The Colgate Maroon-News The Oldest College Weekly in America
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Founded 1868
Volume CXLVI, Issue 5
September 26, 2013
The Maroon-News Statement on our Editorial Policy B-2 www.thecolgatemaroonnews.com
SGA Open Forum New Homecoming Weekend Discusses Updated Events Bring 900 Alums to Campus Relationship Statement By Hannah Fuchs
By Kendall Murtha
Maroon-News Staff
Maroon-News Staff
For Homecoming 2013, the Alumni Relations Office oversaw and managed the wide range of events as it partnered with a diverse group of offices and departments across campus. In previous years, Homecoming operated as a time for the gathering of alumni, parents and students, but it lacked the coordination and organization of this year’s events. The Office of Alumni Relations sought to capitalize on the opportunities of this weekend to make it more comprehensive, valuable, and enjoyable for all those involved. These included Africana, Latin American, Asian American and Native American (ALANA) Cultural Center, the Athletics Department, Campus Safety, the Center for Career Services, the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement, Colgate Activities Board, Colgate Annual Fund, Konosioni Honor Society, Maroon Council, Office of Special Events, Par-
said. “Starting last spring, the Office of Alumni Relations was able to take the lead on coordinating and bringing together many different departments with different interests, to make sure all events and activities were represented in the most effective way.” Continued on A-2
On Tuesday, September 17, the Student Government Association (SGA) hosted an open forum on the university’s new “Student Organization Relationship Statement.” Originally scheduled to be submitted for approval to the Board of Trustees this past June, the accelerated timeline was relaxed in light of feedback the first draft had received. “The original idea for the 1991 relationship statement was to address the way in which Greek organizations and student groups are both integrated and recognized by the university,” committee member senior Albert Raminfard said. “The whole point of this revision is to organize all student groups under the same set of expectations. It sets the terms of recognition, as well as outlines the rights, responsibilities and privileges of all extracurricular organizations.”
Another key feature of the relationship statement is the integration of the common set of values that complement the educational mission of the university. The “Living the Liberal Arts” initiative involved the reevaluation of current programs guided by six core principles: intellectual development; citizenship, leadership and service; diversity; personal growth and health and wellness; accountability; and lifelong connections. “These are the values we want student organizations to embody. We want to encourage our existing groups to complement the standards that define the educational mission of the University,” Brown said on Tuesday. Between March and May 2013, the committee responsible for drafting the original document had reached out to a multitude of student organizations for feedback on which elements of the statement could be improved. Continued on A-2
and consulting firm that provides market leaders with strategic consulting and training services. Ferrazzi has spent years building relationships and cultivating his personal network and is now sharing his knowledge of networking with current college students. In his talk, Ferrazzi expressed his love for “cracking the code of human behavior,” claiming that successful networking eventually boils down to who you connect with and how you develop that relationship. “There’s no reason why some people are inevitably more successful than others,” Ferrazzi said. “So here’s the million dollar question: Where’s your people plan?” Ferrazzi included many humorous personal anecdotes from his college days to relate to the students in the audience. He also described the beginnings of his own “people plan” by sharing his experiences at his first job during his teenage years. Ferrazzi first learned about the basics of strong networking, good communication skills, preparedness, and dedication through his job at a country club golf course.
“You show up and work half an hour early at the golf course. And that’s how you win in life,” Ferrazzi said. This work experience was also incredibly important to Ferrazzi because it was the first time he was able to relinquish his prejudice towards the wealthy and actually develop a personal relationship with one of his clients. In his speech, he urged students not to let prejudice hold them back from connecting with others. Throughout the address, Ferrazzi consistently stressed the reciprocity of relationships and how networking is not a one-way street. “You lead with generosity in building a relationship with someone ...People want to help you. But you need to want to help them.” “Mr. Ferrazzi’s lecture was intended to frame the concept of networking for students. Specifically, to depart from the negative connotation of networking being transactional and about “using people”, and to define it as developing a relationship over time with a person to empower you either personally or professionally,” Director of Operations and Strategic
Planning for Career Services Teresa Olsen said. Ferrazzi also suggested that his audience consider the environment people create around themselves and question if it is an environment that invites people in and is thus conducive to developing relationships with others. “I also appreciated the emphasis Keith put on recognizing that everyone involved in a relationship has both a responsibility to the other person, but also something to give and gain. I find that many students feel as though they are entering into these conversations with only something to gain, but they are often surprised that they can actually add a great deal to the dialogue,” Olsen said. Career Services and the Dean of the College offices are also organizing small discussion groups for students interested in Ferrazzi’s most recent book, “Who’s Got Your Back.” For more information about Keith Ferrazzi, visit keithferrazzi.com and check out his other book, “Never Eat Alone.” Contact Kerry Houston at khouston@colgate.edu
the young and the old: Saturday’s tailgate attracted a diverse group of Colgate community members.
Athena Feldshon
ents’ Fund, Presidents’ Club and Paul J. Schupf ’58. “We recognized how great a weekend Homecoming is, and we realized we needed to think more strategically about it,” Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Director of Alumni Relations Tim Mansfield
Author Keith Ferrazzi Discusses Networking as Homecoming’s Keynote Speaker
selling yourself: Ferrazzi used humor to get his message across to the audience in the Memorial Chapel on Thursday night.
sixonselling.com
By Kerry Houston Assistant Editor
Homecoming Weekend 2013 officially began last Thursday with a barbeque on the Academic Quad, followed by CEO of Greenlight Ferrazzi and bestselling author Keith Ferrazzi’s Keynote Address in the Colgate Memorial Chapel at 7:00 p.m. Ferrazzi’s talk “The Power of Building Relationships: Set Yourself up for Success” was presented by the
Presidents’ Club, the Robert A. Fox ’59 Leadership Institute, the Athletic Department, Colgate Women in Business, the Panhellenic Association, the Interfraternity Council and the Center for Career Services. As a graduate with an economics degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Ferrazzi worked as the Chief Marketing Officer at Starwood Hotels and at Deloitte Consulting before starting his own research institute
News
A-2
The Colgate Maroon-News
Car Vandalized in Drake Parking Lot By Julia Queller Maroon-News Staff
Early last Saturday morning at approximately 2:00 a.m., a group of men vandalized a car parked in the Drake Hall lot, smashing a rock into the car’s window and denting the rear door. The incident was reported to Campus Safety and has resulted in an ongoing investigation. Consequently, information regarding who reported the incident and the owner of the vehicle cannot be disclosed. Vice President and Dean of the College Suzy Nelson sent an e-mail the following Tuesday morning to students who live in residential dorms adjacent to the Drake parking lot. Within the e-mail, Nelson urged any students who were involved in the vandalism or who had information regarding the incident to come forward to Campus Safety, assuring students that all reports would be kept confidential. “One way to promote a caring
campus community is to speak out when this type of behavior occurs and not to be a silent bystander,” Nelson wrote. Nelson expressed hope that students with information would contact Campus Safety, a community leader (CL), faculty member or any member of the Dean of the College staff. “I believe that our students, when given the opportunity, will do the right thing and want to look out for each other. Students are often the first to take a stand against destructive and hurtful behavior,” Nelson said. “Being socially responsible and making ethical decisions is what a liberal arts education is all about.” In reference to intended disciplinary measures, Nelson said the outcome is not predetermined. “I can say that our conduct process is educational in nature, and we place a high value on honesty. In my view, a heartfelt apology and willingness to pay restitution for the damage will go a long way in righting this wrong,” Nelson said.
Nelson stressed that this type of behavior is not only unacceptable, but also not typical of Colgate students. “We have a wonderful, safe community, and smashing a rock into someone’s personal vehicle is completely inconsistent with who we are as members of the Colgate family,” Nelson said. Within the e-mail, Nelson said, “This type of vandalism erodes our sense of trust and safety, and that affects each one of us.” However, some students are not too disconcerted by the fact that a disorderly incident like this occurred on campus. “I still feel safe because I know not to put myself in 3 a.m. situations like that,” sophomore and Drake resident Quincy Pierce said. “But I feel like when you have a group of not entirely mature young adults in a small setting, you’re responsible, and regrettable things are bound to happen.” Contact Julia Queller at jqueller@colgate.edu.
Relationship Statement of Student Organizations Amended by Student Body Continued from A-1
These organizations include the SGA Executive Board, SGA Senate, Dean of the College Managers, Student Affairs Board, fraternity and sorority presidents and alumni and representatives of the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE). Two main alterations were then made to the original document. Under the first draft, the proposed Colgate University Recognition Board (CURB) was responsible for the recognition of student organizations and the allocation of funds to said groups. Under the revision, CURB has been renamed the Organization Advisory Committee (OAC), though the makeup of the body remains unchanged. Composed of one student and one faculty or staff member from each advising department, the structure of the OAC represented another point of contention last spring. Students voiced their concerns about the shift of power from student-controlled organizations, like the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Budget Allocation Committee (BAC). Perhaps in response to this, the second and more major change to the original document is the omission of any kind of funding stipulations in the Relationship Statement itself. “We want to establish this now and deal with funding later,” Raminfard said of the decision.
“We would like to get to a point where the OAC can look at funding,” Brown said. In the past, SGA and BAC have tried to allocate funds based on a historic perspective, with each department receiving a percentage of the allocated budget. “The BAC will remain intact,” junior and SGA Liasion Seth Martin said. “The advising departments want representation on the committee as well. It’s another avenue we’re considering in order to maintain equal representation in addressing the issue of budget allocation.” Feedback on this draft is largely positive. Many believe the Relationship Statement clarifies and strengthens the advising department structure and promotes collaboration between groups. The document also makes the process by which organizations are formally recognized by the University more consistent. Under this proposed document, there are five advising departments to oversee all student groups on campus: SGA/CLSI, the COVE, Greek Life, ALANA and Interfaith. “We’re aiming to provide organizations with more personalized advising,” Raminfard said. “This is an organic document, and the advisory departments listed here are not set in stone.” “The creation of these departments will allow the needs of these groups to be better fulfilled, their interests better addressed and
represented. For example, Mark Shiner and the Chaplain’s office already handle many of the Interfaith events. Therefore, they’re better suited to advise the groups, as SGA has a broader focus on the entire student body,” Martin said. “This isn’t something that will kick half the existing organizations off campus,” Martin said. “A couple dozen groups get new departmental advisors. Our goal is to improve the quality and consistency of our existing organizational structure. Groups will have to renew their recognition, but this is a well established practice.” “The effects won’t be seen right away,” Raminfard said. “Students will start to see the changes to their organizations in the winter and into the spring semester. It’s going to take some time.” Thus far, the Student Affairs Council (SAC), Student Activities Board (SAB), SGA Executive Board and the SGA Senate, the Greek Life Organization (GLO) leader and the Dean of the College have all reviewed the relationship statement. The next step in the process is the finalization of draft language and resolutions, to be completed on Wednesday, September 25. According to this new timeline, the Board of Trustees will review and approve the updated Relationship Statement on October 5. Contact Kendall Murtha kmurtha@colgate.edu
September 26, 2013
Expanded Homecoming Weekend Events Draw Alumni
September 26, 2013
COLGATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS SAFETY REPORT 12:17 a.m.: A resident of Curtis Hall was found in possession of marijuana. Case referred for disciplinary process. 12:25 p.m.: Received a report of harassment that occurred in January 2013 at an off-campus location. Case referred for disciplinary process. 10:59 p.m.: Residents of University Court Apartments were found to have covered a smoke detector. Case referred for disciplinary process.
