The Miscellany News
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
May 3, 2018
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CL | Issue 21
Architects innovate in Athens
Volleyball falls short at D3 final
Kelly Vinett
Teddy Chmyz
GUEST REPORTER
COPY EDITOR
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T Courtesy of Vassar
inding inspiration from urban planning might be an uncommon concept to the everyday citizen. However, the Greek architects of Point Supreme, an architectural practice that imagines and builds projects from houses to public spaces, are changing the traditional design of Athens. On April 25 in Taylor Hall, Associate Professor of Art and Director of Urban Studies Tobias Armborst introduced guest lecturer Konstantinos Pantazis, one of the two founders of Point Supreme Architects. Pantazis and his partner, Marianna Rentzou, won international acclaim for designing the Faliro Pier in Athens. Their work blends traditional aesthetics with innovative design. To begin his presentation, Pantazis showed an aerial photo of the capital city of Greece. The bird’s-eye view gave perspective to an otherwise confusing multitude of roads and conglomeration of buildings, complete with the urban environment See ATHENS on page 6
Earlier this semester, Vassar released the results of the 2017 “What Happens Here” survey, and held a forum last Wednesday, April 25, to present and discuss the survey results. Attendees were also asked to brainstorm ways Vassar could do better.
Survey: Sexual assault rate down, but distrust in Title IX remains high Laurel Hennen Vigil NEWS EDITOR
TW: This article discusses sexual assault. was just walking past this artwork by SAVP [the Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention Program] that said things like, ‘We believe
“I
you.’ It’s a beautiful thing to see, but it’s a lie,” said a Vassar senior, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, in a recent interview. A few weeks ago, she wrote for Boilerplate Magazine about being sexually assaulted by someone she had previously dated (Boilerplate Magazine, “The Gray
Area,” 04.12.2018). This sentiment reflects the feelings of many students, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault at Vassar. The results of the 2017 Vassar College Survey of Social Behaviors and Student Experiences—commonly See SURVEY on page 3
his year, Vassar men’s volleyball reached the NCAA Division III national semifinals, the first time the team has done so since 2008, and only the third time in the program’s history. They booked their ticket to the semifinals Saturday, April 21, with a 3-1 victory over Kean University. This historic win came in front of a full crowd that included parents, students and, notably, members of the men’s soccer team dressed in cow suits, who would dive on the floor with every point won by the Brewers. Head Coach Richard Gary reflected: “That Kean match was one for the record books. It was a special thing to share the NCAAs with our campus, family, friends and a bunch of guys in cow outfits. You can’t even imagine that in the beginning of the season. It was definitely beyond our wildest imagination.” While the team was unable to ride the momentum coming off of their victory against Kean, losing 3-0 to See VOLLEYBALL on page 19
JYA-er reflects on museum scene Art of knitting alters fabric of student’s life Patrick Tanella GUEST COLUMNIST
A
rt 105-106 truly changed my life. Through this course, I gained a new way of looking at the world and at art, which I have applied to my studies in London this semester. After visiting almost 30 museums in 10 countries, I have found that cities and their inhabitants shape their cultural institutions,
particularly their museums. One of the courses in which I have been enrolled this semester, Art in London Museums, involves studying the curatorial practices of London’s various galleries. Basically, this entails observing how a gallery space and its works can introduce new ways of seeing to a public audience. London is not known to be a city full of sun, and this
Inside this issue
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ARTS
Camaraderie, collaboration fuels Shakespeare troupe’s creation
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Local business spotlight: Twisted Soul a FEATURES delight
Abby Knuckles GUEST REPORTER
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few years ago, my therapist encouraged me to pick up knitting again. She suggested that perhaps a simple creative act on which I could focus and make distinct progress would help calm my anxiety and provide a sense of accomplishment. At the time, I was skeptical; in all past attempts, I’d never quite learned how to purl, so I figured I would struggle to make any garment worth wearing. However, I still humored her, and I never could’ve predicted how much knitting would alter the fabric of my life. With the help of several internet tutorials, I relearned my past skills: casting on, the knit stitch and binding off. For those who don’t know, knitting is typically done across rows, with the knitter turning their work at the end of each. Beginning a project involves casting on an appropriate number of stitches; knitting is to work these stitches to create a fabric; casting off is the method of removing the work from the needles. With these three techniques, a variety of garments can be made in garter stitch, which is a fancy way of saying
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Courtesy of Abby Knuckles
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is a massive, ornate building that allows the viewer to wander its halls and observe some of the finest Dutch art.
idea is reflected in its gallery spaces. Most are located in dull, gray buildings, but the art inside transcends its bland confines. The Tate Modern used to be an old power station, and now it holds one of the most famous modern art collections in the world—where an abstract Rothko can be placed opposite an impressionist Monet. Additionally, most galleries in London are free for students, which allows greater public access to these collections. Although London may seem melancholic at times, the museum spaces serve as a wonderful reprieve from daily life. Going to the institutions together as a class created a sense of community in a course filled with students from around the world. The works served as a foundation for us to get to know one another, whether it be around Manet’s “Bar at the Folies-Bergère” or a forensic architecture exhibition. Museums can also be influenced by the vibes of the city. I found that Amsterdam, which is full of bikes, fake hipsters and recreational drugs, was more relaxed with its art collections. After continuously almost being hit by oblivious bikers, my friends and I made it to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. The two spaces are located almost parallel to each See MUSEUMS on page 7
Ta-da, the mug rug is made! Now you have a permanent, fuzzy coaster for your drinks. You can even use it as a mini napkin or blanket for your pet. The pattern is also applicable for larger designs. knit all rows. Garter stitch creates a bumpy-textured fabric, which can be desirable depending on the goal of See KNITTING on page 10
Masculinity addressed, athletics culture SPORTS assessed
The Miscellany News
Page 2
May 3, 2018
Editor-in-Chief Talya Phelps
Senior Editor Leah Cates
Contributing Editors Eilís Donohue Rhys Johnson
News Features Opinions Humor and Satire Arts
Courtesy of Chris Allen
“Northern Ireland’s Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is disappointingly safe and stable—I was hoping for something more rickety and Indiana Jones-like,” writes Chris Allen ’19, who is nearing the end of a semester studying abroad with Vassar’s Clifden program. Allen reflects: “All in all, my semester in Ireland was different from the typical study abroad experience, sometimes challenging, but ultimately rewarding. There are a lot of things I will miss about living over here—everything from the traditional music and atmosphere of an Irish pub to the hilarious sight of an unconcerned sheep holding up traffic by casually meandering into the highway. There is only one thing that I won’t miss, and that’s my flight back to the United States. Or maybe I will miss it? We’ll see how I’m feeling when the time comes.” To read more about Allen’s adventures, and those of fellow JYA-ers, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!
The Miscellany News 3
May
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Asian American Studies Panel 2018
Representation Matters -Mariko Carpenter ’94 Lunch
5:30 p.m. | College Center 223 | Chinese Students Community (Pre-Org)
11:30 a.m. | College Center Villard Room | Career Development Office
Hunger Action Banquet
DeStress Dog Daze
10:00 a.m. | Ballantine Field | VC Traditions Committee
6:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Hunger Action
1:00 p.m. | Library Lawn | Health Education
Rugby (W) Alumnae Day
HYPE: Final Showcase!
11:00 a.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics
12:00 p.m. | Ely Hall AULA | Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development
Carnival at the Quad
Justice!
Community Breakfast 10:00 a.m. | Noyes Circle | VC Traditions Committee
Fun Run
7:00 p.m. | Kenyon Hall | HYPE Courtesy of Vassar College via Flickr
Founder’s Day is this Saturday, May 5, so GET PUMPED! The VC Traditions Committee has organized a number of events, from a community breakfast to fireworks to a movie, which will help make this a day to remember.
Improv Show! 8:00 p.m. | Taylor Hall 203 | Improv
Vassar College Orchestra: Featuring Todd Crow 8:00 p.m. | Skinner Hall | Music Dept.
12:00 p.m. | The Quad | VC Traditions Committee
Rugby (M) Alumnae Day 12:30 p.m. | Rugby Field at the Farm | Athletics
Baseball vs. Bard College (DH) 12:00 p.m. | Prentiss Sports Complex Baseball Field | Athletics
Monthly Transitions Community Lunch
Sports Design Social Media Copy
Laurel Hennen Vigil Andrea Yang Steven Park Yesenia Garcia Hannah Gaven Izzy Braham Sasha Gopalakrishnan Mack Liederman Rose Parker Kimberly Nguyen Teddy Chmyz Jessica Moss
Assistant News Clark Xu Assistant Arts Matt Stein Assistant Online Jackson Ingram Abby Lass Assistant Copy Claire Baker Web Master & George Witteman Technical Advisor Reporters Duncan Aronson 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
2:00 p.m. | College Center Villard Room | Hispanic Studies Dept.
Paper Critique 9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News
Founder’s Day at Ballantine Field 1:00 p.m. | Ballantine Field | VC Traditions Committee
ACDC BBQ on the Field 5:00 p.m. | ACDC
Fireworks & Movie 9:00 p.m. | Sunset Lake | VC Traditions Committee
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed. The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
May 3, 2018
NEWS
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Vassar discusses issues with sexual assault reporting SURVEY continued from page 1
said it was very unlikely to progress further in my favor and asked if I wanted to continue. I said no, so it was just dropped.” She added, “I’d love to be more optimistic, but I assume that if one system’s faulty, then a lot of them are faulty.” In order to present the survey results and address some of the perceived issues with Title IX, the College hosted its second forum on the survey last Wednesday, April 25. Administrators from the Title IX Office and SAVP shared information about what their offices do and President Bradley invited students in attendance to brainstorm and share ideas for ways Vassar could do better. After a PowerPoint presentation of the survey results, Director of Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action and Title IX Officer Rachel Pereira talked about how the Title IX Office handles reports. She said that from January 2016 to December 2017, Title IX received 94 reports. Of these, only five resulted in a hearing. “Not all cases will go to a hearing,” she explained. “It is only if the complainant wishes to move forward.” In those five cases, four of the accused were found responsible, two of those found responsible were suspended and one student was expelled. The College uses the language of “found responsible” rather than “found guilty” because, as Pereira clarified, “We are not a criminal justice body, we are not putting people in jail, we are not finding people guilty. Everything that we do here on campus is to provide an educational experience for students.” Pereira also talked about actions the Title IX
Courtesy of Vassar
At the Wednesday, April 25 forum, administrators presented a PowerPoint with information from the survey about rates of sexual assault at Vassar. This slide breaks down the rates by gender and race. Office has taken since the 2015 survey to make students more comfortable reporting. For instance, the office created a student advisory group, and has held focus groups for LGBTQ+ students and students of color, who Pereira said typically report sexual assault at disproportionately low rates. “We are not happy with the rate at which marginalized students report these incidents,” she said. “We do not believe for a moment that just because they’re not reporting that it’s not happening. We’re committed to providing whatever support and resources we can to address these issues.” The senior told The Miscellany News that the fact that both she and the person who assaulted her are students of color was another reason that she decided not to file a report, due to the historical and structural racism of systems that investigate sexual violence. “There’s this duality where I feel like you can’t trust the institution to handle these things with care, especially when you’re dealing with the Black community,” she said. “But then also within the Black community, we have a tendency to shy away from these conversations because historically, we haven’t been able to have [them] safely without a white audience coming in and saying, ‘Oh yeah, this person is obviously guilty.’” Back at the forum, Director of SAVP Char-
At the April 25 forum, administrators presented a PowerPoint with information from the survey about rates of sexual assault at Vassar. This slide covers penetrative nonconsensual sexual contact, breaking down the statistics by whether they occurred in the last year or not. lotte Strauss-Swanson and Student Assistant to the President Cecilia Hoang ’18 discussed recent initiatives, such as mandatory bystander intervention training for student leaders and workshops on supporting survivors. Bradley then asserted, “I’m firmly committed to making our campus the safest and most trustworthy it can be,” before asking attendees to break up into small groups to discuss ways that Vassar could move closer to this goal. After talking, several students said that Vassar could greatly improve the sexual violence education at New Student Orientation. During the last few years, Orientation has featured skits about consent and sexual assault by a group called Speak About It. However, many students at the forum said that they found these skits goofy and didn’t feel like they took the grave subject matter seriously. Attendees also expressed a desire for education to continue throughout their time at Vassar, or at least throughout their first year, as students currently receive an overwhelming amount of information during Orientation week that some may soon forget. Students also voiced concern over the fact that they had heard that when the student fellow position becomes a work-study job next year, student fellows will become mandated reporters. Mandated reporters, also known as responsible employees, are required to report any incident of assault or harassment a student discloses to them to the Title IX Office. The administrators present were quick to clarify that this is just a rumor and that student fellows will not become mandated reporters. However, all other employees at Vassar, including professors, who have not undergone training to become a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) advocate, are mandated reporters. This can be problematic for survivors looking for someone to talk to, but who may not be ready to file a report. “That cuts off a whole system of people who you can rely on,” the senior reflected. Additionally, both the senior and the first-year
student that The Miscellany News interviewed felt it would be a good idea for the College to look into restorative or transformative justice, approaches that strive to be survivor-centered and focus on conversation and healing rather than punishment. Of course, these approaches may not be the best option for everyone. Activist Emma Sulkowicz, who carried her mattress around Columbia University for a year to protest how the university handled her sexual assault report, told National Public Radio that trial and punishment are necessary in some cases (NPR, “After Assault, Some Campuses Focus On Healing Over Punishment,” 07.25.2017). Still, restorative or transformative justice can be an option for survivors who may not otherwise be comfortable filing a report. Last year, the student organization Yes to Equality and Safety for All Bodies (YES!) started a petition to encourage Vassar to implement Callisto, a survivor-centered sexual assault reporting system. Callisto enables students to either submit a report directly to their school’s Title IX coordinator or to save a report in Callisto’s database that they can then submit at a later time if they feel ready to do so. In an effort to unmask repeat offenders, Callisto also monitors whether students are reporting the same perpetrators (The Miscellany News, “Sexual assault survivors must have full admin support,” 04.03.2017). Ultimately, sexual assault on campus is an issue that requires the attention of everyone within the Vassar community. The senior concluded, “If you’re ever approached by someone who has something to say about the way you treated them, it’s so important to just listen, and before you defend yourself, take the time to reflect on your actions and truly sit with what that person has told you.” The full survey results can be found at https://institutionalresearch.vassar.edu/docs/ What%20Happens%20Here%20Overview%20 Methods%20and%20Results_02.28.18.pdf.
Courtesy of Vassar
didn’t want to be gaslit by the institution. I was already being gaslit by him and by his friends ... I would rather him just walk away thinking, ‘I got away with it,’ than thinking, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong, because the institution [decided I wasn’t responsible].’” The term “gaslighting,” which is derived from the 1944 psychological thriller film “Gaslight,” refers to a form of psychological manipulation intended to make someone doubt their memory or sanity. In her essay, this senior wrote about how her ex-boyfriend first admitted to having assaulted her, then later tried to take back this admission and told others that the two of them had reached the conclusion that she had falsely accused him (Boilerplate Magazine, “The Gray Area,” 04.12.2018). For others, distrust in Title IX may stem from negative experiences outside of Vassar. One first-year student told The Miscellany News that before she matriculated, someone she had been dating in her hometown reported an abusive situation that the student was in to the police without her knowledge or consent. “I wasn’t ready to report it, but I figured I’d try anyway, because [the process was in motion],” she said. “I spoke to a social worker and a detective, and then didn’t hear from anyone for a while ... Essentially, how it ended was that the detective
Courtesy of Vassar
known as the “What Happens Here” survey— were released on March 1. Students were asked by the President’s Office via email to take the survey last spring, and it had a response rate of 44 percent. The results revealed that 61.3 percent of respondents do not believe that the College would conduct an unbiased investigation of a reported incident, and 66.2 percent do not believe that Vassar would work to remedy underlying factors contributing to sexual assault on campus. These percentages are even lower among students who have been assaulted here, at 75.5 percent and 79.8 percent, respectively. While the rate of sexual assault has dropped since the survey was last administered in 2015— from an overall rate of 39.3 percent to 28.8 percent1—student distrust in the Title IX Office, which handles such cases, remains high (Vassar College Institutional Research, “That’s What Happens Here: The Vassar College Survey of Social Behaviors and Student Experiences, 2017,” 03.01.2018). “I didn’t see it as a healing process, and that’s what I needed,” the senior who wrote about her experience said of her decision not to report her assault to the Title IX Office. She said that she had heard from others who had been through the reporting process that because she had been in a relationship with the person who assaulted her, any hearing resulting from a report would examine the relationship in ways that she felt would be invasive and irrelevant to the assault. She added, “Obviously I want justice, and it would be nice if something could be done, but I
At the April 25 forum, administrators presented a PowerPoint with information from the survey about rates of sexual assault at Vassar. This slide covers non-penetrative nonconsensual sexual contact.
