The Miscellany News
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Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866
August 27, 2026
Welcome
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Volume 166 | Issue 1
2030!
Vassar agrees to $5 million settlement in gender discrimination suit Emma Brown, Julian Balsley Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor
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fter nearly three years, several female professors’ pay discrimination lawsuit against Vassar College appears nearly over. On July 31, the College reached a $5 million settlement in its lawsuit with several female full professors who alleged decades of discriminatory practices in how female faculty were paid, promoted and evaluated. The named plaintiffs—Professor of English Wendy Graham, Professor Emerita of History Maria Höhn, Professor of Film on the Mary Riepma Ross ’32 Chair Mia Mask, Professor of Physics Cindy Schwarz and Professor of Psychological Science Debra Zeifman—originally filed suit in federal district court in August 2023. At least 79 additional female full professors joined the named plaintiffs in the class action suit. The settlement has yet to be certified by a judge as of publication. The plaintiffs alleged that for decades, Vassar has consistently paid its female full faculty less than male faculty who joined the College at the same time or after their female colleagues, as well as promoted them more slowly. Furthermore, the plaintiffs argued, Vassar’s performance evaluation system—part of the tenure review and promotion process—is stacked against women, making it more difficult for them to achieve full professorship. The College denied all of these allegations in court filings. The $5 million settlement will be used to compensate approximately 84 current and former female full professors, according to Lieff Cabraser Hiemann & Bernstein, one
Image courtesy of Grace Cabasco '27. of the firms representing the professors. “Our faculty are at the core of Vassar’s academic mission,” Vassar Vice President of Communications Victoria Grantham wrote of the settlement. “We are pleased with the resolution and look forward to continued work together.” The suit covers women who were current or former full professors at Vassar between May 2015 and the end of the settlement. Vassar currently has 54 female and 49 male full professors, according to Grantham. Together, those 103 full profes-
sors are about 30 percent of the College’s 320 total faculty. The settlement is one of the largest reached in a higher education pay discrimination case in the last two decades, despite having a smaller class—the number of people being compensated. “I think this settlement is a win for working women everywhere,” said Catherine Bendor, the litigation director at Equal Rights Advocates and the professors’ co-counsel. “No woman should be paid less for substantially similar work, just because
of their gender. Our clients dedicated much of their lives to teaching and uplifting students at a school founded on values of gender equality.” Michelle Lamy, a partner at Lieff Cabraser and one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, said the $5 million payout represents 82 percent of the alleged damages—or 122 percent without accounting for interest. Some pay discrimination settlements have addressed only around 20 percent of damages, she said. See Lawsuit on page 3
The Arts section wants your recommendations: A summer tracklist Brendan Kennedy Arts Editor
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he Miscellany News is back! And after a hectic summer of New Jersey Transit commutes and lengthy drives to the beach, I have listened to plenty of music since we left campus last spring: 21,400 minutes, to be exact. So to celebrate the return of the Arts section—which you should join if you are itching to share your thoughts on the newest media and live performances!—I have compiled a playlist of my favorite summer releases. See below for my top songs that came out in the past three months: a tracklist to spin as you ease into the new school year. 1. “She’s the Best” by Troye Sivan Troye Sivan’s return to the music scene had to be grand. To follow up his 2023 quintessential pop banger, “Something To Give Each Other,” a sound switch-up was necessary to keep fans interested. “She’s the
Inside this issue
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Charlotte Willenbring issues an invitation to learn more about GRAPHICS The Miscellany News.
