Volume CXLV | Issue 19

The Miscellany News Since 1866 | miscellanynews.com

April 5, 2012

Volume CXLV | Issue 19

Fake poster precipitates contention

ATF finds key trends in drinking

Erik Lorenzsonn

Joey Rearick

Senior Editor

News Editor

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O Juliana Halpert/The Miscellany News

fter months of gathering both qualitative and quantitative data, the Alcohol Task Force (ATF), a group chartered by the Vassar Student Association (VSA) to assess the ways in which Vassar students drink, has produced a report on its preliminary findings. VSA Vice President for Student Life Charlie Dobb ’12 and Director of Health Education Renee Pabst, who have served as co-chairs of the ATF, presented the group’s report to the Committee on College Life (CCL) on Wednesday, March 28, and to the VSA Council on Sunday, April 1.

The preliminary report interpreted data from three sources: a campus-wide Drug and Alcohol Education Committee (DEC) survey, a two-week tracking study of students’ drinking habits and emotional health, and five student focus groups. By synthesizing quantitative metrics with statements from focus group participants, the ATF sought to evaluate the ways in which Vassar students consume alcohol.

While the findings are complex and analysis is ongoing, the presentation described some distinct trends in campus drinking behaviors. Among the most striking was a consistent and significant increase in the number of students who drink in each successive year of See ATF on page 4

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY

Replacing the more than 30-year-old footbridge that connects the Terrace Apartments to campus, pictured above, is only one of many construction projects the College plans to undertake in the following year. For more, see Page 3.

A student guide to demystifying the upcoming VSA Spring elections Ruth Bolster

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Features Editor

ith the Republican primaries trudging on into their fourth month without a definitive frontrunner, many people following the presidential race are beginning to

grow a tad impatient with the pace of this political arms race. Yet while the United States is setting its sights on the November general elections, the Vassar student body is focusing on the much nearer date of April 23, when the results of the Vassar Stu-

dent Association (VSA) elections will be announced. Although the process of filing and running for these VSA positions may be much shorter, and thus more instantly gratifying, than it is for the national presidential See ELECTIONS on page 5

n Friday, students visiting the All Campus Dining Center (ACDC) encountered posters publicizing a lacrosse match, containing the message, “Guys Please Come Drunk, Girls Stay in the Kitchen.” The posters were quickly removed, and have since prompted an investigation within the Athletics Department, condemnation from Vassar administrators and an ongoing discussion about sources of sexism on campus.

The investigation, led by Director of Athletics & Physical Education Sharon Beverly, found that the posters were not actually made by the men’s lacrosse team; rather, a baseball player had created them in retaliation to prior lacrosse publicity. That publicity, which made a jab at the baseball squad, inspired the player—whose name Beverly did not divulge in the interest of confidentiality—to create intentionally offensive material that would incriminate lacrosse.

His intent was to frame the lacrosse team for violating Vassar’s speech policy. “He was doing something on his own and not really thinking, and doing something that was just point blank stupid,” said Beverly.

The incident prompted an allSee POSTER on page 4

PoTown offers Thompson alternative Emma Daniels Reporter

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Women’s rugby, track set records in season Andy Marmer Sports Editor

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his past weekend was a recordsetting one for many Vassar teams. For other teams, this weekend marked key contests in the race for a postseason berth.

The women’s rugby team set three school records with their 102-5

win over Yale University. In eclipsing the century mark, the team set a new record for points scored, tries (16) and conversions (11). Nine different Brewers notched tries in the victory.

While the women’s team obliterated Yale, the men’s team fought its See BREWERS on page 20

Inside this issue

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Tap That, Environmental Studies Department FEATURES consider next steps

15 ARTS

Ballroom Dancing welcomes experts, inexperienced

Emily Lavieri-Scull for The Miscellany News

Madeline Zappala for The Miscellany News

Members of the women’s rugby team, pictured above, scrum at a recent match.

The Brewers set three school records with a 102-5 victory over Yale University.

mere two blocks away, students have an easy alternative to the Thompson Memorial Library: the Arlington Library, located on 504 Haight Avenue.

“At home I’m at my public library two to three times a week. At school I miss having a place to go to get fiction to read for fun,” said Aubree Piepmeier ’14.

Nate Muscato ’14 found out about this local, public library first semester of his freshman year. “I love reading for pleasure and I wanted to get books for that. I had heard that there was a library near campus so I searched it out one day—I actually asked someone at the paint store where the library was and they pointed me in the right direction,” he said.

