May 2013 by Claremont Port Side

e d i s t r o p T ON M RE A L the C

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5C vs INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

WHO GETS TENURE?

THE LIBERTARIAN MOVEMENT

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staff + editor’s note

TIM REYNOLDS JAYA WILLIAMS EMILY HAYNES JON RICE LOGAN GALANSKY KARUN KIANI editor-in-chief publisher campus editor international editor web editor national editor

COPY EDITORS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF EMERITI ILLUSTRATORS PHOTOGRAPHERS

ALEX MA web editor

MARYL EVANS, BEN HACKENBERGER ALY MINAMIDE + JENNA HUSSEIN SAM KAHR + ALYSSA ROBERTS TESSA BARTON (head illustrator), ANGELA ZHOU + CHELSEA CARLSON (special spread and cover) JEWEL MENSAH, PHOEBE DUVALL, WILL CAFRITZ + JONAH RADUNS-SILVERSTEIN

Editorial: Learning from Libertarianism I used to identify as a Republican simply to scare my mother. She’d ask about my stance on the death penalty, abortion, or gay marriage, and I would side with the left on almost every polarizing social issue. But I’d half-heartedly spout some sound bite about fiscal conservatism as a justification for identifying with the Grand Old Party. I had no idea what I was talking about, but small government sure sounded nice. I was a budding libertarian, though I didn’t know it at the time. In our dysfunctional political climate, there’s something undeniably attractive about libertarianism (page 14). Libertarianism marries the right’s fiscal freedoms with the left’s civil and social ones; it keeps government out of both businesses and bedrooms. Still, I’ve come to believe in the importance of a robust and efficient government. For all the flak it gets, the federal government helps to build roads and schools and fire departments. It provides social safety nets, like Social Security and Medicare. It protects our borders and our interests abroad. Still, it’s been said that all politics is local, that real governance happens in city halls and community

centers. For students at the Claremont Colleges, the decisions made by 5C administrators typically affect us more than those made by the Obama administration. And while I want centralized, federal plans to address climate change and gun control, I worry about the consolidation of administrative power at the Claremont Colleges. The Claremont University Consortium (CUC), for example, seems to operate as more of a corporate conglomerate than an institution of higher learning (page 8). Consolidating certain services, like the library and campus safety, makes sense, since it’s efficient and cost-effective. But because the CUC views the Colleges, rather than 5C students, as its customers, it can operate in a way that prioritizes profit over education. CMC’s student media policy similarly seems to serve interests other than those of 5C students. The policy requires that student journalists go through the Office of Public Affairs in order to contact administrators. It’s been in place for a few months, and it’s led to missed deadlines and a lack of valuable interviews.

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This policy rests on two basic justifications: first, a central service like Public Affairs can prevent reporters from receiving conflicting information, and, second, external media operate in the same way. These justifications have some merit, but it seems decidedly problematic for a liberal arts college to devalue the consideration of multiple, conflicting perspectives. And it seems even more counterintuitive to treat a reporter who lives across the street the same as one who lives across the country. The Claremont Colleges have a compelling interest in controlling their public image – that’s why they care so much about (re)branding themselves (page 10). But that should be secondary to their purpose as educational institutions. Whether they seek to consolidate or diffuse administrative functions, the Claremont Colleges should serve their students, not themselves.

Letters, Questions, Comments? editor@claremontportside.com

table of contents

the

compass national 14 | THE LIBERTARIAN MOVEMENT david leathers

international 4 | 5C vs INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION lauren sampson 16 | WHAT IS THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD? julian rippy

ABOUT US: The Claremont Port Side is dedicated to providing the Cla-

remont Colleges with contextualized, intelligent reports to advance debate among students and citizens. This is a progressive newsmagazine that offers pertinent information and thoughtful analysis on the issues confronting and challenging our world, our country, and our community. Each article in the Claremont Port Side reflects the opinion of its author(s) and does not represent the Claremont Port Side, its editors, its staff, or the Claremont Colleges.

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Educational Exceptionalism?

International students’ perspectives on American higher education By Lauren Sampson Staff Writer, PZ ‘14 Many believe there are stark differences between higher education in the United States and internationally. Students from around the world are coming to Claremont in increasing numbers in search of high quality educational experiences.

six students in the past six years. Neva Barker, Director of Off-Campus Study at Scripps, confirmed that Scripps does not have international exchange students. Representatives from Harvey Mudd could not be reached for comment.

According to David Brunk, Associate Dean of Admission at Pomona College, there are 98 visa students studying at Pomona this year, up from 45 students in 2007. In 2007, international students accounted for just under 3 percent of the total student population. This year that statistic is over 6 percent. Brunk expects that percentage to reach 10 percent within the next few years.

Kathy Chau, on exchange at Pitzer from Lingan University in Hong Kong, noted the lack of discussion in her courses at home. Her classes at Lingan meet twice a week: first for a two hour lecture, and then for an hour long “tutorial” which consists of 45 minutes of presentation and about 15 minutes for discussion. While it is important to attend tutorial, Chau says that attending lectures is unnecessary. “I don’t have to really do all of the readings, or buy the textbooks. You can, but it’s not necessary. You can just get the PowerPoint notes, and review those for your exam,” Chau said.

