The Miscellany News
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
April 19, 2018
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CL | Issue 19
Tamar Ballard elected as VSA President Loeb hosts AAAVC exhibition
Lax lacks decisive final push Courtesy of Tamar Ballard
Olivia Feltus REPORTER
G
ordon Parks: a Farm Security Administration and Life Magazine photographer. Jacob Lawrence: created the famous series, “Migration,” now exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. James Van Der Zee: an important Harlem Renaissance photographer who documented artists and game changers while becoming one himself. What do they all have in common? From now until August 19, along with many other famed African American artists, they have works on view at Vassar’s very own Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, as a part of “Triennial XII—Celebrating the Contributions of African American Alumnae/i, Students, Faculty, AdminSee AAAVC on page 6
On April 12, current VSA Chair of Equity and Inclusion Tamar Ballard ’19 was elected as the 2018– 19 VSA President. The new VSA Senate members will take over their roles in a few weeks, on May 6. Clark Xu
ASSITANT NEWS EDITOR
E
ach year, the student body expresses its voice in the choice of representatives for student government. The Board of Elections and Appointments (BoEA) announced on April 12 the election of Tamar Ballard ’19 as Vassar Student Association (VSA) President, Rori Chuck ’19 as VSA Vice President, Eloudia Odamy ’21 as VSA Chair of Equity
and Inclusion, Mendel Jiménez ’20 as VSA Chair of Finance, Jennifer Luo ’20 as VSA Chair of Residential Affairs, May Venkat-Ramani ’20 as VSA Chair of Academics and Dea Oviedo Vazquez ’20 as VSA Chair of Organizations. Many other candidates were also elected to other leadership positions in student government committees, residential house teams and as class year representatives. A primary area of focus for student
leaders over the next school year will be representing student voices in a way that best develops their sense of inclusion in the campus community. Ballard reflected, “I would hope that everyone I come in contact with understands that I not only care deeply about students feeling comfortable at Vassar, but that I’m dedicated and willing to get necessary work done and to offer my support wherever I can.” See VSA on page 3
Fiona MacLeod GUEST COLUMNIST
I
n a turnaround from last year’s senior day, which featured 10 graduating players, this year’s ceremony on Saturday, April 14, honored sole senior captain Alex Georgalas. Fighting against Clarkson University on the sunny afternoon, the Brewers were unable hold onto an early lead, falling 6-9. On and off of the field, Georgalas has been a consistent leader for his 33 younger teammates. After a serious knee injury and surgery during his high school career, he made an immediate impact at Vassar. Head coach Marc Graham said, “Alex spent countless hours on rehab to strengthen his knee, while also honing his skills at the face-off.” See LACROSSE on page 19
Imogen Wade GUEST REPORTER
H
ow was your spring break? It feels like a long time away from now, when we are embroiled in deadlines, and has taken on a rather mythic quality. Perhaps you visited your family; stayed holed up in your room, buried in a duvet, watching “Love Actually”; went on a holiday to far-flung
lands (or states); or stayed at Vassar, bemoaning the snow. However your spring break unfolded, whether you returned to Poughkeepsie renewed or despondent, I can say with near certainty that you did not find out that you were cursed. Not every Vassar student was as lucky as you, so don’t show off. One Vassar student in particular was given some troubling
Courtesy of Jorune Linkeviciute
A week after her experience in Phoenix, Linkeviciute stumbled across another psychic in LA. Eager to paper over her bad memories, she attempted to enter the establishment only to discover that it was closed.
Inside this issue
10
Assistant Stage Manager reflects on day’s FEATURES hectic projects
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news: that her grandmother, somewhere in the capital of Lithuania, was practicing black magic and had placed a curse on her family’s entire female line. For your amusement at her expense, I thought it only right to uncover the story. Jorune Linkeviciute, an exchange student from Sciences Po in Paris, spent her vacation traveling through Arizona and California with her friend, Imogen Wade [Disclaimer: that friend is me]. I interviewed her one evening at the rather gloomy hour of 2 a.m. Enquiring as to the origin of the visit to the psychic, Linkeviciute was happy to inform me: “The idea to see the psychic came from a mutual deliberation with my dear friend Imogen, which was influenced by both a sense of boredom and eagerness to try out new things.” Keen to dispel any lingering illusions that she might be foolish, she assured me: “Yes, we did book beforehand. We called the number that was given to us on Google. We asked about the psychic’s availability as well as pricing. In fact, we specifically asked for the pricing of different services that she provided, and were told that a tarot card reading was 35 dollars. We also contacted other psychics, but the pricing of the original See PSYCHIC on page 11
Professor makes vow: Earth safe OPINIONS from robots (for now)
Courtesy of Katie Scibelli
Pseudo-psychic scams student
“The White Moth,” an original play conceptualized for a senior project, took place at the Powerhouse Theater on April 12, 13 and 14.
Surreal senior Drama project stuns audience Kelly Vinett REPORTER
W
hen do our dreams merge with reality? How many of our memories are ones we haven’t realized we’ve forgotten? On another note, what happens when your childhood plushy comes to life? At the Powerhouse Theater on April 12, 13 and 14, the senior Drama project “The White Moth,” written by Caleb Featherstone ’18, explored these questions. In addition to Featherstone, Rebecca Slotkin ’18 and Matt Stein ’18 [Full Disclosure: Stein is Assistant Arts Editor of The Miscellany News] were the collaborative project members and lead actors in the production. The play tells a story about two
18 SPORTS
best friends in college named Callie, played by Slotkin, and Benson, played by Featherstone. Benson’s mother was like a mother to Callie, but after she dies, Callie struggles to overcome her grief. Through a series of flashbacks and an alternate universe made up of dreams, Callie confronts her emotions, which stem from the trials and tribulations of growing up. “The White Moth” was co-directed by Assistant Professor of Drama Darrell James and Alexandra Hatch ’20. In regard to the novel aspects of her collaboration with James, Hatch elucidated, “This process was unique in many ways, such as having an almost entirely empty set, big goofy animal cosSee DRAMA on page 7
Pitcher, hitter astounds on Major Leagues’ mounds
The Miscellany News
Page 2
April 19, 2018
The Miscellany News Leadership Elections Executive Board interviews: April 18 Editorial Board apps due: April 22 at 12 p.m. Editorial Board interviews: April 25 Assistant Editor apps due: April 29 at 12 p.m. Assistant Editor interviews: May 2
Editors-in-Chief Emma Jones Elena Schultz
Senior Editor Talya Phelps
Contributing Editors Eilís Donohue Rhys Johnson
News Features Opinions Humor and Satire
Contact misc@vassar.edu for more info! The Miscellany News 19 April
Thursday
20 April
5:00 p.m. | Vogelstein Center Mzrtel Theater | Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development
6:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Gym | Athletics
Bob Holmes, “Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense”
21
Friday
Volleyball (M) NCAA’s Kean vs. St. Joseph’s (LI)
5:00 p.m. | RH 300 | Chabad Jewish Community (CJC)
April
Saturday
April
Tennis (W) vs. MIT 10:00 a.m. | Joss Tennis Courts Varsity | Athletics
VRDT Showcase
Tennis (W) vs. Skidmore College
Baseball vs. Lehman College (DH)
7:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Dance Theater | Dance Dept.
11:00 a.m. | Joss Tennis Courts Non-Varsity | Athletics
(essay)e
1:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Baseball Field | Athletics
Rugby (M) vs. Univ. of Albany
7:00 p.m. | CC Old Bookstore Lower Level | Drama Dept.
1:00 p.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics
Intersectional Sex Ed and Enthusiastic Consent!
Orange Julius
Fireside Chatt with Steve Blum
8:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
5:00 p.m. | Cushing House Parlor | Vassar Buisness Club
ASU Fashion Show - “Tales our Grandparents Told”
Murder Mystery
Orange Julius
8:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall 205Club Room | Britomartis
6:00 p.m. | CC 223-Multi Purpose Room | African Students Union
8:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
ViCE Weekly Presents --
2:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
Orange Julius
Assistant News Clark Xu Assistant Arts Izzy Braham Matt Stein Assistant Online Jackson Ingram Abby Lass Assistant Copy Claire Baker Jessica Moss Teddy Chmyz Web Master & George Witteman Technical Advisor
Sunday
7:00 a.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex | Athletics
7:00 p.m. | RH 300 | CHOICE
Reporters Kelly Pushie Marusa Rus Aidan Zola Columnists Catherine Bither Jimmy Christon Olivia Feltus Hannah Gaven Jesser Horowitz Sylvan Perlmutter Blair Webber Design Maya Sterling Scarlett Neuberger Copy Isabel Bielat Natalie Bober James Bonanno Jillian Frechette Abigail Knuckles Anna Wiley
Femmes in STEM Panel 1:00 p.m. | CC 223-Multi Purpose Room | Femmes In STEM
JWST Concert Asefa 5:00 p.m. | CC Villard Room | Jewish Studies Program
Paper Critique 9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News
Volleyball (M) NCAA’s Vassar vs. Kean/St. Joseph’s (LI)
10:00 p.m. | The Mug | ViCE 8:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall 205Club Room | Britomartis
22
Track Meet
5:00 p.m. | RH 200 | Psychology Dept.
Murder Mystery
Sports Design Social Media
Weekender_
A Conversation with John Leguizamo
Lecture on Jewishly Inspired Activism
Arts
Laurel Hennen Vigil Andrea Yang Steven Park Leah Cates Yesenia Garcia Sasha Gopalakrishnan Mack Liederman Rose Parker Kimberly Nguyen
6:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall Squash Court 6 | Athletics
The Limit and Home Brewed Present: A Joint Show
Spring Fest
10:30 p.m. | RH 300 | The Limit
6:00 p.m. | Joss Beach | Strong and Raymond House
(essay)e
Courtesy of Femmes in STEM
On April 22, a panel of faculty, staff, and Vassar alumnae will discuss how gender and other underrepresented identities influence their experiences in STEM careers. Michelle Tugade ’95 will moderate.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
7:00 p.m. | CC Old Bookstore Lower Level | Drama Dept.
Murder Mystery 8:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall 205Club Room | Britomartis
Orange Julius 8:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
Concert with Bates Deansmen 9:00 p.m. | RH 200 | Night Owls
On April 19, John Leguizamo will speak in the Martel Theater. The event will be moderated by Professor of Film Mia Mask.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed. The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
April 19, 2018
NEWS
Page 3
VSA elections bring new student leadership into focus VSA continued from page 1
Courtesy of Eloudia Odamy
Courtesy of Dea Ovideo Vazquez
Courtesy of Jennifer Luo
Courtesy of May Venkat-Ramani
Courtesy of Rori Chuck
Courtesy of Mendel Jiménez
Ballard noted that personal experience plays a large role in effective leadership and continued, “I have a bunch of moments that I can pull from during my Vassar experience where I felt like I wasn’t getting what I needed from the College academically, mentally and emotionally, those last two points being the most important, so I’m hoping that through using those experiences, listening to the experiences of other students, and collaborating heavily with the other members of Senate, we can take steps towards alleviating some of our student-wide concerns in the next few years.” With the change in student government at the end of the school year, those leaving office have expressed both a sense of accomplishment and nostalgia for their work. Current VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18 described, “It’s always a mixed bag of emotions to see something that you have invested so much time and energy draw to a close. That said, it is rewarding to see the work done this past year come to fruition and transition to a new President, Executive Board and Senate.” Kanoria elaborated, “This past year has been challenging at various points, and I believe that we have weathered those challenges well.” Some of the more publicly visible and complex moments for student government this year included President Elizabeth Bradley’s forum with the VSA Senate on the financial status of Vassar College in October, Cornell Clinical Professor of Law William Jacobson’s lecture on free speech on college campuses in November and the resignation of several members of the Senate over winter break. Kanoria continued, “The amount of work that this VSA has been able to accomplish is truly astonishing, and for this I am grateful to my Executive Board and Committee Chairs, as well as the new college administration.” The incoming student government is sensitive to the challenges and opportunities presented by this change. Venkat-Ramani agreed, “While it is a time of eventual transition, the VSA elections allow the current members of Senate to pass down wisdom, experience and points of action that they were unable to accomplish in their time. Now, the new members of Senate have the ability to pick up where they left off with and begin projects that we are passionate about.” In the timeline of events next year, Jiménez described plans to increase the involvement of VSA Finance with the student body at large and noted, “We will have treasurer training in the fall and the same timelines for special purpose fund applications. Students can expect campus-wide events from VSA Finance early on in the beginning of the school year, as I hope to pair my initiatives for more awareness and knowledge with treasurer training.” Jiménez also aims to increase collaboration between VSA Finance and the Committee on Equity and Inclusion, as well as VSA Organizations. Jiménez believes that the different components of student government are most effective when they share knowledge and dialogue to resolve concerns from a holistic perspective. Odamy also emphasized the importance of dialogue and said, “I want to connect with the students to bring equity and inclusion to this campus. I am all for talking with students and learning more about the issues on this campus because I am not aware of all of them.” Considering student interaction with faculty and administration, Odamy urged students to remain vocal. Odamy argued, “I think that their perspective is really important because the higher officials are not the ones who constantly see what it is like day to day at Vassar. Students must present their voice because they know what goes on in the campus.” Oviedo Vazquez ‘20 recommended, “Something I would advise to students and student organizations is for them to be proactive about the programming they want to put on. The Organizations Committee is here to make sure organizations function to the best of their capacity on campus ... but it’s hard to do that if they do not reach out. Moreover, I would also advise for organizations to
The newly elected VSA Executive Board (clockwise from top right): Dea Oviedo Vazquez ’20, May Venkat-Ramani ’20, Mendel Jiménez ’20, Rori Chuck ’19, Jennifer Luo ’20 and Eloudia Odamy ’21.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
meet the expectations that will be further specified during the Fall Leadership Conference.” In particular, Vazquez urged student groups to keep track of treasurer training, SAVP training and inclusivity for the next school year. Focusing on dialogue between the VSA and administrators, Venkat-Ramani suggested, “We are all entering our positions with new perspective and determination. We will be meeting with administration soon and discussing the year ahead.” Voter participation rates in many of the electoral races for office in student government remained close to one-third of all students eligible to vote. Addressing this issue at a fundamental level, Venkat-Ramani responded, “I would have liked to see more students voting for their representatives. Unfortunately, many on this campus do not know who represents them or what the VSA does. The bureaucratic nature of the VSA can hurt the flow of communication with students. Changing this is a priority.” Luo corroborated, “The ability of the VSA to act as a liaison relies on members of the VSA to stay connected with the college, to continue to build bridges between our residents ... People are tired and skeptical of the VSA, and I think the decrease in voters speaks to that. I think we really need to focus on re-establishing a bond with our peers, however difficult the means.” Putting aside largescale projects that student leaders often commit to but fail to realize, Luo focused first on rebuilding connections among students at a personal level. Luo considered priorities in residential communities next year. Luo elaborated, “For what house team and the student fellow program are structured to function as, I think we are doing the best that we can to welcome new students to campus. There are a lot of concepts at Vassar that cannot be introduced and learned through orientation week.” Noting challenges that are particularly poignant for incoming students, Luo continued, “Each person learns at a different pace. Already, adjusting to living [at] college is a big hurdle for many. On top of homesickness and immersion into a different environment, they are exposed to a variety of ideas that they may not have interacted to prior.” For the oldest students on campus, incoming VSA Senior Class President Ziyi “Yina” Wang ’19 described, “I would say the most pressing concern to rising seniors is the real world. It’s hard to figure your life out and get thrust out into the outside society. [The] Vassar bubble is real. Now, we have to consider getting a financially feasible job, paying rent, while simultaneously keeping up with all our student responsibilities.” Citing popular events this school year, such as the Millennial Pink Masquerade and SELFcare of Color: A Day of Living Well, Wang continued, “I would like to make senior events as inclusive and affordable as possible with our given budget. I also think it is important to have healthy stress-relieving events where we can all just have fun. It’s our last year at this school, so I want to help create many wonderful memories.” Wang concluded, “I want to end our college careers as a cohesive and supportive community, brimming with genuine enthusiasm and eagerness.” Speaking to the incoming student government, Kanoria advised, “The VSA has a lot of institutional weight, and as such, gets access to rooms, data, conversations and people that other students may not. Being elected means something. Use it well.” While holding office does pose issues of work-life balance for elected representatives and numerous worries associated with handling a challenging workload and resolving personality differences among representatives, Kanoria believes that student leaders with a strong vision for change will be able to rise above these challenges. Kanoria concluded, “This is a time of great institutional change for Vassar and the VSA can play an instrumental role in being part of the molding process of the kind of institution we want it to be. I have every confidence in [Ballard] and her Executive Board that they will get this done.”
Page 4
NEWS
April 19, 2018
News Briefs
Courtesy of Wikipedia
US, UK, France launch strike on Syria Early on the morning of April 14, Syria experienced an attack on three large chemical weapons storage and research facilities. The facilities, which were located near the Syrian cities of Damascus and Homs, were targeted by the joint military efforts of the United States, the United Kingdom and France (The New York Times, “Pentagon Says Syria Strikes Hit ‘Heart’ of Chemical Weapons Program,” 04.14.2018). The airstrike, for which there are no known casualties, was in response to a chemical attack in Syria earlier this month. On April 7, a chemical attack was launched in Syria, releasing poisonous gas near Damascus. It is believed to have been ordered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (The New York Times, “A Hard Lesson in Syria: Assad Can Still Gas His Own People,” 04.15.2018). The attack was directed at the Syrian people, killing at least 42 Syrians, mostly children and civilians (Vox, “The US bombing of Syria, explained in 400 words,” 04.16.2018). The chemical attack may have been in response to rebel groups in Syria that oppose President Assad. The attacks are believed to have been used to send the messages that living in rebel-controlled areas is dangerous, as well as serve as a show of Assad’s power (US News and World Report, “A Despot’s Desperate Ploy,” 04.10.2017). The strike on April 14 was meant to eliminate these chemical facilities and in doing so, prevent further gas attacks ordered by the Syrian government. On Twitter, President Trump described this as a “A perfectly executed strike last night,” and added, “Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” (Twitter, [at]realDonaldTrump, 04.14.2018). However, it remains unclear whether the targeted chemical sites were indeed still being actively used by the Syrian government. This uncertainty is due to the fact that the strike on the chemical facilities did not result in any casualties and did not result in the release of any chemicals. While Trump was optimistic, other United States government officials are less so. Lt. General and Leader of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon Kenneth F. McKenzie believes that the strike helped squash future plans to engage in chemical strikes, but does not believe that all resources were destroyed and said, “I’m not going to say that they are going to be unable to continue to conduct a chemical attack in the future” (The New York Times, “A Hard Lesson in Syria,” 04.15.2018).