Tuesday, 9/17
facebook.com
Continued from A-1
The Alumni Relations Office set a goal to recruit 500 alumni to campus, and to get these alumni to register for the event. Once registered, the alumni would get a football ticket, a tshirt and information on places to stay such as Raider Park, a campsite on Whitnall Field, or a block of rooms reserved at hotels near Turning Stone. The Alumni Office far exceeded its goal, with over 900 total alumni, parents and guests registered. The weekend kicked off Thursday night with a barbeque on the academic quad, a lecture by “New York Times”-bestselling author Keith Ferrazzi in the Memorial Chapel and Senior Night at the Palace Theater. Career Services integrated this weekend into its Real World Series for Seniors, taking advantage of the presence of alumni gathering on campus. On Friday, several offices, including the Center for Career Services and President’s Club, organized an Emerging Leaders Luncheon, bringing together students and alumni for a networking opportunity. Friday night launched an atmosphere of Raider spirit with a bonfire and pep rally with athletic teams, cheerleaders and Colgate Pep band, as well as a concert and fireworks on Whitnall Field. Among other morning events, students, alumni and faculty came together at 11 a.m. with a tailgate at Van Doren Field. Unlike other years, the Office of Alumni Relations organized the tailgate so that it was no longer a haphazard gathering of associations. Alumni Relations worked with twelve groups – Andy Brummer, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Theta Chi, Sigma Chi, AOC/ALANA, Maroon Council, Phi Delta Theta, Crease Club, President’s Club, Class of 2014, Hardwood Club and Women’s Lacrosse – to set up tents on the stretch of land between Van Doren Field and the Dunlap stands.
The office blocked off the location, notified the proper alumni about their respective tents and supplied tables and garbage cans. “We wanted to make it easy and functional for students, alumni and parents to be together while recognizing that this weekend is as much an important weekend for current students as it is for alumni,” Mansfield said. “With the tents in the same place, we hoped that it would operate as one large tent community.” After reflecting on the differences of this year’s Homecoming, alumnae Morgan Roth ’13 appreciated the new changes. “The set up of the tailgate was an improvement on the past two years,” Roth said. “I thought that the tailgate seemed more organized and centralized, allowing for alumni to see lots of different people...I also liked that the groups were simultaneously able to have their own space.” The town of Hamilton also took part in the weekend, with the Chocolate Train Festival in town. The weekend came to a close on Sunday with the “Shaping your Vision” program that allowed students of color to connect with alumni of color for professional development, sponsored by Career Services, Colgate Alumni of Color and the ALANA Cultural Center. This is an event that happens every year, but it was decided it would be more effective and useful to hold it during Homecoming Weekend like many of the other networking events. The greater coordination and effort for the weekend also necessitated the need for a larger budget. “We needed new ways to support the weekend, and each of the sponsoring departments had some financial stake in the Weekend,” Mansfield said. “Each department had to dig deeper for money to ensure its success.” Contact Hannah Fuchs at hfuchs@colgate.edu.
News A-3
THE BLOTTER Monday, 9/16
Homecoming: Colgate alumni returned to campus this weekend for the annual Homecoming tradition.
The Colgate Maroon-News
1:31 A.M.: Received a report of an underage intoxicated student on Utica Street who was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by Campus Safety. Case referred for disciplinary process. 6:21 a.m.: Campus Safety was assisted by the Hamilton Fire Department with a carbon monoxide alarm at 114 Broad Street (Phi Delta Theta Fraternity). 6:39 a.m.: A resident of 114 Broad Street (Phi Delta Theta Fraternity)
failed to evacuate for a fire alarm. Case referred for disciplinary process. 6:39 a.m.: A resident of 114 Broad Street (Phi Delta Theta Fratnerity) failed to evacuate for a fire alarm. Case referred for disciplinary process. 10:14 a.m.: Residents of the Townhouse Apartments were found to have covered a smoke detector. Case referred for disciplinary process. 10:19 a.m.: Campus Safety was assisted by the Hamilton Fire Department at 7 Oaks Clubhouse for a fire alarm. 11:00 a.m.: Received a report of pictures being taken and posted on a social network without prior authorization. 1:02 p.m.: Received a report of a motor vehicle property damage accident that occurred on Oak Drive. 11:42 p.m.: Received a report of an ill student at Case Library who was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by Campus Safety.
Wednesday, 9/18 5:34 p.m.: A visiting student was injured while playing Ultimate Fris-
“New York Times” Returning to Campus on September 30 By Selina Koller Executive Editor
Copies of the “New York Times,” usually available in the O’Connor Campus Center (COOP) and Frank Dining Hall, have been conspicuously absent this semester. However, negotiations with the “Times” have been in the works, and delivery will most likely arrive on Monday, September 30. Colgate participates in the New York Times Newspaper Readership Program, which offers bulk copies of the “Times” to college campuses at lower rates. As part of this agreement, Colgate receives a minimum of 200 paper copies during the week, in addition to access to the digital version for 100 members of the Colgate community. When not all copies of the “Times” are picked up, Colgate
is credited that amount of copies, although, according to Associate Dean of the College Sue Smith, the majority of provided copies are used each day. Another aspect of the Readership Program of which Colgate takes advantage is the opportunity for a Times writer to visit campus. “A few years ago, the writer went into classes and had dinner with students,” Smith said. “We want to continue to offer this opportunity to students.” The “Times” will be available in three locations on campus through the Readership Program. The COOP has two locations: one downstairs, by the package pickup window of the Mail Center, and one upstairs, by the elevator. Copies are also available by the entrance to Frank Dining Hall. Contact Selina Koller at skoller@colgate.edu.
Commentary Submissions are accepted at mncommentary@gmail.com
bee on Frisbee Field and was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by Campus Safety.
Thursday, 9/19 12:50 a.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol near West Hall observed an underage intoxicated student. The student successfully completed alcohol assessment and released. Case referred for disciplinary process. 4:41 a.m.: A resident of 100 Hamilton Street was found to have covered a smoke detector. Case referred for disciplinary process. 12:23 p.m.: Received a report a staff member had been injured while playing basketball at Huntington Gym and was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by SOMAC ambulance. 1:25 p.m.: A student reported her headphones taken from Frank Dining Hall between 9/17/13 and 9/18/13. 4:32 p.m.: A staff member reported a harassment complaint. 9:35 p.m.: Received a report of a
bag that was found at Frank Dining Hall containing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Friday, 9/20 12:11 a.m.: Received a report of an underage intoxicated student near Frank Dining Hall who was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by SOMAC ambulance. Case referred for disciplinary process. 12:25 a.m.: Hamilton Police reported an underage intoxicated student on Broad Street who was transported to Community Memorial Hospital by SOMAC ambulance. Case referred for disciplinary process. 12:40 p.m.: Received a report of graffiti at Newell Apartments.
Saturday, 9/12 1:04 a.m.: Campus Safety was assisted by the Hamilton Fire Department with a carbon monoxide alarm at 114 Broad Street.
2:37 a.m.: Received a report of vandalism at West Hall. 3:07 a.m.: Campus Safety was assisted by the Hamilton Fire Department with a carbon monoxide alarm at 114 Broad Street. 4:13 a.m.: Campus Safety on routine patrol observed an underage intoxicated student on Utica Street who successfully completed alcohol assessment and released. Case referred for disciplinary process. 8:30 p.m.: Received a harassment report between residents of University Court Apartments. Case referred for disciplinary process.
Sunday, 9/22 12:58 a.m.: Hamilton Police reported an underage intoxicated student on East Broad Street. Student successfully completed the alcohol assessment and released. Case referred for future disciplinary process.
