Nov 21, 2013

November 21, 2013

voice.scrippscollege.edu

The Scripps Voice Re-envisioning the SAT Admissions The Scripps to Requirement: A Beginner’s Guide Voice incorporate

broadcast productions, submit to

CSPA

By Megan Petersen ‘15 Editor-in-Chief

T

According to the College Board, 1.66 million students from the class of 2013 took the SAT. Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post

By Nancy Herrera ‘15 Staff Writer

S

o, if Scripps College decides to get rid of the SAT requirement, what alternatives are left? When speaking to the admission staff, there is worry about the need for an objective method of finding out the quality of their applicants.

Reasons why this is necessary are understandable: measures such as GPA become less useful in comparing students the more schools they come from. This is because a student could get a 4.0 for the same amount of work that earned another student at another school a 3.3.

Every school and teacher have different ways of grading. In addition, there is the phenomenon of grade inflation, meaning GPAs have increased over time. This means that GPAs of most applicants to Scripps are now at least 3.8, higher than in the past.

Therefore, the SAT and ACT seem like the least bad options, since they are identical tests given to every student. However, as with any “objective test” such as the IQ test, the test is never truly objective, and will always have its biases. This leaves the question: Is there a better way?

Because of such high levels of competition among students, other measures have to be taken in order to find

the best applicants, so Scripps engages in its fabulous holistic assessment process.

This uses a combination of factors in order for the admissions office to decide whether someone is a great fit for the school or not.

Here, we will examine alternative ways that the admissions office can measure students’ ability without requiring the SAT or ACT. Eliminating the option to submit SAT/ACT Scores Let’s start with the most radical option and, at the Board of Trustees meeting, the first option that came up. Scripps could make it so that students cannot submit SAT/ ACT scores to them. They do this by not having a College Board reporting number.

By doing this, all students would be on an equal playing field. There is no risk for implicit bias, where students or admissions officers feel that students who submit scores are at an advantage to those who don’t. In addition, every applicant saves money.

There are three downsides to this: Scripps might have a slightly lower ranking, because average SAT scores are used. Of course, for agency reporting purposes the College can still collect the scores, but the mean is divided by .9.

It also ignores the fact that in our society, the SAT is still considered important, and is used to acquire scholarships and get

into clubs. In addition, this could be a disappointment to students who feel proud of their testing score and cannot report it as part of their application. In light of this, it might be easier for Scripps to make a more gradual transition in terms of the SAT and ACT requirement.

Switching to SAT optional This is by far the most common option that colleges take. Part of it is because it sits better politically, and is an easier policy to pass. However, it does offer benefits. The College Board stays content with the college because it is not opting out of their services altogether.

This is important, as historically the organization has gone to great lengths to keep customers, most famously in 2005 when the University of California system was about to opt out of the testing requirement.

In addition, this allows students who feel proud of their scores to have the choice to continue reporting them to their desired colleges.

Usually when colleges are SAT optional, they only offer this option to students who already have a high GPA and/or class rank.

This means that students who do not fulfill the exemption requirements still have a chance of admission by submitting their presumably amazing SAT and/or ACT scores.

continued on page 2

Inside This Issue:

Op-Ed: page 4

Economics Columnist Kara Odum ‘15 writes about the financial crisis

Features: page 7

Read about the Black & White Ball coming up next month!

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 386 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XVII | Issue Six

he Scripps Voice is excited to announce that we will be the first Claremont publication to incorporate video blogs (“vlogs”) and broadcast news into our regular content in print and online.

Led by our new video producer, Laurel Schwartz ‘15, we will feature regular vlog contributors and coverage of other news events. We are currently searching for regular vloggers and anyone interested in working with us on this new endeavor are welcome to apply. Application information can be found on our website.

We are also thrilled to announce that we will be submitting our publication to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for the upcoming school year. Submitting to CSPA will will solidify Scripps’ reputation as a competitive liberal arts college, and will showcase the work of all The Scripps Voice’s writers, photographers, editors, managers, and, now, video producers on a national level. The submission deadline comes in the summer, so we will have updates on that front more next fall.

As always, we continue to recruit new writers and photographers. We are frequently asked if we accept guest columns or articles; we are always open to articles, columns, letters-to-the-editor, photos, and artwork from anyone in the Scripps community.

While we do print anonymous pieces, we (the editors-in-chief) do need to know who the author is. We will keep anyone’s identity a secret in print, but the only way we can advocate for and stand behind our paper is if we can verify the content that goes into it.

Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions.

We accept staff contributor (writer, photographer, vlogger, etc.) applications from all 5Cs. As always, our website is voice. scrippscollege.edu, and we can be reached by email at scrippsvoice@gmail.com.

Athlete Spotlight: page 12 A look at the life of Cross Country runner Tarai Zemba ‘17

2 • News

Re-envisioning the SAT Admissions Requirement: A Beginner’s Guide continued from page 1

Alternatives to the SAT/ACT 1. SAT Subject Tests/ Advanced Placement (AP) exams Since this isn’t my favorite option, let’s get this one out of the way. Many counselors have suggested using the SAT subject tests or AP exams as a way to substitute the SAT. Research by Colby College shows that these exams are more indicative of knowledge and academic success than the SAT. Also, they tend to be aligned with school curricula, and in many cases are more rigorous than the SAT or ACT. (Currently Scripps College does not require SAT subject tests or AP exam scores.) However, there is a huge problem of access.

If students cannot afford or do not have the option of fee waivers, then switching to these tests is still exclusionary for them. AP exams are even more expensive than the SAT, at $89 each. In addition, there are no fee waivers available, only fee reductions to $40 per exam (with additional district subsidies sometimes available). In addition, these exams are not administered as often, and some schools choose not to engage with the academic structure of AP courses.

