February 21, 2013 by The Scripps Voice

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February 21, 2013

The Scripps Voice Inside...

5Cs consider divestment from fossil fuels By Katherine Goree ‘16 Staff Writer

Features² We take on feminism in a special double-length spread pages 6-9

T Op-Ed The Violence Against Women Act: what’s the controversy?

page 3

he 5C endowment is nearly $3 billion. Part of it is invested in fossil fuel companies--those in the business of coal, oil, and natural gas. However, many 5C community members see the colleges’ investment in fossil fuel companies as contrary to the schools’ values and wish to divest from fossil fuel. Divesting would mean not investing in fossil fuel companies in the future, as well as selling any current fossil fuel holdings. The Claremont Colleges Divestment Campaign, which began last semester, wants to divest the Claremont Colleges endowment from the fossil fuel industry in the next five years. The campaign has

photo | Jess Grady-Benson (PZ ’14)

garnered attention from media sources such as “The New York Times” and “Rolling Stone.” The campaign is especially intent on eliminating companies on gofossilfree. org’s list of Top 200 Fossil Fuel Companies from the endowment. The list is roughly ordered by the amount of carbon dioxide that the companies release into the atmosphere. Severstal, a Russian coal mining and steel company, tops the list. Other companies on the list include American oil companies Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC, and Chevron Corp. On Monday, Feb. 11, the campaign

hosted a panel of 5C students and professors to discuss the pros and cons of divestment. The panelists had different opinions as to whether divestment would be worthwhile. John Jurewitz, energy economist at Pomona College and William Ascher, economics and government professor at Claremont McKenna College, said that divesting the 5C endowment would not impact fossil fuel companies. The companies, according to Jurewitz and Ascher, are so large and have such high revenue that they do not depend on the schools’ investment for financial support. Most panelists agreed that divestment alone is not enough to help slow climate change. A few said that the 5C community needs to push for more environmental policy, such as cap and trade taxes on fossil fuel, at high levels of government. Some community members believe that, even though the colleges may not be able to put a dent in fossil fuel companies, divestment is the right moral action to take. The different colleges are in the process of working with their trustees to achieve a solution. Though nothing has yet been decided in regards to divestment, the process of reaching a conclusive stance is underway.

Shadowboxers Anonymous to perform at Motley Coffeehouse By Dagny Xinyue Lu ‘15 Staff Writer

Student Life Exploring tenure. What exactly is it and how do you get it? page 12

News Motley to host 5C dean panel on sexual assault prevention page 2

he Shadowboxers Anonymous, a duo of acclaimed slam poetry artists Laura Yes Yes and Kim Johnson, will be performing at the Motley Coffee House on Friday, Feb. 22. The performance will be open to all five Claremont colleges as well as the greater Claremont community. The performance is a part of a Residential Life Program event titled “The Shadowboxers Anonymous: Empowering the Other.” The event is hoping to spark a new set of dialogue on campus. “We’re hoping that bringing the Shadowboxers will really set the stage for a dialogue about being ‘the other,’ be it through spoken word, lyrics, or art, and bring the Scripps community together to celebrate personal identities and the struggle that might accompany the development of those

Yes Yes & Johnson

identities,” said Margaret Nurimba ’14, one of the organizers of the event. “We planned this event keeping in mind that it is so easy to feel otherized, and a lot of the time, people don’t talk about it,” Nurimba continued. The event will feature an open mic opportunity and a poetry workshop with Yes Yes and Johnson.

“Writing in itself is empowering: it allows us to figure our own brains and feelings out. Performance is empowering: at its best, it creates a transcendent space wherein a room of people are allowed to think, feel, and hopefully, become a little more whole together,” said Yes Yes. continued on page 10

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 892 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XVI • Issue Eight

2•News Women in Public Service Project:

Institute for Women’s Leadership in Latin America By Kara Odum ‘15 Staff Writer

ext month Scripps College will be co-hosting the Institute for Women’s Leadership in Latin America with Mount St. Mary’s College. Thirty women from 16 countries will come together for discussions, networking, and policy workgroups. The Institute will be focused on opening up discourse between women political leaders to discuss national issues with each other. President Lori Bettison-Varga commented, “We are looking forward to providing a space for these 30 amazing women to dialogue and learn from each other and for us to learn from them.” The Institute will start on March 12 with opening ceremonies featuring a keynote address by Maria Echaveste and Josefina Vazquez Mota with a special video message from Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and current Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of U.N. Women. Maria Echaveste

is the former Deputy Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton as well as the co-founder of the Nueva Vista Group. Josefina Vazquez Mota was a presidential candidate of Mexico in 2012 and is the former Secretary of Education. Throughout the Institute, expert panelists including Vicky Colbert, Erika Guevara Rosas, Pamela Yates, and Cecilia Lopez will facilitate discussions and lead networking activities with the goal of promoting the Women in the Public Service Project’s objective of having 50% female political representatives by 2050. All of these women have taken on the challenge of engaging and inspiring more women to be activists, political leaders, and public servants. Vicky Colbert has reached more than five million children in Latin America through the nonprofit organization she founded, Escuela Nueva Foundation, which hopes to improve

access to quality education in lowincome schools. Erika Guevara Rosas is currently the program director for Latin American and the Caribbean Global Fund for Women. She has worked tirelessly to develop involvement in human rights activities by working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, mainly in war-torn areas. Pamela Yates has used film and digital media tools to raise awareness of human rights. She is a co-founder of Skylight Pictures and has produced four films that have been nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sun-

Kristie Hernandez ’13 photo courtesy | Lori Bettison-Varga

dance Film Festival. Cecilia Lopez is an economist and former Senator, Colombian politician, and former cabinet member. Her work has helped resolve several pressing issues involving Human continued on page 11

Mock It Like It’s Hot:

Motley to host 5C Dean panel Scripps Mock Trial Goes To Regionals on sexual assault prevention By Lily Foss ‘13 By Monica Dreicter and Marian Miller ‘13 Motley Community Engagement Manager & Head Manager

iscussions about sexual violence on the 5Cs have been particularly visible this past school year, and to engage in this important dialogue in a new way, the Motley will be hosting the deans from all five Claremont colleges this March to discuss new sexual assault policies. Last September’s email from Dean Lee to Scripps students, informing us that date rape drugs were possibly being sold on Pomona’s campus, was one of the initial events that sparked such intense conversation about sexual assault on campus. In this email, students were warned not to accept drinks from people we do not know, leave a drink unattended, or drink from a container we did not open. We were reminded to contact Campus Security or RAs in case we felt in danger. Outraged by this passive response from the schools, Motley managers Marian Miller (‘13), Julia Howard (‘14), Carrie Latimer (‘14), and Katelyn Muir (‘14) started the “Talking Back” campaign which asked students to write letters to their Deans of Students, encouraging them to focus on the issue of sexual assault at the 5Cs in a more active manner. However, the Motley was not the only group addressing this issue. Scripps students and

administrators formed the Sexual Assault Awareness Committee (SAARC), incorporating various groups from campus to hold events promoting a dialogue about sexual assault. On March 1, the Motley and SAARC are teaming up to host a panel of five Deans of Students from Scripps, CMC, Harvey Mudd, Pomona, and Pitzer in order to continue the discussion about sexual assault on campus. The Deans will be asked questions about their changing sexual assault policies: catalyzers for the changes, thought processes, goals, and steps they are taking outside of this policy change. Moderated by Professor Kim Drake, this will be a time for administrators and students to join the conversation together and increase transparency on sexual assault policies, as well to challenge the campuses—students, administrators, and faculty alike— to address the problem of sexual assault in meaningful ways. There will be a time for audience questions at the end of the panel. Please be a part of this important conversation! The panel will be held at the Motley at 2 p.m. on March 1. For more information, email community.motley@gmail.com