Commentary
B-1
September 26, 2013
The Colgate Maroon-News Volume CXLVI, Issue v • September 26, 2013
Nate Lynch • Jordan Plaut Editors-in-Chief Selina Koller
Executive Editor
Stephanie Jenks • Emily Kress • Cambria Litsey Managing Editors
Emma Barge • Laura D’Angelo • Shannon Gupta • Emma Whiting Copy Editors
Jennifer Rivera • Simone Schenkel Senior Photography Editors
Sara Steinfeld
Business Manager
Cody Semrau
Investigative Editor
Jacqueline Ansell • Alice Matlock • Ryan Orkisz Online Editors
Amanda Golden • Caroline Main News Editors
Lauren Casella • Matthew Knowles Commentary Editors
Annie Schein • Alanna Weissman Arts & Features Editors
Spencer Serling • Andrew Vojt Sports Editors
Jessica Benmen • Jared Goldsmith • Kerry Houston • Julia Queller • Alan Pleat Eric Reimund • Leah Robinson • William Whetzel Assistant Editors
Corrections:
The header for “Economic Sense” should have read: “Amazon’s War Against Local Businesses”
The Colgate Maroon-News Student Union Colgate University 13 Oak Drive Hamilton, New York 13346
Let the Humanities Live On By Laura D’Angelo Copy Editor
I am in the seven percent. Don’t worry – I’m not trying to kick start a second wave of the Occupy movement. Rather, I’m in the seven percent of students nationwide who will graduate next spring with a bachelor’s degree in the humanities. There has never been a time when the value of a major in the humanities has been so hotly contested. And, with the national unemployment rate now at roughly seven percent, many anti-humanities syndicates might argue that I’ll never escape this number. Now, just to throw you another curveball, I’m not even an English or Art History major. I’m a Classics major. So maybe that puts me in the .4 percent or some other ridiculously small, almost obscure number. Some might ask at this point: do you have any hopes of having a career one day, i.e. one that doesn’t involve reciting lines of Plato or Propertius? Unfortunately, although Latin, Greek, or both, were once requirements in higher education, they have now become classified as “dead” languages that serve no purpose beyond academia. However, one need only look to medicine, law, international relations, economics or even Colgate’s motto to see the relevance of these ancient languages and the extent to which they still permeate our society today. All physicians still take the Hippocratic Oath, written in Greek by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine; the legal world is abounding with Latin and Greek terms, such as subpoena and pro bono; many current international relations policies can be traced back to the Greek Thucydides, the original political scientist; and no economics lecture would be complete without the mention of per capita. Of course, Colgate’s motto, deo ac veritati (for god and truth), is no exception. So, with all these modern-day connections to the ancient world, why is Classics – and humanities in general – seen as irrelevant? If anything, I think the humanities should be considered more relevant now than ever. Although there has been much greater emphasis on STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) – which are undoubtedly extremely important – nothing can take the place of sound writing, analytical and interpersonal skills. This is not to say that people who study more technical disciplines are lacking these skills; rather, I think that any student can benefit from taking humanities classes in which critical thinking is encouraged through the Socratic method of inquiry and discussion. And, trust me, decoding a Latin sentence can be just as gratifying as solving a math problem and teaches you all the overlooked, yet incredibly important, rules of English grammar at the same time. So, biggest question of the day – will these analytical and verbal and written communication skills pay off in the end? Although humanities degrees are generally viewed as unmarketable, the current rate of unemployment for Latin majors is 7.9 percent, whereas the rate for computer science majors is 7.8 percent. Economics? 9.4 percent. Drama and theater arts? 7.8 percent. There is clearly no set major or path to follow for securing a job. Instead, I’ve come to realize that it’s more important to do well by studying something you thoroughly enjoy and developing in-demand skills that can be relevant for any position. Dead or not, Classics has shown me how a major can transform your college experience. Let the humanities live on. Contact Laura D’Angelo at ldangelo@colgate.edu.
phone: (315) 228-7744 • fax: (315) 228-7028 • maroonnews@colgate.edu www.thecolgatemaroonnews.com The opinions expressed in the Maroon-News are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent the views of the 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. Selfpromotion 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 Thursday publication. Advertising Information: The Colgate Maroon-News welcomes paid advertisements. The deadline for copy is Monday at 5 p.m. for Thursday 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.
Breaks in the library cafe, Coop lunches, walking on the quad.... Wherever you find yourself during the day you probably overhear something, laugh to yourself and repeat it to your friends... Share it with us too! We are accepting submissions for the return of our popular and hilarious “Overheard at ’Gate” column. Send your submission to mncommentary@gmail.com
The Colgate Maroon-News
September 26, 2013
Commentary B-2
A Message from the A Response to Editors-in-Chief “On Catfighting” Nathan Lynch and Jordan Plaut
By Rosalind Kumar
Editors-in-Chief
Class of 2014
Over the past few days, we at the Maroon-News have been humbled by the overwhelming response from our readers. To be clear: the article “On Catfighting” should not have been published. In our editorial process, we believe it is our duty to publish opinions regardless of whether we agree or disagree with them. However, it is clear that our greater responsibility is to the truth, and when an article makes unsubstantiated claims that denigrate specific groups, it does not belong in our newspaper. The Maroon-News regrets publication of this opinion piece and apologizes to those in our campus community who were offended. We are taking a number of steps to ensure that something like this does not happen again, and we hope this reflects our responsiveness to our readers’ concerns. Specifically, we are changing our submission policy to solidify our responsibility in deciding which submission pieces deserve to be included in our newspaper. Although it was an unofficial part of our process, we are adding specific language that ensures claims expressed in the “Commentary” section are backed up with identifiable and reasonable sources of evidence. This phrase has been highlighted on B-1. We believe this specific tenant of our submission policy will guide our editorial process and make us much more cautious and mindful of our content. On a separate note, this article raised concerns about plagiarism in the pages of the Maroon-News. The Maroon-News has a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism, and while the editorial staff will be first to express faith in our writers and the belief that this was an isolated incident, we take this policy very seriously. Moving forward, we will be much more vigilant in our editorial process, and have implemented a number of internal changes to ensure our writers are representing themselves, our staff and the newspaper honorably. We look forward to continuing to produce a combination of high-quality news and commentary to students, faculty, staff, residents of Hamilton and members of the greater Colgate community.
Last week, an article was published in the Maroon-News which put forward the notion that women of lower classes and/or born of immigrants are more likely to use marriage, instead of education, as a tool for upward mobility, which then, supposedly, translates into increased “cattiness” on their part. Cattiness, according to the article, is defined to be competitiveness rooted in a woman’s insecurities, in regards to her looks and romantic status. The assertion was made to serve as a contrast to the women from middle/upper classes, whose parents support their academic prowess and, so, are then apparently less catty. Let me start off by saying that all of that is absolutely preposterous and simply wrong. First of all, to correlate class structure and a negative attribute, such as cattiness, segregates women by considering women of upper classes to be superior to women of lower classes. Second, I think it is safe to say that a woman’s cattiness has absolutely no connection with her class status; an upper class woman and a lower class woman have an equal chance of being catty, regardless of their background. Every person is different and to make such an extreme generalization, without any evidence of such a link, is ridiculous. Instead of attempting to figure out which women are catty and which women are not, women should, instead, come together and attempt to mitigate this sense of competitiveness. Because of the ever-present struggle that hinders women to this day, we should be unified, not pitted against each other. What aggravated me the most from the statement, however, was the conclusion that women born to immigrants, influenced by their home-cultures, seek marriage instead of education or a career as a way to gain status. I, myself, am the daughter of two Indian-born immigrants and have not once felt that marriage is required for self-satisfaction or that my own accomplishments would not be enough for me to be considered successful. My father came to this country with, literally, a twenty dollar bill in his pocket after being recruited for an IT job, while my mother followed suit a few years later to pursue a job at a hospital in New Jersey. My parents, like many immigrants, came to the United States in hopes of pursuing the “American Dream.” They wanted to achieve success through perseverance and they recognized that America has better tools and opportunities to do so. Although my parents come from what the author might call a “traditionalist culture,” they were certainly not married for the sake of upward mobility. Although my parents’ marriage was arranged, what some people fail to understand is that, in a society like India, it is nearly impossible for people of two different classes to get married; a “traditionalist culture,” like India, is actually more prone to reject social mobility through marriage. It does not matter in my case, though, because my parents have never even considered the option of arranged marriage for their children. In fact, my parents have continuously stressed that school is the most important factor for success and have, therefore, only expected the best academically from my sister, who now studies economics and political science at Johns Hopkins University, and me alike. This has not only been my experience, but that of many students with immigrant parents. Because realistically, why would an immigrant tell their child to “marry up” when they themselves left everything that they knew in order to give their children the opportunity to live a better life? If you don’t believe me, there is plenty of research that supports the notion that children of immigrants are generally supported by their parents to pursue an education. According to a study from the U.S. Department of Education, conducted in 2010, half of the student body in higher education is comprised of first-generation students whose parents have not received a four-year degree. Also, an article entitled “A Profile of First-Generation College Students at Four-Year Institutions Since 1971” states that “despite the assertion that first-generation students are at a disadvantage due to their parents’ lack of knowledge about formal educational systems and higher education, our…trends show that both first-generation and non-first-generation students placed similar importance on parental encouragement for college.” In fact, the article also points out that from 1991 onward, more first-generation students attributed their desire to go to college on the encouragement of their parents than non-first-generation students. So, not only are there a significant number of firstgeneration students, but those students mainly attribute their successes to their immigrant parents. These students, despite drawbacks such as class and parents who are unfamiliar about the American education system, actually excel academically in this country. Also, in regards to specifically females in an education setting, according to “Those Invisible Barriers are Real: The Progression of First-Generation Students through Doctoral Education,” not only do first-generation students make up almost half of the student body, but they are also predominantly women and “individuals of color.” It is evident that these students come from families who, instead of urging marriage, are enforcing education and professional careers. This certainly is not a trend, as some seem to believe, just for the middle- and upper-class. It was disturbing to see that someone could believe these ideas ring true about women of lower-classes and different cultures. The only thing that redeemed my faith was the quick response of those in protest to those sentiments. However, to the people who still cannot see what I am saying, I recommend that you look around campus and try to find some of these women and meet them. It won’t be hard because they are literally everywhere: out on the quad, at the Coop, at the gym, at various club meetings and even in your 300-level economics class. Regardless of their personal story, I can guarantee that they will be brilliant, witty, determined and hard working. They will also exude confidence, strength and independence. In no way are these women inferior to the other women you find on this campus. These women, too, are worth getting to know and I promise you, you won’t regret it. Contat Cynthia Kumar at rkumar@colgate.edu.