2. Class Rank First off, class rankings are numbers; what could be more objective than that? In all seriousness, class rank is a tool that can be used as a way for Scripps to distill the cream of the crop. Scripps already uses class rank in its favor, pulling most of its class from the top 10th percentile. It is effective in measuring capability because it puts applicants in their local context. Being the best student in your high school academically means a lot, no matter the school you came from; that is a fact. The admissions website brags that future Scripps students’ grades “rarely venture past the first letter of the alphabet.” Rank is a way of being able to quantify the value of those high GPAs, which can be supplemented by the rest of the admissions materials.

However, not every school ranks their students. In addition, there are some excellent students who, because of extenuating circumstances, could not achieve spectacular grades all the time. For this reason, the submission of class

rank (usually shown in school transcripts), like standardized tests, should always remain optional.

3. Portfolios, Graded essays, or tests Schools who go SAT optional usually ask their students to submit writing samples and/or math exams. These give the admissions team a chance to see for themselves the ability applicants possess in the way standardized tests claim to do. Scripps College already requires a writing sample from

Scripps already uses class rank in its favor, pulling most of its class from the top 10th percentile. It is effective in measuring capability because it puts applicants in their local context. Being the best student in your high school academically means a lot, no matter the school you came from; that is a fact. every student, in order to both gauge ability and place students in Writing 50. Therefore, Scripps could choose to require a math exam to those who do not submit scores (Everyone if there is no option to submit scores).

According to Inside Higher Ed, Lewis and Clark College has, since 1990, offered students the option to opt out of the SAT if they submit a portfolio of four of their best works from junior and senior year of high school. In this case (and most others), the stereotype that students who choose not to submit scores have low ones is not true. Instead, what the college sees is that students who do the portfolio option tend to be more motivated. It may not be a popular choice, but having that choice makes students satisfied, because they do not have to be represented with a test score.

Scripps has always been proud of its incoming classes.

Every summer, during the community meeting, the president shows a snapshot of the first-years and their amazing accomplishments. In an environment like this, there is plenty of room for creativity; where the SAT and ACT can still have a place, but not a mandatory one, and students can choose to submit an alternative, realistically something along the path of the portfolio, an escape from the fatigue of our culture of over testing.

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let the scripps voice be your voice What do you think about what our writers have to say? Have you thought of something that we forgot to mention? Do you just need to get something off of your chest?

If you have something to say about our paper, our college, or our world, we’d love to publish it!

Send your letters to the editors to scrippsvoice@gmail.com and we will publish your letters in the next issue!

NB: We can print anonymous pieces, but please do not submit them anonymously.

sas: eurotrash a big success

By Haley Godtfredsen ‘16 SAS 5C Events Chair

A

nother year, another Eurotrash. On November 9th, SAS held its largest 5C party of the year in the Sallie Tiernan Field House parking garage. Students dressed in “Eurotrash” attire and danced to DJ Frakture’s bumpin’ EDM music. SAS declared the three-hour party a success, with one of the highest attendances of all of the past Eurotrash events.

SAS prides itself in creating safe party atmospheres. This year we took extra steps to make Eurotrash a comfortable space for all by increasing the visibility inside the usually darker parking garage and by increasing the number of security personnel. Increased visibility also created more lit open areas where attendees could converse rather than only having dimly lit areas for dancing. We are pleased to report that there were no alcohol or drug related hospital transports, which frequently occur at events of this size.

Post-party, SAS discussed the meaning of the term Eurotrash. Some people have been left asking, “What is Eurotrash, how does one dress like that, and what does it mean?” There have been some confused students

We are pleased to report that there were no alcohol or drug related hospital transports, which frequently occur at events of this size. and several incidences of students in past years feeling uncomfortable with the theme. For those who don’t know, Eurotrash was originally associated with electric dance music (EDM), which was popular mostly in Europe. Over time, it migrated over to the United States and became

popular, so the party and style of music has lost its original association to Europe.

All of this considered, we are considering a name change for Eurotrash. This does not mean the end of dressing up in fun, neon, and crazy attire, or playing EDM at large parties.

Rather, in picking a different name we hope it will clear up any confusion about what the party and its implications are. We don’t want students to feel they might be offending someone else if they dress to fit the party theme. We have not come to any conclusions about this issue, but will encourage next year’s SAS representatives to consider it before they put on what would be Eurotrash next year.

SAS will continue to discuss how we can improve large 5C events. It is our goal to create environments that are safe, comfortable, and fun for all partygoers.

Be part of The Scripps Voice Now Hiring for the Spring 2014 semester

Interim Business Manager Vloggers Writers Photographers For more info or to apply go to voice.scrippscollege.edu/apply November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

Opinions and Editorials • 3

The Scripps Voice Editors-in-Chief Megan Petersen Aidan Harley Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Selene Hsu Jessica Lin Elena Pinsker Copy Editors Ashley Minnis-Lemley Star Schneider Alexandra Vallas Photo Editor Emily Morris Business Manager Lily Comba Webmaster Sophie Saouma Columnists and Staff Writers Lucy Altman-Newell Noor Asif Natalie Camrud Katie Girvan Nancy Herrera Stephanie Huang Kayon James Anissa Joonas Elizabeth Lee Meagan McIntyre Caroline Miller Caroline Nelson Kara Odum Bailee Pelham Staff Photographers Noor Asif Tianna Sheih Nicole Zwiener 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 voice. scrippscollege.edu.

The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

Popular Feminism and understanding other Types of Feminism

By Kayon James ‘16 Feminism Columnist

A

s the popularity of the term “feminist” has increased, so has the breadth of its definition. Figures such as the “sexy feminist,” “online feminist,” and “slacktivist feminists” have all made their debut within the past few decades. These archetypes have effectively dismantled many of the preexisting stereotypes while creating new systems of their own. As I echoed the voices of feminists before me in my past column, “Thoughts on White Feminism,” the feminist mission has been largely co-opted and dispersed by dominant realms of white, upper-class womanhood.

In expanding this idea, it should also be noted that feminism’s popularity is also due to the domestication and integration of the movement into neoliberal agendas.

Popular Feminism has become the new cause célèbre for any “politically conscious” woman of the 21st century.

