VOL. CLXXIII NO.55
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
RAINY
DON’T GET FANCY, JUST GET DANCE-Y
HIGH 54 LOW 36
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
NAACP launches diversity petition By ALEXA GREEN
The Dartmouth Staff
ANNIE DUNCUN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
ARTS
PREVIEW: SWINGLE SINGERS PAGE 8
OPINION
UHLIR: THE FUTURE OF TUITION PAGE 6
SZUHAJ: MISTAKING PRIDE FOR PRIVILEGE PAGE 7
READ US ON
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Companhia Urbana de Dança holds a master class ahead of their Friday performance.
KDE changes Derby theme By SONIA QIN
The Dartmouth Staff
Members of Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority voted almost unanimously to change the theme of its annual invite-only party from Derby to Woodstock on Tuesday evening. This change comes roughly a
year after the protest at both Derby and Alpha Chi Alpha’s annual Pigstick party last May, at which around 20 Dartmouth students demonstrated against police brutality toward people of color. KDE president Allison Chou ’17 said the theme change from Derby to
Kinne warns of extortion scam
By SUNGIL AHN
The Dartmouth Staff
Safety and Security director Harry Kinne sent out a campus-wide e-mail this past Saturday warning students about “criminal attempts to extort money from Dartmouth College students.” The scam involved phone calls in which the caller claims to be an FBI agent and threatens to arrest the student immediately if they hang up, Kinne said.
While details of the scam calls differ from case to case, all of the calls involve threatening the student in order to extort personal information or financial funds, Sanbornton Police Department Sergeant Justin Howe said. The students are told they have unpaid taxes or loans, usually education taxes, and that the arrest warrant will be canceled if they pay imSEE SCAM PAGE 5
Woodstock represents the mission and values of the house. Chou said over 96 percent of KDE members voted in favor of the change and just under 4 percent voted against it. “We want to be positive contributors to campus SEE KDE PAGE 3
Signs are being posted all around campus, posts are being shared on Facebook and other social media outlets, and emails are being sent out about inclusivity and diversity on Dartmouth’s campus as part of a week-long #DoBetterDartmouth campaign. Started by the Dartmouth chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the campaign is occurring in conjunction with a petition started by the organization demanding mandated inclusivity and diversity education at the College. The petition is addressed to College President Phil Hanlon, executive vice president and chief financial officer Rick Mills, vice president for institutional diversity and equity Evelynn Ellis, provost Carolyn Dever, Dean of the College Rebecca Biron and vice provost Inge-Lise Ameer. As an anonymously accessible social media site, Yik Yak has been used as an outlet to post comments that contain racial slurs or other derogatory messages. The #DoBetterDartmouth campaign printed some of these yaks on flyers and posted them around campus to spur
a discussion on race and inclusivity. Believing that many students graduate this institution without a basic understanding of race and inclusivity, the NAACP’s petition calls for an additional distributive requirement, which must be taken in order to graduate, that would challenge students’ understanding of institutional injustice. The group differentiates their proposed requirement from the College’s existing cultural identity distributive requirement as a course that would facilitate responsibility and student leadership, according to the petition. Just as Dartmouth requires high risk behavior and sexual assault education through online courses, the #DoBetterDartmouth campaign wants the College help provide the same level understanding of racism and inequality, the petition states. Valentina Garcia Gonzalez ’19 said she chose to get involved with #DoBetterDartmouth after last fall’s Black Lives Matter protest in Baker-Berry Library. “I saw how ugly Dartmouth SEE DO BETTER PAGE 2
Co-op to hold elections this week
By ZACHARY BENJAMIN The Dartmouth Staff
The upcoming annual election for the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society, which operates the Co-op Food Stores, has been surrounded by ongoing controversies over the mission, values and overall direction of the organization. Members of the Co-op can participate in the election on Friday, which will fill five opening seats on the twelve-member board. The election comes in the wake of heated discussion over
the past two years about the Co-op’s operations. Last June, the store fired employees Dan King and John Boutin without warning from the Lebanon store. In response to these and other issues, a Facebook group called “Concerned About the Co-op” began working to change the Co-op’s operations and policies. Co-op members have the option of choosing from ten candidates in the upcoming election. Five are endorsed by the “Concerned About the Co-op” group: Phil Pochoda, Liz Blum, English professor William Craig, Don Kreis
and Ann MacDonald. The remaining candidates, who are not affiliated with the group, are Kevin Birdsey, Sean Clauson, Dana Cook Grossman, Edwin Howes and Thayer School of Engineering professor Benoit Roisin. Several candidates, both in and out of the “Concerned About the Co-op,” have expressed concern about transparency at the Co-op. Kreis, who has previously served on the Co-op board, described the Co-op as a “black box” whose workings and operaSEE CO-OP PAGE 5
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
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College’s first CS professor retires By ALYSSA MEHRA
The Dartmouth Staff
Scot Drysdale, the College’s first computer science professor, taught his final class this past winter, though he will continue to conduct research, serve on department committees and supervise thesis projects until mid-2018. Drysdale was the first person hired as a computer science professor, computer science professor Thomas Cormen said. The two have known each other since 1992, when Cormen first came to Dartmouth. At the time, then-College President John Kemeny had planned out a tentative computer science major. Drysdale was hired to build up a department and expand computer science teaching. “Before I was hired, mostly what they did was have some mini courses that let them learn a little about how to use a computer, but they weren’t studying this whole field of computer science,” Drysdale said. “When I was hired it was to expand this so we would offer computer science courses on a much more regular basis.” Originally, he was one of a very small group that worked on course development and hiring for the computer science department. He said that he and his colleagues tried to expand the department as a subgroup of the mathematics department. Drysdale valued support and encouragement for outside research, but he also attended a small liberal art college and appreciated the liberal arts approach. At Knox College, he studied math before moving on to complete a Ph.D. in computer science at Stanford University. During his job search, Drysdale interviewed at both large research institutions and smaller liberal arts schools but found the balance between the two to be unique at Dartmouth. “Dartmouth was the only place that said, ‘We care about teaching and research, and we mean both,’” said Drysdale. “This school seemed to balance the advantages of the small liberal arts college with small classes and individual attention and on the other hand, a high powered research community going on and that appealed to me.”