Pitzer College experienced a similar increase. According to Todd Sasaki, Director of International Programs at Pitzer, the college currently boasts 65 international students. International students have represented roughly 6 percent of total student enrollment at Pitzer since the 2003-2004 academic year. “Last year we had the largest number of new matriculated international first-years [since 2002] and it seems like this year will increase too, although we will have to wait until all the commits are in for numbers,” Sasaki said.

“The Claremont Colleges are great. They are beautiful, and I love the drive. Everybody is trying to work hard,” Mapoma said. “I like the culture, the working culture.”

Academic Culture

According to Alissa Stedman, Director of Media Relations in the Office of Public Affairs & Communication at Claremont McKenna College, CMC has 152 international students this year (12 percent of total student population), up from 56 in 2007 (5.4 percent).

When comparing their experiences at the Claremont Colleges to their studies at home, international exchange students cited smaller, more discussion-based classes, a tougher workload and more passionate, dedicated peers as the main differences they have experienced at the Claremont Colleges.

Of the 65 Pitzer international students, 23 are on exchange, and of Pomona’s 98, only three are on exchange. Steadman did not provide numbers by year for CMC, but said that exchange enrollment has ranged from zero to

Chuma Mapoma, on exchange at Pitzer from The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa marveled at the ability of 5C students to stay up all night partying, and still show up for class the next morning.

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Dick Stevens, studying at Pitzer this semester, attends Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Tilburg is a strictly “oral college” meaning that classes are almost entirely lecturebased. While Stevens enjoys the discussion-based nature of courses here, he sometimes finds it difficult to contribute due to the fact that English is not his first language. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to express myself, and in a discussion you have to be very snappy,” Stevens said. Despite this challenge, he says he enjoys the discussion element and the different type of learning that arises as a result. “Participation is very rarely part of your grade,” Nula Lynch said. Lynch is a Pitzer exchange student from England, where she attends the University of Birmingham. “You could not do the reading, but as long as you hand this essay in, you’ll be fine. It’s way

“I do more work here consistently, but smaller projects,” Lynch said. “Back home I wouldn’t have to hand anything in until right at the end, but it would be a really long paper, or something really intensive that theoretically you’re meant to have spent six months on. But not many people do that.” While certainly these are big differences, they stem largely from the fact that most of the students interviewed come from large, public universities, whereas the Claremont Colleges are small, private, liberal arts colleges. For the most part, the differences between the Claremont Colleges and their home universities mirror the differences between the Claremont Colleges and most large and/or public universities here in the United States.

“[I’m here] because I would like to broaden my knowledge,” Stevens said. “I’m taking neuroscience classes, because I’m interested in that, not because it’s very important for my degree. But I always wanted to know more about it, and at my home university you can only do the courses that you chose to do from the first day.” Barata explained how in Brazil, all you have to do to get accepted into a local public university is to score high enough on a standardized test. “You choose your major before you go to college. I study Chemistry, so I chose Chemistry during high school and applied to school with the chemistry test. It’s the same test for everybody, and you just choose a major beforehand. I passed, and then I got in.”

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I think you get to know your peers a lot better here at the Claremont Colleges.

Yacco Barata

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“It’s more demanding here,” Yacco Barata said. Barata is on exchange at CMC from Universidade Federal de Sergipe in Brazil. “You have a lot of homework, and assignments, and papers, that you’re getting all the time, from all of your classes. That’s not usually how it goes in Brazil. You pretty much just attend the class, and take your notes. The only time you really have to work hard is when a test is near, whereas here you are constantly being challenged with problem sets or papers.”

of years down the drain. You have to start over,” Stevens said.

CMC Exchange Student from Brazil

But not all differences are attributable to school size and structure. The main difference between higher education in the United States and abroad is that in many countries you must choose your major prior to entering college.

In England, you choose your degree in high school, and then apply directly for that intended degree. “That’s really hard because I personally did science first, and then I decided that I wanted to do English Literature,” said Lynch. “But I couldn’t just stay at Birmingham and just switch; I had to go home, re-apply, and then come back the next year. It worked out fine, but it’s hard because not many people know at 18 what they want to do.”

“When you choose a study, you choose from the first day what you are going to end up with. So if you don’t like it, well, it’s a couple

“It’s really rare to switch majors,” Lynch added. “[People will] come out with a degree that they’ll never use because they ended up hating it.”

Major Differences

Social Culture Students noted differences in the social aspects of college life as well. They spoke to both the close-knit community aspect of dorm life and the general unfriendliness of Americans. “I come from a very loving country,” Mapoma explained. “Here, we could have a conversation for hours today, and tomorrow you walk right past me, and I’m like, wow that is so strange!” Stevens, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude for the increased level of interaction between students due to the fact that many students live on campus. “I think if this was a college where there was no campus, it would have been a really different experience for me. The people here are very open because they live together,” Stevens said. Barata also commented on the social aspect of dorm life. In Brazil, since he attends a public university, most students live at home. While there are a few dormitories, they are reserved for students in financial need who are attending school further than commuting distance from home. However, in Claremont, Barata feels a closer emotional connection with his peers as a result of their physical proximity. “I have more real reasons to hang out with [my classmates] than just study together,” Barata said. At home, there is a clearer distinction between classmates and friends. At school he spends time studying with his fellow Chemistry majors, and then goes home to hang out with friends. “I think you get to you know your peers a lot better here at the Claremont Colleges,” Barata said. “Especially in some of the lab classes I am taking that has helped me alot. It’s really helpful when people try to reach out.”