1 Editor’s note: The rates of resported sexual assault in 2015 and 2017 used in this article are the sums of the percent of students who reported experiencing penetrative non-consensual contact during the last year and in previous years at Vassar and those who experienced non-penetrative non-consensual contact during the last year and in previous years. These sums may overcount a few students who experienced different forms of assault, or were assaulted multiple times in different years.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
NEWS
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May 3, 2018
Philosophy journal covers border politics Clark Xu
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
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national partnerships for public health policy in China, the U.K., South Africa, Rwanda, Liberia and Ethiopia. From the perspective of Grand Strategy, Bradley indicated that building community must come before discussions about identity. Once the campus community has established support structures from New Student Orientation, Bradley believes that Title IX and Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention (SAVP) will be more effective measures. For Bradley, the successful formation of community also depends on sacrificing some individual freedom for the sake of the collective and keeping in mind that large institutional transformations take time. Holding a critical discourse on the assumptions, arguments, beliefs and conclusions in this kind of thinking represents a core aspect of the
Courtesy of Clark Xu
hile a common conception of a scholarly publication is of a journal that highlights only specialized knowledge, the Vassar College Journal of Philosophy ruptures that assumption. The Journal brings in its fifth annual publication a wide-ranging critical discourse about controversies on campus and in society. This year’s edition, which has a theme of borders, features essays and book reviews that engage with issues such as the ethics of U.S. border restrictions for migrants, as well as an in-depth interview with President Elizabeth Bradley on her intellectual background and its implications for the future direction of the campus community. As faculty advisor to the Journal, Professor of Philosophy Giovanna Borradori reflected, “Part of the journal’s agenda was to intensify the relationship between Vassar and its outside, and to analyze political and social relations within Vassar.” Editors-in-chief of the Journal Sessi Blanchard ’18 and Henry Krusoe ’18, along with 16 other students on the editorial board, selected essays submitted from the University of Canterbury, the University of Calgary and Smith College based on a blind review process that considered the essays in relation to the Journal’s current theme. Considering the political engagement of the Journal this year, Blanchard noted, “I think the theme really lends itself to that, given the national, global and political order of things right now.” Krusoe commented on the topical nature of the essays featured, saying, “In the context of the philosophy journal, it’s important for us to make a philosophical comment that these events are worth philosophical concern … We should not consider treating these events as invisible and only write about dead philosophers.” The essay “Border Policy Behind the Veil” by Maryellen Stohlman-Vanderveen, a student at Smith College, challenges arguments by Professor of Philosophy Christopher Heath Wellman at Washington University in St. Louis. Wellman believes that a social group’s freedom to choose its members justifies policies that limit immigration to the United States and that policies such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Border Industrialization Project (BIP) fulfill America’s moral obligations to other countries. Stohlman-Vanderveen objects that NAFTA and BIP, as substitutes for open borders, do not adequately address global inequalities to which the United States has historically contributed. Similarly, the book review by Griffin Scott-Rifer ’21 on Jasbir Paur’s 2017 book “Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Disability” reports that the U.S. Border Patrol destroys humanitarian aid to migrants crossing from Mexico to the United States. Drawing a connection to Operation Protective Edge by the Israeli Defense Force in 2014, Paur suggests that countries with a colonial mentality, such as the United States and Israel, have engaged in violence that seeks to disable rather than kill. According to the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Operation Protective Edge killed over 2,000 Palestinians and injured over 10,000. Soliciting, reviewing and publishing work from other institutions and countries represents a core aspect of the Journal’s work. Borradori elaborated, “We want to have an undergraduate platform which is visible on the global scale…to strengthen relations between Vassar and its outside by providing a site of dialogue.” The editorial board of the Journal has also interpreted the theme of borders to include institutional challenges associated with a transition between two states of being. With regard to issues on campus, Krusoe suggested, “There are the ongoing changes in the liberal arts that question how liberal arts institutions that have previously focused on humanities should be redistributing their resources towards athletics and science.” Considering philosophy as one of the humanities, the editors-in-chief consider these trends to be a serious concern. Krusoe also indicated that the future of
Vassar’s need-blind policy is still an open question in the college administration. Discussing the transition state of the on-campus dining service, Blanchard offered, “From my experience with SLD [Student/Labor Dialogue] and just being in collaboration with a lot of folks from the Deece, people who work in the Deece are very much in a crisis condition … The labor is so exploitative and management is just generally rude. [The management] fails to meet workers where they’re at and is just interested in asserting its dominance.” Borradori explained, “Philosophy has a unique ability to identify new social ontologies and, on that basis, critically map emerging geographies of power. In this perspective, issues that look very different, such as labor relations on campus, the
Pictured above, this year’s edition of the Vassar College Journal of Philosophy, which focuses on borders. It features essays and book reviews on the topic, and an interview with President Bradley. status of the humanities in the liberal arts and the protection of migrants can be usefully examined as the effects of systemic structures of oppression rather than contingent situations.” The Journal typically publishes several interviews per issue with philosophers and other scholars about their way of thinking. The current issue features an interview between Borradori, Blanchard, Krusoe and Bradley about the President’s commitment to the global planning method known as Grand Strategy as a model for social change. Borradori elucidated, “This year in order to politically thematize Vassar it was important to get into a dialogue with its President … We should have the awareness that Vassar is undergoing a transformation because of changes at the head of the administration.” Grand Strategy was conceived in Britain in the interim between between the World Wars as a form of global planning that seeks to achieve the greatest number of military objectives with a minimum expenditure of resources. While teaching at Yale University, President Bradley learned Grand Strategy from Professor of History Paul Kennedy and Professor of Military and Naval History John Lewis Gaddis. Inspired by a conversation with a collaborator in Ethiopia to apply the principles of Grand Strategy to meeting healthcare objectives, Bradley went on to found the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute, which has fostered inter-
Journal. Borradori noted, “The journal was created to blur the boundaries between administration, faculty and students … We engage each other in spaces that are not the classroom.” The themes for previous issues of the journal have included action, nature, nonhumans and the good life. The acceptance rate for essays submitted to the Journal was 12 percent this year. A majority vote by members of the editorial board during the blind review process determines essays that the Journal publishes. Blanchard summarized, “With each journal, we’re refining the process of producing the document.” While senior students have typically directed the editorial board, the next issue of the Journal will include a position for a junior editor. Blanchard also urged women, women of color and queer people to develop their presence in philosophy, which remains a male-dominated academic discipline. Considering the social impact of the Journal, Blanchard said, “The political utility of philosophy can be to destabilize the assumed and what we take as the state of things and how they are.” Krusoe concluded, “Philosophy very much at its heart is focused on critical thinking, argumentation, being able to express yourself and your ideas, analysis and research. In that way it’s at home with a lot of disciplines … This leads to a political but also a philosophical question: What does it mean to be both a Vassar student and a political subject?”
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
News Briefs VC Hosts 19th Green Haven Reunion At 11 a.m. on April 28, Vassar students, faculty and former prisoners and their families gathered together in the Aula for the 19th annual Green Haven Reunion. The event served as a way for current members of the Vassar community and alumnae/i to interact with former inmates at the Green Haven Correctional Facility (Vassar Africana Studies Department, “Greenhaven Prison Program”). Formally organized conversations between Vassar students and prisoners began in 1979, when former Professor of Sociology Larry Mamiya founded The Green Haven Prison Program as a means by which to initiate a dialogue between Vassar students and inmates at the the Green Haven Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Stormville, NY (Vassar Calendar Info, “Greenhaven Reunion”). In class, Mamiya’s students learned about the concept of institutional racism; through visits to the prison, they were able to interact with individuals who experience firsthand an extreme form of structural racism (The Miscellany News, “Alum reflects on life after prison at Green Haven reunion,” 04.08.2015). 20 years after these discussions first began, Vassar invited a number of the inmates who had been released during that period to visit the College. This first reunion in 1999 set a precedent, and each year since, former prisoners and their families have come to campus to meet and spend time with current Vassar students, professors and alumnae/i (The Miscellany News “Alum reflects on life after prison at Green Haven reunion,” 04.08.2015). At the 19th reunion, the discussion was primarily aimed at examining the ways in which mass incarceration functions as a form of state violence. The event also focused on how the criminal justice system disproportionately incarcerates and targets those in marginalized communities, including transgender people, gender nonconforming individuals and people of color (Facebook Events, “Annual Green Haven Reunion,” 04.17.2018). Part of the discussion was led by keynote speaker Topeka K. Sam, who was formerly incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury. After being freed from incarceration, Sam went on to found the Ladies of Hope Ministries (The LOHM). The LOHM is an organization that uses education, spiritual empowerment, entrepreneurship and advocacy as means by which to assist disenfranchised and marginalized women in their transition back into society (The LOHM, “About Us”). After her incarceration in federal prison, Sam created the organization in response to her firsthand experience with the impact not only of mass incarceration, but also of the disproportionately high rate of incarceration of women of color (Hope House NYC, “About”). As executive director of The LOHM, Sam helped in 2016 to establish Hope House NYC, which functions as a safe space for single, formerly incarcerated women to stay for up to one year while they are transitioning back into life in New York City (Hope House NYC). In the past, keynote speakers have included the first formerly incarcerated person to graduate from Vassar College, Jeffrey Smith, and a group of previously imprisoned women known as the New Jersey Four, among others (The Miscellany News, “Green Haven Reunion brings New Jersey Four to campus,” 04.12.2017). —Pazit Schrecker, Guest Reporter
NEWS
May 3, 2018
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VSA Updates Consensus Agenda – Passed
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Appointments • Jewett Programming Director – Rachael Hahn
M arusa Rus In this week’s headlines... Further developments in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election revealed new details about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between President Trump’s campaign leaders and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. On Friday, April 27, newly released emails showed that Veselnitskaya, who previously denied having a connection to the Russian government, was actually an informant for top Kremlin officials (CNN, “NYT: Russian lawyer at Trump Tower meeting had closer ties to Kremlin than previously disclosed,” 04.27.2018). On Wednesday, April 25, Ronny Jackson, Trump’s doctor and a candidate to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, withdrew his nomination. Many have questioned Jackson’s qualifications for the job, while Trump has strongly defended him. Jackson withdrew due to multiple allegations of inappropriate conduct, including creating a hostile environment, being intoxicated at work and loosely prescribing medications (The Guardian, “White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdraws as VA secretary nominee,” 04.26.2018). The Senate confirmed former CIA Director Mark Pompeo as Secretary of State on Thursday, April 26. The late confirmation was a result of hesitation from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Gina Haspel’s nomination as CIA director has become less certain due to rising concerns regarding her involvement in the waterboarding of CIA detainees in 2002 (The Hill, “Senate confirms Pompeo as Trump’s new Secretary of
Joss Treasurer – Colin Croghan Noyes Secretary – Nadim Majumder SEED Representative – Jacob HuntSEED Representative – Sonali Desh-
the gavel to his successor, incoming President Tamar Ballard ’19. Health and Wellness Committee • The Health and Wellness Committee and Kanoria are meeting with President
Courtesy of Elizabeth Bradley
Finance allocations • $210.15/$210.15 from Capital to Barefoot Monkeys for charcoal poi, used for fire shows; the current ones are dysfunctional • $1,100/$1,500 from Discretionary to Crafts Not Bombs for the publication and reception of art history and studio art majors collaboration • $300/$1,399 from Discretionary to Crafts not Bombs for a Club VChai event • $150/$300 from Discretionary to Vassar Business Club for an Entertainment Panel and alumni travel reimbursement • $300/$300 from Capital to Poder Latinx for artist banners • $160.15/$160.15 from Collaboration to Project Period for menstrual cups • $824.15/$824.15 from Capital to VC++ for whiteboard wallpaper, speakers, tablecloths, vc++ sign, books, projector, monitors, webcam, keyboard and mouse and Raspberry Pi • $2288.19/$2288.19 from Capital to WVKR for DJMS9, CDJ Cases, DJM Cover, a rolling table, plastic shelf lining and new needles • $150/$150 from Community to Grassroots Alliance for Alternative Politics for GIS for Justice: Applying Community Engaged Mapping in Poughkeepsie
• • • er • pande
The newly elected VSA Senate will take over at the VSA’s weekly meeting this Sunday, May 6. Pictured here is the incoming Executive Board, along with President Bradley (far left). Promotion to full org • Project Period VSA Transition • The next Senate meeting will be a joint meeting between the incoming and outgoing Senates. At this meeting, the final budget for 2018–2019 will be passed and outgoing President Anish Kanoria ’18 will pass
State,” 04.26.2018). On Tuesday, April 24, Trump announced that he will send Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to China, along with other top economic advisors. Their goal will be preventing an all-out trade war with China as a result of Trump’s newly imposed tariffs (The New York Times, “Steven Mnuchin Will Head to China as Trade Tensions Mount,” 04.24.2018). Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee announced that they found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Meanwhile, Democrats in the House disagreed with the findings, saying that the committee failed to follow up on important leads or conduct relevant interviews (The New York Times, “Republicans on House Intelligence Panel Absolve Trump Campaign in Russian Meddling,” 04.27.2018). Bill Cosby was found guilty on April 26 of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting former professional basketball player Andrea Constand. Many have cited the #MeToo movement as influencing the outcome of the trial. Cosby was sentenced to 30 years in prison (BBC, “Bill Cosby found guilty of sexual assault in retrial,” 04.26.2018). Around the World… The summit between the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-In made history on Friday, April 27. The leaders announced an official end to the Korean war, which has lasted for 68 years. The leaders have agreed to remove all nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula, with North Korea announcing that it will suspend all missile launches and nuclear tests. The North has further promised to give up the weapons if the United States promises not to invade (Financial Times, “North and South Korean leaders declare end to war,” 04.27.2018). Trump has threatened not to renew the Iranian nuclear deal, though the deadline for re-
Bradley to discuss the state of health services (including Baldwin and Metcalf) on campus. Organizations Committee • The Organizations Committee has been collecting contact information for incoming org leadership. The committee is planning to extend the Fall Leadership Con-
newal is approaching on May 12. In the past week, French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have visited the White House with the goal of convincing Trump not to leave the agreement. If the United States does not renew the deal, Iran has threatened to resume its enrichment program, claiming it can create a 20-percent-enriched uranium in four days. Uranium used for nuclear weapons has to be above 90 percent enriched. When asked about how much of a threat Iran is to the United States, Trump responded, “They’re not going to be doing nuclear weapons, you can bank on it” (CNN, “Trump has absolutely no reason to blow up the Iran deal,” 04.30.2018; The Jerusalem Post, “Ahead of US nuke deal deadline, Iran threatens to renew enrichment,” 04.10.2018). This week, Macron visited Trump at the White House. On Tuesday, April 24, Trump entertained Macron with a state dinner, the first such event for the Trump administration. The goal of the visit was for Macron to persuade Trump not to leave the Iran deal. Many believe that Macron is one of the few people who can convince the president; he has been called a “Trump whisperer.” However, when he left Washington, it remained unclear whether he had succeeded in persuading Trump. On Wednesday, April 25, Macron gave a speech in front of the U.S. Congress. While his demeanor was friendly, his message was a strong opposition to Trump’s nationalistic, America-first policy (BBC, “What does a Trump-Macron bromance mean for the world?” 04.23.2018; The New York Times, “Macron Critiques Trump’s Policies in Speech to Congress,” 04.25.2018). Friday, April 27, marked the visit of another European leader and a key United States ally to Washington, namely German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In comparison to Macron, Merkel received a far less extravagant welcome, which consisted of a few hours of closed-door meetings. A central topic discussed was the Iran deal. Merkel reportedly reinforced Macron’s urging not to leave the deal. Trade relations between the United States and the European Union were
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ference to two days instead of the usual one. Vice President • The Operations Committee has been meeting with applicants for positions on the 2018–2019 Board of Elections and Appointments (BoEA). All positions will be filled by the end of the current Senate session. President • Kanoria, along with outgoing Chair of Organizations Pat De Young ’18 and outgoing Chair of Equity and Inclusion and incoming President Tamar Ballard, met with President Bradley and Assistant Dean for Campus Life and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Sam Speers to discuss the relationship between the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) and the VSA as pertaining to RSL-affiliated orgs. • The committee to review Dean of the College Chris Roellke’s tenure will submit its final report and recommendation to President Bradley this week. • Kanoria met with international students to discuss spaces on campus for international students to meet and work in. The group will meet with faculty and members of the Engaged Pluralism Initiative to discuss this matter further. • Kanoria is in the process of composing his report to the Board of Trustees for their meeting in May. —Julian Corbett, VSA General Intern
another important topic of the visit. Merkel demanded an exemption from aluminum and steel tariffs (The New York Times, “Trump and Merkel Meet One on One, but Don’t See Eye to Eye,” 04.27.2018). Large protests erupted in Nicaragua last week and lasted for days, even after President Daniel Ortega backed down. At least 34 people were killed, news channels were blocked and a journalist was killed while recording a broadcast. Protesters were opposing Ortega’s proposal to reform the pension system, which would result in Nicaraguans having to pay more and receiving lower pensions (The Economist, “The violent end of Daniel Ortega’s decade of quiet,” 04.26.2018). Last week, Palestinians in Gaza demonstrated on the border with Israel. This is the fourth protest in the past several weeks. Over the course of the protests, the Israeli army shot and killed 40 Palestinians. Israel claims that Hamas is using the protests as a cover for attacks (The New York Times, “For Gaza Protester, Living or Dying Is the ‘Same Thing,’” 04.29.2018). Keeping up with 2020 hopefuls... Possible Democratic candidates for president in 2020 have been presenting a number of progressive policies. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) launched a number of pilot programs for creating jobs, which were co-sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Gillibrand has also proposed the Postal Banking Act, which would allow local post offices to conduct some banking services (CNN, “#2020Vision: Booker’s jobs guarantee; Sanders and Biden up in New Hampshire; Buttigieg’s state travel,” 04.29.2018). In a poll released by the University of New Hampshire on April 25, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is leading among Democratic primary voters with 28 percent. Former Vice President Joe Biden is in the second place with 26 percent. Warren came in third place with 11 percent (CNN, “#2020Vision”).
