The Miscellany News August 26, 2021
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 156 | Issue 1
Welcome, Class of 2025! Student tuition strike dissolves due to organizational challenges Lucy Brewster and Annabelle Wang
V
News Editors
CStrike officially ended its Fall 2021 tuition strike three months after first launching its campaign (The Miscellany News, “Students strike, demand action from administration and Board of Trustees,” 05.20.2021). The strike, which called on students to withhold their Fall 2021 tuition payment, intended to pressure Vassar’s administration to meet various demands including a three-year freeze on tuition and room and board fees, raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour for student workers, and a joint administrative, faculty and student Senate. While strike leaders pointed to a lack of student involvement during the summer as the reason for the strike’s cancellation, some members of the coalition and student leaders outside of the strike expressed that the campaign was fundamentally flawed from its inception. On Aug. 2, #VCStrike publicly announced the termination of the strike via their Instagram account @vcstrike. According to their statement, the student activists suffered from organizational difficulties. As #VCStrike organizer Melissa Hoffmann ’21 stated, “Organizing during the summer is a significant challenge.” Within the first couple of weeks of summer break, some #VCStrike members became overwhelmed as they tried to balance organizing the strike with other personal and professional obligations. Former #VCStrike member Joe Mangan ’23 explained that he had initially stepped away from the strike for the summer to tend to a job and
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an internship. He also mentioned that three other members of #VCStrike also did not have the capacity to help organize during the summer due to their jobs. In addition to demanding summer obligations, COVID-19 was also an obstacle to engaging with the student body. Mangan detailed: “We couldn’t go from dorm room to dorm room and talk to people about the strike or hold in-person events to talk to people…there’s just a lot of basic organizing tools off the table as a result of being remote organizers.” Some members voiced that miscommunication and disagreements amongst the organization’s members also played a key role in the strike’s demise. According to Mangan, “The strike, from the beginning, was just riddled with internal problems.” A few organizers felt uncomfortable with #VCStrike’s overall social media presence, specifically the conspiratorial rhetoric against the Vassar administration. For instance, a #VCStrike Instagram post from May claimed that student voices were disregarded by the administration in favor of the dictatorship of capital. After noticing both the internal and organizational struggles, Mangan initiated conversations about ending the strike in July and ultimately completely disassociated himself from the organization. Other student leaders on campus who were not associated with the strike expressed similar concerns regarding #VCStrike’s rhetoric. ALANA Center leaders Oona Maloney ’22 and Elliot Porcher ’22 both met with strike organizers via Zoom on May 20 to address these concerns. Ac-
learn from people who had seen or participated in this kind of work pre-COVID.” Maloney concurred, explaining that while she agreed with the policy goals of the strike in theory, she disagreed with the tactics the VC Coalition used. “They were ambitious, but there was no follow through. It seemed all theory and no practice,” she said. During their meeting with VC Strike Coalition leaders, Maloney and Porcher outlined what they viewed as the central flaws of the campaign. “They were asking far too See Strike on page 3
Sandro Luis Lorenzo/The Miscellany News.
A cappella groups persevere despite restrictions Leila Raines and Nina Ajemian
F @themiscnews
cording to Porcher, “We told [the organizers] to be professional [and] relax with the social media infographics. To relax on demonizing every action that administrators would do. We told them to be polite and to be professional, online and in-person.” Maloney and Porcher posed additional concerns about the overall structure and preparation of the strike and its demands. “I wanted the strike to work because it could have,” Porcher explained. “We thought that there could be potential as long as they could refine their technique and
Arts Editors
or a college with under 2,500 students, Vassar has a surprisingly large number of a cappella groups—nine, to be exact. These singing groups are an integral part of Vassar culture; with numerous performances and events every year, a cappella has filled student life with music, harmony and a stronger sense of community. However, when the pandemic hit, the resulting restrictions on campus deeply impacted a cappella
groups and their ability to function. Vassar’s vibrant a cappella scene engages a wide variety of genres, from jazz and pop to Broadway hits and Disney classics. Among the nine groups are the Accidentals (also known as the Axies), AirCappella, Beauty and the Beats, Broadway and More (BAM), Home Brewed, Measure 4 Measure, the Night Owls, the Vassar Devils and the Vastards. Aptly named, AirCappella (@ See a cappella on page 3
Courtesy of Angelique Rodriguez '22
Students reflect on difficulties of COVID-19 Mahlia Neely
Guest Reporter
@MiscellanyNews
@MiscellanyNews
I
