Mount Holyoke News — August 3, 2020

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Residential Life student employees share their experiences with fall planning: Inequitable pay, room and board fees, increased labor

BY KATE TURNER ’21 NEWS EDITOR

Students were asked to decide by July 8 whether they wanted to take up Residential Life positions for which they had been previously hired. These positions, previously titled Senior Community Advisor and Community Advisor have been renamed based on modifications to responsibilities under the new social compact and campus reopening plan: Residential Fellow and Community Assistant, respectively.

These changes to title and responsibilities are not associated with any change in compensation.

RFs and CAs are paid under contract, on a scale associated with their seniority. Beginning (first-year) CAs are compensated $2,200 per semester, returning second-years $2,300 per semester and returning thirdyears $2,400 per semester. First-year RFs are compensated $2,700 per semester and returning second-years $2,800 per semester.

Students were also informed that they could not work remotely in their positions as CAs or RFs. For this reason, staff of all class years were invited back to campus to perform their duties in the fall semester.

Though they were not obligated to return in order to perform those duties, they were informed that they would need to reapply should they attempt to return in the spring semester or the 2021-2022 academic year.

The Mount Holyoke News spoke to four students about their positions as Residential Life staff. All four requested to remain anonymous. The interviews below have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Second-year CA, returning to campus: This upcoming year will be my second year working for ResLife, and so far I’ve had a mostly positive experience, but there are definitely some unresolved issues. My experience with responsibilities towards the end of the spring semester was a little bit frustrating. The ResLife professional staff relied on S/ CAs to help with a lot of additional closing duties in return for hourly compensation, which I participated in. The level of what they were asking us to do was reasonable, but they didn’t properly communicate what the purpose was of our presence to the student body. We were doing almost daily room checks to help them determine who had left, but they didn’t inform any students it was happening, which then resulted in nearly the whole campus being locked out of their rooms (I hadn’t yet begun to help with closing duties so I also got locked out of my room). They also didn’t acknowledge that, even though we were not officially required to perform any duties/responsibilities once it was announced we had to leave campus, we still had to answer a lot of questions from residents, and be an additional tier of support, for which we did not receive adequate compensation.

As far as I know all S/CAs regardless of class

Photo by Ali Meizels ‘23 S/CA positions have been remodeled for the upcoming school year. Changes include extended hours, an altered contract and a modest pay scale.

year are being welcomed back to campus for the entire year, although they can only guarantee the [fall semester] as of right now. When deciding whether or not to return to campus, my supervisor told me that staff who chose not to come back in the fall would be potentially offered open positions in the spring, in the same manner that those who are studying abroad fill empty spots. I found this troubling, because when staff study abroad they normally have an expectation of who they will be switching with, whereas there was no guarantee of open positions in the spring. This heav-

ily influenced my decision to come back in the fall, because I rely on my ResLife job when I’m at school.

I also know that those who do not come back for the 2020-2021 school year will have to reapply for the position, which seems unfair to me because those who study abroad for an entire year are not held to those same standards. ResLife also stated that they would hire starting from alternate hires (those who are backups u

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International students are “angry, upset and tired” regarding revised financial aid packages

BY LILY REAVIS ’21 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students had not yet received their revised financial aid packages when Mount Holyoke announced its residential plans for the upcoming academic year on June 29, but they were nevertheless expected to make decisions regarding their academic and living situations. Many rising juniors and seniors — as well as international students living domestically — were unsure if their requests to live on campus during the fall semester would be approved. For international students living outside of the U.S., returning to campus for the fall semester was never an option, as consulates remain closed in other countries.

The deadline to apply for a personal leave for fall 2020 was July 13, with potential flexibility for students

with extenuating circumstances. Revised financial aid packages were not released until July 17. Many students reported that their packages took even longer to be processed, with some stating that they were unable to access their financial aid information until July 20.

The College’s cost of attendance for the 2020-2021 school year is $72,638, according to its website. All students are charged the same amount for tuition — $27,000 — whether they live on or off campus this year. “[Tuition] reflects the instruction, academic credit and other academic and non-academic services that are available to all enrolling students,” reads the College’s “Opening the Gates” page, which holds information about the upcoming school year.

