4/16/21 Maroon-News

The Colgate Maroon-News The Oldest College Weekly in America

INSIDE:

Race Issues: Black Voter Suppression B-3

Founded 1868

Volume CLIV, Issue XXIV

April 16, 2021

Spring Sport Senior Spotlight S-1

Baker’s Dozen: Celebrating Queerfest D-1

www.thecolgatemaroonnews.com

VIRUS CASES SURGE Updated numbers as of Tuesday, April 13:

20 19

student cases

positive COVID-19 cases on-campus

1

employee case

134 STUDENTS SPEAK OUT: Hundreds of anonymous testimonials submitted to the Instagram account @shareyourstorycolgate ingnited campus discussions on the presence of sexual violence at Colgate and on administrative response procedures and support services. @shareyourstorycolgate

Share Your Story Posts Spark Discourse on Pervasive Campus Sexual Violence

By Kirby Goodman & Nicole Dienst Multimedia Manager & Assistant News Editor

Editorial content warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault and sexual violence.

After the Instagram account @shareyourstorycolgate — an anonymous platform for Colgate students to submit their stories of sexual violence — posted an influx of student testimonials detailing instances of sexual violence on campus and beyond, many students have expressed frustration about the state of campus sexual assault and administrative response. In response to concerns, administrators say that while there’s room for improvement and student feedback, Colgate does provide adequate support for survivors and responds to instances of sexual violence.

“I think that a lot of the stories this semester have shocked people because some of them, at least, are particularly graphic,” junior Joanna Rodriguez, who co-founded @ shareyourstorycolgate with junior Nicole Weiss, said.

Hundreds of Colgate students and alumni have submitted anonymous testimonials to the account since its creation in August 2020.

The platform exposed a pervasiveness of sexual violence which led to campus-wide shock, but Rodriguez and Weiss say they aren’t all

that surprised by the prevalence of campus sexual violence. “[Sentiments like] ‘Wow, that’s so many submissions, so many people have been affected — that doesn’t surprise me at all,” Weiss said. “It shocked me a little the [number] of responses we got. I didn’t really expect there to be a lot of submissions, I didn’t know how comfortable survivors were about sharing their story… I’m just proud of the survivors on this campus for speaking out.”

Rodriguez and Weiss saw a significant shift in broader campus discourse after the account was flooded with hundreds of testimonials.

Senior Elsie Kindall, involved with the Medusa Movement, Yes Means Yes and Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC), spoke to this shift and said that while Share Your Story creates a space to critique dominant narratives, much of Colgate’s discourse on sexual violence remains white and heteronormative.

“Sexual assault is typically depicted as something that happens between a white [cisgender, heterosexual] man and a white [cisgender, heterosexual] woman at a frat party. While this narrative is definitely very valid and important to tell, sexual assault movements and prevention efforts that solely center this narrative leave out our most marginalized survivors, queer BIPOC,” Kindall said. “Our most marginalized survivors on

Share Your Story have been calling to our attention these questions.”

Kindall also attributed this to the role fraternities and sororities play in perpetuating sexual violence on campus, a conversation she says is long overdue.

“The narratives on Share Your Story move us to question [Greek life’s] existence, truly,” Kindall said, citing the inequitable power dynamics facilitated by fraternityhosted social spaces. “The privileged people on this campus don’t want to explore these questions because they benefit from these systems.

But this is exactly the dialogue we need to be having at Colgate.”

Amid the flood of testimonials on the page, Weiss said the account received a series of submissions that contained descriptors many students used to identify an alleged perpetrator earlier this semester. The posts also leveled allegations about University mishandling of the incident, which has opened a larger conversation about Title IX proceedings on campus. As a policy, Rodiguez and Weiss remove any identifying descriptions of individuals or organizations mentioned in the testimonials to avoid legal ramifications, but many students saw common threads across the posts and began widely resharing them and directly calling on the University to address the allegations.

Weiss said she believes this was an effort to increase accountability for this perpetrator.

“I think more people were trying to achieve justice because they felt like they knew that one person — it was a seemingly easier goal,” Weiss said.

After this series of posts Rodriguez and Weiss received an influx of questions to the account about the reporting and complaint process for sexual violence on campus. In response, they posted a series of Instagram stories outlining the University’s Title IX protocols and reporting procedures.

“It sucks that it has to be our job to educate people who don’t know about how to seek justice. It should be the school’s job,” Weiss said.

“There’s a total lack of education on it and then the administration just expects students to know what to do.”

In response to these campus conversations and wide criticism of administration, Vice President and Dean of the College Paul McLoughlin addressed the Colgate community in an email on March 5, saying social media posts caused confusion amongst community members.

McLoughlin’s email denied claims from circulating posts that Colgate has received five complaints of sexual assault committed by one student, and that the administration responded by moving the student to a different residential hall — his email stated that Colgate’s response procedures would not simply move a perpetrator to another campus residence.

Continued on A-2

13

47

students in close-contact quarantine

92

students students students at home at the quaranfor isolaWendt tined in off-campus University tion or quarantine Inn housing

Wendt University Inn Capacity 47 out of 94 rooms at the Wendt are occupied. The HAT Dashboard student Quarantine/Isolation metric is on high alert, trending towards increasing alert.

14

employees in closecontact quarantine

Modified Gate 1: • • • •

•

• •

In-person classes will continue to meet in person All meals are grab-and-go Dining venues will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Groups of 10 or fewer can gather with masks and social distancing Socializing permitted with extended family unit in student’s own common rooms No cross-residence visitation On-demand antigen testing for anyone on campus

Read the Full Story Online www.thecolgatemaroonnews.com

News

April 16, 2021

News A-2

The Colgate Maroon-News

Admin Response to Campus Sexual Violence Met With Student Critcism Continued from A-1

“Colgate respects the right of survivors or others to decide whether to make a report with identifying information and/or to seek an investigation, but without this kind of information we cannot take action based on unspecified assertions that someone has engaged in misconduct,” McLoughlin wrote, stating that forwarding anonymous testimonials shared online will not spark administrative action.

Students expressed discontent with McLoughlin’s email. Sophomore Anna Gianneschi is one of many students frustrated by the University’s response.

“The language of the email seemed to pressure survivors to come forward,” Gianneschi said.

“I understand that the administration is in a difficult spot, but the email’s defensive tone and the lack of transparency contradict Colgate’s supposedly survivor-centric image.”

In an interview with the Maroon-News, McLoughlin said the email was intended to clarify the reporting process and make students aware of resources available to them and to the greater community.

“What I hear students saying through all of that is ‘Do better Colgate.’...Where I would specifically ask [students] is, where do they think Colgate is falling down in addressing students concern in sexual assault?” McLoughlin said.

“We do have resources to help; we’re always open to considering new ways to support survivors and victims of sexual violence.”

Much of the student criticism in the circulating posts also cites a lack of survivor-centrism in Colgate’s sexual violence complaint process, which is mandated in part by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX policies.

“Our process is designed to be fair to all parties in any given case,” Title IX Coordinator Lyn Rugg said. “Students who report being

“Where is the Sexual Misconduct Task Force?

Where is the Sexual Misconduct Dashboard?”

- Noah Hann-Deschaine Class of 2024

survivors of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct can obtain a variety of supportive measures regardless of whether they pursue a full investigation or adjudication. Under the Title IX regulations, there are limits to a college or university’s ability to implement significant restrictions on students who are accused of misconduct unless and until they have been found responsible for the violations.”

According to McLoughlin, once a formal complaint is made to the

University, an outside firm handles the investigation process in order for himself — the appellant on these cases — to remain neutral.

McLoughlin added that COVID-19 has not altered the number of complaints and reports received by the Title IX office, noting that anonymous monthly reports indicate that calls, complaints and reports have remained at relatively stable levels, which he calls “very small numbers.” But many students say the hundreds of testimonials on Share Your Story illustrate that reporting numbers fail to substantively reflect the pervasiveness of sexual assault on campus.

Rugg added that despite campus discourse on sexual violence and the student body’s knowledge of certain perpetrators’ identities, spead through Share Your Story or other means, Colgate’s Office of Equity and Diversity — which includes Title IX — can only address individuals formally reported through complaint processes.

“We have been aware (both this academic year and in prior years) of contentions that certain students are known perpetrators, but in many cases we have never received reports with respect to those students. In other situations, the information we have received has not been sufficient to enable us to take action,” Rugg said.

In response to criticism about the support and response services available to students, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and Sexual Violence Support Dawn LaFrance and Assistant Director of Survivor Support Services Denise Contreras wrote in a joint statement to the Maroon-News that, contrary to some discourse among students, the counseling center does not have a waitlist and crisis services are available to students 24/7.

“Ultimately, we would like to eliminate sexual violence, but we know that there is a lot of work to do before this happens, work that our entire community needs to do,” LaFrance and Contreras said.

“In the meantime, I think we need to work together to make sure that students are safe on campus and can access the support resources they need when violence events occur. We want students to have accurate information so that they feel more compelled to access resources when necessary.”

McLoughlin echoed the sentiment of students having access to factual information regarding student resources, specifically noting the ‘fall semester rumor’ that the counseling center had a waitlist was incredibly problematic as it would discourage students from utilizing these available resources. He also warned of what he sees as dangers of social media platforms like Share Your Story, describing some testimonials submitted to the account as rumors.

“Rumors aren’t discourse, and I know that there have been rumors,

and I think there’s also perhaps been some personal experiences,” McLoughlin said. “And the reason for my note to the community was to clarify the difference between the two and to make it clear that we need people to file reports so that we can investigate cases, and hearing about incidents on social media, does not represent a report, but can actually compromise and damage an investigation by providing incorrect information.”

McLoughlin added that he feels the platform could potentially discourage

“The administration’s immediate defensiveness instead of self accountability and ownership of their past mistakes speaks volumes.”

- Nicole Weiss ’22 @shareyourstorycolgate

individuals from utilizing campus resources, and instead stressed the importance of holding perpetrators accountable through Colgate’s formal complaint procedures.

“Anything that can help survivors and that is cathartic to them, if that’s social media because they can be anonymous and share and find validation — I want them to heal, and if that helps that, then of course,” McLoughlin said.

“Here’s the other hand: if there are falsehoods, rumors, incorrect information, then it could actually undermine our work.”

Kindall questioned the logic of McLoughlin’s assertion.

“Why would someone spend their time sharing made up trauma with the internet?” she asked.

Weiss added that while she appreciates the reform administration is doing, she feels McLoughlin’s sentiment is problematic.

“The administration’s immediate defensiveness instead of self-accountability and ownership of their past mistakes speaks volumes,” Weiss said.

Rodriguez said that Share Your Story makes accurate information on Colgate’s procedures available to the student body on their platform and that to question the experiences shared in testimonials undermines the platform’s survivor-centric mission.

“We have pages and stories specifically dedicated to the resources Colgate has made available. We even have a Google sheet with links to the various resources and reporting forms at the school on the same website that students submit their stories to,” Rodriguez said. “The things people chose to share are their personal stories, and we are in no position to judge whether those stories are true as that would invalidate them, and that goes against the mission of our page which is to support survivors.”

In Haven’s support and advocacy, LaFrance and Contreras said they share many of the same frustrations as students on the legal limitations of Colgate’s procedures and take student feedback seriously.

“As the government changes its laws, we need to act in accordance.

This can be very frustrating to students, but it is also frustrating, and at times limiting, to administration as well,” Contreras and LaFrance said. “We want to work together with students to support you… we will continue to advocate for change, social justice, healing, and we will continue to challenge ourselves as clinicians within a broader system that has normally failed survivors.”

McLoughlin echoed the frustration, saying that students often misconstrue the true intentions of administrators.

“For me, it’s really frustrating when there is motive attached to the administration that is actually the antithesis of the way we feel — and the administration as individuals,” McLoughlin said.

But many students feel the administration’s sentiments are ingenuine, including first-year Noah Hann-Deschaine, who said he was disheartened by its response to sexual violence this semester.

“After seeing the fantastic job that Colgate’s Task Force [on Reopening] was able to do in expanding the state and national COVID-19 regulations to protect students from the coronavirus [pandemic], I feel like it is not too much to ask that they do the same for the sexual assault epidemic that we continue to face,” Hann-Deschaine said.

“Where is the Sexual Misconduct Task Force? Where is the Sexual Misconduct Dashboard?”

In response to widespread discontent with the University’s actions following the March 5 email, Haven Intern junior Mackenzie Harrison began working with McLoughlin, aiming to help administration better understand students’ frustrations with the University’s response and for students to feel more supported and understood.

“My focus at the moment is increasing understanding between admin and students, going in both directions. Admin doesn’t always understand student experiences, and students don’t always understand the constraints admin has to work within,” Harrison said, who facilitated a panel discussion on University Response to Sexual Violence with McLoughlin, Rugg, LaFrance and Julianne Thomas, Help Restore Hope’s campus advocate, on April 13.

As Share Your Story has sparked this salient discourse among both students and administration, Rodriguez and Weiss reflected on the role of the account in allowing a long-pervasive issue at Colgate to emerge on a more accessible platform for survivors

seeking healing or justice in sharing their experiences. “[Before], the only way people could really speak out or receive any kind of justice for what they’ve been through was through either Title IX or the SAPAS (Sexual Assault Prevention and Support) processes, or just word of mouth,” Weiss said. “They never really had a platform to share their experience without having to ask for any sort of consequences [for perpetrators] and just be believed right away with no questions asked.”

In their work at Haven, which didn’t have staff or a designated space until recent years, Contreras and LaFrance also reflected on the everchanging nature of campus advocacy surrounding sexual violence, due both to specific factors on Colgate’s campus and broader national trends, including the #MeToo Movement, founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke.

“The issues that are concerning to students are different from five years ago because things have changed,” Contreras and LaFrance said. “Our means of advocacy has changed with the widespread use of social media and the use of technology during the pandemic for health reasons.”

Senior Nizhoni Saenz — involved in the Medusa Movement, QTPOC Sex Education and Consent Workshops and an LGBTQ intern at

“We will continue to advocate for change, social justice, healing, and we will continue to challenge ourselves as clinicians within a broader system that has normally failed survivors.”

- Dawn LaFrance and Denise Contreras

Haven — discussed the importance of Share Your Story in helping survivors process experiences of violence, and in provoking necessary introspection on campus rape culture.

“It’s saddening and angering that this is such a prevalent issue at Colgate, but also unsurprising… as a survivor of sexual violence, I think sharing your own story can be extremely empowering and healing, allowing you to feel heard and validated in your emotions,” Saenz said. “Sexual violence isn’t a problem that only exists here, but I think some personal, introspective questions we can ask ourselves [are], ‘What am I doing to change this? What can I do to change this?

