The Miscellany News November 2, 2023
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 160 | Issue 8
Vassar SJP stages walkout College moves to dismiss lawsuit William Sorge Managing Editor
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assar Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), following the lead of their parent organization National SJP, staged a walkout on Wednesday, Oct. 25 to call on the College to hear their demands in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, amid the current Israel-Hamas conflict. The walkout began at 2 p.m. on the Library Lawn at the steps of Rockefeller Hall. Beginning as a rally of over 150 students, the crowd then marched around campus in the vicinity of Main Building. The group demanded the College to divest from weapons manufacturers arming Israel while publicizing its independent contractors’ investments, boycott two study abroad programs in Israel and call for an end to the blockade of Gaza and U.S. funds to Israel. Further, the group asked the Vassar Student Association to re-introduce Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) legislation. Organizers specified guidelines prior to the march to ensure the safety of the protesters, including not to take pictures of protesters’ faces and not to engage with counter protesters. A student-led teach-in followed, detailing the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the United States’ role in the region and funding of Israel. “I would say that given the response from
the administration, participating in this kind of event and seeing the involvement and support from my peers has been really encouraging simply because the response from President Bradley and the administration was so disappointing, so that’s why I feel like this event for me personally is really powerful and important to be a participant in,” said an anonymous student at the protest. During the initial rally and the march that followed, attendees chanted a number of call-and-response slogans demanding Palestinian liberation, such as “when people are occupied, resistance is justified” and “not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes.” However, some of the chants used during the protest received backlash for antisemitic connotations. An anonymous Jewish student who did not attend the protest shared, “People’s concerns about the rally Wednesday were because of the chant ‘from the river to the sea,’ which is often seen as antisemitic because it is advocating for the eradication of Israel completely.” The following day, Oct. 26, President of the College Elizabeth Bradley sent an email entitled “Campus Climate” which referenced the walkout and reemphasized her commitment to speak out against antisemitic, anti-Israeli and anti-Palestinian prejudice on campus. She noted comments See WALKOUT on page 3
Jacques Abou-Rizk, Benjamin Savel Editor-in-Chief, Reporter
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n the evening of Friday, Oct. 13, just hours after students departed for October Break, Vassar College submitted a letter requesting permission to create a motion to dismiss the women professors’ pay equity lawsuit in federal court. Vassar’s request will be heard by Judge Cathy Seibel in White Plains on the afternoon of Nov. 16. This appearance in the Southern District Court of New York will be the first time the parties face off in court. The letter alleges that the professors’ claims are not covered under the Equal Pay Law, Title VII and the New York State Human Rights Law, asserting that the professors’ data is too vague and not compared to specific male professors’ salaries. In addition, the letter states that Vassar cannot be accused of unintentionally discriminating with evidence of intentional discrimination. Michelle Lamy, one of the attorneys for the female professors, noted in a written statement to The Miscellany News that the professors’ claims have not been dismissed. In fact, Vassar does not currently have permission to make a motion to dismiss. “In the letter filed on October 13th,” Lamy clarified, “Vassar merely requested permission to file a motion, which the Court may or See LAWSUIT on page 3
Benjamin Savel/The Miscellany News.
Roundabout Discussing recent Notre-Dame lecture Ramblers Madeleine Nicks Guest Columnist
Jyotsna Naidu News Editor
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ince the late 1970s, the Roundabout Ramblers have brought together professors, staff and students to cover Americana songs on acoustic instruments. With a steady rotation of members, each iteration of the Ramblers adds to a nearly 50-year legacy of Vassar music history. Assistant Professor of Biology and drummer Megan Gall has played with the group since her arrival to Vassar 10 years ago. “It seemed like a good way to get to know people and we have been playing together ever since, with people cycling in and out, but that core group over a decade now,” Gall said. Gall is the first drummer the group has had and uses brooms instead of drumsticks to deliver a softer folk feel. Guitarists Professor Emeritus Randy Cornelius and Professor Emeritus Robert “DB” Brown restarted the band in 2008 and continued to play post-retirement. Other members include: Associate Professor of Biology Jenny Kennell who plays the fiddle and sings, laboratory technician Aaron Linder who plays the bass and their newest member Media Coordinator Pete Conklin,who plays See RAMBLERS on page 4
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hen thinking about the great monuments, paintings and cathedrals of medieval art, it is oftentimes difficult to think of the humanity that lies behind these masterpieces or how they connect to modern times. Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the preeminent medieval cathedrals in France, is no exception. It has been a longstanding symbol of this period in art and architecture, paving the way to defining the forms and elements that would become synonymous with the Gothic style. In 2019, when a devastating fire broke out in the cathedral and caused immense damage, collapsing a section of the wooden roof and entirely destroying the spire, Notre-Dame took on an entirely new meaning and mission. The fire triggered an intense emotional response from people all around the world; the efforts to restore Notre-Dame have therefore become deeply human ones. On Oct. 25, the Vassar community had a special opportunity to hear from the very people carrying this responsibility on their backs: chief architects Philipe Villeneuve and Pascal Prunet. Villeneuve was already the chief architect of Notre-Dame before the fire, working on needed restorations and ensuring the continuous longevity of
the structure. Prunet was asked to come on board in 2019, leading the rehabilitation of the stone and paint destroyed in the fire. Villeneuve and Prunet spoke at the College through the Claflin Lecture Series, a longstanding educational program through the Art History Department in honor of the late Professor of Art Andrew Tallon. Tallon’s groundbreaking work helped establish the use of laser technology and imaging techniques, providing architects with a digital model of Notre-Dame and its many imperfections.Villeneuve and Prunet’s immediate concern was supporting the structural integrity of the building, mainly the areas adjacent to where the fire occurred. This meant creating unique bracing for each arch, vault and flying buttress that could have been affected. As none of these measurements are the same, Tallon’s work was essential in securing the remaining parts of Notre-Dame with speed and accuracy. Having the precise data of Tallon’s digital scans of Notre-Dame allowed the architects to quickly and accurately build supports for the remaining structures of the building. This construction was titled the “Safety Phase,” and allowed for Villeunuve and Prunet to focus on reconstructing what the fire had destroyed without being worried about a ripple effect to the rest of
the cathedral. The appreciation and respect that Villeneuve and Prunet have for Tallon was clear, as their lecture and efforts in traveling all the way to our campus was in honor of him and his career, giving Tallon’s family, friends, colleagues, and students a window into the legacy of his work. Villeneuve began the presentation by carefully working through a detailed description of the damage the fire caused. The audience often responded in gasps and exclamations to the sheer amount of devastation, as access to comprehensive imagery of the fire is difficult to find. Villeneuve emphasized just how difficult it was to remove the rubble from the cathedral, as it was too dangerous to have people working inside the space. To ensure safety, the architects used a combination of cranes and workers suspended from aerial platforms or ropes to clean the scraps in an almost archeological way, taking stock layer by layer of the remains of the fire. After the rubble was removed, it was essential to dismantle the large amount of melted metal that had been encasing the spire. It hardened after the fire was extinguished, and posed the largest threat to the cathedral. After it was taken out, work could begin on the interior. After building a roof covering to ensure See NOTRE-DAME on page 4
Inside this issue
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FEATURES
Assistant Features Editor Luke Jenkins describes his experience as a Boxtroll on Friday of Halloweekend.
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HUMOR
Join Humor Editor Nicholas Tillinghast on a riveting excursion to the Bronx Zoo.
14 SPORTS
Vassar women’s volleyball prepare for playoffs after a successful start to the regular season, Copy Staffer Kathryn Carvel writes.