The Arlington Branch Library is part of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, which consists of the Arlington and Adriance Memorial Library on Market Street. The Poughkeepsie Public Library is part of the larger MidHudson Library System, a consortium of 66 libraries in the area that share resources with one another. With a card from the Arlington Branch, one can easily go online and request books from any of the libraries in the system, and then pick the materials up at Arlington in one to three days.

“It was easy to get a card,” said Mus-

Visitors to the Arlington Branch Library take advantage of its resources. The Library is part of a 66-library Hudson Valley consortium that share materials. cato. “I just showed a piece of mail that proved residency in the area.” Michael Renner ’14 echoed Muscato. “I got it last summer because I was on campus and wanted more accessible fiction, and the system is really easy to use,” Renner said.

Muscato has used the library for pleasure and for academic purposes.

He was in the middle of a series of books last year, and was able to easily

20 SPORTS

order them from the library website.

He also used it to get books last year for an academic project. “I did an analysis of how the Odyssey is adapted for children, so I used the library system to get children’s books based on it,” he said.

Laura Pilkington, a Youth Services Librarian at the Branch, has worked at the library since 1996. “We see a lot of Vassar students come to the library.

See LIBRARY on page 16

Sports Info jobs carry over into careers for alums

The Miscellany News

Page 2

April 5 , 2012

Editor in Chief Aashim Usgaonkar Senior Editors

Katharine Austin Mary Huber Erik Lorenzsonn

Contributing Editors

Rachel Garbade for The Miscellany News

Spring is in bloom at Vassar, despite recent thunderstorms and wind chills. Keep your eyes out for the beautiful colors popping up around campus as the weather gets warmer and warmer and we get more convinced that spring has arrived at Vassar. Check out more photos online on Exposure, at blogs.miscellanynews.com/exposure.

Sports Podcast | “Locked-In” with Jemele Hill

Katie Cornish Carrie Hojnicki Jillian Scharr Molly Turpin

News Joey Rearick Dave Rosenkranz Features Danielle Bukowski Ruth Bolster Opinions Hannah Blume Lane Kisonak Humor & Satire Alanna Okun Arts Adam Buchsbaum Sports Corey Cohn Andy Marmer Photography Juliana Halpert Madeline Zappala Online Alex Koren Nathan Tauger Social Media Matt Ortilé Assistant News Assistant Features Assistant Opinions Assistant Arts Assistant Photo Assistant Copy Crossword Editor Columnists

Reporters

Photographers

Courtesy of ESPN.com

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SPN.com columnist Jemele Hill came to Vassar last week to participate in a panel discussion entitled “Locked-In: Reckoning with Sports, Gender and Race at Vassar and the Nation.” Before the panel, she sat down with Sports Editors Andy Marmer and Corey Cohn for a podcast conversation about her career, the evolution of sports writing and the role of race and gender in her field. Ever wonder what she thinks about First Take colleague Skip Bayless? Listen to find out the answer to this as well as several other questions you’ve always wanted to ask one of ESPN’s most popular personalities.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Leighton Suen Jessica Tarantine Gabe Dunsmith Jack Owen Matthew Hauptman Carlos Hernandez Jiajing Sun Melissa Johnson Jonathan Garfinkel Sarah Begley Jean-Luc Bouchard Brittany Hunt Michael Mestitz Tom Renjilian Carson Robinson Sam Scarritt-Selman Andy Sussman Emma Daniels Bethan Johnson Bobbie Lucas Nicole Wong Katie De Heras Rachel Garbade Emily Lavieri-Scull Alex Schlesinger

LETTERS POLICY

The Miscellany News is Vassar College’s weekly open forum for discussion of campus, local and national issues, and welcomes letters and opinions submissions from all readers. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 450 words, and they usually respond to a particular item or debate from the previous week’s issue. Opinions articles are longer pieces, up to 800 words, and take the form of a longer column. No letter or opinions article may be printed anonymously. If you are interested in contributing, e-mail misc@vassar.edu.

The Editorial Board holds weekly meetings every Sunday at 9 p.m. in the Rose Parlor. All members of the Vassar community interested in joining the newspaper’s staff or in a critique of the current issue are welcome. The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented in the Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board. The Miscellany News is published weekly by the students of Vassar College. The Miscellany News office is located in College Center Room 303, Vassar College.

April 5 , 2012

NEWS

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OAAD launches The Hub to foster student-alum links Bethan Johnson Reporter

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n March 30, the Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development (OAAD) unveiled a new website called The Hub in response to long-standing alumnae/i and student dissatisfaction with V-NET, the career-networking component of the old alumnae/i website.