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May 3, 2018
Shakespeare Troupe’s creativity shines in ‘Coriolanus’ Izzy Braham
storytelling. Unlike “Romeo and Juliet,” a fictional tragedy, “Coriolanus” is based off a real-life history, but one packed with intensity, laughter and tender moments. Cast member Brynn Gauthier ’21 commented on the Troupe’s decision to perform “Coriolanus,” stating, “A member of our group loved ‘Coriolanus,’ and part of our group dynamic is giving into people sometimes.” She added, “That sounds terrible...[but in all seriousness] it was just that idea that somebody we love loves this a lot, so let’s try it out and give it a chance..I think that was really part of the joy of it, because no one had preconceived notions about anything that we were going to do. We were all excited about doing something that was unknown to us.” “Coriolanus” is set in the midst of a famine in Rome. The show begins with townspeople ravenously searching for food and protesting the government. Soon, the famous Roman soldier and protagonist, Coriolanus, is introduced and the audience learns of his elitism and disdain for the Roman people. The viewer is also apprised that a neighboring town called Corioli plans to invade Rome. The army is headed by Coriolanus’s long-time enemy, Aufidius. The rest of the play traces the battle between Rome and Corioli, Coriolanus’s rising fame and involvement in the government, and his complex relationships with his wife, his mother and his enemy-turned-lover, Aufidius.
way] so nobody is completely right, but nobody is completely full of blame, and no one is completely blameless either. It is really just about how democracies aren’t perfect.” Troupe set designer Andrew Schrynemakers ’19 expressed a similar view to Berman, commenting, “Whether the characters are trying to be good or trying to be bad, they all just end up destroying things that they love by being selfish.” While Shakespeare Troupe plays are traditionally performed outside, “Coriolanus” had to be moved inside due to the weather. Despite the change in scenery, the imaginative aspects of the set design shone through. Schrynemakers commented on the set and how he conceptualizes set design in general, saying, “It is a lot more about indicating a space than actually building one...a lot of doing a set design is showing time passing in a space. For instance, as the play goes on, Coriolanus’s wife and his mother accumulate more cups and dishes to show that they are home and they are worried. Sometimes lots of [props] aren’t really necessary, because it is all about the people in the space.” Moreover, the general creativity of the play flowed from the collaborative group dynamic. Schrynemakers continued, “A lot of the design process really comes from a collective effort in things called ‘A-tudes’ where we all come in and try stuff for different scenes ... We’ll go somewhere on campus and try something and just work it out as a group of people...that will bring
O
Courtesy of the Shakespeare Troupe via Facebook
n April 27 and 28, Vassar’s Shakespeare Troupe presented its one and only spring production, “Coriolanus.” This year, the troupe chose to perform one of the lesser-known Shakespeare plays to honor a different type of
Director Lily Berman ’19 commented on the play’s relevance to today’s politics: “This play is really interesting because it is about a democracy and about a terrible leader who gets elected, so I think we chose it because it has resonances to today.” She continued to break down the message: “Everybody is wrong in the play [in some
ARTS EDITOR
On April 27 and 28, Shakespeare Troupe performed “Coriolanus,” a Shakespearean history about a Roman general who has a complicated relationship with politics, his loved ones and his enemies. us the design elements.” In addition to emphasizing collaboration behind their work, the Troupe fosters a warm, familial dynamic in which members not only feel comfortable experimenting creatively, but also open up to the group about their lives. Berman recalled how she felt when she joined the group as a first-year, saying, “I feel like I’ve grown up in this group...[the Troupe promotes] this feeling that you love [other Troupe members] no matter what. I remember feeling very comfortable and people were so excited that I was there. I was being welcomed into this family that already existed, and I just got swooped up into it.” Schrynemakers felt similarly: “Shakespeare
Troupe is a great place. It’s a little family. We have check-ins and talk about what’s going on in our lives. And that’s always the base of the group dynamic, these check-ins. If somebody’s having a hard day, that’s where you come and talk about it.” It was apparent that the play’s success was a product of the artistic empowerment cultivated by the Troupe members’ deep friendships. Gauthier said in a final comment about her hopes for what is conveyed about the Troupe through the production, “We are all just here to have fun and love this beautiful language and do it justice. It’s a very nerdy kind of unity...It’s wonderful.”
Reimagination of Athens highlights city’s natural beauty
Courtesy of Vassar College via Flickr
ATHENS continued from page 1 surrounded by a verdant landscape. Pantazis noted the famous ancient Greek citadel that overlooks the metropolis: “The Acropolis is what Athens is known for. Besides that, people have no mental image of the city.” However, he qualified this statement by saying,“The hills are what make the city of Athens.” Many of Point Supreme’s projects have focused on the slopes of Athens. Pantazis projects images of the 2010 project “Athens by Hills,” which is a series of graphic images highlighting the untouched mountains that surround the city. One image depicts a steep mountainous landscape filled with hot air balloons, ferris wheels and ancient architectural remains. The architects’ goal was to highlight the overlooked aspects of the city that ironically define it. Speaking to this effort, Pantazis said, “We weren’t addressing architects, we were addressing the people.” Here, Point Supreme sought to exemplify the city of Athens in a new light, one diverging from the iconic Acropolis that marks the public’s stereotypical mental image of Athens. Overall, the architects aim to redefine Athenians’ experience of their city. The lecturers explained that the city is framed by three mountains and the sea. Analyzing the serene beauty offered by the Greek landscape, Pantazis reveals the importance of exterior spaces in people’s minds and emphasized how they are more important than the interior ones, commenting, “People just want to be outside.” He discussed the balcony, an architectural element that is intrinsic to most of Athens’ residential design. Pantasiz points out the irony that although everyone wants to be outside in Athens, very rarely does the typical Athenian venture to the coast. This is because Athens is surrounded by islands where many residents go on vacation. After he and Rentzou spent eight years work-
On April 25, guest lecturer Konstantinos Pantazis discussed his architectural practice, Point Supreme, and his award-winning project that aims to reimagine the Greek city of Athens. ing abroad, primarily in the Netherlands, they fell in love with the Athenian coast upon their return to Greece. In reference to the coast, he says, “Once I got back to Athens, I began to appreciate it more.” However, Pantasiz also said, “We’re a bit obsessed with the islands.” He elaborated from an architectural perspective: “People who do architecture on the islands are not architects. The buildings are functional before anything else.” He showed a picture of an island home built by a local couple, displaying a black-and-white, off-kilter, checkered floor with a red entryway complete with asymmetrical artwork flanking the sides. Speaking on this image, Pantasiz commented, “They just used what they had and the result is very powerful.” Here, it became clear that religious symbols and memory are
abundant in this homespun architecture. Many of the materials used were free, such as the floor, which is made up of different checkered tiles. The exterior is partially covered in blue tile, complete with a red metal fence and a dark purple door. A tree bisects the house’s center, merging the organic with modern architecture. Their entire home is an artistic collage. Enhancing the innovative quality, one can see the Acropolis in the far distance. Annie Duncan ’19, who attended the lecture, speaks about her fascination with this particular project: “I loved hearing about Point Supreme’s projects, especially the Petralona House. It’s beautifully designed but also uses recycled and found materials, like the tiles and balcony they scavenged from junkyards around Athens.”
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Duncan elaborated,“I really loved the way they combined modern designs with cheap [and] found materials to make a totally custom house that’s unique, funky and unpretentious. They just seemed to have a completely unique approach to design—much more spontaneous and artistic than other contemporary designers.” After the lecture, Pantasiz discussed his personal connection with Athens. “We went back to Greece because we were very inspired by the city and thought that [the design] was not very [contrived.].” He elucidated, “For example, the way that the hills work into its fabric or the way that the sea is surrounding it on three sides. We found that as architects, or as trained designers, we have a certain list of tools to bring out the certain realities of the city that were otherwise not present.” Starting from a blank slate, or “tabula rasa,” is not usually how Point Supreme operates. On the couple’s teamwork on Point Supreme, Pantazis said, “We are very different in the way we work and the way we think and design. So the projects we do, they’re the most successful when we collaborate.” Pantazis attributes the firm’s success to his and Rentzou’s ability to think outside the box as a flexible duo. Overall, Point Supreme seeks to reimagine Athens with the power of innovative design. Pantazis ended his talk by saying, “Sometimes you know a problem exists, but you don’t realize it until you visualize it.” Their architecture and design projects recreate the mental image of the city that the people of Athens call home. For Point Supreme, design is most successful when they pick a point or place of focus and pay attention to what’s already there, using spatial or economic constraints as a backbone for the project. From there, designs can reach their highest peak.
May 3, 2018
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‘Stonewater Rapture’ confronts sexual assault in Bible Belt Matt Stein
that would permeate into every one of our characters’ actions and motivations on stage. This included research and thought put into the culture of gossip in a small-town setting, dialects, social life, home life, the role of religion in their lives, sexuality, their relationships with their friends and family and of course their relationships to
ting to know them as people and through their work has been an incredible experience. They are all incredibly talented, and I feel so lucky that they have willingly decided to be a part of my show.” Hu hopes that through the struggles and flaws of the characters, the audience will be able to introspectively create their own dialogue. She elabo-
Unbound will confront the religious falsehoods surrounding the topic of sexual assault in the Bible Belt with a production of Doug Wright’s play “The Stonewater Rapture” in The Mug on May 2, 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. Directed by Maya Moiseyev-Foster ’20, this play follows two teenagers, Carlyle and Whitney—portrayed by Rachael Kraft ’21 and Nick Gorman ’21 respectively—who struggle with their sexual awakening within the religious repression of their conservative community in Stonewater, TX. This production is the six-year brainchild of Moiseyev-Foster, who first discovered the play through a curious connection to the playwright. She explained, “I know the playwright because he was my dad’s college roommate, and he’s actually very excited about the fact that I’m directing this show, because he wrote it and it was first produced and performed in his sophomore year of high school. He’s very pleased that it’s almost full-circle that his roommate’s daughter is directing it now.” Moiseyev-Foster also found that, even though “The Stonewater Rapture” was written over 30 years ago, the current political discourse means that the play’s themes are still relevant, adding, “That was one of the reasons I felt so heavily that this is the year I need to bring it to Vassar, because the #MeToo Movement is going so strong right now. We’re dealing with a surprising amount of the same stuff we were dealing with back when the play was written, which is terrible but is im-
ing the intense material in a way that addresses viewers without completely distressing them. There will also be talkbacks after each show with representatives from The Listening Center and the Vassar College Counselling Service. Stage Manager Angelie Hu ’21 talked about how the process was influenced by the balance between confrontation and relief: “The production’s approach to the show had been one of embracing discomfort. It’s easy to say that the show deals with difficult subjects or that the characters go through a lot of rough things over the course of the show. That’s certainly true, but we wanted to come from a place of understanding. Sometimes these characters say or do things that are absolutely the wrong thing at the wrong time. This understandably may push an audience away from sympathizing with them, but as a production team we wanted to do our best to understand where these characters are coming from. They’re human.” “The Stonewater Rapture” first achieved acclaim after being presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1984. Wright has received critical acclaim for his other plays, including “Quills” in 1995 and “I Am My Own Wife” in 2003, which received the Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2004. As Carlyle, Kraft experiences both the opportunity and challenge of staying onstage for the entirety of the production. Kraft reflected, “Maya stressed the importance of creating comprehensive backstories for each of our characters, ones
each other.” Kraft added, “Especially in a realistic play with a cast of only two, a flat character is not an option.” Despite, or perhaps because of, the controversial material, the cast has become very close through the process. Moiseyev-Foster remarked, “Basically everyone on my team, except for three people, I had never met before the show. And get-
rated, “Mistakes are made, and the characters deal with the repercussions of the things that happen to them. In my opinion, that adds a level of reality to the show. We may not always agree with the characters, but we see where they’re coming from and we might even relate, no matter how uncomfortable it may be for us to see a bit of ourselves reflected back at us.”
T
Courtesy of Maya Moiseyev-Foster
heater doesn’t have to make the audience feel comfortable. In fact, perhaps the most powerful impact a drama can have is when it turns a mirror on society and forces the audience to reckon with an ugly truth.
portant to acknowledge.” Because of the difficult subject matter, the production team has taken additional precautions to assist and inform the audience. The production team reached out to representatives from the Women’s Center and the Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention Office for guidance in approach-
ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR
Directed by Maya Moiseyev-Foster ’20, Doug Wright’s “The Stonewater Rapture” will be presented by Umbound in The Mug on May 2, 3 and 4 at 8 p.m., with talkbacks after each show.
Urban culture influences galleries from Venice to Prague MUSEUMS continued from page 1 other, with the Rijksmuseum being a massive, ornate building that represents the old city, while the Van Gogh Museum’s structure illustrates how modernity can shift ways of seeing. Apart from about five guards standing in front of Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch,” the Rijksmuseum allows its inhabitants to meander among its huge halls and see some of the world’s finest Dutch art. The Van Gogh Museum is much smaller, but also more relaxed in its set-up. Each room allows gallery-goers to easily
walk through Van Gogh’s life. In Barcelona, I had the chance to go to the Pablo Picasso Museum. Located in the Gothic Quarter, its architecture makes me feel as though I was brought into a different period of time. There are only about 17 rooms, but the museum feels welcoming and hospitable, similar to the feelings I got from the city. It was definitely one of the best gallery spaces that I have had the pleasure of visiting. Paris is a city known for its unwelcoming culture. The people are presumed to be cold and
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
In contrast to the vast Louvre, the Musée de l’Orangerie offers an intimate viewing experience in which the viewer can observe Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies” from 360 degrees.
standoffish, but I have found that if you make an effort to understand the French culture and language, they are much more welcoming. The Louvre is massive and acts as the pinnacle of French culture. Its rooms are not numbered in order to prevent thieves from being able to escape in a timely manner. This lack of room plan, coupled with poor cell reception, resulted in my mother and sister being lost in the museum for an hour. While it is amusing to look back on now, the layout makes it difficult to find many of the gallery’s notable works. The “Mona Lisa” has signs everywhere, but if you want to find any other work, good luck. Musée de l’Orangerie acts as a foil to The Louvre. With only a handful of rooms, this brightly lit space creates a unique experience for the spectator viewing Monet’s “Water Lilies.” I will never forget walking into the rooms and being rendered truly speechless. With the works placed onto each wall in a circular room, the public has a 360-degree view of each piece. If you can only go to one gallery in Europe, make sure it’s this one. People tend not to visit Eastern Europe for its gallery spaces. I have noticed that in both Prague and Budapest, the people running the museums do not care about the public or what they think. Perhaps it is due to my Americanized perspective, but I felt that the staff was cold and disinterested and the gallery designs were poorly executed. In Prague, the National Gallery isn’t labeled on any building. I found myself walking aimlessly around a town square, attempting to convey which museum I was trying to find to indifferent workers. While in Budapest, I observed large tour groups touching sculptures and paintings while workers looked on. I wouldn’t have been so disappointed if I hadn’t been forced to pay the full fee, as my London student ID was deemed to be insufficient for entry.
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Finding the galleries in Florence, Italy was much simpler, but most importantly, the art was breathtaking. At any given time, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence has about a two-hour wait time. A friend and I had booked our tickets in advance, which allowed us to walk straight in. Although almost as large as The Louvre, the gallery has created a path for visitors that allows them to see everything in a timely manner. It was immensely refreshing. However, I waited an hour to see the statue of David in Galleria dell’Accademia, and was disappointed to find that there were only about five other rooms in the institution. It made me think about how popular culture allows galleries to focus on one work and benefit immensely from it, while neglecting the viewing experience of a public that is there for more than the touristic picture of David’s sculpted butt. The galleries in Venice are mostly palaces that have been turned into museums. It was interesting that I needed to hop on a ferry to get to a museum that was just about 20 feet across the river from me. In my opinion, the city’s Guggenheim Museum possesses the best collection of modern art from 1920 to 1960 in Europe. My friend went two days after me and ran into Cara Delevingne, who proceeded to explain art to her! I couldn’t possibly fathom this to be true until Cara posted a picture of the canal right outside of the museum on her Instagram. Although its confusing structure makes it difficult to navigate, the city and its cultural institutions are beautiful. Unlike artistic spaces in the United States, I have found that the curatorial practices of museums in Europe are shaped by the city’s history. Each gallery has its own presence, and one can feel a city’s core values by walking along its halls. We learn so much in our lectures at Vassar, but the way one truly experiences art is by going out and seeing all of its beauty in person.
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May 3, 2018
Wednesday Campanella offers creative tunes, videos Olivia Feltus COLUMNIST
Wednesday Campanella
A
Courtesy of Dennia Amith via Flickr
bout three weeks ago, deep into late night Deecing, a friend and I were elaborating on our music tastes of the week. Our discussion was pretty standard until one of us remembered that, a few months ago, the same friend and I showed up at the last Japanese department karaoke party ready to sing “PonPonPon” by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, an obnoxious classic. We talked about how soon after our embarrassing performance, someone walked up and began to rap an extremely upbeat song with an equally intriguing video of a stop motion runthrough of various places. Both of us were immediately in love, but also forgetful of the name of both the song and the artist until we got bored with the other music we were playing and simultaneously remembered the masterpiece from karaoke night. After some internet sleuthing, I was able to find the name of the song and the creator, which turned out to be a Japanese band called Wednesday Campanella (or Suiyoubi no Kanpanera). Active since 2012, Wednesday Campanella is a Japanese electronic-rap-pop trio made up of singer and face of the band KOM_I plus members Kenmochi Hidefumi and Dir.F. They have released a total of 12 EPs and LPs combined, with another EP, “Galapagos,” set to be released on June 27. With a wealth of music videos and content, I began my immersion into the artist’s work in an Odyssey-like clickthrough of YouTube thumbnails from when the Deece closed
that night until now. “Shakushain”: The first video as well as the same one that appeared during the departmental karaoke, it did not lose its charm on the first, second or 20th listen. Multiple translations and a Wikipedia search of the name suggest the conclusion that it is a song juxtaposing today’s features of the location the song is about (including ramen at the zoo and a variety of modern landmarks) with details and names of people involved in a historic 1669 rebellion. “Genghis Khan”: As you would expect, this song is about the great Mongol Empire founder and...your local Mongolian restaurant serving the titular dish. The song starts off translated as, “One slice of mutton, two slices of mutton.” Similar to “Shakushain,” it provides a deep understanding of the comparison of past versus current locations, plus what has come of them. “The Little Match Girl”: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Little Match Girl,” this song creates an atmosphere less humorous. The video is a ominous, intimate portrayal of an oblivious girl, smiling and running around no matter how hurt she gets. Likely depicting an unhealthy relationship, one of the early verses of the song incorporates the words, translated, “Meat meat meat meat meat meat meat meat dish. Full full full full full full full course. Give me a match,” and then continues, showing a piece of meat being thrown at the singer’s head. Becoming more violent, the video is a disturbing retelling of a classic tale. “Momotaro”: Likely Wednesday Campanella’s most popular song, Momotaro retells the folk tale of a boy who emerges from a peach that was floating down a river. Instead of mirroring the plot of the traditional folktale, however, the song tells a story about a boy who likes to play
Using thoughtful references and enticing design concepts, Japanese band Wednesday Campanella discusses complex topics through catchy songs and creative music vidoes. video games all the time over the summer, but his grandparents don’t agree with the way he neglects his schoolwork. Its catchy chorus, “Ki-bidan kibi kibi dan o-ni-taiji onionitaiji,” roughly translated as a stylization of “Millet dumplings, demon exterminate,” made it popular a few months ago on the popular short-format music video maker Musicly, though it did not link back to the original audio track and was indiscernible from all of the other tracks that have mass-produced videos. You might have heard it before. “Diablo:” This video is my favorite. Kom_I’s extravagant persona is expressed as the owner of a bathhouse, in which demons bathe to be able to live for 100,000 years. The video, much
like “Momotaro,” features video game–like elements mixed in with surreal cinematography. The song does not miss a beat, and the wordplay across both Japanese and English is impeccable. The song starts almost like a diatribe, but soon speeds up. Halfway through, though, it cuts back to the beginning, and the entire song is performed with different lyrics, but the music video remains equally mesmerizing and confusing. Kom_I’s image, as well as his style of rap and singing is enticing. The videos are great songs even without having to be translated. Wednesday Campanella is an international must-listen. What other artist utilizes puns across four alphabets and two languages?