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more hands on here. You have to get involved, whereas back home you can be anonymous. You can’t do that here. Well, you can, but your grade will suffer. Sometimes I like lectures, but that’s probably the lazy part of me. I think as a teaching style, it’s probably always better to have the smaller class size.”

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the The Corporate University Consortium Does the CUC have too much control? By Andy Wright Senior Staff Writer, PZ ‘16 Though each Claremont College has its own administrative body, aspects of campus life that concern all members often fall under the jurisdiction of the Claremont University Consortium, or CUC. Founded in 1925, this group controls a multifarious collection of services across the 7Cs. Most students, however, don’t know what it is, much less what it does. “The [CUC] is a service organization focused on supplying high value and important services to the member institutions,” wrote Robert Walton, Chief Executive Officer of the CUC, in an e-mail correspondence. According to Walton, the primary goals of the CUC are to fulfill two primary values: “To provide a service of higher quality than peer institutions can provide at the same or lower cost,” and “to provide the scale of a large university cost model while maintaining the small campus and personal approach to services of the liberal arts tradition.” Is the CUC effective at achieving its goals? Or would the Claremont Colleges be better off on their own?

The Claremont Conglomerate Having one conglomerate running some things can be useful, as Walton pointed out. “For each campus on The Claremont Colleges to operate its own Campus Safety operation would be much more costly and much less efficient, so this is best accomplished collaboratively,” Walton explained. Despite this, there are some critics who believe the CUC has become too much of a financial or-

ganization and has lost track of helping students. According to Walton, the CUC’s financial decisions are governed by a 25-member management team, with final decisions subject to approval from the CEO, CFO, and Executive Vice President. Though representatives from member colleges are invited to talk with high-ranking individuals of the management team, it is unclear whether they are part of the actual decision process. Looking through the list of high-ranking officials on this board, there is one factor that ties them together: experience in the corporate world. Members boast credentials from accounting firms, to nature conservation organizations, to the L.A. Dodgers, but almost all members were heavily involved in profitable industries before coming to the CUC. Walton suggested this corporate experience was valuable in helping the Claremont Colleges survive the recent economic recession. “During the financial decline and stock market drops of a few years ago,” Walton wrote, “the CUC reduced its costs by over 14% to enable a reduction in the fees needed from the member colleges.” So far, this reduction has resulted in a cumulative 5.6 million dollars, which the colleges have directed to “locally important academic programs, student financial aid, and other costs.” Without this influx, the community might not have been able to weather

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the trying times of the past few years without a significant reduction of services. More candidly, having all these functions centralized is extremely beneficial to the CUC. Campus Security in particular is dependent on cooperation across the colleges. If a miscreant were merely able to step across the road and thereby elude all pursuit, the Consortium would be far less safe. If a more scattered approach was taken to management of the CUC, the vital establishments that hold order and tranquility at the colleges would likely have already crumbled under their own weight.

Colleges Take Control Despite measured financial control, the CUC is willing to work with member colleges to make adjustments to various services. “Every institution is different,” said Yuet Lee, Treasurer and Vice President for Administration of Pitzer College. “We have discussions [with the CUC] all the time.” Lee gave an example of CGU recently taking some groundskeeping services that were previously run by the CUC in-house. “They’re open to bringing services

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in-house,” if it’s a better fit, he said. The idea of putting more control in the hands of the colleges has been taken to an extreme in the case of the Honnold/Mudd Library. Since 1971, the CUC has been building up a prodigious collection of books and media for the 7C community. Recently, this system has been circling the drain in favor of a new model. As of October 1 of last year, the library implemented their new Library Governance Agreement. This Agreement has the stated goal of ensuring “that the Claremont Colleges Library is a forward-looking, state-of-the-art resource that is deeply connected to and actively supports the academic programs of each college.” The Agreement goes on to outline a threepronged approach to governance of the Library. These branches are strategic, executive, and administrative. The strategic branch is run by the newly-formed Joint Governance Committee. This committee consists of two members from each college as well as two non-voting members of the CUC and revolves around the “big-picture” future of the Library. The administrative branch is run by the Dean of the Library, a member of the CUC, and focuses on roughly the same goal. The executive branch is where the library goes off the beaten path, employing a “lead college model.” This year,

CGU is the lead college, so it will make the largest decisions and have the ability to check the other two branches, including developing agendas for the Joint Governance Committee and recommending the salary of the Dean. A lead college model has been in use for many years across several universities. The advantage of a model based on a rotating leader is a more equalized balance of power between the members and the administrative body. A similar model has proven successful for governing intercollegiate major programs across the 5Cs. For example, Pitzer College is currently the lead college for the Media Studies program in the 5C community. This means that Pitzer is in charge of reviewing new policy and employees in the department, as well as continually updating the technology and facilities available to new majors. In short, Pitzer foots the bill and has the last word, but all colleges are members and have a voice. The only difference is that leadership in the Library’s model is scheduled to rotate annually.

