The Miscellany News
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
April 26, 2018
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CL | Issue 20
Junot Díaz delivers Peer therapy takes form of theratea 2018 Krieger Lecture Abby Knuckles GUEST REPORTER
Pazit Schrecker GUEST REPORTER
n 2008, author Junot Díaz won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his novel, “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” In 2012, he received a MacArthur Fellowship, colloquially referred to as “the genius grant.” On April 18 of 2018, Díaz came to speak at Vassar. The lecture was not scheduled to begin until 8 p.m., but by 7:30 p.m. more than half the seats in the Villard Room were filled with excited members of the Vassar and greater Hudson Valley communities. Dean of the College Christopher Roellke spoke first, briefly detailing the history of the lecture series and thanking the benefactors who helped bring Díaz to campus. Díaz’s talk was the latest installment in the annual Krieger Lecture series. Each year, parents Betty and Lewis Krieger sponsor the lecture in honor of their son Alex Krieger ’95, who was killed in a car accident during his first year at Vassar. Past speakers include Tom Wolfe, Oliver Sacks, Michael Chabon, Gail Collins, Mo Rocca and, most recently, Zadie Smith. When Roellke introduced Díaz, the audience erupted into loud and
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or a long time now, I’ve had a borderline obsession with high-quality tea. If you ask me, there are few pleasures in this world as fine as making and drinking the perfect cup of tea. So last summer, when my future roommate Samantha Steeves ’21 told me that she drinks green tea from a Keurig, I assured her that I would demonstrate the ways of delicious loose-leaf tea. Anyone who has come into our room can see from the carefully labeled canisters on her dresser that I’ve thoroughly succeeded in that endeavor. In my humble opinion, taking the time to stop and smell the tea leaves—both metaphorically and See THERATEA on page 10
Jessica Moss/The Miscellany News
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instantaneous applause. After the applause and shouts of excitement had died down, the author opened his talk by describing the time he spent as a student in college working to bring artists and speakers to campus. Díaz then began to read a piece of his that had been published in The New Yorker in 2011. The story, entitled “The Money,” gave a window into his early life in the United States and his mother’s decision to send money home, similar to that made by many other immigrant families. He read, “My father was always losing his forklift jobs, so it wasn’t like [my mother] ever had a steady flow. But my grandparents were alone in Santo Domingo, and those remittances, beyond material support, were a way, I suspect, for Mami to negotiate the absence, the distance, caused by our diaspora. She chipped dollars off the cash Papi gave her for our daily expenses, forced our already broke family to live even broker” (The New Yorker, “The Money,” 07.13.2011). He went on to detail the theft of this money while his family was on a road trip. He described discovering who stole the money, See LECTURE on page 4
Here’s a relic from the writer’s first ever theratea! The warm ambiance of the tea is filtered through the chocolate biscotti perched on top of the mugs. The conversations and stories that accompanied the tea remain a mystery.
India’s rape crisis turns political Sasha Gopalakrishnan ARTS EDITOR
CW: This article discusses abduction, sexual assault and murder. n January 2018, eight Hindu men— including four police officers and one minor—abducted, raped and murdered Asifa Bano, an eight-year old Muslim girl from the Kathua district of Kashmir, India. They drugged
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her and locked her in a Hindu shrine, repeatedly gang-raped her for several days and then left her dead body in the forest after bludgeoning her to death with a stone and strangling her with her own scarf. Belonging to a nomadic Muslim community in a state—and indeed a country—that is predominantly Hindu, Asifa was unlucky enough to be a religious minority during a time
when Hindu nationalism is sharply on the rise in India. After all, the men who raped and murdered her did so in an effort to drive her family out of the region, defiant of the fact that this Muslim family would take their sheep and goat out to graze on Hindu-dominated land (Los Angeles Times, “Why India’s rape crisis is getting worse unSee RAPE CRISIS on page 6
Students, Houses Light the Night Baseball splits matches in non-conference play Izzy Braham
ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR
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Kelly Pushie REPORTER
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Courtesy of Noah Pliss
s May rolls around and stressed Vassar students hustle from one class to the next, bounce from office hours to endless group project meetings and of course prepare for those upcoming essays and tests, fun and relaxing weekend events become ever-more important to students’ sanity. On Saturday, April 21, Light the Night, the annual bonfire and music event put on by Raymond and Strong Houses, brought a lively energy to Joss Beach. This year, the event featured student bands including The Roundabout Ramblers, The Morning Moon, Mayla 40, Lumber Party and Midway. There was also a performance by the Barefoot Monkeys, a Polaroid booth, Rita’s Italian ice and bonfires with s’mores. Raymond President Noah Pliss ’20 commented in an email statement, “The event is really centered around the idea of campfires and how they bring people together. People come to sit around campfires with the intention not only to roast marshmallows, but also to enjoy warmth with others.” The event was crafted as a cheerful bonding activity to bring the campus together before the school year ends. The hosts further highlighted the creative and community-building asSee LIGHT THE NIGHT on page 7
Light the Night, a joint bonding event on Joss Beach by Raymond and Strong Houses, featured multiple bonfires and s’mores, performances by student bands and the Barefoot Monkeys, Rita’s Italian Ice and a photo booth.
Inside this issue
11
Prof illuminates history, brings light to FEATURES mystery
15
Trump mental health speculation OPINIONS not helpful for nation
he Vassar baseball team took on two opponents in back-to-back double headers this past weekend. The Brewers hit the road to compete with Moravian College on Saturday, April 21, and then headed back to Prentiss Field to match up against Lehman College at home. The Brewers lost two close games on Saturday, both decided by a single run. For VC, juniors led the scoring in the first game: Jake Doyle was 2 for 3 with a homer from Matt Schwartz. The second game proved to be livelier on the offensive end, but the Brewers were unable to hold off Moravian and fell in their second game. The following day, VC took on Lehman College for another double header. From the first two innings, the Brewers had a stronghold on the game: Vassar scored twice in the bottom of the first inning and came back strong after Lehman put up two runs in the top of the second, answering with three runs in the bottom of the second. The Brewers exploded for four more runs over the course of the game, compared to the Lightning Bug’s two, securing the 9-4 victory
20 SPORTS
for the Brewers in their first matchup of the day. While the team’s offense in the second game of the day was equally explosive, the Brewers had an incredible defensive game, only allowing Lehman to drive in one run the whole game and finishing out the weekend with a 9-1 victory. After their four-game weekend, the Brewers are now just over .500 for the season, sitting at a convincing record of 14-13. The Brewers have had a stellar season so far, picking up three wins each against St. Lawrence University and Skidmore College and picking up one win each against University of Rochester and Clarkson University. The Brewers were able to pull out two conclusive wins on Sunday after a tough day of games on Saturday. Senior captain Bobby Kinne, who is amongst the top players in the Liberty League, commented on the challenges each weekend can bring. “The biggest difference between the two days was our execution. On Saturday we made a few uncharacteristic mistakes that cost us in two tight games,” Kinne explained. “But on Sunday, we were much more prepared and executed on a higher level. The guys have been so See MASCULINITY on page 19
Tennis player gets reflective in personal retrospective
The Miscellany News
Page 2
April 26, 2018
Editors-in-Chief Emma Jones Talya Phelps Elena Schultz
Senior Editor Leah Cates
Contributing Editors Eilís Donohue Rhys Johnson
Courtesy of Brendan Wirth
Brendan Wirth ’19 encountered these sled dogs during a study-tour to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, which was part of a paleoclimatology course with DIS Copenhagen. Wirth describes, “Since Kangerlussuaq is north of the Arctic Circle, Greenlandic sled dogs are used for dogsledding. Greenlandic sled dogs are only able to live above the Arctic Circle, and are fairly rowdy dogs. We were not allowed to pet the dogs, as they have a tendency to fight amongst themselves—even while pulling a sled ... Sometimes the dogs get off track, and the driver has to jump off the sled and run ahead of the dogs to direct them. I’ll leave them unnamed, but when my classmates and I tried to direct the dogs this way under the guidance of our driver, several of us may have face-planted in the process.” To read more about Wirth’s adventures, and those of fellow JYA-ers, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!
The Miscellany News 26 April
Thursday
Late Night at the Lehman Loeb: Art Majors Talks 5:00 p.m. | Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center Atrium | The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
Underrepresented identities in STEM 5:00 p.m. | The Bridge Indoor Cafe | Women’s Center
Fireside Chat with Mitch Seider
Weekender_ 27 April
Friday
Ice Cream Truck 3:00 p.m. | The Quad | President’s Office
Bat Workshop 4:00 p.m. | The Environmental Cooperative Barn MultiPurpose Room | The Environmental Cooperative
Master Class: Northern European Art 1500-1700 from the Permanent Collection
5:00 p.m. | Joss House Parlor | Vassar Business Club
4:30 p.m. | TH 102 | The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
Talk by G.B. Tran
Red Sand Gala
5:00 p.m. | SC 212 | Southeast Asian Students Alliance (SEASA)
Virginia Konchan: Reading from The End of Spectacle, and Anatomical Gift 6:00 p.m. | TH 203 | English Dept.
2? of ??: An Interactive Interpretation of Two Gentleman of Verona 7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
Earth Science/Geography Alumnae/i Panel 7:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Career Development Office
5:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Campus Activities
2?of??: An Interactive Interpretation of Two Gentleman of Verona 7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
Make Your Own Challah 9:00 p.m. | College Center 223 | Big Night In
HEL Presents: RIP Bob Dylan 9:30 p.m. | Sanders Auditorium | HEL (Happily Ever Laughter)
28 April
Saturday
Rugby (W) vs. Univ. of Connecticut
29 April
Sunday
Holi on the Quad!
11:00 a.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics
10:00 a.m. | The Quad | South Asian Students Alliance (SASA)
Campus Crit
Shakespeare Festival
12:00 p.m. | Main Circle | Vassar Biles
10:00 a.m. | Shakespeare Garden | Merely Players
Baseball vs. Union College (DH)
Rugby (M) vs. Tri State 7 Tournament
1:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Baseball Field | Athletics
10:00 a.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics
Senior Concert: Chiara Mannarino
12:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex BR1 | Athletics
Soccer (W) vs. Marist
1:30 p.m. | Skinner Hall Martel Recital Hall | Music Dept.
AFS Showcase
2? of ??: An Interactive Interpretation of Two Gentleman of Verona
1:00 p.m. | The Environmental Cooperative Barn MultiPurpose Room | The Environmental Cooperative
7:00 p.m. | The Shiva | Philaletheis
Family Day
White Is Not Default 7:00 p.m. | Vogelstein Center Martel Theater | Drama Dept.
1:30 p.m. | Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center Sculpture Garden | The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
GET Together
Full Moon Night Walk
7:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Christian Fellowship
7:30 p.m. | Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve | The Environmental Cooperative
Indecent Exposure Stand-Up Show
Paper Critique
9:00 p.m. | SC 212 | Indecent Exposure
9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News
Late-Night Legally Blonde 10:00 p.m. | RH 200 | FWA
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
News Laurel Hennen Vigil Features Imogen Wade Andrea Yang Opinions Steven Park Humor and Satire Yesenia Garcia Arts Sasha Gopalakrishnan Sports Mack Liederman Design Rose Parker Social Media Kimberly Nguyen Assistant News Clark Xu Assistant Arts Isabel Braham Matt Stein Assistant Online Jackson Ingram Abby Lass Assistant Copy Claire Baker Jessica Moss Teddy Chmyz Web Master & George Witteman Technical Advisor Reporters Youngju Chang 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 Ben Papsun Anna Wiley
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 26, 2018
NEWS
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Alumnae give professional advice for femmes in STEM Clark Xu
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
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Courtesy of Clark Xu
The Career Development Office hosted a panel on women and femmes in STEM. Panelists included Vicki Tanovan ’93, Wendyliza Gonzalez ’03, Naomi Alpert ’12, Silvi Dore ’16 and Alex Alcantara ’17. are male. There are few women and they do work harder than men, we see that.” Addressing women and femmes seeking leadership roles in STEM, Tanovan advised, “If you have ambition and want a high-level effect, you have to come in from the highest end, PhD, MD, and then you have to come in and push hard.” The panelists gave a diverse range of insights to current woman-identified students with aspirations in STEM. Pre-med student Brynna Gleeson ’20 said, “I was surprised to hear commonalities
percent, nearly half, and just over 40 percent respectively.” An continued, “In terms of leading figures in statistics, many of these have been women. These women have in turn served as valuable mentors to raise future generation of women statisticians.” A prominent example for An is University of Michigan Professor of Statistics Susan A. Murphy. Recognized as a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and the 2016 Henry Seely White Guest Lecturer for the Vassar College Department of Mathematics & Statistics,
Murphy conducted pioneering work in the use of mobile devices to facilitate micro-randomized trials in clinical research. Students in attendance were intrigued by the complexities of the perception and representation of women in STEM. Secretary of Femmes in STEM and Biology Major Lauren White ’20 elaborated, “I really liked how Gonzalez brought up the point that even though there can be women-dominat-
going through undergrad and then grad classes in which I was the only woman in the room. Computer science was not an easy major for me, not only because of the complexity of the material, but also because I mistook the male students’ confidence to be superior understanding of the material ... I was definitely encouraged to go for both an undergraduate and graduate CS degree by my female professors and mentors. I seriously doubt I would
Courtesy of Clark Xu
long with the struggle for equal pay and equal rights, proportionate representation for female-identified individuals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers and leadership roles remains a major goal for those striving to create a more just and equitable society. Last Sunday, April 22, six alumnae spoke about their STEM work experiences with students on the Careers in STEM panel, hosted by the Career Development Office (CDO) and the student organization Femmes in STEM. “With this panel, we wanted to bring role models back on campus whose experiences are important and should be valued,” explained President of Femmes in STEM Olivia Fiol ‘20. “We had hoped that they’d bring advice and kindness, which they most certainly did! We also knew that it would be inspiring to see woman-identified individuals as successful STEM professionals.” Associate Professor of Psychology Michele Tugade ’95 moderated the panel and announced, “This is a really important gathering of brilliant and important women...If we can look at our audience today, this is the future of women in STEM.” Panelists included senior clinical research consultant Vicki Tanovan ’93, bilingual speech-language pathologist Wendyliza Gonzalez ’03, biostatistician Naomi Alpert ’12, clinical research coordinator Silvi Dore ’16 and software developer Alex Alcantara ’17. Speaking to imbalances in workplace diversity, Dore described the homogeneity of the Heart Center in Poughkeepsie and reflected, “Our practice has 36 cardiologists, and four of them are women...One of my managers is a woman, the rest are men.” Female-indentified employees at the Heart Center are concentrated at the support level, staffing the front desk and computer back rooms, and very few fill medical or supervisory roles. Dore continued, “We haven’t fully broken the ceiling; there are some limitations to change.” Tanovan, who works at ClinSolutions, a medical consulting company, agreed: “In pharmaceuticals, it’s similar. The top levels are mostly male— the CEO, the VP, the ones who make the decisions
between all of their experiences, even though they were from different majors, class years and careers.” Considering advice by panelists for women STEM students to be more assertive, Gleeson added, “I’m never really sure if it’s internalized patriarchy or if I just lack confidence because classes are really hard, since I also don’t have confidence when I talk to other women about classwork.” The Vassar alumnae/i network can also provide key support for STEM students. Gonzalez remembered her early experiences in the field, recounting, “While I was here, I reached out to an alumna in speech language pathology ... I did a shadowing experience. Later, when I was interviewing, she was the one who interviewed me, and we reconnected.” At New York Medical College, Gonzalez makes an active effort to represent herself well in order to combat prejudices about her intelligence and work ethic from male supervisors and patients. Gonzalez observed that since women fill the majority of roles in speech-language pathology, negative stereotypes have developed around the field as a soft and fuzzy science. Despite the potential challenges in facing workplace stereotypes, Gonzalez reiterated, “Your reputation at Vassar will precede you... You want to maintain and protect that reputation. No matter what you do, do your best.” In the field of statistics, Alpert, who works at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, said, “My bosses, mentors and coworkers were all women ... I’ve actually found it to be really wonderful that I found a ton of women in leadership positions ... I’m sure it’s not universal, but it is good to know that things are changing and [STEM industries] are not as male-dominated as they used to be.” Moderating the data science panel last Saturday, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Ming-Wen An contemplated areas of progress for the representation of women in mathematics. There are a few parallels between academic departments for statistics and Alpert’s experiences of the biostatistics industry. An responded, “In terms of degrees in statistics or biostatistics, the percentages granted to women for Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorates in 2016 are just over 40
At the Career Development Office’s April 22 panel on women and femmes in STEM, the panelists posed for a photo with attendees. The panel featured professors and alums working in STEM. ed fields in STEM, there’s still a lot of stereotypes around them ... It’s not the fact that there are women in the field and we can stop worrying about it, but we need to keep the conversation going.” Some of the disparities in STEM industries have parallels with imbalances in classes at Vassar. Neuroscience major Parveer Kaur ’20 reported, “Being a neuro major, my classes are pretty femme-dominated, so I kind of relate to Gonzalez. But I’ve also taken computer science and I’ve seen the huge disparity.” Kaur noted that women are vastly outnumbered by men in computer science classes. Fiol added, “Based on my own experience, it has been very easy to feel alone and excluded in some of my STEM classes, mostly by my peers. I believe that it’s incredibly important to have diverse role models because without them, it would be hard to visualize my goals.” As an employee in the digital technology leadership program at General Electric, Alcantara corroborated, “In both of my teams, both at Glen-Allen and Niskayuna, they’re all men. I’m the only person with my perspective, both as a woman in STEM and as a Latina.” Alcantara also spoke to the importance of self-confidence, especially in meetings where male colleagues choose not to respect her voice and to talk over her. Citing an experience that inspired her to work in information technology, Alcantara continued, “One of the biggest things that led me to where I am now was going to the Grace Hopper conference ... It gave me the job opportunities, networking opportunities that gave me what I needed to work in STEM.” Alcantara recommended that Vassar students continue to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, an annual conference in the U.S. that emphasizes research and innovation by women in computer science. Addressing this point, Professor of Computer Science Jennifer Walter said, “I have been fortunate to be able to attend this conference with female Vassar students for the past 16 years. I started by taking two Vassar women in 2002, eight in 2007, and more than 20 in each of the past three years.” With over 20,000 women projected to be in attendance this year, Grace Hopper was started in the 1990s by Anita Borg to address the underrepresentation of women in information technology at a time when personal computers were gaining prominence. Walter recalled, “For me, it was very difficult
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
have done it without their support.” The formation in Nov. 2017 of a Task Force on Sexual Assault and Harassment in the American Statistical Association and stories published in 2018 by the Caucus for Women in Statistics reveal challenges that women in mathematics continue to face. An detailed, “Unfortunately there are still stories of harassment at all levels, from undergraduate training to postdoctoral training and even in the workplace. Along with the MeToo movement, women statisticians seem to be increasingly opening up to share their stories.” In order to foster connections between students and alumnae/i, the CDO has helped organize over 45 events this school year. The events this past weekend also included panels on management consulting and data science. Associate Director of Alumnae/i Outreach and Partnerships Jannette Swanson elaborated, “It’s worth noting that much of this programming is collaborative—to help connect students to alumnae/i around career-related matters.” Swanson’s role is a new addition to CDO operations, and she encouraged students and faculty to reach out with any plans for programming related to Vassar’s alumnae/i network. Swanson expressed, “My hope is to make many of these programs more interactive in nature so that students are working with alumnae/i in a more applied setting while they are on campus and to get our students to visit our alumnae/i through more site visits and industry immersion trips to companies, organizations and particular cities.” For example, many graduating seniors continue to seek advice and keep in touch with mentors they found at Sophomore Career Connections. Swanson concluded, “Our alumnae/i are deeply invested in Vassar and want to contribute to the success of our students, and I see the events I organize as an opportunity to get these relationships started.” In terms of advice to students with aspirations in STEM, An concluded, “Seek mentors whom you trust and respect, and who have your best interest in mind...Find a program where you have community, not only of great mentors but of fellow trainees. These people will support you through challenging times, and will also become lifelong friends.” Urging students to develop a strong sense of personal identity and achievement, Gonzalez similarly reflected, “It took me a while to find my voice. If there’s any regret that I had [it] was that I didn’t use Vassar to develop my voice. So use your time wisely in that sense.”