Do I care enough to change this?

And if I don’t, why don’t I?’” Contact Kirby Goodman and Nicole Dienst at kdgoodman@colgate.edu and ndienst@colgate.edu.

A-3

The Colgate Maroon-News

THE BLOTTER

April 16, 2021

COLGATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS SAFETY REPORT Monday, 4/5 6:02 a.m.: Fire alarm at the Townhouse Apartments; cause unknown.

3:05 p.m.: Fire alarm at the Townhouse Apartments; cause unknown.

10:41 p.m.: Received a report of concern for welfare.

Tuesday, 4/6 12:51 a.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of Burke Hall observed a student in violation of the commitment to community health, no mask. Case referred for disciplinary action.

5:14 p.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of 70 Broad Street observed a Village of Hamilton sign. Case referred for disciplinary action.

7:09 p.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol observed students on Curtis Hall roof. Case referred for disciplinary action.

6:16 p.m.: A staff member reported

damage to walls at University Court Apartments, building 1.

Wednesday, 4/7

10:03 p.m.: Fire alarm at Newell Apartments was caused by aerosol spray.

Thursday, 4/8 6:46 p.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of the Upper Ski observed students in violation of commitment to community health, no face coverings. Case referred for disciplinary action.

Friday, 4/9 11:18 p.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of Curtis Hall observed underage students in possession of alcohol, drinking games, and in violation of commitment to community health, no face coverings. Case referred for disciplinary action.

COOP Closes after Employee Tests Positive

By Elli Ament Contributing Writer

Colgate closed dining services at the COOP on April 3 and 4 after a dining services staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Students were notified through an Instagram post on April 3 informing them of the closure for that day. Later posts expanded the closure partway through the day on April 5. Signs were also posted on the doors of the Coop, which were locked during that time. The Cstore and smoothie station opened at 11 a.m. on April 5 and the Coop opened at 5 p.m. later that day. No reasons for the closure were posted at the time of the shutdown and students’ questions regarding why the COOP was closed on Instagram initially went unanswered.

“COOP and smoothies will also be closed Sunday, April 4th. Monday, April 5 will resume normal hours of operation,” the April 3 Instagram post stated. “Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.”

COOP dining services manager Colleen Corgel, who said staff learned of the positive case on April 3, directed the cleaning, tracing and testing efforts to address the issue.

“A staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday the third. Looking out for the safety of the campus community, we closed while contract tracing could be conducted, a thorough cleaning of the COOP could be done and the rest of our staff [could] undergo testing prior to re-opening,” Corgel said. “Colgate Dining’s Instagram was used to provide the most up-to-date information and signs were posted on the doors to the COOP and smoothie areas.”

First-year Emily Corson expressed understanding about the closures but remained frustrated with the lack of information provided to students.“I was not notified about the COOP being closed until I tried to enter, and then looked at my email and at the Colgate Dining Instagram to see what was going on,” Corson said. “I thought that it was inconvenient that the COOP was closed because that’s the primary place I eat on campus.

After I heard why they were closed, I understood better and saw it as less of an inconvenience, but I hadn’t known that before.”

First-year Cassy Bennett shared Corson’s frustrations regarding the lack of warning students were given regarding the closure.

“I was bamboozled. It ruined my day,” Bennett said when asked about how she felt about the closure. “I walked all the way to the COOP for breakfast before finding out they were closed. I ended up not getting to eat breakfast.”

Corgel reflected on the unique challenges COVID-19 poses to the COOP. “With the COOP being a smaller space, we are mostly impacted by the need to physically distance and overall capacity reductions,” Corgel said. “To offset the reduced seating in the COOP main dining room, we are using spaces for seating that hadn’t been used in the past, for example the lobby area just outside of the threshold of the COOP. Also, we have utilized technology with Boost mobile ordering for smoothies to prevent lines for smoothies that we have seen in years past.”

Bennett and Corson both agree that the COOP adds value to Colgate’s campus and were happy to see operations resume as normal.

“The COOP is the center of student life on campus... Not only does it have really good food, but there’s the CLSI, C-store, mailroom, radio station and printing lab,” Corson said. “The staff are also incredibly kind — Cathy is a sweetheart — and are always on top of their jobs.”

Bennett said that the COOP is convenient for its easy grab and go meals, a feature other dining spots on campus do not provide as easily.

“The COOP is one of the only options on upper campus to just grab and go,” Bennett said. “At Frank you need your clamshell, your ticket, whatever, but at the COOP you can just run in and grab whatever you want. It’s really convenient. Before this, I’d never encountered problems there.”

Corgel echoed this sentiment.

“I feel that the COOP offers a different dining experience for the campus in that it’s a more intimate space, you can sit with your friends or by yourself and it’s a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. We challenge ourselves to offer something different than what is available elsewhere on campus while still maintaining familiarity,” Corgel said. “Students have been very receptive and respectful of the changes we have made at the COOP. We love to see students come through the COOP multiple times a day and regularly throughout the week.”

Contact Elli Ament at eament@colgate.edu.

Saturday, 4/10

Sunday, 4/11

12:03 a.m.: Received a report of an injured student at Curtis Hall who signed off with SOMAC ambulance.

12:39 a.m.: Fire alarm at Parke House was caused by aerosol spray.

1:26 a.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of Andrews Hall observed a fire extinguisher had been discharged for no apparent reason.

5:56 p.m.: Received a report of a violation to commitment to community health, large gathering, on College Street. Investigation turned over to the Hamilton Police.

6:05 p.m.: Received a report of a violation to commitment to community health, large gathering, on the Upper Ski Hill. Officers observed alcohol and evidence of drinking games.

10:03 p.m.: An ill student at Andrews Hall was transported to community Memorial Hospital by SOMAC ambulance.

12:59 a.m.: Fire alarm at Lawrence Hall was caused by air pressure creating waterflow issue.

4:41 a.m.: Received a reported of a student being impaired by drugs. The student declined medicalassistance.

12:29 p.m.: Fire alarm at Parker Apartments caused by cooking.

2:50 p.m.: A visitor was injured while playing Rugby on Academy Field and signed off with SOMAC ambulance.

5:33 p.m.: Fire alarm at the Townhouse Apartments caused by cooking.

10:06 p.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol of the Parker Commons observed damage to a wall clock.

10:34 p.m.: An ill student at Parker Apartments was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by Campus Safety.

13 Days of Green Leads Campus into Earth Day

By Sara Fraser Staff Writer

Colgate University’s Office of Sustainability began their countdown to Earth Day this past weekend with the annual 13 Days of Green kickoff event. Held each spring, the 13 Days of Green brings together the entire Colgate community to highlight local and global sustainability challenges and initiatives, according to Assistant Director of Sustainability and Program Coordinator of Environmental Studies Pamela Gramlich.

“Each year, during 13 Days of Green our community comes together to celebrate sustainability and inspire action towards a more environmentally sound and socially just future. I am consistently impressed by the work our students do to make 13 Days of Green possible, and by our community’s desire to engage in these important conversations,” Gramlich said.

The 13 Days of Green is holding in-person events this year, as opposed to sponsoring the virtual events held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The kickoff, hosted this past Saturday, April 10, took place on the Academic Quad with events like lawn games, making flower-pressed notecards, ‘90s trivia and other activities.

Students were encouraged to participate in the activities and come learn about sustainability efforts and resources at Colgate. Sustainability intern and junior Willa King attended the kickoff event on Saturday.

“The best part of Kickoff and 13 Days of Green in general is seeing all different groups come together to promote sustainability. At kickoff, we had tables from Students for Environmental Action, Shaw Wellness Center, the U-Can Project and other organizations,” King said. “It is awesome to see all the groups that are involved in sustainability on campus and I think it is really helpful for anyone who stops by to learn more about all the projects going on and work being done on campus to promote sustainability.”

The 13 Days of Green will continue featuring various sustainable activities on Colgate’s campus, such as natural tie-dye, plant-based teaching kitchens and a clothing swap. Sustainability intern and sophomore Anya Steinmetz led the natural tie-dye event this past Sunday in the Mat. “We set up socially distanced stations for people to tie dye their clothes using dyes made

from beets, spinach, turmeric and indigo. We also replaced the rubber bands with twine.

Overall, the event was a great success and we had a lot of participants throughout the day,” Steinmetz said.

Sustainability intern and senior Skylar Jeveli recalled her favorite events from the past years.

“Some of the highlights of the 13 Days of Green that always get a lot of participation are the Kickoff, Clothing Swap, Green Summit and the Afternoon of Service,” Jeveli said.

The Afternoon of Service is hosted in collaboration with Colgate’s Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE). While the event was held virtually last year, it typically includes students venturing into the greater-Hamilton area to perform sustainable acts of service such as planting in the Community Garden or picking up trash throughout the local community. The Afternoon of Service Event planned for this year, taking place on Friday, April 16, will feature both in-person and remote components. Students have the opportunity to volunteer at the Colgate Community Garden or at the Community Bikes station. The virtual component consists of a collaboration with the Team Vaccine Initiatives and local food banks, working to match community members with available COVID-19 vaccines and donate food to local food banks.

“Through all of our events during the 13 Days of Green, students and community members can learn about sustainability at Colgate and beyond in an interactive and fun way. We love getting to bring people together who are interested in sustainability and promote awareness about these issues on campus,” Jeveli said.

According to the Sustainability Council, 13 Days of Green is meant to increase awareness of sustainability efforts on campus in a fun and engaging format.

“I do think the 13 Days of Green is going to help promote sustainability,” King said. “We get to collaborate with other offices and host events that draw in a lot of people. I think that this increased visibility helps students to remember to live sustainably. We have some awesome events planned so stop by and check it out.”

Contact Sara Fraser at sfraser@colgate.edu.

April 16, 2021

The Colgate Maroon-News

A-4

Hamilton Whole Foods Celebrates 30th Anniversary

By Maggie Aulman Staff Writer

Hamilton Whole Foods celebrates its 30th anniversary during the month of April, 2021. Co-owners Monica Costa and Heather Dockstader released a T-shirt to commemorate the store’s anniversary.

In-person gathering at the store is restricted due to the pandemic, but Costa and Dockstader said they have a surprise organized later this month to celebrate.

In 1991, Hamilton Whole Foods was one of the first vegetarian delis to open in Central N.Y. Dockstader explained how the business has grown and changed over the years.

“The business has evolved depending upon the needs of the town. We used to do clothing, bookstore, coffee shop, pet food retailer, and as those things change, we change. The core of the business has remained the same. There’s always been a focus on local, sustainability, natural, good ingredients, and also good people,” Dockstader said.

Costa added that Hamilton Whole Foods is a staple of the Hamilton community and that the business has, in turn, been shaped by it.

“The business is created by the community,” Costa said. “I was only a small part of running the store and making it happen. It’s

always been a ‘we’ place and I am completely humbled by all the lives that have crossed my path and touched my life. To reference Sesame Street, I’ve loved being a person in the neighborhood.”

Senior Jinui Thomas began working at Hamilton Whole Foods in August 2020.

“It’s my favorite thing to do at Colgate. It’s this little safe haven bubble where I can work with people who aren’t affiliated with Colgate, meet townspeople and listen to good music which is really fun,” Thomas said.

Colgate students working at Hamilton Whole Foods is no new occurrence. Alumna Jayde Hull ’18, who began working at Hamilton Whole Foods in her sophomore year at Colgate, is one of many alumni who found solace behind the store’s counter.

“I think working at Hamilton Whole Foods gave me such a strong connection to the Hamilton community as a whole,” Hull said.

“To this day, the local people from Hamilton that I met from working at Hamilton Whole Foods are some of my favorite people.”

Taiward Wider grew up in Hamilton N.Y. and worked at Hamilton Whole Foods beginning in 2013.

“It was a cornerstone of my high school years... It was just a really

wonderful place to hang out and we got to know everybody there,” Wider said. “It was a really good environment because it was good to work with other queer folks who are out, and that was really important to me as Hamilton is a pretty small town and I didn’t really have much community there as a transgender and queer person myself.”

Alumnus Nick Grunden ’15 worked for Hamilton Whole Foods from the Fall semester of his sophomore year until he graduated, making his work experience integral to his Colgate experience at large. “[Hamilton Whole Foods] had always attracted my attention from when I toured Colgate because when I went into Hamilton they had that rainbow flag outside. As a gay student that was something that stood out to me. Then, as I went in there a couple times and started working there, openness and hospitality was constantly in that space,” Grunden said. “It was like a home away from home for me.”

Despite now living in Spain, Grunden still remains in contact with Costa.

“I feel like I’m just one of many, but I feel like it’s a real testament to how many former students when I was working there would stop in and say hello, and I still to this day call Monica to just talk about life because that’s what would happen

BEHIND THE COUNTER: Co-Owner Monica Costa looks back on thirty years of “being a person in the neighborhood.”

Valerie Deleon

behind the counter when we were working,” Grunden said.

Alumna Elizabeth Navisky ’96 began working at Hamilton Whole Foods in her sophomore year and has also remained in touch with store owners after graduating.

“It was a very important place to me then and it’s still an important place. It’s so special a small business like this has thrived for this long, and I think it’s added so much to

the community of Hamilton and to Colgate. I think they were ahead of their time,” Navisky said. “ When you think about it, 30 years ago to start a vegetarian deli in central N.Y. was a bold move, and I think it ended up filling a need. I think they’ve just added so much to so many people’s lives.”

Contact Maggie Aulman at maulman@colgate.edu.

TIA Hosts Ninth Annual Entrepreneur Weekend

EXCITING ENTERPRISE: Alumni and Faculty gathered with student entrepreneurs through the Thought Into Action Program.

Valerie Deleon

By Sarah Westergren Staff Writer

Over 90 students, staff, faculty and alumni attended the ninth annual Entrepreneur Weekend hosted

by Thought Into Action (TIA), a program that promotes entrepreneurial activities among Colgate students and Hamilton community members.

The event was held on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 and began with an asynchronous Virtual Venture Showcase featuring all 42 current business ventures and culminated with a live virtual Shark Tank event.

The virtual Shark Tank opened with the recognition of the two most recent recipients of the Colgate Entrepreneur of the Year Award through a moderated conversation between co-Founder and Managing Director

of General Catalyst and Colgate University 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year David Fialkow ‘81, coOwner of The Alinea Group and 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year Nick Kokonas ‘90 and Founder and Managing Director of Willow Growth Ventures Deborah Benton P’23. Former Chief Technology Officer of Dropbox Bharat Mediratta ‘92 also joined the conversation for the Shark Tank portion of the showcase.