Book Business The Library may be changing but it is fundamentally different from other CUC organizations in one regard: for the most part, it is free for students. This is not true of the Huntley Bookstore. Since it was established, Huntley has been the primary supplier of textbooks across the campuses. Since that time, textbook prices have increased steeply; according to a recent Huffington Post

article, textbook prices have risen an unprecedented 812 percent universally in the past 30 years. This, combined with the economic recession, has made the need for affordable textbooks a critical issue, especially for students whose schedules require expensive math and science textbooks every semester. Additionally, the Bookstore is not necessarily the cheapest place to find a book. With the advent of the Internet, many students are turning to sites like Amazon.com for less expensive options. “A few textbooks have been comparable in price,” said Mathematics major Amy Shoemaker, (PO ’14). “For the most part, I buy through Amazon… [because] of the price.” That’s not to say that the Huntley is unaware of this issue; certain books are available for rent, while others are available used. Students are able to rent most books, including novels, for a reduced price. This innovative idea was probably brewed up by the Follett Corporation, which owns and operates the Huntley Bookstore, but the result is consistent with the mission of the CUC. At the core, the CUC is has always focused on the edification of the 5C experience. Despite criticism of the CUC, there is a lack desire by 7C college administrations to seek greater independence. Since 2009, Lee said that the colleges have each redefined their relationship with the CUC to a certain extent. Indeed, with the CUC improving certain institutions and even encouraging bringing others in-house for the foreseeable future, there is little need for a revolution. At the CUC, Walton keeps an optimistic attitude about the future. “This approach to providing cost competitive and enhanced services is not a new idea, but was originally set as a goal for the collaboration during the founding of the consortium,” he wrote. For this reason, the CUC will persist with a primarily financial focus, but with the good of the community at heart.

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Building a better brand for liberal arts colleges By Ben Hackenberger, Copy Editor, PO ‘15 & Jaya Williams, Publisher, PZ ‘14 In Fall 2012, Pomona hired private consultant Mark Neustadt to evaluate the college’s public image and marketing strategy. According to his firm’s website, Neustadt works to design more efficient marketing strategies for academic institutions that are “swimming upstream in a commercial world.” Writing in the Student Life, Michael Maltese, PO ’14, pointed out that the 2013 US News and World Report’s description of Pomona in the “Top Liberal Arts Colleges” made no mention of the the college’s academic merits. Rather, it emphasized nonacademic features such as its “unique location” and its “annual Ski Beach Day.” The other Claremont Colleges fare little better in the publication’s descriptions. Harvey Mudd is “known for its strong programs in math, science, and engineering.” Meanwhile, CMC and Scripps are simply acknowledged as members of the consortium, and Pitzer has the fine distinction of operating on the semester system. These descriptions leave out a lot of important academic information, and while Pomona’s rebranding initiative has been wellcovered, we were curious how the other Claremont Colleges define themselves in the increasingly competitive field of undergraduate admissions. While Pomona hired an outside consultant, Pitzer employs a full time public relations professional. Mark Bailey, Vice President for Communications, Marketing & Public Relations, took a confident outlook on branding at Pitzer and colleges in general. “Higher education, I’m happy to say, has been faster to understand value of marketing than any other field I’ve worked in– they really get it, and I’ve worked in communi-

cations, entertainment, sports, news, and more,” Bailey said. “Discussion about the ‘marketing’ of colleges has only recently gained critical mass.” Bailey also mentioned that public relations is more than just selling the college experience. “For a long time marketing was code for advertising, promotions, the corporate world, but in the last three or four years people have begun to understand the value of marketing as a huge toolbox to communicate yourself, your goal, vision, and how you do things.” Bailey’s vision of Pitzer’s identity emphasizes the college’s uniqueness. “Our brand is the things we do, like President Trombley hiking the John Muir Trail to raise funds for scholarships. We’re deeply concerned about sustainability; everything we’re doing is in line with that value system,” Bailey said. Bailey also emphasized the link between Pitzer’s marketing and the actual experience of attending the college. “We’re not going to a third party source and asking them to tell us what the Pitzer brand is. We know what it is. We want to take a five senses approach to the college brand in everything we do. How does Pitzer look, sound, feel, taste? What is the soul of the Pitzer experience? These are the questions we’re asking. We know Pitzer well; we’re all really proud of it. I’ve never seen an environment where there’s as much openness on these discussions day to day.” Peter Osgood, Director of Admissions at Harvey Mudd, had similar sentiments about the individuality of the college. “Among the schools with which we have the greatest number of overlap of admitted students, none of them contain the word ‘college’ (their names include ‘institute of’ or ‘university’). Those institutions tend to have greater

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visibility and, in some cases, perceived prestige than HMC, but I personally believe that the undergraduate focus at HMC and all the implied aspects of a liberal arts college make HMC stand out,” Osgood said. According to Emmett Choy CMC ’14, a CMC education is defined by preparing students for future professions, accessing an abundance of financial opportunities, and hosting a multitude of top-tier companies weekly at oncampus recruiting events.

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People have begun to undertand the value of marketing as a huge toolbox to communicate yourself.

Mark Bailey

Pitzer’s VP for Communications

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How the 5Cs Market Themselves

Choy described CMC as a “24-hour education.”