A tuition reduction grant of $1,224 per semester u

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

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

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Executive Board Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor of Content

Lily Reavis ’21

Flannery Langton ’22

Copy Chief

Managing Editor of Layout

Kelsey Thomas ’21

Yasmin Andrews ’22

Managing Editor of Web Zoë Farr ’21

Environmental

Kate Turner ’21, Casey Roepke ’21, & Liz Lewis ’22

Are you taking daily sustainable action? Read this article on how to stay eco-friendly during a pandemic.

A study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports revealed that up to 171 million people today face the risks of coastal flooding from extreme high tides and storm surges, linked to rising sea levels resulting from climate change. Not only are the inhabitants of low-lying coastal areas in harm’s way, but trillions of dollars in economic assets worldwide are currently at risk.

At least a quarter of Bangladesh is submerged from heavy rainfall, highlighting how those who have the least impact on climate change are often those who are the worst affected.

Lockdowns as a result of COVID-19 have cut energy-related CO2 emissions by 17 percent, a new study finds.

Editorial Board News

Weekly Climate News

Meryl Phair ’22

Arts & Entertainment

Photos

Sabryna Coppola ’22

Ali Meizels ’23 & Rosemary Geib ’23

Layout Rose Sheehan ’22

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.

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 Saturdays at 5 p.m. for publication the following week.

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But as countries and states reopen, global greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise. Read this article (with infographics) on what this increase implies.

Due to climate change, poor governance and the coronavirus pandemic millions of Zimbabweans have gone hungry, but a community in Mwenezi, Zimbabwe, has a reliable food source. This resulted from an innovative plan initiated six years ago by a group of 200 women. Read this article to learn their story!

A new push in the UK to promote and fund active travel has benefits for people’s health and the environment in curbing pollution. Read about it here.

10 Indigenous guardian projects across the country will be receiving federal funding for a third year. These Indigenous communities will allocate the funds towards monitoring and protecting the environment.

COVID-19 shutdowns have produced cleaner air which has increased the effectiveness of solar panels around the world.

Read this investigation into how the fossil fuel industry finances police groups in major U.S. cities.

Monarchs show us that, with climate change, small actions can have world-altering results. Read this article about the butterfly effect.

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

S/CAs voice discomfort and fear over fall employment, cont’d.

personal and financial reasons. I was allowed to make this decision, but Residential Life is not supporting any remote staff, so I have forfeited my position for the in case others decide not to take the job). fall semester. There has been no discussion of remote Our contract has been significantly adjusted; we work. have many more responsibilities, due to helping enFor me, [the compensation] is the difference beFirst-year RF, not returning to campus: force the community compact, than we did last semestween me returning to campus and staying home — I have been a CA for my sophomore and junior ter. For example, last year in a semester as a CA, I was why would I pay full room and board to take remote on duty 5-6 times for the whole semester. This year I years, and was given an SCA role for the upcoming classes if my SCA salary is only a small fraction of the will be expected to be on duty twice a week, and for year. Because I have decided to stay at home during room and board costs? I refuse to pay to return to camlonger hours on the weekend. In addition, from what the fall, I am not sure whether I will get to actually pus if there is no acknowledgment of the increased it seems, we are primarily responsible for enforcing work as an SCA, but I am hoping to be allowed to fill risks and the increased responsibilities of our job. In the community compact in our hall communities. In that role in the spring. addition to our normal duties, we will have to be on Generally, I have been happy with Residential my opinion, having us on duty more makes sense to the front line of ensuring that social distancing and apdiscourage large gatherings in common rooms, but I Life, though it has not been without its frustrations. propriate behavior is observed in the residence halls, I enjoy working with students, but think the idea that we will be able while continuing to receive an unfair stipend. I would there is so much excess bureaucrato or want to prevent residents far rather spend time with my family and attempt to cy and so many unnecessary meetfrom having fellow students over in learn at a distance than pay the room and board costs. ings that I often feel like my time their rooms seems unrealistic. We It has not been put explicitly into our job descripis not valuable to the Residential “I lost my main source of are also not being paid any more or tion that we should enforce the social compact, but given other forms of compensation income, and the students I was Life staff. I feel like we have been I am sure that we will be expected to, as we are the given so many token assurances for this increase in our responsionly staff present in the residence halls. I do think that responsible for lost my support and “resources” with very little bilities. I personally think the idea the policies outlined are fair and necessary, but I am attention to what the student staff when we moved online.” that students will not [be able to infrustrated that we are relying solely on this compact are actually asking for in regard vite] other students that don’t live to keep our community safe. As a Residential Life staff to diversity, training, job responin their residence hall [into their member, I have witnessed so much dangerous and A first-year Residential sibilities and stipend. The low pay rooms] is incredibly ridiculous, frustrating behavior in the residence halls, and I have continues to be a point of extreme Fellow especially since they didn’t inform very little faith that signing a compact will suddenly frustration for myself and many of students [of this policy] until after cause all students to abide by all rules. my friends in Residential Life. they chose their rooms.