The Hub represents a new attempt by the OAAD to forge strong bonds between members of the Vassar community, past and present. “[The OAAD] designed the Hub as an active place where alums can connect with each other and the College,” Director of Alumnae/i Communications Elizabeth Randolph explained in an emailed statement. The OAAD hopes that the Hub’s numerous features, both informational and interactive, will spark new life into the post-graduate experience. “We envisioned the Hub like a water cooler for the web, a place to gather in thought,” explained Randolph, adding, “It’s all about fostering community and connection.”

The Career Development Office (CDO) will also utilize the Hub for its Alumnae/i Directory feature. “We envision [the Hub] as a resource for students to connect with Vassar alums for career mentoring and networking— not explicitly job opportunities,” noted Acting Director of the Career Development Office Stacy Bingham. According to Bingham, the CDO sees itself easily incorporating the Hub into its own operations as another tool, like V-NET was, to connect students and alumnae/i.

The Hub’s primary features are its in-depth directory, numerous publications and forums, and calendars. The Office of Alumnae/i Affairs worked to ensure that the website would boast as much information as possible for alumnae/i while remaining easy to use.

The Hub derives most of its ability to connect people from its extensive information on past students. The most updated version of the Alumnae/i Directory holds the names, graduation years and addresses of 37,000 graduates starting from the class of 1940. Also available are class profiles that identify class officers and include in memoriam notes.

Members can also access information regarding events on campus, with specific at-

The Hub, launched on March 30, is a website developed by the Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development that features an in-depth alumnae/i directory, numerous publications and forums, and calendars. tention being paid to events that typically receive alumnae/i participation, such as Mind the Gap—an event that marks the day when Vassar’s Annual Fund begins financing students’ educations in place of tuition. A copy of the Vassar calendar as found on the Vassar main page is also linked to the Hub. Moreover, registered members are able to view each edition of the Vassar Quarterly from Spring 2000, and the monthly This Is Vassar e-newsletter.

The Hub includes a number of interactive features to ensure alumnae/i feel that they have a voice in the community and can bond with one another. TalkBack is an aspect of the website, linked with Facebook, that introduces campus events or published articles that

alumnae/i can discuss. And, aside from the Vassar-organized class reunions each June, the website holds a forum for alumnae/i plan events to help others reconnect with former classmates.

Although much of website’s content appears tailored to alumnae/i interests, there are numerous features that students can utilize to enhance their Vassar and post-graduation experience.

The Alumnae/i Directory not only allows alumnae/i to stay in-touch, but also provides a place for students to career network. The online directory allows students to search for alumnae/i by occupation or name. Upon selection, students can view an alumna or alumnus’s up-to-date profile, which includes the

person’s position, workplace, email and employment history. The website also includes a tool that allows students to see alumnae/i who specifically indicated an interest in networking with students.

If the listed alumna or alumnus’s profile fulfills the student’s interests, the student can sort the profile into a list of contacts that can be easily accessed and updated. Each student may compile a list of up to 100 profiles. Those alumnae/i whose profiles have been selected can also view the profiles of the students who noted them.

Thus far, the student response to the Hub has proven extremely positive, especially from the senior class. “I sent out a link to one page within the Hub listing all Vassar Clubs to the senior class about two weeks ago,” Class of 2012 President Pam Vogel ’12 wrote in an emailed statement, “and I have heard only rave reviews about the new site.”

The campus reaction shows that the Hub’s launch has satisfied one of the problems OAAD sought to fix with the previous site: a lack of accessibility and the selective nature of V-NET. The previous alumnae/i website had not been revamped in a number of years, meaning the impacts of an expanding social media had not influenced the website. The College thought a change in the style, such as including blogs and links to Facebook, would draw alumnae/i back into the network. The new style has also made the information more easily accessible. “Something I heard time and time again from my peers and in talking to alums was the need for an easier and more navigable way for alums and current students to network,” stated Vogel. “I think the Hub will do an excellent job of filling that niche.”

The openness of the Alumnae/i Directory represents one of the most important reasons the OAAD created the Hub. “V-NET was an incredible resource when it launched seven years ago,” Bingham explained, “but its capabilities eventually became limited by the finite number of alumnae/i who had optedin to provide career advice.” And previously only seniors could fully operate the V-NET system. With the Hub, students of all classes have equal access to alumnae/i profiles.