Feminism Columnist

his weekend, you might see some women in suits walking around campus. Try not to be intimidated: although they look like professional, badass lawyers, they’re really just professional, badass members of the Scripps Mock Trial Team. And they’re most likely in the process of kicking some suit-wearing butt at our Regional Mock Trial Tournament, hosted by Claremont McKenna College. Even though Scripps Mock Trial has only been around since fall 2008, we’ve established a history of awesomeness. Our team has won honorable mentions, spirit awards, a trip to Nationals, and numerous individual honors. Last month in Las Vegas, our very own Rachel Kuenzi ‘13 was the top scoring witness of the entire tournament. At her first-ever tournament, no less! Our team has grown from only nine members at its founding to 14 now, with new people joining every year. It’s a lot of hard work, especially right before regionals. Last week, we had six hours worth of meetings, plus a scrimmage on Saturday. But I for one think it’s totally worth it. For all the time I’ve spent stressing out about memorizing a nine minute closing, or buying pair after pair of new nylons (a mock trial necessity, and the most obnoxious garment known to humankind), I’ve also had some really fun times just hanging out with my

photo | Lily Foss

mock trial comrades. Whether we’re complaining about the unfairness of judges (“Can you believe they scored that guy’s closing higher than mine?”), making up ridiculous strategies (“Oh my god, what if we pretended that the guy in this trial FAKED HIS OWN DEATH?”), or just having non-mock trial related fun (“Courtroom-themed movie marathon!”), bonding is definitely an important part of mock trial. Hell, if you’re spending six to nine hours on something in one week, you want to have some people around you who understand why it’s so important to you. I love mock trial. I love my teammates. I love wearing a suit. And I especially love participating in an extracurricular that provides me with an outlet for the argumentative and competitive aspects of my personality. continued on page 11

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Eight

Opinions & Editorials•3

I Am Scrippsie,

Hear Me Roar Women’s College?

Challenge Accepted.

By Lily Foss ‘13 Feminism Columnist

President Bettison-Varga replies to the question, “Why Scripps?” photo courtesy | SAS

kay, I know we’re all sick of that CMC Forum article by now. I was sick of it by the end of the day it came out. But among the points that Ms. Miller made in her article, there’s one that particularly irked me. Well, they all irked me, but I was especially frustrated by the tired argument that women who apply to a women’s college are doing so because they’re afraid to be “challenged” by a co-ed school. Ugh. Anyone who says that has no idea how challenging a women’s college actually is. For one thing, an environment that’s almost entirely female is a new experience for a lot of students. I know that some of you went to all-girls schools in the past, but for the rest of us, this is completely new. I’m the only girl in my family; before coming to Scripps, my experience living entirely with women was limited to a few summers at camp when I was in middle school (and I hated camp—I think I’m the least outdoorsy person in the entire state of New Hampshire). It wasn’t until the summer before college that I realized that Scripps would be unlike anywhere I had ever been. I had grown up with two brothers and no sisters. I had primarily male friends. To be honest, I was nervous about coming here. You know what else is challenging? Being at a school that doesn’t expect less from me because I’m a woman. I’m certainly not saying that all coed school are inherently sexist. Before college, I had only attended co-ed public schools, and I encountered very little sexism. But statistically speaking, graduates of women’s colleges are twice as likely to earn a Ph.D, twice as

likely to go on to medical school, and, “Are more likely to engage in higher order thinking activities and integrative activities that lead to deep learning” (stats and quote from the Scripps website). That’s a lot to live up to. If I was really afraid of a ‘challenge,’ why would I go to a school that expects so much from me? But the most challenging thing? People who insult my school. People who tell me that I’m here because I’m too scared to go to a coed school. Screw you, people. How would you have any idea what going to a women’s college is like? Do you know how upsetting it is to have people tell you that you aren’t brave enough to go to a co-ed college? Do you know how frustrating it is to have to defend your school from people who attack it just because it’s a women’s college? Do you have any idea how demeaning it is to have people call you a man-hater, a slut, and a “Saturday night nightmare” just because of the school you chose? I went to a panel in the Hampton Room once about the future of single-sex education, and one of the women there, the headmaster of an all-girls high school, said that, “Nothing draws misogyny like a women’s institution.” She couldn’t be more right. These are just a few challenges. I’m sure everyone here had struggles of their own when they decided to apply here. But I doubt that anyone chose to apply to a women’s college because they were afraid of a co-ed school. If I know Scripps students, there’s no way that any of us would back away from a challenge. After all, we’re confident, courageous, and hopeful.

VAWA: Why the controversy? By Rosemary McClure ’13 Editor-in-Chief

n Tuesday, Feb. 12, the Senate voted 78-22 to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which expired in Sept. 2011. But the future of the bill in the House, where it will now move, looks bleak. You might be wondering why on earth anyone would vote against a law protects women from domestic violence (even if the 22 who did are white, republican males from states like Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming). I’m going to break it down for you. Republicans strongly opposed three VAWA provisions: services specifically for LGBT victims, services for undocumented immigrants, and—here’s the really sticky part—a section that granted tribal governments jurisdiction over non-tribal Americans who commit sex crimes on tribal land. Criminal jurisdiction on Indian reservations is a legal enigma. Indian tribes are considered sovereign nations, which means they have inherent jurisdiction over their entire territory. The federal government can only limit this power in “special circumstances,” i.e., by passing a law that specifically places Indian land under federal jurisdiction. That is why Indian Country can have different laws pertaining to gambling, fireworks, and hunting.

by establishing and protecting their right to self-governance, reservation land, and certain commercial issues. Unfortunately, the passage of Public Law 280 in 1956 reversed this modest progress, establishing concurrent state jurisdiction over all crimes—even those committed by tribal members, against tribal members, on tribal land. In the 1978 case Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe, the Supreme Court upheld that sovereign nations’ “inherent right” to jurisdiction over their land did not include the right to try non-Indians. Tribal jurisdiction went from being the “inherent right” of a sovereign nation to being a de facto special privilege. Unfortunately legal jurisdiction does not guarantee enforcement of the law within that territory. That’s right: state governments fought tooth-and-nail for the right to prosecute crimes on Indian land and then didn’t police it. Horror stories abound: reservation land was not included in routine county patrols, officers often took hours to respond to emergency calls, and in the rare case that an arrest was made, the cases mysteriously never made it to a courthouse. Think I’m exaggerating? It is not rare to hear stories of men dragging women onto Indian land specifically to com-

Deborah Parker, Vice Chairwoman of the Tulalip Tribes, is a survivor of domestic violence and an outspoken supporter of the VAWA photo courtesy | Salon.com

The problem is that these “special circumstances” are not actually rare or special at all. In 1817, the General Crimes Act effectively limited tribal jurisdiction to Indian-on-Indian crimes only. In 1885, Congress passed the Major Crimes Act, which further limited tribal jurisdiction to non-serious Indian-on-Indian crimes only. The 1934 Indian Reorganization Act was meant to reverse some of this encroachment on tribal rights

mit assault (or worse), because they know they can do so with impunity. Deep distrust between residents of Indian Country and county police is the norm. On the books, tribal law enforcement was the shared responsibility of tribal, state, and federal governments. In real life, many Indian Reservations became black holes of crime, where child neglect, sexual continued on page 4

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue EIGHT

4•Opinions & Editorials On the Road to...

