October 3, 2013
voice.scrippscollege.edu
The Scripps Voice
Scripps reacts to selfdesigned major changes By Megan Petersen ‘15 Editor-in-Chief
T
hree weeks ago, a majority of Scripps College’s faculty voted in favor of measures that change the process for students wanting to self-design a major or minor, despite protest from a number of students and professors. The changes, proposed last spring by the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC), made the petitioning process for creating selfdesigned programs much more difficult. For example, petitioning students must now obtain signatures from each professor whose class will count for the major and from two professors willing to be thesis readers. Students with self-designed majors also no longer have the option to write honors theses. Professor Rita Roberts, chair of the FEC last year, said that the changes were proposed to respond “to long-standing faculty concerns about the coherence and rigor of the self-design major” and “to make it more consistent with the requirements of other college majors.” Though these measures garnered broad FEC and faculty support, some students and professors are frustrated by the changes. “In theory [the changes] are good ideas,” said Meg Roy ’14, a creative writing major focusing in fiction. “In practice, it’s absolutely absurd.” Creative writing minor Anjali Gupta ’15 concurs: “The proposed changes seem, on the surface, as though they were intended to clarify the process for self-designing a major. However, in practice, these changes would make it almost impossible for students to self-design,” she said. “The changes create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for anyone looking to self-design a major.” Gupta, along with a number of other students seeking to self-design majors and minors, created an online petition last spring protesting the changes. Over 400 students, alumnae, and parents signed. Echoing the concerns outlined in the petition, Gupta pointed out that the provision requiring students to include thesis readers in their proposal “does not take into the account that the focus of the major could change,” since students usually petition as sophomores but don’t write their thesis until senior year. Gupta also called the provision that would require students to get individual professors’
signatures in order to include their class in breadth of study and focus requirements. Roy also said that for her senior thesis, their petition “impractical.” “It’s often difficult to know what will be which she describes as a magical realism offered next semester, let alone in the next novel for young women, she’s often few years,” she said. “Moreover, students writing at least five to seven pages a who self-design work closely with their week—much more, she says, than many advisor to ensure the requirements are met, of her classmates. “To say the least, I would not be and it should not be up to the professors to decide if their class counts towards the where I am today without my major,” said Annie Dreshfield ’13, who selfmajor or not.” Students also feel they were excluded designed a major in Creative Writing for from a process that will govern their futures Contemporary Media, hoping to launch a at Scripps. “It is a shame the committee career writing for the technology industry. has decided to disregard student wishes “Throughout my time at Scripps, my regarding self-designed majors, especially major turned heads, made employers after the flow of support from the student take a second look at my resume, got body, parents, and alumnae for last spring’s me internships, and eventually led me petition,” said Elisabeth Pfeiffer ’15, a to my full-time job where I am today,” creative writing major. “I think that students continued Dreshfield. “I was hand-picked should have been more included in the by my CEO for the Communications team at a start-up because of my writing meetings that led to these decisions.” Scripps Associated Students (SAS) background, in a role that is the perfect President Marta Bean ’14 signed last year’s blend of Public Relations, Marketing, and petition, but now, knowing more about the Communications. ...I don’t think I would changes, feels that they are for the best. “All have been considered for this position at Scripps students should be able to tailor their all if I had majored in English or Fiction education to what they are truly passionate Writing,” she said. Writing Professor Kimberly Drake in,” she said, “and these new measures also help this work logistically.” She added oversees all of those writing petitions, and she feels that, for that the new changes writing students, “ensure that even “In theory [the changes] the changes make t h o s e w h o d o n ’t chose a conventional are good ideas. In practice, self-designing a major incredibly major and decide to it’s absolutely absurd.” onerous. She design their own are pointed out, in not missing out on the - Meg Roy ‘14 particular, that rigorous academics students often that makes Scripps students ready to handle all types of have to submit writing samples to take certain writing courses, so the provision challenges upon graduation.” However, many writing majors and requiring students to obtain signatures minors, a group that composes the majority from faculty beforehand may prove of petitions to the Committee of Academic difficult. Additionally, according to Drake, Review (CAR) each year, feel strongly that “factors other than whether the course fits this is not the case. Roy, a senior whose self-designed major the major (such as the individual faculty was approved two years ago, said that, member’s personal views of the proposed because so many writing students petition major, of the student’s college, or of the each year, there was a strong precedent bureaucracy involved in the proposal) will already set for her when she decided to influence her/his decision about signing apply. “I took [a senior’s] petition and used the form, and the student will now be it as a template: similar class lists, similar caught up in those political tensions. “This does not seem to me to be application,” she said. “It was very easy [and] an appropriate use of anyone’s time or approved almost immediately.” The ease with which it was approved, energy, nor does it seem to be in the spirit though, could be deceiving. Just like any of Scripps College,” said Drake. Among those interviewed, however, other ‘official’ major, Roy’s creative writing major has a number of classes to fulfill there seemed to be varying definitions
continued on page 4
Inside This Issue:
Features: page 6
Fashion columnist Stephanie Huang responds to Buzzfeed.
Student Life: page 11
5C Library commemorates the history of banned books.
1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 386 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XVII | Issue Three
SAS class reps
Announce, recap Class events By Anna Cechony ‘17 Jennie Xu ‘16 Mikayla Raymond ‘15 Emma Brillhart ‘14 Orianna La Villa ‘14 SAS Class Representatives First Years: On Oct. 8, right before our first CORE paper is due on the Oct. 11, we will be having a No Core Allowed study break! Come to the Student Union from 8-10 for snacks, time with your friends, and fun games! If you have any suggestions for events please feel free to email ACechony5033@ scrippscollege.edu. I am looking forward to a great year with all of you ladies! Sophomores: On Oct. 1, the entire sophomore class was invited to the first ever “Sophomore Dessert Mix and Mingle” at the Revelle House. Guests were seated by tables to encourage new friendships and to provide an atmosphere where it was acceptable to make introductions to fellow classmates that they may not have met. This was the joint effort of Jennie Xu, Sophomore Class Representative, and Marta Bean, SAS President, as part of a collaboration between the executive board and programming board of SAS. Thank you to President Lori BettisonVarga, Claire Bridge, and all of the Malott Catering staff that helped make this event a success! Juniors: Our Class of 2015 grad speaker search is underway! The first meeting of the grad speaker committee will be held Sunday, Oct. 6 at noon in the student union. This will not be a large time commitment, and your help would be very much appreciated! If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to email Mikayla Raymond at mraymond0230@scrippscollege. edu. We have a very exciting panel discussion on the horizon. For all of you who are interested in all of the amazing fellowships and grants that Scripps has to offer, but are looking for more of student perspective, the Class of 2015 will be hosting a Fellowship Panel Friday, November 1st at 12. Be on the
continued on page 2
Op-Ed: page 5
Elizabeth Lee reviews “Lars and the Real Girl.”