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NEWS
April 26, 2018
Novelist Junot Díaz talks writing, immigrant experience LECTURE continued from page 1
year in mid March, When asked where the motivation to write the book came from, Díaz explained that more than 90 percent of children’s books are written by white authors (Five Thirty Eight, “The World Of Children’s Books Is Still Very White,” 03.06.2015). “Island Born” tells the story of a young Dominican girl who left for the United States before she had the chance to form memories. As well as discussing the lack of diversity among children’s book authors, Díaz described being inspired by his younger sister to create the story, as she had no memories of Santo Domingo, while he remembered everything about the home he lived in until age six. While Díaz came to the United States at age six, the next question came from Yorkiris Marmol ’21, who moved at age nine. She said, “There’s a certain view that when anything’s tough we just have to get over it. Do you resent the way that the Dominican culture raised you or are you grateful about it? Because at the end of the day we’re more resilient.” In response, Díaz broadened the scope from Dominican culture, stating, “I think that mainstream national cultures are really really problematic. These are complex societies, and there are things that we must value and things that we try to change. I just try to change as much as I can, that’s the game.” When asked how he defined himself as a writer, Díaz explained the impact of his cultural identity on his person, but stressed that he’s not defined by a single term or description, stating, “I think like most of us, I’m a subject in the making.” He described the representation of this in his writing, through which he has searched for his own identity. He explained, “I feel that I am trying to tell a story that permits me to make sense of myself.” The last question for Díaz was about creative writing, prompting him to offer advice for aspiring storytellers. Díaz responded by quipping, “There is more advice for creative writers than there is porn.” On this note, he did not provide writing advice, but rather life advice. He said, “If you’re really interested in being a creative writer, live more life. The future has no use for people who are anti-life. Of that much we are certain.” After ending the hour-long lecture with the final piece of advice, Díaz remained at the front of the room. As some audience members trickled out, a number formed a line, clutching copies of “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and “This is How You Lose Her” for him to sign.
Courtesy of Vassar College
reading, “So that was how I solved the case of the stupid morons.” Following the story, which wound together poingency, humor and truth, Díaz opened the lecture up to questions from the audience. Díaz’s writing style is conversational, weaving a mix of Spanish and English to tell a story. When the questions began, the first audience participant asked, “Are you used to writing in the way that people talk? Were you able to write this way in the classroom?” In response, Díaz explained that knowledge derived from one setting may be applied to another. He said, “Ultimately, as students of color, people who are from communities that have traditionally been oppressed, being tricksters is essential for our learning. It’s not like boning up on your whiteness isn’t going to help you with all your registers.” Knowledge gained through learning in an oppressive, racially charged atmosphere can still help with creative writing that breaks the bounds that normally restrain it in an academic setting, Díaz explained. Or, as he said, “All education adds to us.” Díaz then began to speak about emotional imbalance resulting from these atmospheres, stating, “The more angry and positional we get, the less education we get, the more the system wins.” After a few more questions, he read another passage of his work, this time an excerpt from his 2012 novel, “This is How You Lose Her.” The story, which showcases the colloquial nature of his writing, became a Finalist for the National Book Award and was labeled one of the 100 most Notable Books of 2012 by The New York Times (New York Times, “100 Notable Books of 2012,” 11.27.2012). He read, “I’m not a bad guy. I know how that sounds—defensive, unscrupulous—but it’s true. I’m like everybody else: weak, full of mistakes, but basically good. Magdalena disagrees though. She considers me a typical Dominican man: a sucio, an asshole. See, many months ago, when Magda was still my girl, when I didn’t have to be careful about almost everything, I cheated on her with this chick who had tons of eighties freestyle hair. Didn’t tell Magda about it, either. You know how it is. A smelly bone like that, better off buried in the backyard of your life. Magda only found out because homegirl wrote her a fucking letter. And the letter had details. Shit you wouldn’t even tell your boys drunk.” Following the reading, he took more questions. The first concerned Díaz’s new children’s book titled “Island Born,” published earlier this
Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Junot Díaz, the author of “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and “This is How You Lose Her,” spoke at this year’s Krieger Lecture. The annual Krieger Lecture honors Alex Krieger ’95, who was killed in a car accident during his first year at Vassar.
News Briefs Turkish presidential elections moved up The guessing and speculations about the Turkish parliamentary elections, which officially were scheduled to take place next November, are over. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that they will happen on June 24 of this year, almost a year and a half before regular elections were supposed to take place. The final approval for the date is in the hands of the electoral office. However, in a country that voted in favor of the presidential system last April, Erdogan’s word has long been the law (Reuters, “Turkey’s Erdogan declares early elections on June 24,” 04.18.2018). An official reason for the early elections is the escalating war in Syria and Iraq and the urgent need for economic measures, which must be passed as soon as possible. Erdogan said, “Even though it seems as if there are no serious issues because the administration and the presidency work compatably, the diseases of the old system pop up at every step,” (CNN, “Turkey’s President Erdogan announces early elections,” 04.18.2018). In reality, the early elec-
tions would cement the presidential system, which will provide even more power to an already omnipotent Turkish president. Since the failed military coup in Turkey in July 2016, Erdogan has held onto power by keeping Turkey in a constant state of emergency. At the proposal of the opposition, the introduction of the presidential system managed to pass by a narrow majority in last April’s referendum (The Guardian, “Turkey to hold snap elections on 24 June, says Erdogan,” 04.18.2018; Reuters, “Erdogan’s shock election call brings cherished powers within reach,” 04.20.2018) Officially, Erdogan’s proposal of the early elections is merely a response to the demands of the head of the Nationalist Action Party— or “Milliyetci Hareket Partisi” (MHP)—led by politician Devlet Bahceli. De jure, they are an opposition party; however, in reality, they have long supported Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). While MHP has announced that it will not run a candidate in the presidential election, the party plans to participate in parliamentary elections. Other opposition parties in Turkey are considerably
weakened, with some of their leaders in prison and shocked by a sudden announcement of the elections, for which they are completely unprepared (Bloomberg, “Turkey Considers Erdogan Ally’s Call for Early Elections,” 04.17.2018). In theory, the early presidential elections are an excellent opportunity for the Turkish people to remove their authoritarian president, who many feel has been turning the country into a presidential dictatorship ever since the 2016 failed military coup against him. However, this opportunity is only theoretical. A significant portion of the frightened Turkish voters believe that due to the looming war in the region, Turkey needs a strong, religious president (The New York Times, “In supporting Erdogan, Turks cite economic and religious gains,” 04.17.2017). Thus, it is clear that the elections will greatly benefit Erdogan, whose popularity has also risen due to the surprisingly efficient military victory of the Turkish army in Afrin, Syria, as well as the relatively strong Turkish economy. The coming months will prove more difficult
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
for Erdogan. The Turkish lira is already in free fall due to the cost of war. Moreover, further military victories in northern Syria, along the Turkish border where Erdogan plans to secure an “anti-Kurdish” buffer zone, will not be so easy to win. Lastly, the Turkish opposition has found itself in a particularly weak position due to intimidation and surprise, and it is likely it will not recover soon. Thus, this is a one-time opportunity for Erdogan (Al-Jazeera, “Why did Erdogan call snap elections in Turkey?,” 04.18.2018; Reuters, “Turkey Considers Erdogan Ally’s Call for Early Elections,” 04.18.2018). Throughout the election season, Erdogan will officially legitimize the long-planned presidential system and will likely be immediately elected for another presidential term, which, given the current situation in Turkey, will allow him to strengthen his power even further. Many critics feel that Erdogan is step-by-step destroying all democratic achievements of his predecessor, the founder of the modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. —Marusa Rus, Reporter
NEWS
April 26, 2018
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VSA Updates Consensus Agenda – Passed
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Finance Allocations • 800/1300 from Community to CHOICE for Dog Daze of Wellness (a working title) • 3675/3675 from Discretionary to Transmission for TransMission & ViCE Weekly Present: BbyMutha & Ahmerahsu • 0/500 from Collab to Cushing for Cushing Gala • 150/150 from Speakers to Vassar Animal Rights Coalition for Catskill Animal Sanctuary Lecture • 250/250 from Pre-orgs to CoOPERAtive for Giovanni and Friends: An Evening of Mozart Opera Scenes • 70/70 from Capital to Vassar Food Community for a food spiralizer and a food processor • 50/50 from Capital to BNI for Kan Jam and Ladder Ball for Founder’s Day and future use
Health and Wellness Committee • The Health and Wellness Committee is co-sponsoring a day of wellness, Dog Daze of Wellness, in the week leading up to Founder’s Day. Stay tuned for more event info! • The second campus panel regarding the What Happens Here survey was this Wednesday.
VSA Transition • The VSA Senate invited incoming Executive Board members to its meeting last Sunday. • The next meeting will include incoming Senators and Committee Chairs, and the final meeting (on Sunday, May 6) will be a joint meeting between the second and third VSA Senates.
Planning Committee • No updates. Joint Committees • At the recent Campus Investor Responsibility Committee meeting, VSA representatives voted on several proposals regarding the investment of Vassar’s endowment. • Both College Planning Senators met with Climate Action to discuss several proposals for the Sustainability Committee to review regarding the use of storm water on Vassar’s campus. • The VSA Vice President met with the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid to discuss the incoming class of first-year students. Admissions will have final statistics to report after May 1. Academics Committee • Incoming Chair of Academics May
Programming Committee
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M arusa Rus In this week’s headlines... Last week marked a significant step in United States-North Korea relations. The Washington Post reported that CIA director Mike Pompeo made a secret trip to meet with North Korean President Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang over Easter for preparatory talks about the coming summit between the United States and North Korea. According to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, North Korea agreed last week to drop its insistence that the United States pull its troops out of South Korea in exchange for talks on denuclearization. This demand had long been blocking any progress on the issue. North Korea has further agreed to stop conducting nuclear missile tests. South and North Korean leaders are meeting for a historic summit this week, while President Trump is planning on meeting with Kim Jong-un this May or June. This will be the first time the two presidents have met (CNN, “North Korea drops withdrawal of US forces as condition of denuclearization, Moon says,” 04.20.2018). Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced last weekend that the U.S. will impose a new round of sanctions on Russia. However, the White House released a contradictory statement asserting that Trump is not considering any new sanctions. White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow said, “There might have been some momentary confusion about that.” Haley replied, “I don’t get confused.” Kudlow later apologized to Haley, explaining the inconsistency by saying that there
was a change in policy about which Haley was not informed (The Guardian, “‘I don’t get confused’: Nikki Haley hits back after White House contradicts her on Russia sanctions,” 04.17.2018). On Friday, April 20, the Democratic National Committee filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign, the Russian government and WikiLeaks, alleging a conspiracy to help Trump in the 2016 election, particularly by damaging Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Trump responded by tweeting, “Just heard the Campaign was sued by the Obstructionist Democrats.” While Special Counsel Robert Mueller is already investigating the matter, Democratic Party Chairman Tom Perez clarified that the reason for the lawsuit is that the DNC believes there is an ongoing threat of election interference and that they do not know when Mueller’s investigation will conclude (CNN “Democrats file suit alleging Russia, Trump campaign,” “WikiLeaks conspired to interfere in 2016 campaign,” 04.21.2018; The New York Times, “Democratic Party Alleges Trump-Russia Conspiracy in New Lawsuit,” 04.20.2018). After last week’s FBI raid on the office, home and hotel room of Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen, Judge Kimba Wood allowed Cohen to see the seized items that might be covered by attorney-client privilege. However, the judge has not yet made a decision on which evidence can be used by the prosecutors (CNN, “Cohen can review seized docs but judge will decide who vets what investigators can see,” 04.17.2018). Pompeo received a positive recommendation for Secretary of State from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday, April 23. The recommendation was up in the air for a while, but Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) flipped his vote at the last minute and voted in favor of Pompeo. A confirmation vote will soon be held before the full Senate (CNN, “Mike Pompeo advances out of committee with favorable recommendation, following Paul flipping his vote,” 04.17.2018). On April 19, it was announced that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is join-
Venkat-Ramani ’20 met with the Curricular Change Committee to discuss the upcoming changes to curricular policies. The new course catalog is in the process of being designed, and will be finalized by October 2018. Final changes won’t be made until 2019, meaning the class of 2020 will be able to choose between the current system and the new system, but all new policies will affect all future classes, beginning with the class of 2021. Committee on Equity and Inclusion • No updates. Finance Committee • All budgets have been sent to org leadership. The deadline to appeal budget allocations is this Friday, April 27. The budget will be finalized at a joint meeting of the incoming and outgoing VSA Senates on May 6. Committee on Residential Affairs • No updates. Organizations Committee • The committee held a workshop for new pre-orgs last weekend, outlining the process of moving from pre-org to full org status. Vice President • Operations Committee has been reviewing the new VSA Special Rules
and will present them to the Senate at its next meeting. President • VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18 met with incoming Vice President for Alumnae/i Affairs and Development Tim Kane. They discussed a number of topics, including the formation of an international alumni association. • Kanoria and incoming VSA President Tamar Ballard ’19 have been working on the review of Dean of the College Chris Roellke, and will submit a recommendation to President Bradley in the coming week. A decision regarding the Dean of the College position will likely be made at the final meeting of the Board of Trustees the weekend before commencement. • The President has been part of a working group of trustees and administrators meeting to discuss design proposals for the Inn and Institute. This week, that group will narrow down the proposals to one design to be put before the trustees for consideration. • Several members of the Engaged Pluralism Initiative (EPI) have been discussing forming a subcommittee to continue the conversation begun at the VSA-sponsored panel on what it means to be a global campus. —Julian Corbett, General VSA Intern
ing Trump’s legal team to help with defense in Mueller’s investigation. Giuliani and Mueller have known each other for years, having previously worked together in the Justice Department (CNN, “Giuliani says he is joining Trump’s legal team to help bring Mueller probe to a conclusion,” 04.20.2018). This week, YouTube found itself caught in the crossfire regarding the advertisements it ran on its site in recent months. CNN found that YouTube ads purchased by more than 300 companies and organizations ran on channels that promote white nationalists, Nazis, pedophilia, conspiracy theories and North Korean propaganda. Many companies, including Amazon, Hershey and Netflix, have since come forward, clarifying that they did not know their ads were running on these channels (CNN, “Exclusive: YouTube ran ads from hundreds of brands on extremist channels,” 20.04.2018).
Chemical weapons inspections in Douma, Syria, have been further delayed. A team of experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has faced several challenges in the region, including having to turn back temporarily after coming under fire. There are serious worries in the international community that all of the physical evidence of April 7’s chemical attack will be gone by the time the team is able to reach the scene (CNN, “Gunfire at UN team in Syria stalls chemical weapons inspection,” 04.18.2018). UNICEF successfully organized a laying down of arms ceremony in South Sudan, during which more than 200 child soldiers were freed. There has been a civil war in Sudan for over five years now, and an estimated 19,000 children serve in the army. This year, UNICEF has already freed 500 child soldiers (CNN, “More than 200 child soldiers freed in South Sudan,” 04.18.2018).
Around the World… Albania and Macedonia are the first countries in five years that will potentially begin talks about joining the European Union. On Tuesday, April 17, the EU recommended that the conversation begin. Including the pair, there are currently five countries that are official candidates to join, including Serbia and Montenegro. Talks with Turkey, the fifth official candidate, broke down in 2016 as a result of a failed coup against President Erdogan (Euronews, “Explained: the Balkan battle to be the EU’s newest member,” 04.20.2018). Cuba’s first Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel was sworn in as President on April 19, replacing Raul Castro. Castro is the brother of former President Fidel Castro, who took over as a head of state in 2008. Now 86 years old, Raul Castro is ensuring the continuation of the Castros’ legacy by leading the transition himself. Diaz-Canel, a technocrat, described his vision for the future as based on continuity (The Guardian, “The end of the Castro era? Raul’s exit likely to change little in Cuba,” 04.21.2018).
Keeping up with 2020 hopefuls… Political pundits continue to speculate about the possibility of former Vice President Joe Biden running for president in 2020. In a speech at Vanderbilt University, part of Vanderbilt’s Chancellor’s Lecture series, he said he will not make his decision until January, explaining that his focus right now is helping Democrats in the midterms (CNN, “#2020Vision: Biden: 2020 decision by January; Harris raises $3 million for Senate Dems; Castro heads to Georgia,” 04.15.2018). Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) raised some 2020 speculation by visiting Nevada, which is one of the first states to vote in primary elections. She has also raised more than $3 million combined for all of the Senate Democrats running in this year’s midterms (CNN). Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro sparked rumors about a possible 2020 run due to his travel schedule; he attended a fundraiser in Georgia on April 17 and will be flying to New Hampshire in May to give a commencement address at New England College (CNN).
