Mount Holyoke News - Friday, December 15, 2023

Mount Holyoke News AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1917 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2023

MOUNTHOLYOKENEWS.COM

Students struggle to pay tuition as cost of attendance rises BY MARIAM KEITA ’24, EMILY TARINELLI ’25 AND MADHAVI RAO ’24 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | SPORTS EDITOR | FEATURES EDITOR

The Mount Holyoke College Board of Trustee’s decision to significantly raise its cost of attendance for the 2023-2024 school year has inspired renewed conversations about how financial aid is calculated at the institution. Mount Holyoke News reached out to current students, staff members, parents and former students who transferred to other institutions, citing financial struggles as a significant factor in their decision to continue their studies elsewhere, to learn more about financial aid processes at Mount Holyoke College. Mount Holyoke News also spoke with several individuals who have interacted with Student Financial Services to understand better how the office responds to federal financial aid policies, which factors determine how much aid a student receives, and how the appeals process operates. Together, these portraits depict the difficult reality for students who are forced to leave Mount Holyoke due to financial circumstances out of their control. How Mount Holyoke calculates student financial aid Every institution has internal metrics for calculating a student’s financial need and how best to disburse financial aid. Mount Holyoke belongs to the Consortium on Financing Higher Education, a network of 39 liberal arts colleges that have voluntarily committed to meeting the full demonstrated need of all admitted students. Some of these schools have also committed to refrain from packaging loans for students receiving needbased aid, including fellow members of the Five College Consortium. Amherst College switched over to a noloan model in the 2008-09 academic year. In Oct. 2021, Smith College transitioned to this model with the Fall 2022 semester. This left Mount Holyoke College, the only COFHE member in the Five College Consortium, still packaging loans for needbased aid recipients. According to Executive Director of Student Financial Services at Mount Holyoke College Tayler Kreutter, SFS packages a combination of merit-based scholarships, other grants and scholarships, loans and work-study to meet a student’s demonstrated need. SFS calculates demonstrated need using a software system called PowerFAIDS — owned by College Board — through a process Kreutter described as “institutional methodology.” “The methodology behind the scenes takes as large of a snapshot of families’ financial circumstances as it can and distills down that information,” Kreutter said in an interview with Mount Holyoke News, explaining why SFS uses the College Scholarship Service Profile. “We feel like the more information we have, the more equitable and consistent

Photo by Emma Quirk ’26 One father told Mount Holyoke News that he took out a $30,000 loan for his daughter’s schooling.

we can be in awarding it for all of our different students.” Federal changes regarding how financial aid is calculated and awarded based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA, are on the way. The aid application for the 2024-2025 school year — which typically opens by Oct. 1 each year — will not become available to students seeking federal aid until Dec. 31. Through the 2020 FAFSA Simplification Act, Congress wants the Department of Education to raise the threshold for protected family income — income excluded from the calculation determining need-based aid eligibility — to 20-60% depending on individual circumstances while adjusting annually for inflation, The Washington Post reported. The DOE has failed to update calculation standards to match the FSA guidelines, which could negatively impact students’ aid eligibility nationwide, according to The Washington Post. At many non-need-based institutions, the earlier a student completes the FAFSA, the more institutional funding is available to them. However, the delayed FAFSA deadline this year will likely leave colleges scrambling to assess students’ financial circumstances and disburse aid packages. Kreutter says that SFS will rely on the CSS profile — an application used to determine eligibility for institutional aid, awarded directly from Mount Holyoke — to project the amount of federal aid that domestic students will be eligible for in the 2024-2025 school year. However, students will still need to apply to receive these funds using the FAFSA. Kreutter’s office is preemptively planning a mass communications campaign to bring this information to student’s attention, with the fear being that students may not realize that they still need to apply for federal aid. According to the College’s common data set — a standardized report of demographic and financial data that most higher education institutions report annually — Mount Holyoke awarded $57,539,906 in institutional need-based aid for the 2022-2023 school year. Of the 1492 students who applied for it, 1358 — 91% — received it, with the average award for full-time students being $46,978. When a student’s idea of their financial need does not align

with the College’s assessment, SFS places the burden on them to request an appeal. Then, requests are processed by an appeals team that meets throughout the year to review cases. Kreutter said that appeals cases typically deal with parental job loss, unreimbursed medical expenses and financially supporting extended family members unaccounted for in the FAFSA or CSS Profile. “What is sometimes difficult is that I’ve worked with a lot of families in the past who have hesitancy to share information [for] multiple different reasons,” Kreutter said. “Talking about finances is never easy. Talking about finances with a stranger? It’s exponentially not easy. And I think that’s one of the reasons why we shifted to the dedicated counselor model.” A student left behind and a desperate dad who loves his daughter A recent revision to her needbased financial aid may force Kaia McTigue ’26 to unenroll from the College. “I was receiving a significant amount of financial aid last year,” McTigue said. But when she received her financial aid offer during the summer before the 202324 academic year, McTigue said, “it was significantly less aid — actually, little to no aid.” Thinking that there had been a misunderstanding, Kaia’s father, John McTigue, told Mount Holyoke News that he reached out to SFS for clarification. It would not have been the first time. The year his daughter was set to begin at Mount Holyoke, SFS mistakenly counted a rental property as a real estate asset and gave her a lower award. However, after communicating with SFS, the school was able to significantly revise her award — seemingly without problem, her father said. This year, however, was different. In 2021, McTigue’s father — the owner of a small printmaking business, Business Card Express — received a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program. These loans, distributed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, helped small-business owners stay employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the SBA. The older McTigue told Mount Holyoke News that his business — considered essential during the pandemic since it served local healthcare facilities

— suffered around 80% in business losses during the pandemic. He used the PPP loan to retain core members of his staff and continue operations. According to a statement addressed to SFS from the father’s Certified Professional Accountant, which was shared with Mount Holyoke News, SFS refused to take her father’s COVID-related business losses into account when calculating aid. SFS also counted the PPP loan as income after it was forgiven by the federal government, a move which he said went against Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The McTigues say SFS rejected their appeal. The father told Mount Holyoke News that paying for almost all of his daughter’s fees out-of-pocket this year has presented a significant financial burden for him and his family. “When I first got the news, it was devastating,” the older McTigue said. “I’ve been in business for myself since I was 23. I haven’t worked for anybody else. I have never in my entire life felt so completely gutted and stabbed in the back. So blind-sided, so utterly blind-sided.” The father said that at first, he was not able to find the words to tell his daughter she might not be able to return to the College, hiding the news from her until the end of the appeal process. “My daughter is amazing. … Not one time in her entire life have I ever ever ever had to ask her if she did her homework. Not one,” the father said. “That was the toughest thing, [Kaia] feeling like it was her fault. Seeing Kaia taking blame. I’m like, how can you have done better than a 4.0 [grade point average]?” Both father and daughter told Mount Holyoke News that to fund this academic year, they have had to deplete all funds reserved for her education, along with those reserved for her younger brother. The father has also taken out an additional $30,000 in loans — a move that he explained will likely delay his retirement indefinitely. “There’s no way we can do the same thing next year,” the father told Mount Holyoke News. Going into next semester, McTigue faces an uncertain future. Her current plan is to complete her sophomore year at Mount Holyoke and study abroad all next year to circumvent the College’s cost of attendance — provided she can receive grants and fellowships to offset the costs. If McTigue’s financial aid offer is not revised by her senior year, she will have no other option but to transfer during her last year at Mount Holyoke. Ilhan and Siona: Zoom today, gone tomorrow Ilhan, who asked to use only her first name for this story, enrolled as a first-year student at the College during the 2020-2021 school year. Like McTigue, Ilhan recalled having adverse experiences with SFS in her year at the College. Though, unlike McTigue, she was successfully able to appeal for more aid for her second semester. “SFS were very unforgiving

when it came to financial aid, appeals and loans,” Ilhan said in a written response to Mount Holyoke News, describing her attempts to appeal her financial aid award after COVID-related job losses within her family. Unlike McTigue, the Minnesota-native never had the opportunity to step foot on campus as a student. Ilhan, who said she is immunocompromised, spent her entire first year learning remotely due to the pandemic, taking coursework online from her family home before transferring to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. “I soon realized that this wouldn’t be sustainable at all, especially for 3 more years. … Finances were the biggest issue overall and the catalyst for me needing to withdraw from Mount Holyoke, a little more support during the pandemic would’ve helped [a lot] to keep me enrolled as a full-time student,” Ilhan said. “I think the College has a lot of work to do to accommodate for low-income and first-generation students, in all aspects of higher education including academic, financial, guidance, and professional areas.” Siona Ahuja ’24, an international student from Delhi, India, told Mount Holyoke News that she spent her Spring 2022 semester in conversation with SFS at Mount Holyoke, appealing for a financial aid revision after a medical emergency and COVID-related unemployment left her family unable to handle the cost of attendance. While Ilhan’s appeal was successful, Ahuja’s appeal was rejected by SFS, like McTigue. After four semesters at Mount Holyoke, the first of which she completed remotely from Delhi, Ahuja is now a senior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Ahuja told Mount Holyoke News that while the cost of attendance was not the only reason she decided to transfer, it was “a pretty big factor!” An international student in strife Another international student at Mount Holyoke — who asked not to be named — turned to SFS for help during the Spring 2022 semester. The year before, the currency in her country had rapidly devalued due to ongoing civil conflict. “What I was given as my parental contribution when I first got an acceptance letter was no longer attainable for my parents because [my family contribution was] almost double what they make in the currency where they live,” the student said. However, she claims that her appeal was denied. SFS informed her that currency devaluation in a student’s home country was not seen as a qualifying circumstance for repackaging financial aid at the College — she would need to wait a year and then file another appeal. The senior told Mount Holyoke News that when she appealed again, she was working the maximum number of hours allowed of international student workers at her two jobs on CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

u

APAU organizes community game night to relieve stress during finals BY BRIE FOSTER ’27 STAFF WRITER

