The Dartmouth 10/06/14

VOL. CLXXI NO. 127

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Big Green opens Ivy play with 31-13 win over Penn

SUNNY HIGH 64 LOW 49

By BRETT DRUCKER

The Dartmouth Senior Staff

KATE HERRINGTON/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

SPORTS WEEKLY

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With the rain coming down in Hanover, the Big Green football team crushed the University of Pennsylvania to win its first Ivy League opener since 2007 on Saturday.

Dartmouth (2-1, 1-0 Ivy) saw an offensive explosion from Dalyn Williams ’16, who had a career-high three rushing touchdowns on the day and a defensive performance that exemplified the spirit behind the team’s new “granite of New Hampshire” uniforms, forcing three turnovers and four sacks against the Quakers (0-3, 0-1 Ivy).

Dartmouth opened its Ivy season at home, crushing the Quakers on Saturday afternoon.

SEE FOOTBALL PAGE SW2

After year of planning, Society application deadline nears

B y NOAH GOLDSTEIN

The Society of Fellows, a program that will bring post-doctoral students to Hanover for research, teaching and mentorship, will close its application period for the inaugural class of fellows next week. The first group is expected to start next fall.

The program will have five or six post-doctorate fellows, program director and religion department chair Randall Balmer said. The program aims to boost cross-department collaboration

and interaction with undergraduates, interviewed faculty leaders said.

Last month, the College announced the appointment of seven professors as mentors, who will in turn select the program’s participants after the application period ends on Oct. 15.

English professor Donald Pease, a faculty mentor, said that the program was created to promote post-graduate research and cooperation between departments.

Undergraduates will have more research opportunities and will be able

to connect with recent graduates, Pease said.

Pease added that the senior thesis, while allowing undergraduates to do graduate-level research, does not include the same type of mentorship that the Society of Fellows could provide.

Dean of the faculty Michael Mastanduno said that the program will augment undergraduates’ educational opportunities.

“What you want is an intellectual environment where undergraduates will learn from various people of vari-

Shift in enrollment may follow job stress, faculty say B y NICK VERNICE

Around 650 fewer students took English courses in 2013 than in 2001, while around 880 more took an engineering class.

Between 2001 and 2013, English, religion, history and art history have seen significant decreases in enrollment while the engineering, physics and economics departments experienced growth, according to registrar data compiled by Jason Goodman ’12.

But an Oct. 2013 New York Times

ous stages,” Mastanduno said.

Mastanduno said he hopes that within five to 10 years the program will have reenergized undergraduate learning at Dartmouth.

Engineering professor William Lotko, a faculty mentor, said he will call the program a success if it leads to results that would not have been possible without collaboration between the fellows and their departments.

Lotko has experience with a similar, SEE FELLOWS PAGE 5

LEAN IN

article suggests that this trend is not unique to Dartmouth. Both Stanford and Harvard Universities have seen a sharp decline in humanities majors, with Harvard experiencing a 20 percent decrease in humanities majors over the last decade. There are currently around half as many humanities majors at undergraduate institutions nationwide than there were in 1970, the New York Times reported.

Dartmouth faculty members interBRUNO KORBAR/THE DARTMOUTH

SEE ENROLLMENT PAGE 7

Despite the rainy weekend, students made time for Frisbee.

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 2

DAily debriefing LOCAL NEWS New Hampshire health officials are educating medical workers on Ebola diagnosis and treatment as a precaution, WMUR reported. New Hampshire public health director Jose Montero said a case could possibly develop in New Hampshire like it did in Dallas, and the state is monitoring the outbreak and preparing for a potential epidemic. The state is providing online training sessions and informational materials to health workers.

Hillary Clinton will visit New Hampshire on Nov. 2 to campaign for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., the Union Leader reported. Clinton beat Barack Obama in the 2008 New Hampshire presidential primary and, along with her husband Bill Clinton, has cultivated a strong relationship with the state. Democrats anticipate her arrival, which they hope will bolster support for their candidates, particularly Shaheen, whose race with former Republican Massachusetts senator Scott Brown is expected to be tight.

The Brattleboro Retreat psychiatric hospital in Vermont announced Friday that it will retain its federal certification, VTDigger reported. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a termination letter in the summer following two suicide attempts and a sexual assault that occurred in the last six months. The hospital is negotiating an agreement with the CMS that allows it to avoid losing its certification in exchange for increased supervision.

— Compiled by Erin Lee

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

Students push for Brown, Shaheen B y TimOTHy CONNOR

With less than a month remaining before Election Day, polls continue to indicate a tight contest between incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Republican challenger Scott Brown, a former Massachusetts senator. A poll published by New England College late last week declared the race a statistical tie, with Shaheen at 47.1 percent and Brown at 46.6 percent.

Political activity on campus has heightened in anticipation of the Nov. 4 election, as both students and faculty prepare for a decision that will not only determine the federal representation of New Hampshire for the next six years, but may also decide the balance of the Senate for the remainder of President Barack Obama’s term.

If the Republican Party can win a net of six seats in the Senate during the midterm elections, the G.O.P. will likely gain control of Congress. New Hampshire, famous for its status as a swing state, may play a pivotal role in this contest.

“We are in a competitive state in a year when the Senate could flip,” government professor Kyle Dropp said. “All indications suggest that the race between Jeanne Shaheen and Scott Brown is going

to be quite close. This matters for Dartmouth students because the party that’s in control of the Senate matters for policy, matters for who the president can appoint and matters for which judges get appointed.”

Both College Democrats and

“If you’re from New York or California or Texas, there’s a very strong argument to vote here.

New Hampshire’s more of a swing state, and you’re most affected by what’s going on here while you’re here.”

- SPENCER BLAIR ’17, COLLEGE DEMOCRATS PRESIDENT College Republicans have aggressively campaigned for their respective candidates on campus and beyond.

College Republicans president Michelle Knesbach ’17 said the group is organizing phone banking for all highly contested races in the state this election term, as well as

block walking and trying to bring candidates to campus.

College Republicans aims to host Brown during Homecoming weekend for a tailgate event, but details remain undeter mined, Knesbach said.