“I was very excited to participate, because I love the way that TIA has organized both students and faculty and integrated into the school curriculum and the school culture, and then brings in former alumni and former founders and CEOs and companies to help mentor young entrepreneurs,” Fialkow said. “For founders to be able

to recruit teams, get customers, raise money, or do anything, they have to learn how to tell their story in a very effective way. And there’s no better training than the type of program that Colgate is running.”

According to Director of TIA Carolyn Strobel, the program looked for individuals with experience as funders and founders across technology, film, health, education and retail industries. Strobel expressed excitement that Fialkow could attend after canceling the event over concerns regarding the coronavirus. Although planning for the live virtual Shark Tank began in January of 2021, TIA reached out to the four teams previously selected for the Entrepreneur Weekend of 2020.

“It was nice because we were able to give all of those teams the opportunity that we promised them and still include teams that were featured. I think that we have a really incredible group of ventures in the Incubator this year. When we look to next year, we’ll have a really great pool of ones to pull from, so it actually ended up working out perfectly,” Strobel said.

Teams featuring current students, alumni and community members participated for the chance to win the largest $5,000 cash prize. Ventures included CLOVO, a sustainable company that makes sheer tights founded by Monica Dimas ‘19 and Megan Martis ‘20, GoodWorker 360, an online management and evaluation tool for restaurants founded by senior James Nash and non-Colgate student Seth Tilliss, Natural Beauty, an all-natural, external breast form for women who have undergone mastectomies

founded by local Hamilton resident Jill Nelson, and DunneGoodwin, a company providing next-generation content creation to assist with online branding founded by Sheila Dunne ‘20 and non-Colgate alum Luke Goodwin. Each team gave a two-minute pitch presentation before moving to a five-minute Q&A with the designated “Sharks.”

“First of all, it’s a great chance just to practice pitching and get to show your idea in front of a bunch of people. But also, the panel of Sharks was a really awesome panel, with people who are in the fields that I’m trying to get into and people who are very successful and have a lot of really important and valuable insight,” Nash said. “Anytime you do a pitch like this, you learn a lot more about your company, and the general market and doing practice Q&A and everything like that.”

While the Sharks deliberated, TIA announced the 2021 ventures accepted into the Entrepreneurs Fund Summer Accelerator, a program that grants $7,500 in funding and mentorship with seasoned entrepreneurs in a virtual setting from June 1 through July 31. Those selected included Designs

by Madison Taylor (Madison Bailey ’18, Joseph Brozek ’17, Morgan Bailey), First Impression Nails (Kadian Dixon ’18), Hawaa Organics (Sally Ngoje ’19), Shotquality (Simon Gerzberg ’22, Yasoom Khalid ’21, Kunal Thadini) and Virtual Babysitters’ Club (Kyle Reilly ’16).

After returning from deliberation, the Sharks announced their decision. According to Mediratta, the panel considered how funding might benefit companies’ current business traction and self-sustainability in the long term.

Natural Beauty won first place in the pitch competition, followed

by CLOVO, GoodWorker360 and DunneGoodwin, respectively.

“We were blown away by Natural Beauty. It’s such an area where you can make a huge improvement. I love your domain expertise in this area, your story, the traction you’ve had so far, and that this is such a worthwhile problem,” Mediratta said during the Shark Tank. “It’s just a really exciting thing to see somebody tackle and make a positive improvement in the world. And you know, all of us are really touched.

We’ve all known people who’ve gone through this, and we know how hard it is. And we’re all rooting for you to make a huge, huge impact in the world.”

While only one pitch claimed the $5,000 prize, Dunne discussed her perceived value of the event outside of the cash prize.

“These are good friends who I’m working with and pitching against, so it’s kind of friendly competition. But I think the most exciting thing was the fact that I was surrounded by such incredible people. I didn’t really care about the money. It was more about the connection to the judges and the ability to pitch alongside people who I respect and admire,” Dunne said. “It provided an opportunity for me to put myself in a more uncomfortable situation to present in front of everyone. So that’s awesome for personal growth, it gave me professional connections, and it just overall made me also practice my life, you know, to have to give a two-minute pitch on a business.”

Contact Sarah Westergren at swestergren@colgate.edu.

Commentary

B-1 Commentary

April 16, 2021

The Colgate Maroon-News Volume CLIV, Issue XXIV • April 16, 2021

Lauren Hutton • Emily Rahhal Editors-in-Chief

Kelsey McGeough • Celine Turkyilmaz Executive Editors

Miller Downer

Managing Editor

Kirby Goodman

Multimedia Manager

Nick Francoeur Business Manager

Jace DeMar • Alena Maiolo Copy Editor

Ellie Lawrence Senior Editor

Greta Ferdinand • Lalana Sharma News Editors

Amarachi Iheanyichukwu • Eva Wen Commentary Editors

Marissa Volkman

Arts & Features Editor

Ignacio Villar

Bakers Dozen Editor

Zach Schiller • Aaron Silverstein Sports Editors

Tommy Williams

Head Photography Editor

Ali Davis • Grace Feingold • Jared Rosen • Valerie Deleon Photography Editors Assistant Editors

Ethan Cherry • Nicole Dienst • Josie Rozzelle • Hanna Murphy Michele Shannon • Amanda Fuchs • Raymond Hua Sophia Zanussi • Jessica Argento • Ani Arzoumanian Elizabeth Shaw • Hunter Firment • Aaron Notis

The Colgate Maroon-News James C. Colgate Hall Colgate University 13 Oak Drive Hamilton, New York 13346 (315) 228-7744 • maroonnews@colgate.edu www.thecolgatemaroonnews.com

The opinions expressed in The Colgate Maroon-News are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The Colgate Maroon-News or of Colgate University.

Submission Policy: The Colgate Maroon-News accepts commentary pieces regarding news coverage, editorial policy, University affairs and other topics pertinent to the students and campus community at Colgate University. We reserve the right to edit submissions based on available space and provided that they adhere to our style guidelines. We do not print open letters, and submissions received in this format will be edited. We cannot guarantee publication of all submissions received and we reserve the right to reject submissions based on style, punctuation, grammar and appropriateness.

Defaming, denigrating or incriminating language regarding or directed at individual students and/ or student groups will not be printed. Submissions must contain identifiable and reasonable evidence, and their inclusion in the paper is at the discretion of the editorial staff. Self-promotion or solicitation on behalf of student groups will not be printed. Idiomatic profanity will not be printed. Offensive language may be printed as part of a report on the use of such language or related issues. Anonymous letters to the Editor will not be printed. Letters from alumni should include the graduation year of the writer and all writers should provide a telephone number for verification. All submissions must be received by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. for Friday publication.

Advertising Information: The Colgate Maroon-News welcomes paid advertisements. The deadline for copy is Monday at 5 p.m. for Friday publication. We reserve the right to make final judgment on the size of an ad and whether it will be included in the issue requested.

Publishing Information: The Colgate Maroon-News (USPS 121320) is published weekly when classes are in session by the students of Colgate University. Subscription price is $60 per year.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the above address.

Letter to the Editor: Student Support for Contingent Faculty

Dear Colgate Administration, As students and alumni of Colgate University, we unequivocally support our contingent faculty in their effort to form a union as they face higher job insecurity than ever before. As they have steadfastly supported us through our time at Colgate, now it is our duty to support them. As institutions of higher education across the country increasingly rely on the labor of contingent faculty, whom they fail to fully support, we demand that Colgate strive to better the working conditions of all members of our faculty so they may uphold Colgate values of justice, equity and inclusion.

Contingent faculty face consistent job insecurity consequent of semester or yearlong contracts and receive inadequate benefits while carrying a significant teaching load. Due to the nature of their contracts, some members of contingent faculty even lose health benefits between academic years, losing vital safeguards and support when not formally teaching. Nonetheless it is the contingent faculty that show up for us — students and alumni — dedicating countless hours, both inside and outside of the classroom, and lending strength and support to student initiatives.

The uncertain nature of their employment, compounded with the stress that insecurity brings, can take a massive emotional and mental toll on members of contingent faculty. With increased bargaining power and job security comes more academic freedom and an increased propensity to speak out against injustices both on Colgate’s campus and beyond, which helps us learn as students. We get a better education when our professors feel secure in their roles, and so we benefit when our contingent faculty have the right to democratically and collectively bargain the terms of their contracts.

As a highly endowed private institution with $1 billion to its name, Colgate has an obligation to protect and justly support all members of its faculty and staff, who uphold the education it provides. Further, if Colgate wants students to “be engaged citizens and strive for a just society,” then we must combat the injustices we see on our own campus and challenge ourselves to support members of our community facing inequities in the workplace. The push for unionization is not merely about economic security. As in all industries under racial capitalism, faculty labor is gendered, racialized and classed, with higher proportions of Black and Brown and/or women workers occupying the lower, contingent ranks of academic labor.

With a stronger voice and organized protection, contingent faculty will be able to advocate for fair working conditions, a move which will bring them more security and combat the gendered and racialized inequities within faculty hiring. Improved

conditions and increased security can begin to attract more LGBTQ+, BIPOC and disabled faculty, a range of identities that the Colgate administration has historically ignored at every level of this academic institution. The Colgate administration has claimed a commitment to increasing and retaining the diversity of its faculty in the Third Century Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion meant to guide the next century of this institution. This effort by contingent faculty to unionize and ensure their social and intellectual security represents a crucial opportunity for the administration to demonstrate this commitment through meaningful action.

Contingent faculty are crucial members of this community who provide invaluable knowledge, insight, and support to every individual, department, and organization on this campus. The Board of Trustees and Colgate administration must honor their often espoused commitments to justice and equity by supporting these efforts by contingent faculty to ensure their security, health, and wellbeing. As Colgate students and alumni, we will continue to strongly support contingent faculty members’ right to form a union and collectively shape this university that their work sustains.

Signed, Over 200 individual students and alumni and the following student organizations: French Club Colgate Men’s Soccer Spanish Language Debate Society Colgate Socialist Association Queer Trans People of Color (QTPOC) WRCU 90.1 FM Colgate Radio Colgate Lambda Colgate Buddies Colgate Figure Skating Gamma Phi Beta Colgate Equestrian Colgate College Democrats South Asian Cultural Club Grapplers Latin American Dance John Quincy Adams Society Colgate Symphonic Band Challah for Hunger Outdoor Education Shock Dance Group Phi Kappa Tau Tri Delta Panhellenic Council Kappa Kappa Gamma Colgate Dischords OCF Senior Honor Society Blue Diamond Society Colgate Jewish Union

Conflict Brewing in Eastern Europe

By Nathan Biller Staff Writer

Controversy erupted in the global community as Russia began a large military build-up at the Ukrainian border over the past several weeks. These two nations have a long history with one another, the latter having been conquered by the former in 1920, and then the two separating as sovereign nations following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

For a time, they maintained relatively successful bilateral relations; however, it took a turn for the worse following the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, otherwise known as the “Revolution of Dignity,” which saw Ukraine sway closer to the European Union. Mere days after the removal of Ukrainian president Viktor Yakunovych, on March 1 Russia led a sweeping campaign capturing the then-Ukrainian territory Crimea, launching the Russo-Ukrainian War. The conflict, though

never officially finished, has protracted with both nations left in a tense standoff, interspersed by the activities of separatist forces in Ukraine armed by the Russian government.

Whether the radical build-up of Russian forces at the Ukrainian border is intended as an intimidation tactic against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, a test of the United States and the young Biden administration’s foreign policy, or is a precursor to a looming military campaign is unclear, however global leaders have expressed strong suspicions of the latter. With the slumping support of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party going into the country’s 2021 parliamentary election cycle, a likely successful military campaign could be an effective means to boost his party’s popularity. Furthermore, relations between Russia and Ukraine have steeply deteriorated following the inauguration of Zelenski.

Continued on B-4

The Colgate Maroon-News

APRIL 16, 2021

B-2

National Vaccine Rollout Being Right

What's Left

The Republican States Need to Change Their Vaccine Rollout Plans On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden assumed office taking on a mismanaged national response to the global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines were beginning to be available to Americans, but the Trump administration left office without a vaccine distribution plan while spreading rhetoric against receiving the vaccine. President Biden created a $20 billion national vaccine program to work with federal, state and local officials to send vaccines to local vaccination sites and pharmacies with the goal of administering 100 million doses of the vaccine in his first 100 days in office. One key component in equally distributing the vaccine to everyone was Biden's decision to make the vaccine free to all people no matter their race, class, gender or immigration status. The Biden Administration also launched a national awareness campaign to assert the scientific data about the vaccine's safety and efficacy and promote the importance of every individual getting vaccinated. On his 58th day in office, President Biden met his goal of administering 100 million vaccines, and he increased his goal to administering 200 million vaccines in his first 100 days.

However, due to partisan disagreement, the spread of misinformation, less efficient distribution and hesitancy and refusal in many Republicans in receiving the vaccine, Republican states are vaccinating their residents at a lower rate than Democratic states. The states with the highest

A Tale of Two States: Republican Efficiency and Democratic Negligence

By Sophie Hart

By Marc Moreira

Contributing Writer

Staff Writer

percentages of eligible individuals receiving the vaccine are blue states that Biden won during the November election. On the other hand, the states with the lowest number of individuals receiving the vaccine are all red states that Trump won in November. This is a direct result of the percentage of eligible people in each state who are eager to be vaccinated or refuse to be vaccinated. In blue states and densely populated areas, residents have difficulty finding appointment times due to limited supply and high demand; however, in red states like Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, vaccine administration sites are having difficulty finding people to fill their appointments.

This is causing the leadership in these states to change their distribution plans, increasing eligibility, and in some states, considering opening vaccines to nonresidents.

The hesitancy of many Republicans to receive the vaccine and the discrepancy in distribution rates between red and blue states has national implications. For President Biden's national goals to continue to be met and to reach herd immunity by vaccinating at least 70% of Americans, Republican states will need to change their rollout plans and work to dispel misinformation to promote the importance of vaccination and encourage all of their residents to receive the vaccine.

Contact Sophie Hart at shart@colgate.edu.

President Biden has declared that he wants to ensure that all Americans will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1. This is already lagging behind many Republican states who have expanded their vaccine eligibility. This past Monday, Florida expanded its eligibility of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine to include all individuals who were 16 and over. I was able to pre-register for the vaccine the week before and was able to get my shot Monday morning. Florida, which is the state with the highest percentage of seniors in the country, was able to vaccinate its population very quickly. It was not only Florida that was able to vaccinate its adult population earlier than the national deadline, but other Republican states as well.

Mississippi expanded its own vaccinations to include its entire adult population on March 16, with Alaska being the first in the nation expanding eligibility on March 9. This comes in contrast to states like Massachusetts where starting April 19, only individuals over the age of 55 are eligible for the vaccine. The situation is even more grim in Pennsylvania where individuals over the age of 65 will be eligible for the vaccine starting April 19.

