VOL. CLXXIII NO.75
CLOUDY HIGH 56 LOW 42
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
Discussion of new field house postponed By HEYI JIANG
The Dartmouth Staff
ARTS
TRANSFROM PROMOTES POSITIVITY PAGE 8
NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL CELEBRATES SOUND AND ART PAGE 7
The Hanover Town Planning Board postponed the hearing of the College’s application for a site plan review to construct a new athletic facility near Tyler Road, in the vicinity of Thompson Arena. The hearing will take place on June 7 instead. Planning Board chairwoman Judith Esmay said that a request was made by the project manager representing the College Board of Trustees to delay the hearing. Esmay declined to comment further, saying that it is still premature for the Planning Board to express any opinions on the
The Dartmouth
OPINION
LU: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PAGE 4
READ US ON
Vice president for information technology and chief information officer Ellen Waite-Franzen will be stepping down from her 10-year post at the College this summer after spearheading several initiatives as CIO. Waite-Franzen helped make the switch from Blackboard as the learning management system to
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Yield hits 53.1 percent
College’s application. Site plan review is the Board’s process of reviewing documents and drawings related to the project to ensure zoning ordinance standards and state and federal statutes are met. Deputy director of athletics Robert Ceplikas ’78 wrote in an email that the request was made so that the College could give full consideration to some concerns recently submitted by neighborhood residents. The additional time will be used for further discussion with project architects, zoning SEE FIELD PAGE 5
VP for information technology retires By RAUL RODRIGUEZ
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Canvas; built a team of instructional designers to work with faculty and improve classes; helped Dartmouth enter the massive open online course world; created a Research Computing team that works with faculty on their research agendas; redesigned and standardized the websites across academic departments; and developed data warehouses SEE RETIREMENT PAGE 2
KATE HERRINGTON/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Yield increased to 53.1 percent this year, up from last year’s 50.3 percent.
By SUNGIL AHN The Dartmouth Staff
Of the students admitted to the College’s Class of 2020, 53.1 percent accepted offers of admission, yielding a class of 1,156 students from 2,176 accepted students, including 525 who were accepted early decision. The number is an increase from last year’s yield of 50.3 percent for the Class of 2019, and closer to the Class of 2018’s record yield of 54.5 percent. In years further back, the yield has hovered just
below 50 percent — 47.8 for the Class of 2017, 48.5 for the Class of 2016 and 49 percent for the Class of 2015. Interim dean of admissions and financial aid Paul Sunde said that the College’s financial aid offerings were crucial in the higher yield figures, as financial aid was often the determining factor for any family concerned about the cost of college. Forty-four percent of the Class of 2020 will receive need-based scholarships, at an average of just
over $46,000, down from last year’s 47 percent. Sunde noted that the financial aid offerings involved “a shift in socioeconomic mix in international students,” possibly due to the fact that the College ended need-blind financial aid for international students starting with the Class of 2020. While Sunde said the College has accepted the most geographically diverse group of international students in recent SEE YIELD PAGE 3
Biology professor Mark Laidre discusses his research By ALEENA VIGODA The Dartmouth
This winter, biology professor Mark Laidre received a grant from National Geographic to study the behavioral ecology of coconut crabs in the Chagos Archipelago, located in the Indian Ocean south of the Maldives. Laidre’s specialty is the study of
behavioral evolution, and the coconut crab is a particularly unexplored animal — Charles Darwin was one of the first and last scientists to study the organism. Laidre focuses on how animal behavior, ecology and evolution interact and studies how individual organisms shape their physical and social environments, influencing natu-
ral selection. He conducts field and laboratory experiments in addition to theoretical modeling and computer simulations. He plans to release papers on the animals over the course of the next several years, and hopes to return to the archipelago soon to conduct continue his research. After graduating from Cornell University in 2004, Laidre
went on to pursue a masters in philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and then a doctorate at Princeton University. He joined Dartmouth as a Neukom Fellow in 2013, a position that encourages interdisciplinary research with a computational component. Laidre’s research on hermit crabs and monkeys has been published in National
Geographic, NPR and BBC. At the College, he has taught the course “Organisms that Change their World,” which looks at evolutionary consequences of animal behavior, and “The Evolution of Cooperation and Gossip,” focusing on how organisms work together SEE Q&A PAGE 3
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
PAGE 2
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
Waite-Franzen led the transition to Canvas and Office365 FROM RETIREMENT PAGE 1
for online administrative systems. Waite-Franzen came to Dartmouth after serving as vice president for computing and information services at Brown University and CIO at the University of Richmond. She said that her retirement comes at a fitting time since the Information Technology Services department is in a good place right now, with stable systems and great staff. “It’s always better to leave when things are going well,” she said. Waite-Franzen recalled several changes in recent years that the department adjusted to as technology evolved. Prior to the advent of smartphones, students typically had one device that would require a network connection; now students have a minimum of three. Consequently, the ITS department has had to extend its wireless network to be more dependable, she said. One example of this is making GreenPrint more reliable, she said. The ITS department has monitored the technology more closely in recent years and has appointed students to assist in keeping the printers up and running. Other department responses to 21st century technology include making websites mobile-friendly, creating new ITS infrastructure and switching from the 25-year-old Blitzmail system to Office365. Waite-Franzen said her role as well as that of the department has changed with advancing technology, driven by an increased emphasis on security and cloud-based solutions like Office365. Nonetheless, the new wave of technology in the past 10 years has not brought a viable alternative to Dartmouth’s Banner Student, she said, which is her only regret. “It’s a very complex system, built on very old and highly customized technologies but there aren’t viable alternatives out there yet,” she said. “We are seeing developments on the horizon — mainly WorkDay and Oracle — and I think in three to five years, a full-featured system will be available.” When the time to replace Banner Student does come, the ITS department will likely consult one of its student steering committees that it reaches out to when it is considering a new system, she said. This is how the ITS department decided to make the switch from Blackboard to Canvas,