“I think the most important way to influence kids’ opinions on campus is to actually bring candidates in so they can actually understand the arguments,” she said. “A lot of kids grew up in either really conservative or really liberal areas and haven’t had as much exposure to candidates with different beliefs when they were going to high school and in their home communities.”

Spencer Blair ’17, president of College Democrats, said his organization employs 50 volunteers to participate in phone banking, canvassing and a Commit to Vote program conducted in partnership with College Republicans.

“We’re getting approximately 250 students to commit to vote each week,” he said. “It’s not committing to vote for a Democrat, it’s really not a binding commitment at all, it’s just getting contact information for students willing to vote this year so we can remind them on Election Day.” College Democrats and College SEE CAMPAIGN PAGE 5

VROOM, VROOM

Corrections We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.

BRUNO KORBAR/THE DARTMOUTH

Dartmouth Formula Racing, run through the Thayer School of Engineering, designs, assembles and tests cars.

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

PAGE 3

More than 30 rush coed Leaf peepers explore bountiful foliage houses in fall recruitment B y EMILY ROBERTSON

B y KATIE RAFTER

Following recruitment last week, more than 30 students have accepted bids at Alpha Theta, Phi Tau and the Tabard coed fraternities so far this fall. This accompanies recent changes in coed council policy that stress accessibility and non-discrimination.

The Coed Council ratified a new constitution last week, after members of each of the coed houses, as well as Amarna undergraduate society, approved it during weekly chapter meetings, council president Noah Cramer ’16 said.

SEE COED PAGE 8

As trees transform and leaves begin to scatter, out come the cameras pointed at bright branches.

Leaf peepers have come to town, bringing a boost in tourism and benefits for local businesses.

Around 8.2 million visitors are expected in New Hampshire this fall, state division of travel and tourism assistant director Amy Bassett said. Last year, the state saw 8.1 million fall visitors, a 6 percent increase from 2012. Bassett said many come from elsewhere in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, Quebec and Ontario.

According to the online New

Hampshire Foliage Leaf Tracker, Dartmouth’s foliage will be at its peak level this week. In 2013, the Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region brought in $20 million in sales for rooms and meals paid by travelers in the fall, Bassett said.

Angela Baglione, an intern at Luna Bleu Farms, said she noticed an increase in the number of people at the Hanover farmers’ market this fall. One of the first vendors at the market on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon, Baglione said as she unpacked her truck that she is used to the changes in foliage.

“Living here, we don’t really go out and look at them,” she said.

“They’re just all around.”

Baglione, who has farmed across New England for several years, said that her visitors from outside the area are excited to experience the fall foliage. The increase in visitors has also stimulated the farm’s business, she said.

“There’s a lot of tourism, which brings a major boost to the economy,” she said. “Farmers’ markets are kind of like a quaint New England thing to do, so it can definitely be beneficial.”

According to Nigel Leeming, owner of Murphy’s on the Green restaurant, bus tours for leaf SEE FOLIAGE PAGE 8

JULIETTA GERVASE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Eleven students accepted bids at Alpha Theta coed fraternity this term.

DALI lab students create mobile, web apps B y CHRIS LEECH

The Dartmouth Staff

The Neukom Digital Arts Leadership and Innovation Lab — stylized as the DALI lab, its logo complete with the artist’s iconic twirled moustache — has met its capacity of students and projects 18 months after it opened its doors.

After a record number of students applied this term, the lab ultimately accepted about 20 percent of applicants.

Due to the influx of applications, the lab also asked some current employees to reapply for their positions, director Lori Loeb said.

The lab currently employs about 60 students each term and has completed more than 50 projects since it kicked off in April 2013, Loeb said.

Loeb said that the lab has grown so quickly because it provides useful services: creating web and mobile applications that visualize data and implementing behavior-changing

technology.

“In this age when there’s so much information in the world, everyone wants to communicate this information correctly,” she said. “There’s a dearth of groups who know how to harness computers and design.”

Professors, students, startups and other groups pitch ideas for the lab, Loeb said. Potential projects must fit in with the lab’s mission, which is educational in nature, and present significant design and development challenges.

The lab has been funded almost entirely by a grant from the Neukom Institute for Computational Science, Loeb said, but the rapid growth of its staff has made securing additional financial support a priority. Although funding through the Neukom grant was expected to last until next fall, the lab’s expansion may cause the money to run out by the end of June, she said.

Other sources of funding include SEE DALI PAGE 7

TRACY WANG/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Each fall, October leaves bring admirers — armed with smartphones — to the Upper Valley.

THE DARTMOUTH OPINION

PAGE 4

contributing Columnist annika park ’18

staff columnist Emily Sellers ’15

Choose Cruelty Free

HeForShe Needs Work

It’s time we make informed decisions about our winter wear.

Winter is coming — meaning the Hinman line will get longer with students anxiously stocking up on their hooded bombers, Patagonia jackets and SmartWool socks. But before we make these purchases, we must understand the implications behind the products we buy.

We must realize that the things that keep us warm may actually support a cold, dark industry.

It is not news that wearing fur supports an abusive industry, in which fur is ripped apart from a mink, rabbit or fox while the creature is still alive. But with the recent rise of “ethical fur,” it is no longer as easy to tell if purchasing fur is questionable. For example, Canada Goose rationalizes its use of coyote fur by claiming that coyotes are overpopulated farmland pests, adding that their trapping methods are humane. However, ethically sourcing fur for an already overpriced winterwear industry is near impossible. According to Choose Cruelty Free, leghold traps that involve the traps’ jaws slamming shut on the animal’s legs — often leading the animal to mutilate itself or die a slow death from exhaustion — are still legal in Canada. We must approach this debate from an animal welfare perspective rather than an economic one. Does the age-old practice of trapping and skinning an animal make sense when it is supporting institutionalized multi-national conglomerates?

Filling coats with goose feathers, a common practice, also has created controversy. Producing goose down involves forcefully plucking the feathers of a goose or a duck while it is still alive to acquire the soft layer of feathers on their breasts. These feathers are the most efficient in trapping air and body heat, and therefore the most desirable. According to Four Paws, a German animal welfare group, an average duck or goose may be plucked alive four times in its lifetime — while being farmed institutionally in a shockingly poorly maintained factory farm. Down is also a byproduct of the infamous foie gras industry, wherein ducks are force-fed through a tube in the esophagus, making their stomachs grow

as large as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Because of these issues, many vegans and animal welfare activists turn to synthetic material. While goose down aficionados and fur-trim giants argue that synthetic materials are a temporary relief from buying into the cruel trade, an imperfect solution is better than no solution at all. Spinning off of Churchill’s famed quote about democracy, synthetics may be the worst form of material — except for all those have been tried.