Tree Hugger By Abby Volkmann ’13 Environment Columnist

year ago, I took a train from Berlin to Berchtesgaden, Germany, just for the hell of it. I really wanted to ski in the Bavarian Alps, but I had no specific destination in mind or any skiing equipment, and my plans to meet up with two Viennese pals were still vague. I had forgotten to jot down their numbers so I decided to go alone. This adventure would be a journey in itself. I knew my final destination, and nothing else. I wouldn’t plan ahead. Instead, I would be a “wayfinder,” forging my way from the southern most part of Bavaria back home to Berlin. The trip would ultimately broaden my

understanding of the world, and that is what inspired me to travel south with no exact itinerary in mind. I see the same sort of philosophy behind developing technologies and innovations that address twenty-first century challenges. The end goal of meeting these challenges (i.e. the impact of climate change) warrants the hard work it takes to come up with pioneering solutions. For instance, China is facing serious water resource insecurities, and the increasing threat of water scarcity has inspired researchers to invent a sponge-like fabric that can absorb several liters of water from the

air. This fabric– which is capable of transforming fog into a potable water resource–could have far-reaching benefits. The fabric could bring water to desert communities as well as benefit the agriculture industry by collecting humidity from the atmosphere and releasing it as water into the soil. Urban planners are also inventing innovative and integrated ways of making cities more sustainable. In Melbourne, Australia, urban planner Rob Adams established a system that transforms streets into water catchment basins. By planting trees on the city’s

roads, water is captured and stored underneath and then used to water those trees in dry seasons. These trees contribute to the city’s natural aesthetic, but also decrease the demand for air conditioning in buildings. I hope to see more technologies and innovations evolve out of our desire to confront environmental challenges in the same way that mankind’s desire to expand horizons inspired the evolution of our transportation system. We once took horses to reach to neighboring settlements and now use airplanes to visit opposite hemispheres, after all…

is a “sovereign nation” with different laws than the U.S. And when Americans go to Canada, they are put under Canadian law (19-year-olds can drink, etc.). I don’t see the problem. Furthermore, tribal constitutions tend to be boilerplate duplicates of the Bill of Rights. So most of the time, minor differences regarding fireworks and gambling notwithstanding, the laws are actually the same. In fact, often the majority of tribal casino patrons are non-tribal members who gamble on the reservation precisely because it isn’t legal in the rest of the state. “They’re sovereign nations.” OH REALLY? That’s weird because I don’t remember you asking them

for permission to pass the General Crimes Act, Major Crimes Act, or PL 280. In fact, the only laws that are different on tribal land are those that the Federal Government allows to be different. If a tribe wanted to legalize homicide on their reservation, there is virtually no chance the U.S. Government would allow that to happen. Indian reservations are not sovereign nations. They’re minicolonies ultimately under the jurisdiction of the federal government. “VAWA satisfies the demands of special interests.” Pro tip: “special interests” is code for “not a rich, white, cisgendered, heterosexual male.” Genocide? Ok! Kidnapping American Indian children and

throwing them in boarding schools? Great! Native women being raped and beaten by white men for years, with no institutional support? Perfect! White domestic abusers facing the possibility of being prosecuted in a court with a nonwhite judge and jury? UNCONSTITUTIONAL! I hope the utter stupidity of this logic is apparent. Calling Native American women a “special interest” group is a spin tactic which implies that protecting them from bodily harm is a special indulgence, rather than an established right for all Americans. I urge you to call your representatives and ask them to pass the VAWA.

photo | Abby Volkmann

VAWA continued from p. 3

assault, and substance abuse run rampant, and three in five Native American women have been assaulted by a spouse or partner. 85% of the time, the assailant is a non-tribal member. The VAWA would give tribal courts jurisdiction over non-tribal members who commit acts of domestic violence on tribal land. And that is exactly what makes it so controversial. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), who voted against the act, said the bill “is being held hostage by a single provision that would take away fundamental constitutional rights for certain American citizens … In order to satisfy the unconstitutional demands of special interests.” Washington state Republican and chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Doc Hastings echoed this sentiment: “Depending on the tribe and reservation they have different laws, obviously because they’re sovereign nations, than what the U.S. has. To put U.S. citizens under their law, it’s just problematic.” In other words, because tribes have their own laws (kind of ), persons under tribal jurisdiction would only be guaranteed the rights in the tribal constitution, not necessarily those in the Bill of Rights. Let’s take a critical look at this logic. “To put U.S. citizens under their law, it’s just problematic.” It’s problematic? Is it really? I mean, Canada

photo | Tianna Sheih ’16

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Eight

Opinions & Editorials•5

Box Long Live the Labes Pandora’s

The

STATE

Anonymous

n keeping with our lady-themed issue, I felt it would only be appropriate to dedicate this sex column to educating all y’all novices on the ever-intricate process of bringing your female companion to that sensational, delectable, ohOh-OH all-encompassing orgasm. This isn’t “Cosmo,” I’m not going to preach about the g-spot, and I’m not going to indulge in your favorite fetishes (though it pains me). 1. Consent! Consent! Consent! It should be obvious why this is the first thing I’m touching on. First thing that’s going to stop a lady—or, really, anyone—from enjoying sex? Explicit unwillingness. Disrespect, assault, and cruel inhumane behavior are not sexy. Rape is not sexy. No discussion. 2. Foreplay exists for a reason. Vaginas aren’t built to absorb every penetrating object on command. The vaginal canal expands between half an inch and two inches during arousal, and you know what arouses me? Being touched, tittilated, licked, sucked, grabbed, rubbed, gently caressed by the tips of your fingers. You know what doesn’t? Having something shoved up my puss with no introduction. Seriously. And beyond that, what’s the point of skipping foreplay? Isn’t sex supposed to be fun and enjoyable? Sex is a process, and no, I’m not saying you have to take me out to dinner or whip out any of your lame jokes or light candles. All I’m saying is there’s no rush. Foreplay doesn’t even have to last that long. A little build up goes a long way and can make your partner even more excited for what’s to come. 3. Introducing yourself to our feline friend. Now that you’ve effectively explored each other’s bodies, a proper introduction to the pussy is in order. First thing’s first: long nails hurt. As a consideration to those of us with the highest concentration of nerves in our clitorises

and vaginal canals, please trim your nails. Vaginal blood is not a welcome participant in my sex life. Testing the waters is also important. If your lady is not properly wetted, your fingers will not feel good in there. Lubrication is important, and also a good indication of whether or not your foreplay performance was thorough enough. If your lady is moist between the thighs, starting with one finger, then adding more (as they are requested) is considerate. The ‘come hither’ (or ‘arrrrg’) finger position is favored by many women – basically anything is better than boring strait in and out (especially because hitting the cervix HURTS. A LOT. And can be a consequence of mindless deep penetration). 4. Licking the puss. Now it’s time to say hello. I’ve heard, from successful sources, that the alphabet is nice way to hit all the bases. For those of you who never learned your ABC’s, all I’m trying to say is to change it up. Make shapes, draw a freaking boat, I don’t care. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking your tongue only functions on an x-y axis. Also, that hole? It’s open. And, with permission, I implore you to explore that tempting, hidden space. Oral gives much room for improvisation, and I trust you have an imagination. In an effort to avoid the limitations of heternomative journalism and not eat up too much of your time, I’ll have to cut my lesson short. Ultimately, consent and communication are really the two most important factors when satisfying your partner. ‘Pillow talk’ isn’t limited to porn-star moans and heavy breathing, and no one can read your mind. So if your sex life is lacking, tell your partner what you want and don’t be afraid to expand your mind sometimes. Happy belated V(agina)-Day, y’all!