she said. Bringing Dartmouth’s technology into the 21st century, however, was not without its challenges. “Steering an IT organization at an Ivy League institution through such an era of change is a tall order,” assistant director of educational technologies Barbara Knauff said. Among these challenges are hackers that are always trying to breach systems to steal data, Waite-Franzen said. “Our security team and the IT infrastructure staff work hard to stay ahead of the issue and we have in place many more measures than we had 10 years ago, but it is a moving target,” she said. This and another technological shift on the horizon will be a challenge for the next CIO, she said. Chief of technology officer Joseph Doucet will be filling that role for the time being in an interim capacity. He said that his main goals during this time will be to continue to build services that are in line with Dartmouth’s education and research objectives. This means enhancing Dartmouth’s wireless services in residence halls, developing DartmouthX courses and handling all of the budgetary and organizational logistics of the ITS department, he said. The hiring search process for a new vice president will commence this summer and will likely take a year, Waite-Franzen said. After having spent so much time in the ITS department, Knauff said that Waite-Franzen will be missed. “I’ll really miss her attention to and acknowledgement of the personal potential and contribution of everyone in the department,” she said. Doucet described Waite-Franzen’s positive impact on the College’s technology environment as evidence of her accomplishments. “I think the mark of a good executive is someone who leaves their organization in better shape than they found it,” Doucet said. “I think on that score Ellen has done exceptionally well.” Next on the agenda for WaiteFranzen is to find a new place to live and to peruse the interests that she has not been able to pursue like photography, writing and fashion. Furthermore, she may open up a new gallery, in addition to her Woodstock Gallery in Vermont, and perhaps do some consulting for smaller liberal arts institutions.
CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com. The May 3 article, “Radio stations celebrate anniversaries,” incorrectly identified the radio station WDBS as WBDS. The article has been updated to relfect this change.
COURTESY OF ELLEN WAITE-FRANZEN
Ellen Waite-Franzen will retire after leading the ITS department for 10 years.
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
Class of 2020 accepts offers FROM YIELD PAGE 1
years, he also said that there are fewer international students receiving financial aid. The incoming class comprises the highest percentage of historically underrepresented students of color on record, including African American, Latino, Native American and multiracial students, at 23 percent. Sunde said that for this admissions cycle, the College particularly focused on diversity and accessibility. He said that the College had a more “energetic effort” to reach out to communities of color, aided by alumni volunteers who made phone calls to admitted students and their families. The percentage of public school students in the class is 57 percent, a seven-year high. Sunde said that this was a result of strong financial aid packages the College was able to offer, and that he saw this figure as a positive sign of accessibility. Fourteen percent of the Class of 2020 is made of up first-generation college students, while another 14 percent are children of College alumni. The Class of 2020 also includes a record number of students from the western United States at 25 percent, along with 24 percent from the MidAtlantic region, 18 percent from New England and 15 percent from the South. International students comprise 9 percent of the class. Sunde attributed the decline in the number of students from MidAtlantic region and rise of students from the West to national trends. He said that the College simply adapted to the trend by increasing recruit-
ment efforts in the West. The College also enrolled a nearrecord number of women, at 51 percent. Sunde said he believes this is a result of students and families responding favorably to the College’s efforts to address prominent issues on campus. The average standardized test scores of the incoming class increased from last year, with a mean ACT score of 32.2 and average SAT scores of 719 in critical reading, 723 in writing and 724 in math. In addition, 92 percent of the Class of 2020 were in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Last year, 91 percent of the Class of 2019 ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. The mean SAT scores were 717 in critical reading, 722 in math and 722 in writing. Sunde noted the College’s different strategy for recruiting students this year. He cited the Dimensions of Dartmouth program as a significant factor that contributed to the high yield rate this year, adding that more students participated in Dimensions events compared to last year. About 1,300 students and their families attended this year. Sabyne Pierre ’20 said that she chose Dartmouth because of her experience during Dimensions, and she felt welcomed by everyone on campus. Jesus Franco ’20 said Dartmouth during Dimensions felt like home. “Everyone seemed to genuinely love the school and seemed happy to be there,” he said. Sunde said the new housing community system has also received positive responses from students and parents who visited Dimensions and
that it may have influenced their decision to come to Dartmouth. He also cited large student and alumni involvement as a factor that helped students choose Dartmouth. He said that there was high attendance and enthusiasm at off-campus events hosted by admitted students. Students who were accepted early decision and who were accepted last year but chose to take a gap year were very engaged with regular admission students, he said. He noted current Dartmouth students were particularly involved in social media efforts this year and reached out to admitted students on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Sunde said that more students accepted offers of admission than the expected number of 1,120, adding that the College is not planning to look at the waiting list for at least a few weeks. However, the College will be keeping a close eye on students who change their minds or decide to take a gap year, he said. Several members of the Class of 2020 cited different reasons for choosing Dartmouth over other institutions. Zachary Johnson ’20 said that he chose Dartmouth for its focus on undergraduate students. Itzel Paola Castaneda ’20 said she decided to come to Dartmouth for its community and inclusivity and also said she favored the College’s undergraduate focus, a point that Franco also noted. “The small class sizes, research opportunities, and alumni network were all amazing resources that I really wanted to take advantage of,” he said.
