Mount Holyoke News – August 6, 2022

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2022

Search for College president continues into fall semester

BY TARA MONASTESSE '25 NEWS EDITOR

As the fall semester approaches, the Presidential Search Committee designated to select Mount Holyoke College’s 20th College president has announced plans for campuswide involvement in the search process.

Through a series of workshops designed to solicit input from the College community, the Committee and its partner, the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, will identify expectations for potential candidates and incorporate them into its selection process as it progresses throughout the academic year.

A general listening session is scheduled for Sept. 14 at noon, where members of the Committee and Isaacson, Miller will host a discussion about what characteristics they believe a potential presidential candidate should have in order to address campus concerns and carry out executive responsibilities.

In addition to this virtual event, community input will also be reviewed via a survey available until Sept. 15 through the College website, wherein comments and ideas directed to the Committee’s official email address, pressearch@mthoyloke. edu, will be reviewed as well.

Additional sessions for staff members will take place on Aug. 16 at 9 a.m. and Aug. 23 at 3 p.m.

A July 20 letter to the community, penned by Committee Chair Mona Sutphen ’89 and Committee Vice Chair Anne McKenny ’79, iden-

Photo by Lynn Sleiman '24 Following the departure of former President Stephens, Mount Holyoke College has announced its plans for the new presidential search, enlisting an external search firm as well as community feedback.

tified the progress made in their search efforts so far.

Through sessions conducted with students, faculty, alums and trustees, the Committee expressed how they were able to “hear their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing our twentieth president, and the skills and expertise the successful candidate will need to navigate them.”

While a formal call for nominations is expected to be sent out this month, a channel already exists for potential candidates to be named by the College community. Isaacson, Miller is currently accepting nominations through their website, which allows recommenders and interested parties to provide informa-

tion and documentation for potential candidates.

Partnering with Isaacson, Miller, an executive search firm whose stated goal is to assist organizations in defining prominent leadership positions and identifying proper candidates to fill them, was described by the Committee in a May announcement as a helpful assistance in “translat[ing] the array of community perspectives into a clear and persuasive position profile.”

The May update also identified four separate phases of the search, beginning with the summer of 2022 and ultimately culminating in the announcement of the new president in the spring of 2023.

The first phase, “Listening and

Learning,” commenced with alumni interviews during Reunion events in May and will continue throughout the fall as community input is gathered.

The information gathered from this initial phase will be incorporated into the second phase, entitled “Building the Pool,” wherein potential candidates will be identified.

Planned to begin in the fall, this phase has been identified by the Committee as possessing a great need for confidentiality, who still intends to “keep the community informed of our overall progress” during this stage. While individual members of the Committee were unable to answer media inquiries, the Presidential Search page on the

College’s website is expected to be updated regularly as the search progresses.

The search committee is composed of students, faculty, staff, alums and trustees selected to represent the various constituencies involved with and affected by the selection process.

The 20th president of Mount Holyoke College is expected to assume office on July 1, 2023. Until then, Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, will serve as interim president.

Tatum assumed her role on July 1, 2022, following the departure of 19th College President Sonya Stephens to assume the role of president at the American University of Paris.

College announces changes to COVID-19 health protocols SOPHIE SOLOWAY ’23 & LENOX JOHNSON ’24 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | COPY CHIEF

With less than one month until fall semester move-in is set to begin at Mount Holyoke College, Interim President Beverley Daniel Tatum released a letter on July 28, 2022, announcing health and safety protocols regarding COVID-19. In the letter, Interim President Tatum details the College’s intent to “return to pre-pandemic operations as much as possible” with key precautions in place for the upcoming semester, ranging from masking requirements to altered testing plans.

Masking Requirements

According to the letter, masking

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will be required inside all campus buildings from Aug. 21–Sept. 16. Exceptions to the indoor-masking policy will be enacted within residence hall rooms or when alone in a private space.

While masking will not generally be required outdoors, students who have been “instructed to observe heightened safety measures following COVID-19 isolation” will be required to mask. The College may also require outdoor masking in the event of increased COVID-19 cases on campus or in Hampshire County.

The College indicated plans to eventually leave mask-wearing to individual discretion, stating, “Anyone’s choice to wear a mask for any

2 Sports: New NEWMAC member

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reason without explanation should be respected. While individuals or departments cannot create mask requirements separate from — or more restrictive than — College policy or accommodation requirements, we ask that everyone be attentive and respond reasonably to the concerns of others.”

If positive cases do not trend upward during this period, the College will re-adopt a mask-optional policy on Sept. 17. KN95 masks will remain available to students and employees upon request at mhc-testing-g@ mtholyoke.edu.

Move-in & Convocation

Residential students will be required to provide third-party docu-

A&E: Hulu’s “The Bear”

mentation of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of their arrival on campus. The College will provide immediate testing for those who cannot obtain this test, though they may experience a “prolonged move-in process due to wait times,” as stated in the letter.