Other fur defenders note that wearing fur has been a practice for warmth for centuries, and that it is therefore a renewable and sustainable source. But we need to acknowledge that times have changed. We can now purchase mass-produced factory products with the click of a mouse, rather than sourcing materials we need for ourselves and using these animals and their resources sparingly. It is no longer natural or sustainable to feed an exponentiallygrowing multi-million winter wear industry and compare it to our hunter-gatherer days.

So how do we ensure that our purchases are guilt-free? If we cannot completely boycott animal products, perhaps we should do the best that we can do from where we stand — making sure that the products we buy at least do not involve the unnecessary suffering of animals.

Our campus favorite, Patagonia, has recently begun exercising corporate responsibility by switching over to “Traceable Down” in all of its down-insulated products starting this fall.

The North Face has also jumped onto the bandwagon, but has yet to announce when its products will go fully “Traceable.” Another recommended option is the synthetic material PrimaLoft, a material that both companies use.

Human beings kept warm in the past by wearing fur from animals — some argue that that’s the way nature works. However, we must realize we now live in a society entrenched with consumerism. In doing so, we must remain conscious of our purchases so that our choices are not supporting an industry that has institutionalized cruelty.

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

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SUBMISSIONS: We welcome letters and guest columns. All submissions must include the author’s name and affiliation with Dartmouth College, and should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.

Emma Watson’s speech deserves some critical attention.

Though I appreciate the star power Emma Watson lends to the feminist movement, the HeForShe speech delivered to the United Nations on Sept. 20 disappointed me and made me uncomfortable.

“How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” In that moment, Watson lost me. As a feminist, I do not consider it my responsibility to make an equality movement palatable to those in power, just as I do not believe that it is a person of color’s responsibility to “invite” a white person to join the fight against racism. Equality movements should not have to formally ask others to participate ideologically in a theory that is self-evidently beneficial and just. It is one thing for Watson to address the false connotations associated with the term “feminism,” but it is entirely another to suggest that feminism must be made acceptable to institutional power. This also implies, as Mia McKenzie suggests in her article “Why I’m Not Really Here for Emma Watson’s Feminism Speech at the U.N.,” that the reason men have not been receptive has more to do with feminists not asking, rather than the fact that upholding patriarchal society bestows incredible amounts of privilege upon those non-participating men.

Furthermore, the very name is startlingly outmoded. The HeForShe website headline posits that the goal is “a solidarity movement for gender equality,” which seems almost comically off-point. How can HeForShe claim to form a cohesive, inclusive movement regarding gender, when the entire spectrum of those who do not identify along the gender binary are ignored?

Those who are gender nonconforming deserve a feminist movement that not only “invites” them to the party, but also does not actively contribute to the very problem they, and many cisgender feminists, are attempting to solve. By reinforcing the gender binary in its brand name, HeForShe implicitly excludes an often overlooked swath of people who are harmed by sexist practices and gender stereotypes. Whether this exclusion was intentional or not, 2014 is not the time for a feminist movement — or, for that matter, a young person professing to be engaged in gender

issues — to be ignorant of gender fluidity, nonconformity and trans* individuals.

If feminism really is about the “political, economic and social equality of the sexes,” as Watson says, then we, as feminists, must not overlook those in our community who need equality and recognition — regardless of identification and biological sex. Watson was absolutely correct when she asserted that gender stereotypes hurt everyone, but she failed to acknowledge the harm caused by the gender binary itself, which is a dichotomous bias that profoundly skews our vision of the world. In my view, feminism is about dismantling institutions and attitudes that place limits on how one should act based on physical appearance. You cannot use the language that HeForShe advertises if that is what you are trying to break down. As Audre Lord said, “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”

These issues are especially germane to college and, specifically, Dartmouth life. As Prodhi Manisha ’17 recently wrote (“TTLG: Frat Enough or Nah?” Oct. 3, 2014), gendered institutions like Greek houses not only usually exclude gender-nonperfoming individuals (let alone gender-nonconformists like Manisha), they uphold “antiquated gender stereotypes” — a problem with which HeForShe claims to be concerned. I find it incredibly difficult to understand why a modern feminist movement would employ binary-based language that reinforces the very problem feminism attempts to solve.

One of the most accurate critiques of modern-day feminism is not that people think we are man-haters, but that the movement is largely exclusive. It benefits mainly white, upper-class, cisgender straight women. HeForShe, with its unfortunate cognomen and its poster-star Emma Watson — the perfect face of white, upperclass, straight and cis privilege — fails to address important aspects of feminism’s exclusivity problem. Following up on a boyhood Hermione crush may convince some of HeForShe’s target audience to feel included in the movement, but that does not mean HeForShe should alienate those whom the movement could and should serve.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

Fellow app. period to close next week

$59,200 per year plus benefits.

During the selection process, NASA-funded program for newly- Balmer said the program’s faculty minted Ph.D.’s called “Visiting Young fellows will emphasize diversity, scholScientist.” arly accomplishment and potential.

Lotko pointed to the example Tuck School of Business marketing of David Murr, a former “Visiting professor and faculty fellow Peter Young Scientist” who designed a Golder added that he will look for successful class at Dartmouth, worked applications with strong communicaat the U.S. State Department and re- tion skills and academic records. ceived a faculty position at Augsberg The program’s other faculty felCollege. This case was a “win-win” lows are biology professor Kathryn situation, Lotko said, noting that Cottingham, Geisel School of MediMurr and the program both benefited cine professor George O’Toole and from the relationship. He said he history professor Pamela Crossley. hopes the Soci In adety of Fellows dition to post“What you want is an brings similar doctoral fellows, intellectual environment the program will success.

Mastanduno, where undergraduates also bring in viswho chose the iting fellows for program’s fac- will learn from various stays of one week ulty fellows along people of various to a term. with Provos t Harstages.”

