The Miscellany News September 9, 2021
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 156 | Issue 2
College adjusts protocols Facilities addresses damaged dorms Lucy Brewster News Editor
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hen President Elizabeth Bradley announced on June 14 that the College would lift the indoor mask requirement and academics would resume in-person for the Fall 2021 semester, the campus community prepared for a “normal” year (The Miscellany News, “President Bradley announces COVID-19 policies for next semester,” 06.15.2021). Yet, as cases climbed over the summer both regionally and nationally due to the delta variant, Bradley announced on Aug. 19 masking would be required indoors (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “COVID in Dutchess: New cases climb in August, but rate of vaccination increases, too,” 08.30.2021). The College now has a set of new interim masking and social distancing policies which include prohibiting overnight guests until Sept. 13 and requiring a PCR post-arrival test upon students’ initial return to campus. In addition, TA House Advisor Kris Van Nostrand detailed in an email that houses may not have gatherings in their vicinity involving alcohol and more than 15 people. While indoor masking
Inside this issue
in classes and communal spaces on campus is universally followed, some regulations, such as those targeting social gatherings, are being enforced haphazardly, if at all. While students, faculty and employees are navigating a set of shifting protocols and expectations surrounding COVID-19, they are also relieved to see classrooms and communal spaces filled with students again. Dean of the College Carlos Alamo-Pastrana explained that Vassar’s administration updated masking policy aft er the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health issued a public health alert urging indoor masking even for fully-vaccinated people on Aug. 18 due to rising COVID-19 cases. “This is an extremely fluid situation, with public health guidance changing quite regularly. As a result, our protocols have changed, and may change again based on public health guidance,” he commented. “Right now our plan is to review all of our policies during the week of Sept. 13, including our indoor masking and party registration policies,” he added. Despite masking being reSee Covid on page 3
Features Editor
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News Editor
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mid the excitement of arriving on campus for a fully in-person semester, some students were taken aback by the conditions of their rooms. From portions of plaster falling from ceilings to water damage, this
Courtesy of Adrian Vasquez '23.
year’s move-in was fraught with building damages due to a shortage of Facilities Operations staff during the summer months. As of now, Facilities Operations is working to resolve these issues. On Aug. 26, four days before the start of the semester, Valerie Espinal Abreu ’23 moved into her suite in Main. She noted some water damage around her room and saw that some of the paint on the wall was chipped. However, Espinal Abreu was most confused about the bits of plaster scattered across the floor and reached out to Facilities Operations with her concerns. Facilities Operations responded to her initial outreach and came to clean the plaster and repair the damage on the walls. Two days following Espinal Abreu’s arrival, her suitemate Elijah Appelson ’23 moved in earlier than he was initially planning. After opening the door to his room, Appelson saw that a portion of his ceiling had collapsed. Appelson immediately emailed President Elizabeth Bradley about the issue. Within a couple of hours, Facilities Operations workers arrived at Appelson’s and Espinal Abreu’s residence to start their repairs.
While Facilities Operations was repairing the suite, Appelson, Espinal Abreu and their third suitemate were provided temporary housing in other Main rooms. Despite the chaos, Appelson and Espinal Abreu were appreciative of the swift response from Facilities Operations. According to Appelson, “[Facilities Operations workers] worked really hard and they were so nice.” Espinal Abreu added, “They worked the weekends...even though they didn’t have to do that.” As of Monday, Sept. 6, all three students have officially moved back into their suite. Other residential houses on campus have also been grappling with facilities-related issues. Residents in the Lathrop annex complained about mold and water damage. Director of Environmental, Health and Safety James P. Kelly and Coordinator of the Residential Operations Center Anna Belle Jones went to investigate the situation for themselves. In one of the rooms, they identified a discolored area of painted wood on the right side of a window sill and an area of the plaster ceiling that See Facilities on page 3
Vassar Affirmations account amuses and delights Monika Sweeney
Do you like to read about student musicians on ARTS campus? Check out Nina Ajemian's article about Devinbleu' Chambers's newest song "Family Business."
Annabelle Wang
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t is officially the start of a new semester. At a typical college, that means new classes, new people and new dorm rooms. At Vassar, that also includes new plumbing issues, new bats and of course, the launch of a new Vassar Instagram account. On August 25, another niche Vassar Instagram became the newest addition to the long list of student-run accounts: @vassaraf-
firmations. The page highlights over a dozen Vassar-related affirmations on bright backgrounds with corresponding stock Vassar images. It gained over 1,000 followers within a week of its creation. “The Vassar Affirmations account has become a staple in my life—I wake up and check the account to see what I’m affirming for myself that day,” Kendall Wienecke ’24, a follower since day one, shared. While the creator of this ac-
count has chosen not to reveal themselves, anonymity may be short-lived.“I am really bad at two truths and a lie and have used Vassar Affirmations for two classes so far. So hopefully they follow the ‘What happens in two truths and a lie stays in two truths and a lie’ rule, but I’m not holding my breath,” they joked. When asked how they would like to be referred to in the article, their request was simple: “Please call me Ishmael. Kidding. Call me Mrs. Doubtfire.”
In addition to running @ vassaraffirmations, Ishmael Mrs. Doubtfire is the owner of three other Vassar-related Instagram accounts. “Those will remain a secret for now, but I will say that I am absolutely not @vassarconfessions. Or am I?” Mrs. Doubtfire teased. Running one account takes up a lot of hours, but running three has become a full-time job. Being the owner of several Instagram accounts, each with relaSee Affirmations on page 5
Vassar Art Club fosters creative community Leila Raines Arts Editor
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Did you know that Vassar has an archery club? Read FEATURES more about it in Senior Editor Janet Song's article.
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Sports Editor Doug Cobb reflects on the impact of superstar SPORTS athletes addressing their mental health concerns.
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tudents all around campus engage in a variety of art both in and out of the classroom, from drawing and painting to knitting and digital art. Among all of the various artistic clubs and groups that students can join, the Vassar Art Club has emerged as a new organization that hosts fun arts-related events with the goal of uniting and creating a supportive, relaxing space for student artists to foster their interests. The Vassar Art Club President Courtney Collett Caolo ʼ23 started the group last fall after feeling frustrated that she didn’t have the time in her schedule to take any of the Art Department’s classes. As a result, Caolo found herself yearning for an artistic community that she could join outside of academics. “There [weren’t] really any op-
portunities to get into the studio art academics without having pre-reqs, or having to take other classes, test out of classes, and I was like, ‘I just would like to have a space where other artistic people could meet and create and have a community,’ but that wasn’t available,” Caolo expressed. After consulting with the VSA Chair of Orgs, Caolo began searching for other group members and people to assume leadership positions within the group. Just from the initial flyers she posted around campus, nearly 30 people expressed interest, including many of the members who would make up the club’s current Executive Board. Within a few months, Vassar Art Club became an official pre-org and grew to include over 50 people by the end of the academic year. Treasurer Laura Darling ʼ24
Courtesy of Courtney Collett Caolo '23. was one of the first students who reached out to Caolo about joining the group. Formerly the president of her high school art club, Darling was looking to build a stress-free, supportive community where she could meet new people and continue to engage with art. “I just want it to be a fun, re-
laxing environment, because I feel like a lot of the time the art classes at Vassar can be stressful, because you have pressure to get a good grade and everything, and also not everyone has room in their schedule to take one,” Darling commented. “So, I just want it to be a good place to come and See Arts on page 5