to attend university in either America or Japan, are provided with tutors who coach them on their English abilities, prep them for exams like the SAT, with the focus on the reading and writing portions, and shed some light on what college life is all about.

Contessa Mwedzi ‘13 came across the opportunity to spend part of the summer tutoring students in Uganda through working with the the College’s Career Development Office while studying abroad in Paris last spring. At first glance, it differed from her previous internship opportunities.

“I got to be on the field with the people I was helping. That’s one of the primary reasons I got involved,” Mwedzi explained.

While in Paris, she worked on a project to help protect waste-pickers in developing nations. The job required her to research these workers rather than actually interacting with them. She wanted a chance to contribute something on a more personal level to the lives of people.

Mwedzi continued, “As an international student, I didn’t get the opportunity to come and visit Vassar before applying. I had the

Orphans pose for a picture in front of the Ashinaga Terakoya Hall for Literacy Education. The Ashinaga internship program provides volunteer opportunities for student tutors in Japan and Uganda. opportunity, however, to meet a student who was coming to Vassar—he graduated last year.

Through our interactions, I was able to learn about Vassar while he was experiencing it. So,I just wanted to return the favor to someone else and to give my students an opportunity to find out as much as they could about a school they could possibly be spending the next four years of their life at; Or, at least provide some insight into studying abroad.”

Of her experience, Mwedzi noted that, she ended up learning a lot from the students she worked closely with. “During the camp, with fifty teenagers we participated in a 30k/6 hour walk in a very mountainous region. And the whole point was to learn to work together. And

so, one of the rules of the walk was you’re not allowed to leave members behind. So, as much as you want to get to the goal, you have to motivate others and work with them. I learned a lot about myself, and a lot about working in a group. Sometimes I would want to go off on my own, but I would get tired. But when I stayed with the group we motivated each other. It was a very simple lesson for life.”

Mwedzi concluded, summarizing her overall experience as well as the purpose of Ashinaga,“We all possess gifts that we can use to bless, or make an impact on other people’s lives. Very easily. Without even going too much out of our way. That’s the biggest takeaway from this experience.”

QuestBridge seeks to expand presence on VC campus Chris Gonzalez and Marie Solis

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FeatuRes editoRs

courtesy of Jeremiah Bernau

pplying to college comes with certain difficulties every high school student can expect. Application essays, recommendations and SAT scores are all part of a process which can come with roadblocks and obstacles students grapple with senior year. While all of these can prove worrisome, none are as threatening to a student’s future success as financial troubles.

QuestBridge, a program which aims to help low-income, high-achieving students get into the highly-selective colleges of their choice, and Vassar have been working together since 2007.

Through the QuestBridge program, high school students choose from 33 prestigious schools and apply to their top seven. Some students opt to simply have their application fee waived, while other students take full advantage of the opportunity to apply using the QuestBridge application in addition to their respective college’s form. Students rank their schools and are matched with the college of their highest choice that has accepted them and are awarded full four-year scholarships from QuestBridge.

Because these students currently make up about ten percent of Vassar’s student body, the organization is seeking to develop QuestScholars, an on-campus branch of QuestBridge looking to create a community for Vassar students accepted through this process through garnering official VSA org status.

“As a Quest Scholar myself, I seem to think our presence on campus is simply needed.

Quest Scholars are a distinctive feature of the humanly and realistic quality of a college/university. Quest Scholars make up the diversity trait of the dynamic of the college,” wrote Rudi Williams ‘16 in an emailed statement.

VSA Vice President Dallas Robinson ‘13 agreed certifying Quest Scholars would be a positive thing for Vassar’s campus as a whole.

“Supporting QuestBridge/Scholars is supporting opportunity. I think our school exists for that reason exactly, Vassar was created to give women opportunities they didn’t have in most places; although the school was initially created for white women only, it has accepted

Members of Vassar’s QuestBridge satellite organization pose for a photo. The program aims to extend its support past the college application process, and help students throughout their college careers. numerous types of people over time. Vassar must continue to open its arms and resources to new programs that bring new people,” she wrote in an emailed statement.

Though for Quest Scholars,having a difficult financial situation can be isolating. QuestBridge liaison Jeremiah Bernau ‘13 said their scholars program has the potential to make the transition to Vassar life smoother.

“I think for a lot of people it’s just the differences in backgrounds. For me it was more of a social difference just because I’m from rural Minnesota. I haven’t noticed this as much, but for some people finances can be a difficult thing to navigate,” he said.

Though this concern is already recognized

by Vassar’s Transitions program, Bernau said QuestScholars would seek to be more inclusive, as Transitions can only admit a finite number of students for logistical reasons.

“The Transitions program is great, we have a lot of students who did it. It just doesn’t cover

everyone, and [QuestScholars is] going to provide a great network for those students right away,” he said.

Already, QuestScholars has developed the beginnings of a mentoring program, allowing for freshmen to be matched up with upperclassmen who can offer guidance and support during this time and fostering a tight-knit community among its members.As well as individual attention, the QuestScholars organization would give students a space to communicate any difficulties they might be having.

However, Williams emphasized its purpose is not merely to air grievances.

“It’s not a place to just bicker and complain about how other students have rich people problems; it’s a place to realize the importance of a varying community and the need to be back to reality,” she wrote.

In fact, it is one of QuestScholar’s central missions to bring awareness to the QuestBridge program its benefits, which are more

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

widespread than even its current members know about. QuestBridge’s support does not stop after students get admitted to the college of their choice: They also provide students with scholarships, internship opportunities during their college experience and help them secure jobs after graduation, details of which Bernau said he would like to see more students take advantage. “Scholarship opportunities like this aren’t very common, so I think it’s important to give back and make students aware of this,” he said. Bringing information to both current and prospective Vassar QuestBridge students would be made easier by becoming a VSA organization.

“When students are looking at orgs at Vassar, they can see that there’s a club for low-income students and they can see that on the VSA website and get in contact with us if they need it,” Bernau said.

Most recently, QuestScholars has been reaching out to Poughkeepsie High School, but hopes to expand their influence once they are approved by the VSA and can get transportation to other high schools beyond the Poughkeepsie and Arlington communities. “[We] are making QuestBridge presentations at local high schools to to help connect bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the best colleges and universities at the nations. Also, to help advise them to apply to this wonderful opportunity to make a college education more possible for a student who really cannot afford the expensive price tag of a higher education such as a $60,000 college like Vassar. QuestBridge is an organization that makes the impossible more reachable to the aspiring student.”

Bernau expressed his gratitude for QuestBridge helping him realize his college aspirations.

“I know I wouldn’t have ended up at a school like Vassar otherwise—it’s a great opportunity, and some people just don’t know about it,” he said.

He concluded, “When I found out about QuestBridge, I thought it was too good to be true, fortunately, it’s not.”

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February 7, 2013

Senior theses Unitarian Universalists carve niche at VC bring together S History majors Carmen Reinicke Guest Reporter

Chris Gonzalez Features Editor

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ajors’ committees provide resources and a place of community for students who share the same strong passion in an academic area.

Comprised of sophomores, juniors and seniors, this committee fulfills the standard responsibilities of improving communication between students and faculty members within the department.

“In my opinion, the most important function of the committee is to have an organized way for the faculty and students to discuss and coordinate their ideas and goals for the department and to make the Vassar history experience the best it can be,” wrote History Majors’ Committee Chair Meghan Cooper ‘13.

The committee hosts events like Life After Vassar, which, like other majors’ committee events, creates a panel dedicated to lending ideas to majors on what they can pursue post graduation.

The panel consists of Vassar alumnae/i who share their tales of what they accomplished since graduating with a bachelors in History, which are as widespread as the interests of the students in the department.

Unlike other committees, however, the History Majors’ Committee fulfills those requirements while also taking on the role of putting together two publications.

These publications, which the committee takes on are Gulliver and History Review.

Gulliver is a newsletter, written and published by the students, for the department, which is published every semester. It includes information about news within the History Department, as well as events geared toward the majors. Additionally, the newsletter also describes projects carried out by the faculty members.

The second publication, History Review, is more open to input from all History majors. This usually takes place in the spring, and reviews of books, research papers, and essays are submitted by students in the department.

Cooper hopes that these events, which incorporate more input from students outside of the committee will become more prominent in the future.

“While in the past, the publications have been compiled solely by the committee, this year, and particularly this semester, I am working on making the committee itself more open and accessible to all majors of the history department,” Cooper stated.

She continued, “For example, we have eliminated the election process for committee members, instead encouraging all majors who are interested to become part of the committee. Our weekly meeting time (when it is established) will also be emailed to all majors, and I hope to emphasize that all majors are welcome to drop by and contribute to the committee’s work.”

According to Cooper, this will allow students who have interests they wish to express with the committee to have input without making a fulltime commitment.

Collaboration is very important for the committee, as it allows for the majors to engage with one another and discuss various topics of interest.

“The committee is helpful in uniting the department because we each bring to the table our own opinions about the history department, based on our own experiences. In our weekly meetings, we are able to exchange ideas and advice to help each other get the most out of our experience as a history major,” she explained.

The History and Russian Studies double major added that this is especially true for seniors in the department who help one another when it comes to one of the more rigorous requirements they face—the thesis.

“As the history thesis is a requirement for all majors, it is something the seniors all have in common and a significant capstone of our Vassar experience,” she stated.

Cooper’s thesis, for example, focuses on the ‘Siege of Leningrad,’ an event in history that allows her to combine two of her favorite topics.

“In the end, we are all united by our shared love of history,” Cooper concluded.

tudents use their four years at college for self-exploration, which, for many, includes figuring out where they stand when it comes to spirituality and religion. This idea of searching and questioning in order to form one’s own beliefs has formed a community for the members of Vassar’s Unitarian Universalists (UU).

Unitarian Universalism is a religion that focuses on one’s ability and responsibility to choose their own system of beliefs.

Co-President Katie Carpenter ‘15 explained, “I was raised Catholic and Quaker, which doesn’t really make sense when you think about the different belief systems.

When I came to Vassar, I was pretty close to an atheist; I wasn’t sure of my beliefs. Then I found UU.” While this religion does not impose strict rules on its congregation, there are still seven principles that members use for guidance in their everyday lives: Every individual person has dignity and is inherently worthy; human relations should be handled with honor, justice, equity and compassion; one should embrace others and encourage them on their path of spirutal growth; the search for truth and meaning in religion is essential to one’s growth; advocate for peace and liberty throughout the world; congregations follow the democratic process; and, lastly, respect for one another under the pretense that we are all interconnected in life.

Though she acknowledged that she can no longer recite all seven principles of Unitarian Universalism by heart, Heather Kobayashi ‘13 said she still values them.

One of the few members who was raised UU since she was a child, Kyobashi stated, “We follow the seven principles of UU, which basically tell you to be kind to everyone because every life is important. I used to be able to list all seven but I can’t anymore!”

Like Carpenter, however, at Vassar, most of the members of UU were not raised as Unitarian Universalists.

Many were brought up according to other religious beliefs and found UU when they came to Vassar.

UU member Em Webb ‘16 expressed a similar uncertainty when it came to her religious beliefs and said she finds UU a great place to explore the possibilities of spirituality.

She stated, “I grew up in a Presbyterian

Family, and when I came to Vassar I wasn’t sure what I believed. I was happy to find UU because I could come talk to people about spirituality.”

Like most people who embrace Unitarian Universalism, the members of the group don’t quite agree with “organized religion” but are spiritual people who enjoy discussing their beliefs and other questions of ethics, morals and life.

Because of Unitarian Universalism’s lack of strict guidelines, members mentioned that sometimes other religious groups, not necessarily at Vassar, but out in the world, do not recognize it as a “real religion.”

Conversely, Amy Schindelman ’13 explained that she thinks Unitarian Universalism uphold and shares basic truths found in most other organized religions.

She said, “I think that sense of community and responsibility to others is part of what makes it a religion.”

Whether or not other religious people choose to identify them as a true religion is not a major focus for UU followers.

In fact, as compared to other religions, UU is one of the few in the world that is still gaining members on a yearly basis instead of losing them. In a world that is continually questioning and abandoning religion, this is certainly something of which they can be proud.

However, for its members, individual spirituality and personal beliefs are what are most important; each member is allowed and expected to contemplate and decide upon their own beliefs.

Though there may be an emphasis on individualism, UU still values communal practices of their faith.

They still congregate for worships, which can take many forms such as discussion, song or meditation. The support and sense of community that Unitarian Universalism offers is essential for Unitarian Universalists and all spiritual people, as this community can be helpful in times of need.

Vassar’s UU group aims to do provide a spiritual space for any member of the Vassar student body that seeks them out.

UU member Maggie Shepherd ‘16 agreed that it is important for Vassar’s Unitarian Universalist organization to attend to the needs of its members rather than being concerned with what others think about their religion.

“Unitarian Universalists have a responsibility to their intentional community, which means being supportive of the congregation,” she said.

Each meeting starts off with food, a brief ‘check-in’ where every member is given time to share what is happening in their lives, and the ceremonial lighting of the chalice. The flaming chalice is the official symbol of Unitarian Universalism, and is lit to begin every UU meeting. Once they complete this routine, they engage in discussion. Every week, members are encouraged to bring topics that they would like to discuss about their personal spirituality or religion and spirituality in general. Most recently, one of the questions prompted each member to discuss their personal beliefs and where they were on their spiritual journey.

Eventually, the discussion turned to what each member’s goals for the semester were and what they hoped to gain from UU. Shepherd was interested in leading a worship service, something she missed about being at home.

“My congregation at home sang a lot, and I miss that!” she said. “I would love to teach some of the songs I know.”

Others were eager to learn more about UU traditions and history because they are new to the religion. Some members were also interested in exploring other faiths by joining in their worship services.

As a whole, the group hoped to continue the success of last semester, One notable achievement was hosting a bake sale to raise money for The Lunchbox, a local charity that provides food to needy residents of Dutchess County. This semester, they plan on having another bake sale to raise more money, and also plan to work with the Poughkeepsie UU congregation to prepare and serve food for The Lunchbox.

Once all the members have had the opportunity to talk about the topics for the meeting, they end by planning for the week ahead, including when to meet and how to get to the UU church in Poughkeepsie. After completing their meeting’s agenda, they end by holding hands and blowing out the ceremonial chalice together. This ceremony reminds them of the goal of Vassar’s Unitarian Universalists; that they are all together in their UU belief. Here, they have a supportive community that is there to aid them in their spiritual journey.

Overcrowding in jail a source of concern PROTEST continued from page 1

In a video statement released by the Poughkeepsie Journal on February 4, 2013, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature Robert Rolison offered his perspective.

“We are looking at it from the standpoint of everything that happens from the point of arrest to arraignment, to getting into the jail facility to the programs we can offer within the jail facility.” Because 90% of the individuals incarcerated in Dutchess County will return to the area upon release, Rolison described the goal of the expansion as creating a transitional facility. “We can help [inmates] re-gain their membership in their community,” he explained.

In November of 2012, the Dutchess County Criminal Justice Council issued a report entitled “Criminal Justice System Needs Assessment,” outlining an analysis of the current jail population and projected growth in the future, as well as a description of a new jail model. Massive overflow at the local jail makes it difficult for family visitation, causes inconvenience for attorneys providing services to their clients, and has resulted in a lack of effective programs offered for inmates housed at outside facilities, all culminating in a $6 million pricetag to ship the county’s inmates to outside jails last year.

Issues of race are highly implicated in this issue. Members of activist groups like Jobs Not Jails and End the New Jim Crow Action Network (E.N.J.A.N.) point to the fact that people of color are disproportionately punished by the Criminal Justice System. In Dutchess County, black people make up just over 11% of the population, however over 50%

of people incarcerated in the area are black.

Odell Winfield, co-founder of the Family Partnership’s Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library, began the public commentary at the Criminal Justice Council’s presentation last November. He said, “The failed war on drugs has caused a disproportionate increase of poor people and people of color in its jails and prisons. Moreover we oppose county priorities that devote more resources to incarcerating its residents than providing them with decent education, affordable health-care and safe housing.”

Community members and Vassar students alike gathered for the 18th annual Rev. Martin Luther King March for Social and Economic Justice on Monday, January 21st to rally in favor of funding for youth programs and against jail expansion. The group then met on the 6th floor of the County Legislature office building the next Tuesday, January 22nd to pressure legislators against the expansion.

As Molinaro explained in his speech, a major part of the jail expansion hinges on developing successful solutions to address the needs of women and youth, and individuals with mental health issues and alcohol and drug dependency. Vacant land that once housed the Hudson River Psychiatric Center is a viable location for the new jail, and the local government is exploring this option.

Molinaro went on to share the logistics of a new jail: “If we proceed, we will propose a “Transition Center” with a plan for separate housing facilities to deal with female inmates, those with mental health issues including drug and alcohol related behaviors, and pos-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

sibly juvenile offenders,” he said, adding “This new “campus” and the saving related to it will provide a continuum of incarceration aimed at deterring criminal activity while seeking to reduce recidivism and provide individuals the tools they need to turn their lives around.”

Mae Parker-Harris, long-time local activist present outside the Bardavon last Wednesday explained her support of a more preventative approach to criminal justice, one that focuses on public programs and educational resources for young people in the area. “There are not enough programs in the City of Poughkeepsie for our youth to get involved in. We could deter crimes better if our youth had something to do instead of being on the streets,” She continued,“We need to start from the crib, instead of waiting for the trouble to start and then backtracking.”

Other community members and local legislator Joel Tyner echoed Parker-Harris’ sentiments at the protest. Many folks held signs reading “Fund Youth Programs Stop Jail Expansion” as well as lists of public programs that have been discontinued in recent years as a result of budget cuts, including Big Brothers, Big Sisters, the YMCA/ YWCA, Green Bean Community Gardening Program, and funding for Dutchess County Arts Council and Mill Street Loft.