The Colgate Maroon-News
B-3 Commentary
What’s Left
September 26, 2013
Being Right
By Elton steinberg
By kate chenney
Maroon-News Staff
Maroon-News Staff
Victims of Violent Culture
Why Gun Control Arguments Fall Flat
Latest Shooting Sparks Debate on Gun Control As other employees went home to enjoy their weekends, Aaron Alexis plotted a massacre. On Saturday, Alexis set his eyes on a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun and bought it for just over $540. That evening, he returned to a Residence Inn where he truncated the stock and barrel of his new purchase. On Monday, Alexis drove a rental car to the Washington Navy Yard, entered the Naval Sea Systems Command and proceeded to massacre twelve unarmed civilian contractors on the third and fourth floors of the premises. This tragedy ensued while the mass shootings in Newton, Aurora and Tucson remained in the recent memory of Americans who continued to question how irresponsible or mentally disturbed individuals such as Alexis are still allowed to go on mass shooting-sprees and how policymakers refuse to act meaningfully. Responsibility was and will continue to be the central issue. September 16, 2013 will elicit a different response depending on who is asked to comment. Gun rights advocates might begin anticipating attacks on their sacred right to bear arms, while gun control advocates might raise their fingers with the intention of saying “I told you so.” There will likely be a debate for a few weeks about who and who is not responsible enough to conceal a handgun or keep an assault rifle for hunting and protection against an inflated government. The question of who is sufficiently responsible to own firearms remains the main concern, but no one will take responsibility to make an essential difference. I propose that responsibility essentially be viewed differently. Rather than attempting to define which citizens are honest and which ones are not, or which citizens fall on a certain end of a spectrum, it might be more appropriate to understand that individuals generally do not make entirely independent decisions no matter how mentally stable they are. As much as individuals would like to believe that they are entirely responsible for their own actions, they are capable of being instigated to act by external factors of which they can be entirely unaware. In a culture in which violent media is abundant and violence itself is venerated, it might be helpful to consider the culture’s implicit effects on its citizens behavior. While each individual act should be attributed to the iniquity of a particular individual, the notion that every individual can and should be entirely responsible for his or her own actions is questionable. In a culture that predisposes many to act violently, it does not make sense that guns abound and public mental facilities remain so few. Even the libertarian argument that individuals should be capable of living the lifestyle of their choice as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others weakens when individual responsibility itself remains suspect. The debate then becomes not about who is honest, dishonest, or any other of the buzzwords pundits use and students regurgitate. Rather, it becomes centered on why we allow the proliferation of firearms to continue when we cannot affirm or even assume the responsibility of citizens not to use firearms against one another. In this context, the proposal that shootings would be less frequent if every ‘responsible American’ owned a firearm is laughable.
September 16 was the scene of an all too familiar tragedy. Aaron Alexis, 34, rampaged through the Washington Navy Yard, killing twelve innocent people. However, gun control advocates, beware! This incident does not support your call for stronger restrictions on firearms. The Navy Yard shooting is a matter of responsibility, not control. Gun control arguments fall flat on three accounts regarding this incident. First, gun-free zones are not safe. This particular shooting took place inside a secured perimeter of a U.S. Navy facility, one of the most gun-controlled environments conceivable. In theory, this was the ideal gun-controlled setting. It should be impossible to bring a gun past the checkpoint. What a remarkable coincidence that Alexis found a way around the security and was able to bring terror upon innocent people. This gun-free zone deprived honest citizens of their rights to defend themselves and left deadly weapons in the hands of a criminal. Even military personnel, who are trained in weaponry, could not defend themselves because of the gun-free zone regulation. Alexis carried a firearm into a gun free zone where no one could fight back. This is not a solution to gun crimes. Second, assault weapons are not the only issue. Alexis killed 12 people with a handgun and shotgun, not a semi-automatic AR-15. Advocates for control focus much of their attention on banning the latter type of firearm. This argument is moot in this situation. Senator Feinstein’s Assault Weapons Ban, which calls for a stop in sale, transfer and importation of assault weapons, does not apply to this case. This case demonstrates that murderers and psychopaths will use any weapon available to carry out an attack whether it is a knife, shotgun or semi-automatic. Gun control is seeking the wrong bans. Third, there is too low a bar to clear. Alexis had been arrested in Seattle, Atlanta and Fort Worth and had been honorably discharged from the Navy on accounts of insubordination and disorderly conduct. Yet, Alexis passed a background check and was able to buy a gun. In order to significantly reduce the gun violence that occurs across the United States it is imperative that there are stronger standards for legal gun ownership. It is a matter of limiting gun access to individuals who have a history of violence or mental instability. Currently, individuals who have numerous misdemeanors, including violence and firearm misuse, can legally arm themselves until their heart’s content. It is not certain that a stricter background check may have prevented this specific rampage. However, a higher universal standard would reduce the number of shootings that occur across the nation that do not receive the same national media attention. Above are several responsible steps that can be taken to reduce gun violence without implementing gun control. Additional suggestions include focusing on mental health, stressing education and safety programs, limiting gun-free zones, stopping the glorification of violence and improving existing laws. In short, gun control trades liberty for factually challenged security.
Contact Elton Steinberg at esteinberg@colgate.edu.
Contact Kate Chenney at kchenney@colgate.edu.
Minus The City
A Night Out at Colgate, in Acronyms By Paige Schlesinger Class of 2014
“Pour up, drank, head shot, drank Sit down, drank, stand up, drank Pass out, drank, wake up, drank Faded, drank, faded, drank.” - Kendrick Lamar
Much like Kendrick Lamar, we tend to follow specific routines. Even if you’re not “dranking” to such an extent, you do what you do and you do it consistently. As a wise man once said, “same shit, different day.” I’m sure many students at this school can agree that, although they may sometimes grow to be repetitive and constricting, following a routine makes life much, much easier. I personally feel infinitely more stable and at ease when my life is dictated by a routine, even over this past summer when that routine was limited to waking up, gorging myself on sugary cereal, watching Dateline, deciding I was way too busy to exercise and going to sleep again. However, sometimes routines develop without us even knowing. And, here at Colgate, this tends to happen most frequently with regard to nightlife. Below, I have highlighted what I consider the Top 3 stages of a typical night out for the average Colgate student. For the sake of simplicity (and because I just really wanted to), I have assigned each stage an appropriate acronym. Enjoy! Stage #1: FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) So, it’s a standard Wednesday evening. You’ve already completed the majority of your daytime routine (going to class, people-watching in the library, getting food from
The Eatery because you’re too lazy to cook, etc., etc.), so now it’s time to buckle down and get started on that paper you’ve been putting off! But… wait a minute… what’s this? All of your friends are going out tonight? You say: But, guys, I thought this was going to be a fun “everyone-stay-in-and-do-homework-together-very-happy-good-time-extravanganza?!” But they reassure you that had never been the plan, nerd, and they start drinking. This naturally causes a crisis of conscience: the battle of right and wrong, good and evil, potentially fun and undeniably boring. You know you shouldn’t go out, you’ve been putting off writing this dumb essay for weeks now, and it’s due in two days! But then again, you could always just start it tomorrow before your 1:20 class. I mean, this is the only 4th Wednesday of September of senior year of college that you will ever have! What if you end up staying in but then something really awesome happens and you miss it? You can’t take stuff like that for granted! And, thus, you strip off your sweatpants, grab the nearest shot glass, and prepare yourself for the night ahead. Stage #2: DFMO (Dance Floor Make-Out) As the drinks continue to flow and the hours of the clock slink by into single-digits, you begin to realize, “Oh, crap. It’s way later than I wanted to stay out and I’m really, really, like unfairly hammered.” But, at this point, you’re already drunk, you’re already out, you might as well stay out. Even if you don’t start that paper until after your 1:20, that’s still plenty of time! I mean, how hard can it be?
So you and your crew mosey on down to the bars. This is when things really start to heat up. Between the crowds of people, the music, the smoke machine and the dancing, you can hardly even see straight, let alone be able to tell where your body ends and the stranger to your right’s begins. Until, almost without realizing what’s happening, that stranger has their tongue down your throat and you have your hands in their hair. You know it’s a bad idea; you don’t know their name, you don’t even know if he or she goes here! But now, everything is brown and fuzzy, so you just keep on at it until everything turns quiet and black. Stage #3: CBF (Chronic Blob Form) You are awoken by the sunlight shining into your bedroom window. You’re not positive how or when you made it there, but you’re relieved that you are. You reach for your phone to check the time, only to realize that it’s definitely not plugged into its charger like it should be. So, you make an effort to get out of bed to check your computer clock only to crumple to the ground and have to literally drag yourself across the room to see, well, would you look at that: you missed your 1:20. What a shame. So, you gingerly hoist yourself back into bed, slam the pillow down over your head, and reestablish the blobby fetal position you have grown to know and love. At least no one will be going out again tonight. You can nurse yourself back to human form, get going on that paper, and fall into a deep slumber by 11:30 p.m. max. Unless… Contact Paige Schlesinger at pschlesinger@colgate.edu.
The Colgate Maroon-News
September 26, 2013
Commentary B-4
Hamilton Legal
Sequestration Consternation By Sara Sirota Maroon-News Staff
Imagine you’re a member of the jury for a big profile case, a case in which the defendant is not some meager, low-life crook but a powerful, threatening gang leader of a Brooklyn drug empire. It is not uncommon that during such trials, a judge would eagerly accept a prosecutor’s request to sequester the jury, or put them under close, 24-hour supervision for protection purposes. This was not the case for the jury of the trial involving Laron Spicer, the alleged leader of the Nine Trey Gangsters, a chapter of the Bloods gang who ran a drug empire across four Brooklyn apartment buildings. He, along with three members of the gang, is charged with the 2008 murder of a rival drug dealer as well as other gang-related crimes. Mr. Spicer has not been shy with the tampering of court personnel in the past when he was previously convicted in the Brooklyn State Supreme Court of threatening to kill a witness police officer. When the officer asked Mr. Spicer, “Are you going to kill me?” Spicer answered, “I’ll have someone else do it for me.” Considering this encounter, I would certainly be concerned if I were a member of the jury. Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr.’s decision on Wednesday, September 18 certainly came as a shock to many people. Perhaps what is more shocking is his completely inadequate excuse. He blames the 2013 budget sequestration for why he denied the prosecutors’ request to sequester the jury in Spicer’s most recent case. In his decision, Johnson explains that the Judiciary receives seven billion dollars annually, which represents less than 0.02 percent of the total federal budget. His reasoning is that, because the Judiciary’s funding has been cut so much, they cannot afford to grant jury se-
questration due to financial concerns. While I agree with Johnson that the judiciary’s budget is painfully low, the present case fits the exact criteria in which jury sequestration would be necessary and should thus be considered a priority before other, more trivial judicial operations. Johnson details the four factors that determine whether a jury needs protection: “(1) whether there is ‘a demonstrable history or likelihood of obstruction of justice on the part of the defendant or others acting on his behalf,’… (2) ‘the seriousness of the crime,’… (3) the likelihood of pre-trial publicity… and (4) whether the defendant has access to means of harming the jury.” He is willing to admit that the trial against Mr. Spicer matches these four factors and goes as far to say, “The Court concludes that the government has sufficiently met its burden in establishing that the jury in this case needs protection.” Then why would Johnson not elevate this matter to a position that warrants the use of the admittedly low budget? Perhaps he has other, political motives. In his discussion, instead of focusing on the present case, he brings to light the August 13 letter that the Chief Judges of 87 federal district courts wrote to Vice President Joe Biden “to inform him of the devastating impact the sequestration cuts are having on the Judiciary.” Along with the pathos of the, “unrelenting, unforgiving pain” that the Judiciary feels for be-ing “a co-equal branch of the government” – as it receives less than 0.02 percent – of the total federal budget, the letter clearly reveals his bitterness and intent to use the present case as a political pawn to show Congress that it should raise the Judiciary budget. Exploiting this case for political gains at the expense of the protection of the jury members is completely unethical. Still, I do hope Congress notices Johnson’s decision.