AROUND THE GIRDLED EARTH
PAGE 3
Laidre talks his work with coconut crabs FROM Q&A PAGE 1
towards a common goal. He will start his position as an assistant professor of biology in July 2016. The Dartmouth sat down with Laidre after his lecture on his time in the Chagos to discuss his findings and observations. How did you get involved in this field of research, and what motivated you to study coconut crabs? ML: I’ve always been interested in the evolution of behavior, and have spent a lot of time studying all sorts of animals in remote locations. Lately, I’ve been especially interested in hermit crabs, in particular, coconut crabs, which are the largest of all terrestrial vertebrates. What’s particularly interesting is that they start off living in shells, the way hermit crabs do, and then get so big that they outgrow their shell. I’m interested in this transition that they make from living in a housing market, where they have to fight for shells, and need to do so to grow, to ultimately when that’s no longer necessary, which lends itself to this prediction that they should become less social. What’s also very interesting is that despite their name, no one had ever bothered to study whether and how these animals opened the coconuts they’re named after. I’ve wanted to study them for many, many years now. What inspired you to conduct your observations in the Chagos Archipelago? ML: You’d think there’d be a lot of places to study these animals, but it turns out, that’s not the case. Although they once had a vast range all throughout the Indo-Pacific, their population has been greatly decimated as people use them for nutrition, and due to other factors such as global warming. However, the Chagos Archipelago is an especially interesting place. As a byproduct of what once was a U.S. Naval Base, the entire archipelago has been created as this amazing marine preserve. In a day and age where humans have an impact on everything, the Chagos is as close as you can get to approximating a pristine environment devoid of human interaction. This is critical if you want to learn about natural behavior and how animals evolve without the influence of humans. What do you think this research will reveal?
ELIZA MCDONOUGH/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Global China Connection hosted a senior panel on Wednesday night.
ML: So little had been previously known about these animals. You can go back and carve out a lot of quotes from Darwin’s Eagle Voyage, and that’s basically all the research that had existed on coconut crabs before my observations, simply because no
one else had studied them. There was a lot to learn about coconut crabs, from how they actually open up coconuts, to their social interactions, to their incredibly strong claws that allow them to scale trees. Because it was such an unexplored field, I was trying to study as much of these details as possible and get as much data on each of these topics as I could. What’s the most prevalent problem that coconut crabs face? ML: It’s hitting them on all angles right now. Take, for example, climate change: all the glacial melt from global warming is hitting these atolls — their habitat — which are barely above sea level. That means that we are all responsible for what ultimately could drown these animals. Another concern is the atoll itself — as discovered by Darwin, these atolls are made up of miles of dead coral created from ancient geological activities. We as humans continue to do things that undermine the integrity of that coral, and the foundations of where these coconut crabs live are being obliterated. And if that isn’t bad enough, people eat them. In some areas, they’ve been driven to local extinction based on that fact alone. How do you plan on bringing this research back to Dartmouth? ML: Ultimately, whatever research I do, I find a way to somehow weave it into my classes. I have specimens of these animals that I hope to bring out in lectures. It’s inspiring to see this kind of unique evolutionary experiment, and understanding the process of how these animals evolved is so propelling. Next spring, I’ll be teaching a class called Animal Minds and I’m sure I’ll be bringing my research into that. I also have some students starting to get involved in research, and over the long haul, I’m sure there will be a lot of opportunities for students to analyze data and observe video, if I can’t actually bring them with me to the Chagos. What is one thing that you hope Dartmouth students could take away from your experience ? ML: What’s amazing is to step foot on an area where it’s just nature, and everything is so remote from human activities and impacts. It makes you pretty awed by the things that are out there, and you can really sense the importance and urgency of actually doing something to preserve these places while we can, and to ensure that we allow these environments to last. This article has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
PAGE 4
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
“Rigged: When Race & Poverty Determine Outcomes in Death Penalty & Criminal Cases,” Room 003, Rockefeller Center
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
“Through a Lens Darkly,” a film by Montgomery Fellow Thomas Allen Harris, Loew Auditorium, Black Family Visual Arts Center
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
“The Wanderers,” a Jewish folk fusion performance by Psoy Korolenko and Polina Shepherd, Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center