Translations of ‘Don Quixote’ prove accessible, unique Jimmy Christon COLUMNIST
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes John Rutherford translation
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes Edith Grossman translation
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes Burton Raffel translation
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I think that the biggest strength of Rutherford’s version was that he translated all of the sonnets and other excerpts of verse into a form that actually felt poetic rather than just rendering the verse from Spanish into English with no regard for meter. Rutherford also nails some of the bluntness of the humor found throughout the first book. Don Quixote’s acts of vomiting, helmet-gathering and fighting the police left me laughing more than they did in the other versions. However, what I’m not the biggest fan of with Rutherford is that there’s a sort of stiffness to the language spoken by the characters of the novel. After reading other translations and then going back to Rutherford’s, I noticed that there isn’t a clear distinction between the voice of the narrator and the voice of the characters. Don Quixote talks like the narrator, who also talks like Sancho Panzo. This is a shame because this is really the only big complaint I have about any of the translations I read. Trying to choose between Raffel and Grossman’s translations is like picking between two equally ripe apples. There’s really nothing major that separates the works. If you’re interested in “Don Quixote,” you really can’t do better than these two translations other than reading the original Spanish. Both of these translations captured a sense of lightness paired with a surprising depth that I now label as being sneaky in nature rather than anything intrinsic to the translator. The irony in the text resonates to great effect within Grossman’s and Raffel’s translations and the voices of the characters play beautifully off of the voice of the narrator. Even better, I never felt as if I was getting lost within the text. “Don Quixote” is not a hard read for those of us accustomed to reading at the college level. This does not mean that the text lacks depth. In fact, I was astounded by the ease of access that both of these translations espoused. In
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
both of these works, it is easy to glide across the page and find knot after knot of charming encounters and ideas without ever feeling tripped up. “Don Quixote” is a colossal book regardless of translation, but it is not a long read. I’m not sure there’s much else to be said about these translations. I don’t want to devolve into too much praise, because then I’d just be spoiling the fun. I’m not writing this review purely to talk about how great this book is or how deserving it is of the distinction of a classic. I am simply here to convince someone to read the book regardless of what they can bring to the text, or what text they choose. The text is there for everyone to read. What’s left is to set out and read it.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
ne of the least productive questions you can ask someone who reads a lot is what their favorite book is—not because they won’t have a favorite book, but because it opens up a very deep rabbit hole where the book-lover will pull out book after book after book and never reach a conclusion about any of the books they pull out. I thought it would be cool to pull as many versions of a single book out of my own personal rabbit hole as I could. I’ve read three different translations of “Don Quixote”: Edith Grossman’s, Burton Raffel’s and John Rutherford’s. “Don Quixote” is a Spanish novel originally written by Miguel de Cervantes that traces the romantic and knightly adventures of a noble, Don Quixote de la Mancha, and his hired sidekick and squire who provides witty banter, Sancho Pancho. If you want to have intellectual discussions, you should read either Edith Grossman’s or Burton Raffel’s translation. For the sake of commentary, I think that all of these translations are unique in their own right, and I think they each deserve
credit for their own merits. Reviewing “Don Quixote” is a fool’s errand: I could sit up here and say it’s a classic and add absolutely nothing to the conversation, or I could stand on my soapbox and call it a piece of detritus, and people would just ignore me for obviously not doing the reading. This being said, there are some people out there who don’t know just how interesting this book is. It is not good in the “it will change your life” type of way (any book can be that type of book), but good in the sense that this book has 500 years worth of literary history attached to it, and you can sense it on every page. I want to say that this book will suck you in and never let you go, but that sounds too toxic; this book is a friend that you will have for the rest of your life. This book sticks with you. The book will not make you mad, but it will leave an impression upon your brain. Characters, movements, emotions and befuddlements are all on display in this story, just as they are on display in our lives. Even better, this book will become more fascinating the more that you think about it. Don Quixote’s madness has been, and will continue to be, one of the most contested character flaws out there. Is his madness debilitating, or is it illuminating? Is Don Quixote the one worthy of critique, or is it those around him? You can easily come to your own conclusion about anything with this book and find oceans of ink arguing with or against you. You will never really close this book; you can only open the book and sit with it for the rest of your life. I’m willing to call this a guarantee. Now, onto the translations. The first translation of “Don Quixote” with which I became acquainted with was John Rutherford’s, and I liked it. Given that it was my first version of the book t I read, I have a fondness for Rutherford’s translation that I don’t have for the others.
Differing translations of “Don Quixote” by three authors showcase the famous Spanishlanguage novel in both intense and funny lights, making them all worthwhile reads.
May 3, 2018
Campus Canvas
ARTS A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists
Page 9 submit to misc@vassar.edu
Excuse me, Come up with your own Deece holiday.
“National cheese day.” — Emma Brodsky ’20
“Dumplings without white trendy 20-something vegetables like edamame, kale or avocado.” — Ella Xiao ’21
“Froyo bar day.” — Morgan Hayman ’21
“Utensil lent (when all of the utensils are out).” — Max White ’21
“National soy milk day because they are always out.” — Noe Berger ’20
Cassie Jain Class of 2020 Art History Major & Urban Studies and French Correlates
“National rainbow bowtie pasta day.” — Ashley T Kim ’20
I started photographing in my senior year of high school, when I took my first photography class and fell in love with the darkroom. After graduating I took a gap year and studied photography in New York City. Since then, my hands often smell like vinegar from darkroom chemicals. I can’t work a digital camera and my favorite cameras are ones that are way older than I am. I’ve always loved taking pictures of interesting buildings and places, but recently I’ve been trying to photograph more people. Whether it’s architecture or portraits, though, my favorite subjects are people and places I know and feel close to. I’m also always a sucker for really good natural light. Hannah Gaven, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
FEATURES
Page 10
May 3, 2018
Twisted Soul owner, head chef expresses love of cooking Aidan Zola REPORTER
“T
he Vassar bubble” is a ubiquitous phrase for a good reason. With courses and many other obligations, students rarely find the chance to leave the confines of the campus, resulting in a disconnect between Vassar and the community. By casting a spotlight on local businesses, this article hopes to break the pattern and foster closer relationships between students and the larger Poughkeepsie area. This week, I decided to highlight one of my favorite places to blow through my semester allowance of Arlington Bucks: Twisted Soul. If you’ve ever seen the lines at Tasty Tuesday or walked all the way off campus for one of their bubble teas, then you know Twisted Soul is an
integral part of the Vassar experience. On a sunny afternoon, I sat down with owner and head chef Ira Lee to discuss the restaurant’s history and inspiration. Long before conceiving the concept of Twisted Soul, Lee grew up loving to cook. He explained: “Honestly, since I was in elementary school, I’ve been interested in food. I had my little candy business, and I sold Italian ice and Kool-Aid outside my house—people used to come and knock on my door.” After spending some time serving in the Marine Corps, Lee moved to the Hudson Valley in order to study at The Culinary Institute of America. Once he graduated, he decided to take some time to travel around the world. Inspired by these unique experiences, Lee began to refine and create his own unique palette—a sort
Courtesy of Andrea Yang
Students are seen waiting in line for Twisted Soul’s signature noodle bowl and bubble tea during rush hour. By the time this photo was taken, the cupcake platter was already empty.
of global spin on soul food. Finally, in 2007, Lee and his wife Brenda opened Twisted Soul at its first location on Main Street in Poughkeepsie. Due to technical difficulties, however, the couple could not get a mechanical fan, which hangs over a stove in order to evacuate fumes and smoke. Lee had to think fast, saying, “I kept the name, and a newborn concept was made. Steamed rice didn’t need a hood, empanadas only needed the oven, dumplings only needed the steamer, and salads were cold. That’s how all of these concepts came together, from [my] sort of being backed into a corner.” The chef’s quick thinking paid off, especially after Twisted Soul moved to its current location on Raymond Avenue in 2008. Lee described the dramatic difference in business: “Without Vassar we wouldn’t be here! On Main Street, the most we’d get is 10 people a day…I never imagined that it would blow up like this.” He continued, “I think now after 10 years [our main clientele] is still 60 to 70 percent the College.” While Twisted Soul’s relationship to Vassar has been nothing but successful, Lee explained that the rapport has been more of a gradual process with the larger Poughkeepsie community. He stated, “Over the years, the community has come out…It can be a little intimidating not knowing the menu, but it’s been a learning process for both of us.” With just the support of Vassar students, however, the restaurant’s newfound success has been so significant that four months ago, Lee and his wife decided to open a second location. Situated directly across the street from the original eatery, La Cafeteria is best described as an à la carte lunch spin-off of the Twisted Soul we all know and love. Lee gave a quick rundown of
what one could find there on any given day: “It usually has three proteins—so salmon, short-rib, tofu—and sides that go with it—quinoa, coconut sweet potatoes. We call it La Cafeteria because we went out and bought these silver cafeteria trays that the food is served on.” The chef revealed that the business has certainly had its fair share of difficulties. He noted, “Our challenge is just always trying to keep the high level. Everyone that walks into a restaurant is a critic, which means that it doesn’t matter what they eat, what day it is—if this person had a bad day and someone forgot the sugar, it’s online.” Lee tries his best to avoid looking at apps like Yelp. Whether his restaurant is garnering positive or negative reviews, Lee prefers to stay focused on what he loves most: making great food. Besides the tasty empanadas and award-winning cupcakes, the restaurant’s atmosphere is always permeated by a feeling of camaraderie and warmth. Lee stressed, “This is not being done without my team, and they understand that. Me and my wife a hundred percent appreciate our team, and we don’t have a high turnover because of that…it’s a family environment.” To close out our interview, I asked Lee the question to which we’re all eager to know the answer: out of the whole Twisted Soul menu, what is his favorite dish? After some thinking, he replied: “One is the ‘Bad Ass Rice’—that’s original! The other one is the Fried Chicken Noodle Bowl, which is popular with Vassar.” Twisted Soul provides a convenient alternative to our Deece routine as well as a chance to get off campus. The life stories of the people behind the creation and preparation of the food add another layer of flavor to the dining experience.
Knitting enthusiast shares techniques for simple rug pattern KNITTING continued from page 1
just fine. Bear in mind that the larger your needles are, the looser your knitting will end up. If you want a tightly knitted mug rug, you will want smaller gauge needles, like a U.S. size five or six. Before I start the explanation of the pattern, let me first talk a bit about the technique. Generally speaking, the goal of this pattern is to start with very few stitches and add on as we go to create a diagonal square shape. This is accomplished by adding stitches to every other row until we get to the desired hypotenuse length. Then, we will start decreasing the stitches in the row by working more than one stitch together into a single stitch. Let’s dive in. This project uses a simple method of adding stitches to a knitted row: the yarn over (abbreviated YO). This simply means wrapping the working yarn around the right-hand needle from back to front. This will create a new stitch where there was none in the previous row, resulting in a small hole in the fabric. This pattern uses the yarn overs to form a decorative border. Row 1: Knit five stitches. Row 2: Knit two, YO, knit one, YO, knit one. Row 3: Knit all stitches. This establishes the pattern for how you will continue the increasing half: On even-numbered rows, you will knit two, YO, knit until there are two stitches remaining on the lefthand needle, YO, and knit the remaining two stitches. On the odd-numbered rows, simply knit all stitches. Continue in this pattern until you have your desired hypotenuse length. In my example, I worked until I had 25 stitches in total. End with an odd-numbered row. If you should lose track of whether you’re on an odd or even row, you should notice that a YO stitch looks a bit different from a regular knit, which serves as a good reference. At the halfway point, you should have a triangle. A clear eyelet border should have emerged,
as shown in my example. The garter texture should also be clear, with a consistently bumpy texture.
Courtesy of Abby Knuckles
the project. The most classic knitted fabrics are made in stockinette stitch. When working flat, this means that rows are alternatingly knitted and purled. Since I didn’t know how to purl and wanted to craft a smooth fabric, I returned to the internet for guidance. Once I realized that purling is really nothing more than knitting in reverse, I got the hang of it. Armed with this new knitting knowledge, I started cranking out projects at lightning speed. I would sit in my classes listening to the teacher as I knitted scarves, hats, shawls and eventually even socks. Knitting became a mindful activity. I found that I could focus more easily while working on a project, and the sensory experience of the soft yarn running through my hands provided an easy grounding point when I became anxious. In the spirit of sharing coping mechanisms during this stressful point of the year, I would like to provide a little knitting tutorial. This is a fairly simple project, which is both versatile and fit for those who are just beginning to knit. If you should need any help figuring it out, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m always happy to spread the knitting love. The following pattern for a simple “mug rug” is great for putting under a hot mug if you want to prevent heat damage to your oh-so-valuable Vassar-issued desk. The general technique is highly adaptable to a wide variety of projects: You can make a larger square by simply continuing the pattern, or you could even sew multiple squares together to make a patchwork-style quilt. While this pattern is worked in garter stitch (all stitches knitted), it would be easy to incorporate different stitch patterns as well! For this mug rug, you can use almost any kind of yarn and any knitting needles available. The cheap acrylic yarn at Dollar Yard works
Look, we’re halfway there, and you’re doing great! To recap, we’ve used the yarn over for the increasing half. Now we’re about to tackle the second half using three different methods. To decrease, you will use three different methods. First is the slip-slip-knit (abbreviated SSK). For this method, you will slip two stitches from the left-hand needle onto the right, as if to knit, but then slip them back onto the left-hand needle (keeping the right-hand needle through the two slipped stitches) and knit through both stitches. This decrease method turns two stitches into a single one and creates a stitch that leans to the left. Next, you will use the knit two together (abbreviated k2tog). This goes exactly how it
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
sounds: simply knit through two stitches as if they were one. This decrease method turns two stitches into a single one and creates a stitch that leans to the right. Finally, near the end of our mug rug you will use the central double decrease (abbreviated CDD), which is also known as the slip: knit two together, pass (sk2p). This is the trickiest of the stitches used in this pattern. To accomplish it, you will slip one stitch as if to knit it. Then you will knit the next two stitches together as one. Finally, you will insert the left-hand needle into the slipped stitch and slip it over the k2tog stitch you just made. This decrease method turns three stitches into one and has no lean. This half gets a little bit more complicated, because you want to keep our nice eyelet border happening, but you need to net a decrease of stitches (unless you want a triangular mug rug, which is perfectly valid). So our rows will get just a little bit more complex. Odd-numbered rows: Knit two, YO, SSK, knit to last four stitches, k2tog, YO, knit two. (This will be a net change of zero stitches.) Even-numbered rows: Knit three, SSK, knit to last five stitches, k2tog, knit three. Repeat these rows until there are nine stitches remaining, at which point you will notice that there aren’t enough stitches to continue in the pattern as set. Knit the last odd-numbered row you can as set, and then you’ll change it up to accommodate this issue. Row 1: Knit three, CDD, knit three (seven stitches remaining). Row 2: Knit two, YO, CDD, YO, knit two (five stitches remaining). Row 3: Knit one, CDD, knit one (three stitches remaining). At this point, the mug rug is completed! You can now cast off the remaining three stitches, break your yarn, weave in your ends and start taking aesthetic pics. Happy knitting!
FEATURES
May 3, 2018
Page 11
Professor Spotlight: Frank applies math to artistic creation Andrea Yang
FEATURES EDITOR
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his week, we got in touch with Professor Natalie Priebe Frank, who has been teaching at Vassar’s Mathematics and Statistics Department since 2000. Her research focuses on the beauty of hierarchical tilings—mathematical models for quasicrystals, physical solids. The Miscellany News: What drew you to the
Natalie Priebe Frank: I was always good at math: My mom saved a note from my first grade teacher that says “Natalie is always asking for harder problems.” For some reason though, I thought I wanted to be a psychiatrist. In college I realized I didn’t like the nebulous nature of the research the psychology faculty were doing at the time, so I switched to math. One reason I picked math was that it would open up a lot of career opportunities for me that wouldn’t involve graduate school. But when I got involved in undergraduate research, I realized that I might like to do mathematics for a living. So I got a PhD, did some postdocs and then got incredibly lucky by getting my tenure-track position at Vassar. The Misc: What do you love about Vassar?
Frank: The community, and especially the students. Semester after semester, my classrooms are full of smart, interesting people, and I get to show them lots of cool concepts. Even students who end up in my classes to fulfill a requirement are willing to go deep to appreciate the beauty of the ideas. And although not everyone feels this way, I’ve always felt supported here by my department and by the College. The Misc: Could you tell us a bit about the courses that you’re offering next semester?
Frank: It looks like I’ll be teaching Real Anal-
The Misc: Do you have any research project that you’re working on now?
Frank: I study tilings, which are what you think they are: interesting ways to lay down tiles next to one another. I mostly study quasicrystalline tilings, whose structure is sufficiently orderly that you can study them, but not so orderly as to be boring like a checkerboard. Tilings are good models for the atomic structure of crystals and quasicrystals, and of course chemists study atomic structure via diffraction. So, my collaborators and I have spent a lot of time figuring out what the diffraction of various tilings would be. This year I’ve finished two papers: one on diffraction, and one that is a graduate-level introduction to the study of tilings as I know it. The Misc: What do you enjoy doing the most outside of the classroom?