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
Petition calls for new graduation requirement
zalez said. “Students gloss over the fact that these 10 yaks happened, but how can be, verbally eviscerating one anoth- can we be okay and still deny the fact er, how people can turn on one another, that there are students in this community how people can speak on something that that feel this way about their peers?” Carlos Tifa ’19, who signed the petithey don’t know, and how people can, when they aren’t at the protest or weren’t tion, said the campaign was important involved, quickly convey or denounce to him because it showed the College’s inefficiency when the protest and the movement “Students gloss over dealing with probsurrounding solely on the acts the fact that these 10 lems diversity. While that may of transpired,” she said. yaks happened, but how pamphlets and admissions The campaign can we be okay and other materials put is aimed at the administration and still deny the fact that forth an image diversity, the the Dartmouth there are students in this of reality does not community, hoping to foster an community that feel this always match that open dialogue way about their peers.” promise, he“ [said. Dito discuss what versity is] someneeds fixing and thing they say that ways we can betthey have on their ter ourselves so admissions page these kinds of ver- -VALENTINA GARCIA but when you get bal attacks do not GONZALEZ ’19 here you have a occur, Gonzalez hard time finding added. “What I’ve been seeing is that people it or its not here at all,” Tifa said. say ‘They’re just 10 yaks that don’t even This story will be updated as more informahave enough up-votes’ or ‘These don’t represent the entire community,’” Gon- tion is reported. FROM DO BETTER PAGE 1
PAULA MENDOZA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Scot Drysdale was the first computer science professor hired by Dartmouth.
Drysdale’s research focus is computational geometry, Cormen said. Drysdale said his favorite class to teach is “Algorithms.” “It’s teaching what I really know about and care about and getting people involved in that,” he said. When Drysdale arrived there was only one time-sharing computer — it allowed many different people to log on and it would appear as though each person had their own computer. In the early 1980s, the interest in computing grew and the department decided that each student should have a personal computer. The school decided to get Macintosh computers for the students, said Drysdale. Associate dean of faculty for the sciences and computer science professor David Kotz ’86, who first had Drysdale as a professor and is now his colleague, said Drysdale is a personable man. He attributes Drysdale’s strong leadership qualities and friendliness to his long history as a Dartmouth Outing Club faculty trip leader. He said Drysdale has led more trips than anyone else to this day. “He’s been one of the best teachers in computer science and arguably in all of arts and sciences for years and years,” Kotz said. “He is very committed to his students and clear
CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com. The April 4 article, “Alumna Q&A: Actress Clara Aranovich ’07,” incorrectly identified Clara Aranovich ’07 as an ‘05 in the headline and the first paragraph. The April 4 article, “Charli Fool Bear-Vetter ’15 first runner-up in playwriting contest,” misspelled the name of the protagonist of “The Crickets Ate the Moon.” Her name is Lena not Lina as originally reported. In addition, the article incorrectly described the story told by Charli Fool Bear-Vetter ’15’s grandfather.
at explaining complicated topics.” In 1994, while Drysdale was on sabbatical in Berlin, the computer science department split from the mathematics department. In early September of that year, the department founding chair Donald Johnson SEE DRYSDALE PAGE 5
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
PAGE 3
Theme changes after last year’s protest at Derby FROM KDE PAGE 1
climate and campus conversations around really important issues like race and class,” Chou said. “This is one actionable step that we as a whole house have voted on and are planning on taking to fulfill that role as positive contributors to campus.” KDE vice president Nikol Oy-
“This is one actionable step that we as a w h o l e h o u s e h ave vo te d o n a n d a re planning on taking to fulfill that role as positive contributors to campus.” - ALLISON CHOU ’17, KAPPA DELTA EPSILON PRESIDENT danich ’17 said that after speaking to last year’s protestors as well as individuals in the Afro-American Society, the sorority wanted to change the theme because of its racial con-
notations. “[It is] related to pre-war southern culture,” she said. “Derby was a party that had the power to upset a lot of our classmates.” Chou said the protest offered KDE the opportunity to reflect on what it stands for and the inconsistencies between Derby and the sorority’s values. The current KDE executive board prioritized the Derby theme change as soon as they took up their positions this spring, Oydanich said. The eight core executive members held a house-wide meeting Tuesday night and presented their case for the change. The house then held a short question-and-answer period before sending out a survey to members present at the meeting, who had an hour to vote for either Derby or Woodstock. “The house was overwhelmingly supportive of the decision to discontinue Derby and change it to Woodstock,” Oydanich said, adding that there was no vocal opposition toward the theme change. Oydanich said that Woodstock, the new theme of the spring event, is more related to the ideas of peace, music and love associated with its namesake festival. Jehanna Axelrod ’17, a KDE social chair, said that last year’s protest was the main impetus behind the change. “We realized that if anyone on campus felt uncomfortable or upset with the theme, then we obviously shouldn’t have it,” she said. Norris Kadet ’17, also a social chair, said that the party at its core will remain the same. Chou said the new theme will minimize any offense to sisters within the house and peers across campus.