It’s final exam season, which means stress is in the air at Mount Holyoke College. Towards the end of the semester, most college students experience stress in some capacity, whether it be from projects, exams, or presentations. To keep spirits as high as possible, the College and student organizations have hosted destress events on campus. One of these events, a casual game night hosted at the Beverly Daniel Tatum Unity Center, took place on Friday, Dec. 8th, and was hosted by MHC’s Association of Pan-African Unity. With a wide variety of card games, board games, and even a Kahoot!, the APAU hoped that the event would allow attendees to “de-stress and enjoy the company of friends,” according to their event’s Instagram.

u

2

Fatou Barry ’24, co-chair of the APAU, said, “These events are important to create space for people to relax and take their minds off of classes and assignments.” Outside of these events, however, Dean Marcella Runell states that it is important to have independent coping mechanisms for exam stress. In her December 8th “The Dean’s Corner” newsletter, Runell told students, “I know I’ve said this before, and I will continue to encourage you to take care of yourself in the ways that work best for you.” To take care of herself during finals season, Barry shared that she likes to be proactive about her work to schedule her free time to de-stress. “I have been trying to get ahead of my work by starting early and making sure I take mental health days. One of the things I like to do in my free time is watching movies or shows. So I just binge-

FEATURES: TikTok highlights racism at MHC

u

watch and take naps when I can,” Barry explained. When asked how she copes with finals stress, Kit Moore ’27 shared additional ways to spend self-scheduled free time. “To deal with my finals stress, I am taking time to myself. I do this by working on my crochet projects, watching movies with friends, and listening to music while I go for a walk,” said Moore. A UK non-profit, YoungMinds, suggests that to cope with exam pressure, students should reach out to friends or family, ask for help, and set realistic expectations. According to YoungMinds’ guide to exam stress, “it can be helpful to think about all the things you’ve achieved so far, in or outside of studying. … Write a list of all the things you like about yourself, and the things other people value about you too. Setting aside time for the

Photo by Brie Foster ’27 Students attend the de-stress event hosted by MHC’s Association of Pan-African Unity last Friday.

things you enjoy and are good at can really boost your self-esteem.” YoungMinds also advises against comparing yourself to others. “You might think that other people are do-

4 GLOBAL: New anti-LGBTQ raids sweep Russia

u

ing better, revising more, or just not stressing out as much. But we’re all different and that’s okay. Remember, your friends are coping with exam stress too,” YoungMinds wrote.

7 BOOKS: Emly Wilson translates ‘The Illiad’

2

FEATURES

December 15, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

Viral TikTok from Black students at Mount Holyoke College sparks conversation about HBCUs and anti-Blackness on college campuses BY DESIA JOHNSON ’26 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses racism and racial slurs. Following the discovery of an anti-black slur in Pearsons Hall, Black Mount Holyoke College students have continued the conversation about racism on campus. Last week, a group of students posted a TikTok video discussing their experiences with racism and anti-Blackness as Black students at the College. The TikTok initiated a broader conversation surrounding anti-Blackness at academic institutions and how administrations and the federal government have lacked the appropriate responses to it. The now-deleted TikTok, originally posted on Dec. 5 by Kyarah Altieri ’25 (@kyarah.alt), followed a

recent trend where TikTokers describe an attribute about themselves and follow up with a joke about what they experience or do. In the video, the students made comments discussing being Black at Mount Holyoke and their experience with dating as a Black person on campus. Some of the jokes included, “I go to Mount Holyoke College, of course I’m moving out because I got hate-crimed,” and “I go to Mount Holyoke College, of course my [residential advisor] called me a ghetto Black bitch.” Other TikTok users, such as Janice Acevedo ’09 (@janicea312), an alum and legacy of the College, stitched the original creator’s video a day after its posting to offer support to the students. The stitch, at the time of publication, has amassed over 143,300 views, 22,300 likes, and 316 comments. Commenters also shared their experiences and per-

spectives as Black students, allies and prospective students. Some commenters shared their hesitation to apply to Mount Holyoke after seeing the TikTok; others commented their class years and support of the original creator. One particular user commented that they had to replace a Black residential advisor in one of the living-learning communities due to racism. The original TikTok followed the news of an anti-Black slur found in Pearsons Hall at the College over November Break. The message read “no [n-words].” The College has since been investigating the incident. This event has brought attention to the fact that as of fall 2023, only around 7.3% of the students reported by the College identify as Black or African-American. In fall 2021, it was reported by the Postsecondary National Policy Institute

that Black students make up 12.5% of all postsecondary enrollment in the United States. A working paper titled “Hate Crimes and Black College Student Enrollment,’’ published by Stanford University, found that hate crimes on college campuses have seen a 25% increase since 2015. Co-author Tolani Britton, a professor of education policy at the University of California Berkeley, argues that the number may even be larger, considering that hate crimes tend to go unreported. The paper looks at previous qualitative research to argue a connection between the increase in reported hate crimes and the increasing HBCU enrollment by Black students. While HBCUs provide an alternative to predominantly white institutions and their supposed systemic racism, since 2021, only 99 HBCUs remain in the United States. Of those

99, only two — Spelman College and Bennett College — are historically women’s colleges. Both Spelman and Bennett lack the promise of 100% need-met financial aid that tends to be the selling point of schools like Mount Holyoke. The conversation on the safety of Black students and their places in PWIs is not a new one but a continued one. There are many factors, from income to geographical location, that influence where students apply to go to college. The amount of support and resources available to Black students can also influence whether or not they will report discrimination at their institutions. As the conversation continues and more students speak out and spread awareness, administrations will be forced to address the cries of their Black students.

Community members come together for annual Vespers celebration BY ANNA JI ’27 STAFF WRITER

Many students, staff and alumni joined in the fun brought by the warm and inclusive 2023 Vespers Concert. This year, Vespers had its debut on the night of Dec. 1 in Boston’s Old South Church and was hosted again on Dec. 3 at Mount Holyoke College’s very own Abbey Memorial Chapel. Vespers has been a long-standing tradition at Mount Holyoke, with over 120 years of history. According to Mount Holyoke’s official website, the event is a space where “the community comes together to celebrate light and togetherness on a dark and cold December night.” Colin Britt, the director of choral activities, expressed that there has been both joy and pressure in hosting. Britt joined Mount Holyoke’s faculty this year, and Vespers had been one of his many firsts when it comes to traditions at the College. To prepare for the event, he had made careful consideration when it came to choosing music so that it would be representative of many traditions and not just Christmas, in hopes of improving inclusiveness for the repertoire. “Whenever I program any multiwork concert (meaning lots of smaller works, rather than one or two larger major works), I always try to find a balance between music from

different time periods, different compositional voices, contrasting difficulty and contrasting tempos — fast, slow, medium, etc,” Britt said. Although Britt admits that the event required “an extra amount of attention and scrutiny,” the enjoyment he felt had outweighed the pressure. “Personally, I loved the solemnity of the candlelight procession combined with the joyful nature of the holiday music. I also really loved collaborating with other performing groups on campus, specifically the Klezmer Kapelye, the English Handbell Ensemble, the Flute Choir and the Jazz Ensembles,” he said. “And there’s just something about this time of year — the change in the weather, the contrast of the lights against the growing darkness and the beauty of this music that will always feel special to me.” Aside from Britt, Mount Holyoke students in their first year also had a lot to say about their first time experiencing the event. Hannah Rosenman ’27 performed in this year’s Vespers as a Glee Club member. She recalls that a lot of things were going on campus the weekend the performance occurred. “[There was] a lot of sickness going around so not everyone was able to perform in all shows, [and] our conductor [Britt] had a baby due the next day [after the performance]!” Despite being tired due to the

Photo courtesy of James Legrand Students gathered together in the chapel to celebrate the yearly Mount Holyoke musical tradition.

high intensity of the performances, Rosenman still described Vespers as “joyous, community building, innately special, emotional [and] exciting.” Furthermore, she expressed

that the stress that spread among the group before the performances would later contribute to its great success. The event brought Rosenman great memories; she enjoyed

the candle procession, which included “being able to light the advent wreath before the ceremony … [and] walking in the dark with our candles.” She also reminisced how everyone in the Glee Club got emotional during their last song for graduating seniors. Nicole Mattiacci ’27 was an audience member for the last Vespers that took place in Abbey Memorial Chapel. As a first-year, her first Vespers “felt haunting and ethereal.” Her favorite part of the event was singing “Sleigh Ride” with everyone towards the end of the show. “Even though I am notoriously bad at singing, it was very fun to sing such a classic song with the MHC community!” Mattiacci said. She also stressed the communal meaning brought by Vespers. “A word I would use to describe it is ‘community’ because it was really cool to see students, family, friends and alums all come together to celebrate the voices of Mount Holyoke.” To build on this point, Mattiacci said, “I see an aspect of belonging from this event. There was raucous applause after every group’s performance, and everyone stood up and sang when encouraged, and sat in silence when the moment called for it. The MHC community is vast and diverse, but it felt like in those moments, we all understood each other and came together as one community.”