As Sarita Srivastava (a feminist scholar based in Canada) writes, “the projection of benevolence is crucial both to national selfimage and to the white feminist political project.” The most recent forms of feminism are thus inextricably tied to the earliest forms of evangelical white womanhood, which was not only implemented via the fancies of upper-class white women, but their examples of “civilized others” as well.

Thus, I would like to emphasize that the “white feminist political project” is not endorsed by white women alone. Anyone who does not challenge the solipsism and biases that pervade the movement is complicit in their reiteration.

I would never dare to claim the term feminist if I did not actively work to expand my understanding of the simultaneous oppressions constantly shaping ALL women’s lives. As stated in the Zapatistas’ Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, “capitalism is based on the exploitation of workers” and the system “makes its wealth from plunder, or theft, because they take what they want from others, land, for example, and natural resources.

So capitalism is a system where the robbers are free and they are admired and used as examples.” And indeed, Popular

Feminism has declared that we must “lean in” and make positions of power within the capitalist structure our goals as “empowered women.”

Popular Feminism is intrinsically flawed even as members of marginalized communities work from its platform. My identity as a woman of color would not help to dismantle barriers of hegemonic feminism if I did not simultaneously address the ways in which a shortage of anti-racist discourse has harmed marginalized folk like me.

Thus, a new “culture” has been produced via Popular Feminism, and like most cultures, its intrinsic qualities remain unexamined by the majority of participants.

Instead of focusing on the institutions on the institutions that strip women of their agency and opportunities, we have become focused on “empowerment.”

But any progress acquired within the privileged circles of citizenship, national law, and economic projects will be based on the exploitation of non-citizens and members of the global south. Thus, we must dismantle these circles of class, nationalism, patriarchy, and capitalism as feminists.

Popular Feminism has only become such because it has been watered down and fed to us by globalizing imperial projects.

The type of feminism that is endorsed by hegemonic institutions will never address the intersections of oppressive institutions such as the nation-state, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, racism, the Prison Industrial Complex, and the Colonizer’s Educational Project (which we, as students, are participating in at this moment). Thus, we must make a critical decision as feminists: do we assimilate into neoliberal agendas to further the attractiveness of our movement, or do we move forward as a group consisting of individuals committed to social change and the dismantling of hierarchies?

Personally, I will quote Audre Lorde in making this open declaration: don’t tell me you’re a feminist if you are still trying to “use the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house.”

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

4 • Opinions and Editorials

What THE winners of the 2013 Nobel prize for economics HAVE TO TELL US

By Kara Odum ‘15 Economics Columnist

R

ecently, the Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Eugene Fama, Lars Hansen, and Robert Shiller. All three are Americans; Fama and Hansen are from the University of Chicago and Shiller from Yale. Their work and research has focused on the pricing of assets such as stock, bonds, and houses. Fama is best known for his research supporting the “efficient markets hypothesis,” which states that markets are good at incorporating all known information about the valuation of an asset. Shiller, on the other hand, is a proponent of applying human psychology to explain pricing from a behavioral economics angle. The award represents the joining of these two opposing theories to better explain market movements.

The debate between rational and irrational economic models is a very pertinent debate in the fallout of the 2008 recession and market crash, especially because neither seems to have the answer for everything.

I think there is a lot of room for growth in the syndication of these two fields of study, drawing on the strengths of each to better model world markets.

For example, in the book “The Big Short”

by Michael Lewis, he looks at the causes of the financial crisis in 2008 from both sides of the mortgage backed bonds market.

This particular point in economic history is interesting because it deals with many people who were behaving rationally, people who thought they were behaving rationally,

and people who were acting completely irrationally.

Those who were behaving rationally noticed that the market was behaving outside the norm and that there were as opportunity to make a lot of money by betting against the market. These people were using classic economic and financial techniques to identify trends in the market, such as fundamental analysis, quantitative analysis, and valuation modeling. The people who thought they were behaving rationally but weren’t were the people who created, packaged, and sold the worthless bond packages without really looking at them. They were trying to use quantitative methods but defaulted to emotions when the models weren’t working.

A good example of this is the Black Scholes equation, which is used to price assets and quantify risk, because it was used incorrectly.

During the period before the crisis, the market was behaving outside the bounds and not following the assumptions so when the equation was applied, it was applied incorrectly. However, the equation has been popular for about 30 to 40 years, so while it may have been rooted in quantitative methods, it still has to be evaluated and not taken on blind faith. Trouble happens when people think they are behaving rationally but are in fact just acting on emotions. This mix of people is why a balance of rational and irrational economics is called for with current economic issues.

Robert Shiller, Eugene Fama, and Lars Hansen were all recipients of the Nobel Prize for Economics. Photos courtsey of Business Insider, Zimbio, and Time Magazine

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

Food • 5

Holiday Recipes Cappuccino Cookies Courtesy of Nancy Petersen Mother of Megan Petersen ’15 Editor-in-Chief 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals 1 teaspoon water 1 egg 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate 3 tablespoons shortening Makes about 55.

In a heavy small saucepan heat and stir unsweetened chocolate till melted. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Meanwhile, stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large mixer bowl, beat 1/2 cup shortening and butter or margarine till butter is softened.

Add sugar and brown sugar and beat till fluffy. Stir coffee crystals into water till dissolved. Add coffee mixture, melted chocolate, and egg to butter mixture and beat well.

Add flour mixture and beat till well mixed. Cover and chill about 1 hour or till easy to handle. Shape into two, seveninch rolls. Wrap and chill for at least six hours or overnight.

Cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are firm and lightly browned. Remove and cool.

In a heavy small saucepan, heat chocolate pieces and 3 tablespoons shortening over low heat till melted, stirring occasionally. Dip one half of each cookie into chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper to cool till chocolate is set.

