2 October 2014

2 October, 2014

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5cs open Disability Resource Center

By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Editor-in-Chief On Thursday, Sept. 18, Claremont University Consortium opened its new Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC). Located in the Robert E. Tranquada Student Services Center, the SDRC is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; hours may be adjusted as additional staff is hired.

Directed by Tammy Green, the SDRC will serve as support for the disability resources on each of the five Claremont Colleges. Scripps, Pitzer, Pomona, Harvey Mudd, and Claremont McKenna Colleges each have their own disability coordinators.

Students who self-identify as having a physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional and/or developmental disability are able to register for accommodations with the coordinator on their home campuses.

With such a low ratio of disability coordinators to students across the five Claremont Colleges who selfidentify as having a disability (more than four hundred students, or approximately six percent; this mirrors the national rate for college students), it has been difficult to fully support all students who request accommodations; the SDRC hopes to change this. After a home campus has exhausted its disability

As of Thursday, Sept. 18, the 5C Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) is open. Located in the Robert E. Tranquada Student Services Center, the SDRC is committed to provide support for the disability resources on each 5C campus. Photos by Nicole Zweiner ‘16

resources, the SDRC will step in to more-fully support the students seeking assistance. For example, because there is not enough room to accommodate the test-taking process for students with disabilities on all of the campuses, the SDRC now provides a space for this. The SDRC also serves as the meeting place for the Disability, Illness and Difference Alliance (DIDA) student group.

Beheard Forum Discusses Trans Admission Policy

By Jocelyn Gardner ‘17 Mental Health Columnist

A

s SAS President Alex Frumkin noted at the beginning of last Tuesday’s BeHeard forum, the discussion about the trans-studentadmissions policy has existed at Scripps for quite some time. In light of the recent change admissions policies at women’s colleges, namely Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. and Mills College in Oakland, Calif., the Scripps community has been weighing in on the possibility of adopting a similar policy to one of those colleges. During the forum, students gave reasons to support an inclusive-admission policy,

Inside This Issue:

In addition to providing testing and study space for students, the SDRC will also host disability awareness trainings and workshops and provide digital and online disability-education resources, as well as pamphlets, brochures and instructional support for faculty.

Consultations with parents, staff and faculty regarding the mental health, support and career needs of students with disabilities will also

be provided. Green emphasizes that these consultations are not therapy — this may be found at Monsour Counseling Services — is a completely separate entity. Instead, the SDRC focuses on helping students do as well as possible academically with their disabilities.

Students may drop in or schedule an appointment by calling the center at 909-607-9331.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

examined counterarguments and asked questions about the purpose of a women’s college and the meaning of being a woman.

The Student Union was a full house with students from across the 5Cs and Dean of Students/Vice President of Student Affairs Charlotte Johnson in attendance. The forum began with a clarification of policies. While Scripps does not have a formal policy, Mount Holyoke welcomes all applicants except cisgender males, and Mills’ website states, “admits self-identified women and people assigned female at birth who do not fit into the gender binary at the undergraduate level.”

Throughout the duration of the forum, students referred to admissions policies of gender restriction as oppressive. “… One of the ways to make people feel comfortable [at Scripps] is to not continue to enforce reproductive oppression, which is what

Page 4 - Sports

Meet CMC golfer Maya Bhat and read about her sports story!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Page 5 - Student Life

Get to know this year’s Scripps language residents!

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 744 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XVIII | Issue Two

Photo by Tyra Abraham ‘18

Page 12 - A&E

See who is featured in this issue’s fashion column!

2 • News

letter to the editor SAS Bimonthly The

RE: Women’s colleges accepting self-identified females

Check here every issue for a SAS Udpate

By Anna Cechony ‘17 & Jewels Tambone ‘17 Faculty/Staff Relations & 5C Events Chair

A

nna Cechony, SAS’ faculty and staff relations chair, recognized the fact that there was a problem with communication between students and faculty members.

This became most obvious to her last spring when issues regarding professors, class offerings and self-designed major options were directed towards members of the Senior Staff. Through SAS Orientation this past August, Anna became aware of the fact that all of these problems could and should be better addressed by the faculty rather than the Senior Staff.

The faculty at Scripps College is self governed by an elected group of nine faculty members, including the Dean of Faculty known as the Faculty Executive Committee.

This committee has a range of functions, including disgruntled faculty members, course offerings, self designed majors and set the agendas for the faculty meetings.

Anna became aware of the fact that FEC did not have a student representative, unlike many different committees of the college.

After a meeting with the chair of FEC, Professor David Andrews, and a member of FEC, Professor Kimberly Drake, Anna proposed new bylaws to FEC to include student representation on a subcommittee.

The Academic Policy Sub-committee is composed of two members of the FEC with one designated as the chair and the registrar.

The APS reviews changes to the curriculum and academic policy. These include new course proposals and changes to existing courses (e.g. descriptions, titles, pre-reqs), modifications to major requirements, and all other amendment to the Academic Catalog.

FEC recently approved Anna’s update to their bylaws to include a student representative on the APS. This position will now be part of the Faculty-Staff Relations Chair’s position, and SAS will soon be updating its bylaws to reflect this change.

We are excited that we were able to work with FEC to make them more accessible and increase student input in faculty matters. In addition, SAS is working to make FEC a more transparent governing body on campus by providing a description of FEC in the Student Union, along with a list of the nine current FEC members.

If you have any questions or concerns about what APS will be addressing please reach out to our Faculty-Staff Relations Chair, Anna Cechony at ACechony5033@ ScrippsCollege.edu.

SAS Correction, BeHeard forum, Issue One President Bettison-Varga and members of her senior team have been considering the addition of a new residence hall for several years. A new residence hall will both provide additional bed space and ensure that only those rooms built as doubles and triples are utilized as such. Information regarding the Gabrielle Jungles-Winkler Residence Hall, as well as the information provided regarding “a

W

e are writing in response to “Women’s Colleges Accepting Self-Identified Females.”

This article included both oppressive language and factual inaccuracies, and while we appreciate the attempt to addressing the push for trans inclusive admissions policies at women’s colleges, all this article provides is a serious miseducation for the Scripps community at a time when Scripps students most need clear information and inclusive language.

The article claims that Mount Holyoke and Mills have similar policies when in fact their policies are vastly different and the erasure of these differences limits the discussion of the policy that Scripps and other Women’s colleges can create.

The policy released by Mount Holyoke, unlike the one Mills has adopted, accepts applications from trans men and nonbinary individuals, excluding only cisgender men from applying to Mount Holyoke. This difference in policy is critical for Scripps to explore and understand as we question what a trans inclusive policy at Scripps should look like, particularly in light of the fact that we have no official policy, which the article incorrectly claims exists.

Additionally, the article includes exclusive and oppressive language, such as referring to trans women as “Biologically-born men who identify as female or transgender” and countless other misuses of gender and sex, failing to demonstrate respect for how people describe their own genders. The AP style guide is clear that transgender people should be referred to by

their gender, not the gender that was assigned to them at birth. Calling a trans woman a “biological man” is unclear, inaccurate, and violent. Scripps students need a better and more nuanced understanding of inclusive language and gender, and we encourage people to explore resources (such as those listed below) or attend a teach in (to be announced soon).