A major concern for the protesters at the state of the county address is the question of what might happen if the jail was built. Parker-Harris stated her opinion with deep concern: “I think the criminal justice system is building a jail to put young people in it. I think that’s the plan. I’m so bothered. I cannot explain it.”

February 7, 2013

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Chia sprouts into kitchen through variety of delicious treats Alessandra Seiter online editoR

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courtesy of Mother Nature Network

he word “chia” has long invoked a similar sense of nostalgia in a great number of Americans due to the astounding popularity of the Chia Pet, first introduced in the late 1970s.

However, thanks to the health food movement currently sweeping across the United States, the chia seed has garnered a whole new level of fame due to its recently revealed nutritional benefits. Yes, the very same tiny black seed responsible for the impressive layer of verdant sprouts atop the head of many a terra cotta Barack Obama now plays a valuable role in the diets of a growing amount of health-conscious folk, who appreciate the generous concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, protein, and fiber found in Salvia hispanica.

These nourishing properties have been shown to positively impact cardiovascular health and control inflammation, as well as provide plantbased sources of important nutrients for vegan, vegetarians, or those simply trying to reduce their consumption of meat and dairy products.

While modern-day health enthusiasts passionately extol the virtues of chia seeds, the ancient Aztecs recognized the power contained within these miniscule kernels as far back as 3500 BCE, when Aztec warriors depended on rations of chia seeds to provide them with energy and endurance on long runs during their conquests. Contemporary science affirms chia seeds as exceptionally helpful in maintaining body hydration during athletic activity, since the immensely hydrophilic seeds can absorb more than twelve times their weight in water.

While chia seeds lend themselves well to sprinkling on top of granola, stirring into muffin or bread batters, and blending into smoothies, their ability to soak up ample amounts of water renders chia seeds ideal for creating thick, creamy, tapioca-like puddings. Perfect for a healthy breakfast, dessert, or pre-workout snack, chia puddings serves as a delicious way to incorporate these nuggets of impressive

nutrition into your diet. Students often caught in a morning rush (can you say two minutes to sprint from the TH’s to Kenyon?) will appreciate the ease and simplicity of making chia pudding, which can provide an instant breakfast with a bit of foresight. Before falling into dreamland or settling in for a late night of reading, combine three tablespoons of chia seeds with a scant cup of plant-based milk, cinnamon, and a bit of maple syrup in a portable container, then pop the mixture into your mini-fridge to allow the chia to soak up all that creamy goodness overnight. In the morning, you can grab your pre-made pudding, pair it with a banana from the Retreat, and arrive on time for class.

Those new to the process of chia pudding-crafting should not become discouraged if their first few attempts yield overly runny or pasty results—different chia seeds absorb varying amounts of liquid, so predicting how much plant-based milk your pudding will require can prove a bit difficult. To avoid a disappointing chia experience, simply employ your kitchen intuition. The final texture of chia pudding should resemble that of tapioca pudding—spoon-able and pourable, but not soupy.

Thus, if you soak your chia overnight and find the mixture too thick, add more liquid in quarter-cup increments until you’ve thinned the pudding to your desired consistency. Similarly, if you deem your pudding too runny, mix in two more tablespoons of chia seeds and allow the mixture to sit for about ten minutes.

Chia pudding provides a blank slate for all sorts of flavor variations, including chocolate (add some cocoa powder), pumpkin (substitute half of the plant-based milk with pumpkin puree), and chai spice (add a mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and allspice), to name a few. This particular recipe features the sweet Indian spice of cardamom, paired with antioxidant-rich blueberries. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more nutritious pudding than this one!

You can purchase chia seeds at House of Nutrition.

The Recipe Blueberry Cardamom Chia Seed Pudding Recipe adapted from Gena Hamshaw.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients: ½ cup chia seeds 2 ½ cups plant-based milk (soy, almond, rice, coconut, etc.)

1 cup blueberries, defrosted if frozen 1 ½ tsp ground cardamom 1 tsp cinnamon 4 dates, pitted and chopped 1 tsp vanilla extract In a blender, combine all of the ingredients except for the chia seeds. Puree until

very smooth. Place the chia seeds in a medium-sized bowl, pour the blueberry mixture over them, and stir thoroughly with a whisk or a fork. Let rest for five minutes, then stir again. Ten minutes later, stir once more. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and let sit overnight.

In the morning, give the pudding a final stir and check its texture. If the mixture seems too thick, simply add more plantbased milk; the texture should resemble that of tapioca pudding. Serve as is or garnished with nuts, granola, and/or fresh fruit.

Departments, majors collaborate on key academic decisions Marie Solis

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hen making college decisions, one factor that may have been a draw for many of us as prospective Vassar students is the college’s devotion to small class sizes, ensuring students have positive relationships with their professors and the guarantee of an education of the highest quality. Though many colleges advertise these things to entice applicants, Vassar’s commitment to these principles is not just something to print on a brochure.

In fact, many of Vassar’s major departments go further than just securing the professors with the best credentials or the most impressive educations, but give students a say in which prospective professors they would like to see get hired.

“Since its inception, Film at Vassar has always involved the students in the hiring process of tenure-track positions. We are a small department: faculty members substitute in one another’s classes or take on advisees when someone is on leave. Students often will end up interacting with all of our professors,” wrote Professor Sarah Kozloff, head of the Film department, in an emailed statement.

Film Committee Chair Laura Kinter ’13 underscored the particular importance of student participation in this process for the Film department, stating, “We spend countless hours with professors outside of class time for various activities. Students spend hours on the phone with professors for writing advice or production help. With so few professors, our input is a crucial and necessary part of students’ relationship with the film department.”

Though students are not necessarily involved in hiring adjunct or temporary professors as those need to be hired in an expeditious manner, job candidates looking to attain a position as assistant professors, those Kozloff identifies as being on a “tenure track,” undergo a process heavily reliant on student voices.

Once faculty and administration have nar-

rowed down the applicants, the three final candidates for assistant professors visit Vassar to plead their case to students.

During these visits, prospective professors have an opportunity to talk about their own research in their field, give a sample lesson as if they were teaching a class and allow students to get to know them professionally and personally.

“We invite our majors to these events. We hope to see how the candidate engages with students in the classroom and how our majors respond to his or her teaching methods. This gives the faculty vital information about the candidate’s ‘fit’ in the department,” said Kozloff.

Physics major Lorena Lomeli ’15 believes these previews, which are standard for the Physics department as well, not only provide faculty with valuable information, but allow students to be more introspective when it comes to their individual learning needs.

“I think going to these events allows students the opportunity to think about what they want to see in a professor and what they want to get out of their education. It encourages us to be proactive in our educational choices and find out what teaching styles work best for us.”

It also really makes me feel like Vassar really cares about who they’re hiring and the quality of our education,” she said.

Though prospective professors only have a short time to make a good impression and showcase their skills, Lomeli maintained these talks can tell students a lot about a professor.

“If they’re a good professor, I think you can tell in an hour’s time if they will click with us as students, of if they can engage us in their research and allow us to get to know them as a person and a professor. If those things aren’t something they can do then, they probably won’t do them later on either,” she said.

In addition to being aware of how well students hit it off with a prospective professor and gauging the energy in the room, faculty members seek out more concrete feedback from students.

“We ask the Film Majors Committee to sub-

mit a written report after it has interviewed all three candidates. No set formula exists as to how much this letter counts towards the final decision: often the department faculty or administration…have different perspectives, criteria, and more knowledge about the future direction of the curriculum than students.

Nevertheless, we consider this report vital additional information as we make difficult choices,” said Kozloff.

Though students are familiar with the practice of evaluating their professors through course evaluations which are completed at the end of every term, Lomeli said she would rather have the chance to assess a professor sooner rather than later.

“It’s much more intimidating doing course evaluations because professors sometimes remind you that they need good scores or that they are candidates for tenure and it can be a lot of pressure for a student. I would rather have the opportunity to talk about what I don’t like in a professor right off the bat rather than when it comes to the end of the course and I have to fill out a bad course evaluation,” she said.

Aside from interviews with faculty and administration and student evaluations, potential professors have interviews with students from their respective major’s committee. This detail, noted Kozloff, presents not only a great opportunity for students to have an active role in the hiring process, but also can serve to set Vassar apart in the eyes of the job candidate.

She stated, “They have a chance to describe the department from the students’ perspective and an opportunity to ask questions about the topics that concern them the most. Of equal importance is that time with our students makes the candidate understand the position in a fresh light and often makes him or her more eager to join our ranks. Over the years we have found that our students are our best selling point should an applicant be weighing multiple offers.”

Physics major Derek Parrott ’14 stated that these steps are crucial in ensuring a professor is not only qualified, but is able to convey

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

their knowledge effectively in an academic setting.

“There [can be] professors who are brilliant—who are fantastic researchers, who really know whatever it is they’re teaching—but who cannot teach. It’s unfortunate that this is true, and I think that sort of personality just doesn’t work very well at a school this small. I think that this sort of student-inclusive hiring process could help avoid that kind of professor,” he wrote in an emailed statement.

Hiring professors who are more than experts in their field, he went on to say, is especially important for physics students and other math and science majors. “…Physics is such a mathematically rigorous and conceptually abstract (and often counterintuitive)science. That being said, I think it’s important for professors in all fields of study to be able to communicate—I just think that perhaps it’s more difficult to do that (especially with a range of students) in physics than in some other fields.” Other important qualities in a Physics professor, he said, include openness and a sensitivity to students’ needs.

“They need to know their audience and be able to teach in a way that doesn’t oversimplify or presuppose more background knowledge than is present. It’s important that they are easy to talk to, and they are willing to answer questions, and not make students feel uncomfortable asking them,” he said.

He went on to say, “Especially in physics, it’s important to be able to explain things in multiple ways (at least mathematically and conceptually) since not all students think similarly.” Overall, though, he said that these qualities are commonly sought after in professors of any department. “I think this sort of hiring process can definitely help optimize desirable qualities in new professors,” he stated.

Lomeli agreed, stating “No matter what department you’re in, you’re looking for a quality professor who can engage students and get you thinking, whether it’s a lecture, a lab or a discussion-based class. There are essential traits that are crucial for professors in all departments.”

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February 7, 2013

Senior housing challenges students’ culinary creativity Juan Bautista Dominguez Guest RepoRteR

Spencer Davis/The Miscellany News

Common sites of stress for seniors include the library at 3 a.m., the office of a potential employer or the area in the front of the room where you are presenting your senior thesis. Though rarely considered, the kitchen also comes with its unique difficulties. With the comforts of a meal plan gone, seniors must fend for themselves when it comes to cooking, food shopping and divvying up these newfound responsibilities. Though rolling up your sleeves to do dishes is certainly without its pleasantries, cooking with friends can be an opportunity to bond with friends over failed recipes and for a lucky few to find their zen in the art of cuisine.

All culinary adventures must, of course, start at the grocery store. Here, seniors find concerns about expenses must be brought to the forefront when making choices about what to stock their pantries with for the week. Thus, drawn by prices friendly to the wallet of an unemployed student, most seniors frequent Stop & Shop. Some, however, head to Adams Fairacre Farms for what they consider to be fresher food.

Alison Dillulio ’13 who lives on College Avenue is someone who prefers to venture a little farther down Dutchess Turnpike to Adams on Wednesday, their discount day.

She said, “I shop at Adams on Wednesday for the 10% special and it helps that they have the best selection of meat and highest quality produce compared to Stop and Shop or Target. Occasionally, my housemates and I shop at BJ’s on Route 9 for the bulk stuff.”

Each house has its way of bearing the costs of shopping though many find ease in some communal methods and are open to sharing food with their fellow housemates.

Nick Kilmarx ’13 and the other residents of his Town House have opted for this approach. He said, “Whoever eventually goes shopping usually buys a ton of stuff, mostly standard buys and we end up all chipping in equally. None of us is terribly picky so the trips are usually quick and the

Seniors Lexi Diamond, Jenna Konstantine, and Kara Conley pose in their kitchen with friends. Students often struggle to maintain balanced diets after transitioning to senior and off-campus housing. selections, simple.”

Andres Estela ’13 finds that doing his own shopping works best for him, with the exception of logical collective purchases.

Estela said, “Some things run out slowly enough that they’d take up too much space if we all got our own. So we share butter, cooking oil, hot sauce and a few other things like that.”

Just as shopping strategies vary, so do cooking habits. While some prioritize time and efficiency, others see it as a break from other duties.

Kilmarx said, “I usually don’t take more than an hour to cook. The night of the week never really matters, but if it’s the weekend I’ll probably make something quick.”

For Estela, the cooking process can be a creative, therapeutic and recess from work, though he still has to prioritize his time according to his

schedule.

He said, “It depends on how much work I have and how I’m feeling. I don’t find myself cooking dishes that require a great deal of preparation anyway, but there are some nights when I’m too busy to cook much at all and just make a sandwich or heat up leftovers.”

Sam Wagner ’13, a track and cross-country star varsity athlete, takes his eating habits a little more seriously.

In an email statement Wagner said, “I spend anywhere from 15-30 minutes preparing each meal and I prefer to cook for myself because I can control how my food is cooked (i.e. ingredients used). As an athlete I feel as though I can maximize my performance by controlling exactly what I eat.”

Dilullio agreed and noted the advantage of not

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relying on ACDC. She said, “It’s much easier to maintain a healthy diet. I now stay as far away as possible from the ACDC. All of the fruit and vegetables there are not of the best quality and the prepared foods are sometimes greasy.”

Oppositely, Estela has had a tougher time with balancing his diet, realizing that though maybe not always of the highest quality, the DC allowed for easy access to food essentials that can prove fleeting when they are not in constant supply.

He explained, “The hardest thing for me is eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods don’t all keep well and I find that the first few days after I go grocery shopping I have fruit, but by the end of the week I’m all out. At the DC this was never an issue for me.”

Estela, realizing he may have taken it for granted, now looks forward to a trip to the DC. He said, “ACDC is a great social space. In a lot of ways it’s the heart of campus and I can feel connected to the pulse of the Vassar community... there is something undeniably cool with the occasional overwhelming immersion into the college’s student body.”

Another appealing aspect of the ACDC is that at the end of a meal, no one has to argue over who is going to do the dishes.

Wagner attested to this, stating, “Keeping the kitchen clean is a source of stress and sometimes tension. Housemates can differ widely on their perceptions of ‘clean’. It is not a disaster by any means, but the kitchen is often dirty as the result of the age-old ‘tragedy of the commons.’”

In his house, Estela acknowledges that his housemates are less concerned with kitchen cleanliness so he ends up tackling most of the cleaning duties. But he affirmed, “As with any shared space, everybody brings in their own talents, skills and energy. Some people clean, some people cook, some people are generous with their beer. Whatever it may be, overall balance is probably more important. It’s just a like any relationship, for it to work, you have to pick up each other’s slack in different areas.”

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MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

February 7, 2013

OPINIONS

Page 9

THE MISCELLANY NEWS STAFF EDITORIAL

Vassar must hasten digitilization of campus resources

I

n an age where institutional communication is increasingly located within the digital sphere, we at the Miscellany News would like to see Vassar’s course registration protocol advance accordingly. In this respect, the College’s digital resources are insufficient and too narrow, and we believe the process for adding and dropping courses could be easily streamlined. When a student adds a class, he or she must take a piece of paper to the advisor and the professor, as well as the Registrar’s office. The many advances in efficiency and communication from campus resources like Google Apps and Moodle beg the question: why do such bureaucratic operations remain in print? In these situations, print has little advantage here over its digital counterpart.

The advisor system and Registrar duties would be easy areas to update. The paperwork that remains for these important bureaucratic tasks creates unnecessary delay and headaches for students and faculty alike. Students can attest to having difficulty arranging an in-person consultation with their advisor for a simple request, and the Registrar should not be burdened with straightforward tasks that could easily be accomplished digitally. At peer institutions such as Williams College, students are given the power to amend or rearrange their schedules multiple times without numerous advisor consultations. While this method decreases the amount of personal contact, it allows for a more efficient, paper-free process which allows

students more control over their academic experiences.

We would like to acknowledge the importance of one-on-one meetings with advisors of course, and do not want to discount this role in the least bit. However, a PIN system akin to the one used for pre-registration—where a PIN given after an in-person meeting acts in lieu of a signature—would cut out quick, perfunctory meetings. After a quick email exchange for simpler matters, an advisor would only have to email a PIN—perhaps a temporary, expiring one—to authorize the student’s request. It may even be better to allow the advisors a checkbox or blank to fill out on their end. Such a PIN would function as an electronic signature.

Additionally, digitization should not be limited to pre-registration. Making the add/drop period an online process is the next logical step. The add/drop period creates unnecessary stress on many a student’s schedule, especially considering the difficulty of scheduling a meeting with the limited hours of most professors.

As long as advisors give the green light to their advisees through either in-person or online confirmation, students should be allowed to make changes to their schedules through the web.

The expansion of the student profiles currently accessed with student PIN and ID numbers would further ease these bureaucratic matters. The yellow card system for major declaration has potential for successful digitization, and subsequent addition to the online

profile. Students would not have to worry about losing their yellow cards if they also had a digital copy. With an online record of students’ projected courses, advisors and other administrators could easily access this information.

The same digitization could benefit the cumbersome process of declaring a double major, which requires a headache-inducing series of paperwork. An expanded profile would provide instant clarity about a student’s position in the College beyond the current information, like the student’s name and their student fellow.

We also lament the lack of a clearly defined campus resource to answer questions new students may have. Knowledge of what, exactly, those building codes on our schedules mean is mysteriously difficult to find. Students are left to fill in the information gap through peerto-peer interactions or on sites like SayAnythingVassarCollege and Twitter, where information is not always reliable. A centralized FAQ database or resource guide that breaks down student needs by category and question would benefit not only the newcomer freshman, but any unsure student. What is the CRC’s number?