College presents plans for infrastructure improvement Leighton Suen

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Assistant News Editor

n Sunday, April 1 Vassar’s Vice President of Finance and Administration Betsy Eismeier and Executive Director of Buildings and Grounds Thomas Allen gave a presentation to the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council, detailing capital projects for the upcoming fiscal year. “We have a lot of deferred maintenance due to an aged campus,” said Allen before he listed the College’s top priorities when allocating funds to projects. The list included life safety, sustainability, disability, aged utilities, accessibility and architectural historical significance. “[Our goals are] improving the infrastructure, preserving buildings with building envelope—everything on the outside of a building, including roofs, steps, windows—and meeting code compliance,” responded Director of Facility Operations and Grounds Kiki Williams when asked about current plans for construction on campus. She then gave an example of an infrastructure project in which she is currently involved. “We’re taking water away from buildings with a storm-water conveying system that will take it out to town, so that basements don’t get flooded.”

Accessibility is a main concern of the construction that will take place. In order to make campus buildings accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Campus Master Planning committee—a joint committee composed of administration, faculty and students involved in the development and implementation of a campus master plan—is increasing the number of sloped entrances into buildings. Swift Hall will be closed all of next year in order to provide expanded office space; upgrade classrooms; improve mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems to become more energy efficient; and create a porch and special

ramp that will be ADA accessible. Skinner Music Hall and Metcalfe House will also receive new ADA accessible pathways.

Sustainability is another major investment that the Campus Master Planning committee considers important. Rockefeller Hall, which is approaching its second year of renovations, will receive new aluminum-insulated glass windows that will open outwards, instead of inwards like they currently do. In addition, the hardwood floors and seating in classrooms 200 and 300 will be replaced. Ely Hall will receive another piece of copper roofing, which Allen explained will last about 90 years, and all of its wood windows will be replaced. Taylor Hall, Sanders Classroom, the Students’ Building (All Campus Dining Center) and the Lockwood Library are also scheduled to have their roofs replaced.

Regarding the student residence areas on campus, Allen gave a list of current projects that either have been or are in the process of being completed. Among them, the Terrace Apartments (TAs) will complete the last of three renovation phases this summer, and the cost of replacing the appliances in the TAs and Town Houses over a three-year period has already been budgeted. Jewett House will have new ductwork for kitchen stoves installed, and Lathrop House will receive a new elevator and bathrooms. Cushing House’s bathrooms have been renovated—although Allen made clear that removing the remaining “12 or 14 tubs in Cushing” and replacing them with showers would cost around $25,000.

Joss House will undergo building envelope renewal in the next year. All of its renewed masonry will be cleaned over the summer, the storm windows will be replaced, new interior windows will be installed and the exterior of all windows will be repainted. “I think it’s great that the Master Planning Committee is trying

to improve the outside structural integrity of all the dorms,” wrote Josselyn House President Michael Kiel ’14 in an emailed statement. He has an additional suggestion for the committee: “If time hadn’t run out, I would have asked them why generators have not been put in every dorm, considering that Joss’s evacuation location is all the way in Walker and that many other dorms have backup energy systems. I also want to know when the building will be adapted to have the capability to have a water fountain installed.”

In addition, the common kitchens in Strong and Raymond Houses have received small improvements. “Strong kitchen has been renovated and I know that Strong residents have been really happy about that,” wrote Strong House President Manning Wu ’14 in an emailed statement. “I think the administration is doing a great job allocating the improvements. I appreciate what they are doing as a Vassar student.” Davison House President Doug Greer ’14 echoed Wu’s sentiments. “I think that the administration is doing a pretty good job addressing different structural issues around campus.

There’s nothing in Davison that I feel really needs to be done because we are the most recently renovated house,” Greer wrote in an emailed statement.

Allen then announced that new fire-rated doors would be replacing the current guillotine doors in Main Building, and that Noyes House’s casement windows, concrete steps and canopy would be reconditioned. The two houses’ presidents suggested potential projects that could further improve their houses. Main House President Jeremy Garza ’14 informed the speakers that that there were inoperative showers on the south side of Main. Noyes House President Deborah Steinberg ’14 brought up her house’s elevator, which Allen noted would not be upgraded in the near future. “Of course I would

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

love to see the renovations in [Noyes] become a priority,” wrote Steinberg in an emailed statement, “but I recognize that there are other areas of campus that require more serious attention. In an ideal world, I would love to see some improvements in our common areas— particularly better lighting, new furniture, and more color...”