t’s been one year. One year of sitting in socially-distanced circles on the Residential Quad. One year of scheduling COVID-19 tests in the Aula every other week. One year of professors awkwardly interrupting me to say, “I’m sorry, can you speak up a bit? I can’t hear you,” while gesturing towards their masked faces. As we count down the days to our second pandemic school year, I can’t help but reflect on the last year, while trying to remain hopeful for what’s to come. After an extended spring break turned into a full-on shutdown,
Vassar finally reopened its gates to the majority of students in Aug. 2020. Move-in dates were set as early as two weeks before the start of classes in order to account for a campus-wide quarantine. Armed with a backpack in one hand and Clorox wipes in the other, I trudged onto campus during the international student arrival window. Although I was nervous about COVID-19 numbers on campus, the first few weeks of the semester went surprisingly well: the sun shone, birds sang and friend groups sat and laughed in Noyes Circle, which, after months of isolation and lockdown, was so
refreshing to see. I was extremely grateful to be on campus, especially when so many of my friends from other U.S. colleges were stuck back in my home country, The Bahamas, “listening” to their lectures on Zoom. But as the temperatures got lower, so did my mood. Opportunities to meet with friends became few and far between, and I found myself spending more and more time alone in my dorm room—and I wasn’t the only one. Adjusting to the diminished social scene on campus wasn’t easy for Acadia Case ’24 either, who was navigating her first semester at Vassar. “It was pretty difficult
to make friends even in in-person classes, which [made] it really hard to feel fulfilled socially,” she wrote via email. “It was really hard to be away from home during those times—sometimes you just need your mom (or in my case, moms!). I was definitely ready to go home by the time November rolled around.” I felt the same way—especially when my friends back home were posting videos of themselves sunbathing on the beach after Zoom class, while I was heaving on a winter coat just to walk to the Deece. After three months of the See Reflecting on page 4
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August 26, 2021
THE MISCELLANY NEWS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR EDITORS
Olivia Watson Dean Kopitsky Alex Eisert Janet Song Aena Khan CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Tiana Headley Taylor Stewart Lucille Brewster NEWS EDITORS Annabelle Wang Sara Lawler ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS Alex Wilson Sawyer Bush OPINIONS EDITOR Nina Ajemian ARTS EDITORS Leila Raines Monika Sweeney ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Doug Cobb SPORTS EDITOR Jackie Molloy Madi Donat HUMOR EDITOR Alison Carranza SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Acadia Case SOCIAL MEDIA CONTRIBUTOR Sherry Liao ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS Grace Rousell Jacqueline Gill COPY EDITORS Phoebe Jacoby Caitlin Patterson Sandro Luis Lorenzo GRAPHICS EDITOR Seowon Back GRAPHIC ARTIST Mrin Somani AUDIO EDITOR Elizabeth Perkins ASSISTANT AUDIO EDITOR Ben Scharf LIVE EVENTS CHAIRPERSON Will Hwang BUSINESS MANAGER Jack Rothenberg ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Chloe Gjoka WEBMASTER Ian Herz VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER Grace Willoughby DESIGN EDITOR Karina Burnett COLUMNISTS Johnathan Dean Ben Fikhman Xin Rui Ong Danielle Recco Massimo Tarridas Ganesh Pillai Carly D’Antonio Arlene Chen COPY STAFF Katie Gebbia Glenna Gomez Jason Han Sophia Jahadhmy Tori Lubin Bryn Marling Claire Miller Sashinka Poor Melissa Roybal Emma San Filippo Hadley Sparks Mia Stein Simon Goldsmith Reese Collins CROSSWORD 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. Staff editorials are the only articles that reflect the opinion of a two-thirds majority of the Editorial Board.
Sandro Luis Lorenzo/The Miscellany News.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
August 26, 2021
WELCOME ISSUE
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A cappella groups continue to adapt to COVID-19 regulations Continued from a cappella on page 1 vassar_aircappella) is Vassar’s only all-whistling ensemble. With 10-12 whistlers every year, AirCappella repertoire emphasizes fun, performing group-favorites like “Lollipop” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” However, COVID-19 completely derailed their plans for practicing and performing, even when students were able to return to campus last year. Co-President Sufana Noorwez ’24 explained in a Zoom interview, “[I]n the fall, there wasn’t really any a cappella—or at least AirCappella didn’t function in the normal way.” Following Vassar’s safety restrictions and guidelines, the group conducted all auditions over Zoom in the spring, after an entire fall semester without a cappella. Later in the spring semester, members were able to meet outside in tents, socially distanced and wearing masks. Neither Zoom nor masks are ideal for whistling, but AirCappella members made it work, continuing to engage with each other and make music together. Looking forward to this upcoming year, Noorwez hopes to continue rehearsing outdoors while the indoor mask mandate is still in place. She hopes to eventually move AirCappella indoors. This move will depend on the group’s comfort level though, since, as she acknowledged, “Whistling is pretty high risk.” A similar emphasis on community comfort was shared by Measure 4 Measure (@ vassar_measure4measure), an all-female and non-binary identifying a capella group. “Everyone had different comfort levels practicing together in a larger group once restrictions eased, so we continually reassessed how everyone was feeling!” Lily Thompson ’22, the group’s Business Manager, expressed via text.