Where is the SAVP office? What building is NE? Such necessary facts should not be scattered, inaccessible and potentially out-of-date. The current Admissions website Vassar maintains is not only well-designed, but clearly articulates the various branches and quirks of the College.

Surely a site of comparable quality and vigilant upkeep could be easily created for the greater student body.

We also encourage the College and departments to keep their internet resources updated. Department websites often lack important information, and certain professors not comfortable with extensive digitization do not use Moodle to its full capabilities. A syllabus document alone is not an inspired use of Moodle’s capabilities. Perhaps more comprehensive CIS-sponsored Moodle workshops would help to educate professors and encourage them to better use this important, and often vital classroom resource.

Digitalization is an obvious request to make, but it is also a necessary one. The benefits of digitization are so vast that it is best not to belabor the point. The advisor system and Registrar insist upon paperwork, where an internet connection and a few clicks would speed past such hassles. Information that passes by word of mouth or SayAnythingVassarCollege for common questions should exist on a centralized, commonly known repository. And we must not only convert our current analog ways, but also better employ the resources at our disposal.

Vassar must take full advantage of Moodle the ability it has to promote discussion beyond the classroom and add audiovisuals. Needs have shifted and widened, and the College—in its various departments, whether it be academic or administrative—must serve these needs.

—The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of at least 2/3 of the Editorial Board.

Women in military, subject Economic growth in China to abuse, now on frontlines creates political challenges Heloise Mercier

O

Guest Columnist

ver the past several years, a crisis of sexual assault has taken hold of the U.S. military. Most recently, the epicenter has been an Air Force training base in Texas, where allegations against boot camp instructor and Staff Sgt. Luis Walker triggered a cascade of rape accusations, incriminating five other instructors. An additional thirty-five have been suspended, leaving the Lackland Military Base in San Antonio chaotic and stigmatized. The allegations have cast a shadow on the army, and a long chain of leadership failures has been revealed. In the first weeks of this year, the case of Paula Coughlin, who was abused at Lackland, resurfaced.

In 1992, 29-year-old Navy Lieutenant Coughlin revealed that she and dozens of others had been sexually assaulted at a military base.

Once the story had gone beyond the borders of the Army and the military could no longer stifle it, the only thing that could be done from a public relations standpoint was to publicly address the whistleblower. So, Paula Coughlin was asked to meet the president, George H. W. Bush. But Dick Cheney, then Defense Secretary, welcomed her with dismissal rather than compassion. He simply said “You know, I just had to fire the Secretary of the Navy because of you.” When the story blew over—because people made sure that it did—Coughlin found the courage to return to the Naval aviation where she had become a “huge liability.” “The Navy really wanted me to go away quietly,” said Coughlin, according to The Daily Beast. “It became an endurance test to see how many days I could get up and go to work.” As the testimonies of the multiple victims of Sgt. Walker piled up, something became quite striking: the lack of violence with which the officers approached their trainees. It was as if the submission the female trainees were expected to demonstrate according to military procedure was so amplified and unnatural that the line between abuse and obedience had been blurred.

When questions were asked about why the trainees hadn’t reported these assaults earlier, one issue became very clear. The trainees under Walker’s command spent seven of their eight and a half weeks at the Lackland base before they were informed about how to report

sexual assault. If you don’t ask, they won’t tell.

The Lackland case has brought attention to the military’s flawed organization. Navy Chief of Operations, Adm. Frank Kelso admitted that the Lackland case “brought to light the fact that we had an institutional problem in how we treated women”. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) also publicly declared she was “sick of excuses.” As insiders stirred up revolt, the current Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, had to take action. But instead of punishing those who have now been branded as unpunishable, he graciously allowed women to go and risk their lives on the battlefield.

On Jan. 24, U.S military leaders lifted the ban of women serving in combat. To calm the controversy about the role of women in the military, leaders moved to allow them to be part of a combat unit. No lobbying, no debates, seemingly out of the blue, women were given the right to die on the field. And it nearly seems to be a sort of compensation. Because addressing the male hegemony is politically unwise, the value of women has been reevaluated. And it seems that the ban’s lift is actually packed with fraud. Panetta has allowed women in a field that until now was officially authorized only to men. But nearly 150 women have already died in war zones. Not only were women on the battlefields, but their presence was publicly praised; women have earned the Silver Star in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Americans were told women weren’t allowed to be on the battlefield but they were still asked to mourn their deaths.

Although lifting the ban on women in combat now seems opportunist, let us not forget it will in the long run allow women to climb out of the pit of second-class citizen. Not only are more than 200,000 jobs now available to women but amongst them are positions in elite Special Operations units like the Navy SEALs and Delta Force. Defense Secretary Panetta and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin E. Dempsey agreed, saying that women and men were “fighting and dying together, and the time has come for our policies to reflect that reality.” It’s good to know that the advantages of the trade now offset the risks.

—Heloise Mercier ‘16 is a student at Vassar College.

Sara Lobo

F

Guest Columnist

ormerly described by Napoleon Bonaparte as a “sleeping giant,” China has in recent decades awoken from its slumber of isolation and economic stagnation to take its place at the forefront of the global sphere. Since the 1970s, economic liberalization has been introduced with aims to “reform and open,” resulting in a modernization of infrastructure and unprecedented growth rates. In the past decade alone, China’s economy has more than tripled in size. Tens of millions have been lifted out of poverty, and from 1975 through 2000 the growth rate was a staggering 8-9% a year, about four times that of the United States during the same period.

China is considered an emerging market, part of what many countries call the BRIC (composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China). In many ways, however, it has already emerged, and is quickly becoming a major economic superpower. When we think of China today, we often think of a country whose recent economic development poses a threat to American superiority and influence. Despite the recession in America, uprisings throughout the Middle East, and the Eurozone crisis, China has maintained a trajectory of growth.

Boasting the world’s largest automobile industry, and prominent industries in steel, housing, and electricity, and more, the country’s development is staggering.

Education and information technology have particularly seen a dramatic improvement.

A new survey from Dell shows that Chinese students use computers in school more than American stdents, and both students and teachers are more tech-savvy.

The latest string of cyber attacks on America from China, hitting newspaper organizations such as The New York Times, offers a glimpse of their technological power, and the potential threat it could pose for U.S. security.

Despite economic progress, China is not without difficulties. Rather, the country is plagued with problems resulting from the Communist Party’s distaste for political change. Lack of basic rights such as freedom of speech, political nepotism, and rampant corruption are several problems that will not go unattested as the country continues

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

to liberalize economically. Public protests are a common occurrence despite efforts to curb unease, and the fluidity of the Internet is making it increasingly difficult for censors to keep dissenters from speaking their mind.

After joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, Chinese party leaders have been facing increasing pressures for reform, certainly feeling the strain of the numerous calls for freedom and democracy.

Even from an economic standpoint, China has some work to do. The country must undergo significant reform before the current population ages. So far, the demographic has allowed for a higher average income, with more money to invest and save since there are fewer children per family—but this benefit will be short-lived. Incomes must rise across the board for children of the One-Child Policy to financially support their parents and grandparents in old age. Analysts will argue that what has contributed to China’s growth rate more than anything else has been the movement of employment from agriculture to more productive parts of the economy—and that this type of growth cannot be sustained indefinitely. I hesitate to say that China truly rivals the United States as a modern superpower, because in light of their economic progress, there are new causes for reform that must first be addressed.

Primarily, there is a lack of innovation due to a lack of respect for intellectual property.

Thus far, China has been profiting from the spending of the United States—exporting goods and specializing in manufacturing. Due to the American financial system, it is more profitable for American companies to manufacture goods in China, resulting in much of China’s growth. However, this isn’t the highest value of work, and can’t be maintained forever, especially if Americans decide to save and invest more. The importance of manufacturing in China directly contrasts the focus being placed on education, resulting in rising unemployment. As people in China are becoming more educated, they search for white-collar jobs to match their skill level, yet blue-collar jobs are far more readily available and needed.

Patent rights and enforcement for intellectual See CHINA on page 12

OPINIONS

Page 10

February 7, 2013

Obama admin. sets stage for new kinds of climate action Lane Kisonak

P

Opinions Editor

resident Barack Obama’s foreign policy has been frequently praised for its shrewd recalibration of American leadership within a global context. Whether it was 2011’s multilateral intervention in Libya, the administration’s still incomplete “pivot” toward the Asia-Pacific region, or the U.S.’ withdrawal from Iraq and oncoming end to its mission in Afghanistan, there has been a defined sense of purpose in Obama’s movements. This has not been true in regard to climate change, however, arguably his most immediate foreign policy issue. Might his second term, just maybe, offer a second chance for us to lead the world in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in clean sources of energy? Just maybe.

Obama’s second inaugural address surprised viewers with its heavy focus on climate change. “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” Obama declared. He took a refreshingly sharp tone against skeptics as well: “Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact” of increasingly destructive weather.

But Obama’s combative posture in front of the podium means little. To gather clues as to what we can expect from his administration, we must see how, after several high profile departures (including Environmental Protection Agency chair Lisa P. Jackson and Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu), it is being rebuilt.

The center of gravity for Obama’s efforts seems to be within the executive branch, particularly the EPA. The New York Times reports that Obama has little desire to confront Congress over major climate change policy, but hopes to use the EPA to implement rules lowering emissions from new and existing coal-burning power plants. Though this kind of end-run around Congress is understandable given the implacable Republican

opposition to comprehensive climate change legislation, the approach has its weaknesses.

Jackson’s departure, for instance, means that Obama must nominate a new EPA director. If Republican behavior toward the EPA resembles its action toward the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—Richard Cordray was nominated to be its first director, but was blocked by Republicans hoping to prevent implementation of financial reform— then Obama’s new course of action may yield little.

“The center of gravity for Obama’s efforts seems to be the EPA.” Lane Kisonak ’13 In an interview with Buzzfeed, former GOP representative Bob Inglis (R-SC) cited such obstructionism and skepticism as reason for his ouster in the 2010 midterm elections. “My most enduring heresy was just saying climate change is real,” he said, before expressing reserved hope that his party might see reason before it becomes too late.

Thankfully, Obama’s team also plans on using the bully pulpit to rally the country against climate change in a manner that they notably shied away from in his first term. It seems prepared to engage with all sectors of the general public (speaking to Reuters, Jackson seemed to most regret this shortcoming of her tenure), and perhaps carry these tactics out on the global stage as well.

Politico’s recent report of Obama’s new climate change team characterizes the coalition as well-rounded, versed in policy, and politically savvy. His new chief of staff, Denis McDonough, and new Secretary of State, John Kerry, have both been vigorous advocates for climate change action. Heather Zichal, Depu-

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ty Assistant for Energy and Climate Change, is well-respected by energy businesses. Kerry in particular has been cited for his potential ability to work with international leaders, especially from China and India, at future climate change summits to attain binding agreements. But here is where the future of climate change policy grows hazy, both as a national and international issue.

In some respects, climate change is undergoing a transformation in scale. While, due to its urgency, one might expect it to become the province of powerful agencies, bigger bills, and more high-profile summits, it seems to be getting smaller. At first glance this might seem unintuitive. But although Obama allocated prime inaugural real estate to the issue, and national attention focused on the issue after Hurricane Sandy, the words and deeds of leaders suggest that the path ahead will rely on the actions of individuals, not governments or intergovernmental organizations.

Measures at the micro-level will have to become commonplace to fill what will likely be an expanding void left by American congressional leaders and international climate talks. Der Spiegel, a reliably valuable source for the state of climate change policy in Europe and elsewhere, notes that in the last several months European experts have begun to denounce multinational conferences—such as the panned United Nations summits in Copenhagen, Durban, and Doha—as a method of achieving binding agreements to succeed the Kyoto Protocal in general. “[T]he definition of success has been drastically diminished” and these conferences are “charade[s],” according to policy experts. “The dream of a global deal is over,” environmental historian Frank Uekötter told Spiegel. “An elimination [of the summit regime] would create space for new momentum.

The new momentum may be gathering as you read this article. Scientific American reported this week that the EPA is rolling out a new initiative geared toward private indi-

viduals and groups in New York City, supplying $125,000 in grants for citizens to collect air and water pollution data and search for local solutions. It would not be surprising if they spread this form of government-funded but locally sourced research to other urban centers and, hopefully, rural areas that are beginning to confront the controversial issue of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as well.

But such small-bore projects are far from helpful at coordinating action at the international level. As it does in all aspects of foreign policy, the United States has weight it can throw behind necessary missions. Often, political issues at the top of national and international agendas that we now take for granted are those that most suddenly appear.

As The New York Times reports, the White House’s and Congress’s current top issues are the federal budget, immigration reform, and gun control. It took the unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, Conn. to bring gun control to the top of the schedule; hopefully it will not require a similarly shocking climatic event, on the scale of Sandy or larger, to do the same for climate change.

“The United States has weight it can throw behind necessary missions.”

Lane Kisonak ’13 The White House needs to find a way to marry its city- and state-level initiatives with the pressing need for international action, and perhaps in its current recalibration lie the building blocks to do just that.

—Lane Kisonak ‘13 is a Political Science major.

Camp David photo hampers Obama’s gun control efforts Erin Boss

Guest Columnist

O

n Saturday the White House released a photo of President Obama practicing his skeet shooting hobby, recently announced in an interview with The New Republic, at Camp David. The photo, taken last August, was released after Obama said he does skeet shooting at Camp David “all the time.”

Skeet shooting may be Obama’s honest hobby, but his new public announcement seems to be an effort to reach out to the gun-friendly right, a PR attempt that seems to be in vain.

Commentators on all sides have reacted with skepticism. While the left seems more bemused than anything, gun supporters on the right have reacted with blatant disbelief and harsh criticism. “Skeet shooting, whether you’ve done it or not, doesn’t make you a defender of the Second Amendment,” said Chris Cox, chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, according to The New York Times.

We can add this to a list of bargains Obama has made in the past four years to come across as a more centrist president at the expense of many of the left’s ideals. In the battle for health care reform, Obama sacrificed any talk of a public option for the sake of pushing at least some kind of bill through Congress. In the recent fiscal cliff negotiations, Obama agreed to Republican demands to increase the tax rate to 39.6 percent on incomes above $450,000 instead of $250,000, among other compromises.

Despite these concessions, Obama still faces a deeply divided country. The most recent Gallup ratings (from the week of Jan. 21-27) indicate that 91 percent of Democrats approve of Obama’s job as president, while only 11 percent of Republicans approve. With those dismal statistics, one wonders why Obama is still fruitlessly trying to appease his opposition.

Now that the president has four years to pursue his liberal agenda without fear of re-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

election campaigns, many left-of-center supporters are hoping to see extensive progress.

Obama’s inaugural address boded well, with Obama speaking more explicitly than ever in support of LGBT rights and climate change.

However, many of his actions have adhered remarkably to the middle, which leads us to wonder whether the 2008 claims that Obama was socialist were—gasp—unfounded, and if he is in fact a rather moderate guy.

Specifically in the case of gun control, Obama should take a firm stance alongside liberal advocates of tighter restrictions. The NRA’s scoffing reaction to the claim that Obama does skeet shooting “all the time” illustrates the right’s constant refusal to cut the president any slack. He will not win their camaraderie with one photo of himself holding a shotgun. What all this talk of skeet-shooting does do, however, is weaken his arguments by detracting from the main point—that people are dying.

Publicizing Obama’s activities on the range at Camp David provides pure fluff and represents another in a long line of futile attempts to make concessions to a political opposition who will have none of it. If he’s going to push for tighter restrictions, Obama should be prepared to go all-in for once, something we didn’t see in his first four years.

Let’s turn away from the photo of Obama’s hobby and focus on moving forward. Instead of fraternizing with the NRA with an “I-shootguns-too” attitude, Obama should discuss changes in the availability of firearms and the fact that certain weapons are created with the sole purpose of killing other people. Quite frankly, what Obama does in his free time is an extraneous detail and serves only to soften the blow to the opposition. But it can’t soften the blow to the countless families who have lost loved ones in mass shootings in the past year.

—Erin Boss ‘16 is a student at Vassar College.

February 7, 2013

OPINIONS

Advances in predator drone technology complicate privacy rights, ethics of war Josh Sherman

T

Columnist

he Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been key in helping research national defense projects for decades. While the agency was formed to help thwart the threat of Communist Russia as it surprised us with technologies such as Sputnik, these days DARPA is hard at work figuring out new ways to fight terrorism, with hints of science fiction here and there. The latest initiative from DARPA, named ARGUS (Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Imaging System), rewrites the rules of surveillance, and may make you cling a little tighter to your tinfoil hat. ARGUS is an unmanned aerial vehicle, which allows the U.S. to view any object six inches or longer from a cruising altitude of 20,000 feet.

ARGUS is the latest in a long line of new technology being developed specifically for drone warfare. If you’ve paid any attention to the War on Terror over the last decade, then you already know that it has been revolutionized by the power of drone technology.

While conventional warfare is something we all have been taught about in history class, the problem with our constant conflict with terrorism is that is unending and borderless.

This constant conflict has subsequently led to a persistent feeling of paranoia about how terrorism can appear anywhere, and from almost any source. As a result, our national defense has become heavily focused on thwarting terrorism from whatever direction it may come, ushering in our modern era of drone warfare.

Drone warfare is unique in that it removes the need for a human military presence from most environments, whether it be for surveil-

lance or for engagement. This has led to some serious ethical questions being raised about our use of technology in warfare. The ability to be in battle without “being” in battle is a luxury that every soldier or general would enjoy. However, the issue remains that we are not living in an era with the threat of war on our doorstep. International relations are so fundamental, and cultural communication so concrete, that it’s difficult to perceive, in a day like ours, one in which brinkmanship was all that stood between peace and war. More importantly, the issue that remains also is that this technology has the potential to be used not only by us, but against us.

“Drone technology has the potential to be used not only by us, but against us.”