Finally, the article fails to include any comments or opinions from students—all quotes are from the administration. At both Mills and Mount Holyoke the policy changes were a result of student advocacy and pressure; similarly, there are many Scripps students who are shaping the discussion and pushing for trans inclusive policy.

Their voices, and the voices of passionate alums, are at the forefront of urging Scripps to adopt a clear trans inclusive policy, and they deserve to be highlighted.

Signed, Claire Hirschberg, Tara Partow, Eli Erlick, Mia Shackelford, Danie Diamond, Jasmine Russell, Laura Kent, Eden Amital, Felicia Agrelius and Keanan Gottlieb Resources: www.srlp.org/resources/trans-101/ www.transstudent.org/definitions www.glaad.org/reference/transgender SEE THESCRIPPSVOICE.COM FOR THE FULL TEXT

letter from the editors D

ear Claire, Tara, Eli, Mia, Danie, Jasmine, Laura, Eden, Felicia, and Keanan,

First of all, thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We recognize that composing such a response requires much time and thought, and it is always a good thing to be made aware of where improvements must be made. We agree that your points are important and should be heard by the Scripps community; we assure you that they will be.

Going forward, we as Editors-in-Chief will ensure that all articles are written with more sensitivity to word choice. We will ensure that our writers are aware of the resources at their disposal that will prevent such inaccuracies to occur — for example, those who are writing about a topic whose appropriate vocabulary they may be unaware of will be encouraged to reach out to those who are more learned in that area.

Further, as you may already know, TSV publishes articles covering all BeHeard Forums; this issue will therefore include coverage of the discussion surrounding Scripps’ policy on transgender admission. If any of you, as members of the Scripps student body who are clearly well-educated on the topic, would be interested in writing about that event, you are more than welcome to do so.

We both welcome and encourage guest articles, and are more than happy to discuss this topic with you as we move forward. This is because we really do value accurate journalism and care about the issue under discussion.

Again, thank you for reaching out, and we do deeply apologize for the flaws that we published.

We plan to move forward with the steps outlined above, and hope that this helps to undo any damage that this piece may have inadvertently caused.

got an opinion?

If you have something to say about the content in this issue, write to us! Send a letter to the editors to scrippsvoice@ gmail.com, or visit our website www.thescrippsvoice.com.

Sincerely, Lucy Altman-Newell ’17 and Elena Pinsker ’17, Editors-in-Chief

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

News • 3

Scripps expands The air conditioning in dorms Scripps Voice Staff A

By Natalie Camrud ‘17 Fashion Columnist

Editors-in-Chief Elena Pinsker Lucy Altman-Newell Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Taylor Haas Selene Hsu Jessica Lin

Copy Editors Rachel Miller-Haughton Ashley Minnis-Lemley Elizabeth Lee Business Manager Lily Comba Webmaster Megan Petersen

recent heat wave in Claremont highlighted the need for air conditioning in the old dorms at Scripps. The heat was such that students in non-air-conditioned halls were sent an email saying they could sleep in the Tiernan Field House, Scripps’ air-conditioned gym, for the night. The administration also distributed cots so that students could sleep in the living rooms of airconditioned residence halls.

This ordeal made the issue of air conditioning in dorms much more relevant and pressing, especially for the students. This summer, air conditioning was installed in Clark, one of the oldest dorm on campus.

According to the Vice President of Business Affairs and Treasurer Donna Ng, Clark was chosen for air conditioning because it is typically the hottest dorm in the afternoons.

“Installing air conditioning is a major investment and a priority for the college,” Ng said when asked why not all Scripps dorms have air conditioning at the moment.

“The college follows a process as it prioritizes budget requests.”

The budget request process is complicated and includes reviewing, prioritizing, and approving a budget request. The price must also be considered.

“The current estimated cost to install air conditioning in each residence hall is $1.5 million,” Ng said about the installation process. “The process involves removing an old heating system, adding insulation and installing FOR FULL TEXT SEE THESCRIPPSVOICE.COM

Multimedia Director Laurel Schwartz Columnists & Staff Writers Rohma Amir Chloë Bazlen Melanie Biles Natalie Camrud Sonia De Mello Sophie Fahey Jocelyn Gardner Evelyn Gonzalez Kayon James Elizabeth Lee Erin Matheson Meagan McIntyre Stacy Ramos Arianna Rossi Talia Speaker Isobel Whitcomb Maddie Wilson Photographers Tianna Sheih Nicole Zwiener Tyra Abraham

Comments and letters can be sent to Scripps College The Scripps Voice, 1030 Columbia Ave, Box 386, Claremont, CA, 91711.

You can also email The Scripps Voice at scrippsvoice@gmail.com or visit our website at www.thescrippsvoice.com The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

pivotal meeting for

leed certification of

new residence hall

By Jessica Ng ‘18 SAS Sustainability Chair

T

he Oct. 10 Board of Trustees meeting signals a turning point for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification of the new Scripps residence hall. Higher sustainability standards and certification will become increasingly difficult after the meeting if the Buildings and Grounds Committee advances construction plans and the Finance Committee approves a budget without those considerations. Scripps has the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability through both construction and certification of the residence hall. However, the Board has been hesitant about LEED certification in past discussions, and student support will be crucial — though by no means a guarantee — to build and certify beyond the basic level of sustainability.

LEED is a green certification system with four tiers: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum, in ascending order.

Despite criticism of its methods and effects, LEED remains a widely recognized marker of sustainable building; each of the other 5Cs has at least one LEED Silver or above certified building, and several California cities require new buildings to be built to Gold standards.

As of fall 2012, the Board of Trustees planned to satisfy LEED Silver requirements comparable to California building code standards but did not plan to pursue certification.

Campus-wide discussion of LEED peaked two years ago and has since subsided as other issues occupied the attention of both students and the Board. In Oct. 2012, 91 percent of 230 student respondents to a SAS survey agreed or strongly agreed that “achieving LEED Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification for the new residence hall should be a priority for Scripps College.”

Nevertheless, the Board of Trustees did not commit to LEED certification at any level, nor did they commit to

FOR FULL TEXT SEE THESCRIPPSVOICE.COM

STUDENT DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Many students have expressed enthusiasm at the unveiling of the Center. In particular, some students who selfidentify as having disabilities reported feeling hopeful that having their own space would help fight the feelings of shame and stigma that are often experienced in regards to disabilities. Another student expresses hope about the potential of the SDRC, but was concerned that “because the SDRC is helping support colleges in providing academic accommodations, it may not function . . . as much as a space for building community.” She remains hopeful that the SDRC will evolve to serve this purpose as well.

Representatives of the SDRC have spoken about using a combination of the medical and social models of disability. The social model, on which DIDA is based, is a social-justice model of disability. This model, according to the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, sees “disability” as socially constructed — the result of people living with impairments in an environment full of barriers — and implies that society must change to enable people living with disabilities to participate in society on an equal basis. The medical model sees disability as resulting from an individual’s mental or physical limitation, and does not connect the individual to social or geographical environments. The first step, according to this model, is to look for a cure in order to make the individual more “normal.” Students reported feeling curious to see how the SDRC will implement this combination of models.