Measure 4 Measure also felt the effects of Vassar’s COVID-19 guidelines. “I think our biggest challenge was really just being unable to practice normally—it’s super difficult to hear standing six feet apart,” Thompson noted. This semester, though, the group is hoping things will return to normal in terms of rehearsals and touring; in previous years, Measure 4 Measure has visited a cappella groups at other colleges. Thompson also hinted at song recordings and a music video for the near future. The Vassar Devils (@vassardevils), one of Vassar’s many co-ed groups, experienced similar challenges at the start of the unprecedented year. With the required social distancing and inability to rehearse indoors together, the group struggled to find the same musical synergy as in previous years. “It was so difficult hearing one another and blending our voices,” Co-Website Manager Clay Rountree ’23 expressed in an email correspondence. “It felt really sad and frustrating at times, so our group decided to shift focus to arranging and composing music (which can be done six feet apart in a much less frustrating way).” Moving into the new year, the Devils, along with the other groups, are excited to welcome new members. When asked about advice for first-years and new students interested in auditioning for an a cappella group, Rountree’s enthusiasm and passion for the Devils shined through. He stated, “Ultimately we are just looking for people that love to make music with us. The Devils are committed to preserving the joy of music making. To us this means recognizing that excellent music and caring for one another’s mental health is inseparable. We put each other’s well being first, and the result is a beautiful environment conducive to really connecting our voices and making an incredible sound.”
Thompson also shared Rountree’s passion. She encouraged prospective a cappella singers, regardless of class year, to audition for Measure 4 Measure, stating, “If you’re a firstyear interested in singing next to waterfalls, beatboxing on Joss Beach and/or collaborating with a small group of dynamic people and other a cappella groups, Measure is the place for you!” More information regarding a cappella auditions will be forthcoming, and interested students are encouraged to reach out to specific groups with questions. All of Vassar’s a cappella groups can be found on Instagram. While the pandemic made rehearsing more difficult, a cappella prevailed, proving the importance of creating, sharing and performing music. And with a new academic
year just around the corner, returning singers are ready to continue filling the campus with music, all while preparing for new members to join the mix. No matter what group they join, new Vassar students can find themselves immersed in a supportive, positive community rich with music and memorable experiences. “Go in with no expectations, because I would never have imagined myself being part of an a cappella group and as ‘out there’ as we are, I did end up being part of one, and it’s been a great experience,” Noorwez shared. “So even if things don’t really work out the way that you imagined that they would, it will still work out, and you might end up with a better experience than you ever thought you would have.”
Photo curtesy of Vassar College/Karl Rabe.
Strike leaders end tuition strike citing lack of time, preparation Continued from Strike on page 1 much for a tuition strike—most of their demands didn't seriously involve tuition,” explained Porcher. “We opened [the meeting] by saying that the list of demands needed to be cut at least in half.” Maloney and Porcher explained to organizers that many of the 17 demands presented by the VC Strike Coalition, such as making all buildings ADA compliant by 2026 or educating all faculty children for free in Wimpfheimer Nursery School, would be impossible to achieve on their proposed timeline with the college’s current resources.