Additionally, the plan for next year includes miscellaneous improvements in Sanders Classroom, Blodgett Hall, Chicago Hall, the Thompson Memorial Library, Sanders Physics, New England Building, the Powerhouse Theater, Walker Field House, Olmstead Hall and changes in the landscape surrounding Chicago and Rockefeller Halls. These improvements include installing chilled water lines, an emergency generator, lights and replacing doors and floors. Outside of buildings, proposed infrastructure changes include replacing electric service lines, aged gas lines, sanitary lines, steam lines and water lines. In March, Buildings and Grounds attempted to begin work on installing a new natural gas-fired generator to support Olmstead Hall in the event of a power outage. Allen announced that they would trench and set up a connection from the existing Central Hudson gas line to Olmstead during a three week period starting on March 12.

Two week later, a follow-up email was sent to the Vassar community, announcing that the gas line work was postponed due to legal concerns with Central Hudson. Despite these dozens of changes to Vassar’s campus, the speakers made clear that the focus of the Campus Master Planning committee in the coming year will be on the proposed Integrated Science Center.

The Integrated Science Center will be a bridge building connecting to Olmsted Hall and crossing over the Fonteyn Kill. The plans for this project also include renovating Olmsted, See CONSTRUCTION on page 4

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NEWS

Integrated Science Center a priority for construction CONSTRUCTION continued from page 3 New England Building and the Sanders Physics Building so that all of Vassar’s science programs will be located on the Academic Quadrangle. President Catharine Bond Hill, in an interview published in the January 2011 issue of the Chronogram, identified problems with Vassar’s current science facilities, saying, “We’ve got a very charming but outdated physics building that could be used for a Back to the Future movie set. Our chemistry building is not that old but unfortunately has been more or less dysfunctional from the day it opened. Our Psychology Department is in a building on the other side of campus from most of our science departments.”

“The new science building…is a very complicated project,” said Eismeier during the presentation. She mentioned that the proposal is expected to receive town support after it is presented to Poughkeepsie residents in a public hearing. “We expect to have permission to proceed by May.” She hopes that contracts will be signed this winter and to finally commence the three-year process in Spring 2013. “We have over $30 million committed [through fundraising]… but we are still going to need to borrow a substantial amount.” She recommended that Vassar students who are interested in these issues drop by during a Campus Master Planning committee meeting and observe the proceedings.

Later in the presentation, Allen shed light on the status of the TA footbridge, revealing that it will likely be reopened by fall. “The bridge was built sometime in 1980,” estimated Allen.

“The steel has lost 60 percent of its strength, and [the bridge has] an incredible amount of

lateral movement. Two structural engineers said to keep it closed and design a new one.”

Dean of the College Chris Roellke had previous informed the Vassar College community that the footbridge has been closed and needed to be replaced.

In the meantime, Roellke had recommended the Vassar community to use the Sunset Lake bridge, the Kenyon bridge or the steel pedestrian bridge 200 feet south of the TA footbridge.

“This bridge was originally dedicated for maintenance,” said Allen. “We improved lighting [in the footpath leading to the bridge] and made it much better than it used to be.” Allen also revealed that an architect would design a replacement for the TA footbridge that is both firmer and wider than the original. Allen hopes to eventually replace all of the bridges on campus and model the new bridges on the bridge that will replace the TA footbridge in the fall.

Like the other VSA Presidents, South Commons President and Residential Life Manager Matthew Wheeler ’12 was pleased with the committee’s work, but brought up a previously unaddressed issue. “It’s clear to me from Betsy and Tom’s presentation at Council on Sunday that, on the administrative side, a lot of forethought and legwork go into keeping this campus beautiful safe, and energy efficient,” wrote Wheeler in an emailed statement. “[But] I think it’s important to note that their hard work only pays off when students show respect for the spaces on this campus. The less day-to-day maintenance the College needs to perform as a result of student actions, the more resources it can allocate toward constantly improving our other facilities.”

News Briefs Vassar welcomes Class of 2016 without a hitch

On Tuesday, March 27, students who applied to Vassar College through the Regular Decision process received their acceptance and rejection letters without incident, much to the relief of the Office of Admissions and the Office of Computing and Information Services (CIS). Their modest apprehension was due, in part, to last January’s embarrassing notification error which caused 76 Early Decision II applicants to see a letter congratulating them on their admission when, in fact, none of them had actually been accepted to Vassar. Several changes have been made to CIS and its testing mechanisms to reduce the already small probability of another error.