Newly founded Queer Action Collective advocates for queer liberation BY MELANIE DURONIO ’26 FEATURES EDITOR & MANAGING EDITOR OF WEB

Mount Holyoke College’s newly formed Queer Action Collective is a student group “advocating for queer [and trans] liberation on campus, statewide and nationally,” as stated in the @queeractioncollective Instagram bio. The organization aims to create a space on campus “where students could turn to if they felt like there was a queer and trans issue that needed attention from a collective that wasn’t MHC’s administration,” Vice Chair Aoife Paul Healy ’26 emphasized in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “The extension of ‘on campus, statewide and nationally’ lets us approach any issue brought to us, no matter how big or small.” “At its core, our goal as I see it is really just to improve life for queer people everywhere (especially around us) in every way we can,” QAC Treasurer Elle Rood ’27 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “Whether that’s through changing laws or creating access to care or anything else, we want to make things better for our community.” The QAC announced its status as an official campus organization via Instagram on Nov. 7, 2023, and since then has been spreading word of their work — mainly using their Instagram @queeractioncollective and distributing flyers around campus. QAC Social Manager Mars Bickford believes that Mount Holyoke’s QAC is the first of its kind within the Five College Consortium. Naoise Grybko ’26, chair of the QAC, initially observed the need for this group. They felt there were no visible spaces dedicated to queer political and social activism, despite

the many trans and queer affinity spaces on campus. “There are so many ways in which our campus can improve and so many attacks on queer people in the world that I saw a need for a space for students to engage in activism specifically oriented towards queer issues,” Grybko said. As an institution, Mount Holyoke prides itself on its DEI efforts and “strives to build and maintain a campus environment that is inclusive, pluralistic and free of discrimination,” claiming these efforts “extend beyond specific departments and are embedded in all areas of the College,” according to the Mount H o lyo ke College website. As a nonbinary student, Grybko was particularly drawn to the College’s “inclusive admissions policy,” which they regard as being “arguably the most inclusive … in terms of gender-based admissions policies.” Indeed, Mount Holyoke is “the most gender-inclusive historic women’s college in the country” and began admitting prospective nonbinary and trans students in 2014, ac-

cording to the Archives and Special Collections. However, members of the QAC board agree that there are aspects of campus life today that can and must be improved upon for queer students, specifically those who are Black, Indigenous and students of color.

Graphic by Sarah Dziekan ’27

“Personally, I find a huge lack of coordination for chosen names across campus online platforms. Emails additionally have the first letter of the name the student applied/matricu-

lated with, but if a student changes their name that same letter is in their email, indicating to everyone that they changed their name. Some students may not be comfortable telling people that they changed their name while here, and that’s an issue I have personally faced on campus,” Grybko said. “Additionally, as students from the Gloria Anzaldúa LLC noted last year, the College’s treatment of queer BIPOC has room for improvement. These are just some of the ways this campus can improve for queer students, and I hope that QAC will be able to make tangible change in these areas.” “ We believed t h a t q u e e r and trans communities needed more than just space to exist, and rather space to make impactful change for themselves and what they believed in. Right now, that kind of space needs to be advocated for, and everyone on our board was excited and willing to put in that effort,” Healy added. To make this a reality, the organization plans to work on projects that build community, distribute resources and advocate for queer people and students. Next semester,

they plan to hold both a free gender-affirming pop-up shop, which will involve purchasing gender-affirming care supplies and distributing them to students, as well as a queer archive event in February. They will also work on phone banking, where members will assemble as a group to call voters and ask them to support local bills pertaining to LGBTQ+ rights. As the social manager, Mars Bickford ’25 hopes to “have the [organization] gain attraction by holding [these] bigger events next semester and getting the word out about the club (via social media and word of mouth).” The QAC hopes to partner with other queer groups on campus and in the surrounding area dedicated to queer liberation and other intersecting social justice issues, especially within other historically women’s colleges. They also plan to collaborate with the local high school and middle school queer-affirming organizations in a mentorship role. Until then, the organization will continue to direct its energy toward the upcoming spring semester by finalizing its constitution and bylaws. Once they have, they will be able to begin formally fighting for queer liberation, just as planned. “I think queer acceptance is always a work in progress at any large institution. We need to see more intersectional equity across all areas of our campus and culture, and QAC will work in various ways to advance those goals,” Rood said. “Queer liberation is my life’s work in many ways. As a transgender woman and queer person, I want my community to have equitable opportunities to live our lives and thrive. I hope all people can join me in that important work.”

December 15, 2023

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

. Mount Holyoke News

3

‘Napoleon’ falls short, and not just because it’s all made up get a title card with a location or date change — other times, we open at a new location and realize a year Content warning: This article dis- has passed. Overall, there’s sort of an cusses murder and mass death. avant-garde approach to subtitles. On Friday, Dec. 3, the Mount In the beginning, we are introduced Holyoke History Department spon- to one character that Napoleon is sored a trip to Tower Theaters to speaking to when a looping script see the latest historical epic. Unfor- subtitle gives us his name and title. tunately, Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” Strangely, it does not identify the was a disappointment — the tone other characters in the scene — there and the narrative are incomprehen- is not a consistent way in which we sible. It feels like the film can’t de- learn who is who in the film. If Ridley cide between being a warrior epic, a Scott wants us to see an unhindered tragic love story or a comedy. It’s not vision of French politics without impossible to do all three, so it’s a clunky introductions, then one may letdown to see a skilled director like wonder why he includes a scene in which Napoleon addresses a bunch Scott fumble. Scott has made some waves of characters by name in a row. Most with his gruff dismissal of criticism of these characters have little imporby historians for a list of historical tance in the rest of the film anyway. Major events inaccuracies like the coronawithin the film Scott has made some waves tion take little long enough to with his gruff dismissal time and are fill their own argiven little sigticle. He’s openly of criticism by historians nificance. We go admitted to not for a list of historical from Napoleon reading much inaccuracies within the film receiving the history about suggestion of asNapoleon. He long enough to fill their own suming power as did, however, obarticle. the emperor to sessively consult being crowned with historians to learn about the psychology of in about three scenes. Napoleon’s Napoleon’s battles and relationship divorce from Josephine hangs over with his former wife, Josephine. The many scenes. Her inability to propayoff ended up too confusing, too duce an heir leads to tortured condistant from reality and generally versations and a painful dynamic. adrift in a narrative constructed off When Napoleon has a son with his of the vague shape of Napoleon’s life. second wife, he brings the child to The Napoleonic period is a highly meet Josephine. This painful mostudied area of history, and “Napo- ment has some rare poignancy when leon” follows a narrative that histo- Josephine tells the child, “One day rians like Zack White recognize as you will know what I have sacrificed closer to British propaganda of the for you.” We never see the child again, despite his critical imporemperor than reality. “Napoleon” gets off to a rough tance to the narrative. The hardest thing about writing start in terms of establishing what we know or should know. It confuses this review is finding the right words the audience with its expectations. to warn potential audiences about Though Scott may not care about how sexually charged this movie is. historical accuracy, we are expected Much of Josephine’s scenes have to to keep up with 18th-century French do with the couple’s zealous sex life, politics, or at least his version of it. desire for sex and her inability to The poor sense of time in the film produce an heir. Napoleon has a “sex doesn’t help either. Sometimes, we noise” he employs to tell Josephine BY WOODLIEF MCCABE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Photo courtesy of Dennis Jarvis via Flickr While “Napoleon” depicted Napoleon’s love life accurately, it contained many other inaccuracies.

he wants to… well, try for an heir. As a movie, it is relentlessly horny and yet deeply unsexy. Actor Joaquin Phoenix’s characterization leaves us to wonder how Napoleon manages to woo Josephine, much less his other lovers. Unpleasantness seems to be the goal. The characters are not suave, and the circumstances are dire. Phoenix oscillates between an awkward, soft-spoken outsider and

a short-tempered, warmongering maniac. Because of this, Napoleon comes across as deeply insecure, defensive and brutish. This is an intriguing characterization of the French emperor, but it exists in the wrong movie. The rest of the characters don’t seem to be phased by Napoleon’s bizarre nature, and it often seems like they are trying not to react to the idiosyncrasies of Phoenix’s acting.

The film is also unpleasant visually; the bloody violence and loss of life are graphic. The first scene is of the execution of Marie Antoinette, and shortly after, we see a cannonball exploding the chest of Napoleon’s horse. The intent of the graphic imagery doesn’t really find footing by the end of the film. Though politics drive Napoleon, the politics of the film at large are unclear. The film ends with a title card that states the death toll of Napoleon’s wars was three million, yet any deep ponderance about the nature of war and Napoleon’s ruthlessness is undercut by how cool Ridley Scott makes the battle scenes look. If there is a redeeming element to the film, it is Scott’s talent for production design. The dramatic battles show vast battlefield formations as well as close, chaotic shots of soldiers fighting for their lives. The intense choral music in the background almost tricks us into understanding the tone of the film. At the Battle of Austerlitz, we see Napoleonic strategy at play. He traps the Russian army on a frozen lake, then pummels them with cannonballs, leaving them to drown. He then fires on a retreating army. Historians agree that none of this happened. Even in these moments, Napoleon is portrayed as a cunning hero of the battlefield. Ultimately, the visuals in “Napoleon” outpaced its story. Ridley Scott did not manage to reconcile Joaquin Phoenix’s dedicated character work with the epic plot. It only vaguely represents a historical story. Sometimes, an ahistorical narrative can be its own compelling journey. In this case, though, there is too much of a mess through which we can’t discernibly extract a story. It’s unlikely Ridley Scott will be deterred. According to a profile in The New Yorker, he doesn’t question his instincts when one of his movies fails. Following the negative reviews, Scott probably spent the weekend doing what he did when his 2013 film “The Counselor” bombed: “blast[ing] the shit out of a tennis ball.”

Todd Haynes’ film ‘May December’ illustrates life after grooming

Photo courtesy of Canal22 via Wikimedia Commons Natalie Portman, left, and Julianne Moore, right, with Todd Haynes, the director of “May December,” speaking at the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival in France. The film brings a new perspective to the topic of grooming and its long-lasting effects.

BY SARAH BERGER ’27 STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses sexual abuse of a minor. The first few moments of “May December,” Todd Haynes’ new film for Netflix, are eerily peaceful — we see butterflies, then a brief shot of a school and then the exterior of a large house, complete with a white picket fence. Unfortunately, peace doesn’t stay. The film is somewhat based on the true story of a teacher who groomed her 13-year-old student, although it takes place many years after the events it’s based on. Gracie (Julianne Moore), the teacher, and Joe (Charles Melton), her former student, are settled in, about to send their youngest children off to college. Their tenuous family dynamic is shaken when actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) visits to do re-

search for an upcoming film on their relationship. Despite the subject matter, the movie is far from exploitative. The choice to stay away from the beginning of Gracie and Joe’s relationship serves the film well because the viewer doesn’t necessarily enter with a negative outlook on Gracie. That makes the eventual buildup of her narcissism much more effective, because you gave her a chance — as undeserving as she may have been. Moore manages to encapsulate both insecurity and monstrosity perfectly. She teeters between anger at Elizabeth and a compulsive desire to best her. The movie is improved by its unwillingness to be black and white. Although Gracie is clearly the villain, Elizabeth is no hero. As much as Gracie wants to best Elizabeth, Elizabeth wants to win right back. Joe is perhaps the only character who is unwaveringly innocent, and rightfully so.