“Taking a full day off to relax is almost unheard of. Students hit the books everyday but supplement their studies by simultaneously sitting outside in circles with friends on the grass or beside the pool,” Choy said. Students and administrators alike have a lot to say about the identity and uniqueness of each college. Many students would argue that Neustadt’s assessment of Pomona was parochially formed and largely inaccurate. However, he demonstrated the importance of a self-constructed image from within each college–one that incorporates and accurately represents the views of people who are most privy to the actual experience. Each school certainly has a distinct perceived personality and essence, but the way that they promote this image from within will predict the future of the consortium.

What the anonymous Facebooks at the 5Cs are all about By Kristi Sun Staff Writer, SC ‘16 You’re checking Facebook for the tenth time today. Jammed between the enthusiastic statuses and smiling selfies is an update that hits you like a slap in the face--“I’m sad all the time. and so lonely. how do people make friends?” Welcome to the world of Claremont Confession. The premise of this page is simple: students of the 7Cs anonymously disclose whatever is on their minds. Approach the word “confession” loosely, and besides disclosing personal problems, submitters also speak about academic woes, various misdeeds, and general thoughts and feelings. At the end of January, hundreds of Claremont students received friend requests from Claremont Confession, and the page quickly amassed a following of over 1,400 friends and 3,000 confessions in under four months. Pitzer Professor of Media Studies Alexandra Juhasz explained, “I think people are playing with this really interesting hybrid, which is being anonymous in a shared, non-anonymous community…[there’s something] probably really intriguing about staying anonymous but talking about one real place.” Historically, anonymity has been the dominant mode on the internet. However, in the past decade the emergence of sites like Facebook and Google have forced people to be held accountable as themselves. With this new shift of online interaction, it is unsurprising that there is interest in holding on to some form of virtual anonymity. In the positive sense, Claremont Confession

gives students the opportunity to confess something they would be too scared to say if they were speaking as themselves. With the significant size of Claremont Confession’s following, it is easy to share one’s opinions and even solicit advice.

create a theme of anonymous posts. From the LGBTQ community to the Jonas Brothers, it can feel like there is no topic left undiscussed. It is fascinating and impossible to predict which confessions will spur the most discussion and controversy.

According to the moderator of Claremont Confession, “[The page] turned out way more popular than I ever expected....I never intended it to become a support group, but when people have the forum to talk about their personal problems, readers often comment with advice and sympathetic comments, which is awesome.”

Throughout it all, the moderator of Claremont Confession has remained an elusive figure. Besides listing her sex as female, not much is known.

In the negative sense, the space can also be utilized to be racist, sexist, or even “troll”, perpetuating the provocative and aggressive behavior that has been another dominating trend on the internet. As frequent commenter Ashley Crawford SC ’16 said of the page, “My only concern is that it’s turning into a Facebook version of Formspring. Some people use it as anonymous way to hate on certain schools or groups of people about things that nobody can control.” Indeed, the Claremont Confession page has evolved from a sporadic smattering of secrets to an active community. On average, readers submit forty to sixty confessions a day. “I think its popularity has a lot to do with the fact that you see commonalities in our experiences here at the colleges that cut across racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic lines,” said Gagan Singh PZ ’13, another active commenter on Claremont Confession. The page hosts a fluid dialogue where people react and respond to incendiary confessions, often by submitting their own confessions to

“The point of the page is to have a place where everyone can share. It’s definitely a community, not a person,” the moderator said. “This anonymous platform is the conductor of these confessions....To say who I am would ruin the communal aspect of it, so I have to stay anonymous.” Various confessions on Claremont Confession inspired others to create their own pages that filled a perceived gap in the community. Some groups that have sprung forth include 5C Dating, Claremont Colleges Penpals, Claremont Lonelies, Claremont Beards, and Claremont Hookups. Specific confession pages for individual colleges also exist. Dr. Juhasz states, “I think most young people have a very high threshold of how little they care about who has access to their information...because you can’t engage in all of these new social spaces without giving away your information.” However, what exactly is the benefit of all these pages? The anonymity is one-sided: the moderators of these pages have access to hundreds of personal Facebook profiles, while the students remain ignorant about the moderators’ identities. While they provide a fun outlet, it’s worthwhile to realize that these pages are not as anonymous as they seem.

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Choosing the Little Pond Can liberal arts graduates get jobs? By Stephanie Steinbrecher Senior Staff Writer, SC ‘16 The challenges at the Claremont Colleges are often what draw students to apply to them in the first place, yet these difficulties also comprise the majority of students’ complaints. The rigor of classes, holistic learning, and stimulating environment are all factors that make education at the Claremont Colleges unique and strenuous. Students are encouraged to take creative and interdisciplinary approaches to learning, and many majors do not translate into clear career paths. The perennial question remains: what is the value of a liberal arts education?

ties, Pomona College Career Development Assistant Director Kerry Martin attests, through amenities like small classes taught by professors, close relationships between faculty and students, and opportunities for undergraduate research and further development outside of class. “A broad education... allows for and prepares for the rapidly changing workplace and world,” said Martin.

In today’s economy, the question seems to be both unanswered and unanswerable as the debate regarding the relevance of liberal arts colleges continues.