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April 26, 2018
Acclaimed writer to share work, expertise with students Olivia Feltus
Virginia Konchan’s moving poem Golden Corral. The author of three books since 2015, as well as a multitude of poems, fiction works and essays, Konchan is an acclaimed writer and will be visiting Vassar’s campus on Thursday, April 26, at 6 p.m. to perform a reading of some of her recent works. Associate Professor of English Zoltán Márkus has known Konchan for around 10 years, and, last year, he proposed to the department that they bring her to campus. Konchan began to be active in the region a few years ago, working at Marist College last year as well as holding the position of an editor at Sheep Meadow Press in Rhinebeck. Márkus expressed an interest in the author’s work: “Konchan has published two exciting books recently: Her ‘Anatomical Gift,’ a collection of short stories, came out in 2017, while her book of poetry, ‘The End of Spectacle,’ was published this year by Carnegie University Press. In addition, she has published her works in The New Yorker, The New Republic, Boston Review and Best New Poets.” Lauded by many other writers, Konchan has an undeniable presence in modern artistic media. In addition to the reading, which is open to the campus, Konchan will also be attending a creative writing class on Friday, April 27, taught by Associate Professor of English and Native American Studies Molly McGlennen. McGlennen, who is interested in collaboration
dents have worked hard all semester to improve their writing skills, and having Konchan visit the class will offer a valuable perspective from someone who was once in their position. As McGlennen explained, “Ms. Konchan’s work is undeniably relevant to what my class has been thinking through all semester long. As poetry that is attentive to the senses and to the ear, Ms. Konchan’s works reveal all of the characteristics my students have been working through in their own work, whether in process or content.” Like Markus, McGlennen is a supporter of Konchan’s work and presence: “It think it’s always a gift to have poets and artists willing to visit with students in the classroom setting. That generosity of time and of spirit is part of what makes the interaction and engagement with young, aspiring writers so gratifying. I’m especially excited to hear Ms. Konchan read her work aloud!” The writer herself is enthusiastic about attending McGlennen’s class. Konchan wrote in an emailed statement, “I will be reading from and discussing my work, and doing an exercise with the students on working with found text. I’m very excited to meet Professor McGlennen’s students and hear about their own experiences with creative writing, particularly poetry, as well as their familiarity with and interest in the interstices between art and appropriation.” Visits like this from working professionals en-
“T
Courtesy of Virginia Konchan via Vassar English Department
he new epoch of total war / is upon us, once again. / We sit down and feast /on a stiff peak / of mashed potatoes, / sides cascading with gravy, / watermelon, rice pudding, / buttered noodles, corn. / It’s buffet-style,” reads
with the guest artist, commented in an emailed statement, “She will be reading a small selection of her poetry and then talking with my students about creative process and revision. She will also be leaving my students with a writing prompt for the next class session.” McGlennen’s Intro to Creative Writing stu-
REPORTER
Virginia Konchan, author of a short story collection called “Anatomical Gift” and a poetry book titled “The End of Spectacle,” will be visiting campus on April 26 to perform a reading of her work. rich the experiences of any student who has the opportunity for interaction, as well as harkening back to the age-old saying of “Go to the Source.” Konchan’s material itself for the reading contains an eclectic mix of genres and styles, with excerpts from both her poetry and her fiction: “For the fiction, I’ll be reading an excerpt of a story about war and trauma, and for the poetry, the prevailing themes are modern art, the contemporary love poem and the ethics and politics of representation.”’ Konchan expressed enthusiasm to revisit Vassar, having set foot on the campus in past given her proximity to it when she was teach-
ing at Marist last year. As she explained, “I was a scholar in a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar on Elizabeth Bishop last July in the Vassar archives.” She also noted that she is excited to see some new faces, as well as those of familiar colleagues. With a great deal of appreciation from Konchan’s style, Markus illuminated, “Virginia Konchan speaks a great number of idioms; she talks in a great variety of genres, voices and subject positions. Her art is kaleidoscopic and protean.” The artist’s presence on campus this week will allow students and faculty to experience that very art.
Child rape case sparks nationwide protests across India
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
After an eight-year-old Muslim girl was abducted, raped and murdered by eight Hindu men, rightwing Hindu nationalists showed support for the accused, sparking nationwide horror and protests. RAPE CRISIS continued from page 1
der Narendra Modi,” 04.21.2018). In February 2018, the case caused locals to take to the streets of Kathua in outrage...that is, outrage over the arrest of men from their own community. These demonstrations, organized in support of the accused by a right-wing “Hindu Solidarity” group, saw two state officials from the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)—the current political party in power—in attendance (Al Jazeera, “Rape as a political tool in India,” 04.19.2018). Let me repeat: Two higher-ups from India’s current national administration rallied to show their support for the men accused of gang-raping and murdering an eight-year-old Muslim girl because the accused are Hindu, thus backing the Hindu right to (violently) drive Muslims off of land that they perceive as theirs. As in, they felt
more strongly about protesting the indictment of men from their own community than they did about even acknowledging the brutal sexual violence committed against a young girl who they have deemed the “other.” They felt so strongly about it that they took to the streets, protesting legal action with which they didn’t agree. My initial intention in writing this piece was to look at how protests and demonstrations become powerful forms of political expression, allowing the wider public to make themselves heard. I wanted to look at how words cut deep and have a resounding impact when the masses reclaim their voices, refusing to allow legal and state authority to speak for them when it doesn’t represent what they hope for. I wanted to look at protests as political art. But what does one do when the voice of a nation’s majority echoes su-
premacist sentiments, forcing their way into the limelight to make their endorsement of gender violence, in the name of religion, known? What does that say about national identity? The irreconcilable horror of knowing that this is what India is beginning to stand for sparked nationwide protests demanding justice for the victim in April 2018, as the case, in all its atrocious glory, came to light. People marched across cities all over India, condemning the dreadfully pervasive sexual violence in the country as well as how Prime Minister Narendra Modi still hadn’t issued a statement despite the fact that this was the largest string of protests to erupt across the nation since 2012, when the gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman on a bus, dubbed by the media as “Nirbhaya,” took place (PRI, “Modi silent as rapes spark fury, protests in India,” 04.13.2018). As people started to become increasingly convinced that Modi’s government was not doing enough to protect its women, word finally emerged from the country’s leader only when the case started making international headlines. While Modi condemned the rapes and expressed sorrow, he also made it known that he did not believe the case should be politicized (Los Angeles Times, “Why India’s rape crisis is getting worse under Narendra Modi,” 04.21.2018). This nation’s leader, a Hindu man whose stance has always been quietly anti-Muslim, conveniently denies that the attempt by several Hindu nationalists to drive a Muslim family out of a region by kidnapping and raping their daughter is not highly political; is not a reflection of how the country’s misogynic culture is actually so ingrained in mindsets that it is now becoming easily translatable into a viable form of violence that can then be used to act out the extremist sentiments of a religious majority against minority groups. I cannot emphasize enough how much this rape case exemplifies the ways in which gender
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
violence—in a country that has an extremely serious rape problem—is deeply political, with women and children’s bodies being used as tools in a campaign of religious extremism. We are being faced with hate crime, and women are being seen as simply a means to an end. The nation’s collective mobilization in the past few weeks against the government’s lack of action regarding women’s safety has absolutely been more impactful than the mobilization of a few conservative Hindus who decided that they were going to march for the release of accused rapists. The slogans, “#JusticeForAsifa,” “#NotInMyName,” and “I am Hindustan. I am ashamed” have rapidly spread and become national symbols of solidarity. They are the manifestations of the political art I was talking about—art that makes sense to us, that restores our faith in the positive and transformative power of national voice. However, even as the country tries to alter the way the masses are being heard—even as people from all over India unite over a collective disappointment and outrage regarding sexual violence—it does not change the fact that there is enough of a Hindu nationalist sentiment running through the country, and enough of a culture of rape and gender violence, that the first reaction to this child’s rape was not the political “art” we might like to see protests as, but the political defense of one’s right to commit hate crime. People mobilize around issues that they think have crossed a line; in this case, the horrified reaction didn’t sprout from the rape of a woman, or even the rape of a child—that’s a daily occurrence in India, taking place every two hours. It was sparked by the realization that rape has become so much of a default that people are actually protesting in support of the accused because it doesn’t matter if he raped someone, it matters that he’s Hindu. If that’s not political, I don’t know what is.
April 26, 2018
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Philaletheis presents interactive Shakespeare production Matt Stein
n general, theater audiences adopt a passive role in a performance. They sit and receive the information the characters give them on a journey that the playwright has constructed for their entertainment. Each time the audience
less-produced works, it has several notable productions and was even adapted into a musical in 1971, which won several Tony Awards. Setse Bush ’19 plays the part of Julia, who falls in love with Proteus and pursues him even after he meets and tries to court another woman. In an emailed statement, Bush found the interac-
who has had these initial experiences, and then he interprets them in this sense or he has to go to this extreme now.” This process has also been unique for the designers of the production. Besides stylizing everyone’s attire around a 1950s vintage theme, Costume Designer Elizabeth Gay ’21 arranged
Drood” asked audiences to vote on one of seven endings. The most well-known example today is Punchdrunk Theatre’s immersive production “Sleep No More,” loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” Set in the McKittrick Hotel, the production allows audience members to wander the location, interacting with the actors
member returns to that theater, they can be certain that they are seeing the exact same show they saw the first time. But what happens when the viewer is no longer an idle watcher but instead an active participant, adopting the role of a collaborator creating a unique performance? The Philaletheis Society will be presenting “2? of ??,” an interactive interpretation of William Shakespeare’s comedy “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” in the Susan Stein Shiva Theater on April 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Directed by Livia Bartels ’20, the production will allow audiences to vote on various decisions throughout the show, altering the course of the plot, as well as determining the ending, to help to ensure a unique experience for each performance. Bartels spoke about why they chose to adapt the Bard’s work into a participatory production: “Shakespeare is often seen as inaccessible and lofty, as if it’s for the elite. I wanted to prove both points wrong—I mean, Shakespeare is the bawdiest humor you’ll find!” Shakespeare’s original plot follows Proteus and Valentine, two gentlemen from Verona, whose plans to make a journey to Milan are thwarted when one of them falls in love. In typical Shakespearean fashion, multiple characters go through the various stages of love, several dramatic fights break out and even a charming little dog makes an appearance. Even though the play is considered one of Shakespeare’s
tive element of the production to have a revitalizing quality: “First of all, I think it’s a wonderful idea overall. Second, it’s so much fun to not know what happens next in your own play! Each audience will see a different show than the last, and it makes each night special in its own way. I’ve been in shows that played with letting down the wall between the audience and the cast, but I daresay this is the most interactive show I’ve ever been in. I’m curious as to how it will pan out when we actually have a real audience to work with.” Throughout the show, the actors take 15-second pauses during which a booming voice from above asks the audience to choose between several options. Stage Manager Cassidy Nealon ’19 tallies the votes before announcing the final decision. After a bit of time, during which the actors set up for the choice, the production resumes in this new direction. In addition, each decision will ultimately factor into how the play will end. Philip Macaluso ’19 portrays Valentine, one of the two eponymous gentlemen. Reflecting on how the multitude of narrative possibilities impacted his process, Macaluso said, “It’s certainly made me rethink my character, like how in each ending he has different motivations for doing what he’s doing. He’s going to take the events that happened previously in the play and reinterpret them. In essence, it’s like I’m learning a different character. I have the base character
outfits for each of the different options. “The interactive element has influenced the costumes a lot,” Gay remarked. Citing one example, she added, “There’s one ending where, if the audience chooses it, I have to do a lot of laundry. I’m kind of hoping that ending isn’t chosen often. But I know it probably will be.” The interactive elements are not the only unique features for “2? of ??”; the production also claims to have real animals as part of the show. Animals are one of the staples of Shakespeare’s plays. Perhaps the most famous stage direction in any play is “Exit, pursued by a bear,” which comes from “The Winter’s Tale.” However, most modern productions avoid this feature. “2 ? of ??” boasts a rabbit, a dog and a bear among its cast. Gay, who will be the animal wrangler for the production, is delighted to get to work with these special performers: “There’s animals in the show, which is new, and I’m responsible for them, which is the best thing in the entire world. I absolutely love animals, and I don’t really get to see them a lot in college. I’m so excited because I’m the one that has to keep them quiet backstage. So if you hear something, it’s my fault.” “2? of ??” follows a recent trend in theater of encouraging audience to play a larger role in the devising of the art. While this feature was initially just a staple in improv shows, Rupert Holmes’ 1985 musical “The Mystery of Edwin
and forming a unique experience each time. When asked about how he hopes this production will alter the audience’s preconceived notions of Shakespeare, Macaluso replied: “I hope this production gives the audience a chance to reevaluate how one can do Shakespearean comedies and how one can take these works of old and really turn them on their head for a modern audience.” Even within the : “I think there’s certainly forms of interactive theatre similar to what we’re doing now that have happened previously, but I think this is a great way of taking these characters who are put in these strange situations and seeing how radically different the events can turn out just based on audience input.” Bartels added how they believe that the audience’s involvement will possibly lead them to reflect on their own lives once they leave the show: “I hope the audience gets a greater appreciation for their role in [a] production’s success, and an appreciation of how unpredictable things are! But on a more serious note, I hope they can reflect on how often we make decisions—choices—on such scant information, and to reflect on that a bit, particularly when things don’t go the way they might expect as a direct result of their choices!” No two performances of “2? of ??” will be the same, so even if you see the show once, you never know how the next one will turn out. So why not see them all?
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Raymond and Strong Houses host creative bonding event LIGHT THE NIGHT continued from page 1
pects of the fest. Specifically, Light the Night celebrated a diverse range of student performance. Strong House Secretary Yesenia Garcia ’20 [Full disclosure: Garcia is Humor and Satire Editor of The Miscellany News] commented prior to Light the Night, “It should be a very wholesome event. I’m excited to see all of the student performances. I think it will be a fun way for people to support their friends. I also feel like the fire will bring people together.” Pliss agreed with Garcia, stating, “I’m really excited for the fire, to be honest. Campfires were such a big part of my childhood but I feel like we rarely get to experience them on Vassar’s campus. Furthermore, I’m excited to see the talent that each band and the Barefoot Monkeys bring to the stage. I hope that other people feel the same way about fire and that their concert experience will be enhanced by the presence of the campfires.” Light the Night attendee Tabraiz Lodhi ’20
commented, “I thoroughly enjoyed the campfire aspect, and it was really fun to make s’mores and watch the performances at the same time. There was a good mix of everything—eating, watching, talking and bonding. I definitely felt that the event was both creative and personal. It was so nice of the House Teams to orchestrate it.” Raymond House Student Advisor (HSA) Kael Ragnini ’19 was happy with how the event went as well, commenting in an email statement, “It turned out better than we’d ever dreamed and we hope that the Vassar community––students, faculty, and families alike––enjoyed the event as a space to just be together and have fun with some outdoor activities.” While the event may have been all fun and games for the community, many hours of hard work went into planning it. In fact, this was the first time that the Raymond and Strong House Teams have collaborated on an event. It was a process that involved a complex web of coordination and communication, but one that also marked
Courtesy of Public Domain Pictures
On April 21, Light the Night brought students as well as House Team members together for a final night of bonding, performance and food before the end of the school year.
their new unity as sister houses. Pliss said, “While planning the event, both the Raymond and the Strong House Teams recognized that the campfire is emblematic of the intentionality that we want to create within our Houses. Since we’re sharing the same House Advisor, Michael Drucker, next year, we’ll be ‘sister Houses’. We’re hoping that [Light] the Night will kick off an intentional, warm relationship between ourselves.” To ensure that planning went smoothly, the house teams had different jobs and each member was encouraged to embrace their leadership abilities. “Strong House Team was in charge of fire and food, and Raymond House Team was in charge of publicity and entertainment,” explained Pliss. “Mackenzie, the Strong President, and I have been messaging each other back and forth for the past month to make sure that we have all of our bases covered. Ultimately, this event would not be happening without the hard work of every member on the Raymond and Strong House Teams. I am extremely grateful to be planning alongside such brilliant student leaders.” Garcia agreed, finding that one of the most enjoyable parts of Light the Night was getting to collaborate with Raymond. She commented, “Working with Raymond has been really great. They are all wonderful people.” While the teams derived a lot of enjoyment from working with each other, coordinating with outsiders was substantially harder. “In terms of working with outside people, [such as dealing with the task of] getting the fires approved, I know our president Mackenzie was really stressed about that. There was a lot of miscommunication,” Garcia commented. Strong House President Mackenzie Nielsen ’20 corroborated this statement, commenting, “[There were] some bumps in the road… which were unnecessary and annoying to deal with, but everything ended up working out.” Regardless of the obstacles that popped up, she was excited for the event, stating, “I love bonfires and events like this and feel so happy and relieved that
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
all the work I put into it and the stress I dealt with is paying off!” All in all, for the House Team members, the event fully brought out the meaningfulness behind both participating in House Team and doing something nice for the Vassar community. Garcia commented, “I love being on House Team. Living on House Team this year has really helped me define my community, and I like that I can be there for other people.” Ragnini had a similar view, stating, “I think House Team provides a really cool opportunity for students to plan events and create programming that speaks to the needs and values of our community, and I think that’s what we did here.” Pliss also felt that a reason House Team has been so enjoyable is because of the wonderful people on the team who have worked very hard to make their house, as well as house-sponsored events, positive, inclusive spaces. Pliss said, “House Team has been a challenging, but extremely rewarding experience. Our team has strived to build upon the energy created in Raymond by our House Advisor, Michael Drucker, and the House Teams that came before us. And I believe that we have. When I walk into Raymond, it [is] more like a home than just a house. That feeling is ultimately the most important reason for House Team to exist—but it’s not easy to create. It takes intentionality, patience, and commitment. I feel blessed to have had this experience and to have been able to work with such creative and clever people.” While the Vassar community thoroughly enjoyed Light the Night —as evidenced by the large crowds of students who flocked to the bonfires and watched their friends perform—it seems that the event also brought tremendous joy to the hosts, allowing House Team members to contribute to campus life as well as to bond with different Houses in the process. As Pliss mentioned, it was a moment for warmth and connection for all involved.
