VOL. CLXXI NO. 3
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Hanover Police changes response to alcohol-related calls
SNOW SHOWERS HIGH 16 LOW -17
By Jasmine sachar
The Dartmouth Senior Staff
JULIETTA GERVASE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
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Hanover Police will not respond to calls unless directly asked for assistance when intoxicated students are transferred from Dick’s House to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center via ambulance and is eliminating its in-house diversions program, as of Jan. 1. Prior to this change in procedure, spearheaded by Hanover Police Chief Charlie Dennis, Hanover Police responded to all calls and arrested the transported students. Police will now only respond when Dick’s House
Hanover police will no longer respond when students are transported to DHMC unless directly called.
SEE POLICE PAGE 2
Dartmouth finalizes plans for Cuban exchange program
B y Kelsey Flower The Dartmouth Staff
A Cuban exchange program that will allow both students and faculty to study at either the University of Havana or Casa de las Américas next year is in its final stages of being approved by the College. While the program has been in the planning stages for two years, its launch conveniently coincides with the normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States last December. The choice of Casa de las Américas
also corresponds with the improved relations between the countries as it was originally founded by the Cuban government for developing connections between Latin America and the rest of the world. The Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad, comprised of Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth, developed the program to allow students from member schools to study in Cuba. Brown
suggested the idea to the other six colleges in the consortium since a Cuban study abroad program was already in place at the university, John Tansey, executive director of Dartmouth’s Frank J. Guarini Institute for International Education, said. Associate dean of the faculty for international and interdisciplinary studies Lynn Higgins said that this is the first program that the consortium has created together. Each consortium program will have a lead school, with Brown taking the lead this time.
The collaboration between the seven schools allows each university to offer students the opportunity to study in an area where interest may not be high enough to merit a program from each individual school, Tansey said. The Arabic foreign study program in Tangier, Morocco was cancelled for the falls of 2013 and 2014 and the Italian language study abroad program to Rome was cancelled for the spring of 2014 due to low enrollment. The consortium would SEE CUBA PAGE 5
Sixty-four students charged with honor code violations B y Parker Richards The Dartmouth Staff
A total of 64 students have been charged with various honor principle violations stemming from an investigation into a cheating incident in religion professor Randall Balmer’s “Sports, Ethics and Religion” course last fall, judicial affairs director Leigh Remy said in an email. Most students requested individual hearings, which primarily took place before Thanksgiving and over the winter
interim period, Remy said in the email. Requests for a review of the disciplinary measures imposed will be overseen by interim Dean of the College Inge-Lise Ameer, Remy wrote. Ameer did not respond to a request seeking comment by press time. Balmer said that, to his knowledge, most students involved were suspended from the College for one term. Balmer directed further inquiries to Remy, who declined NATALIE CANTAVE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
SEE RELIGION PAGE 3
Thornton Hall houses the religion department, which faced a cheating incident.
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
PAGE 2
DAily debriefing Jan. 1, 1:30 a.m., Sigma Delta sorority: Safety and Security officers and the Hanover Fire Department responded to Sigma Delt regarding an intoxicated student. The student was located and subsequently transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Jan. 3: Safety and Security officers noticed that the “N” from the letterhead on Sigma Nu fraternity was missing from the side of the house. Officers located the fraternity’s president, who said that it had been stolen. Jan 3, 11:19 p.m., Mclane Hall: Safety and Security responded to a noise complaint in McLane Hall and found nine underage individuals consuming alcohol. One of the individuals was intoxicated, and was handed to the responsible person in the building. - Compiled by Lilly Bain
Corrections We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com. “Students learn public policy in Ireland” in the Jan. 7 issue stated that students met with Jonathan Powell during the trip. While he was originally scheduled to meet with the students, he cancelled and was not part of the program. The Dartmouth regrets this error.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
Town ends in-house diversions program FROM POLICE PAGE 1
requests police assistance. In the past, students arrested for intoxication were given the option of appearing in court or going through an alcohol and drug education program facilitated by the Hanover Police. Valley Court Diversion Program, a non-profit based out of White River Junction servicing lower Grafton and Windsor counties, is now facilitating these sessions instead. These changes come after Dennis, who took over as chief last June, began analyzing existing police procedures and consulting with various resources including the Office of Undergraduate Judicial Affairs, Safety and Security and Dick’s House to better understand existing disciplinary structure against alcohol incidents, he said. He chose to look into this due to perceived negative opinions surrounding Hanover Police’s involvement. Upon determining that Dick’s House is ultimately a medical facility, he decided that the police should not be involved. “I felt it was in the best interest of the community not to respond to those calls.” Safety and Security was not involved in the decision-making process, but provided information
through discussions with Dennis, director of Safety and Security Harry Kinne said. Dennis said he made the decision to eliminate the Hanover Police diversion program because of
“The number one priority is to get someone help and prevent an alcoholrelated death.” - Charlie Dennis, Hanover Police Chief perceptions that it was being used solely to generate revenue for the town and complaints about high fees, though he said the majority of the cost went toward paying the licensed substance abuse counselor who taught the sessions. The program generated between $10,000 and $15,000 for the town per year, Hanover town manager Julie Griffin told The Valley News. The Hanover Police diversions program began in 1988 when there were no other programs of the sort in the area, Dennis said. The cost of participating in
the VCDP for substance related charges is $275 for all 18-to-21 year olds, VCDP program coordinator for Lower Grafton County Lyndsay Porreca said. The cost of the program though Hanover Police was $400. “I think Chief Dennis was very thoughtful and took his time to investigate what it meant for all the players involved,” Porreca said. “I love working with college-aged kids so I’m excited about it.” Porreca said Dennis had several conversations with the VCDP about shifting services to the program. “He realized that other 18- to 21-year-olds were being sent to our program, and they are all in the same county, so it made sense to him that they were all being treated the same,” she said. Kinne said he hopes the new policy related to transfer calls will encourage students to utilize the Good Samaritan policy for their friends. “We really just want people to call,” he said. “That’s the safest thing to do, and it really is the safest thing for other community members.” Dennis echoed these concerns regarding student safety. “The number one priority is to get someone help and help prevent an alcohol-related death,” he said.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
KATELYN JONES/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Students talked to potential employers at the student employment job fair yesterday in Paganucci Lounge.