Carolyn Dever, vard University said he sought and Princeton to select highly - MICHAEL MASTANDUNO, University have accomplished similar proprofessors with DEAN OF FACULTY g rams, with a “very broad Harvard’s datsense of the libing back to 1933. eral arts.”

Also called the Society of Fellows, The program is estimated to cost Harvard’s program aims to allow its $2 to $3 million annually, Michael participants to freely explore their Kiefer, newly appointed vice presi- academic interests for three years dent for presidential initiatives and on campus, with a starting salary of principal gifts, said in a previous $70,000. interview.

Princeton’s “Society of Fellows in Balmer said the program’s funding the Liberal Arts,” established in 1999, will come from the anonymous $100 promotes interdisciplinary approachmillion gift Dartmouth received last es to teaching. The program’s newest April. class brought in five fellows, selected Once accepted, the new fellows from an 821-person applicant pool, will receive a monthly stipend of who will each receive an annual sal$4,600 and $4,000 annually for ary of around $80,000 salary across program-related costs, a total of their three years at Princeton.

FROM FELLOWS PAGE 1

Provost Dever invites you to Open Office Hours for Students Tuesday, October 7 from 4-5 pm Provost’s Office, Room 102 Parkhurst Hall

Meetings are offered on a first-come, first-served basis

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 5

Student groups campaign for candidates FROM CAMPAIGN PAGE 2

Republicans partnered for a voter registration drive in September and plan to host another this month, Blair said.

Blair said that College Democrats are also in the process of assigning members to advocate for the Shaheen campaign in each campus residence hall, affinity house and Greek house.

“Ultimately, our goal is to make sure that on Nov. 4, not a single student at Dartmouth is unaware that there’s an election, is unaware that they’re allowed to vote here and is unaware as to how they can vote,” he said.

Colin Reed, the campaign manager for the Brown campaign, said Dartmouth students should consider the state of student debt in the U.S. when making their decision to vote.

“It’s Scott Brown’s view that the best way to attack this is not to make loans more affordable but to actually lower the cost of college,” he said. “There’s a number of things he thinks might be important for a step forward in terms of student loans such as increasing transparency for administrator

and faculty pay and encouraging innovation to save money for students. I think the important thing, in contrast with Senator Shaheen, is that Scott Brown is focused on

“I think the most important way to influence kids’ opinions on campus is to actually bring candidates in so they can actually understand the arguments.”

- MICHELLE KNESBACH ’17, COLLEGE REPUBLICANS PRESIDENT

actually lowering the cost of the product, not making it easier to go into debt.”

The Shaheen campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

New Hampshire election

law allows college students to decide whether to register to vote in their home state or as a New Hampshire resident.

Blair said students should consider choosing to vote in New Hampshire to maximize the impact of their vote.

“As Dartmouth students, we live here nine months out of the year, which is more than we live anywhere else,” he said. “By attending Dartmouth, spending our time in Hanover, we’re channeling quite a bit of money into the state’s economy, we’re subject to its laws, we’re doing research in the state that benefits the state, we’re doing community service in the area that benefits the state, we’re most affected by the laws here and we’re most engaged in the community and civic society here.

“If you’re from Florida or Ohio and you want to vote there, that makes a lot of sense. But if you’re from New York or California or Texas, there’s a very strong argument to vote here. New Hampshire’s more of a swing state, and you’re most affected by what’s going on here while you’re here.”

Blair is a member of The Dartmouth opinion staff.

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PAGE 6

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

PAGE 7

DALI lab receives record number of applications this fall experience for students within an academic support structure. a grant from NASA, the College’s “You have a work setting, but computer science department as also have a lot of support and can well as some of the lab’s partners. try new things,” Leung said. “If These sources will continue to failure hits, there aren’t so many fund the lab, Loeb said, but she said repercussions.” she hopes to find additional sources.

Tregubov said he is excited that “We don’t want to be depen- the lab is filling up but added that dent on corporations because with more students, it becomes more things change of a challenge — it changes to provide per“You have a work our educationsonalized edual piece,” Loeb setting, but also have cation for each said. student. a lot of support and While fiNook n a n c e s a r e can try new things.

Harquail ’14, a her immediate If failure hits, there first-year graduconcern, Loeb ate student at aren’t so many said she hopes the lab, said his that eventually repercussions.” f i r s t p ro j ec t, more than half Word Blastoff, of the student aimed to crebody will work - ALISON LEUNG, ate a new edufor the lab dur- LEAD DESIGNER cational word ing their time at game. In conDartmouth. trast to gridThe lab’s technical director based word games, Word Blastoff Tim Tregubov attributes its high asks players to form words with popularity to the leadership op- letters swirling around a larger and portunities offered. larger black hole.

When students first come into the The game allows players to lab, they are often shy and unwilling discover new words and then look to speak up in meetings, Tregubov them up in a built-in dictionary. said. Even more than developing The best moment during developstudents’ technical and design skills, ment was when he tested the app the lab builds their confidence to on children, who performed better lead projects, he said. than adults, he said.

Lead designer Alison Leung said Harquail said he is now part of a the lab also provides real-world team working on a project to reduce FROM DALI PAGE 3

JEFFREY LEE/THE DARTMOUTH

The DALI lab aims to give students real-world experience and leadership opportunities, staff say.

stress and interpersonal conflicts for astronauts in space. The project is funded by a grant from NASA and was pitched by Geisel School of Medicine professor and former astronaut Jay Buckey, who is part of a research team that has developed a computer-based therapy program.

The application, which will

first be tested on researchers on Antarctica, will include modules that mimic interpersonal relations and conflicts. It will eventually use virtual reality software, Harquail said.

Stephen Malina ’15 said he joined the lab last fall because he wanted applied experience in com-

puter science. He said that the high student interest in the lab indicates that it is filling a space on campus.

“At its root, the lab satisfies the hacker or maker drive to build things,” Malina said. “There wasn’t a formal outlet for it before.”

Harquail is a former member of The Dartmouth senior staff.

Data show declining interest in humanities subjects since 2008 FROM ENROLLMENT PAGE 1

viewed said the changing economy and concerns about post-graduation employment likely influenced the shift.