On April 14, the United States, the United Kingdom and France launched airstrikes on three chemical weapons storage and research facilities. This was in response to a chemical attack in Syria on April 7, believed to have been ordered by Syrian President al-Assad. Beyond the immediate and obvious effects of the global intervention in Syria, the joint strike on Saturday also had repercussions on the world stage. While the airstrike was led by the United States in alliance with the UK and France, Syria has allies as well, perhaps the most notable among them being Russia. The chemical attack and subsequent retaliatory airstrike led by the United States has escalated tensions with the Russian government. In the day following the attack, Russian leader Vladimir Putin supported Assad’s claims that the April 7 chemical attack did not originate from the orders of Syrian government officials. On April 15, Putin labeled the U.S.-led airstrike on Syrian chemical plants an act of aggression. “Vladimir Putin, in particular, emphasized that if such actions continue in violation of the UN Charter, this will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations,” the Kremlin said in a statement (NBC News, “Pu-
Courtesy of Pixabay
On April 12, the manager of a Philadelphia Starbucks called the police on two Black men who were waiting for a friend in the cafe without ordering anything, sparking protests.
tin warns of global ‘chaos’ after U.S.-led strike on Syria,” 04.15.2018). Assad continues to deny involvement in the chemical attack. However, chemical arms experts are being blocked from examining the site from which the chemicals were released. This ban is believed to be in place so that the Syrian and Russian governments can destroy any evidence of being involved in the attack (The New York Times, “Chemical Arms Experts Blocked From Site of Syria Attack,” 04.16.2018). —Pazit Schrecker, Guest Reporter Starbucks faces criticism for arrests On Thursday, April 12, two Black men were arrested at a Starbucks in Philadelphia in an incident that quickly went viral and led to widespread criticism of Starbucks. Reportedly, the two men entered the Starbucks to use a bathroom, but workers told them that it was only for customers. The men then sat at table without purchasing a beverage. A manager asked the men to leave, but they declined, stating that they were waiting to meet a friend. The manager then called the police (CNN, “Police Release 911 Call in Arrest of Black Starbucks Customers,” 04.17.2018). In his 911 call, the manager said, “Hi, I have two gentlemen at my café that are refusing to make a purchase or leave. I’m at the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce” (CNN). The men were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. One of the men went out of the Starbucks in handcuffs and the other soon followed. However, they were later released after the prosecutor’s office in Philadelphia reviewed the case and refused to charge them because of a lack of evidence that a crime was committed (The New York Times, “Starbucks C.E.O. Apologizes After Arrests of 2 Black Men,” 04.15.2018). The video recording of the incident rapidly became popular on social media and resulted in public outrage. Starbucks apologized on Twitter on Saturday afternoon, writing, “We apologize to the two individuals and our customers and are disappointed this led to an arrest. We take these matters seriously and clearly have more work to do when it comes to how we handle incidents in our stores. We are reviewing our policies and will continue to engage with the community
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
and the police department to try to ensure these types of situations never happen in any of our stores” (Twitter, [at]Starbucks, 04.14.2018). In addition, Starbucks CEO Kevin R. Johnson acknowledged his company’s serious mistake and said he hopes to meet the two men in person to offer a face-to-face apology. Johnson wrote, “Regretfully, our practices and training led to a bad outcome—the basis for the call to the Philadelphia Police Department was wrong. Our store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did” (Starbucks Newsroom, “Starbucks CEO: Reprehensible Outcome in Philadelphia”). However, many feel that the company’s apology is not enough. A huge protest criticizing Starbucks and demanding its sincere apology happened in front of the Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia’s Center City on Monday, April 16. Philadelphia Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, who met with Kevin R. Johnson and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kennedy, delivered his speech at the protest, stating that their apologies were just lip service. He said, “We want to see action. We want to see an actual plan to make sure that those individuals that come to and from Starbucks…are respected and they can go to the establishment without fear of being targeted because of their skin color” (CNN, “Café Shut Down After Protesters Enter, Chanting ‘Starbucks Coffee is Anti-black,’” 04.16.2018). Furthermore, many are contributing to this protest by sharing the hashtag #BoyscottStarbucks on Twitter. The phrase has been shared tens of thousands of times (BBC, “Starbucks: Protesters Call for Boycott After Black Men Arrested,” 04.16.2018). Starbucks, as a result, announced on Tuesday, April 17, that it would close more than 8,000 of its stores in the United States for a day on May 29 in order to offer anti-bias training to 175,000 workers, about half of its total number of employees. Kevin R. Johnson noted, “I’ve spend the last few days in Philadelphia in with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it” (The New York Times, “Starbucks to Close 8,000 U.S. Stores for Racial-Bias Training After Arrests,” 4.17.2018). —Young Ju Chang, Guest Reporter
NEWS
April 19, 2018
Page 5
VSA Updates Consensus Agenda – Passed
Roun l a c i d lit
up
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Social Consciousness Fund Allocations • $370/$250 to BSU for Employee and Faculty of Color Appreciation Dinner • $600/$600 to TransMission to bring
M arusa Rus In this week’s headlines… President Trump was slated to attend the Summit of the Americas in Peru, which would have been his first official visit to Latin America. He canceled at the last minute, citing the conflict with Syria. Vice President Mike Pence took Trump’s place at the summit (ABCNews, “Vice President Pence departs for South America trip in Trump’s place,” 04.13.2018). Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress on April 10 and 11 on the website’s misuse of user data and complicity in Russian election meddling. The two days of hearings before the Senate and House came in light of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which Facebook allowed the political consulting firm, which worked with Trump, access to the data of millions of its users. Zuckerberg’s testimony, in which he confessed he made a mistake, increased Facebook’s share price by 5.7 percent (The New York Times, “2 Days, 10 Hours, 600 Questions: What Happened When Mark Zuckerberg Went to Washington,” 04.12.2018). Trump on April 12 asked his trade and economic advisors to examine options for rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This decision comes one year after the United States withdrew from the TPP and as the trade war with China intensifies. Trump tweeted that he would consider re-joining the TPP if he would get a better deal than President Obama. Trump has previously said of the deal, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another disaster done and pushed
• •
Spring Elections • Thank you to all those who ran in spring elections! Introducing your 2018-19 VSA Executive Board: • President: Tamar Ballard ’19 • Vice President: Rori Chuck ’19 • Chair of Equity and Inclusion: Eloudia Odamy ’21 • Chair of Finance: Mendel Jiménez ‘20 • Chair of Residential Affairs: Jennifer Luo ’20 • Chair of Academics: May Venkat-Ramani ’20, • Chair of Organizations: Dea Oviedo Vazquez ’20 • A full list of results can be found online at vsa.vassar.edu. Annual Budgeting • Finance Committee spent the weekend reviewing annual budgeting applications and meeting with org leaders. Preliminary allocations have been made, and the finalized budget for the next fiscal year will be ready in the coming weeks. Senate did not meet this week and instead joined Finance in support of its budgeting work. —Julian Corbett, General VSA Intern
by special interests who want to rape our country, just a continuing rape of our country.” The current members of the TPP would expect significant concessions from the United States if it were to rejoin the trade agreement (The New York Times, “Trump Weighs Return to Trans-Pacific Partnership. Not So Fast, Say Members,” 04.13.2018). Former FBI Director James Comey published a memoir on Tuesday, April 17. Titled “A Higher Loyalty,” the book compares Trump to a mob boss and characterizes him as unethical. Comey was dismissed at the beginning of May 2017 while eading an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The official reason for his dismissal was mishandling the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails. Trump responded to the new book by calling Comey an “untruthful slime ball,” while the Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a website called “Lyin’ Comey” in an attempt to discredit him (CNNPolitics, “Exclusive: Inside the GOP plan to discredit Comey,” 04.12.2018). The FBI raided the office and the hotel room of Trump’s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen on April 9. Searching for details and proof that Cohen blocked negative information about Trump during his campaign, they took documents connected to payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels as well as his business records, emails, phones and a laptop. The raid was personally approved by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein after the official recommendation from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Trump has called the raid a witch hunt (CNN, “FBI raids Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s office,” 04.09.2018). GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy resigned from the RNC due to reports that he agreed to pay a $1.6 million settlement to a former Playboy model who said she was pregnant with Broidy’s baby. The deal was arranged by Cohen (The Wall Street Journal, “Elliott Broidy Quits RNC Post After Report on Payment to Ex-Model,” 04.13.2018). The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote
Courtesy of CafeCredit.com
Finance allocations • $100/$500 from Administrative Fund to Women’s Center for slices, scoops, succulents, singing and slime for SAAM (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) • $3,152/$2,152 from Capital to Vassar Urban Enrichment gor project to make a space between ALANA Center and Powerhouse Theater, extra 1,000 for estimated engineer supervision • $1,322.95/$1,322.95 + shipping from Capital to VC Royalty for wigs for drag shows with containers for storage • $16,000/$16,000 from Discretionary to Senior Class Council for senior week • $133.31/$133.31 from Capital to Food Community for cooking supplies • $88.97/$88.97 from Capital to Fly People for costumes • $210/$210 from Capital to CBS for tablecloths • $400/$400 from Collaboration to Poder Latinx for catering for a joint event with LALS and Political Science • $225/$225 from Community to VARC for a bouncy castle for Earth Day • $500/$500 from Discretionary to SASA to pay to transport students to see Arundhati Roy in NYC
Christopher Soto, the editor for Nepantla, for a poetry reading and Q&A event $1,500/$1,500 to JVP for Anti-Apartheid Week event $250/$500 to Outing Club to bring Kathy Karlo to campus
Preliminary budget allocations were made by Finance Committee over the weekend, and the finalized budget for the next fiscal year will be available in the coming weeks.
on a bipartisan bill protecting Mueller from being fired by Trump. The bill will allow Mueller to challenge a dismissal in court up to 10 days after termination (Politico, “Bipartisan Senate bill to protect Mueller set to advance,” 04.11.2018). Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) has announced that he will not run for re-election in the 2018 midterms. As many as 43 Republicans in the House so far have announced they are leaving office. The high number is a result of disagreements with Trump, as well as several allegations of sexual harassment (CNN Politics, “There is a wave of Republicans leaving Congress, updated again,” 04.11.2018). Around the world… In May, a strict new law on the regulation and protection of personal data will come into force in the European Union. Known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the law will overhaul how businesses and the public sector process and handle their customer data. This is one of the biggest changes in online privacy legislation to date. During his hearing before the House Committee, Zuckerberg committed to the GDPR as a global standard for Facebook, promising that Americans and users worldwide will receive the same protections as Europeans under the GDPR (The New York Times, “A Tough Task for Facebook: European-Type Privacy for All,” 04.08.2018; Euronews, “New EU digital law will ‘protect personal data,’” 04.10.2018). Hungary’s right-wing prime minister Viktor Orbán won his third mandate on April 8, while his party Fidesz won two-thirds of the parliamentary seats in the recent elections. Orbán campaigned on an anti-immigration platform and opposes increasing the powers of the European Union. On Saturday, April 14, around 100,000 people attended an anti-Orbán protest in Budapest. Many of the protesters were young people, who called the electoral system unfair and demanded a recount of the ballots (The Economist, “Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, wins another land-
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slide,” 04.12.2018). At least 257 people were killed in an Algerian military plane crash outside the capital of Algiers on April 11. This represents the deadliest plane accident in Algeria’s history (BBC, “Algeria military plane crash: 257 dead near Algiers,” 04.11.2018). Russian stock markets took a hit on April 9 with stocks falling almost nine percent, while the ruble dropped 2.5 percent against the dollar. The fall came amid Trump’s criticism of Russian support for the Syrian government. The drop was mostly a result of the latest round of America’s sanctions against Russia. The sanctions targeted seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies under their control (Financial Times, “Russian stocks tumble 9 percent on US sanctions worries,” 04.09.2018). Keeping up with 2020 hopefuls... Last weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti visited Iowa, where he suggested Iowa and Los Angeles are very similar, saying, “We have the same hopes right now, and we have the same challenges before us.” Some Democrats have mentioned him as a potential 2020 contender, with Chair of the Polk County Democrats Sean Bagniewski saying, “He’s got some of the Obama buzz that we’ve been hearing about—somebody who is coming out of nowhere, but is dynamic, has a great American story, and has the ability to cross [voter lines]” (CNN Politics, “LA and Iowa have ‘a ton in common,’ LA’s mayor Garcetti tells Iowa voters,” 04.16.2018). Garcetti is not the only major who might potentially be interested in the 2020 presidential elections. Other mayors who may be running include New York Mayor Bill De Blasio; South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Obama (The New York Times, “Will Democrats Find a Presidential Hopeful at City Hall?,” 04.13.2018).
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April 19, 2018
‘Orange Julius’ meditates on war history, masculinity Jimmy Christon REPORTER
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Courtesy of the Philaletheis Society
f all the weird, turbulent periods for us to inherit from history, the period of the 1960s–1980s have to be near the top of this list. Nixon, missile crises, assassinations, the Grateful Dead and mind control experiments seem to be the defining features of these decades. It was also a time when the United States was labeled in certain ways that carry on to the present, leaking into how America is currently defined, for better or worse. That is to say, we’re still dealing with the fallout of what happened then, and the problems of today—as always—have some of their roots in yesteryears. This is not groundbreaking; this is a fact that we all know. The climate here at Vassar is one that seems to respond to this fact with silence—and why would we respond with anything but silence? We all just live here, and not all of us are history majors. “Orange Julius,” directed by Emlyn Doolittle ’20 and running from April 19 to April 21, looks to address this silence that accompanies U.S. history. Originally written by Basil Kreimendahl, the play will have its first ever collegiate premier with this performance at Vassar. The play takes its name, in part, from one of the disasters that occurred in the ’70s: the use of the chemical weapon Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and the terrible effects it had on the country. Doolittle described the plot and structure of the play, saying, “Orange Julius is a play about Nut, a transmasculine person traveling between memories and imaginings. Forming an emotionally if not temporally or spatially linear plot structure, these scenes focus on Nut’s relationship with their father, Julius, a Vietnam war veteran and victim of Agent Orange.”
The protagonist’s father’s name is thus where the play gets the rest of its title from. With its complex intersections of identity, emotion and historical trauma haunting the present, this play isn’t a meditation on simply one theme. Rather, it tackles the complicated issues of life as life presents itself: all at once and from many different angles. While these are the markers of any good play, “Orange Julius” directly embodies this complex and kaleidoscopic way in which life moves. The theme at the front and center of the play is the conflict between what has historically taken place and how it affects the present. Having these ethereal and entangled ideas of history and identity presented through a play is a direct engagement with Vassar’s community and setting. In his proposal for the play, Doolittle stated his vision for the final production: “I envision realizing this piece in a fairly surreal manner in order to encompass the breadth of settings and scene types, and to capture the introspective nature of Nut’s journey.” Furthermore, “Orange Julius” brings questions of masculinity to the forefront, using Vietnam War films as a means for both Nut as well as the audience to explore emotional relationships as well as how masculinity is constructed. Laura Collins-Hughes mentioned in her New York Times review of Dustin Wills’ production of the play, “Nut’s fancies are shaped by those war movies and animated by Nut’s need to be seen more like a son” (“Review: An ‘Orange Julius’ Bond Is Complicated,” New York Times, 01.22.17). The play aims to describe how masculinity has a chaotic and self-sustaining creation that stems directly from America’s wars. In much the same way that “Orange Julius” examines Nut’s relationship with his father, the play examines
The collegiate premier of “Orange Julius,” originally written by Basil Kreimendahl, will take place on April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Susan Stein Shiva Theater. It is directed by Emlyn Doolittle ’20. how American citizens inherit ideas of masculinity from war and the recreations of war. Nicholas Franzén ’20, who plays the character of Old Boy (Nut’s image of masculinity personified), was quick to point out how masculinity is shaped through the trauma of war and how this trauma still affects the imaginations of those nowhere close to the war. He stated: “Old Boy is the essence of masculinity, and what draws me to him is his immense childishness.” “Orange Julius” strives to present how America’s ideas of masculinity are underdeveloped and traumatized by the country’s questionable political activities in the past. Doolittle is hopeful that this play will bring a
critical examination of masculinity to Vassar’s campus. He elaborated, “As a trans man, I am constantly caught up in trying to parse what positive masculinity means to me and how toxic and positive masculinity affect others personally and socially.” Further meditating on the campus climate regarding its negative impact, he continued, “On Vassar’s campus, particularly within the theater community, there are far too many examples of toxic masculinity and its consequences.” Doolittle hopes that the play will not only serve to add to the conversation about how we define masculinity on campus, but will also help to address specific communities within Vassar at large.