“We realized that if anyone on campus felt uncomfortable or upset with the theme, then we obviously shouldn’t have it.” -JEHANNA AXELROD ’17, KAPPA DELTA EPSILON SOCIAL CHAIR
Oydanich said that since KDE is a local sorority, it can make decisions that directly reflect its members values without answering to a national board. KDE is currently under social probation by the College, and this year’s Woodstock event will be dry. Joyce Lee contributed reporting to the story.
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THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
“Northern Lights”, Quilt Exhibition, 7 Lebanon Street, Suite 107
4:00 p.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Talk by Robert Pinksy about American poetry and writing poetry , Moore Building, Filene Auditorium
4:00 p.m.- 5:30 p.m.
“The Home We Know: Young People and the Arctic,” a photo exhibit by Leehi Yona ’16, Haldeman Center, Russo Gallery
TOMORROW
8:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m.
“Global Infections Disease Research at Dartmouth: TB and Polio”, Medicine Ground Rounds, Auditorium E at DHMC
3:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
“Tying knots in a Quantum Fluid,” Physics and Astronomy Colloquium with Professor David Hall of Amherst College, Wilder 104
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
“The Revenant,” film featuring Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, Hopkins Center, Spaulding Auditorium
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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
PAGE 5
Members demand more transparency FBI scams likely originate from abroad FROM CO-OP PAGE 1
tions are not clear to members. “I think the Co-op owes it to the members to be very transparent and forthright about how it does business,” he said. Transparency about the Co-op’s pricing practices could help members understand why prices are set where they are and placate angry consumers who say that competing grocery stores have cheaper prices, Kreis said. Blum, who used to serve on the board of an unaffiliated co-op in Randolph, Vermont, said that she would like to see more open meetings that allow Co-op members greater participation. Listening to workers’ and to peoples’ concerns is the only way to run the Co-op democratically, she said. Communications between board members, management and Co-op members are currently limited, Pochoda said. He added that he would like to see more financial information disclosed to both board members and Co-op members. Not all of the candidates shared the same concerns about transparency. Grossman said that she does not see a problem with the Co-op’s transparency levels, pointing to increased communication between the board and members in recent years. She would not support making full financial reports public, she said. “Because of the razor-thin margins grocery stores operate on, making this information public could hurt the Co-op’s competitiveness,” she said. Howes, a former board member and merchandiser for the Co-op’s grocery department, said that while he agrees that greater transparency is necessary, he thinks that some people have gone too far in their demands. “This could be because of their
lack of experience working in or managing co-ops,” he said. Roisin, who is a current board member and who previously served from 2003 to 2005, said that he thinks transparency is a generally good thing. However, he does not think some information that the “Concerned About the Co-op” group wants released, such as the salary of the Co-op’s general manager, should be made public. Roisin is currently leading the effort to write a document detailing what information is and is not public, he added. The Co-op’s labor practices have also been called into question, particularly in light of King and Boutin’s dismissals last summer. Pochoda said that his decision to run was precipitated by the pair’s firing. Under New Hampshire law, employers have the power to fire employees at will, which the Co-op did to King and Boutin. While the Co-op has modified their procedures since firing the two employees, creating a grievance process, Pochoda said he would like the Co-op to eliminate at-will firing entirely. Blum echoed these calls for a justcause firing policy. She said she thinks the Co-op’s actions have opened them to a lawsuit and mentioned previously that fired employees were rehired after the “Concerned About the Co-op” group staged a protest on their behalf. Ending at-will firing is only fair, Kreis said. He believes the practice runs counter to the Co-op’s founding principles. There has been some contention in this election about the process of nominating candidates. Blum said that prior to her decision to run, she was denied the opportunity to be a member of the nominating board because of her membership with the “Concerned About the Co-op.” Kay Litten, vice president of the
board and head of the nominating committee, denied that any wrongdoing had taken place. Members of the nominating committee were chosen for their commitment to Coop principles and desire to move the Co-op forward, she said. Blum also claimed that she was not told why the nominating committee declined to nominate her as a candidate. She said that while the committee only named six candidates, the Co-op’s literature recommends that two more candidates than open positions should be nominated. The Co-op’s governance policies state that, “To insure a competitive election, the board will strive to recruit a sufficient number of applicants to provide for two more candidates than open Board positions.” Litten pointed out that the language says that the board should “strive” to reach seven candidates, not that they are “obligated” to. The nominating committee has nothing to apologize for, she said. Despite their points of disagreement, many candidates spoke of the need for cooperation between board members. Roisin said that he thinks the only way for the Co-op to achieve its goals is for its members to work in alignment. With division, alignment ceases to exist, he said. Howes said that he appreciates the worries of “Concerned About the Co-op” members, and that their passion needs to be channeled into more productive ways going forward. Kreis said to move forward, people need to agree to listen to each other and move on after decisions have been made, regardless of whether ideas win or lose. He expressed confidence that next year’s board will be more productive going forward.