Politics

Obama: “The State of Our Union is Stronger.” By Laurel Schwartz ’15 Politics Columnist

ust weeks after delivering an inaugural address focusing on civil rights in America, President Obama shifts gears in his State Of The Union address, making a thriving middle class one of his top priorities. Obama acknowledges recent progress, saying, “The state of our union is stronger.” However, he admits that there is still a lot of work to be done, as wages and incomes have barely moved in over a decade. The president calls a thriving middle class “America’s unfinished task.” Here is how he hopes to complete the task: 1. Bi-Partisanship: The president calls for an effort to resort the middle class that involves bi-partisan efforts, saying: “They [the American people] expect us to put the nation’s interest before party.” Obama acknowledges that this will involve compromise and that the nation can only move forward if we do so together. 2. Stop Budget Cuts: The popular opinion in Washington is that the currently proposed budget cuts to education, defense, Medicaid and much more would be detrimental to the growth of the nation. The president argues that in order to continue such programs, “those who care deeply about them must be willing to face modest reforms.” Modest reforms to programs across the board will reduce the need for such drastic cuts -Medicaid: Obama proposes reforms to the program that he argues will enact the same amount of healthcare savings as the reforms proposed by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission. Reforms, which include the continued implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act, would slow the growth of healthcare costs. The President promises that the underlying goal of Medicaid will always be based on the quality of care that seniors receive, rather than the number of tests ordered or days spent in the hospital. -Taxes: Getting rid of special interest tax breaks for the wealthy will provide more funds for federal services like education. The president asserts that loopholes in the tax system need to be closed in order for federally funded programs to grow. Obama calls “for bi-partisan comprehensive tax reform that encourages job creation and helps bring down the deficit.” 3. Share the burden: Too many cuts to programs that help the middle class will prevent economic growth; instead, Americans must be willing to share the burden. Obama explains, “We can’t ask senior citizens and working families to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction, while asking nothing more from the wealthiest and the most powerful.” Obama’s propositions should come as no surprise to many Americans. His proposals regarding the economy have been heard for months leading up to his re-election. However, this address includes an added emphasis on the fact that the effort to restore the economy must be a bi-partisan initiative. With many Republicans speaking out against the president’s proposed reforms, bipartisanship in terms of restoring the economy may be easier said than done.

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Eight

6•Features

Features•7

FUCK YEAH, FEMINISM Gabrielle Giffords: former Athena,

Feminism is pursuing your aspirations despite living in a patriarchal society. Feminism is equality, love, and respect. Feminism is an ideology, which must be paired with action, that seeks to dismantle sexism and sexist oppression. Feminism is harmonious collection of individual female voices; it must be realized that every woman has her own story and her own set of feminist ideals. Feminism is not just for the ladies. Feminism is. Feminism is the difference between being treated like a person and a doormat. Feminism is not the idea that all men are assholes. Feminism is the radical notion that women are people. Feminism is a fight for the rights of womankind to promote the betterment of humankind. Feminism is equality.

current leader By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Staff Writer

or those who might claim that women’s colleges prevent the development of strong and worldly female leaders, Gabrielle Giffords ’93 serves as undeniably solid counterevidence. Recently featured on the cover of “Time” magazine alongside Vice President Joe Biden and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, today she is taking her stand as one of America’s “gunfighters.” A former Arizona congresswoman, a survivor of the 2011 Tucson shooting, and now one of America’s biggest proponents for gun control, Giffords continues to be a tough yet compassionate fighter and inspiring role model to the upcoming generations of Athenas and to many other women across the country. At some point Giffords must have made a long list of her accomplishments, written a few essays, and with a couple of recommendations turned in her application to Scripps College. Since then Giffords has somehow managed, despite the “inaccurately idyllic setting” of her undergraduate education, to add new accomplishments to her list as well as to face down many of the world’s injustices. Giffords, a Latin American history and sociology major, was the winner of a Fulbright Scholarship. She was a businesswoman and community advocate who went on to become the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona Sen-

Giffords at Scripps College in 1993

photo courtesy | La Semeuse 1993

Feminism is...

ate and then the “most positive person in Congress.” She rode horses and motorcycles, went on NPR to talk about her love of books, spent time volunteering to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and is the adored wife of former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut Mark Kelly. On Jan. 8, 2011 Giffords was shot at close range in the head, one of 20 victims. In addition to a certain amount of blindness and paralysis on her right side, Giffords’s ability to verbally continued on page 11

final word on feminism!

By Star Schneider ‘16 Copy Editor

his Features section raises a lot of ideas about what it means to be a feminist. What is good feminism? What is bad feminism? Never fear, for I’m here to straighten out any misconceptions you, dear reader, might have about what it takes to be a feminist! It’s not an easy path in life, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the only right one. The Rules of Feminist Living, or “R.O.F.L.” for us serious feminists, are actually quite simple and very easy to follow! There are only five of them! So sit back and relax. Your path to feminist greatness has already begun. Here are the Rules of Feminist Living. First off, you must be a woman. I cannot stress this enough. Only women are allowed to be feminists. It’s in the very name after all. I don’t care about all this nonsense about being able to support my struggle even if you’re not struggling yourself. Anyone that tells you men can be feminists is wrong. In fact, they’re probably a member of the patriarchy (hereon known as “the Man”) trying to confuse you so you won’t notice when they give you a smaller paycheck than your male coworker. Don’t listen to them. And if you’re reading this and you’re a man, then what are you doing? Put this newspaper down and get back to oppressing me!

Remember, it’s not about equal rights. This is a common misconception a lot of people have. We don’t want equality, we want superiority! Come on, it’s the least men can do for years and years of subjugation. It might seem a bit strange, but hear me out! I mean, it’s not as if many people seem to care that the wage gap in the United States is about 77%, with women earning less than their male counterparts. So why can’t we flip the gap and have women come out on top for once? So remember, it’s not about demanding the fair treatment afforded to you as a member of the human race, it’s about the superior treatment afforded to you as a member of the female gender!