Frank: My life outside of Vassar centers on my husband and two sons, ages 12 and 15. We’re all into sports (mine are volleyball and tennis), and I have a big yard where I grow lots of flowers but no food. When I get inspired I make art. I’m also a big fan of napping. The Misc: Could you elaborate on some of the instances that you find math particularly interesting/applicable in everyday life?
Frank: Math is literally everywhere around us, and of course it is fundamental to science and technology. I know a little bit about the math behind lots of things, and I think about it as I move through the world. But one thing that is especially apparent and beautiful is symmetry.
Courtesy of Andrea Yang
subject of math and a career in education?
ysis, which is a required course for the math major and is of interest to our graduate school– bound econ majors. Real Analysis is basically Calculus on steroids. It’s a hard class, but I love teaching it.
Professor Frank “Spiral Circuit.” glass beads on Stockholm 2018:
is pictured with one of her favorite pieces of self-similar tiling art, named She designed and constructed the model by weaving over 13,000 Japanese a loom. This work of art will be on exhibit at the conference “Bridges Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture” late this July.
You see symmetry in the petals of flowers, the leaves of ferns and in the branches of trees. You see it in the amazing animals populating coral reefs. And you see it in art and design. Tilings are everywhere, forming everything from the patterns on the heating grates in Rocky to the windows in the library to the brake lights on your car. Spectacular tilings and patterns are found in Islamic art, and Escher launched an exhaustive study of the mathematics of tilings in order to construct his famous tilings. The Misc: Would you like to recommend a math-related book to the students?
Frank: A nice coffee-table book is “The Symmetries of Things,” by John H. Conway, Heidi Burgiel and Chaim Goodman-Strauss. If you want to get serious about tilings, try “Tilings and Patterns” by Branko Grunbaum and G. C.
Shephard. If you’d like to have some fun with myriad different approaches to the binomial theorem (including limericks and music, in addition to serious math), try “Exercises in (Mathematical) Style” by Vassar’s own John McCleary. The Misc: Are there other activities that encourage students to engage with math?
Frank: I’ve been thinking recently that I’d like to get students involved in art and mathematics. There’s the kind of art I do that is pictured with me in this article, which is based on my research. But there are also many other ways to do art with math, and I’d be interested in exploring any of it with students. In the fall, look for meetings of Vassar’s chapter of the Association for Women in Math, because they’ll be sponsoring it. We are hoping to run studio-type workshops if there is enough interest.
Vegan transforms dish of her dreams: Spaghetti Bolognese Imogen Wade
GUEST COLUMNIST
Courtesy of RitaE via Pixabay
Pictured here is a delicious and aesthetically pleasing bowl of spaghetti Bolognese. Arranging food artistically on the plate is the next step in your culinary journey to greatness.
W
hen I moved away from home to go to college, I was plagued with sadness at leaving my mum’s home cooking. In particular, I preemptively mourned the loss of access to her spaghetti Bolognese; As I packed my suitcases, it was all I could think about. My mum’s spaghetti Bolognese is, quite simply, the best thing I have ever tasted. To cut a long story short, a turn of events has prevented me from ever sampling her spaghetti Bolognese again. My veganism was a diplomatic nightmare and turned several generations of my family against me. The immediate issue for me was the now permanent loss of my mum’s cooking. I dreamt in Bolognese. My dreams were tomato-red; I swam in vats of mince; I soared through swirls of spaghetti. The memory of its incredible flavor haunted my tongue in ghostly torment. Veganizing my favorite childhood dish was a matter of supreme personal importance. For my mum, my sister and me, cooking is a
way to connect. Eating a meal together symbolizes our familial ties. Not eating the same food as they did indicated that I was turning my back on their lifestyle. I was no longer engaging in the same practices and resented the gap that my eating habits and being away from home at college had put between us. I resolved to improve the situation. What if I could adapt my mum’s spaghetti Bolognese recipe? What if I could make it for my family, and we could eat the same food again? Cooking them a meal would be my way of giving back and a way of including them in my new life. Fortunately, I found plenty of guidance online, as adapting classic dishes to alternative diets is a common theme across recipe sites. Many chefs had attempted to put their own disastrous spin on the concept, replacing mince with lentils or shiitake mushrooms. Despite these digressions, I soon discovered exactly what I was looking for. It’s important to play with herbs and spices. If you like your dishes hotter, don’t be afraid to add a couple of teaspoons of chili flakes. The tahini or almond butter, whichever you can find in the supermarket, gives the sauce a rich and creamy taste. Depending on your preferences, you can skip that as an ingredient and add lots more vegetables instead. Celery, especially, would work well in this dish. The ingredients listed make enough for four to six people, but when I am cooking I always make more than I need. It’s great for leftovers, and you can even freeze it. Method: 1. Fry the onion and red pepper in the olive oil until soft. This is the time to toss in any other vegetables if you are using them. 2. Add the garlic, courgette and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. 3. Add the soy mince and herbs to the pan. Fry for four to five minutes, stirring constantly. If the mixture sticks and needs a bit of moisture, use
some of the juice from the tinned tomatoes. 4. Begin boiling a large pan of salted water for the spaghetti in a second pan. 5. Add the tahini or almond butter to the first pan, and stir it into the mixture until it melts. 6. Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking time displayed on the back of the packet. 7. Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato purée to the first pan. Stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat. 8. When the spaghetti is ready, take both pans off the heat and drain the spaghetti. 9. Serve the sauce on a bed of spaghetti, or add the spaghetti to the first pan and mix it thoroughly. 10. Sprinkle chopped olives, fresh basil and dairy-free cheese or nutritional yeast over each serving. Present the outcome with a smile that radiates culinary triumph over the bustling world of the kitchen. Although my sister kicked up a fuss when she heard the words “soy mince,” the dish was a hit overall, and it is something that I have made many times since. I’m excited to veganize more classic dishes, especially the English ones that are served in households all over my country: shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, toad in the hole… Find your own version of the dishes near and dear to your heart, whether that means a family member’s specialty or a dish specific to your country or region. Just because you change your diet, it doesn’t mean that you have to give up the culinary traditions of your family or state. Be creative! The finished Bolognese was a delight to behold, and although it didn’t match up to my mum’s recipe, it certainly gave it a run for its money. I learned that cooking is a lovely way to give back to your family and friends. Sharing good food and eating together is a moment of connection in a rushed world.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Ingredients Spaghetti:
Allow 75g dry weight per person, or 300g to 450g dry weight for three to six people Main dish:
2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1⁄2 red pepper, chopped 1 medium courgette, chopped in half lengthways and then sliced 100g mushrooms, chopped 225g soy mince 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon of tomato purée 2 bay leaves 4 teaspoons of ground basil 4 teaspoons of oregano 1 tablespoon of tahini or almond butter Toppings:
Handful of chopped olives Handful of chopped fresh basil Grated dairy-free cheese OR sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes
FEATURES
Page 12
May 3, 2018
Misc Comics by Paul Cannata
submit to misc@vassar.edu
Magic Words
Ben Costa
ACROSS 1. Survey the land 6. Columned portico 10. A third of a tablespoon 13. Up to date with all the latest trends, man 14. Mathematical donuts 15. What you shouldn't kiss and 16. Gale gauge 18. Albac-, seash-, pinaf19. This number's "My Hero" 20. Beg for mercy 21. Big company, for short “Magic Words” 22. Cedric's "Famous" father by 23. The roof of the mouth 26. Sea flapup 48. Itflap all adds ACROSS 53. Copycat chimpanzee 28. Mountainous central Italian 54. Something created 1. Survey the land region 55. Lightest kind of meson and hadron 6. Columned portico 56. Kind and friendly 10. A third of a tablespoon 29. Punxsutawney rodent, formally 57. A real dim bulb 13. Up to date with all the latest trends, 34. Aren't either man 58. Magic! Starring Midler, Najimy, and Parker 14. Mathematical donuts 35. Magic! Or, a counter to curses. 60. Kylo, in this galaxy 15. What you shouldn’t kiss and 38. Angelic 61. Wood signifier splitters 16. Gale gauge 62. Be aware 18. Albac-, seash-, pinaf40. Water between Africa and Asia 63. Sew up seams 19. This number’s “My Hero” 41. Great clamor 64. Funeral flameand 20. Beg for mercy 65. Rope in a bull 21. Big company, for short consternation 22. Cedric’s “Famous” father 43. ADOWN precipitous slope 23. The roof of the mouth 26. Sea flap flap 48. It all adds up 1. Magic! Also, Captain Marvel’s mentor 28. Mountainous central Italian region 53. Copycat chimpanzee 2. The movies 29. Punxsutawney rodent, formally 3. Unit of genetic information 34. Aren’t either 54. Something created 4. Absolute best (or worst) 35. Magic! Or, a counter to curses 55. Lightest kind of meson and 5. To! No, Two! No, ___! 38. Angelic signifier 6. Upright gravestone slab hadron 40. Water between Africa and Asia 7. Grocery bag carrier 41. Great clamor and consternation 56. Kind and friendly 8. Mountain spirit 43. A precipitous slope 57. A9.real dimelement bulb opposite earth Classical Answers to last week’s puzzle 58. Magic! 10. Lizard tanks Starring Midler, Najimy, 11. Got up late and Parker 12. THE magic word, in texts 15. Menu options 60. Kylo, in of this galaxy 17. c = 671,000,000 ___ 61. Wood splitters 21. Irregular wheel 24. Chrysalises, for example 62. Be aware 25. Consume calories 63. Sew up seams 27. Showery month 30. Deals an injury 64. Funeral flame 31. Berg material 65. Rope in aboy bull 32. A little
33. Base desires 35. Magic! Also a Pokemon's final form 36. Ennui 37. Makes sheep noises 38. Really overplay a role 39. With ice cream 42. Utilize 44. Vegetable oil, in cooking 45. Mountain peaks 46. Happens again and again 47. Magic! Almost a basil dish. 49. Clear, hard resin 50. One-up 56 Across 51. A drunkard 52. 49.Shorter Clear, harddashes resin 50. One-up 56 Across 57. Humbug! 51. A drunkard 58. chance 52. Luck Shorteror dashes 57. A Humbug! 59. good buddy
2. The movies 3. Unit of genetic information 4. Absolute best (or worst) 5. To! No, Two! No, 6. Upright gravestone slab 7. Grocery bag carrier 8. Mountain spirit 9. Classical element opposite earth 10. Lizard tanks 11. Got up late 12. THE magic word, in texts 15. Menu of options 17. C = 671,000,000 ___ Benjamin Costa 21. Irregular wheel 24. 38. Chrysalises, example Someone whofor overplays a role 39. With ice cream 25. Consume calories 42. Utilize 27. 44. Showery Vegetablemonth oil, in cooking Mountain peaks 30. 45. Deals an injury 46. Happens again and again 31. 47. Berg material Magic! Almost a basil dish 32. A little boy
The Miscellany Crossword
33. Base desires 35. Magic! Also a Pokemon’s final form DOWN 36. Ennui 37. Makes sheep noises Marvel's 1. Magic! Also, Captain
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mentor MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
2017
May 3, 2018
OPINIONS
Page 13
The Miscellany news Staff Editorial
Why We Publish: Ed Board reflects on student journalism I
f, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, you climb the dusty stairs hidden above the College Center to the third floor of Main Building and peek inside room 303, you will come across an unexpected sight: a cohort of
or resolve queries. On the wall behind her is a plethora of advice and praise from past Editors-in-Chief penned for their incoming successors. Given the sheer amount of time that many staff members of The Miscellany News
Miscellany archives become a source of information for generations of students to come. A common misconception about college newspapers is that staffers are expected to pursue a career in journalism after graduation.
may decide that this is the place for them or the exact opposite. Most important, The Miscellany News provides a platform for students to push for change, whether on the local, national or glob-
fatigued yet persistent college students toiling away at their computers, reading, writing and perfecting their articles. They do so not only to ensure that the upcoming edition of their weekly publication is safely en route to the printers’ in time to be delivered and distributed throughout the campus by that evening, but also to strive for an issue even better than the last. In the far corner of the office, the Design Editor rests in her swivel chair, formatting the master file of the week’s paper in Adobe InDesign while simultaneously fielding a barrage of inquiries and requests from other editors. All of the section leaders, from News to Humor, are scattered across the room, engrossed in their own work. Some have their laptops open while perched on one of the sofas awkwardly pushed together in the corner. Others gaze at Adobe InCopy on the glowing monitor of one of the office’s many Macs, pondering where to place each article or which headline idea best expresses a piece’s central theme. Circulating throughout the room is the Senior Editor, who helps monitor the progress of all the sections and reads all of the articles to be published in the paper, sometimes staying as late as 4 a.m.—or whenever the newspaper is nearly finished. In the back room, the Editor-in-Chief sits at her desk, also reading through all of the articles between pauses to consult with editors
staff spend inside this office, it is little wonder that Main 303 tends to becomes like a second home to them. Undeniably, contributing to a weekly publication can be difficult and frustrating at times. Section editors must carefully shape articles to produce impactful and engaging content, while preserving the voices of their many talented authors. These authors themselves are tasked with keeping their fingers on the pulse of the campus culture, whether they are investigating recent developments within the Vassar administration for News, discussing the latest Drama Department production for Arts or brandishing their wit for Humor. Every member of The Miscellany News—from newly minted Copy Staffer to contributing photographer to cartoonist—serves an integral role that directly affects the production, and each page of the paper is testament to this spirit of collaboration. Working at The Miscellany News provides no external reward in the traditional sense; staffers don’t receive class credit or monetary compensation. Instead, we come aboard because of genuine love and passion for the work. While the experience—which, for many editors, shapes the trajectory of their four years at Vassar—may be fleeting, it is nevertheless incredibly formative. Furthermore, the paper not only spreads awareness about current events but also documents Vassar’s history, and the
In fact, many members of the Editorial Board have no such intentions, instead devoting their time outside of the Miscellany to the pursuit of other academic and extracurricular interests. This raises the question, “If you don’t want to be a journalist, why on earth would you expend so much time and effort on this weekly paper?” Each contributor would offer a different answer. One might say they wanted to have a greater awareness of newsworthy events on campus. Another might explain that a friend dragged them in and, before they knew it, they were too attached to leave. Others might cite the camaraderie fostered by late nights laboring in the office, or the fact that the paper serves as an outlet for their creativity. Regardless of our motivations for joining or our future career goals, practicing effective communication—both verbal and written—is one of the most essential skills that we pick up in our work here at the Miscellany. A key reason that we publish is our commitment to creating and maintaining a forum for Vassar students to share their thoughts and opinions and exercise their right be heard. Our goal is to hold a mirror up to the Vassar community, for itself and for ourselves. Countless prospective students have flipped through a copy of the paper to gain an understanding of the Vassar community and what is important to us, and depending on what they read, they
al scale. It would be impossible to publish every week without the admirable commitment of our student writers, who constantly offer refreshing perspectives on the world and deliver stories that affect and illuminate the campus. As a student-run organization, the newspaper is not constrained by oversight from administrators, and thus can champion freedom of expression. Our obligation is to represent the voice of the student body. As one of the core platforms for Vassar-dwellers to express their thoughts, opinions, creations and beliefs without censorship, the paper’s ultimate goal to make student voices heard. For over 150 years, The Miscellany News has carried the evolving ideas and voices of Vassar students. As editors of this historic newspaper, despite daily annoyances ranging from crashing Adobe software to pesky writer’s block, we are thankful for our role in this mission and for the community of readers and writers who have supported—and who continue to support—the paper’s publication. Without you, none of this would be possible. We firmly believe that The Miscellany News is first and foremost a newspaper by the students, for the students. –– The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.
Former athlete calls for better oversight of VC Athletics Jessica Schwed GUEST COLUMNIST
A
s a former student-athlete at Vassar College, I recognize that coaches have the ability to significantly affect the lives of their players in so many different ways—both positively and negatively. I know for a fact that there are many players here at Vassar who love their coaches and have had unforgettable experiences as college athletes. But others, including myself, have had unforgettable experiences for very different reasons. We can all agree that coaches are placed in positions of power. If they misuse this power, consciously or subconsciously, they are able to exert various forms of control, manipulation and abuse upon their players, and that is not okay. This is my story. Initially, I was so excited about coming to Vassar and being a part of the soccer team. I couldn’t wait to meet the new head coach and learn about her coaching style and philosophy. When I first met Coach, I was thrilled to play for her. It was a new beginning! I was coming in as a freshman, and she was coming in newly hired. Almost immediately, we realized this new coach had a very different way of doing things than the previous one. The first sign was her insistence on ranking each player. After each pre-season test, a list went up on the wall in the locker room with the names of every player, in the order of who had done the best, who had passed and who had failed. No one knew that this was going to happen, as it had never been done by any previous coach. Vassar College Women’s Soccer (VCWS) was all about inclusivity, and making sure that everyone knew they were a valued part of the team regardless of how much time they saw on the field; this ranking system directly clashed with that philosophy. Soon after, two seniors who had not only been dedicated, crucial players on the team for three years, but who had also received numerous Liberty League accolades throughout
their soccer careers, quit. The new coaching style brought in made them feel unwelcome and forced them to quit because they were used to an encouraging and positive environment, whereas this coach was implementing a ranking system that emphasized failure. As the season progressed, more of Coach’s philosophies were brought to the forefront, one of which was stressing the importance of healthy eating, and providing your body with enough nutrients and protein for the amount of work that we were doing on the field. On the surface, everyone would agree with this, but her method of enforcement was detrimental to many players. She would check what each player ate in the Deece to make sure it met her standards, and would not hesitate to confront you about your choices, in front of others, if she disagreed with them. I clearly remember her asking me and various other players if it was a “good idea” to eat something. My whole life, I had been eating a certain way that had always worked for me. It was something I never thought much about, but when she started questioning my eating habits, things got uncomfortable. Every time I ate any form of dessert, I felt the scrutiny of the coach and began to second-guess myself. Her behavior created a stressful and unhealthy eating environment that led some players to develop unsafe eating habits and eating disorders. With her incessant negative comments, Coach was putting our team full of young women, who are already one of the most at-risk populations, in danger of developing unhealthy eating habits. My sophomore year, I got a concussion during a game. It was unfortunate, but these things happen. While following the standard concussion protocol, I felt pressure from Coach to return to the team and play prior to being cleared by the athletic trainers. This pressure from Coach demonstrated to me that she was more concerned about winning than the wellbeing of her
players. I’m very glad I stood my ground and didn’t return until cleared, but when I suffered heat stroke during a game my junior year, that episode became the last straw.