2 • News
divestment club’s day of action By Natalie Camrud ‘17 Staff Writer
O
n Sat., Sept. 21, the Claremont Colleges Divestment Team participated in 350. org’s national “Draw the Line” day of action against the Keystone XL pipeline. They joined thousands of people across the United States who took part in the protests to show President Obama their aversion to the pipeline and to try and make him prevent the expansion of it. The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would add 1,700 miles to the already existing Keystone pipeline and would stretch from Alaska down to the gulf coast. The pipeline would carry tar sands oil, which is considered to be one of the dirtiest fossil fuels. If built, the pipeline will go through six US states and cross major rivers such as the Yellowstone and the Missouri Rivers, as well as fresh water drinking sources. Tar sands oil is highly corrosive and therefore the possibility of a spill is very likely. If there were a spill then drinking water for 2 million Americans would be contaminated, as well as large rivers and natural areas. In addition, tar sands oil sinks rather than
floats, which makes cleanup more difficult and more costly. There have been protests across the country against the pipeline on a large scale; over 1,500 people have already been arrested for peaceful protests and in Feb. 40,000 people went to Washington to march against the pipeline. The Day of Action on Sept. 21 was another national protest, and the Claremont Divestment Team showed their solidarity against the pipeline by creating a “pipeline” out of yarn that stretched across all the 5C’s, to show the enormity of the pipeline, and then marched across the campuses while wearing black t-shirts. By taking part in a larger, national movement, the students on the team showed that the Claremont Colleges are against an environmental disaster like the Keystone XL pipeline. Protests like this show the president that many Americans feel unified regarding this issue, which will contribute to his decision concerning the pipeline. His decision, and the decisions of other politicians like the president will determine not only our future, but also that of coming generations.
The Claremont Colleges Divestment Team participated in the Keystone XL Pipeline “Draw the Line” day of action Sept. 21. Their protest was part of a national movement. Photos by Aidan Harley ‘16.
SAS class reps continued from page 1
look out for many more fun events to come later this semester! Senior: The senior co-representatives have already had their first event of the year, a very successful back-to-school
Anna Cechony First year class rep
event for the senior class. Currently, they are planning a cocktail hour at one of the restaurants in the village, and have started a fundraising campaign to help pay for the various traditional spring events, like
champagne brunch and the class Vegas trip. They have also begun to set dates and plan their budget for events in the spring, since the end of the year has a tendency to get pretty busy.
They’re looking forward to spending a final year with their senior class, and they hope to make this upcoming academic year the best year at Scripps yet for the class of 2014!
Mikayla Raymond & Allegra Breedlove Junior class reps
Emma Brillhart & Orianna La Villa Senior class reps
Jennie Xu Sophomore class rep
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
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 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.
SHould We
still
Be Worried
About the
FED? Photo courtsey of The Federal Reserve
By Kara Odum ‘15 Economics Columnist
O
ver the summer, the Federal Reserve, commonly called the Fed, indicated that they were preparing to scale back their quantitative easing measures as the economy was starting to look stronger. The Fed is in charge of determining monetary policy in the United States to maintain a robust economy. For the past few years they have been trying to lessen the severity of the recession by printing more money to buy bonds, which helped keep interest rates near zero. The Great Recession, which began in the U.S. in December 2007 and lasted through 2009, was started by a speculative bubble in real estate exacerbated by systematic mishandling of risky mortgage-backed bonds. Financial institutions were on the forefront of the collapse and subsequently were the first affected. The fall of Lehman Brothers sparked major panic in the financial world, forcing the Fed to step in by purchasing the nowdefunct assets from the remaining financial institutions to keep them solvent. Soon after the near-collapse of major investment banks, more lasting effects hit the rest of the country. Throughout the recession unemployment rates have been consistently high, foreclosure rates have gone up, the housing market has steadily declined, and the federal debt level has continued to climb. To combat the latest recession, the Fed implemented an unprecedented expenditures program called quantitative easing (QE) that goes further than standard monetary policy. Usually, if the Fed is trying to give the economy a boost, it will decide to purchase bonds in order to increase demand. This in turn increases prices for the bond, thereby lowering their yield. This type of expansionary policy works to keep interest rates low or near zero to promote economic growth. This time, the Fed went further by buying other types of financial assets, not just bonds, from commercial banks. The hope is that with additional funds available, banks will lend out more money so people can start a business or buy a home. The initial loans create a domino effect: the people with the loans will go out and spend it
in some form, giving those vendors more money to spend at other locations, which will hopefully keep the cycle going. This process is why the Fed has continued its aggressive expansionary strategy for so long. However, the economy has shown signs of improving recently, and so the Fed has suggested that they might start tapering future quantitative easing. People in favor of ceasing the program argue that quantitative easing has been a useless expenditure, since the banks have not been loaning out more money than before as a result of future financial uncertainty. Also, there are fears that long-term inflation rates could be higher if quantitative easing continues. On the other side of the argument, quantitative easing has given the economy space to recover by ensuring that banks are capable of loaning out money and by increasing the nation’s money supply. The Fed’s actions have helped restore faith in the banking sector because even though they are not perfect, the banks won’t default any time soon. However, this past week the Fed announced that they would put off tapering quantitative easing, on the grounds that while the economy is getting stronger, there is still some concern about its recovery. Financial markets reacted positively at first since, for now, interest rates will remain low, but this reversal has others concerned about increased volatility in the market. They are right to be worried. Anytime the Fed makes an announcement, markets respond almost immediately — as shown in stock market drops and slowdowns in investing due to uncertainty — so it’s troubling to have the Fed backtrack on its decisions in a relatively short amount of time. While quantitative easing cannot go on indefinitely, the Fed needs to set a clear timeline for its plans instead of going back and forth on this issue.
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
4 • Opinions and Editorials
Emotional detoxing:
Scripps React
my summer
to Self-designed
major
Changes Continued from page 1 of what was in the “spirit” of Scripps College. Roy said that there were many reasons why she chose to attend Scripps, but, since she intended to major in creative writing from the beginning, sought information from Scripps regarding her plan. She ultimately chose Scripps “because I always knew [selfdesigning] was a possibility. “I’ve never held the illusion that Scripps was a perfect school,” she said. “But I still think I made the right choice.” Pfeiffer, for whom the option to selfdesign a writing major was a big part of her decision to attend Scripps, felt otherwise. “These changes will certainly make Scripps look unattractive to prospective students, as one of their biggest selling points was the ability and easiness of designing one’s own major,” said Pfeiffer. She pointed to several recent Scripps publications, including its “30 under 30” article spotlighting alumnae, which featured several former students who had self-designed majors in their fields. “One of the things that attracted me to Scripps so much was the option to selfdesign—to have an interdisciplinary, not cookie-cutter education,” said one student, who preferred not to be named because CAR is still reviewing her petition. “My hope is that that continues to be true.” Despite some students’ perceptions prior to attending Scripps, Laura Stratton, Scripps’
director of admission, said that self-designed majors are not something actively advertised by the admissions office. “We do get occasional questions about the options while we are traveling or conducting information sessions,” she said. “When I am asked about self-designing a major, I advise a prospective
“One of the things that attracted me to Scripps so much was the option to self-design—to have an interdisciplinary, not cookie-cutter education,” said one student. ...“My hope is that that continues to be true. student that it is an option at Scripps.” But what does this all mean? Roy recalls when she first heard about the changes—she was abroad and received a panicked message from a friend on campus. “I was skeptical then and am skeptical now
about whether students can do anything about it,” she said. “This disappoints me more than I want it to.” Stephanie Huang ’16, a poetry minor, concurred. “It saddens me that it is getting more and more difficult to design your own major or minor, especially because interdisciplinary studies are at the heart of Scripps’ education ideals,” said Huang. Though she never planned on pursuing a poetry minor prior to attending Scripps, she conceded that her classmates may have felt differently. “I think a lot of Scripps students partly come to Scripps because they are attracted by Scripps’ interdisciplinary studies,” she said. “While I know that the new implementations ensure that the self-designed major/minor is thoroughly planned out, I hope it doesn’t discourage students from pursuing what they truly want to do.” The student who preferred not to be mentioned said she’s not sure what she’ll do if CAR doesn’t approve her petition. She’s running out of time to declare (and complete) a different major and graduate on time. “What confuses me is, why are they limiting us?” she said. “[Self-designing] is not detrimental to the college, is it?”