Pfeiffer responds to HuffPo controversy By Megan Petersen ‘15 Copy Editor

No makeup. Ever. Makeup is another tool of the Man. It exists for only two purposes, neither of them feminist: to make you feel bad about your self-image and to attract men. It’s not as if you’re putting on makeup as a mode of selfexpression, or simply because you like the way that eyeliner goes

lisabeth Pfeiffer ’15 felt like she was statPfeiffer said she felt angry and ing the obvious when her column, “Don’t disappointed herself at the article like the Gender Gap? Women’s Colleges at first. “I was shocked that people Might Just Be the Answer,” was published in at the 5Cs don’t see the value of a the Huffington post on Dec. 11, 2012. women’s college. We’re neighbors,” “I thought I wasn’t saying anything radical she said. or new,” Pfeiffer said of her column, which After the initial shock wore off, argues that women’s colleges can help make though, Pfeiffer said she was glad it students “passionate leaders in their field” was all happening. “I was honestly and empower women to make change in the happy people were getting angry,” world. she said. “It meant that they were In early February, however, Pfeiffer found talking and thinking critically about herself at the center of a controversy. A Clathese issues. I’m happy she wrote remont McKenna College first year wrote a her article too. Now that it’s out in response to Pfeiffer’s column, “Don’t Like the the open, people can talk about it Gender Gap? Don’t Encourage It,” which was and have constructive dialogue.” published on Feb. 5. That dialogue exploded, both in photo courtesy | Elisabeth Pfeiffer Pfeiffer, who heard about the response in a comments to the Forum post and in text from a friend who heard about the article on Facebook, said personal blogs all over the Internet, in the ensuing days. Pfeiffer she didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until she walked into herself responded on Feb. 8 on her personal blog, “The Rosie AufScripps’s Motley Coffeehouse that night. schrei.” Pfeiffer’s blog post, a love letter addressed to the CMC “A lot of people were enraged,” she said, adding that she overcolumnist and the greater Claremont community, called for conheard people talking about it and crafting their comment-section tinued dialogue. “I didn’t agree with what [the Forum columnist] responses. wrote, but girl-on-girl hate won’t solve anything,” Pfeiffer told the “I think people were so hurt by the article because it attacked Scripps Voice. “We all have the same goal of graduating as empowScripps as a school rather than just women’s colleges in general. So ered women.” people wanted to defend their school.”

The

Feminism is standing up for women’s equality by combating heteronormativity. Feminism is about breaking boundaries. Feminism is self-love. Feminism is the idea that women should be able to get the same jobs, earn the same pay, and be treated with the same respect as men. Feminism is being able to sleep with who I want, but also being able to choose not to. Feminism is equal political, social and economic opportunity among sexes. Feminism is one of my tools for self-actualization (and dismantling the master’s house, etc.). Feminism is the desire for equal standing (both legally and socially). Feminism is a term that needs to be reexamined in a more contemporary context. For me it is the manifestation of a sense of empowerment that can be individually or collectively felt. Feminism is acknowledging the social constructs that society has set in place and working to change them. Feminism is for everyone.

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Eight

with your eye color. Heck, it’s not as if you’re not even interested in men, let alone interested at that moment in attracting them to you like moths to a fabulous-looking flame. Bras are banned. You shouldn’t even own a bra, let alone wear one. Why do you think we serious feminists have a reputation as bra-burners? Because we are! If you have a bra in your possession and it’s not on fire, you’re doing feminism wrong. (Note: The Scripps Voice does not endorse arson in any form.) Screw the support and comfort a nice bra can provide you, it’s just another lie the Man tries to tell you—you don’t need support, you’re a self-sufficient feminist, dammit! The media is your enemy. This means no enjoying anything that would offend the feminist you are; that’s just what the Man wants. That’s right. Rom-coms and songs that put women in anything but a positive light are out. I don’t care how attractive Hugh Grant was in “Love Actually,” or how catchy the music was in “Mamma Mia,” you can’t watch them unless it’s to provide an example of the Man putting you down through heartwarming stories and Swedish pop.

There is only one branch of feminism, and it is the branch laid out in this article. Anyone who tells you these rules are bullshit, and that this article is propagating every insulting thing people mistakenly attribute to feminism is lying, and secretly an agent of the Man. Those claims about me being a straw feminist are completely unfounded! In fact, I’m pretty sure I have hay fever!

Being a feminist, and proclaiming that you are to those around you, is important. Feminism isn’t just a lifestyle, a way of being, or a philosophy. Calling yourself a feminist is a signal to the world around you that you think it needs to change. It’s a sign that you think women deserve better than how they’re treated. It’s an identifier that lets people know that you’re not going to just sit back and accept lesser pay, a screwed-up and biased legal system, or constant suggestions that any talent you have is in spite of your gender. I’m proud to say that I’m a feminist. comic | Rosemary McClure ’13

8•Features

Why Beyoncé matters By Caroline Miller ’15 Staff Writer

ecently at the 5Cs the topic of feminism has been instigating a great deal of thought, action, and discussion. Like anyone else with internet access and a grasp of social media, I was engaged in the discourse surrounding all-women’s education and its real world implications. Internet access and social media also provided me with full coverage and commentary on the most recent Superbowl— and, more importantly, the halftime show. These two internet sensations got me doing a lot of thinking, and after having watched Beyoncé Knowles’ Superbowl 2013 Halftime Show online for the eighth time, some new feminist insight finally became very clear to me—and I find it interesting, and maybe not a coincidence,

that these two events happened in the same period of time and sparked such passionate discussion on and off of the internet. In my multiple viewings of the halftime show I eventually realized that Beyoncé Knowles is not only the most empowered, but also the most empowering female public figure in the contemporary world. Her confidence is contagious, her spirit is free, and her beauty is exceptional. She is perfect—and basically the ideal human. But where does that leave the rest of us? And why am I writing an article about Beyonce? Well, it kind of all came to me a few days (and only three re-viewings of the halftime show) after Superbowl continued on page 9

photo courtesy | Getty Images

Dabbling in

C R O S S W O R D : Feminisms Across

12. Author of “The Female Eunuch” 1. Anita Sarkeesian’s YouTube channel (2 Words) 14. Degrading a woman who engages “Feminist __________” in sexual activity (2 Words) 2. First mother of Islam 6. Known for her radical anti-pornog- 15. First queen of Carthage, also a singer raphy stance (2 Words) 8. “The Second Sex” author (3 Words) 16. Playboy Bunny journalist-turnedMs. founder (2 Words) 10. Landmark Supreme Court deci17. “Fighting Words” author _______ sion on abortion (3 Words) 11. La Jolla philanthropist (3 Words) Hill Collins 19. “Female Cheuvanist Pigs” author

Ariel 20. Young Pakistani education activist ________ Yousufzai 21. A quick and dirty test for gender bias in films (3 Words) 23. perpetually lowercase cultural critic (2 Words) 27. Elizabeth _______ Stanton 29. Appeared on the first cover of Ms. magazine (2 Words) 31. The ______ River Collective

Dabbling in Feminisms 2

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14 15 16 18

17 20

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30 31 32 33

35 36 37

s February 21, Sarkeesian's YouTube channel "Feminist ________" mother of Islam n for her radical anti-pornography stance (2 Words) Second Sex" author (3 Words) mark Supreme Court decision on abortion (3 Words) a philanthropist (3 Words)

32. Died of radiation poisoning; baddass regardless (2 Words) 33. “Feminist Theory: From Margin to ____________” 34. A set of beliefs that normalize, trivialize or tolerate sexual violence (2 Words) 35. Feminist movement focusing on women’s suffrage (2 Words) 36. We burn these 37. Author of “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” (2 Words) 38. Friedan’s “The Feminine _______”

1. Revolutionized patient care (2 Words) 3. Popular feminist pop culture blog 4. Enloe, “The _______ Feminist” 5. Notable cabinet member under the Bush administrations (2 Words) 7. Refers to the ways in which multiple systems of oppression or power interact 9. In 1830s became first woman to speak in front of an audience of mixed sexes and races (3 Words) 10. Underacknowledged, her work led to the discovery of the structure of DNA (2 Words) 13. Celtic queen who led an uprising against the Roman Empire 18. Ms. Clinton, née _____________ 19. Championed innoculation of smallpox on the British Isles (2 Words) 22. Shares a birthday with “Master’s Tools” author (2 Words) 24. White supremacist capitalist _________ 25. The personal is __________ 26. Mitt Romney has ________ full of women 28. Led the Corps of Discovery with a baby on her back 30. “Scheherezade Goes West” author Fatima