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April 26, 2018
Queen Bey, Yodeling Boy and SZA dazzle at Coachella Kelly Vinett
GUEST COLUMNIST
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o see an internet sensation, a reunited Destiny’s Child and the Queen Bey herself all in one place, would be legendary. At this year’s annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, these performers, along with countless other well-known artists, brought their talent and hard work to the stage. The vastly popular festival, held from April 13-15 and April 20-22 this year, was record-breaking in every sense of the phrase. In the heat of the Colorado Desert in California, some of the most prominent artists of today’s pop-culture landscape came to grace thousands of festival fanatics with their presence.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Coachella 2018 took place from April 13–15 and April 20–22, in the heat of the Colorado Desert, as per tradition. This year, Beyoncé was the headlining artist at the iconic music festival.
Tickets to Coachella started at a whopping $429 (Time, “What It Really Costs to Go to Coachella 2018,” 03.29.2018), with people planning their outfits far in advance for each event within the festival. Many of those attending make it known by inundating their Instagram accounts with images of their festival aesthetic, while those not in attendance grow increasingly envious each day. Despite the visual appeal and social capital of Coachella, its base allure comes from the music. Here are some of the most talked and tweeted about artists: Beyoncé The headlining artist was the queen of contemporary music culture, Beyoncé. Her performance has been in the works for months, and it definitely paid off. She hit every note and nailed every move flawlessly. Moreover, the extent to which Beyoncé has worked to revolutionize cultural and musical concepts for Coachella is astounding. Celebrating her newfound status as the first Black woman to headline Coachella in its 19-year run, Beyoncé decided to pay a tribute to Black culture, not only donating a $100,000 to four of America’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), but also designing her entire set to give off “HBCU vibes” (CNN, “After #Beychella, Beyoncé is donating $100,000 to historically black colleges,” 04.17.2018). Attendees and adoring fans remain intoxicated by Beyoncé’s success in bringing cultural significance and historical weight to her performance. Beyoncé set the tone when she arrived to the stage wearing a regal and dazzling band leader uniform. On the stage, which resembled stadium bleachers, there was the full marching band, consisting of 100 Black band members performing drumline song arrangements, plus a slew of majorettes. Everything pulsed with high energy to the constant beat. Perhaps the most exciting moment, certainly one Beyoncé devotees have waited years
for, arrived when Destiny’s Child reunited to sing the 1999 girl group favorite, “Say my Name.” Beyoncé brought even more of her loved ones to the stage: She sang a duet with her talented younger sister, Solange, and performed with her husband, Jay-Z, who rapped alongside her. Needless to say, this artist brought all the love to Coachella, unabashedly and in style. With her jaw-dropping performance, Beyoncé once again proved her reign over pop culture and what it means to be an icon in the 21st century. The Yodeling Boy (aka Mason Ramsey) What would Coachella be without an Internet sensation? What started as somebody filming a young boy yodeling in Walmart quickly went viral. The video of said yodeler, Mason Ramsey, garnered over 50,000 retweets since its March 24 debut on Twitter (Time, “The Internet Has Fallen Hard For This Boy Yodeling at Walmart,” 04.02.2018). After his rise in popularity through social media, Ramsey made a guest appearance and yodeled on the Coachella stage, but not before going on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” For some, the pace at which Ramsey rose to fame can only be described as life goals achieved. However, in the yodeler’s case, the road to fame appears easier than it actually is. Although this is probably an exaggeration, Ramsey says he has performed in Walmart over 50,000 times to prove his dedication to the art. When DeGeneres asked him why he always sings in Walmart, he responded, “Well, because that’s the only store we’ve got” (YouTube, “Kid Yodeler Mason Ramsey Performs,” 04.10.2018). Moreover, the yodeling boy’s fan base encompasses all types of people, including celebrities. Circulating the internet is a picture of Justin Bieber taking a selfie with him at Coachella. The only question is, who’s the bigger fan of whom? What we do know is that this 10-year-old certainly yo-
deled his way into the hearts of the nation. SZA As the woman with the most nominations at the 2018 Grammys, who nevertheless didn’t win a single award, SZA showed her fortitude at Coachella. Her performance was criticized due to technical difficulties and guest performers failing to show up. Worst of all, she lost her voice. In an Instagram post on the aftermath, she wrote, “Couldn’t believe it was all happening on my biggest stage to date” (Uproxx, “SZA Brought Out Khalid At Coachella To Perform ‘Young, Dumb And Broke’,” 04.21.2018). However, once SZA brought out the acclaimed Khalid later in the festival, on April 20, to sing his hit, “Young Dumb & Broke,” I could tell she was back. Khalid didn’t have his own set at Coachella, but he definitely deserved one. It was exhilarating to see both artists performing their best side by side. Brockhampton This 15-person boy band from San Marcos, TX—now based in California—arrived 15 minutes late to their afternoon set. Even though they were fashionably late, the group did not hesitate to bring hype to the performance. Starting off their new single “Boogie” with a violin solo brought suspense and excitement to those familiar with the song, which is a total bop. The sheer volume of sound and collaboration created by Brockhampton’s rappers, musicians and creative directors is something to marvel at. They provide a sense of teamwork and community for their fans—just from watching a video of them performing at the festival, it’s clear that the group members vibe with one another, laughing and singing as one (YouTube, “Brockhampton - Gold- Live at Coachella 2018 Weekend 1,” 04.17.2018). At Coachella, Brockhampton’s dynamic performance made it evident that sticking together can pay off.
Lil B’s Spotify mixtapes charm with ironic, trashy style Jimmy Christon COLUMNIST 6 Kiss
Lil B BasedWorld Records
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he says on “The Trap,” but most times his lyrical content is very close to meaningless. I call this both meaningless and modern because I’m also describing Young Thug’s music. Young Thug almost rides the same type of wave as Lil B, and I’m not the only one to make this comparison. I say “almost” because there are some differences. For instance, Young Thug’s hype still comes from a pretty wild debut album that pulled heavily from Lil Wayne. Young Thug never cursed out an NBA player, but that’s a matter for another review. For all the hype behind Thugger, he’s never been called a god, or labelled himself a god, as frequently as Lil B, whose name on Twitter is [at]LILBTHEBASEDGOD. That’s the other part of these mixtapes that I haven’t talked about much yet: Lil B, if you couldn’t already tell, is obsessed with calling himself a god. There’s a mixtape called “God’s Father” that’s one of the better ones he’s released, and his best song is the awful one I mentioned earlier called “I’m God.” I had a hard time listening to Lil B’s mixtapes in their entirety, partly because of the length, partly just because the songs on them aren’t the easiest to listen to. Still, it would be wrong for me to just say that they make your ears bleed, because there is something here that keeps drawing me back to them. The mixtape with “I’m God” on it is called “6 Kiss,” and it was probably my favorite of the bunch. It’s an hour and 30 minutes long, and I have never been able to finish it in one sitting. This mixtape probably has the largest number of high-quality songs on a Lil B project. “Beat the Odds,” “Based” and “What You Doin’” have all been songs I have continually listened to since I got into Lil B way back when. Yet the obvious song that reigns supreme over all the rest is “I’m God.” I talked about this song earlier, and I could easily rave about it for, like, 100 more pages. The beat is immaculate; if you don’t vibe with Lil B’s vocals, just please listen to the instrumental. The instru-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
mental alone is a classic: influential and visionary. But then, the Lil B version is just as impressive in my book. I’ve talked a lot of smack about the Based God in this review, but I’m a huge fan of this track, and I think that it represents Lil B’s style in microcosm. I can listen to this song on repeat for hours, and I can listen to Lil B on repeat for hours in general. This mixtape re-release is an absolute gold mine for hip-hop that, while not stellar by any stretch, is still classic for all the work it has done for the genre. Even if you don’t take anything else away from this review, just go and listen to “I’m God,” and then go and listen to it again, and again and again.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
ver 30 classic Lil B mixtapes became available on Spotify this month. The first question anyone, myself included, ever asks about Lil B’s music is: “Do you think he’s serious?” The second question follows: “Is it good?” The answer to these questions, is both yes and no. If you want to asses the man on his merit––a man with songs such as “I Am The Ocean,” “Im Miley Cirus” (spelling preserved) and “Woo Woo Swag”––then the answer is, of course, these songs are entirely serious and entirely good. However, I’m inclined to explain why I would also respond to these questions with a no. I, like many other white kids who were looking for hip-hop study music in high school, discovered Lil B through his producer Clams Casino. Clams Casino is a great musician; his debut album, “32 levels,” which features Lil B, is fantastic and I highly recommend it. The instrumentals are moody and spacy, but with enough happening that the tracks never get boring. Eventually, I listened to the tracks themselves with Lil B actually rapping over them. But dear God, are some of them bad. The track “Real Shit from a Real Ni***” (spelling preserved) is grating, although the production is immaculate. “Feel like I drunk water/From the holy water” is paired with lines like “we got beef like taco meat,” and the combination just doesn’t fit over the ethereal beat from Clams. At least at first. I’m not saying that any one song of Lil B’s is particularly groundbreaking, but rather, there’s a quality about tracks such as these that feels unique. It isn’t good, but it’s not entirely bad either. It’s like watching a
bad cheesy movie; think “Equilibrium,” starring Christian Bale. This movie, as with Clams’ music, is certainly poorly done, but there’s a supreme earnestness to it that elevates it above and way beyond what’s actually in the source text. Another classic example of an unpleasant track from Lil B is the song “I’m God.” If you made it through life only hearing Clams’ heavenly instrumental beats, you’ve lived a good one. Lil B sounds fairly awful over this beat––at least on first listen. His voice drowns out everything , and lines like “Sorry for the curses/Fuck that, curse mode” are so hilariously cheesy that most people rightfully leave Lil B behind for Clams. And his tone! I’ve never heard someone sing with a voice like sandpaper and a nasal cavity that is entirely clogged, but that’s what Lil B sounds like over this track. After listening to mixtape after mixtape of Lil B’s work, I have to say, the only way to describe this music is: It’s terrible––and it’s good. There’s a tension here, and despite how odd or trashy some of this music can get, it is never boring. Plus, it’s a fact that popular, modern-day hip hop owes a debt to Lil B. Two mixtapes that kick off this high streak are the two “flame” ones: the “Red Flame Mixtape” and the “Blue Flame Mixtape.” These are good microcosms of Lil B’s mixtape style. That is, these 30 plus–song tapes have a couple of joke songs and a couple of serious songs, and then, filling up the majority of the album, are what I call beat showcase tracks. One thing that Lil B excels at, I have realized after listening to him for a while, is seamlessly blending in to the beat of a track. Tracks like “The Trap,” “New Orleans Freestyle” and “Shoot a Gun” all feature Lil B but he just sounds like a voice. That is, his bars on here are so meaningless (mainly consisting of humble brags and truly random rhymes) that all Lil B eventually becomes is just a voice over a track. He’ll throw in something funny occasionally: “No one ever told me how to do taxes on TV,”
Lil B finally made some 30+ classic mixtapes of his available on Spotify. They continue to maintain his ironic style, purposefully developed to entertain and charm listeners.
April 26, 2018
Campus Canvas
ARTS A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists
Page 9 submit to misc@vassar.edu
Excuse me, If you could be an inanimate object, what would you be? “I would be a vacuum cleaner, because you love them even though they suck.” — Tanya Kotru Gode ’20
“An olive.” — Isabel Schneck ’19
“A Nilda cookie. I need to write her a thank you note, she has gotten me through these four years.” — Hannah Nice ’18
“The stir fry station. That way I can always keep it interesting.” — Emma Glickman ’18
“A knife.” — Robin Corleto ’19
“A VCR, because I am tired and useless.” — Izzy Migani ’21
Noelle Julianna Morris Class of 2020 Cognitive Science Major Noelle is an international student from the Philippines who has a great love affair with the Huji Cam App.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Leah Cates, Humor & Satire Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
FEATURES
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April 26, 2018
Student stumbles upon best of Late Night Deece fashion Aidan Zola
Jillian Van Siclen ’21: “Jeans, t-shirt, comfortable shoes (I have really bad blisters, so flipflops lately), and denim jacket are my go-to’s… something that looks put-together, but looks like I didn’t try that hard.”
REPORTER
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hat’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “Late night Deece”? Is it mozzarella sticks? Awkwardly running into your crush while sporting your comfiest pajama pants? This week, I took to Late Night to find something completely different— the best Deece fashion games in town. When asked to describe their personal style, four students/fashion icons volunteered responses. Cameron Asharian ’21: “Usually it’s just whatever I feel like. But today, I feel like a ’70s dad.”
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
Brianna Francois ’21: “Anything that’s comfortable, really. Also, ’80s/’90s France.”
Sarah Boese ’20: “I’d say my personal style is reflective of my mother’s personal style—half of my clothing is stolen from her! Most of my friends would call it ‘grandma chic’ because I really like wearing loose clothing. I just find whatever is comfortable in my closet and what feels right that day and then throw on something that I know I’m going to love—like my favorite sweater or favorite shirt. I know it’s going to make me happy that day.”
Roommates bond over tea-rrific, healing conversations THERATEA continued from page 1
or chairs, or sometimes on the floor. Then whoever called for theratea gets the opportunity to describe their issue, and we try to solve it. I called together the group one evening this past week to talk about this little tradition we’ve started and reminisce just a touch. Jessica Moss ’21 [Full disclosure: Moss is Assistant Copy Editor of The Miscellany News] recalled, “I think I was the one who first called what we were doing ‘theratea.’ If I remember correctly, there was a collective groan about the pun, but it just kinda stuck after that.” If anyone questioned that narrative, no one spoke up to suggest a different telling of the origin of our term. Holding a nice toasty mug of tea is itself therapeutic, and the floral aroma of many of our favorite blends adds to the effect. In such a pleasant atmosphere, talking about our daily obstacles becomes much easier. Emma Koolpe ’21 was happy to expand on the benefits of theratea. “Sometimes, you just have to get your thoughts out. I think that theratea is good because I know whatever I say, you guys won’t judge, and you’ll try to help in any way you can … Especially at the beginning of the year, it was super helpful to know that I had a group I could come to. And also the fact that we drink tea is really great.” Laughing, Steeves built on that idea: “I think there’s something inherently wholesome about drinking tea together. It’s calming, yet it’s still a social activity. I think for me personally, the chill vibes are what makes it. I also like to give advice and check in on everyone, so it’s been good for that.” An essential part of getting together for theratea is exchanging different perspectives on one anothers’ problems. While none of us pretend to have our lives completely together, when we all start thinking about how to approach the same problem, we almost always come up with something better than any of us could have arrived at independently.
Jessica Moss/The Miscellany News
literally—is an integral part of the tea-savoring experience. Because of my fervent tea evangelism, I’m always willing to make a cup for anyone who asks (and often for people who don’t ask). Early on in my college career, I started providing tea for whomsoever might wander in through the door of Joss 215 in need of a little pick-me-up. Eventually I realized that it might be more efficient to invite people over several at a time. Soon enough, my core friend group started to get together to drink tea on a regular basis. I’m not sure if anyone could say when exactly gathering for tea morphed into more than just drinking tea, but eventually it did. With the stress of starting college, the four of us had our various problems: navigating social situations, analyzing cryptic texts from potential romantic interests, complaining about assignments and just generally venting about all the woes of the transition to life semi-detached from supervision. Sitting in a circle on the floor with cups of tea in hand just seemed like a natural venue to release our burdens. A typical theratea (the name is a portmanteau of “therapy” and “tea”) begins with a text to the group chat wherein someone suggests that we have a session. We usually settle on sometime within the following day, because the problem at hand could be exigent. Once the time arrives, I typically fill my kettle and get it going. Sometimes I make a pot of all the same tea, or other times people want different types. Between my roommate and me, we have just about every variety imaginable: Herbal teas to soothe stomach aches or help relax at the end of the night are usually used for theratea, since sessions tend to be in the evening. I typically choose something floral, since I really love lavender. At the appointed time, the squad starts to arrive, empty mugs in hand. We sit on beds
Pictured above is the writer’s most recent theratea session. This particular tea (in various stages of steeping) comes from theratea member Emma Koolpe’s hometown, Sante Fe, New Mexico. Adding to this, Alex Barnard ’21 commented, “I think it’s a nice way to spend time together and also get advice. I know when I first started coming to hang out with you guys I felt really welcomed and encouraged, not like I was invading something. It was refreshing to be handed a cup of tea and asked what’s going on in my life. I like knowing that if I need to talk about something, you guys will hear me out.” Even though he wasn’t there when we first started doing theratea and joined a bit later, Barnard still feels like an important and valued member of our little group. The activity doesn’t always have to be formal though. Moss explained, “It’s all about getting together and relieving stress. Sometimes the problems we have are serious, like having issues communicating with each other effective-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ly and trying to work that out. Other times it’s scheduling some time to help one of the group members pick out the best outfit for a meeting or just hanging out with each other and being silly. I think it’s important that we don’t only get together when there’s a problem.” With all the negativity pervading the world around us, taking just a small slice out of the day to focus on the positive in a cozy environment can really boost all of our moods. Steeves echoed this sentiment, saying, “Yeah, I think sometimes the emphasis can be on problems, which isn’t what we want to do. The idea is to talk it out, come up with a plan and move on.” As much as I love a good cup of tea all on its own, it definitely gets better when shared with close friends over a warm conversation.
FEATURES
April 26, 2018
Page 11
Prof Spotlight: Rashid renders new historical discourses Imogen Wade GUEST REPORTER
Courtesy of Karl Rabe
Professor Ismail Rashid has been at Vassar since 1998, educating generations of students in African history. He is currently in Ethiopia, marking student papers by Lake Tana’s shores.
