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people on the great themes of freedom and Western civilization,” said political science professor Robert Kraynak, who directs the center. “The Constitution is a natural fit.” This year, the September 19 event focused on the legacy of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Known for his conservative politics and big personality, Scalia cuts a controversial figure. The debaters were Ralph A. Rossum, a professor at Claremont McKenna College, and Bruce Allen Murphy, a professor at Lafayette College. Both are constitutional law professors and authors of books on Scalia’s jurisprudence. Colgate political science professor Stanley Brubaker moderated the debate. In addition to the debaters sharing their opinions on Scalia’s legacy, the pair also disclosed details of their personal interactions with the late “Nino” Scalia.
“ It’s part of our mission to educate people on the great themes of freedom and Western civilization.” — Robert Kraynak, political science professor They agreed that the former justice was hugely influential in returning the constitutional theory of originalism to popularity within the Supreme Court. Rossum noted that in Scalia’s view, “Judges … are to be governed only by the text and tradition of the Constitution, not by their own intellectual, moral, or personal perceptions.” According to Rossum, Scalia ultimately followed his own advice, acting
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as an impartial voice on behalf of the Constitution, issuing rulings with sometimes liberal outcomes. Murphy, however, turned to an analysis of Scalia’s traditional Catholic upbringing, and criticized how this background led to his deeply partisan conservative judicial view. Kraynak found the topic timely, given Scalia’s 2016 death and the appointment of Scalia’s replacement, Neil Gorsuch. “We discussed not only Scalia’s theory of the constitutional interpretation of originalism,” Kraynak said, “but also his influence and legacy, which is clearly evident from the nomination and appointment of Gorsuch.” Students leaving the debate took with them a new knowledge of constitutional law — and also a free pocket copy of the Constitution.
scene: Autumn 2017
“Seeing two prominent legal scholars spar over the merits of competing approaches to jurisprudence was really fascinating to me,” Doug Whelan ’19 said, “and it definitely heightened my interest in the subject matter. The fact that the debate was centered around such a polarizing figure made it all the more engaging.” — Brianna Delaney ’19
Shirt Tales
The idea of meeting your maker can be intimidating. Less so when ice cream is involved. That’s why the chaplaincy’s “Meet Your Maker” welcome event took the form of an ice cream social. First-year students gathered in the Quad to meet members of Colgate’s religious groups, who sported a rainbow of chaplaincy T-shirts. Student ice cream scoopers donned T-shirts with their religious community’s name on the front and the chaplaincy logo on the back. Each group’s shirt was a different hue: Hindus sported deep purple, Protestants in red, Catholics wore neon green, Jews in blue, Muslims donned dark green, and secular skeptics appeared in fluorescent pink. The three chaplains designed the event with a metaphor in mind. “We want to model that we work together while still having our own distinctions,” said University Chaplain Rev. Corey MacPherson. “That’s why the shirts were the same design but different colors.” Pictured above (L to R): Leslie Subaldo ’18, MacPherson, and Emily Kahn ’19. — Brianna Delaney ’19
It’s hard to beat the beauty of autumn in central New York. Leaf peepers from the Hamilton community took a two-day fall foliage bus tour across eastern New York and Bennington, Vt. Along the way, they toured the Saratoga Auto Museum and the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. They also visited several famous covered bridges, including Salisbury Center (N.Y.) Covered Bridge; Eagle Mills Covered Bridge (Broadalbin, N.Y.); and Hyde Hall Covered Bridge (Cooperstown, N.Y). Other highlights included the Hyde Hall Mansion in Cooperstown and a 100-year-old water wheel in Broadalbin. Hungry brunchgoers packed the Good Nature Farm Brewery to watch Nancy Fuller, upstate New York native and host of Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules, prepare a mouthwatering meal with locally sourced ingredients on July 30. “You have a phenomenal town,” Fuller said to the crowd, cracking farm-fresh eggs into a sizzling pan. “You have the best farmer’s market in the little town square that I’ve ever been to.” Adding butter (churned at nearby Kriemhild Dairy Farms), chives, goat cheese, and mushrooms to the pan, Fuller quickly whipped up a batch of eggs fluffy and flavorful enough to satisfy any morning appetite. As she cooked, Fuller answered questions from the audience — sharing that she learned to cook from her grandmother and admitting that she usually doesn’t follow recipes exactly. The demonstration was followed by a meet-and-greet and book signing for Fuller’s cookbook Farmhouse Rules: Simple, Seasonal Meals for the Whole Family. Hamilton’s newest eatery, 8 Fresh, opened the doors to its 22 Utica Street storefront in late August to reveal vibrant green and orange walls and an even more colorful menu. The restaurant offers a fusion of Tex-Mex favorites, salads and wraps, and Middle Eastern sides, including tzatziki and tabouli. In addition to its quirky cuisineblending fare, 8 Fresh also sells local coffee and fresh-baked goods. — Erin Burnett ’19 and Brianna Delaney ’19