Loeb highlights African-American artists, hosts alumnae/i AAAVC continued from page 1
istrators, and Staff of Vassar College,” an annual event held by African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC). The weekend-long program featured many Vassar alumnae/i attending different events and panels, and also provided the opening of the “Reflections: Portrayals of and by African Americans” exhibition at the Loeb, which focuses on African American artists of the 19th through 21st centuries, according to the exhibition catalog. Open later than usual to host the reception for AAAVC’s event, the Loeb had students, faculty, alumnae/i, students and even Poughkeepsie residents mingling for over two hours, as they viewed both the new exhibit and the museum at large on a walking tour of campus. Through the museum’s atrium, down the left
hallway, through the 20th-century galleries, and straight back lies the Focus Gallery, a space where shorter-term exhibits can be displayed. An exhibit on French fashion in the 19th century closed on April 8, and before that “A Neoclassical Portrait of a Classicist” was on display. It runs on a more flexible schedule than the rest of the Loeb and allows for the display of faculty curated exhibits, as well as showcases of pieces from the permanent collection. This exhibition was co-curated by Curator of Academic Programs Elizabeth Nogrady and Assistant Director for Strategic Planning Mary-Kay Lombino. Nogrady explained that the duo organized this show in conjunction with the project, “Buildings and Belonging: Mapping the African American Experience at Vassar College Since 1861,” which was also spearheaded by the AAAVC
Courtesy of Karl Rabe
For their Triennial XII, The African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC) organized a weekend of activites and events, including a Loeb exhibit highlighting African-American artists.
for their triennial. Within the exhibition catalog, Lombino wrote, “In recent decades, the Art Center collection has been enhanced through the acquisition of works by artists from the African diaspora.” Lombino went on to specify the types of imagery depicted: “Several of the works on view here are not straight portraits but instead disrupt the gaze of traditional portraiture through critique, appropriation, humor, and self-reflection.” The catalog’s front cover features an image of Fred Wilson’s “X,” a 2005 work juxtaposing an inverted grayscale image of John Singer Sargent’s portrait of a Parisian socialite, “Madame X,” with an image of Malcolm X. What is striking at first about this piece is how much it looks like an unaltered photographic negative of a portrait of a man with a painting in the background. Wilson superimposed “Madame X” onto a separate photograph, making the transition between the imagery ambiguous. Since the image is in a negative format which the human eye is not used to, the transition is even harder to gauge. Viewer Julianna Bencze ’21 paid a visit to the Loeb over the weekend, and commented on how she enjoyed the content and layout of the show, impressed by the curation of the work: “This exhibit brings well-roundedness to the realm of the art museum with its focus on culture that is often underrepresented in artistic installations.” The catalog also mentions image appropriation, which brings to mind Hank Willis Thomas’s 2006 work, “So Glad We Made It, 1979.” The image is a highly saturated photo of an African American family sitting around a table playing backgammon and eating fast food. However, the image was not originally produced by Thomas; ite is actually a photograph of a McDonald’s advertisement from Ebony magazine with all of the references to the branding edited out, thus highlighting the racial issues that arose in advertisements during the period that are re-portrayed in this image. Another notable piece in the exhibition was
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commissioned by Vassar for the 20th anniversary of the Africana Studies program at Vassar in 1989. The piece, a large-scale lithograph, is titled “Memorabilia.” It features bold colors in blocks as well as figures spread throughout. When asked which piece best embodied the exhibit, Nogrady responded in an emailed statement, “It’s challenging to select one work that embodies the exhibition, but I would say that as the Curator of Academic Programs, I have found that Hank Willis Thomas’s ‘So Glad We Made It 1979’ (2006) has led to some fascinating conversations with students in the classroom. It is from his series ‘UNBRANDED: Reflections in Black by Corporate America 1968–2008,’ and depicts a McDonald’s ad from the 1970s, with all overt branding removed. I have found that this work invites a wide-ranging conversation on race in the U.S., advertising, fashion, leisure time, fast food, and on and on.” Curator of Public Education Margaret Vetare was pleased by the amount of light that is being shed on the Loeb’s collection, which includes upwards of 20,000 pieces. Vetare mentioned how she feels about the chance to improve representation: “As the Curator of Public Education, I work with visitors and tour groups from the wider community to make the resources of the Art Center accessible. Any time we can diversify the works on view to convey the richness and variety of artists in the collection, I’m happy, because we are reflecting a more true picture of the range of artistic expression—a good goal for any museum, but particularly one that is located in such a diverse area. But more specifically, this exhibition features extraordinary works that inspire, provoke, and intrigue, both individually and on a collective level.” Since the exhibit will be up for the remainder of the semester and into the summer, it is well worth a visit to see a wonderfully curated sampling of innovative works by African Americans. Spanning over a century and a half, these works subvert traditional norms of portraiture.
April 19, 2018
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‘I, Tonya’ acclaimed, handles domestic violence poorly Izzy Braham
ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR I, Tonya
Craig Gillespie LuckyChap Entertainment
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impressive job as Harding, acting with an intensity that you would picture the real-life Harding possessing. Janney matches this intensity with an equally convincing cold-heartedness that is actually quite painful to watch. While it is obvious that the movie presents tragic content, I was shocked to see it play with this content in a wholly insensitive way. There were parts in which the movie featured upbeat music or made Harding seem crazy and like an unreliable narrator in interviews. In fact, the movie is listed as a comedy, and while there may have been small comedic moments, the horrendous reality of Harding’s life, which the movie makes a huge point to show, is by no means comedic. In fact, there were even parts of the film in which the creators tried to bring comedy into Harding’s abuse. For instance, one scene that was supposed to depict an event that was only rumored to have happened in her real life showed Harding with a gun trying to shoot her husband. Harding then turned to the camera, breaking the fourth wall, and said to the viewer, “That never happened,” in a comedic manner. If “I, Tonya” is going to present the darknesses of Harding’s life, then it needs to be more serious in doing so. There were definitely moments where the viewer would sympathize with Harding, but I’m not sure if the final intent of the movie is to urge the viewer to stand behind the abused champion or to awaken audiences to the wickedness of abusive relationships. Instead, the viewer is left with this make-what-you-will-of-it feeling and overwhelming sadness. Personally, if a movie is going to so heavily discuss this theme of abuse, not take an overt stance against it and even make it seem light-hearted in some instances, I view that as a failure. Overall, on account of the movie’s bizarre con-
tradictory nature—its sad content that is presented in an insensitive way—I would not recommend it. One could even argue that while it does shed light on the reality of Harding’s life, “I, Tonya” is just another form of media exploiting Harding’s story, doing very little to make a statement about the importance of empowering the victims of domestic abuse. Don’t watch it!
Courtesy of Eilimedia Commons
here is something about scandals that people love. Whether the story is about Donald Trump, OJ Simpson or Kim Kardashian, both the media and the general public demand to hear all the details and want those details to be sensationalized to the max. Recently, Hollywood released a blockbuster about arguably one of the biggest scandals in sports history—the incident between Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding and her rival Nancy Kerrigan. The movie “I, Tonya,” starring Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney, traces the life of Harding from when she first started skating at four years of age to her eventual ban for life from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. While the movie does focus on the scandal Harding is involved in, it primarily reveals themes that are much, much darker: the effect of domestic abuse and violence on a woman’s life and the ways in which women can be pitted against each other by manipulative men. Harding is known for a host of different accomplishments and downfalls. She was the 1991 and 1994 U.S. figure skating champion and one of two women in the world to successfully land a triple axel, a highly difficult and complex ice-skating move. On the other hand, she is also known for attacking her rival Kerrigan before the 1994 Olympics. Harding did not physically assault Kerrigan herself, but rather her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, orchestrated the attack by paying someone to slash Kerrigan’s knee.
I didn’t know much about Tonya Harding, but when I decided to watch “I, Tonya,” I expected to see just this history, her triumphs and tribulations, that the public has loved to sensationalize. However, what I saw instead deeply affected and saddened me to no end. “I, Tonya” unpacks Harding’s achievements and failures through her incredibly brutal and pressure-filled life. We see that Harding’s world is hostile from the beginning—her dad abandons her at the age of four, her mother abuses her, berates her for not performing well enough and throws knives at her, and her husband physically and sexually assaults her and then plans the assault on Kerrigan without her knowledge. Through it all, the movie reveals the twisted, awful reality of the life of an American idol. It does not play up the classic American dream storyline of how perseverance can get you places, but rather provides a gloomy tale of an astonishingly tortured life that ultimately ends in despair and heartbreak. Moreover, what I extracted from the film was that Harding had earned her competitive, cruel-hearted reputation not by her own volition, but by abusive people that aimed to control her life. More specifically, her entanglement in the Nancy Kerrigan scandal and her relationship with her berserk husband serve as glaring examples of male abuse and manipulation of women as well as the way in which the world loves to pit powerful women against one another. In terms of cinematography and acting, the movie was well done. “I, Tonya” is composed of acted interviews with Harding, her mother, her ice-skating coach and her ex-husband interwoven with the characters acting out Harding’s memories. Because Harding’s life is so controversial, the movie uses this interview format to amplify the controversy and help the viewer understand disagreement between characters. Robbie does an
The film delves into the life of Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, played by Margot Robbie, spotlighting both her achievements and the intense domestic abuse she endured.
Original play approaches grief through dreams, llamas
Courtesy of Katie Scibelli
A collaborative senior Drama project between Caleb Featherstone ’18, Matt Stein ’18 and Rebecca Slotkin ’18, “The White Moth” explores grief in a dreamlike landscape. DRAMA continued from page 1
tumes, three different senior thesis members, and more.” She went on to add, “Even a student and faculty member co-directing together is unique in the Drama department.” This spring season, Vassar’s Drama Department is burgeoning with senior projects. Moreover, many senior drama majors take inspiration from their liberal arts education to strengthen their projects. Sydney Lee ’19, who plays Benson’s dead mother, Margaret, spoke about this scholarly integration: “One thing unique to Vassar students in particular is how they use their academic skills and insight to fully form the world of the play. The symbolism and imagery run very deep in this play and are effective because they are well-grounded and justified throughout the story.” Hatch also corroborated,
“Student theater is a great medium for students to grow artistically outside of the classroom.” Lee further spoke about playing Margaret, who appears in the characters’ dreams and doles out memory potions to recall the forgotten past. Lee revealed the complexity of playing Margaret: “We don’t get to see a lot of Margaret’s backstory, mannerisms or real-life interactions, so a lot of my work was filling in the blanks.” Slotkin, who plays Callie, also talked about her experience on stage: “I both enjoyed and struggled with playing the role of Callie because the character was very challenging and required a lot of energy to perform every night.” She added, “I wanted to play a challenging role so I could improve and expand as an actor, and I think I definitely did grow throughout this process while still having fun.”
Callie’s hometown friend, Bella, is another character who attempts to make amends with her, and is played by Emma LaPlace ’20. Throughout the play, she reminds the grieving Callie of her support, saying, “I’ll always be in your corner.” Contrasting Bella’s empathetic side, LaPlace also performed a brief interlude of Vanessa Carlton’s 2001 top hit “A Thousand Miles,” which drew a number of laughs from the audience, given its throwback quality. Callie’s other friend, Magenta, played by Jess Mitchell ’21 is passionate about reaching energies beyond the natural world and helps Callie master the art of lucid dreaming. Audience member Nicholas Franzen ’20 elucidated his thoughts on the dreamlike quality of the performance: “It was very atmospheric, I liked it quite a lot. It was obviously about being confused—being in your mind—and I think they did that really well.” One of the more comedic and quirky aspects of the show involves Callie’s childhood plush toys suddenly coming to life. Snoofles, played by Joseph Diez ’20, appears as a stuffed light blue llama on wheels. He is Callie’s best friend growing up, always offering undivided love and support. On the other hand, Sniffles, played by Stein, is a life-sized brown rabbit with stuffing bursting out of the seams. Lauding the talking plush toys, an audience member, who asked to maintain anonymous, mentioned, “I especially enjoyed watching Sniffles and Snoofles together. That dynamic came out really well—they grabbed me in.” Providing comedic relief throughout, Sniffles and Snoofles work in tandem to help Callie confront her grief. Another anonymous member from the audience elucidated, “I thought it was iconic. I thought the costuming was incredible, unforgettable,” in regards to the work of Costume Director Kenisha Kelly, who successfully matched the characters’ different styles to their personalities.
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The same audience member complimented the minimalist set, which included two geometric volumes of wood, painted brown and black. These choices, made by Set Designer Halle Smith ’20, aimed to emphasize the story through this minimal yet effective stage design. Lee elaborated on the senior project: “The concept is incredibly refreshing. It’s dramatic, abstract, comedic, and cheesy! As a psychology major, I also can’t help but love this idea of a dream-world and it was especially exciting for us actors—exploring both the neutral and worst sides of our characters.” Indicating her respect for Featherstone, Lee also stated: “The best parts about it are the vivid images Caleb creates in his writing. They are easily accessible and such a pleasure to fall into every night.” The playwright himself spoke about the lengthy process of bringing “The White Moth” to the stage. Featherstone explained, “It’s been about a year since Becca, Matt and I proposed this, and as the writer I have frequently felt confused, frustrated, or exhausted with the script. Seeing this play finally come to the stage has proved to me that it was all worth it.” Additionally, Featherstone did not initially think he would act in the play: “I originally wrote the role of Benson thinking that I would direct the play, but over winter break came to the conclusion that I would much rather be in the show.” All in all, the seniors’ devised production of “The White Moth” revealed the importance of friendship, even when two people grow so far apart that the distance feels too wide for recovery. Especially during the grieving process, people need others in their corner. Although put to the test, Callie and Benson’s friendship proves its enduring strength. Overall, Featherstone weaves a story in and out of reality as if the audience were truly experiencing a dream.
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April 19, 2018
‘Grown-ish’ explores young adulthood with diverse cast Eloudia Odamy GUEST COLUMNIST
Grown-ish
Kenya Barris, Larry Wilmore Freeform
t’s a popular anxiety that the first year of college will be scary and challenging, given that it is like stepping into a brand-new world. I too came to college incredibly nervous about what the experience would be like. It seems that before entering this space, we all have our visions of the perfect college life and are shocked when we arrive to find out that this vision was a mere illusion. This is one of the primary feelings that Zoey Johnson from “Grown-ish” is forced to contend with. “Grownish” is a spinoff show from ABC’s “Black-ish” and it follows Zoey Johnson’s journey as she heads to college and realizes that it is not easy. In the pilot, we are immediately thrust into Zoey’s life at the fictional California University, where the show introduces her future friends. We meet Ana, who Zoey ditches after Ana drinks too much alcohol and throws up. Ana ends up being Zoey’s roommate and we get a glimpse into the hostility that ensues between them. We then meet Nomi, who is a Jewish-American feminist who has not yet come out to her family as bisexual. Next, we meet Aaron, the campus activist who considers himself to be “woke,” followed by Vivek, a drug dealer. Then, we meet the twin track athletes, Jazlyn and Skylar, who are incredibly funny and sassy. Lastly, we are introduced to Luca, an artist and stoner. Zoey’s friendships develop as a result of each of these characters missing pre-registration for a variety of reasons, and this episode is an introduction into the mistakes Zoey makes while navigating college.
Courtesy of Disney | ABC Television Group via Flickr
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One thing that makes “Grown-ish” worth watching is the diversity of the main characters. The show revolves around characters who are impacted by a variety of different identities, allowing us a glimpse into how Vivek’s experience as an Indian man, for example, is vastly different from Ana’s, who undergoes struggles informed by her identity as a Cuban and Republican. In one instance, Ana and Aaron get into an argument about having an all-Black dorm, as well as the presence of Republican students in that dorm and how that impacts their experiences of feeling comfortable in that space. Another example is Zoey trying to convince Vivek to quit selling drugs over concern for his safety, only to discover that the issue goes deeper than that for Vivek, whose decision to sell drugs is influenced by multiple factors, including family and race. For Zoey, the show explores her adjustment to college and her realization that she has freedom, but this freedom also makes her vulnerable. She discusses her use of Adderall for the first time, as well as drinking and relationships. This make the show feel real. Drugs, sex, relationships and politics of identity are all issues that college students are often forced to grapple with, and “Grown-ish” attempts to do its best at portraying this. It also discusses the prominence of social media in exploring Zoey’s internship at Teen Vogue. Social media has a significant influence on our generation and it is nice to see that “Grown-ish” has incorporated that in the show. A criticism that has come up is the mature content in the show. Many viewers expect the show to be like “Black-ish,” where Zoey was innocent, but this is a different atmosphere. In college, Zoey is changing, and along the way, she will make mistakes, which she is determined to deal with and learn from. The mature content does not take any-
Yara Shahidi plays Zoey Johnston on “Grown-ish,” ABC’s spin-off of “Black-ish.” The show traces her journey as she undergoes the trials and tribulations of college life. thing away from the show, but rather, adds a dimension of realness to the college experience. Critics have also attempted to try to compare the show to “A Different World,” which is a spinoff from “The Cosby Show” (“Review: ‘grown-ish’ a different world for ‘black-ish’ star,” TribLive, 01.01.18). However, the two shows are from two completely different eras; “Grown-ish” gives a modern perspective of what it is like to be in college. It is a new take and that makes it enjoyable. I have seen some episodes of “Black-ish” and I have to agree to a certain extent that “Grown-ish” lacks distinctive character by comparison. It needs to step away from the same methods used by “Black-ish,” such as the voiceover narratives. Even
though the narrative from Zoey allows viewers to clearly comprehend her thoughts and feelings, this tactic can grate on one’s nerves at times. However, the cast is amazing, especially Yara Shahidi, who plays Zoey. She is entertaining to watch and delivers a remarkably realistic portrayal of a college student, despite not having been one yet. The first season of “Grown-ish,” overall, was outstanding. It ends with a finale that circles back to Zoey making a huge adult decision on her own, while giving her potential suitors advice about relationships. The show has been renewed for a second season, and I am excited to see what is in store. It has a lot of room to grow as there are so many ways it could progress in the future.