H
istory is a tricky business. For most of us, our high school curricula proved woefully inadequate and left us with gaps in our knowledge the size of the Grand Canyon. Luckily for Vassar students, the History Department is filled with passionate professors
sistance and Renaissance in South Africa,” an exploration of 20th century South Africa history through the life of one its most iconic figures; “Afrs/Hist 272: Modern African History,” which looks at the emergence of contemporary African societies through the crucible of colonialism; “Afrs/Hist 374: African Diaspo-
cal high school history curriculums in the U.S.? Rashid: It is [a] mixed bag. Some schools do a fine job of exposing students to the complexities of world and American histories, doing research and developing a historical imagination. And others hardly provide students with a de-
who are able to educate us in various forms of narratives. Professor Rashid’s enthusiasm for his subject was evident in the following interview conducted through email. He currently teaches four classes, which present four exciting opportunities for students to expand their knowledge of Africana Studies and International Studies. The Miscellany News: How long have you been teaching here, and what drew you to Vassar? Ismail Rashid: Almost 20 years. I was very impressed with faculty, students and the richness of the curriculum when I came for the on-campus interview. The Misc: Did you always want to be a history professor? Rashid: I did not necessarily aspire to be a history professor, but I certainly wanted to be a college professor from a very early age. My high school teacher, who brought alive the French and European revolutions of the 19th century, and my undergraduate African history professor, who exposed me to the exciting debates in the field, inspired me to be a historian. The Misc: What did you train in? Rashid: Mostly in classical civilizations culture, race relations and African and African Diaspora history. The Misc: What classes do you teach at Vassar, and what do they involve? Rashid: “Afrs/Hist 175: Mandela: Race, Re-
ra and Pan-Africanism,” an intellectual history seminar which examines the interconnections between peoples of African descent in the US, Caribbean and Africa; “IS 106: Perspectives on International Studies,” an introductory exploration of the concepts, institutions and major themes in the field. The Misc: What are your main academic interests? Rashid: I am very much focused on social history protest and contestations of power from below; conflict, public health and politics; post-conflict societies and peacebuilding. The Misc: What are you reading at the moment? Rashid: It’s April, so it’s student papers and papers for the seventh TANA Forum in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia that I’m currently attending. From where I am sitting I can see Lake Tana, one of the sources of the Nile. The Misc: Is Vassar unique? How would you describe it to somebody who’d never been here before? Rashid: Yes. My typical description of [Vassar] is: “a bucolic campus with a vibrant mix of very smart, conscientious and creative students and fabulous collection of distinguished and high-achieving colleagues.” Or simply, yes! It used to be a famous female-only college, and it has been a famous, multi-gendered institution for the past five decades. The Misc: What do you think about typi-
cent, multifaceted spectrum of U.S. history. It is difficult to recall the number of times students have noted that they were not exposed to this kind of history in high school. The Misc: Do you think that history classes at Vassar provide new narratives? Rashid: With around 90 different courses covering nearly every continent in the world, history classes do not only teach multiple narratives, but also produce new narratives and perspectives. History faculty regularly revise existing course[s] and create new ones to keep in step with new knowledge, narratives and interpretations. However, every history class has its own unique magic; as faculty and students [are] in dialogue with a variety of texts, images and media, [they] produce their own individual and collective understandings of the past they are studying. The Misc: Do you have any new projects or classes on the horizon? Rashid: I am redesigning my “HIST 271: African Before 1800” class into a VIEW course for 2019-20; I will be focusing on art, religion and power in about four African societies. It will involve visits to the Met (Smithsonian National Museum of Art is my dream). The Misc: If you could give your students any piece of advice, what would it be? Rashid: Worry less, and try to enjoy this phase of your life. Keep things in perspective, and cross one bridge at a time.
Big Night In lasagna-baking session fosters community Duncan Aronson GUEST COLUMNIST
pril 20, Big Night In (BNI) and the Vassar Food Community teamed up to host a cooking extravaganza at the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory. Participants made friends and shared laughs as they whipped up a salad appetizer; vegan, vegetarian and meat lasagna entrees; and a fruit crisp dessert. We ended with more people than we started with, on account of all the food babies filling our stomachs. I am sharing their easy lasagna recipe in the spirit of paying tribute to the event and spreading the joy of bonding through cooking. This recipe is fit for everyone, whether you are a beginner learning the basics or a veteran looking to perfect your craft. Lasagna is particularly inclusive because it can be adjusted to meet all sorts of dietary needs and flavor preferences. Without further ado, here is the recipe! First, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta. You can cook according to the package instructions, or fiddle around with the timing. Some people prefer pasta that’s more al dente, which is an Italian term meaning that the pasta has a firmer consistency and thus requires less time to boil. Taste the pasta as you are cooking it to check if it’s ready. It’s also considered good practice to salt the water before you boil it so that the pasta is infused with the salt and requires less salting later. While the pasta is cooking, make the tomato sauce. Finely dice onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the onions are translucent and slightly brown on the edges, add tomatoes. Simmer and add salt, pepper, dried oregano and red pepper flakes to taste. Then, sauté the mushrooms in a separate saucepan over medium heat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove from heat when the mushrooms are deep brown, soft and have released liquid.
Courtesy of jeffreyw via Wikimedia Courtesy ofCommons Josh Kim
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If you and your posse decide that meat is an acceptable ingredient, sauté the ground meat over medium heat with salt, pepper and olive oil until fully cooked. Constantly taste your concoction and take a stab at adjusting the seasoning. Seasoning without exact measurements can be daunting, but you will get better with practice. Foodies will tell you that cooking by feel and not by measurement guarantees good results, especially because the quality of ingredients can naturally vary from time to time. Finally, assemble these separate ingredients together to form the lasagna. Spread some tomato sauce on the bottom of a large casserole dish and a layer of lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping, on top of the sauce. Add cheeses, spinach, mushrooms, meat (if using) and more sauce. Repeat this layering pattern until the dish is full, ending with a mozzarella layer. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is fully melted. If you decide to go vegan instead, you are going to need ricotta and mozzarella substitutes. Blend tofu, incorporate the juice of one lemon, then add basil, salt, pepper and oregano in a blender or food processor until the mixture resembles the texture of ricotta. To make mozzarella, blend cashews, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor with one-and-a-half cups water. Add more water and continue blending until the mixture reaches desired consistency (this can be anywhere from a thick paste to a more liquidy cream). Special thanks to BNI and the Vassar Food Community for organizing the event and to the Vassar Food Community for sharing their recipe. If cooking together and sharpening your skills with Vassar students is right up your alley, then check out the Vassar Food Community Facebook page to get updates for new events, or e-mail twhitenack[at]vassar.edu to join the mailing list and shoot them questions.
During a Big Night In event, our writer shared a wholesome meal with his friends in the Underwear Factory. These cooking/baking sessions connect Vassar students to the Poughkeepsie community.
Ingredients 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes 3 onions 20 cloves garlic Olive oil Dried oregano Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes 32 oz lasagna noodles 12 oz spinach leaves, washed 32 oz mushrooms, sliced 16 oz shredded mozzarella (optional) 12 oz ricotta (optional) 12 oz ground meat (optional)
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Vegan alternatives: 1 bunch fresh basil 16 oz tofu 2 lemons 16 oz cashews
FEATURES
Page 12
April 26, 2018
“Which building on campus are you?” by Andrea Yang
submit to misc@vassar.edu Background courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Miscellany Crossword
“Tempting Fate”
by Benjamin Costa
ACROSS 1. ‘____ en place’, in cooking 5. Lofty lectern 11. Doctor Who producer 14. Emerald Ireland 15. A tail can be preh-, or a bridge t16. A cat’s sign 17. Where a worker might put a golden spike 19. Dollar dispenser 20. Pre-washing dishes 21. Manual train 23. Acorn producer 24. Decorated hair, eggs, or tie-s 26. Pod-bearing West African vegetable 27. What this clue // is trying to do 29. 1% of a milli(pede) 32. Plural, a great deal of something 33. Balls on strings (sometimes on fire!) 35. An ionic solid, especially sodium chloride 37. Vote of assent 38. What Zeus or Thor might throw 41. Pep rally cheer 43. De France, or De Vassar 44. Espionage expert
Answers to last week’s puzzle
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45. Make changes 47. Norse ‘Night’ 49. Oozes into 53. Tomorrow, to Doris 54. Multi-person padded chair 56. Unextracted metal 57. City besieged by the First Crusade 61. Baltimore baseball 63. Accompanies two truths 64. Art of painted pixels 66. Clockwise, fourth of sixteen directions 67. Small colored ring of skin around the nipple 68. A romantic raisin 69. Sanders, McConnell, or Duckworth’s title 70. Bad luck to walk under 71. Mucus, or a rude person
40. Soap used to dissolve flesh 41. Thrift shop items 42. Genetic ‘A’ 46. Martial art ‘chi’ 48. Play around on the horn 50. Of or pertaining to the wind 51. Hey ___! There it is!
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1. Bad luck to break 2. LeBron kicked Thomas out of town 3. Springy toy 4. Slimy sea snakes 5. Dense pink flower 6. Still spry 7. ‘Acidic’ hallucinogen 8. Plant-stem tissue 9. Pelvic bones 10. Twelve-to- twenty 11. Bad luck to meet 12. Electron emitted through decay 13. Communist citizen 18. Weather the storm 22. Uno, ___, tres 25. Abandons thering wetlands Small colored of skin around 28. Speed limit unit 30. Speed limit breaker 31. Catholic robes 34. Aware of a scheme 36. Triangular sail at the front of a boat 38. Bad luck numeral 39. A tag team
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DOWN
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52. Last six lines of a sonnet 55. Robin Hood’s Tuck 58. Hydrated amorphous silica 59. Persephone, by another name 60. Greeted casually 62. People who aren’t 6 down 65. Nonverbal 37 across
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April 26, 2018
OPINIONS
Page 13
The Miscellany news Staff Editorial
Earth Day necessitates broader discussion of accountability Earth Day traditionally encourages individuals to demonstrate their support for environmental protection, from recycling in their own homes to raising collective consciousness on the reality of climate change. On this most re-
resistance,” 12.13.2016). Pruitt was also a vocal opponent of the EPA before Trump’s presidency—he has personally sued the EPA over a dozen times—and since his appointment has announced plans to roll back
end up recycled, which translates to millions of tons of garbage every year, much of which ends up in landfills or the ocean (The Guardian, “The troubling evolution of corporate greenwashing,” 08.20.2016). We as consumers must remain
efforts to limit energy and resource consumption. It would be useful to have a consolidated source of information on sustainability to which students could turn to find out more about what they can specifically do on campus on a day-to-
cent Earth Day, however, President Trump instead lauded his administration’s reduction in federal environmental protections. A statement released by the White House Office of the Press Secretary read, “We know that it is impossible for humans to flourish without clean air, land, and water. We also know that a strong, market-driven economy is essential to protecting these resources. For this reason, my Administration is dedicated to removing unnecessary and harmful regulations that restrain economic growth and make it more difficult for local communities to prosper and to choose the best solutions for their environment” (HuffPost, “Trump Celebrates Earth Day By Praising Rollback Of Environmental Protections,” 04.22.2018). Despite being comically contradictory to a common understanding of the holiday, this message likely did not surprise anyone who has been paying attention to the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during Trump’s presidency. Though the EPA was established in 1970 by Richard Nixon, a Republican president, climate change has since become a polarizing issue that divides many along party lines. One divisive figure in this debate is Trump’s EPA Director, Scott Pruitt, who is considered the position’s most conservative appointee in decades (The Washington Post, “Trump has picked the most conservative EPA leader since 1981. This one will face much less
most of the last decade’s significant environmental regulations. Pruitt also claims that there is no proven connection between carbon dioxide emissions and climate change (The New Yorker, “How Do You Celebrate Earth Day When Scott Pruitt Is Still at the E.P.A.?” 04.22.2018). Of course, contrary to Pruitt’s actions and Trump’s rhetoric, climate change is caused by carbon emissions, and the leading polluters are the very institutions that would benefit from weakened environmental regulations. In fact, 100 companies—most prominently ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron—have been the source of the vast majority of carbon emissions in the last few decades (The Guardian, “Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says,” 07.10.2017). These corporations, which typically produce the largest masses of waste, are often lauded for their performative, yet minimal, environmental efforts. In the 1980s, the term “greenwashing” was coined to describe a company that poses as a friend of the environment while actively engaging in environmentally unsustainable practices in order to protect and expand its markets (Scientific American, “How Can Consumers Find Out If a Corporation Is ‘Greenwashing’ Environmentally Unsavory Practices?”). The term remains highly relevant today: Nestlé claims that its bottled water is good for the planet when, in fact, only about 31 percent of its plastic bottles
skeptical of big corporations that will do anything to appeal to their customer bases. While tackling environmentally conscious consumer practices on a large scale might seem intimidating, equally daunting is addressing sustainability on an institutional and individual level as college students. Vassar’s Office of Sustainability has in recent years strived to make the College’s building practices more sustainable. Efforts in recent years have included making the renovation of Sanders Physics and New England in 2014 eligible for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, as well as the construction of the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences; working to make campus events such as Founder’s Day and house-related programming less wasteful; providing compost bins to more than 60 TA, TH and SoCo units; and running the recent House Energy Challenge. Environmental efforts at Vassar extend beyond the administrative level as well. Some projects outside of the Office of Sustainability include the Community Solar Project and the student-run Vassar Solar initiative, both of which President Bradley discussed in her email on April 22. In addition, a series of Earth Week events aimed at fostering environmental consciousness among students began on April 18 and will continue through April 27. However, Vassar students and the College have substantial ecological footprints, despite
day basis to ameliorate the environmental crisis, as well as what progress is being made on campus as a whole. The College could take small actions to reduce our footprint, such as placing compost bins outside of dining facilities. Finally, we should make an effort to simply switch off the lights when we are not in our rooms, and not to waste food. When we are not directly responsible for paying electricity bills or purchasing individual food items, it can be easy to waste both commodities and fail to consider the nonmonetary—and more devastating—costs of our actions. Although the sustainability challenge has ended and the Earth Week events are drawing to a close, we ought to remain environmentally conscious for the other 51 weeks of the year—in our individual actions, on the Vassar campus as a whole and on a national and global scale. After all, we are denizens of this earth not just on Earth Day, but every day. –– The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board. Correction: Last week’s Staff Editorial incorrectly identified Dean of the College Christopher Roellke as having led the the Intensives Curriculum discussion; in fact, it was led by Professor of Education Christopher Bjork.
American non-engagement proves beneficial in Trump era Sylvan Perlmutter COLUMNIST
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the absence of unwavering American support. These words bore fruit this week when Germany pledged 1 billion in new defense spending to accomplish its heretofore unmet NATO commitments (The Telegraph, “Germany Plans 1 Billion Euros of New Defense Spending Amid Pressure on Nato from Donald Trump,” 04.23.2018). This is necessary now more than ever to deter Russia from continuing its pattern of destabilizing Eastern Europe. Russian-backed separatists continue to occupy the Eastern Ukrainian Donbass region (EADaily, “G7 Threatens Russia with More Sanctions Due to Situation in Donbass,” 04.24.2018) and the Baltic Republics face debilitating Russian cyber attacks (BBC, “How a Cyber Attack Transformed Estonia,” 04.27.2017). In the Trump era, the world is more threatened by the prospect of American engagement than non-engagement. The new National Security Advisor, John Bolton, has proposed bombing Iran (The New York Times, “To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran,” 03.26.2015) and North Korea (The Wall Street Journal, “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First,” 02.28.2018), a more certain route to Nuclear War than pulling out of the Iran Deal and refusing talks with North Korea ever could be. Better to have an isolationist Trump administration than the return of the neocons. Yes, the United States can and should do a lot of good in the world. When the country is competently led, works through international institutions and devotes the proper resources, it effects positive change. However, in the absence of American will, other countries have shown that they can pick up the slack. The United States is a critical player in global affairs, but not an indispensable one. So in these uncertain times, let us take cheer in the fact that, for the most part, countries across the world are building alternatives to reliance on American initiative. These alterna-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
tives are sometimes suboptimal and illiberal, but at least they function and provide a modicum of stability. At the moment, the only truly indispensable service the United States is performing on behalf of the globe is refraining from blowing it up.
Courtesy of Photo YourSpace via Flickr
n the 1990s, then–Secretary of State Madeleine Albright popularized the phrase “the indispensable nation” in reference to the United States of America’s role in the post-Cold War global order (Wilson Center, “Is the U.S. Still the ‘Indispensable Nation?’: A Conversation with Madeleine Albright,” 05.28.2015). The gist is that only the United States possessed the military and financial resources necessary to ensure global security and economic prosperity. At times, this trope of indispensability has been invoked for just causes such as intervention against Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in the First Gulf War, but it has also been used to justify rash unilateral actions like, well, the Second Gulf War (the Iraq War). Three decades removed from its initial coinage, “indispensable nation” now seems like just another synonym for that tired phrase: “American exceptionalism.” The notion of American indispensability has received a series of shocks over the years. The largest came from China’s explosive economic growth and its consequent position as an alternative to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund for development aid and foreign investment. China’s ambitious pursuit of the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), the foundation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) under Xi Jinping will only further entrench China as the center of a constellation of multilateral institutions and procedures relatively unbeholden to U.S. interests. The latest blows to indispensability, of course, were dealt by President Trump himself when he refused to ratify the TPP, pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords and demonstrated unremitting hostility toward NATO, NAFTA and the Iran
Deal (JCPOA). The commander-in-chief tweeted last year: “We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada. Both being very difficult, may have to terminate?” (Twitter, [at]realDonaldTrump, 08.27.2017). Democrats and “never-Trump” Republicans, aghast at these sentiments, have opined that a Trumpian refusal to lead the world and spread the gospel of free trade would result in global catastrophe. Roger Cohen wrote: “A disaster is unfolding whose consequences for humanity and decency will be substantial. America’s word, which has constituted the undergirding of global security for more than seven decades, is a fast-devaluing currency” (Spiegel Online, “Donald Trump and the Erosion of American Greatness,” 11.06.2017). On the contrary, the world is continuing to go about its business. On April 21, the European Union and Mexico agreed on an updated free trade pact as a part of Mexico’s strategy to decrease its reliance on the U.S. economy. 80 percent of Mexican exports are sent to the United States, which gives the United States incredible leverage in any negotiation. By deepening its ties with trading blocs other than NATO, Mexico is giving itself room to maneuver (Reuters, “EU and Mexico Agree New Free Trade Pact,” 04.21.2018). Last year at a campaign rally in a Munich beer hall, German Chancellor Angela Merkel argued that Europe needed to take control of itself again. “The times when we could completely rely on others are, to an extent, over,” she announced. “I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands” (CNN, “Merkel Reiterates Call for Europe to ‘Take Fate into Our Own Hands,’” 05.31.2017). Merkel was making the case that Europe needed to take the initiative in its military security and deepening economic integration in
America’s refusal to participate in global collaborative efforts has allowed other world leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel to take up the mantle of leadership.