Although the initial rollouts of the vaccine, particularly in Florida, was questionable, the end results cannot be contested. That is what makes the criticism from news organizations, such as the CBS 60 Minutes Report, so troubling to witness without challenging the narrative it puts out.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an effort to demonize the efforts any Republican governors or state legislatures have taken to protect their citizens. While the media was praising Governor Cuomo and his Emmywinning performance for his coronavirus briefings, he was signing executive orders that proved deadly for New York’s seniors, continuing his culture of harassment and placing his brother on a VIP list to get frequent tests for COVID-19. Nevertheless, while the media turns a blind eye to the Governor of New York, they thought to devote its attention to Florida and seek to criticize the rollout of the vaccine. Florida was wrong to not include a residency in the initial rollout since it saw wealthy individuals with the means to travel to come to Florida and take vaccines from other seniors in Florida.

Nevertheless, Florida has been efficient in its distribution of vaccines as reflected in the decline of COVID-19 cases.

Florida, among other Republican states, is well ahead of the national date of ensuring all adults are eligible for the vaccine. Democrat states would be smart to take notes from Republican states to ensure there is not a rise in cases as being witnessed in Michigan.

Contact Marc Moreira at mmoreira@colgate.edu.

Business as Usual: What Baseball Can Teach You about Investing

By RICHARD FALVO Staff Writer

Baseball and investing? At first glance, you may be inclined to believe that the two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. I mean, baseball and investing?! I too shared the same skepticism; however, after re-watching the movie Moneyball with my father recently, the connection finally became clear. In this article, I will attempt to draw out the resemblance to the best of my ability.

For those who are unfamiliar, Moneyball was originally a book written by New York Times bestselling author Michael Lewis. Other notable works by Lewis include The Blind Side and The Big Short. After its initial 2003 release, Moneyball was made into a motion picture in 2011. Starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, Moneyball tells the story of the 2002 Oakland Athletics baseball season. More specifically, it recounts the unique and revolutionary approach that the team’s General Manager, Billy Beane, took in recruiting players.

After losing to the New York Yankees in the 2001 American League Divisional Series (ALDS), the Athletics lost many key players to free agency.

Three of those players were Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi and Jason Isringhausen. Being a smallmarket franchise, the Athletics lacked the payrolls of most other teams in the league and could not afford to pay players enormous sums of money.

Following the successful 2001 season, demand for Damon, Giambi and Isringhausen increased tremendously. However, the team’s meager financial resources prevented them from competing in the negotiations for those players. As a result, Johnny Damon signed with the Boston Red Sox, where he earned an average of $7.75 million per year over the course of four seasons; Jason Giambi signed with the New York Yankees, earning over $17 million per year across seven seasons; Jason Isring-

hausen signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for a salary of $6.75 million per year for four seasons.

After being stripped of their best players, Beane is faced with the challenge of fielding a competitive team given the financial constraints. To put into perspective how wide the gap between the rich and poor teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) was at the time, consider payrolls from the 2002 season. At the beginning of the season, the New York Yankees had a payroll of $125,928,583, the highest in the MLB, according to data from The Baseball Cube. By contrast, the Oakland Athletics had a payroll of only $40,004,167, the third lowest in the league.

At first, it seems that Beane is out of options.

After all, how is a team with a payroll less than onethird of the richest team supposed to compete?

However, while on a visit to Cleveland, Beane encounters a baseball analyst named Peter Brand who alters his view of baseball forever. A recent economics graduate of Yale University, Brand explains to Beane that the essence of baseball should not be to buy players, but rather to buy wins. And in order to buy wins, it is imperative that a team buy runs.

Therefore, as long as players are able to get on base, they have a chance at generating runs, which is the only objective that should matter. According to Brand, the bloated payrolls of many teams in the MLB has caused players to sign contracts that dramatically overstate their intrinsic value. Likewise, it has also resulted in many undervalued players left without a team to play for. In fact, Brand conveys to Beane that he should feel relieved that Damon, Giambi and Isringhausen are no longer on the Athletics. To him, they were overvalued and simply took up too much of the team’s payroll.

Shortly after hiring Brand as the new Assistant General Manager, Beane set out to acquire players

that, while capable of adding value to the team, were underappreciated by the market. This practice of buying out-of-favor players at discounted prices is identical to the principles of value investing, which prides itself on buying shares in companies that the broader market has neglected and not priced appropriately. As Warren Buffett, debatably the greatest investor of all time, once said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” In this quote, Buffett draws a crucial distinction between price and value. Essentially, Buffett is saying that the money one pays for something is not fully indicative of the value they will derive from it. In terms of baseball, just because a team is willing to pay a player $5 million per year, this does not mean that the intrinsic value of that player is $5 million per year. Therefore, the goal of value investors is to identify quality businesses that are trading below their intrinsic value. Not only does this create potentially substantial upside, but it also forms a comfortable margin of safety on the downside.

In the case of Beane and Brand, they sought to acquire quality players that could be signed for salaries below their intrinsic value. And that is exactly what they did. Prior to the start of the 2002 season, the Oakland Athletics signed players that had otherwise been ignored by other teams across the league. These players included David Justice, an outfielder who many believed to be past his prime, Chad Bradford, a pitcher who was dismissed because of his unconventional submarine-style pitching motion and Scott Hatteberg, a catcher who was written off completely following a serious nerve injury.

After a rough start to the season, the blowback from scouts, management, and the media was fierce. After 46 games, the Athletics had a record of 20-26, well out of playoff contention. People have

constantly questioned the quantitative approach embraced by Beane, exclaiming that mathematics has no place in baseball. However, after arguing that the sample size was too small (a full MLB season consists of 162 games), Beane and Brand were able to convince the team’s manager, Art Howe, to stay the course.

Suddenly, the team began to turn it around. By the end of the regular season, the Oakland Athletics had a record of 103-59. Not only did they tie the New York Yankees for most regular season wins, they also won their division in the American League. However, the most notable achievement came during the second half of the season. From Aug.13 to Sept. 4, the Oakland Athletics did not lose a game. This translated to a winning streak of 20 consecutive games, which still represents the longest winning streak in MLB history.

The Oakland Athletics ended up losing to the Minnesota Twins in the 2002 American League Divisional Series; however, the power of their storied season continues to have a lasting impact on the sport of baseball today. Although, this should be the only area it influences. As outlined earlier, investors have much to learn from the story of the Oakland Athletics. While they may not have been looking for stocks to buy, Billy Beane and Peter Brand were certainly searching for value.

One of the key components of a successful investor is being able to decipher the signal from the noise. By blocking out much of what is going on in the background, an investor can think clearer and initiate a worthwhile decision. Beane and Brand did just that, and were ultimately rewarded for their discipline.

Contact Richard Falvo at rfalvo@colgate.edu.

The Colgate Maroon-News

B-3

April 16, 2021

Race Issues Black Voter Suppression Following 2020 Elections

By Nya Herron Contributing Writer

The new voter restriction laws popping up over the country since the 2020 elections are said to be in response to unproven claims of voter fraud, yet they seem to be more in response to voter turnout and who exactly ‘turned out’ in those elections.

In the 2020 elections we saw a record number of Black voters exercising their right. And following that we’re seeing efforts to suppress voters.

Coincidence? I think not.

Georgia has certainly been the most notable state to accept these new laws. Also in Georgia, organizers like Stacey Abrams worked to register more than 800,000 new voters. This was a huge success, as Georgia was the key state for ensuring Democratic presidential victory and Senate control. It was with this new wave of voters in Georgia that the voter suppression laws, signed off by

the republican Brian Kemp, followed. And I ask again: coincidence? Republicans in this increasingly competitive state pushed through a law that imposes an ID requirement on absentee ballot requests, limits use of ballot drop boxes and shrinks the period for runoff contests, among other major changes.

Instead of fraud, these laws appear to be aimed at Democrats' success in Georgia, with a focus on Black Democrat voters. One of the most blatant additions to Georgia law is the prohibition on volunteers distributing items like food and water to voters waiting in long lines. Because of the lack of available polling locations, Georgia voters — more specifically those of color — waited hours to be able to vote in the 2020 elections. In some cases, these lines could be over eight hours for Americans to exercise their basic right to vote. To prohibit voters from receiving food and water in a line that could last eight hours is to forbid a human being

The Rebuilding of American Labor Movement

By Ben Yanowitz Contributing Writer

Over the past year, workers at an Amazon Warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama put together the most serious unionization campaign against the online monopoly in the company's history.

Organizing with RWDSU, this campaign gained national attention in light of the atrocious labor conditions at Amazon over the last several years.

These include workers having to often skipping bathroom breaks to meet their quotas and schedule and a surveillance system that monitors their every action at work. Despite record profits for Amazon since the start of the pandemic, the majority of their workers make only $15.00 per hour, a number only reached after significant political pressure in 2018. Meanwhile Bezos has increased his net worth by over $70 Billion.

Throughout March, the unionization vote was open to over 6,000 employees and driven by an on-the-ground campaign and an online movement supported by politicians and activists such as President Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Sadly, like previous unionization efforts, the vote failed. The election highlighted many unfair antiunion tactics Amazon employed to make sure the vote failed. From long mandatory lectures against unions to a memo which detailed plans to smear and fire union organizers, Amazon took significant actions to combat unionization which have caused the RWDSU to appeal the election. This fight is far from over. While this union vote failed, it is only the most recent chapter in the struggle for worker’s rights. This vote was only one of many which have been initiated in the past year, as the pandemic has exacerbated poor working conditions across all sectors of the American economy and given new life to the American Labor movement.

The Bessemer Amazon employees' failure serve as a lesson to trade unionists and socialists. The anti-unionization campaign driven by Amazon demonstrates the extreme and often illegal lengths capital will go to prevent workers from organizing.

From the perspective of Amazon’s bottom line, the motivation is clear. Capitalism is built on a profit motive. With an unorganized workforce, employers are able to pit employees in competition with one another to increase productivity while wages and benefits stagnate for the majority of the workforce. Organizing a workplace, however, can transform the work environment from competition to solidarity. Workers are able to bargain for better working conditions by threatening to strike, leveraging labor’s role in creating their employers profit.

Despite the clear benefits of trade unions for the working class, the unionization rate of the

American workforce has fallen massively since the 1950s, fueled by anti-union legislation such as the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 which banned both solidarity and wildcat strikes. As a result, union membership has sunk from a high of around 35% in 1950 to a historic low of 10.3% of the workforce in 2019, removing one roadblock that once helped prevent the ever-increasing transfer of wealth from the working class to the ultra-wealthy, which we’ve seen since since Reagan’s neoliberal policies quickly changed the conditions of American capitalism.

Putting this into the context of the political turmoil of the last four years offers a clearer picture of the way the American working class has reacted to the neoliberal economic policies of the last 40 years. Trump’s election in 2016 was driven by a small number of swing votes in a few key states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Each of these states have seen their manufacturing sectors hollowed out and shipped overseas as part of the economic globalization which has taken place under neoliberalism. Hillary Clinton failed to address the economic issues felt by the working class of these states, and as a result allowed Trump’s far-right populist rhetoric to fill the gap left by Clinton. In an option between continued neoliberalism and neofascism, the working class chose Trump. While the future is unpredictable, it’s easy to imagine that this will likely happen again unless the Democratic Party changes course to offer substantive change.

Polarization isn’t going away in the coming decade and while neoliberalism has remained the core of the democratic platform under Biden, Trump’s success has given the GOP a new path to success: far-right populism. On the sidelines exists a left-wing alternative, Democratic Socialism.

Championed by Bernie Sanders and the Democratic Socialists of America, Democratic Socialism posits a solution to the contradictions of capitalism.

Although we, as socialists, remain on the sidelines, we can learn from the success of the New Deal Coalition for how the left can build power. At the core of the coalition was a strong labor movement which was ready to back bold policies and systemic change. Without the unions, the New Deal would likely have never become reality. With anti-union legislation like the Taft-Hartley still law, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) act, which would overrule some of the worst TaftHartley provisions, has become one of the most important pieces of legislation of 2021. To build a movement capable of enacting real change for the working class, we must rebuild the American labor movement.

Contact Ben Yanowitz at byanowitz@colgate.edu.

from something they literally need to survive.

What does this have to do with voter fraud?

The attempt to suppress Black voters has endured for much too long. These new laws echo similar acts throughout history that tried to make it more difficult for people of color to access polls. In a country that praises their democratic values, there seems to be a strong effort to go directly against equality and popular sovereignty.

America carries great pride with our democratic elections, yet to be democratic means to provide universal adult suffrage, which we see many of our governmental officials working hard to restrict.

Georgia is by no means an exception; it could just be the beginning. There are at least 250 new laws that have been proposed across 43 states.

These new laws have been referred to by officials such as Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock and Joe Biden as "Jim Crow 2.0." This doesn’t seem too far fetched as S.B. 202, the new

laws in Georgia, were signed off by a group of white men in front of a painting of a building on the site of an antebellum plantation. Oh, the irony! Mimicking the laws that came out during the Jim Crow Era, there is no explicit mention of Black voter suppression, thanks to the 15th amendment, there was and is Southern lawmakers spinning a web of restrictions and regulations meant to catch most Black voters and keep them out of the electorate. The effort of Republicans and conservatives to deny this is pretty comical as they overhaul their state’s election laws because their party lost. The idea that these laws play on neutrality while placing burdens on a partisan and racist basis is, at the very least, Jim Crow adjacent.

Contact Nya Herron at nherron@colgate.edu.

The Trails at Colgate Are Underrated

By Jesse Harris Staff Writer

As with every college campus, there will always be places and buildings that you go your four years as a student without ever entering, or maybe even knowing about. While I do feel that it is easier to forgive a lack of campus exploration this year considering our opportunities have often been limited by COVID-19 restrictions, it would be wrong for me to let you leave Colgate without knowing about the trails.

I discovered the Cross Country and Hiking Trails back in the fall semester when I began to hear about people’s mysterious experiences hiking on campus. At first, I couldn’t figure out what they were talking about but eventually trekked up there with a friend to find out.

It’s certainly an interesting walk to get there: past Frank and the Chapel House, past the cemetery and across the old Ski Hill. But the 575 acres of Central New York woodland that awaits you is worth the trip.

Back in 2017, environmental geography major Jenna Lilly ‘17 and Professor Peter Klepeis worked together to enhance visitors’ experience on the trails. They designed a color coded system and posted a map by the start of the trails in order to ensure easier navigation. Admittedly, the first time I went, my friend and I were too caught up in the beauty of Hamilton’s fall leaves on the ground to pay any attention to the trail markings on the trees, so we got lost. But since then, I’ve come to appreciate the color coding system and better understand the different routes, although simply exploring can be fun, too.