“For better or worse, it seems like people are majoring in things that are closer to what they project to be their initial occupation,” economics

professor Bruce Sacerdote said.

Dean of the faculty Michael Mastanduno said that though financial concerns and job prospects likely factor into students’ decisions, these worries are often unfounded.

“A truly high quality liberal arts education that we provide here suggests that you are going to be likely

ENROLLMENT PATTERNS 2001-2013 14000 12000

Enrollment

10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year Humani2es

Social Sciences

Sciences

JIN SHIN/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

to do very well regardless of which particular field you major in,” he said.

French and comparative literature professor Andrea Tarnowski, who leads the Humanities 1 and 2 program, said she believes students’ emphasis on “strict and manifest measurability of outcomes” has increased. Tarnowski said she credits an increased emphasis on STEM courses — fueled by the assumption that the U.S. is lagging in the fields of engineering and the sciences — for the enrollment decline.

Tarnowski said that both students and parents tend to see a need for translating college courses into something perceived as marketable.

“If parents say, ‘What will you be able to do when you leave college?’ it is much easier to say, ‘I will be able to use these three computer programs,’ and prove that, then to say ‘I will be able to give an excellent oral presentation’ or ‘I will be able to analyze a text with great acuity and refinement,’ Tarnowski said.

Goodman, who is pursuing a master’s degree in data science at the University of California at Berkeley, said he personally values the skills gained through humanities courses.

“Having technical skills is an important part of any data-related job, but being able to ask the right questions and challenge assumptions and all the things that the liberal arts teach you to do are arguably even more important than the technical skills,” he said. “I think that it’s really important to continue to make the case that the humanities are not just fun to study, but that they have a pragmatism, even if its not as completely obvious as macroeconomics.”

Humanities 1 student Claire Alcus ’18 said that studying the Western canon has formative implications extending far beyond the classroom.

“The humanities is the discipline that asks the big questions,” she said, gesturing to her heavily annotated copy of Dante’s “Inferno.” “I think the reason we study them is not only for their face value, but to appreciate the continuity of the human spirit despite the differing historical and cultural influences of the works’ times.”

This summer, applications for the Humanities 1-2 class sequence skyrocketed, gathering 135 applications for 48 spots.

Increased enrollment in economics and science courses has also presented

these departments with additional challenges, such as growing the departments efficiently and making appropriate use of the available resources, Sacerdote said.

The Board of Trustees, College President Phil Hanlon, associate dean for the social sciences Nancy Marion and Mastanduno closely monitor and evaluate these trends in enrollment to authorize new hiring, Sacerdote said.

While the number of sections for certain economics classes offered has increased, Sacerdote said that class sizes have remained relatively constant since he arrived at Dartmouth in 1998.

Mastanduno said he sees the enrollment shift as a pivotal moment in the College’s history, and consequently a time to reaffirm Dartmouth’s identity as an institution committed to the liberal arts.

“I think that we can be the champions of a great liberal arts education, and I think that is such a valuable commodity in our society and culture today,” Mastanduno said. “It’s something for which we should be going on the offensive, if you will, and championing, instead of something that we should be feeling defensive about.”

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

Experts anticipate foliage peak to strike Hanover shortly FROM FOLIAGE PAGE 3

peeping used to be more common approximately 20 years ago, but many tourists now come on their own instead of in groups.

Despite the decline in tour buses coming to Hanover, Leeming said that Murphy’s is always busier in the fall.

“When it rains on a fall foliage day, it’s even better because people want to come inside,” Leeming said.

Maki Schmertz, assistant manager at the Dartmouth Coop, said business increases approximately 20 percent in the fall.

Schmertz said Dartmouth sweatshirts, sweatpants and flannels are popular among fall visitors.

The clothing store also sets up a King Arthur Flour booth, which sells pancake and cookie mix, in front of the store exclusively for the fall season.

“I think it’s actually an awesome thing for us because we have some awesome leaves changing in this

area,” he said. “I think it helps generally all businesses, and we get to meet and interact with new people.”

Todd Hjelt, a front desk supervisor at Six South Street Hotel, said he has also observed increased business in the fall. Hjelt said the hotel is full over the weekends and rooms are priced at a premium rate, as many visitors are drawn to football and foliage.

Hjelt also said that some guests choose to book rooms for the next year to return for the fall colors.

“That’s a gift for us in this business, to have that business lined up,” he said.

Bill and Emily Montgomery, Houston residents and parents of a Dartmouth alumna, returned to visit the campus and see the leaves this fall. Gazing at Baker Tower from the Green, Emily Montgomery said that she and her husband have gone leaf peeping many times before in New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.

“We just came up the freeway,

DANNY KIM/THE DARTMOUTH

Hanover business owners report higher sales during prime leaf peeping season, citing an influx of tourists.

and it was beautiful,” Emily Montgomery said, noting that the leaves had changed color more to the south and east of Hanover.

“It’s nice to see the mix of colors on water, like on a lake or stream

or something like that,” Bill Montgomery said. “It’s just always fun, and we never seem to hit it quite right. We miss the peak, or we’re too late.”​ Hjelt said that the increase in

tourism also helps local residents appreciate the season.

“Sometimes you need people to come from all over the world to remind you of how beautiful your natural foliage is,” he said.

Coed council ratifies new constitution with anti-discrimination focus

rush process this year. Altamirano said members aim to create a non-discrimination clause mandat- low-pressure environment, inviting that organizations do not dis- ing students over for food, casual criminate against individuals based conversation and a tour before on sexual orientation, ethnicity or discussing what being a member gender identity and that all coed of Alpha Theta entails. houses give dues reductions at the Yasmeen Erritouni ’17, who request of members. The council rushed Alpha Theta this term, said has also been slightly restructured, she feels comfortable and welcome with the addition of a secretary and in the house. She said she was not small changes to voting procedures. intending to rush this term, but Cramer was encouraged said the new by friends that cons titution “We pride ourselves she had made ensured that on taking anybody in the fraternity. practices key said she who wants to join the Erritouni to the houses’ decided to join a values were house.” coed house be“codified in a cause she enjoys real iron-clad the “inter minway.” He said - COnnie gong ’15, gling of human although the THE tabard president beings regardless new constituof gender.” tion may not Of the three have immedistudents who ately noticewent through able effects, issues such as dues Phi Tau’s rush process, one has reductions and non-discrimination sunk her bid, while another has policies “don’t matter until they indicated plans to sink a bid this do, and then they matter quite a week, Phi Tau president Aylin bit.”