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
as a Blanket burrito By Kay James ’16 Feminism Columnist
T
he summer after my first-year at Scripps served as an “emotional detox”. I didn’t complete a super awesome internship or travel the world, but the time I spent in my Blanket Burrito was long overdue. Cozied up in front of the newest episodes of “Bad Girls Club,” I felt something I hadn’t in a very long time: peace. When I arrived at Scripps last fall, I dove headfirst into a variety of clubs, activities, and social groups. My perception of myself and others around me rapidly changed as I considered subjects like race, class, and queerness. I began to view the Claremont Colleges as a “safe space” for me to explore my identities. Halfway through the year, however, I found myself growing restless. As an institution, Scripps College (as well as the other 5Cs) serves as a filter of sorts. For the most part, only students with certain grades and (oftentimes expensive) “extracurricular activities” can enter our sparkling bubble of intellectual curiosity and academic innovation. As a working-class woman of color, I felt this deeply. This realization colored my perspective of nearly every social gathering and discussion I participated in. A question always echoed in my mind: “Whose voices are missing—right here, right now?” I began to feel more and more alone, and questioned whether or not anyone could truly relate to all the things I experienced prior to entering the Cloistered Claremont Colleges. One day, while emotionally exhausted, I found the answer: No, no one would ever relate to me fully; and especially not at the 5Cs. There would never be a “safe space” where I could entirely let my guard down; but there were safer spaces. By the end of the year, I realized that analyzing my identity would be an ongoing and extremely personal process. It is impossible to find all the answers to life in one place, let alone one that has as many admission requirements as the Claremont Colleges. I needed that time to go back home and spend time with family and friends who had backgrounds similar to mine. While watching “Bad Girls Club,” I willingly forgot about all the academic jargon I learned and focused on the women themselves. Although my identity analysis is a continual process, I realized over the summer that not everything needs to be a mental exercise where I break down every single “problematic” element of the things I witness. If I truly called out every single problematic aspect of my life (systemic oppressions included) I would permanently remain in my Blanket Burrito, a sobbing mess. To quote the Combahee River Collective (a collective of Black feminists formed in 1974), “combatting the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face” is a daily struggle that is incredibly exhausting and impacts each individual in unique ways. Personally, my way of “emotionally detoxing” from the struggle involved watching “Bad Girls Club: Miami” and stalking the cast members’ tweets. Most of them were women of color, but did I spend every second “problematizing” their portrayals in the media? No, and I realized that, personally, I needed that time to just watch women who look like me do things I like doing while not caring about what dominant members of society have to say about it. After all, how often do I get the chance to see that on TV?
Opinions and Editorials • 5
‘Lars and the Real Girl’ gets
r-e-a-l
Lars Lindstrom, played by actor Ryan Gosling, right, creates a relationship with a mail-ordered sex doll he named Bianca as a means for him to socially connect with others in his community. The story also follows Lars’ loving family and friends as they deal with Lars’ unusual relationship.
By Elizabeth Lee ‘16 Film Columnist
may actually be one of his greatest, most underrated roles—and yet it is a movie that remains, for the most part, unseen. ars Lindstrom is the quiet, isolated man Much like Lars’s brother Gus and sister-inliving in his brother’s garage. He’s socially law Karin, played by Paul Schneider and Emily inept but sweet, in a quirky sort of way, and Mortimer respectively, it is easy to feel very very sensitive. Despite the best efforts of his unsure of what to make of the introduction pregnant sister-in-law and friendly coworkers of a sex doll into what has up until this point to coax him out for family meals and fun seemed a relatively normal, straightforward outings, Lars keeps to himself, venturing out story about a sympathetically lonely outsider. only for Sunday morning church services. It All of a sudden we have no idea who this is not until a special visitor Lars meets over man is—a sex-obsessed creep, a crazy person the Internet comes to town that he begins suffering from a mental breakdown? to overcome his fear of intimacy and engage When Karin and Gus suggest to Lars that with the rest of the they take Bianca in to community. see the family doctor Bianca is a and psychologist known “Craig Gillespie’s ‘Lars Brazilian/Danish Dagmar (Patricia and the Real Girl’ (2007) as missionary who Clarkson), they ask undeniably steers itself also happens to be the doctor for help in a wheelchair-bound, addressing the delusions into a very strange and but not entirely from which Lars appears daring direction. But it lifeless, sex doll to be suffering. “Go along whom Lars introduces with it,” she replies quite does so without ever as his girlfriend. simply, explaining that becoming entirely weird Bianca is a way for Lars Craig Gillespie’s ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ or in anyway repulsive.” to address some other (2007) undeniably underlying issues he steers itself into a must have. Thus begins very strange and daring direction. But it Bianca’s and consequently Lars’s initiation does so without ever becoming entirely into the small, conservative town community weird or in any way repulsive. The sincerity that somewhat slowly, but deliberately, opens and gentle care with which the story and its its arms to both of them. characters are treated makes this film funny, “There’s no such thing as silence with without ever victimizing its protagonist, her,” Gosling says of his leading lady Bianca and emotional, without ever being cutely in a DVD extra interview, “Even when she’s sentimental. In this way it is very reminiscent not saying anything she’s communicating of Jimmy Stewart’s 1950 film “Harvey”, in everything.” And it’s true that, though she which a pleasant man by the name of Elwood never says a word or moves a muscle, Bianca P. Dowd, along with his invisible, 6 foot 3.5 is far from lifeless. As she becomes more and inch rabbit companion Harvey, convinces more of an accepted part of the town life she the people around him that they may even becomes a way of healing not only Lars’ but be crazier than he. It boasts an Academy everyone else’s aching need for open-minded Award-nominated script by Nancy Oliver acceptance and compassion. and a Golden Globe-nominated performance ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ is now available on by Ryan Gosling—yes, Ryan Gosling in what Netflix Instant Streaming.