The trails, which vary from flat, wide grassy areas to steep, narrow dirt paths, offer space for runners, hikers and snowshoers. As the weather has continued to get warmer, I’ve begun to move my runs out of Trudy Fitness Center and up toward the trails. But if you’re not keen on exercising in the woods, the trails are still a place for you. You’ll often find people on picnic blankets, doing homework (or just pretending to as they soak in the sun) and enjoying a quick meal. I’ve seen some people also set up their hammocks along the trails, settling in for a few hours of serenity amidst nature. I will, however, encourage you to be mindful of the mosquitoes if you plan on going later in the afternoon. My roommate and I recently brought our Good Uncle back into the trails for a picnic dinner but were not anticipating the bugs. Unfortunately, this oversight

resulted in us sporting a matching strip of bug bites from our crop tops for a few days afterward — itchy proofs of our ignorance.

In terms of prime places to throw down a picnic blanket, there’s one particular spot that I encourage you to check out, if you’re able to find your way there. It’s a bit off the trail but is marked by a black bench beside a tree. When the sun is right overhead, this is an unbeatable warm, open space to overlook Hamilton. It’s perfect for a date, a picnic with a friend or just a solitary escape from reality — and that’s exactly what the trails have to offer. Especially this year as we are forced to cling more than ever to our dorm rooms, the trails present the perfect on-campus offcampus experience. A quick run through the woods to clear your head and you’ll already forget about the homework sitting on your desk back in your room, waiting patiently for you to return. While getting to the trails is a bit of a hike itself, it also serves to elevate the experience because you really feel a sense of separation from the campus.

There will always be something special about laying out a blanket on the quad to read a book and wave to your friends as they pass by, but sometimes — especially this year — you just need a break. The Cross Country and Hiking Trails are the perfect outlet.

Whether you set up camp in a hidden spot or commit to a hike, I promise you won’t be disappointed. With a peaceful stream, beautiful leaves on the trees and endless paths that overlook Beyer-Small and Andy Kerr Stadium, the trails pull you just far enough out of reality to take a deep breath.

Lastly, I couldn’t speak of the trails without mentioning the flower field. When we are far enough into the spring that the flowers start to bloom, don’t forget to check out the endless rows of beautiful yellow flowers in the back of the trails. I would provide you with directions on how to get there, except I’m not entirely sure myself. I stumbled upon it first semester and have yet to find my way back there. I’ll wish you luck on your endeavor, if you choose to make the journey, but unfortunately I have little to offer you beyond that. Regardless, Colgate’s trails are not to be overlooked in your years here as a student. I encourage you to grab a friend, a book, a sandwich or some workout clothes (and definitely bug spray!) and head on back past the Chapel House for a breath of fresh air.

Contact Jesse Harris at jlharris@colgate.edu.

The Colgate Maroon-News

April 16, 2021

B-4

World News: Future of US-Iran Relations

By Chase O'Brien-Steele Contributing Writer

In 2015, the United States and Iran, along with several other world powers, reached a landmark deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program. In exchange, Western powers agreed to lift previously imposed economic sanctions and a weapons embargo. Oversight that followed confirmed Iran’s commitment to the deal, and the deal seemed to be working as Western powers intended. On Iran’s side, they were able to access previously frozen funds and the newfound economic freedom spurred economic growth. However, in 2018, President Trump reimposed sanctions, claiming Iran was not honoring their side of the agreement. As a result, the Iranian economy began to lag, foreign investment declined and protests followed. Most concerningly, Iran announced their intention to soon begin reinvigorating their nuclear program and compiling enriched uranium if the agreement wasn’t reestablished.

Under the leadership of President Biden, the U.S. agenda has changed, and the U.S. and other Western powers now all have the shared interest of an Iran

with limited nuclear capabilities. However, resurrecting an agreement that took so long to negotiate in the first place will not be easy. Talks have been occurring between Iran, the U.S. and other world powers to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities once again. Although talks are ongoing, Iran continues to test its nuclear capabilities.

For this reason, it’s imperative an agreement is found to stop the escalation of Iran’s nuclear development. The latest round of talks, whose aim is to once again curtail Iran’s nuclear capabilities, will take place in Vienna on April 14, between China, Russia, the U.S., the E.U. and Iran.

There are several factors that play into this delicate situation. Firstly, and possibly most consequentially, there have been the ongoing disturbances in Iran surrounding their nuclear facilities and development. Since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top military general, in January 2020, negotiations between the West and Iran have aimed chiefly to deescalate tensions. It’s been a slow path towards finding a resolution, but other instances have also proved to be stumbling blocks. Immediately before the U.S. and Iran were set to return to the

negotiating table last week, landmines in the Red Sea caused an explosion on an Iranian ship. In addition, a blackout on Sunday at Natanz, Iran’s largest nuclear site, was called a deliberate act of “nuclear terrorism,” by Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. This attack isn’t the first on Natanz, as in July 2020 there was a damaging explosion and fire, one that Iran blamed on foreign sabotage. Inevitably, the involvement of another Middle Eastern power must be discussed to clarify this situation.

Israel, a traditional U.S. ally, has been grappling with Iran for influence in the region. Benjamin Netanyahu, the (as of now) Prime Minister of Israel, is steadfast in his commitment to stopping any nuclear deal. While Trump was on the same page as Netanyahu, Biden isn’t. What’s interesting about the attack on Natanz is that Israeli media almost immediately reported that it was the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) behind the attack. If true, the message from Israel is twofold: 1) Israel intends on maintaining their nuclear superiority in the region and 2) Iran’s nuclear facilities are penetrable, and thus vulnerable. Even if Israel were not behind the attacks, Iranian

suspicions, and thus hostility, towards Israel has only been amplified after this recent event. While Netanyahu is staunchly opposed to a revival of the nuclear deal, Israeli officials are committed to their American allies and hopeful that together they can achieve a stable situation in the Middle East.

Israeli and U.S. interests seem at odds on the surface; however, both countries share a commitment, and a desire, for a non-nuclear Iran. Where they differ is how to achieve that, and only through negotiation will reconciling their differences be possible. Time is of the essence, as inconclusive Israeli elections in March have destabilized the political situation.

Most importantly, there is widely corroborated evidence that Iran has already begun contravening their commitments.

This is hardly surprising given the nuclear deal doesn’t exist anymore. Nevertheless, the situation in the Middle East is escalating, and a resolution must be found quickly. Only through U.S. leadership and cooperation between great powers can a suitable solution be found for all, and there is hope that this is achievable.

Contact Chase O'Brien Steele

at cobriensteele@colgate.edu.

The Global Fight Against COVID-19 Must Be A Unitarian One

By Fabrizio Montisci Contributing Writer

After 30 million Americans have had COVID-19 and 560,000 have lost their lives to it, good news is on the horizon.

In fact, as of this week, over one third of adults in the country have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, while in February, as announced by the U.S. Department of Labor two weeks ago, nonfarm jobs — or non-agricultural positions — surged by 915,000, a result that was not projected by most economists and analysts. While we could say that these positive results are a direct consequence of state restrictions, much also has to do with the efficient vaccine rollout that the U.S. has established and kept steady throughout the past few months. Similar results have been seen in the United Kingdom, where over 31 million Britons have been fully or partially vaccinated, allowing Boris Johnson’s conservative government to ease COVID-19 restrictions. On the other hand, the European Union’s efforts to try to get larger quantities of COVID-19 vaccines from producers at a lower price compared to the U.S. and the U.K. might have come at an even higher price. After a slow start in late December, EU/EEA member states have vaccinated around 82 million people, or 15% of the total target population, while

major vaccine producers are prioritizing those countries that have paid more per single dose compared to those who have paid less. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVIDE-19 vaccine, for instance, is being paid $19.5/ dose by the U.S. while Europe is paying slightly less at $18.3/dose.

While these numbers might sound reasonable, they do not reflect standard financial circumstances and why "vaccine nationalism" is too harsh a term in today’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “Obviously," as stated by Pfizer’s Chief Financial Officer Frank D’Amelio in an interview with Bank of America analyst Jason Zemansky, “we're going to get more on price” once the market goes beyond the “[current] pandemic pricing environment." As Mr. D’Amelio mentions, the typical cost per dose of a Pfizer vaccine is between $150 and $175, with some vaccines costing up to $200 per dose.

The same argument applies to other vaccine producers like Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Current prices, as indicated in the contracts signed between countries and manufacturers, are reflecting the global crisis to which all nations are currently subject but are destined to change. While in a modest and more liberal global market environment, the formula to a COVID-19 vaccine — most of which were created thanks to important government funding — would

be public. Instead, vaccine manufacturers prioritize profit because they’re allowed to, while non-affiliated vaccine plants that could begin production as soon as possible are at a halt and the richest nations in the globe still struggle with rollout plans. This is because of the inherent struggle against COVID-19, a virus that has killed over 2.89 million people and infected over 10% of the global population (WHO estimate, October 2020), that countries with the most economic resources are more successful in the battle over the little “antidotes” currently on the market.

So why is the term "vaccine nationalism" unsuitable? Simply put, the behavior we’re seeing by the wealthiest nations has little to do with politics and much to do with both economic and social survival and the impact it is having on their populations. Despite this, as mentioned by multiple IGOs, going from the WHO to GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization), cooperation and fair vaccine distribution is key in the fight against COVID-19. The most promising step toward this direction is COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access) whose aim, as expressed by the coleading organization GAVI, is to “accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country." So far, COVAX has been able to distribute 38

million vaccine doses to 98 participant countries and is planning on distributing over 2 billion doses by the end of 2021, aiming at covering the world’s health worker population and other target groups. While successful in theory, this organization has its issues and relies on donations from wealthier nations.

When nations choose a autonomous approach toward lowering COVID-19 cases in their territories, the importance of subsidized and locally-produced vaccines becomes fundamental and seems to be the preferred directions being contemplated by world leaders.

So what is the future going to look like now that we’ve taken this information into account? The impact of vaccinations in many communities is proving to be effective and safe as nations speed up their rollout. Now we need to work toward a homogeneous and fair global contribution toward initiatives like COVAX whose aims are simple and successful when carried out correctly. As the saying goes, and let’s stick to it, nobody is safe until everyone is safe.

The global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is one that must be fought unitarily and can become the crowning achievement of international cooperation and humanitarian responsibility.

Contact Fabrizio Montisci at fmontisci@colgate.edu.

Conflict In Eastern Europe Continued from B-1 Originally viewing the Russian-speaking politician with optimism, Russia came into strong opposition of him as he boosted Ukraine’s focus on integration with Western Europe and territorial sovereignty. Thus, separatist activity gradually grew within Eastern Ukraine, with 19 military personnel having been killed so far this year. This could also mark a boiling point in political tensions with Ukraine. Fearing this outcome, almost immediately the United States European Command raised its alert to the highest level, with President Biden promising the United States’ “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Widely considered the second most powerful military in the world behind the United States, there is no question that Russia would hold an advantageous position in a new conflict with Ukraine. With approximately 900,000 active personnel and two million on reserve, the Russian military dwarfs the Ukrainian forces of 255,000 active personnel and 900,000 on reserve. Russia likewise possesses a military budget easily a dozen times the size of that of Ukraine. The only question in such a conflict would be the extent to which Ukraine could expect aid from abroad.

Ukraine, an aspiring member of NATO, has urged the powerful military alliance to expedite its road to membership to dissuade

Russian activities. Meanwhile, the United States under the Trump administration sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of lethal armaments to the Ukrainian military along with significant upticks in security aid from the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department.

Whether Ukraine can expect similar support from the United States now, or if President Biden will revert back to the more passive assistance offered by President Obama whom he served as vice president to is yet unclear.

Many experts, however, are more skeptical that this military build-up could result in a military conflict. Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at RAND, argues that this is more likely a “readiness check and some type

of Russian flex or coercive signal to Ukraine and its supporters.” Retired lieutenant general Ben Hodges, a former commanding general of the United States Army Europe, believes this is most likely a “demonstration and a test of the Biden Administration,” though he also finds it possible that this may be a precursor to a seizure of infrastructure to supply Crimea with, as Ukraine greatly cut off water to the region following its takeover by Russia. Either way, he believes that Russia’s overarching goal is to pressure NATO out of the region and isolate Ukraine, allowing for Russian control of the Black Sea. Contact Nathan Biller at nbiller@colgate.edu.

C-1 Arts & Features

Arts & Features

April 16, 2020

The Colgate Maroon-News

GEOGRAPHY AS ART: Artist Elizabeth Flood (left) reflects on how she captures complex landscapes, such as the stratified geology of Quincy Quarries in her painting above (right).

Grace Feingold/Printed with Permission of Elizabeth Flood

Visiting Lecturer Elizabeth Flood Speaks on Witnessing the American Landscape

By Tess Dunkel Contributing Writer

Professional artist and visiting lecturer Elizabeth Flood shared her painting experience and artistic practice with the LifeLong Learning Program on April 6. The program is a partnership between Colgate University and local Hamilton residents to provide adults with ongoing education courses from a wide diversity of subjects, often led by Colgate professors. Fifteen participants attended Tuesday's event.

Colgate class of 1965 alumnus Everett Eggington introduced Flood and gave a brief background on her expertise. “[Flood] invites the viewers to be present in the landscape she paints emotionally, if not physically as well,” Eggington said.

Flood's work was originally inspired by the constantly changing environment she grew up in, a small town in northern Virginia. Its transience lured her to view nature from different perspectives, and even understand the history of the land she paints. The cross-section between history and geology is rarely noted, yet Flood aims to convey the importance

of visible layers of history that can be extracted and portrayed through painting. Her lecture focused on her current interests and concerns, as well as an in-depth discussion of her past and ongoing works from different locations, ranging from Gettysburg, V.A., to Death Valley, N. M., to a granite quarry south of Boston.

“I wanted to embody being mentally still in a location.

Moving through the sites is equally important as the painting itself,” Flood said as she explained her complex set-ups on top of mountains or even within deserts. She captures the sensations of weather, no matter the conditions.

Flood explained her recent project which is based in the midst of a granite quarry turned into a graffiti haven, Quincy Quarries. She hiked to the tops of 150-foot granite cliffs to view her surroundings and absorb the complexity of her subject area. The paintings were often wide, horizontal canvases bound together, with each panel depicting a different viewpoint of the same location. Using the tactility of oil paint, Flood effectively evokes emotion from the viewer in attempts to elaborate upon an otherwise unknown area.

In addition to discussing her own work and processes, Flood also shared photos from artists who explored complex landscapes.