TOMORROW 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
“Rumors, Truths and Reality - A Study of Political Misinformation,” by Adam Berinsky, Room 215, Silsby Hall
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
“Mediating a Cold War in the Digital Age,” Room 111, Wilder Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
“Hello, My Name is Doris,” a bittersweet dramedy starring Sally Field, Loew Auditorium, Black Family Visual Arts Center
RELEASE DATE– Thursday, May 5, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Fraternal order member 4 Deposit 9 Candy shape 13 Pressure for payment 14 He became New York Philharmonic music director 30 years before Leonard 15 Part of ABC: Abbr. 16 Tension-easing activity 18 Butcher’s cut 19 Coffee cart item 20 Turf controllers 21 Durbeyfield daughter 22 It supposedly keeps the monster inside the closet 26 Tiebreakers, briefly 28 Turkish money 29 Host 31 Holistic healers’ observations 32 Day __ 35 Winery wood 36 Emphatic type ... or what the beginnings of the longest entries are? 38 Colorful carp 39 Turndowns 40 What Lot’s wife looked back at 41 Pastoral poem 43 Stat for a reliever 44 Nancy Drew’s beau 45 Jam site 50 Everymutt 53 WWII attacker 54 New Hampshire prep school town 56 Fanny 57 Baby blanket, perhaps 60 Subtle “Over here!” 61 Trojan hero 62 Japanese drama 63 Hardens
64 2012 title judge played by Karl Urban 65 Prefix with caching
DOWN 1 Decree 2 Riches 3 Kilt companions 4 Groom with a bill 5 Jaguar creator 6 Big laugh 7 Wrath 8 Postal motto word 9 French town closest to England 10 Honor __ thieves 11 Pastoral sound 12 Surrealist Max 14 Branch 17 Keep moist, in a way 20 Enclose, as a porch 23 Sugary stuff 24 Distiller Walker 25 Snare 27 Topping for fancy chocolate 29 Long stretch 30 “Little Red Book” author
31 Mayflower Compact signer 32 High jumps 33 Campaign pro 34 Catch a bug 37 Sweetheart 42 Clear, as a windshield 43 They may be false 45 Pats on the back, maybe 46 Really big
47 Brown 48 Cried in the cornfield 49 Work on in a bakery 51 Crusoe creator 52 Garden products brand 55 OBs and ENTs 57 Down 58 What’s-__-name 59 United
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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
PAGE 5
Residents displeased by plans for construction near properties FROM FIELD PAGE 1
experts and other consultants, he said, to evaluate options and fully prepare for the June 7 hearing. Ceplikas said that the need for a new field house arises as the existing facilities may not be able to meet the demand of student-athletes.
“With Dartmouth being the northernmost Ivy League school, our student-athletes urgently need more indoor practice space, as Leverone Field House is bursting at the seams,” Ceplikas said. Ceplikas said that once completed, the new field house would provide 56,000 square feet of
artificial turf for teams such as comment on the proposed facility. football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball Hanover town manager Julia and softball to practice during cold Griffin said that the concerns from and inclement weather. the residents mainly touch upon According to an article published the appearance of the building, by The Valley News in April, the commenting that while the facilCollege expects ity would be construction to “The town’s role is large in size, begin in Nothe supposvember 2016 to figure out how to edly monoand end in No- walk on this tight rope lithic extevember 2017. rior could between neighbors’ In the same also appear article, mul- needs and property rather stark. tiple residents Griffin said owners’ needs, in this expressed that certain their concerns, case the College.” features which largely could be revolves around added in via the facility’s -JULIA GRIFFIN, HANOVER landscaping a p p e a r a n c e TOWN MANAGER to make the and the Colfacility “feel lege’s alleged a little warmencroachment er” and blend towards the more into the neighborhood. neighborThe proposed hood. field house is However, the newest Colsome may lege sports facility since the Alex hold the view that since the resiBoss Tennis Center was completed dents bought their houses adjacent in 2000. to the College’s athletic field, they Six residents of Tyler Road should have been prepared for the approached by The Dartmouth construction of new facilities in the did not on respond to requests to area, Griffin said.
“The town’s role is to figure out how to walk on this tight rope between neighbors’ needs and property owners’ needs, in this case the College,” she said. Ceplikas said that the College has been actively engaged with the neighbors in the past few months. The College has been providing residents with previews of the plans. Adjustments have also been made in response to the residents’ concerns regarding the facility’s exterior and landscaping plan. The College has also been working closely with Hanover officials, in order to ensure the proposed facility’s full compliance with zoning ordinances and building code requirements. Griffin said that she foresees a lot of give and take happening at the Planning Board meetings, where both members of the public and the College’s representatives will attend. At the meeting, the Planning Board will serve as the middle ground between the residents and the College, as well as trying to determine if the building meets the town’s requirements and if the College’s proposal addresses the concerns of the residents, such as the integration of the building into the neighborhood.