Josh sheRMan ’16 Perhaps what concerns most people is that technology like drones invites the surveillance society to our doorstep. While recent advancements in drone tech—such as being able to shoot down missiles with drones—create new opportunities to keep people secure, critics question the ethics of such devices and their ability to constantly observe our activities. Like the start of a good dystopian novel, the ability to be constantly observed by our government unsettles the majority of the population, whether or not they will admit it.

ARGUS is simply the most recent step in a long line of drone enhancements over the past couple of decades. What is especially unique is that it allows a wide sweeping view of an area—about 30 square miles—to be covered by a single vehicle with extreme precision.

While it is not the same as being right above their heads, it gives a monitor the ability to observe the inner workings of a city, and track threats to society to the source. Then again, a drone has no understanding of what is or is not a moral or fundamental threat to society.

As we continue to develop more powerful drones, we offer new methods of observation and reaction to our security agencies.

What matters the most, though, comes down to a cliché: With great power comes great responsibility. Drones are merely evolutionary for how we decide to invest in our military complex. While drones can increase our security, they also take one more level of privacy away from the individual. ARGUS has yet to be deployed, and just where it will be deployed is classified, but the interests of the United States and its national security will likely follow wherever it finds itself flying. In reality we cannot just turn our backs to new technology when it shows us some ugly truth.

We cannot criticize our advancements when the only direction is to look forward. In the end it is up to us as citizens to communicate clearly with our government to ensure that its powers be kept in check. We cannot blame the technology and its implications, but we can blame ourselves for choosing the people who are put behind the controls.

online editoR

Q

uinoa: a pseudo-grain indigenous to the Andes and prized for its exceptional nutritional benefits. Indeed, quinoa supplies all ten essential amino acids as well as an ample amount of protein—qualities that in part prompted a 1993 NASA technical paper to remark that “while no single food can supply all the essential life-sustaining nutrients, quinoa comes as close as any other in the plant or animal kingdom.” Twenty years later, the UN declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa, stating that the hugely nourishing crop harbors the potential to advance global food security and prevent malnutrition among the 850 million people currently starving worldwide.

However, increasing global demand for quinoa stems not only from a philanthropic obligation to feed the hungry, but from affluent nations’ infatuation with the trendy new darling grain of the health-food community.

A number of articles recently published in the UK magazine The Guardian propose that escalating quinoa prices driven by growing demand—quinoa has tripled in price since 2006 to $3,115 per ton—have hindered its consumption among the Andean farmers who have long supplemented their meager diets with the highly nutritious plant. Because of quinoa’s newly high price, selling the crop for greater amounts of cheaper, less nutrient-dense foods such as rice has proven more profitable for the farmers than consuming quinoa themselves. Furthermore, farmers have come to regard quinoa as an outdated “grandma grain,” shunning it in favor of inexpensive Westernized diet staples.

A more optimistic view of quinoa’s mounting price posits that the global trend introduces more economic opportunities for farmers in one of South America’s most impoverished localities—Guardian contributor Dan Collyns even refers to quinoa as “a lifeline for the people of Bolivia’s Oruro and Potosi regions.” Not without its drawbacks, though, this particular outlook ar-

gues that, rather than Andean farmers, poor South Americans living in urban areas incur the greatest amount of misfortune from increased quinoa prices, since they receive none of the economic benefits gained by farmers.

“Quinoa harbors the potential to advance global food security and prevent malnutrition among 850 million people.” aLessanDRa seiteR ’16 In an attempt to ameliorate this issue, the Peruvian and Bolivian governments have implemented measures to ensure that non-wealthy Andeans aren’t priced out of the growing market for the nutrient-dense grain; pregnant and nursing women living in Bolivia, for example, now receive quinoa as a component of their government-issued food supply packets, while children in Peruvian public schools munch on quinoa for breakfast. A budding movement to expand quinoa production beyond the Andean region has already experienced success in the Colorado Rockies as well as in several countries in Europe and Asia; this added supply could lower the crop’s price to a level that is still profitable to Andean farmers but affordable to regional consumers.

From an environmental standpoint, the increasing global demand for quinoa has prompted a concerning scramble among farmers to seize more land for efficiency-driven, rather than sustainable, cultivation, which exerts pressure on soil fertility as quinoa threatens to become grown within a system of monoculture.

Word

on the street

If you ran the VSA, how would you use the funds?

“Make Macklemore the artist in residence.”

—Tavish Pegam ’13

“Ben and Jerry’s in the Deece. Every day.”

—Amy Sullivan ’16

—Josh Sherman ‘16 is a student at Vassar College.

Global rise in quinoa demand prices out growers, complicates mass consumption Alessandra Seiter

Page 11

So should we, the socially conscious students of Vassar, continue to consume the (rather unsatisfactorily prepared) quinoa offered at the Deece? At whatever conclusion you personally arrive from the information I’ve offered, I hope that the intricacies of and issues surrounding the current global quinoa market prompt you to begin analyzing your food choices at a deeper, more ethically minded level than that simply of taste, pleasure, and convenience. Why not use the quinoa debate as a jumping-off point from which to discover more about precisely how the food on your plate ended up there? Indeed, while opting to abstain from eating quinoa may or may not improve the livelihoods of Andean farmers, there exist a handful of dietary choices that will concretely and profoundly decrease levels of world hunger and environmental degradation.

Consider that 760 million tons of the world’s grain provides feed for livestock, while 20 times less than that amount has been projected to eliminate the most extreme cases of world hunger today. Additionally, the world’s cattle alone consume enough food to sustain 9 billion people—the human population expected by 2050.

Regarding the environmental impacts of animal agriculture, a study published last October by the European Commission found that switching to a vegetarian diet results in twice the carbon emissions savings of switching to an electric car. By opting not to support animal agribusiness, you can rest assured that the decisions you make thrice daily as to what to eat will contribute to a growing movement toward a more equitable, just, and environmentally friendly society. Or you could gaze upon the supermarket shelves in perplexed contemplation of which brand claims to ethically source their quinoa.

—Alessandra Seiter ‘16 is a prospective English major.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“Give more to extracurricular activities.”

—Jasen Miyamoto ’16

“Rehearsal spaces.”

—Devin McDuffee ’14

“f’real machines in every dorm, and then counseling services for when we all eat too much.”

—James Haxton ’16

“Interstellar domination.”

—Case Stewart ’13

Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire Editor Katie de Heras, Photo Editor

OPINIONS

Page 12

China requires reform in order to attain power CHINA continued from page 9

property protection must improve, and corruption must be reduced, to provide incentives for innovation.

Israel, for example, has created a great environment for start-ups and innovations that China could learn from.

There are also concerns about the government increasing taxes and seizing assets, causing many of the wealthiest Chinese citizens to pull money out of the country and place it in countries such as Singapore.

If faith in the Chinese political system continues to drain, I predict the economy will not be able to maintain its growth.

Some aspects of the communist regime are fostering economic growth in the short term, particularly the ability for the party to plan long term investments into the future without worrying about appeasing voters—but I don’t believe growth can be sustained without political and social change. Some of the fundamental challenges that come with economic prosperity are income disparities between the rich and poor, contrasting communist principles of income equality.and capitalist mandates of economic growth.

China has clearly accelerated and advanced the most out of the top emerging markets, but cannot stay on its current trajectory, or become a true rival of the United States in terms of economic or political power, without making significant reforms. The latest quarter has seen a recent reduction in the growth rate, and unless certain issues are reshaped, many economists believe it will continue to slow.

While economic liberalization has done great things for the Chinese society at large, its astonishing success promises a new series of challenges that must be addressed before the country can truly become a global superpower.

—Sara Lobo ‘16 is a student at Vassar College.

February 7, 2013

As incoming Secretary of State, Kerry should continue Clinton’s diplomacy Meaghan Hughes Sports Editor

T

he beginning of February marked the beginning of John Kerry’s term as Secretary of State. Now, for the first time in eight years, the position will be filled by a man. It was a bittersweet moment for many Americans who have enthusiastically supported Hillary Clinton in all her diplomatic travels. Though it is sad to see her go, the nation has to stand behind Kerry, who has acknowledged that he has “big heels to fill.”

Witnessing Clinton’s political journey for the past six years has been inspiring.

She epitomizes the quality of making the best of what some might call a bad situation. Losing the Democratic nomination for the presidency in the 2008 election didn’t stop her. Cleary President Obama saw the kind of tenacity she could bring to his cabinet. She has faced an abundance of sexist comments in the media about her hair, her clothing choices, her apparently haggard appearances and all the other ways in which she has supposedly failed to look perfectly feminine.

Recently she was even critiqued by opponents for “avoiding” questions about an attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya. I guess neither a blood clot nor a concussion is a good excuse.

Hillary’s focus during her time as Secretary of State was often on issues of women and children, who tend to be overlooked when diplomats discuss warring nations. She founded the Office of Global Women’s Issues as a way to draw attention to the rape of and violence against women that is prevalent in many nations. She has also discussed human

trafficking in great detail and met with many foreign ministers with whom she became familiar during her time as First Lady. The other topic that tends to come up when summarizing her past four years is her travel. It is well known that she has visited over 100 countries and flown close to one million miles.

All of her infamous diplomatic journeys appear to be something Kerry intends to replicate. He has already planned a trip to the Middle East, with expected stops including Egypt and Israel. Kerry has also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas about relations between the two countries and recent elections held in Israel.

Yet Kerry seems to be building off what some considered a sour note in Hillary’s term. On September 11, 2012, an attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya took the lives of several Americans, including Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Many Republican senators seemed unsure of how much information Hillary had about possible threats to the embassy prior to the attack. Clinton defended herself, saying that although she took responsibility for the incident, she had received no indication that additional security was needed in Libya. When it was announced that Kerry would replace Clinton as Secretary of State, he made it clear that his focus would be to keep America safe from outside threats.

Though this is an understandable position to take, given the loss of American lives so recently, I cannot help but worry that the nation might return to an “us vs. them” dichotomy in foreign relations.

There is a constant battle over how much authority the U.S. should have over international issues, especially in those nations that appear unstable and influenced by terrorist groups. I appreciated Clinton’s approach of meeting with leaders of such areas as well as taking the time to understand the way that people are affected on a day-to-day basis and to set up institutions that assist those whose voices aren’t heard. My hope is that Kerry continues to pursue this form of diplomacy.

The other question that everyone seems to be asking is, “Will she run?”

Many assume that Clinton is resigning to prepare for a 2016 campaign for the presidency. Though this seems logical, and Clinton would certainly have a great deal of support, she may also be ready to take a long break. In several interviews Clinton has brushed off the question, stating that she is too tired to even think about it. Personally I cannot imagine the sleep deprivation she has endured. I know how I feel at the end of finals week, and I don’t even leave the Vassar campus.

What’s more important now is not the speculation but rather the issues that lie ahead, such as recent threats from North Korea and the ongoing civil war in Syria.

The Senate’s bipartisan support for John Kerry, demonstrated in the 94-3 Senate vote confirming his nomination, looks promising for future negotiations. In the meantime, we’ll just have to wait for whatever surprises Hillary Clinton has in store.

—Meaghan Hughes ‘15 is a Psychology major and the Sports Editor for The Miscellany News.

The Miscellany Crossword

by Jack Mullan, Crossword Editor

ACROSS 1 Drinking game with a 60−song playlist 10 Maj. discipline with courses on Albert Einstein and Infrastructure 13 Unmoving 15 Bath temperature tester 16 Moustachioed Looney Tunes cowboy 18 Barack Obama’s mother 19 Vassar Org. hosting the Eid Diwali Dinner 20 Avuncular “Harry Potter” figure 22 Math ratios 25 Vibrating effect 28 Dream grade 31 UK trade org: Abbr.

32 June 6, 1944 36 Popular ethnic

enclave 37 One step ___ time 38 Exchanged notes?

39 Catalog clothing retailer since 1983 41 Tokyo airport acronym 42 2010 Natalie Portman drama 45 “Sexy Love” R&B singer 47 When doubled, Road Runner’s cry 48 $10 to $12 an hour, e.g.

49 Colorful brand name?

52 Friendly “Simpsons” neighbor 53 Polar bear’s domain 56 Fencing blade 59 Nutritional fig.

60 Indulgent dessert choice 66 Kick the bucket 67 “...baby don’t hurt me,

Answers to last week’s puzzle

don’t hurt me, no more” song 68 Vassar dept. for post−graduate help 69 Packaging peanuts DOWN 1 “Gangnam Style” rapper 2 Chiwere−speaking tribe 3 Is past?

4 Summers in la cité 5 Terza ___ (Italian verse form) 6 Lift up 7 Smallest of the HOMES 8 OPEC member, briefly 9 Four Monopoly properties: Abbr.

10 Movie critic’s unit 11 “Beloved” author Morrison 12 E−mail command 14 Marissa Mayer’s company 17 Prefix with ware or practice 21 One−time Morgan Freeman role 22 Dot−chomping arcade character 23 Apple debut of 2007 24 Spring toy 26 “Gross!”

27 Kilimanjaro, e.g.: Abbr.

29 Québec article 30 “You don’t ___!”

33 “On the Origin of Species” author 34 Relaxed (2 words) 35 Showed boredom

39 Inits. of the creator of 20−across 40 Gen. Lee’s cause 42 Old Turkish title 43 Soccer phenom Messi 44 Galore 46 Columbus Day mo.

47 South American parrot 50 Lung protector 51 Weak poker hand 53 Dining locale on campus: Abbr.

54 Drug bust, e.g.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

55 Nile queen, informally 57 Petrol brand 58 Eritrean People’s Liberation Front: Abbr.

61 British medicine org.

62 Assn. of Accounting Technicians: Abbr.

63 London stall 64 Archer’s wife in “The Maltese Falcon” 65 Pro ___ (for now)

February 7, 2013

HUMOR & SATIRE

Page 13

OPINIONS

Breaking News

From the desk of Jean-Luc Bouchard, Humor & Satire Editor

Beyoncé show interupted by muscular, costumed fans A morning student’s stream Back to the bubble: a junior (or lack) of consciousness returns to VC from London Jean-Luc Bouchard humor

I

& satire editor

t’s very unclear to me right now why I willingly signed-up for a 9am Monday course.

I mean, I’m fully aware that there are worse situations than this—I could be one of those braces kids sitting in the backseat in Rebecca Black’s “Friday”; I could be the waiter who takes the Acrop midnight-to-4am shift; I could even be Mitt Romney’s smiling instructor. But at this moment, there is no justice. This is worse than all things. This is the end of times.

I bet I can get away with just resting my eyes.

No harm to sleep a little. Wait, I snore and have violent night terrors. Damn. Just keep nodding. I mean, this is actually a fascinating lecture. I had no idea that— AghghaagwhaOMG was I just sleeping? Did that happen? What time is it? What time was it before?! I definitely slept, my facial hair is longer.

But...but the same kid is still talking, so...Oh, wait, no, it’s THAT kid. Nevermind, impossible to tell.

I know that I know the girl next to me from somewhere but I don’t remember her name. It’s either Maggie or Maddie. Wait, I’ll look over at her essay to catch her name. Artemis. Her name is Artemis. Close enough.

OK, the professor’s lecturing again. Oh, wow, interesting. Huh, cool. Never thought of it that way. In fact, that’s a lot like how it works in the world of Pokémon. If you substitute “economy” for “Pokémart,” then, my gosh, it would all make sense! Consider what it— (Insert 6-minute long series of thoughts about Pokémon.)

Wait, crap! Oh man, oh man, I was not paying attention to the last...six minutes! Six minutes!

I spent six minutes thinking about Pokémon?

What am I, ten?! How could I be so foolish as to spend six minutes musing about the possibly incestuous members of Team Rocket when I should have...hm, actually, when you really think about it— (Insert 3-minute long series of thoughts about Pokémon.)

OMG HOW. HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING. What did I miss this time, huh? Well, that kid is talking again. And oh, great, the professor drew a bunch of arrows connecting terms on the board. Awesome, that’s gonna be really useful for when I attempt to reconstruct this lesson around midterm season. All I have to write is, “According to the board, ‘Government’ and ‘Morality’ have some sort of relationship. Possi-

bly good? Possibly bad?” A++!

Wait, did he just ask me a question? Oh no, oh God no, pretend you didn’t hear him. Nope, he asked me again. Drink water. Stall for time, dammit, stall! OK, everyone’s staring at me. Say literally everything you know about this topic and begin with, “Despite what we read for today’s class, I believe—” and then toss your hair shyly.

Wow that worked. Huh, maybe I’m really good at this. Maybe I should go on to grad school, become a professor, write a few books, go lecture around the country and make BANK. I’d be, like, the COOL professor, ya know? I’d wear blazers over rock group t-shirts and sit with my feet up on a desk like, “Yo, I may have my PhD, but I can still rap about the times, broskie. What’s going on in YOUR life?” Yeah, totally approachable, but mysterious. And I’d tell them to call me by my first name, but I would definitely give preference to the kids who still call me “Professor.” Like, a lot of preference. Whole letter grades higher.

Wait, what’s going on?

Oh. Oh, the professor is using my answer as an example of how not to approach this problem.

That’s cool. You’re cool.

Well you know what, man?! I think— AghghaagwhaYeahYeahOK that time I definitely fell asleep. Did I snore? Well, the girl next to me has bleeding ears, so possibly. Did I talk in my sleep? Well, the boy next to me keeps screaming “I’M SO SORRY” at me, so maybe. What did I miss in class?

No. No...

How is that kid talking again?

Did the doctor tell him that he had to talk every four minutes or his bones would melt? Is he afraid he’ll forget how to speak English if he stops using it? Does he not see the other kids in this class? Is he oblivious to the professor’s glassy expression and clenched fists? Is he a secret agent from Marist, planted to drive us mad?

Oh good, he stopped. OK, time to find out where we are in the lesson. The syllabus says that today’s class is on the topic of “The American Short Story.” And the words on the board now say...“Re-emerging ethnohistorical identities in Latvia.”