Drysdale part of department’s founding FROM DRYSDALE PAGE 2
was hiking Mount Cube with his fiancée’s daughter when he had a heart attack and died. The department was very small at the time and Drysdale was the only professor with more than four years of experience at the school. Under these very trying circumstances, Drysdale stepped up to be department chair, Cormen said. “It was a frenzy for the department and it was a challenge,” Cormen said. “It’s really a credit to Scot that he was able to step in at a very unexpected and a very key time and shepherd everything through.” Drysdale then stepped down from the position after eight years.
“It was time for someone else to do it,” Drysdale said. “Administration is not my joy. It’s something I was willing to do, and someone had to do it, and I was the one who did it. Different people have different visions, and it was time to let someone else push the department in a different direction.” Drysdale said the construction of a new computer science building is exciting for the future of the department. The Thayer School of Engineering has plans to construct a new building next to the MacLean Engineering Sciences building that will be split between Thayer and the computer science department. Sudikoff, the current computer science building, was
renovated from a mental health hospital, Drysdale said. “It would be nice to have a new building that’s designed for us the way we like it,” said Drysdale. The department is also expanding the subjects it covers as well as increasing its student enrollment. Drysdale said that he is extremely happy with the work that the current chairs of the department have done. “I have to take a couple years now to figure out what I want to do with my next career,” he said. “It’s going to take a little bit of reorienting my brain to say you are no longer a professor of computer science because that’s been my identity for 40 years.”
Variations of the scam include callers identifying themselves as fedmediately, Kinne said in his original eral agents from either the Internal email to campus. The caller also Revenue Service or U.S. Citizenship tells the students that they will be and Immigration Services, Kinne arrested or will not receive their said. college degree if they refuse to pay. While Kinne said he does not The FBI Bedford office cur- know how many people were afrently knows of one victim who fected, the FBI Bedford field office sent approximately $3,300 through has received approximately 30 calls from DartMoneyGram mouth stu— a money transfer ser- “They would need to send dents claimvice which you a letter and/or they ing to have received these has been criticized in would come and visit you in s c a m c a l l s the past for person. But they wouldn’t from Nov. 17 to Nov. 18, criminally aiding and call you and have them send according to abetting wire any funds or threaten you in the Sanbornt o n Po l i c e fraud — with Department a supposed any way over the phone.” press release. destination Kinne of Tennessee, said students according to should hang a Sanborn- -HARRY KINNE, DIRECTOR OF up immedit o n Po l i c e SAFETY AND SECURITY ately if they Department receive a press release. similar call. The caller He added it is ID indicates that the call is coming from the FBI “very unlikely” that federal agencies Bedford office, Kinne said, adding will call students under these types that the caller often tells the students of circumstances. to search online for the phone num- “They would need to send you a ber to verify that the number is from letter and/or they would come and visit you in person,” he said. “But the Bedford office. Kinne said the perpetrator is they wouldn’t call you and have likely operating from outside the them send any funds or threaten country and is “spoofing” his phone you in any way over the phone.” numbers. Spoofing can easily be Howe recommended affected done with open-source software at students follow up with the local minimal cost and effort in order to agency, police department or atfake the caller ID. In this case, the torney general’s office to validate perpetrator is spoofing his caller IDs the claim. to convince the students that he is, O’Donnell noted that the FBI does not call private citizens rein fact, an FBI agent, Kinne said. FBI supervisory senior resi- questing money. “Nevdent agent Scott give out O’Donnell wrote “ N e v e r g i v e o u t er unsolicited rein an email that the phone scams unsolicited requests for quests for perinformatarget college stupersonal information sonal tion to callers dents in particuto callers that you that you don’t lar. k n o w, ” h e Colleges in don’t know.” said. New Hampshire, Howe particularly said to not give Dartmouth and -SCOTT O’DONNELL, FBI out any inforKeene State Colmation to anylege, have been SUPERVISORY SENIOR one “unless affected by this se- RESIDENT AGENT you’re absories of scam calls, lutely certain but other colleges of their crenationwide have dentials and seen variations of who they are, which usually isn’t the scam, Kinne said. Howe also noted that this specific an option if you’re talking over the series of scam calls has affected phone.” people across the country and that Individuals receiving such calls the scams affecting Dartmouth and can file a complaint through the Keene State College are a “drop in FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. the bucket.” FROM SCAM PAGE 1
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
PAGE 6
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
STAFF COLUMNIST DANIEL FISHBEIN ’19
STAFF COLUMNIST TADEAS UHLIR ‘19
Do Better, DoBetterDartmouth
The Future of Tuition
The internet is a deep, dark place.