Because I have decided to stay home, I knew that There was a very abrupt end to Friends at other colleges have I would not have a job for the fall, but I am hoping to told me that their schools have formed “pods” within all of our CA duties last spring, which was exceedingly return in the spring and take up my SCA position. This the residential communities, to allow for some amount frustrating. Our contracts were terminated when we was something that was not communicated clearly at of interaction while minimizing risk and overlap. I were sent home, and all job duties all this summer. The area coordithink that model would make sense at MHC, especial- ceased for the remainder of the nator told me that I would not have ly because I do think that the smaller community of year. We received one paycheck afjob security for the spring, and that “For me, [the compensation] our school allows for a greater sense of community re- ter going home, but the remainder any case like this would be treated is the difference between sponsibility to follow social distancing protocol as op- of our stipend was not given to us. like a student studying abroad — if posed to larger schools. But if students are completely We were told that we could apply me returning to campus and they have a place for me, I will be isolated from the community or their friends, they’re for the student employment relief staying home — why would allowed to fill it, but if there is no fund (a $420 “transitional allowless likely to take the rules as seriously.

I will not have my SCA I pay full room and board to placement, As far as I know, no students were involved in the ance” given to work-study eligible job. I am frustrated that this was process of creating expectations for the fall. I do know students last spring), which I was take remote classes if my SCA not communicated to us directly, that ResLife has already had conversations about how personally unable to apply for besalary is only a small fraction and equally frustrated that a decito create less stress in our jobs in terms of the im- cause I have a merit scholarship sion I made for my own safety and mense responsibilities and lack of adequate compen- and am not on work-study. I lost of the room and board costs? financial well-being may cause me sation before the pandemic. If I had been involved in my main source of income, and the I refuse to pay to return to to lose a job I was excited to have the planning for the fall, I would have stressed that we students I was responsible for lost campus if there is no acknowl- (and that was a necessary income will already have to do an immense amount of emo- my support when we moved online. for me). tional labor to support students through living in iso- I believe we should have attempted edgment of the increased risks We were asked at several lation, especially incoming first-years who are leaving to maintain relationships with res- and the increased responsibili- points this summer whether we home without the typical support system Mount Holy- idents and at least try to support were planning on returning, but ties of our job.” oke offers to incoming students. I think it is absolute- virtual community building, if only these check-ins were largely bely ridiculous that they expect us to do this emotional to allow us to keep our jobs during fore we heard news from the Collabor, as well as monitor community compact rules, an uncertain time.

- A first-year Residential lege and we were never asked for All members of the ResLife which we had no say in, without any additional pay or any feedback about what our reFellow compensation. I know that this is a financially strenu- staff have been asked to return to turn would look like, or what facous time for the school, but the least they could do is campus for the full year to contintors would sway our decision one ue our jobs (with slightly updated offer us free board or laundry. way or another.

To greatly increase the responsibilities of a job job descriptions). The main difference in the contract where the majority of employees already feel over- is that positions are by semester instead of a full year.

Second-year CA, not returning to campus: worked and underpaid without increasing compensa- The job descriptions have been updated to reflect new I’ve been a CA for a year now; 2019-2020 was my tion seems counterintuitive to me. I worry a lot about responsibilities in light of the changed campus, but the first year as a CA. Working for ResLife is a lot of how this position will impact me this coming semester. bulk of the job remains the same. It appears that there things — complicated, energy- and time-consuming, As my mom said, “It might not be worth the therapy will be increased duty nights (weeknights in addition but also really rewarding. The main upside to working it will cost to handle the responsibilities of the job.” to weekends). The compensation remains the same. u CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Ultimately I am returning for fear of not having a job As a rising senior, I have chosen to stay at home for u

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in the spring, as well as a desire to get away from my hometown, which will be experiencing an influx of college students who attend the large state school, and who will likely make my hometown a hot spot.