Florence + the Machine spotlights voice in new single Matt Stein
ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR Sky Full of Song
Florence + the Machine AG Rojas
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hen Florence and the Machine (FATM) played at Lollapalooza in 2015, frontwoman Florence Welch had a conversation with the oncoming storm that threatened to end the night early. With gray clouds already besieging Grant Park and lightning flashing on the horizon over Lake Michigan, Welch begged the tempest to hold off for just a few more minutes, just so they could end the concert on a high note. As a light breeze swept over the crowd and stage, the opening strums of
“Dog Days Are Over” began. Welch danced in a Stevie Nicks-like trance as the full force of the band joined in, the wind simultaneously picking up along with the energy of the crowd. In that moment, it seemed like the music was shaping the world around it. While the group has released several songs to accompany film soundtracks, there has been a three-year gap since their last album, 2015’s “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful,” (HBHBHB) and the absence has been glaring. On April 12, FATM released their new song “Sky Full of Song” in anticipation of this year’s Record Store Day, the annual celebration of independent record stores across the world, on April 21. The song serves as the lead single for their upcoming fourth album “High As Hope,” which is expected to release in late June. The song echoes the anthemic peaks that are typi-
Courtesy of Jason Persse via Flickr
In anticipation of this year’s Record Store Day on April 21, Florence and the Machine have released “Sky Full of Song,” the lead single for their upcoming fourth album, “High As Hope.”
cal to the group’s earlier discography but pulls the focus in on the one constant in the band’s arsenal and easily the most distinctive quality of their music, Welch’s voice. As if approaching her lover for the first time since “HBHBHB,” “Sky Full of Song” begins with Welch taking a breath, a moment of vulnerability without the extravagant band to support her, before asking her love interest how he is and admitting the weariness her past recklessness has induced in her. Welch’s voice, both physically and lyrically, is at its best when she can speak from that personal level that is dualistically so specific to her life, yet universally recognizable and true to the listener. The song’s bridge, “I thought I was flying but maybe I’m dying tonight,” reflects the maturity that Welch’s voice has evolved to, no longer in the days of dancing with abandon but instead making mistakes and being uncertain. One of the distinctive parts of a FATM concert is seeing Welch get lost in the music, serenading herself and singing with her eyes closed. While Welch has mentioned that she uses music as a form of escapism, in “Sky Full of Song,” she must confess that she can sometimes go too far away. As an opening to the era ahead, this song hints at more introspection into the self-destructive tendencies Welch has been fighting in “Shake It Off” and “Ship to Wreck.” Two of the developments that “HBHBHB” brought were a narrative structure and the increased incorporation of the harder guitar sound. Some called the latter addition blasphemous in the same vein as Bob Dylan going electric, especially for a band that reintroduced the harp into pop music, but the energy matched the unease and self-sabotage of the era. FATM’s guiding force throughout their music has been the emotion that each song magically is able to conjure. And while the style for “High As Hope” seems to be minimalistic, it’s not as out of the blue. FATM already dipped their feet into this approach with “St. Jude” and the underrated “Long & Lost” from
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“HBHBHB.” The music video that accompanied “Sky Full of Song” is just as minimalistic, filmed mostly in black and white and consisting of Welch lying on the ground and washing her hands in a bowl of water interspersed with imagery of fluid-like ink blots and burning candles. One can compare this to FATM’s previous music video sequence referred to as “The Odyssey,” the vibrant and very extravagant nine-part series of music videos that loosely told a narrative and featured significant choreography. For “Sky Full of Song,” there is no ostentation or elaborate dance to accompany it. Instead, Welch presents herself, making eye contact with the camera while singing about what she’s done wrong. The band’s arc has been often compared to the work of British musician Kate Bush, whose career began with the catchy “Wuthering Heights” and “Babooshka” before eventually writing artistically innovative pieces like “Running Up That Hill” and “Cloudbusting.” The days of FATM’s cheery indie pop with “Dog Days Are Over” and “I’m Not Calling You A Liar” are not completely gone, but now that FATM have proven their musical versatility with “HBHBHB,” they can further allow their art to be a form of expression. FATM manage to mingle art and pop without veering into the pretentiousness of bands like Arcade Fire or indie vagueness of some groups like The Lumineers. Maybe it’s the harp, which manages to sprinkle a bit of Celtic mysticism to their sound. Maybe it’s the sheer power of Welch’s voice as it travels across crowds of thousands. Or it could be the lyrics that capture that inner part of us that we hate and tell ourselves that we’ll change but never do. Mozart, in Peter Shaffer’s play “Amadeus,” says, “I bet you that’s how God hears the world: millions of sounds ascending at once and mixing in His ear to become an unending music, unimaginable to us.” Florence and the Machine somehow comes pretty close.
April 19, 2018
Campus Canvas
ARTS A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists
Page 9 submit to misc@vassar.edu
Excuse me, What has been your favorite class at Vassar?
“Human Origins.” — Dea Oviedo Vazquez ’20
“Drum lessons with Frank.” — Aidan Anderson ’20
“Ballroom dancing.” — Sergio Lozano ’21
“Philosophy of science.” — Nanak Khalsa ’20
“Health Psyc.” — Sigfredo (Ziggy) Robles ’21
“Black music with Justin Patch.” — Lena Stevens ’21
My name is Jimmy Christon and I’m an English and Religion Studies double major. I’m absolutely obsessed with music. I’m very inspired to write not just by musicians like Aphex Twin, but also by writers such as Michelle Cliff and Samuel Delany, who not only push boundaries, but define the moment that we all live in together.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
FEATURES
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April 19, 2018
Student recounts stage managing position at Powerhouse Aidan Zola ’ll admit it—I’m no Broadway actor. Far from it, actually. However, barring the requisite, all-consuming feeling of stage fright, something about pouring my heart out in front of an audience somehow really appeals to me.
aging? What was that? The more I thought about it, though, the more I became convinced that I might as well give it a go. The first week was actually quite comical. I’m not a drama major and I’ve never done anything in the field before but act, so I spent a lot of time learning as I went (who knew the CDF had so
Here’s how a typical day in the life as a stage manager looked for me: On our first full day of tech rehearsal, my alarm goes off at around 9 a.m. I take my time walking across campus to the Powerhouse Theater, since I know most of my day will be spent hunkered inside, calling out lines and furiously
case anyone needs to call for a line. Every time one of the actors gets through a lengthy monologue without needing any reminders, I silently throw my hands up and cheer for them. I even get to occasionally fulfill my acting dreams throughout the day. If we’re missing a cast member for a portion of the afternoon, I’ll
So, imagine my surprise and skepticism when I got an email from our very own Drama Department asking me to be the Assistant Stage Manager for one of its productions. Stage man-
many hidden rooms?). After much trial and error, I started to catch on. By the time our tech week rolled around, I was juggling costumes and scripts like it was no big deal.
typing acting notes. When I arrive, I spread my things across an entire row of audience seats, open my laptop and get to work. My first take is to make a Tech Report, which is basically a written map of attendance, scheduling and all things that need to get done on the technical side of the show. The report has to be modified and edited as the day goes on to accommodate new events or issues, but overall this is a pretty straightforward task. Once that’s pulled up and ready to go, it’s time for my favorite part of the day: helping take care of Obi-Wan, an easily excitable, fluffy dog who also happens to belong to our director. Though dog-sitting isn’t actually listed as part of the Assistant Stage Manager’s job, I certainly am not opposed to periodically taking Obi outside to do laps around the CDF Quad. In fact, I’m pretty enthused about doing so. So, after coming back inside and making sure the dog is asleep somewhere away from the stage, I get back to the show itself and start taking attendance. When everyone is ready to go, we begin hour one of our stop-and-go run while tech groups work in close coordination with actors. Around this time is when I start to go into full “mom mode,” running around with cups of tea and nagging everyone to stay hydrated and to stretch their legs outside during our short breaks. When I’m not darting around the theater like this, I sit in the audience glued to the script in
stand in for the sake of lighting design and, as a result, experience the best of both worlds. By the time 6 p.m. rolls around, we’re all running on empty. My laptop is low on charge, the actors are napping onstage each time we pause for lights and sound, and we’re all talking about what’s for dinner at the Deece. When we finally break for our two-hour time out, I gather up my makeshift camp in the audience seats and reunite with my non-theater friends for dinner. Though I’ve been sitting in one place for most of the past eight hours, I can’t help but put my head down in the middle of the Deece, worn out from the workday. At 8 p.m., instead of going back to the Powerhouse to continue rehearsing like we normally would, the cast and crew instead find our way to the Martel Theater, where Actors From the London Stage are performing “The Taming of the Shrew.” It’s refreshing to watch an already polished performance with professional actors bounding back and forth across the stage. All I can think, though, is how much work it would be to stage manage a show like that! When the performance wraps up, I amble back to my room and watch the stars for a while outside the dorms. I send out the Tech Report I’ve been working on all day to the Drama Department, put my laptop away and promptly fall asleep—ready to do it all over again the next day!
COLUMNIST
I
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
The story behind this dramatic photo is that our columnist asked the director (pictured on the left) and the two actors to strike a random pose and captured this surreal moment.
Org of the Week: VRS spreads awareness of refugee rights Gillian Redstone GUEST REPORTER
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the issue of forced displacement into academia. The Rohingya Project branch of the VRS tree was just created this year. It focuses specifically on the Rohingya diaspora, which affects people in Bangladesh, Myanmar and all over the world. Slater stated, “[It is] our newest initiative that is run by a group of extremely motivated firstyear students who were looking to develop their idea and working together has been incredibly rewarding. I am really looking forward to seeing how the initiative grows in the coming years.”
Courtesy of Vassar Refugee Solidarity
he Poughkeepsie and Greater Hudson Valley Area is known for its sweeping bluffs, the shimmering Hudson, fall foliage and, of course, Vassar College. But what many do not know is that the vicinity is also home to many refugees and forcibly displaced persons coming from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan. Creating awareness of the presence of these refugees among the Vassar community is a major goal of the organization Vassar Refugee Solidarity (VRS). Director of Communications and Operations Sophia Slater ’18 remarked in an emailed statement, “VRS was conceptualized as a way to explore how we could take action regarding the rapidly growing number of refugees, forcibly displaced persons, and asylum-seekers within our role as part of an educational institution. The organization seeks to combine student, faculty, administrator, and alumnae efforts to create a holistic response to worldwide displacement and forced migration.” According to Assistant Director of Communications (and one of next year’s co-presidents) Zoe Zahariadis ’21, the organization includes a plethora of different roles and branches in which students can become involved. She explained, “The [Digital Initiatives Team] runs an English Language Exchange program with Vassar Students at the ReDi school in Berlin. We do hour-long conversation sessions weekly or twice weekly, just to practice English.” The ReDi School of Digital Integration is a nonprofit digital school founded in 2016 that provides education and job opportunities for people applying for asylum in Germany. Connections with the ReDi school have expanded beyond VRS, and the school has teamed up with the Writing Center via VRS for a resume program, allowing ReDi students to Skype with tutors and work on crafting an effective resumé
in English. Zahariadis expressed that the exchange program puts a personal touch on the issue of refugees and resettlement, allowing refugees to be seen as real people instead of only statistics in the news. She said, “My partner and I talked about how much homework we have and how we hate Mondays, and it really makes it so personal. They’re not just numbers or pictures of people who had to flee these countries, they’re people just like me and you.”
Vassar Refugee Solidarity consists of members of the Vassar community who are concerned about the worldwide refugee crisis and are ardently devoted to making contributions to the cause. The organization boasts many other sub-branches, including the Resettlement Team, the Consortium Group, the Oral Histories Program and the newly founded Rohingya Project. Slater noted, “VRS’s resettlement team has managed to work with local partners and faith organizations to help resettle two families and work with pre-existing communities of displaced people in our area and as far north as Albany.” The Consortium of Forced Displacement Migration links Vassar with Bard College, Bennington College and Sarah Lawrence College, these being four institutions working together to bring
She stressed that the organization intends to continue diversifying their projects, but also to deepen their current connections in order to plan the most helpful response to the issues at hand. VRS has teamed up with a number of independent groups, both local and global, to help bring to light the issue of forcibly displaced persons. According to the VRS website, they partner with groups such as The Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, The Global Citizens Initiative, the International Institute for Education and Catholic Charities of Poughkeepsie.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
VRS has also held and participated in many on- and off-campus events, ranging from the Mid-Hudson Solidarity March (a rally at the Poughkeepsie Post Office to support refugees and Muslims on Feb. 1, 2017) to lectures from professors and activists. Each of these groups and events helps the org reach its many goals in different ways, from supporting the physically and emotionally challenged, to supporting Syrian students and scholars to simply creating awareness of the crises on which they focus their efforts. Zahariadis believes that such awareness is vital, and that many Vassar students do not realize how close to the Vassar community the refugee crisis really is: “You read about this stuff on the news and you see it online and you feel so geographically separated, but you don’t realize that this is also happening in your backyard. Often we don’t realize that [refugees] are everywhere and that it’s an issue that affects us all, no matter how far you think you are from the situation.” Working with Vassar Refugee Solidarity can help students who have friends or family that are refugees connect with themselves and their histories more deeply. Zahariadis commented, “This is an issue that’s really important to me. My family were Greek refugees from Turkey. Because of that, my family has really instilled in me the desire and need to be aware and help those around you.” Vassar students who would like to become involved with Vassar Refugee Solidarity should visit the organization’s website, refugeesolidarity.vassar.edu. On the website, students can find information and statistics about the refugee crisis and learn about different events the org is hosting. According to Zahariadis, VRS will also be accepting applications for more students to join the student and leadership teams. The group also has a Facebook page, which posts announcements for events.
FEATURES
April 19, 2018
Page 11
Perpetually hapless student conned mercilessly by psychic PSYCHIC continued from page 1
psychic was less expensive. Because of our cost-benefit analysis, we concluded that this psychic was the optimal choice for us in terms of finances and proximity to our Airbnb location.” However, her path that day was not destined to run smooth. Linkeviciute, her eyes misty at the memory, plaintively began: “Immediately upon our arrival, there were many red flags present. There were no ostentatious signs at the location that would indicate the psychic’s whereabouts, so we had only the address that we found online to give us an idea of which house the psychic resided in. It was a residential street and none of the houses really challenged the psychic energy that I was hoping for, which really did not make it easy for us to find the house. “We awkwardly wandered [into] what seemed to be someone’s private residence, and right before we were about to leave, afraid of being accused of trespassing, we were accosted by a soft-spoken man who calmly inquired whether we were here to see the psychic. He informed us that the psychic was with a client, and directed us to the waiting area, which was two folding chairs outside by the screen door. We perched nervously, spinning our matching straw sun hats in our hands, wondering whether the psychic would instantly guess that Imogen had a twin sister.” The two friends entered the house after the previous clients, who inexplicably looked rather ashen-faced, emerged from its depths. They were greeted by the first psychic, a large lady with very few teeth left, who directed Wade to the table in the corner. Linkeviciute remained on the couch, at least until the room was greet-
ed with a new arrival. She recounted: “The psychic who would be taking my session emerged from a hidden entrance. My attention was immediately drawn to her feet, which were ensconced in huge furry shoes. It looked like dead animals on her feet. She had put very dark black eyeshadow under her eyes.” Huddled on the couch by the window, perhaps sitting too close for comfort, the psychic began her reading. Her harrowing gaze bore into Linkeviciute. “The moment when I saw the psychic’s eyes when she glanced at my tarot card formation, I knew something was terribly wrong. She made a meaningful pause. Barely glancing at the cards, which looked as if they had been cut out from a magazine, she murmured under her breath ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no.’ I leaned in just to be taken aback immediately.” “She told me: ‘It seems like you are in deep financial trouble at the moment and things are only going to get worse. Every decision you have made so far in your life has been terribly, terribly wrong. The place you are at in your life right now is not where you are supposed to be. All your future decisions will also be wrong. You’re very unlucky, if you ever get money it will slip right through your fingers. You will never have it.’” The psychic continued: “Do you mind if I ask you if you have a boyfriend?” Linkeviciute added: “My eyes immediately lit up because, regardless of everything in my life that was supposedly going terribly wrong, at least I knew that the predictions about my boyfriend would be nothing to worry about. I replied, ‘Yes, we’ve been together for one-and-a-half years now.’ She immediately replied, almost casually, ‘Oh, he doesn’t love you. In fact, he is looking for an-
other woman right this moment. I suggest you dump him before he dumps you, as it is only a matter of weeks before he secures another woman. He is very unhappy in the relationship and he is looking for a way out.’ I felt shattered. Could what she was saying really be true? But most importantly, could it get worse? The psychic continued: ‘You will never get married, all your future relationships will not last more than two weeks. You’ll have children from different fathers.’”
“I leaned in just to be taken aback immediately.” The psychic then revealed: “Did you know that your grandmother practiced black magic? A few decades ago she made a deal of sorts, I can’t really tell what it is, but it put an inter-generational curse on you and your future children. Your mother actually saw a psychic to get the curse removed, but for you we’d have to do a substantial amount of work involving crystals and chanting, and just rituals in general, to remove the curse.” Linkeviciute remarked: “She nicely asked about my career aspirations, which I happily [disclosed] to her, just to be put down by her mean words: ‘This is not the right path for you. I don’t know how you managed to avoid any disastrous effects of the curse so far, but you can’t rely on luck anymore. It’s only going to get worse … I also see a history of severe depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. You are completely surrounded by negative energy and negative people all around you.’”
After 45 minutes of the psychic detailing to Linkeviciute the various ways in which she was cursed, the issue of payment arose. Linkeviciute described the situation with a look of pained remembrance: “After she had beaten me down with her cruel words, she took out her credit card reader and with a look of sympathy on her face, stated that the charge would be 95 dollars, plus five dollars of international fees or something. So 100 dollars in total. I had tears in my eyes and was visibly distressed and bewildered, passively handing over my credit card as a sign of final defeat in both the material and spiritual sense.” After escaping into the Uber, Linkeviciute reflected on her tale of woe. She bravely faced the harsh reality of being not only financially scammed but emotionally scarred. She was cursed! Unloved! Adrift! A quick call with her boyfriend in rapid Lithuanian was enough to reassure her that the psychic’s words were unfounded. He asked her why she had not punched “that witch b****.” Cast adrift in America after time spent shielded in Europe, Linkeviciute discovered the cruelty, rather than the kindness, of strangers. She implored me to warn others of the dangers of psychics. One weekend, you may skip off with your friends to Manhattan and be given a similar spiel to the one that Linkeviciute was given in Phoenix. She entreats you not to trust anyone who tells you that you are cursed, much less give them your cash. As Linkeviciute discovered, she fell prey to a common scam employed by psychics, one in which many hapless individuals are entrapped weekly. As for whether the other psychic was able to glean that Wade had a twin sister, she began the session by asking her how her older brother was doing.
Prof Spotlight: Joyce offers intertextual take on life, learning Andrea Yang
FEATURES EDITOR
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his week we’re happy to be in conversation with Professor Michael Joyce from the English Department through email. Beyond his passion for education, Joyce is also an author and critic of hypertext fiction. The Miscellany News: How long have you been at Vassar and what do you love most about the College?
Michael Joyce: I have taught here for 27 years and, first and foremost, loved the resistant intelligence of my students and their willingness to risk, but also their enduring and fundamental gentleness and caring in the Heideggerian sense. The latter makes even what can sometime seem a paradoxical rote adherence to transgressive rubrics or an occasional mouthing of progressive orthodoxies reveal an underlying courage, shared vulnerability and a longing to make and inhabit communities that respect and foster difference. The Misc: What drew you to this career? Have you always wanted to become a professor of En-
Joyce: I have always wanted a profession in which becoming is itself what it consists of. Thus I write and teach and aspire to become what the poet Charles Olson called “an archaeologist of morning” whose quotidian concerns are “how to use oneself/and on what.” The Misc: What are some of your biggest academic interests and passions?