On March 23, Microsoft launched an artificial intelligence program known as Tay on Twitter. Tay’s developers intended for her to interact with people on Twitter in order to learn how millenials communicate. In less than 24 hours, though, Tay had gone from having the mindset of a friendly teenage girl to spouting racist and sexist language, even calling for the genocide of Jews and Mexicans. Having had its AI program coaxed by internet trolls into vehement xenophobia, Microsoft was forced to quickly remove Tay from Twitter. Although Tay failed to survive on the internet for a long period of time, she still, in part, accomplished her goal of finding out how millenials use social media. Tay’s moral degradation sheds light on the fact that thousands, if not millions, of internet trolls exist and often stay hidden in the shadows, behind their screens. Despite our desire to create “safe spaces” that limit hurtful speech our college campuses — as Emory University did a few weeks ago to prevent students’ expression of their support for Republican candidate Donald Trump — the internet still possesses a certain Wild West character. Without anyone to hold them accountable, these trolls took over the web with enough power to corrupt a robot in less than 24 hours, a robot that had been developed by Microsoft for over a year. Thus, while I wholeheartedly agree with the aims of #DoBetterDartmouth to spread diversity awareness at our school through posting pictures of inflammatory messages found on Yik Yak, I question whether this particular strategy is futile. The appearance of these inflammatory messages should surprise no one. The structure of Yik Yak makes it a petri dish for internet trolls to flourish. As a smartphone application that grants anonymity to its posters, Yik Yak enables users to distance themselves from derogatory remarks they may make. Since their identity is hidden, Yik Yak users can take on new personas and post opinions that they do not agree with in reality. When the
internet grants this anonymity, trolls take over just as flies swarm to rotting fruit. Although we, Dartmouth students, may aspire to hold more educated and moral opinions than the general public, the same trolls that forced Microsoft into shutting down Tay plague our own online chatboard. Fro m w h a t I u n d e r s t a n d , #DoBetterDartmouth wants to foster conversations on important diversity issues and to educate students on the effects that their comments may have on others. These are no doubt good intentions. However, despite its best efforts, #DoBetterDartmouth will likely be interpreted as an attack on Yik Yak users. In the structure of their current program, this group posts fliers with inflammatory Yik Yak messages around campus, along with their #DoBetterDartmouth hashtag. In telling Dartmouth to “do better,” the students behind this effort come across as interpreting a select few posts on an anonymous message board as representative of the views of the student body. Although that is not the case, the campaign’s strategy turns what should constitute a productive discussion into tension and hostility. I doubt that #DoBetterDartmouth’s current approach will achieve their goals. Sadly, #DoBetterDartmouth is unlikely to reduce or eliminate hateful Yik Yak messages. Students who make these posts likely do so as a means of rebellion against authority, as a way to express themselves on an increasingly liberal and open-minded college campus. Shaming Yik Yak posters could have an unintended, counterproductive effect to silencing this hate as students feel their last PC culture-free venue get taken over, they are likely to respond by rebelling more and posting increasingly controversial messages. To stop this from happening, #DoBetterDartmouth should engage students through face-to-face conversations, spread empathy and bring the students together, rather than pit the student body against itself through Yik Yak messages and posters hung on bulletin boards.
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Tuition hikes are unsustainable for students and for the College. The College boasts a number of and certainly well into the future, Hanlon traditions, from Homecoming weekend probably quickly realized that his pledge to Winter Carnival, yet it seems that the was perhaps a little too good to be true. surest tradition of every college is an While it is certainly legitimate and valid annual increase in tuition – and dear old to question how the College spends the Dartmouth is no exception. And thus with enormous sums of money it demands from the arrival of spring comes the news of its students — whether all the committees next year’s 3.8 percent increase in tuition, and working groups are worth what they mandatory fees, and room and board — cost, and whether expensive policies such as almost a whole percentage the “Moving Dartmouth point higher than last year’s policy initiative College President Forward” 2.9 percent. In reality, this and the new residential means that students will Phil Hanlon has failed housing system will truly be paying, roughly, an the Dartmouth to uphold his pledge improve additional three thousand experience or help the dollars, and that’s without to ke e p t u i t i o n Dartmouth brand — it is even including the indirect increases in line with difficult to imagine that costs of attending, such things will change anytime as books and travel. On inflation. soon. a more positive note, the Nevertheless, this system College also announced based on seemingly an increase in its financial never-ending increases aid budget by 4.7 percent. to an already ludicrously Still, given that the inflation rate in the expensive tuition is unsustainable. In the 2014 fiscal year is 1.61 percent and that long-term, it will either self-regulate or will the projected inflation rate for 2015 is 0.1 be regulated. Perhaps self-regulation will percent, it seems that college President Phil occur if tuition becomes a larger measure of Hanlon has failed to uphold his pledge to a college’s brand. Imagine, for instance, if keep tuition increases in line with inflation. U.S. News & World Report were to suddenly W h e n t r y i n g t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e include a college’s tuition rate in its seemingly unreasonable increase in tuition, considerations for college rankings, ranking looking at the tuition changes of other Ivy down every school that increases its tuition League institutions gives some perspective: by more than that year’s inflation rate. U.S. the tuition increases range from 3.75 News & World Report has for years held percent at Cor nell great influence over a University to 4.1 percent college’s perceived image at Brown University. This system based and desirability through While institutions such on seemingly never- its annual ranking list — a as Harvard University mere click away for any or Princeton University ending increases in internet user — and the have yet to announce an already ludicrously result would certainly be their new tuition rates, to the College. expensive tuition is damaging it is clear that tuition A similar result may occur across the Ivy League u n s u sta i n a b l e . I n if college applications increases at comparable every time the long-term, it will decreased rates. Moreover, the there was a spike in average tuition at non- either