Woodward ’15 said. The fraternity Eleven students accepted bids members are still waiting to see at Alpha Theta this term, mark- whether the third student will also ing an increase from six last year, choose to join the house. Phi Tau three students participated in Phi operates on a rolling rush process Tau’s rush process and 21 joined until graduation. the Tabard.

Woodward said that Phi Tau Alpha Theta president Cristy is trying to move away from the Altamirano ’15 said the organiza- schism between new and old memtion made minimal changes to its bers, emphasizing campus events FROM COED PAGE 3

that are open to the Class of 2018.

She said Phi Tau members are not concerned by the number of people who rush, as its membership has always been relatively small, which encourages closeness.

Ruby Hopkins ’17, who sunk a bid at Phi Tau, said she feels “adopted into part of their family.”

Hopkins said she decided to rush a coed house because she feels the dynamic encourages conversation.

The Tabard holds open rush, meaning everyone who wants to join the house receives a bid. There has been an increase in the number of students who rushed this term, and several others have expressed interest in rushing later in the term, Tabard president Connie Gong ’15 said.

“We pride ourselves on taking anybody who wants to join the house,” Gong said.

Yesuto Shaw ’15 rushed the Tabard this term after having taken part in single-sex fraternity rush earlier in his time at Dartmouth.

Shaw said his rush experience at the Tabard emphasized a welcoming environment, noting coed houses do not have “a sense of exclusivity” because they accept anyone interested in joining.

Woodward is a member of The Dartmouth opinion staff.

ALLISON CHOU/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Alpha Theta coed fraternity hosts open recruitment every term. Here, students are shown in the house in spring 2014.

PAGE 9

THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS

MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 2014

DARTMOUTH EVENTS TODAY 3:30 p.m.

“Atrocity Prevention Efforts within the U.S. Government: Challenges and Next Steps,” with Dr. Sarah Sewall, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Filene Auditorium

4:30 p.m.

5th Annual C. Everett Koop distinguished lecture, “Corporate Threats to Children’s Health,” Silsby 28

4:30 p.m.

Conference, The Digital Crucible, Arts and Humanities and Computation, Haldeman 41

TOMORROW 12:30 p.m.

“Personal Branding and Career Stewardship,” with David Uejio of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, Rm. 208

3:30 p.m.

Physics and astronomy space plasma seminar, Wilder 111

4:15 p.m.

Computer science colloquium, Moore B03

ADVERTISING For advertising information, please call (603) 646-2600 or email info@thedartmouth. com. The advertising deadline is noon, two days before publication. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Opinions expressed in advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of The Dartmouth, Inc. or its officers, employees and agents.

The Dartmouth, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation chartered in the state of New Hampshire. USPS 148-540 ISSN 01999931

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

Ledyard Gallery show features collage works FROM HOWE PAGE 11

community has such close ties to the College, past or current faculty and staff will show their work at the Howe.

The gallery now features an exhibit called “Mindscapes” by local artist Naomi Hartov, which will continue until Oct. 29. The show features collage works made using scraps from magazines, calendars and catalogues.

Hartov said she appreciated that the Howe jury was receptive to work that had a deeper meaning and was not only meant to sit on the wall and look nice.

“I’ve had shows at [DartmouthHitchcock Medical Center] before,” Hartov said. “They like mostly pretty images, things that don’t cause people too much introspection or might be frightening in any way or thought provoking. So many of these pieces have never been shown, because that’s sort of my venue.”

After 10 years of contemplating having her work shown at the Ledyard Gallery, Hartov contacted Howe staff about six months ago, showed them her pieces and was put on the waiting list.

For Hartov, collage is “a subliminal process” during which the meaning of the work forms as the piece comes together. She said she enjoys that people often see things in her collages that she had not seen, so the meaning of one piece can grow more complex.

“I don’t mind if people read whatever they want to into them, and sometimes people express back to me thoughts that I may not even have realized that I probably had when I put these pieces together,” Hartov said.

Schembri estimated that the gallery has shown approximately 110 shows since 2005. The space sees three annual shows: the Elden Murray photographic competition and exhibition, the senior art show and a display by Hanover High School students, which occurred for the first time this past January. Artists cannot show their work more than once every other year.

Although the Ledyard Gallery is the Howe’s main exhibition space, the library also features art displays in the café and teen room that rotate monthly.

The Howe also houses a permanent art collection. This collection includes pieces by famous illustrators in the children’s section and features a large owl leading into this section, lovingly known as Howl. The children’s section also features rotating art created by local preschool students.

Visitors may also check out pieces of art from the library.

Upcoming exhibits in the Ledyard Gallery include works in oil and pencil by Jean Gerber in November and a show by the Center for Cartoon Studies, which is based in White River Junction, in March and April.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

LINDSAY ELLIS/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Members of the Society for Creative Anachronism visited campus yesterday.

PAGE 10

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1499

KATE HERRINGTON/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Medieval enthusiasts took over Collis Common Ground yesterday for Williamsfaire.

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

PAGE 11

Howe offers space to local artists

B y Jessica Zischke

The Dartmouth Senior Staff

People tend to use libraries as quiet study spots or places to pick up books for class. Although Dartmouth students don’t typically visit the Howe Library in town, its staff members are working to challenge this notion.

To library director Mary White, these spaces house more than books.

“We are truly a community center,” she said. “People come here for programs or to visit someone in the café and for things like the Ledyard Gallery. It’s just one more way to reach out to the community and make them aware of the Howe.”

The Howe’s 2005 expansion and renovation project, which nearly doubled the library’s square footage, included the addition of the Ledyard Gallery. The gallery is named after Ledyard Bank, which partially financially supported the project. Located on the library’s second floor, it often exhibits displays of 20 to 40 works, which rotate every one or two months, Howe development coordinator Michelle Schembri said.

Before this expansion, the library would show artwork in a meeting room, which was not as accessible to patrons.