Joyce: Lately they have been exploring writing as a healing art; translation (or what the poet Leonard Schwartz calls transcreation); and the hybrid and multiple forms of contemporary poetry in which word and image are irrevocably entangled in what the feminist philosopher and quantum physicist Karen Barad calls the “lively dance of mattering.” The Misc: Could you tell us a bit about the classes you’re offering next semester?
The Misc: Are there any changes or potential improvements in the English Department that you’d like to see?
Joyce: The changes I’d like to see are the ones we are as a department in the midst of undertaking, first and foremost refreshing and renewing our curriculum and reversing the depletion of our faculty that are the lingering results of the impact of the decade-ago financial crisis as well as the diminution of all the humanities in both higher education and the culture at large. The Misc: What was the last book you read?
Joyce: Laynie Browne’s novel, “Periodic Companions,” a deeply poetic and yet extraordinarily congenial account of human possibility, whose characters are based on the periodic table of elements and whose musical prose evokes for me the mothers of my writing, from Gertrude Stein to Hélène Cixous to Nicole Brossard to Fanny Howe.
Courtesy of Carolyn Guyer
glish?
Joyce: Besides offering one section of creative writing focused on poetry and another on the idea of translation, I’m going to revive and rethink a first-year writing seminar called “W(h)ither the Body?” that I last offered four years ago. The seminar considers a century and more in which the body has become a site of commercial, political, sexual, medial, artistic, computational and philosophical contestation as our notions of embodiment have grown increasingly fluid.
The Misc: As an author of many acclaimed books, what has been your proudest work?
Joyce: Ah, the “which child is your favorite?” question! The first, the last and the one in-between too often forgotten. (But were you to ask which of these do I most think about these days, it’s the one on the way next October, my fourteenth published book, tentatively titled “Media: a picaresque.” Spanning the years 1987-2001, from just before the rise of the internet to just before 9/11, the novel is a mirror of–not to say sequel to– my decade ago “novel of internet,” “Was: Annales Nomadique”).
The Misc: A word of wisdom for the students? Joyce: Beware of those who purport to have wisdom to share, we recognize each other and prosper in our doubts.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
FEATURES
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April 19, 2018
Barefoot Monkeys strive for poi-fection through inclusivity Duncan Aronson GUEST REPORTER
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forming experience whatsoever prior to joining the club. That being said, the org provides opportunities for professional performers as well. The Barefoot Monkeys are prominent among colleges and in the circus community. Prutisto-Chang mentioned their annual circus convention (which will not be held this year due to budgetary issues) titled “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” The first collegiate convention of its kind,
Courtesy of Fate Syewoangnuan
his past Sunday, Apr. 15, the Barefoot Monkeys’ Spring Show performance dazzled with fire, props (the professional term is toys), music and choreography. The Spring Show was one of four major shows the Barefoot Monkeys perform annually. A typical show consists of around 20 acts and 35–55 participants. The Barefoot Monkeys refer to themselves as a circus and fire arts group, but they are aware that they do not conform to just one idea of what circus is. Vice President Liat Kugelmass ’18 explained, “In Europe, they have developed a much more contemporary idea of circus. It’s not as much of the showy showman kind of thing—it’s a lot more focused on artistic style and performance. I think we blend a little more into that than we do into the clowning and the big-ring circus.” Referring to specific differences between the Monkeys’ style and that of traditional circus, President Jessie Prutisto-Chang ’18 acknowledged the difficulty in labeling their diverse work: “The common conception of circus has stuff like acrobats and trapeze artists. We definitely are a circus in some sense, but not in the traditional sense necessarily. Like hula hoops are very circus-y, juggling is also very circus-y, but poi (a ball at the end of a string) is something you don’t see in a circus as often … a lot of people refer to this as flow arts instead of circus, but it’s a big messy territory of stuff.” Media Coordinator Fate Syewoangnuan ’18 clarified how these small-scale decisions, such as which toys to use, are connected to the modality and purpose of the show in the bigger picture: “There are different toys and they have different feels to them. They visually represent
themselves differently. Juggling tends to be a less serious activity, but you could do something a lot more dance-y with something like poi or staff and [they tie] a lot into the theme. The themes can be more aesthetic, like our last theme of Seasons, or more story-driven, like Alice in Wonderland.” With all the possible combinations of toys and ambiances, the org’s performances vary drastically. Kugelmass commented, “Our indoor
“You can be as involved or as uninvolved as you want to be and you’ll still be a part of the club ... anyone can be a Barefoot Monkey,” said President Jessie Prutisto-Chang ’18. shows tend to have themes and stories usually … the outdoor shows are just fire and we’re just doing fire to be as cool as we can try to be. The indoor shows have a lot of room for people to bring a little bit more creativity in how they present circus because you don’t have the wow factor that the fire does.” Prutisto-Chang, Syewoangnuan and Kugelmass all described their org as goofy, light-hearted and fun, and emphasized that anyone is welcomed to join, as the org is not audition-based. Everyone’s roles and levels of commitment are individualized. Most of their members, including the aforementioned org leaders, had no per-
“Monkey See, Monkey Do” attracts people from all over the country to hold, teach and attend workshops. Many past members of the org have gone on to pursue careers in the circus industry. Kugelmass listed some examples: One alum opened up her own aerial studio, others have gone on to work in distinguished performance groups like Ringling Brothers Circus. Several Vassar alumnae/i even formed their own circus and fire art group, A Different Spin, and began performing professionally in the Arlington community since 2006. In addition, the Barefoot Monkeys have made concerted efforts to become more aware of cul-
tural sensibilities. In the past, for example, the group chose a Western fairytale theme for one of their performances, which did not sit well with those who thought non-Western cultures were underrepresented. Prutisto-Chang revealed that the group’s name, often shortened to just Monkeys, has been criticized for not being inclusive to people of color. The interviewees, all members of the Executive Board, are committed to being inclusive and tackling this issue. However, they are aware that the re-branding process is a difficult one to navigate, considering that they would need to completely alter the design of their merchandise attached to the Barefoot Monkeys’ name. Prutisto-Chang highlighted that potential members can find the prospect of joining intimidating: “At first, you look at the stuff we do and you can’t even wrap your head around how it’s happening. And I know when I first came here I assumed people who were sophomores were seniors because they seemed to be so good at everything. I was like, ‘Oh, it must have taken you three years to learn how to do that.’ They’re like, ‘No, I learned how to do it in a week or two.’ It’s definitely not as hard as it looks.” For those who are hesitant to join, Syewoangnuan knows of many members who felt similarly and empathizes from personal experience as well: “You think, well, I probably can’t do [the shows] but I’ll show up anyway because these people seem friendly. Then you just end up staying. I’ve also heard people say that fire is really intimidating, but after you do your first show, it’s a very addicting experience.” If you’re looking to get hooked on fire shows or have fun with a silly group of people, contact them at announce. barefootmonkeys[at]gmail.com or find them on the quad on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
The Miscellany Crossword
“Secret Identities”
by Benjamin Costa
ACROSS 1. Laser pointer product 4. What this crossword isn’t necessarily 8. A last breath 12. Sound of sorrow 13. Still sleeping 14. Shamu, for one 15. No pins standing after two 16. A polite behind 18. Main Workday use 20. A gem of wisdom 21. Beatle breaker 22. Scuba contents 23. A little menu 24. Reach a situation 26. Unison, n’ a boy band 28. A horse’s no vote 29. Who a youth should respect 30. ____, thou, thine 31. Sleeved shirts 32. Seafood suspiciousness 35. Gem of crimson corundum 38. Slippery sea-dwellers 39. Showed admiration 43. Corn, verse, cycle
Answers to last week’s puzzle C L A D
A R C O
O C C A M
L O B E
D A H L
O R A T O
A R A B
E N
D
S E G O S
R E C T A N G L E
E N E M Y
K N
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I
D R O V E
S H
R E L A T E
O V A S T Y M Y
I
I
N A W A Y
A R E A
E D U C E
T O M E
S
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N G
T U N N E L E D
L K E N
E T A
S O L E M N H E A R T
S P
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F F
E D G A R
A W K W A R D E R
S E U S S
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P L A T O
T R E E
M O L E
Y E M E N
S L E D
S T A R
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44. “Rainbow” gem 45. A fairy’s favorite drink 46. Rich, overfed lion 48. Noisy dance 49. Dawn dampness 50. Dentist’s -ide, electrician’s escent 51. Tall floor lamp or candelabra 54. Rock in cement 56. Rusty humor 57. Make your way with difficulty 58. A connection or opportunity 59. Aging libertine 60. Mammal lairs 61. Called it quits (abbr.) 15 62. What 27 down and 60 across have in common 18
35. Frilled or bothered 36. Objects that make a bad simile 37. Natural asphalt 40. Utterly ugly 41. Eternal, archaically 42. Library organizer 44. Rowing rods
1
2
3
4
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45. Fluid-filled pouch 47. Schools for all sexes 48. Fashion craze 51. Musical note 52. Already working 53. Steam a shirt 55. 37 down, as a liquid
5
6
7
8
13
9
10
11
41
42
14 17
16 19
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MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
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April 19, 2018
OPINIONS
Page 13
The Miscellany news Staff Editorial
Open communication key to admin/student engagement In 2016, the Campus Master Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees set out to create a framework for making decisions about campus renewal over the next 10 to 15 years. As part of this ongoing process, Dean of Strategic
ings. This suggests that the VSA Senate may not be the most appropriate forum to gather student feedback to bring to the administration, which raises the question of what more effective ways of bridging the gap between administration and
is equally important. The VSA held a forum on Sept. 10, 2017 with the newly inaugurated President Bradley and invited students to attend and address questions and concerns to her. According to those in attendance, the result was over-
ployed by the College and their bureaucratic job titles, a student may not know which dean, associate dean or assistant dean to reach out to. The governance documents that describe the way the College runs and includes each dean’s job
Planning Marianne Begemann held forums in dorms and at a VSA Senate meeting, and sent out an electronic survey to engage with students and gather feedback. This allowed students to offer input to an administrator in how the College will prioritize structural improvements that need to be made in the coming years. The inclusion of a feedback page on the Campus Master Plan website and the invitation for further participation in this project create potential for an ongoing conversation between students and administrators. President Bradley has also made it a mission to keep students consistently informed about new hires and to keep open the metaphorical doors of the administration. Her community-wide email updates on new administrative hires include a short list of the person’s qualifications for the role and a helpful description of the duties of the position. This easily digestible, important and concise information is the kind of transparency we would like to continue to see. While the inclusion of student opinions in the creation of the Master Plan may have been successful, this open communication between students and the administration must remain ongoing. The VSA Senate was created for the purpose of facilitating discussion between students and the administration, yet it is rare that any students, apart from members of the VSA and The Miscellany News, attend these meet-
students would look like. Incentivizing student engagement may be one fruitful option. President Bradley advertised the Engaged Pluralism Initiative Campus Community Survey in her two most recent Sunday emails, hoping to generate responses from students, faculty, staff and administrators regarding ways to improve the environment at Vassar. The survey is tied to a raffle to win prizes, such as a dinner at the President’s house or a pound of chocolate. Based on past experience, the result of such campus-wide surveys could be more effective if the feedback were posted in a more timely manner. In Spring 2017, Vassar conducted its second “What Happens Here” survey, investigating sexual assault and harassment on campus. The survey began in mid-April and ended on May 2, yet the result was published on the Office of Institutional Research website on Feb. 28, 2018. If we are continually asked to participate in surveys to supposedly improve the quality of student life or the operations of the College, we should be able to see the results promptly—not to mention proof that the administration has processed and integrated student thoughts, experiences and responses into their resulting institutional policies. Although student surveys can be an effective way for administrators to gauge campus climate, face-to-face engagement with the student body
whelming and not particularly helpful. As she was relatively new to the position, many of the questions were not necessarily best directed toward her. A college has different deans and administrators for a reason; each deals with different aspects of student life and functions of the College. A solution to inundating one administrator—that is, in this case, President Bradley— with questions, complaints and worries could be to hold more frequent forums with other administrators. The forum with Bradley proved that this format is one that students respond to, so it could likely be successfully replicated with other administrators. Furthermore, a forum with an individual dean, perhaps advertised in a VSA email with the intent of the forum and/or a short description of the appropriate types of questions to pose to that particular administrator, could clear up some of the confusion students have about communicating their problems and concerns. For instance, Dean of the College Christopher Roellke recently hosted an open meeting on April 12 in the Old Bookstore, inviting students’ input on Vassar’s revised curriculum, which will begin in Fall 2020. The Intensives Committee intended to inform and include students in the decision-making process, but unfortunately, the notice wasn’t delivered to students until the same day of the meeting. With the sheer number of administrators em-
description are made available to the public, but they are dense, officious texts. Furthermore, due to the interdependency of different offices and the very particular responsibilities of each administrator, students often find themselves going in circles as one administrator refers them to another, and that administrator to another and so on, in search of the correct person to contact. It is important that the College expand its efforts to make information easily accessible to all members of Vassar. Disseminating documents at Orientation is one way to provide first-year students with immediate and necessary information regarding the structure and resources on campus, and it is crucial to sustain these efforts throughout students’ time at Vassar. More readable and accessible documents, and more frequent forums and meetings, would be steps in the right direction. If the information exists in an accessible way, students will find and use it. We at The Miscellany News encourage the administration to work toward creating positive relationships with the student body. Let’s put more faces to the names we see in our inboxes; we want to know and be able to converse with and depend on the people that make up the leadership of our college. –– The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.
Suffocating campus culture stifles students, hinders rest Catherine Bither COLUMNIST
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ollege can be suffocating, especially when living on-campus, as the majority of Vassar students do. Sometimes, it can be difficult to separate spaces of work from spaces of relaxation. Seeing your professors walking their dogs on campus and being able to view academic buildings from your bedroom window does much to foster a close campus community, but in return, it makes it hard to truly separate yourself from school. How can you lead an independent life when you live on a college campus? I find it tough to relax on campus. Vassar never sleeps. Although the grounds are cloistered and shut-out from the rest of the world, there is always something going on. The library is always open. Security patrols night and day. The Deece is always looming in the foreground, beckoning you to consume some late night snack. Your friends are always a text, a call or a five-minute walk away. It’s overwhelming. Personally, I feel more dependent here at Vassar than I felt at home. At home, I was tasked with getting myself where I needed to go, either through public transportation or our family vehicle. I shopped for groceries, made my own meals, cared for my sister, cleaned, did school work, managed a work schedule and engaged in a few extracurriculars. I felt active in an adult life, and this was normal. At Vassar, however, the meal plan controls what we put in our bodies. Food is abundant and everywhere and often goes to waste. We are assigned rooms and roommates randomly with little thinking or foresight. Our bathrooms, hallways, parlors and classrooms are kept in near-immaculate condition for us with little student acknowledgement to our staff. Although all this is done in order to help students focus on their schoolwork, it instead takes away the agency that college students are
searching for and need. Without control over what we eat, where we sleep and having every facility cleaned and primed for us, students have no tasks but school. This does not prepare students for the real world. In the real world, we must cook, clean and be able to get ourselves places that may be further than walking distance. Dependency is far from what college students on the cusp of actual adulthood require. The underlying feeling that students must constantly be doing schoolwork pervades across Vassar’s campus, in addition to college campuses across the country—it is often seen as the most overwhelming aspect of college students’ lives. Watching a show, reading a book for pleasure or engaging in a personal creative endeavor are all commonly regarded as a waste of time. If it can’t be graded, it’s worthless. This unhealthy message stifles students’ creativity and places disproportionate significance on grades, deteriorating students’ well-being in the process. This constant busyness lends itself to the classic “work hard, play hard” mantra, a mentality ubiquitous across college campuses. After a hectic week of classes, performances, rehearsals and sports practices, students are encouraged to unwind by partying. Although going out can be enjoyable and serves as a way to meet new people, become closer with friends and let loose, a campus culture fixated upon going out as a sole means of recuperation is incredibly unhealthy. Instead of recovering from the stresses of the pre-finals grind by taking time to sleep, reflect and relax, students are pushed to distract themselves from their troubles instead of recovering from them. The toxic pairing of perpetual work and the subsequent need to party creates a cycle that is hard to break. For many students, it seems impossible to escape this loop. Eventually, stu-
dents may feel that the only way they can unwind from the stresses of the week is through partying, an idea that is completely untrue. The scope of this culture on campus is difficult to observe while at Vassar. Until staying off-campus for a few days last weekend, I did not realize how intense of an importance Vassar places on both working and playing hard. I also did not realize how fatigued my body and mind were from this ongoing process.
“Without control over what we eat, where we sleep and having every facility cleaned and primed for us, students have no tasks but school.” After having slept for the better part of a day, I was confused as to why my body felt the need to sleep for so long, even though I had slept a decent amount the night before. I analyzed my behaviors and habits over the past few weeks and began to understand. Constantly being around people, both friends and strangers, the unending amount of schoolwork and the pressure to blow off steam through partying had taken a toll on my body that I could not consciously feel until I rested. I finally understood that you cannot both work hard and play hard, and that this common practice leaves no room for “resting hard.” Students must honestly evaluate their work, party and rest habits in order to analyze whether they are treating their bodies with the respect they deserve. Students must find time to relax and disengage from Vassar, perhaps through
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
listening to music or calling family and friends back home. Students must also find time to engage in creative activities that they enjoy. Regardless of the medium, creativity is vital to existence, and is also healing. A de-emphasis on the importance of graded work lowers stress and gives students an outlet through which stress can be funneled. It is also important that students escape from the confines of campus every once in a while. Although many Vassar students believe that the surrounding area has little to offer, I am inclined to believe that these students have not truly attempted to engage in activities outside of Vassar. Here in the Hudson Valley, we are not only surrounded by nature and historic monuments, but are also just a few hours from the city. An $8 train ride away is Beacon, where one can explore local shops and climb the beautiful Mt. Beacon. Poughkeepsie offers the Walkway Over the Hudson, shows at the Bardavon Opera House and tours of Adams Fairacre Farms, among the countless shops and restaurants scattered around the city. Simply going on a walk off campus allows students to separate themselves from Vassar and live independently, even if it is for just a few hours. Vassar’s campus itself contains secluded spots that are perfect for reflection and relaxation. Exploring the trails around Sunset Lake, the Vassar Farm and little enclaves hidden around campus allow one to dissociate from overwhelming people, due dates and events, surrounded solely by the company of nature and oneself. Although it would be difficult to fully eschew the dependency and “work hard, play hard” mentality that Vassar fosters, it is possible to mitigate their influences on your own life. Despite the overwhelming power college has over our lives, the suffocation of college can be alleviated.