Non-residential students, including graduate and commuter students, are expected to receive further communication as to how they may provide negative test results prior to Orientation, Convocation and classes.

Students who test positive during move-in will be asked to isolate at home. Isolation housing will be provided for whom this is not possible.

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Amid continued planning for the reinstitution of in-person events, the College also announced it would require negative asymptomatic tests from all employees within 24 hours before Convocation on Sept. 6.

Ongoing Testing

After these required initial tests, College Health Services will provide symptomatic testing for students.

However, students will no longer be offered asymptomatic testing, departing from the previous required biweekly testing schedule. Instead, the letter instructed that “Students who are asymptomatic and wish to test may do so either through a home test or at a clinic or pharmacy in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Opinion: R. Kelly Sentencing

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SPORTS

August 6, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

After record-breaking season, Kathryn Murphy ’22 reflects on diving career

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 SPORTS EDITOR

When Kathryn Murphy ’22 first visited Mount Holyoke College, she came with 13 years of gymnastics experience and an interest in diving. In May, she graduated as a diver with multiple record-breaking performances, a conference title, national qualification and numerous honors and awards in the sport. Following these accolades, Murphy has been nominated for National Collegiate Athletic Association Woman of the Year.

Having had little experience with diving before coming to Mount Holyoke, Murphy said that her extensive gymnastics career helped her transition to the new sport.

“I started [gymnastics] when I was five and absolutely loved it,” she said. Murphy continued competitively for years on both club and high school teams before finishing her career at Level 10, the highest level gymnasts can achieve before moving on to elite or junior elite competitions. “It helped create a foundation for diving, with understanding air awareness and how to flip and twist. … [Gymnastics has] … a lot of translatable skills,” she said.

A double major in biology and politics, Murphy shattered several pool and program records on both the one-meter and three-meter springboards. She ended her competitive career as team and pool record holder in the one-meter six dive event with a score of 293.17, and as team record holder in the three-meter 11 dive event with a score of 491.55.

At the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championship in March, Murphy took first place on the three-meter board, becoming Mount Holyoke’s first conference champion in diving. She reflected on her last days of training leading up to the championship meet.

“I was coming off of being in a

boot for a couple weeks, after hurting my toe,” Murphy said. “I think I got back on the boards the week of NEWMACs. I was kind of stressed getting into it, not really knowing if my dives would be ready and not knowing how my foot would handle diving, because I was just trying to give it as much time off as possible.”

Going into three-meter, however, she decided she just wanted to have fun with it.

“The environment is really fun and loud and exciting, and I love that the whole team is there together,” Murphy said. “I wanted to have fun and enjoy the last time competing. … I was kind of dancing in between some dives, and talking with [my teammates] in between, so that was really good.”

Murphy said she does not like to know where she is in the competition order while she competes, so she avoids looking at the scoreboard. At NEWMACs, she had no idea she was sitting in first place.

“I was really happy with how the dives were going,” she said. “I felt great. And then, finally, just … hearing [my teammates] cheering, and then [Diving Coach] Rachel [Araujo] coming over and giving me the biggest hug [when it was over] … was just a really special moment.”

She went on to compete in the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Regional Diving Championship, where her topfive finishes on both boards secured her a spot at the 2022 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship.

“Nationals was definitely a goal that I came into [the 2021-2022] season with,” Murphy said. As a sophomore, she placed in the top five on both boards at NEWMACs, and had a relatively successful meet at NCAA Regionals. By increasing the degree of difficulty of her dives and cleaning up her technique, she thought qualifying for Nationals could be a possibility. “It wasn’t something that we talked about all the time, but it was

kind of in the back of my head, like, ‘Oh, that’s where I want to be.’ Each week, I [was just] hoping to progress on scores and execution of dives.”

Murphy said that entering the natatorium at Nationals for the first time was surreal, given that it had been her goal to compete there since sophomore year.

“Walking into the pool, I had never been in such a big environment,” Murphy said of the venue — the same place where the U.S. Olympic diving trials are held — located in Indianapolis, Indiana. “You walk in and you see a wall of all the Olympic qualifiers there, and then [there were] so many swimmers and divers from all across the country that I’ve never met before” At the national competition, she received All-America honors by claiming eighth overall in the three-meter event.

Murphy stated that in addition to having her own family’s support in the stands, a former teammate

and her family drove out to watch her compete.

The swimming and diving team has a tradition of clapping twice before a diver steps onto the board, which Murphy’s in-person supporters emulated for her.

“I got to hear that before my last dive,” Murphy said. “[It was] really special to have that and still feel very much at home, even though it was so far away and the team wasn’t there.”