Down 2013 • The • (2 Volume XVI • Issue Eight 1 Scripps Revolutionized Voice patient care Words) 3 4 5 7

Popular feminist pop culture blog Enloe, "The _________ Feminist" Notable cabinet member under the Bush administrations (2 Words) Refers to the ways in which multiple systems of oppression or power interact

Features•9

FEMINISM CONTINUED Scripps

All needs is By Megan Petersen ’15 Copy Editor

t’s been a proud couple of weeks for me, Scripps. There’s a lot that’s been said—and more I could say—about all of those who got on board with our Scripps sister whose article was criticized by the CMC Forum earlier this month and stuck up for our school. I’ve never been prouder to call myself a Scripps woman than now. But I have a funny feeling that’ll fade, and I’m dreading it. Let’s remember back to last year, last semester, last month. Rarely did I hear someone say that Scripps empowered them. Instead, I felt like I was always hearing negativity. I’m not talking about baseless complaining, either—I’m talking about the prevalence of girl-on-girl hate on campus. I’m talking about how our sexual violence reports number in the single digits every year. I’m talking about the prevalence of racism and othering on campus. Last semester at the Motley’s feminism teach-in, the panel’s general consensus was that feminism is not as strong on campus as it ought to and could be. But these past few weeks, I’ve seen a beautiful and powerful feminism gracing Scripps’ campus. We were sticking up for ourselves in the face of those who wanted to discredit us. We were defending our classmates, our friends, our sisters, in their endeavors to advocate for women’s rights and for equal rights. We were refusing to be silenced by anyone: our harshest critics or our closest friends. People criticized that Forum article because, among other things, the author argued that women’s colleges exist to exclude men. While many of us agree that women’s colleges exist not as centers of exclusion

love

but rather as centers of empowerment, I don’t think that that actually comes through at Scripps as often as it could. In criticizing that Forum article, we were, I think, all harking back to a famous founding principle of our school—that a “paramount obligation of a college is to instill in its students the ability to think clearly and independently, and the ability to live confidently, courageously, and hopefully.” We saw that as our goal, and we defended not only our right to attain it, but also the effectiveness of our process of getting there. In her response to the Forum column, Lizzy Pfeiffer calls for us all to continue a Claremont-wide dialogue on these issues. I think that’s incredibly important, and definitely one of the best ways we could respond to this controversy. I would, however, like to see us continue not only a consortium-wide dialogue, but also a more localized effort to continue cultivating the loving, supportive, radical self-love that I felt oozing from Scripps the past few weeks. So I challenge myself, my classmates, the faculty, the administration, and our alumnae to continue pushing to make Scripps the empowered collective of women we deserve to be. I’m not saying that continually working to improve Scripps through critique isn’t important—only that we shouldn’t tear each other down in the process. I also don’t think we all need to think or behave the same way (this isn’t a cult, after all). But I just think we can love each other a hell of a lot more. We’ve proved that we can do it, so let’s keep it up.

Beyoncé continued from p. 8

Sunday. Like I said, that week turned out to be one in which much discussion and good-hearted debate arose among the student body regarding female empowerment (or lack thereof—depending on who you’re talking to) due to a controversial column in the CMC Forum. Also during this week, Scripps Professor Matthew Delmont was featured in an article for NBC News about Beyonce, stating, “there is never a question that she is not in control of her image. She can be sexy but she is controlling that sexuality and not being victimized in any way.” This statement made so many things clear to me. What she did in the halftime show was incredible. Football is a sport dominated by men—from the players, to the viewers, to the coaches and management. Given that context, it its hugely important that she was able to put on a 10 minute show which not only celebrated, but empowered women without ever demeaning them. From her all-female band to allfemale backup dancers to Destiny’s Child’s reunion, Beyonce created something truly special. (And let’s not forget the strategic song selections of “Independent Women” and “Single Ladies”). Scripps students live and learn at a women’s college, and continually defending that is irritating. But what’s new? Here we all are hiding away from the patriarchal world and avoiding men while we fuel our feminist discourse …. right?! Wrong.

The point of being a part of the Scripps community is to live and learn in an environment meant to empower us as women and inspire us to empower others. Wouldn’t it be incredible to be as confident and empowered as Beyoncé? No really—think about it. Is it not relevant in the context of the current on campus discussion, and even in the broader context of today’s world, that we think about what, and who, empowers us? And why it is important that we celebrate being (independent!) women? Feminism ain’t what it used to be—we’re living in the 21st century and it’s time to re-conceptualize what it means to be empowered as a woman. These are topics and discussions that I hope will start to pop up more around campus, and hopefully in a more organic manner—rather than as a result of an internet sensation (whether it be an article in a forum or the Supberbowl halftime show). Maybe I’m being silly, but I found all of this to be significant when I watched a mind-blowing performance comprised solely of women and led by Beyoncé. Maybe I’m over-idealizing Beyoncé just because there is no one else who matches her charisma as well as empowerment—but what it shows me is that for women, society still has room for a lot of growth and improvement … and I’d love to let Beyoncé shepherd us in that direction.

The Scripps Voice Editors-in-Chief Rosemary McClure & Lauren Prince Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Elaine Chan Aidan Harley Becca Marx Copy Editors Megan Petersen Star Schneider Alexandra Vallas Photo Editor Caroline Novit Business Manager Grace Xue Social Media Assistant Jane Condon Web Designer Nicole Fergie Staff Writers and Columnists Nikki Broderick Lily Foss Katherine Goree Rachael Hamilton Stephanie Huang Kehau Jai Anissa Joonas Elizabeth Lee Dagny Xinyue Lu Caroline Miller Caroline Nelson Kara Odum Laurel Schwartz Priya Srivats Stephanie Steinbrecher Abby Volkmann Staff Photographers Tianna Sheih Jacqueline Freedman Stephanie Huang Comments and letters can be sent to Scripps College The Scripps Voice, 1030 Columbia Ave, Box 892, Claremont, CA, 91711. You can also email The Scripps Voice at scrippsvoice@gmail.com or visit our website at voice.scrippscollege.edu. The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue EIGHT

10•Arts & Entertainment High-Stitched Voice

New York Fashion Week:

Myths Confirmed & Truths Revealed

By Stephanie Huang ‘16 Fashion Columnist

A few weeks ago, I received an email from adidas NEO inviting me to become a “NEO blogger ambassador” and help put their show together in New York. My task was to help choose the final looks that would be walking down the runway, and of course, offer social media coverage as well. Along with preparing for and attending the fashion show, adidas NEO organized for us a blogger’s styling event, touristy trips to the top of The Rock and NBC Studios, and three-course meals at classy restaurants with odd names like “Toy.” I was obviously beyond grateful to be able to be a part of, no matter how big or small, the Holy Grail of all fashion events: New York Fashion Week. While I was there for a short-lived three days (and it goes without saying that I wish that Nemo had delayed my flight leaving me with no option but to attend more shows), I discovered many of the myths that are true about NYFW and other bloggers.

in fact speak English, it was almost impossible for us not to feel connected by certain habits that pertain to bloggers, such as those stated in Truth #1. : You are going to get the stink eye and unflattering photographs if you’re sitting front row. Honestly, it was very intimidating. There are many who are envious and probably thinking, “Why

Truth #3

now find pictures of myself blinking repeatedly next to Ms. Gomez.