self-regulate or tuition. This emergence profit private colleges of price competition will be regulated. increased by 11 percent would certainly regulate from 2010 to 2015 . the rising prices. This data signifies the There is little indication cruel reality of higher that students care about education. Colleges will always be peer three-figure differences in the cost of pressured to raise their cost of attendance. attendance at top-tier schools. After In this context, peer pressure among all, families that have to count every institutions of higher education means dollar are still guaranteed financial aid c o m p e t i t i o n . C o l l e g e s c o n s t a n t l y for their full demonstrated need. And compete for prospective students, and the Dartmouth brand, moreover, with this competition requires them to invest its promises of academic opportunity, in new facilities, more faculty members, professional advancement and high return expanded research opportunities, greater on investment will likewise keep attracting advertising and anything else that will students. But some day, financial aid may gain the attention of potential applicants. not suffice to cover the cost of ludicrous Simply put, schools today are not just tuition rates, and cheaper but comparable educational institutions – they are brands alternatives to the Dartmouth brand may and building a brand costs money. emerge and even wealthier families may What all this means is that the refuse to pay the full five- or even six-figure Dartmouth “tuition problem” is not just tuition cost. Until then, we can rest assured about the failure of one individual to that one old tradition is safe and here to keep his promise to the student body. Like stay – the tradition of increasing tuition other public figures in the past, present rates.
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
PAGE 7
STAFF COLUMNIST BEN SZUHAJ ’19
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION STAFF
Mistaking Pride for Privilege
Opinion Asks
The concept of black privilege undermines the accomplishments of black people. Black privilege is a term that has been in the be the first one comprised of a majority of news lately, circulating implicitly and explicitly, people of color, who represent 51.6 percent both on CNN and at Donald Trump rallies as of the admitted applicant pool. At first, this one cause for so-called “reverse racism.” As the may seem peculiar considering that white name implies, black privilege is the idea that a people still make up the bulk of the United person of color is afforded certain privileges States’ population, with whites representing a based on the color of their skin. This is, to an whopping 77.4 percent. Upon closer review, extent, true — racial identity does come with however, it’s easy to understand why this certain privileges. Being able to define oneself is: Dartmouth accepts a disproportionate as part of a group, for instance, can be an amount of students from cosmopolitan emboldening and enriching experience. The areas, in which white people are not always concept of black privilege, however, is most the majority. Furthermore, nearly a tenth of often mistakenly used in response to and with Dartmouth students come from overseas. the same connotation as white privilege — that Lastly, the admissions office seems to value is, as pushback against the idea that whiteness diversity, boasting on its homepage, “At comes with certain, unmerited advantages. Dartmouth, you will be surrounded by the Although a relatively new phrase, black brightest and most diverse group of friends privilege is not a new concept. It is the sting you’re likely to encounter anywhere.” behind ignorant assertions such as, “That For some white Americans, such a person only got into bold statement may be that school because After all, white people are frightening. After all, they’re black,” or, white people are so “They get to say so accustomed to being the accustomed to being things that I don’t majority — so accustomed the majority — so because I’m white.” accustomed to their It is the belief held to their privilege — that privilege — that any value by the ignorant that any value placed on non- placed on non-whiteness political correctness may be perceived as an somehow oppresses whiteness may be perceived affront to their sense t h o s e w h o d o as an affront to their sense of security, perhaps not wish to be even their sense of self. politically correct. of security, perhaps even White culture, to a large U n s u r p r i s i n g l y, their sense of self. White extent, is defined very Donald Trump is stringently in contrast one of those people. culture, to a large extent, to the more richly Trump derives is defined very stringently developed identities of much of his races and, indeed, against the more richly other popularity from is based on a history of rebelling against developed identities of other oppressing non-white the system, by In this sense, races and, indeed, is based peoples. providing a space white culture is fragile. for hate to be on a history of oppressing However, holidays such exposed and for as Black History Month non-white peoples. oft-unspoken points or greater numbers of of contention to be people of color admitted vocalized. Many to the College are not of his more fervent supporters use the examples of inequality. Rather, they are concept of black privilege to protest political examples of progress away from the historic correctness, complaining that certain words, inequity that continues to plague American for instance, have become taboo for them or society. Black History Month is a chance to that they cannot voice their true feelings out learn about the history we are not taught of fear that they will be accused of being in school, about the individuals who do racist. Having thus acknowledged this, they not fit into the traditionally Eurocentric then proceed to preach ignorance, spouting curriculum. And the changing demographics statements that are often either intentionally of admitted students, rather than indicating racist or so backwards in logic that they seem black privilege, represent the rise in college to convey a similar point. For instance, one matriculation for non-white Americans, who Wisconsin man, when asked if he believed naturally increase the diversity of the student in white privilege, replied negatively. Those body. who embrace whiteness, he explained, are Highlighting the diversity of a student body portrayed as racist, and said “If we had a or celebrating Black History Month are not White History Month, that would be viewed forms of discriminations against white people. as a racist holiday.” He proceeded to cite Black Both are examples of pride — justifiable History Month as an example of glaring pride — being displayed for noteworthy inequality. accomplishments, and should not be called All too often, the idea that blackness or black privilege but, rather, what they actually minority status leads to privilege is the result represent: black pride. Once we as a society of a superficial understanding of reality. come to the startling realization that minority According to the demographic information groups can take pride in their identities, we regarding Dartmouth’s newest group of can go back to addressing the real issues of admitted students, the Class of 2020 will systemic inequality.