L
Photos courtsey of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Lars and 2007 the Real Girl
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
6 • Features
Features • 7
Reviewed: episode 1 of “orange is the new black”
GABBY GIFFORDS
episode’s female focus lacks luster at first By Caroline Nelson ‘16 TV Columnist
W
ith a series of unglamorous extreme close-ups set to a typically soulful Regina Spektor song, “Orange is the New Black” announces its intentions even before the beginning of its first scene. This is not going to be an exploitation piece nor a dreary exercise in documentary style realism but a look into the lives of a collection of women at a particular place at a particular time. In this and other respects, “Orange is the New Black” is a good example of one of the reasons that television is eclipsing film in terms of cultural significance and artistic merit. Television, with its significantly longer runtime and ability to feature large casts of characters, can offer its viewers a panoramic view of society. The prison in this series can be seen as a microcosm of contemporary female experience. Female experience is the key phrase here, since this show is a rarity in a lineup dominated by violent antiheros and obnoxious geniuses. Shows that are centered around women are usually teen dramas or sitcoms which often give the impression that the lives of those who lack a Y chromosome primarily revolve around boyfriends, backstabbing, and of course various articles of clothing. I don’t know about you ladies, but I can only relate to that last one. “Orange is the New Black,” on the other hand, manages to make men peripheral. They skulk around the outside of the narrative as family members, love interests, and the guards who harass, lust after, and condescend to the women at the center. At the very center of things is Piper Chapman, a young woman with a good education but without much common sense whose periphery involvement with a drug ring landed her in jail. The creators
Piper Chapman (left), played by Taylor Schilling, is the featured character in the first episode of “Orange is the New Black.” Although a female-focused episode is refreshing, the episode falls short. Photo courtesy of Netflix
of this show have described Piper as a “Trojan horse,” a privileged white girl who allows them to tell the stories of the other characters, mostly women of color. The problem with this is that while watching the show you can tell that the writers don’t think their protagonist is that interesting. It is difficult to point out exactly what is off about her since she isn’t a badlywritten or flat character.
Possibly it is the way her experiences seem to be self consciously labeled as “white people problems” or possibly it’s that Taylor Schilling’s performance is perfectly adequate. All I know is that after watching the show’s pilot I was interested but ambivalent, and it wasn’t until the second installment, which focused on Kate Mulgrew’s character, Galina “Red” Reznikov, that I was really hooked.
buzz off, buzzfeed!
The Scripps Voice’s Caroline Nelson will be covering the entire season of “Orange is the New Black” in her regular TV Column. Stephanie huang responds to buzzfeed’s article
By Stephanie Huang ‘16 Fashion Columnist
Scripps alumna Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords ‘93 became the third recipient of the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal on Sat. Sept. 21, 2013, joining Hillary Clinton and Sandra Day O’Connor in those honored by the school. Photo by Aidan Harley ‘16.
T
his week, I am responding to a fashion article on BuzzFeed titled “Why the Era of Personal Style Blogs Must Come to an End.” Personal style blogging is a form of fashion blogging in which bloggers showcase their own style on a photo blog. This is where it starts to get sticky: I am a personal style blogger, so obviously it’s somewhat obligatory for me to defend the role of personal style bloggers, or the past two years of my blogging would have been essentially pointless. So, here is my response to BuzzFeed’s claim that “People who want lasting careers in fashion media won’t find it by simply inviting the world to ogle their clothes.” Writer Amy Odell calls personal style blogging “shameless preening.” Posting photos of oneself does seem a bit narcissistic, but it also happens to be the most convenient way to share your style by snapping what you’re wearing on the day you’re wearing it. Odell reduces this blog form to “photos of one person wearing clothes.” She seems to see top personal style bloggers as undeserving of the fame and credit that they have acquired. Yet despite her disdain for personal style bloggers, Odell makes some vital points about the increasingly “fierce competition” among the fashion industry, and the possibility for personal style bloggers to lose their footing among the hierarchy if they don’t introduce any variety other than photos of themselves to the mix. In response to this, I say: yes, fashion blogs have become incredibly monotonous, and it would be refreshing to see something new on blogs as well as creative efforts
By Megan Petersen ‘15 Editor-in-Chief
F
Photos courtsey of High-Stitched Voice
placed elsewhere. I, too, admit that my own blog lacks the variety of content and photography that it would have in an ideal world with more time. It is true that there are a smattering of bloggers who are trying to become professional full-time bloggers, relying on blogging as their primary source of income and aspiring to make the annual half million that the crème de la crème of the blogosphere make, like Chiara of The Blonde Salad. As for these bloggers, I do agree with Odell that the bar must be raised higher for them to stand out and make something of themselves. Such bloggers should also reexamine their true motives in blogging—is
it a means to get to an end, or are they enjoying the process itself? Odell misses a step in assuming that all bloggers are operating with career-seeking ambition. I, like many bloggers, am a fulltime student, and have a life other than fashion blogging. Fashion blogging is not my career, and I have never intended to let my future career stem from the roots of my blog. Odell’s entire article rests on the premise that personal style bloggers are trying to make something of themselves in the fashion world, but she neglects to embrace the fact that some people just blog because they love it, because they want to. There is so much love in the blogosphere
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
and the community it encompasses, and blogging allows for people to share their sense of style as a means of expressing themselves. By overlooking these reasons for blogging, Odell creates and projects an extremely cynical representation of personal style bloggers, and portrays them as nothing more than grubby people who are simply in it for the collaborations, the fame, the career, and the money. But there’s more to blogging than that; it is a pastime, a passion, an escape, and a refuge — so why does it matter if these bloggers don’t have a lasting career in fashion? Who ever said they wanted to?
ormer House Representative Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords ’93 accepted Scripps College’s prestigious Ellen Browning Scripps Medal Sept. 21 at a ceremony at Bridges Auditorium. Before an audience of students, professors, alumnae, and other guests, Giffords was honored by speeches and tributes from trustees, the president of Scripps College, the president of Scripps’ student government, and her husband. Several standing ovations and much praise from these dignitaries notwithstanding, Giffords’ own remarks were short. “Hello, Scripps College!” she said, standing at the podium, beaming as the audience applauded her for over a minute. She thanked the community for inviting and honoring her, and said that while “it’s been a long, hard haul” she was “getting better” thanks to therapy “and yoga too.” “But my spirit’s stronger than ever! I’m still fighting to make the world a better place,” she said, at which the audience broke into applause for the third time since she took the podium. “Be passionate, courageous. Be your best!” Though Giffords herself was high-spirited through the whole ceremony, it was emotional for many in the audience. “I cried,” said Lauren Prince ’14 afterwards. “It was just wonderful to be in her presence. She’s such an inspiration to humanity.” Giffords’ inspiration was evident in the speeches given by others in her honor, and in the awarding of the medal itself. Lynne
Oshita Brickner ’74, the chair of the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal Selection Committee, said that Giffords’ accomplishments were like that of Scripps College’s Founder, journalist and philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps: that Giffords had made “a significant and positive difference in women’s lives, enabling all women to live confidently, courageously, and hopefully.” Scripps College President Lori BettisonVarga also likened Giffords to Ms. Scripps, noting that Giffords is “a woman who in every sense shares the passion of our founder: for creating opportunities for women, bettering society, and advancing humanity.” As a public servant, Bettison-Varga said, Giffords “has served as a role model with a distinguished reputation as a molder of consensus” and a serious thinker about the biggest problems concerning humanity today. Added Bettison-Varga, “In three words, she is a woman of confidence, courage and hope.” Trustee Carolyn Revelle, the great-grandniece of the founder, known to her simply as “mother’s Aunt Ellen,” also delivered remarks and personally placed the medal around Giffords’ neck. She said that Ms. Scripps had created a family legacy of “commitment to women’s education,” a commitment she learned she shared with Giffords after meeting her at a Democratic National Convention. Revelle addressed Giffords, “Your confidence and courage inspire us all.” While almost all of the speakers referred to Giffords as embodying this Scripps mantra, Marta Bean ’14, president of the Scripps
Associated Students (SAS), said that Giffords is also a role model and “a leader whom we can look up to as an inspiration for how to live our lives and serve others.” Most importantly, she added, Giffords “make[s] us all proud to be Scripps women.” Accompanying Giffords to the event at Scripps College was her husband, Mark Kelly. Kelly offered some remarks, saying that he was honored to accompany her to the ceremony, and that his wife reminds him “every day to deny the acceptance of failure.” Kelly mentioned his and Giffords’ current work as leader of the advocacy organization and political action committee she and Kelly founded, Americans for Responsible Solutions. After the tragedy at Sandy Hook last year, Kelly said, “Gabby said what many Americans said: ‘Enough.’” Since then, Giffords, a gun-owner herself, has been “standing up for millions of people who have long been shut out of our nation’s debate about guns” and representing “a huge majority of Americans who believe in common sense solutions…that will keep us safer while protecting the rights of responsible people who own guns.” Kelly said that their organization is now “500,000 members strong” and, in Giffords, has “a heck of a leader at its helm.” He continued, “Gabby has the courage and she has the voice that this movement needs. I can tell you, that’s not always easy. But Gabby is as fearless as she’s ever been. Like a true Scripps alum, she is tough, she is brilliant, and most importantly, she is not afraid of a good challenge.”