SINGING FOR A CAUSE
KATE HERRINGTON/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
The Decibelles and the Sing Dynasty performed at Autism Sings last night.
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
PAGE 6
STAFF COLUMNIST BEN SZUHAJ ’19
STAFF COLUMNIST JESSICA LU ’18
Hanlon’s Razor
Criminal Justice Reform
Why constructive disagreement is important. “Check your privilege,” is a phrase you’ve probably heard recently. Perhaps it’s been said to you, or maybe you’ve used it yourself. In essence, it is a reminder — typically directed at white, straight, financially well-off men — to be aware of the advantages they have been granted since birth. But, in addition to serving as a reminder, it also implies that because of those characteristics, a person of privilege is less able to speak about issues of race, class or gender inequity because he simply does not fit the bill of a person who might have combated one or more of those inequalities first-hand. Asking someone to check their privilege does not assume that a rich white man, for example, is also a racist. Rather, “check your privilege” implies ignorance: the man of privilege is at least partially unaware of the struggles faced by those different from himself. In this way, “check your privilege” is remarkably similar to the aphorism, “Hanlon’s Razor.” In philosophy, a razor is a rule of thumb used to “shave-off” unlikely explanations and draw conclusions. Hanlon’s Razor proclaims that one should, “never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” Similarly, “check your privilege,” assumes a level of incompetence or ignorance when it comes to understanding systemic inequality from the perspective of the privileged. The phrase doesn’t accuse the privileged of the malice of racism, and instead blames their thoughts and behaviors on the “stupidity” of lacking first-hand experience. Philosophical razors are used to “shave-off” unlikely explanations, but, more importantly, they serve to draw conclusions. They seek to end debates or discussions. This is exactly the case with “check your privilege.” There is no way to argue against it. It isn’t necessarily an insult — in many ways, it could be perceived as a compliment. Rather, it functions to invalidate the viewpoint of the person it is aimed at. Once said, it disallows any sort of rebuttal from the accused. However, even though someone went to a cushy New England boarding school, he may still be allowed to discuss issues of race
and gender! I do not, in any way, claim that this phrase is some sort of “reverse racism.” To me, the very concept of reverse racism is ludicrous because even the most egregious of perceived slights comes nowhere near equalling the appalling history of oppression faced by a variety of minority groups — especially black Americans — in this country. That being said, as a society increasingly more aware of systemic inequality and perceived slights, we must be receptive to constructive dispute, rather than removing others from conversations because of perceived offense. Rarely are there easy answers to questions around race, class and gender. Take, for example, the proposed renaming of buildings on various college campuses. I believe that Yale University should rename Calhoun College because John C. Calhoun, in addition to being a fervent racist, fought vehemently in the defense of slavery, even at a time when the barbaric institution was on the decline, including among Calhoun’s contemporary Southern leaders. However, I believe it would be wrong to petition George Washington University to change its name on the grounds that the first president of the United States was also a slave holder. When judging historical figures, it is important to remember the context, as well as the achievements of the individuals who adhered to immoral social standards of their time. Calhoun spewed a lot of racism and did little good. Washington did a lot of good and was one of many Virginia slave holders. I bring up these names and events to prove a point. Racism, sexism and classism are all simple concepts in the abstract. Each of us can succinctly define them. But in the real world, when judging a person, an event or an action, these concepts become more difficult to pin down. In such an environment, we must resist the urge to jump to hasty conclusions; we must restrain ourselves from assuming ignorance on the part of those with opposing views. It is important to account for all voices, to have a dialogue and to allow our differences to work in our favor, rather than against us.
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ISSUE
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
NEWS EDITOR: Erin Lee, LAYOUT MANAGER: Jaclyn Eagle, TEMPLATING EDITOR: Jaclyn Eagle.
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.
Lawmakers need to do more to fix the broken system.