Melton does an excellent job of Although the film lulls in some portraying Joe’s long-term adoles- moments, it thrives in its portrayal cence. His movements are childlike, of Gracie’s internal state. She proand he seeks approval from every- vides cutting critique to others masone, from his neighbors to his chil- querading as help but sobs when dren to Gracie. In a particularly mov- something as small as selling a cake ing scene, he doesn’t go her smokes with way. Some of Melton is best known for his son and Gracie’s chilRiverdale, a show which distorts dren openly cries in his arms, proresent her, adolescence into something fessing his dewhile others salaciously unrecognizable. sire to protect quietly subPerhaps it’s fitting that he him. He never vert her auoutwardly thority. Her went from playing an adult-like expresses neighbors teenager to an adult robbed of anger, but and commuhis adolescence. rather an adnity do their olescent unbest to keep certainty. Was he too young for the her occupied, and Joe has to tiptoe relationship? Would he want the around her emotions and reaffirm same for his children? How could his that it was him, not her, that initiated parents have allowed it? Is he any their relationship. older now? The film creates space The cast has some notable expefor the viewer to ponder these ques- rience with the film’s subject mattions rather than answering them ter, both in previous works and in outright. real life. Melton is best known for

starring in Riverdale, a show that distorts adolescence into something salaciously unrecognizable. Perhaps it’s fitting that he went from playing an adult-like teenager to an adult robbed of his adolescence. Portman herself was victimized by a radio station when she was a teenager, which started a countdown on her 13th birthday to when she’d be 18 and supposedly “legal” to engage in sexual activity. Perhaps the film is cathartic for her since she both fights a predator and assumes the role for herself, albeit at an artistic distance. Ultimately, “May December” is a new take on a tired trope. A new teacher-student movie isn’t a cultural necessity, and Haynes seems to recognize it. He provides an excellent examination of the aftermath of catastrophe, which, although as thrilling as its predecessors, does an apt job of showing the real consequences of grooming: lives quietly scarred.

4

. GLOBAL FBI sting operation reveals possible 40-year espionage December 15, 2023

Photo courtesy of Gobierno Danilo Medina via Flickr On December 4 the Justice Department filed a criminal complaint against former ambassador to Bolivia Manuel Rocha on spying charges for Cuba.

BY KIERA MCLAUGHLIN ’26 GLOBAL EDITOR

Former U.S. Ambassador Manuel Rocha has been arrested after allegedly spying for Cuba’s General Directorate of Intelligence for more than 40 years. On Dec. 4, 2023, the Justice Department publicized the charges against Rocha, which directly cite him as being a “clandestine agent,” The Washington Post reported. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Rocha’s spying for Cuba is “one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the U.S. government by a foreign agent,” the Miami Herald stated. According to The Washington Post, these charges are based on meetings between Rocha and an

undercover agent employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, who was pretending to be a Cuban intelligence operative. The agent recorded the discussions with Rocha to gather statements. During these meetings, Rocha revealed his position with the Cuban government and stated that “What we have done … is enormous. More than a grand slam,” when commenting on his work with the nation, the Miami Herald reported. This statement, along with others, has him facing up to 10 years in prison due to a criminal complaint by the Justice Department, although he has not been charged with acts of espionage, The Washington Post reported. BBC News reported that Rocha also referred to the United States

as “the enemy” and stated that his work with Cuba “strengthened the Revolution,” during the meetings with the undercover FBI agent. Manuel Rocha was born in Colombia and became a naturalized U.S. citizen, according to The Washington Post. During his time in government, he worked as the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia from 1999 to 2002 and worked in other high official roles for 25 years, the BBC reported. He was also posted in Argentina, Honduras, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In 1996, Rocha was a principal deputy at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, the Miami Herald reported. While he was there, the Cuban government shot down two planes that belonged to the anti-Castro, Miami exile organization known as

Mount Holyoke News

Brothers to the Rescue. BBC News terviews conducted by the Miami reported that Rocha claimed to be Herald, the complaint by the Justice “in charge” during the sting opera- Department lacks specific details tion, which killed four people. about information that could have In addition to working in Hava- been spread by Rocha’s connection na, Rocha was also the head of the to Cuba. The Miami Herald reported Office for Inter-American Affairs at that further complicating this case the National Security Council from could be the fact that Rocha’s acts 1994 to 1995 during the Clinton ad- against the U.S. government hapministration, according to the Miami pened so long ago. Herald. At the time, the administraPeter Lapp, a former FBI special tion was responding to the Balsero agent who arrested Ana Montes, an crisis following the anti-government analyst at the U.S. Defense Intelliprotests in Cuba in 1994. During the gence Agency who spied for the Cuincident, 35,000 Cubans attempted to ban government, said that “they’re travel to southern Florida on boats calling him a spy without really sayafter Castro opened up the Cuban ing it.” borders, the Miami Herald noted. He continued to say, “There’s According to BBC News, the no distinction between Rocha and Justice Department has also ac- Montes. He openly admitted to espicused Rocha of providing the Unit- onage, but they don’t appear to have ed States with misleading informa- enough to charge him for espionage tion and making false statements like we were able to with Montes. It’s to acquire travel really quite undocuments. The usual,” Lapp said [Rocha’s spying for Cuba Miami Herald in an interview is] one of the highestadditionally notwith the Miami ed that Rocha reaching and longest-lasting Herald. has influenced According to infiltrations of the U.S. and socialized the FBI’s official government by a foreign among officials website, Ana in Washington, Montes was a agent. who could have senior analyst at unknowingly the Defense In– U.S. Attorney General provided infortelligence Agenmation to Cuba cy and a spy for Merick Garland through Rocha’s Cuba. She was connection. arrested 10 days The publicization of this case after the 9/11 attacks due to her acand Rocha’s acting as a spy for the cess to classified information about Cuban government has drawn shock the plans to invade Afghanistan. The from his colleagues and government website claims that Montes’ “motiofficials, according to The Washing- vation” was “pure ideology — she ton Post. Judith Bryan, who worked disagreed with U.S. foreign policy” at the U.S. Interest Section in Ha- and was accepting money for inforvana with Rocha, said she “never mation from the Cuban government. would have imagined in my wildest She ended up pleading guilty and dreams this was going on.” was sentenced to 25 years in prison. John Feeley, a former U.S. amAccording to the Miami Herald, bassador to Panama who worked prosecutors noted at Rocha’s hearwith Rocha at the embassy in the Do- ing on Dec. 4 that they may find minican Republic from 1991 to 1994, other charges to file against Rocha. said that Rocha seemed like “some- According to The Washington Post, body who was going places,” The Garland told reporters that “those Washington Post reported. When who have the privilege of serving in they later met up in 2018, Feeley the government of the U.S. are givexplained that “he had gone full-on en an enormous amount of trust by Donald Trump,” which Feeley com- the public we serve.” He continued, mented “was a perfect cover.” stating that “to betray that trust by According to the Miami Herald, falsely pledging loyalty to the U.S. there have also been accusations while serving a foreign power is a of irregularities in this case by in- crime that will be met with the full telligence experts. According to in- force of the Justice Department.”

Russian police raid LGBTQ bars in Moscow following anti-LGBTQ ruling

Photo courtesy of Marco Fieber via Flickr On Dec. 1, Russian police raided various LGBTQ venues in Moscow following a ruling by Russia’s top court that labeled the LGBTQ movement as an “extremist organization.” The decision has been strongly criticized by the European Union and activists.

BY MIRA CRANE ’27 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses homophobia and transphobia. The day after Russia’s top court labeled the “LGBTQ movement” an extremist organization and moved to ban the “international LGBTQ movement” in the country, Russian police raided gay venues and bars in Moscow, CNN reported. Places raided on Dec. 1 included a male sauna, a nightclub and a bar that has been the host of LGBTQ parties, AP News reported. Using the pretext of a drug raid, police checked club attendees’ documents and took pictures of their passports. However, according to eyewitnesses, managers of the venues were able to warn clubgoers before the police arrived, AP News reported. BBC News reported that photos and videos are circulating on social media with police officers and a police van outside one of the clubs that was raided. Still, Russian offi-

cials have made no comments on the raids, and there is no mention of the raids in state media, according to CNN. The Russian Supreme Court’s decision to ban the “international LGBTQ movement” in the country has been strongly criticized by the European Union, according to POLITICO. As AP News reported, activists have emphasized that the vagueness of the lawsuit means authorities can crack down on any group or individual they believe to be part of the LGBTQ movement, and the court rebuffed any LGBTQ activists who attempted to become a party in the case. As reported by BBC News, a motion from the Russian Ministry of Justice led to the ruling. Human rights lawyer Max Olenichev explained to AP News that the new ruling also effectively bans LGBTQ people from organizing to defend their rights. Activists have also noted that the lawsuit was filed against the “LGBTQ movement” in general, despite it not being an of-

ficial entity, according to the same action taken by the Russian govarticle. Prominent Russian human ernment, and this ruling is part of a rights groups filed a document be- recent trend, although AP News refore the ruling, terming the lawsuit ported that Russian authorities deny discriminatory and arguing that it there is anti-LGBTQ discrimination. violates Russia’s constitution. According to BBC News, a RusAP News reported that the sian law was passed in 2013 outcourt’s ruling lawing “prohas led to sevIt is clear for us that they’re paganda of eral LGBTQ non-tradionce again making [the LGBTQ tional sexuvenues closing down. The al relations” community] out as a domestic St. Petersburg enemy to shift the focus from all s p e c i f i c a l l y gay club, Cenin connection the other problems that are in tral Station, to minors, alexplained its though it was abundance in Russia. decision to extended to close down all age groups – Olga Baranova by explaining last year. One that the ownRussian TV er could not let the bar operate un- channel took out the color from a der the new law. According to Olga rainbow in a K-pop video earlier Baranova, the director of the Mos- this month out of fear of violating cow Community Center for LGBTQ+ this law. The new law was part of a Initiatives, people will contemplate crackdown on human rights and free leaving the country to get out before speech in response to Russia’s strugthe ruling affects them directly, AP gle in Ukraine, CNN reported. News reported. According to AP News, same-sex This is not the first anti-LGBTQ marriage was outlawed in 2020 as

part of constitutional reforms that extended Putin’s presidency. Another law was passed this year that bans gender-affirming care and any gender-transitioning procedures for transgender people in Russia. It also bans them from legally changing their gender identification on documents. According to CNN, these laws are part of Putin’s attempt to cast himself as fighting against the influence of the liberal West and upholding traditional moral values. In an interview with AP News, Baranova explained, “It is clear for us that they’re once again making [the LGBTQ community] out as a domestic enemy to shift the focus from all the other problems that are in abundance in Russia.” AP News reported that it remains unclear how the newest ruling will restrict LGBTQ activists and symbols in practice, and the fact that the court case is classified serves to heighten the ambiguity. The longterm fallout of the ruling remains to be seen.