“They were asking far too much for a tuition strike- most of their demands didn't seriously involve tuition" In some cases, the demands would be impossible to achieve at all. “Abolishing Safety & Security can’t be done,” Maloney stated. “If it wasn’t safety and security it would be Poughkeepsie police,” she argued. Without Safety and Security, Vassar College Emergency Medical Services (VCEMS) wouldn’t be able to operate since EMTs are legally required to have a security presence when responding to situations. Maloney and Porcher pointed out that the coalition was not working with existing student organizations that share similar
goals with #VCStrike.“I reached out to some people from the ALANA Center and from Transitions and SJP and most if not all of the people I talked to had said they hadn't been reached out to,” Porcher explained. “So much organizing goes down in the ALANA Center,” Maloney explained. She added that she was especially concerned the organizers weren’t working with BSU and did not have any Black students as members of the coalition. “You’re claiming to represent the interests of the student body, but don’t even have any Black students involved in organizing,” she said of the coalition. While Maloney and Porcher expressed that the organizers of the campaign were receptive to their suggestions during their Zoom meeting, the changes were never implemented. “It’s a shame, but I’m not really surprised that this [cancellation] was the outcome,” stated Maloney. When asked about this criticism, #VCStrike organizer Mohtad Alawalla ’23 responded via email correspondence: “As a person of color, I felt bad we couldn’t make ALANA leaders feel involved enough. We did internally brainstorm about this problem, and wanted to actively center marginalized voices. Unfortunately, as we lacked organizing power (lack of time, burn out etc), we could not set up meetings/do outreach to campus leaders.” Porcher expressed that he wants to see the organizers succeed in the future, but hopes they learn from the failure of this strike. “If they want to be taken seriously, they must listen before they act, research the problems before they write out a laundry list of demands, understand the positions and perspectives from diverse groups of students
before pushing initiatives that they may have no personal stake or connection in,” Porcher explained. Despite the tuition strike’s cancellation, Hoffmann believed the campaign was still successful in certain regards: “The strike gave us an opportunity to publicize demands that students have had of Vassar for a while, and highlight the issues students are facing on campus, as well as Vassar’s impact in the local community and in the world.” Alawalla also mentioned that the strike was close to being successful, adding that Vassar’s strike had 134 students supporting the cause, which is about 5.5 percent of the total student population. This was proportionally larger than successful strikes at Columbia University and UChicago, which had approximately 3.2 percent and 1.4 percent of the total student population’s support (NBC News, “Over 1,000 Columbia University students on tuition strike, demanding pandemic concessions,” 01.28.2021).
“The strike gave us an opportunity to publicize demands that students have had of Vassar for awhile" “[W]e had enough interest on campus, just a lack of organizing fire power,” stated Alawalla. He proceeded to say, “Given how close we were to a fully actualised strike, [the administration] undoubtedly took the message
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
that students cannot be pacified easily and should be making more concessions to the student body in coming months if it is looking to avoid similar frustrations again.”
“We had enough interest on campus, just a lack of organizing fire power" When asked if the strike had posed any financial concerns amongst the administration, President Elizabeth Bradley shared, “The single biggest concern for us last year was keeping Vassar open and continuing to provide an in-person academic and residential experience for our students … Even amidst the enormity of that challenge, we listened to the concerns of the students involved in the strike, but we did not consider it a significant financial issue.” Bradley also noted that the administration will continue open communication with students. “We remain committed to addressing students' needs as well as possible and also to communicating regularly through VSA and all-campus messages about new initiatives,” she stated. Although the tuition strike has dissolved, #VCStrike members hope that the spirit of the campaign will be carried on by other student activists as they continue to organize on campus. As Hoffman stated, “Winning is within reach, but it is an active process. Victory doesn't come without trial and error.”
WELCOME ISSUE
August 26, 2021
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Students look back on previous school year with mixed emotions Continued from Reflecting on page 1 fall semester, I could not wait to get home. However, the long winter break recharged my social battery, and I actually began looking forward to the start of the spring semester. After wrestling my way through the fall, I felt better equipped to face whatever the new semester would bring. I started the first few weeks of the spring semester online, and I experienced what it was like to try to participate in a class via Zoom while most of my other classmates attended in-person. It was not fun. During one particularly confusing class, I could barely hear what the professor was saying. I privately messaged a fellow Zoomer asking, “What page of the book are we on?” He promptly responded, “I have no idea what’s going on.” Eventually I worked out the technological kinks, but, by then, I was already preparing to head to Vassar. I did feel bad abandoning the other Zoomers—we had forged quite the bond over not being able to hear what was happening in class—but after two plane rides, five negative COVID tests, and a week’s stay at the Poughkeepsie Hampton Inn and Suites, I was back on campus. With pods and indoor dining being introduced early on—and more restrictions being relaxed later—the new semester felt more like the Vassar campus I knew pre-pandemic. Like me, Case also found that the spring semester went a lot more smoothly than the fall. “Spring semester felt a lot more like how I had pictured college,” she recalled. “It was a lot easier to know what I was getting myself into and take initiative in my social and academic life.” She continued, “I made a lot more friends and focused on taking classes and doing activities that would simultaneously challenge me but also would be fun and interesting to take.” For other students, their college experience