Cappuccino Cookies. Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Georgia Shortbread Cookies Courtesy of Sunnie Dickinson Grandmother of Aidan Harley ‘16 Editor-in-Chief 1 lb. of butter 1 cup of sugar 4 cups of sifted flour Pinch of salt 1 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon of vanilla Cream butter until soft. Add sugar and cream until fluffy. Add vanilla. Add pecans. Add flour

Pumpkin Flan Courtesy of Aidan Harley ‘16 Editor-in-Chief 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 4 large eggs 4 large egg yolks 2 cups heavy whipping cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Photo courtesy of Aidan Harley ‘16

in cup amounts. Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour. Make a ball about 3/4 inch and roll into the shape of a sausage. Bake in 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Watch carefully to make sure they do not burn, but be sure they are brown on the bottom, this is where part of the wonderful taste comes from.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water in small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides and swirling pan, about 12 min-

utes. Immediately pour caramel into 7- to 8-cup soufflé dish (7 1/2x3 1/2 inches), tilting and rotating dish to coat bottom and 2 inches up sides thickly. Place dish in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.

Whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, sugar, and spices in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs and yolks, then cream and vanilla. Pour custard into prepared dish. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come 1 1/2 inches up sides of dish.

Bake flan until deep brown on top and firmly set in center and blade of small sharp knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 2 hours 10 minutes.

Remove flan from water; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until very cold, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

6 • Features

Features • 7

a night of stars:

examining violence in“The Vanishing Race” at honnold

black & white ball 2013

By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Staff Writer

C Courtesy of Kat Attack Photography

Photo by Tianna Sheih ‘16

By Meagan McIntyre ‘17 Staff Writer

I

t is said works of art exist fully only when they are put on display. It’s the interaction of the piece with the viewer that solidifies it as art. Further, when a piece is deemed art, many times the artist is hailed for creating beauty, and, context, most of the time, is ignored. Do images, if beautiful, mask different types of violence behind them?

Exploring this concept, the Core I program brought in a gallery of photographs taken by Edward Curtis, depicting Native Americans in their ancestral states. He spent nearly 30 years traveling around the United States and finding tribes to photograph. The exhibit, which showcases nearly 100 of these photographs, is titled “The Vanishing Race.”

The process of bringing these unique and century-old photographs to Claremont was a strenuous one. The preparation included first securing the exhibition space. The

exhibit will be on view not only for this year, but also for the next two years in this Core I cycle.

Student workers prepped the photos, and professionals were required to come in and install the exhibition. Professor Ken Gonzales-Day, the Special Collections staff at Honnold/Mudd, as well as many others helped bring this interesting exhibit to Claremont.

With the subject matter of Core, regarding violence, it is hard to ignore the structural and symbolic violence that these pictures encapsulate. These images are frequently looked upon as photographs re-victimizing the victim. The disparity in power between the Native Americans and Edward Curtis was undoubtedly present during the time; however, the beauty that these images capture doesn’t necessarily need to be overlooked. “The fact that the images continue to be valued in so many American Indian communities suggests that

one should not be too quick to discard [this] project,” said Gonzales-Day. The gallery filled with sepia-toned pictures showcases many portraits and some “action” shots of Native Americans, many of which Curtis staged himself. He paid his models to don their traditional outfits and pose for a picture. Not only that, but he brought along with him various props that he would give to the Native Americans to put on.

Most notably, Curtis would take blankets on his travels and ask his models to wrap it around themselves. One of the most striking images is titled “Waihusiwa, A Zuni Kyaqimassi.” It displays a man named Kyaqimassi with a blanket wrapped his body as well as the bottom of his face. His mouth is completely concealed, as if indicating the audience his voice has been taken away from him.

Along with several other photographs with natives wearing blankets, Edward

Curtis also captured the tribes clothed in their traditional garments. Another stunning image titled “Oasis in the Badlands” depicts a native man seemingly dressed in traditional clothing, on a horse in the plain lands under a stormy sky.

Perhaps the most powerful image is “Vanishing Race-Navaho.” It pictures Native Americans on the backs of horses with packs, riding off into the distance. It symbolizes their being driven off their land and forced into an unknown future.

No matter if you feel the images revictimize the victims or simply capture a culture that was unjustly targeted, it is a great opportunity to go check out “The Vanishing Race” exhibit. It is important that we study these acts of violence in the past, and consider the impacts violence had on these people.

The exhibition is ongoing until December 6th, 2013 on the second floor of the Honnold Library.

laremont College students might be surprised to learn that the weekly parties most are familiar with (think TNC) are not the only ones out there. In fact, one can easily experience a completely different atmosphere than the norm of the typical college party; one good source of “alternative” parties is the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (CCBDC).

CCBDC hosts several weekly informal social dances, as well as three big parties each semester. Step it Up: Havana Nights, a Salsa-themed party which had more than 300 students in attendance, and the Masquerade Ball, the much-anticipated, annual Tango-themed party which raised money for the House of Ruth in downtown Claremont, had great success earlier in the semester.

The final big dance before Winter Break is the annual Black and White Ball, which will run from 7:00pm to 12:00am on the night of Friday, December 13th in Edmund’s Ballroom on Pomona’s campus. This event, like all other CCBDC dance parties, is free and open to the public. As such, it attracts people from all over the Claremont community.

The Black and White Ball will begin with an hour-long social waltz lesson so that beginners can get a feel for the style before the social dancing part of the evening begins and so that more advanced dancers can work on their technique and offer

Courtesy of Claremont Colleges Ballroom

assistance to newcomers.

This Ball also involves a large performance aspect. Says Etta Lannaccone ’14, CCBDC President, and Executive Planner for the Black and White Ball, “the Ball is our big performance opportunity for our dancers in the fall. Along with having performances from our Campus and Tour teams, we host a Dancing with the Claremont Stars event and have DJ-ed social dancing. Members of our team have spent the semester teaching a faculty or staff member of the 7C’s a dance and they are performing at Black and White Ball.”

The night will also feature a photo booth, a slideshow recap of CCBDC’s semester, Community Awards, a silent auction, and, of course, snacks and nonalcoholic drinks.