#ColgateProblems Where There’s Smoke... By Shannon Gupta Copy Editor
There are three things at Colgate that can remove themselves: Persson steps, the Jug line and fire alarms. While the first two irritants are pretty much here to stay, especially if a zip line to the Jug is installed (haven’t you heard the rumor?), fire alarms need to stop. Yes, I understand that they are crucial for our safety. But after that throbbing sound went off three times in Parker last week, the first one at eight in the morning, I am losing my mind. Thus, I call on you, Colgate students, to stop this madness. No one needs to see my roommates and I barefoot and groggy in our bathrobes, looking like Yzma from “The Emperor’s New Groove.” How can one avoid setting off the alarm? I’m so glad you asked. In order to quit firing things up, we must first figure out what's causing the smoke to begin with. It seems to boil down to one hilarious culprit: cooking. If you are one of those aspiring Martha Stewarts out there who decided college was a great place to try your hand at the ’ole stove and oven, I’ve got some suggestions. First, commit to the kitchen. Cooking is all about attentiveness. In other words, if you’re making mac and cheese, don’t put a pot of water on the stove and take a nap. Stare at that water until it boils. More importantly, watch the pasta like a hawk. I have heard many a tale of evaporated water and charcoaled pasta. Don’t be that person. Not only will your roommates hate you, but I will find you. Second, study those directions. This is especially true with microwavable recipes. I'll admit, just guessing how long to cook something is tempting. I've exploded an abnormal number of instant oatmeal bowls in my day. So if you’ve been inspired by Pinterest to make microwavable “mug brownies,” always double check that you’ve read the directions correctly. There’s nothing quite like being responsible for a 2 a.m. fire drill just because you had the late-night munchies. Third, befriend the oven fan. There is a reason that this thing exists. Recipes that call for high oven temperatures are tricky and things can escalate quickly. To avoid hosting a bonfire in your kitchen, just turn it on! It seems like common sense, but if it were, I would have slept for half an hour more last week. Four, do not microwave pierogies. You know, those floured potato dumplings that Grandma used to make. Not only are these things the most temperamental foods to reheat but unless they're being served by a slimy, sketchy food truck, they're not worth your taste buds. The same goes for Hot Pockets, which you shouldn't be eating. Period. And finally, cool that pan before you wash it. As we all know from middle school science, intense heat plus intense cold equals steam. Allowing a pan to cool down before washing it eliminates the risk of destroying your apartment. While I understand that no one wants to be that roommate who leaves the pots and pans on the stove, just do it and clean up later. You’ll save everyone a world of trouble. That’s all I’ve got for this week. Until next time, you stay sassy, Colgate. Contact Shannon Gupta at sgupta@colgate.edu.
While I believe his excuse for denying jury sequestration is wrong in this particular case, I do understand his frustration at the severe budget cuts made earlier this year. The Judiciary undoubtedly should receive more than .02 percent of the federal budget. Protecting citizens at home and ensuring justice is served must remain a high priority on our political agenda. Contact Sara Sirota at ssirota@colgate.edu.
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Arts & Features
C-1
September 26, 2013
Photo provided by Joe Spina
The Colgate Maroon-News
In The Light Joe Spina
By Katie Curtis Maroon-News Staff
Raised not too far from campus, senior Joseph Spina, from Deerfield, N.Y., has always had Colgate on his mind. “Growing up less than an hour from campus, Colgate was always kind of in the back of my mind. The beauty of campus, amazing facilities and access to research were all huge factors, but what won me over was the infectious love that every community member has for this place,” Spina said. A double concentrator in molecular biology and Spanish, Spina still finds ample time to involve himself in activities outside of the classroom. He is a member of Spanish Club, Lambda and Running Club, was previously an intern and tour guide in the Office of Admission and is now a Senior Fellow in the Office. Earlier in his time at Colgate, Spina was a Residential Assistant in the first-year area and he joined Pet Pals through the Max Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE). Digging himself even deeper into the opportunities at Colgate, Spina studied abroad in Madrid in the Colgate study group in Fall 2012. Reflecting on his time overseas, Spina believes it to be one of the best experiences of his Colgate career. He had the opportunity to study in a foreign setting while making what are now some of his closest friends. “Never having been to Europe before, the program was eye-opening and made me much more intellectually curious about other cultures. My host mother, though definitely eccentric, certainly gave me a personal spin on all of the history and politics we were learning in class,” Spina said. Spina is also involved in the biology department. Here, he conducts independent studies on things such as bacterial evolution. He and two of his senior classmates, Mallory Rowley and Laura Arboleda, presented a study at a Harvard conference and have recently submitted it for publication to the journal “BMC Evolutionary Biology.” Spina was very involved even in high school, but claims to have definitely stepped up his game at the university level. He spends most of his time in the Office of Admission, but has gained great insight into the philosophy of giving back through his encounters with the prospective students. Being an advocate of the university makes his job much easier. “Apart from Admissions, I think it was just my determination to not leave any stone unturned when it came to discovering all the opportunities Colgate provides, whether that’s community service, opportunities to study off campus, getting involved with a professor’s research projects and just joining clubs with other students who have similar interests as myself,” Spina said.
To nominate a senior for In The Light e-mail af.maroonnews@gmail.com.
Living Writers Series Features Gary Shteyngart By Leah Robinson Assistant Editor
Persson Auditorium was shrouded in 100 bright copies of Gary Shteyngart’s latest novel “Super Sad True Love Story” last Thursday, September 19. Alongside the bright polka-dotted hardback book covers sat students, teachers and members of the Hamilton community contentedly snacking on a decadent display of shrimp cocktails and mango tarts. Associate Professor of English Jennifer Brice, who described Shteyngart as witty and exhilarating in her introduction, reminded the audience that Living Writers Online is enabling alumni and Hamilton participants to tune in to live webcasts and join in the active literary discussion. Brice and Thomas A. Bartlett Chair and Professor of English Jane Pinchin are running the Living Writers course this fall, marking the program’s 30th year in existence. While George Saunders’s highly anticipated visit to Colgate earlier this month would be a hard act for any author to follow, Shteyngart’s effortless humor and poise earned him an appreciative and excited audience. His semicorny jokes about the Hamilton bar scene and compliments of the Colgate campus helped bridge a connection between author and student. Shteyngart’s humor and literary talent have been appreciated by a national and international audience, as evidenced by the author’s host of awards. Shteyngart has won the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction, the Book-ofthe-Month Club First Fiction Award and the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. His earlier novel, “The Russian Debutante’s Handbook,” was named a “New York Times” Notable Book and heralded as one of the best debuts of the year by “The Guardian.” Shteyngart has been named one of the five best new writers by “Shout NY” magazine and his novels have been distinguished for various awards by “The New York Times” Book Review, “Time” magazine, the “Washington Post,” the “Chicago Tribune” and the “San Francisco Chronicle,” among others. The author was also named one of the “New Yorker” magazine’s “20 under 40” luminary fiction writers. Shteyngart began the Living Writers event by reading aloud from a chapter in his third novel, “Super Sad True Love Story,” which won the 2011 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic literature. A piece of speculative fiction set in a dystopian future, the novel has many parallels to present-day America. A National Security Agency-like entity monitors each citizen and the chasm between rich and poor is growing. The United States is falling apart as doctors scramble to find a cure for death and illiteracy is rampant. Like in all his past novels, Shteyngart’s main character, Lenny, shares many similarities with the author himself, including a Russian heritage and an understanding of Jewish and New York cultural norms. Steyngart’s vivid descriptions of antiquated Russian customs, the academic pressure of prestigious New York City public schools and futuristic novelties like the “äppärät” are all weaved together to create a novel that blurs the lines between past, present and future.
With the whole audience laughing, Shteyngart read aloud the descriptions of Lenny’s mother greeting him and his girlfriend, Eunice, in her white bra and panties and running to drape a garbage bag over her sofa before the couple sat down. Shteyngart’s reading consumed his listeners, pulling them into his created world through his perfected Russian and Californian accents and vivid hand motions. Shteyngart’s honest portrayals of his own upbringing in an immigrant household shone through in Lenny’s fictional experience, immediately connecting the author to his audience. Pointing to Lenny’s monetary concerns as that which “scared and connected” him and his father and describing the ruminating smells of Baltic Sea canned fish that filled the parents’ dining room, Shteyngart brings his own, honest self into his pages. Such descriptions remind the audience that the complexities and brilliant flaws found in romantic love and familial tradition will characterize the human condition well into the future. Shteyngart commented on his many unique stylistic choices during a Q&A led by Pinchin and Brice. The author spoke to many of his larger beliefs concerning the future of literature. Explaining the way in which Lenny and his girlfriend are products of an age that no longer respects language or literary introspection, Shteyngart implies that present-day Americans similarly lack interest in such matters. The author’s infamous YouTube trailer created for his most recent novel points to Americans’ disinterest in reading by joking that even acclaimed authors like himself are no longer literate. In doing so, Shteyngart points to a larger message concerning the futuristic life Americans currently lead. “Historical and sci-fi novels are doing really well right now, but it’s so hard to write about the present these days because the tense doesn’t exist in the same way,” Shteyngart said. “What does it mean to live in a world where books are being replaced with ephemeral technology? We are all trying to figure out what it means to fall in love and interact in a world where what it means to be human is up for grabs.” www.lfla.org Contact Leah Robinson at lrobinson@colgate.edu.