[CMC and the Claremont Colleges] are in a smaller pond. But we’ve chosen the little pond,” Seder said. Students choose the little pond to learn without being devoted solely to one specific kind of training. While this might seem impractical in today’s world, where jobs are seemingly hard to come by and vocational degrees often equate to automatic employment, the career services at the 5Cs believe the liberal arts background is becoming increasingly valuable in a workplace in the long run, where employees are asked to have a wide range of skills and strengths. “The way employers respond to a liberal arts degree varies, but most recruiters will tell you they are more interested in your experience and your specific skills than they are your major,” said Vicki Klopsch, Executive Director of Career Planning and Resources at Scripps.

Many students sought out the attributes that characterize a comprehensive education when we chose to go to school in Claremont, despite the fact that they may not point to career tracks immediately after graduation. However, the skills imparted through interdisciplinary learning are still appealing to many employers.

Matthew Donato, Director of Career Services at Pitzer, emphasized that liberal arts degrees are a way of paying forward one’s education.

“Liberal arts students tend to be more well-rounded. The critical thinking skills are there,” CMC Career Service Associate Director and Employer Relations Manager Sarah Park said. “That is what is unique about our students and that is why employers specifically come to the Claremont Colleges. They want people on their team who can look at a problem and have different, multifaceted perspectives.”

Such essential skills develop because of the unique environment that distinguishes liberal arts colleges. To Diana Seder, CMC Director of Career Services, comparing liberal arts colleges to research universities is like comparing apples to oranges.

In Claremont, we can develop these abili-

Large schools are “in a big pond and we

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“A lot of times the advantage takes a couple of years to sink in. Liberal arts majors may make less money coming out of college than some preprofessional majors in the short term, but if you extend that into the long term career, liberal arts majors tend to do much better in terms of salary, responsibility, and progression through the ranks,” Donato said. With the rising cost of private college education, a slow economy, increasing competition in the job market, and everincreasing competition in college admis-

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sions, some ask whether the aforementioned benefits of liberal arts colleges are worth their hefty price. The luxuries of well-rounded breadth of study and the development of expansive skills are not available to all students. Many people today simply want to get a job, and do not see liberal arts as the path that will lead to immediate employment. Seder did not speak to the short-term ineffectiveness of a liberal arts colleges preparation for professional work. Employers know what they are looking for, she explained, and besides, “so much of what you learn is on-the-job training.” “Most recruiters do not understand what a liberal arts education is, or the value of a liberal arts education. For example, if you’re applying for a finance job and you’re a Sociology major, they can’t connect how that major (if at all) would apply to the job or career,” said Mitchell Felton PZ ’13, an Asian Studies major. “It is your job to make the connection for them, though it could take some creative thinking.” Seder cited Parco, a manufacturing company, as an example of a company attracted to graduates with liberal arts backgrounds. “They love liberal arts kids, not because they are trained in engineering or finance, but because they are creative problem solvers,” she said. “The employer chooses the school they recruit at because they can find the students they’re looking for.” Klopsch expressed a similar approach to a liberal arts degree. “The successful job search depends just as much on a candidate’s due diligence and networking as it does his/her resume and academic background,” she said. “Your major is only part of what makes you employable.” “If you’re a preprofessional major, you may be trained very narrowly in one thing, and to go and look at something completely different would require retraining or get-

ting another skillset. Liberal arts majors are malleable when they leave college. They are better equipped to pick up training and adjust on the fly to new challenges,” said Donato. Not every employer looks for the traits that liberal arts students are bound to have as a result of their well-rounded education. “There are some employers that are looking for very specific, almost vocational, training. In our circumstance, that’s not what they are looking for,” said Seder. The success of a liberal arts college graduate in finding a job is largely contingent upon employers and whether the traits and skills they look for in their employees go hand and hand with ones that a liberal arts education fosters. Such is the case for employers who work with schools like the Claremont Colleges. However, how students prepare for finding jobs during their time in college is also critical to their success, as are the manners in which they present themselves to employers. Fortunately, another perk to many wellendowed liberal arts colleges like the Claremont Colleges are the networking systems, working relationships with alumni, and successful relationships with employers that the career services provide to students. Such services move graduates into the best position possible to find employers who are looking for the kind of skills that particular colleges instill in their students. “My education taught me that actively making connections with people is the single most important thing in building a career,” said Stephanie Saxton PO ’12, a Media Studies major who currently assists a television literary agent at a Beverly Hills talent agency. “My liberal arts education is helping me make those connections, because I’ve learned to talk to all sorts of people and about all sorts of things.” Although many employers and recruiters do look to preprofessional training in can-

didates, the services provided at liberal arts colleges themselves help students to establish viable career options when they graduate. Beginning this process of networking, interning, looking for support from career services, and learning how best to present oneself to an employer as early on as possible is vital, according to Donato. Donato hopes that Career Services will work with more students so that in a few years, 90 percent of Pitzer students will have set future plans within six months of graduation, which would be a marked improvement from 53 percent, the current figure. This includes having a full or part time job, internship, preparing for graduate school perhaps in a gap year, going to graduate or professional school, having a fellowship or national award or research grant, or traveling. By encouraging students to work with Career Services to get advice, learn to network and write résumés, search for internships, and attend career fairs, Donato hopes that more students will be prepared with a “plan” following graduation. “I feel prepared with my current education to enter the workforce. In my time in college I participated in a number of internships that gave me an idea of what to expect after I graduate and gave me some useful life skills,” said Felton. Even speaking ideologically, so much of what constitutes a quality education in modern times revolves around finding a career immediately after college and eventually having professional and financial success. This begs the question, then, as to what it is that we consider to be worthwhile knowledge? Is it the vocational training that is a one-way track to a certain career, or the holistic kind offered by liberal arts colleges? For any student, it takes work to find post-graduation plans and to develop a career, but the fact that we will leave the Claremont Colleges as people with well-rounded abilities makes us well equipped to face those challenges. And we should take pride in that.

