The Miscellany News | April 29

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The Miscellany News Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com

April 29, 2010

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

Volume CXLIII | Issue 22

Seniors STUDENTS ELECT 25th VSA COUNCIL surpass gift goal 2010 fundraises for financial aid Kathleen Mehocic/The Miscellany News

Jillian Scharr News Editor

T

he Senior Class Gift Committee reached its goal of $15,000 last Tuesday, April 20, at 4:03 pm, according to outgoing Vassar Student Association (VSA) Vice President for Operations and Chair of the Senior Class Gift Brian Farkas ’10. As of Tuesday, April 27, the class gift total is $15,885.47, according to its website. “I think we’ll continue to go beyond that,” speculated 2010 Class President Selina Strasburger ’10. “I’m really excited and proud—of not just our class, but everyone who gave. The whole school has really rallied behind this gift.” “I think there was a concern that when we reached the goal people would feel like they didn’t have to give but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case,” said Strasburger. Benefits from the gift will be immediate, said Farkas; the money will help finance the Class of 2014 and students returning to See CLASS GIFT on page 4

Outgoing VSA Vice President for Operations and Elections Committee co-Chair Brian Farkas ’10 and Outgoing Noyes President and Elections Committee co-Chair Hannah Groch-Begley ’12 announce the winners of the recent VSA elections on April 26. Mathew Leonard ’11 was elected to the position of VSA president for 2010-2011. Caitlin Clevenger News Editor Aashim Usgaonkar News Editor

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ll voting completed and all results tabulated, Vassar students packed into the Retreat Monday, April 26, to hear the results of the Spring 2010 elections for the Vassar Student Association (VSA), announced by VSA Vice President for Operations and Elections co-Chair Brian Farkas ’10 and President of Noyes and Elections co-Chair Hannah Groch-Begley ’12.

Mat Leonard ’11 was elected to be the 25th VSA President in a highly contested presidential race of four candidates. Leonard defeated runner-up Stephanie Damon-Moore ’11 by just 25 votes. A record-breaking 1,526 students voted in the presidential election, about 54 percent of Vassar’s student body. “I am both thrilled and honored to be elected. This election reflects the continued commitment to democracy at this school, and

I would encourage all students, not only those elected, to remain active in their government. It requires the voice of the students to make a successful VSA. This upcoming year, I will be working hard to make sure that the VSA is a tangible presence and powerful advocate for students—something that can only be done with continued input from everyone,” wrote Leonard in an e-mailed statement. Vassar’s 25th VSA Executive

Board will be comprised by a group of candidates with diverse qualifications. The positions of vice president for student life and vice president for academics will be held by outgoing President of Raymond House Syed Samin Shebab ’11 and outgoing President of Strong House Laura Riker ’11, respectively. Outgoing Sophomore Class President Tanay Tatum ’12 will be vice president for activi See ELECTION on page 4

Holder advocates service Matthew Brock Senior Editor

“T Image courtesy of Flickr.com

he responsibilities of protecting the progress our country has made, and of overcoming the many challenges still before us, now fall on the shoulders of today’s leaders, teachers and students. They fall on you,” said Attorney General of the

Danielle Nedivi Reporter

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alifornia has Coachella, Tennessee has Bonnaroo, Chicago has Lollapalooza, England has Glastonbury, Scotland has T in the Park… and now, Poughkeepsie will have ViCEPOKalypse. You read correctly—Vassar will get its very own bona fide music festival on May 4 at the Ballantine Field, organized by Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE). The event will take place on the last day of

classes. “It will be the last hurrah before the final stretch,” said ViCE Finance Director Nick Marmet ’10. Over 10 bands will play from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on two separate stages. The roster will include diverse musical styles, covering everything from psychedelic rock to traditional Sierra Leonean music. ViCE is hiring local vendors to give out free food, which will include treats such as ice cream and Molé

Inside this issue

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FEATURES

The right way to get a hot dog from a restaurant

Molé tacos. “It will make the experience accessible to the entire student body,” wrote ViCE director Peter Denny ’10 of the music festival ambience in an e-mailed statement. ViCEPOKalypse got its unique name from incoming ViCE Assistant Director Sarah Morrison ’11, whose creative play on words embodies much of what the event is about. The “ViCe” and “POK” embody collabo See ViCE on page 16

14 ARTS

Attorney General deliver his lecture entitled “On Public Service and the Common Good.” He was introduced by United States District Court Judge Richard Roberts ’74, his long-time friend. “I wondered what he authorized the Justice Department to say See HOLDER on page 3

“For many of you, public service is not only a top priority but also a central part of your daily lives.”

The Screaming Females, pictured above, will perform at ViCEPOKalypse on May 4 on Ballantine Field. The event is organized by Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE) and coincides with the last day of classes.

ViCEPOKalypse is upon us

United States Eric Holder as he charged students to devote their lives to public service in his address in the Vassar College Chapel on April 22. Hundreds of students, faculty members, staff, press and local high school students crowded into the Vassar Chapel to hear the

Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States

CCP proposes new policy on academic forgiveness William Crane Guest Reporter

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assar’s Committee on Curricular Policies (CCP) passed a proposal recently that will afford students the option to retake a course if they receive a grade of D or D+. It now has to be approved by a majority of the faculty at their

Philaletheis performs the Bard’s “Complette Works”

next meeting in order to be implemented. The proposal, originally submitted to CCP by Dean of Freshmen Benjamin Lotto, would allow students to “request to repeat a course in which they receive a grade of D+ or D by submitting a petition to the Committee on Leaves and Privileges.”

19 SPORTS

The proposal differs for freshmen, whose requests would “ordinarily…[be] granted automatically,” while “sophomores, juniors and seniors must provide a statement explaining the academic benefits of repeating the course; requests will be evaluated based on those state See CCP on page 4

An American’s guide to the upcoming World Cup matches


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