Colgate Falls in Love with Greg Youmans and Chris Vargas
The Colgate Maroon-News
September 26, 2013
The Thirteen Bring Colgate Day to Fenway By Jaime Gelman Maroon-News Staff
On every Colgate student, teacher and alumni’s favorite day of the year, Friday the 13th, otherwise known as Colgate Day, Colgate’s esteemed all-male a cappella group, The Colgate Thirteen, had the honor of performing the National Anthem at Fenway Park, where the Boston Red Sox were hosting the New York Yankees. On Thursday afternoon, the a cappella group piled into “The Grunt,” their limousine, and made the trek from Colgate to Boston, Mass. They arrived at the game several hours early that Friday, ran through a microphone check and were then ushered onto the field, where they lined up in a crescent on the grass in front of home plate and were introduced to the crowd as one of America’s most well-known collegiate a cappella groups. Applause erupted from the stadium before they even finished singing. It had been 20 years since the Colgate Thirteen last sang at Fenway Park, and both times they made a lasting impression. Being invited to sing at a national baseball game, especially at a game with such a powerful rivalry as that between the Red Sox and Yankees, was a wonderful opportunity for both the singers of the admired a cappella group and the Colgate campus. “Singing at Fenway was an absolutely amazing experience,” said sophomore Warren Dennis of the Colgate Thirteen. “I still can’t believe how incredibly lucky I was to be able to do something like that.”
By Caroline Weihs Maroon-News Staff
Honoring John Ross Carter
www.facebook.com
Following their spectacular performance, the Colgate Thirteen stayed for the entirety of the baseball game. Not only was the game itself exciting – the teams were tied 4-4 when the Red Sox hit a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to take home an 8-4 win – but it was also exciting to be part of the Colgate community on Friday the 13. The a cappella group ran into a number of people at the park who congratulated them on their excellent performance, many of whom were alumni who also wished them a happy Colgate Day. While singing the National Anthem at the home stadium of the Red Sox was by far the highlight of the trip, the Colgate Thirteen also had a number of other exciting events lined up for their weekend in Massachusetts, which was impressively planned by sophomore Casey Konys, their fall business manager. The group stayed at the house
of their leader, senior Ross Nicholson, in Mass., making several trips around the state to perform at a variety of locations. On Friday morning, before the baseball game, the a cappella group sang a collection of songs at a retirement home. Saturday afternoon, they performed several songs at a tailgate for the University of New Hampshire football game. After the performance, they spent several hours wandering around Boston before meeting up that evening with Boston University’s all-female a cappella group, the BU Sweethearts, to host a joint concert for the city at the Marsh Plaza. Their last event of the weekend took place on Sunday morning, where they sang at the Lansdowne Pub in Boston before grabbing some lunch and preparing for their long trip back to Colgate after an unforgettable weekend. Contact Jaime Gelman at jgelman@colgate.edu.
Leah Shenandoah: Protection, Comfort, Healing By Ying Lin Class of 2015
The O’whahsa’ exhibition reception held at the Longyear Museum of Anthropology on September 19 was an extraordinary experience. Many faculty, staff, Colgate students and non-Colgate students attended this reception to support the emerging young artist, Leah Shenandoah. Shenandoah is part of the Oneida nation wolf clan and began her artistic work during college. When she was a child she already had experience with hand works such as wampum belts. Many art pieces displayed in the Longyear Museum were done for her college thesis; some of these works contained graphics, fashion, textile and jewelry.
Maroon-News Staff
www.chrisandgreg_radarproductions.org
Entertainment Update Your Week in Preview
By Annie McKay On September 18, Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies Greg Youmans and his partner Chris Vargas continued the Art and Art History fall lecture series with their presentation of their collaborative sitcom project, “Falling in Love…with Chris and Greg” (2008-2013). “Falling In Love…with Chris and Greg” is described on their website as “a situational comedy about a gay odd couple: one liberal, one radical; one transgendered, one not. They don’t have a whole lot in common, but somehow they manage.” Their sitcom series chronicles their relationship by taking more serious subjects like identity, lifestyle and politics and approaching them from a humorous and unfiltered perspective. They began their talk with a clip from their first episode, “O Canada” (2008), which addresses the possibilities of open relationships. Chris and Greg have a hilarious argument about open relationships where Chris is open to it and Greg is highly opposed. Their satirical and unfiltered comments can’t help but make audiences laugh. “Look!” Greg’s character says during the episode. “I don’t need to prove anything by sleeping with everyone all the time...I didn’t go to Smith. I didn’t go to Hampshire. I don’t need to parade around sex positivity to, like, prove to the world that I’m a feminist.” The episodes are not solely based on relationship issues. They also did an episode called “Special Election PSA” (2008) during the Obama/McCain election. They still approached the topic from the same funny and blunt point of view, but were able to reach issues outside of their relationship. As they continued to work on the project, they felt limited by the sitcom-based genre. They liked the episodic format because it allowed for more flexibility with their ideas, but for season two they decided to do something different. The season two premiere episode is called “Work of Art Reality TV Special” (2012), where Youmans and Vargas took Bravo’s reality show “Work of Art” and edited it from an episode about pop art to an episode about queer art. They inserted themselves into the episode by staging reactions to various shots. It was a completely different style, but still maintained the same sense of fun and enjoyment. Youmans and Vargas explained that their project sort of happened by accident. They didn’t know why they were making it when they started. Inspired by the early YouTube days, they came to realize that the internet was a very valuable and powerful place for their work to be. Although it is primarily comedic, it does address some very real issues. “We were using the internet not to get a million hits, but to let our videos travel in unexpected ways,” Youmans said. Youmans went on to explain that the Internet is the easiest place to allow their work to travel to those who might need to see it. “Falling in Love…with Chris and Greg” takes issues that are still very foreign to some people and brings them right to the surface and makes them accessible. Though the project initially feels fun and comedic, it has some very serious and important undertones. Contact Annie McKay at rmckay@colgate.edu.
Arts & Features C-2
Melissa Gamez
Her artworks portray the sense of O’whahsa’, or “the hood,” which is the space for healing, comfort and protection. Shenandoah began her speech to the attendees with a song that she is soon releasing in her new album. She explained that she sings while she creates art and her hands just do the job. After her performance, Shenandoah began explaining the concept of O’whahsa’. She explained that she yearned to make Earth a happier place for people, a place with protection, healing and comfort, and that the hood symbolizes this sacred place for oneself to find comfort. Furthermore, Leah emphasized that she hopes to use her voice and art to carry out her Native American self in her own unique way. “I was interested in the concept of the ‘Goddess Hood’ as it was called,” said junior Salote Tenisi, who attended the exhibition. “The hood protected the person from outside harm and sheltered them. Coming to an art exhibit by a Native American, I had no idea what kind of work would be present. The symbolism and the dedication of the hoods to different people in her life made the hoods stand out more than any other pieces of art there.” Maintaing one’s own culture was also an important part of the event. “Being a Pacific Islander, this event spoke volumes to me,” said Tenisi. “The importance of maintaining culture is critical in the community that I am from but because I go to Colgate, and am the only Tongan here, it is hard to feel connected to that identity. Attending this event has made me think more about how I could stay connected to my culture. Leah explores different themes from the Oneida in her artwork. I plan to do the same in my writing.” Contact Ying Lin at ylin@colgate.edu.
AppleFest Brings Sweet Treats to the Loj Tom Buehler and Tom Hanrahan Class of 2016
Last weekend, Homecoming was marked by many festivities, including the annual AppleFest at the Loj. AppleFest is a celebration of all foods apple and was once again a huge success. Nearly seven bushels of apples went into all the treats. All the food for AppleFest is baked by the residents of the Loj, an environmental and outdoor interest house located on Broad Street. The members of the Loj worked tirelessly to bake all of the apple-filled sweets themselves, beginning their baking endeavors Thursday night. But with over 300 people showing up, all the apple pies, apple muffins, apple cookies, apple cider, apple sauce and apple crisps disappeared in just over an hour. Some students expressed disappointment in missing out on the apple-filled festivities, since the baked goods were gone far more quickly than anyone anticipated. By the end of the event, members of the Loj were handing out leftover apples to passerby in an effort to maximize apple distribution. Anyone trying to score some free apple pie next Homecoming weekend should definitely get there as quickly as possible to beat the rush from the early crowd arriving from the Farmers’ Market. No one knows for sure exactly how long AppleFest has been a staple of autumn at the Loj. “AppleFest has been a tradition practically since the dawn of time,” senior Sarah Dickson said. In keeping with the Loj’s environmental theme, all the apples were harvested from the local Stone Brothers’ Orchard in an effort to promote local produce
and decrease the environmental impact from transporting foods cross country. Because the Loj received funding for the event from the Broad Street Association, the residents were able to put on AppleFest at no cost to students. Such a great deal attracted students of all years, alumni and even a swarm of bees. The sugary apple sweets, bobbing for apples and friendly atmosphere were all a huge hit and everyone who stopped by agreed that it was a great way to kick off the start of the Fall. “As the falling leaves settled to the ground, five slices of apple pie settled in my stomach,” first-year Missy Velez said. Contact Tom Buehler at tbuehler@colgate.edu and Tom Hanrahan at thanrahan@colgate.edu.
All Colgate students and faculty are welcomed to 305 Lawrence Hall this Thursday, September 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to participate in the honoring of Professor John Ross Carter. Although he will be retiring at the end of 2013, the Colgate community will always remember Carter for his roles as Professor of the Study of the Great Religions of the World, Professor of Philosophy and Religion and as Director of Chapel House and the Fund for the Study of the Great Religions of the World. During the presentation, a dozen Colgate alumni and alumnae will discuss the following question: “What do you carry with you from your experience at Colgate about living life well?” The reflections and discussions will be engaging for all audiences, especially for those students with a concentration or interest in religion.
Late Night Sushi and Karaoke Enjoy a night filled with sushi and Karaoke at the ALANA (African, Latin American, Asian American and Native American) Cultural Center this Thursday, September 26, from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. sponsored by the Office of International Students. The evening will be perfect to spend time with friends and to learn how to roll your own sushi. Insider tip: come early – only one sushi roll will be provided per person while supplies last.
CAB Take Two Movies Colgate Activites Board (CAB) Take Two Movies presents the films “Hangover 3” this Friday, September 27, at 7:00 p.m, and “Fast & Furious 6” at 10:00 p.m. The movies will be shown in Love Auditorium, and if you miss them on Friday, they will also be playing on Saturday, September 28, at opposite times. If the movie titles did not attract your attention enough, maybe the stars Bradley Cooper and Dwayne Johnson will bring you closer to Love.