For the first few years, Murphy’s favorite board was the one-meter.

But by the end of her diving career, she developed a new fondness for three-meter.

“One-meter definitely felt safer,” she said. “But there’s something special about three-meter. When you hit a dive, it just feels so good.

So by the end, I really loved the 405C on three-meter, which is an inward two and a half. My other favorite dive was a front two and a half on one-meter in pike.”

In May, Murphy was honored as

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Athletics Kathryn Murphy ’22 received accolades for her diving performance during the 2021-2022 season.

Mount Holyoke College Senior Athlete of the Year. Later that month, she was selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America At-Large Academic All-District First Team, which acknowledges the high performance of student-athletes in both academics and sports.

In July, Murphy was nominated

by Mount Holyoke for NCAA Woman of the Year, which honors graduating female student-athletes who have “distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers,” according to an NCAA press release.

Now, Murphy works as a graduate assistant coach and head diving coach at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, where she is also working towards her Master of Science in Bioscience and Biotechnology.

“I love hitting home just how incredible [Head Swimming and Diving Coach Dave Allen, Diving Coach Rachel Araujo, Assistant Coach Bill Tyler and Volunteer Assistant Swimming Coach Naomi Brown ’21] are,” Murphy said. “Especially Rachel, who I worked with every day for two hours, because I started with a weird diving experience and finished at Nationals with some team records. … That would not have happened without Rachel.”

Murphy said she has a few favorite parts about diving.

“It’s definitely the people that I got to be around every day. It’s the coaches that I looked forward to seeing each day in the pool,” Murphy said. She also said working towards goals each day was a highlight of the sport.

But in the end, Murphy said diving itself brings her joy.

“You get to bounce off and flip and jump through the air,” she said.

“It’s just fun.”

Editor’s note: Emily Tarinelli ’25 is a member of the Swimming & Diving team.

NEWMAC announces that Salve Regina University will join the league in 2023

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 SPORTS EDITOR

The New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference is set to increase in size and competition with its newest addition of Salve Regina University. Announced by both the conference and the college on July 13, the Seahawks will join the NEWMAC on July 1, 2023, and begin its tenure in the 2023-2024 academic year.

The NEWMAC Presidents Council voted unanimously in favor of Salve Regina’s incorporation, as re-

ported by Salve Today.

“Welcoming Salve Regina University to the NEWMAC is one that we do with great anticipation and excitement,” Mary-Beth Cooper, chair of the Council and president of Springfield College, said in a press release by Salve Today. “This expansion not only diversifies our conference’s geographical footprint, but provides the NEWMAC with another like-minded institution that aligns with our core values and broadens our institutional portfolio. As our conference continues to emerge out of the pandemic stronger than ever,

I’m confident that Salve Regina’s addition to the NEWMAC provides strength, stability and opportunity.”

According to Salve Today, when the university officially joins, the NEWMAC will be concluding its 25year anniversary celebrations while the institution will be celebrating its 75-year anniversary.

The Seahawks will become the 12th member of the conference, and are set to compete alongside Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and nine other institutions in 16 of the 20 sports offered by the NEWMAC. With Salve Regina’s imminent ad-

dition, the conference is set to have its first member located in Rhode Island, putting the state into the mix with Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“It is exciting to welcome Salve Regina University as the conference’s 12th member. My sincere thanks go to [Rear Admiral William Kelly, superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy,] and the [other] members of the [NEWMAC Expansion] Task Force, President Cooper for her continued leadership as chair of the NEWMAC Presidents Council and President [Kelli J.

Armstrong of Salve Regina] and her team at Salve for their absolute commitment to our process,” Patrick B. Summers, the executive director of the NEWMAC, said in a report by Salve Today.

“There is something quite significant about the NEWMAC celebrating its 25th anniversary, Title IX celebrating its 50th anniversary and Salve celebrating its 75th anniversary as we welcome them into a conference that champions academic and athletic excellence and was founded as an all women’s athletic conference.”

August 6, 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

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‘Dead End’ tells authentic queer and neurodivergent stories

BY OAKLEY MARTON ’25 STAFF WRITER

On June 16, Netflix released the animated series “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” an adaptation of Hamish Steele’s “DeadEndia” graphic novels, starring two security guards at a haunted theme park: Barney Guttman (played by Zach Barack), a Fat gay Jewish transgender teenager and his coworker Norma Khan (played by Kody Kavitha), an Autistic Pakistani-American teenager with anxiety.

The two don’t become friends immediately. Barney wants the job because it offers independence from his parents, who seem to only accept him for who he is when it’s easy, while Norma says that the park and it’s infamous owner Pauline Phoenix are her hyperfixation — a term often used by neurodivergent folks to refer to a topic they’re intensely interested in, usually for long periods of time. Norma loves the park but takes time to open up to her co-workers. Badyah, another park security guard even jokes in episode 7 that, “If investigating a murder is the only way to hang out with [Norma], then fine!” While Norma’s anxiety is openly discussed, her Autism hasn’t yet been named in the show like it has in the comics.