Kelly also shared some anecdotes from Giffords’ time at Scripps. He said that, aside from her coursework in Latin American studies and Sociology, Giffords played the French horn and raced motorcycles at the Ontario track. “She didn’t actually do both of those things at the same time,” he joked. Kelly said that her experiences as a student there “helped her become the pioneering woman she is today. ...She loved being here. She loved everything about this place,” he continued. “At Scripps, she learned to follow her heart, to listen, and to stand up for what she thought was right. Gabby also embraced the Scripps ethos that each of you know well, and that’s to support the women around her and to see the value of the contributions that they have in society.” He added. “For her, support of other women is not only principle. It’s practical.” “She’s a good person to have been honored,” said Neha Vaingankar ’16. “She’s very gracious.” Added Aida Villarreal-Licona ’16, who is from Giffords’ Arizona district and attended the same high school as Giffords, “I knew of her before the tragedy and everyone [in the district] loved her and what she did. It’s nice to be in a community where people still appreciate her.” The medal’s selection committee included trustees, professors, alumnae and current students Rachael Grate ’15 and Jennifer Anne Smith ’16. Giffords is the third recipient of the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal. Previous recipients were Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sandra Day O’Connor.
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
8 • Features
the new core curriculum:
violence is everywhere
From Michel Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish to “Color of Violence: the incite! anthology:” Scripps College’s faculty recently updated its Core I curriculum. The new focus, violence, was introduced this year. Photo by Noor Asif ‘16.
By Noor Asif ‘16 Staff Writer
C
ore, that infamous yet utterly essential part of the Scripps College curriculum, was the reason for first year all-nighters and frustrated tears, as well as a foundation for our intellectual growth. As a sophomore, I can say that Core opened my mind to myriad ways of understanding human nature and potential. At the same time however, the readings could be very dense and the prompts for the papers were often beyond comprehension. The week a paper was due ushered in a period of sweatpants, oily hair, and dark shadows under eyes strained from the harsh lighting of laptop screens at three in the morning. The whole class rejoiced as soon as the papers were turned in and Sakai had closed its drop box. At the end of the day, I have no doubt that Core, although it was challenging, really did teach us to read critically and share intellectual discourses. It seems like the general Core curriculum has not changed significantly from last year. The workload is about the same, and the intellectual exploration is still central to the course. However, the theme and the readings have been altered and I have to say, I am a little bit jealous of the first years. Their “Histories of the Present” curriculum focuses on violence, in contrast to the previous core’s concentration on human nature. The focus on violence is mostly in terms of institutionalized violence, including micro-aggression and the way that violence has been embedded in our society. The first years recently concluded their unit on discipline and punishment with Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison”. In this unit, they discussed how society is permeated with institutionalized violence. To supplement Foucault, they also read “A Thief’s Journal”, a novel about a
homosexual deserter who lives on the fringes of society as the abject. His story describes his affairs with men as a prostitute and how he looks at society from the outside. In this way it seems as though the core curriculum is moving in a more liberal direction and has changed from last year. By contrast, in my first year, we read “History of Sexuality” by Foucault and discussed institutions and the control they have over us as they construct fears and labels within us. We also read various philosophical texts about human nature by authors such as Hobbes and Rousseau. One drawback of these texts, however, is that they are old and very generalized—while the ideas are still relevant, it can be difficult to reconcile them with modern events. But now, Core seems to be shifting into more modern and progressive issues. This year they will read in their second unit about women’s bodies, how they have been subjected to brutality, and how they have become a battleground for many debates. One of the debates that the curriculum focuses on is abortion, which they will explore through the reading of “Fetal Positions” by Karen Newman. The book argues that women and the fetuses they carry are separate entities. Later on in the semester the first years will read texts about the Trayvon Martin trial and other current events. In general, the Core curriculum still retains its philosophical roots. However, the issues it focuses on are more specific and relevant than the ones I encountered in my first year. Additionally, it seems as though they are reading more literature to supplement the philosophical theory portions of the syllabus. As far as the writing assignments go, the first-years have to write a précis first, two papers, and a series of blog posts throughout
the semester. This is different from Core last year, which only required three papers to be written. However, these papers were already enough to cause panic amongst the students. Further, the texts have a tendency to be dense. According to Nina Posner ’17, a majority of her peers had trouble adjusting to the density of the readings, as well as the amount of reading in general. However, the lectures the professors have given so far are extremely helpful in revealing the deeper meanings hidden in the texts.
For the most part, the first years find Core to be difficult and dense, yet they perceive the subject matter to be intriguing. “The purpose of the course is to give you an introduction into the critical thinking one encounters in a college level classroom and it fulfills that, as well as with pertinent issues,” said Posner. The discussion of these issues and ideas is what give Core its importance and value, distinguishing it from other classes and making the readings and discourses all the more worthwhile.