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An Ideology at Odds with Itself Examining the “New” Libertarianism stance of college voters By David Leathers Staff Writer, CMC ‘15

On March 6th, Rand Paul, a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, went to work like any other day. Unlike a regular day at the office, Senator Paul ended up capturing the nation’s attention by speaking on the Senate floor for thirteen hours straight. Paul’s marathon speech was a filibuster to delay the confirmation vote of John Brennan, nominated to head the CIA. Paul disagrees with Brennan over the latter’s support for President Obama’s drone program, citing its legal ambiguity concerning strikes on American soil. Though Brennan has since been confirmed and Paul eventually left the Senate floor, the hype surrounding the thirteen hour filibuster has generated significant publicity for Senator Paul, a prominent libertarian. And, while his filibuster focused on foreign policy and wartime law, his long-winded crusade was a breath of fresh air to a growing movement to transform the GOP. “We need a different kind of GOP,” Paul argued in a recent op-ed. “A party that speaks to the rising generation, who may have unique interests and concerns.”

Socially Liberal, Economically Conservative On college campuses, an ideology of a “new” libertarianism has been growing in popularity. Amelia Evrigenis CMC ‘15 observed that “college-aged conservatives are trending toward social liberalism while holding on to fiscal conservatism. It’s the idea that they don’t care what people are doing in their private lives, as long as tax dollars aren’t paying for it.” This stands in contrast with “old” libertarianism, often epitomized by Sena-

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tor Rand Paul’s father, Ron Paul. Paul senior and his followers pride themselves on endorsing extreme economic freedom, suggesting such policy revisions as an abolishment of the Federal Reserve, a return to the gold standard, and a 50% cut in the total number of federal agencies. The distinction between “new” and “old” libertarianism is subtle, yet important. Evrigenis, like many “new” libertarians, underlined that she is not a “traditional ‘I want sidewalks to be privately owned’” libertarian. This “new” ideology instead picks the anti-government aspects of competing beliefs—social freedom from Democrats, and economic freedom from Republicans—and combines them into a single movement. This simplified version of libertarianism seems to be particularly attractive on college campuses: consider the ubiquitous statement, “I’m socially liberal, but fiscally conservative.” “We have had a taste of the red and blue, and have not been satisfied with either. Libertarianism provides a palatable alternative”, argues Derek Ko CMC ’14. He complains about the social conservatism under President Bush, and the unleashed spending under President Obama. “Over the past 12 of 13 years,” he said, “both the major competing ideologies have underperformed.” Ko’s libertarianism exemplifies the jaded attitude of many of today’s college voters. Wars, financial crises, and high taxes have consumed much of the last decade, damaging the sense of trust in government among young people. It is no surprise that the libertarian ideals of minimal government involvement have become an attractive balancing act.

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Marina Giloi CMC ’14 attributes the rise of libertarianism to young people’s increasingly progressive take on social issues. “The socially conservative agenda doesn’t align with young people”, Giloi said. “Many people identify with free market ideals, but some do not want to constrict themselves to a faith-based social policy.” She argues that there is a growing libertarian appeal for the economic ideals which have traditionally been “owned by the right”. Sarah Scuevs, the President of Young Americans for Liberty at USC, the largest Southern California chapter, sees this “new” libertarianism as arising, more specifically, from the issue of gay marriage. “A lot of students may be more fiscally conservative, but are afraid to identify as conservatives/Republicans because of the assumption that those people are categorically anti-gay,” she says. This “new” libertarianism seems to take the form of an ideal political sampler plate. Especially among college students who identify with socially liberal ideals, this movement serves to protect their economic freedom and security as they enter the workforce.

Does It Work? Are social liberalism and economic conservatism complementary or contradictory? Those who identify with libertarian ideals believe they can work together. Giloi maintained that she does not “equate social liberalism with the government providing anything more. I would prefer the free market to put in place those options, where possible.” But this is where some see the libertarian argument falter. As much as we would like personal and social freedoms to steer clear of economic freedoms,

they inevitably come in conflict in some cases. Access to birth control, for instance, is a socially progressive cause. Yet, is it compatible with economic conservatism? Not as much as one would hope. A freemarket solution for access to birth control would not provide contraceptives to all those who need them at an affordable price. A 2010 survey found that more than a third of female voters have struggled to afford prescription birth control at some point during their adult lives. The Affordable Care Act attempts to correct this market-based shortcoming by providing universal access to contraception. Yet this law, of course, is not economically conservative. College tuition is another example. Most consider access to a college education to be a “socially progressive” cause that entails a role for government, argues Laura Epstein CMC ’14. “To ensure universal access and affordability of education we cannot rely solely on the free market. Without federal programs like grants and low-interest loans, college educations would only go to those who could afford it without any assistance.” She added, “The conflict between being ‘socially liberal’ and ‘economically conservative’ also exists elsewhere. “While it would be great if they could coexist,” she said, “that is often not the case.”