Best” is a song that has divided audiences due to its spoken-word style of singing and unconventional structure; but its glittery, drum-forward production and “who gives a damn” vocal performance mesh well. Plus, Nicole Kidman’s cameo in the music video and the choppy club-produced background vocals by Charli xcx imitate the college party craving I have been lacking. 2. “Spill” by Slow Pulp It is officially going to be a Slow Pulp September. Particularly, for Vassar following our previous ViCE spring concert. “Melodie”—the band’s upcoming album and first full project in three years—is hitting the shelves Sept. 18. My favorite single from the work, “Spill,” details the anxieties of casual dating and coping with emotional distance. The track paddles along a dark, addicting indie rock soundscape that eventually dissolves into an all-consuming reverb finale. 3. “brand new chanel$” by Slayyyter
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HUMOR
Nobody has had a better summer than Slayyyter. After her entrance into the pop culture zeitgeist last March with the album “WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA,” the Missouri native has captured audiences with her engrossing electronic-club hits. With her recent single, “brand new chanel$,” Slayyyter has, once again, delivered the brash electro-pop sound that listeners yearn for. Combined with the lyrics that discuss finding out her partner cheated on her right before her Coachella set, the track is an outpouring of Slayyyter’s determination to become one of pop’s top names—and boy, does it work. 4. “Kill Me” by Phoebe Bridgers Phoebe Bridgers’ return to music is not something that I, nor my sanity, take lightly, which is why “Kill Me” has proven to be my most cherished track from “Lost Weekend.” The repeating guitar chords, built within Bridgers’ signature melancholic landscape, reach right into my body and tear my heart
Josie Wenner pens a Sunday email to Vassar's freshman.
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SPORTS
open. Once you think you are already emotionally tethered to the song, she comes in at the end with a rush of chaotic drums and despondent strings—a clear contender for one of her best tracks of all time. 5. “Love Sensation” by Madonna Talk about whiplash! This summer, Madonna returned with “Confessions II,” her most well-received record in 20 years. The album had one clear message: Get out on the dance floor. In this album, the 68-yearold superstar proves that she will forever be a force to be reckoned with in the pop world. Similar to the rest of the album’s tracks, “Love Sensation” is a fresh, engrossing addition to her discography. The song is lyrically liberating and the production pulses with euphoria. I strongly urge the Vassar community to give “Confessions II” a try at the welcome back parties… Please, for me. 6. “Barriers” by Ravyn Lenae See Playlist on page 3
David Bray discusses LeBron James's move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
August 27, 2026
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THE MISCELLANY NEWS Emma Brown Darja Coutts Julian Balsley Grace Finke Hadley Amato NEWS EDITOR Aurelia Harrison ARTS EDITORS Brendan Kennedy Sophia Marchioli ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR Sydney Jones FEATURES EDITOR Tina Mao ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Ian Watanabe OPINIONS EDITOR Zoe Rodriguez ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR Josie Wenner HUMOR EDITORS Noah Daube-Valois Holland Kaplan SPORTS EDITOR David Bray ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS Armaan Desai Lucas Seguinot DESIGN EDITOR Hannah Wells ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR Elliot Evans COPY EDITORS Gabrielle Lyman Julia Weber ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR Aria Kuklinksi GRAPHICS EDITORS Charlotte Willenbring Makenna Brown PHOTO EDITOR Aviva Barry ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Olivia Blank GAMES EDITORS Felix Mundy-Mancino Mia Liloia SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Fallon Dern LIVE EVENTS CHAIR Eduardo Culmer REPORTERS/COLUMNISTS Noah Duncan Samuel Eisenberg Iggy Gutierrez Melody Hamilton Isabel Holmes Lora Janczewski Eli Lerdau Madeline Nusbaum Evan Seker Erin Thatcher Amritha Dewan PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Chu CARTOONIST Catriona Chapman COPY STAFF Nikola Parker Cooperman Cooper Jaffe Ren Nicolau Tess Novack
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR EDITORS
Charlotte Willenbring/The Miscellany News. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
WELCOME ISSUE
August 27, 2026
College
settles
Continued from Lawsuit page 1 In a July 31 message announcing the settlement, Chair of the Board of Trustees Sharon Davidson Chang ’84 P ’19 wrote, “We are thankful to the faculty members, who sustained their commitment to teaching, research, and service as we all worked productively toward a resolution… I want to reaffirm the Board of Trustees’ and the College’s unwavering commitment to pay equity.” As the plaintiffs argued in their complaint, “Vassar also falsely asserted that any pay gap is the result of the fact that men are simply higher performers or simply better at leveraging offers to negotiate higher salaries.” Vassar denied this in court filings, but argued that any pay disparities were the result of “unequal positions,” positions in which female and male faculty did not perform substantially similar work, a seniority system, a merit system or a “bona fide factor other than sex.” Data that Vassar allegedly shared with The Chronicle of Higher Education, which is included in the complaint, show a gendered pay gap among full professors of over seven percent every year between 2003 and 2022. The highest gap, from 2021 to 2022, is 14.6 percent, or $19,788. The Chronicle’s latest data, for 2024 to 2025, show an average pay gap among full professors of just under $11,000. Vassar denied this in court filings but did not respond to a question from reporters about the Chronicle data. The most compelling evidence against the College, according to Lamy, is how long it failed to address the disparities after female professors began raising con-