While the website is still under construction, individuals interested in the SDRC will eventually be able to find more information at www.cuc. claremont.edu/sdrc.

BEHEARD FORUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 this matter is,” Bekah Manikowski ’16 said. “It’s oppression at the heart: not admitting gender minorities to a school that is supposed to protect the reproductive justice of all human beings, particularly its students.”

Other points included the invalidation of gender identity and the idea that Scripps must move forward as other colleges change their policies to avoid the image of an oppressive institution, at the very least.

The discussion also brought about a need to explain the meaning of terms including “woman,” “women’s college” and “oppression” more definitively. While trying to define these terms is not something that can be achieved in an hour, students brought new dimensions to consider both in terms of the admissions policy and in students’ lives in general.

“I don’t think it’s our job nor our place to start policing what a woman is,” Nicole Hourie ’17 said.

“And if that’s what Scripps does, then I don’t think it’s as safe a place as we thought it was.”

In terms of the purpose of a women’s college, students expressed views that a women’s college is for those experiencing gender-based oppression, and that the point of such an institution is not to exclude people but rather to serve as a safe haven of empowerment through the education, atmosphere and opportunities.

On the other side, a few ideas contrary to inclusive admission came up in the forum. Not all alumnae feel that Scripps should broaden the policies, and there are still some misconceptions concerning gender that need to be addressed. The possibility that cisgender men might be able to pretend to identify with a different gender to take advantage of the resources of a women’s college, but students believed that this case would be unlikely. People are also concerned that the traditions and status of Scripps would be compromised.

Another point supporting a new policy is that Scripps has already had transgender students.

Although they cannot apply to Scripps, students who already attend Scripps can and have transitioned, which can be seen as an inconsistency in that it should not matter whether students realize their FOR FULL TEXT SEE THESCRIPPSVOICE.COM

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

4 • Sports

athlete profile: maya bhat

By Taylor Haas ‘18 Design Editor

A

first year at Claremont McKenna College, Maya Bhat has been swinging a golf club for most of her life. Influenced by her dad to start playing, she is now a member of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Women’s Golf team. She did not start playing competitively until her sophomore year in high school, but improved quickly from a handicap of about 18 to her current 2.8.

When did you start playing golf?

I’ve owned golf clubs since I was four, but I also started gymnastics when I was four. Gymnastics took up most of my time as I was training up to 26 hours each week and along with school there wasn’t much time for golf. I’d usually play once every three months or so until I got injured in gymnastics three years ago. I guess seriously and competitively I’ve been playing golf for about three years, but I’ve owned clubs for 14 years.

What influenced you to start golf?

My dad got my whole family into golf. He’s always loved it so he introduced my mom, brother and me to the sport and it became a family event. My parents travel a lot for work so when we do get time together we try to utilize it really well.

One of the things we do together is play golf. We all have varying levels of skill but we all play. So on the occasional Sunday we would drive across the border from Singapore to Malaysia and play a round of golf.

It’s a nice way to spend time with the family and I thank my dad for using it to connect the family.

What was it like to switch from gymnasticss to golf since they are so different?

It was tough. Both gymnastics and golf are very individual sports in the technical sense, but gymnastics is much more of a team sport. You’re always with your teammates, you go through the same crazy-hard training sessions, you get yelled at

by the same coaches and you go through the same mental blocks.

Since you spend so much time with your teammates they become your best friends and they’ve always got your back. Whereas with golf when you’re in a competition you are alone in your head and you have so many thoughts going through your mind. And controlling those thoughts rather than being able to laugh and talk with your friends was a huge difference. The fact that you also have to stay focused for 4-5 hours in a golf game was tough compared to the five minutes you are on the apparatus in a gymnastics competition.

What is the best part of being on a college team?

I guess the team. Now I have a consistent team and I’m playing with girls, which is crazy. Back home my whole team was guys except for one other girl. Now I’ve actually got girls to play with which is really cool. Also back home everyone had different training days and training hours so although we were a team we weren’t really because you just did your own thing. Being on a college team is kind of replicating the family that I missed from gym because we’re all going through the same thing together.

Can you tell me a little bit about your first tournament?

We played at Torrey Pines in San Diego, which is a beautiful course.

I did not play as well as I would’ve hoped. I don’t know what happened but the two days we played were not my finest. It was a lot of fun though. Other than not playing well, the course was gorgeous and the team was super fun. The three days we were gone were the hottest three days in Claremont, so while all of my friends in the Claremont colleges were toasting, I was in a hotel with AC, super-comfortable beds, and pillows, and blankets and it was fantastic. It was a good team bonding experience, especially as a freshman coming onto the team.

oct 2

oct 3

Photos courtesy of Maya Bhat ‘18

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

Student Life • 5

MEET THE LANGUAGE HALL RESIDENTS

By Kay James ‘16 and Chloë Bazlen ‘18 Staff Writers

U

nlike the structure in place at Pomona College’s Oldenborg Center, Scripps College does not have a centralized dorm for its language residents. Instead, they live among us in designated language halls which are, simply, hallways in larger dorms. Besides students living in the language halls themselves, it is easy for the larger Scripps community to forget that we have carefully selected and trained language residents to assist with language and cultural exchange.

In our last issue, The Scripps Voice briefly mentioned new members of the staff and administration. In this feature, we will highlight some new, yet potentially under-recognized members of our community: our language hall residents.

Allissia Calleau, France Coming all the way from Bordeaux, France, Allissia Calleau is the French resident here at Scripps this year. Allissia is 22 years old, and prior to her job as a resident, she received an undergraduate degree from University of Bordeaux, Michel de Montaigne. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in teaching language, which is one of the main reasons Allissia became a resident.

“I wanted to teach French abroad to get an experience for my language teaching master, and Scripps College was looking for one student of my University,” Calleau said. Scripps has an agreement with University of Bordeaux and takes one of their students every year to be a resident.

Calleau applied for the job and completed an interview before getting hired.

As a language resident, Calleau has many jobs. “I have to lead lowerdivision conversation classes and one upper-division class,” Calleau said. “I also have the French table for lunch and French Movie Night once a week.”

In addition, she runs French Club and the French hall located in Toll. Calleau said she has many fun plans for French Club this year, most involving some sort of delicious French food. In addition to all of these responsibilities, she is attending some classes herself and, as an international student, partakes in international events. Calleau has a very full schedule and said that “studying abroad is like vacation compared to being a language resident!”

So far, Bordeaux said she is enjoying the college experience here in the United States. “In France, we don’t really have a campus life and we hardly hang out on campus,” Calleau said. “University is just for classes.”

This is an important difference since Scripps makes such an effort to make the campus a family rather than simply a place to go to school.

“Scripps and the Claremont Colleges are a small community where we all live in our bubble,” Calleau said. To her, this sense of community is the biggest difference between here and France.

Bordeaux also threw in a bit of advice for all of the language students here at Scripps. “Don’t be afraid of mistakes and enjoy it,” she said. Motivation to get through these mistakes is critical in her eyes.