According to Vice President for CIS Bret Ingerman, CIS has developed several new features within its testing system, and instituted a more rigorous code review process to reduce the probability of error in the future. “We have made changes such that none of our test servers are accessible from off campus and have created unique color schemes and banners to clearly indicate when a page is coming from a test or pre-production server,” explained Ingerman in an emailed statement, addressing the fact that Early Decision II applicants had been redirected to a test notification page which happened to host an acceptance letter instead of their actual admissions status page.

He added that CIS has also created a new review process by which CIS staff inspect a new software application’s code before it is published, instead of just each application’s output.

Now that Regular Decision applicants have been informed of their admission status, the Admissions Office has a good idea of what the Class of 2016 will look like. Demographically, the admitted students are very similar to Vassar’s current student body. Out of 7908 total applicants (including Early Decision applicants), 1778 received acceptance letters. That comes out to roughly 22.5 percent, which is exactly the same as last year’s

April 5 , 2012 percent admitted, and a few percentage points lower than recent historical averages. Forty-five percent are male; 97 percent earned an upper quartile GPA; the middle 50 percent earned SAT scores between 2050 and 2250; and the admitted students represent 48 U.S. states and 53 nations.

—Dave Rosencranz, News Editor VSA Council to present Constitution changes

Last Sunday, April 1, Vassar Student Association (VSA) Vice President for Operations Jenna Konstantine ’13 announced that the VSA Operations Committee was moving forward with plans to present 50 amendments to the VSA Constitution, Bylaws and Policies next Sunday, April 8. The amendments include several changes to the VSA’s governing documents which address their abundant grammatical, syntactical, organizational and stylistic deficiencies.

Although the Operations Committee has made dozens of changes, its members stress that none of the changes are meant to alter the content of the Constutition, Bylaws or Policies. “From the get-go, we tried very explicitly to make sure that the intent of the entire process was not to change the content of the Constitution in any way,” assured Jewett President Clayton Masterman ’13 in February. In cases where inconsistencies are amended, changes will be made to reflect current practice.

However, most of the amendments simply reorganize the governing documents; some of the proposed changes include moving several parts of the Constitution, such as VSA Executive Board descriptions, into the Bylaws.

All of the amendments will be presented to the VSA Council next Sunday, at which point Council will have a brief discussion, and table the amendments until their next meeting, as per the current VSA Bylaws. After the amendments have been tabled for a week, they will be presented at Council again. At this meeting, the VSA Council will conduct a full discussion, and vote to adopt, reject or amend each proposal.

—D.R.

Administrators, students ATF results reveal increase respond to sexist poster in binge drinking with age POSTER continued from page 1 campus email from Dean of the College Christopher Roellke on Saturday, condemning the posters’ language. “Let me be clear that the College does not tolerate this type of speech as it contradicts the core values of Vassar,” wrote Roellke. “We have already alerted President [of the College Catharine Bond] Hill of this incident and she shares our deep concern about this unacceptable behavior.”

The promptness of the email might be seen as a positive step for the Office of the Dean of the College, which was criticized for its response to sexist remarks that marred serenading this year. Associate Dean of Campus Life and Diversity Ed Pittman ’82 believes that the email served an important role of actively keeping the community informed: “What is important for the community to know is that the response was made, and that if these people can be made accountable, they will be held accountable.”

Beverly, however, expressed a degree of chagrin with Roellke’s all-campus email, saying that its language implicitly laid blame on an entire team for the wrongdoings of just a few students. “We felt disappointed by the process,” said Beverly.

Beverly added that the incident also perpetuates another recurrent problem for the Athletics Department: Specific criticisms are often generalized to all of athletics. “The thing that is most disappointing for us is that when there is something to do with athletics, [people] tend to paint with a broad stroke,” said Beverly. “We condemn everyone for the actions of a few.”

Roellke understands her sentiment about his all-campus message, writing in an emailed statement: “I know that messages that I send are never perfect or universally admired.” He nevertheless stands behind the factuality of his statement.

Both the baseball team and the men’s lacrosse team will be punished for their involvement in the incident. The lacrosse team is being held accountable for posting the flier that incited the baseball players’ response. The

poster was created as part of the team’s ongoing efforts to attract larger crowds. The team delegated publicity to its younger members, who made the poster without the coach’s approval.

Although only a few individuals were involved in the incident, punishment will extend to both teams’ entire rosters. According to Beverly, this comes from a responsibility recognized by both teams to address the incident as a cohesive unit, since the infringement impacts both organizations. “Both teams are embarrassed, and they do not feel that this is indicative of what they stand for, and they do not believe it is indicative of what Vassar stands for,” said Beverly.