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

Dining Services navigates reopening on a de-densified campus

BY MERYL PHAIR ’21 ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR

“Safety is hands down the goal but having great food needs to happen, especially during stressful and challenging times,” Richard Perna, director of Dining Services at Mount Holyoke College said. According to Perna, the past five months have been challenging for the dining staff, who have been constantly navigating and pivoting in response to COVID-19. Throughout the months of adjusting to new realities, one thing has remained in the forefront of their thoughts: opening the Dining Commons. “From early on we said we really want to open [them],” Perna said. “We haven’t changed our minds in terms of how we are going to service students. … We want to be able to open all the stations if we’re able.”

Along with internal meetings, Perna has been talking to at least one or two colleges every week for the last several months, checking in on decisions and the development of new dining models. “There’s a lot of schools out there that are moving towards take out only,” Perna said. “So they’ll have five or six pick-up places around campus.”

Students will grab breakfast, lunch and dinner from designated locations as a boxed meal. They have about four rotating choices, and most of the time it will be a cold meal. “I really feel like that gets old quick and it’s not a hot meal,” Perna said.

Mount Holyoke is adopting a different approach, choosing to open the doors of the Dining Commons.

However, significant changes will be made in accordance with COVID-19 regulations and health precautions. The Dining Commons will be open for meal hours seven days a week with breakfast served 7:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It will be takeout only and all community members must wear masks and have a MHC ID to enter. Additionally, no guests will be permitted.

A new meal plan will be adopted for the fall semester which will include 25 meal swipes per week.

The Dining Commons is open for 21 total meals during the week. The extra four meal swipes are built in for students to use in the case of snacks or early lunches.

In restructuring the department to balance financial cutbacks while still providing quality meals that meet dietary and religious needs, Dining Services will be opening all stations, with the exception of Breakfast All Day. There will be no self-service of any kind, per CDC and Massachusetts state guidelines. Although not serving all the food they normally would, Perna said, “At least you can pick out exactly what you want.”

Perna also said that they don’t want students to feel like they are limited to food and have made options for students that would take care of any additional food students might need throughout the day beyond the three takeout meals.

The Club Room in the Dining Commons will be turned into a Grab ’n Go. Students can come into the Dining Commons, grab what they need from Grab ’n Go and also access food within the Dining Commons.

This gives Dining Services the ability to do half portions, full portions, snacks, chips and other items that students might want throughout the day or for a late

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke News archives Blanchard Dining Commons opened in 2018. Now, the College is considering how to meet social distancing guidelines in the centralized space.

night snack. Grab ’n Go options, along with the meal options, will be posted daily on the dining website.

This Grab ’n Go will replace the Grab ’n Go previously located in the ground floor of Blanchard Community Center. That space will be closed, along with the adjacent Cochary Pub and Kitchen and the Frances Perk Cafe in the Williston Library, which similarly have to be temporarily closed for safety precautions.

Perna said that there is a possibility that, down the line, these locations could reopen in some capacity.

As of now, however, they will remain closed while the dining staff and the campus community settle into the new routine.

This routine will take some getting used to, as it is a completely new business model for everyone accessing the space — staff and students alike.

“We just ask for everyone’s patience as we get through the first couple of weeks,” Perna said. In addition to new service operations, there will be floor markings and upright posters to indicate one-way directives. This will also assist in indicating the 6 foot social distancing that must be maintained at all times.

Perna said that there will be a lot of communication going out to the student body about the expectations of the space as well as clear directions of where to go when community members enter the space.

Some lines are expected, as there regularly is at the beginning of the semester, while everyone gets adjusted and navigates their new schedules. However, Perna is pleased with the way the College is scheduling classes with various release times because it will organically translate well to mitigating congestive flows through the Dining Commons.

For the students that are currently on campus, the Dining Commons has been open daily with service from one and a half stations. “We have a hundred students that we’re feeding and we’re doing that in one hour,” Perna said. “We have no issues whatsoever with spacing.” The student population will be 1,100 for the fall semester, but with eight stations open for three hours in addition to the class schedules, Perna says he feels comfortable in terms of spacing.

In addition to necessary alterations to the dining system, employees have also been impacted. The

dining staff has had to make internal changes with completely new schedules which Perna said has been “quite a big process across the board.” Similarly, student employment within Dining Services will look different for the fall semester. About half the jobs for student workers will be available. Although the dishroom won’t be operating, there is still a large need for student employment to serve meals.