After Scripps, Calleau plans on completing her Masters in language teaching back in France. Don’t forget to go to some of the exciting events planned for French Club, or to join Calleau in watching a French movie!

Laura Dorsam, Germany This year, Scripps’ German resident is 27 years old Laura Dorsam from Berlin, Germany. Dorsam went to Phillipps University of Marburg for her Bachelor’s degree and is currently getting her Masters at Humboldt University. Becoming a language resident was a breeze for Dorsam. “It was less work than I thought,” she said, with the application process consisting of a few papers and an interview. “After five minutes of talking [in the interview], they told me that I would most certainly take part in this program.”

As a resident, Dorsam has a full plate. “I have to teach three conversation classes, and I have to take care of the German corridor and the German Club,” she said. In addition, there is movie night and cultural events, as well as Thursday night “Stammtisch.”

“I want to take my students to the German village, The Alpine,” Dorsam said.

“I want to learn more about teaching,” which makes teaching conversation classes very useful. Laura also sees an additional benefit of residency: “It is a great experience to be a representative for my country.”

Being a resident places Laura in a unique situation. “I get to be in a position where I teach but also get to see what it is like to be a student,” she said. It can also make social situations a little odd, because she feels like a student herself but then “meet[s her] students at a party.” So far, life at Scripps is very different. “I’ve learned that many people here have a totally different relationship to resources,” Dorsam said. She is surprised that we do not have better public transportation, and that lights are left on all day and night. The school system also presents change. “I like the idea that you decide on a major but can still take other classes,” she said. In Germany, like much of Europe, students are kept on a more direct path. In addition, the students here have been surprisingly friendly. “In Germany people do not give compliments often,” she said, making Scripps seem extra nice.

Luckily for us, Dorsam has some great advice on learning a language.

“Everyone is nervous in the beginning, but the only way to get better is to talk and actively use the language,” she said. She also hopes that everyone will study abroad, as the best way to learn a language is to live in a place where it is spoken. After residency, Laura plans on writing her Master thesis, but adds that “travelling to Canada and the world in general will certainly happen at one time or another.”

Elena Díaz Campaña, Spain

Because our language residents are relatively close in age to the student body, it is easy for them to blend in when walking around campus. Elena Díaz Campaña, the Spanish hall’s language resident, is only 22 years old and hails from Jaén, a city in Andalucía, Spain. For her undergraduate degree, she studied Translation and Interpretation of English and German at a university in Granada, which she describes as a “great Jessica Poletti, Italy place for university students” as it is “very touristy.”

Díaz Campaña went through a selection process via The Italian language resident Jessica Poletti is Institute for the International Education of Students: more no stranger to the Claremont Colleges. In the popularly known as “IES Abroad.” After making it to the last step Spring 2013 semester, Poletti was an exchange in the application process alongside eight other finalists, “it was student at Pitzer College. Compared to serving time for the colleges to choose,” as Díaz Campaña describes. as a language resident, she states that “Being “Fortunately, I was chosen by Scripps… and I couldn’t be happier.” an exchange student is really different. You are Díaz Campaña’s primary role is to assist Scripps’ Spanish only responsible for your studies and if you do instructors in conducting conversation classes while organizing something wrong it is all on you”. She continued activities with students in the Spanish corridor. She would also that “Being a resident,” however, “implies a certain degree of consciousness of [how your like out readers to know that “everyone is welcome” to Spanish actions affect others]”.

Club activities, “even if they are not taking Spanish classes.” Díaz Jessica Poletti was selected via interviews with the IES Abroad program director in Campaña stated via e-mail correspondence: “I love being able to Milan. “After a few months, I found out that Scripps had chosen me,” Poletti said. “I’m so share my culture and language with other students interested in glad they called me… I think it is a really pretty college.” Her sense of humor was revealed Spanish”. This sentiment contributes heavily to her willingness when during via e-mail correspondence she described her hometown of Parma as being to open Spanish Club activities to all. Both Díaz Campaña and “well known for two tasty things: Parmesan cheese and Parma ham. Slurp.”

Poletti commented that the primary cultural difference they When asked for tips on how to succeed in a language class, Poletti said to “study encountered were early meal times. “Spanish people are used to abroad, always, if you can. It’s the best way to actually learn a language.” While here having dinner at 9 to 10 p.m., so 5 p.m. is too early for me!” Elena in Claremont, she added, “talk to the [language] residents, go to the language tables commented with a small laugh. Poletti, however, said that she’s and other activities, watch movies and videos on YouTube, listen to music and go to “already used to it.” karaoke classes”. She states that the ultimate goal is to “have a 360 degree experience As language residents, Elena Díaz Campaña and Jessica Poletti a full immersion in the language(s) you are studying.” Via e-mail correspondence, Poletti also share similar responsibilities. They both lead their respective closed advising students to “take advantage of all the opportunities that are made language clubs, Spanish Club and Italian Club, while also hosting available [to them],” which is certainly not hard to do at an institution like Scripps that events. These activities include movie nights, cooking classes, hires live-in cultural ambassadors. and karaoke parties. These events are all intended to assist with language acquisition and cultural exchange.

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

SPOTL

6

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ast year, 143 Scripps students participated in Off-Campus Study in 33 different countries and 56 different cities. Off-Campus Study provides Scripps students with the opportunity to spend a semester (or even a year) outside of Claremont studying, interning and experiencing new places.

Nearly 60 percent of Scripps students participate in Off-Campus Study. Most students study abroad during their junior year. Secondsemester sophomores and firstsemester seniors can also petition to study off campus depending on

their majors and required courses.

Over one hundred different OffCampus Study programs are offered to Scripps students. The programs fall into four categories: universitybased, community-based, hybrid and specialized. The wide range of program offerings means that students have the ability to find the program best suited to their needs while studying off campus.

A university-based program, for example, allows students to enroll alongside and take classes with local students. A community-based program is focused on integrating

students into the daily life of the community; students will likely live in a home stay, and take classes with a small group of students from the United States. Hybrid programs are often in countries where Claremont does not offer the host language and classes are taken with other US students and are taught in English. Specialized programs allow students to focus entirely on their major during their time abroad.

“Because we have so many dual majors, university-based or hybrid programs are often the best option,” Neva Barker, director of Off-Campus

Study, said. “Community-based programs are good for people who want to experience the country and more rural areas.”

If you aren’t looking to study abroad, but still want to spend a semester off campus, there are also internship-based programs offered in Washington, D.C. and Silicon Valley.

Text by Sophie Fahey ‘17 Designed by Taylor Haas ‘18

Number of Students per World Region 42% 24% 8% 6%

Continental Europe United Kingdom & Ireland South and Central America Asia

6% 6% 5% 4%

Africa (Sub Saharan)

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Oceania

Peti

Middle East and North Africa

App

De

North America

Scripps Students’ Top Study Abroad Destinations

Ma

Peti

Ap By number of students last year

App

1

23 17

16

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps V

LIGHT

7

Experiences From Abroad Jasmine Kusumowidagdo

o do...