Truth #4

: Selena Gomez is a lovely person. This is probably the most common question I was asked when I returned from the Big Apple (along with what the deal was with her and Justin Bieber – but that’s irrelevant). She asked me how I was, and definitely came off as very genuine!

Truth #1:

Truth #6: Time scheduling

If you group a gaggle of bloggers together for dinner, they are going to do the inevitable: A) bring their phones as their plus-ones to the dinner table, and B) feel the need use their digital SLR cameras, complete with multiple lenses of different apertures, to take attractive photos of food.

Truth #2

: Cross-cultural bonding between bloggers is going to happen. I arrived on the bus, utterly confused at the lack of English being spoken. Sitting alone in the back row of the bus (cool kid, I know), I thought to myself, well, this trip isn’t going to be very fun. I really didn’t know how I was going to manage small talk if it was going to be in German, Russian, or Japanese. Yet upon the dawning realization that the other bloggers did

Shadowboxers Anonymous continued from page 1 On stage the duo integrate a wide range of artistic elements into their performance. “We bring song, poetry and story to the stage, and weave all three together. Our influences range from the Dead White Male canon of

$10,000 to wear a certain designer. I know 19-year-old bloggers who are working with Mulberry designing their own bags. This profitability is obviously not the reason why most of us choose to get into the industry, but building connections, working with the designers you most admire, and truly letting your viewpoint come across are all goals we, as bloggers, strive towards. We must balance this pressure to succeed in our creative endeavors with the fact that there are very few successful bloggers over 30, or even 25. There is the very blatant truth that you must race against time’s effect on your age to make something of yourself. And so, there are a ton of bloggers who feel distressed at the lack of recognition and acknowledgement they receive, and cannot help but compare themselves to other bloggers their age. However, it wouldn’t be right to neglect the payoff that often accompanies hard work and dedication to your passions. I honestly did not expect to have a room in Times Square with two beds to myself.

isn’t that me in the front row?” Subsequently, they proceed to judge your outfit. And then there is also the fact that I was sitting very near Selena Gomez. With all the cameras pointed in our direction, I knew that I obviously wasn’t the subject of the lenses, yet would most likely be in the photos. That’s when I attempted to look like I didn’t notice the camera was there at all. What resulted is this: with the magic of Google, I can poets to video games, to contemporary music and comedy,” said Laura Yes Yes. Laura Yes Yes and Kim Johnson met as members of the 2007 San Francisco National Poetry Slam team. “At the time that Kim and I met in the Bay Area, the slam scene was essentially a boys’ club. We both knew ourselves to be serious artists, and we saw the same drive and potential in

during NYFW is crazy. One day is going to feel like one week. While I could only focus my time on the one adidas NEO show, I speak on behalf of other bloggers and people in the fashion industry when I say that there are so many places to be and people to see during these few days. In between all the events and tasks that were scheduled for me, I photo | Stephanie Huang barely managed to slip in late-night The life meals with friends, quick shopping of a blogger can be very luxurious— at SoHo and 5th Avenue, and makeemphasis on “can.” Obviously there up work for class. are also times when there is a lot of My brief encounter with NYFW pressure to succeed in this industry had definitely confirmed most of the that have you near tears. There are preexisting notions (or myths) that women out there who are in their I had about it, but in many ways, early twenties, or even at a young NYFW exceeded my expectations as eighteen or nineteen, who have made well. blogging a full-time career, making $5,000 per post or getting paid

Truth/Myth #5:

other women in the scene,” said Yes Yes. With the help of several of their peers, the duo founded a women’s slam collective, a proactive workshop that gave women the tools to write, critique, and perform. “We want to help women, in particular, to understand that they are powerful, creative, intelligent, and beautiful in a way that’s absolutely

unique,” said Yes Yes. “I imagine performing at Scripps to be a beautiful homecoming.” The workshop will take place on Friday, February 22, in Vita Nova 100 from 3:30-4 p.m. Laura Yes Yes and Kim Johnson will greet their audiences at the Motley Coffee House and perform from 7-9 p.m. “Please come see us. We love you already, and we plan to prove it!” said Yes Yes.

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue eight

Arts & Entertainment•11

WPSP

l e e R t i Keep

continued from p. 2

Girls: “Get

Trashed”

By Caroline Nelson ‘16 Film Columnist

“O

ne Man’s Trash,” the most recent episode of “Girls,” has sparked a lot of online conversation recently. The main reason for this is that it centers around Lena Dunham’s character, Hannah, having a twoday affair with a doctor played by Patrick Wilson. This relationship has led to a great deal of talk about how implausible it is that a man as gorgeous as Wilson would want anything to do with a woman who looked like Dunham. Of course people are claiming that this is just self-indulgent wish fulfillment and have gone as far as to suggest that the whole incident is a fantasy of the main character’s. This whole dialogue is profoundly irritating on a variety of levels. To begin with,

bound and Down”) of using Kenny Powers’ affairs with much hotter women as a form of wish fulfillment. Also the age difference isn’t being brought up nearly as much as it should be. Wilson’s character is supposed to be eighteen years older than Dunham’s. Once again, everyone is so used to older men and younger women that most people don’t see a big hulking age gap as an issue in a relationship. Male actors keep being romantic leads well into middle age while most actresses get relegated to character parts once they hit thirty to make way for the next crop of bright young things. I personally could stand to see much less of Dunham naked and find her exhibition-

Rights violations, management of the financial crisis, and measurement of the impact on Colombia from the Free Trade Agreements between the U.S. and the European Union. These inspiring women and many others will come together to help each other work out resolutions for today’s difficult problems. To make this Institute possible, Scripps College, Mount St. Mary’s College, and Mills College have come together to plan and facilitate this event. Five students from each college, led by Professor Lia Roberts of Mount St. Mary’s College, were selected to take part in a guided study this semester and to participate in some of the discussions. Karen Fagan, the Director of the Latin American Institute at Scripps, and many student volunteers have been working to make this Institute a meaningful step in promoting women in leadership positions. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Sarah Owens, the Volunteer Coordinator, via email at sowens5962@ scrippscollege.edu. More information on the WPSP can be found online at womeninpublicservice.org.

Mock Trial continued from p. 2

In spite of the stress (“How on Earth am I going to memorize a fifteen-page closing?”), the occasionally frustrating judges (“Um, did that woman seriously just tell me not to be an ‘aggressive attorney bitch?’”), and the nylons (oh god, the nylons), I couldn’t think of a better use of my time than competing alongside such driven, inspiring women for four years. So if you run across a mocker this week, wish us luck! We’ll be doing our best to represent your school to the mock trial community. Suit up, mockers. It’s trial time.