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Three
Arts and Entertainment • 9
Scripps’ Sam Haynes serves as interim director, student advocate By Megan Petersen ’15 Editor-in-Chief
S
am Haynes has a new plan for the big, empty wall in his office in SARLO. After a long day meeting with parents and students regarding on-campus housing, Haynes explained, he returned to his office in DOS to find a banner covered in kind words of appreciation and gratitude on his door. “The RAs made it for me,” he said. “It brought tears to my eyes.” Advising Scripps’ RAs is just one of Haynes’ several new responsibilities as Scripps’ interim director of residential life. Haynes, who arrived at Scripps College in 2011 after working for several different institutions in their student affairs offices over the course of twenty years, is no stranger to a heavy workload. At Drew University in Madison, N.J., he was the assistant dean of campus life and student affairs, overseeing several student life departments. Haynes also worked at Amherst College in Amherst, Mass., for a number of years as the associate dean of students and director of student activities, the same position he has held at Scripps before serving as an interim director of res life this year. This meant more responsibilities for Haynes. He now commutes between his office in the Student Activities and Residential Life Office (SARLO) and his office in Dean of Students (DOS). In addition to advising this publication, Scripps Associated Students (SAS), and the Scripps Store, as well as planning and supervising the New Student Program (NSP), New Student Orientation (NSO), and the Peer Mentors, Haynes now oversees the RAs and hall directors and works
to make sure that all Scripps students have a place to live. That aspect of the job—finding the housing that all Scripps students are guaranteed—has proved the most challenging. “I had to ask 12 students on the waitlist to live off campus this fall,” Haynes lamented. After placing Scripps’ largest incoming class into housing— even though 75 percent of those students are living in triples, he said—there just wasn’t enough room to give everyone on-campus housing. “I was very unhappy about that.” Now, he said, the big challenge is finding places for everyone coming back from abroad in the spring. “None of this sounds like much Photo courtesy of Matt Hutaff
“Our housing process is frought with anxiety,” he said. “We have a system that could stand to be reviewed and/or updated. I am personally investigating [other] options.” - Sam Haynes, Interim Director
fun for me,” he laughed. “But it’s all to meet people’s needs.” That personal investment in students manifests in ways other than finding beds for people. “Our housing process is frought with anxiety,” he said. “We have a system that could stand to be reviewed and/or updated. I am personally investigating [other] options.” Though he knows he is also an administrator, Haynes asserted that he is and always has been a student advocate. “We had an incredibly hot fall, and I was made very aware of students’ concerns about it,” he said. “In particular, Kimberly was an oven.”
While he acknowledges that putting air conditioning in Kimbo is neither budgeted nor prioritized right now (the Humanities renovation and a new dorm understandably take priority), he still feels the problem shouldn’t go unacknowledged. “It would be irresponsible for me not to express these concerns,” he said. Haynes will also be participating in training to become a Title IX investigator, and his office has worked hard to better incorporate training and initiatives to help survivors of sexual assault have the resources they need on campus. “There’s been increased activity on the part of our administration to be trained and also to educate students,” he said. These changes are partly to ensure that the college adheres with new Title IX provisions, but they are also in response to student concerns with the college’s policies and practices.
All of this might sound like a lot of work to a fainter soul, but Haynes’ ever-cheerful demeanor never seems to falter. “I really love working with students, and Scripps students in particular,” he said. “Scripps students’ drive to be leaders, to make things happen for their community. They always excite and motivate me.” The banner the RAs made to surprise him, a physical representation of that motivation, will soon be up in his office in SARLO. “Stuff like that really confirm and reaffirm my work,” he said. Though a search for a new director will soon be underway—a process, Haynes said, which will involve lots of student input— Haynes didn’t say he felt too taxed with all of this work. “Right now, I still love doing what I do,” he said. “I’ve done 20 years, and, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve got 20 years to go.”
scripps’ first year perspective— thus far By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Staff Writer
B
y the time my family’s overstuffed car began its long, seven-odd-hour crawl from my hometown in Northern California to sunny, sweltering Claremont, I had done so much research on and spent so much time thinking about Scripps that I’d passed the point of feeling like I had a good idea of what my life would be like for the next four years and found myself again in complete uncertainty as to what the hell was about to happen. As an only child with friends my age or younger, I had very few people to talk with about college life. But honestly? It wouldn’t have mattered. I hadn’t—and I don’t think I could have—imagined what it’s really like to be at Scripps. And I mean that in all the best ways. I was told that Scripps was a place where extremely smart, motivated, accomplished, accepting, and driven women come to make a difference. (While I thought that sounded cool, I was unwilling to see it as much more than fancy admissions rhetoric. I now recognize the truth in it.) What I was
not told is that this is a place full of people who, in my admittedly limited experience as a new Scripps student, seem to go out of their way to avoid bragging. It’s interesting to me that people here undermine themselves outside of the classroom, taking a “no big deal” or “I’m really not that great” attitude, yet introduce brilliant points in Core or in random conversations. I think that this lack of pretentiousness and competitiveness (except, of course, in cases of competing with oneself) has made it much easier to settle in and feel very much at home here. Whether it’s having a worldview-altering discussion in Core or watching “Shakespeare in Love” while dramatically shouting out lines in exaggerated English accents, hanging out with Scrippsies is the best. One thing that I had no idea about was just how accepting Scripps is. The whole idea of personal gender pronouns was completely foreign to me, yet how I address someone is now almost always a conscious choice—I even caught myself freezing up over calling my boyfriend a guy, even though obviously, he is. The huge array of PGPs has definitely made me rethink cultural norms in terms of gender and labelling. And that is critical.
Another surprise: the academics! To be honest, I was a bit cocky coming in, a bit too sure of myself. That naïve confidence has now been completely shaken up, but I’m grateful for that; it’s forced me to grow. Scripps pushes students, but in fun and interesting ways, which keeps things—at least so far—from getting too overwhelming (most of the time). Also, the ideas are just so interesting. It’s refreshing to get away from the high school mentality of memorizing facts, and to come to a place where the WHY is what matters—where application for positive change and growth is important. I never really believed that classes would completely shake up and rebuild my world view, but that’s exactly what’s happening. Pretty impressive. Also, can we just talk about how much goes on here, and how much trust is put into the students? At my old high school, there is absolutely no way that students would be allowed to don bikinis and speedos and go tackle a mountain, but On the Loose does it every year. Never would students be given complete control of their own clubs and organizations, and rarely were we ever spoken to as adults. The change is dramatic,
and I love it! Long story short, the beginning of my first year experience at Scripps has been awesome. I love it here. The people are profound yet personable. The academics are arduous yet awesome. Exciting extracurriculars can be found everywhere in almost any area. Sure, there have definitely been unpleasantriesbut that’s to be expected; you can’t go to a world-class school without expecting to have the occasional breakdown or realization that sleep just isn’t gonna happen as much as you’d like it to. And to be honest, even these things are much better than they were in high school—both in my experience, and in the experiences of many other Scripps first-years who I’ve talked to. Of course, the lack of air conditioning and the numerous ant invasions were absolutely atrocious. It sucked. So much. But hey, the ants are now gone, and cooler weather is here! Life at Scripps College is much more than I could ever have realized without experiencing it, and coming here has, so far, been one of the best choices—if not the best choice—of my life. We’re a pretty awesome group, people. Yay, Scripps!