Huh. This...I don’t think this is Sanders Classroom 017. Nope, this is Rockefeller Hall. Yep. Is this the right class?

I should go to bed earlier next Sunday.

Laci Dent Guest Columnist

I

missed Vassar in all its arboretum and Converse glory while away on my semester abroad to London, sure. It doesn’t get more picture perfect than the stroll past Sunset Lake or the Thompson Memorial Library, but I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t having trouble adjusting myself back into the world of the “Vassar bubble.” Since I’ve been back, I’ve learned that it’s called a bubble for a reason; you can’t just expect to leave this place and come back without there being repercussions. It’s simple biology: to maintain homeostasis in the bubble, nothing goes out and nothing comes in (the exception being the occasional 3am Bacios emergency). More simply, when you leave for a signifcant amount of time you sort of pop the precious, fragile bubble that is your social life. When you get back from abroad, you’ll be quarantined in a tiny Jewett single until Res Life figures out how to integrate you back into Vassar society. Once they’re certain you’ve taught yourself human language and the absurd Deece hours, you may be allowed a few minutes to go see your friends in Main. If you’re lucky.

To be completely honest, my time outside the Vassar bubble just seemed...well, easier than life in the HipsterDome, let alone life in the US. When I was living in London and people asked where I was from, all I had to say was “America” and they’d either smile and nod or mutter something about “Damn Yanks.” Either way, not much hassle. Now that I’m back, however, and I tell people that I live in Poughkeepsie, I first have to convince many of them that Poughkeepsie is in fact attached to the continental United States. If it’s a good day, I won’t have to pull out my smartphone and show them where it’s located on Google Maps.

After this is done and the conversation moves on to what I’m studying in this mysterious kingdom called “Poughkeepsie,” I must tirelessly defend my English major with whosoever might inquire about it. There was never any call to defend my curricular choices in London, and I think it’s because England has Shakespeare. Shakespeare was an English writer/poet/juggler? who we all know was considered to be, like, the best. I mean, The Lion King is based on Hamlet, so how bad can the guy be, right? But when I tell an American that I’m an English major, they tend to respond with, “What’s wrong with science, huh?” My reasoning here is that it’s because Albert Einstein, the best scientist who ever lived, eventually re-

Where’s my package?: Mail Room-inations

by Rachel Lenihan, Guest Cartoonist

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

ceived US citizenship. If it had been Shakespeare who had American citizen (and invented science or whatever it is crazy-haired Germans did with math back in the 20s) my experience might be different. I may not be called a “dirty traitor” so often. Or at least not by my own family.

I found the benefits of living in a huge city like London to be surprisingly comforting after my time in the bubble. For the first time in two years I enjoyed being ambiguous. There was no one who called out to me ironically saying “Hey” when I grabbed my coffee in the morning, as I hopped on the tube for class, or while I self-consciously sat inside the communal toilet thankful to no longer read Vassar graffiti (Yes, you quoted “V for Vendetta” again, congratulations). For three straight months, I lived the life of an expatriate, traveling around like Hemingway in the Sun Also Rises, minus the gruesome bullfights and anti-semitism. I was simply another face in the crowd. I assure you that after two years at Vassar, there were benefits to this. For instance, one bright and sunny morning at Vassar I decided to get breakfast at the Deece (out of dining bucks). I was walking steadily with my eggs and toast to grab some OJ, when I suddenly dropped my plate while going in for the dispenser and everything shattered to pieces on the floor. The Deece immediately went quiet. It was like that moment in Silence of the Lambs before Buffalo kidnaps Catherine. Some students simply shook their heads at me; other clapped; some vomited; and one girl shouted “Good Job.” I believe this girl’s full name is Person-whose-face-is-on-mydartboard Smith.

If this sort of thing were to happen to me in London, of course it would be embarrassing for a while, but I’d move on. At Vassar, on the other hand, it’s just not that simple (it also doesn’t help that I’m paranoid). Those same people who watched me drop my food to utter embarrassment are the same folks who were in my World Cinema class, my fellow group, the Sangha where I meditate, the endless post office line, the vacuous back corner of the Mug, and now my nightmares. I might as well walk around with a scarlet OJ on my chest signifying my disgrace.

That being said, Vassar is a lovely place, but it’s also made me hate breakfast and the English language and at times Albert Einstein, and this was NOT the case in London. On the other hand, it’s nice that everything is suddenly not a million dollars anymore. Real nice.

ARTS

Page 14

February 7, 2013

Bogdonoff returns to stage as interest in nature emerges Nicholas Braun Guest RepoRteR

N

courtesy of Tim Serkes

oah Bogdonoff ’14 combines his passions for drama and nature to gain insight into culturally relevant issues. Last year, Bogdonoff in collaboration with the acting troupe Merely Players wrote and directed a play titled “Merely Bitches” exploring gender issues through the eyes of women in Shakespeare. “‘Merely Bitches’ was definitely a collaboration that needed a huge amount of trust,” Bogdonoff said.

This was Bogdonoff’s first time in the director’s chair, having had several acting roles in other productions. The play, however, was written and rehearsed only a month before the first show.

“We were rehearsing lines that had been written the night before,” he recalled. He explained that writing with cast input allowed him to more deeply and genuinely explore topics such as feminism and relationship abuse.

Since the resounding success of the play, Bogdonoff has been taking a break from theater. Considering that he decided to switch his major from Drama to Environmental Studies at the end of his sophomore year, he understood the need for a reprieve.

“If you told me that I wouldn’t be doing theater for a semester I would wonder what you were talking about. If you told me two years ago that I would be majoring in environmental studies I wouldn’t believe you then either,” he said.

Public performance had always played an important role in his life, beginning when his parents encouraged him to take violin lessons at the age of five. He found that at such a young age, expression through music was more natural than through words. “It was a good way to channel emotions and other things that I couldn’t verbalize,” he said.

Having switched gears from music to drama during high school, Bogdonoff came to Vassar with every intention of pursuing drama, but after a summer internship on a farm in his home

state of Connecticut, he had a life-changing experience that helped him decide to pursue Environmental Studies.

His experience took place on a farm which served as an artist’s retreat. Here, he got to work on a short story, titled Cimery Lake, which is currently in the process of being published with a literature professor from Rutgers University.

The story is an exploration of a man’s relationship to himself, his lover, and the concept of the wilderness. Bogdonoff gained inspiration for his story while on the farm, and this new environment fostered different avenues of creativitiy. During his internship, an adult deer had been hit by a car and left behind a baby doe. Unfortunately, none of the surrounding animal shelters could take the animal in.

The owner of the farm decided to temporarily take in the deer, and Bogdonoff volunteered to personally tend to it. After two weeks of bottle feeding and playing with the other animals on the farm, the deer disappeared into the wild.

Bogdonoff thought that the deer had been eaten by a pack of coyotes, but a month or two after he left he was told that the same doe had been spotted playing with the owner’s dogs, just like she had done when Bogdonoff cared for her.

Right now, Bogdonoff’s biggest commitments include helping coordinate the divestment campaign through Vassar Greens, along with his artistic endeavors., He continues to write short stories and poetry, in addition to taking violin lessons. He is also gearing up for an internship in Nicaragua this upcoming summer, a nation he has done service work for in the past.

Bogdonoff participated in the Vassar Jewish Union’s (VJU) trip to Nicaragua last spring break.to support the NGO, Asociacion Fenix.

The participating VJU students worked on sustainability projects in the developing nation, with a particular focus on developing water purification methods.

Noah Bogdonoff ’14, a former Drama major and now an Environmental Studies one, took a hiatus from theater after his collaborative play “Merely Bitches,” an exploration of women in Shakespeare.

Most groundbreaking for Bogdonoff is his upcoming reemergence in the Vassar student theater scene. “I knew that I needed to get back into theater or at least some form of public art.”

More specifically, he is currently working on the early stages of a production in conjunction with Arianna Gass ‘13, herself currently dramaturg for the Drama department’s senior project , The Cripple of Inishmann.

He remains tight-lipped about the details but explained the show would be something completely different from conventional theater. He promised that the upcoming production, which will most likely be premiering this semester, will be an exciting show as well as very intimate.

Bogdonoff has made it readily apparent that

the ways in which he has grown and matured during the hiatus has made it possible not only to return to drama, but to direct, as well.

“At the beginning of college I really struggled with my identity as an artist. As soon I gave up art as the central aspect of my identity, I was able to enjoy it for the first time, not mingled with anything like a sense of competition or as a desire to use it as therapy.”

Although no one can say for sure what toexpect from Bogdonoff, it is certain that it will be worth the wait.

“I feel as though a lot of people don’t ever stop to think that life isn’t predictable…and maybe that’s what makes it exciting. That’s been my journey at Vassar and I hope forever,” he said.

Collins studies history of Black American art, visual culture Yuhan Shui

Guest RepoRteR

A

Jiajing Sun/The Miscellany News

scholar with a strong background in a variety of subjects, Associate Professor of Art Lisa Collins strives to analyze the crossroads of different identities.

“I am interested in the intersection between African-American history and creativity and imagination,” she said. “So I like to look at the stories of African-American history and what people have created and made with their hands and minds.”

Collins has focused on the study of African-American Art because it combines both her interests in African-American history and art. At Vassar, in order to better study the intersection, Collins does interdisciplinary scholarship in Art History, Africana Studies, American Culture Studies and Women’s Studies.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History at Dartmouth College and became interested in African art initially because it features extensive variety.

Though during her time there, her eventual interest was not a prevalent part of the curriculum, she managed to take advantage of the courses that the university did have to offer.

“We didn’t have African American Art at Dartmouth in the 80s, but I took a couple of classes that I really enjoyed in African Art,” said Collins. “And what I liked about those classes is that, again, it was a very expansive idea of what art is,” she added.

She found that these art forms are very diverse.“The art could be a move, could be a mask, could be a dance, could be the way they do the hair.” Collins said.

Later in her academic studies, Collins turned her focus on African-American Art.“I think what I learned from studying African Art at that time was just how broad the concept of art is and could be,” Collins said.

“I like that approach, so I think in some ways I took the African approach that I so admired and applied it to studying an African-American context.”

In her Art History classes, she seeks to employ different media. “In my class, the art is not

Associate Professor of Art Lisa Collins unites her interests in Art History, Africana Studies, American Culture Studies and Women’s Studies through her classes on Black American art and visual culture. just painting and sculpture, but I am also interested in baskets, pottery and quilts,” she said.

In the fall, Collins taught the course “Politics of Art/Art of Politic”, a Freshmen Writing Seminar cross-listed between Art History and American Culture Studies. In this class, she tried to convey the broad definition of art and conceptualize it through words.

“We looked at photographs. We looked at quilts,” she said. “We also did a lot of writing.

We drafted and we wrote and we thought about what sentences worked. We thought about the craft of writing.”

This year, Collins is one of the two coordinators of Art 105-106, “Introduction to the History of Art”. The course, which features a rotating roster of professors matched by expertise to a given lecture, will have Collins introduce African-American Art after spring break.

She gives lectures on the visual and material culture of slavery, the Jazz Age Harlem Renais-

sance, and the art and social movements of the 1960s and 1970s in the United States.

Collins is interested not only in African-American art itself, but also its influences.

“There are definitely places where you can see the links between African Art and African-American Art, but there are places that probably are not links,” Collins said.

“So one of the interesting questions to explore is what are the sources, what are the influences. Do they come from Europe? Do they come from Africa? Are they indigenous to the US? Do they come from Native America? Do they come from living in a city? Do they come from the rural South? These questions are interesting because African-American Art is very synthetical.”

At the University of Minnesota, Collins received her Ph.D. in American Studies. Along with Visual Art and American Culture, she is also interested in feminist theory. It inspired

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Collins to blend the history of women artists into her academic research and courses.

This semester, Collins is teaching a research seminar which combines Africana Studies, American Culture, Women’s Studies and Art History.

This seminar, called “Art and Activism,” explores the African-American Arts of the Black Power movement and the feminist art of the Women’s Liberation Movement during the 1960s and 1970s.

“In that seminar, we are looking at the primary sources of art, manifestos, exhibition catalogue and poetry.” Collins said. “We are going to end this semester by looking at some of the people who were trying to draw sustenance from both movements to create their art.”

Collins expresses her thoughts on Art, Black Culture and Feminism not only in her classes but also in her research and publications. She wrote on the subject that parallels between the African American Arts movement and Feminism Art Movement.

Her book The Art of History: African-American Women Artists Engage the Past, published in 2002, connects the two topics.

At present, Collins is writing a project called Love Lies Here. The work focuses on a black woman named Missouri Pettway in Gee’s Bend, Alabama.

“I am looking at the quilt she made out of her newly-deceased husband’s work clothes because she wanted to make a quilt to remember him by. So I am looking at the quilt she made, and how it might serve her as she was mourning the loss of her husband,” she said As an African-American, Collins also thinks that learning African-American history helps her know herself and her community better.

“It is tied with my own family history.” Collins said, “My father was born in Alabama.

And the quilt project that I am studying now is about a woman also born in Alabama. My father was born in an industrial city. She was born in a rural community.”

Collins finds that understanding her own background and ancestry helps to illuminate her own work.

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February 7, 2013

Champlin recital melds folk, classical genres Jack Owen Arts Editor

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djunct Artist in Music Terry Champlin knows the importance of stage presence when putting on a show. “When looking for performers to work with, you want a personality on stage,” Champlin said, “it can’t just be the fact that they’re moving their fingers and playing the music.”

With this in mind, Champlin has assembled a group of talented musicians who also play with passion. The group includes his wife, the band’s vocalist and guitarist Helen Avakian, violinist Sabina Torosjan, guitarist Vilian Ivantchev and percussionist Chris Connors ’12. The group is performing a faculty guest recital, Terry Champlin and Friends, on Saturday, February 9 from 8-10 p.m. in the Skinner Recital Hall.

A composer and guitarist, Champlin has written the majority of the music that will be performed, and with the current band members in mind. “This is music with friends, but it’s deadly serious,” he said. “That’s what it is, and that’s what it’s always been. I specifically wrote this music for the people who are playing it,” he added.

When asked what the band’s musical style is, Champlin asserted that he really does not know. Champlin blends elements of classical and folk music, and feels that blurring the division between the two is of utmost importance.

“All music that we value has folk influence, but the idea of ‘folk music’ seems patronizing to me. It’s implied as music by poor people, and therefore seen as less valuable than classical music. But separating folk and classical has negatively impacted American music,” he expounded. According to Champlin, in many other cultures the division is not as stark, and therefore the music can have more heart.

Keeping this philosophy in mind, Champlin has developed a unique style for his band that incorporates elements of both classical and folk, and breaks down the often strict barriers that many perceive between the two. Connors feels that Champlin’s music is innovative and different than what you may expect to hear in Skinner Hall.

“I think with a lot of the performances in Skinner Hall, you might know what you’re getting into before going,” said Connors, “whether it’s going be a jazz quartet, classical piano recital, or something else. But Terry challenges you a little more to think about what classical music means today , and he fuses a lot of those classical elements with folk songs, sort of in a different and interesting way,” Connors explained.

Connors, who graduated only this past spring, has already gone on to gain success in the music industry. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, and works with music production and sound design. Connors’ has a variety of musical skills, though he specializes in percussion and guitar. “I do a little bit of keyboard and vocals, and whatever else I’m called on to do,” he explained.

Connors is a member of Yes Noyes, a band comprised of Vassar alumnae, known as The Body Electric while still at the College. Connors and Champlin got to know each other while Champlin gave Connors guitar lessons.

Champlin later had Connors play with his group to see how he fit, and was elated bythe results.

“We sort of auditioned him,” said Champlin. “We had him play with us, and he just fit with the group so naturally.”

Champlin clearly admires Connors greatly, and attributes much of his skill to his strong education in jazz. “Chris has a substantial jazz background. Instead of playing patterns, he

listens to the other players and picks up on them,” he explained. “He plays very organically, always changing with the music and working to highlight the other musicians.”

Champlin has produced five albums. Eventual Spring, released in 2012, features this group, and much of Saturday’s performance will include works from it. In turn, the group will perform pieces by other composers, such as Schubert.

“I always play a lot of Schubert,” said Champlin. “I love Schubert. He is capable of writing incredibly simple music, which is actually much harder to do than write complex music,” said Champlin. “He’s very direct, very human.”

Though Champlin’s group is made up of his friends, each musician is an integral part of the band, not only because of the group’s tight-knit circle, but also because of musical talent. “Each of these people is an incredible musician,” said Champlin, “and we work very smoothly together. There are no weak links, and that is what makes it work.”

Avakian, a successful singer/songwriter on her own, is pivotal to the band’s stage presence. “Helen has quite a career under her own steam, and I knew I needed someone to front the band with presence,” said Champlin.

Champlin also expressed his admiration of the other band members. “Sabina plays with a lot of heart, and she owns the lines that she plays.

It’s just very personal playing. And Vilian is a very powerful guitarist,” he said.

Because of the group members’ diverse musical backgrounds, they are able to mix aspects of folk and classical while also bringing forth their own personalities. “If your music is not an extension of yourself, then it is of no worth,” said Champlin. “Any music that is worth anything comes out of an individual’s personality and who they are.”

Ikemoto deserves longer art history tenure Students support her and so should Vassar Zoe Dostal Columnist

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ince Vassar’s founding, art history has been an essential part of our strong liberal arts curriculum. Matthew Vassar himself donated what is now a revered art collection with a seed of Hudson River School paintings inextricably linking the college with the art of its surrounding landscape. Building upon this legacy, an integral part of the Art Department for the last three decades has been the American art history curriculum. A full-time Professor of American Art is vital to the college due to its location in the seat of the American Art Movement. This institution has the unique opportunity to be a steward of our country’s artistic inheritance, and produce future scholars that will shape an American artistic legacy.