“Dead End” creator Hamish Steele has talked about how the show used script consultants for writing Norma as Autistic and how this experience led him to discover that he is also Autistic. “To cut a long story short,” he says in an Awards Watch Interview, “I was diagnosed with Autism last year because of Norma, because at the time I was just writing something intended to be, ‘Hashtag relatable. Everyone feels this way.’ Turns out that’s not true.” Steele’s story isn’t the only example of personal experience bleeding into the show for the better.

Zach Barack, who plays Barney, reflected on Instagram that while the importance of the show for fans is the focus of most of his interviews, he keeps coming back to how he was impacted by being on the show, writing that as “someone who’s always answering to the trans kid inside his

heart, this was such a healing experience to make.” The experiences of everyone who worked on Dead End weave together a deeply heartfelt show whose characters shine brighter for it.

As the show continues, Barney and Norma grow closer through supernatural park hijinks as Barney helps Norma realize Pauline’s sinister actions are putting the park and everyone in it in danger. Norma even sings a song about it later in the show, sharing that she watched Pauline’s movies because, “The world can feel like a storm and my bedroom is the eye” — referencing how as a person with anxiety she often isolates in her room. Earlier, she sings, “OMG Pauline, you know that moment in that scene? … Well, you made me feel so seen.”

With its breakup ballad energy and puns galore, Norma’s song feels like a mission statement. By putting her on stage the creators are looking “Dead End” fans right in the eye and being honest about the power they hold and the ways they can bring this amazing feeling to fans — They are being seen, maybe for the first time ever. As a trans, neurodivergent Jew, I saw so many parts of myself in this show that I never thought I would.

“Dead End” weaves in representation thoughtfully and without compromise. In an era when representation in children’s TV has been an uphill battle, just the show’s naming of Norma’s neurodivergence and Barney’s transness is a refreshing relief. But “Dead End” goes beyond recognizing the characters’ diversity in name, which is obvious from Barney’s coming out scene in the second episode.

After a chaotic day of reigning in a crowd of abandoned park mascots, Norma confronts Barney about the fact that he’s started living in the basement of the haunted house where they work. Norma finds affirmation in knowing the park’s grounds inside and out, watching Pauline Pheonix’s films and being able to rattle off rules and trivia at the drop of a hat. So when Barney says that this is the first place where he’s ever felt like he could truly be

Photo courtesy of Flickr “Dead End,” an animated Netflix series created by cartoonist Hamish Steele, is based on his graphic novel series “DeadEndia,” first published in 2018.

himself, Norma questions him, saying “But that’s how I feel. I didn’t think you cared about the park.”

“It’s not the park,” he replies.

“It’s me. I’m trans, Norma, and everyone at home knows and everyone at school knows, and being here, it’s like a whole new place. I can just be Barney, and I can choose if and when I tell people. I’ve never been happier, and that’s saying something when I spent the day being chased by terrifying zombie mascots.”

At first glance, the show’s mix of comedic horror and vulnerably honest conversations about identity feels like a lovable quirk that softens the blow of how downright scary the show’s premise can be. But as the series continues, Barney and Norma work to understand and love each other better, making “Dead End” a chaotic supernatural home that’s easy to long for.

We see this mashup of the supernatural and sincere with Barney in particular from the first episode where he comfortably spends the night sleeping in a vampire coffin,

excited at building a safe home for himself no matter what shape it is, to asking his crush out in the penultimate episode, right on the tail end of blurted revelations about Pauline’s supernatural abilities and the danger that the park is in and, “Also you’re really cute wanna go see a movie or something? Haha.”

Dead End’s mash up of spooky theme park hijinks and genuine love for queer found families says that nothing is ever simple — You can get the good with the bad, the weird and confusing with the euphoric.

Coming out, even just to yourself, is recognizing that the world is more lovely and complicated than most of us were taught it is. Especially as trans people — when we say who we are it can break down our world around us and lead us to build unexpected new homes. That sort of dark uncanny humor feels very familiar to me as a Jewish and queer person.

I know what it’s like to have family tell you they love you in the same breath that they say something an-

tithetical to your existence. To feel like when you walk into a room, people’s boxes spill open in front of you and you’re just wading around with them piecing it together.

I know what it’s like to find new homes in the oddest and queerest of places, to carve out hope in places you didn’t think were possible. And now, because of “Dead End,” I know what it’s like to see a Fat, gay, Jewish trans teen dream about smashing a glass at his wedding with his coworker crush, his friends cheering him on the whole way.