December 15, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

5

Fossil fuel debate dominates discussions at the United Nations’ recent contentious COP28 climate conference BY SARAH GRINNELL ’26 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

As anxious citizens and activists across the globe watched the contentious 28th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change unfold through their phone screens, one pervading question plagued their minds: Would a fossil fuel phase-out make it into the conference’s final agreement? After a week of divisive debates and negotiations — in which a final settlement seemed almost impossible — the COP28 representatives have now concluded their talks, announcing on Wednesday, Dec. 23, a historical agreement to transition away from all fossil fuel consumption, NBC reported. According to The New York Times, the final deal calls on countries to instigate an immediate move away from fossil fuels in a “just, orderly, and equitable manner” within this decade and cease additional carbon emissions by 2050. While the announcement of this decision is unprecedented — according to Bloomberg, this is the first time fossil fuels have been featured in a COP deal — the road to its achievement was markedly complex. Per the United Nations Climate Change Conference website, the talks have generally danced around fossil fuels since the United Nations Conference of the Parties first began in 1995. In fact, it was only at COP26 that fossil fuels were first explicitly mentioned — albeit in the watered-down, non-committal language of a coal-power “phase-down.” Finally, at COP28, the question of fossil fuels took center stage as the crucial debate of the conference. A number of representatives — namely those of countries dependent on oil and gas industries — went back and forth over the rhetoric of a fossil fuel “phase-out” as opposed to a “phase-down” when the final agreement was being drafted. According to The Guardian, while a phase-out suggests either dramatic or complete eradication of fossil-fuel burning, phase-down is a “weaker term” that fails to specify how much fossil fuel burning must decline and by when. Furthermore, the open nature of the word could potentially allow countries and companies to continue extracting fossil fuels under the guise of carbon capture technology “mopping” it up.” However, experts such as Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, call this idea a “fantasy” in a Guardian article that cannot be relied on to help limit the rise in global temperatures. Nonetheless, the vague language of phase-downs was preferred by multiple attending countries at COP28. Given the crucial roles that oil and gas play in many of the attending countries’ economies, several nations, such as Saudi Arabia — the host nation — and Russia, advocated for a focus on cutting climate pollution in general rather than the fossil fuels responsible for it, Reuters reported. India and China also did “not explicitly [endorse] a fossil fuel phase-out,” but similarly supported a broad call to advance renewable energy, Reuters explained. However, as many attendees pointed out, to focus on “cutting emissions” rather than directly phasing out fossil fuels ignores the ways in which the two are directly linked, as such a stance is incompatible with the 1.5 degrees Celsius mark set by the Paris Agreement, Reuters reported. Reuters explained that this number demarcates the U.N.’s goal to limit the global rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees C below pre-industrial levels to avert irreversible climate change. As Marshall Islands Climate Envoy Tina Stege declared in the Reuters article, fossil fuels are “at the root of this crisis,” and “1.5 is not negotiable, and that means an end to fossil fuels.” According to The Guardian, wealthy countries such as the United States and those in the EU vied for a phase-out of unabated fossil fuels as a proposal for the final negotiation. According to the New York Times, abatement refers to the belief that carbon capture and storage technology can be used to catch and store

Photo courtesy of The President’s Office, Maldives va Wikimedia Commons Representatives from nearly 200 parties convened in Saudi Arabia this month for the 28th annual Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit.

carbon emissions underground before they can actually enter the atmosphere. Per The New York Times, like a “phase-down,” unabated fossil fuels signify a weak commitment to phasing out greenhouse gasses because its vagueness could allow countries and companies to continue burning and extracting fossil fuels so long as the emissions are contained in this way. However, the U.N. climate science panel says carbon capture “cannot take the place of reducing fossil fuel use worldwide,” Reuters reported. Controversy was also stirred by the fact that, earlier in the conference, the multinational Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries sent a letter urging its member countries to push back against any proposals regarding fossil fuels in the final agreement, Reuters explained. This occurrence marked the first time OPEC has directly “intervened” in the conference, and, according to Reuters, it shows that the pressure to phase out fossil fuels is not lost on the companies producing them. Notably, Saudi Arabia is the top producer in OPEC and the “de fac- Photo courtesy of U.N. Climate Change via Flickr to leader of the organization,” with Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber of the United Arab Emirates delivered an address at the COP28 summit. Al-Jaber drew criticism for his views on fossil fuels. Russia also being a member of this “OPEC+” cohort. on the outside, the decision was dependent on fossil fuels.” However, izens feel like the biggest choices Saudi Arabia has attracted sig- bound up by messy complexities the article noted that those in atten- about their futures are out of their nificant criticism as the conference’s that were on full display during the dance at the conference hoped the hands, Nemirovsky emphasized that host country for several reasons, in- talks and now in the aftermath of the agreement would “send a message” there is work that anyone can do. cluding its involvement with OPEC. decision. A Forbes article reported to global leaders and companies that “Student organizations like CJC According to The Guardian, Sultan that major consumers of fossil fuels, a total phase-out is “unstoppable.” harness the collective power of stuAl Jaber — the COP28 President and such as China and India, reserved Nemirovsky is “skeptical about dents to generate change in the cirmediator of the entire conference concern about the possible adoption the actual progress that is made at cles where we have the most impact: — caused quite a stir when he said, of a phase-out as it could lead to in- COP events” and questions its “sym- our local environment,” she said. “There is no science out there that creased “cost and scarcity” of im- bolic nature.” “Our efforts such as raising says that the phase-out of fossil fuel portant energy sources. While Nemirovsky noted that awareness among the student body is what is going to achieve 1.5C.” Uganda’s Minister of Energy and the conference has made certain about campus sustainability and In his words, a phase-out would Mineral Development, Ruth Nan- strides in the past with COP27’s es- pressuring the school administration mean taking “the world back into kabirwa, spoke on behalf of the coun- tablishment of a Loss and Damage to adhere to its eco-friendly self-imcaves.” However, he backtracked on tries that depend on such resources Fund to provide relief for the low-in- aging will have ripple effects across these comments at an emergency for their livelihood. “To tell Uganda come countries suffering the great- time and space as the institution conpress conference days later when he to stop fossil fuels, it is really, really est effects of the climate crisis, she tinues to operate after we graduate.” called phase-down and phase-out of an insult,” Nankabirwa was quoted also asserted that the conference Activists made it abundantly fossil fuels “essential” and said his as saying in a Forbes article. “It’s “has definitely not done enough” clear to the delegates at the confercomments had been “misinterpret- like you are telling Uganda to stay in and is “often wrapped in contradic- ence that they would not sit idly by ed.” poverty.” tions.” For example, the fact that as world leaders determined their Another maThese con- Sultan Al Jaber is the host of the futures. Throughout the conference, ...If we... decide there is jor topic of concerns are echoed conference this year, as well as when protests for causes ranging from nothing we can do, even versation was by skeptics of COP27 brought “tens of thousands ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas war the little progress that is U.S. President Joe the U.N.’s final of participants to the resort town of to the release of political detainees Biden’s absence agreement, who Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt despite rec- have unfolded outside of the buildbeing made will cease. from the conferalso recognize ognition that mass tourism had put ing, AP News reported. ence, a fact which the entrenched the town’s coral reefs at risk.” According to Reuters, 12-year– Lily Nemirovsky Mount Holyoke presence of fossil However, Nemirovsky also of- old climate activist Licypriya KanClimate Justice fuels in the global fers a vote of hope to those who have gujam from India “burst on to the Coalition Officer Lily Nemirovsky ’24 economy that will not simply disap- been following the conference. stage” at the summit to raise a sign believes might suggest that “tack- pear overnight. A New York Times “It can definitely be dishearten- demanding the attendees to “end ling climate change is not a priority article acknowledged that the final ing to follow the news and constant- fossil fuel[s]. Save our planet and our for the U.S.,” as they described in an agreement is “not legally binding” ly be reminded of our government’s future.” Off-site from the conference, email to Mount Holyoke News prior and thereby cannot force any of the failures to sufficiently address cli- the controversial Extinction Rebelto the conference’s conclusion. countries to actually respond and mate change and reduce its own role lion group dyed Venice’s Grand Ca“COP is also one of the few in- implement it. Bloomberg similarly in exacerbating it,” she explained. nal green in protest of COP28, CNN ternational arenas in which all coun- described that the actual realization “However, if we, as citizens, decide reported. tries, regardless of economic power of this goal will not depend on those there is nothing we can do, even the Although there is much slack to or population size, have an equal say, who put it in writing but “by inves- little progress that is being made be taken up before actualizing the and where non-state actors such as tors, consumers, and national gov- will cease. … [a]tiny drop in the sea U.N.’s largely symbolic commitment civil society organizations and activ- ernments.” of activism may not solve climate to fossil fuel phase-out, Nemirovsky ists participate,” Nemirovsky said. As Susana Muhamad, Colom- change . . . even if it contributes to is encouraging citizens to keep sight “It begs the question of whether bia’s Minister of Environment and 0.1% of a law that will improve the of the bigger picture and know that President Biden would skip a meet- Sustainable Development, said, ac- lives of three people in the future, it “any change is better than none,” ing in which the U.S. had dispropor- cording to The New York Times, is worth it to me.” even if the changes we can affect in tionate sway.” “This is not a transition that will While decision-making bodies our own lives aren’t so publicized While a fossil fuel phase-out happen from one day to the other” as like the U.N. and their large-scale or on such a grand scale as the COP may be the obvious decision to those “whole economies and societies are conferences can make ordinary cit- conference.