Last Thursday, a bipartisan group of Senate which includes important factors such as the lawmakers unveiled a revised version of a waiting period for or access to representation. criminal justice reform plan that was approved by Although some states, like New Hampshire, the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year. have functioning public defenders’ offices thanks Although lawmakers and media sources have to the efforts private lobbyists and councils, most referred to this document as a general criminal states are not so lucky. A staggering number of justice reform bill, the proposed legislation, defendants will be arrested, sentenced and then especially after being amended to appeal to sent to prison or put on parole without legal Republican senators, is far too narrow in its representation. Approximately 80 percent of scope and does not go far enough to address criminal defendants are indigent and unable the discriminatory practices of the justice system to hire a lawyer; thus, they are forced to rely on that disproportionately impacts men of color in overburdened public defenders who are unable this country. to provide meaningful representation to their Currently, the proposed legislation grants clients. judges the discretion to give lesser sentences than Often juggling hundreds of clients, public the federally-mandated minimums. This bill will defenders find themselves in a miserable also eliminate mandatory life sentences for three- situation, which is shockingly apparent in New time, nonviolent drug offenders while creating Orleans. There, funding shortages and staff programs to help prisoners successfully reenter attrition have forced the public defender’s office society. Of course, to place new clients further amendments “When former prisoners on a waiting list. to sway Republican Usually poor, often senators could be are released from jail, their of color and facing passed before the bill criminal record relegates severe sentences, is approved. these waitlisted While a step in them to second-class clients will be forced the right direction, citizens, allowing legal to navigate the legal the proposed new on their discrimination against them system law fails to fully revise own. The American racially discriminatory in employment, access Bar Association mandatory minimums has found that to education and public like the 18-to-1 disparity individuals lacking between the amount benefits.” counsel all too often of crack cocaine and plead guilty when powder cocaine needed they are in fact to trigger certain federal innocent, simply criminal penalties. Giving judges more discretion because they don’t understand their legal rights does not guarantee that such laws won’t continue and the legal process. to put black offenders behind bars far longer than Louisiana is not alone in its failure to provide their white counterparts. The bill would certainly proper funding for indigent defense; countless eliminate de jure mandatory minimums, but states from New York to Florida have faced there will still exist de facto minimums, especially severe public defender crises in recent years when laws such as the Fair Sentencing Act of due to deficient funding and legislative neglect 2010 continue to validate such disparities. in securing more funding. Underfunding has The bill also seeks to create programs to “help created a system riddled with hidden costs such prisoners reenter society” without addressing the as application fees for public defenders, fees that root causes for post-prison disenfranchisement. are often too high for indigent defendants. When former prisoners are released from jail, Louisiana is unique, however, in that its their criminal record relegates them to second- solution to the funding problem was to make class citizens, allowing legal discrimination indigent defendants a primary source of against them in employment, access to education funding. In Louisiana, public defenders are and public benefits. Criminal records strip former only guaranteed their salaries when defendants inmates of their right to vote in some states. found guilty are forced to pay legal fees, creating Individuals put behind bars for minor drug a direct conflict of interest. offences become ineligible for public housing This crisis extends to the federal level at which and food stamps. For these so-called felons, there cuts to the federal judiciary’s budget have crippled is little hope for reintegration into mainstream the public defenders’ system. Cuts in 2014 led society because of all the stigma that the “felon” to court delays, staff reductions reaching up to label carries. A rehabilitation program does not 50 percent at federal public defenders’ offices, help them — what we need is legal reform at a lack of funding for expert witnesses and cuts both the state and federal level. to travel budgets. The federal budgets for 2015 Perhaps the biggest failure of the bill is that and 2016 increased the budget only modestly. it looks at criminal justice reform in terms of At both the state and federal level, we need sentencing and rehabilitation, or the start and the to spend more money on our public defenders end of one’s experience with the criminal justice and write out legal loopholes that place the system. The problems in our criminal justice monetary burden on indigent individuals. Our system are more far-reaching. For instance, we constitution promises legal representation, but are currently facing a serious crisis in our public has failed to make good on the promise for our defender system at both the federal and state most vulnerable populations: poor Americans level. The proposed law does not consider an of color who end up spending more time in our individual’s journey through the justice system, prisons than they deserve to.
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THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
New Music Festival celebrates innovative sound and art By WILL TACKETT
The Dartmouth Staff
The convergence of music and architecture is quite uncommon. Yet, the New Music Festival, a threeday event at the College, explored this peculiar intersection of fields from May 1 to 3. The music department and the Hopkins Center presented the festival, titled “Music, Soundspace & Architecture.” Graduate student Daniel Miller GR’17, who co-directed the festival with Brian Chalif ’16, said this year’s theme incorporates many disciplines outside of music. Music professor and festival director Kui Dong noted this year’s festival represents an expansion from previous years’ by bringing in members from the biology and computer science departments to speak at the reception. “The festival has been interdisciplinary, but it just hasn’t extended to other departments,” Dong said. “This year we particularly wanted to do it that way.” The festival kicked off this past Sunday with a reception at the Top of the Hop featuring music performances and a panel discussion followed by installations in the Hop Garage. Students in Music 50 “Contemporary Music Lab” opened the reception with a composition by digital music graduate student Stefan Maier GR’17, who played
the piccolo during the performance. Neukom fellow Laurel Symes and music and computer science professor Brian Casey gave talks as part of the panel discussion. Symes’ talk “The Music of Nature: Animal Communication and Soundscapes” discussed the intersection of biology and music by focusing on animal sounds. She explored the echolocation of bats, which she said would be quite loud if humans could hear it, the complexity of bird songs and the possibility of predator specialization for sound types. Casey discussed how music and architecture evolved together throughout human history. He tied in Greek mathematician Pythagoras’ work on the interval-to-length ratio seen in the dimensions of the Parthenon and Greek composer and architect Iannis Xenakis’ work with microsound and polytopes. Closing the panel discussion, film and media professor Jodie Mack shared her avant-garde short film “Something Between Us” (2015), and biology professor Olga Zhaxybayeva delivered a talk entitled “An Orchestra in Miniature: How Microbes Explore Physical, DNA and Protein Space.” The festival continued on Monday with a performance in Faulkner Recital Hall by Mise-en, a contemporary music ensemble from New York City, who Dong invited to be the festival’s featured group.