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
PAGE 3
Cheating incident brings use of clickers into question FROM RELIGION PAGE 1
to comment further on the matter. Numerous sources confirmed that certain students involved were suspended for one term. The cheating incident first came to light when Balmer recorded a discrepancy in the number of student responses to in-class questions using handheld clickers and the number of students in the classroom on Oct. 30, 2014. Balmer presented both a hard copy version and a clicker version of certain questions, and noted that 43 students did not respond to the paper version of the questions but did respond using clickers. Balmer and Remy held the 43 students in question after class on Nov. 11 so that Balmer could officially accuse them, and Remy could inform them of their rights and the possible disciplinary actions that could be taken against them. Unauthorized collaboration and giving and receiving assistance during an examination or quiz violate the College’s academic honor principle. Balmer characterized the “forensic evidence” against the 43 students as “overwhelming” in a column he wrote for The Valley News, published Dec. 7. In addition to the 43 students Balmer accused, other students came forward and admitted responsibility for violations of the honor principle. Remy and College director of media relations Diana Lawrence both declined to provide any specifics regarding the ongoing proceedings or to discuss any imposed disciplinary actions. The College will not officially comment on disciplinary measures until all proceedings have concluded, likely in mid-January. Remy said in an email that there is only one remaining hearing, but added that “commenting at this point about outcomes is premature, as the requests for review have not been acted upon.” In a statement, the athletic department said that it “fully supports the strong stance against academic dishonesty Dartmouth has always taken and the respect it has shown for fair hearings.” The statement goes on to point out that some student athletes who admitted involvement to their coaches have already faced sanctions from the athletic department. Varsity athletics communication director Rick Bender said that he would not discuss disciplinary measures taken by coaches against specific players who were involved in the incident. Bender also said that he is not aware how many of the students involved were varsity athletes, although he said that members of “a wide variety of teams” were involved.
Bender said that he is not aware of any students being barred from continued participation in varsity athletics. “Coaches will use this as a teaching moment for their teams,” Bender said. The course itself was partly designed for student-athletes, Balmer
“I feel sad for the students involved. I feel sad myself. I feel betrayed. I take pride in my teaching. I invest a lot in my courses, and to have that met with this type of cavalier indifference is disappointing.” - RANDALl BALMER, religion professor
said, and just under 70 percent of the course’s enrollment of 272 students were athletes. Members of 24 of the College’s 36 varsity athletic teams were enrolled in the course. “Part of the reason I designed this course was that I had the sense that some athletes coming here to Dartmouth might have felt just a little bit overwhelmed or intimidated academically,” Balmer said. “I wanted to design a course that would appeal to their interests and allow them to have an early success in the classroom, and I’d hoped that they would be able to build on that success throughout their time at Dartmouth.” Hearings were heard in accordance with Committee on Standards hearing regulations, and requests for review and the reviews themselves will be presented and conducted based on the same regulations. According to the COS hearing guidelines available through the Dean of the College’s office, students are first notified that proceedings against them are being organized by the committee. From that time, the student or students accused have a minimum of five days to prepare for the hearing. They then are allowed one advisor each for the hearing who may be a current student, faculty member or administrator. This advisors can consult with the accused students and aid in the preparation of a defense. The accused also have access to all judicial affairs materials and witness lists prepared for the hearing. Students accused have the right
to request witnesses, present information and arguments, hear all information presented and make opening and closing statements. Students accused may also suggest questions for witnesses to the committee chair. The website states that “formal rules of evidence and courtroom procedures are inapplicable” to COS hearings. In matters pertaining to cheating, attorneys may only be present if a criminal matter is pending, if an accusing student desires the presence of an attorney after claiming that physical violence occurred or to advise the committee members. All attorneys must serve as “non-participating observers.” The COS must find that a “preponderance of the evidence supports” a finding of guilt before determining that a student has violated a College rule. A student can ask for a review of the decision based upon procedural error, new evidence that has come to light or the belief “that the sanction imposed is excessive, insufficient or inappropriate,” according to the Dean of the College’s office’s website. The request for review must be submitted within seven days of the initial decision. The reviewing officer — the Dean of the College or his or her designee — may either uphold the original decision, refer the matter back to the COS or adjust the sanctions imposed. Balmer expects to participate directly in only one hearing, set for next week. He was not present at any other COS proceedings. He said that he is not currently sure why he was summoned to that hearing. “I would guess that someone is contesting that I have evidence against him or her of cheating,” Balmer said. “I guess someone could make that case. It’d be a pretty tough case to substantiate I should think, but I’m only speculating.” Balmer said that he has no plans to use clickers for his courses in the future, and said that it is unlikely that “Sports, Ethics and Religion” would be offered again. He said he was also personally hurt by the incident. Even after accepting the “abject apologies” of roughly half the students involved, he feels that the trust he previously had with students was harmed. “I feel very sad about it,” he said. “I feel sad for the students involved. I feel sad myself. I feel betrayed. I take pride in my teaching. I invest a lot in my courses, and to have that met with this type of cavalier indifference is disappointing.” Balmer also said that he will have to devote more time in class to monitoring the behavior of his students in the future. “I am much more in the position