Giffords continued from p. 6

photo courtesy | HBO

though Dunham may not be “movie star gorgeous,” people are talking about her as if she’s the Creature from the Black Lagoon. This is because of the difference in the way men and women are cast in film and television. In TV land men come in all ages, shapes, and sizes (if not always colors) and range everywhere from a 2 to a 10. Women, with only a few exceptions, are gorgeous and on average much younger. This is mainly because most writers, directors, casting directors, executives and producers are men and don’t cast women that they don’t find sexually attractive. In Tina Fey’s essay for the New Yorker “Confessions of a Juggler” she describes how execs have told her things like “I don’t know, I don’t want to fuck anyone on this show.” This results in viewers being not only conditioned to see average, or merely somewhat attractive women as hideous, but to see it as perfectly reasonable that ugly men should have relationships with disproportionally attractive women. No one batted an eyelid at all of the all the beautiful women paired with unattractive men on “Entourage”, or accused Danny McBride (creator and star of “East-

ism a little distasteful, but I support her for doing what she does because she is challenging deep-rooted conceptions of what kind of women can take their clothes off onscreen. I’m sick of seeing overweight, conventionally unattractive men wandering around in their boxers (guys in “The Sopranos”, I’m looking at you) and nobody complaining about it, while people raise a fuss over women doing the same. Is Dunham enacting a fantasy through these onscreen flings with Donald Glover and Patrick Wilson? So what? If she is, who cares? For the past hundred years male directors have paired their alter egos with the beautiful women that often eluded them in real life and male film and television viewers have identified with them and shared their fantasies. Female fantasies have long been denied such an outlet because so few women make movies and television shows. Instead they have been channeled into much-derided romance novels and pieces of fan fiction. So if Dunham wants to engage in some wish fulfillment with handsome men, I say more power to her.

communicate what is on her mind was severely altered. Since then she has faced an immensely difficult but remarkably successful road to recovery. With the support of her husband, who continued to remind her that she had been “beaten up” but would never be “beaten,” Giffords has turned her own suffering into a tremendous attempt for her country’s progress. Although a gun owner herself, she was moved by not only the Tucson shooting, but also the Aurora shooting, the Newtown shooting, and others to create the organization “Americans for Responsible Solutions” and to speak at the Senate’s recent hearing on gun violence, calling for increased measures of gun control. “Too many children are dying,” Giffords said with much difficulty and yet as much strength. “Too many children.” In less than two years Giffords has gone from not being able to express her tormented sorrow through any word other than “boohoo” back to the bold and articulate woman of action. Within those two years of great struggle and tragedy, Giffords never lost her sense of perseverance, her radiant smile, or the sight of her role as a leader. Perhaps some of the most important qualities of great leaders are more innate, and less so the product of even the greatest co-ed or single-sex schools. Who’s to say there could not be yet another Gabby Giffords growing and learning among the students of today’s women’s colleges? Who’s to say that being a woman should be considered a weakness or disadvantage in a metamorphosing world of male dominance? The world is often unjust and full of hardship, but even the graduate of a women’s college knows, “It will be hard, but the time is now. You must act. Be bold, be courageous. Americans are counting on you.”

October 11, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Three

12•Student Life

What is

tenure anyway?

photo | Jacqueline Freedman ’14

Tenure. What is it? What makes it a coveted status? And what does it mean both for the faculty and students? Dean of Faculty Amy Marcus-Newhall breaks down all these questions and more. Tenure is a permanent teaching position without contract renewals to ensure academic freedom without due cause for termination. Once a professor has tenure, they have relative job security and stability. So first, the basics. There are three levels of professor: assistant, associate, and full. The process of tenure is a long, seven-year process. It begins at hiring, when a new professor joins the faculty for a tenure-track position. A professor begins as an assistant and during her/his third year are reviewed for contract renewal. If the third year review is positive, then the professor will be reviewed for tenure and promotion to associate professor during her/his sixth year. If the tenure review is positive, the faculty

member will be tenured. If it is not positive, then the faculty member will have one terminal year of service. The faculty are reviewed by the Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (APT) committee which is made up of five elected faculty and the Dean of Faculty as a non-voting member. The APT is a recommending body to the President and the Board of Trustees. After eight years post- tenure, the faculty member is reviewed by the APT for promotion to full professor. Every four years after being tenured, professors meet with the Dean of Faculty to discuss their accomplishments in teaching, scholarship and service. At each review, a professor is evaluated based on three categories: teaching, scholarship, and service. During these reviews, APT takes into account course evaluations, student letters, faculty scholarship such as published books and articles, external letters from experts in the field, and service

(i.e. serving as Department Chair, on committees, etc.). For these reviews, student input is important. When a professor is reviewed by APT for tenure and promotion to full professor, she/he sends a list of student names to the APT. These students are asked to write letters or complete a form accounting the quality of the faculty. There are also students that are randomly asked to write letters regarding the faculty. These two different groups of student letters are then read and reviewed. “I can’t stress this enough, student input is crucial in the faculty review process,” said Marcus-Newhall. Currently, the APT often only receives 5 letters out of 30+ requests that they send to students. This does not give a representative perspective of a professor’s teaching abilities. Whether or not a professor receives tenure or a promotion, they are given a letter that documents how they are doing and how they can improve.

By Lauren Prince ’14 Editor-in-Chief

The benefits of tenure provide academic freedom to the professors so that they can push students to discuss difficult, controversial issues without negative ramifications. Despite the stereotype that some professors stop caring about teaching and their students after being tenured, Marcus-Newhall ardently asserts that Scripps does not have those professors. She also said that the benefits of tenure far outweigh the costs associated with a small number of professors who may choose to not work as hard after knowing their position is secure. Tenured professors are exceptional in all aspects of their career, and are beneficial to the students because they can be more demanding and teach controversial topics in new ways. Scripps and other institutions of higher education thrive because of tenured professors.

SAS Corner Shape your

space:

the Student Union

By Alice Wang ’15 Student Union Chair

here is the Student Union? How do I reserve a room? Are the supplies SAS-use only? Why is there a vending machine, and does it even work? This month’s BeHeard Forum was held on Monday, Feb. 11 in the Student Union. The location was especially fitting, as more than 30 Scripps students showed up to discuss the Student Union as a space and learn more about SAS happenings. Hosted by SAS Vice President Alexa Kopelman and myself, the Student Union Chair, we talked about all these questions and how SAS can improve the space as a whole. Formerly the home of SARLO, the Student Union is located directly above Malott Commons, next to the Hampton Room. Just a few years ago,

SAS fought hard to find a space for students to study, hold meetings, and hang out. Since its opening in 2010, the Student Union has been managed by the Student Union Chair, and serves as a convenient and open space for Scripps students. The SU includes amenities such as computers, lockers, a printer, butcher paper, markers, and other crafting supplies as well as four private rooms for various purposes. While many of the people who attended this BeHeard Forum are regulars at the Student Union, a portion of them expressed concern that the SU is commonly seen as a SAS space—and less as an open space for all students. As a group, we discussed ways to make the Student Union more welcoming for all students. Some suggest

hosting more programming events in the SU for CLORGS and chats with faculty on topics that may not be completely academic. Others would like resources such as newspapers and magazines, and possibly a microwave and hot water dispenser for a homier feel. And still some just wish for a better-functioning printer. As a host of this BeHeard Forum and the Student Union Chair, I was glad to hear such a large variety of opinions and potential improvements for the SU. I always knew what I thought would improve the space, but hearing the opinions of

photo | Jacqueline Freedman ’14

others gave me a better idea of what everyone else wanted to see. Through the past three years, the Student Union has changed drastically, with new paint, wall art, furniture, and recently, a vending machine and water fountain. While there is still much to be done, the Student Union is changing slowly but steadily, and I am hopeful that it will become a space that all students feel welcome in. All of the ideas are being taken into consideration, and it is certain that positive changes are on the way.

February 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVI • Issue Eight