gender
cerns. Since at least 2003, the complaint alleges, female professors have consistently brought up salary discrimination, including in 2011, 2013, 2020 and 2021. For instance, the lawsuit describes a retreat that Professor Emeritus of Music Jonathan Chenette, then dean of faculty, hosted in May 2011. According to the complaint, the retreat was initiated by Professor of History Lydia Murdoch, who was director of Women’s Studies at the time. Chenette confirmed to the Miscellany that he led the retreat. In court filings, Vassar acknowledged that such a retreat took place, but added, “Vassar lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to all material presented at the retreat.” The professors claim that, during the retreat, the College gave a presentation that included a table showing Vassar’s faculty salary gap for the 2009 to 2010 school year. A copy of that chart in the complaint shows that, on average, male associate and full professors were paid more than their female counterparts, with male full professors making about $13,000 more. However, female assistant professors were, on average, paid slightly more than their male counterparts, per the chart. The plaintiffs argue that the presentation and Chronicle data demonstrate that the College has long known about widespread salary gaps among its faculty, and even commented on it internally, but has done nothing about it. According to the complaint, in 2021, Professor of Sociology on the Jane Baker Nord ’42 Chair and Director of Media Studies William Hoynes, who was then dean of
discrimination faculty, announced to some of the female professors who had raised concerns about salary discrimination that the College would conduct equity reviews. However, the complaint states, reviews were not automatic, nor were all requests for reviews approved. In Spring 2021, the complaint alleges, some of the female full professors who had been given equity reviews received a onetime pay bump—some as low as $1,000. But most female professors received no adjustment, according to the complaint. Vassar did not respond to questions about equity adjustments. Five years after some women were seemingly given small pay adjustments, Vassar’s settlement is notably larger than recent pay discrimination settlements at other higher education institutions. “A $5 million settlement for 84 professors is exceptional, particularly in comparison to other settlements in similar employment discrimination cases,” Lamy wrote. Between 2018 and 2024, at least five universities reached settlements with female faculty who brought pay discrimination cases against them. All of them were for less money than Vassar’s settlement, though three cases involved fewer than 10 faculty members. The largest payout came in 2024 when the University of Colorado Boulder agreed to a $4.5 million settlement with 386 female faculty—some 300 more than Vassar’s settlement covers. Each member of the recognized class in Vassar’s suit will receive a proportion of the settlement based both on how long she has been employed at the College relative to
Listen to the Art section's songs of the summer Continued from Playlist page 1 Perhaps the most underrated album of the summer comes from alternative R&B darling Ravyn Lenae. “Blue Island” is filled with a unique, genre-bending production that embraces listeners within her angelic indie-pop world. “Barriers” glides with Lenae’s soothing vocals and hard-hitting drum production. The stripped-back, sensual track discusses emotional distance and intimacy between two people who just cannot seem to get on the same page. Lyrics and production combined, “Barriers” is my favorite gem out of a star-studded project. 7. “Camera” by Charli xcx According to Charli xcx, the dance floor is dead. The album “Music, Fashion, Film” is the latest installment to the powerhouse’s catalogue, and it comes with a complete creative switch-up. The rebrand is successful on many fronts, with her explosive Lollapalooza set back in July as proof. “Camera” is about the intense pressures of being in the spotlight, as well as Charli’s desires to transition into film. The song builds around a catchy strumming pattern and Charli’s vocals hit the spot of her typical, glitchy sound—easily one of the most unique and captivating soundscapes to come out of the summer. 8. “Detour” by Kim Petras “This is the beginning of the end,” declares Kim Petras at the onset of “Detour,” her first major album release after separating from Republic Records. With newfound creative control over her music, Petras teamed up with hyperpop divas Frost Children to de-