We as students must therefore ask why Vassar is phasing out American Art from our curriculum, and letting strong, engaging professors slip away.

Since Karen Lucic’s retirement in 2011, Professor Wendy Ikemoto has been at the helm of American Art at Vassar. Hired as a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, her time here is about to come to an end—a significant loss to the college, Art Department and most importantly the student body. Since arriving at Vassar, enrollment in American Art courses has skyrocketed from six to thirty-two. A number of her students aren’t even from the Art Department—many come from American Studies, Women’s Studies and the sciences as she teaches an intrinsically interdisciplinary subject. Dozens of students have been positively affected by her lectures in Art 105/106, her classes, her seminars and the events she has developed on campus.

Actively engaged with the student body at large, Professor Ikemoto helped to coordinate the Vassar-West Point exchange that included a student-curated exhibition, gallery opening and panel discussion. She also organized the Framing American Art conference that brought brilliant minds from across the country together for a day of intellectual pursuit.

This event not only helped raise students’

awareness of contemporary scholars at Yale, Stanford, and Williams but also brought Vassar’s art history students to the attention of these institutions.

Inside the classroom, her teaching methods are engaging and inspiring. On day one, Professor Ikemoto announces that she teaches to how the mind learns, rather than adhering to traditional models of dumping information and hoping that it’s absorbed. She demands that students themselves truly become the art historians and participate in looking closely at art – analyzing, evaluating and drawing conjectures beyond the traditional research paper.

“It is a dangerous path to turn away new talent and flourishing programs.”

Zoe Dostal ’13 Vassar has always had an exceptionally strong art history program with alumni who go on to accomplish great things. But with a world that’s focused on 21st century learning, there is room for improvement. Such is true for many classes at Vassar, and departments across campus are currently asking themselves how to keep up with new demands, how to be more innovative, how to attract new students, and how to prepare those students to compete in the job market and attain spots at top graduate schools. New, vibrant professors like Wendy Ikemoto should be a large part of the solution as the keystone to Vassar’s future success.

Of course, we must acknowledge the economic situation. It cannot be denied that these are tough times, and tough decisions must be made. It feels as though since arriving on campus, the Class of 2013 has been witness to endless controversies regarding lay-offs, cut backs and spending freezes. This includes, of course,

the hiring freeze.

I am not economically savvy, and I have neither the information nor capacity to judge what financially makes sense for Vassar. But I can absolutely, without a doubt affirm that if bright, young professors like Professor Ikemoto are allowed to leave this easily, something is wrong. It absolutely does not make sense that we would allow other institutions to snap up the best and brightest, leaving Vassar in the dust. I must emphasize that this is not just a threat posed to the Art Department or American Art, but a wider issue that affects every department and the college as a whole. It is a dangerous path to turn away new talent and cut programs that are flourishing in academic areas that students embrace and desire to pursue.

In an Art Department already noted for its scholarly renown, a full-time American Art professor can only serve to solidify that reputation for years to come. As an elite college in the United States, it is essential for Vassar to provide its students with a vocabulary of visual culture with which to better discuss the effects of art on our country’s past, present and future. Issues of war, race, and conflicting cultural and political ideologies are at the crux of this nation and the art which it has produced. The critical assessment of so-called Americana is paramount to our own individual experience of the project of America.

As a student body, it is our responsibility to speak out for that which will benefit both the college and its students; thus, a student-led campaign is currently being held in the hopes of securing a full-time position for Professor Ikemoto, and guaranteeing the future of American art history at Vassar. We are in contact with both Acting Dean of the Faculty Stephen Rock and Acting President Jon Chenette, and will present to them this week a letter, testimonials and signatures on behalf of Vassar students. We must seize this opportunity to recognize that as students we are responsible for the future of Vassar, and must demand of her all that she can be for incoming generations.

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‘Late Night’ juxtaposes stories, music Emma Daniels Reporter

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his evening, art, music and fiction will be juxtaposed at Late Night at the Lehman Loeb. Under the backdrop of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s permanent collection, students from classes of Lecturer of Music Eduardo Navega, will be performing chamber music pieces, alternating with students from Professor of English Amitava Kumar’s Senior Composition class, who will read original prose.

This event, tonight from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, is one of many under the larger umbrella of Modfest 2013. Begun in 2003, Modfest was founded

by Vassar music graduate Adene Wilson with her husband, composer and Vassar professor of music Richard Wilson, with the goal of making connections amongst the many forms of art, particularly different contemporary arts, that exist on the Vassar campus. Modfest events are designed to shine light on different departments at the College and the interrelationships between music, dance, film, literature, poetry and visual arts in the present day.

“Each year we find that Modfest provides a special opportunity for students in each of the disciplines to share their work with one another,” said Adene Wilson. “A key reason we started Modfest was to highlight the enormous amount of arts activity on campus and provide a microcosm of what goes on year-round at Vassar.”

Ten Vassar student musicians are performing four chamber pieces: Philip Gates’ “String Quartet No 1 in A Minor”; Darius Milhaud’s “Pastorale”; Samuel Barber’s “Dover Beach,” based on the Matthew Arnold poem of the same name; and Richard Arnell’s “Cassation.”

Navega said, “I picked these pieces because they are varied and eclectic; they include string, voice, and winds.”

He also noted that the pieces pair well with the written word. “The event is a great opportunity for Vassar musicians to perform in the Loeb, a space with great acoustics, and for some amazing Vassar student writers to put their work out there,” he commented.

Mackenzie Cook ’13, Brian Muir ’13 and Rachel Chait ’13 will all be reading original works of fiction. They were selected to perform based on their enrollment in the English Department’s selective Senior Composition class.

Chait is reading a satirical family drama about a funeral; Cook is reading a piece called “Separate and Apart,” a sincere and intense depiction of a family from Maine; and Muir is reading a darkly comedic piece. All three pieces were written this past year in Senior Composition.Senior Composition is an intensive year-long class where senior student writers hone their craft. Cook noted, “The class focuses on writing as an immersive subject. All the other writing classes at Vassar are focused on learning about writing, whereas this class teaches us how to live the life of a writer.”

And a key element of being a writer is reading one’s work aloud in front of an audience or with an audience in mind. “Reading aloud really changes how you write. I have made a lot of edits in pieces based on the fact that I need my writing to make sense if it’s read aloud,” Cook said, and added, “To be a writer, it is beneficial to be adept at and willing to read your work aloud because it is so hard to succeed. Podcasts are huge, so [it] provides another medium for publicity and income.”

Muir said, “In Senior Composition, for me, writing has become a social act, a conversation.

Engaging in dialogue with the other members of the class has broken down the idea of the lonely locked up writer, in the same way sharing my piece with an audience will.”

The event tonight will enable Muir and his peers to broaden their conversation, engaging their audience and fellow students whose chosen art form is music.

“It’s going to be one of the most unique events at Vassar; I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this before. It’ll be real classy,” Cook said, adding “there may even be a spread.”

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February 7, 2013

Kapur examines South Asian gay identity through stand-up Charlacia Dent RepoRteR

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courtesy of SophieK.com

his semester South Asian Students’ Alliance (SASA) is teaming up with Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC) for its Queering South Asia series, bringing the stylish Indian comedian as seen on Showtime, Vidur Kapur, to the Vassar stage. The event will take place this Friday in Taylor 203 at 7 p.m.

Kapur’s online biography describes both a transformed and culturally aware comedian.

“Having exhausted himself and others by faking it all his life as a good son living according to the expectations of his conservative family in India, a nerdy graduate of the London School of Economics, a buttoned up corporate, a flaming gay fashionista in NYC, and an angry brown person horrified by being mistaken as a terrorist,” the statement reads.

“He finally decided to overcome his neuroses, contradictions and demonic fears, to become a brutally honest stand up comedian who is not afraid of speaking the truth and putting himself on the line.”

This daring attitude is precisely what SASA along with QCVC just reckoned with in its Queering series, making Kapur an excellent choice and a source of profound inspiration this spring. According to Manrose Singh, Vice President of SASA, being both South Asian and Queer is a particularly challenging identity to take on.

“It’s a topic that’s rarely explored because you have the problem of being a double minority. You’re South Asian and on top of that you’re queer. You’re faced with multiple issues and its a very complex thing. We just wanted to see if we could delve into the surface a little and break the ice,” Singh said.

The complexity of identifying as both Queer and South Asian stems a lot from South Asia’s traditional cultural climate which contains a deep-seeded history of rigid social constructions and systemic oppression. Homosexuality was only recently legalized in several South Asian countries, including India which legalized it in 2009.

This, however, does not include homosexual marriage, and so there still remains a significant

level of intolerance around the subject. “Parents if you came out to them, their first response would be to shun you,” Singh commented.

Last semester, in relation to the series, a film was screened for the community that dealt with how South Asians confronted their sexuality to their parents to huge success. There was an incredible turnout for the film and talkback with Associate Professor of Film Mia Mask and Professor of Anthropology Martha Kaplan, who is also involved in the Film department.

“We explored how interview and film can be used as a medium of teasing through such ideas and questions,” explained Alisha Cherian co-president of SASA. The talkback contained the perspectives of people from a variety of backgrounds and sexual identities who could speak to the ways in which their identities shaped their everyday lives.

“My parents moved to New York City when I was 6. We lived in a very prominent Indian neighborhood in Queens. My parents, the three of us came by ourselves and we chose to live in a place where we could communicate easily with people from our own culture. I think just in general, growing up in New York City, I’m really aware of race. We all strive to live in that perfect world where race isn’t really seen, but I’ve found that I’m always aware of it,” Singh reflected.

Comedy has proven to be a successful way for Vidur Kapur to explore the intersections and implications of sexuality and race. Exactly a year before Kapur’s upcoming performance, Vassar was graced with the presence of the well-known female comedian Vijai Nathan.

Nathan, a female Indian comedian, is also a rarity in the South Asian community, and the performance that she gave last spring is what kicked off the discussion of queer identity in South Asian society.

“I think it was really important for us to have an Indian female comedian because she represents two demographics that aren’t as strongly represented in comedy, first being that she’s female and comedy is still quite dominated by males and there’s definitely still a stigma with female comedians. Second being that she is from the South Asian community, you don’t see many

Vidur Kapur, a gay South Asian comedian, will explore issues surrounding his identity and culture in his upcoming performance on Friday at 7 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by QCVC and SASA. South Asians especially those who were raised in this country going into the fields of entertainment, so she represents a very unique perspective in what she does,” said Saumya Bhutani, SASA co-president.

Nathan poked fun at what it meant to be a woman in South Asia and how it was to grow up South Asian in America. She particularly emphasized her female identity. Her comedy spoke to how the experience of a woman can be significantly different in terms of how parents in South Asia treat their daughters and how they expect them to grow up and behave in society.

“It is a very traditional society, and especially for the daughters. South Asian immigrants tend to encourage their children to go into math and science related fields. It’s cool to see someone breaking the mold and doing it successfully,” Bhutani explained.

Vidur Kapur adds yet another unique and subversive personality to the mix in this interrogation of identity, and SASA hopes that Friday will

represent a productive night of identity examination, where the complex issues of sexuality, gender and race are pushed even further.

“He’s super talented and absolutely hilarious, so it’s educational, exploratory, and entertaining,” said Cherian.

Kapur has performed in both South Asia and America so he has had experience in both settings.

“Intersectionality is something we all have to deal with, whether it’s intersectionality of disenfranchised or privileged identities. And, when we engage with our own and learn from others’ own experiences with intersectionality, that just makes us all a stronger community,” Cherian concluded.

AT PRESS TIME members of The Miscellany News were informed that the comedy show has been CANCELED due to a personal commitment

by Kapur. At this time, it is uncertain whether his visit will be rescheduled.

Private Hudson River School paintings made newly public

Emily Lavieri-Scull/The Miscellany News

The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s new exhibition, entitled “Recent Aquisitions: Works on Paper,” collects together a diverse pool of artworks, including three paintings from the Hudson River School.

FLLAC continued from page 1

this great span from the Renaissance to the most contemporary work, range of media.”

The FLLAC’s Curator of Prints and Drawings, Patricia Phagan, who co-curated the collection along with Mary-Kay Lombino, noted that the variety of genres and styles in the exhibition is reflective of the FLLAC’s accumulation of works as a whole.

“The diversity of works in the show takes a strong cue from the diversity of the permanent collection,” she wrote in an emailed statement.

The collection already had strong works in many categories, including old Master prints and drawings, and Phagan wanted to expand upon them.

“We try to build upon those strengths. At

the same time, we want to further develop several areas including photography, 19th-century drawings, and 20th-century and 21st-century prints and drawings. Our strategy in acquiring works has to do with judging how a proposed work would strengthen the collection and if the work is bold and significant enough for the collection,” she said.

Within the collection, Phagan was particularly excited about a couple of pieces. “I was elated when we purchased Giorgio Ghisi’s ‘Allegory of Life (The Dream of Raphael)’ since it is a phenomenal engraving—the masterwork of the artist,” she said. “Having it builds up our Italian old master print area in a very special way.” Similarly, she was excited about the addition of “Cow,” which she believes serves as a good centerpiece for the show.

One of the most striking works in the collection, according to Vitare, is a large photograph

by Richard Barnes entitled “Murmur #23.” The large piece depicts a group of starlings (birds) that Barnes photographed while in Rome.

“When you see it in person in the gallery, it has an incredible impact,” Vitare said.

Vitare believes that Works on Paper is important in part because it is emblematic of the process by which the museum acquires pieces.

“I think what’s interesting about the show is it helps people understand how a collection is built. Between purchases that we make, gifts that made to us, bequests—sometimes things come to us and they’ve left us in their will— and many of our gifts are from alumni,” she said.

Phagan expanded on this notion of how the FLLAC functions. “We have opportunities throughout a single year for accepting gifts and bequests of works of art and in making purchases, and these accepted works fall within a broad range of time periods and cultures,” she explained. “So when it came time to choose works for this exhibition of recent acquisitions, we had a lot of works to consider.”

Because the pieces in the collection are on a paper base, it is necessary to take them down after a certain period of time, something works on other bases are not susceptible to.

“Works on paper are inherently fragile and cannot be shown on a permanent basis since they deteriorate with too much light exposure,” Phagan explained. “So we store them in sturdy solander boxes and share them with students and professors through classes coming to visit the teaching gallery or the print room at the Art Center.”

But these recent acquisitions are not the only prominently featured works at the moment. The Century Association, a New York City club composed of more than two thousand artists, which has buildings under renovation through 2013, is lending the FLLAC three paintings to compliment their current

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

collection of paintings from the Hudson River School.

The largest of the three, which sits at the end of the gallery, is also the most breathtaking, according to Vitare. “The most exciting work is this huge Asher B. Durand painting, ‘Kaaterskill Clove,’” she said. “It’s this very impressive vista through the Catskills that are kind of folding and folding as the eye recedes all the way across. She had even more to say about the striking perspective that Durand’s work serves the viewer..

“The fact that the view is up a little bit, it’s like being on top of Ferris wheel, it gives that sense of transcendence that so many of the Hudson River School were looking at,” she explained.

Another work in the trio is John Frederick Kensett’s “The Hemlock,” which is interesting alongside Durand’s large work, among other works in the gallery. “It’s neat to look at in conjunction with the Durand which has these similarly craggy hemlock and a couple of other tree studies in the gallery,” Vitare said.

The final piece is “The Hohenstaufen” by German artist Emanuel Leutze, who was part of the the Dusseldorf School, itself very similar to Hudson River School. These two schools of art refer to groups of artists painting in a similar style and often depicting many of the same subjects.

The two are similar in look and period, manifesting themselves in the mid-1800s. One of Durand’s paintings even features Emmanual Leautze and William Cullen Bryant standing together in the Catskills, demonstrating overlap between the groups.

And examining “The Hohenstaufen“ alongside the aforementioned works yields fascinating comparisons. “Leautze’s work shows that European kind of mode of Romanticism and that’s why it forms an interesting counterpoint to the other two,” Vitare said. These paintings will be with the Loeb until the Century Association completes their construction.

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February 7, 2013

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‘Zero Dark 30’ an unflinching, intelligent interrogation of post-9/11 American plight Excuse me, Zero Dark 30 Kathryn Bigelow Annapurna Pictures

Max Rook

Guest Columnist

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ew movies released today are willing to comment directly on modern political or social issues. Blockbuster movies are becoming increasingly fantastical, and even the more prestigious, Oscar-bait films tend to look more towards the past than the present.

That isn’t to say those approaches are entirely divorced from the time in which they are made, but they have to make such comments through metaphor and analogy.

Occasionally, a film like Zero Dark Thirty is made, one that confronts the challenges of our current political climate directly by telling the story of how a single CIA agent spearheaded the hunt for Osama bin Laden over the course of eight years. Of course, considering the reaction the film has seen in popular media, it isn’t hard to see why many filmmakers choose to avoid such controversial topics. Whenever Zero Dark Thirty comes up in the press, it is in one of two contexts.

Either people are discussing the accusations made against director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal that their film advocates torture, or perhaps leaks confidential information; or they are commenting on how critics have championed the film.

It has appeared at the top of numerous critics’ top 10 films of the year, and it has generated a moderate degree of Oscar buzz. So, which media narrative of the film is correct?

Is it a morally dubious exploitation of our recent history, or an artistic tour de force by one of the most talented filmmakers working today? Perhaps my own position makes me a little biased, but I’m going to have to side with the film critics over political pundits, at least on the issue of a film’s quality. Zero Dark Thirty is a stunning film, one that challenges its audience to consider the way wars are fought in the modern era. Bigelow and Boal

Campus Canvas

previously collaborated on the 2009 movie The Hurt Locker, an exploration ofhow warfare effects the minds of our soldiers.