I know what it’s like to see him know that he deserves better than conditional acceptance and find a home for himself, and have those tough, necessary conversations with friends like Norma about how to best make them feel seen too.

When “Dead End” creator Hamish Steele said in an AwardsWatch interview that “the queer element of the show isn’t just meant to be the representation. It’s … meant to be in the structure and the bones of the show a little bit,” he meant it.

Cont’d. Administration announces fall semester COVID-19 plans u

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in the area.”

Similarly, employees are expected to seek out symptomatic and asymptomatic testing “either locally at a clinic or pharmacy or through a home test” and to report positive test results to covid-report-g@ mtholyoke.edu.

Guest Policy

Though overnight guests have been permitted since February 2022, this recent announcement has shifted the guest policy on campus.

Overnight guests will now be required to be registered and “up-todate on their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters,” as the College has

seemingly halted the requirement for negative test results from such guests. According to the July announcement, “Students will receive additional information regarding fall 2022 residence hall policies from the division of Student Life.”

All campus guests will be asked to conduct compulsory self-assess-

ments of their symptoms and abide by campuswide COVID-19 policies at the time of their visit.

Vaccination & documentation requirements

According to the letter, Mount Holyoke will “continue to require all employees and students to receive

a primary COVID-19 vaccination series and one booster for the 2022– 2023 academic year,” citing continuous research that credits vaccination as a powerful tool in COVID-19 mitigation. The College has required vaccination documentation since all students returned to campus in August 2021.

4 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

August 6, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

‘The Bear’ examines the realities of contemporary American life

BY LUCY OSTER ’23 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses addiction and suicide.

“The Bear” is among the few good television shows I have seen in a long while. The show achieves this acclaim by scaling back what viewers have come to expect from television shows, for example an excessive plot where all issues of contemporary American life are touched upon. “The Bear” instead focuses intensely on its characters, thus creating a realistic depiction of community. By focusing intensely on the small things that matter most, “The Bear” ultimately does the same thing as the restaurant it depicts.

The show, streaming on FX on Hulu, follows Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White. Carmy is a chef returning home to Chicago from an unnamed high-class restaurant in New York City due to tragic backstory reasons, a very typical plot motivator in a television drama.

His brother recently killed himself and left Carmy his Italian beef sandwich-based restaurant — known as The Beef — in his will, as well as a lot of debt.

There are several conflicts throughout the show: Carmy and the trauma of his brother’s loss, the highly-trained style of cooking Carmy is bringing to The Beef and what the ragged crew is used to, The Beef’s struggle against mounting debt and so on. The plot of the show is important, but it almost runs secondary to the character dynamics portrayed, which are the real beating heart of “The Bear.”

The cast of the show, largely made up of the employees of The Beef, are all standouts. Twitter is full of thirst for the excellent Jeremy Allen White. One tweet by @ uraniumglssblnt reads, “jeremy allen white being 5’7 actually makes so much sense to me. if he was any

taller he would just be regular hot and not the kind of pathetic-hot that makes you wanna give him a glass of water and an orange slice.” But in my opinion the real star of the show is Ayo Edebiri, who plays Sydney, another highly-trained chef. She supports Carmy’s attempts to elevate The Beef while skirmishing with him and another coworker, Richie, played

by Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Edebiri, usually a comedian, portrays the nuance within Sydney incredibly well, making it so that when episodes went without her for over 10 minutes — the episode lengths span from 20 to 47 minutes — I missed her deeply.

“The Bear” is cynical yet earnest.

So much of the kitchen is portrayed as so heavily masculine that even the smallest displays of emotion — such as a more senior employee saying “thank you” to the new sous chef or Sydney buying the correct caulk — are soaked in poignance. It seems the highest compliment that one character can give another is a genuine “good.”

In this way, the show can also be beautifully corny: The small kindnesses of daily life are portrayed as everything. The baker, Marcus — played by Lionel Boyce — has an obsessive and earnest focus on making a perfect donut and the camera pans over his doodles of baked goods to the sound of The Beach Boys. Richie, the toughest character, consistently shows his soft spots and loyalty to The Beef.

Another standout aspect of the show is the camerawork. At one point when a character is chopping onions, the shots of the chopping are overlaid on one another to depict the endless intensity, while close-frame long shots are consistently used to show the unabated severity of working in a kitchen. Even as a lifelong vegetarian, the beef was always shown sizzling so beautifully that I am tempted to try an Italian beef sandwich at the next opportunity.

The specificity of “The Bear”

Photo courtesy of Flickr Chicago-based show “The Bear,” now streaming on Hulu, has garnered widespread acclaim on social media for its diverse cast and honest storytelling.

is largely what makes it so good. It does not try to depict all of the flaws in the world in itself, but ends up doing so anyway through moments like Carmy’s Al-Anon meetings and Sydney’s credit card debt. Addiction, gentrification and the difficulty of apologizing are all an indelible part

of the show, just as they are of contemporary life. Simultaneously, the show stays focused on itself, and the world of Chicago in which The Beef is placed in.