Dining Services is still working on figuring out some final pieces to its new system. They are currently working on setting up another Grab ’n Go store in the Library Room, to the left of the cashier station.

Students would likely be able to use their Dining Dollars there, another detail that is still being finalized.

Similarly, they are still working through some sustainability concerns. While the takeout containers will be compostable, Facilities Management is expecting an increase in waste on campus as a result of the single-use items. At the moment, personal reusable containers that students might have will not be allowed to be brought into the space due to sanitation concerns. “We’re having conversations about implementing a reusable container that Dining [Services] would source,” Perna said.

Dining Services will be in a constant state of adoption and reconfiguration as it moves through the semester and confronts new challenges. For example, on July 24, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker put out a state mandate, effective Aug. 1, which requires those who enter Massachusetts to either pass a COVID-19 test or complete a two-week self-quarantine. Violators will be fined $500 a day. These testing and quarantine requirements must be met before students can enter the Dining Commons. Perna said that they might have to do food delivery for those students who are self-quarantining.

Perna and the dining staff always appreciate student feedback as it helps them navigate how best to serve the campus community. “We’ll continue to pivot and make changes as we go,” he said. “We’ll be listening to students and what they’re looking for. We really want to make sure we’re hitting everyone’s needs and expectations.”

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

Letter to the Editor Advocating for financial aid equity for international students We are international students who cannot fly before they sent us our revised packages. The deadto the U.S. for our first year at Mount Holyoke Col- line for deferral was July 13, 2020, and we could not lege due to COVID-19 and the shutting down of all make the decision to defer without viewing our aid U.S. consulates around the world. Most of us are packages. Unfortunately, we had to make the deferral first-generation students or low-income students decision without being able to view our financial aid who have made every mental packages. and monetary effort to attend Now our parents’ contribution this college. remains the same despite us being Not only does this affect “We did not ask for a global remote for fall. We are not applying us, but it also affects our parfor campus housing and neither pandemic. We did not make are we using up the meal plan, but ents, who are contributing more than they can afford to still paying the same amount to the the choice of not getting a this college because they have College amid a pandemic because visa. trusted the institution. why? The revised financial aid has On July 17, Mount Holybeen changed and in fact reduced oke College released revised by the same amount as our room MHC is monetizing this financial aid packages for and board! pandemic.” everyone. Despite constantly Basically, we are being asked emailing the student finanto pay the College as if we were cial aid office asking about if on campus for room and board. they would change our grants or take away our Our grant aid has been reduced to the exact amount aid or reduce our aid. Unfortunately, we were only that is equivalent to room and board. Technically, we met with vague and generic responses. This was were not supposed to pay this amount of the bill as per

grant aid that was initially given at the time of our admission.

We did not ask for a global pandemic. We did not make the choice of not getting a visa. MHC is monetizing this pandemic and making us pay the exact same amount as before for online classes at midnight. Besides attending an online semester in our home country, we have to pay hefty bills to this institution because this is how international students are treated? To all the privileged people out there, we know you do not need to advocate for us but as a community you do hold a responsibility and your words carry weight. This is a global pandemic and we look forward to strengthening the Mount Holyoke community together in this miserable world crisis.

I wish I had thought through my admission decision once. I wish I was not guilty of burdening my parents like this. I wish I was privileged enough. I wish I had dreamt smaller.

- International Students from the Class of 2024

International students speak out about unfair financial aid, continued u

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was applied to all students currently enrolled as an acknowledgment of the disruptions and constraints that “the pandemic imposes on campus life and activities, as well as the challenging economic circumstances that our students and their families are facing,” the “Opening the Gates” page reads.

For international students in particular, these timeliness have created unexpected fiscal and academic circumstances. Mount Holyoke prides itself on its significant number of international students, who make up over 25 percent of the College’s enrollment.

Roughly 400 students from 70 countries attend the College and are unable to return to campus this fall.

“No one should be paying the same amount of tuition fees we’d be paying to be on campus for attending midnight classes in our own countries where we’ll face technical difficulties such as unstable internet connection and unexpected power cuts,” one international student from the class of 2024 said.

While all students are allowed to apply for personal leaves during their time at the College, returning international students are required to go through the immigration specialist at the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives in order to be approved for a leave.