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liver a campy, chaotic album of grit-laced production and personal raw lyrics. “Detour” is a clear deviation from her previous hampered records under her old label. The title track starts off with an abrasive punch of electrocrash and indie-sleaze production, a clear indicator of her desire to be taken seriously in the hyperpop realm. “Detour” hits you in the heart and—speaking from personal experience—has the ability to motivate you in the early hours of the morning. 9. “u + me = <3” by Olivia Rodrigo The clearest contender for Record of the Year comes from a 23-year-old. “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” is filled with some of Olivia Rodrigo’s best work ever, and it has consistently stayed in my rotation since its release. “u + me = <3” is a Cranberries-esque, jangly tune that discusses—you guessed it—being in love. Rodrigo’s crisp vocals and guitar-heavy production make the track riveting. “u + me = <3” traps you within Rodrigo’s tender, puppy-eyed romance, and it makes the album’s second half, which discusses a breakup, hit all the more hard. 10. “Ain’t In LA” by ADÉLA To close off the essential tracks of the summer, one must look toward the rising Slovak pop star ADÉLA. “Ain’t In LA” is clean and sonically freeing. ADÉLA’s vocals come across with the same feelings of liberation that the summer months demand—which is why turning this tune up to max volume and sticking your head out the window is required. While summer may be coming to a close, “Ain’t in LA” promises that the future is bright.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
lawsuit
other members of the class, and how long she has been a part of the settlement class, Lamy said. According to the terms of the settlement, Vassar must comply with agreed-upon pay equity and transparency measures. This includes submitting annual pay audits of full professor compensation conducted by a third-party consultant for three years, Lamy explained. The results of these audits, as well as the audit’s model, must be shared with Vassar’s Faculty Compensation Committee and the plaintiffs’ lawyers, Lamy said. Finally, Vassar must share with full professors the methods and criteria used to determine compensation and make decisions about promotions and performance evaluations. “We’re operating under the assumption that, as required by the settlement terms, Vassar would correct any underpayment that is revealed through the studies,” Bendor said. “We’re committed to transparency on this issue—the results of these reviews will be shared annually with the Faculty Compensation Committee and the Board of Trustees,” wrote Grantham. Now nearing the end of three years of litigation, both parties have expressed satisfaction with the proposed settlement. “We are pleased the lawsuit is resolving and that we have received so much encouragement from our faculty colleagues in the Vassar community,” Professor of English Wendy Graham wrote. “We look forward to continuing our scholarship, supporting our students and building a better Vassar for years to come.”
WELCOME ISSUE
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[Students] Josie Wenner
Sorry, President Bradley
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ear all, Welcome back to Vassar! It’s so nice to see so many friendly faces on campus. I am writing to say hello and welcome you back to another semester under my fearless leadership and steady guiding hand. Rest assured, all will be well at Vassar College this year with me as your guiding star. First-year students, I’d like to extend a very special welcome to you! This is an exciting time: moving into your dormitory, meeting your roommate(s) and taking your very first college classes. It’s perfectly normal to feel stress or anxiety during this transformative and uncertain time of your life, but I guarantee that each and every one of you will find success at Vassar if you stay true to yourself, keep an open mind and remember one very important thing: This is my fucking campus, and I run the show. The rest of you bitches? Business as usual. Read on. Campus updates As a modern, ever-evolving institution that needs to figure out what to do with all this tuition money, we’ve made several improvements and changes to campus over the summer. New station in Gordon Commons:
Welcome TROUGH. The dining staff will put all leftovers from the previous day in one big trough and you all can kind of pick at it if you want. You might find a whole chicken, you might find a bunch of overcooked vegetables and you might find some ice cream. Who knows? Maybe you and a mysterious stranger will go for the same piece of spaghetti and end up smooching in the trough, “Lady and the Tramp” style. New and improved campus walkways: You know all the paths that wind all over campus, seemingly at random? We added several more and made them even more random! You can now walk directly from Skinner Hall to Wimpfheimer Nursery School to TA 46 via one continuous path, as each and every student has longed to do at some point or another. All of the other new paths are dead ends. We got rid of Raymond. Sorry, not sorry. I wanted a bigger office. Sunset Lake maintenance: In an attempt to combat the algae and plants covering the surface of Sunset Lake, the Grounds team has given each and every frog, turtle and goose a little pair of gardening shears. It is only through coexistence with nature that we can find true harmony. We hope this project will keep the lake clean, push the boundaries of amphibian dexterity and show us just how fast a Vassar student can run when chased by a goose holding sharp gardening shears in its