She noted JMW Turner’s monumental, turbulent paintings from the height of the industrial revolution, as well as Rackstraw Down’s excellent communication of environmental concerns through his paintings, which extract energy from muted ambient tones. Other inspirations she noted included Julie Mehretv, Rodney McMillian, Josephine Halverson, Michael Heizer and Georgia O'Keeffe.

When reflecting on inspirations, Flood said, “in painting, you get to pick your family; though I do not talk to all of [these artists], I think our work speaks to each other.”

Flood’s sense of urgency to translate forgotten history into her evanescent paintings effectively captures her passion for history, geography and art. She intertwines personal perception with multiple views of the same reality, allowing her work to unfold at different speeds for the viewer. Her monumentally large paintings speak to the extensive visual information being presented.

After finishing her time as a visiting lecturer at Colgate this year, she plans to return to Chancellorsville, Va., to continue telling historical narratives through her awe inspiring artwork.

Contact Tess Dunkel at tdunkel@colgate.edu.

Un/Knowing War: Understanding Shared Experiences with Erin Baines

By Addie Christianson Contributing Writer

Susan Thomson, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and Director of the Women’s Studies Program, organized a talk with Erin Baines on the shared experience of war on April 8. Baines, Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, studies the impact of war in communities and how we interrupt the idea of "shared experiences" surrounding the context of violent conflicts.

During the talk, Baines presented on her work in Uganda, a central African country torn apart by civil war for decades which reached its height in the early 2000s.

Before starting the presentation, Baines asked the group, composed of students and professors alike, a series of questions to ponder throughout her talk: "From whom do you know war?

What is the role of stories in coming to know war? Do you want to also share a story of war that gives you pause, that haunts you or that teaches you about war as a social process? What do you do with this gift?" As citizens of Western cities, Baines pointed out how we tend to associate war and shared conflict with faraway places, yet conflict throughout history has happened in our backyard, which she said is vital to acknowledge.

Baines then gave background information about the war in Uganda, a war that international organizations often refer to as a forgotten war, due to lack of press in global media and difficulties surrounding the war's ethics on either side. The war started in 1987 and officially ended in 2008 after brutal fighting in the early 2000s from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony, a terrorist militia that continues to fight governments in other central African countries such as South Sudan. Baines began her work in Uganda in 2003 after it was revealed that the

militia had begun abducting children to serve as child soldiers or to force into marriage. The UN failed to address the conflicts as they escalated initially, so Baines used her research to partner with human rights organizations in Uganda to help women and children recover from their trauma. At the same time, she works to understand the shared experiences of the war.

In 2004, a group of researchers and activists for Uganda, including Baines, traveled to the UN Headquarters in New York to advocate for peace and intervention from the UN and amnesty, especially surrounding the LRA's abductions. Angelina Atyam, whose daughter Charlotte had been abducted by the militant army and forced into marriage as a child bride, joined Baines in her activism. Charlotte eventually escaped with her two sons, yet suffered from survivor's guilt and a blurred sense of justice from the community since she was married to an LRA general. The conflict in Uganda brought about essential questions surrounding the ethics of war and peace, as many soldiers in the LRA were child soldiers forced into fighting without understanding the reasoning behind the war.

In 2006, the UN instigated the first set of peace talks. However, peace advocates knew very little about the people affected by the war, which troubled Baines and sparked her interest in exploring the shared trauma of war. As Uganda grapples with the end of the war and the country's shared trauma, Baines has photographed various people impacted by the war. She shared many powerful photos used for her research and talked about how she helped co-write a book with a girl named Evelyn Amony, a child bride and survivor of the LRA abductions. In her biography, Amony included a story of how she was whipped unconscious by a boy who felt guilt and helped her the following day. The story brings up important questions about ethics and how children were manipulated by army leaders.

WAR STORIES: Baines works to bring laregly forgotten experiences of victims of war in Uganda to light.

Colgate.edu

Baines continued her presentation, discussing the role of gender in the Ugandan war and its aftermath and how the abducted children were influenced by blurred gender roles. Baines continues to work in Uganda, asking former victims and LRA members important questions about their involvement and shared trauma in the war. She hopes to advocate for the victims and bring attention to the complicated conflicts happening in Central African countries.

Contact Addie Christianson at achristianson@colgate.edu.

april 16, 2021

The Colgate Maroon-News

C-2

NASC Colloquium Hosts Asmeret Asefaw Berhe to Discuss the Role of Soil in Climate Change

WHAT'S SOIL GOT TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?: Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, who teaches biogeochemistry at U.C. Merced, was invited by the NASC Colloquium to discuss her research on the connection between soil and climate change.

Aaberhe.com

By MAYA KARKHANIS Staff Writer

As part of the NASC Colloquium, Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe joined the Colgate community on Zoom in an event entitled: “What’s Soil Got To Do With Climate Change?” on April 9. According to Assistant Professor of Geology Joe Levy, who was responsible for coordinating the event, the talk was part of the Colloquium Series from the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division. The division brings in six to seven speakers from both Colgate and other places in the country to share their research with Colgate.

“It’s a way to help bring even more cutting-edge science to campus and to see it presented in a broadly engaging presentation,” Levy said.

Berhe is a soil biogeochemistry professor at the University of California, Merced, the Falasco Chair in Earth Sciences at the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences as well as the Interim Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. Highlighting three major aspects in her presentation: background, soils and climate change and climate change mitigation, Berhe began by discussing her work with soil, explaining that she studies it both as a resource as well as how it reacts and deals with climate. She explained that soils are natural bodies that have special properties resulting from a combination of five variables, including climate, living matter, parent material, relief and time. Berhe stressed the importance of soil as “a vital resource” and spent a lot of time expanding on the carbon and organic matter that’s a part of the soil. Often employing the term SOM (Soil Organic Matter) in her presentation (the part of the soil that includes biological, chemical and physical properties), Berhe explained that soil is resilient, and the matter that makes it up helps it deal with the climate around it and different changes in nature that might affect it.

The talk then moved into the titular topic of Soils and Climate Change. This part of the lecture started off with a startling statistic: human actions are responsible for releasing 9.4 billion tons of Carbon;

while Berhe acknowledged that only about half of the carbon we release remains in the atmosphere, she pointed out that the rest of these emissions become sequestered on land and in the ocean. Through this, Berhe argued that while the conversation around climate change largely revolves around the greenhouse gases that we release into the atmosphere, in reality, “The natural ecosystems are basically bailing us out.”

Berhe believes that whatever consequences we are facing right now is only half of the climate change that we are ultimately causing. The lecture went on to say that because of how we have been using land, we have lost about 120 petagrams of carbon in the past 200 years due to degradation of the soil system.

Berhe went on to say that, despite the dismal research, the current trend can be reversed, using soil to combat climate change rather than feed into it. This led to the last section of the presentation: Climate Change Mitigation.

In the last leg of the lecture, Berhe focused on the role of working lands, and how working lands can either be a part of the problem or the solution to climate change. Berhe’s main points were that, in order to stop climate change, there needs to be a reduction of emissions and an increase in negative emissions to pull Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere.

“If we can achieve that ... then we have a real potential not just to slow down... but bend the curve towards something more sustainable,” Berhe said, Berhe explained that land management is a major part of how we can help the environment, and there are a variety of options for how this can be implemented: restoring histosols (organic soils in wetlands and similar ecosystems), rice management, restoring degraded land, water management, cropland management and more.

When asked what he found to be the most interesting part of the lecture, Professor Levy replied: “The neatest thing I learned from the talk was how many different ways humans could better manage soils to help draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Managing soils smarter is an important tool for fighting climate change.”

During the Q&A part of the event, Berhe was asked about what people can do to help with carbon storage and have a positive impact on the environment.

“We need to have an impact at all levels at this point,” Berhe said.

She stressed influencing policy and an “all hands on deck” approach. On a more personal level, Berhe explained that anything from reducing emissions with transportation, home services, and farming, can help. Additionally, not using and relying on

products that destroy the environment is also helpful towards effective climate change.

While soil may not be considered by all people when discussing climate change, Professor Berhe’s lecture to the science community at Colgate provided an interesting and thoughtful perspective into how soil and climate change are related.

Contact Maya Karkhanis at mkarkhanis@colgate.edu.

STUDYING BIOGEOCHEMISTRY: Berhe runs a soil biogeochemistry lab out of U.C. Merced and has presented a TedTalk on her findings.

Carnegie.org

The Colgate Maroon-News

C-3

April 16, 2021

Poet John Foy Joins Colgate for a Reading and Discussion of His New Book, "No One Leaves the World Unhurt"

NO ONE LEAVES THE WORLD UNHURT: Writer and poet John Foy, a former high school English student of Colgate's own Professor Peter Balakian, partook in a reading and discussion of his recently published book.

Autumn House Press

By PAULINA PROSNITZ Maroon-News Staff

The Department of English hosted writer and poet John Foy for a virtual reading and discussion of his recently published book "No One Leaves the World Unhurt" on April 8.

The collection, which was published on Feb. 10, 2021, is the third of Foy’s career. His first book, "Techne’s Clearinghouse," was published in 2004, and his second, "Night Vision," was published in 2016. The latter won the New Criterion Poetry Prize, a poetry contest run by the New York-based literary magazine "The

New Criterion." "No One Leaves the World Unhurt" was awarded the 2020 Donald Justice Poetry Prize, a prize given annually to an American poet for an unpublished book-length manuscript of formal poetry.

In addition to being an accomplished poet, Foy works as a senior financial editor and writer in New York City. He holds an MFA from Columbia University and has taught writing at Harvard Business School, Columbia University and Barnard College.

The poet was introduced to the event participants by Peter Balakian, Professor of English and Colgate’s Donald M. and

1. “A Bitch Curious (feat. Sam Truth),” by AG Club & Sam Truth AG Club’s recent EP Fuck Your Expectations PT. 1 has come under fire from critics and fans alike for its inflated runtime, bolstering an impressive five minutes (of 27) dedicated to skits about how their full-length project is still in the works. While most are disappointed with the crew’s lack of initial effort, solid tracks like “A Bitch Curious” show some unpolished promise for the group’s eventual future endeavors.

2. “BANKROLL (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg),” by BROCKHAMPTON, A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg Brockhampton’s fresh album ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE has yet to settle in critical circles, but it’s very clear on the first listen through that this is the definitive “Internet boyband” at their most comfortable and confident, filling gaps left by Ameer Vann with powerful features from the A$AP Mob to bolster their numbers.

Constance H. Rebar Professor of Humanities, as well as Foy’s former 10th grade English teacher.

Balakian revealed that, several decades ago, Foy was a student in his class at the DwightEnglewood School in New Jersey. Balakian shared an anecdote about Foy’s introduction to James Joyce’s short story “The Dead,” upon which Foy remarked that the literary perspective narrowed like a cone. From that moment on, Balakian and other faculty members would use the term “Foy’s Cone” to describe Joyce’s literary style.

Following this introduction, Foy read several poems from his collection, including “Report

Contact Paulina Prosnitz at pprosnitz@colgate.edu.

7. “Keep the Beat,” by Eric B. & Rakim Eric B. & Rakim were a legendary duo from the supposed “golden age” of hip hop in the late 1980s; both their individual skills as well as their teamwork proved to be the best of the best — and continue to be.

8. “G.O.Y.D.,” by Lava La Rue West London’s Lava La Rue makes their own brand of “rNB,” capitalizing on experimentality with psychedelia, lo-fi, and “future soul,” in the artist's own words.

9. “Caught in Frustration,” by Corners Corners was a flash in LA’s post-punk pan, refusing to subscribe to the music scene’s demand for psych rock and garage. Constructed entirely of respectable audio engineers, the crew beat the odds, mimicking the likes of Joy Division among other inspirations to make their own soundscape.

10. “One Spliff A Day,” by Billy Boyo Billy Boyo was one of the most prolific child DJs to ever exist — I understand there’s a small sample size, but regardless, it’s important to make note of his incredible contribution to reggae.

3. “Never In Your Sun,” by Stevie Wonder Beloved American icon Stevie Wonder has some incredible cuts on classic projects; “Never In Your Sun” is a great example of the R&B genius’s powerful masterpieces.

4. “Oulala,” by Vundabar Boston-based trio Vundabar loves to mix and match genres in ways no one expects, taking pages from jazz, math rock, surfer rock, and post-punk to put out earworms like “Oulala.”

Card,” “Cup,” “One Hundred Pounds of Myrr” and “Cross and Sphere.” The reading was followed by a Q&A session moderated by Balakian during which students, faculty and even the several members of Foy’s family in attendance had the opportunity to reflect on the work and ask the poet questions.

When asked a question about how he balances a more traditional corporate day job with his artistic pursuits, Foy explained the importance of having both elements in his life.

“The more one works in the corporate world, the more one is driven towards some kind of interiority and desire to express yourself outside of a corporate structure. So I would say the corporation drives me towards poetry as a necessary means of survival psychically, spiritually, and poverty of the poet drives me towards the corporate world,” Foy commented. “These two pursuits are interdependent.”

The poet, who currently lives in New York City, answered some questions regarding his several years spent living abroad in Paris and Brazil.

“Just by being in each one of those places, outside of the United States, is a kind of gift in itself, because it removes you from familiar context and puts you in a different context of different people, different landscapes, different languages, and that in itself is very refreshing and stimulating,” Foy said.

Many of the student participants were members of Balakian’s Poetry Writing Workshop, such as Senior Lexi Clegg. “[The lecture] offered me a glimpse into the diverse and captivating experiences of adolescence into adulthood and offered beneficial and motivating content to implement in the final weeks of writing and workshopping poetry,” she said.

While Foy may once have been a 10th grader learning for the first time about James Joyce, with this reading, he entered the ranks of the studied rather than the studier.

BY Miller Downer

11. “Rags,” by Chef Florida native Chef appeared on Spotify’s discovery-themed playlists, allowing him to reach all new audiences. “Rags” is a great introduction to the typically gritty Florida sound.

Contact Miller Downer 12. “Droogs,” by NxWorries, Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge 5. “AIN’T GON STOP ME,” by reggie, Monte Booker & Kenny at mdowner@colgate.edu.

Everyone knows Anderson .Paak and his collective projects that allow him Beats to flex some metaphorical muscle for genres outside of his comfort zone, but no reggie was born and raised in Houston, Texas, employing some big names one has seen him actively fuse them together — enter “Droogs,” which makes use like Kenny Beats to put his best foot forward and make a good first impression on of all of .Paak’s expertise in RnB, hip hop, and jazz-adjacent brainstorms. Knxwledge, the an ever-growing audience. producing half of the dynamic duo, is similarly legendary for his incredible flexibility.