“The Mayer Room is a closed, locked meeting room, so as soon as anyone wanted to see anything, one of us had to go down and unlock it,” head of the circulation services department Kristina Burnett said.

“It’s a nice meeting room, but it’s

not a great space.”

Burnett has displayed her handhooked rugs in two exhibits at the library since the renovation.

Since its opening, the gallery has become an important venue for artists in the Upper Valley.

Schembri said that although the Ledyard Gallery is not exclusively for those living in the area, nearby artists tend to show greater interest.

“People come here for programs or to visit someone in the cafe and for things like the Ledyard Gallery. It’s just one more way to reach out to the community and make them more aware of the Howe.”

- Mary White, Howe Library Director “There are limited areas to [show work] in the Upper Valley, and we offer it for free,” Schembri said. “If they do sell works, which does happen, we just take a 10-percent commission, which is very small compared to other galleries. We’re really doing it for [the artists].”

A four-member jury, including White, Schembri and two volunteers who are also artists, deter-

mine what works will be displayed.

Sometimes artists will be turned down because the work is not up to the jury’s standards, there is not enough material or there are concerns of risqué content shown where children could walk through, White said.

White noted that while the gallery is open to all patrons, adults mostly use the space.

“It’s right in the open, so that’s why we’re sometimes sensitive as to the subject matter,” she said.

Word of mouth has proven to be a powerful tool in spreading news about the Ledyard Gallery to artists in the community, Schembri said. The gallery space is currently booked through early 2016.

Often, artists will suggest the Howe to other artists in the community, although the library will also sometimes seek new exhibits by including an announcement in its monthly e-newsletter, Schembri said.

The jury works to ensure that a variety of artwork is shown, Schembri said, including watercolors, block prints and rugs. Though the space is not well-equipped for three-dimensional pieces, White said, the ground level occasionally displays smaller pieces.

Despite its close proximity to the College — its doors are 0.3 miles from the Green — the Howe does not often collaborate with Dartmouth in what is shown at the Ledyard Gallery, although the two work together in other ways.

Schembri said that because the SEE HOWE PAGE 10

ABIAH PRITCHARD/THE DARTMOUTH

A visitor examines paintings on display in the Howe Library’s Ledyard Gallery.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

Short film screening highlights nature

B y Owen Shepcaro

A high-adrenaline avalanche encounter, nature’s pristine splendor and warm scenes of community were among the highlights of the 2014 Mountainfilm screening at the Hopkins Center, which presented attendees with a sense of nature’s power and beauty as well as perspective on those who make their home in the world’s most remote locations.

The Mountainfilm festival, which takes place over three days at Telluride, Colorado, each Memorial Day weekend, features about 85 independent documentary films as well as discussions, art and photography exhibits and social events.

After the weekend, films from the festival travel around the world to what organizers say totals more than 100 locations and five continents, reaching a total audience of about 40,000.

The Hop screening included nine short films, “Summer Light” (2013), “64 MPH” (2013), “El Sendero Luminoso” (2014), “Walled In” (2013), “Bryan and Kaia” (2014), “Forest Scene form Valhalla” (2013), “Tashi and the Monk” (2014), “A Toy Train In Space” (2012) and “Winter Light” (2014).

Dartmouth’s screening began with “Summer Light” (2013), a four-minute film directed by Max Lowe that captures the importance of enjoying each moment of the summer.

The next film, “64 MPH” (2013), changed the mood, portraying Telluride local Greg Hope’s descent down the famous San Joaquin Couloir, a steep and narrow gully, with an avalanche in fast pursuit. Just three minutes in length, the film captures nature’s immense power and extreme unpredictability, concluding as Hope safely exits the couloir.

The audience’s pulse had little chance to settle, however, as Renan Ozturk’s “El Sendero Luminoso” (2014), portraying Alex Honnold’s unassisted climb up the 2,500-foot El Sendero Luminoso cliff face of El Toro mountain in El Potrero Chico, Mexico, began next. Alternating between drone footage and upclose, real-time frames, the camera recreated the extreme concentration and immense difficulty of Honnold’s climb, which he completed in January in slightly more than three hours. As the camera panned the landscape, audience members were either awestruck or muttering small groans, struck with acrophobia.

Andrew Crutchfield ’18, who attended the Hop screening, said he was on the edge of his seat throughout the six-minute film.

“I knew Honnold would com-

plete the climb safely, but I was anxious the entire time and was in awe of his courage,” Crutchfield said.

In perhaps the film’s most incredible moment, Honnold finds a miniscule ledge where he can place both his feet and lets go of the wall.

A simple and joyous grin covers his face when he recognizes that the thin barrier separates him from life and certain death.

The next film, “Tashi and the Monk”(2014), tells the story of Jhamtse Gatsal, a school and community center for 80 children in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Created by former monk Lobsang Phuntsok, who was himself a child without a family, the film tells the story of the youngest member of the Jhamtse community, Tashi, who has difficulties adjusting to her new life.

As her peers treat her with kindness and compassion, Tashi realizes she can be an asset to the community through acting benevolently. The film closes with a statement from Phuntsok, reiterating the importance of the school to the children’s development.

Though the remainder of the screening focused on action sports, Ralf Carestia ’18 said “Tashi and the Monk” was perhaps the most inspirational story.

“It makes you realize that with dedication and compassion anyone can have a positive impact on the world,” he said.

The festival concluded with the counterpoint to “Summer Light,” Lowe’s “Winter Light” (2014). The film portrays Lowe’s arduous hike up and ski run down an unnamed mountain. As Lowe descends, the audience is reminded it cannot indefinitely remain suspended on the mountain.

Allison Carswell ’17 said she enjoyed how the mountain theme pulled together diverse short films.

“I think the festival was unified by the theme of the dedication of humanity to what they love,” she said. “The people in the films set their mind on a goal, and no matter how crazy it seemed to other people, they pursued [it] with their entire being.”

Begun by climbers in 1979, Moutainfilm festival is dedicated to telling stories about mountain life. The festival attracts explorers, environmentalists, artists, photographers and filmmakers, according to the organization’s website.