“I was a pawn to be used. If I was injured, I was pressured to come back early. My eating habits were scrutinized and micromanaged. Eventually, it all got to be too much...” It was a weekend tournament, and on day one it was well over 100 degrees on the turf field. It was so hot that the ref had determined we would play quarters so that we could have extra water breaks. Before the game, Coach reassured us she would be subbing constantly. At half-time, I told Coach I was struggling with the heat. By the 70th minute, we were down 2-0, but I still hadn’t been subbed. At this point, I was hallucinating and was not being an effective player on the field. My teammates on the field with me recognized what was happening and tried to motion to Coach to take me out, but still I was never subbed. When the final whistle blew, I collapsed. After that, I don’t really remember what happened because I was in and out of consciousness. I was carted off the field and iced down. I think it took me over 20 minutes to stop shaking from the chills. Later, when Coach came to see if I was okay, I asked her why she hadn’t subbed me. She replied that there had been no one to put in for me. Weirdly enough, that day we had had 10 perfectly healthy subs on the sidelines, any of whom would have been more effective and capable on the field than I had been. In that moment, I felt like a pawn be-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ing manipulated for the sole goal of winning. I did not believe that she cared about my well-being. For the game on day two, Coach promised that she would sub me out of the game because my body was still extremely weak. She broke that promise. After that, I quit. I was a pawn to be used. If I was injured, I was pressured to come back early. My eating habits were scrutinized and micromanaged. Eventually, it all got to be too much, and for my own mental, emotional and physical health and safety, I had to remove myself from the team. I’ve played sports for the majority of my life, and have had many coaches with varying styles. I understand that the soccer coach was coming into a new environment, and that it is impossible to please everyone. Of course, we all need to be flexible, but sometimes things go too far, and her behavior toward me definitely crossed the line. I love my fellow teammates, and they helped make my time on the team more bearable. I hope they know that, and I thank them for being there for me. There are many other players on the soccer team and other Vassar teams who have experienced similar negative treatment from their coaches, but have not had the ability to come forward. I hope that this article allows them to feel like they also have a voice. I hope they do not continue to live in fear of repercussions for their team or themselves for standing up for themselves. Coaches have enormous control over players, their minds and their bodies. Can a system be put into place to help monitor and minimize negative issues and protect students’ well-being? Minimally, how about a required exit interview if someone quits a team? I call on the Athletics Department and Vassar College to take this moment to reflect upon the environment that has been created within the sports community, and use this opportunity to make changes to improve the student-athlete experience for the generations to come.
OPINIONS
Page 14
May 3, 2018
Stigma surrounding vocational education unwarranted Catherine Bither n American society, college is widely seen as the only way to attain a happy life. All across the country, high school students are taught that college is necessary for a successful future and that they will never reach their full potential if
and Self-Loathing in the Classroom,” 03.19.2012). Throughout our lives, most notably during the university application process, students are explicitly and implicitly told that we are failures, that what we’re doing is not good enough. However, contrary to common belief, college is not necessary to have a happy and prosperous future and certainly does
are often looked down upon by a society that values knowledge above all else, and therefore may be seen as disposable. Due to the increasing emphasis on a college education, however, technical workers are rare and in high demand. This year alone, there are 30 million jobs with an annual income of $55,000 that
what they want to do quite yet. These colleges provide a place for students who do not want to spend the next four years of their life living and breathing academics. Community colleges are adaptable to students’ needs, and students are able to craft their schedules around family and work commitments. Furthermore, community colleges
they do not attend a four-year university. As a result, society places excessive pressure upon getting into and attending university, a path which is not beneficial for everyone. To exacerbate this problem even further, high schools continuously emphasize college preparatory programs and frequently advertise how many of their students have gone on to popular four-year universities. The perception of university as the cornerstone of success has become deeply ingrained in society and now plays a major role in American Dream aspirations. As a result, a life without the college experience often becomes a target of ridicule and condescending pity, viewed only as second-rate. The disproportionate emphasis placed on the college experience consequently extends to the college admissions process and to university rankings. This mindset pits students against one another to compete for a limited number of spots in a small jumble of schools seen as prestigious. An unhealthy pressure to attend college, particularly a “good” college, plagues high school students across the country and results in extreme anxiety, low self-esteem and false views of oneself. For example, a study of girls attending a wealthy and prestigious northeastern preparatory high school found that these students were two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression than were teenagers in the general population (Association for Supervision and Curriculum, “The Overpressured Student,” 05.2011). Although a variety of behavioral, emotional and personal factors could contribute to this finding, researchers stress the correlation between depression and achievement pressures. Even worse, students who are not accepted to their college of choice may experience intense feelings of self-loathing, shame and inadequacy, as if their lives are prematurely over. These students often grow to avoid risk-taking for fear of failure. High school educator William Johnson states, “These students are expressing a hopelessness that’s been drilled into them for years. Day after day, year after year our students hear the same message that they are failures” (Chalkbeat, “Fear
not guarantee a successful future. Thankfully, there are alternatives to the standard four-year university that many people undervalue and forget: community colleges and trade schools. Known for their small class sizes and encouraging atmosphere, community colleges are affordable post-secondary institutions with open enrollment (Department of Homeland Security, “What is Community College,” 03.13.2012). Students are typically enrolled for two years, after which they earn an Associate’s degree. Following their matriculation, students may move into the workforce or go on to attain a Bachelor’s degree. According to the American Association of Community Colleges, there are 1,167 nationally accredited community colleges in the United States, educating about 12.4 million students. Trade schools, also known as vocational or technical institutions, are post-secondary schools that train students in skills for a specific occupation, such as welding, cosmetology, nursing and health care or automotive services (PrepScholar, “What is a Trade School,” 07.08.2016). Students are typically enrolled in trade schools for a shorter amount of time than community college, ranging from eight months to two years, but regardless of field, students graduate with diplomas and trade certificates. Unfortunately, the pressure to go to a four-year university has led to negative stigma surrounding trade schools and community colleges, which are commonly viewed as inferior. “[Vocational programs are] considered a second choice, second-class. We really need to change how people see vocational and technical education,” reflected President of San Diego Miramar College Patricia Hsieh (Inside Higher Ed, “Spotlight on Vocational Training,” 04.25.2017). Students enrolled in a two-year or trade college are stereotyped as not smart enough or too lazy to get into a “real” college. Likewise, society often undervalues and belittles blue-collar workers. An employee at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center argues, “Everyday blue-collar workers are not compensated properly nor treated with respect” (HuffPost, “Today’s Most Sought-After Workers are Blue Collar,” 06.12.2017). Blue-collar workers
do not require Bachelor’s degrees, yet these jobs are being filled slowly (NPR, “High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up for University,” 04.25.2018). Seventy-five percent of construction companies in the nation endure a shortage of workers or difficulties finding workers. Students who enroll in technical school are sought after by employers, and surveys show that those with career and technical educations are more likely to be employed than those with academic credentials (NPR). Moreover, despite the promises of guaranteed financial success associated with four-year colleges, the average unemployment rate of those with Bachelor’s degrees has decreased from 2010 to 2015 along with the median income (National Center for Education Statistics, “Employment Outcomes of Bachelor’s Recipients,” 2017). These income levels, of course, depend on field. Workers in STEM fields, notably engineering and computer information systems, earn much more than workers in criminal justice, education or arts and humanities. College graduates’ incomes are greater and increase slightly more throughout their lifetimes than technical workers. Yet, their latency in joining the workforce, combined with entry-level salaries and crippling student debt, levels the median lifetime wages between college graduates and technical workers (National Center for Education Statistics). By being open about all the possible choices for students after high school without clinging onto negative stereotypes, schools may see student performance greatly improve. For example, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which teach students both high school academics and trades, have a 93 percent graduation rate, compared to the national average high school graduation rate of 82 percent. These programs ultimately allow students to learn about fields that interest them without making them believe that they need to attend an expensive private institute for four years to pursue their ambitions. Within these types of programs, college and career are not seen as separate. Community colleges present themselves as ideal places for students who have not figured out
are much cheaper than four-year institutions. The average tuition for a year at community college is around $3,000, and the average total cost of trade schools is around $30,000, as opposed to typically much higher university tuitions. The perception of these schools as subordinate and less rigorous than four-year institutions is completely unwarranted. The rigor of Associate’s programs comes from what each student makes of them. The people who attend technical schools are no different—nor are they less capable—than those who attend a private college. Just as with four-year institutions, if students want to work hard, they will and they do. If students do not want to, then they will not. It is necessary to break the stigma and change the perception of non-university programs. Instead of pushing children to go to college, parents and educators should encourage children to find fields and careers which they feel passionate about. CTE programs should be advertised, and career guidance in high school must include non–four year university options. Universities, community colleges, technical schools and employment are not mutually exclusive paths. Sixty-six percent of university transfer students come from community colleges (Huffpost, “Reframing how we talk about career and technical education,” 07.10.2017). Many people who go to college end up in a technical job such as construction work, engineering or visual arts. Likewise, many people who attend technical school and have technical jobs go back to college later in life. It is not necessary to go to college directly after high school, or at all. Exposing students to career options, including non-university options, in an unbiased way to give students increased choice. Although college graduates tend to earn more in the long term, this phenomenon is becoming less common as median incomes decrease and more technical work to improve infrastructure is needed throughout the world. The pressure to attend university may be overwhelming; therefore, it is important for students to be aware of all their post-high school options and to know that there is not one path which leads to happiness.
COLUMNIST
I
Please, Tell Us More! Prof. Rui Meireles
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPT.
F
aerodynamics of the group, leading to lower fuel consumption and emissions. Overcoming the challenges associated with the realization of this vision is the main driver for my research. Can we make communication reliable enough to enable coordinated multi-vehicle maneuvering? Can we make it scalable enough to coordinate between hundreds of vehicles in a busy intersection? So many questions. So little time. 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 Rui Meireles
orty thousand people died on U.S. roads last year. On top of that, traffic congestion cost the country a total of around $1 billion in delays and wasted fuel. You’d think people would be up in arms about this but you’d be wrong. We’ve grown accustomed. We just consider it part of the price of admission. I am very excited for an emerging technology that aims to change this reality: vehicular networks. Vehicular networks wirelessly connect vehicles amongst themselves and with roadside infrastructure. Applications are almost endless. In terms of safety, consider a scenario where vehicles periodically broadcast their velocity vectors and, when conflicting trajectories are detected, accident prevention mechanisms are automatically triggered. And, in the unlikely event that an accident still somehow happens, emergency services are contacted immediately, and given all the details of the crash so they can
better respond to it. In terms of efficiency, imagine a world where stop signs have been eradicated and traffic lights are not physical entities but virtual projections on the windshield. Their state is determined not by a fixed schedule but by the number of vehicles present in each road leading to the intersection, yielding much improved traffic flow and reduced fuel consumption (and associated pollution). Need to park? Forget about driving around aimlessly looking for a spot. Just send a wireless probe and find one in milliseconds. Vehicular networks also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the emerging technology of autonomous vehicles. Nowadays, autonomous driving is limited to using sensors mounted on the vehicle itself. But if autonomous vehicles become interconnected, they can share information and reduce equivocation rates, improving the overall system. Vehicles will be able to form platoons on the highway, consisting of multiple cars traveling close together as a “virtual train.” This improves not only traffic flow but also the
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.
Rui Meireles performs research in the area of vehicular wireless networks. He is joining the Department of Computer Science as an Assistant Professor this Fall.
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
May 3, 2018
OPINIONS
Conflicts of identity, bias divide Vassar Nicholas Lee
GUEST COLUMNIST
TW: This article discusses homophobia, assault, self-injury and suicide.
W
hen I came to Vassar, I was unaware of the difficulties that I would face navigating
my identity as a white and gay student-athlete. I thought I would be leaving behind many of my issues from the past. I went through an identity crisis in the beginning of my junior year of high school. I was ashamed of my sexuality and felt lost academically. My world flipped on its head. There was almost no resemblance of the outgoing, social and up-beat person that I once was. Instead, I was living a nightmare. I spiraled into a deep depression, endured traumatizing amounts of severe anxiety and paranoia, self-injured, had suicidal ideations and contemplated suicide. Four years later, I am still haunted by these moments and by my scars, which have nearly faded away. Only I can see what still exists of them when I look closely enough. It brings me to a dark past. But I have made it through. While life still presents its daily challenges, I am grateful to be here. My first year at Vassar, my student fellow was one of the most caring, loving and compassionate individuals I have ever met. During orientation week, cramped into her small room, my fellow group did the identity wheel exercise. Although we barely knew each other, I was lucky enough to be with students who openly and honestly discussed aspects of their identity. It was one of the most powerful and intimate moments that I have had here, and one that I will forever cherish. But as everyone adapted to college life, developed their routines and became preoccupied with their academics and extracurriculars, moments such as these grew to be few and far between. Since that day, I do not think that I have had another discussion with other students that felt as meaningful. While I have had many rewarding experiences here, there have been a number of stressful moments as well. I didn’t foresee encountering the issues surrounding identity, bias and community that I would continuously try to tackle. From my experience, simply telling people what is right and what is wrong does not automatically lead to them grasping how to become a more understanding person. Instead, I have met many people who are still holding in their questions, prejudices and assumptions, all in fear of being called out. The majority of mandatory community-based work occurs during a weeklong orientation. However, from my experience as a first-year and then as a sophomore on house team, I have seen students mature, learn and grow at different paces. Those who may have been less engaged during orientation may become more receptive to this programming once they have had some time adjusting to college life. Everyone arrives at Vassar with a different life journey. For some students, including myself, trauma endured in the past is still perpetuated by the institution. While some people have a greater understanding of pronouns, queerness, race, intersectionality and so forth, others are less aware. Generally, there are stereotypes about who these ignorant individuals are—white, cisgender, heterosexual, masculine men, oftentimes those on athletics teams. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the complexity of identity, privilege and oppression, as well as the lack of vocabulary to discuss them, can be found amongst other parts of the student body. One topic of concern that addresses the intricacies of identity and privilege is how masculine men take up space. It is important for us to acknowledge how our bodies, appearances, voices and behaviors—either alone or in a group—are a means of occupying space. Being on an athletics team, I often eat with my teammates after
practice. We come into the Deece in a large pack, loud and nearly impossible to miss. As a predominantly white, cisgender, heterosexual group of masculine men, we, along with many other men’s teams, can dominate a space, leaving less room for everyone else. This space is occupied physically by our bodies, as well as by our rhetoric,
shock from what had unfolded, as he had scratches and bruises above his left hip. After he showed the marks to security, they had the student removed from the line. Moments later, a different female student who was not involved in either incident told my friend that “You are a pussy” for having the other stu-
confidence and the inherently misogynistic, heterosexist and sexist power dynamics that exist in society. As a queer body in athletics, I feel a hidden obligation to be a liaison between the athletes and the rest of campus, as an unwillingness to constructively engage across this divide is continuously shoved down my throat by peers.
dent kicked out. I was outraged, especially due to the fact that with the help of the LGBTQ+ center and Vassar Athletics, I had been spending countless hours planning an event for the campus on masculinity, in which men could share personal narratives that pertained to issues surrounding the topic. I began to yell, as she had completely invalidated my friend’s experience and was perpetuating a culture in which men could not openly discuss their feelings, nor healthily engage with being assaulted. Her response: “Yeah, you yell at a girl like that.” Later, inside 50 Nights, I stood in a corner with my friend and cried for the first time in a long time. I was full of disappointment. After all of the energy I have put into trying to understand where each of my friends are coming from when they share their frustrations about other people and groups on campus; as much as I try to actively listen, while acknowledging that I am also flawed—that night broke me. But I haven’t given up on myself, I haven’t given up on those two female students and I haven’t given up on this campus. Unfortunately, there are people who will continue to be unwilling to engage with their privilege, their biases and/or their ignorance, regardless of the opportunities offered by the campus. While I believe that more spaces, such as the education class Building Inclusive Communities, could be a productive means to address divisions on campus, an overemphasis on calling people in as opposed to calling them out runs the risk of tailoring to privilege. It has been extremely tiresome to constantly decide how to address the daily microaggressions of homophobia and heterosexism that I have faced since high school. At times, all I wanted to do was yell, and I have. In the past, I did not say anything to people who called me a faggot. But as I grew into my queer body, I became more comfortable with addressing such remarks and telling peers why their words were unsettling. It is draining, but important to me. As with my high school, I care about this campus dearly. I believe additional programming that engages men on their privilege would be beneficial. There is also a need for more emphasis on how to build inclusive communities. Again, this work should not be done to tailor to the comforts of the privileged and/or the unreceptive. That would unfairly put a burden on those who are oppressed to do the teaching. These lessons should not stop at orientation—they should continue throughout one’s time at Vassar, both within and outside of athletics. This work does not mean that we will all completely understand each other and become best friends, or that many of the problems on campus will go away. Yet with more effort, everyone could be given additional opportunities to learn and grow together. I do not know at the moment what exactly this work would look like, or how exactly it should be done. However, these are necessary conversations that we can no longer avoid. Regardless of identity, none of us are immune to carrying negative biases. I wish that everyone reading this would be willing to take a step forward with me to challenge their assumptions, to continue exploring the intricacies and nuances of identity politics at this institution and to look inwards to see why these issues exist to such an alarming degree. I also hope to spark some important dialogue, and I hope that my experiences demonstrate the need for new practices that would ultimately put some more truth to the term, “Vassar Community.”