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVIII • Issue Three
10 • Student Life
P-O-P-p-i-n-g your
Cherry
By Anonymous Sex Columnist
P
ainful sex does not have to be a thing. People with vaginas have been told literally since the beginning of forever that their first encounter with penetrative sex will include blood, pain, and the popping of their “cherry.” This myth is so old, it is truly is marvelous that it (and variations of it) continue to be taken as truth. It has been repackaged in various, era-appropriate language, and justified with flawed logic posing as medical fact. I am here to tell you that the idea that penetrative sex is painful and that your hymen will be broken by first-time penetration is a lie. I am probably not the first one to tell you this, as many sex educators have been shouting this idea from the rooftops for years, but I am here to drive the point home that painful sex is not a thing that one should have to endure (unless you are into that sort of thing). And if I am the first one to tell you this, then listen up! You’ve got some patriarchal indoctrination to unlearn. Let’s start out with a common idea of what a sexual debut is like. People with vaginas are told, among other things, that their first time having their vagina penetrated will be painful, that they will bleed, that their hymen will be broken or perforated by the penetrating object, and that they will be especially “tight,” and that this will be desirable. This image is considered “normal” or “okay,” and young vagina-possessors many times approach the idea of their sexual debut with mixed feelings of excitement and fear. The idea that your partner’s pleasure must come at the price of you experiencing pain and bleeding is not healthy nor is it conducive to a healthy sexual relationship.* You do not have to expect or endure a sexual debut that is painful. You do not have to expect or endure a sexual debut that causes you to bleed or your “cherry” to “pop.” Here is why. Your hymen is a much more complicated piece of female anatomy than most people characterize it to be. While there are a small, small portion of the population that are born with hymens that are completely closed (imperforate hymens), the large majority of vagina owners have hymens that are flexible and more than able to accommodate objects of penetration. Hymens come in all different shapes and sizes and, for the most part, have already stretched to varying degrees by the time one decides to have penetrative sex. The crucial thing to remember that vaginas do not “pop” when they make their penetrative debut and vagina-possessors should not be in pain during penetrative sex if they have been properly warmed up and have communicated with their partner(s). It does not matter if it is one’s first time; ALL vagina-possessors who have no other medical complications are capable of having pain-free penetrative sex. That being said, even if it is not your first time engaging in penetrative sex, vagina-possessors do not have to put up with pain either. For me, and for many of my friends, painful, uncomfortable, and unpleasurable penetrative sex was something that we put up with often. Despite the fact that I pride myself on being an assertive person, there was something about patriarchal notions of female sacrifice in the bedroom that was hard for me to shake. I encourage every vagina-possessor (that does not have underlying medical conditions) to look at painful penetrative sex as a problem with logistics that can be solved through communication, foreplay, or lube (or a combination of all three); it is not a fate they must subject themselves to as a vagina-possessor nor is it a sacrifice they must make for their partner’s pleasure. There are many contributing factors to why penetration can be painful for a vagina-possessor. Anxiety, poor communication, not enough foreplay, the wrong kind of foreplay, not enough lubrication,
long fingernails, mismatched penetrative object/vagina length, or the wrong position can all contribute to painful penetration. I encourage all partners to be clear to each other about what feels good AND what doesn’t feel good. Foreplay is essential to pleasurable penetration. Experiment with yourself and with your partner(s) to see what feels good. A fundamental part of foreplay is asking for enough time and attention to be properly warmed up before penetration. Not only does the right amount of time allow for vaginas to lubricate themselves for comfortable penetration, but it also lengthens the vagina and allows the cervix to sit higher up than it usually does. This ensures that there will be no cervix-bumping during penetration, which is a very painful and dangerous side effect of insufficient foreplay. If you find that even after adequate foreplay you are still in pain, there are two solutions. Sometimes vaginas will not produce enough natural lubricant to accommodate penetrating objects, which can happen even with adequate foreplay. If there is not enough lubrication, lube is always a good way to go. In general, you should already be using lube if you are wearing condoms. But if you and your partner are not, lube is a great way to solve lack of lubrication or to add to the lubrication the vagina is already producing on its own. If, after foreplay, vagina-possessors still find their cervix being bumped by their partner’s penetrative object, the size and length of the penetrative object should be changed. Some vagina-possessors simply have shorter vaginas, or their partners have extra long penetrative objects. In some cases, where the penetrative object’s size can be changed, in the case of fingers, dildos, strap-ons, vibrators, etc. it would be worth it to consider using a shorter alternative. In the case of a penis, different positions can control how deep the penis penetrates, therefore alleviating the cervix bumping. Spooning and spooning variations are more shallow positions, while cowgirl and its variations allow the vagina-possessor to be in control of the depth of penetration. The key to all of these solutions is talking openly and honestly to your partner(s) about what works for you and what feels good. A thing to keep in mind is that there are few differences between a vagina-possessor who has had penetrative sex before and one who has not. The discourse we, as a society, have engaged in forever has been one that emphasizes the value of a vaginapossessor who has not had their vagina penetrated. This idea reinforces the importance of men and their ability to own and claim women. While the sensation of penetration may be new to some vagina-possessors who have yet had their sexual debut, and some hymens have not been stretched as much as others, there is certainly not a visual difference between vaginas that have been penetrated and vaginas that have not. Kegel muscle tone is behind the “tightness” of a vagina, not penetration status. Tightness is also a sign that the vagina is not properly aroused, not a sign that your partner(s) is properly attending to your foreplay needs. While many have heard this spiel before, it is important enough to say again, and important to emphasize that even vagina-possessors who consider themselves pros at penetrative sex can run into times when penetrative sex is painful. Pain is not a sign of penetrative sex inexperience. Pain is not something that vagina-possessors have to endure. Pain is a sign that there is something amiss, and if it cannot be solved by adjusting the variables I mentioned above, please, please, please go to your doctor and ask for help. Sex should be fun and should make you feel good. I encourage everyone to take charge of their pleasure, and sometimes that means addressing why there is none.
*I am in no way saying that pain and sex are never supposed to interact. For some, pain and sex go hand in hand, especially in BDSM communities. However, there is a big difference between submitting consensually to having pain inflicted on you because it gives you pleasure, and enduring painful penetration because one has internalized patriarchal notions that female pleasure should not exist. Photo courtesy of Denver Post
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
celebrating
Student Life • 11
books
By Katie Girvan ‘16 Staff Writer
T
he Honnold/Mudd Library is hosting Banned Books Week. However, instead of being only a week long, the event is being held for the entire month of September. Promoted by the library’s Outreach Community, the event aims to share a variety of banned books to students ranging from those published in 475 to those published recently. To add to the fun, the library is even playing a trivia game using Facebook and Twitter featuring banned books. The questions are
about banned books throughout history. For instance, one question was, “All of which author’s works were burned in 213 BC China, except for one copy of each title, saved in the Chinese State Library?” The answer: Confucius. If a student guessed that correctly, they had a chance to win a $50 gift certificate. The banned books beings promoted are considered some of the most influential works in the world. For instance, during 213 BCE, many of Confucius’s teachings were burned during the Qin Dynasty, and Martin
A selection from Honnold/Mudd Library’s display of banned books. Photos by Emily Morris ‘14.