OPINIONS
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April 26, 2018
Declining milk industry detriment to local farmers, cows Catherine Bither s a popular beverage in America and around the world, milk may seem as innocent as a baby sheep, or perhaps a snow angel. However, a great deal of controversy surrounds the sweet, creamy beverage. The dairy industry
Health Institute advises that infants not consume cow milk until they are one year of age anyway. Milk is a caloric beverage and there are few benefits associated with milk consumption, but, despite this, it is unfair to say that milk causes major health concerns. Although industrial farms have been affected by
cows and allowing them to wander and graze around pastures (Certified Humane, “Organic Pastures Dairy Company”). However, despite these improvements, small dairies are still not cow utopias. Since cows can only produce milk when they are pregnant, they are artificially inseminated, which begins when
the area’s considerable air pollution and cause migraines and other health problems, including cancer and asthma (The New York Times, “How Growth in Dairy is Affecting the Environment.” 05.04.2015). According to the American Lung Association, the area is subject to America’s highest levels of harmful particles in the air, which can cause
has been declining for years, and a steady drop in milk prices has negatively impacted dairies across the country. Not only that, the dairy industry has long been criticized for its negative environmental and potential health effects. With dairy farms across the country in chaos, it is difficult to determine whether milk-lovers should support dairy. To dairy or not to dairy? Although milk was immensely popular in the mid-20th century, consumption has been deteriorating over the past two decades. The Mintel market research firm predicts that dairy prices will drop by 11 percent between 2015 and 2020, while outputs of non-dairy alternatives are speculated to increase by $3 billion in the next four years. The firm states: “Growth of non-dairy milk will continue as consumers perceive it as a better-for-you alternative to dairy milk, with more adults and families opting for plant-based beverages” (Daily Reporter, “U.S. dairy milk sales expected to decline until 2020, Mintel shows.” 05.22.2017). In fact, dairy alternatives have grown 61 percent since 2012, and sales are only increasing. This uptick in alternative-dairy products is due, in part, to the debate surrounding the potential negative health effects of milk. Many believe milk to cause diabetes, heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders, allergies and anemia; however, there is little scientific evidence to support these claims (The New York Times. “Got Milk: Might Not Be Doing You Much Good.” 11.17.2014). While research has found no link between milk and cancer, heart disease can be caused by many fatty foods, including milk. Staying away from full-fat dairy products and instead consuming reduced-fat dairy may cut down on fat consumption. Studies find that infants who are susceptible to juvenile diabetes have an even greater likelihood of contracting the disease if they consume non-human dairy, but the National
the decline in the dairy industry, small dairy farms, particularly in upstate New York, are facing even more alarming crises. Most small dairy farms are family legacies, but in the face of powerful dairies and government-regulated milk prices, many small milk farmers express feelings of powerlessness. The drop in milk prices has led to a string of suicides by farm owners who have struggled to keep themselves financially afloat (NPR, “As Milk Prices Decline, Worries About Dairy Farmer Suicide Rise,” 02.27.2018). In the past three years, Agri-Mark, a New York– based dairy co-op, saw three of its 1,000 members kill themselves so their families would receive life-insurance money. Social isolation and sentiments of self-reliance have shown to distress farmers, many of whom do their jobs for passion rather than for money. The co-op has been disseminating information on suicide prevention along with farmers’ checks to lessen the stigma surrounding mental health and to offer farmers mental and financial help. The dairy industry may be declining, yet milk production is not (NPR, “As big milk moves in, family-owned dairy farms rapidly fold,” 01.11.2017). The production of milk is actually increasing yearly in the United States. The combination of fewer farms and more milk means that dairy farms are simply becoming larger, more industrial and more corporate. In 2012, farms with fewer than 100 cows comprised two-thirds of dairy farms but only produced 14 percent of the country’s milk. Although the dairy industry was formerly run by families, it is now controlled by corporations, driving small dairies into ruin. This turn of events is unfortunate because local dairy farms are often slightly more humane than industrial dairy farms. A dairy in Fresno, CA, claims to “put cows first” by naming all of their
they turn about a year old. After cows give birth, their calves are immediately taken from them and kept in isolated pens, where they are cultivated into beef if they are male or milk cows if they are female. Older cows who can no longer produce milk are also sold to the meat industry. Cows living on industrial dairies are treated even worse. Most cows are kept in small stalls brimming with their own feces, unable to graze. Antibiotics are fed to cows to ward off diseases that breed in their waste and to maintain their unnatural volume of milk production (The Guardian, “Dairy is Scary. The public are waking up to the darkest part of farming.” 05.30.2017). The problems with the dairy industry are not limited to poor animal treatment. Large, industrial dairies across the country are also contributing to major environmental problems like pollution. Industrial dairy farms that house over 1,000 cows produce large amounts of gases from manure, the manufacturing of feed and cows burping. These gases get trapped in and warm the atmosphere, contributing greatly to climate change (NPR, Gassy Cows Are Warming the Planet, And They’re Here To Stay.” 04.12.2014). For instance, according to the World Health Organization, residents of the San Joaquin Valley reportedly live in America’s worst air pollution due to the large number of industrial dairy farms in the area (The Guardian. “Life in the San Joaquin valley, the place with the worst air pollution in America.” 05.13.2016). I remember driving through the valley during many a hot summer and being met with a palpable stench of manure and decay even from the highway. We call the area “Stinky Cow Hill.” My parents would close all the windows, turn off all the vents, and not allow us to exit the vehicle until we were a safe 10 miles away. The effects of industrial dairy contribute to
heart attack and stroke (The New York Times). The valley is framed by mountains, which keep polluted air from mixing with clean air, in addition to maintaining high levels of heat. Further, pollutants from industrial farming and oil drilling have poisoned the water supply with pesticides, arsenic, nitrate and uranium (Pacific Standard, “How Water contamination is Putting California’s San Joaquin Valley At Risk.” 07.07.2017). Considering the environmental, ethical and social implications of the dairy industry, it is difficult to determine the right choices to make. Internet articles abound with conflicting information regarding the health effects of dairy, and little research has been done to actually determine whether dairy is good or bad for the human body. Without sound proof that dairy is malnutritious and without cows and farmers in your face to argue their cases, whether one should consume dairy or not is up to the individual consumer. It is clear, however, that big dairy systematically devalues farmers, cows, consumers and the environment. Regardless of whether you avoid dairy or whether you are an avid dairy consumer, corporate dairy products and their affiliates must be avoided. Although industrial dairy is more affordable than local dairy, money given to small farms supports local businesses, local farmers and local cows. Safeguarding money from corporations helps to reduce their power, not only over cows and farmers, but over consumers ourselves. To find more humane dairy products, visit a farmer’s market or health food store. Look up dairy brands to determine whether they are local and/or humane. Unless the dairy industry improves its treatment of cows and farmers, in addition to addressing the environmental disasters that it is causing, the most effective way consumers can help is by supporting local farms.
COLUMNIST
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Please, Tell Us More! Prof. Roberta Antognini ITALIAN DEPT.
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translators. Critical debate has focused on the possibility/impossibility of translation. Indeed, if we ask people with comparable language competency to translate a text, no one will produce the same version. This conundrum could be solved by Umberto Eco’s formula that translating is “saying almost the same thing.” Translators are negotiators who, while facing a single word, never lose sight of the rest, and then decide, discarding all other possibilities. Lack of correspondence between words makes translation problematic, never impossible. Everything can be said in any language, so the obstacle is not difference between languages, but interpretation of the original. Translating is all about choice. 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 300-500 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 Roberta Antognini
n learning languages, translation is the fifth skill: read, write, speak, understand orally and translate—the ability to integrate all communication skills. Translating means studying both the source language and one’s own, the target language. Texts must be so carefully analysed that students learn a lot of both. We are all translators. If a text is written in another language, we cannot even pronounce it. If we want to read it, we need to read in translation. Yet, translation is poorly recognized: we know the author but seldom the translator. I teach a seminar on literary translation for advanced students of Italian, many of whom have returned from Bologna, where Vassar has a JYA program. Because bilingualism is an essential part of the foreign language classroom, teaching a course on translation makes translation conspicuous. Being a scholar of the Italian Middle Ages, translation studies is not my original field, but bilingualism is the story of my life! I grew up in southern Switzerland, where the official language is Italian. I learned French and German in school, and English in this country. When they learn another language, students also become bilingual, making translation the story of their life as well. Ultimately, life itself is translation between
different systems of signs, as literary critic George Steiner said: “Inside or between languages, human communication equals translation.” Are there translations among books important to you? This is the first questions I ask students. Of the approximately 7,000 spoken languages, 80 are “vehicular,” i.e. the medium of communication between different languages. English is the main one, resulting in 80 percent of translations from English and 8 percent into English. In the US, about 3 percent of published books are literary translations; in Western Europe, between 25 and 40 percent or more. This is an instructive way of considering the relationship between cultures, where English is central, and all other languages are either semi-central or peripheral. I chose literary translation because the language of literature is primarily expressive, and employing metaphors, neologisms, cultural allusions, etc., allows one to use one’s creativity. Translation is amid the most complex activities, as it involves both problem solving and imaginative processes. We must know the language and culture we translate from, have good general culture and writing skills, be analytical, perfectionist and creative...Translating is fun but, while offering great intellectual rewards, it’s hard work—computer scientists have been struggling to conceive a tool substituting human
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.
Pictured above is the book cover of a collection of poems by Italian poet Amelia Rosselli (1930-1996), translated by Roberta Antognini, Deborah Woodard and Giuseppe Leporace.
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 26, 2018
OPINIONS
Focus on Trump’s mental health unjustified Jesser Horowitz COLUMNIST
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ince the very first day of his campaign, Donald Trump has been a controversial figure. His xenophobia, unprofessional language and erratic behavior defined his candidacy for President of the United States. This unusual behavior has led to widespread speculation that Trump is mentally ill, with accusations from politicians, psychologists and the general public. Many on the left have championed this as their primary argument as to why Trump needs to be forcibly removed from office. However, this assertion is limited in its ability to adequately explain the President’s actions and often crosses the line into ableism. Trump is far from the first public figure to have his mental health scrutinized. Politicians from Woodrow Wilson to William Jennings Bryan have faced similar accusations, but none more publicly than Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. In 1964, Goldwater was the Republican nominee for President of the United States and, like Trump, he was a controversial figure with a tendency to make erratic statements. In fairness to Goldwater, he was far from Trump’s ideological or moral equal. Goldwater’s ideology combined libertarian-esque domestic policies with hawkish foreign policy. While he supported a lot of conservative policies and even voted against the Civil Rights Act, some of his beliefs would be considered fairly progressive today. He was an advocate for allowing LGBTQ citizens to serve in the military well before it was popular to do so. He was avidly pro-choice. He was even a fervent critic of the religious right (The New York Times Magazine, “Goldwater Girl,” 08.27.2006). Still, at the time he was known as somewhat of an extremist. Perhaps this was justified. His beliefs regarding foreign policy specifically caused a lot of concern during the 1964 presidential election, especially after his comment on the use of tactical nukes against North Vietnam (History, “1964: Goldwater Suggests Using Atomic Weapons”). This resulted in widespread speculation that Goldwater was mentally ill. During the campaign, Fact Magazine sent out a survey to psychiatrists throughout the United States asking whether Goldwater was fit to be president, and a little under 50 percent said no (Politico, “What Happens When Americans Try to Psychoanalyze Their Leaders,” 01.13.2018). As expected, this survey resulted in a massive backlash. Goldwater ended up suing the magazine for libel and won. The problem was that none of these psychiatrists had any authority to discuss Goldwater’s mental health, as none had met him in the capacity of their positions. Recognizing this error, the American Psychiatric Association instituted what has now become known as the Goldwater Rule, which states, “It is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement” (American Psychiatric Association, “The Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry: 2010 Edition,” 2010). In the age of Trump, this rule may seem outdated. After all, we seem to know a fair amount about him, his life and his views. He appears to tweet and say everything on his mind. More importantly, if Trump truly is mentally ill, it seems as if the experts in the field should have the right to comment on it. After all, he is the president, and it is of utmost importance that we guarantee that he is fulfilling his responsibility to the best of his ability. There is, therefore, an understandable desire to evaluate him. In February of 2017, former professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School Lance Dodes and former chairman of the Committee of Research Proposals for the International Psycho-
analytic Association Joseph Schachter co-wrote a letter to The New York Times, signed by 33 psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, that questioned Trump’s capabilities as president (The New York Times, “Mental Health Professionals Warn About Trump,” 02.13.2017). The letter stated: “Mr. Trump’s speech and
a personality issue and a psychological issue. Trump is petty, impulsive, arrogant, incompetent and bigoted, but this doesn’t mean that he has a mental health disability. Being a bad person does not mean you have a disability, and having a disability does not mean you are a bad person. We as a society tend to associate good
actions demonstrate an inability to tolerate views different from his own, leading to rage reactions. His words and behavior suggest a profound inability to empathize. Individuals with these traits distort reality to suit their psychological state, attacking facts and those who convey them (journalists, scientists). In a powerful leader, these attacks are likely to increase, as his personal myth of greatness appears to be confirmed. We believe that the grave emotional instability indicated by Mr. Trump’s speech and actions makes him incapable of serving safely as president.” Dodes and Schachter also took aim at the Goldwater Rule, writing that it has resulted in a failure to lend their expertise to worried journalists and members of Congress. However, the Goldwater Rule is just as relevant now as it was in 1964. It’s important because the psychiatrists who signed this letter are just as incapable of diagnosing Trump as the psychiatrists who spoke to Fact Magazine were of diagnosing Barry Goldwater. None of the people who signed this letter have met Donald Trump, at least not in the capacity of their positions. None of them could have evaluated the president and are instead making misguided diagnoses based on what they perceive.
behavior with a healthy mind and bad behavior with an unhealthy mind. We assume that people we don’t like or who do bad things are inherently mentally ill. We are wrong to believe this, and it does nothing to help our cause while further stigmatizing disabled people. Even if, however, Donald Trump is mentally ill, that would not disqualify him from being president. According to a study by the Duke University Medical Center, nearly half of United States presidents who served from 1776 to 1974 exhibited symptoms of having a mental health disability, and over a quarter of them met those criteria while in office (Psychology Today, “Study: Half of All Presidents Suffered from Mental Illness,” 02.2.2016). According to the study, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln and Calvin Coolidge all showed signs that they met the diagnostic criteria for depression. In addition, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant, Calvin Coolidge and Woodrow Wilson displayed evidence of anxiety disorders. I still have problems with this study and the article I cited that summarizes it: Its language is somewhat ableist, it still feels largely speculative (although not as bad as the speculation on Trump’s and Goldwater’s mental health), and it claims that their alleged disabilities may have impaired their performances in the position. I mention it, however, because the study does at least demonstrate that a person can have a mental health disability and still function as president. Even if you reject the study’s findings, we’ve probably elected at least one person to the presidency that has at least had a mental health crisis in their life, and the country is still here. This endless speculation takes its toll on people with disabilities, especially those who have ambitions of being elected to higher offices. In 1972, the Democrats selected Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri to serve as their nominee for Vice President of the United States. His candidacy ended, however, when he admitted to having undergone electroshock treatment for depression (Politico, “Washington’s Growing Obsession: The 25th Amendment,” 01.3.2018). As a result, he was removed from the ticket, despite there being no evidence that he was psychologically or morally unfit for the vice presidency (or presidency, should the situation arise). Here, the Democratic Party couldn’t distinguish between having a mental disability and not being capable of leading the country. Eagleton continued to serve valiantly in the United States Senate, where he was beloved by his constituents. Eagleton could have been a fine Vice President; that he didn’t get the chance to vie for the nomination is unfortunate. Someone with a history of mental health issues or who has a mental health disability can still serve as President of the United States, and such individuals have done so effectively. Donald Trump is a bad president. He’s arrogant, he’s racist, he’s petty, he’s indecisive and he’s unprofessional. It’s possible that on top of all of this, he may have a mental health disability. However, those who harp on this, those who are obsessed with getting him removed from the presidency on these grounds, are missing the point entirely. Trump is a danger to America, but it’s not because he’s mentally ill; it’s because he is a dishonest, entitled person who advocates a dangerous ideology. Diverting attention away from this only serves to distract Americans from the issues that matter most and to further stigmatize mentally ill people.
“Trump is petty, impulsive, arrogant, incompetent and bigoted, but this doesn’t mean that he has a mental health disability. Being a bad person does not mean you have a disability, and having a disability does not mean you are a bad person.” One of the most frequent accusations made against Donald Trump is that he suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. According to Allen Frances, the chairman of the task force that wrote the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV and the man who defined the characteristics of this disorder, Trump does not have narcissistic personality disorder (The Independent, “The Psychiatrist Who Wrote the Definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Says Trump Doesn’t Have It,” 02.15.2017). “[Trump] may be a world-class narcissist, but this doesn’t make him mentally ill, because he does not suffer from the distress and impairment required to diagnose mental disorder.” Mr. Frances wrote in a letter to the New York Times. “It is a stigmatizing insult to the mentally ill (who are mostly well behaved and well meaning) to be lumped in with Mr. Trump (who is neither). Bad behavior is rarely a sign of mental illness, and the mentally ill behave badly only rarely. Psychiatric name-calling is a misguided way of countering Mr. Trump’s attack on democracy” (The New York Times, “An Eminent Psychiatrist Demurs on Trump’s Mental State.” 02.14.2017). Despite what many of Trump’s critics may believe, there is a considerable difference between
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Word on the street Describe a recent trip to the dentist.