The teams will both write a formal letter of apology to the community, and perform community service as part of their punishment.

Beverly tempered her disappointment with the teams by expressing a degree of pride and gratitude for the teams implicated. “I don’t want to minimize the fact that we took this very seriously, but I also feel that our kids stepped up and showed some character in that they admitted what had happened with their coaches, and they stepped up and took responsibility,” said Beverly. “We could not have investigated as quickly as we did had the kids not been as forthcoming.”

How and if the College will further engage the community at large is as of yet undecided.

At press time, Pittman had only recently met to discuss some options for how to proceed with the Campus Life Response Team (CLRT), which, in part, facilitates a coordinated campus response to crisis incidents and helps the campus move toward wider educational awareness, prevention and outreach, Although the CLRT organized a public meeting in Davison to discuss last semester’s graffitti incident, that might not be appropriate given the differences between the two cases; with the poster, the incident was not anonymous and the individual responsible was identified. “I’m not sure if there will be community meetings, because [the situation] may not warrant them,” said Pittman. “But I won’t close that window.”

ATF continued from page 1 college, and a simultaneous increase in the number of students who binge drink (consume five or more drinks in two hours). “There’s a pretty clear pattern that students drinking habits grow less healthy over their four years here,” said Dobb. “There’s a strong inverse relationship between time spent on this campus and healthy drinking habits.”

The presentation paired statistical data with students’ statements that confirmed the reality of this trend, which past DEC surveys have also demonstrated. “I think that’s something that is a scary Vassar reality that the longer you’re here the more you drink,” reported one focus group participant. “And then you get out just in time before you have a serious, serious, problem.”

Indeed, the report’s findings undermined the notion that older students could set a standard of acceptable drinking behaviors. “There’s really no proof that the upperclassmen are modeling better behavior,” said Pabst while addressing the VSA Council.

“It doesn’t help with the alcohol [issue].” Even house team members often fail to demonstrate safe drinking practices, according to the findings. “Early on my student fellow never offered us a drink,” said one respondent of her freshman year, “but she’d come back stumbling drunk. So that definitely did have an effect on how we viewed drinking.”

Speaking to a related trend, the findings implicated student leaders from a wide array of campus organizations in behavior that qualifies as hazing under the College’s regulations. Though virtually no students identified their experiences as hazing in surveys, many focus group participants described initiation rituals for younger students that involved drinking. “This is a perfect example of what quantitative data can’t get to,” said Dobb. “Because, had we asked in a survey if they had experienced hazing, we now know from the qualitative data they would have said no, because that’s not how they labeled it or understood their experience, but that’s what it is under College regulations.”

Another phenomenon the report identified was what one focus group participant called a “blackout culture” in which memory loss and extreme drinking were normalized by the campus culture. Though a small majority of survey respondents reported they had not experienced memory loss in the past

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

year, focus group quotations indicated that students dealt with friends’ unhealthy drinking behaviors by understating negative consequences and even congratulating them for a “good night” if they experienced memory loss. “Some of those quotes are startling, and I think get to a real challenge in terms of holding each other accountable,” reflected Dobb.

“Even though respondents expressed that they like this sense of community partnership and holding each other accountable, they also said they were normalizing that stuff the next day.”

But perhaps the most concerning feature of the report was the rates at which students reported having felt sexually violated in an incident which involved alcohol. Almost ten percent of survey respondents said they felt they had been sexually violated in a situation involving alcohol one or more times in the last year. This is a particularly alarming aspect of a more general association between drinking and the “hook-up culture” on campus that became clear from both the survey responses and focus groups. “The connection between alcohol and sex stood out in our data set,” said Pabst. One focus group participant described the College’s drinking culture as “sexually charged.” The presentation noted that other members of the focus group voiced agreement.

In light of these observations and others, the preliminary report offered a few recommendations for the College. One reflected the consistent student opinion that the College administration offers an incoherent stance on student drinking behaviors, wavering between encouraging safe drinking practices and discouraging underage drinking more generally.

The report encouraged the administration to “pick a message” and maintain consistency.

In addition, the report encouraged the VSA to direct funding away from the large music programming events and Mug nights, for which students typically “pre-game.” The findings indicate that students are bored with their programming options, and drink to inject excitement into familiar routines. The report also recommends an anti-hazing campaign to educate students about hazing in all its forms.