Attend an Off-Campus Study Information Session

Set up an appointment with the Off-Campus Study Office

Talk to your advisor about your academic plan and when to participate

Research programs on your own

Speak with former participants

Petition by Oct. 27 (Fall 2015) or March 30th (Spring 2016)

Apply by either Dec. 1 (Fall 2015) or April 27 (Spring 2016)

mportant Deadlines to remember

ctober 27

itions due for fall 2015, full year 2015-16 and unapproved programs

ecember 1

plications due for fall 2015, full year 2015-16 and unapproved programs

arch 30

itions due for spring 2016 programs

pril 27

plications due for spring 2016 programs

13

Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

9

Boston University: London Internship “I studied abroad in London and was based in South Kensington, an expensive neighborhood in an expensive city. My strategy for balancing adventure with financial responsibility was to never say no to an experience I couldn’t have back home, but be relentlessly frugal in every other arena. This meant cliff diving in Wales and wine tasting in southern Spain, enjoying a £22 meal at the Heron Tower’s Duck and Waffle and having £18 cream tea at Kensington Palace — but limiting myself to as little as £40 per week on groceries and taking the bus instead of the Tube back home.”

Sarah Chung CMC Silicon Valley “I didn’t exactly go abroad since I was just up in Silicon Valley, but I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything else! It was definitely the most challenging semester of my life but very well worth it. So many people told me I couldn’t do it, but I think the biggest advice I could give with that is to laugh it off and keep going even if you have to crawl!”

Danica Harootian SIT: Tunisia “Through SIT, I dove into topics concerning the Arab Spring, transitional politics in Tunisia and North African identity. I swam in the Mediterranean, visited France, and attempted to navigate the amazing mix of languages and cultures in Tunisia.

I also conducted independent research on Tunisian rap music and society. My semester abroad was full of surprises, but being honest with myself and considering each new day as an incredible opportunity greatly helped my overall experience.”

Caroline Miller CIEE: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Liberal Arts “I studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina and got to travel to Uruguay, Chile and other parts of Argentina during my semester abroad. I had quite a few escapades throughout my travels, including wine tasting in Mendoza, watching Polo at a private estate, attending three music festivals and riding buses throughout the city without ever paying.”

8 • Features

“I am a victim of domestic violence” that I was “asking for it.” And if that failed to convince me to change he would say that I looked “fat.” He manipulated me into doing whatever he wanted me to do. He controlled when I hung out with my friends, what I would do with them and even whom I hung out with. If I was away from him and did not answer within a certain period of time, he would blame me and my friends. He would make sure that the next time I saw him, he told me that I was sneaking around with guys and thought that my friends were “manipulating me out of a relationship with a great boyfriend.” After all of his name calling, if I started crying, he would say that I was either “bipolar” or should be checked into a mental hospital. Soon I would learn how to keep my emotions to myself and avoid talking about anything to my friends and family.

The verbal abuse eventually turned into the occasional shove or a push.

He would casually drink six or seven days per week anyway, but when he was with his friends he would drink to get drunk. His personality would switch to an exaggerated version of himself. He would push me down while simultaneously verbally attacking me. But after I fell to the ground, he would say that I had tripped over him or myself. I would try to tell him that he pushed me, but then he would call me “crazy,” and he would tell me he was going to tell everyone that I “needed help.”

Sometimes I would try to get away from him by closing the door behind me, but he would push through and smash my fingers with the door. One time he got so drunk that I physically ran away from him. He called out my name from behind and said that he could always outrun me. And before

all of this happened, he punched his hand through a wall; he said that this was my fault because I made him mad for “no reason.” It was the first time I mentioned to him that I thought he had a drinking problem.

He tore me down from the inside out. I thought that I deserved it because of how many times he would call me “crazy” and “delusional.”

He wanted to control me. I was always scared that I was going to do something he did not think I was supposed to be doing because it would cause him to drink and get angry and aggressive. I should have left at the first sign of that type of aggression towards me.

I ended the relationship with him when he grabbed my forearms and pushed me so hard to the ground

Sorry for not being sorry

Being an empowered person has more to do with self-actualizing than conforming to a particular method of confrontation — again, a typically perceived masculine approach of dominance and aggression. What I suppose many might, and do, say is that “that’s just how the world works,” and if we want to get things done women have to be willing to match or overcome a certain level of aggression by refusing to apologize.

But if we are suggesting an ideal version of how the world should operate, why is it we are telling women they need to change rather than men? Maybe some of those guys in the ad should have been apologizing out of politeness for interrupting and talking over someone or taking up someone else’s space. Or an even better question, perhaps, is why do we continue to use these traits as a way of defining and polarizing gender roles?

In her recent and now popularly spread speech about the launching of the “He for She” campaign, famed actress and United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson called upon men to take part in the fight against gender inequality — the fight she described as being for the sake of an individual’s freedom to

Trigger Warning: discussion of domestic violence and relationship abuse, aggressive language

Anonymous

“I

am a victim of domestic violence.” That one sentence took me months to admit and finally accept. I was living in denial and could not make myself believe that the relationship that I had been in for over a year had been an abusive one. I was in love with someone who wanted to control every aspect of my life, from whom I was friends with to what I did with my weekends to what I discussed with my parents. I felt like I was trapped in a world that was made up of just him and me. I want to share my story to let women on campus who may not think that they are victims of domestic violence to know that they are not alone. You are not alone.

In the beginning, nothing was out of the ordinary. I believed that we were soul mates and that he was “the one.” He would surprise me on the weekends and take me to the beach.

Then we would end the day at my favorite ice cream shop and stay in to watch a movie. We would go on hikes together to Mt. Baldy and we would reward ourselves with a burger in the Village. My friends thought that he was the sweetest boyfriend and saw how much he loved me. However, this period of bliss soon transitioned into an endless cycle of verbal and physical abuse.

He would verbally attack me when I did something that he did not like. If I wanted to hang out with my friends he would yell at me and call me a “sl*t who wanted to get f****d.” If I dressed a certain way he told me

a take on pantene’s anti-sorry campaign

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Copy Editor

A

s a kid — and, if I am being totally honest, sometimes still to this day — I would imagine myself riding horseback at the front of the line, hair blowing in the wind as I led thousands of troops into battle while wielding my sword. As I grew quieter and shyer with age, I came to believe myself incapable of being a leader, or even just being strong in general, because I was rarely the one making impassioned speeches to crowds or throwing punches at bullies. We feed into and live according to a culture that generally leads us to believe that strength means being aggressive and that winning means beating others.

When Pantene, a hair-products company, released an ad over the summer as part of its “Shine Strong” campaign, it sparked a debate over the gendered use of language — specifically the word “sorry.” Throughout the ad, women apologized for asking questions

during meetings, using their own armrests and speaking first in a conversation. Many people responded positively, viewing the ad as a means of confronting women’s perceivably problematic tendency or, as an article in Latina Magazine put it, “incessant need” to apologize too much or at least the environment causing that need.