“I intentionally did not go to my appointment.” — Leah Dillingham ’20
“They told me I had a hole the size of a grape in my jaw and to get it filled.” — Brian Stephenson ’20
“My dentist tells me to stop coming in so frequently to get a new retainer.” — Annie Xu ’19
“I don’t remember the last time I went to the dentist.” — Kci Archibald ’20
“It was pretty standard. Now that I’m 19 I don’t have to get fluoride on my teeth.” — Shannon Chen ’21
“It was nearby in Arlington. It was really expensive, the Vassar tuition didn’t cover it.” — Ke Wang ’20
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 26, 2018
Breaking News
From the desk of Leah Cates and Yesenia Garcia, Humor & Satire Editors
Upset with outcomes of preregistration, students decide not to sign up for any classes next semester Prospective student stuns all, parades as coffee bean Blair Webber NO. 1 PROSPIE
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Courtesy of Samana Shrestha
ith May 1 rapidly approaching, another cycle of the ceaseless pageantry and competition that is the college admissions process draws to a close. Admitted applicants now enter the stage of deciding whether Vassar will be their home, and many individuals have begun feeling the pressures of establishing their identities at a highly selective, coeducational liberal arts college nestled in the heart of the scenic Hudson Valley. One prospective student, Andy Daniel from Michigan, went so far as to dress as a coffee bean for admitted students day to differentiate himself from the pack. “I wanted to show I was excited about Vassar. I should’ve Googled what kind of brewer they meant,” said Daniel. Student hosts for the weekend politely ignored Daniel’s decision, working hard to make him feel comfortable despite the unwieldy foam costume. “It was pretty inconvenient. Especially when he’d sit in the front row. No one could see around the top half of his bean. Also, the foam made weird noises,” said one volunteer. During the lunch break, Daniel attempted to change out of his bulky bean suit. This proved more difficult than expected. “The zipper stuck, and I couldn’t get out,” said Daniel. Forced to wear the costume that was supposed to demonstrate a strong interest in the school, Daniel continued on dressed as a large bean. “It was especially embarrassing in the lecture about the history of the college and Matthew Vassar’s personal life. They went pretty in-depth about how he built up his father’s beer brewing company and used the money to start the school. I should’ve known he brewed beer. Who makes an entire business just brewing coffee?” said Daniel. The admissions office released a statement saying that they won’t revoke Daniel’s offer of admis-
sion, but will be monitoring students who visit the school in costume in the coming academic year. “The student we want picks a costume that reflects an integral part of our culture as a highly selective, coeducation liberal arts college in the heart of the scenic Hudson Valley. We don’t require a costume as part of the application process, but anyone who chooses to wear one should do research in advance,” the admissions statement read. Not all Vassar employees were as befuddled by Daniel’s costume choice. “It’s time the importance of coffee was acknowledged by academia,” said Matthew’s Bean night manager Michele Hammon ‘21. “We all know people live off caffeine. Finally, it’s getting its moment in the spotlight. Little known fact: Matthew Vassar’s father intended to brew himself a comforting pot of coffee instead of that first batch of beer. Coffee was so new to Europeans back then that he just didn’t realize he was doing it wrong. No one on campus talks about that story—it needs to get out there and be told. Coffee made Vassar!” While the admissions office refused to comment on what James Vassar meant to brew the first time he brewed beer, they pointed out that caffeine addiction is a ubiquitous and disturbing trend in society, and not specific to the workings of this highly selective, coeducational liberal arts college nestled in the heart of the scenic Hudson Valley. “When we meet an applicant, we want to know they aren’t just hedging their bets. We want to know they’re excited to be here. A student could wear the same foam coffee bean costume to any college and talk about how big a role caffeine plays at any college anywhere in the country. We want to know why we’re special,” the admissions department wrote in a separate statement. Hot on the heels of his embarrassing visit, Daniel was finally able to choose a place to matriculate. “I’ll go to Williams,” Daniel said, “I nailed it there in my purple cow costume.”
Prospective student Andy Daniels showed up to campus decked out in full-on coffee bean regalia. However, Daniels failed to do the proper research beforehand and was dismayed to find out that the school mascot actually refers to beer brewing and not coffee brewing. Daniels quickly became the laughing stock of the entire school.
Tired of eating at Express? Try eating local... at the dumpster!
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR & SATIRE
April 26, 2018
Page 17
Music department to begin offering course on screaming Matt Stein
LUNGS OF STEEL
T
Courtesy of Jamelle Bouie via Flickr
aught by Adjunct Professor of the Music Department Jerry Hopkins, MUSI 63b.: The Scream will be offered in Fall 2018. This course is not to be confused with ART 363: The Scream, which centers on Edvard Munch’s seminal 1893 painting. “I first came up with the idea after last semester’s primal scream,” Hopkins said about the origins of the course. “All of my students came into their finals with their voices almost completely gone. One poor kid almost had to cancel their senior recital. Seeing all these students agonizing with midterms and homework and college life in general, well, it’s the least we could do.” Baldwin physician’s assistant Karen Housman diagnosed the general problem with this incorrect method of screaming: “The main problem is where they bring the voice from. It’s too stuck in the throat instead of hitting that hard palate at the top of their mouth. This causes the screamer to both waste more energy in getting the effect they want and forces them to strain their vocal chords, which can lead to some pretty permanent damage if this happens too often.” Reception of the course so far has been very positive and, due to the increased demand, Hopkins hopes to open up another section. Several administrators have expressed interest in auditing the course as well. Sam Williams ’20, a biology major who has never taken a music course but was deeply interested in MUSI 63b, commented: “In middle school, my parents forced me to play the French horn for a year, but the spit valve grossed me out
The new screaming course that Vassar plans to offer in the fall has attracted a lot of attention after it was revealed that former president Barack Obama will be a guest lecturer at one point. Obama plans to share his secrets on how to achieve the most effective scream. too much. I can’t really sing either. But being in bio and stuck in lab all the time, I really need a release like this in my life.” Currently the syllabus is divided into a balance of theory and performance, with students exploring various styles of screams, such as the Horror Film Wail, The Existential Cry and The Internal Scream. Hopkins also intends on devoting a part of the semester to anthropological study on the topic
and notable examples throughout history, like Archimedes’ famous “Eureka” exclamation and the Wilhelm Scream, a frequently used sound effect in film and the popular YouTube videos of goats screaming like humans. However, Hopkins refuses to include any reference to Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher film “Scream” and has banned any and all conversations regarding the films in class. Commenting on this decision, Hopkins said,
“In the first place, the film’s pretty impressive when it comes to screaming. But what really gets my goat is the title. It’s asking the audience to scream. One cannot scream on command. It’s a very emotional process that must come from the deep core of our very soul which we summon.” Students will be required to see Professor Hopkins’ deathcore band, Rotting Corpse and the Flaming Diapers, in concert at some point over the course. Hopkins, who performs as the bassist and backing vocalist under the alias “Beelze-bob,” has managed to get the group a local residency at Sloppy Greg’s Roadhouse in Ossining from August to December. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a trek from Vassar, but my band could definitely use the support,” Hopkins commented. Due to the preliminary interest in the course, Hopkins already has plans to expand beyond the classroom, reaching out to faculty of the Drama Department in hopes of leading a workshop on the Shakespearean apostrophes and also arranging a workshop with the Office on Health Education. However, Hopkins’ biggest ambition is to lead a course on the vocal fry, which is when someone talks too much in the glottal closure of their throat. With all these activities in mind, Hopkins still has to address the question of where the course will be held: “At the moment, we have a classroom reserved in the library, but we’re hoping to change it to someplace more atmospheric, like the chapel or the Loeb. We considered holding the screaming class in The Void, but I’ve been informed that that name didn’t win the contest and it’s really called the Old Bookstore.”
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
You may be feeling guilty about your environmental waste after enjoying the Earth Day festivities. So instead of buying that fresh hat you’ve been lusting after, make one out of the humor section of this week’s student-run newspaper.
LIBRA
Taurus, I know that you’ve been looking for a new look. Instead of paying real money for a swanky haircut, blindfold your most uncoordinated friend and let them take scissors to your hair. Hopefully you’ll get something truly unique.
SCORPIO
Even though the end is coming soon, it’s still sad to live with your walls bare. While it’s too late into the year to buy a calendar, you can still make your own. Get 12 of your closest friends together to partake in a sexy calendar photoshoot.
To decrease your monthly budget, Cancer, cut back on your makeup purchases. If you are feeling lost without your eyeliner, you can always use a Sharpie to draw it on. It’s honestly a better option for daily use because you don’t need to reapply, and it’ll stay in the same place the whole day. I suspect you’ve always had a deep (maybe hidden) desire to be a DJ. While DJ equipment can be hard to come by, you can DIY it by opening five different YouTube windows and stopping and starting each of the different songs. If you want to be really crazy, you can add in your own beatboxing noises. It’s completely natural to want to show off your identity through some cool tattoos. If you want them for tonight and at low cost, draw them on yourself. Pick a place that you can’t see, like your left butt cheek, so you won’t know if it looks terrible.
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
Do you want a scarf? Learn to knit. If you don’t want to learn, learn how to manipulate a friend into knitting the scarf for you. It’ll probably look significantly better than the one you made. The only downside is that it’s warm now, so you won’t be able to wear it anyway. You want attention this week, Scorpio. To get the attention you deserve, plan a fashion show for your friends. Wear your most ridiculous outfits and match three different patterns together. To really make an impression, end it in your underwear. You might be feeling melancholy with the end of the year approaching because you and your friends will be apart for the entire summer! Make a scrapbook for each of your friends to remember your favorite memories from the year: reading the horoscope section in The Miscellany News every week. Hammocking season is upon us. However, life is sad when you can’t follow the trend because your sister took the family hammock to college. In order to fit in, you can create your own hammock by tying your roommates’ pants together (you don’t want to stretch out your own pants). It would be sweet of you to show your significant other some love this week. Consider making them a construction paper heart or a pyramid of milkshakes at late night Deece. I personally like mine made with chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk. Catch me in the booths at late night! With finals looming, you may be feeling slight stress. You can deal with this by playing with a stress ball. If you don’t have one, you can DIY it by getting a condom and filling it with your failed exams. Or you could just get one from the counseling office.
SPORTS
Page 18
Thoughts from the Editor Mack Liederman SPORTS EDITOR
I
n the NBA playoffs, all of the stars come out. LeBron James is turning up the intensity in an attempt to single-handedly will his lethargic team past the scrappy Indiana Pacers. James Harden is toying with defenders, putting up big numbers as he begins to heat up for later playoff rounds. Just when it seemed as though Anthony Davis couldn’t get any better, the big man is playing a new career-best, compiling signature games in a statement first-round sweep. Oh, and then there’s Kevin Hart. Sitting courtside at the Philadelphia 76ers game last week, the pint-sized celebrity also seemed to be in peak playoff form. Rocking a throwback Sixers warm-up, paired with the traditional courtside flashy watch (you gotta show off when you’re on camera!), Hart was up and active throughout the game. The little guy showed big heart, hanging onto every 76ers play and heckling the visiting Miami Heat. His primary target: good ol’ friend Dwayne Wade. After hitting a signature step-back jumper, Wade finally caved into the pestitude, directing some trash-talk toward Hart and fellow spectator Allen Iverson. Despite all of Hart’s efforts (and yeah, a near triple-double by Ben Simmons), Wade took the heat in stride to lead the Heat to victory. “Kevin Hart. Thank Kevin Hart for that,” Wade told sideline reporter Ramona Shelburne when asked what inspired his 28-point performance
(Twitter, [at]espn, 04.16.2018). The “beef” did not end there. When the two carried their verbal sparring over to Twitter, Wade was asked about how he would respond to Hart’s potential appearance at Game 3. “I don’t really care,” Wade said. “We’re not friends right now. We made it very clear we’re not friends now, but we’ll be friends after the playoffs are over with. We’re not friends. I don’t like him” (Miami Herald, “Dwyane Wade on Sixers fan Kevin Hart,” 04.19.2018). While tempers have been flaring throughout various first-round matchups, it seems that the Wade-Hart conflict is all in good spirit. Hart has formed many public friendships with famous athletes. Just for the pure juxtaposition of it all, there’s something endearing (and also hilarious) about seeing a very tiny man hang out with 6’8” genetic anomalies. More than any other, Hart has expanded his celebrity through his bombastic and omnipresent sports fandom. He’s been a staple at NBA All-Star Weekend, collecting four Celebrity All-Star Game MVPs, the point to which awarding him the “honor” has become a running trope. Hart’s YouTube series “Cold as Balls” features him asking overtly earnest questions to a notable athlete (or Lavar Ball), whilst sitting in twin ice baths. In what might be his crowning achievement, Hart attended this year’s Super Bowl, decked out in Eagles gear while crushing drinks in his suite box. After the birds proved victorious, the drunk little man naturally gravitated toward the cameras on the field, invit-
April 26, 2018
The culture of courtside ing himself to a post-game panel and attempting to get on stage for the Lombardi presentation. Although it’s unclear how much this drunkenness was manufactured, it’s undeniable that the stunt worked. Hart has taken his comedy past the movie screen and into the public arena by creating a satire of a character so deeply embedded in American sports culture. Looking back on their glory days, everyone remembers the embarrassment-inducing, heckling dad at AAU games, or that loud coach who took everything way too seriously. In professional sports, Hart, in close company with Lavar Ball, is the embodiment of that character. Hart’s role as a comedic sideline nuisance is just another example of how celebrities have become a component of the performance art that is NBA basketball. Unlike all other major sports, basketball allows fans to stand on the same floor as the players, placing them close enough to interact with athletes. From the courtside, celebrities can be an extension of the game, with the ability to craft fascinating subplots. In Toronto, Drake’s fandom has inspired new uniforms and branding for the Raptors. This past week, the typically sensitive rapper was caught out of character, taunting Washington Wizards guard John Wall, who, in turn, told the press that he couldn’t listen to Drake right now (Bleacher Report, “John Wall Says He Can’t Listen To Drake,” 04.23.2018). In last year’s NBA Finals, sideline heckling from LeBron superfan Rihanna
is believed to have inspired Kevin Durant’s impeccable performances. Over in Brooklyn, Jay-Z and Beyonce have sat ceremoniously in their courtside seats, marking some of their rare public sightings in what has been a famously private relationship. Celebrities are a part of the NBA brand–their constant and visible presence molds pop culture into basketball and attests to the sport’s popularity. For big-market teams like the Knicks (who suffer from a fair-weather faithful), having a “Celebrity Row” in courtside seats is a crucial component of reassuring the strength of their fanbase. Although famous faces usually visit the Knicks only once a year, the sole consistent is Madison Square Garden dweller Spike Lee. Lee is the undisputed godfather of the NBA superfan, setting the precedent for this new generation of talent, led by the likes of Drake and Hart. These celebrities have taken the torch in stride, and with it, they have accepted a tremendous responsibility. They have the power to rally a fanbase, create notoriety around their cities and subconsciously push their teams to victory. For the 76ers, Kevin Hart has embraced this role, only topping himself with his latest feat. On Tuesday, Hart picked up Philly legend Meek Mill from prison and brought him directly to his courtside seats for Game 5 of the Sixers playoff series. Only naturally, Philadelphia rolled with this newfound energy, taking a decisive win to advance to the next round.
Spring is here! Let’s draft Show us the money! NBA the NBA’s All-Lawn team season lacks incentives Myles Olmsted GUEST COLUMNIST
F
olks, there is a new Dream Team in town. That’s right—inspired by the fantastic overlap of the return of the warmth with the NBA playoffs, I’ve drafted a lawn game All-Star team that would blow away any hypothetical cornhole competition. You can come up with your own team, but trust me: As an avid NBA fan and veteran lawn game enthusiast, I’m an authority on the subject. Now, I need to set a few ground rules for the selection process. Whereas player positions are used to construct NBA All-Star teams, for my team I have elected to include one player for each of five chosen lawn games: Spikeball, cornhole, KanJam, wiffle ball and croquet. Those games were selected by an algorithm of popularity and my personal rankings (subjective, yet correct). I’ve also limited the pool of available NBA players to those who are on teams still in the playoffs. This distinction is partly arbitrary, but I also like focusing in on players still in the game; it is a great honor to be selected for my lawn game team, and one I do not wish to bestow upon those whose teams failed to make the postseason (or to any Blazers players, who, after being embarrassed by the Pelicans in four games, don’t deserve to have their names said in the same sentence as the word “All-Star” ever again). Players currently injured can be picked because I said so. With these ground rules laid out, let’s get started. First up is Spikeball. Players must read the game, decide on the fly whether to set or take it themselves, spike or finesse, and predict and respond to opponent’s actions. To me there’s only one choice for the Spikeball slot: Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics. Kyrie has great hands around the basket and routinely finishes from tough angles. He can also be jaw-droppingly crafty, throwing fakes to beguile defenders, setting up his filthy crossover and changing his shot around the rim. He would own Spikeball—I can see him now, tugging at his shooting sleeve after a sprawling dig and a well-concealed drop shot.
With Spikeball settled, we can move onto the other four games. Cornhole is obviously a classic and a sure thing for this list, but it’s really just about tossing, so I think spot-up shooters would excel. Thus I’m taking Kyle Korver, an absolute technician when it comes to his mechanics, who uses impeccable footwork to stay balanced and maintain his form coming off screens. Shooters also seem like the best candidates for the next slot: KanJam. KanJam similarly requires consistent throws to set up your teammate for valuable three-pointers. Yet which NBA player is comfortable throwing the frisbee, specifically? I think Kelly Olynyk. His scraggly long hair and confounding facial hair scream frisbee. The challenge for Olynyk would be receiving throws around the can, but he’s shown me enough for me to be confident in his hands and his touch. Wiffle ball presents a new set of challenges. I’m drawn to NBA players with specific baseball experience. Pat Connaughton would be a great option, as he was in fact drafted by the Baltimore Orioles; however, he is ineligible since his Blazers were exposed as frauds in the first round. Instead, my choice is the Warriors’ Klay Thompson. Thompson’s younger brother, Trayce, is an active MLB player. Imagine the Wiffle Ball games the two brothers must have played growing up together! The final slot on the lawn game All-Star lineup goes to Steph Curry, brought on to compete in croquet, a pastime well beyond its prime, yet still a giant in our collective lawn game imaginaries. Steph’s athleticism would not be utilized, but he has demonstrated the ability to project a cultured, family-values image that would mesh well with the 19th-century English game. Plus, Curry is known as a terrific golfer, even competing last year in a Web.com tour event. Surely his acumen with the golf club bodes well for his mallet play. So Curry becomes my fifth, alongside Thompson, Olynyk, Korver and Irving. That’s a team ready to dominate these beautiful spring weekends. I’d go to lawn game war with that five. Who you got?