Chicago-specific sports references flew beautifully over my head, and the soundtrack — full of Chi-

cago-based bands like Wilco or the musician Andrew Bird — is perfect.

By focusing on its specificity, “The Bear” does what Carmy does: It perfects what’s been around forever. For Carmy, it’s the Italian beef sandwich, and for “The Bear” it’s television.

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Community members seeking medical and religious exemptions from these vaccination requirements will still be able to pursue such accommodations. With these accommodations accounted for, the on-campus community entered the Fall 2021 semester with high numbers of vaccinations, with 89 percent of active employees and 86 percent of students reporting full vaccination, according to an August 2021 update from previous College President Stephens.

Resources for immunocompromised students

As previously reported by Mount Holyoke News, some immunocompromised students have voiced mixed levels of comfortability with the previous on-campus COVID-19 protocols. Addressing this student community, Tatum’s letter stated that “Those who are immunocompromised should check in with a health care provider and/or College Health Services to make appropriate plans for the semester as needed.”

Students in search of informa-

tion regarding accommodations should contact Disability Services.

All other concerns from students, faculty and staff should be directed to the dean of students, dean of faculty or supervisory staff, respectively.

Going Forward

The College’s COVID-19 Health and Safety Committee will continue to “monitor the COVID-19 community level for Hampshire County and recommend adjustments to policies as necessary” in the coming months.

In a statement to Mount Holyoke News, Interim President Tatum detailed the rationale behind the College’s upcoming COVID-19 mandates.“I look forward to welcoming all of our students, faculty and staff to campus in the fall, and want to do so with a priority on community health and safety. I am grateful to the members of the Health and Safety Committee for their hard work on developing our policy, and for all those who gave input in the process.

Health experts tell us that we should expect to live with the COVID virus

as a part of daily life, as we have learned to live with other infectious diseases,” she said. “Our goal now is to get as close to a pre-pandemic, in-person learning experience as we can, recognizing that some will perceive us as moving too fast in that direction while others will perceive us as moving too slowly. My intention is to seek guidance from the experts, communicate with as much clarity as possible, and ask everyone for their patience and cooperation so we can move forward together as a community.”

OPINION 5 Why the R. Kelly sentencing is a victory, but is also a reminder that we must do better for young Black girls August 6, 2022

. Mount Holyoke News

BY SARAH BELL ’25 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses racism and sexual violence against minors.

On June 29, 2022, singer-songwriter Robert Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual abuse.

Kelly’s sentencing comes after three decades of unacceptable predatory behavior. From an illegal marriage to then-underage R&B singer Aaliyah to child pornography charges, and a lengthy history of other sexual misconduct, Kelly has been on a rampage of traumatizing young Black girls. While Kelly’s 2022 sentencing is a victory for his victims, it is a long way from the respect these victims, and other young Black girls and women, deserve.

Kelly participated in the hypersexualization of young Black girls as he abused them for years. As a young Black woman, growing up I’ve seen the excuses that adults make about their predatory comments toward young Black women and how society views young Black women as older than they are, both in the media and in reality. As I continue to grow older, I want to dismantle the stereotypical attributes attached to young Black girls and ensure they live in a world that views them as their age.

Tiffany Hawkins was the first of Kelly’s victims to come forward and speak on her experiences of sexual abuse at the hands of Kelly. Hawkins first met Kelly in 1991 as a 15-yearold aspiring singer — Kelly initiated repeated sexual contact. In 1996, Hawkins accused Kelly of sexually absuing her as a minor and took her case to court, suing Kelly for $10 million, only for the case to settle at $250,000. “I was a young Black girl,” Hawkins said to Jim Deregatis in 2019 for The New Yorker, “Who cared?” Hawkins’ 1996 case shows the failure of our society on how it treats young Black girls and teaches us to feel that we’re not cared for.

Hawkins was told that her life was only worth $250,000, leaving her feeling hopeless and defeated. To have a court of justice neglect your truth is unbelievable, not only for Hawkins, but for the many young Black girls who suffer and experience sexual abuse who feel that they cannot speak out due to the poor outcome of these cases.

While Hawkins was the first to accuse Kelly, young rising R&B starlet Aaliyah Houghton was the center of controversy in 1994 when the marriage certificate between

her and Kelly was released. The 1994 certificate listed Aaliyah’s age as 18, when in reality she was 15 and Kelly was 27, according to Vibe Magazine.

That same year, her debut record, “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number,” was released, written and produced

by Kelly. The title is quite alarming as the record can be seen as a nod to Kelly’s predatory behavior and the inappropriate relationship between the two. Over the years, I’ve wit-

to speak out on the allegations and relationship with Kelly, as she died in 2001 at the age of 22.