This formal and “classy” party is different from the “typical” 5C parties in that it is alcohol-free. In addition, those in attendance try hard to make sure everyone feels welcome and is enjoying learning new dances. Says Julius Torres-Kellinghusen, Major Events Planning Team Leader, “there is zero hook-up culture associated with our events.” Everyone is encouraged to attend the Black and White Ball on December 13th, experienced or not! “We like to get as many new dancers as possible at all of our events,” says Torres-Kellinghusen. “And at CCBDC events, you can never have a bad time.”

Courtesy of Andrew Hong

Courtesy of Claremont Colleges Ballroom

Courtesy of Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company

Photo by Tianna Sheih ‘16

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

8 • Arts and Entertainment

One Prison,

lots of sentences

By Caroline Nelson ‘16 TV Columnist

W

ell, here we are at the end of the first season of “Orange is the New Black,” a show that came out of the gate with a lot of energy and ambition and finished strong. I’ve got high hopes for the next set of installments coming out some time in 2014, though in an interesting move, Laura Prepon, the actress who plays Alex Vause, will be leaving the show after four episodes, which, considering the length of Alex’s sentence, doesn’t bode well for her character or her relationship with Piper. This will be disappointing to those who prefer that couple but gratifying to those who like Piper and her fiancé Larry — oh wait, that’s no one. Larry is the kind of person you wouldn’t necessarily mind if he came to your house party in real life; he has the all too rare self-awareness to admit that

he’s boring. But getting to know him too well, as one does in this show, helps make him tiresome. We don’t care about your masturbation experience, Larry.

Possibly he is there to provide an identifiable male presence for any men who might wish to watch the show, since the prison guards mainly run the gamut from questionable through shades of douchebag to downright evil.

Whereas Larry started out as the decent (if slightly jerky), boring fiancée, Piper has managed to become less of a hole in the middle of the show. Possibly this is due to her dialogue subtly shifting from lines out of Stuff White People Like to the conversation of the annoying yet endearing class knowit-all. A good example of this would be her unwanted explanation of a Robert Frost poem, which ended in two of her compatriots vowing to kill her eventually

and making it sound like an endearment.

Possibly this is due to her relationship with Alex.

Or possibly it’s the introduction of antagonists decidedly less sympathetic then she. Though a couple of commentators have expressed distaste for Piper’s nemesis Tiffany “Pensatucky” Doggett, I was impressed by the way that “Orange”’s writers were able to take a character who its target audience would naturally despise (a former meth head, pro life, homophobic evangelist) and making her human. One of my favorite scenes features Pornstache (with all the tact and grace you’d expect from someone named Pornstache) telling her “You must know that God wouldn’t choose someone as fucking stupid as you to be his emissary,” and from the look on her face its clear that somewhere in her heart she does know this and tries doubly hard to

proclaim herself as his representative.

I would like to end this by pointing out one of my favorite things about this show.

The group dynamic in many shows seems to divide along three lines: The Family, where the main characters are part of a group or a team and endlessly remind the audience that they are “family,” which can be heartwarming but is often tiresome; The Mafia, where the main characters allegedly form a unit and frequently murder each other; and The Water Cooler, where the characters are all interacting but don’t seem to like each other. “Orange is the New Black” occupies a refreshingly different space where none of the characters want to be there and they are deeply divided against each other, but form alliances and friendships and, in the end, a kind of community in a way that is a refreshing combination of honest but, at the same time, hopeful.

No Escape from “Melancholia”

keep calm and carry on

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Film Columnist

P

erhaps it’s the finally-darkening Southern California skies or the daunting season of finals and endless papers looming ahead, but I’ve decided that it is, at last, time to talk about “Melancholia.” The name alone is quite formidable, but the lyrical way the word rolls off the tongue is enough to draw you in and make you fall under its spell, for better or worse.

The 2011 film, written and directed by Lars von Trier, stars Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg as sisters Justine and Claire in the dark, yet strangely beautiful, world that is a manifestation of both Justine’s and the director’s own experience with depression. There is a story, but it’s not exactly the main focus of the film. It follows the impending threat of Melancholia, a little blue planet making its way towards Earth, as the characters are forced to helplessly count down the days until total extinction.

What makes the film so compelling is in how Von Trier’s apocalypse is unlike any other.

There is no ounce of hopeful optimism or even a frantic attempt to check off items on a bucket list. There is utter calmness in the inevitability of both the movie’s destructive forces—Melancholia on Earth and Justine’s deep and poisonous depression on everyone around her, especially her sister. It is made clear from the opening that there is no escaping either, focusing the attention away from the excitement of a “will they or won’t they survive” plotline to a hypnotically serene darkness as we simply observe the destruction unfold.

The film is actually a much more sensory experience than anything else. Despite the utterly heavy dreariness of the story, you can’t help but be drawn in by the overall feeling of it. It’s incredibly immersive on the big screen, on which I was lucky enough to have been

able to see it. And once the film ended, there was a deafening silence as everyone in the audience remained still in the dark room for a full five minutes, processing what they’d just seen and taking the much needed time to pull themselves out of the world of the movie. I was alarmed, and yet not entirely surprised, to realize that my mother, who rarely feels she has the time or patience to see anything more than once, went back to the theatre not once but twice more to reenter the “Melancholia” experience.

The visuals, especially those of the introductory sequence, though they later become in a sense realized during the main course of the film, are mesmerizing. Much like the David Michalek “Figure Studies” currently on display at the Pomona College Museum of Art, they move slowly, to the extent that at first glance you can’t really tell that they are even moving. Still, they move enough that you can’t help but become completely focused on them. All of a sudden a simple image becomes captivatingly beautiful and unreal. A stunning bride, determined to move forward while suspended at an angle, rips free of the suffocating tendrils that coil desperately around her limbs. A daunting yet stunning blue planet edges ever nearer to ours. Meanwhile, a score that moves fluidly from ambient music to the grandiose theme of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” overcomes all external sound and somehow becomes an almost physical sensation.