going forward of having to monitor students’ behavior in a junior high school sort of way, and I don’t like that,” Balmer said. “I would much rather talk about ideas. I’d rather try to impart my excitement about the life of the mind rather than worry about who is cheating from whom and who is copying from whom.”
“I don’t think anybody should stop using clickers, which have documented pedagogical effectiveness, because one group of students chose to cheat in a philosophy class.” - roger sloboda, biology professor
Biology professor Roger Sloboda, who uses clickers in several of his courses, said that they are “absolutely” an effective teaching method and that he has no plans to abandon them. However, Sloboda noted it is easier for students to cheat using clickers in a larger class, such as Balmer’s, than in his own courses that typically enroll roughly 60 students.
“It’s easier to know how many people are there and how many clicks I get in response to every question,” Sloboda said. Balmer declined to comment on the issue of class size. “I don’t think anybody should stop using clickers, which have documented pedagogical effectiveness, because one group of students chose to cheat in a philosophy class,” Sloboda said. Sloboda also said that he “honors” the students who did not cheat in the “Sports, Ethics and Religion” course, and said that coverage should focus on them, rather than on their peers who have been accused of or admitted to cheating. The “Sports, Ethics and Religion” controversy has received significant attention in the national and regional press. Shortly after The Dartmouth first reported the story, Vermont Public Radio, Business Insider, MTV News, Education News, EduWire and many other sports and education-focused websites and blogs covered the incident. Press coverage focused on the perceived irony of students electing to cheat — an activity generally viewed as unethical — in an ethics-centered course. The Valley News also reported the story, with coverage largely focusing on Balmer’s reaction to the incident. “I would just like to disappear and forget about the whole thing, frankly,” Balmer said.
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THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
PAGE 4
Contributing Columnist VARUN BHUCHAR ’15
CONTRIBUTING Columnist JESSICA LU ’18
Beyond Bechdel
A Match Made in Heaven
The Bechdel Test cannot determine whether a film is inherently sexist. The underrepresentation of women and minorities in the entertainment industry is a large problem that needs to be addressed. In today’s column, however, I’m going to talk about the former in regards to Andrea Nease’s Jan. 6 Arts column, “Beyond the Bubble: keep passing the Bechdel test.” Nease writes as if the Bechdel test is an unassailable metric to which Hollywood executives are somehow blind. However, she does not do justice to the serious flaws in the test, nor why it should not be used as the be-all, end-all method to determine whether or not a film or work of art is inherently sexist. The Bechdel Test is straightforward. A film must contain two female characters who talk to each other at some point in the film about something other than a man to pass, though some versions of the test also require the female characters to be named. Nease is right in saying that a staggering amount of films fail the test, but what was left out of her analysis is the often miniscule technicalities that cause a film to fail the test in the first place. According to bechdeltest.com, for example, “Gravity” (2013) fails the test because there are only two characters, and only one is a woman, as opposed to the two needed to pass. “Under the Skin” (2013), in which Scarlett Johansson plays the lead role and appears in every scene, fails because she does not speak to another woman. Yet, the film is meant to be a subversion and examination of gender roles as Johannson’s character literally hunts men down and consumes them. Are we to disregard the film and its message because it fails the test? Perhaps the most baffling failure I found on bechdeltest.com was that of “All is Lost” (2013), a film in which Robert Redford plays a man stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean. As he is the only character on screen, the film fails not only because he’s a man, but because he does not speak to anyone else. If the character were replaced with a woman, it would still fail because she would not speak to another person. And what about some of the films that
did pass? They count amongst their numbers “Showgirls” (1995), in my opinion one of the most hilariously sexist movies ever made, “The Other Woman” (2014), a film about three women who find no peace in their lives until they encounter good men at the end, and Bridesmaids (2011). I include the last one because of all the films I found on bechdeltest.com, this one seemed to inspire the most debate as to whether or not it deserved to pass. As it centers around a group of women preparing for a wedding, the forum looks like a battle zone as commentators blast weddings as inherently patriarchal and lampoon Annie (Kristen Wiig), the main character, for being defined by her relationships with men. In fact, you will find dissent like this common on other bechdeltest.com entries, as the meaning of test is so subjective. As such, I can’t help but agree with British film critic Robbie Collin, who calls the test “box-ticking and stat-hoarding over analysis and appreciation.” Thus, while the Bechdel Test is a great introduction to gender inequality in popular media, it is perhaps best not to focus on arbitrary criteria and instead to move on to something more substantive — discussing how to improve the multidimensionality of female characters in films. In this respect, as Nease points out, Hollywood is improving, but still has a lot of work to do. Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl (2014) and Reese Witherspoon in Wild (2014) are good examples of strong female leads, but sadly there are few others. Yet, with Oscar nominations virtually assured for both of them, one can be hopeful that the tide will change soon for female representation in film. Still, relying on the Bechdel Test as a panacea to solving everything is kind of like deciding to build a house after reading your first Lego manual. It’s a good introduction and starting point, but the real work is yet to be done. Bhuchar is the Hop’s film intern for the year and the film columnist for The Dartmouth Chronicle. He is a former member of The Dartmouth Arts Staff.