back
August 27, 2026
to
beak. Advice to first-year students I am a benevolent leader. I believe in sharing ideas and collaboration in the pursuit of collective knowledge. Thus, I have decided to give returning students a chance to give advice to first-year students in my very first email of the semester. Check out what some of your classmates have to say! “Join as many clubs as possible! It’s a great way to meet friends who share your interests. If I hadn’t joined Poppers Club, I never would have found people who enjoyed popping bubble wrap as much as I do!” - Maria Milovanovic ’27 “Advice for freshmen? I’d have to say that you need to use the ice cream scoop in the Deece. You can’t just grab the ice cream with your hands and shove it in your pockets. Learned that one the hard way.” - Haley Brown ’27 “DO NOT ask PB if she’s presidenting hard or hardly presidenting. She does not find it funny.” - Zach Flisakowski ’27 “The Misc Humor section is super cool. All the coolest people on campus write for it. I started writing for Misc Humor, and I’m
campus! polling at 200 percent increased coolness among my fans. I have an entourage of fans now that I write for Misc Humor.” - Anna Berggren ’27 Personal Updates It can’t be all campus, all the time. I have had a wonderful, productive summer. I decided I ought to let you all know what I’ve been up to so you can see that it’s better and more interesting than what you’ve been up to. Travel: John and I spent a magical two weeks in Rwanda. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we’ll be back in a month. Extracurriculars: With all of my free time during the summer, I’ve found myself wanting to take up some hobbies. After diligently training for two whole months, I’ll be making my WWE debut against Rhea Ripley as President Punisher Bradley next week. Tune in on ESPN! Appearance: Keeping the bob. Keeping the pantsuits. Might try a fun winged eyeliner. Quote of the week “Hard to remain patient with friends who focus solely on their own crucifixion. Get off The Cross, ladykins… we could use the wood!” (RuPaul) Stay freaky, President Bradley
LeBron leaves LA for Philadelphia in 'last decision' David Bray
Assistant Sports Editor
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his offseason, LeBron James shocked the basketball world by signing a twoyear, $8 million veteran minimum contract with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. James was previously signed with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2018 to 2026.
After achieving his longtime goal of playing alongside his son, Bronny James, in an NBA game, in addition to winning a championship with Los Angeles in 2020, both sides agreed it was time to turn the page. Many thought that James, who is 41 years old, would have retired after a decorated and dominant 23-year career. However, in this era of the NBA, players like James,
who invest millions of dollars in maintaining their physical fitness, can play far longer than ever before. James referred to this signing as his “last decision” on X, writing: “I still want to compete, to win, and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team.” In James’ move to join the 76ers, he took
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
the largest voluntary pay cut in NBA history, going from a $52.6 million salary to $4 million per year, a 92.6 percent decrease. James has made it clear that this was a legacy decision rather than a money move. By joining the 76ers, head coach Nick Nurse now has a super team consisting of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and newly acquired star Jaylen Brown. Brown was acquired through a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics, with Philadelphia sending Paul George and four draft picks in return. George’s two-year stint in Philadelphia fell short of expectations, with the 76ers missing the playoffs in 2025 before reaching the semifinals in 2026. This new lineup now looks like the team to beat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. As of Aug. 12, the Lakers were sold to new owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion, breaking the record for the largest-ever sale of a U.S. professional sports franchise. With this valuation, the Lakers cement themselves as the most valuable franchise in North American professional sports. While the team still maintains star power like Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, James’ departure will likely mean fewer nationally televised games for the team. However, they are still a talented team in the Western Conference and should be able to compete despite the roster changes. While Philadelphia is a beloved city to many, James could reportedly be living in New York City and is said to be considering commuting by helicopter each day for practices, games and other team events. While this is rare, it is not unprecedented, as J.J. Redick—who currently coaches the Lakers—commuted from Brooklyn during his 76ers days from 2017 to 2019, as did Wilt Chamberlain during his time with the team, when they were the Warriors. Regardless of his commute to the job, it is clear that James is returning with one goal in mind: getting to work and putting a bow on his highly decorated, Hall of Fame-caliber career.