It is a film unlike many others—all at once dark and beautiful, both terrifyingly serene and irresistible, and simultaneously real and unreal. The “Melancholia” experience is completely immersive if also strangely abstract, as you realize the true meaning of the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On.” While I don’t recommend watching it three times in a row, once is definitely worthwhile.

“Melancholia” is available on Netflix Instant Streaming.

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

Arts and Culture • 9

pomona art museum

Photos by Tianna Sheih ‘16 and Nicole Zwiener ‘16

Brutality & Beauty in “Flowers of War” Trigger Warning: discussion of sexual assault and violence

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Design Editor

I

have been debating for a while now whether I actually wanted to discuss this particular film in my column. Since my primary goal in this section is to present thought-out suggestions rather than review films as they are released, I try to select ones I think can be enjoyed and accessed by many. “The Flowers of War” (2011) is one of the most powerful films I have seen, and although I am someone who normally enjoys watching favorite movies on a constant rotation, I am unlikely to ever watch it again. This is a forewarning of the film’s unflinchingly brutal depictions of the Rape of Nanking during the Second SinoJapanese War, but for those who are willing and able to brave through the darkness it is, despite some moments of less-than-perfect dialogue, an emotional experience that will not easily leave you.

The film, directed/produced by the critically acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, was selected as China’s

official entry for the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film Category as well as nominated for a Golden Globe; however, it did receive very mixed reviews among critics.

Christian Bale stars in his second depiction of the 1937 Japanese invasion of China, the first time being his breakout performance at the age of 12 in Steven Spielberg’s “Empire of the Sun” (1987)—also a great film. I am quite an admirer of Bale’s work, but it could be said that his presence in “Flowers” somewhat overpowered the story, as well as the film’s predominately newcomer cast, and at times seemed more like a means of attracting international recognition. That said, he gave an admittedly compelling performance as John Miller, a rather crass and uncaring American mortician who, upon getting caught up in a foreign war, proves that the unexpected, ordinary man has the potential to be a hero.

As the Chinese army is forced to fall back, Miller, hired to take care of a recently deceased priest, takes refuge with a group of convent schoolgirls and the young boy looking after them in a cathedral. They

are then joined by a group of prostitutes also seeking safety, whom the girls regard with great disdain. All brought together, the worthless fool who doesn’t belong, the sinfully beautiful, and the virtuous embodiments of innocence struggle to survive the horrors of war.

It becomes a story about redefining honor and heroism, for there is more than one kind of hero that is realized as everyone struggles and makes great sacrifices to ensure the protection and ultimate escape of the young convent girls. There’s the last remaining Chinese soldier watching over the cathedral, the perceived temptresses already bound for hell, and the unfeeling foreigner who makes his living off of death.

In a time and place of total destruction and unbearable violence, innocence and pure beauty are still valued above all and by all, even a Japanese colonel, who weeps at the sound of young voices singing. It’s about how some things in life, like war, have the ability to bring out both the absolute ugliest and most beautiful aspects of human nature.

By the time I had finished watching the film my emotional response had become a physical one. I felt almost sick from all the violence, not just the visualization of it but the tangible noise I could feel moving through my body. But the tragic and unconventional beauty of these characters and their struggles to preserve goodness and innocence through such despairing darkness profoundly moved me. It’s a darkness no one should ever have to live through, but it is someone’s, in fact many someones’, reality. And if this is what some people are actually forced to endure, then shouldn’t I, as someone lucky enough to happen to be in my sheltered circumstances, at least be able to spend two hours watching it on a screen, two hours of facing what I could pretend doesn’t exist because it’s not my reality, two hours of concentrating solely on how much I care that it is someone’s reality?

I can’t change the fact that it is, but I can at least recognize it and remember to make the most of the life I am lucky enough to have, to make sure there is enough beauty in the world to balance out its brutality.

February 6, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Seven

Arts and Entertainment • 9

Raising Necklines & lowering Hemlines

By Stephanie Huang ‘16 Fashion Columnist

T

hough this particular runway trend has not necessarily trickled down to chain-stores such as Forever 21 and the like, the onset of rising necklines and lowering hemlines has pervaded the fashion industry with a steady presence, invading the closets of bloggers, editors, models, and designers alike. So, here we are, saying hello to patent leather midi skirts and neoprene structured turtlenecks.

I understand that there is a certain initial confusion regarding these new silhouettes, causing some to question the appeal in clothing items that do not necessarily flatter one’s figure.

Why, some of my friends ask, would any woman want to bisect her calves at their widest, or look essentially neckless? While these are all very valid questions, with tact and balance in proportion, these new lengths and shapes are undeniably refreshing, intriguing, and surprisingly, flattering, Pairing midi skirts with crop tops or turtlenecks with mini skirts make for dynamic duos that reveal tasteful and artful proportions, reflecting an attention to dressing as an art rather than merely as a way to accentuate one’s assets.

While at first look these changing necklines and hemlines seem to be a step towards a more conservative taste, the fact that these silhouettes have been completely reinvented in new fabrics and new shapes for the 21st century establishes that they are completely modern, especially when paired with separates that balance out proportions.

For once, I hope this is a trend that does become massproduced, because it would indicate an increased interest in fashion as art rather than clothes as consumption — a difference that many continually make the mistake of confusing.

{ Follow Stephanie’s World-Famous fashion blog “High Stiched Voice” http://highstitchedvoice. blogspot.com/

{ Photos courtesy of (clockwise) Tuula Vintage, Zara, and Tumblr.