I could not agree more that women should not feel they have to apologize when speaking their minds or making reasonable requests. I often do wish I had more confidence and self value. Would that not also mean, however, that women should not have to apologize for apologizing or feel like less worthy individuals for operating on what they may perceive as a value of considerateness and empathy? Since when has feminism meant trying to empower women by encouraging them to adapt traits that are traditionally perceived as masculine? And at what point did saying “sorry” become a filler or indication of weakness rather than a sign of compassion or politeness?

that the wind was knocked out of me. After I left him, I spent more time making myself happy and I focused on my healthy and positive relationships. Before I was with him, I never thought that I would be in an abusive relationship — that it wouldn’t happen to me — so I never thought of my relationship with him as abusive. But it was, and it can happen to anyone.

I want everyone to know that no one deserves to be called any name and no one deserves to be physically pushed around. As much as your abuser wants you to feel that it is your fault, I want you to know that it is not. It was not my fault, and it is not any victim’s fault. Know where to draw the line and remind yourself that you deserve to be treated better.

If you or anyone you know is or has been the victim of relationship violence, see the following resources for help.

All resources below speak Spanish and are Queer and Trans* friendly.

House of Ruth (Claremont) (Women & Children only) houseofruthinc.org / 877-988-5559 (24 hr hotline) / shelter available Safehouse Alliance safehousealliance.org / 303-444-2424 (24 hr hotline) Pomona College Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault pomonacollegeadvocates.wordpress.com / 909-607-1778 (warmline) LA Gay and Lesbian Center lagaycenter.org / 323-860-5806 More resources and information: 5csurvivorsupport. wordpress.com

be both “strong” and “sensitive.”

“It is time that we perceive gender on a spectrum, not as two opposing sets of ideals,” Watson said. “If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are, we can all be freer.”

Whether Watson can or should serve as a contemporary icon of popular feminism has been heavily debated, but her words have nevertheless drawn attention to and provoked conversations about an important point: Bridging the gender gap should not have to mean one end conforms to or eliminates the other.

Rather, we are more likely to reach a state of acceptance and cooperation in seeking an appreciation of balance and finding the value in difference.

There also seems to be the assumption that the use of words like “sorry” or “just” — as in “I was just wondering” — is a sign of timidity or devaluing one’s own thoughts and contributions. People should not have to feel the need to apologize for thinking what they have to say is valuable, but perhaps that is not why they are saying it. Perhaps what matters more is that they are still sharing those thoughts or acting

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Features • 9

“The Intouchables” — A Familiar and Funny Feel Good

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Copy Editor & Film Columnist

A

t first glance, “The Intouchables” is a rather familiar and formulaic film — to the extent that in discussing it with my mother months after we had originally seen it together she had no recollection of it having not been in English. In that sense its familiarity serves as less of a bore and more of a comfort in its universally feel good nature.

The French film, directed and written by Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano and starring Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy, became rather popular internationally — at least perhaps as popular as any foreign film tends to be outside its own country — upon its international release in 2012. Based on the lives of actual people, it tells the tale of what happens when two people of different worlds — of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds — cross paths and in an expectedly-unexpected turn of events find rich companions in one another. It is a basic pattern that has been continuously described as reminiscent of “Driving Miss Daisy,” in which the posh and aloof employer is confronted with the down-to-earth irreverence of their caretaker and both end up inspiring the other to perceive life a little differently than they did before.

Where “The Intouchables” becomes more interestingly its own version of the familiar blueprint of a story is in the unabashed humor surrounding

touchy subjects like race and disability as well as a relationship between the two main characters that is odd yet natural enough to seem more sincere than sappy.

Philippe is an enormously wealthy and cynical older man who halfheartedly and with more annoyance at his need for assistance than actual helplessness seeks a caretaker.

In comes Driss, who cuts a line of candidates to request a signature proving he interviewed and is upfront in admitting that he has no previous experience nor even actual desire to take on the job. He just wants the signature so that he can continue to live off of welfare benefits. Philippe expresses great appreciation for make us and Philippe laugh in spite Driss’s lack of of ourselves. ‘pity’ and the During a There is a great amount next day Driss birthday concert moves in on a of honesty in the in which Philippe trial period. tries to share with relationship between Driss his love of There is a great amount music, Philippe and Driss classical of honesty in Driss remains the relationship that comes across in unimpressed — b e t w e e n pretending to Philippe and significant part due gallop to Bach, Driss that reciting to Vivaldi to the honesty of the the phone spiel comes across in significant of the Paris actors’ performances. part due to the U n e m p l oy m e nt honesty of the Agency when one actors’ performances. Driss laughs is on hold. He then leads the room upon clumsily becoming acquainted in a dance party to Earth Wind and with modern art and classical music Fire. And when shaving a rather and has no problem expressing melancholy and bitter Philippe, outright horror at the prospect of having to take care of Philippe’s less-than-dignified needs. Philippe, meanwhile, relies on Driss in a way that Driss has not often found himself capable of or interested in.

He eventually encourages Philippe to take greater control of his life by being stricter with his adopted daughter, pursuing a relationship with a woman with whom he has been exchanging letters and encouraging him to poke fun at himself constantly while seeking value in life’s little pleasures; cue image of Driss riding on the back of Philippe’s wheelchair yelling to see how fast they can go.

In two particularly memorable scenes, Driss builds off a sense of humor that borders on uncomfortable but never fails to

Photos courtesy of Imdb.com

Driss tortures him for his own amusement with an assortment of ridiculous facial hair styles — a biker mustache, a handlebar mustache and finally pushing his luck with a Hitler mustache.

Perhaps what feels most familiar about this film is the desire to see past the bleakness of tragedy and even day-to-day life, to laugh at the preposterousness of ourselves and the world, to manage its weight by perceiving it in relation to all lighter things and shifting between the two.

Simply put, it is a feel-good movie.

It is not a particularly profound feel good, but there is sometimes something more inherently profound in the very nature of this quality.

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

You can find all movies reviewed here on Netflix

10 • Opinions

oppression accompanies mental health stigma

By Jocelyn Gardner ‘17 Mental Health Columnist When I decided to write this issue’s article on the topic of stigma, I was wary of the fact that most people in Claremont probably have an understanding of stigma against mental illness. I was about to scrap the idea — until I made a few disturbing discoveries.

To give some context, I read a large number of resources and articles about mental health. This means I see all of the positive sides of the issue. When looking for resources to compare and add to the blog, of course I see all the support that exists, and I often come across descriptions of stigma and people’s negative experiences (which usually end positively, on these sites). I do not find much in support of the harmful stigmatized views I see in everyday life, despite my certainty of their existence. My point is, I search very specifically to find the helpful results because I know where to search. Instead of discussion on stigma, I wanted to find the beast in

its natural habitat. I started looking into this in the most basic of ways: Google.

In Google search, I typed in a few key words to see what autocomplete shows as the most relevant similar searches. For example, the top two autocomplete options for the words “depression is” were “depression is not real” and “depression is a choice.”

Top result for “bipolar is” is “bipolar is fake”. A particularly horrifying instance came up with “self harm is”; “Self harm is so stupid,” “self harm is attention seeking,” “self harm is for attention” and “self harm is selfish” were the four autocomplete searches.

It goes without saying that this is offensive in the very least, but this issue is so much larger than the word “stigma” seems to encompass. The word stigma in all its connotations cannot contain the widespread, often internalized and systematic shame, isolation, exclusion, blame, bias and stereotypes. Where have we heard this talk about cycles of oppression before? Social justice.