PAULA MENDOZA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
The Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble performed in the 2016 New Music Festival on Tuesday, May 3.
In the past, Chalif said the festival invited smaller groups such as quartets to serve as the featured group. Mise-en, an 11-person ensemble, is the largest featured group to perform at the College since Dong started planning the festival, he added. The performance opened with music professor Spencer Topel’s “Vox Nihili” (Voice of Nothing) (2016), which considers an imaginary landscape filled with humans who have lost their voices and must
search endlessly for their bodies. James Tecuatl-Lee ’11 composed “Sacred Space” (2016), another piece in the set list which incorporates cardiorespiratory elements from Zen and yoga practices as well as abstract ritual actions typically found in religious places such as a mosque or a chapel. Mise-en’s conductor Moon Young Ha directed all the pieces in the program. On Tuesday, Mise-en performed a second set in Spaulding Audi-
torium along with three student performance groups — the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, the Dartmouth College Glee Club and LuLu, an undergraduate improvisation group. The festival culminated with an intimate, late-night improvisation session in Sarner Underground. Maier opened the session with solo improvisation on a modular synth. Members of the Contemporary Music Lab and LuLu joined Maier for an esoteric group improvisational piece. The musicians employed innovative and unconventional methods of playing to create an improvised piece that was of melody and structure. Ambient electronic elements accompanied the instrumental improvisation, which included two guitars, a violin and clarinet in addition to the piccolo. The guitarists scraped and scratched their strings rather than plucking or strumming them, while Maier choked his piccolo to cause air to escape without playing a note in the traditional sense. During the improvisation, a psychedelic animation was projected in the background. The improvisation appropriately recalled the festival’s theme and interest in the intersection of music and science, specifically Symes’ talk on animal communication through sound. The piece began softly but gradually built itself up to an ecosystem of sound, noise and music, resembling the music of katydids that Symes previously discussed. Maier said the improvisation session as well as the New Music Festival as a whole were a welcome instance of experimental music and art and a respite from Dartmouth’s conservative view of art. “There is not a lot of music or art like this at Dartmouth,” Maier said. “It’s great that the festival brought some of that into the spotlight.”
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THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016
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Diverse TRANSFORM show promotes positive self-expression By DIEGO MORENO The Dartmouth
On Tuesday, Collis Common Ground brought a slice of fashion to Dartmouth. Lights flashed, models strutted and music thumped at PRIDE 2016’s TRANSFORM fashion extravaganza. Continuing the two-week celebration of the LGBTQIA community, TRANSFORM blurred gender barriers and focused on positive selfexpression through a mixture of fashion, poetry, music, dancing and video. Danica Rodriguez ’18, who directed the show, said she hoped TRANSFORM would facilitate free expression. “Pride in existence is kind of the ultimate form of protest,” Rodriguez said. “I really saw this show as claiming space for the LGBTQIA community.” To set the mood for the show, the evening opened with empowering videos featuring iconic gender blurring rock stars such as Hedwig from the musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (1998) and spoken word poet Denice Frohman reading her poem “Dear Straight People” (2011). Veronique Davis ’15, who worked on the show’s technological aspect such as the lighting and video projections, said
the media and visual elements of the show had a vibrant energy to them. The fashion show featured 11 models who dressed themselves mainly in clothes donated by Revolution, a boutique located in White River Junction. Their outfits included stunning gowns, coats and hats as well as less conventional items such as a golden speedo, water guns and a bottle of hot sauce. One memorable look was a Prince-inspired outfit that included leggings and a tunic. Cecilia Torres ’18, who modeled for the show, said she created her outfits by borrowing a dress from a friend and meeting with a partner at Revolution, who showed her a lavish ballroom gown. Prior to the show, Torres admitted she experienced jitters over body image issues, which she said is something that negatively impacts many people at Dartmouth. “I was nervous,” she said. “But once I walked on stage, it felt like the whole Dartmouth community was supporting me.” Yasmeen Erritouni ’17 had a much more relaxed attitude toward the show because she said she felt she was in a comfortable environment the entire time. “I was never nervous about getting on stage and breaking gender boundar-
ies because that was the whole point of the show,” Erritouni said. Regarding her outfit selections, Erritouni said she decided to wear a feminine outfit consisting of a blue romper, red wedges, makeup and glitter and contrast that with her second outfit, which was a black suit with suspenders. “I wanted to prove to myself and others that I could do both very easily,” Erritouni said. The show also included a threesong set by co-ed a cappella group the Sing Dynasty. Before the group sang “You’ve Got a Friend” (1971), Danielle Piacentile ’17 stressed the importance of solidarity and friendship from allies of the LGBTQIA community. Raven Johnson ’18 and Liza Wemakor ’18 followed the Sing Dynasty’s set with a moving performance of original spoken word poetry. The night transitioned into a lighthearted celebration of music and dance. Erritouni challenged Carlos Tifa ’19, who also modeled for the show, in an intense two-round lip synching contest. The competition energized the full crowd and ended in a tie. Hosts Torrance Johnson ’19, Justin Maffett ’16 and Monik Walters ’19 delivered an impressive, high energy song and dance performance, despite
COURTESY OF AMARA IHIONU
Student models showcased their outfits at the TRANSFORM fashion extravaganza.