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Social medias are effective tools for social change.
In the last few months, people seek- story was quietly broken and then buried ing social change have taken to Twitter, under subsequent news, Twitter and Tumblr Facebook and Tumblr in great numbers, brought national attention to Eric Garner, an using these platforms to discuss national innocent New York resident who was choked issues like race relations, sexism and police to death by a police officer. The video that brutality. Hashtags like #blacklivesmatter, showed Garner’s death featured his last spo#icantbreathe and #leelahalcorn have ken words, “I can’t breathe.” People created raised awareness of a hashtag on Twitter various injustices, such response, which led “When our Facebook feeds in as the fact that neither to a series of marches the shooting death of are filled not only with against police brutality Mike Brown nor the party pictures, but posts across America where choking death of Eric about police brutality and protestors held signs Garner resulted in an the protests it has incited, it saying, “I can’t breathe indictment of the police makes it that much harder #thisstopstoday.” officers in question, for us to live in blithe Social media or that transgender ignorance.” also have an incredible Americans experience capacity to bring people a higher rate of suicide together and spread on average. hope, from protestors standing physically Through social media, Americans — alongside one another to Twitter users offeryoung Americans in particular — are becom- ing a glimpse at a better future. The recent ing increasingly more informed and vocal suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender about these problems. As social media make teen, led to an outpouring of support exthe world feel smaller, national problems feel pressed on social media — on Tumblr in personal. Social media have become perfect particular, where Alcorn herself published tools for social change because they have a suicide note that illuminated the systemic the incredible capacity to quickly spread and personal obstacles she faced because of news to large numbers of people. When her identity. Her parents did not let her go our Facebook feeds are filled not only with to school or use her social media accounts. party pictures, but posts about police brutal- She wrote in her suicide note, “the life I ity and the protests it has incited, it makes would’ve lived isn’t worth living in ... because it that much harder for us to live in blithe I’m transgender.” The social media uproar ignorance. Social media can force people to following her passing sought to educate see, at least in some small way, the injustices people on what it means to be transgender, around them, often in contrast to the blind- and how to help transgender men and ness their own privilege provides. women facing struggles similar to those of Social media can also serve as valid Alcorn. In a way traditional news outlets sources of information for stories main- have not yet done, social media brought hope stream media cannot or will not publicize, to struggling individuals with the hashtag by disseminating news by private citizens for #reallifetransadult. The hashtag created a private citizens. During space for transgender the protests in Fergu- “The social media uproar adults to share stories son, police limited offiin which they overcame following her passing cial media presence and obstacles to live full and sought to educate people attempted to suppress happy lives, in a similar information. Instead on what it means to be strategy to the “It Gets of commerical news transgender, and how to Better” campaign. outlets, Americans by help transgender men and However, social and large turned to per- women facing struggles media as conduits for sonal Twitter accounts similar to those of Alcorn.” social justice have their for photographs and downfalls — most dandescriptions of what gerously, the fact that was happening without the official media’s the core message of a movement can be various biases. Though this phenomenon easily lost or altered. For example, people raises concerns — private citizens are not seeking to bring attention to police brutality pressured to follow the same ethical and towards black men created the tag #blackjournalistic codes as journalists — social livesmatter, but Twitter users changed this media give us an unprecedented and intimate tag to #alllivesmatter within days. This new glimpse at the heart of where these injustices form of the hashtag, while true, failed to take place. We can see innocent people deliver a crucial aspect of the message — arrested for exercising their constitutional there exists a trend where the public tends right of peaceful assembly. In many ways, to overlook or excuse the killing of innocent instantly-published social media are incred- black Americans. ible forms of free press and free speech. Despite its drawbacks, the use of social Social media are both immediate — media in discussing social justice and retweets and posts can be published instantly, porting the news encourages, even forces, unlike the longer periods it takes for commer- average Americans to open their eyes to cial news sources to process, edit and publish injustice. It demands that each citizen edustories – and unconcerned about sticking cate themselves and others in the hopes that, to the typical news cycle. Months after the eventually, positive change will happen.