OPINIONS
Page 14
April 19, 2018
VC must contemplate consequences of meat consumption Bryan Fotino
GUEST COLUMNIST
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s Vassar students, we strive to create positive change in our greedy, racist and ultimately destructive society. But can we meet this goal when we fill our bodies with exploited non-human bodies? When we fund the perse-
connected, and that a fully intersectional worldview needs to go beyond the human species. “If we viewed other beings the way we view humans, it would be genocide, child abuse, and exploitative labor,” Schneck said. Long-time VARC member Tonya Ingerson ’18 went vegan after watching “Cowspiracy.” I too
and snacks. We’re also continuing to work with campus dining to expand vegan options, and to reinstate Meatless Mondays. Moreover, VARC hopes to collaborate with more orgs, as we did when we brought vegan activist and Black decolonial theorist Aph Ko to Vassar. Academically, VARC is petitioning the Col-
able to the human feminist movement. On a similar note, Isabel Schneck ’19, who went vegan after learning more about the lifestyle choice from her boyfriend, finds it unfortunate that veganism is sometimes associated with
was shocked by the documentary, which shows how, though animal agriculture accounts for a whopping 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the profit-driven meat and dairy industries have manipulated the government into
lege to offer Human-Animal Studies courses, or at least to incorporate discussions of animal exploitation in current curricula. Later on in the semester, we hope to host a panel on veganism and to protest Vassar’s annual deer slaughter. All of this will be done with the goal of creating a campus consciousness that recognizes speciesism as a legitimate form of oppression. Members of the Vassar community need to realize that veganism is, in Scheck’s words, “not a loss or a sacrifice, but an opportunity for growth.” Veganism is not about giving up animal products. It’s about giving up on a system that has perpetuated violence for far too long, while refusing to give up on all that’s good in the world. Having read this far, I personally hope that you’ll go vegan, if only for the rest of the day. As new member Joseph Nowacki ’21 said, “Take it slow, every bit has an impact.” Maria recommends the app Happy Cow to help you find restaurants with vegan options, but it doesn’t even have to be that hard. “It will never be easier to try new meals than being in a dining hall,” said Ingerson. “You just have to scoop it on your plate.” In other words, you can combat animal, environmental and human oppression by simply going to another station at the Deece. Ingerson went on to say, “Vassar students talk the talk, but hardly ever walk the walk. Animals matter to me and climate change scares the shit out of me. Although one person won’t shut down a factory farm alone, we shouldn’t think that way. A compassionate world has to start from somewhere, and it might as well start with us.” So when ignorant politicians pull out of international climate agreements, do protest. But also remember, every time you eat a piece of chicken, you’re perpetuating oppression too. Is that who you, as a Vassar student, as a socially just human being, want to be?
Courtesy of Vassar Animal Rights Coalition
cution of undocumented factory farm workers? When we needlessly contribute to climate change, drowning Asian and Pacific Islander nations? Vassar Animal Rights Coalition, or VARC, responds to these questions with a simple truth: meat is not progressive. To save the world, and to save ourselves, we must eat more veggies, and VARC is working tirelessly to bring this message to the entire campus. Although VARC has been around for decades, meetings were generally poorly attended and events were minimal, until last semester. Thanks to veganism being “the fastest growing movement in the world,” in the words of member Gabriela Maria ’18, as well the donation of much-needed funding due to Maria’s association with a PETA offshoot, VARC has been able to put on a myriad of events. These have included a screening of “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,” a cruelty-free makeup giveaway and a bake sale in support of Dutchess County SPCA. This year, we’ve also attended Hudson Valley VegFest, hosted a vegan cheese tasting, visited Woodstock Animal Sanctuary and more. Another active VARC member is Gelsey White ’19, who went vegetarian in high school when she saw lobsters in a grocery store, destined to be slaughtered. After visiting an animal sanctuary with VARC, she felt inspired to take her activism a step further and go vegan. “One of the most important parts about being a vegan is getting support from others,” said White, which she found primarily through VARC. I agree with this sentiment, and don’t know if I could’ve maintained my veganism had I not met others on campus making similar lifestyle decisions. White also appreciates VARC’s emphasis on intersectional justice, as do I. We both believe that we cannot achieve animal liberation
when communities of color are denied access to healthy, plant-based options, just like we cannot eliminate racism when we eat meat. White commented on the topic, “Ideas from one issue can be applicable to others.” From my perspective, this means that a value like the liberation of dairy cows and egg-laying hens can be translat-
Pictured here, members of VARC visit Woodstock Animal Sanctuary. Items on the agenda for the org this year include petitioning the College to offer Human-Animal Studies courses and holding a panel on veganism, as well as protesting Vassar’s annual deer cull. wealthy white people who want to feel sad for animals and hug trees, without caring about any other movements against oppression. Veganism is rarely discussed, but when it is, I’ve found that it often carries connotations of privilege and wealth. In contrast, Schneck believes that veganism can be “a way to combat multiple modes of oppression, promote a different view of other beings and the Earth, and restore symbiosis and equality.” Schneck, like many of us in VARC, views her veganism as one effort to actively oppose the abuse of animals that has created society as we know it. What pushed her to go vegan was the realization that the exploitation of human beings and non-human animals are inter-
Please, Tell Us More! Prof. John Long, Jr.
COGNITIVE SCIENCE & BIOLOGY DEPTS.
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Professors: What is a topic, idea, theory or breakthrough related to your field of study that you find absolutely fascinating or feel very passionate about? Explain why. then you have to own that we evolved, and that building consciousness took time. Millions of years of time. I’m not saying that consciousness is unknowable or beyond science. But where we stand today is that the scientific record, as I read it, holds no clear pathway for humans to design and make a machine that will have—or be capable of having emerge—human-style consciousness. Knowing that situation may change, for the moment I worry not about bots. This new segment is designed to be a space in which professors from any discipline are invited to talk about whatever topic related to their work that they find absolutely fascinating. If you are interested in contributing, please write a 300500 word response to the question shown above and email your piece to Steven Park at eupark@@[at]@vassar. edu along with a picture of yourself or something relevant to your topic (examples include research projects, independent work or labs).
Courtesy of Wikipedia
hose of us who build robots used to be jocular when friends and family, looking for the insider’s perspective, asked whether robots were going to take over. “No worries!” I’d say, “When they chase you, just head to shag carpeting and close the door.” That glib response was buttressed by scientific truths: while robots might best us at repetitive factory tasks requiring precision and strength, no robot has been able to approach our ability to perform a range and variety of homestyle physical work—like standing, walking, grasping, tossing, and jumping. Just as important, when surprised, we humans adjust our actions quickly to achieve our goal, or we change our goal. For humanoid robots, even if the goal is a simple one, like “move to the other room behind that closed door,” they fail. The best ones have been slow, prone to falls, and toddler-proud when they manage to negotiate a few stairs. Until now. I was blown away by the most recent model of Atlas, the humanoid robot created by engineers at Boston Dynamics. Last November, the company made videos available of Atlas do-
ing jumps, flips, and sticking landings with the grace of a gymnast. “The world’s most dynamic humanoid,” they claim on their website. I agree (and, full disclosure: I am not on their payroll). You might say: “Ahah! Now you must be worried!” But I’m not, still, even though my joke about shag carpeting and doors no longer works. My comfort with these athletically impressive machines stems from at least two features of human psychology that I reckon drive our fear. First, when we worry about a robot revolution, we are often worried about our own personal loss of control and purpose in a rapidly changing world of work. You see this in the media as the “Robots Are Taking Our Jobs!” headline. Second, any sci-fi take-over scenario—be it Skynet, Cylons, or Westworld’s Hosts—requires the magic of emergent consciousness, a Deus ex Machina plot device in reverse, creating instead of resolving conflict. Poof! Consciousness! But there’s no science behind that fiction. Yet. As it stands, we don’t have a comprehensive theory of consciousness in lifeforms, let alone what is necessary and sufficient for consciousness in a machine. What we do know is that in organisms consciousness didn’t emerge spontaneously: even if you hold that only humans are conscious,
downplaying this reality. Ingerson, who is also zero-waste, described how she only receives praise for reducing her plastic and paper consumption, whereas her veganism tends to be met with more negative reactions. She has had to deal with “shitty people, rude comments, teasing, and jokes,” which to her are far worse downsides to veganism than her inability to eat a cheeseburger. Yet through VARC, Tonya and the rest of us can celebrate our veganism without social stigma. We can show our friends, show our community, that we are not alone in our advocacy for compassion. So what’s in store for the future of VARC? On Sunday, we’re hosting an Earth Day extravaganza complete with a bouncy house, games,
Atlas, a bipedal humanoid robot built by Boston Dynamics, can perform human-like actions like jumping and doing backflips, prompting many people to express both amazement and fear.
The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
April 19, 2018
OPINIONS
Letter to the Editor from The COALITION The COALITION CW: This letter discusses rape and sexual assault. Dear Vassar College Campus,
W
e are writing to you as members of the Vassar COALITION, a group of students and administrators dedicated to education, activism and advocacy around sexual health and anti-violence. A few weeks ago, one of our coalition members came across a New York Times article titled “Yale Student Found Not Guilty in Rape Trial” (The New York Times, “Yale Student Found Not guilty in Rape Trial,” 03.07.2018). This article describes the March 2018 trial and verdict of the 2015 rape that happened on Yale’s campus. We were particularly struck by the verdict, victim blaming language and analysis of “evidence” used throughout the trial. Given the historical and contemporary relationship between Yale and Vassar, we felt the need to bring this into our campus’ consciousness, especially in the wake of the Vassar College Survey of Social Behaviors and Student Experiences Results (Vassar College, “That’s What Happens Here: The Vassar College Survey of Social Behaviors and Student Experiences, 2017,” 2018). We want to locate the trial’s verdict within the larger issue of sexual assault and interpersonal violence on college campuses and the ways in which academic institutions and justice systems approach these issues. As representatives of SAVP, CARES and the Women’s Center, we frequently engage with the topics of interpersonal violence, harassment, sexual assault and trauma. We recognize the multiplicity of ways in which survivors often face victim shaming and unfair standards. This particular case brings us to think critically about the ways defense counsel and media coverage have unfairly portrayed the circumstances surrounding the assault. In so doing, we have become deeply disturbed by the presentation of the defense counsel’s arguments and the language and bias The New York Times has used in their reporting. Throughout the trial, Mr. Khan’s defense team “worked relentlessly to discredit the account of the [survivor]” (The New York Times). They critiqued her Halloween costume “and asked her why she had not chosen a more modest one,” and dissected previous text messages between her and Mr. Khan. Moreover, Mr. Khan’s defense team used her high level of intoxication as a way to discredit her account—ignoring that Connecticut law constitutes sexual assault in the first degree (A or B felony) as the engagement “in sexual intercourse with another person and such other person is mentally incapacitated to the extent that such other person is unable to consent to such sexual intercourse” (Connecticut General Assembly, “Sexual Assault of a Physically Helpless Person, Section 53a-70,” 12.13.2012) with the understanding of “mentally incapacitated” as meaning “that a person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling such person’s conduct owing to the influence of a drug or intoxicating substance administered to such person without such person’s consent, or owing to any other act committed upon such person without such person’s consent” (Connecticut General Assembly, “Section 53a-65,” 12.13.2012). To be clear, what you wear and how much you drink never invites sexual assault or harassment. It is important to note that the disappointing conduct of the legal process in Connecticut is not reflective of the work of the Vassar Title IX Office. There exist state and college-level protections that are much more comprehensive than those offered by the legal system. Title IX
affirms the active, sober, non-coercive nature of consent and does not tolerate victim blaming as seen in the Yale court case. The issues surrounding the Title IX office are complex and exist and operate within a larger federal framework. The Office invites dialogue from students to make information more accessible. We want to affirm that Vassar administration and the Title IX Office are in complete support of the safety and well-being of students, and the directors of Title IX are working in solidarity with students to end interpersonal violence on college campuses. Vassar’s Title IX Office is equally as determined as students regarding their dedication to ending sexual violence. This week, members of the coalition had a conversation with Vassar’s Title IX Coordinator and Lead Investigator wherein they emphasized the importance of affirmative consent when investigating and understanding a case of sexual misconduct and in fostering a campus climate with zero tolerance for interpersonal violence. We believe that The New York Times, in the process of their reporting, did not do enough to emphasize affirmative consent. They also failed to point out that the victim blaming on behalf of defense counsel falls into a greater pattern of systematic inequalities which exists within the criminal justice system and often serves to discredit the experiences of survivors. We ask students to think critically of the journalistic sources they read. The facts journalists choose to include and conversely leave out of their reporting can be more impactful than the “truth” or validity of the facts used. We must not take the stereotypes, injustices and inequalities that journalistic sources perpetuate and affirm as truth. We must not become complacent in letting journalism trump the ways in which we come into our own understanding of the world. Rather, we must infuse our academic skills and consciousness with our passion for social awareness and change. It has become more common that popular media and journalism report what they perceive as fact, which we then accept. We cannot become numb to this. We cannot assume that someone else will take on the task of standing up and speaking out. We have seen in many instances that in the face of injustice, Vassar students are the first to stand up and speak out. While Vassar students, we face immeasurable pressure, stress and work. However, we must persist. We must challenge one another to ask questions, to think critically about journalists’ sources and potential biases. In light of this incident, we urge our campus to: • Develop a coalition of individuals, stu dents, administration and faculty from across offices and departments to discuss the influence of gender inequality, discrimination and violence in our fields. This working group should be anti-violence at its core, and work towards collaborative change. a. Increase support for programs like Title IX, SAVP and SART i. SART Advocates should receive honorariums. • Develop sustainable education and training about issues of sexual assault and interpersonal violence through course curriculums. We urge professors to introduce, into the classroom, the intersections and implications of gender inequality, discrimination and violence in their fields. a. Perhaps this initiative requires pro fessors to dedicate one class each se mester to discussing how these top ics intersect with their course. b. Professors must incorporate vio
•
•
•
lence prevention into their class rooms and syllabi. This includes: i. Trigger Warnings and Content Warnings ii. Advertising their status as “Re sponsible Employees, Private Re source/SART Advocate or Confi dential Resource” iii. Professors must also have SAVP/ SART and Title IX resources and materials in their office at all times. c. Faculty and Administrators must participate in annual trainings regard ing gender discrimination, gen der-based violence and sexual harass ment (education and prevention). Advocate for Media Literacy Residency and Education a. Media Literacy Definition: Media Literacy is the ability to access, ana lyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms. Definitions evolve over time and a more robust defini tion is now needed to situate media literacy in the context of its impor tance for the education of students in a 21st century media culture. b. We urge professors to encourage their students to think critically, ask questions and challenge journalism and media; students should be provid ed with the tools and knowledge needed to hold media and journalism accountable. c. We encourage departments and of fices to provide and promote pro gramming related to media literacy. d. Students: Stand up and speak out in any way that you can. Trust your own expertise and utilize the tools within your community to challenge journalism and motivate change. e. Media Literacy Residency—the Women’s Center is proposing a res idency by a media literacy expert, Jennifer Pozner, in the Fall of 2018. They need funding and support to make this week long residency highly effective and successful. We see this as a great way to foster collaboration and continued dialogue about issues of media literacy. Further develop Safety and Security Training to include support protocol during their CRC role as liaison to SART. a. Students should feel safe and sup ported when seeking connection to a SART advocate. Refuse to let the momentum of anti-violence movements die out.
As we look at the ways we can improve the anti-violence movement at Vassar, we must continue to place an emphasis and urgency, on continued cross communication, and dialogue between the various offices on campus. This trial occurred in the midst of a national conversation about consent that has for some reason not translated in larger conversations about sexual assault, harassment, violence and misogyny on Vassar’s campus. In recognition of the work of anti-violence movements and in solidarity of survivors, we invite you to join us in wearing denim on Denim Day (http://denimdayinfo.org). Wearing denim on April 25, 2018 is a tangible action you can participate in to combat the popular victim-blaming trope of clothing as an invitation for sexual assault that was highlighted throughout this case. In Solidarity, The COALITION
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Word on the street Is a hotdog a sandwich? “No, it’s not a sandwich.” –Abrianna Harris ’21
“*long pause* Yes?” –Emily Frank ’21
“I say it is.” –Melyssa Cave ’20
“My inclination is to say no, but I’ll admit I don’t have a strong justification.” – Andrea Everett ’20
“It’s not a sandwich.” –Jane McLeod ’20
“When I said yes my friends told me to go home.” –Takunda Maisva ’19
Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR & SATIRE
Page 16
April 19, 2018
Breaking News
From the desk of Leah Cates and Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Editors
Frustrated with next year’s room assignment, student evicts house fellow family and dog from apartment Pre-registration culpable for student’s pre-midlife crisis Blair Webber
DRAW NUMBER 666
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Courtesy of Samana Shrestha
ccording to concerned friends, Avery Sharpe ‘20 has not left his room in over a week. The cause of Sharpe’s collapse was initially unclear. “I thought it might be because he was going through a breakup,” Brett Richards ‘20 speculated. “I heard all this crying and a phone call. He said something about priorities in life and the importance of honesty. It turns out he wasn’t even dating anyone, he just didn’t know what classes he wanted to take next year.” Pre-registration sneaks up on everyone, but Sharpe found himself especially unprepared for his junior year. After a long period of cajoling, Sharpe finally elaborated on his feelings. “THERE IS NO GOD!” Sharpe screamed through the door of his Cushing double. When pressed for details about this controversial opinion, Sharpe replied with soft weeping and a series of gurgling noises. In hopes of illuminating how the situation deteriorated so quickly, Sharpe’s neighbor, Mary Park ‘20, shared two conversations she had in passing with Sharpe the week before. “He was standing outside his room with his head against the door, so I said, ‘Hey, Avery, is everything ok?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I just can’t decide between two classes that I really want to take next year.’ I laughed and said that was a good problem to have, at least he wasn’t desperately trying to get enough credits. One tear fell down his cheek. A couple days later, he was lying on the floor in the MPR, so I said, ‘Hey, Avery, is everything ok?’ and he said, ‘I have to find one more full-credit class. I don’t know what to take,’ and I said, ‘Oh no. That’s the worst. Let me know if I can help.’ He never did. Now I have to listen to him throw things in his room all night, and I can’t sleep. I would talk to him about it, but he locked himself in his room, so I can’t really bring it up casually,” said Park.