Are you concerned about the increase in Dartmouth’s acceptance rate this year? I think this is a completely normal fluctuation. When our emphasis is on how “exclusive” a college is, it is easy to forget about what we should really value in a school. A mere percentage point increase is meaningless. I say this as an overachiever in high school, with the classic immigrant story, under intense pressure to succeed academically and financially. These thoughts dictated my thinking about colleges for a long time. However, after attending accepted student days at other esteemed colleges with lower acceptance rates than Dartmouth, I can say with complete confidence that Dartmouth is the best school for me. I realized that I valued my personal growth, education and happiness more than nominal labels. I strongly believe that, despite the changes that Dartmouth is undergoing, it is still an incredible, tight-knit, undergraduate-focused environment that will attract students with high academic and personal achievements. College is what you make of it, and each school has varying social and academic environments that will ultimately define whether or not the place is a right fit for you. Acceptance rates should definitely not be in that definition. -Dorothy Qu ’19 Dartmouth’s acceptance rate is up? That’s wonderful. That means Dartmouth is accepting more talented, interesting people out of a larger pool of 171 more talented, interesting people compared to my year. Assuming Dartmouth’s standards have not changed, and I certainly hope they haven’t, then we’ve simply extended an offer to more students to come to the college. The role of admissions is to admit qualified applicants — individuals who will add value to this college. Decreasing our acceptance rate is a terrible way to enhance our “prestige.” The only statistic that should be of concern to us is our yield rate. How many of the students who meet our standards decide to come here? More students will want to come to Dartmouth if the College continues to improve an already excellent undergraduate education. More students will matriculate if our campus is an exciting place to be, if the College provides opportunities and allows students to pursue bold, transformative ideas. How can the College create such an environment? The answer lies in giving students as much power as possible. The running theme in my generation is that the most celebrated intellectuals were once college students who did something incredible. A college’s prestige is wrapped into its students’ public successes. -Steven Chun ’19 Dartmouth’s increased acceptance rate this year seems to be part of a natural fluctuation, but even if it is not, the increase should not be treated with cynicism. The College received 171 more applications this year, and accepted 56 more students, raising the acceptance rate from 10.3 percent last year to 10.5 percent this year. To me, the change seems minuscule, but
even if the numbers are in any way indicative of a new trend in our admissions policies, I would consider that trend a positive one. The Class of 2020 is the most diverse one we have ever had. Yes, that’s a very typical, cliche, and often unconvincing catchphrase used in advertising, but it is true. We have accepted more students of color and more international students, while offering even more financial aid to those in need. The racial, ethnic and socioeconomic demographics of the Class of 2020, if reflected proportionately in the students who choose to enroll, will likely provide for a far richer multicultural, engaging and open environment. I genuinely disapprove of the indiscriminate and mechanical “race to the bottom” so many American colleges are engaging in. By attempting to systematically reduce their admissions rate to appear more competitive, schools are failing to account for differences in the application pool from year to year, drawing focus away from actually improving their academic atmosphere or expanding resources and opportunities for students. If our new admissions numbers are evidence of any trend, I’m happy to be part of a community and an academic environment that seems to be less vulnerable to that flawed mentality and more devoted to creating a richer and more demographically representative atmosphere. -Ioana Solomon ’19 You can’t quantify everything — especially not the quality of a college. Even though Dartmouth’s acceptance rate is higher this year, the difference is only 0.2 percentage points. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2018 was more of a concern, since it was above 10 percent at 11.5 percent. Dartmouth’s acceptance rate may be slightly higher than those of many other schools in the Ivy League, but this may be partly because applicants are self-selecting. It is the smallest Ivy and, since it selects from a smaller pool, must have a slightly higher acceptance rate in order to maintain a healthy population. The smaller pool does not indicate a growing lack of interest in the College. In my mind, it indicates that applicants to Dartmouth are fairly self-selecting. Because we have a strong sense of school identity — woodsy, athletic, wintry, fun but still challenging — most of the applicants are applying with this very specific ideal in mind. And, as a California native, I can attest to the fact that some of my peers were not aware of smaller Ivy schools like Dartmouth. Many who were aware simply did not want to brave the extreme winters that grace New Hampshire each year. Rather than spend too much time dwelling on the acceptance rate, we should consider other things — are the students here happy? Are resources being spent on advancing students academically and professionally? Is campus culture accommodating? If the school works hard to make sure the answer to these questions is “yes,” then a lower acceptance rate will follow. But again, 10.5 percent isn’t too shabby. -Clara Chin ’19
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
PAGE 8
Swingle Singers to mix Bach, jazz and folk music tonight By KAINA CHEN
The Dartmouth Staff