6

. OPINION American voters are unhappy with their Presidential candidates, so who will they choose to elect in 2024? December 15, 2023

Photo courtesy of Adam Schultz via Flickr President Joe Biden pictured speaking at a press conference on the State of the US Economy and Jobs in Wilmington, Delaware in September 2020.

BY MAX RHOADS ’25 OPINION EDITOR

We are in the third year of President Joe Biden’s term, and the 2024 presidential election is fast approaching. We have already met the candidates for each party, and the Republican candidates have debated on national television. However, it remains uncertain who will make it onto the ballot. The Democratic Party has three

candidates so far: incumbent Joe Biden, Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips. They all differ in background, with Biden and Phillips being established political figures and Williamson’s only political experience being her previous run for president in the 2020 election. Meanwhile, the Republican Party currently has five candidates, having started with many more. Former President Donald Trump, who has expressed anger

over losing to Biden in the 2020 election, is running for another term. President Biden is the bestknown of the three Democratic presidential candidates. However, his approval ratings have dropped over the course of his term for various reasons. According to CNN, one of the biggest reasons is the economy, as many voters believe it worsened during his presidency. Seventy-one percent of Americans believe that current economic conditions are

Mount Holyoke News

“poor,” and 38% of those polled char- they felt that he expressed what they acterize the situation as “very poor.” were all thinking. Ramaswamy is, Biden’s continued financial sup- contrary to popular belief, definitely port of the Israeli government de- someone to watch out for. spite its bombardment of the Gaza Project 2025 is a plan that House Strip has also become a matter of Republicans have drafted. According contention, earning him the moniker to PBS, it hinges on a Trump pres“Genocide Joe” from pro-Palestinian idential victory and would restrucactivists, CNN reported. ture the U.S. government to serve Support from Arab and Black Republican interests. It has gained voters has dropped significantly, and traction over the last year, with canwe may lose critdidates such as ical U.S. allies in Ramaswamy and ...It is going to be a very the Middle East Ron DeSantis enfraught election - perhaps because of this. dorsing it. Support from U n d e r more so than the previous voters aged 18-39 Project 2025, one. is also dropping, LGBTQ+ rights according to a are on the choppoll from Reuters. It is unclear if the ping block. With multiple states havtwo are related, but NBC News re- ing passed legislation against drag ported that younger people are more or gender-affirming care — a broad likely to regularly use social media, category that can encompass anywhere images and videos from in- thing from wearing gender-specific side Gaza are frequently shared. clothing to reassignment surgery — As for the Republican Party, the this is particularly sobering. competition is just as fierce. The It is a very close race right now, hot-button topic of their party ap- and it is nearly impossible to predict pears to be gender-affirming care, the outcome. But from what we can with Vivek Ramaswamy accusing tell, it is going to be a very fraught his opponents of being too lenient election — perhaps more so than the about the issue. previous one. Ramaswamy, the youngest Biden has already proven to be candidate on the Republican tick- an unpopular president, and should et, appears to be a loose cannon, he make it onto the ballot, many regleveraging personal attacks at his istered Democrats may not wish to opponents, which might cause peo- vote for him. The sentiment of “vote ple to overlook him as a candidate. blue, no matter who” may have been However, many Democrats said the effective in 2020, but we have now same thing about Donald Trump in seen what a Biden presidency looks the 2016 election cycle, and many like, and many have become disilluRepublicans supported him because sioned.

Letter to the Editor: Some advice from The Honk to Mount Holyoke News Beneath the grand, expansive conifer tree located behind Creighton Residence Hall, The Honk’s editorial board convened to commune with nature, and an explosive and previously unknown publication that claimed to be called the Mount Holyoke News was recovered from the forest floor. As passionate champions of student journalism, we are dismayed to hear that you’ve been experiencing difficulties with printing and publishing, and we wanted to inform you that there are actually printers in Williston Memorial Library. The loss of the print edition would deal a devastating blow to our ability to

cut words from your paper and paste them on letters addressed to certain elected officials. We would be bereft to lose such an important campus institution, so we here at The Honk would like to give you some tips on establishing a consistent publishing schedule. First off, as an independent publication, we understand your refusal to take a faculty advisor. We would just like to say that our faculty advisor has been instrumental to our publishing process through our weekly meetings at Counseling Services. Secondly, as a very serious publication, we suggest you ensure articles that are immediately

relevant to Mount Holyoke College make up no more than 20% of the paper. People on campus simply aren’t interested in these articles, and, unfortunately, your bias toward the College makes your publication look unprofessional. It is essential that the Mount Holyoke News focuses on what really matters: giving us the latest updates on boygenius. Including diverse perspectives is vital to our publication, so we make sure to gather a wide variety of voices from our four best friends on campus. Our thorough fact-checking process is modeled after the Mount Holyoke News’, but we’ve made some improvements: Our articles

go through an extensive 20-step editing process involving many administrative committees, including but not limited to the Honor Board and Dining Services. This process takes place between 5:03 a.m. and 5:24 a.m. the day our papers are due to hit the presses to ensure we only publish the most relevant news from two weeks ago. Inspired by the Mount Holyoke News’s transparency, our training for new staff writers involves blindfolding them, leading them to an undisclosed location and forcing them to attend a Senate meeting. Some of our journalists are actually former MHN staff writers, and we are happy

to report that they say the transition to The Honk was extremely smooth. (We also just wanted to give you a heads-up: The Office of Student Involvement has informed us that we are “required” to let staff writers use the bathroom at least once a day. I know, we’re bummed too.) From all of us here at The Honk, we hope the circumstances around your publication improve soon so you can return to what the Mount Holyoke News is known for: hard-hitting journalism. Editor’s note: The Daily Honk is a satirical newsletter of unknown origin which first began publishing in Spring 2022.

Students highlight inconsistencies in how financial aid is awarded, cont’d u

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

campus to help her family afford her cost of attendance. According to the College’s website, 20 hours is the maximum number of hours most students can work and still comply with visa restrictions. International students do not qualify for federal need-based aid like domestic students do, instead relying entirely on institutional aid, private loans and their own funds to finance their education. When the senior received news about her second appeal being denied, she, like McTigue, considered taking a leave from Mount Holyoke or even transferring. “I was really frustrated and angry in general about the whole situation,” the senior said. “And then there’s just also the sadness that I really do like being at Mount Holyoke.” The senior told Mount Holyoke News that her frustrations were compounded when she came across a post on the College’s Instagram page promoting a letter of solidarity, expressing support for those members of the campus community affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a last attempt, the senior decided to reach out directly to the Mount Holyoke President’s office in an email she shared with Mount Holyoke News. “I think helping students whose home countries are known to be undergoing war could be one of the best ways Mount Holyoke College can show allegiance to the people suffering from the consequences of war,” the student wrote in the email. Chief of Staff and Secretary of the College Bett Schumacher responded, writing that she had urged SFS to look into the case and that Executive Director Kreutter would take the lead. “There was a feeling of relief following it,” the senior international student said. Once no longer

worried about paying off academic fees, the student could refocus her attention on being a student. “I could focus on my studies and just general extracurricular stuff that I was just pushing aside so I could focus on my campus jobs,” the student said. Both Ahuja and the other international student spoke to Mount Holyoke News about the barriers international students with financial limitations face when attempting to earn money on campus. Both explained that visa restrictions often prevent international students from finding work off-campus. Ahuja added that although work-study is packaged as a portion of international students’ aid awards, on-campus employment and billable hours are not guaranteed. All four students — McTigue, Ilhan, the international senior and Ahuja — spoke highly of Mount Holyoke College as an academic environment. John, McTigue’s father, also expressed his respect for the school. However, each described having had their perspective of the College soured by their experiences with the appellate process for financial aid. Crowdfunding: A temporary community solution Many Mount Holyoke students have turned to crowdfunding to pay off outstanding cost-of-attendance fees. Since Dec. 1, three Mount Holyoke students have been raising funds anonymously through the online crowdfunding website GoFundMe. Two of the students received bills of $5,000 from the College, which they needed to pay by Dec. 12 under threat of withdrawal from the College, while the third student, who was given a bill of $8,000, faces a deadline of Dec. 22. SFS Director Kreutter told Mount Holyoke News that the College had not unenrolled a student due to unpaid fees in four semesters.