“[A]s I grew into my queer body, I became more comfortable with addressing such remarks and telling peers why their words were unsettling. It is draining, but important to me.”
It is difficult for me to navigate this divide, especially when I have had experiences that affirm the stereotypes existing around athletics. One afternoon during my first year, I was walking from the TAs holding my ex-boyfriend’s hand, when two white men’s lacrosse players (whom I did not know personally) walked by, one of them saying, “Wow, you guys are so gay.” In response, his friend began to laugh. By the time I registered what was said, they were already up the hill. I didn’t know what bothered me more—the fact that one student had said something that could be seemingly innocent in a malicious manner, or that his friend had laughed. Due to experiences such as this one, when students have said to me, “You’re really nice for a white male athlete,” I understand where this sentiment is coming from. I originally found this comment demeaning, but soon learned that these individuals have had and will continue to have difficult experiences due to whiteness and sexism. I realized that the social implications behind these comments are more important than taking these statements personally. However, peers of mine have told me that when their privilege is called out, they feel unfairly targeted for an identity they cannot control. The consequences are animosity, resentment and fear to interact with people outside of their comfort zone. As a result, calls for help from the most oppressed are misinterpreted by the more privileged. It is a vicious cycle that has a price—keeping the campus divided. The incident with the lacrosse players is just one example of the problematic behavior that I have seen within Vassar’s athletic community. However, I have also experienced concerning bias outside of sports. Standing in line for 50 Nights this year, a female student kept pushing me. When I asked her to stop, she responded, “What the fuck are you going to do about it?” I said to her, “Nothing,” and turned away as she continued to yell. Minutes later, a friend of mine—a tall, white, masculine man—was in an altercation with the same student. She dug her nails into him, above his left hip. There was no confrontation on his part to spark the incident, as she was just angry about waiting in line. My friend and I were not standing together when the incidents had happened, but I could overhear the commotion during this altercation. We were in
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Word on the street What kind of apple are you?
“Granny Smith.” — Georgia Hahn ’21
“An under-ripe apple.” — Magdalena Schneiderman ’21
“Golden apple.” — Rylie Pope ’20
“The computer kind.” — Brian Lee ’20
“Rotten apple.” — Manny Garcia ’20
“Macintosh.” — Esther Kim ’19
Hannah Gaven, 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
May 3, 2018
Breaking News
From the desk of Hannah Gaven, Humor & Satire Editor
Students concerned with historical accuracy plan to cry all of Founders Day in memory of Matthew Vassar Chronic weakling transforms into magnificent MMA god Abby Knuckles
FUTURE RUBY ROSE
I
Courtesy of Samana Shrestha
have many admirable qualities, but I can’t count athleticism among them. My ventures into organized sports consisted of a brief stint on my fourth-grade basketball team and an utterly failed season of tennis. I have incredibly weak arms and hands. In high school, I severely injured the tendons of my left hand while playing a difficult piece on the flute with my school band. The repetitive motion injury required six weeks of physical therapy and was the most ridiculous medical experience of my life. I’ve started trying to correct my chronic weakness. Physical activity is not my favorite thing, but my doctor gave me an ultimatum at my last appointment: If I want to maintain my health and improve my diabetes management, I have to exercise more. To which I eloquently responded, “Valid.” While walking home from orchestra, I lamented to my fellow musicians about my horrendous state of physical fitness. Ever the helpful friend, Danyal Rahman ’20 piped up, telling me that if I train with him, he’d transform me from a weakling into an MMA god. He offered to train me, and I responded with a highly noncommittal “Yeah, sure Dan.” Imagine my shock when I received a message from Dan with the time and place of the proposed training session. In characteristic fashion, I pretended to be more enthusiastic than I felt. Would this actually be my cause of death? I couldn’t imagine that I would be any good at kickboxing. Reluctantly, I agreed. Later that evening, I found myself second-guessing things. Was working out with an actual athlete a great plan given my complete inability to do anything physical? Probably not. In the end, my stubbornness and overdeveloped sense of pride wouldn’t let me go back on my word, and I found myself reluctantly setting an alarm to go to the gym at 10 a.m. this past Sunday
morning. Before I even entered the gym, I was winded from the walk over from Joss. This ill omen didn’t stop me. Before too long, Dan was showing me how to properly wrap my hands with neon-colored fabric. This was one part of the workout that I definitely nailed. The next task was far less successful: a warm-up. I’m fairly ashamed to admit that I barely made it through 30 sit-ups alive. When he made me do burpees, I briefly thought that I would depart from this mortal coil. Soon enough, Dan recognized that I wouldn’t get any better at moving in a sensical manner, and he decided we could continue to actual punches. He demonstrated a left jab, and the poise and power of his movements inspired me; I had a fleeting moment wherein I almost felt as though I could be that cool if only I worked hard and kept at it. I came to my senses and decided to give it a shot. I hurt my hand pretty badly, but I wasn’t about to let Dan know that. Our training session continued in this vein for the next two hours; Dan taught me the left jab, right cross, left hook, roundhouse kicks and how to properly knee an opponent. The first time I tried that last move, my front foot slipped, and I found myself looking up from the sweaty carpet with a bruised tailbone. Finally, Dan had me combine everything, throwing combinations of punches and kicks as quickly as I could. For a brief, glimmering instant, I felt as though I might be learning something. At the end, I felt completely and totally dead inside, but my fatigue was mixed with a sense of pride at having done this at all. As we walked to the Deece for lunch, Dan let me know that, although I wouldn’t be the next Ruby Rose anytime soon, I had done better than he expected. That encouragement almost justified the next week of limping across campus, every muscle in my body screaming, “For the love of all that is sacred on this Earth, what did you do to us?!”
When asked about the cause of the horrific injury to her left hand, writer Abby Knuckles bashfully revealed that the perpetrator was actually her beloved flute, Eugene. Endless hours of physical therapy were a small price to pay for the orchestra to come alive.
Some nice advice from the Mice of Main Hannah Gaven and Josie Schermerhorn, Certified Advice Givers Dear Mice of Main, How do I have an orgy outside? I want to get in at least 15 minutes of vitamin D a day, but I’m unsure about the logistics. I want to find a spot where no one will see me and I won’t have to worry about bugs crawling all over me. —I’m Outdoor-gy Dear Outdoor-gy, Our first thought is the sex tree on Joss Beach. We’re unsure about the bug situation, so put on some insect repellent before starting. Just make sure you don’t get it on places where people’s mouths will be; you don’t want to accidentally poison one of your partners. The other issue with Joss Beach is that you have to plan the orgy around Quidditch practice. You can also take into account what the orgy members are majoring in. Econ orgies should take place exclusively in the Blodgett courtyard, while environmental science majors have first dibs on the farm. Make sure you’re prepared in case anyone happens to walk by and wants to join in. Take the entire bag
of condoms from a student fellow’s door. Dear Mice of Main, I just realized that summer is less than a month away, and I barely have any plans. How do I find an internship or job? Or can I just shirk all responsibilities and spend the entire summer working on my lesbian screenplay? —Summertime Sadness Dear Summertime Sadness, We love the idea of a lesbian screenplay. There are not enough out there. We’ll help you get started; here is our idea. It’s slightly based off of “She’s the Man,” the iconic, Oscar-winning movie that inspired all of Shakespeare’s works. Let’s set the scene. A young woman is starting a career in STEM, but she isn’t receiving the raises and promotions that her male peers are. She has a job interview coming up, and she decides that she’ll pretend to be a man for the interview to see if that will result in her getting the job and earning better pay. It works, and on her first day,
she meets a stunning coworker. Hijinks ensue, and there are obstacles to them getting together, but ultimately the two women fall in love and live happily ever after while also receiving a Nobel prize for their groundbreaking research. As excited as we are to be the producers of your amazing movie, if you do want to actually make some money this summer, we recommend finding a job at your local ice cream parlor. By the end of the summer, you’ll have some money and one incredibly strong forearm. It will come in handy when you’re trying to impress the girls by crushing a tennis ball in your hand. Dear Mice of Main, A lot of people have commented on how great my girlfriend’s butt is; however, I don’t see it. What makes her butt so great? Should I tell her that I don’t think she has a good butt? —Believably Bootylicious Dear Believably Bootylicious, It’s important to remember that having a
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
“good butt” is all about how much one’s butt aligns with traditional standards of beauty propagated by patriarchy. For example, you often hear terms like “bubble butt” used to describe ideal butt types. We are extremely disappointed that we can’t inspect your girlfriend’s butt and help you decipher the different curvatures and nuances. However, it is important to mention that if you want to consensually slap it or grab it, then you probably do think her butt is rad. If you still dislike her butt upon further inspection, then you may want to figure out if you find other people’s butts attractive. We suggest spending your afternoon in the College Center on the lookout for butts. While it might become tiresome and emotionally draining, remember to stay vigilant! If you end up with bupkis, do not be alarmed. Butts are used for squeezing out poop and as padding to keep you comfortable while sitting in the Deece for eight hours straight. So it’s understandable why they might not grind your gears. On an unrelated note, what’s your girlfriend’s number?
HUMOR & SATIRE
May 3, 2018
Page 17
I promise I thought of a profound, world-changing article Blair Webber
ASPIRING ACTIVIST
W
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
ith exams looming in the near future and the school year coming to a close, everything for everyone is fine. It’s FINE. Everything is perfect, there’s nothing wrong, we’re all doing well. An important part of doing so well for me is managing my time effectively, including thinking up poignant, biting articles to add dimension to reporting of our collegiate life by The Miscellany News. Naturally, I thought up a great article for this week. It had everything— Deece jokes, Founder’s Day jokes, ResLife jokes, summer internship jokes, “what happens once we graduate” jokes, plus jokes about classes, dorm room art, Tumblr, orgs, other schools and more. I carefully crafted a resounding criticism of the institutional structures that be while also maintaining an introspective element that allows readers to understand and critique our own responses to deficiency in a constructive way, and I was totally going to publish it. I can’t find the file though. I write these in Google Docs, so it’s pretty weird that it just straight up disappeared, but I guess that’s life. I wish I could describe to you what reading this article would be like. I guess I can try though. It would be like looking into your soul and finding everything you loved and also everything you weren’t so excited about from fifth grade there, but everything you loved is everything you’re not so excited about now and everything you weren’t so excited about then is everything you love now and you’d have been like “WHOA! Who’d ever have guessed? The world is a crazy place.”
Our inside sources have revealed that Mark Zuckerburg is in cahoots with Google. He has been found smuggling Humor articles from unsuspecting staff writers at The Miscellany News. His motives are still unclear at the moment, but we are desperately searching for answers. The world is indeed a crazy place—a crazy enough place to just lose the Google Doc I spent seven whole days meticulously crafting—writing and rewriting until it possessed the perfect mix of sarcasm and gravitas. I guess that’s just where we are in Society today. I wish it were different, but we’re all human. Well, Google Docs isn’t, but it’s made by humans, so isn’t it kind of human? The answer to that question was actually in the article I wrote. It solved the issues of
Corporate Personhood and the moral grey areas behind advancing artificial intelligence in one witty swoop, painting a comprehensive picture of what it means to be human that would have had you laughing and crying and crying at your own laughing. Unfortunately, I can’t find the article, but I promise I wrote it and did a great job. If only it could be published, things would be different. There isn’t much point in hoping that it’ll pop
up, or going back through my “Misc. News Articles” folder or even checking my browsing history to see if I opened that file in the past week. It’s all futile. We’ll just never know the brilliant witticisms I used to deconstruct patriarchy, cisgender patriarchy, cis-hetero patriarchy, cis-hetero male patriarchy, cis-hetero classist male patriarchy, cis-hetero classist Christian male patriarchy, not to mention cis-hetero classist white Christian male patriarchy. They would all be entirely abolished because this one trans*, white writer took them on in an article for his college’s newspaper. I really have let you all down in not publishing it, but I definitely, completely wrote it all the way to end, including the middle and the beginning. Shouldn’t that count for something? In my opinion, it counts for a lot. If I ever find that article, I’ll try to get it published as soon as possible. It might be hard because not everyone can handle The Truth, especially when someone is Telling It Like It Is. That’s just the world we live in, I guess. It’s fine. It’s FINE. I’m just going to go back to my wildly organized paper research and writing schedule, all of which are being finished on time like the article I wrote for this issue. I hope I don’t lose my class work in Google Docs too, because I am writing a paper for my Russian History class that blows the lid off totalitarianism through a rigorous examination of all the sources for which I have definitely collected and created a bibliography for. It’d be a shame to deprive the world of that brilliant piece of writing as well, but considering how great things are going despite this one small slip-up, I think I’ll be fine. I’ll be FINE.
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 the need to kiss a frog this week. That’s totally normal! You will have a marvelous adventure with your one true love, eventually attaining your life goals: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Studying up will be important for you this week, Taurus. Consider going to the library and spending copious amounts of time becoming the only literate person in your village. Hopefully these skills will help you take down Gaston and tame the Beast!
It’s time to be free from your fins and use your legs to walk and run and stay all day in the sun. Use your newfound appendages to actually leave your room and sunbathe on the quad. Just remember to wear sunscreen because the sun emits very harmful UV rays that can even be cancerous. Are your stress levels so high that you have accidentally turned the world into an eternal winter? Just let it go! With only a couple classes left, it doesn’t matter if you stop showing up. Perhaps you can even skip finals! Everything will work out as long as you have sisterly love. Learn from Aurora this week and prick your finger on a spindle. The entire college will fall into eternal sleep, so you won’t need to study or take your finals! Just remember that you are a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man.
With Jupiter in retrograde, now is the time to live your life to the fullest without regard for your evil stepsisters. All you need is a little confidence, a cute outfit and a pumpkin carriage. Get out there and enjoy the ball for yourself, not just to marry rich.
LIBRA
September 23 | October 22
SCORPIO
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
The end of the semester may leave you struggling and wanting some help. Perhaps you can try Rapunzel’s methods of getting rescued from the tower by entrancing a casual passerby, throwing your hair out of the window and having them scale up the walls into your dorm room. As a water sign, I bet you feel a strong connection to Moana. To be honest, she is the overlord of all the water signs. If you test how far you’ll go in this life, the stars indicate that you may be able to be reborn as Moana! Let your hair flow this week and continue growing out those luscious locks. Show your rebellious nature this week by wearing your hair untamed, much like your spirit princess, Merida. Hopefully, embracing this Scottish princess’s fierce demeanor will help you feel more warlike this week. Now is the time to acquire minions to do your bidding. Perhaps you can follow in Snow White’s footsteps by “adopting” seven dwarfs. However, remember to be selective when kidnapping your minions. No one wants to corral Sleepy, Grumpy and Dopey. Let’s get down to business to defeat the homework. Does the patriarchal society we live in send you daughters when you asked for sons? If so, learn to battle, box and swordfight so that you can smite the patriarchy.
I suspect you’ve gone months without cleaning that carpet in the center of your floor. While the smells and slime may seem daunting, you can pretend that you’re Jasmine on a magic carpet ride of cleaning!
SPORTS
Page 18
May 3, 2018
Thoughts from the Editor When fashion talks trash Mack Liederman SPORTS EDITOR
I
t is the NBA’s equivalent of the red carpet. Buried in the corridors of every arena, a singular camera captures the few steps from the team bus to the locker room. Forget high definition, forget endless angles of instant replay, this may very well be the crowning achievement of modern basketball cinematography. The traditionally unceremonious entrance, a moment that should be as begrudgingly uneventful as clocking into work, has evolved into the league’s most valuable pregame spectacle. In this minimalistic and monochromatic hall, the NBA’s best players come through loudly, dressed in vibrant, eccentric outfits. The pregame strut has manifested as a performance artform, one that is deeply intentioned and pointed. It is an opportunity for players to step out of the confines of their uniforms, and deploy fashion as a means by which to express individuality and personal mindset. For the obsessively self-driven maniacs that comprise the NBA elite, the walk has thus become a perfect channel for yet another assertion of dominance. In a ritualistic manner, players part a sea of reporters simply with their presence, moving through the corridor without even the slightest facial expression or acknowledgement of the peasantry that is the press. They are locked in, untouchable and confident, wearing the expensive
cloth that demonstrates their success. Without words, players can make the loudest statements. While the tradition of the NBA walkway is marked by its idiosyncratic fashion, LeBron James recently broke the mold in his first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. As James took his usual march into Baker’s Life Fieldhouse before Game 3, he was joined by all 15 of his teammates— wearing matching designer suits. Every detail on each Tom Browne ensemble was coordinated and consistent, from the made-to-measure three-pieces and the leather black shoes, right down to the redwhite-and-blue trim on the bottom buttons. The next night, the Cavs did it again, this time electing for loose-fitting black suits. Throughout the playoffs, LeBron has actively dodged questions about his satisfaction with the performance of his teammates. The aesthetics of his matching suits has thus created an implicit, powerful rebuttal. Despite carrying his out-of-sync team through the first round, James has reasserted the unity of his locker room. This is a clear outward message, but there is also an inward one. Just like a finely tuned firm, LeBron has encouraged each player accept that they have a role to play and a job to do in order to benefit the greater mission of returning to the league finals. On their most daring level, the suits are a subliminal shot at the opposing team. They suggest a routineness, an unjustified confidence in the Cavs’ play on the court. Indiana
was just another business trip. Grey blazers and black shoes represent the most cordial of recent fashion trash talk. In Boston, guard Terry Rozier has been playing above his pay grade, emerging as an explosive and skilled scoring option for an injury-ridden Celtics team. In Game 1 of his team’s opening playoff series against the Bucks, Rozier found himself with the ball at the top of the wing, game tied, the final seconds ticking away. With one quick crossover, a lightning-quick change of direction, and a final between-the-legs stepback, Rozier lost Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe, giving him ample space to hit the go-ahead three. “Who? I don’t know who the fuck that is,” said Bledsoe when asked about Rozier following the Celtics win (Twitter, [at]NickFriedell, 04.17.2018). Just like that, the NBA’s next great beef was served. Hostility between Rozier and Bledsoe would take center stage for the remainder of the series, with tensions culminating in a pair of flagrant fouls in Game 5. And when it mattered most, Rozier outplayed Bledsoe in the final game, scoring 26 points to lead the Celtics into the next round. When it seemed as if the book had been closed on Bledsoe, Rozier made an interesting choice of attire for his walk into the Celtic’s first game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Moving through the corridor, the guard rocked the throwback New England Patriots jersey of quarterback Drew Bledsoe. It was a final victory lap.