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
PAGE 5
Consortium will offer students opportunity to study in Cuba FROM CUBA PAGE 1
allow the program to run even with low enrollment from each individual school. While the program currently has no plans to host Cuban students in the United States, Tansey said he hopes to expand the program in the future so they can study in America. In many ways, the program will function like other study abroad programs. The application will be due February 1st, course credit will transfer back to Dartmouth and Dartmouth financial aid will apply, Tansey said. Higgins, however, describes the Cuban exchange as a “hybrid” program, while Lisa Baldez, chair of the program in the Latin American, Latino and Caribbean studies department, similarly said that it has some characteristics of an exchange program, some of a foreign study program and some entirely new characteristics. The program is unique in that students are required to be proficient at speaking and writing in Spanish. Baldez said the program will be a good option for students who want to “do an off-campus program in Spanish that’s not geared towards the language,” Baldez said. Instead, students will attend classes alongside Cuban students in the social sciences, fine arts and humanities. Ex-
amples of classes that will be offered include “Gender, Race and Inequalities in Cuba: Visions from Cuban Scholars” and “Health and Society in Cuba,” Baldez said.
“There are not that many places you can go in the world anymore that are untouched by American commerce. In a lot of ways it’s kind of a museum piece.” - JOHN CAREY, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT CHAIR While the program is currently open to students of all majors, Baldez said she believes that it will be of particular interest to Latin American studies majors. In addition to the Spanish requirement, there are structural issues that present a challenge. Because the program operates on a semester schedule,
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students who do not go in the fall will need to be off-campus for both the winter and spring quarters, Baldez said. As a result, she believes that the program will appeal to incoming freshman — who have more time to structure their D-plan — than it will to current upperclassmen. Students will stay in apartment-style housing within walking distance of both campuses. There will also be a small building with classrooms and a library that will host the United States faculty resident advisor’s office, Tansey said. This center will also provide student services and support. The consortium of colleges are renovating the center, adding infrastructure to Casa de Las Américas, as classes in the building will be for all students, Baldez said. The recent normalized relations with Cuba will be able to “reduce red tape for education exchanges,” government department chair John Carey said. “The exchange program was going forward before, but this will make it that much easier and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles to students and faculty coming and going.” Carey also stressed the unique opportunities that come from studying abroad in Cuba, specifically mentioning how Cuba’s unique history with the United States makes it an interesting
place for Americans to study. “There are not that many places you can go in the world anymore that are untouched by American commerce,” Carey said. “In a lot of ways it’s kind of
“The fact that Dartmouth students will be taking classes in a space that is in it of itself historically important is a fantastic opportunity for students, because people from the entire region are coming in and out of there all the time.” - LISA BALDEZ, LATIN AMERICAN, LATINO AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES PROFESSOR a museum piece. The presence of the revolutionary ethos and propaganda is so much more close to the surface than it is in most places.”
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Baldez also mentioned the cultural significance of the program’s location. Casa de Las Américas was founded as a cultural center in 1959, four months after the Cuban Revolution, and it remains equally as important today, he said. “The fact that Dartmouth students will be taking classes in a space that is in it of itself historically important is a fantastic opportunity for students, because people from the entire region are coming in and out of there all the time,” Baldez said, All four sources mentioned that there has been interest from the Dartmouth community in Cuba for a long time. According to Higgins, there are a number of faculty members who have done research in or about Cuba for awhile, and this program will make it easier for them to get visas and permission to continue their research. When deciding whether Dartmouth would say yes to Brown’s offer for a consortium program, they evaluated the projected level of interest on campus and it was high enough to join the program, Higgins said. Baldez said she thinks Cuba has always “fascinated” American students, and that a program in another part of the Caribbean would not generate as much interest on campus as the Cuba program has.