“I am currently facing financial difficulties that make it nearly impossible for me to meet the tuition requirements for this semester, even as I am working two jobs,” the student recipient of one of the fundraisers explained in their campaign description. “My financial status at the school has made it hard for me to concentrate on finishing the semester and my senior year, and continues to put a strain on me and my family. Please donate whatever you can and share, thank you!” The three students currently raising funding for their tuition all identify as BIPOC, formally known as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, with two of the students being Black. “It is extremely difficult for students of color to attend Mount Holyoke College,” Kiera Myrthil ‘24 voiced in the mutual aid campaign that they are organizing. “Whether emotionally, financially or otherwise. I ask that you please take a moment to donate whatever you can and to share widely!!” All three fundraisers were posted by the independent student-run Instagram account @mhc_mutualaid, which “[boosts] mutual aid requests & [highlights] MHC campus resources,” according to its bio. According to the Solidarity Economy Association, a worker-led cooperative based in England, Scotland and Wales, mutual aid is the “horizontal mode of organization, aiming to break down hierarchies and practice collective decision making.” More simply, as the organization explained, mutual aid is “cooperation for the common good.” Through @mhc_mutualaid, this concept is employed to make resources more accessible through the financial contribution of a community of peers. “I think the MHC mutual aid page is a really important resource because it funnels the requests into

Photo courtesy of wuestenigel via Flickr As Mount Holyoke students grapple with rising tuition costs, mutual aid efforts grow on campus.

circles of people who are attached to this school, one way or another,” Myrthil told Mount Holyoke News. “I think it is because of that connection that people are most compelled to donate as well.” The three fundraisers were posted on Dec. 1 and Dec. 3, respectively, and have been shared and reposted by Mount Holyoke students since. Despite all three posts being circulated on students’ Instagram stories, the amounts of money raised by the three fundraisers have large disparities. The first fundraiser with the heading, “FGLI Black Mount Holyoke Student in URGENT NEED!” has raised $4,505 of its $5,000 goal as of Dec. 14. The second campaign titled, “Black International FGLI Mount Holyoke Student,” and the third campaign, “FGLI BIPOC Student in Urgent Need of Tuition,” have raised $1,571 of a $5,000 goal and $1,385 of a $8,000 goal, respectively, as of Dec. 14. All of these amounts were accurate at the time of publication. “I think that the difference in money raised by the three campaigns has to do with the order of posting,” Myrthil explained to Mount Holyoke News. “Because all three went through the mutual aid page, the same group of people received the

requests in staggered order. I think that this may have caused some people to donate a lot more to the first GoFundMe, not knowing that 2 more would follow and consequently not having as much to spare after their first donation.” “We have many unmet urgent requests on our page and need our whole community to meet them,” @ mhc_mutalaid posted on their Instagram story on Dec. 9. “Please consider your (and your family’s) financial privilege when determining how much/when to contribute to mutual aid.” The text was accompanied by a graph that showed three different levels of financial privilege, with factors such as the ability to afford basic needs, health care, property and cars as a means of measuring financial status. “Mutual Aid is a radical way to enact community care. It is recognizing that the world is unjust and people still deserve access to resources they need and want,” Myrthil continued. “I think that’s why people donate to GoFundMe and answer instagram stories with [Venmo/Cash App] requests or food/clothes drives etc. There are people who want to help and are able to trade or give resources that they can spare.”

BOOKS & SPORTS 7 Women’s sports expected to break profit records in 2024 December 15, 2023

. Mount Holyoke News

BY GENEVIEVE ZAHNER ’26 SPORTS EDITOR

Women’s elite sports are expected to bring in about $1.28 billion in profit next year, according to a report by Deloitte Insights. This number still seems minuscule compared to the profit of men’s sports, especially considering that in 2022, the Dallas Cowboys alone brought in over $1 billion dollars. However, the profit is a 300% jump from 2021, NBC News reported. Revenue levels in women’s athletics have often been overshadowed by the immense profit brought in by men’s sports organizations such as the National Basketball Association or the National Football League. However, 2024 is expected to bring in a lofty profit of over $1 billion dollars for women’s elite athletics, which includes professional organizations as well as high-level amateur competitions, namely Division I collegiate sports and the Olympics, according to NBC News. Collegiate players such as Angel Reese of Louisiana State University, Caitlin Clark of Iowa State University and Paige Bueckers of the University of Connecticut have been dominating the basketball court, bringing much notoriety and interest in women’s sports in recent years. The

Photo courtesy of Hampton University via Flickr Women’s elite and professional sports are projected to make over $1 billion in revenue in 2024.

Women’s National Basketball Association more than doubled their number of viewers of the league finals in October from 2022-2023 in a game between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, as NBC News reported. Additionally, women’s professional sports have been growing in visibility, with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team growing in popularity and viewership. A new league for women’s professional ice hockey is set to begin in January as well, bringing more opportunities to watch women’s sports, according to NBC News. Despite the success women’s sports seem to have garnered with the masses, they are still severely

underrepresented in media, making up only 5.4% of airtime for all televised sports. Investment in women’s sports is the difference between a profitable entertainment industry with growing viewership and one that fails, according to a Forbes article. Cheryl Cooky, a professor at Purdue University who studies women’s sports media coverage, believes that women’s sports are overlooked because of the immense quantity and quality of men’s sports coverage, which is covered daily both in the off-season and the regular season. Cooky also recounted the issues that minimal coverage causes outside of profit margin, such as the lack of role models for young girls, meaning less incentive for young girls to

be interested in sports. Additionally, less media coverage for women’s sports also means less coverage of their activism and philanthropy efforts, a movement often forgotten by the constant coverage of men’s sports. This lack of coverage on the efforts made by female athletes, and specifically female athletes of color, silences the pushes towards racial and gender equality made by women in sports, Cookey explained in an article by Purdue University. In the same article, Cooky pointed to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 as an example of how women’s activism in sports has been overlooked. The intense popularity of the NFL, as well as the extensive media coverage, painted Kaepernick’s stand as the beginning of racial activism in sports, despite the previous work of female athletes of color. Reuters reported that women’s basketball and soccer will bring in the most revenue for next year, accounting for about 71% of the total global revenue for women’s sports. Commercial deals by the leagues and individual teams would rake in about 55% of the total revenue gained from media, and broadcasting would bring about 27%. Also, in 2024, women’s sports will be given additional prime-time broadcasting

slots, which will make these events much easier for viewers to find and watch than they have been in the past. Deloitte Insights reported that the biggest geographic contributors are expected to be North America, which is projected to bring in $670 million, or 52% of the revenue, and Europe, which is expected to bring in $181 million. The two most valuable sports are predicted to be soccer and basketball, bringing in $555 million and $354 million, respectively. Competitions that are participated in on a global scale, such as the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour and the Women’s Tennis Association Tour, are expected to garner $425 million of the total revenue. In addition to the revenue generated, the value of teams and leagues is predicted to rise, with several team’s values expected to increase to over $100 million next year. This increase in value, combined with the increase in generated profit, is expected to bring allure to more investors, which will aid in funding and commercialization, as shown in the Deloitte Insights report. Overall, this increase in profit generation for women’s sports as a whole is leading the organizations toward more opportunities to bolster their viewership and opportunities.

The Lyonfish Artistic Swimming team put on their second-ever showcase BY ZELLIE CALAVITA ’26 STAFF WRITER

The Lyonfish Artistic Swimming Club team performed their second-ever showcase, “Synchro-RISE,” on Dec. 9 at the Mount Holyoke College Kendall Sports and Dance Complex Natatorium. Captains Evi Ratner ’25 and Mamie Mulder ’25 opened the show by introducing each performer, before Ratner made an impressive front flip dive into the pool. The show began with a group performance by all six swimmers to One Direction’s “One Thing.” The routine incorporated the “oyster” skill, where swimmers lie on their backs and then sink into the water, and the “pinwheel,” where each swimmer swims in a circle in a way that resembles a pinwheel.

After a round of applause, “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by WHAM started playing as Ratner and Mulder began a duet that featured a skilled lift from out of the water. Meggie Czepiel ’24 then performed a thoughtful and moody solo piece, where she artfully used the entire pool, prompting multiple cheers from the audience. The showcase ended with a second group performance, this time to “Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo. The team had been working on parts of their choreography since October to prepare for the show. “Since then, practice has consisted mostly of learning the steps to each piece,” Mulder said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “We occasionally stop to try a particular step a few times until everyone gets it right.

We also do some out-of-the-pool work where we run through pieces on dry ground to get the steps in the right order.” Ratner added that “it’s easier to get timing when you’re out of the pool.” Bria McKinley-Nicastro ’26 described her process for learning the choreography. “For practice, I mostly just did the routine both in and out of the water. I had a harder time remembering the order of the moves rather than the moves themselves, so I focused on that specifically.” She went on to express her appreciation for the team’s captains. “[Mulder] and [Ratner] were very helpful; they showed me the moves and order when I forgot or was just learning,” McKinley-Nicastro said. “They played a huge part in this rehearsal happening.”

Photo by Sophie Dalton ’25 The Lyonfish held their second ever showcase.

When choosing the music for group performances, Mulder and Ratner took suggestions from the team and sent out a survey where each member chose their top songs. “Choosing music is always fun be-

cause the music really dictates the rest of the piece,” Mulder said. “I often hear a song in the dining hall, grocery store or on the radio and just start to think how fun it would be to choreograph to. Sometimes I will even find myself planning little movements while listening to a song.” “Artistic swimming is so fun and you should join!” Max Paster ’25 said. “It’s so nice to get in the pool and do fun performances and choreography every week. I’ve missed swimming and this has been an awesome way to get back into the pool.” Em Brandon ’27, who was unable to perform due to an injury, echoed Paster’s statement. “Come join our team! We only meet once a week on Saturdays and it is a great de-stressor.”

Translator Emily Wilson does not shield the sexism in Greek mythology

Photo courtesy of Aishaabdel via Wikimedia Commons A picture of a scene from Homer’s “The Iliad” which depicts the fall of Patroclus, a famous figure of the Trojan War and rumored lover of the hero Achilles, on the battlefield. Patroclus has often been a subject of fascination for translators of “The Iliad.”

BY LORA JUSCHENKO ’25 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Emily Wilson previously made a name for herself as the first woman to release an English translation of Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Now, with the recent release of her translation of “The Iliad,” she has once again braved the works of Homer to bring readers a new translation of the epic. “The Iliad,” regarded as one of the most famous epic poems of all time, centers on the Trojan War. It is the story of a decade-long war indirectly started by Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world, which changed the Greek world forever. “The Odyssey” tackles its aftermath and the obstacles that then hinder the hero Odysseus’s journey home. While Wilson was the first female translator to release an English translation of “The Odyssey,” the accomplishment is not a title by which she wishes her career to be defined. “The stylistic and hermeneutic choices I make as a translator aren’t predetermined by my gender identity,” Wilson said in an interview with the Los Angeles Review

of Books. “Other female translators of Homer ... have made extremely different choices from mine.” A classical studies professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Wilson has devoted her life to classical literature, from her elementary school performance in “The Odyssey” as Athena — whom she has called “the most kick-ass goddess of them all” — to her numerous classics-themed tattoos acquired over the years, according to OMNIA magazine. Although her translation of “The Odyssey” may have been the work that rocketed her to literary stardom, she had previously found success — albeit less mainstream — with her translations of the philosopher Seneca, as well as several Greek plays, according to Wilson’s official website. In comparison, Wilson’s work on “The Odyssey” gained attention for her efforts to “scrape away all the centuries of verbal and ideological buildup — the Christianizing (Homer predates Christianity), the nostalgia, the added sexism (the epics are sexist enough as they are), and the Victorian euphemisms — to reveal something fresh and clean,” according to NPR.