tism, the electoral viability of the movement is one issue hindering the success of a libertarian agenda. Ko recognizes this unfortunate reality. “Libertarians hope,” he jokes reluctantly, “that there is a Trojan horse in the Republican Party that will burst open and make the party reflect our values.” He hopes that Jon Huntsman or Rand Paul will run for president in 2016, if only to help spread ideals of libertarianism. Huntsman, while less of a libertarian than Paul, is a Republican who recently endorsed marriage equality. Giloi expressed cautious optimism as well, although she said that that, “given our party system, [it is doubtful that] we would get to the point” of electing a true libertarian any time soon. The beauty of a democracy is that anyone can concoct an ideology that perfectly blends their beliefs. But in a two party system, the left and right—as for now—hold a duopoly over elected offices. The lure of the “socially liberal, economically conservative” mantra is well-founded. Libertarianism is a popular amalgamation of the attractive parts of competing political ideologies, and people have every right to want complete social and economic freedom. But for now, it seems they will have to sacrifice part of one freedom to ensure the other.

Many others issues, including abortion and environmental concerns, prove to be in conflict when examined through a libertarian lens. If socially liberal causes demand equality, the free market will not always suffice and there may need to be an increased role for government.

Can “New” Liberalism Become a Political Reality? In addition to the conflicting nature of social liberalism and economic conserva-

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What is the Muslim Brotherhood?

Inside the controversial movement By Julian Rippy Staff Writer, PO ‘15

The Muslim Brotherhood is probably most famous for controversial statements made by Rep. Michele Bachmann last summer. Bachmann, in a letter sent to four federal agencies, charged that the Brotherhood had infiltrated high-level posts in the US government to “destroy the Western civilization from within.” Bachmann’s charges, which were partially levied at Huma Abedin, an aide for then-Secretary of State Clinton, were largely described in the mainstream press as a “witch hunt” on par with McCarthyism. Despite this spectacular introduction, very few Americans understand the Muslim Brotherhood, their current position in global politics, and their goals. The Brotherhood is at once a philosophy, a political party, and a charity. It can perhaps best be described as a social movement striving to create an Islamic society. The stated goal of the Brotherhood, according to Al-Jazeera, is to cement the Quran and Islamic teachings as a way of life and as law, and to reject Western imperialism and colonialism. However, CMC Government Professor Kristin Fabbe says that understanding the group’s specific goals is difficult because the Brotherhood has many internal factions, each with

their own conception of the relationship between Islam and the state, and no clear governance structure. The Brotherhood, which has had political success in Egypt, has remained committed to taking power via democratic means and has, for the most part, condemned the use of violence.

however, was approved by popular referendum in December 2012, despite that its drafting was boycotted by many for the preferential status it gives Islam.

The Brotherhood first entered politics in opposition to British colonialism in the early 20th century and was banned by colonial authorities. They backed the nationalist coup that would place Gamal Abdel Nasser in power, but opposed the secularist perspective of the Nationalists. After the Nationalists secured power, they too banned the Brotherhood. Muslim Brotherhood members who wanted to run for office had to do so as independents, and many were arrested for their associations with the group; they then went underground ground, creating networks of community support by providing services like basic healthcare and education.

“What we don’t know,” says Haley, “is whether this approach to Islamic democracy—because that’s what it is - is of the Iranian kind, or if it’s some hybrid that we haven’t seen before…[the fear] is that Islamists would overturn election results in order to remain in power.”

With the Egyptian Revolution, the Brotherhood’s fortunes changed. Though they were late to support the revolution, the Brotherhood was, says CMC Government Professor Edward Haley, the best organized opposition group, giving them a substantial advantage in the post-revolution election. Their victory, says Haley, was not a sweeping mandate. “About 50% of the country voted, and of that 50%, the majority voted for [the Brotherhood’s political arm in Egypt],” said Haley. “[Their arrival] is very much a minority arrival.” Despite the narrow margin of victory, Mohamed Morsi issued a proclamation in November 2012 removing judicial review for the president, giving Morsi unfettered legal authority. The decree sparked further protests in Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the Egyptian Revolution. In the face of this pressure, Morsi retracted his decision. The constitution he and the Brotherhood favored,

The questions now surrounding the Brotherhood deal with how it will govern Egypt.

So far, the Brotherhood has largely stayed within the letter of the law. However, Haley emphasizes that corruption and other problem must be dealt with for their model to succeed. Fortunately, he says, religious idealism deters corruption, and he feels that “a mix of religious idealism and democracy would be perfect for Egypt.” Beyond institutional problems, that the Brotherhood has only recently been able to be overtly political, explains Fabbe, has made their governance somewhat haphazard. The most important thing for the Brotherhood to do in Egypt, she says, is to make the rules of the post-revolutionary Egyptian government clear and provide basic security. Without this, she says, any gains in democratization and development will be rendered moot. “Right now it’s a movement, and it’s very efficient and honest,” said Haley. “If it goes the way of many human movements, it’ll become a business, and then it becomes a racket. If the Brotherhood could help Egypt during this period to shed some of its institutional burdens, everyone would be better off. I think this condemnation of their tentative attempts to blend democracy and Islam are wrongheaded and foolish.”