Luther’s “Ninety-Five Theses” were banned in 1517 in Germany, France, and Rome for heresy. Other banned books are part of many high school curriculums such as “Of Mice and Men,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” “Lord of the Flies,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” These cherished classics have been dubbed “blasphemous,” “vulgar,” and “obscene,” among other choice words. In 1980, the Vernon Verona Sherill School District in New York called “To Kill a Mockingbird” a “filthy, trashy novel.” Even more modern books have been challenged ,such as the “Harry
Potter” series; many school districts claimed that the series encouraged witchcraft and interest in the occult. In New Mexico, it was even burned and labeled as a “masterpiece of satanic deception.” The Honnold/Mudd Library encourages students to come check out banned books of all eras from the library. Their website, libraries.claremont.edu, contains a link to their homepage for Banned Books Month, along with a guide organized by historical date of all the banned books the library currently has available for students.
hsu offers conference-going advice By Selene Hsu ‘15 Design Editor
I
just came back from a weekend conference in Dublin, Ireland and I have a lot to share about conferences in general! I went to the Interdependence Conference, hosted by the nonprofit group CivWorld and its founder, Dr. Benjamin Barber, a worldrenowned political scientist. The political conference aims to bring people from all over the world to discuss ways in which we are interdependent on each other and how we can best bridge the gap between people and countries. This is a pretty small conference with about 100 participants and 20 youth delegates. Two of the youth delegates were from Scripps, so that’s a big deal! This was my first conference ever so I’ll just share a few nuggets of wisdom. This is what I learned: 1. How do you get invited to a conference? I got my foot-through-the-door from my friend and fellow Scripps student, Zoe Jacobs ‘15, who is an intern for CivWorld and helped put together the Interdependence Conference. Without her, I do not think I would have been able to go to the conference on my own. I asked other delegates on how they were invited and basically, we all got in because we knew someone in the organization already, whether it was through a professor or their next-door neighbor. Networking is key to learning about conference opportunities! 2. Receiving funding from Scripps I was lucky to have CivWorld cover my housing and meals in Dublin, but I had to cover the air fare and transportation myself, which were the most expensive parts. I looked for funding at Scripps and ended up getting $100 from SAS. Later, I am going to check the Motley for additional funding. From my understanding, SAS caps all
funding to students at $100, so keep that in mind when planning for conferences. Although it is better than nothing, it barely covered the Super Shuttle ride to LAX from Claremont... So when preparing for a conference, make sure you know your budget! Don’t count on receiving a significant amount of money from Scripps! Although there are limited funds available, Scripps
through questions. There are sometimes cocktail receptions and galas with musical guests and entertainment, like the ones I attended in Dublin. Be careful! They’ll serve a lot of wine and food and it is very tempting to get hideously drunk. You are under a lot of scrutiny at these events and it really reflects very poorly if you forget your manners!
Photo courtesy of Selene Hsu ‘15.
is eager to help and they want to see you succeed! Just be persistent! 3. Once you get to the conference... what do you do? A conference is basically a place where people convene to talk about specific topics. Many are experts in their field, but sometimes you get people who are curious and are added to the general discussion. You are expected to attend as many lectures as you can and participate in conversations
Believe me, I witnessed a few adults make fools of themselves there and it’s quite shocking! 4. Networking The Interdependence Conference hosted the mayor of Dublin and Belfast, scholars in art and politics, and business men and women. These speakers are really eager to help anyone who asks, especially if you express interest in their field. NETWORK LIKE CRAZY at conferences! Honestly, this is the
sole purpose why people our age attend events like these! Note: Zoe was personally offered a job by the mayor of Belfast! NETWORK! 5. Never say “No” (within reason, of course) Bonding with your peers is as important as networking with distinguished speakers! There were about 10 youth delegates from around the world and an additional 10 from Trinity College, Dublin. Every night, we had the opportunity to go out to pubs and events to hang out. No matter how tired you are, DON’T SAY NO. In the four days I was there, I probably slept a total of 10 solid hours. The point is, you can sleep when you get home. When you are abroad or attending a conference, you need to maximize all the time you have available! Many of the youth delegates in this conference just finished earning their Master’s degree in their field and are very knowledgeable in giving advice about what to do after finishing undergraduate studies. Just because your peers are young, do not rule them out! 6. Be a good sport You are not the only one there trying to network. Many might even find you a valuable resource! In any case, be gracious and accommodating to others. Networking is a give-and-take of favors and information, so make sure to reciprocate peoples’ generous gestures the best way you can! Of course, I cannot speak on behalf of all types of conferences (medical, biology, psychology, etc.), but these are the most basic pieces of advice I can give on the subject. I really encourage everyone to jump on opportunities like these. You really never know unless you put yourself out there! Good luck and I hope this helps!
October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
12 • Student Life
Athlete Spotlight:
Mia Siracusa‘17 — CMS Soccer
By Bailee Pelham ’17 Staff Writer
CMS Athenas Athletic Schedule
W
hile most new freshmen were still adjusting to life at Scripps, Mia Siracusa ‘17 jumped right in. While she juggled registering for classes, CORE reading, and a taxing Orientation Week, Mia still found time to excel on the soccer field. Mia began playing soccer at only seven years old. She continued playing in high school, competing in club soccer, and doing extra training twice a week. “It’s more intense than high school and faster paced,” said Siracusa of Athenas soccer. “The practices are fast, and they’re really fun.” While she knew that soccer was her passion, the deciding factor to play in college was the school. “I liked the coach, and I really liked Scripps,” Siracusa notes. As the only freshman from Scripps on the team, most people would be intimidated. Instead, Mia embraced it. She says that they’ve all been nice and welcoming. She even mentions how “it’s nice having a group of girls who you know have your back always and have gone through what you’re going through.” Having bonded with her teammates over the preseason, team building has been no problem. Together, they’ve already played four league games. She looks forward to her next game against California Lutheran University. Before her games, Siracusa really demonstrates her dedication to the sport, reminding herself “ to work hard and to play confidently.” Over the first few weeks of freshman year, Mia Siracusa has not only established herself as an exceptional student, but as a rising star on the soccer field as well.
Cross Country Sat. Sept. 5: Pomona-Pitzer Invitational, 8:30 a.m. Sat. Sept. 5: Pre-Nationals @ H a n o v e r, I N , 1 1 : 0 0 a . m . E S T Golf Mon. Oct. 7: Birdies for Breast Cancer @ Oak Quarry GC, all day Tu e s . O c t . 8 : B i r d i e s f o r B r e a s t Cancer @ Oak Quarry GC, all day Soccer Sat. Oct. 5: Occidental @ Home, 6:00 p.m. Wed. Oct 9: Whittier @ Home, 7:00 p.m. Sat. Oct 12: Chapman @ Home, 11:00 a.m. Wed. Oct 16: La Verne @ Home, 7:00 p.m. Volleyball Fri. Oct. 4: Occidental, 7:30 p.m. Tu e . O c t . 8 : R e d l a n d s @ H o m e , 7:30 p.m. Fri. Oct. 11: UC Santa Cruz @ Home, 7:00 p.m. Sat. Oct. 12: Kenyon @ Home, 12:00 p.m. Sat. Oct. 12: Susquehanna @ Home, 3:30 p.m. Tu e . O c t . 1 5 : C h a p m a n @ H o m e , 7:30 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Mia Siracusa
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October 3, 2013 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XVII • Issue Three
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