“I love my man Drew Bledsoe, even though we haven’t talked,” said a smirking Rozier after the game, giving a dodging answer that he so clearly considered beforehand. “But I think he knows who I am, and I know who he is, so that’s all that matters” (Instagram, [at]sportscenter, 04.30.2018) If Eric (Not Drew) Bledsoe hadn’t known who Rozier was after Game 1, he definitely must know now. With the jersey, Rozier had solidified his dominance over his new rival—Boston owns Bledsoe. Rozier’s bold antics are just another example of how the NBA’s new thicket of young, ambitious players have utilized basketball’s social media revolution to build their profile. From their presence online before the game to their walk into the arena, and culminating in the post-game press conference, players’ every movements are closely monitored and publicized. Thus, in order to make oneself known, developing a public character and personality is essential. Through his conflict with Bledsoe, “Scary Terry” must credit his meteoric rise to his ability to create storylines around himself. After all, every superhero needs a villain. In today’s NBA, the little things speak the greatest volumes. Fans and pundits are more vocal and critical then ever, and the players are emboldened in defense. New avenues for publicity have given the league’s stars greater leeway. As a result, trash talking has made a resurgence, taking on new forms and scopes. So choose your outfit wisely.
MLB’s rise in strikeouts The King’s one-man show reminds of baseball’s decline continues to transcend time Myles Olmsted GUEST COLUMNIST
B
aseball was my first love. I spent countless summer afternoons playing in the backyard with my older brother. We’d pitch to each other, simulating the day’s games, even batting righty or lefty in accordance with the teams’ batting orders. Baseball will forever hold a special place in my heart. I will always feel a certain romance playing catch or watching an extra-innings game in October. But for me, the sport has lost its preeminence. Its slippage in my life is mirrored by its falling popularity among the public at large. According to a January Gallup poll, only nine percent of Americans—the lowest percentage ever—claim baseball as their favorite sport. Major League Baseball (MLB) is still profitable thanks to fat TV deals and the enduring appeal of going to games, but it’s a sport whose average fan, according to the Sports Business Journal, is 57 years old. Baseball has not grabbed the younger generations. My hometown Little League league—a vibrant 12-team league when I played—has shriveled to just two teams. Baseball isn’t dead, but it’s dying. The nascent MLB season has already shown us why. Last week, Yahoo Sports’ MLB columnist Jeff Passan made the case that the baseball has plunged into a “Strikeout Era.” The numbers he cites certainly back him up. As of last week, batters were on track to strike out 43,163 times this season, easily passing the record of 40,104 set last year, and in a completely different stratosphere from where the game was 10 years ago, when hitters struck out just 32,884 times (Yahoo, “10 Degrees: MLB’s enormous attendance drop due to bad weather or something far worse for baseball?” 4.16.2018). What’s driving this new strikeout era? In short, analytics. Analytics are increasingly pushing hitters to prioritize home runs, exposing themselves to the strikeout. Teams are increasingly turning to their bullpens, bringing in hard-throwing relievers and even “specialists” to get just one batter. More strikeouts means fewer balls put into play. Fewer balls put into play means fewer hits, fewer web gems, fewer baserunners. More and more, the game centers the duel between the pitcher and
hitter, which might be exciting for pitching nerds but certainly isn’t for the casual or new fan. It is a trend toward even less action for a sport already commonly considered to be short on action. The growing strikeout rate is a red flag because it’s a problem at the heart of the sport. The game itself is evolving in a less fan-friendly direction. Strikeouts aren’t the only dilemma the MLB faces. The game has a habit of muting personality with its archaic unwritten rules (prohibitions on bat flips, strikeout celebrations, etc.). Relatedly, the league has struggled to find stars. Yet problems like this can be fixed. Already this season, the duo of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in New York and the arrival of Shohei Ohtani in Los Angeles make the league feel more marketable. Professional sports leagues are businesses, so they’ll always look to address problems in an effort to build a better product for their consumers. For example, the MLB has tried to speed up the pace of play by limiting mound visits and installing a pitch clock. But some problems just can’t be solved. The pace-of-play initiatives have trimmed no more than a few minutes off of games. Baseball is at its heart a slow, cerebral game, often low on action (at least to the inexperienced eye), and made even more so by the analytics of this modern age. You can’t change the DNA of baseball. Baseball’s demise is written in its own code. I can’t tell you how quickly baseball’s dying, but it’s dying. We should be okay with that. Fans tend to view sports as sacred, fixed entities, but evolution is inevitable. The athletes change, the training methods change, the related health and safety knowledge changes, the rules must change. Perhaps most importantly, the cultures around them change. Sports are not artifacts, but living, breathing, evolving bodies. Evolution implies death. At the professional level, sports are businesses, not immune to creative destruction. We can (and will) fight to protect the sports we love in the form that we know them, but at the end of the day we must accept their evolution and eventual demise. The continued rise of the strikeout brings us another reminder of baseball’s mortality.
Jonathan Levi-Minzi GUEST COLUMNIST
W
hat does LeBron James want? An industry has been built around this very question. Not only are people insatiably interested in what LeBron wants, but his will also exerts an enormous force on the NBA’s competitive balance. An entire television special was devoted to his “decision,” and, in due course, he made the choice that defined the next half-decade of the NBA, and that arguably changed the league forever. However, there are limits to LeBron’s power, and we are all watching them play out in real time. This situation—carrying a middle-of-the-pack playoff team—is certainly not what he wanted. Basketball watchers knew LeBron was up against it when his Cleveland cohort and supplementing superstar, Kyrie Irving, demanded a move away. Everyone figured that all-star point guard Isaiah Thomas would be a reputable consolation in scoring ability and perhaps an improvement in facilitating ability, but also a serious defensive liability with his diminutive stature. Things were worse than they seemed. A severe hip injury had sapped Thomas’ offensive magic, and he was out by midseason, at which point the team was floundering and near the playoff margin. Thomas was dealt in the flurry of trades made to revitalize LeBron’s Cavs with defense and shooting. The additions helped, but have proven to be a Band-Aid pasted over a more integral issue. The team is far less talented than it was a year ago. As with the Cavaliers of the first LeBron era, it is LeBron who is tasked with elevating the team’s performance beyond the collective capability of the players. What really defies the odds is that LeBron is still able to do this—produce a display that transcends the limitations of his teammates. This transcendence takes place through the manifestations of his teammates. LeBron is commonly referred to as the best passing forward of the modern era. Both his outstanding court vision and his outsized capability to individually overcome opposing defenders mean that his teammates have an extremely important ancillary role, which he readily facilitates.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
The question of whether they are up to the task has been frequently asked of all LeBron’s teams. Even star talents Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh had to reconfigure their games to let LeBron’s transcendence flow through their output. This was particularly evident in Bosh’s uneven yet ultimately successful transformation from a dominant post player to a very good outside-working-in forward. It is hard to say whether we are watching the twilight of the King’s greatness. Somehow, the Cavaliers’ star forward has thus far outpaced the inertial forces of father time. He still takes opponents one-on-one, to seize the advantage of his speed! LeBron missed no games this season—a first for his 15-year career. Perhaps most unbelievable, he delivers Herculean performances on cue. The latest is a 43-minute, 45-point masterclass to close out the enterprising Indian Pacers in Game Seven of their first-round matchup. LeBron could not afford to go on autopilot. Testament to how much was demanded of him is how he filled out the rest of the stat sheet: nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals. “I’m tired and want to go home,” he grumbled, asked about his next opponent, the regular season-winning Toronto Raptors (CBC, “LeBron tired? Raptors not buying it,” 04.1.2018). Over the next few weeks, the basketball-watching world will see how far LeBron’s transcendence can propel his team. Can he push over the finish line, all while the team’s weaknesses slow him down? The Raptors will look to answer with great emphasis. Their “bench mob,” five young Toronto players who come off the bench for the team, have been outstanding this season. According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the unit has the best plus/minus (differential of points scored versus allowed) of any five-man lineup in the league (Twitter, [at] ZachLowe_NBA, 03.01.2018). With their incredible depth, the Raptors are poised to take advantage of the Cavaliers’ role players. Thus, the onus will be all the more concentrated on LeBron to elevate his team. Though heroism may have been the plan in returning to Cleveland four years ago, back-breaking efforts in the midst of the proverbial back-nine of his career were certainly not part of the vision.
May 3, 2018
SPORTS
Page 19
Brewers place in Final Four for first time in NCAA era VOLLEYBALL continued from page 1 eventual champions Springfield College on Friday, April 27, this was by no means a failure of a season for the Brewers. The Springfield Pride went undefeated in 29 games against DIII opponents throughout the year. Senior hitter Matt Knigge described how the team managed to rally together after a disappointing loss in their conference finals. “On the whole, I’m really happy with the entire season,” Knigge said. “We definitely had our low points, but rebounded well and finished out the year on a good run.” In their final loss, the Brewers stood strong; despite being swept 3-0, they remained competitive in each set, losing 27-25, 25-21 and 26-24. By saying that close with the dominant Pride, Knigge believes the team still represented themselves well. “Even though we lost, I’m really happy with how we played,” Knigge said. “In the end, to beat a team like Springfield, you need to capitalize on their errors. And we weren’t able to do that at the key moments at the end of sets. There are two or three points in each set that I think we would like to have back, but at the end of the day the chips didn’t fall in our favor.” Sophomore libero Kevin Ros agreed that although the outcome could have been better, the game showed strong flashes for the team both now and in the future. “With how close the scores were, we would have won the first and third set if four points went our way instead of Springfield’s,” Ros said. “That could be anything from a missed serve to a bad call by the referee. Regardless, I think that, as a team, we still have plenty of things we need to work on. This gives us some great goals for next year.” According to Ros, much of the team’s success this year can be attributed to the culture fostered by both upperclassmen and the staff. Throughout a long grueling season with plenty of ups and downs, the team stayed focused and driven on just one singular goal. “Fundamentally, our coach and senior leadership allowed us to achieve these results,” Ros explained. “They made it clear from day one that we were competing for a national championship. It gave practices a sense of urgency—every drill had a purpose.” Gary agreed that the upperclassmen on the team were instrumental in reaching the Final Four, and also emphasized the role and contribution of the newer members of the squad. “We had a great combination of experience and a talented group of underclassmen,” Gary said. “The older guys remembered our Elite 8 loss last year and worked to prepare both mentally and physically to give us a better opportunity, and the new guys entered every day with a sense of purpose and focus.” According to Knigge, another aspect of the team that contributed greatly to their success was their chemistry, as the members bonded throughout the year and were able to translate their relationships to the court. “We really benefited from a good team culture,” Knigge explained. “When you get into close matches, you need to trust your teammates and play for one another. The only way to do that is to have close bonds with each and every player, from starter to the reserves. And I think that could really be felt this year.” While the team’s first trip to the NCAA Final Four did not end quite as they would have hoped, the Brewers will look to exceed the new standard set by this year’s team. Ros believes that the experience of competing and succeeding in the tournament, along with the goal-focused mentality fostered by this year’s team, will be beneficial to the Brewers in the future. “Of course, we didn’t end up winning, but without that mentality we wouldn’t have come as close,” Ros said. “And now that many of the underclassmen got a taste of what it is like to compete at a national championship, I have no doubt that the same mentality will be carried into next season.”
All photos courtesy of Carlisle Stockton via Jamie Chagnon MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
SPORTS
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May 3, 2018
Event fosters dialogue surrounding masculinity on campus Kelly Pushie
conversation about masculinity. The talk was titled “Deconstructing and Reimagining Masculinity,” and featured four speakers who shared personal stories about their experience with masculinity in many aspects of their lives. The topics of the event, held on Tuesday, April 17, included Trans & Masculinity, Queer & Masculinity, Athletics & Masculinity and Mental Health & Masculinity. Lee came up with the idea after meeting with the head of the Women’s Center and the LGBTQ+ Center Jodie Castanza, who expressed concern regarding the lack of discussion about masculinity on campus. After doing some thinking, Lee decided that creating an event in which people could share their stories would be an apt starting place. “My intention was to create an event that attracted students on varsity athletic teams as well as students not on varsity athletic teams,” Lee explained. “By creating a space where the speakers were very open about their stories, I thought that students [who] may not typically interact would at least be able to share a meaningful experience by being in the same space and possibly even engage in discussion.” Lee opened this event to all members of the Vassar community in order to help create a bridge between the athlete and non-athlete community. Lee noted that expecting attendees to become best friends would be unrealistic. However, he hopes that events can help both groups of people understand each other more deeply and hopefully be more patient and compassionate with one another.
men of color, heterosexual men and a heterosexual cisgender white male (who could unfortunately not come), our goal was to show a wide range of stories around masculinity and expose people to narratives that they may have never heard before.” Arranging for a diverse array of men to speak on their experiences helped bring light to how different individuals experience masculinity. Lee expressed that although the speeches did not resolve the issues around Vassar’s problematic masculine culture, they provided a space for the men to share their stories in front of others. “While no one had an answer for toxic masculinity or hypermasculinity in their speeches, we were able to create a space where men were willing to be vulnerable in very intricate and articulate ways,” Lee mentioned. Lee not only set up and ran the event, but he also participated in it. As an openly gay man on the tennis team, Lee spoke about his struggle with masculinity as it related to sports. “Athletics has been and will continue to be an essential and positive part of my life,” Lee stressed. “But, throughout my past there were many times in which I did not feel comfortable nor safe in a sports environment.” Lee spoke of his struggle with coming to terms with his identity while playing sports. Societal norms, especially as they pertain to masculinity, kept Lee from feeling safe in the hypermasculine environment that sports often create. “I was socialized to believe that being gay was a bad thing, and that it meant that I was weak and less than everyone else,” Lee explained.
“I
Courtesy of Nicholas Lee
t is extremely important to create spaces in which students have the opportunity to speak.” Nicholas Lee, a junior on the men’s tennis team, took the initiative to create such a space to start a
Lee wanted to include men of different identities in order to reach a wider range of perspectives. “By including men of different identities, we hoped to share a wider variety of experiences with masculinity,” Lee explained. “To be clear, none of us can speak for all those who share an aspect of our identity. But by having queer men, a trans man,
REPORTER
Junior rugby player Louie Brown speaks to a full house in the Aula on Tuesday, April 17, for the event “Deconstructing and Reimaging Masculinity,” organized by junior Nick Lee. “I do not want to send the message that tough=ness, adversity, intensity and competition are inherently bad things, nor that we should all just chill out, indulge ourselves and not take anything seriously,” Lee remarked. “Instead, my point is that when masculinity leaves no space for vulnerability, sensitivity or communication about our fears and anxieties, then a masculine environment can become toxic.” Louie Brown, a junior on the rugby team, was another speaker at the event. Although he admits that he was unsure when he first agreed to sit on the panel, once he found out the potential impact of the event, his uncertainty turned to excitement. “I went to an all-boys school for my entire childhood and adolescence, so I’ve been participating in conversations and discourse about masculinity and especially its dangers and harmful effects for a long time,” Brown explained. “I’ve sort of missed that kind of work, and especially felt the lack of it at Vassar coming from my high school.” Brown commented on the courage of the other speakers who shared their stories, and was
especially moved by Emmett Weiss ‘18. Brown explained how impressed he was with other participants for sharing their stories with others, many of whom they have never met before. Speakers standing up and telling their stories is a way in which the stigma surrounding vulnerability can be addressed. Brown mentioned: “I think the inability to be vulnerable is a huge issue not only in addressing community concerns regarding men on campus, and by extension the student athlete community, but also in learning to address larger issues of masculinity and whiteness.” Said sophomore attendee Adele MacEwen: “It was a privilege hearing my peers’ stories. It felt really good to just listen and appreciate the beauty of people’s vulnerability.” MacEwen believes that these types of events are incredibly beneficial for the broader campus community, including both athletes and non-athletes. She commented, “Events like this create spaces where individuals can share their stories and are so important in cultivating a strong community. I hope we can continue to nurture these types of conversations.”
ADVERTISEMENT Men’s Baseball
Vassar College 6, Union College 9 April 28, 2018
Vassar College POS
Player
Union College
AB
R
H RBI BB
POS
Player
AB
R
H RBI BB
4
0
1
0
1
PR C. Symington
0
1
0
0
0
J. Meyers
0
0
0
0
0
RF H. Glatt
3
0
0
0
2
DH J. Vesling
4
1
2
0
0
LF
M. Schwartz
4
2
3
0
1
3B
1B
E. Trausch
4
2
1
0
1
RF
T. Smach
4
1
2
3
0
3B
3B
B. Rubin
4
0
3
1
0
SS
D. Bonfiglio
4
0
0
0
0
CF
T. Blough
3
1
0
0
2
B. Kinne
3
0
0
0
2
PH/DH J. Salerno
2
0
0
0
0
C
C. Lee
2
0
0
0
0
PH/C
J. Doyle
2
0
0
0
0
DH
R. Pinataro
1
0
0
0
0
PH
C. Skudin
1
0
0
0
P
M. Mullock
0
0
0
P
J. Madsen
0
0
P
A. Hartnett
0
P
P. Fitzgerald
J. Koch
SS
C. Kelly
3
1
1
1
1
1B
S. Cullen
2
3
1
1
1
LF A. Labeck
4
1
2
2
0
LF D. Coffey
0
0
0
0
0
2B
S. Kirschenbaum 3
2
2
1
0
0
2B
A. Amoroso
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
CF J. Ginim
4
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
C
W. Knight
4
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
P
R. Kuchar
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
P
C. Hoover
0
0
0
0
0
P
M. Hernandez 0
0
0
0
0
P
C. Nye
0
0
0
0
0
P
D. DeMild
0
0
0
0
0
P
N. Williams
0
0
0
0
0
12 8
5
2B
Totals.......
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
34 6 9
4
6
Totals.......
31 9