According to Vox, while translating “The Odyssey,” Wilson discovered that previous translators had not used the most accurate terms when describing women in the epic, using the words “domestic servant” or “maid” when describing those who worked in Odysseus’ household. Wilson chose to translate these titles as “slave” to expose the slavery that had been unaddressed and ignored by previous translators, which Vox said she explained in her translator’s notes. To use any other term would imply that they were free, according to Wilson. This word choice was meant to show readers that the society in which the story takes place is “one where slavery is shockingly taken for granted, [which] seems to me to outweigh the need to specify, in every instance, the type of slave,” Wilson wrote in her translator’s notes, as Vox reported. Her major deviations in word choice don’t end there. For example, other translators chose to use the words “slut” and “whore” when describing young enslaved women who were forced into sex. The choice to use terms like these when

they “don’t figure in the Greek,” Wilson told The New Yorker, is why she used the more accurate word “house girls.” According to the literary journal Ploughshares, this wording highlights their age to the audience rather than the sexual acts to which they did not consent. Film Media Theater major Max Paster ’25 had their first encounter with “The Odyssey” in high school and was initially bored by the epic until they read Emily Wilson’s translation in a classics course at Mount Holyoke College. “The humor, the timing, and the prose kept me hooked the entire time I was reading. … I wouldn’t necessarily call hers a feminist reading of the story, but I do believe that the way she wrote it was more aware of different societal constructs and customs, both modern and ancient,” Paster said. “I am very excited to read her translation of The Iliad. … I am sure this translation will be a riveting and fun read.” Much like how Wilson read passages of “The Odyssey” for audiences years ago, she once again took to stages around the world, from New York City to London, to perform sections of “The Iliad.” Her trans-

lation’s structure — composed, like the original, in unrhymed iambic pentameter — was originally crafted to be read aloud. “I hope my translation ... will convey to English readers that these are metrical poems designed for oral performance,” Wilson said in a TikTok from The New Yorker. The New Yorker reported that “The Iliad” has given Wilson a chance to defend herself against those who doubt her abilities and who “have questioned a woman’s fitness to do Homer justice.” “Any woman who has lived with male rage at close range has a better chance of understanding the vulnerability that fuels it than your average bro. She learns firsthand how the ways in which men are damaged determine their need to wreak damage on others,” Wilson told The New Yorker. Wilson may have her gender placed before her profession when discussed in the media, but this does not diminish her talents as a translator who has completely reinvented the major Greek epics of Homer, making them perfect for our current generation while staying faithful to their message.

8

COMMUNITY

December 15, 2023

Dear Readers, What a semester! As finals get underway and you all pack up for wherever this next season may take you, we want to sign off and say thank you for joining us — and the stars — on an eventful journey throughout the fall. Please accept these parting words of wisdom from us, your astrology team here at Mount Holyoke News.

SONG EDITION

f HOROSCOPES f

BY PEARL-OLGA YOUNG ’24 & SARAH PARSONS ’23 HOROSCOPE WRITERS

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Your season isn’t over yet, Sagittarius! Make these next weeks count. Commit to the bit; maybe do a little improv this break! The world is yours to make silly in whatever way you see fit!

Capricorn! Mercury Retrograde has begun recently! Watch out for delays and accidents in communication. Be extra cautious of spending. Don’t go broke over poorly planned holiday gifts!

Do: “Superstar” - Ms. Lauryn Hill | Don’t: “Ironic” - Alanis Morisette

Do: “Bad Habit” - Steve Lacy | Don’t: “Ordinary People” - John Legend

Feb. 19 – March 20

It’s time to get in the zone, Aries. You’ve been silly, which is great, but now you need to focus a little.

May 21 – June 20

Do: “Band on the Run” - Wings | Don’t: “Vampire Empire” - Big Thief

July 23 – Aug. 22

June 21 – July 22

Wake up! We know you’ve been sleeping, Gemini. The rest is over. Your time has come to shine.

Cancer, what a time it has been! You are ready for a rest; we can tell. The to-do list is almost complete, so just push on a little longer.

Do: “Rich Girl” - Nina Simone | Don’t: “I’m So Tired” - The Beatles

Do: “End of Beginning” - Djo | Don’t: “Linger” - The Cranberries

You’re a planner, Virgo. But what if you don’t plan? Take a risk! Have some fun. Take a step into the unknown, as Elsa says.

You’re chilling, Libra. Except… follow your heart. It will lead you somewhere!

Do: “Lend Me Your Comb” - The Beatles | Don’t: “Let It Go” - Frozen Cast

Do: “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” - Beastie Boys| Don’t: “Creep” - Glee Cast Version

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

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Mariam Keita ’24

Publisher Liv Wilson ’24

Managing Editors of Content Tara Monastesse ’25 & Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24

Managing Editors of Web Michelle Brumley ’24 & Melanie Duronio ’26

Managing Editor of Layout Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25

Business Manager Diksha Batra ’26

Copy Chief Eliška Jacob ’24

Human Resources Abigail McKeon ’26

Editorial Board News Nina Sydoryk ’25, River Dalley ’27 & Lilly Glass ’27 Arts & Entertainment Eliška Jacob ’24 & Nyx Cieprisz ’26 Opinion Max Rhoads ’25 & Gabriella Rodriguez ’27 Books Liv Wilson ’24 & Sophie Frank ’26 Global Jendayi Leben-Martin ’24, Shira Sadeh ’25 & Kiera McLaughlin ’26 Sports Emily Tarinelli ’25 & Genevieve Zahner ’26

Features Melanie Duronio ’26 & Madhavi Rao ’24 Science & Environmental Sarah Grinnell ’26 & Silas Gemma ’26 Photos Emma Quirk ’26 Graphics Gabby Gagnon ’24 & Jieru Ye ’23 Layout Editors Sophie Dalton ’25, Rachel Adler ’26, Leah Royes ’27, Barbara Chen ’25, Anno Kostava ’24 & Mars Hall ’27

Web Editors Linlin Liu ’24, Mia Kerchen ’24, Yuke Jiang ’25, Elle Zhao ’25, Scarlett Han ’25, Cynthia Akanaga ’25, Adwoa Owusu ’26, Cal Smith ’26, Annette Martekuor Darpoh ’27, Denise Grant ’27, Ivona Niyonkinzo ’27, & Sadia Tijjani ’27 Copy Editors Meghan MacBeath ’25, Max Endieveri ’25, Gemma Golovner ’25, Caroline Huber ’26, Liv Churchill ’26, Eva Hanson ’26, Brianna Janeira ’26, Kate Koenig ’26, Emma Quirk ’26, Nyx Cieprisz ’26, Abigail Mckeon ’26, Mae Law ’25, Emily Tarinelli ’25, Quill Leonard ’27, Maddy Broussard ’26, Demi Budd ’27, Devi Ramkarran x’27,Gabriella Tonn ’27, & Sofia Ramon ’27

Publication Guidelines 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.

Advertising in MHN Interest in advertising in MHN can be directed to mhnews@mtholyoke.edu for pricing and deadlines. 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 Mount Holyoke News is a weekly publication that prints weekly throughout the academic year. To join our mailing list, please contact the Publisher at mhnews@mtholyoke.edu.

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.

VISIT US: www.mountholyokenews.com www.facebook.com/mountholyokenews www.twitter.com/mtholyokenews_

Maybe you’ve gone a little MIA because there’s a new lover in town. Remember… at the end of the day, it’s your friends holding you up! But be who you are for your pride. Do: “bad idea right?” - Olivia Rodrigo | Don’t: “Irreplaceable” - Beyoncé

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

Aug. 23– Sept. 22

Do: “Go West” - Liz Phair | Don’t: “Joy” Lucinda Williams

Slow down, Taurus. South Hadley is just a place. You’ll be back before you know it.

Do: “Graceland” - Paul Simon | Don’t: “Superstition” - Stevie Wonder

Do: “Hasta la Raíz” - Natalia Lafourcade | Don’t: “Smog” - Indigo De Souza

Explore! Aquarius, it’s time to pack up your things and go somewhere you’ve never been before! Maybe take a trip west of the Mississippi?

April 20 – May 20

March 21 – April 19

Piscis, es la hora de salir y tocar un poco de hierba. ¡Conéctate con la madre naturaleza esta semana y ella te recompensará!

. Mount Holyoke News

Greetings, Scorpio. Listen to some Paul Simon. But let Art Garfunkel be… for now. Do: “Dirty Work” by Steely Dan | Don’t: “I Am a Rock” - Simon & Garfunkel

Event Highlights Friday, Dec. 15 De-Stress Fest: Cocoa Pups Take a study break and join All Saints Episcopal Church for holiday treats — hot cocoa and hanging out with puppies! A “De-Stress Fest” program sponsored by the All Saints Episcopal Church. All Saints Episcopal Church, 5-6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 16 Pioneer Valley Symphony Holiday Artisan Market Get your holiday gift shopping done and celebrate the spirit of the season with talented local artists and makers at our inaugural Artisan Market. Music, tasty treats, activities for kids and high-quality locally handmade crafts, including jewelry, pottery, soaps, paintings and much more! Entry is FREE, and all are warmly welcomed. Bring your appetite! Treats from Stone Soup Cafe will be sold to support their amazing work providing food and mutual aid to the greater Greenfield area. 21 Barr Ave, Greenfield, MA 01301, 12-4 p.m.