6. “Something in the Water,” by Saba & Denzel Curry Both Saba and Denzel are well-established names in the rap game, so it only makes sense that when they come together, the product is something greater than its parts. “Something in the Water” lets both artists show off their technical skills in different ways.

13. “18HUNNA (feat. Dave) - Four Tet Remix,” by Headie One, Dave & Four Tet Some of the biggest names in UK drill and hip hop, both Headie One and Dave embark on a sonic adventure through grimy Londontown with the help of Four Tet, a definitive (yet enigmatic) indie electronicist and DJ.

Baker’s Dozen

April 16, 2021

Baker’s Dozen D-1

The Colgate Maroon-News

Celebrating Q ueerfest Queerfest looks a little different this year with an all virtual program schedule!

Keep reading to learn about this event series and the tradition of celebrating queer life on campus

Antoni Porowski Virtual Event: Sharing More Than Recipes By ana mashek Staff Writer

Antoni Porowski, a major cast member of Netflix’s hit show “Queer Eye,” brought his cooking expertise and personality to Colgate on March 31. As part of the University’s Virtual Speaker Series, Porowski engaged in a meet-and-greet with ten lucky students, and later a webinar cooking demonstration facilitated by junior Nathan Conlon.

Webinar participants were welcomed into Porowski’s own kitchen to make scrambled eggs and a French omelette, but were also entertained with anecdotes about the rest of the “Queer Eye” cast — Porowski poked fun at Karamo Brown’s habit of “eating skittles and drinking coke for lunch or dinner.” He also talked about his own college experiences and his love for Trader Joe’s and TJ Maxx. He even gave the audience a glimpse of his dog — all bound to please any “Queer Eye” fanatic.

Even for those not particularly interested in the personal lives of the members of the Fab 5, Porowski relayed useful information, like tips for any college student making do with a small kitchen and limited ingredient variety. Perhaps his most profound message of the evening, however, was directed at LGBTIQ+ youth.

“I think it really is important to find one’s tribe where you can kind of feel safe, because with whatever it is that you have going on, if you identify under the umbrella of LGBTQIA+ or if you’re questioning, to have those conversations alone in your head — I think that’s what felt the most lonely... I’m sure you guys have some kind of resources you can tap into, whether it’s social workers, psychologists and, if for whatever reason that makes you uncomfortable, [even] find[ing] a sympathetic ear.”

Conlon heard he would be facilitating these conversations just two days before the event. He had put his name in as a potential candidate because “Queer Eye” was a show that got him through quarantine. Additionally, he’s involved with the Trevor Project and LGBTQIA+ issues on campus and beyond. He wasn’t expecting to demonstrate any cooking skills, however.

“On the Monday [before the event], the organizer said that our facilitator should also cook, and asked if that was cool with me. I’m like, ‘I guess!’ In my mind, I was thinking I was going to embarrass myself in front of everyone, but you know what, I can’t say no to this, otherwise I’ll regret it forever.”

COOKING WITH ANTONI: Junior Nathan Conlon cooked along with “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski.

Conlon served as the facilitator of the Zoom webinar cooking demonstration on March 31.

Printed with Permission of Nathan Conlon

Come Wednesday, Porowksi started the evening with the meet-and-greet, and assured Conlon there that they’d just have fun together in the webinar. Conlon said that Porowski’s genuineness helped ease his nerves. So much so that when he entered the Zoom webinar, he said it felt like it was just the two of them having a conversation, rather than paying attention to what he estimates to have been more than 150 participants.

“The way I was told it was going to be set up is that I had a list of 25 questions, and I thought he was going to prompt me for the questions. But while we were cooking, he never ended up doing that; he was asking me about my dog, my experiences, so I was like, ‘wow, this is way more personal than I thought.’”

Junior John Morgan’s name was pulled for the meet-and-greet, and echoed praises about Porowski’s authenticity.

“I said my name, my pronouns, the activities I was involved in on campus, and then came a part I didn’t expect. [Porowski] asked me several follow up questions, so I was caught off guard… He was

genuinely really nice and wanted to get to know everyone… We wrapped up a bit late since the introductions took so long,” he said.

Morgan said Porowski was particularly curious about his involvement in Arabic tutoring.

“He wanted to know what drove my interests and passions and he asked similar things of other people… like ‘Oh, tell me more about this club,’ and ‘Why did you get into this major?’”

Porowski’s friendliness and curiosity followed him throughout the evening. His fellow Fab 5 member, Jonathan Van Ness, is scheduled to pay a virtual visit to Colgate on April 22 for a similar Q&A.

Contact Ana Mashek at amshek@colgate.edu.

The Colgate Maroon-News

D-2

april 16, 2021

Nizhoni Saenz — ­ Activist with a Message By megan herbruck Staff Writer

Walking around town, support for the LGBTQ+ community is more widely shown now than ever, with pride flags hanging on the front of houses or in the windows of apartments. The bright colors are a warm and welcome sight, both because they show the support students have for one another and brighten the sunless days as we leave winter behind. The flags are indicative of increasing awareness of social justice issues in recent years, especially with regard to ethnicity, sexuality and religion. Nizhoni Saenz is at the forefront of social justice at Colgate, promoting equality for her peers through her many involvements on campus and her impressive activism.

Saenz, a senior from Tempe, AZ, is concentrating in sociology and minoring in psychology, and is actively involved in social justice and activism on and off of the Colgate campus. One of her major accomplishments on campus has been acting as a co-president of Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC), a group that celebrates a variety of ethnicities and sexualities. As co-President of QTPOC, Saenz is in charge of planning weekly meetings about various topics on queerness, empowerment, identity and self-care, collaborating with other student clubs on campus.

“The goal of QTPOC is to provide a confidential and supportive network for students of color who identify as LGBTQIA+ on Colgate’s campus, while also celebrating the complex intersections of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality,” Saenz explained.

QTPOC is largely involved in education on campus through the development of programs and events on campus to raise awareness about the specific social issues that QTPOC students face. The events the group has organized include the Queer Sex Education and Consent workshop series, which have all helped to increase exposure across campus. Other events include movie nights, art nights and general meetings where conversations about queerness are conducted.

“Just by meeting weekly to have a queer space with friends— it’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy it. Although it is a lot of work, I’m happy to have QTPOC as a community,” Saenz said.

Through the help of her involvement with QTPOC, Saenz has found her home at Colgate. Saenz has worked

to surround herself with people who allow and encourage her to celebrate all aspects of herself, including the Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUS) Scholars program.

“I have been able to find great people on campus who make me feel accepted, empowered and celebrated,” Saenz said.

By bonding with the other OUS students who have similar experiences to Saenz, she has been able to celebrate her background and queerness on campus. Saenz also uses her clothing and decorations to feel more herself in a predominantly white, cisgender, heterosexual space such as Colgate.

“When it comes to people celebrating their queerness on campus, I definitely think it’s been hard to establish community this semester due to [COVID-19] conditions. There are certain spaces that are so vital to the queer community at Colgate… and not having access to these spaces makes things a bit difficult,” Saenz said.

The activist wishes there were more queer spaces in general on campus and believes a LGBTQ/queer interest house would be advantageous to the students who are excluded from greek life houses due to gender identity.

“There has definitely been a lack in queer programming the past few years, and a lot of the stuff that happens is due to student action and student involvement,” Saenz explained.

More interaction with the Colgate administration would help to promote equality and comfort on campus, especially during the trying and changing times we face in the pandemic.

Beyond her involvement with QTPOC, Saenz is also currently involved in the Colgate Senior Honor Society, the Medusa Movement, Sisters of the Round Table (SORT) and is the LGBTQ intern at Haven. In the past, Saenz has been a member of the Colgate Christian Fellowship (CCF) and Latin American Dance (LAD). Saenz also worked at the Colibrí Center for Human Rights as the Social Media and Communications Intern and has continued to volunteer with them as the Colgate Campus Student Ambassador.

Among her many accomplishments, Saenz was the recipient of the Lampert Language Fellowship in 2018, through which she was given the opportunity to travel to Yucatán, Mexico and study Spanish for the summer.

Saenz also studied abroad in Cardiff, Wales, UK during the Spring of 2020 and was a part of the Sophomore Residential Seminar (SRS), through which she joined her class on a trip to Rome, Italy. Saenz was recently featured

Instagram @colgate_unspoken

on the Colgate Unspoken Instagram page, outlining her familial lineage and history.

Outside of her Colgate club involvements, Saenz enjoys writing, playing basketball, creating art, music and hanging out with her friends. After graduation, Saenz plans to move back home to Arizona to take a gap year while studying for the GRE and search for graduate psychology programs.

“I’m just hoping I had a positive impact on the people here on campus, and the wider Colgate community,” Saenz said. “By building community with one another, we celebrate queerness, queer-life, and culture.”

Contact Megan Herbruck at mherbruck@colgate.edu.

Autumn Lopez on Co-Leading Lambda

Printed with Permission of Autumn Lopez

By Brynn kauffman Contributing Writer

A self-described “true-crime expert” and double English literature and African studies concentrator, senior Autumn Lopez is the co-president of Lambda, a queer student group on campus. The group holds events such

as game nights, bonfires, walks and collaborations with other clubs.

Having grown up in Mississippi in a conservative household, Lopez was not always as open about her sexuality.

“Being gay was not a thing back home and I wasn’t super open about it until I moved to Colgate when I felt a little freer at college and by myself,” Lopez said.

Being a predominantly straight campus, it can be hard to find mainly queer spaces at Colgate. Lambda was the first time that Lopez had ever met a large group of people that identified as queer.

“Being a part of Lambda was literally the first time I ever met a large group of other people that identified as queer. Just knowing that people share the same experiences as me, especially in terms of home life or where they come from and not always being super accepted, having other people who have had similar experiences as me has been totally life-changing,” she said.

Lambda also participates in Colgate’s Queerfest, a weeklong series of events organized by LGBTQ+ initiatives. Aimed to include the larger population, Queerfest is a great learning opportunity for non-queer students to support and learn in a more fun environment. A few events Lopez has enjoyed in the past are drag balls and high tea at noon. When asked what the most important thing to take away from Queerfest, Lopez emphasized that it is important for Colgate’s community to engage with the queer community.

“If you find yourself with the opportunity to engage with queer spaces you really should because even if you don’t identify with queer, it is very valuable to engage with the community,” Lopez said.

Lopez’s involvement with Lambda has been a way for her to celebrate queerness on campus through a community of similar individuals.

“I celebrate queerness on campus by surrounding myself with a lot of really really good people from the queer community. The majority of my friends are queer. Creating a community around myself with people that are like me is really wonderful,” she said.

Additionally, Lopez has enjoyed being able to help create queer spaces and work with other student organizations with shared interests.

“Being the co-president of Lambda has given me the ability to craft social spaces, especially in collaboration with other groups on campus. Collaborating with other student groups, such as Outdoor Education, and having this shared space with other people is something as well,” Lopez said.

Although Lopez is not on campus for her last semester, over her four years the boulder behind Frank Dining Hall became her favorite location on campus. When she is not listening to true crime podcasts, she enjoys hiking with her chihuahua and watching the Vampire Diaries. She has also enjoyed her time with the model African Union doing research and debate.

Lopez has played her role in activism, and her events are appreciated and enjoyed by a huge part of the student body. If you are interested in learning more about and supporting the queer community on campus, check out Queerfest events this April and brownbag discussions!

Contact Brynn Kauffman at bkauffman@colgate.edu.

sports

Sports S-1

April 16, 2021

Maroon-News

INSIDE:

Looking Back at Colgate Volleyball’s Record Season S-2

Swim and Dive Teams Prepare to End Seasons S-2

Gonzaga: The Team That Could’ve Been S-3

Jack Ferguson Returns for Men’s Basketball S-3

SENIOR SALUTE: Colgate’s packed Spring sports season is coming to a close. For most seniors, this is their last time sporting the maroon and white for Colgate University.

To mark the occasion, seniors are honored during each team’s Senior Night. The field hockey seniors (pictured above) celebrated their Senior Night in early April.

Spring Season Senior Spotlight

By Liv Fitzgerald Staff Writer

The Class of 2021 spring athletes are wrapping up their final collegiate seasons in just a few weeks. It’s safe to say that this year’s seasons were not what Colgate athletes expected them to be. Although students had limited schedules and were challenged with facing the same teams multiple times, many of the seniors felt grateful they had a season at all during the pandemic.

To better understand what spring seasons looked like, The Maroon-News interviewed senior field hockey captain and midfielder/defenseman Meredith Rappaport (MR), senior lacrosse captain and attacker James Caddigan (JC), senior lacrosse captain and attacker Courtney Quirk (CQ) and senior outfielder Mia Guevarra (MG) for a better understanding as to what playing one’s last collegiate games during a global pandemic looked and felt like.

What did your senior season look like?

MR: Unfortunately, I tore my ACL a few days before our first game, but we’ve been playing really well and it’s exciting to get some patriot league wins!

JC: Far from what I imagined it would be when I decided to come to Colgate. I am extremely grateful just to be able to compete everyday with my teammates.

CQ: My senior season has been one of the most unique seasons I have ever experienced, but also one of the most rewarding.

MG: Usually during the softball season we play closer to 50 games and this year we are playing only about half of that.

What advice would you give to younger student athletes?

MR: Play in every practice and game like it is your last. This past year taught us that the world is unpredictable, and you truly never know when the last time may be.

JC: To depend on their teammates and cherish the relationships they form throughout their time here. I really believe there is nothing more valuable in the Colgate experience than the people you meet and bond with.

CQ: Cherish every moment and never to take any game or practice for granted, even when it’s hard, because you never know when it could be taken away.

MG: Take advantage of the opportunities playing D1 athletics can give them. Beyond the wins and losses, cherish the time you get with your team because those memories will last a lifetime.

What is your favorite memory in your collegiate athletic career?

MR: Coming back from summer and seeing your team for the first time in a couple months is always amazing. Playing field hockey during the warm August sunsets also just hits so differently.

JC: Our season opening win in 2019 against #10 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. It was our first game under Coach

Karweck and a huge win for our program.

I was also able to have my parents and cousin there to see it which was special.

CQ: Last year when we beat Cornell for the first time since 1998. Our team played so well and came together in a way I’ve never seen before.

MG: Some of my fondest memories come from the Spring break trips we have taken over the past few years.

How do you think playing a sport for Colgate has impacted you?

MR: Greatly increased both my confidence and leadership abilities. I have learned the importance of having a support system, and it is through athletics that I discovered my interest in mental health and advocacy work.

JC: Taught me how to execute on things that I set out to do. Over the last four years there were definitely times where I felt overwhelmed and unsure if I could manage all of my responsibilities, but over time I definitely learned how to manage my time and prioritize what was most important to me and my experience here.