The festival began to tour its films in 1999. This fall, films have been screened in Boston, Portland, Charlotte and Seattle as well as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

PAGE 12

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

ARTS

Gallery shows mix of Houser artwork Interactive show features 30 short scenes

B y Kaina Chen

With the Strauss Gallery’s transparent glass wall facing the bustle of students making their way to various classes and activities, the gallery’s exhibit of Allan Houser’s drawings and small sculptures immerses viewers in the works of Allan Houser, one of the 20th century’s most prominent Native American artists.

The exhibit’s variety of mediums highlights Houser’s broad mastery.

Materials include charcoal, bronze, wood, graphite and ink.

Subjects range from simple sketches to the beautifully fashioned “Mother and Child” wood piece, which evokes a sense of fluidity and togetherness. While “Mother and Child” is common theme throughout art, Houser’s interpretation is unique because he sculpted the mother figure and child figure from the same piece of wood, acknowledging the relationship’s intertwined and connected nature and creating a sense of belonging.

Another piece, titled “Abstracted Figure Studies, Non-Objective Forms,” was created in graphite and ink on paper. The sketches feature straight-edged shapes on the right and more abstract, amorphous pieces on the left.

Upon further inspection, fragments of Houser’s everyday life

appear in the exhibit. In the margins of one of his sketches, there is a note, hastily jotted down in black marker, about an appointment. “Collector from Tulsa here, Sat. 4:00 p.m.,” it reads. The careful selection of these pieces displays Houser’s talent as an artist while also offering a perspective into his life.

Houser’s Native American heritage and native desert landscapes influence his art. Native American themes and elements of the earthyhued scenery peek through many of his drawings, yet his works show modern techniques. “[Houser’s] approach and artworks focused on the broader aesthetics of 20th century modernism,” Allan Houser Foundation curator of collections David Rettig said. “He was instrumental and influential in changing perceptions about Indian Art.” Studio art department director of exhibitions Gerald Auten and Hood Museum senior curator of collections Katherine Hart handselected the works from the many left behind in Houser’s Santa Fe home.

In Houser’s home, Auten said, they found thousands of pieces.

“He was constantly drawing and sketching,” he said.

The exhibit displays a selection of about 20 drawings and miniature versions of larger sculptures and

creates a collection both representative and personal, and in line with Houser’s diverse interests and styles.

Houser’s works, both in this exhibit and displayed elsewhere on campus, are relevant to the College, studio art intern Sean Hammett ’14 said.

“Houser is an amazing artist,” Hammett said. “I think it’s pretty incredible that we have such an extensive collection here at Dartmouth, an institution that’s trying to take pride in its Native American heritage.”

A member of the Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache tribe, Houser was a bronze sculptor, stone-carver, painter, a 1979 Dartmouth artistin-residence and a children’s book illustrator. He was the first in his family to be born out of captivity, after tribe members were forced out of Arizona and New Mexico into prison installments in Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Houser has held various teaching positions and commissions, and received the National Medal of Arts from President George H.W. Bush in 1992. Today, collections across the country, from the U.S. Mission at the United Nations in New York to the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum in Santa Fe, display his artwork.

The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 23.

MAY NGUYEN/THE DARTMOUTH

An exhibit of Allan Houser’s sculptures and drawings will be on display through Nov. 23.

B y Haley Gordon

Sparse blue chairs, one table and a door sat on the bare set. Neon programs on chairs near the front of the Hopkins Center’s Bentley Theater warned, “This is an interactive seat.”

From the name tags handed to audience members as they filed into the production — “Hello my name is ...” Inigo Montoya, Robocop or Pikachu — to the final dim of the lights, the Displaced Theater Company’s “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind” lived up to the warning on the programs.

Strange and ridiculous, outrageous, sad and funny, the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon shows included 30 original, short scenes performed within an hour.

“Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” was originally produced by the Neo-Futurists, a Chicago acting ensemble. The show, the longest-running show in the city, has continued to be performed since its premiere in 1988.

The show premiered on campus for one evening last winter, including 30 different scenes but a different company of actors.

On Saturday night, the first scene, number two, was titled “F***ing ’18s,” about freshman misuse of Dartmouth vernacular.

Outfitted in plain clothes, the cast jumped between roles throughout the evening.

The audience chose the order of the scenes and acted, too. Cajoled or physically dragged out of their seats, audience members played critical roles in scene 17, “Drinking Game,” and scene nine, “The Proposal.”

Though timid at first, the audience warmed up to being included.

In “Drinking Game,” audience members joined two teams racing to drink juice boxes in a line. In “The Proposal,” audience members served as potential fiancés for two cast members, though as the proposals became more competitive, the cast members choose to marry each other instead.

The structure and content changed with each performance based on audience requests and participation. Rebecca Liu ’17, who

attended the Saturday evening show, said she liked the show’s interactive components.

“This is my first time at this kind of thing,” she said, “but I really enjoyed it.”

Audience favorites on Saturday evening included the more comedic scenes, especially scenes three, “Aggressive Dad,” five, “Suicide Letter from Moist,” and 18, “Parental Control,” which together received the loudest laughs of the night.

“Aggressive Dad” depicted the king of “dad jokes” having a heated conversation with his son in a car, “Suicide Letter from Moist” imagined the word “moist” personified and what conflicts this character would face in modern society and “Parental Control” showed two frustrated and finicky parents choosing a potential lover for their daughter, an audience member.

Most scenes were humorous, though a few had a more serious tone. Natalia Drozdoff ’17, who attended the show, said she enjoyed the variety and admired the company’s creativity.

Sharidan Russell ’18 said that although she hadn’t originally planned to attend Saturday night’s performance, she was glad that she did.

“It was fun seeing the students organize something and actually coming through,” she said.

Company members spent a week writing and rehearsing the scenes, co-director Naomi Lazar ’17 said.

The group did not host any additional casting calls or auditions to participate, though it did email an open invitation to campus asking for writers and actors for the show.

Angela Liu ’17, a member of Displaced Theater Company, said she simply “showed up” to a planning meeting for the show and began to participate.

“I loved how anyone could join,” she said.

Lazar said the company hopes to bring back the show next year as well.

“I’m really excited that we’re having two performances this year,” Lazar said. “You can see the exact same scenes on a different night... and it will be a different show. You will have a different experience.”