Later in 2002, in his first criminal indictment, Kelly was taken into custody after a sex tape of him and an underage girl was sent anonymously to the Chicago Sun-Times. The video showed Kelly “performing various sex acts” with a young girl. Afterward, the tape circled around the internet and was sold on numerous sex

In 2018, Kelly released his infamous song, “I Admit,” a 19-minute song illustrating the sexual miscoduct scandal. The song also included Kelly defending his character, bringing up his dyslexia and his own history as a victim of sexual abuse.

The song received unfavorable criticism, as many deemed it pervasive and some even called it ridiculous.

In 2019, Kelly had a well-known public outburst during a CBS exclusive

Photo courtesy of Flickr Decades after the first of many public accusations of sexual violence, Robert Kelly has been found guilty. However, justice has not fully been served.

nessed the media surrounding their relationship romanticize the “Hollywood scandal” of an older man pursuing a younger woman, despite the fact that she was actually underage.

Aaliyah met Kelly when she was 12 through her uncle, Barry Hankerson,who managed the two artists.

From there, she began to record and work with Kelly. There have been multiple people who have witnessed Kelly engage in sexual acts with Aaliyah. Her ex-partner, Damon Dash, recalled in 2019 how difficult it was for her to speak about the relationship and how she referred to Kelly as a “bad man.”

I grew up listening to Aaliyah.

She was someone I looked up to. I found her music to be very innovative, and listening to it felt like I was looking at my reflection as she was a petite, skinny Black girl like me. I owned all her physical albums and watched a lot of her available online content. I only wanted to know her for the success she had achieved during her lifetime despite her widespread notability for the illegal marriage between her and Kelly.

Once I discovered more of their relationship and researched the timeline of events, it made me sick to my stomach that it was allowed to happen openly. Kelly went on to have a thriving career and sell millions of records, while Aaliyah was rumored to be blacklisted for a time. Unfortunately, Aaliyah did not get a chance

sites. He was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography, but was released on a $750,000 bail. Kelly, at this point of his career, was a mainstream R&B act with connections, a fanbase and, more importantly, money. Kelly was able to utilize his financial wealth to get out of this indictment, proving how the manipulation of power allows wealthy men to walk away easily from their guilt and legal charges.

Over the years, sexual abuse allegations against Kelly continued to surface. It was as recently as 2019 that Kelly’s allegations were brought up again on social media, starting a new spread of awareness of Kelly’s past. Outlets started to protest Kelly, urging the public to stop financially supporting him and streaming his music.

As a result, many of his concerts were canceled and many corporations — such as Spotify and RCA Records — limited or dissolved their partnerships with him. Spotfiy started to pull R. Kelly off their official playlists, and RCA Records, his former record label, dropped him. Even his former lawyer and publicist quit due to the tensions created by the increase in awareness of the sexual crime allegations against him.

Kelly began slowly losing his status, his team and his income from streaming. These little things are steps in the right direction — it is never too late to hold a sexual abuser accountable.

interview with Gayle King. As King continued to dig into the allegations of sexual assault and a purported “sex cult,” Kelly declared his innocence by ranting at her and the entire film team. This was when I witnessed R. Kelly’s official condemnation by society as a whole.

In dismantling the hypersexualisation of young Black girls, we also see the underlying racism Black girls suffer from the way they are adultified from a young age. As a young Black girl, growing up I’ve reflected on how I’ve been viewed by society. From a young age, I could recall being called “sexy” by older adults who commented on my body.

One memory that always comes to mind is when I was in elementary school, when my mother used to purchase leggings for me to wear.

It was a stylistic choice and a break from the usual jeans I would wear on the daily.

One day, when my mother was picking me up from school, my assistant principal advised her that I should stop wearing leggings — that men might mistake me as older because of my large butt and tall stature.

After this incident, my mother had me wear jeans and thicker pants instead of leggings. The fact I had to change the clothes I wore to make people feel more comfortable is outrageous, especially when compared to the experiences of my many non-

Black classmates who didn’t have to deal with similar situations. Reflecting back, it leaves me questioning how our society needs to start holding older men accountable for the way they view younger women.

It is never okay for a young girl to be considered at fault for something that is naturally a part of her.

I can’t help that my body developed the way it did, and it disgusts me to think about the older men who approached me when I was younger, thinking it was okay to initiate contact due to how I look.

Black girls and women are often hypersexualized and perceived within the Jezebel archetype — a stereotype of Black women under which they are viewed as promiscuous and inherently associated with hypersexuality. R. Kelly’s songs such as “She’s Got That Vibe,” released on his collaboration record with R&B group Public Announcement in 1992, and “Born Into the 90’s,” a song about being turned on, perpetuate this archetype. In the interlude of “She’s Got a Vibe,” he sings a list of numerous names of women who “got that vibe.” In one especially notable lyric, he states, “​​Little cute Aaliyah’s got it (Yeah, she’s got that vibe)”.