Just as The Hurt Locker provided a star-making role for Jeremy Renner, Zero Dark Thirty is a showcase for Jessica Chastain, who plays the protagonist, Maya. Chastain burst on to the scene recently, having appeared in eleven films since 2011, but her role here is her meatiest yet. The film creates a role for its heroine that works against the cliches female protagonists tend to suffer in today’s movies.

Maya is deliberately never sexualized, and she is also shown to be extremely competent at her job. In fact, her singular focus on finding bin Laden provides the film with its sense of structure.

“Zero Dark Thirty is a stunning film, one that challenges its audience to consider the way wars are fought in the modern era.”

MaX RooK ’14 The events depicted take place over a long period of time, but Maya’s determination is a constant in every scene, and Chastain deftly keeps that single-mindedness from becoming too absurd. The remaining cast is strong as well, but none of the other characters stay on screen for too long. Actors like James Gandolfini, Jennifer Ehle and Kyle Chandler pop up for a few scenes, and then retreat into the background as the narrative returns its focus to Maya.

As the story is so centered on a single intelligence officer, most of the drama revolves around the realities of intelligence gathering.

Despite what some of the advertising has implied, this is not an action movie. Most of the drama involves Maya simply waiting

for something to happen, so it is a credit to Bigelow’s direction that the film is not interminably boring. She establishes a contrast between the potentially tedious work these officers do, and the disturbingly violent terrorist attacks they are attempting to prevent.

She also creates another interesting contrast, between the intelligence work and the torture scenes that sparked the film’s controversy in the first place.

Bigelow begins the movie with one of these “interrogation” scenes, and it is a harsh, unblinking depiction of the actions some thought were necessary to protect our country. At first, the audience identifies with Maya’s reaction to the torture, as she is horrified at what she sees. Over time, however, she becomes more comfortable with the debasement of prisoners, eventually becoming skilled in running the torture herself, and as she grows, the audience grows with her Some have argued that this implies an endorsement of torture, but that is too simple a view of a film that attempts to take a more nuanced perspective. The film never makes any overt judgments about the morality of these actions, good or bad. American officers did participate in these acts of torture, and they acted on information learned during these sessions, but Bigelow points out the unreliability of that information.

Notably, Maya doesn’t even get close to bin Laden until long after the torture has ceased.

Ultimately, the sheer horror of the torture scenes as depicted should be enough to prove that this film does not suggest torture is a good thing. In the film’s final act, once bin Laden has been found, Bigelow shifts the storytelling style drastically. The final thirty minutes play out as a remarkably tense depiction of the raid on the house in which bin Laden was hiding out.

In some ways it is a throwback to Bigelow’s style on her early films, such as Point Break, but it doesn’t feel out of place here, primarily because it is so effective. Yes, the audience knows what the end result of the raid will be, but the tension persists, because the film has changed the question from “Will we kill Osama?” to “What does it mean when we do?”

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

if you met Beyoncé tomorrow, what would you say to her?

“Why did you turn down the other girls’ mics?.”

—Josh Kessler ’13

“Well done, all around.”

—Max Herman ’14

“My friend Reeve really wants to meet you.”

— Doug Greer ’14

“Either, girl, you’re fierce, or can I be you?”

—Chelsea PetersonSalahuddin ’15

submit to misc@vassar.edu

“Thank you for making the world a better place. I love you..”

—Nicole Alter ’13

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his picture was taken in the Chinese province of Sichuan near the town of Ganzi. This area is populated by Tibetans and is extremely remote. Traveling from Ganzi to Chengdu , the nearest large metropolitan area, takes between 30 and 40 hours and involves traveling in a minivan or bus on dirt roads.

I had recently slept in a small monastery

owned by three monks. The conditions were basic—there was no running water, little electricity and limited access to food. The monks did not speak any English and they spoke only basic Chinese. As the sun rose every morning, the monks walked around a large stupa, chanting prayers.

I took this photo as the monks were performing this morning ritual. Two monks are

walking around the stupa. A large monastery is visible on the right, and small villages are nestled against the hills in the distance.

While at the time this area was very remote, efforts by the Chinese government to build power lines and better roads will make the area much more accessible in the future.

—Angelo Roman

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“What could be said to Beyoncé? Give me all the secrets of your beauty and grace.

Please?.”

—Jasmyn Mudrich ’14

Steven Williams, Arts Editor Jack Owen, Arts Editor Katie de Heras, Photo Editor

SPORTS

Page 18

February 7, 2013

Despite setbacks, VC Athletics improves record this week Chris Brown and Meaghan Hughes

assistant spoRts editoR and spoRts editoR Men’s Fencing

Women’s Fencing

Also celebrating a victorious Senior Day was the women’s fencing team who went 3-1 against Yale, Queens, Drew and Hunter. The first match, despite resulting in a 19-8 loss to Yale University, saw senior Katie LeClair going undefeated in foil. In the match against Queens College, epee went 8-1, with major contributions from sophomore Megan Lewis and senior Caitlin Clevenger, and foil finished 7-2 to give the Brewers a 23-4 victory. Epee then was undefeated in the match against Drew, and the team as a whole won 21-6. To finish the day, senior Katherine Sweeney’s two foil wins added to the team’s 18-9 win. The women’s team is also 11-13 in the season and will travel alongside the men’s team in their travel to NYU on THursday.

Women’s Basketball

Vassar women’s basketball took on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Feb. 5, winning a

Katie de Heras/The Miscellany News

In an exciting Senior Day on Saturday, February 2, the men’s fencing team finished 2-1 against Yale, Drew, and Hunter. The sabre squad was undefeated, with a total record of 6-3 victories over all three schools. As a team, the match against Yale University was close and competitive, but ultimately resulted in a 17-10 loss. Epee went 3-6 while sabre finished 6-3, led by senior Tavish Pegram who was 6-1 for the day. The next match against Drew University was very close, with junior Matt Steinschneider’s 3-0 record helping to put the foil squad ahead. Together the team pulled ahead 15-12 for the match win. The last competition against Hunter College was dominated by the Brewers who secured a 19-8 victory. Sophomore Tre Artis and senior Alex Vastola earned three wins for the foil squad. This leaves the team with an 11-13 record as they travel to NYU Thursday, February 7.

Bobby Maiocco ‘15 lunges forward with balance and poise during a fencing match on Saturday, February 2. The men’s team came away with several against Yale, Drew and Hunter Universities. pivotal match 61-57 and improving their Liberty League standing. The Engineers made a last minute serge, taking a one point lead with 2:17 remaining on the clock. However, the Brewers answered, quickly taking back and holding on to the lead for the remainder of the match. RPI captured the early lead, up 19-14 within the first 10 minutes of the game.

However, Vassar took the lead back with four minutes until halftime due to the strength of baskets made by senior forward Natalie Allen, freshman guard Alex Moon, and sophomore forward Colleen O’Connell. Within the first two minutes of the second half, Vassar was up 38-31. Junior guard Cydni Matsuoka scored a jumper to push the score to 44-36. RPI looked to be making a comeback, outscoring Vassar 6-0 within a two minute time span, attributing to the 55-54 lead they held, the first and only

IM soccer provides relaxed but competitive atmosphere Christian Ladu Guest RepoRteR

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ports of all sorts are currently underway and intramural season is about to begin in earnest, with students of all athletic abilities lacing up their sneakers for some good natured fun. Soccer (football) is the most popular sport in the universe, and Vassar is no exception. According to life fitness director Roman Czula, soccer leads the intramural participation ranks along with volleyball and softball. He shared, “Intramurals are a way for everyone who is not a varsity athlete to compete in sports they love but either don’t want to or can’t make the commitment to varsity team. It also brings together all members of the Vassar community including faculty, staff, administrators and families in a fun athletic setting. It is a great way to keep in shape and get some stress relief, which we all need in some form.”

Mr. Czula loves this part of his responsibilities at Vassar, stating, “The best thing about any of our intramurals is to just to see 10 or 15 people running around a field or court enjoying a sport they love. I am not sure whether I enjoy IM soccer in Walker or out on Joss field more, but they are both fun to watch.” Whatever the motivation, students can find a common ground in their playing ground of choice, channeling their energy through a physical medium in conjunction with teammates pursuing the ultimate accomplishment, placing the ball into the net whether through force or craft.

Intramurals are about enjoyment, with opportunities for learners and experienced practitioners alike. Senior Nate Gorlin-Crenshaw is gearing up for his second season of IM soccer and shared how his previous soccer experience has helped him, as well as what goals he is pursuing this time around. “I played for the Panthers when I was 8. I got hit by the ball a lot so I’m still a little flinchy. On the whole, I’m going to avoid using my hands. Other than that, my main challenge will be mostly trying to kick the

ball in the direction I want it to travel. That and tripping over the ball, my feet, other people’s feet, that sort of thing. Our team has a few potential mascots lined up, so with luck they can serve as a diversion if we get into a tight spot.”

Team names often demonstrate Vassar students’ ample (or lacking) creativity, with some of this season’s sample named “Pallet Town FC,” “Left Trigger Right Stick,” and the “Cream Strikers.” Gorlin-Crenshaw plays for the Cream Strikers, a name that represents, according to him, “Free association and a healthy appreciation for innuendo.”

Vassar alumnus and formerly very active IM soccer player Nathaniel Leach ’12 was more than happy to reminisce about that time. “Not playing [IMs] wasn’t really an option, but playing at the varsity level required a lot more time and energy than I was willing to give it, and as an accomplished apathetic, the relaxed style of IM play was right up my alley. Just as a lazy person, I’ve always played economically. I dislike moving more than I have to, so I try to being the right place. As a corollary, I am very good at getting the ball to where it should be. In terms of the more fun parts of the game, I can also kick the ball very hard, and I have been known to rainbow unsuspecting humans.”

Leach and Roman agree that the hardest part about IMs is scheduling. “The toughest thing about organizing soccer or any of the intramural sports is trying to match up a facility with the day and time that all members of two teams can get together to play. That is not as easy as it sounds and it is the constant challenge for any IM director,” shared Czula, while Leach opined that the only change he would have made to his IM career was the difficulty in setting up matches, “I would get an email the night before a game and it’s hard to coordinate with little advance warning. This contributed to lots of no shows and made the prospect of actually playing games a crapshoot.” This issue is mediated by more people participating, so sign up!

time they held the lead during the second half.

Due to baskets clinched by O’Connell as well as freshman guard Caitlin Drakeley and sophomore guard Nyah Berg, Vassar shut down RPI’s hopes once and for all. Matsuoka lead the Brewers in points yet again, scorer 16 in total, while O’Connell earned her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Men’s Basketball

On Saturday, Feb. 2, Vassar men’s basketball team took on St. Lawrence University. The Brewers ended up edging out their opponents in a tight match with a score of 84-80 after going into double overtime. Vassar had five players score in the double digits, attributing to their narrow win. During the last 11 minutes of the game, junior guard Sam Rappaport hit

a baseline 3-pointer, followed closely by junior forward getting back to back free-throw shots, giving Vassar its first lead since early in the first half. Donnelly and Rappaport were big impacts in the success of the team, scoring 10 and 14 points, respectively. The match stayed tight throughout the first overtime period, with both teams trading baskets and fouls. The teams ended overtime with a 74-74 tie, leading to double overtime. Vassar quickly took the lead with a 3-pointer from Rappaport.

A crucial stop during the last 30 seconds of the game by sophomore guard Curtis Smith allowed Vassar to pull and stay ahead. Smith lead the Brewers in points, scorer 16 in total.

In total, the lead was trade a total of 17 times between the two teams. This win improves the team’s overall record to 7-13, with a 3-8 record in the Liberty League.

Women’s Swimming and Diving

At the Skidmore College Sprint Invitational on Feb. 2, Vassar women’s swimming and diving pulled ahead of four teams, finishing third out of seven overall. Sophomore Jane Cardona won the 1-Meter Diving with a score of 212.65 and the 3-Meter Diving with a score of 229.55. Sophomore Kelly Wilkinson finished second on the 3-Meter board (223.75) and third on the 1-Meter board (193.20). Senior Shannon Sara won the 100 Yard Individual Medley with a time of 1:04.91 and finished third in the 50 Yard Breaststroke (33.59). Freshman Marie Schmidt finished third in the 500 Yard Free (5:31.89). Sophomore Juliana Struve finished third in the 100 Yard Breaststroke with a time of 1:14.78, followed by freshman Anna Kuo (fourth, 1:15.22) and Quinn (seventh, 1:17.50), who all swam season bests. The 200 Yard Freestyle Relay team of sophomore Liz Balter, junior McKenzie Quinn, freshman Liliana Frye and Sara took third with a time of 1:46.90.

The Brewers now look ahead to the UNYSCSA Championships to be held at Ithaca College from Feb. 20-22.

SCOREBOARD MEN’S BASKETBALL VASSAR

RPI

VASSAR

85

61

AT

76

MEN’S TENNIS VASSAR

AT

VASSAR

2

6

MEN’S FENCING AT

10

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

AT

RPI

57

WOMEN’S SQUASH

CLARK

7 VASSAR

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

AT

SMITH

3

WOMEN’S FENCING

YALE

VASSAR

17

21

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DREW

6

February 7, 2013

SPORTS

Page 19

Basketball franchises torn between D’Antoni, not financial interests and regional ties Gasol, holds back Lakers F Zach Rippe Columnist

or some teams, it is extremely hard to be a successful, stable, and attractive franchise in the National Basketball Association. Sure, teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks have clearly defined and reliable fan bases no matter their record, but what about some of the smaller market teams? Unfortunately these teams who do not have the benefit of private ownership are generally forced to relocate every few years or so. The movement of teams and franchises from one city to another in the NBA has become somewhat commonplace over the past few decades.

Take the city of Charlotte, North Carolina for example. Once home to the Charlotte Hornets, it was decided that the franchise would move down to New Orleans following the 2001-2002 season. They kept the name “Hornets” despite New Orleans not being particularly well known for their large wasps. The team is now planning on changing its name to the Pelicans to fit the surrounding area better, but that’s a whole different can of worms.

Charlotte, however, quickly regained a new franchise a few years later and is still struggling to get on its feet.

Whenever an NBA franchise relocates, it is a sad moment for the sports world. One of the more recent relocations, the movement of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City, sparked anger and sadness from Seattle area fans, yet recent developments have elicited a new hope for the city. The only question is: at what cost?

The Sacramento Kings are also a franchise that can trace their roots to various areas of the country. They began back in 1920 as the Rochester Royals. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957 and then to Kansas City, Missouri in 1972. After failing to find a steady, reliable fan base and market, the Kings finally moved to their present day home in Sacramento in 1985. Sacramento has always been known for its boisterous home atmosphere and loyal fans no matter what their team’s record. The Kings enjoyed great success in the early 2000’s, coming one blown call short of the NBA finals

during the 2001-2002 season, yet have fallen off of the map during recent years due to a poor record. Regradless, their fan base, is still strong.

During the 2011 season, however, it was revealed that David Stern, the NBA Commissioner was planning to move the team to Anaheim. The city of Sacramento fought back. Billionaire Ron Burkle planned to buy the team and Sacramento’s mayor, Kevin Johnson, stated that over 10 million dollars had been raised by small businesses to keep the team in Sacramento. Thus, Stern backed down and the city rejoiced. This happiness, however, was short lived. It has been proclaimed that the Kings will not be playing in Sacramento during the 2013-2014 season unless plans are made for a new arena. There was again turmoil, yet the city of Sacramento appeared to again come through as they, the owners of the Kings, and the NBA agreed to a 387 million dollar deal to finance a new arena. The Maloof family, who oens the Kings, also agreed to pay 75 million dollars up front. This deal was approved by the city council on March 7th 2012, yet on April 13, 2012 the Maloofs dropped out. Things immediately began to fall apart with this deal and now the Kings are left stranded.

“Whenever an NBA franchise relocates, it is a sad moment for the sports world” Zach Rippe ’16 Viewing this situation from the complete opposite end of the spectrum is the city of Seattle.

Once home to a franchise with a rich history and colorful players like Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, the Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City for the same reason the Kings are in trouble today, lack of funding for a new

stadium. It seems, however, that Seattle is now preying on the very team with which they can most identify. On January 9, 2013, it was discovered that the Kings were speaking with a Seattle-based ownership group. It was later revealed that the Maloof family had agreed to sell the Kings to Seattle. On January 21, a deal with Seattle hedge fund manager Chris Hansen was finalized barring NBA approval. Despite pleas from Sacramento and their Mayor, Kevin Johnson, it seems as if it is all but inevitable that the team will eventually relocate.

Think about the amount of joy this will give Supersonics fans. Imagine, your lifelong franchise is ripped away from you. It is now hours away and one of the best teams in the NBA. You drafted and lost Kevin Durant and get to see a new city and new fans reap all of the benefits. If and when the Kings relocate, they will again be named the Supersonics. While the players will be Kings, the team itself will slowly morph into the Sonics.

Fans will rejoice and the city will have regained an indispensible part of its culture.

What about Sacramento? With the way things have gone these past decades and the tremendous support from both the city and the fans, it is extremely likely that Sacramento will either be rewarded with an expansion team or absorb a team from another small or insignificant market. What is disheartening is the mark it leaves on the cities and fans throughout the nation as well as the growing trend in the NBA. Most franchises today are simple commodities that can be moved at will. They are not institutions and cultural markers like the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks, but instead businesses that care nothing for the city they represent.

While it says something good about wealthy men like Chris Hansen who can win back an entire franchise for their city, private ownership is too dangerous to the sanctity of the league. If an entire city and its mayor can back a beloved franchise that does not even enjoy constant success and lose out to one wealthy family despite years of fighting, there is definitely a problem.