Sharpe’s roommate, Troy Bressman ‘20, had a slightly different perspective on Sharpe’s isolation. “I don’t spend a lot of time here anyway. I have some friends in a TA. I’m usually there. We play Grand Theft Auto, it’s dope. It would be nice to get my toothbrush out of the room, though. My teeth are starting to feel kinda mossy,” said Bressman. The Office of Residential Life has been notified about the situation with Sharpe. They simply stated, “Unless he has an extension cord, we can’t do anything right now. He has to leave by May 23.” Sharpe offered another peek into his psyche. “I’VE BEEN FORSAKEN! WHY DOESN’T ANYTHING MEET WHEN I CAN MAKE IT?” Sharpe followed this statement with a few indiscernible moans and shrieks that would be difficult to express in written language, but may have sounded something like, “HhiiIIIEMARGGAAA.” In an attempt to be helpful, Sharpe’s academic adviser offered to help resolve his scheduling conflicts. So far, all of the time management worksheets she has slid under his door have returned in shreds, apparently bitten to pieces by Sharpe. Cushing House Team has discussed removing the door from its hinges to grant support personnel direct access to Sharpe. No steps have been taken yet to follow through on this, but one house team member did climb a large tree to try to see into Sharpe’s window. Results were inconclusive, since Sharpe’s shade remains drawn. “I don’t care who’s climbing trees, I need to sleep. It sounds like a horde of jungle animals in there every night,” said Park. Having fled once again to his friend’s TA, Bressman realized he, too, needed one more full-credit class in his schedule for the coming semester. “I have three research papers to work on,” said Bressman. “I can deal with this during pre-reg part two or add period in the fall.”
After learning about Sharpe’s meltdown, his academic advisor courageiusly decided to take matters into her own hands by awkwardly visiting students’ living quarters and personally delivering time management sheets to her struggling advisee. To her dismay, Sharpe returned the now-shredded sheets in a matter of seconds.
‘Hey, Hannah that’sGaven greatandadvice!’ Ask the two Mice of Main Josie Schermerhorn, Certified Advice-Givers Dear Mice of Main, Everyone at Vassar seems to have their own unique style, but I can’t seem to find mine. I always end up wearing athletic gear, and I just bought a new pair of purple Crocs. How do I branch out and find my own style that is appropriate for both class and comfort? In a While Croc-odile Dear In a While Croc-odile, It seems you already have a style: elementary school chic. While Crocs are something most of us have grown out of, it’s never too late to take off the Silly Bandz and buy a pair of shoes that don’t have holes in them. The first step to determining your style is binge watching “Queer Eye.” That will give you the motivation to reach out to a friend who is willing to style you. The next step is burning your Crocs. The final step is shopping! Try on something from every rack. It will be emotionally draining, so make sure your squad is there to give you advice.
Dear Mice of Main, I can’t find sources for my neuro paper. It’s on the effects of orgasm on the brain. I might just need to conduct my own study; any ideas for what exactly to do? —Feeling High and Dry Dear Feeling High and Dry, Research is a lot of work. We decided to help you and write a procedure so you can get it done quickly! First, gather a bunch of people with vulvas (we suggest mass emailing the school so you will get a large sample size). Next, acquire a bullet vibrator, a rabbit vibrator and a washing machine. Then, schedule individual meetings with each eager participant. For a good introduction, ask questions such as: “How often do you masturbate?,” “Do you use penetrative sex toys?,” “If you were a dildo, what color would you be?” and “Do you like butt stuff?” Finally, test and record participants’ pleasure responses to the various stimuli (self, sex toy and partner). Make sure that you wash the sex toys between uses!!!
Dear Mice of Main, This girl and I were touching pinkies at the amazing Vass Shakers performance last night. I think she might be into me, but right now we are just friends. She’s had some pretty amazing ex-girlfriends, so I want to ask her out in an unique and special way. What should I do to woo her and snag the date? —Fingering Something Out Dear Fingering Something Out, You should draw a scene of the two of you on your wedding day with all of your family surrounding you and crying out of joy. This will require you to research what her family members look like, so show up to her house and take pictures during family dinner. If she lives too far away, then Facebook stalking will do. You could give her flowers (that squirt out water), so that when she grabs them, she’ll get wet. Hopefully, she’ll be impressed by your magic. Just remember, rabbits can only stay in top
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
hats for a couple hours, so plan to do that trick immediately when you see her in the Deece. Or you could sleep with her best friend and then have her friend tell her how good you are in bed. This might cause some drama, but it will just make her want you more. And if it doesn’t work out with her, you can have her best friend. Finally, you could try asking her a wouldyou-rather question, such as “Would you rather swim through a pool of shit or dead bodies?” Depending on her answer, fill the Vassar swimming pool with dead bodies or shit; she chose the first date! If she picks the bodies, then either kill a bunch of people or dig up bodies from the graveyard. If she chooses the shit option, you can pour the school’s sewage into the pool. Feeling sleep-deprived, wretched, heartbroken and/or generally disoriented? Send any and all questions you want answered to Hannah (hgaven[at]vassar.edu) and/or Josie (jschermerhorn[at]vassar.edu) with the subject “Mice Advice.” It’s guaranteed to help!
HUMOR & SATIRE
April 19, 2018
Page 17
Prolonged telephone game inspires dramatic narrative Izzy Migani
DISGRUNTLED REAL ESTATE AGENT
I
they’re forever trapped in a job that doesn’t fulfill them. Just a job to make ends meet. Just something to put food on the table, nothing more and nothing less. There is no paradise here, only a means to an end. This story isn’t about that, though. There was just a palm tree in the corner that someone desperately needed to water. Who is in charge of the plant maintenance anyway? Well, the bush woman was over there sniffing it and whispering things to it. “Who are you again?” [redacted] asked. The woman from the bushes, with her deathly smell, made [redacted]’s stomach sick as if stuck on a roller coaster of death. “I’m Gwendolyn Cilantro Smith,” she said. “You smell horrible,” #$% said. “Shut the hell your mouth,” Gwendolyn snarled. #$# sighed impatiently. “I’m done here.” He pulled out a box of matches and a gallon of gasoline no one had noticed before. “We gotta cover our tracks, what do you say?” The two women nodded. They grabbed the gasoline and set about pouring it out. Gwendolyn paused before the dying palm tree. The poor thing didn’t deserve to live in an awful office where no one cared for it, a manifestation of the employees’ dying hopes and dreams. Gwendolyn carefully picked it up and carried it outside as #$# prepared to light a match. As the three new friends proudly watched the real estate broker’s office go down in flames, they reflected on what they learned from this night’s journey. ##&$ fantasized about all the pigeos he would catch when he took that job in NYC, where the real estate broker business would relocate after their office and documents were all mysteriously destroyed and all of their employees took this as an excuse to finally quit.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
n a dark and cold Chicago alley, a young woman strolled along the cracked sidewalk. She was searching for the man in the blue hat. He always wore that blue hat. He wore it in his Instagram photos and his Snapchat stories as if it was glued to his head. Has anyone ever seen him without that hat? No, that would just be weird. While on her daily search for the man, something caught her eye and she paused her favorite song, “Conga” by Gloria Estefan. Squatting among the pigeons and feeding them bread, a blue hat stuck out like a sore thumb. Although bread isn’t actually good for them, he probably means well and is just looking for some friends. She thought it might be him, but he always seemed like a “doggo” type of guy, so she hesitated. Frozen in doubt, she tried to check his Instagram to see if maybe he did like pigeons,maybe he was that weird and onto a new trend. Maybe we’ll start calling them “pigeos.” She was so distracted thinking of how pigeos might become the next hot trend that she almost didn’t notice him walking away. She ran after him, now frantic in her movements. “You, sir!” The man in the blue hat did not respond. “Hey #$%!” He turned around. “Who, little old me?” he asked innocently. “How did you know my name was #%&? Have we met?” “Did anyone ever tell you you’re handsome?” “Oh no, sir. It is my first time out of doors, and Papa forbade mirrors in the house, lest we fall victim to vanity.” The young woman nodded. “That is some rea-
sonable parenting there.” “And what do they call you, doll?” #$% asked. “My name isn’t doll, #$%,” she replied. “It’s [redacted].” “Well [redacted],” said #$%, “let’s head down to the ol’ sodey shop and get us some root bear floats?” “What’s a root bear float?” “It’s slang for a condition involving liver bloat.” Another young woman appeared out of the shadows. It was she who talked about having a bloated liver. [redacted] and #%&! gasped. “Yeah that’s right. It’s me. Hell yeah.” She held a dramatic pause for precisely threeand-a-half minutes. No one dared to speak, instead waiting for her to end the sweet, awkward torture. “You pieces of dry bread wanna buy a house?” [redacted] and #%&! shrugged. “Why not,” they figured. “Hell yeah. Let’s go.” They passed the ol’ sodey shop on their way to the real estate broker’s office. [redacted] asked if anyone wanted to listen to “Conga” by Gloria Estefan, but she was quickly shot down by a disgusted look from #%&!. Who does this guy think he is? Gloria created not just music, but art. Anyways, she let this one slide so they could continue on their journey. The woman from the bushes smelled like old banana bread with playdough mixed in, whatever one would imagine that smelt like, but man was it questionable. Once at the office, the crew looked around wondering if this was the right real estate broker for them. There was a dying mini palm tree in the corner, perhaps to remind the staff of a warm sunny place that wasn’t here. A constant reminder that
Pictured above is the severely dehydrated palm treee. It remains unclear who is responsible for watering the plant. Whoever it is, that individual is doing an awful job.
HOROSCOPES Hannah Gaven
AMATEUR ASTROLOGIST
ARIES
March 21 | April 19
TAURUS
April 20 | May 20
GEMINI
May 21 | June 20
CANCER
June 21 | July 22
LEO
July 23 | August 22
VIRGO
August 23 | September 22
It’s time for some of those toxic friendships to go. As it’s almost the end of the year, now’s the time to separate yourself from your friends who fart excessively in your room, frequently nap in your bed and wipe their noses on your sleeve.
LIBRA
With spring cleaning season underway, it’s time to go through your closet. I know there are a lot of things you don’t wear anymore. Donate them. If you’re really feeling generous, you could donate all of your clothes and then proceed to live in a nudist colony.
SCORPIO
Gemini, you know what you need to do. Pluck those nose hairs. It’s nice to have them around through the winter so your nose will stay warm. However, with spring fever and all the pollen, ripping out those pesky hairs is a good idea. This way, you’ll be breathing clearly and serving looks. Time to clear out your roommate. Room draw is underway, and now is the time to ditch the old roomie for a single or maybe a new roomie. If you still can’t seem to get away, you could always suffocate them in the night.
I know that your desk is just as cluttered as mine. Take this next week to wash the dishes that you’ve stolen from the Deece, remove the ladybug colony and burn all of the extra (and probably important) papers from your classes.
The stars tell me that you haven’t done laundry since the fourth week of school. Make your mom proud and throw in a load. You can get away with only washing the essentials: underwear and socks. Don’t worry about the towels; those are meant to clean you.
September 23 | October 22
October 23 | November 21
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 | December 21
CAPRICORN
December 22 | January 19
AQUARIUS
January 20 | February 18
PISCES
February 19 | March 20
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Now is the time to clean yourself, Libra. Maybe you haven’t showered in a week (same). Let’s break out the shampoo and body wash! Just remember to go to the bathroom before you get in the shower because the warmness and sounds of dripping water make you feel like you have to pee. When was the last time you checked your refrigerator? Is it running? Because you should go catch it. (Just kidding!) On a more serious note, you may have month-old milk in there that you should dare a friend to drink. While it is currently the time to start bringing things home, you should consider bringing a bedpan to school. Your friends may question it, but you will be so happy! Not only can you stay in your room forever, but you can also poop alone!
Don’t lie, Capricorn. We all know that you haven’t cleaned your floor. EVER. Today is the day to crawl under your bed and find that duster. Be careful though because dust bunnies are rabid and will go for your soul.
You seem to be on top of your spring cleaning, Aquarius. Take the extra time in your schedule to help out a friend. Wash their mugs, help fold their delicates and even brush their hair. If they need a lot of help, you could even sing them lullabies.
It’s been a long time since you’ve updated your playlists. You can spice things up by adding short descriptions. Consider giving informative information such as, “I can play 60 percent of these songs on ukulele (just please don’t test me because I can only play the first four).”
SPORTS
Page 18
April 19, 2018
Don’t hate the tank
Thoughts from the Editor A
h, playoff time, what a wonderful time of the year! With a surprisingly competitive first round beginning to percolate, there has been an endless barrage of overwrought anal-
that want to be bad. It is the modern phenomenon known as tanking, a process by which NBA general managers and coaches trot out subpar rosters in order to merit a top pick in the following year’s draft. Commissioner Adam Silver is well aware of
by drafting and developing it. Unicorn players are far and few between, a rarity found most often at the pinnacle of draft boards. Gaining a top pick can therefore alter the direction of a franchise. Thus, tanking seems like the new path to winning. General management has embraced a cut-
onship-chasing is beginning to revert back to the Jordan-Magic-Bird era of team loyalty and extensive rebuilding. The consequence is that teams must require superstars young, and tanking has proved the best means by which to do so. There is no solution to a problem now so em-
ysis and matchup hype. Looking through all of the great basketball minds who have kindly offered their opinion on the playoffs, I actually think it was Charles Barkley (yes, that infamously incorrect goofball) who summed it up best. “There’s nothing like the excitement of the first couple days of the playoffs, Ernie, because all the bad teams are eliminated,” said Chuck from his usual seat on TNT. “All the teams that stink, they’ve gone home” (Instagram, [a]nbaontnt, 04.15.2018). Without a doubt, the NBA product is one that is stronger than ever before. However, if there was one stain on the impending golden era for the league, it must be all those lowly teams rounding out the bottom of each conference. According to NBA statistics, nine teams finished this season with fewer than 30 regular season wins, while only three teams won a mediocre 30-41 games, showing a huge drop-off after the playoff contenders. Just like the rest of the country, the NBA shows signs of intense inequality. The root cause has been the league’s worst-kept secret. Bluntly put, there is an entire class of teams
the problem, but the league general offices have yet to conjure up a viable solution. “My sense is we’re still going to have some work to do,” said Silver after meeting with owners in Manhattan this past Friday. “We recognize that our goal was to put the best competition on the floor, and it’s balanced against legitimate rebuilding of some teams. But I know we’re not there yet, and I certainly wasn’t satisfied [this season]” (ESPN, “Adam Silver: New tanking reforms may not be enough to address issue,” 04.14.2018). Silver has been a strong guiding force for the growing prosperity of the NBA, but his assessment of tanking remains a little misguided. Although tanking certainly isn’t ideal, it is not pervasive enough of a problem to warrant a change. Rather, tanking is a natural consequence of the reality of the modern basketball landscape. The NBA continues to position itself in such a way that it is controlled by a small, elite group of dominant players. As a result, any team that wishes to compete must harbor a superstar. For small markets, the only path to gaining that type of talent is
ting-edge mantra: utilize the draft as the focal point of a rebuild. The most compelling and prominent storyline from this year’s playoff is the emergence of the Philadelphia 76ers, who have set the precedent for “The Process.” Young teams suffer through years of lousiness, tank well enough to draft their stars, and then attract their final pieces through free agency. Over in Boston, the inverse formula holds true: draft a plethora of strong contributing talent, and then pick up a superstar by way of free agency or trade. As a deep wave of young talent continues to enter the league, tanking becomes more and more of a legitimate option. As young talent moves into its prime, the era beyond the LeBron years will likely lack a central figure, creating a more even distribution of stars. The days of brute force superteams (LeBron’s “Big Three” effect) will one day be a relic of the past. In a surprising turnaround, recent trends show that it has become fashionable for superstars to adopt their city and prioritize loyalty. Revolutions are cyclical, and the NBA is no exception. The LeBron-KD era of consistent champi-
bedded in the league’s fabric and so strongly connected to the league’s future. With superstar culture, the NBA simply cannot support 30 good teams. Tanking, ironically, becomes the only way for bottom-feeders to remain competitive. So, instead of crudely overhauling the draft, why not embrace the new league culture? Tanking should be made a competitive race within itself. Rebuilding teams should give guys like fan-favorite Andre Ingram more chances, adding some excitement to the final 10-game stretch of the regular season. In fact, bad teams are good for the NBA; they allow superstars to be even more appreciated. Everyone loves to see James Harden or LeBron James take an opportunity to go off for 40 or 50 points. Tanking creates a beautiful love-hate relationship. Being a fan of a rebuilding team now comes with a silver lining—the vindictive hope that your team can one day be really good. When “The Process” eventually does pay off, fans will bask in the glory and brag about how they had suffered through it all.