improved as the temperature increased. Annabel Azaro ’23 found herself enjoying campus life all the more as the weather warmed. She stated, “Spring semester started to feel better once the weather started to change and we were able to eat outside and take long walks around campus and the farm.” I have to agree. Although my clip-on fan broke mid-semester and I often woke up covered in sweat, the warmer weather offered much more opportunities for social interaction. I found myself grabbing weekly dinners with friends, hiking the trails of the farm and even running up Commencement Hill on Easter Sunday, balancing an egg on a plastic spoon. Though life on campus definitely improved as time went on, the COVID-19 situation still rendered the school year extremely challenging. For most of it, students could not leave campus nor have visitors, which took a toll on Azaro. “The hardest part of last year was definitely not having normal breaks and not being able to see my family for long periods of time,” she said. As an extrovert, Case said the toughest thing for her was working hard to feel socially fulfilled while remembering to check in with herself. Thankfully, she found ways to cope—including caring for her pet bunny: “My amazing bunny Hank was always there for me,” she enthused. “I found a lot of relief through taking care of and hanging out with him!” Despite all of last year’s drawbacks, I learned many lessons. One of the main things it taught me was to cherish small moments with others. Azaro agreed. “This past year has taught me to be grateful for simple things,” she said. “Like going to the movies, eating in the Deece [and] hanging out in the MPR.” I also learned a ton about myself, about how I manage fear and anxiety and about
what coping mechanisms work best for me. For Case, the past year has also inspired a lot of self-reflection and self-work. “Working on yourself is seriously underrated,” she said, “It really does enhance your relationships with others and helps you build connections.” Although I am ecstatic about starting a fully in-person semester for Fall 2021, I think returning to more “normal” campus life will require some adjusting. Since I had only one in-person class last semester, it’s kind of hard for me to imagine going back to having three in-person classes in one day, which can involve speed walking from Blodgett Hall to Sanders Classroom to Chicago Hall in snow or blazing heat. Case also shared some concerns about the upcoming semester: “I definitely will have to get used to in-person midterms and finals, which is mildly terrifying.”
For me, it’s hard to sum up what the past year has been like. So I asked Azaro and Case what they think. When asked to describe the past year in one word, Azaro said “overwhelming” and Case suggested “transformative.” I think they’re both right. And that’s one of the biggest things that made this past year so difficult for me—the constant contradictions. There were times when I felt terrified and there were times when I felt strangely calm. There were times when everything seemed apocalyptic and there were times when it felt like things would turn out okay after all. There were times I felt overwhelmed and there were times I felt transformed. So, with the extreme highs and drastic lows of the past year, I’m left asking for one thing for this upcoming year: consistency.
Courtesy of Mahlia Neely '23
The Miscellany Crossword “Grade Inflation” ACROSS 1. I didn't think they gave these out here... 4. ...a 3.0, not bad... 14. "The Valley Isle" 15. Strangely 16. Raggedy ____ (dolls) 17. Two semesters 18. ...hey, at least I got 3/4s right... 20. Mater or pater ender 21. Iraq War justifier 22. ___ Haw (country music variety show) 23. If your blood's pH drops below 7.35, you're this 28. Grey's Anatomy locales 29. Meh 30. English paper 34. Abandons 37. Seeger of folk 38. ...straight a's obviously!... 42. Heed 43. Bike maker 44. Non-studio film 46. Unpleasant 47. Pro partner 50. Pressure-made coffee 53. Common pasta suffix 54. Fan's reaction to a bad call 57. Foot finger 58. ...with the curve?...
By Reese Collins
60. Destroy completely 65. "____ ain't broke, don't fix it" 66. Promoting Christian unity 67. Common intensifier 68. ...this puzzle's theme (psst! theanswers are graded)... 69. ...these are for effort
DOWN 1. 2nd of Claus's reindeer 2. Conical cap wearers 3. Frisbee shape 4. Some gas stations, courteous of across the pond 5. Little kiss, in Montreal 6. Banana qty. 7. Good, in Genoa 8. Group of hippos 9. Music's Holiday or Eilish 10. Green ___ Packers 11. Make beer 12. Cartoon explosion noise 13. Longest-serving Senator Robert (51 years) 14. Irritatingly prideful masculinity 19. _____ wide net 24. Canadian breakfast restaurants 25. Hayes who scored "Shaft"
26. Phil of daytime talk 27. Pol's channel 31. One of a watery seven 32. "I'm ___ loss" (no clue) 33. Nay's opposite 34. The Beatles's "Sexy _____" 35. UGA's football team, slangily 36. Boats by wind 38. Friend, in France
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39. Own, in Scotland 40. What’s between left and right? 41. "Did _____ that make sense?" 45. Jewish queen in the Bible 47. Starbucks forte 48. In flames 49. Neat 51. Tip
52. Archaeologist's find 54. Max or Buddy of boxing 55. Fairy tale starter 56. "Get ___" James Brown biopic 59. Lincoln's bill 61. Texter's qualifier 62. Obama's health law, for short 63. Goo in pits 64. Old days, per Poe