Ray Lewis’ exit from spotlight welcome Luka Ladan Columnist

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ith the Super Bowl officially in the books and Baltimoreans celebrating the embattled city’s glorious moment in the limelight, it’s finally time to say goodbye to Ray Lewis. Long considered one of the premier defensive players in the NFL and a transcendent leadership figure in the locker-room – not to mention one of the more riveting motivational speakers around – Lewis is going out on the highest of highs and leaving the game of football for good. As far as the NFL is concerned, he’s a legend of the highest order; very, very few defensive players can realistically claim to be one of football’s most recognizable faces (and one of the most well-known in the sporting profession), rivaling pompous quarterbacks and enigmatic receivers alike.

Hardnosed hard-hitter. Game-changing inside linebacker. Leader of grown men. Ray Lewis is the quintessential American football player, and his legendary on-the-field performances will be sorely missed by football fans nationwide. There was nothing like watching Ray Lewis direct his troops in the heat of battle and fluster opposing signal callers.

Good, I got the obligatory “preface your argument with some praise” part out of the way.

With Ray Lewis now out of the picture (unless, of course, he gets some big-time studio analyst position in the near future), I can’t pretend that I’m going to be incredibly distraught. The routine displays of emotional exuberance were beginning to annoy me. His inspirational capabilities – already the stuff of legend – were becoming drawn-out, overdone, and downright corny. Yes, Lewis is uncanny in his ability to connect with his teammates, invoke an us-against-the-world mindset, and motivate them to pursue one common goal –

which they achieved this season in impressive fashion. But at some point, enough is enough.

When the same stuff gets put on repeat, I have to see something new and refreshing. Lewis wears his emotions, as well as his Christian faith, on his massive sleeve, and the act was starting to run dry with me. Something needed to change, so I’m relieved that he’s receding from our memories and fading into the obscurity that coincides with retirement.

I get it, but enough is enough. Ray Lewis cries a lot, and cries some more. Ray Lewis is a God-fearing man, and he loves letting you know about it. Ray Lewis is the epicenter of the huddle. Ray Lewis speaks straight from the heart, something that most athletes can’t quite accomplish. Ray Lewis takes himself really, really seriously. Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis. Getting tired of this? Well, I feel precisely the same way when cameramen flock to him, reporters scrap to interview him, and Sportscenter comes out with those daily “Ray Lewis showing his emotion and willing the Ravens to victory” montages that seem to drag on.

Displays of emotion represent arguably the most important part of sports, and we condemn athletes who are too happy-go-lucky, too laidback, and too levelheaded for our liking. “They don’t care enough,” we say. Winning isn’t that important to them. Just think a lazy-eyed Tracy McGrady or the goofy Dwight Howard or Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the international stage. The list goes on and on.

But, nobody in his or her right mind would argue that Ray Lewis’ name should be included. Competitiveness isn’t the problem here.

Neither is his spirituality. I’m not even talking about the controversial murder trial in 2000, even though there are still lines of unsatisfied people who want it included in the dissection of Ray Lewis, the man.

The problem lies in the repetitiveness of the “let’s admire Ray Lewis” mantra. It’s everywhere! Maybe I’m a little bit biased. I’m a passionate New England Patriots fan, so I had to witness the devastating AFC Championship Game that took place a couple of weeks back – my hometown team got thrashed by the eventual Super Bowl winner, resulting in another disappointing year for a team blessed (or cursed) with sky-high expectations every preseason. Dreams were ruined and tears were shed. I’m not afraid to admit it. And, the ruthless Ray Lewis was the chief culprit.

He and his defensive brethren proved to be the downfall of an overwhelmed Tom Brady, whose legacy unfortunately takes a significant hit with every postseason setback.

Adding insult to injury, the emotional fireball that is Ray Lewis was on full display that miserable Sunday night. He cried, he screamed, he danced, he taunted, he rejoiced.

And, the cameras caught all of it. In historic Massachusetts. So, maybe, I’m a little bit too biased. But with the conclusion of this NFL season, I’m the one rejoicing. I no longer have to sit back and watch the same old broken record. Crying, leading, inspiring. Let’s be grateful for its uniqueness, and then move on.

There are other topics to cover, other players to admire, and other games to watch. Ray Lewis isn’t the be-all and end-all of professional sports, so we mustn’t be carried away – emotional outbursts are great, but seeing too many of them isn’t. Small doses of the crying and Psalm 91 are perfectly acceptable; this allows you to fully appreciate the Lewis legend, without the extra add-ons and superfluous repetition. Would I attend one of his motivational speeches? Yes. But I can’t say that I’m exactly mourning the retirement of Ray Lewis. Enough is enough.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Eli J. Vargas I

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Columnist

au Gasol is a four time all-star who has added a dynamic quality and a large resume of skills to his team, especially for a man of his elevated physical stature. Since joining the Lakers, he has contributed to the team’s two championships, and has had a role in the major successes for the Lakers. But in the same way that success is accrued to Pau, the blame of failure rests on his mighty shoulders. When the team isn’t the best in the NBA, something must be wrong, so the Lakers are always attempting to pull off a blockbuster trade to get something in return for this skilled Spaniard.

In my opinion, Pau’s teammates, who vehemently defend his place on the team, are right.

It isn’t us, the viewers, who are playing night in and night out on the floor, but them. He has always been the subject of trade rumors and receives scrutiny for being too soft, and amidst this he has always been cordial with the Lakers organization, showing he is a true team player. Thus it is horrific that Pau Gasol recieves all the criticism, because he is a team leader and all around good guy. The one who should receive the majority of the blame is the Lakers’ head coach, Mike D’Antoni. D’Antoni has been attempting to use his run-and-gun system that gave him great success in Phoenix on this Lakers roster. But what he didn’t have back in Phoenix was an aging roster and two seven footers on the floor. There is no possible way to expect two men towering above the rest to play like their shorter counterparts. The only thing similar to his days with the Phoenix Suns is the presence of Lakers point-guard Steve Nash, who is not the man he used to be five years ago. And as expected in D’Antoni’s system, he has been underutilizing one of the most skilled big men in the league, Pau Gasol, and as a result his numbers this season have been underwhelming. For the first time in his career, the all-star has been demoted to the bench and even remained there during the fourth quarter of tight games.

Another correlation can be made to the way Mike D’Antoni has habitually coached, and the success of this Lakers squad. He has always been the type of coach to put offense first, with defense taking the back seat, but his defective offense has forced the Lakers to move the ball and essentially play pickup basketball.

He should now realize that it’s not the scoring that is the problem, but the defense. The Lakers often build themselves double digit leads, and in the fourth quarter they see these same leads cut down to make it a nail biter at the end.

So to recap: D’Antoni has discarded his system, underutilized his larger players, and put no premium on defense. This should raise some red flags, because the Lakers are doing just as badly under him as they were under the previous mid-season firing of Mike Brown.

Since coaches are obviously a dime a dozen for the Lakers, maybe the organization could take a look into the past, where five Lakers championships lie. I don’t mean to be the typical Lakers fan, but now seems about the right time to call the infamous former Phil Jackson! He has had plenty of experience with his eleven championships as a former Lakers head coach.

He knows how to deal with star-laden rosters as in during his years with the Bulls and previous Lakers teams. To further exemplify his fitting for the team, he knows how to run defenses. But to top it all off, he knows how to coach tall men! For example, has anyone ever heard of Shaquille O’Neal? Well if you haven’t then I’ll refresh you. He won three consecutive championships, and at 7’1”, he is widely considered one of the most dominant big men to ever play the game. PJ has worked with Kobe and Pau before, winning two championships in tandem with the both of them. I am not saying to fire Mike D’Antoni right now in the middle of the season, because that would add further instability to this already chaotic season for the Lakers. But maybe next season, when this whole Mike D’Antoni experiment has failed, the Lakers should call Phil Jackson.

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February 7, 2013

Tennis seeks back-to-back playoff seasons Meaghan Hughes spoRts editoR

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Amreen Bhasin RepoRteR

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record-breaking season is quite a feat and sets a precedent for the future years of the sport. When it comes time to start the subsequent season, the players must work even harder to ensure success, as the game schedule becomes even more competitive.

The recent success of the men’s tennis team has given them a clear goal for their 2013 season, that is, to once again qualify for the NCAA finals, and so far they are off to a good start.

Last year the team advanced to the final sixteen round of the NCAA finals for the first time in the program’s history. It also marked the first time the Brewers had a doubles team whose record qualified them to be an All-American doubles, and traveled to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Small College National Championships. The duo finished sixth in the nation after finishing the regular season 30-6.

One of the members of that pair is senior Andrew Guzick, whose leadership and skill will assist the tennis team as they try to repeat last year’s success. This season is already different from previous years, Guzick notes. “This year was the first since I’ve been here that we actually started practice before classes even started. I think those extra couple days at the beginning were really crucial to get a jump start on getting everyone back in shape,” Guzick wrote in an emailed statement. “Coach Cox has been placing more emphasis on fitness during practice... That, combined with the extra time a lot of guys have been putting in the gym, especially during our off-season, will be crucial during the longer, tougher matches, which we should have a lot of this season.”

Aside from physical preparation, the dynamics of the team must also be present.

Freshman Christian Phelps is confident that the players are ready. “I’m just excited to see all our passion come together this season, “ he notes. “The great thing about team tennis is that an individual sport has purpose, and with a team like ours, we’re really going to be

Andrew Guzick ’13 serves the ball to his opponent at last week’s match against Clark University. Last year, Guzick’s skill in doubles earned him and his partner a spot in the All-American champinships out there playing for each other. I think we’ll push each other’s games by supporting one another, and I’m excited to see such a great team get even better.”

The Brewers have already started the season on a good note. On Saturday, February 2 they had a 7-2 win against visiting Clark University. Both Guzick and fellow senior Dan Freeman defeated Clark’s number one players in both doubles and singles matches. Phelps and freshman Evan Udine also had a doubles victory, as did freshman Daniel Cooper in the number four singles position. The win puts Vassar 3-0 to start the season, with previous victories coming from matches against Bard and Union in October.

Building off last year’s achievements is the main goal for the men’s tennis team. Guzick notes that, “there is always room for improvement. This year, we’re determined to bring a Liberty League championship back to Vassar, something Skidmore has stopped us from do-

ing the past two years. Beating Skidmore at Liberty Leagues and having another good run at NCAAs are our two big outcome goals this season.”

To accomplish this, Phelps knows that tennis requires all around strength. “[I]t takes hard work, athleticism, and a steady mind to win... And I think the best asset we have at Vassar is Coach Cox,” he adds. “He’s a smart guy, a dedicated coach, and he’s definitely got our backs.”

For Guzick the chance to make an impact on the tennis program seems within reach.

He hopes to bring together all the talent of the team to have a noteworthy season. “[W] e seniors have been playing together for 3 years, and we’re really determined to leave Vassar with a bang. That, combined with the excitement all the new guys bring to practice, is creating a really positive team dynamic.

We’re looking to make big things happen this year.”

Volleyball prepares for a rigorous schedule against nation’s top teams V-BALL continued from page 1

round of our conference playoffs. Regardless of how tough our conference is, losing in the first round is not what our team believes we are capable of,” wrote Elgin in an emailed statement.

“We are looking to improve on our postseason record this season, win our conference tournament, and make the NCAA tournament. If we want to accomplish these goals we’re going to have to really come together as a unit, and play with an ‘us-against-the-world’ mentality. Although these are lofty goals, I have complete confidence in our team and am so proud to be a part of it.”

To reach these “lofty goals,” the team has put in several hours of practice in a week. “We have a very rigorous practice and game schedule. We have one or the other around 6 days a week,” explained Elgin. “Practices are usually about 2 hours and then we lift 2-3 days a week.”

The first game of the season came on January 26 against Stevenson College. The Brewers started off slow and were behind by one set.

However, Vassar surged forward, winning 3-2.

Right side hitter, freshman Reno Kriz, who led the Brewers with 15 kills and added eight digs, was instrumental in the comeback, while Elgin followed close behind with 13 kills. Outside hitter, junior Joe Pyne pulled out nine crucial digs during the match while libero/defensive specialist, senior Christian La Du, got seven. La Du was named Libero of the Year during the 2012 season. The second match of the day came against the number 3 ranked Juniata College.

Despite playing two tight sets, the Brewers fell 0-3.

The first United Volleyball Conference (UVC) match of the season was against Stevens Institute of Technology on January 30.

Vassar played a tight four set match. Although they fought hard, the Brewers eventually lost

Squash teams face tough losses

1-3. “We have gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season,” wrote Elgin. “But we have 9 days of practice before our next game and are going to work very hard to fix what needs to be fixed. I am confident we will get there for our conference crossover matches next weekend in Buffalo.”

Despite not having the strongest start for the season, head coach Robert Wolter feels that the team has the potential to be one of the best in the division and make it far in the finals. “The ultimate goal is to qualify for the NCAA D-III Championships. In order to do so, we must narrow our focus within our conference and strive to compete for UVC championship. If you are competing for the UVC championship, that puts you in the top echelon of teams in the country, and that’s where we want to be.

We will be a team that consistently gets better as we go through the season and hopefully we will be in a position to be successful in the postseason,” wrote Wolter in an emailed statement. “I am confident that we can compete with anyone and I expect us to regroup from the early setback and learn from our mistakes.

It is a long season and we must focus on one team at a time.” Wolter went on to describe what the coaching staff will do in preparation for the rest of the season. “We teach tactics and skills and we try to make our practices mimic the game. We spend time focusing on the process of the game and keeping the athletes focused on their role and doing it to the very best of their ability,” explained Wolter.

One thing that the men’s volleyball team does not lack is team dynamic. “This team has some of the best chemistry I’ve been a part of here at Vassar. I love these guys,” wrote Elgin in an emailed statement. “We all get along well and work hard for each others’ success. I think if we want to accomplish our goals this season

we are going to have to feed off of that chemistry. I am so proud to be a part of this team and work to better myself for all the guys every time I step in the gym, and I know they do the same.”

Freshman Kadeem Nibbs quickly felt the camaraderie after joining the team after his competitive high school volleyball career. “When I first came onto the team, I was shocked by the level of competition that the Vassar team exhibited in open gyms,” wrote Nibbs. “ But the thing I appreciate most about the team is definitely the camaraderie and the humor. [E]ven though our team competes at a very high level and intends to win a National Championship, a little humor can go a long way towards easing our nerves.”

No matter the outcome this season, Wolter is confident in his team’s preparation. “What makes us a hard working team is our level of commitment,” wrote Wolter. “We devote time in the weightroom right away when they come back to school and throughout our season. We spend time in the classroom watching film on our opponents so we are better prepared when we face our opponents... so we can learn from our mistakes.”

Elgin, during his last year here at Vassar, has high expectations for his team, and wants to make a statement. “We are a very hard working team. In the off-season all the guys hit the gym and saw serious improvements in their physical game,” described Elgin. “We push ourselves and each other in practice and try to foster a competitive environment. I want this team to be portrayed as a band of brothers. I want an “us-against-the-world” mentality. I want all of us to want to improve and do our best to help everyone else on the team succeed. If we can come together and be the team I know we are, we are going to have one hell of a season.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

he Vassar College Men’s and Women’s Squash teams are a small but tight knit group of athletes. The men’s team is made up of thirteen players while the women’s roster includes only nine. Despite their small numbers both squads have been improving, becoming more and more successful each year.

The beginning of this semester marked a difficult loss for the men’s team. On January 26th, the team travelled to Haverford College in Pennsylvania in order to compete against Haverford College and Georgetown University. In squash 9 separate people compete in singles matches against opponents from other schools. In the end of 9 competition sets, the school with the most wins ends up winning overall. Vassar was blanked by Haverford, losing 9-0 to their men; however, there were some bright spots throughout the day.

Senior Jake Harris had a close loss after a hard fought battle against Haverford’s number one player. The score of the final game was a close 16-14 in one of Harris’ last intercollegiate matches. Another highlight of the day was senior Robert Ruggiero‘s first game of the day. Vassar’s number three senior Aiden Sperry also lost 11-6 in his first game as well as junior Kiet Phun in the number four position who lost 11-6 in his last game.

Sophomore Ryan Kurtzman lost his first game 11-6 as well.

The same day at the Haverford Challenge, the women, ranked #33, faced mixed results.

First they defeated Haverford College 5-4 before falling to Georgetown University 8-1.

One of the strongest performers of the day was Vassar’s senior Libby Pei who, playing at the number one spot for the Brewers, won both her matches against Haverford and Georgetown. Other top performers of the day included senior Jill Levine who defeated Haverford’s Alisa Strayer and number five senior Avery Siciliano defeating Haverford’s Randee Johnson. Sophomore Karina Primelles won at Vassar’s number seven spot and sophomore Andrea Fahmy defeated Haverford’s Sarah Madigan.

Last weekend on February 3rd, the teams travelled separately. The men made their way to Fordham University and faced Ithaca College and Fordham University in the Fordham University Round Robin. The women travelled to Mount Holyoke College for the Seven Sisters Championships.

Once again one of the men’s opponents defaulted and the men earned an automatic win against Ithaca College. But, they also faced Fordham University for a second time and fell in a hard fought loss 8-1. Senior Jake Harris in the number one position was the only Brewer of the day to walk away with a win. The Brewers ended their 2012-2013 season 2-11. Their next contest will be the CSA Division III Championships which will take place on February 8-10.

The women enjoyed a successful day at the Seven Sisters Championships where they placed 3rd out of 4 teams. They were blanked 9-0 by both Wellesley and Mount Holyhoke. But the Brewers did defeat Smith College for their only squad win of the day winning 6-3. Pei fell in the number one position to Smith’s Jacqueline Zhou. Levine at number three defeated Smith’s Vivian Lee and Siciliano defeated Haruka Shimoto.

During their matches against Mount Holyhoke senior Andrea Fahmy and sophomore Devina Vaid from Vassar College came close to defeating their opponents. In the end both Zhang and Bowditch made the Seven Sisters All-Tournament team. They were recognized as top performers of the tournament, a prestigious honor.

The women ended up finishing their regular season 6-8. They will continue to prepare for the CSA Division III Championships as well.