Art Exhibit Opening Reception Experience the beauty of alternative perspectives by coming to the Art Exhibit Opening Reception this Saturday, September 28, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, and the exhibition is located only minutes from Hamilton in the Earlville Opera House on East Main Street in Earlville, N.Y. Some of Colgate University’s very own Art and Art History members will be featured. Come and support Russell Colgate Distinguished University Professor of Art & Art History and Film & Media Studies John Knecht’s “Drawings & Gouache on Paper,” Professor of Art & Art History and Film & Media Studies and Director of Film & Media Studies Lynn Schwarzer’s “Field Notes” prints, Jesse Kuroiwa’s “Resurfacing: Sites of Violence During the Japanese American Internment” and Anne Stillwaggon’s “In The Distance.”
Live Performance: The Dischords
Tom Hanrahan
Grab a coffee at the Barge Canal Coffee Co. this Saturday, September 28, from 8:0010:00 p.m. and let yourself enjoy the sweet sounds of the Dischords, one of Colgate’s co-ed a cappella groups. Contact Caroline Weihs at cweihs@colgate.edu.
The Colgate Maroon-News
September 26, 2013
Arts & Features C-3
Album Review: Arctic Monkeys’s “AM” By Pete Koehler Maroon-News Staff
“AM” pulls off quite the trick in that it oozes with sleaze and earnestness at the same time. “Do I Wanna Know?” deals with eerily similar subject matter to the new Plain White T’s single, “Should’ve Gone To Bed,” in that both deal with the misguided urge to call an ex after putting down a couple drinks. While the latter is a throwaway reach for a Top 40 hit, “Do I Wanna Know?” is a perfect example of what makes “AM” a masterfully subtle record. It starts with the boozy guitar strut that is almost as greasy as frontman Alex Turner’s new haircut before diving into a vulnerable harmony at the chorus. This is a record that deals with the consequences after the party, when the buzz fades away and you’re left to deal with your actions and your shortcomings. Except unlike others, like The Weeknd, who’ve made a career exploiting the same subject matter, the Monkeys don’t necessarily need a bleak soundscape to get the point across. Two of the albums’ biggest standouts, “R U Mine?” and “Arabella,” allow the band to boast a trunk-rattling rhythm section and searing guitar licks. The latter is easily the closest to sounding like Black Sabbath that the Sheffield quartet has ever been. As many reviews have commented, there’s also some hip-hop and R&B influences that make their way in, most jarringly so in “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” While the backing track utilizes exclusively live
instruments, it forms a bouncing repetitive beat that recalls old school hip-hop. The vocals bounce right along to the beat until the off-kilter chorus momentarily stops things in its tracks. It’s new sonic territory for the band, but undoubtedly a success as it’s an impossible song to get out of your head. A review of “AM” would be remiss not to include a profile of the slower cuts on the record as well that are less immediate but, for the most part, just as decadent. “No. 1 Party Anthem” plays to The Monkeys’ Beatles influences, with expansive vocals that show that Turner alone can carry a tune – not that there ever really was a doubt. “Mad Sounds” slows things down to a whisper but is as pure of a pop high as you’ll find, displaying the band’s ability to craft a tune on the extremely delicate end of the spectrum. Only a few songs fail to stick, such as mid-tempo tracks “One For The Road” and “Knee Socks,” though both do benefit from Josh Homme’s haunting vocals. www.vanyaland.com “Snap Out Of It” sounds like it could be a Noel Gallagher b-side, but there are certainly worse things than that. On the whole, “AM” is another one in the win column for the Arctic Monkeys. “AM” is the logical child of “Humbug” and “Suck It and See,” with a potent combination of the late-night, desert-influenced heaviness of the former, and the balanced pop subtleties of the latter. “AM” isn’t a claim to the throne, but rather an affirmation that they’re worthy festival headliners and won’t be vacating that post anytime soon. Pete’s prognosis: 4 stars out of 5 Contact Pete Koehler at pkoehler@colgate.edu
Colgate Couture: Why Mullet Skirts Should End By Rachel Eisen Maroon-News Staff
This fashion phenomenon goes by many names: high-low skirt, waterfall hemline and, my personal favorite, the mullet skirt. These asymmetric skirts have their origins in Victorian fashion, which is where they should have stayed. When the mullet skirt was reintroduced in 2011, I figured it was a passing trend. The maxi skirt had been around for a while and people wanted to show off a little bit more leg while companies wanted to use a little less fabric while charging you more money. I bought one carefully chosen dress with a subtle mullet, but stopped there knowing that this trend would come and go, leaving me with an un-wearable dress that was “so last season.” Years have passed and I still see you strutting around the academic quad in your mullet. I understand; there is something about the asymmetric hemline that makes you feel different and automatically stylish. There is something very appealing about how the low end of your skirt catches in the wind and creates a perpetual sense of drama in your outfit. However, you look absurd. The back end of your skirt is actually whipping you or the poor soul walking too close to you in the leg. I watch you, concerned that you are getting whiplash and wondering how long it will take for you to trip over your own dress. So, fine, it was summer and the breeze created by your mullet skirt has been refreshing in the sticky humid air. You were scared of wearing knee-length business skirts to your internship, so you figured that
13 Beats of the Week
a high-low skirt averaged out and your co-workers failed to inform you that your apparel was NSFW. But enough is enough. We have returned to Hamilton and although the sun has been shining, we know that air is biting cold. I beg of you, please do not attempt to transition that mullet skirt into fall. Do not pair your favorite pair of boots with your favorite mullet skirt to make that perfect fall outfit. Do not buy a new mullet skirt in wool or silk to create a warmer version of your favorite summer outfit. Leave that mullet in the back of your closet. Or better yet, throw it away or transfer it to your costume drawer to wear to “Things That Used to Be Cool”-themed parties. You can pair your beloved high-low skirt with a hair mullet and sing along with Billy Ray Cyrus as you sing, “I want my mullet back, My old Camaro and my eight track, Fuzzy dice hangin’ loose and proud, I want my mullet back.” Contact Rachel Eisen at reisen@colgate.edu. Rachel Eisen 6. “Ten Cent Pistol” by The Black Keys The Keys (particularly frontman Dan Auerbach) have reincarnated every facet of the blues, from attitude and lyrical style to song composition. Like Jack White, they have re-presented the style in a way that meshed perfectly with the garage-rock revival of the mid 2000s.
Maroon-News Staff
7. “Outside Woman Blues,” by Davy Knowles Knowles offers the precision and introspection of British blues while staying true to the American roots of the genre. In this cover of Blind Joe Reynolds we see that he can play with surprising wisdom for a 26-year-old.
Now that we’ve gone through the summer and into the post-summer lull of early autumn, let’s take a look at what else is going on in modern music these days. This week is the blues, the genre that served as the foundation for rock and roll. Here is what some blues musicians are doing today.
8. “The Thrill is Gone,” by Kenny Wayne Shepherd Shepherd plays ostentatious, charismatic blues rock in the vein of his two primary influences, Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. King. This track, originally King’s, features the two playing together.
1. “Am I Wrong” by Keb ‘Mo ‘Mo, or Kevin Moore, is a modern delta-blues player who blends early blues roots with a modern technique and flair. This track features upbeat, dynamic emotion and a catchy steel guitar and serves as an excellent reimagining of the origin of the blues.
9. “It Hurt So Bad,” by Susan Tedeschi Although, like ‘Mo, a bit older than most of the list, Tedeschi is a blues great, following in the vocal-virtuoso footsteps of singers like Etta James. Tedeschi demonstrates some of the rawest, most emotional depths of the blues.
2. “Miss You, Hate You” by Joe Bonamassa Bonamassa is a blues-rock virtuoso, born in the late ’70s in New Hartford, N.Y. He plays a complex blues-rock in the style of Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page, drawing mostly on the rock side of things while also staying true to the raw sound of the blues.
10. “It’s Not My Cross to Bear” (Live from Peakin’ at the Beacon) by The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers are one of the pillars of blues rock from the ’70s. This album, recorded in 2000, shows that they’re still going. Filling the sizable shoes of the late legend Duane Allman is Derek Trucks, an amazing blues guitarist and solo artist and, in fact, the husband of Susan Tedeschi. This track drips with all sorts of talent.
By Alan Dowling
3. “Who Do You Think I Was?” by John Mayer Mayer, who started off in the acoustic-pop world, made for the blues in 2005 with his release of the live album “Try!” He recorded with well-established blues-rock session musicians and changed his direction quite effectively, as this song shows. 4. “Will There Be Enough Water” by the Dead Weather The Dead Weather is the blues-punk side project of Jack White and The Kills’ Alison Mosshart. The blues permeates everything Jack White plays and it is most elegant on his less-poppy, off-the-beaten-path material like this. 5. “May This Be Love” by Eric Gales Gales is a blues guitarist from the late ’70s who plays Hendrix licks in the style of Albert King, stringing the higher strings at the top of his guitar instead of the traditional bottom. This allows some beautiful string bending and an elegant, fiery performance of both Gales’s original work and his covers – this one is Hendrix.
11. “Still Rainin’” by Jonny Lang Lang released his second successful album at the age of 16 and has been successful since. He plays a youthful, vibrant blues and sings with surprising maturity for his age. This excellent track is from his third album, “Wander This World.” 12. “I Started Out With Nothin’” by Seastick Steve Steve is a vagrant wanderer from the ’50s who wandered his way into a blues career in the late ’90s. He’s not quite sure how but he thinks that his weather-beaten three-string guitar might have supernatural mojo. Steve is eclectic, extremely talented and potentially haunted. 13. “Because I Got High” by Big Al Carson This is, in fact, an Afroman cover. Big Al leads a travelling blues band based out of New Orleans and travels, singing upbeat songs about heartbreak and the finer things in life. Give it a listen, it’s hilarious. Contact Alan Dowling at adowling@colgate.edu.