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

10 • Student Life

Inclusive

language and

Mental Illness

By Aidan Harley ‘16 Editor-in-Chief In my mental health editorial last issue, I talked a bit about my experience as a person with mental illness in the 5C community. I got wonderful responses from my fellow classmates, with the main question being what they could do to help. They understood and empathized with the lack of resources, but really wanted to know what they could feasibly do to help create a community that was supportive and accepting of people with mental health issues. So, I thought that I could outline language that gets tossed around about mental health, and address both actual definitions of words and words or usages that are considered insensitive or outdated. Most of these terms encourage the dichotomy of “normal” people and mentally ill people, trivialize the suffering of people with mental illness, and/or imply lack of autonomy or control on the part of the mentally ill person. This is problematic not only because it shames people with mental illness, but also because these discourses and the language used to advance them are what lead to the medical and psychological abuse and criminalization of mentally ill people for centuries. I encourage readers to inform themselves about these words and analyze their intent when they have used this words in the past. Perhaps it can be illuminating for some.

Crazy: While I am not personally an advocate for the complete abolition of the word “crazy,” I do think that the word gets tossed around often to describe people, which really offensive. Harris O’Malley’s piece on The Huffington Post, “On Labeling Women ‘Crazy’” astutely pointed out the misogynist agenda behind calling women crazy as one that wants to dismiss women’s feelings and perpetuate the idea

that women are incapable of rationality.

While this is a great point, I would take it a step further and assert that the word “crazy” can in many instances be used to infantilize and delegitimize the actions, opinions, and behaviors of people with mental illness. When someone usually uses the word “crazy” to describe something, the thing they are describing is supposed to be so far from the norm that it is not taken seriously or not considered a real option.

“Crazy” is used to create a divide between those with mental illness and those without it, and assumes that those without it are more capable and rational that those with it. It is true that people with mental illness tend to have different needs than those without mental illness. But by labeling people with mental illness as “crazy,” it perpetuates the association of mental illness with incapability and volatility, and reduces people to their diagnosis, instead of considering all aspects of their personality.

I personally like to refer to myself as “crazy” in jest to lighten my discussions with my therapists and doctors or family.

But I would be offended if others called me “crazy,” even in a joking way. If you hear someone around you with mental illness using the word “crazy,” ask what their preference is, and err on the side of not using it. This also goes for words like “insane,” “loopy,” “mental,” “mad,” and other synonyms.

Bipolar/Manic-Depression: This mental illness that is characterized by periods of mania and periods of depression.

Because these mood periods are far more pronounced than everyday changes in mood for most people, they are called poles, and because there are two poles, the disorder is called bipolar. This disorder used to be called manic depression, and people with this disorder were called manic depressives.

However, “manic depression” sometimes has negative and other stigmatizing connotations, so many people with bipolar disorder prefer the term “bipolar disorder.”

The word “bipolar” has been co-opted by many who misunderstand bipolar disorder. I often hear “bipolar” used to describe flakey people who change their minds often, the weather, or themselves when they have everyday changes in mood. These are not correct uses of the term and are, a lot of the time, really insensitive. People with bipolar disorder don’t change their opinions or perceptions at the drop of a hat. Their moods are subject to change, yes, but their dependability or rationality doesn’t change with their moods. To use “bipolar” in this way implies that people with bipolar disorder aren’t reliable or invalidates their opinions, seeing as the thinking is that their opinions are just going to change in a few minutes. This misusage contributes to both trivializing the very real suffering of those with bipolar disorder and to disregarding the autonomy and opinions of those with bipolar disorder.

Mania/Maniac: A maniac is a person who is undergoing a period of mania. The word maniac is firstly problematic because it reduces a person with mental illness to one of their symptoms, which is both dehumanizing and ignores all other aspects of their personalities. Mania is a symptom of some mental illnesses, particularly bipolar disorder, though many people are unaware of its meaning. When someone is in a state of mania, they are in a state opposite of depression. Their mood is elevated to abnormally high levels, and causes behaviors that are not normal for said person. While everyone gets “hyper” or excited once in a while, for people with bipolar disorder in particular, episodes of mania are states where said person has

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

breaks with reality, including hallucinations, racing thoughts, delusions of grandeur, or little to no sleep. Mania is a symptom, not a description of a person. Additionally, the word “maniac” is associated with terms or phrases like “homicidal maniac” or “driving like a maniac.” Indeed it can be scary for people who experience mania and those who care about them to go through or witness them go through an episode of mania, it is wrong to think that people in manic episodes are so volatile that they would commit murder at random or have road rage more than the average person.

These negative associations with this word also overlap with a lot of associations about the word hysteria, and when many people think of the word “mania,” they would use hysteria to describe it, which again is not an accurate description.

Hysteria/hysterical: We can, right off the bat, discuss the misogynic origins of the word hysteria, which comes from the Greek word for “uterus.” The word was used in the 19th century as a medical term to describe any symptoms a woman had that questioned or challenged male authority.

High sex drive, depression, contrariness, etc. were all symptoms of “hysteria,” a uniquely female disease (which consequently lead to the invention of the vibrator, so at least we got something worthwhile out of the whole thing). Because of this previous — and misguided ­— use of “hysteria,” people often still associate the word “hysteria” with mania or mental illness in general, which is troubling. This word has an incredibly infantilizing history and connotation, so for it to be used in any way to describe any time of mental illness is not only wrong, but the trivialization of the symptoms of mental illness(es) has lead to the criminalization and abuse of people with mental illness, simply for being mentally ill.

Student Life • 11

claremont confessions the pros and cons of unlimited anonymity

By Ashley Achee ‘16 Staff Writer

T

here’s a strange rush that comes from confessing anonymously on an internet forum. As I hit the “enter” button on SurveyMonkey, I suddenly feel a surge of power.

Ah yes, I have just shared a secret with 1,000 strangers! Excellent! I lie in wait for a few days in the hope that my confession will get more “likes” than the one below it.

Those of you who read Claremont Confessions (CC) regularly know that someone has been stealing my tamales (not kidding). While I’m pretty irritated with this, I am almost more frustrated by the anonymous apology I received.

I will never get an in-person apology from the tamale thief or reimbursement for the $10 of food that I lost. I appreciate that the person came forward eventually, but I really don’t think they would have if CC hadn’t been available to them. The anonymity determined their choice, not their sense of right versus wrong.