Yes, this is about social justice.

Some of this oppression goes beyond the obvious, however. We have heard of friends turning their backs on people who have come out as having a mental illness but we are often not aware of the deeper lurking problems such as media portrayal and careless language. An example to consider is the way that the media portrays people who have committed violent crimes as “crazy” and point to a mental illness as a cause without necessarily providing further evidence or information that clarifies or explains the mental illness — this leads to misconception.

People who see mental illness as a cause for violence can criminalize

people with mental illness and treat them differently. The alleged connection between mental illness and violence is not as strong as media would suggest. According to mentalhealth.gov, “the vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness are not violent and only three to five percent of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over ten times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.” Since the mental health discussion, as I explained in last issue’s article, is not prevalent by any stretch, the general public is not exposed to material that would correct this view. They might not even realize how inaccurate the information is, since major commercialized news sources are widely regarded as infallible sources.

Another instance of misunderstanding and stigmatization of mental health that comes to mind is the use of trigger warnings. Honestly, I had never heard of a trigger warning until coming to Scripps. In one class I had, the professor asked us if we thought that they were important, and I was surprised at the range of opinions. Of course, upon further reading, the internet is also ambivalent, and many people think that trigger warnings are overblown.

Before I get farther into this point, I want to make a few distinctions and reaffirm where the importance of this issue rests. Trigger warnings are a relatively recent way to warn people of possible triggers, which allows writers more freedom to write about intense topics. Triggers

are not content that is simply “uncomfortable” or controversial.

Trigger responses can include panic attacks, dissociation, flashbacks and compulsions among many varied symptoms. Note that these are mental and physical responses that are involuntary and can affect someone hours and even days after exposure to the trigger.

In my class, some students argued that people should know their own triggers and do research themselves to avoid them, as well as that “discomfort” and “challenge” are essential to learning. I do not disagree, nor do I disagree that the “real world’ also does not have trigger warnings.

I understand that there are many cases where people do not use trigger warnings this way and label content incorrectly. Is this really a reason to dismiss trigger warnings for those who need them? How much should these people have to go out of their ways — change the way they live their lives — to protect their own health? More importantly, why should one group of people be allowed to decide what others can or should feel?

The matters I have discussed raise many important questions. I would love for this to be a continuing point of discussion — share your opinions at www.scrippsvoicementalhealth. wordpress.com or the google form, which is linked to on the blog. Comments and submissions are anonymous on both sites. All opinions are welcome and accepted, and as I have said that I have seen a large range when it comes to these topic. I genuinely would like to hear any and all opinions people send to get a better idea of the views in our community.

feminist perspective on Ray Rice and Domestic Violence

By Evelyn Gonzalez ‘18 Feminism Columnist Trigger Warning: domestic violence

A

t this point, the NFL may be better known for its excessive amount of cover ups rather than its impressive number of touchdowns.

It is always too little, too late with the NFL isn’t it? It seems to be at a loss about what to do when its reputation is jeopardized, as evidenced by its constant issuance of apologies to the public instead of punishments to its players. It is getting pretty old and pathetic having to watch yet again as the

NFL tries to scrape another player’s tainted image from the throngs of social media outlets.

On Feb. 19, Ray Rice, a running back from the Baltimore Ravens, was captured on tape dragging his wife’s unconscious body from an elevator. It was of no surprise to me when the Ravens’ representatives quickly came to his defense and tried to cover up the assault charges to minimize the chance of having to remove him from the team. They did, however, set a whopping two-day suspension. After the release of this tape there was an outcry over the NFL’s treatment of this issue, forcing them to reassess Rice’s assault and issue a harsher punishment. Rice was indicted on aggravated assault charges although the court allowed him to complete a 12-month program instead of the possible maximum charge of five years in prison. He was suspended indefinitely. This wasn’t over concern of the well being of his partner; but rather the NFL was more concerned about the public

backlash than the real issue. The punishment for domestic violence, especially within the NFL, was not — and almost never is — fitting of the crime committed.

We have this notion of the untouchable athlete where we focus in on their careers rather than the lives and various physio-emotional states of those they assaulted. We live in the type of society that still asks what she could have done to warrant his violence and aggression.

People make comments speculating what she could have done to deserve something like this, implying (or even outright stating) that perhaps it was justified.

This is not just an issue of aggression on the part of professional athletes anymore; it is the outright enabling and tolerance of the violence against women.

This was not, after all, the first time the topic of domestic violence was brought up nor the first time we have seen questionable actions taken against players, if any action

was taken at all. You do not need to look very hard to find everything the NFL has tried to keep private in regards to this matter. According to the database created by USA Today, “domestic violence accounts for 85 of the 713 arrests of NFL players since 2000.”

If we allow this kind of blatant violence against women to occur here, a perfectly conspicuous area covered by mainstream media, what else are we letting slide or being pushed under the rug as a result of our own indifference and skewed priorities?

It is perfectly clear to me that the NFL has no interest in supporting women if it means one of their players has to take some bench time.

To them, the business and the game is more important than a person.

The most important thing we can do in these situations is continue to voice our own frustrations and concerns about the policies of the NFL and their treatment towards domestic violence.

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

Features • 11

insight into fracking and its environmental implications

By Isobel Whitcomb ‘17 Current Events Columnist

F

racking, the process of using highly-pressurized water and chemicals to force tightly-held fossil fuels out of underground rock, is one of the newest and most highlycontested endeavors in our quest to obtain energy. While fracking is a word that has been thrown around a lot lately in dialogues about energy, conservation and environmentalism, it is a topic that is rarely completely understood. Ignorance is not 100 percent at fault for this lack of understanding. People do not completely understand fracking because even science doesn’t yet completely understand it. To help 5C students gain a better understanding of what information is out there on this process, here is a brief primer on the enormous effect it has on our land, climate and communities.

Why did oil companies begin fracking? As a nation powered by fossil fuels, we are on the verge of the massive realization that we are running out of our primary source of energy. Existing oil wells are drying out faster than we are discovering new ones. It is this impending shortage that spurred oil companies to begin fracking. In the words of Pomona professor Ian Hazlett during his talk at Frank dining hall last week, “Fracking is a way to pick the last fruit off of the energy tree.”

Photo courtesy of america.aljazeera.com

Because of fracking, fossil fuels that used to be virtually impossible to obtain are now at our fingertips.

Why is this a problem? We do not fully understand the extent of fracking’s ramifications on our environment, but we do know enough to surmise that it is harmful in at least three major ways.

First, it is harmful geologically. The force fracking puts on underground rock is powerful enough to trigger earthquakes. According to Hazlett, spikes in earthquake activity have been noted near oil fields throughout the Midwest, East Coast, and Alaska.

Second, it is harmful to our health.

Many oil fields where fracking takes place are located in residential areas.

Water injected into the ground is filled with chemicals like formaldehyde and lubricants that get into the local drinking water — things that people should never drink. Fracking also

releases large quantities of methane — a gas so noxious that we install detectors in our homes to protect ourselves from methane poisoning.