There are three different forms of leave that students can apply for: medical, personal and academic.

Taking any sort of leave may impact the future eligibility of students to receive financial aid, the College’s website states.

A Mount Holyoke FAQ page regarding leaves of absence for international students reads, “A non-aca-

demic leave would require [international students] to the direct cost for students studying remotely. be outside of the US for the duration of [their] leave Since the College’s campus shut down in March, most and [they would] probably need a new I-20 visa to staff are working remotely. Due to this, the Student Ficome back.” nancial Services office is only accessible to students Incoming first-year internationvia email. An automatic response al students are able to request a dereads, “Due to heavy volume, ferral of their admission by emailplease allow three business days “No one should be paying ing the Office of Admission, and are for a reply to your email.” With the same amount of tuition classes scheduled to begin in not required to consult the McCulloch Center before doing so. fees we’d be paying to be on three weeks, many international Many international students students say they are scrambling have voiced their disappointment campus for attending midnight to form a plan that will accommoclasses in our own countries date their financial and academic in the College’s actions regarding financial aid for the upcoming acaneeds this year. where we’ll face technical demic year. For many students who In a recent Instagram post difficulties such as unstable will study off campus in the fall, shared by the Mount Holyoke grant aid was reportedly reduced by internet connection and unex- News from the account “bipocatthe same price as room and board in mountholyoke,” current internapected power cuts.” students’ revised financial aid packtional students pointed out that ages. Despite not being charged their families do not earn money - An international student living expenses, some off-campus in American dollars but are exstudents say that their families are pected to pay tuition in the curfrom the class of 2024 expected to pay the exact same rency. “1 dollar is 7 Chinese yuan, amount because of this.

74 Indian rupees, 84 Bangladeshi “A lot of low income students taka, 107 Japanese yen, 168 Pakistani rupees, 14,656 are planning to drop out and some have already sub- Indonesian rupiah, 23,192 Vietnamese dong,” the post mitted their withdrawal form,” said an international reads. student from the class of 2024. “The family of the ones

As the authors note, many families have been choosing to stay are going through financial pressure out of work for months due to the coronavirus panof supporting their child even when they have lost demic and are currently struggling. Faced with an untheir jobs.” expectedly high tuition bill for online learning and reThe student called on Mount Holyoke to supply ported reductions to grant aid, international students additional grants and relief to students whose family say they are “angry, upset and tired.” incoming is less than $30,000 per year, and to reduce

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

#FreeBritney: Fans call for the pop star’s freedom and release from conservatorship

BY HIBA NAWAID ’23 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT STAFF WRITER

Over the past two months, the online #FreeBritney campaign has gained considerable traction on social media. Britney Spears has previously made headlines for her hit singles and sold-out tours, as well as her turbulent personal life and relationship with fame.

Now, fans have brought under scrutiny the pop star’s conservatorship arrangement, expressing concern for her well-being and self-autonomy as well as rallying for her to be “freed.”

After her divorce with Kevin Federline and highly publicized struggles with mental health and substance abuse, the court placed Spears under the conservatorship of her father Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet in 2008. Being under conservatorship entails designating full legal responsibility of an adult, including health and finances, to a conservator or legal guardian. Such arrangements are usually made when a conservatee is deemed unable to make their own decisions. Both Spears’ personal life and pop fortune are managed by her father, along with an attorney and care managers. The star cannot drive on her own, vote or hire her own lawyer.

This long-standing arrangement and the level of control assumed over Spears’ life has distressed fans.

Since 2008, the singer has released a number of hit albums and gone on multiple concert tours. However, in contrast to this seemingly functional lifestyle, rumors of a strained relationship with her father and attorney Wallet’s resignation as a conservator have raised suspicions about the nature of the conservatorship.

In 2019, People magazine reported that the singer’s ex-husband Federline obtained a protective restraining order against Jamie Spears on behalf of his and Spears’ sons after an alleged altercation. Consequently, many flocked to social media to speculate about what is happening behind the scenes.

The campaign has also largely been sustained by Spears’ personal Instagram posts. Fans believe that her posts, which consist of workouts, dance routines

Image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons Britney Spears fans have taken to social media to voice concerns over the pop singer’s conservatorship, which they believe is unsafe.

and video messages, are coded calls for help. Moreover, the Instagram fixation has also been driven forward by a podcast called Britney’s Gram, which is dedicated to analyzing Spears’s online presence and, on occasion, online absences, relative to news about her life. For instance, Spears was silent on social media for three months at the start of 2019, a period coinciding with reports that she had taken a work hiatus and been admitted to a mental health facility.