Aaliyah would’ve only been 13 at the time, set to release her debut record two years later. It is sickening that her name was mentioned in a song with a very sexual theme.

Although it was early in his career, this lyric illustrates how Kelly survived much too long scot-free when it was explicitly stated in one of his well-known songs that he was sexually aroused by underage girls.

R. Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years for racketeering and sex trafficking. He is currently awaiting trial for 13 charges related to child pornography and obstruction of justice, and 11 charges of sexual assault and abuse, according to the BBC. While those charges are positive news, as he will be behind bars for the rest of his lifetime, there is still work to be done.

There are many abusers that are still out in the open that need to be held accountable for their actions.

There needs to be more justice for young Black girls and women who are victims to sexual abuse, violence and predatory intimidation. I want a world that recognizes that my safety matters.

Until then, I will continue to defend and protect the young Black girls and women in my community and beyond. I hope the same for many people who recognize the struggle young Black girls face in our society and you should, too.

6 COMMUNITY

August 6, 2022

Mount Holyoke News

. Mount Holyoke News

Event Highlights

Mount Holyoke News is an independent student newspaper written by and for Mount Holyoke College students since 1917.

Pioneer Valley Events Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Sophie Soloway ’23

Publisher Ali Meizels ’23

Managing Editor of Content Emma Watkins ’23

Managing Editor of Web Mariam Keita ’24 & Zoe Tang ’24

Managing Editor of Layout Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Business Manager Katie Goss ’23

Copy Chief Lenox Johnson ’24

Human Resources Hannah Raykher ’23

Lenox Johnson ’24

Opinion

Jahnavi Pradeep ’23 & Kaveri Pillai ’23

Global

Cynthia Akanaga ’25

Sports

Emily Tarinelli ’25

Photos

Rosemary Geib ’23 & Ali Meizels ’23

Layout Editors Zoe Tang ’24

Join Adventure East for a two-hour instructional paddle trip. Become comfortable with paddling and spot wildlife as you ride. Kayaks, paddles and snacks included.

Adventure East. 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Sunday, August 7 Pocumtuck Homelands Festival

The Nolumbeka Project is sponsoring the ninth Annual Pocumtuck Homelands Festival. At this Native American cultural celebration, guests can enjoy music, storytelling and festivities. Families may also enjoy nature-themed crafts.

Editorial Board

Arts & Entertainment

Sunday, August 7 Intro to Kayaking

Copy Editors

Ella Jacob ’24, Hilary Vergera FP ’24, Marlo Zwisler ’24, Max Endieveri ’25, Meghan MacBeath ’25, Kamlyn Yosick ’25, Zora Lotton-Barker ’25

Web Editors

Lily Hoffman Strickler ’24, Ramisa Tahsin Rahman ’25, Chloe Wang ’25

Unity Park, Turners Falls. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 10 Great Awakening Brewing Company Cornhole League

Join with 1-3 teammates and enter to win a gift card and make it to the semi-finals and championships in this summerlong Cornhole League. Round-robin tournaments are held weekly at the Great Awakening Brewing Company. Entrance to the league costs $30 per team.

Publication Guidelines

Great Awakening Brewing Company, Westfield. 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Mount Holyoke News does not endorse any of the opinions or views expressed within the pages of the paper, excluding staff editorials.

All content copyright of Mount Holyoke News. All rights reserved. Mount Holyoke News does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age.

Thursday, August 11 Village Commons Summer Concert Series

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MHN reserves the right to refuse submissions on the basis of, but not limited to, advertisements considered to be libelous, obscene, defamatory or discriminatory.

Subscriptions

Village Commons, South Hadley. 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

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Letters Policy Letters to the Editor appear exactly as they are sent to MHN, except for corrections to spelling, grammar and AP style. Letters cannot exceed 500 words. All letters must include the writer’s name and telephone number for verification purposes. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Names may be held upon request with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. MHN reserves the right to decide which materials will be printed. Email submissions to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu by Sundays at 5 p.m. for publication the following week.

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Enjoy weekly free tunes at the Village Commons throughout the summer. This Thursday evening, join Lindsey LaBelle, a modern country artist. Presented by the South Hadley Recreation Department and the Village Commons.

EMAIL US: mhnews@mtholyoke.edu

Thank you so much for your support throughout our summer publications. It has been an honor to continue sharing the stories that matter to you, especially as the Mount Holyoke community is scattered across the world. We look forward to returning to weekly publishing during the upcoming academic year.

Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely, Sophie Soloway, Editor-in-Chief ’23