CQ: Playing a sport at Colgate has taught me what hard work is and the importance of leadership — both lessons I will take with me after school.

MG: The value of balancing the rigorous schedule of D1 athletics with academics... The competitiveness and drive that softball has given me will most definitely translate into the work world. Beyond that, playing for Colgate has also helped me create a network of many

Colgate Athletics

Colgate athletics alum that are always so willing to talk about life after sport and life after college.

What will you miss the most about playing for Colgate?

MR: I will miss my teammates the most. It is an incredible experience getting to know so many different people with unique life goals that all come together with the common interest of field hockey and wanting to compete at a high level.

JC: I will definitely miss being around my teammates more than anything else.

We are a close group of guys and it will definitely be weird to not be with them every day next year. I will definitely do my best to keep up with them and the team though!

CQ: I will definitely miss my teammates the most and being with my best friends every day, making memories in the locker room, in practice or at games.

MG: I’ll miss the teammates I have had the privilege of getting to know, play and travel with these past few years. I know many of these friendships will continue even after I leave Colgate.

Contact Liv Fitzgerald at ofitzgerald@colgate.edu.

The Colgate Maroon-News

S-2

April 16, 2021

Looking Back at Colgate Volleyball’s Record Season

By Logan Sundberg Staff Writer

The Colgate Volleyball team ended their record season with their first Patriot League Championship appearance since 2016. Finishing up the regular season with a record of 7-1, they entered the tournament as the top seed.

The team started with a win against American University, beating them in five sets to advance to the Patriot League Championship. Coach Baker points to this game in particular as a monumental win, as it was the first time that American was not in the championship in Patriot League history. Unfortunately, the Raiders lost to Army in four sets, finishing the season with an 8-2 record.

The Women’s Volleyball team demonstrated mental toughness, hard work and perseverance throughout their season which led to an impressive team culture, a key factor in their success.

Coach Baker credits much of the culture to the leadership of senior Alli Lowe, junior Julia Kurowski and senior Bridget Kolsky, saying that no one has ever had to lead in a pandemic and these three girls “kept the team light at the right times, and focused at the right times.” Their experience shined in games, creating a consistency of play that relieved much of the pressure on the younger players and gave them someone to look up to. Lowe was named Patriot League Player of the Year, a first for the Colgate program, while Kurowski earned the program’s first Setter of the Year honor.

“This team is honestly one of the closest teams I’ve ever been on. We all genuinely get along and trust each other, and that translates onto the court,” Lowe said.

Kurowski echoed Lowe’s sentiment, praising the team’s collective effort throughout the season.

“What you can’t train for is heart and grit, yet every player on this team brought it to every practice and game,” she said.

‘GATE GLORY: The Colgate Volleyball huddles up during their season-ending match, as they lose to the Army Black Knights 3-1 in the Patriot League Finals.

Colgate Volleyball Instagram

Kurowski also attributes much of the success of the team to the coaches.

“Ryan and Michelle were a dynamic duo providing the enthusiasm that pushed us to

improve specific aspects of our game,” she said. “Both focused on making each one of us better individually yet were able to build us into a cohesive team.”

COVID-19 proved an obstacle the team had to overcome together. They worked hard to follow all COVID-19 guidelines to ensure they were able to play. However, the team went into their first game of the season not having played a game for 434 days and only having practiced as a team for a week. However, Lowe noted that the team’s intrasquad scrimmages were harder than some of the games they played, demonstrating the elite level of the team.

Coach Baker and Lowe also saw COVID-19 pushing the season to the spring as a good thing, allowing for the freshmen to learn to play with the upperclassmen and adjust to the speed of the college game without the pressure of jumping right into games. Ultimately, the team was grateful to be able to play and have a season above anything else.

Looking forward to the 2021 season, Coach Baker wants to work on getting the team stronger via weightlifting in order to handle the longer season, as the team’s game broke down against Army due to the fatigue of playing back-to-back games. Kurowski wants the team to focus on “staying in game shape, staying healthy and focusing on skill,” to become an unstoppable force next year. While they will lose Lowe and Kolsky next season, they will certainly benefit from their tournament experience and Kurkowski’s return, helping facilitate a strong momentum to be carried over to next year. Kurowski quoted Coach Baker as saying, “A true competitor hates to lose more than they love to win,” emphasizing the power that losing the championship will have in motivating the team’s hunger to win next year.

Contact Logan Sundberg at lsundberg@colgate.edu.

Swim and Dive Teams Prepare to End Unusual Season

By Jack Schoen Staff Writer

The Colgate Raiders Swim and Dive team, like every other athletics program, has had to adapt to new challenges and setbacks because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, their season will not conclude with a Patriot League tournament. On April 7, the Patriot League announced that the Men and

Women’s Swimming and Dive Championships that were supposed to be held at Bucknell University would be cancelled.

Instead, various schools will host individual regular season meets and welcome other Patriot League schools. Colgate, for example, will host a meet competing against Holy Cross and Boston University on April 17-18.

Difficulties began when the season was pushed back in the fall. The season

SWIMMING SQUAD: The Colgate Swim and Dive teams face an unusual ending to their season, as the 2021 Patriot League Championships have been cancelled.

Colgate Swim and Dive Instagram

was supposed to begin in late August and continue up until the end of February, but this year ‘s scheduling was less consistent. The season began in late September and has had interruptions and cancellations throughout the last six months and into this final stretch of the season. Head Coach Ed Pretre explained that stoppages are uniquely hard for swimmers; the sport is primarily about feel and muscular endurance which take time to develop. It is hard for his athletes to just pick up after a long time outside of a pool.

Practices were also entirely different from previous years. Swimmers and divers were often forced to practice by themselves in the pool with only the coaching staff watching, as highlighted by Junior Justin Song. Song, who lives with other team members, was able to train with some other teammates, but highlighted how isolating the conditions were.

“Early in the season we were only allowed to practice alone or with our direct family units. Obviously swimming is an individual sport, but practices are so much more enjoyable when the entire team can be there together,” Song said. “The fall was way more difficult than the spring. All we had was an idea of what we could do in the spring. We had to push each other to practice everyday in the fall.”

Pretre acknowledged those challenges and said, “Coaching hasn’t really been about exes and ohs this year, it’s been coaching the mental game. [Despite] Being in quarantine, someone having COVID[-19], [the athletes] have done a wonderful job. The coaching staff has just tried to be understanding. If anyone’s not having an issue this year, they’re full of it.”

As for how the team has been feeling after the recent cancellation of the Swimming and Diving Championships, Pretre and Song both conceded that they were disappointed they would not be able to compete against every other team in the league.

“It is really disappointing. I know the coaches in the league were doing an outstanding job of making this whole thing happen. I wish everyone in the Patriot League took these things as seriously,” Pretre said.

Despite the challenges, both Pretre and Song were still excited and confident about the final meet of the season.

“We were pretty optimistic the whole year, and at least now we’re going to have a regular season meet and some rest before,” Pretre said.

Pretre thanked the Colgate athletics department and administration for all their help and dedication this year, and is glad that the team has made it through this season after all they’ve been through.

He added that the Swim and Dive team is still relatively young, and if the freshmen could make it through a season like this, they could work through almost anything. Even though there will not be a formal championship to close out the season, Colgate can be proud of the season they have endured and their final opportunity to compete to close out their season. This final meet against Holy Cross and Boston University will be on April 17-18 in Hamilton.

Contact Jack Schoen at jschoen@colgate.edu.

April 16, 2021

The Colgate Maroon-News

S-3

Gonzaga:The Team That Could Have Been

By Cam Cobey Staff Writer

31-1. That’s how the Gonzaga Bulldogs ended their season on Monday, April 5. One win away from a perfect season, a coveted and undefeated 32-0. In what could have been one of the best teams and team performances in college basketball history, the Zags underperformed in the moment that mattered most.

Gonzaga’s season was stellar. I genuinely thought that this was the best college basketball team that I have eseen in my lifetime. This team was stacked. They had three Wooden Award nominees in Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert and Drew Timme. Kispert was a first team All-American and the West Coast Conference player of the year. Drew Timme was a second team All-American and won the Karl Malone award for being the best power forward in the nation. Jalen Suggs was also second team AllAmerican, and Joel Ayayi was an Associated Press honorable mention. All four of these players are projected to be drafted in this year’s NBA Draft. Gonzaga was loaded with talent.

As such, Gonzaga cruised through the easy West Coast Conference. They had the most points per game (91) and best average margin of victory (21) in the NCAA. In their victories, they won every game by 10 plus points except for two. This team was easily the best team in the NCAA statistically.

When it got to tournament time, Gonzaga continued their domination. They beat 16 seed Norfolk State by 43, Oklahoma by 16, Creighton by 18 and USC by 19 before they got to the Final Four. They averaged just over 88 points in those four games, showcasing their incredible offensive talent.

When it was time for the Final Four, the Zags hadn’t played a single-digit game since December 2, and UCLA gave them an incredible matchup in Indianapolis. This was one of the best college basketball games I’ve ever seen (only behind the Villanova-UNC

Championship game in my opinion). There were 15 ties and 19 lead changes in this battle. UCLA and head coach Mick Cronin went from the First Four to the Final Four, which is only the second time that has happened in tournament history, and gave college basketball fans a much-needed instant classic in a tournament that lacked a key moment. This game was all that and more.

The final ten minutes of this one were phenomenal, and the game ended up going to two overtimes. It came down to the final few seconds of double overtime when Johnny Juzang of UCLA made a putback layup to tie, and Jalen Suggs hit a dagger buzzer beater three off the glass to win it for the Zags. Major onions from Suggs. It was one of the coolest college basketball moments I have ever seen.

Going into the final, the Zags were a 4.5 point favorite against the Baylor Bears, which I thought was pretty low, but I guess Vegas knows best! Baylor won this game 8670, and it was over from the tip-off. Gonzaga was dominated in this game from start to finish. Baylor got off to an 11-1 start as well as a 21-6 lead in the first half. This game was won down low for Baylor. They outrebounded the Zags 38-22 and 16-5 on the offensive glass. The Bears were so much more athletic and physical than the Bulldogs, who had no athletic bigs to matchup with Baylor.

It seemed like Baylor didn’t miss a shot in this game, but the Bulldogs actually shot better from the field than Baylor did (51% to 44.6%). It’s not that Gonzaga played poorly, it’s just that they were extremely outperformed in all aspects of the game.

Gonzaga’s star players did not play well.

Drew Timme had 12 points and was utterly bullied in the post as well as burned on defense. Corey Kispert was two of seven from three point land and Joel Ayayi had just eight points. They hadn’t scored 70 points or less since November 9, 2019,

BULLDOG BLUES: With a chance to become college basketball’s first undefeated national champion since 1976, Gonzaga came up short when it mattered most.

Sbnation

when they lost to Michigan and scored 64 points. That’s 55 games.

What I take away from this game and what is the common criticism of Gonzaga basketball is that they are not geared to face teams like the Baylor Bears. I hated this theory for the longest time, but after this recent championship loss, something needs to change in Spokane. Yes, they scheduled tough competition this season, playing Kansas, Iowa, West Virginia, Virginia and Auburn, but this title game proved that their non-conference schedule wasn’t enough.

They will not get over this hump until

they win a National Championship, and this year was the year to do that. Gonzaga — the team that could’ve been one of the best college basketball teams of all time — underperformed in the one game they needed to, and this will continue to haunt the program and Mark Few until they win a National Championship.

Contact Cam Cobey at ccobey@colgate.edu.

Jack Ferguson Returns for Colgate Men’s Basketball

By Hunter Firment Assistant Sports Editor

Coming off of a monster senior season for Colgate Men’s Basketball, in which he averaged over 12 points and just shy of five rebounds per game, Jack Ferguson is returning to Colgate for the 2021-22 season. He, along with every student athlete competing this Spring, has been granted an extra year of eligibility as part of COVID-19 protocols. The sharpshooter is coming off of a season in which he helped lead

the Raiders to a Patriot League Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Ferguson did so shooting a scorching 50.7% from three-point range, ranking fifth in the nation, on over four three-point attempts per game. His return will be massive for a Raiders team that is losing a Colgate legend and the Patriot League Player of the Year in senior point guard Jordan Burns.

“What motivates me [coming back to Colgate for one more season] is to get the feeling of winning a championship again.

FERG’S RETURN: With an extra year of eligibility given to spring athletes due to COVID-19, Jack Ferguson has decided to return to the Raiders for one more season.

Colgate Sports

There’s nothing like it. And I love to win,” Ferguson said.

The shooting guard is excited to rejoin a squad that will have a bunch of veteran pieces in pursuit of back-to-back Patriot League titles. The squad will be returning Ferguson, junior guard Nelly Cummings and junior forward Tucker Richardson, along with several other key players. They have firepower, and they’ll be hungry for another deep postseason run next season.

Of course, the squad will be losing their most important asset in Burns. “JB,” as he’s affectionately known around campus, leaves Hamilton as the program’s all-time assist leader with 171 dimes. Along with his smooth passing, Burns saved his best scoring and three-point shooting season for last, as he scored about 17 points per game and averaged a clip of over 42% from deep. Not to mention, he was a vocal leader for the Raiders, serving as one of the team’s captains for the 2020-21 season. There just isn’t a replacement for someone like that. However, while Ferguson admitted how difficult it would be to fill Burns’ void, he was also optimistic.

“Everyone will have to step up,” Ferguson said. “Losing the player of the year isn’t easy, but we have the talent and work ethic to make up for it.”

Ferguson sees the job as a team effort, and believes the guys going to battle with him next season have what it takes.

When asked about potential under-theradar players who may break-out next season,

Ferguson said that he “look[s] forward to seeing Malcolm Bailey. Hopefully he can get healthy because he could be a defensive player of the year at some point.” Bailey is a 6’10” sophomore forward from Stratford in Ontario, Canada. Ferguson hopes Bailey’s defensive presence can be a formidable weapon for the Raiders next year.

Now, you may be thinking, what else can someone in this senior class that has won so much for Colgate do next season?

“The ultimate goal is the same every year.

To win the patriot league championship and make it to March Madness. But we’ve done that twice now, so now I want to win a March Madness game,” he said.

We’ve seen our Raiders dominate the Patriot League and hear their names called on Selection Sunday, but we haven’t seen them get a victory on college basketball’s biggest stage. We’ve seen heroic performances, like the Burns 30-piece against Tennessee, or the squad’s monster firsthalf eruption against Arkansas, but we haven’t seen our guys ahead when the clock strikes zero.

Will all of that change next March?

Contact Hunter Firment at hfirment@colgate.edu.