This high level of scrutiny arguably treads a fine line between genuine concern and hyper-fixation on the fans’ parts. It is hard to discern whether the campaign is making its desired impact or simply

causing agitation to the parties involved, as extreme fan involvement has been known to do in the lives of celebrities. The continued interest has resulted in a change.org petition for Britney to be able to hire her own lawyer garnering almost 250,000 signatures. However, Jamie Spears has gone on record with the New York Post, calling the entire campaign — as well as allegations that he has been embezzling money from his daughter’s business dealings — a conspiracy theory.

“All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything. The world doesn’t have a clue,” Jamie Spears said. “It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.”

Controversial oil pipelines shut down following environmental protests

BY CATELYN FITZGERALD ’23 ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF WRITER

Recent weeks have seen a major victory for environmentalists and activists across the country, as the construction of three major fossil fuel pipelines came to a halt. For many Americans, this news came unexpectedly, as much of the public discussion about these controversial pipelines had been completely forgotten in the wake of other recent crises. The Dakota Access Pipeline, Keystone XL Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline were shut down as a result of organized action and court rulings, and by the companies themselves as the projects faced a loss of economic viability.

Fossil fuel pipelines pose a serious threat to the environment as well as to the communities they cross

through. They lead to an increased fuel supply which causes emissions to rise and climate change to accelerate. Pipelines also expand the reach of the fossil fuel industry, giving them more economic and political power, while undermining clean energy efforts. In the communities that pipelines pass through, leaks pose a major threat to the local air and water supply. Even the planning and construction of pipelines displaces people from their homes and permanently destroys the natural environment.

Arguably the most well known of these projects is the Dakota Access Pipeline. The construction of this pipeline was resisted in 2016 during the Standing Rock protests, which were closely followed by news outlets and environmentalists across the country. The pro-

tests were in opposition to the placement of the pipeline route under a Missouri River reservoir which is relied upon by the Standing Rock Sioux reservation as a water source. Construction of the pipeline also put historical and cultural importance to the tribe at risk.

Members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reported that several historical sites had been destroyed in the early stages of construction. Protests grew from less than 20 people to hundreds. In the winter of 2016, increasingly violent responses from law enforcement were reported. The pipeline was halted in a recent District Court decision which determined that construction could not continue without an extensive enu

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Mount Holyoke News August 3, 2020

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but in my opinion it’s not enough given the amount of when things are looking so rough has been difficult work that goes into the CA role. To my knowledge, we and I’m not sure it’s worth it for my health. The inforare not being compensated in terms of room and board mation has been lacking in regard to if you can’t be for ResLife is being able to engage with residents and or any additional stipends. Given the sheer amount of there for fall if you’ll be able to work spring or in the build community. My fellow CAs became my closest time and effort that goes into being a CA, and the lit- future. I’m worried about the repercussions of turning friends and colleagues, and my residents made the tle benefits offered, I believe a lot of CAs experience the position down.

There hasn’t been any information about hiring floor feel more welcoming and friendly. As opposed to burnout. Most of us do a lot of emotional work by supmy first year at Mount Holyoke, I found it much less porting residents round the clock, and we love it. We new CAs if previously hired ones won’t return; it’s care, and that’s why we become been a lot of shuffling around who they know is comisolating as a CA because my job CAs. That labor goes largely un- ing back to fill in gaps. I was selected as a cohort CA, was to get to know the people on recognized, and especially during so I’m not sure what they’re going to do if I don’t come my floor. I like talking to people, so this pandemic, I think CAs are back — to my knowledge there isn’t another person this was right up my alley.

“I’m worried about the reper- the ones who will have to work interested in the position that shares the identity it’s At the end of the spring 2020 semester, CAs were told to move cussions of turning the position even harder. Social isolation, the meant to represent.