Finally, fracking hurts our climate.

This final crucial consequence is surprising to many people, including those who see fracking and its products as a cleaner alternative to burning coal. However, recent research has shown that over a 20year period, the methane released by fracking traps 86 times more heat than carbon dioxide. We are already speeding towards a tipping point in our climate; fracking is taking us there at an even faster rate.

Why does this matter? If you live on planet earth, fracking is an issue that will affect your future due to its effect on the climate. More specifically, however, it is important for all of us living in Los Angeles County. While the City of Los Angeles

recently placed a moratorium on fracking, LA County has not yet been that successful. Fracking is going on right now throughout the county.

Not only does it pose the risk of triggering a massive earthquake, but it has already caused residents living near Los Angeles county oil fields to report symptoms ranging from nose bleeds to heart problems.

What can I do? First, educate yourself and others. Second, get involved with one of the numerous groups mobilizing to ban fracking throughout Los Angeles County and California as a whole.

Claremont Climate Justice is working to help instate this ban and is a great place to start for anyone looking to join the movement. Third, vote. Keep an eye out for a campaign led by Claremont Climate Justice getting students registered to vote in California!

the first-year experience

a still hard-hitting, less undercover profile of year one

•

•

Who lost their phone at FOAM?

By Melanie Biles ‘18 Staff Writer

I

f I worked in Admissions, I would make a pamphlet about all of the most helpful things one should know before coming to Scripps.

None of it would be logistical or concerned with academics or dorm life — there’s already plenty of information out there about all of that. No, instead, my pamphlet would include the most relevant advice like, “It is totally normal for the squirrels to lunge at you like that,” and, “Make friends in air-conditioned places,” and, “Do not — under any circumstances — go to lunch right at noon on days when first years have Core.”

Actually, there would probably be a lot of advice about Core. No Scripps experience is complete without the adventure that is the Core Curriculum, and yet there is

•

Not thinking about finals yet.

little actual information out there ahead of time about what Core is.

So far, it seems to just be a lot of having no idea whatsoever about what is happening.

If I had to summarize Core in one sentence, that sentence would probably be the length of Michel Foucault’s Discipline & Punish.

It would also be just as complex as Michel Foucault’s Discipline & Punish. Core, I’ve learned, is an academic experiment in how much arbitrarily confounding material can be fit into the average eighteenyear-old girl’s head before she actually explodes. “Confounding material,” of course, does not just refer to theoretically-complicated books like Foucault’s but also to narratives like Jean Genet’s “The Thief’s Journal,” in which there are as many euphemisms for men sleeping with other men as there are aggressive squirrels at Scripps.

•

Time to take real classes??

The Core theme this year is “Histories of the Present” with a specific focus on violence. While you, like me, may be wondering how the naked men in “The Thief’s Journal” relate to anything violent whatsoever, rest assured that after reading Foucault, it is impossible not to see violence everywhere.

The coffee in your hand? Violence towards the barista. The textbook you are reading? Violence on the part of the professor. The fact that I had a deadline for this article?

Definitely violence. Pretty much every part of life is a violent act intended to discipline everyone until individuality ceases to exist and we are all just part of one faceless society operating seamlessly to further the greater good. Or something.

In some ways, Core is a lot like the freshman experience in general.

I am a fan of metaphors, and I think

• •

Oh...yeah...high school friends!

core i: violence

this is a good one (maybe not as good as Taylor Swift equating her fame to a guy walking around with a cat on his head but good nonetheless). In Core, and as a first year, you learn a lot of lessons that you never knew you needed but that end up being incredibly worthwhile. You are lost. You are confused. You interpret things incorrectly almost constantly.

There is “no right answer,” but everyone else seems to know what it is. You have to be prepared to be really, really uncomfortable.

Most of all, you have to remember that it will all be worth it in the end.

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two

12 • Arts & Entertainment

Who is wearing What on campus this fall?

By Natalie Camrud ‘17 Fashion Columnist It is finally starting to cool down from Death Valley heat levels, much to the relief of all students and squirrels on campus.

I’ve been seeing a lot of students with highwaisted shorts and sweater combos, trying to find a good balance between the frigid cold of the classrooms and the oven-like heat of the dorms. But relish the crop top weather while it lasts, my fellow Scrippsies.

Winter is coming.

Name: Nicole Zwiener Year: Junior Outfit: Distressed boyfriend jeans with a loose white tank top and a delicate gold necklace to balance it out Favorite item of clothing: “My favorite item of clothing is my rag and bone boyfriend jeans (what I’m wearing in the photograph).

They’re jeans but [they] feel just as soft as sweatpants!”

healthy living Photos by Tianna Sheih ‘16 Recently, Scripps College was named one of the healthiest colleges in the United States.

With access to such beautiful facilities, access to great machines, and even personal training for the luckiest students, being healthy at Scripps is easy.

This issue, The Scripps Voice shines a spotlight on the best and most beautiful college gym in the country: the Tiernan Field House

Alex Washburn ‘15 with Megan Petersen ‘15, Webmaster

Photo by Natalie Camrud ‘17

Where are you from? I’m from a tiny hick town in northern San Diego County.

Major: I’m a self-designed Public Health and Society major, with a focus on women’s and sexual health.

What’s your favorite thing about your major? My favorite thing about my major is the conversations I get to have with other students about sex and sexuality. I love that moment when they learn something new or feel validated, and I usually get to learn something new from them too.

What is your dream job? Why? My dream job would be to own a feminist sex shop/coffee shop.

There will be vibrators and lattes galore and a lot of kickass discussions about how to have good and safe sex. I’m still working on the name — hit me up if you have any suggestions.

Who is the most influential person in your life and why? She doesn’t really count as a person, but my dog Kahlua is my rock. She’s a white Labrador who’s my best friend and #1 Little Spoon.

What will you look back on most fondly about your time at Scripps after graduation? It’s hard to answer this because I’m here right now trying to make the most of it, but I think what’ll be the most meaningful is all of the little (and big) moments that I’ve shared with the people that I love.

What was your favorite or most formative class?

And you work for Health Education Outreach (HEO). Can you tell me a bit about that?

One of the classes I’ve taken that I value the most is “HIV/AIDS: Science, Society, and Service” with Professor Karl Haushalter at Harvey Mudd.

It combined so many disciplines together into a learning environment that taught me about HIV/ AIDS, systemic inequalities, healing, healthcare, and my own role in social justice work. It was such a cool experience and I recommend it to anyone that’s willing to put in the time and effort.

As for HEO, it’s been one of the most (if not the most) important experience that I’ve had here at Scripps. Through my role as a Peer Health Educator I discovered my passion for sex education and women’s health. I’ve become a total nerd about sex and sexuality because of the education we do at HEO, and I love it. I also know more about condoms than I ever, ever thought I would.

What advice do you have for current and future Scripps students? Get out of your room. Don’t worry if you don’t get the reading done. Create the community that you’d like to see. Trust yourself.

Breathe.

know someone we should profile?

Should The Scripps Voice interview you or your friend?

Let us know! Send us an email at scrippsvoice@gmail.com

2 October, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Two