Jonathan Levi-Minzi GUEST COLUMNIST
A
pril couldn’t come soon enough for basketball fans, who rejoice when the calendar flips into the heart of spring. No further need for argument over whether this matchup or that one is relevant—it is win or go home. Although this is also the case with baseball and hockey, because basketball involves few players, the relative value of a good player is high. Perhaps the foremost general manager of the last 10 years, NBA superstar LeBron James has shuttled between star-studded rosters in his quest to win. Teams have become increasingly strategic in recognition of this high value of certain individual players. The problem, however, is not the great teams, but the teams that lose out. When the talent aggregates at the top, a feeling of futility sets in elsewhere. The only worthy reward for finishing as an all-but-hopeless playoff team is the additional ticket revenue. Finishing amongst the best non-playoff teams? Completely useless. One could actually argue that the most formidable teams who don’t have two or three NBA stars are the worst placed for future ascent to the pinnacle (an NBA Championship). They do not have a good path to the future acquisition of star players; their salary book is filled and their draft picks leave them far from star prospects. For mediocre teams, no argument needs to be made. Their competitive motivation should clearly be to play worse. This is how they can access top star prospects. In addition, they can gain valuable assets towards future success (like draft picks and young, marginal, cost-controlled players) by essentially selling their current salary cap room in taking on players with badly valued contracts. Currently, the only direct financial incentives for winning in the NBA are from a Player Playoff Pool, which allocates around $10 million each year from playoff gate receipts (“Millions in playoff share awaiting NBA champions” NBC
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Sports, 06.14.2016). These relatively small financial rewards are for the players, not the teams. This is not to say that winning is financially fruitless. Winning teams make money from merchandise, ticket-selling and branding deals. The NBA is an association of owners entered into a partnership. It involves a complex web of arrangements meant to spur fairness amongst its investors. A revenue sharing system is central to making small-market teams viable. Revenue sharing and the salary cap system give the NBA a fair amount of competitive equity. However, competition itself should be held to a higher standard. The problem with the franchise-owning-partnership is that there are plenty of gaps in the league-wide motivation to compete for the highest place. Emblematic of the phenomenon is the New York Knicks. Every year, Forbes re-publishes the fact that the hapless New York franchise is the league’s most valuable entity. This value comes down to the team’s ability to charge their choiceless fans greater amounts for tickets. Ultimately, the Knicks do not pay a price for their decades-long futility. Put simply, the competitive motivation of the NBA needs to be married with a financial motivation. In the English Premier League (association football), teams can makes tens of millions of dollars by finishing in higher places (Total Sportek, “Premier League Prize Money 2018,” 02.27.2018). This merit-based distribution of the league’s television deal income means that teams have considerable incentive to finish with high ranking. Of course, the Premier League has no playoff tournament (it is defined, itself, as a double round-robin tournament). That doesn’t mean that a derivation of their example shouldn’t be considered. If NBA teams were directly and substantially financially incentivized to achieve success, then perhaps the regular season could carry greater stakes, despite widespread hopelessness at winning the ultimate prize.
April 26, 2018
SPORTS
Page 19
Track & Field breaks records at sole home meet of season Fiona MacLeod
success. “For both the men and the women, these senior classes will be a tough loss for us,” head coach James McCowan admitted. “They are all such wonderful students and inspiring people for their teammates and coaches alike.” The senior days were filled with numerous exceptional performances from both groups, many of which smashed personal and school records. The men commenced their day by thanking and congratulating seniors Michael Scarlett, Jesse Schatz, Joel Johnson, Jared Freedman, Michael Walsh and Philip Brown. Collectively, this eldest class has been an inspiration to their younger teammates with not only their athletic ability, but also their leadership skill and dedication. These six have brought energy, intensity and passion to the sport since their first years at Vassar. Senior standout Scarlett reflected, “The entire senior class has been committed to helping push the team to new levels and set the tone for our seasons. We have all grown tremendously since our freshman year and are attempting to leave a lasting, positive legacy.” The graduating men have done exactly that. McCowan personally vowed that the senior class has accomplished this goal. “We talk a lot about legacy,” he said. “Early on in everyone’s time with us, we encourage them to think about what kind of legacy they want to leave behind—how they will leave their mark, make an impact and leave the program in a better place. Certainly, this class
pressive performances have continued throughout the entire current season. At the Invitational, Scarlett demolished the standing school record for the 3,000-meter run—which has remained at 9:23.70 since 2006—with a time of 8:38.09. First-year Reed Dolan accompanied Scarlett in breaking the 3,000 meter record, posting a 9:15.58, which broke the 2006 record as well. This performance earned him a spot on the Liberty League’s weekly honor roll. Senior sprinter Johnson joined in on the day’s historic fun, finishing second overall in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.12, good for a personal best and a new standing Vassar College record. Johnson’s fellow senior sprinter Schatz finished in the 400-meter dash with a time of 16:08.72, just behind sophomore sprinter Will Dwyer’s 16:03.00. Walsh placed second overall at the Invitational in the triple jump, earning a personal best distance of 12.25. The senior also earned the Brewers sixth place in the javelin throw with a 43.12 meter toss. Vassar’s underclassmen did not fail to display record-breaking performances to accompany their older teammates’ feats. At the pole vault event, sophomore Jonah Goldenbird finished third for the Brewers, hitting a height of 3.4 meters. Firstyears Calvin Scannell and Josh Lacoste both broke the minute mark in order to post collegiate-best times in their respective sprints. Scannell earned a 59.95 in the 100-meter hurdles and Lacoste won the 400-meter sprint with a 56.57. The women of Vassar XCTF left the Invitational with a rivaling number of personal accomplish-
O
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
n Saturday, April 21, Vassar Track & Field honored its graduating seniors at the beginning of the Vassar Invitational. The men’s and women’s teams recognized six members each for their contributions to the program’s growth and
has done that. Their efforts [and] leadership have paved the way for future generations of Vassar track and field student-athletes.” Scarlett has been a force to be reckoned with on the track for Vassar in his past two years. Last season, the distance runner placed first for the Brewers in every race in which he participated. His im-
GUEST REPORTER
Track & Field junior Michelle Perri pushes through a sprint at Weinberg Field this past weekend. Perri and her teammates broke new records in their sole home meet of the season. ments. To begin the day, seniors Katie Voegtlin, Maddy Pieper, Savannah Wiman, Beatrice Land, Eliana Marcus-Tyler and Meghan Willcoxon were honored by their coaches for their successful running careers. Similarly to the men, each of these runners has brought dedication, leadership and individual personality to the program. McCowan said, “This group is a powerful one and will be sorely missed. They collectively bought into our vision for the program, while each bringing their own style to the team. Their spirit will be essential to our future success.” For junior Kate Lawson, the seniors have been a plentiful source of inspiration. “They are the strongest group of women I know,” she praised. Lawson
started the day for the Brewers by earning a personal record in the 10,000 meter with a 39:29.34. Many of the seniors finished the day placing in the top of their events. Wiman posted an impressive 4:47.06 in the 1,500-meter for second place, while fellow senior Marcus-Tyler also secured second in the 400-meter with a 1:02.54. Pieper finished the 5,000-meter in her best time of the season, 19:37.75, while Land followed right behind with a time of 19:47.90. First-year Seneca Straub ran a personal best for the 1,500, finishing in just 4:47.06, while sophomore Sabrina Stacks beat her previous javelin record throw with a 31.99. Both the men and women will send runners to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia this week.
Led by vocal seniors, baseball preps for playoff push MASCULINITY continued from page 1
great bouncing back all year long from tough losses, and I think it’s a testament to the mental toughness and resilience of this group.” These next few games are important for the Brewers because securing some more wins could help them land a playoff spot, something that Kinne and the rest of the team have their sights set on. However, just making the playoffs is not their only ambition. Kinne commented. “We are hoping to clinch a playoff spot in the next two weeks and make a run at the Liberty League title. Last year we dropped both playoff games, so we want to not only make the play-
offs, but also make some noise when we get there.” In terms of how they are going to achieve their goals, Kinne is focused on getting the team physically and mentally prepared for the last few games of the season. “For me personally as a captain, I just want to help everyone feel prepared and energized in this final stretch of the season and get my job done on the field. We have such a deep, talented and well-coached team, so I trust everyone will be ready for this playoff push and, ideally, a title run after that,” Kinne expressed. Although the Brewers are a younger team
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Junior Matt Schwartz hits a frozen rope in a game at Prentiss Field earlier this season. Vassar baseball looks to build off of some recent non-conference games as they brace for league playoffs.
this year, players and coaches alike can attribute much of their success to the leadership and knowledge of the upperclassmen and captains. Sophomore pitching standout Max Spencer has nothing but respect for the upperclassmen on the team, especially the three captains, Bryan Rubin, John Madsen and Bobby Kinne. “Because our team is so young, and so many of our freshmen and sophomores are in important roles, having leadership that does all of the little things right is crucial to the learning process,” Spencer explained. “Our leadership has done a great job at showing the younger guys what they’ve learned over their careers, and this kind of leadership has enabled us to be better ballplayers.” In terms of team dynamic, Spencer cited the importance of attention to detail. Due to the full schedule, it is difficult for the team to only have long-term goals in mind: “Because we play so many games, often four in one weekend, it becomes difficult to constantly have a hard focus on larger goals,” Spencer commented. “Of course, we have plans to do big things this year, but our belief is that if we get the small things done, day in and day out, it will lead to bigger success.” Spencer feels that this type of day-to-day is necessary for the team’s success and that the positive atmosphere the Brewers boast has helped them adapt to obstacles over which the team has no control. “Whenever there may be adversity, our team dynamic allows us to easily adjust and trust the ways we prepared to face that scenario in our practices, therefore making that obstacle easier to overcome,” Spencer expressed. This baseball team has found incredible success thus far, and much of it can be attributed to unfaltering enthusiasm and support from the upperclassmen, as well as an important
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
shift in the culture of the team. Coach Matthew Righter, who is in his second season at Vassar, explained the immeasurable impact that the seniors have had on the team this season. He remarked, “They have all been engaged and work hard, especially captains Bobby Kinne and John Madsen. Those two have been transformational to our program and will be truly missed next year. Our other seniors—Derek DeMild, Chris Lee, Eric Strickland and Matt Hernandez—have also been an important part of this program.” Wins and losses are not the only focus for the team. There is a emphasis on fostering a positive team dynamic and creating a team culture that emphasizes not only being successful in baseball but also excelling when it comes to academics. Righter commented on how proud he is that the team enjoys and takes advantage of being involved in other aspects of the Vassar community. “In addition to our upperclassmen being engaged in baseball, they have also been instrumental in changing the culture of this team. I think other people at Vassar can say they appreciate the way this team engages the rest of the community and how the guys go about their business,” Righter expressed. “They are respectful and caring for others plus do their very best in the classroom. We were actually just awarded by the ABCA [American Baseball Coaches Association] for having a team GPA of 3.56.” Coach Righter credits the change in the team culture to the efforts of the seniors and expects that this mentality will continue for years to come, with the help of the underclassmen following suit. With two big league matches each coming up against Bard and Union on April 28 and 29 and May 5 and 6, respectively, if the Brewers continue playing with the tenacity they have been bringing to each game all season, they will be a tough group to stop when playoffs roll around.
SPORTS
Page 20
Why
we
April 26, 2018
Zamir Birnbach, tennis
play
Zamir Birnbach
B
ounce the ball three times, pause and breathe. I need this point. I’m getting this point. My left arm shoots up, launching the ball above my head as my hips arch toward the net,
him?” Maybe not that last one—he was an only child so they really had no choice—but these thoughts helped me get on the right track. I had made choices in my life to pursue other activities, and these guys pretty much just picked tennis. It is what it is. Do I regret not seriously getting into
knees bent. I jump up to meet the ball and snap my wrist, racket arching from behind, to brush the ball with maximum spin. Then I sprint into the court. I dump the volley into the net. I lose the point. Shucks. Slightly dejected and trying not to show it, I gather the freshly missed ball and trudge back to the baseline. “LET’S GO ZAMIIIII!!!” A grin spreads beneath my visor as I turn to look at the bleachers. My boys. My brothers. My team. Most people think of tennis as an individual sport. They’re not entirely wrong; most youth tennis is played individually, with grueling training schedules that can overshadow even schooling. At the professional level, tennis players are even more isolated as they travel alone, barely earning enough to make it to the next tournament. But in college, or at least here at Vassar, tennis is a team. I started tennis just after picking up my first racket at the Rite Aid by the park. It was an Andre Agassi special junior edition. Pretty dope. My mom was naturally very patient with me, seeing as I was only about five, and a few years later I started playing in a summer league at a nearby club. Throughout elementary school I played in a junior program at the University of Washington twice a week, training alongside people who would later become some of my closest friends. However, tennis was never a priority; it always came after my citywide soccer team, piano lessons and Tae Kwon Do. High school was the time when I had to pick which sport I would seriously pursue, and I decided to go with tennis. I stopped Tae Kwon Do after getting my second-degree black belt, and soccer I enjoyed, but I wasn’t quite top-tier. In tennis, I thought I was hot stuff. I thought I had a chance to get recruited to Stanford, or some equally prestigious and rigorous Division 1 program. Boy, was I wrong. In the summer after eighth grade, I pulled up to a tennis camp at the magnificent Magnuson Park, an expansive area packed with sports fields, beautiful trails and plenty of waterfront property. Unfortunately, we were forced to play on the decrepit outdoor courts, as the indoor courts were
tennis earlier? Maybe, but then I would embarrass myself at kick-arounds, and the memories from even just the soccer carpools around town are invaluable. Plus I’m a music major now, so the only thing I’m regretting in that regard is the fact that I didn’t practice piano enough, but that’s beside the point. I relished each opportunity I had to play against these top guys because that was the best way to improve. And I had my fair share of groundstroke/volley game wins against them, too! I was content with my level. I had accepted it, and I set out to do with it what I could. My decision to play tennis in college wiped the vast majority of institutions off the map. Division I programs were out of the question unless I wanted to entirely sacrifice academics, which I did not. Division II schools are just, well, weird, so that left Division III. Somehow, after a chain of fortuitous events that started with a random suggestion from my dad to email the Vassar coach before a recruiting event (I literally said to pops, “What’s a Vassar?”), I ended up in Poughkeepsie —and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Now here we are. The entire Vassar College Men’s Tennis team (VCMT for short) is like a group of lovable, quirky, wild and unpredictable colors that blend together in a symphony of perfect dissonant harmony. Every man contributes something different from the next, and when one out of the 11 is gone, we all feel it. I play tennis here at Vassar not because I love the game, not because I’m dying to win, but because I love my brothers. I live for the heart-to-hearts on the long bus rides, two-hour long Pho excursions, topnotch banter with a top-notch coach (Emperor Wong) and of course the much-needed hydration games on the weekends. Getting a win is wonderful as well, and it leaves your heart full and a taste of comradery in your mouth. As I bounce the ball for the next point, I look down the row of courts and see five brothers battling with all their might. I hear the remaining brothers supporting us with a barrage of inside jokes and generic words of encouragement. And I feel the love and passion reverberating through all of us.
GUEST COLUMNIST
Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
For this week’s installment of Why We Play, sophomore tennis player Zamir Birnbach writes about some of his tougher losses, and how his teammates have driven his free-spirit approach to the game. still under construction. At least Seattle summers are nice. For the first couple of weeks at the camp, I was easily the best player. My confidence was soaring as different kids rolled up for me to feast upon. I could beat all of them! Man, getting into college was going to be easy-peasy lemon freakin’ squeezy! But then Thomas Paulsell showed up and rocked my world. Short (much shorter than I, believe it or not), skinny, complete baby face, but he was giving me a run for my money. I wasn’t winning 5-1 or 7-2 in the groundstroke game; each round was a battle. Sometimes I would even lose! And then I found out he would be starting fourth grade in the fall. Fourth grade. Bruh. This punk was five years younger than I was— the same age as my little brothers—and was already almost as good as me. How’s that for a confidence boost? That fall he joined me to train in the High Performance program at the freshly
Men’s Lacrosse
Women’s Lacrosse
Vassar College 6, Union College 11
Vassar College 3, Ithaca College 18
April 21, 2018
April 21, 2018
Vassar College # 10 15 16 18 20 24 35 37 38 44 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 13 19 21 22 23 27
constructed 10-court, one-café complex on the other side of the park, away from where we had our first fateful encounter. I played there three to four times a week, with two workout sessions and a mental toughness session each week as well. Talent kept pouring in, as the new building and head coach were both very attractive to eager mothers. Each month it seemed a new middle schooler would pull a banana out of his lunch box, kick my ass around the court, then go back home to catch a couple stories before bedtime. If that wasn’t enough, there were kids like Jason Lui, just a year younger, who were top 100 in the nation. Jason is now playing at Columbia and was top 30 in the country during his recruitment. I was humbled. I justified my inferiority to myself with thoughts like “Well, does Jack know how to play piano?” and “Has Colton ever gone to a debate tournament?” and “Do Marcus’ parents love
Player
Union College
G
A
P
SH GB
M. Lowery TK Murphy T. Meade S. Felps N. Diamond Z. Henig M. Boyd C. Erdman M. Mullen C. Vorel P. Sargeant L. Neville J. Thomas K. Cherry D. Adams P. Gibbons A. Georgalas E. Mikelinich C. Croghan E. Burns D. Stebel R. Weiss J. Bradley
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 11 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0
Totals.......
6
2 8
6 1 0 3 0 4 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
30 23
# 5 8 9 10 28 33 37 40 41 43 1 3 4 6 7 13 14 15 16 17
Player
Vassar College
G
A
P
SH GB
J. Edmonds P. Regan K. Lyne P. Brown J. Blomquist H. Frey P. McKinlay S. Pensavalle J. Cooper S. Bebout J. Santilli J. Willis J. Diver O. Reda J. Sullivan E. Zimm S. Patterson J. Connelly M. Georgiades J. Bienstock
1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
5 0 8 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 0 1 4 0 1 0 2 0 0 0
Totals.......
11
10 21 35 26
0 0 1 2 1 2 0 1 0 2 0 3 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
# 2 3 7 9 11 13 14 15 16 18 24 31 4 5 6 17 19 20 21 22 25
Player
G
1 F. MacLeod 0 T. Waters 0 O. O’Loughlin 0 T. Newcomb 0 A. LaMere 0 K. Pushie 0 A. MacEwen G. Goodwin-Boyd 0 2 S. Sideleau 0 A. Rivoir 0 S. Nemphos 0 E. Chancey S. Herrera-Ross 0 0 E. Hamburger 0 L. Wolk 0 K. Parentis 0 M. Kokinis 0 J. Sledzik 0 H. Hallman 0 G. Patick 0 A. Fable 3 Totals.......
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
A
P
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 3
Ithaca College
SH GB
3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1
1 1 3 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0
10 17
# 1 2 5 9 11 12 14 17 21 23 27 32 3 4 6 8 13 15 16 19
Player
G
0 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
R. Simoncini J. Hallack A. Panara M. Long K. Welch E. Sauer K. Stoddard E. Rice B. Herr M. Cambria B. Mehorter K. Presuto G. Dilaura J. Carver A. Ritchie E. McGee M. Nodiff M. Boutureria H. Welshoff I. Varma Totals.......
18
A
P
SH GB
0 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 4 6 0 0 1 0 4 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
1 5 6 0 1 2 0 10 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
2 2 0 5 0 3 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0
10 28 40 23