I don’t know why reproduct of this out at the same time as everyone down.” mote [work] hasn’t been pandemic, is else. Usually we stay on in the fall offered, considering all of the exact oppoand spring semesters after everyour interactions with resisite of what we - A first-year Community one leaves to wrap up and close the dents would mainly be via want for our “Given the sheer amount of time halls. This time, we were told to Assistant Zoom anyway. They havresidents’ expeleave with everyone else, and that and effort that goes into being a en’t said anything about rience. we wouldn’t be expected to stay beCA, and the little benefits offered, working remotely. hind. Nonetheless, many CAs I know reached out to I’m not sure if CAs First-year CA, unsure about reI believe a lot of CAs experience residents to offer support, both virtually and physicalwill be expected to enforce turning to campus: ly, and were still dedicated to helping residents as best burnout. the social compact, but I This would have been my first as they could. expect in part we would CAs from all class years are being asked to return year being a CA. I worked with be in situations where a ResLife previously in an OrientaMost of us do a lot of emotional to campus in the fall. There are no updates about the spring semester, since everything might look vastly tion related position, and found that work by supporting residents round resident had a group of friends over in their room/ different by then and it depends on the College’s plans to be exciting (though a little stressthe clock, and we love it. We care, parties were going on in for the spring. I won’t be returning in the fall, and ful). I’ve found it easier to connect the hall. Again, all the inand that’s why we become CAs. one of my fears is that I won’t have a position when with fellow students/student leadformation given has been I return to campus eventually. There is still no word ers rather than the higher ups witha little limited. regarding that, since, again, things might be really in ResLife.

That labor goes largely unrecogThe College made the CAs of all class years are being different. I understand that, but I’m still fearful. I love announcement of moving nized, and especially during this having that job and I love engaging with residents. I asked to return for fall/spring, I’m a need the money too — as an international student, my junior and I was asked to come back pandemic, I think CAs are the ones from LLCs to cohorts before telling any CAs, which parents already pay for more than they can afford. I both semesters for the position who will have to work even harder.” left me thinking my posifeel confused. Although ResLife staff members have starting early in August. I believe tion had been terminated offered virtual meetings, I can’t bring myself to ask [Aug. 10] is the last day you can say at the time. It was confusthem what the future will look like or expect them to you can’t come [or] don’t want the - A second-year Community ing. I think the cohort sysposition anymore without conseunderstand how I feel. There’s a real disconnect.

Assistant tem makes it even easier I think the CA role will drastically change in the quence. for CAs to work remotely, The position described is for upcoming semesters. Responsibilities will be adapted, so I’m wondering why that both semesters, and they haven’t and I think CAs will have to come up with more crewasn’t given as an opative ways to engage with residents and continue to said if you can [work] only one. It’s foster community. As of now, there are no possibilities something I’ve been thinking about as I’m not sure I tion. I’m also wondering how they chose which LLCs for remote [ResLife] work that I’ve been made aware feel safe coming back to campus. ResLife hasn’t of- to change into cohorts, and where the LLCs’ budget of. It was made very clear that S/CAs cannot work re- fered any hazard pay, which I’m being granted by my money went to. The lack of transparency surrounding motely. There has been an increase in compensation, barista job at home now, so the decision to come back these decisions is frustrating.

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vironmental evaluation. The pipeline had previously been under construction while an environmental assessment by the Army Corps of Engineers was still in progress.

The Keystone XL Pipeline was planned to serve as an extension of the Keystone Pipeline System which transports tar sands, a form of crude oil.

Tar sands are one of the dirtiest fossil fuels, emitting more greenhouse gases than regular crude oil.

They are also known to be corrosive, causing a high

risk of leaks during transportation through pipelines.

Protests against the pipeline repeatedly occurred during the early 2010s, including a sit-in at the White House that lasted several days in 2011. The pipeline was stalled by a Supreme Court decision in early July 2020, which blocked an environmental permit from being obtained by the construction company. In the shadow of this victory, President Donald Trump authorized a 29 percent increase in the volume of crude oil transported through the Keystone Pipeline System, a change which is expected to be implemented starting next year.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was intended to transport natural gas through the Appalachian Trail. It is the only pipeline of the three that has been canceled

outright, rather than simply stalled, due to the mounting costs of lawsuits from environmental groups that made the project economically infeasible. The pipeline’s parent companies announced the cancellation of the project on July 5, 2020.

These three pipelines show the range of action that can successfully be employed to protect the environment. Protests, legal action and the existence of strong regulatory environmental policies have halted, even if for a brief time, the seemingly unstoppable oil industry. These victories set a precedent of power to the environmental movement centered around native leadership and togetherness, creating overall a message of hope for other efforts to defend the environment.