It’s not everyday that one may hear or recognize the work of Johann Sebastian Bach at a vocal performance, let alone at an a cappella performance. However, this unexpected twist on singing classical pieces using vocal harmonizing is exactly what characterizes the Swingle Singers, a five-time Grammy-winning a cappella group, who will be performing tonight in Spaulding Auditorium. Originally assembled in 1963 by the now-deceased American-born tenor and arranger Ward Swingle, the Swingles, as they are affectionately called, rose to fame with their debut album “Bach’s Greatest Hits,” known internationally as “Jazz Sébastien Bach” (1963). The first group of eleven Parisian vocalists won the 1963 Grammy for Best New Artist and received the Grammy for Best
Performance by a Chorus for the album. Throughout the past five decades, the lineup — and the name — of the group has gradually changed, but their innovative approach toward making music has remained constant. In 1974, the Swingles moved from Paris to London, forming Swingles II, an a cappella group of eight new vocalists that worked closely with the original Swingles’ founder. The group briefly performed as The New Swingle Singers before returning to the original name, The Swingle Singers. Currently, the Swingles are comprised of seven members, who most recently released the group’s 57th album, “Deep End” (2015). Though they continue to perform classics with a twist, they are also known for performing covers of Björk and The Beatles as well as original songs. “This particular group was one of the groundbreaking ones who began to take classical music and give it a pop beat,” Dartmouth College Glee Club musical director Louis Burkot said. Edward Randell, a 27-year-old bass from south London, joined the Swingles four years ago. He said the group has managed to endure for so many decades by emphasizing creativity. “We just follow our tastes and listen to as much music as we can,” Randell said. “We never take the view that just because something has been done a certain way, it has to always be done that way.” Unlike their predecessor Swingles II, which credited Ward Swingle as the group’s arranger, Randell said the current Swingles do not have a music director. He said almost all vocalists write and arrange the pieces they perform, and the group will both write collectively and workshop pieces brought in by individual vocalist. “[The pieces will] go through a couple drafts,” Randell said. “Then, we write more collectively [so] everybody in the group feels a sense of creative ownership.” Because the Swingles are heavily associated with Bach, Randell said the group enjoys finding ways to reinvent and reinterpret his work. He said the group also enjoys performing the earlier Bach arrangements that feature a jazz style.
“It wasn’t about changing the notes,” Randell said. “It was about changing the feel.” Although based in London, their fans can be found worldwide. Their widespread popularity has given them the opportunity to tour around the world, including visits to Taiwan and China. Regarding their approach to different audiences, Randell said audiences do differ, but they differ as much from state to state as from country to country. He said the group tailors their performances in the placement of particular songs or arrangements. For instance, in a performance in Taiwan, the group chose to perform a Taiwanese piece. “We tend to get the best response doing the music we want,” Randell said. The authenticity of their music can speak to any audience, regardless of their geographic origin, he added. In conjunction with the Hopkins Center’s outreach and arts education program, the Swingles held a master vocal class in Faulkner Recital Hall yesterday with three groups: The Dartmouth Dodecaphonics, The Dartmouth Cords and local barbershop chorus The North Country Chordsmen. Reid Aronstein ’16, tenor and bari-
tone vocalist and former president of the Cords, said attending the master class was an opportunity to improve musically. “The Cords is entirely student run, so the opportunity we get for outside critique is rare,” Aronstein said. “It’s exciting to be able to work with a group that’s clearly been around.” Alisa White ’17, music director for the Dodecaphonics, performed The Weepies’ “World Spins Madly On” (2006) for the master class, an arrangement that White said has been passed on for almost a decade through the a cappella group. The piece was chosen specifically for the opportunity to work on the tone of the entire group because the arrangement does not have a soloist. “I’m excited to see them perform,” White said. “They do arrangements of classical songs which is something we don’t see on campus.” The North Country Chordsmen performed “What a Wonderful World” (1967). Ed Piper, president of the Chordsmen, said interacting with vocalists from other musical styles was a valuable experience. He said members of the Swingle Singers asked the men to practice in a variety of different ways, including singing without visual cues and singing
without cues from a music director. “I think when we practice by ourselves, we focus on the little things,” baritone Bob Chorney said. However, he said having outside coaches drew attention to the bigger picture items about their performance and cohesiveness as a vocal group. Randell said that mentoring others can be an experience in itself. “We always come across great groups at the high school and college level, so it can be quite humbling,” Randell said. Burkot said the Glee Club will open tonight’s performance with two traditional spirituals that are lightheaded and will complement the Swingle Singers’ performance. He said both groups will be using lighting effects that will enhance the visuals of the show. When asked about tonight’s performance, Randell answered with an air of mystery. No specifics were given, but he did say the pieces will include classical and folk elements. “[The performance will] showcase a wide variety and explore a broad possibility of what can be done with the human voice,” Randell said. Tonight’s show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $17 to $30.
KATE HERRINGTON/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
The Dartmouth Dodecaphonics perform for the Swingle Singers’ master class in Faulkner Recital Hall.