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PAGE 6
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
DARTMOUTH EVENTS TODAY 12:30 p.m. “Organizing Groups and Facilitating Discussions Workshop” with Darin Eich, Class of 1930 Room, Rockefeller Center
5:30 p.m. Tucker Foundation Winter Volunteer Fair, Collis Common Ground
7:00 p.m. “Akasha,” South Indian dance performance with Shantala Shivalingappa, Moore Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts
TOMORROW 1:00 p.m. “Going Greek? GLOS Education Session For Potential New Members,” Collis 101
4:00 p.m. “Physics and Astronomy Quantum Nano Seminar” with Dr. Emilio Cobanera of Utrecht University, Wilder 202
6:00 p.m. “Alumni in the Arts Biennial Exhibition 2015,” Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center for the Arts
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THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
PAGE 7
Shantala Shivalingappa to perform “Akasha” tonight
B y Haley Gordon The Dartmouth Staff
Fast and slow. Sharp and flowing. Codified and improvised. The art of Kuchipudi, an Indian classical dance, is all about balancing contrasts in order to tell a story through movement. Students at the College will have the opportunity to experience Kuchipudi when professional dancer and choreographer Shantala Shivalingappa performs “Akasha” at the Hopkins Center of Art Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. “It has pure dance in it, rhythmic dance as well as narrative dance,” Shivalingappa said. “There is a great contrast between the footwork, which is very anchored in the earth, very strong, and the upper body, which is all about grace.” In “Akasha,” Shivalingappa, who was described as one of Kuchipudi’s “greatest current practitioners” by The New York Times, will tell stories about Hindu deities like Krishna and Shiva through her dance. The dance numbers will range in tempo and tone, but they all relate back to the main theme of “Akasha,” the idea of infinite space and “being beyond what we can perceive with our senses,” she said. Shivalingappa said that the idea of reaching that divine space through dance was her inspiration for the piece and that each section of the performance is connected to that idea. “Akasha” is a complex, physically demanding piece, she said. Shivalingappa performs solo, accompanied on stage only by stationary musicians. Together, they create the rhythm of the dance, based in sound from instruments and her movements. Shivalingappa uses her own body to set the tone of the dance through the use of bangles and stamping, which complement and accentuate the rhythms created by the accompanying musicians. Shivalingappa, who was born in
Chennai, India, and raised in Paris, began studying Kuchipudi dance at a young age, receiving instruction from her mother. She later learned from Vempati Chinna Satyam, the father of modern Kuchipudi and Shivalingappa’s mother’s instructor. Kuchipudi, like all forms of Indian classical dance, is rooted in ancient storytelling, and the dancer must convey traditional stories through meticulous and controlled movements. Dancers of Kuchipudi are trained to convey emotions and play characters, so a performer’s expressiveness is valued as much as their technical skills. Shivalingappa said she feels that her body serves the same purpose as a musical instrument when she dances, as integral to the song as the drum or flute. “The musicality of the movement is so important,” she said. “Dancing is music but visual. You can see the music in movement.” Arati Gangadharan ’18, a member of Dartmouth Indian dance group Raaz, said that she is excited to see Shivalingappa’s performance because of its cultural significance. “Growing up as a secondgenerational kid you’re trying to connect back to a culture that your parents have grown up in as well as connecting to a culture here,” Gangadharan said. “When you go to learn dance, you pick up on very interesting stories that are culturally based but still timeless, so they apply to current scenarios without having to modify the meaning of the story. That’s why I fell in love with dance.” Gangadharan said that just being able to experience an aspect of her culture that is less accessible at the College is important to her. “Coming here I haven’t really been exposed to many cultural events, and I found this as a way for me to connect back to something that was very important to me a couple months ago, and is very important to me now but harder
to practice,” she said. “Seeing someone perform Indian classical dance, even if you’re just watching, is an enlivening experience for me.” On Tuesday night, Shivalingappa led a master class on classical South Indian dance. The class, held in the Hopkins Center, was open to all intermediate dancers. Participants spent the session learning
“It’s a classic art form that is quite ancient, but it survives until today because there’s a lot of room for creativity.” -Shantala shivalingappa, dancer about the intricacies of Kuchipudi’s footwork, hand gestures and body language. Assistant director of admissions Angela Dunnham, who attended the master class, said that she found the experience engaging and dynamic and appreciated Shivalingappa’s willingness to share her
culture with the class’s attendees. “She brought everything that she showed us alive and really allowed us to internalize what we were doing, not only in terms of the dance but in terms of what she was sharing about her own personal story,” Dunnham said. In addition to her performances and master class, Shivalingappa and the musicians that accompany her piece also spoke at the music class “Oral Tradition Musicianship” on Tuesday in a discussion moderated by music professor and director of the World Music Percussion Ensemble Hafiz Shabazz. In the class, the performers explained and demonstrated the scales and rhythms used in traditional South Indian dance and music and answered questions about their performances. The class was provided the opportunity to ask these professionals questions about their artistic approaches. David Koffa Jr. ’15 said that he came away from the discussion with new knowledge about the style and framework of South Indian music. “I really have a bigger appreciation [for the music] after going to this,” he said. “It’s amazing how complex they are and how beautiful the music sounds. It involves both
the spirituality and their skill and their practice.” Shivalingappa said that her goal during any performance is to share the beauty of Kuchipudi with a greater audience. She said she feels its emotion and energy can serve as a catalyst that “[propels] you into a different level of being and consciousness” and shows the potential to add something new to an older art form. “It’s about trying to show all those amazing elements of the dance,” Shivalingappa said. “It’s a classical art form that is quite ancient, but it survives until today because there’s a lot of room for creativity. It has the depth and incredible power coming from [its history] but it also has tremendous space for innovation.” Shivalingappa will perform “Akasha” tonight and Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Moore Theater. She will also hold a discussion following her performances. Before Thursday’s performance, religion professor Reiko Ohnuma will hold a free discussion on the poetics and religious themes in “Akasha.” Shivalingappa was previously featured in the Hopkins Center’s video installation “Slow Dancing” in 2008.