I’ll confess something here: I enjoy Claremont Confessions, but I think it can be an abuse of power. When people have the ability to say anything they want without consequence, it’s easy

to say hurtful things. I can’t tell you how many flame wars or political debates I have seen, and they almost always end with one person being ganged up upon.

While I admit to being a spectator (sometimes with a little popcorn) to these arguments, I’ve also seen Claremont Confession be a forum to insult people’s beliefs.

Claremont Confessions does a good job of adding trigger warnings and refusing to publish the names of specific people, but it’s impossible to censor harmful ideas.

I’ve seen a lot of sexist, racist, and homophobic confessions make their way onto the page. While the confessors may not actually subscribe to these beliefs (I hope not, certainly), an anonymous forum is the perfect place to say these harmful things. By hiding behind a veil of anonymity, it is possible to say anything without fear of consequence (other than a few nasty comments). When people have this power, I think it’s human nature to try to push the boundaries — say something a little risky — but the line has been crossed on multiple occasions.

Without quoting specific confessions, I’ll say that I’ve seen

people make incredibly derogatory posts towards feminists, especially in the past week or so. In addition, there seems to be a theme of making really hurtful confessions about the Asian population in Claremont, which is unacceptable on every level.

I don’t have a problem with CC continuing to exist. I think it’s a great resource for people who are struggling with personal or emotional problems, and, I’ll admit, it’s a fun source of intrigue.

However, a lot of inappropriate things have been posted recently that call into question whether or not unlimited anonymity should be given to college students who are likely to abuse it. I’ll say this: think before you post! (Also, think before you take someone else’s tamales, but that’s a different discussion.) You never know who you could hurt or what damage you could do to the people on the receiving end of your confession.

Be mindful of those around you!

And be mindful of yourself! If you think you may be racist, sexist, or homophobic, reach out to talk to a friend or club, not a Facebook page! You deserve to have a real conversation about your beliefs.

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six

12 • Student Life

Athlete Spotlight: Tarai Zemba ‘17,

Cross Country Adventurer

By Natalie Camrud ’17 Staff Writer After a successful season, with both men and women ranking 1st at the SCIAC Cross Country Championships, Scripps freshman Tarai Zemba reflects on her first year on the CMS cross country team.

Q A

. When did you first start doing cross country/ running? . The summer before my freshmen year of high school. My school had an athletic requirement and contact sports were really not my thing so I decided to train for the XC team.

Q A

What made you want to continue cross country in college?

I really wanted to challenge myself, and I thought it would be a great way to meet people as a freshmen. Running culture is also just great, it’s nice to have people around you who you can vent to about how hard your run was or why you felt like crap or why your eight-hard-mile run was the best thing in the world.

Q A

Do you get along with your teammates?

Have y’all bonded a bunch?

OH MY GOD YES MY TEAMMATES ARE THE MOST AWESOME HUMAN BEINGS EVER THEY ARE SO SUPPORTIVE AND WONDERFUL AND FRIENDLY AND HILARIOUS AND WEIRD AND I LOVE THEM WITH ALL OF MY HEART. They are also very speedy. The team is very close-knit, which I think is what makes it so successful. Everyone genuinely wants everyone else to have a good race, which I love, as opposed to my experiences in high school where there was a LOT of team competitiveness and everyone secretly (sometimes not so secretly) wanted everyone else on the team to fail so they could be the star.

Q A

Do you get addicted to running? Is it like a love-hate relationship?

Totally!! It makes you feel so wonderful.

Endorphins obviously play a big part in that. It also makes you feel very accomplished. Like even if I’ve gotten no schoolwork done today, at least I did those five miles! The pain obviously plays into that love-hate relationship, but ultimately it makes you feel that much prouder when you’re finished.

Q

You took a gap year! Tell me a little bit about it. Did you run while you were taking your gap year?

The CMS cross country team had a fantastic season this year and it is understandable why when looking at their individual team members. Adventurous CMS runner, Tarai Zemba ‘17, took a gap year traveling and running around the world before arriving at Scripps. Photo courtesy of Tarai Zemba ‘17.

A

Yes! Running while I was abroad was the one aspect of consistency that I could maintain while moving from place to place every weekend. It gave me a sense of comfort and stability. It was also a great way to explore an area.

Q A

Any funny/interesting stories about running or cross country?

I’ve gotten lost A LOT running, which can be super scary and exciting at the same time. When I first arrived in China during my gap year program, my friend and I got lost running around the city for about an hour and could not ask anyone for directions or read any signs because everything was in Chinese, which neither of us spoke. In Ecuador, when I was living with an indigenous tribe among a cacao/ plantain farm, I would go for runs along a dirt path and have to pass these really scary guard dogs that would chase after you and bark very ferociously. They were honestly

the most terrifying things ever. I would sprint by every house that had dogs, which I guess in retrospect was a good way to push my pace/training, but I would always say a little prayer rounding the corner to a house known to have guard dogs, praying that they would be inside so they could not bother me. One day a dog bit my thigh and drew blood. It was obviously painful and I let out a shriek, but the people who lived in this community were quite passive, and just watched from their backyard, and didn’t ask me if I was ok or anything. So I ran home and got really worried I was going to contract rabies. Running alone in India was a bit scary, as was running alone in South Africa.

Q A

Do you think you’ll continue running cross country in the future? Why or why not?

Strictly speaking about the team, I’m not really sure at this point. On the

one hand, I’m in love with the team and have made some amazing friendships because of it. I love the challenge of the workouts and being pushed and supported by my teammates. We also go on some really incredibly beautiful runs up in the mountains early in the morning, watching the sunrise. Those are amazing, the best way to start the day. However, college athletics is definitely a huge time commitment, and although I will always continue running and want to maintain the friendships that I have made with people on the team, I may want to keep my time open so that I can explore other clubs on campus, because the Claremont colleges offer so much to its students and I want to take advantage of as many opportunities as I can. Plus 5:55 a.m. practices are really awful.

November 21, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Six