learning their routine hours before the show. Angie Lee ’17, a member of Street Soul, performed a solo dance routine that worked the overflowing crowd into a frenzy. TRANSFORM concluded with a final runway strut for the models. After they took their final bows, the audience was invited to walk down the runway and join the dance party on stage.
Johnson said TRANSFORM was an amazing showcase of self-expression. “[The show] allowed each model, performer and audience member to feel beautiful in their own way,” Johnson said. PRIDE events conclude this Friday with a banquet at the Triangle House. A full list of the remaining PRIDE week events can be found on the Dartmouth Pride 2016 Facebook page.
Zumba instructor grooves and shakes her way to bliss in class
By ELISE HIGGINS
The Dartmouth Staff
The rhythmic sounds of maracas and Colombian drums echoes throughout the studio. A petite woman with curly hair stands at the front of the room, effortlessly moving to the mix. The music transitions into an upbeat hip hop instrumental, and she starts shaking her hips, lost in the song’s deep bass. There’s no doubt. This woman can dance. “Wobble, wobble, wobble,” she yells. Zumba instructor Evelyn Thibodeau continues pumping her arms and moving with the beat as she tells her students to shake their bodies. Even if they make a mistake, Thibodeau encourages them to continue dancing and having fun. Although Thibodeau did not always envision herself teaching Zumba, a fitness program that incorporates dance and aerobic movements, she said dance itself has always been influential in her life. “Music is like the engine that moves us every day,” Thibodeau
said. “Without music, we don’t really perform very well.” Thibodeau grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, a coastal town where music plays an important cultural role. She began dancing at the age of two and once she was old enough, her mother enrolled her in several school dance programs. While in school, Thibodeau learned various styles of dance including traditional AfroColombian dances such as mapalé and Latin dances such as salsa and merengue. In 2004, Thibodeau heard about Zumba and purchased instructional videos so she could learn more about the program. A few years later, she began to attend live classes at which she met a fellow dancer who encouraged her to get a teaching license. After participating in a workshop with Alberto Perez, the creator of Zumba, Thibodeau took the opportunity to become a certified instructor. After receiving her license in 2009, she began working at the Up-
per Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction before working as a substitute instructor at Dartmouth for writing professor Jennifer Sargent, who also teaches Zumba at the College. Thibodeau said that her reputation as an instructor spread through word of mouth. When Sargent decided to take a hiatus from teaching Zumba, Thibodeau became a full-time instructor. She enjoys teaching Zumba because of the joy it brings to her students. “The fact that I’m able to make a difference in someone’s life is a huge motivator and is what I like the most,” Thibodeau said. Andie Conching ’18 took “Zumba Toning,” a class she always looked forward to attending. “[Thibodeau] was really energetic,” she said. “If I was having a really slow day she could wake me up.” Conching said that she decided to take the class for a P.E. credit with some of her friends because
she thought it would be a fun way to get a workout. Megan Batangan ’18 said that she could tell that Thibodeau enjoyed teaching because she always had lots of energy. “I really loved the class,” Batangan said. “Evelyn used a lot of current music, so it was fun to dance around.” In addition to bringing her students joy, Thibodeau said she also finds Zumba to be extremely uplifting for herself. “I don’t see it as a job,” Thibodeau said. “Teaching Zumba is one of the best things I do.” Rather than instructing her students to perform the moves to perfection, Thibodeau uses a relaxed method that is characteristic of the easy-going bachata dance. Conching said that at first, people might feel awkward because they are dancing in a room with many people, most of whom they do not know. “However, after some time, people get more comfortable and
begin to have fun with it,” she said. Thibodeau clearly wants her students to enjoy themselves as demonstrated by her high level of energy throughout the class. A true dancer at heart, Thibodeau also encourages Dartmouth students to attend Thursday Night Salsa, which is an open event held on the first Thursday of every month at Candela Tapas Lounge. She regularly attends the restaurant’s event as a way to relax and do more of what she loves — dance. As for her Zumba classes, Thibodeau said she wants her students to be able to use it as a time to workout, but also to take a break from other things they might have going on in their lives. “People always tell me that for them, this is the time where they don’t have to think about anything,” Thibodeau said. “It’s the highlight of their day.” This term, Thibodeau teaches Zumba Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Pool View room at the Alumni Gym.