The Colgate Maroon-News
September 26, 2013
Arts & Features C-4
Surprises and Upsets on the Emmys Red Carpet By Nicole Fasola Maroon-News Staff
In case you missed it, last Sunday night marked the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, one of the biggest events in television. Hosted by the multi-talented, hilarious and irresistibly charming Neil Patrick Harris at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, the night was filled with jokes, upsets and somber tributes to the television stars we’ve lost over the past year. While NPH didn’t show off his amazing singing and dancing skills during the opening, viewers did get a taste of this later with his ironic “performing a number in the middle of a show” song, along with a delightful amount of awkwardness and laughs that go along with any awards show. As far as the actual awards go, let’s start with the big winners. “Breaking Bad” took home the coveted Best Drama Series award over “Downton Abbey,” Game of Thrones,” “Homeland,” “House of Cards” and “Mad Men.” While I absolutely think this series deserved its win, its competition was exceptionally steep and a tribute to the incredibly high caliber of television this year. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I’ve ever
watched “Mad Men” or “Downton Abbey” as there isn’t much time left in the day when one is binge-watching “Game of Thrones” and “Breaking Bad,” all while trying to still function in the real world. However, I can attest to the originality and extraordinary writing that “Homeland” has displayed in the one season I have seen. In the other nominated political drama “House of Cards,” Kevin Spacey executes his role as a U.S. House Representative flawlessly. The biggest upset of the night, in my opinion, was Jeff Daniels of “The Newsroom” beating out Bryan Cranston of “Breaking Bad” as Best Actor in a Drama Series because, let’s be honest, nobody ever expected to be watching (and thoroughly enjoying) “Malcolm in the Middle’s” dorky dad cooking meth in one of the most distressing and addicting shows on TV. Best Actress in a Drama Series went to Claire Danes for her stunning performance in “Homeland” while Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series went to Bobby Cannavale for “Boardwalk Empire” and Anna Gunn for “Breaking Bad,” respectively. On the comedy front, Best Comedy Series went to ABC’s “Modern Family” while Best Comedy Series Actor and
Actress went to “The Big Bang Theory’s” Jim Parsons and “Veep’s” Julia Louis-Dreyfus, respectively. Don’t get me wrong, I think “Modern Family” is charming, cute and fun for all ages. However, “Girls” and “Louie” are absolutely brilliant and hilarious shows that, in my opinion, tend to lack proper recognition due to their specific and more mature demographic. There is no doubt in my mind that television has surpassed movies this year, as exemplified by the tumultuous and heartbreaking “Game of Thrones” season, the revival of a cult-classic and personal favorite “Arrested Development,” the launch of incredibly impressive Netflix original series such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black” and of course, the always amazing “Breaking Bad” – get ready for the series finale next Sunday! Television is looking better than ever, while more and more movies are beginning to rely on overwhelming visual stimulation and 3-D technology, lacking any interesting plot, characters or acting (Pacific Rim, anyone?). In addition to this, their two-anda-half-hour-plus running time isn’t helping get people into the theaters with our deteriorating attention span and lack of time.
With popular attractions such as the sevensecond long “Vine” video phenomenon, the desire for instant gratification is becoming more and more prevalent and shorter, weekly primetime television shows are becoming more and more appealing. But I must say, with shows beginning to emerge as amazing as “Breaking Bad,” I just can’t bring myself to complain. Contact Nicole Fasola at nfasola@colgate.
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Allez, Cuisine! Apple Dumplings with Brown Sugar Sauce By Claire Littlefield and Emma Ellis Maroon-News Staff
We know Applefest last weekend provided plenty of inspiration and indulgence in the form of apple pies, apple muffins and general apple deliciousness. However, you really haven’t lived until you’ve tried one more: apple dumplings. A traditional Southern favorite, apple dumplings are cinnamon-sugar baked apples that are wrapped in pastry dough and topped with a caramel-like brown sugar sauce that you’ll be dreaming about for days. The tartness of the Granny Smith apples provides a bright contrast to the rich pastry dough and decadent sauce, creating a perfect balance that sets this dessert apart. We made our own pastry dough for this recipe, but feel free to speed things along by using store-bought instead. We know how it goes: so many apples, so little time. Ingredients: 12 tablespoons butter 1 ¼ cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 4-6 tablespoons ice water 4 Granny Smith apples 5 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¾ cup brown sugar ½ cup water Emma Ellis
Process: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. First, start your pastry dough by combining the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut one stick of butter into small cubes and add to your flour mixture, setting the rest aside. (Make sure your butter is very cold when you begin – you may even want to put it in the freezer an hour or two beforehand.) Next, you need to “cut in” your butter. By cutting your butter into small, flour-covered morsels, you allow each piece to melt in the oven later, creating flaky layers in your pastry. You can achieve this by moving two knives in opposite directions in your bowl, or by using an electric mixer or food processor. You can also use your hands, but you have to be careful not to warm up the butter too much in the process. Once each piece of butter has been cut down to the size of a pea, add ice water one tablespoon at a time until your dough holds together. Then pat your dough into a round, separate it into four pieces and then wrap each piece and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. While your dough is chilling, peel and core your apples and combine the cinnamon and sugar. Then, roll each portion of dough into a square on a lightly floured surface. Place an apple on the center of each square and drop a small pat of butter and a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar into each one. Fold pastry up to cover the apple, using the overlap at the top to patch any thin spots near the bottom. Place each apple on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet and top with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Next, set your baking pan aside and make the brown sugar sauce. Combine water, brown sugar and ¼ cup of butter in a saucepan and heat until just boiling. Then, pour the sauce evenly over your apple dumplings. Bake for 50-55 minutes, basting occasionally with any remaining sauce until the apple is cooked through and the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Contact Claire Littlefield at celittlefield@colgate.edu and Emma Ellis at egellis@colgate.edu.
The Best Nest: Austin Allen ’14 By Eliza Graham Maroon-News Staff
Austin Allen’s room is a cozy oasis from the badly lit, stark fraternity house hallway in which it is situated. My new favorite word this fall has been “groovy” (if this catches on, let this article serve as proof that I am personally responsible for the resurfacing of this word), and I guess using that word has really permeated my aesthetic tastes as well, because it’s the perfect way to describe Allen’s room. The majority of wall space is covered in tapestries or other hangings, ranging from a poster of the Indian god Ganesha to David Bowie’s 1973 album “Pin Ups.” A slew of Allen’s signature sunglasses sit atop a table of his, and small wall bookshelves holding photos and his favorite volumes are found on two of the walls, anchoring the space but still appearing light and untethered. Allen’s coffee table is a dull unfinished wood, covered in colorful chalk doodles and drawings, and serves as a functional and unique centerpiece. There is a strong Southeast Asian influence in the room and the color choices are harmonious and well thought out. Allen clearly maintains the same sense of creativity in his style of decorating as he does in the way he dresses: it’s not surprising that, with vintage images of hula dancers, this is the room of the guy on campus you can always spot in his Hawaiian shirt – groovy. Where/from whom did you get your inspiration? I wanted a room that was relaxing, comfy and unique. I was inspired by a few different Asian cultures, specifically Indian culture. A continuing theme from my room last year is red. My room is a mix of many shades of red, some orange and neutral tones. How does your room reflect your personal style? My room less reflects the specifics of my personal style and more the general uniqueness of my personal style. I don’t dress very “zen.” I feel my room reflects my aspirations more than personal style.
Eliza Graham
Tell me about one particularly important item in your room. I really love the wall tapestry. Besides its ability to cover the ugly stucco walls, it really adds to the overall vibe of the room due to its sheer size. Contact Eliza Graham at egraham@colgate.edu.
September 26, 2013
The Colgate Maroon-News
Arts & Features C-5
Mike Mizwinski and Rabbit in the Rye Rock the Barge By Eric Reimund Assistant Editor
This past Saturday, September 21, the Barge Canal Coffee Co. held its first concert of the semester with the rustic stylings of opener and local favorite Rabbit in the Rye and country-folk guitar virtuoso Mike Mizwinski. Starting around 8 p.m., Rabbit, consisting of Joseph Mettler on guitar and harmonica, Alexander Lavon on bass and Brendan O’Connor on drums and mandolin, deftly displayed their own particular brand of highly musically competent prog-folk. These songs are longer and more intricate than one comes to expect from folk, a traditionally rootsy and down-home style of music, but the extra room to breath within the songs and the textural ebbs and flows of the songwriting lend themselves well to the yarns spun with their music. Though certainly capable of barn-shaking romps of songs, like their most popular song “Gold in these Hills,” the primary feel of their set was softer and more contemplative. In lyrics and themes, their music is quite in line with the new wave of super sincere, emotionally direct folk artists like Mumford and Sons or the Lumineers. However, their musical abilities and shifting song structures remind one more of the band Fleet Foxes, expertly playing with the audience’s expectations. They played for a little over an hour to a very full house who enthusiastically listened to their music and graciously received the local boys. Next up was Mike Mizwinski, who grew up in the coal-dusted regions of northeast Penn. and whose musical style and themes are informed by his deep connection to that area. At about 9:30 p.m., Mike and his accompaniment on piano and rhythm guitar launched into their expert performance which continued full force until 11 p.m. The first thing one notices about his playing is the astonishing quickness and dexterity of his fingers. The word “virtuoso” can oftentimes be thrown around too flippantly, but he earns the designation and then some. Whether he is playing country, bluegrass, folk or rock-based tunes, his skill boggles the mind. The most amazing aspects of his performance were the back and forth interlocking solos that he traded with his nominal rhythm accompanist. Mizwinski’s music, stemming from the freneticism of his hands at work, is more upbeat and optimistic than Rabbit in the Rye. This style translates to the man’s personality; he was all smiles and good vibes, the type of person you’d imagine makes a living by playing country and folk songs. It was a delightful night filled with good tunes, times and company. Pure and simple, it’s just impossible to be www.cdn.tickeyfly.com glum in a comfortable chair, a hot cup of coffee in hand and fascinating music being made right before your eyes. Contact Eric Reimund at ereimund@colgate.edu.
The Chocolate Train Festival Brings Cheer to Hamilton By Jessica Benmen Assistant Editor
This past Saturday morning, next to the Hamilton Farmer’s Market, the fifth annual Chocolate Train Festival was held on the Village Green. Commemorating the legendary train crash of 1955 in Hamilton that left the village covered in chocolate, the festival features chocolate train candies as well as many other varieties of confections. Face painting, giant puppets, raffles and free Chobani yogurt samples could also be found under the two tents which housed the festival. Contact Jessica Benmen at jbenmen@colgate.edu.
Local favorite Maxwell’s Chocolate made special train-shaped confections for the event.
A festival worker leads children in a game of cookie toss.
Children delighted in the wide variety of sweet options. All photos by Kristi Boazman
The Colgate Portfolio is holding an annual writing contest in collaboration with the Maroon-News. Please submit flash fiction (300 words or less) or poetry to colgateportfolio@colgate.edu. The editors of The Colgate Portfolio will choose one winner from each category to be published in the Maroon-News! Submissions are due Friday, October 4, at 5 p.m.