FROM INTERN TO EXPERT IN 10 AMAZING WEEKS... All Juniors are invited to come and learn about Bain’s award-winning summer internship program and how it can help accelerate your future career. ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT INTERN PRESENTATION • Wednesday, January 7th, 9:00pm • Hanover Inn Applications are due on January 13th—please apply via joinbain.com and DARTBOARD.
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Make your mark. Change our world. COURTESY OF THE HOPKINS CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Shantala Shivalingappa will perform Kudipuchi at the Hopkins Center tonight.
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS
PAGE 8
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
WEDNESDAY LINEUP
No athletic events scheduled
Multi-sport athlete John Abraham chosen for Rugby Canada
B y gayne kalustian The Dartmouth Staff
The difference between people and athletes is more than just a uniform. Almost anyone can work hard, suit up and hit the gym. The real difference is simple — people will look at their talents and see what they can do, but athletes will look at their talents and see what they can’t do. Then they will do it. John Abraham ’16 is an athlete. The Montreal native turned heads when he broke through to the finals in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Championships last spring, earning a spot as junior sprinters captain this fall. In between stadium runs, morning workouts and a full slate of classes, Abraham penciled in time for yet another commitment — track’s near antithetical counterpart, rugby. The seasons of the two sports overlap and combine to consume most of the athlete’s life, demanding sprint workouts by day and rucking drills by night. “I’ve always been a multiple sport athlete,” Abraham said. “Just doing track was a little one-dimensional for me.” Abraham, who logged two years of rugby experience when he lived in Canada as a teenager, abandoned the sport for several years to focus on track and academics. When he came to Dartmouth, however, his old coach put
him in touch with Dartmouth Rugby Football Club head coach Gavin Hickie, who found a spot for Abraham on the wing because of the athlete’s impressive speed. “John is an unbelievable asset in terms of speed to have on the wing,” DRFC co-captain Peter Savarese ’15 said. “For someone who you would think would just go straight ahead as a sprinter, he’s also shifty. He’s really just a pretty dangerous player.” And still, more heads turned. This time, Abraham caught the attention of Rugby Canada. The contact came through Canada’s Try4Gold program, which aims to identify and develop young rugby talent for the country’s national team. With the support of the DRFC and its alumni, Abraham spent two and half weeks in Victoria, British Columbia, training with Rugby Canada. After the two weeks were over, the Canada Maple Leafs, a development team for the men’s national sevens team, offered Abraham a spot. Abraham was chosen as one of 12 Canadians to play with the Maple Leafs — three of whom who came down from the national team to balance the mix of new and experienced players. They flew to South America last Monday to compete in tournaments in Argentina and Chile. The recent fifteens season he played with Dartmouth, Abraham
said, helped prepare him — a smaller, faster player — for the level of play that can be expected internationally. “I think definitely the weakest point in my game is the contact,” he said. “In fifteens you can’t really avoid it. It’s in your face, and you just gotta get into it, so that was a big piece for me, though I still have to work on it.” While Abraham may be focusing on what he still needs to work on to perform at his absolute best, first year Rugby Canada head coach Liam Middleton has expressed his enthusiasm for having Abraham on the team and the potential the athlete has for success. “He is an exceptional athlete and has the right character traits to succeed as an Olympic athlete, and we are all excited about his potential,” first year Rugby Canada head coach Liam Middleton said in an interview with Canada Rugby Communications. When sprinters like Abraham come to a rugby team, it’s not unusual that they find themselves placed on the wing — a position which benefits greatly from speed and isn’t typically relied on to lock down the inside channels in a game of fifteens. Contact is limited, with some exceptions, to being tackled on a run and going head-to-head with a fullback, outside center or another wing. If the change of sport, uniform and country for Abraham wasn’t enough, the Maple Leafs informed the junior
Courtesy of John Abraham
John Abraham ’16 was recently selected for the Rugby Canada sevens team.
after training to expect to be tried out as a scrum-half. Yet with the composure that must accompany a dynamic athlete, Abraham dismissed any thought of getting ahead of himself. “I did a lot of work at scrum-half when I trained in Canada, but I’m not going to read too much into it. I’m gonna see what happens,” Abraham said. “I’d like to try it out because I think it gives me more of the play-making ability and more space to think as opposed to getting the ball on the wing and having to take one cut. It gives me a little bit more freedom.”