Mack Liederman SPORTS EDITOR
Chelsea fan reminisces on ‘Sho’ is sight unseen in over less blue times for the Blues a century of ‘The Show’ t has been a confounding and depressing season to be a Chelsea fan. A few months ago, things were looking up. Chelsea had climbed to second in the Premier League table by the new year. But the 12 league games of 2018 have seen Chelsea take just 15 of 36 possible points. The Blues have slid back into fifth position. In fifth, and deservedly bounced from this year’s Champions League by a good (not great) Barcelona side, Chelsea will not qualify for next year’s Champions League. The performances have been as bad as the results. The team has leaked weird goals. The attack has been prone to invisibility. Antonio Conte has gotten lineups and formations wrong on too many occasions. The team has at times looked passionless and tired. According to soccer analytics website Understat, Chelsea’s advanced stats (expected goals and expected goals against), affirm what fans have seen all season: Chelsea is just not a top-four team. Which, zoomed in, is fine; these things happen. Missing out on next year’s Champions League hurts, but it’s just one season. It’s the zooming out that troubles me and suggests that Chelsea lacks direction and identity. In the eight seasons beginning in 2003-4, Chelsea finished in the top three every year. Since the 2010-11 seasons? Sixth, third, third, first, tenth, first and now fifth. The most tried-and-true method of consistent European soccer success—in domestic leagues without the salary caps and revenue sharing of the major American sports leagues—is outspending your opponents. In the Premier League, both Manchester City and Manchester United are committed to this method, both doling out massive amounts in the recent transfer markets. Chelsea as a club seem reticent to follow suit. In the last few markets Chelsea has declined to spend on the highest quality (As Manchester United did
at the club’s unwillingness to aggressively pursue his desired transfer targets. As a fan, I’m fine with the club wanting to keep a balanced budget; I don’t need Chelsea to be Man City. The problem is that high expectations still hang around the club, evidenced by Chelsea’s 12 managers in 10 years. With such expectations ever-present, each rough patch becomes a crisis. Such is the life of a Chelsea fan. While the club has seemingly rejected the Manchester model, so too has it rejected the model of Liverpool and Tottenham, who spend considerably less than both Manchester clubs, yet have put together strong, exciting sides. More importantly, both teams are trending up thanks to the time granted to their respective managers, which allows the imposition of tactical systems, player development and smarter, steadier roster formation. Chelsea have opted to carve out a path to success in some strange middle ground. Their signings in the last few transfer markets have been downright strange, honestly (Danny Drinkwater for 37 million euros? Davide Zappacosta for 25 million euros?). Signings like those appear neither reasoned enough to address long-term needs nor inspired enough to help in the short term. They’re not building for the future, yet they’re also not assuring consistency in the present. So instead, Chelsea’s managers are tasked, year after year, with making their sides equal more than the sum of their parts. Conte did so brilliantly last season. Mourinho did so two seasons prior. Still, you just can’t do that every year, and when managers inevitably are proven unable, they get the sack. This environment of perpetual drama means that normal dips in form infect the club disproportionately, leading to ninth, tenth and fifth-place finishes. Some fans are okay with this model. They argue that yes, it’s brought disastrous seasons, but it’s also produced titles, which is more than Liverpool and Tottenham can say for themselves. But is it sustainable? I don’t believe so. Top players want
in landing Paul Pogba) or spend on quantity (As Manchester City did in buying pricey—but not astronomically so—defenders Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker and Danilo). Conte has repeatedly voiced his displeasure this season
Champions league football every year, not every two or three. There are only so many managers like Antonio Conte capable of inspiring and transforming a side like he did last season. Chelsea needs a course correction.
Myles Olmsted GUEST COLUMNIST
I
he number one fun fact endlessly bandied about by baseball-loving children is that Babe Ruth, the famed, fearsome slugger of our pastime, the ruthian Babe Ruth...was actually originally a pitcher. Ruth wasn’t just any pitcher. He won 20 games twice for the Boston Red Sox. The larger-than-life Bronx Bomber was, it turns out, a reliable hurler for the Sox. Ruth achieved that pinnacle feat of pitching success for a second time in the year of 1917. At the time, many players were overseas for military service in World War I. Since then, no Major League Baseball player has made a serious pass at performing on the highest level as both a hitter and a pitcher. The idea is borderline laughable, as it takes unique skill sets and physical aptitudes to either pitch or to hit—and field. Many chalk up Ruth’s ability to perform on both sides of the ball to the notion that the level of physical prowess back then was not nearly as high, not nearly as professionally optimized as it is today in the days of diligent body engineering. It is within this context that “Sho” has absolutely taken “The Big Show” by storm in his rookie season, having arrived this winter from the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, a Japanese professional team. Through two starts, Shohei Ohtani has 18 strikeouts and a pair of wins. That would be enough to fuel the hype-train of a young Japanese import, but pitching isn’t Ohtani’s only trade. The new Los Angeles Angel also blasted three homeruns in his first 10 Major League games. From this vantage point, it seems the stories about Ohtani being a professional-caliber pitcher and hitter aren’t just true, but they actually may be somewhat understated. This did not all come out of nowhere, how-
and held down a 2-0 lead for eight shutout innings (ESPN, “The one baseball’s been waiting for,” 04.06.18). Much has been made of Ohtani’s iron-will to take on these sorts of unprecedented challenges. Testament to his ambitious attitude is the decision to come play in the United States. By leaving Japan at the age of 23, Ohtani forwent his right to a market-dictated free agent contract. The slugging ace did not want to wait another two years to challenge himself, even if it meant the loss of a potential nine-figure contract in his mid-twenties. Ohtani’s club, the Los Angeles Angels, play in the American League, where a ninth hitter can be put into the lineup in place of the pitcher. This allows the Angels both to use him as a hitter when he pitches, and to use him as a hitter without putting him in a potentially arm-strenuous fielding position. But the aforementioned single-game heroics will probably not be the norm for Ohtani in the Major League. The team does not intend to play him every game. Though baseball is commonly chided for being a largely sedentary sport, the immense repetition involved in a 162 game schedule means that most players are seriously worn down by the season’s end. Ohtani is taking on two times the normal physical load that a professional player in the Major Leagues does. For reference, even Ruth did most of his career hitting and pitching in separate seasons. In each the two seasons that Ruth graced the plate and the mound for the Red Sox, he pitched less than 20 games. With this simple math in mind, the Angels are being prudent by limiting their rare commodity to one or two fewer games in the batter’s box per week. Though these are only early returns, and though Ohtani has undoubtedly had a distinctly successful start that will almost certainly not
ever. In Japan, Ohtani debuted as a double-duty professional at the tender age of 18. In one game a season ago, the sensation hit first in the batting order and started the game on the mound. He launched a homerun to start proceedings,
carry on in the same manner, it is becoming increasingly hard to deny that Ruth’s mantle is being taken up. For baseball fans everywhere, the “Sho” is a must-watch.
Jonathan Levi-Minzi GUEST COLUMNIST
T
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
April 19, 2018
SPORTS
Page 19
Lax celebrates Georgalas, battles Clarkson to exciting end Michael Mullen snagged the ball away from the goalie in midair, tossing the ball into the back of the net. The teams’ offenses fired back and forth, but defensive efforts held the game scoreless for six minutes. However, as the Golden Knights moved the ball down the field, they were able
midfielder this season, and has been a leader on the defensive side.” This season, Georgalas has played in 11 games, securing 11 ground balls and causing five turnovers. Throughout his career, the senior has collected an impressive total of 55 ground balls and caused eight turnovers. Georgalas said: “All of the memories and friendships I’ve made over the past four years will stay with me forever. The younger guys are already a very talented group and continue to make me proud.” The senior has inspired his teammates through his dedication and grit, commented junior midfielder and fellow captain James Thomas. “It’s not always easy to come out to practice with the same energy and intensity everyday, but he has managed to do that for the past three years,” Thomas said. “To me, what speaks a lot about him is his perseverance. Having two knee injuries and never giving up speaks a lot about his leadership.” Georgalas’ role off the field has helped welcome younger players to the team, and aided them in adapting at the collegiate level. “Alex consistently demonstrated the work ethic that we all need to be successful in our league,” recalled sophomore midfielder Kyle Cherry. “He also made every effort to include the underclassmen in team activities, and was always the first to offer advice if someone needed it. Alex has been a leader on the field with his daily hard work and energy, and is a great friend off the field because of how much he cares for everybody on this team.” After honoring the senior for his contribu-
to fire a low-angle shot into the top right corner of the cage. Just over a minute later, Stebel spun by his defender, ripping another shot. Deflecting off the foot of another Clarkson defenseman, the ball found the back of the goal, giving the Brewers a 2-1 advantage halfway through the first quarter. While the Golden Knights found another goal in the next minute, junior goalie Matt Boyd made the following stop, clearing the ball upfield. Once on the offensive half, Thomas found first-year standout Tomás Meade on the goal line, where he fired an underhand shot right through the legs of Clarkson’s goalie to end the quarter 3-2. The opponents came out fired up in the second quarter, racking up three goals off of 16 shots. While the Brewers got off 13 shots in the first period, they only had four throughout the second. Thomas identified this deficit as one of the contributing factors to the tight loss. “At some points, the offense struggled when we really needed to keep putting up points. Our off ball movement started to waver, and it’s hard to beat a strong defense without a lot of movement,” he recognized. Two minutes into the third period, the Brewers found themselves down a defenseman due to a penalty. Clarkson found an open man on the offensive end and put the ball into the back of the net. A minute later, the Golden Knights were able to repossess the ball and score once more. Down 4-7 halfway through the third quarter, the Brewers found their fire. With four minutes in the period, Thomas found Mullen open to the right of the net. Taking the space his defender
tions to the program, the men’s lacrosse team stepped onto their home field to face Clarkson University. Coming off of a well-fought, onegoal loss to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, ranked 20th in Division III, the team felt confident in their ability to give their opponents a tough fight. Their desire was evident as soon as the first whistle blew. Less than one minute into the game, junior midfielder Dekker Stebel shook his defender and fired a shot on goal. While the ball deflected off of the goalie, sophomore attacker
gave him, Mullen set himself up at the low angle and powered an underhand shot into the far low corner of the net, cutting the deficit to just two goals. On the next Clarkson possession, Thomas caught an attacker with a check from behind, causing a turnover. First-year defender Zach Henig secured the loose ball, dodging his way by two Clarkson players for the successful clear. Fellow first-year Michael Killion provided the outlet for Henig, racing downfield. The passing sequence continued, as Killion found junior
Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon
LACROSSE continued from page 1 Despite the fact that he has suffered a second knee injury and surgery, Georgalas has showed the utmost commitment to the team. “Alex again turned his attention to rehab and being an emotional leader at practices and games,” Graham continued. “He’s played very well as a defensive
Men’s lacrosse senior captain Alex Georgalas poses for a photo on his senior day. Georgalas is the lone senior on this year’s team, and has been a strong presence both on and off the field. midfielder Evan Burns in front of the net. Burns threw an underhand shot past the goalie’s strong side low, for his first goal of the season. The Brewers entered the fourth period down by two with fifteen minutes to play. Right off the bat, Clarkson’s highest-scoring player finished his third goal of the day. However, the Brewers refused to back down, and Vassar defenders held off the Golden Knights for 12 straight minutes, causing four turnovers to give the Brewers offensive opportunities. With over seven minutes in the last quarter, Stebel used his speed to trip up a defender and secure his second goal of the day with a powerful shot into the far side of the net. Vassar once again found themselves behind by a mere two points. Neither team could secure another goal until Clarkson powered their way into the center for one last score in the final minute of competition.
ability to compete at the highest tiers. “It’s not like we are getting blown out,” Coach Graham agrees. “We just haven’t played a complete game and been able to finish four entire quarters.” The experienced head coach, voted part of the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year last season, noted shooting efficiency and winning ground balls as contributors to the tight loss. “Our shooting efficiency was not strong, with only 13 of our 28 shots being on goal. We had only five shots on goal in the second half, with only one in the fourth quarter. While we had an unusual struggle on faceoffs, I thought we also could have done a little better securing some of the loose balls on the draw.” However, these components are ones that the coach and players feel very capable of improving for the season’s final two conference games.
The Brewers’ goalkeepers both had strong roles in keeping their team in the game. Boyd has performed tremendously this season, racking up 127 saves for a .540 save percentage. Against Clarkson, the junior had six saves in the first half, while fellow junior goalkeeper Erik Mikelinich had eight saves in the latter two periods. Despite this close loss, the Brewers have had strong performances in all of their matchups this year. Against five different top-20 teams throughout this season, Vassar has proven their
Playing with their usual intensity, the Brewers have the potential to win both of these matchups. Coach Graham said: “We need to stick together and support each other if we hope to finish strong and give ourselves a shot at Liberty League playoffs.Saturday is now a mustwin game for us, so we have to pull out all the stops this week to prepare for the game and get the win.” The men will face off against Union College in Schenectady this Saturday at 1 p.m., and Skidmore College next Wednesday at 1 p.m. on Vassar turf.
Women’s golf hits home in Invitational Mack Liederman SPORTS EDITOR
P
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon
Courtesy of Jamie Chagnon
laying for the first time this season in their neck of the woods, the women’s golf team took to the links of Casperkill Golf Club this past weekend to play in the Vassar College Invitational. After the opening round, Vassar sat in fifth with a score of 332. Pacing the Brewers was first-year Margaret Liu, who put together a strong first-round by posting a 80. Liu’s performance was good for a ninth place tie. Up next, sophomore Andrea Han tied for 11th with a score one stroke off the pace of Liu. Windy conditions and cold temperatures on Sunday led for the second round of the Invitational to be cancelled. The Brewers will travel to Amherst College for the Jack Leaman Invitational next weekend.
SPORTS
Page 20
Why
we
Julia Blass
GUEST COLUMNIST
R
owing is, admittedly, a kind of niche sport. The only way I found out my high school even had a rowing team was through my friend, who decided at the end of eighth grade that she would
Julia Blass, Rowing
play
one thing. Gymnastics was all thinking about controlling every muscle in your body, and then also pointing your toes. Rowing was a sport where I could think less and just move, and at the time that really contributed to its appeal. I was smaller than most of the other girls on
so broad that I actually ripped the seams of a shirt I had owned for years. We worked hard because we had high hopes for the team’s future. When I joined the team, it was not taken seriously in the local rowing community. I’m from greater Boston, and if you know anything about rowing you know
ships and making it onto the leaderboards of regional competitions. It took almost 4 years, but at the end of my senior year my lightweight 8+ came in second in New England and qualified to compete in the youth national championships. Though I know this sounds very cliché, I will never forget
the crew team. I was practically the same size as the coxswains, the people whose main thing going for them was that they were small. So I threw myself into rowing because I felt I had something to prove. I loved the hard work—the whole team did. During the journey from novice to varsity to upperclassman, my teammates and I watched each other get visibly stronger. All the freshmen girls suddenly had real biceps. My shoulders grew
that Boston is a rowing hub. There’s a lot of area competition, and my first year, we were at the very bottom. My year wanted to be the generation to change that. The team worked so hard, enduring the craziest coaches, workouts and weather to become one of the top teams in the area. I worked harder than I ever had to move my way into the top boat and stay there. We started winning state champion-
that day. There are few things in my life I had ever wanted so badly. Four fall seasons, four springs, four long winters on the ERG, one summer training camp, practice on the morning of my high school graduation, going home early from vacation for preseason—it had finally paid off. I loved rowing so much, and I got to exit my high school rowing career on the highest note I could have hoped for. I didn’t think I was going to row in college. I always knew that I was too small and not fast enough to get recruited, so I applied to colleges assuming I would not be rowing. I decided to go to Vassar independently from my desire to row, but upon arriving here I found that it was something I really missed. Through rowing, I found strength in myself that I never knew I could access and discovered that I could do things I didn’t think I was physically capable of. It seems that’s a common experience; many people who I know who row feel similarly. Rowing had become a huge part of me. The community that I found while rowing in high school was extremely important to me, and that’s why I still row. At Vassar I have found a community of women so strong that it makes getting up at 5 a.m. every day worth it. This community is what made me miss rowing hard during my semester abroad. The collective drive and desire to get stronger that comes from this team has pushed us through exponential progress in only a couple of years. Every season we only get stronger, and I’m very happy that I made the decision to keep rowing.
Courtesy of Julia Blass
join the crew team as a coxswain because she was “small, loud, and liked to boss people around.” I decided to go with her even though I didn’t know anything about the sport. At the time I was growing disillusioned with gymnastics, a sport I had been doing since I could walk, particularly with the individualistic nature of the competitions. I learned that I hated being center stage and that I didn’t like being constantly judged. Shocking! My gymnastics coach used to get angry with me because I wouldn’t smile during my floor routine. I told her I forgot to smile because I was focusing on doing all my skills correctly. She told me that I needed to smile or else I would get point deductions. We got into an argument about it—why should I get deductions for something as inconsequential as my facial expression? If the skills were there, that’s all that matters. I didn’t think anyone would tell me to smile in the boat, and that was appealing. I decided to join rowing because I wanted to be a part of a team that actually acted like a team, and I figured you can’t get any closer than being stuck together in a boat. Rowing was not what I expected. The focus was on raw speed and brute strength, neither of which I had as a short and scrawny 14-year-old. But I was coming out of gymnastics, where everything revolved around chasing perfect form in execution of complicated skills, and this was a welcome change. I only have to think about pulling on the oar at the same time as everyone else? That’s just
April 19, 2018
Pictured above (center) is junior Julia Blass, who made the switch from gymnastics to rowing at the age of 14, and has continued to row throughout her college career.
ADVERTISEMENT Men’s Baseball
Vassar College 6, Clarkson University 1 April 14, 2018
Vassar College POS
Clarkson University
AB R H RBI BB
Player
POS
Player
AB R H RBI BB
CF
T. Blough
5 3 4
0
0
RF
N. Burns
4 1 2
0
0
2B
B. Kinne
3 1 2
5
1
1B
W. Coleman
4 0 1
0
0
3B/RF B. Rubin
4 0 1
1
1
LF
B. Pearson
3 0 2
1
1
1B
E. Trausch
3 0 1
0
1
C
M. Krick
3 0 0
0
0
C
J. Doyle
4 0 0
0
0
DH
D. Pariso
4 0 1
0
0
SS
M. McGannon 3 1 1
0
1
SS
J. Stockman
3 0 0
0
0
DH
M. Schwartz
3 0 0
0
0
PH
Z. Riccardi
1
0 0
0
0
RF
T. Smach
3 0 0
0
0
CF
B. Knauf
4 0 1
0
0
3B
M. Hernandez 1
1 0
0
0
3B
Ruiz-Sierra
3 0 0
0
1
LF
E. Strickland
3 0 0
0
0
2B
M. Messier
4 0 1
0
0
PH
E. Layne
1
0 0
0
0
LF
J. Salerno
0 0 0
0
0
33 6 9
6
4
33 1
1
2
Totals.......
Pitcher
Totals.......
IP
H
R
BB
SO Pitcher
M. Mullock 8.0
7
1
1
1
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
8
IP
H
R
BB
SO
R. Corcoran 6.2
7
3
3
4