Though it’s unclear where the athlete will ultimately be in the lineup, Hickie feels that Abraham’s speed and on-field utility place him just on the periphery of making Canada’s senior squad. Upon his return to the DRFC, the team will have a look at Abraham as a scrum-half, Hickie said. The position is currently held by Eagles Sevens captain Madison Hughes ’15, who is graduating this year. The Canada Maple Leafs team will compete in a tournament in Argentina on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11 and will then travel to Chile to compete in another tournament on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18.
Dartmouth sports teams spend winter break on training trips
B y ray lu
The Dartmouth Staff
As many Dartmouth students departed New Hampshire for a long, leisurely winter break, a couple of Big Green sports teams headed to warmer destinations for intensive training trips. Dartmouth’s swimming and diving teams spent two weeks in Hawaii, and the crew teams spent eight days in DeLand, Florida. Departing from Logan International Airport on Dec. 13, the swimming and diving teams travelled 26 hours to reach their tropical destination. Shortly after the long trip, the team dove into its training routine. “We would wake up around 5:30,” men’s captain Konrad von Moltke ’15 said, “We were staying at the University of Hawaii [at Manoa,] so we would walk from the dorms to the pool and do a two hour swim workout from 6 to 8.” Afterwards, under the guidance of trainer Minor Bowens, the team would hit the weight room from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.,
followed by breakfast at the university’s dining hall. The intense morning sessions were rewarded with a break after breakfast, allowing the swimming and diving teams to explore all that Hawaii had to offer. “Our next practice wouldn’t be until the afternoon,” women’s captain Siobhan Hengemuhle ’15 said. “So the day would be yours.” The team-building components of the trip served as an enjoyable relief from practice and a unique opportunity for the athletes to get to know each other away from Hanover or a swimming pool. Waikiki Beach was a popular spot to play football or tan, and many other days were spent exploring Hawaii’s gorgeous scenery. The team’s 18s updated “Aloha State of Mind,” a blog dedicated to recording the adventures the team had while in Hawaii, with posts like “Nap time is my time” and “Just another day in paradise.” “We were given vans — little minivans — to take for transportation for the
two weeks we were there in Hawaii,” von Moltke said, “And so some people would go to the beaches, some people would nap in their rooms. I went on a bunch of nature hikes.” After the mid-day break, the swimming and diving teams would reconvene at the pool around 4 p.m. for the second two-hour daily practice session. Hawaii provided a haven of beautiful weather and exploration, but it also provided a secluded place for the team to train, Hengemuhle said. “I’d say the biggest benefit is the amount of time you’re able to spend in the pool,” Hengemuhle said. “And the rules aren’t limiting over break so you can spend an enormous amount of time in the pool.” While the swimming and diving training trip leads directly into the regular season, the crew training trip provides the teams with their final chance on the water before winter, when the rowers are primarily restricted to the weight room and countless hours of erging.
The training trip also provided firstyear men’s heavyweight coach Wyatt Allen with a chance to monitor the improvement of the rowers over the fall term and to spend time with the juniors who were off in the fall, Nevin Cunningham ’17 said. “One of the most effective parts of the Florida trips was that it gave coach the chance to learn more about us, especially since its his first year,” Cunningham said. Due to the shorter duration of crew trip in comparison to the swimming and diving trip, the rowers placed all emphasis on training with little time to do much else. The level of focus that training in an isolated environment required allowed the rowers to make a great deal of development in a limited period of time, Cunningham said. The rowers began the day with a 7 a.m. row. The morning session was competitive in nature as rowers contended for seats in different boats. The seat selection process is not as simple as
placing all the rowers with the fastest times in the same boat, Jamie Billings ’16 said. “You race two boats and you take down the margin between,” Billings said. “Maybe it’s a four-minute race, and one boat wins by one length. Then, you switch two guys, so you might switch the three-seat in one boat with the three-seat in the other boat, and you record how the margins changed.” In contrast to the morning sessions, the afternoon practices were geared toward conditioning and the improvement of rowing technique rather than seat selection. These practices provided coaches with the opportunity to spend a lot of time with rowers working out any kinks in their form. The afternoon rows also tended to be longer in an effort to build endurance. “I think we’re going to be fast this year, honestly,” Billings said. “I was really, really happy with the level of rowing, and people seemed pretty uniform in their technique.”