“If all the VSA did was to incentivize diverse and creative programming with money, and do some awareness about hazing initiation, those would be huge steps,” said Dobb. “That would make the ATF worthwhile.”

April 5 , 2012

FEATURES

Page 5

Tap That considers future of bottled water campaign Alyssa Aquino Guest Reporter

T

Juliana Halpert/The Miscellany News

wo weeks after the Vassar Student Association (VSA) passed a resolution banning bottled water from Dining Services, the Tap That initiaive is working to further increase awareness in preparation for the Committee on College Life’s (CCL) referendum vote. Bottled Water Awareness Week was part of this initiative and corresponded with the environmental studies majors’ presentation on the adverse environmental impact of bottled water.

Tap That’s proposed referendum—which, in its current form, will ban bottled water in the Retreat, UpC and Express Lunch—certainly raised awareness. The resolution, however, still must be passed by the CCL and Dining Services before going into effect.

Tap That co-Coordinator Allison Crook ’14 said, “We’re really hopeful. The CCL is the last place we have to vote on an endorsement, and then it goes to [President of the College Catharine Bond Hill’s] desk. If it passes through CCL, that will show an enormous amount of support because they are the ones that are the trickiest and raise the most concerns. And we got VSA approval; that’s pretty powerful.”

Despite the path that Crook described, the referendum still has a vague future. Tap That coCoordinator Kalen Krown ’13 cites bureaucracy as the source, as there is confusion over which office can actually implement the final ban.

Regardless of whether the bottled water ban is implemented, Tap That plans to continue to raise awareness about ongoing water issues.

Should the resolution be implemented, they will try to expand its scope.

“Vending machines,” Krown said, “are kind of a different monster of itself, but [banning bottled water there], that is the next logical step.” Under the current resolution, bottled water will still be sold in vending machines.

Crook mentioned that the College typically orders bottled water in large quantities for off-

Senior environmental studies majors constructed the above representation of the College’s bottled water consumption, on display in the Retreat, in conjunction with Bottled Water Awareness Week. campus events, which is an environmental issue. She said, “We want that to be included in our referendum; it might not, so that might be a huge issue to tackle.”

Nadine Souto ’12, an intern for the College Committee on Sustainability and a member of the Vassar Greens, is positive about getting the bottled water ban to extend to campus-wide events. “Replacing bottled water with more sustainable alternatives requires creative thinking and some adjustment, but it is totally doable,”

she wrote in an emailed statement. She then mentioned ongoing plans to eliminate bottled water from Founder’s Day; they are looking into getting a water truck.

While a number of those who supported the ban hope that future proposals will broaden the resolution’s scope, as of now Tap That will focus on raising awareness concerning the harmful environmental effects of bottled water. The campaign to raise general awareness on this topic is shared by other organizations, such as

the Environmental Studies Department, The Environmental Studies Department requires all majors to do a project over the course of their senior year. Last year, for example, senior environmental studies majors surveyed students to see what they wanted on campus and then gave the results to Buildings and Grounds. This year’s planned project—a Bottled Water Awareness Week—coincided with the week Tap That’s resolution went through VSA. As a part of Bottled Water Awareness Week, environmental studies majors created a giant translucent water bottle filled with empty bottles, which was placed in the center of the Retreat for the week. This sculpture represented the plasic waste students would be saving if the referendum passes. It was also a part of Tap That’s presentation to the VSA Council.

The March 28 screening of The Waterfront was also a part of Bottled Water Awareness Week, and strove to raise further awareness on the commodification of water. The 2008 documentary chronicles the various environmental injustices surrounding water privatization and describes how a failing economy encourages neglectful environmental policy.

Environmental studies major Tristan Feldman ’12 said of the film choice, “I think we wanted to show that the issue is bigger than bottled water. And that water in general is facing more privatization.”

Anna Tweten ’12, an Environmental Studies major and Vassar Greens member, echoed Feldman’s statement, “There are always linkages between bottled water and water privatization—it’s an outgrowth of the issue.”

Regardless of CCL’s decision, and whether or not the banning of bottled water reaches its bureaucratic conclusion, the efforts of Tap That and the Environmental Studies majors have increased awareness of the harmful environmental effects of bottled water and have made this issue a campus-wide discussion.

As 10-day filing period commences, candidates emerge tions co-Chairs] go through the minutia of the election’s rules, or the campaigning rules that can’t necessarily be covered in the bylaws. For instance, we have bylaws about online campaigning, but they can’t always take into account how Facebook changes,” said Wheeler.

“We really elucidate all of the language in the bylaws regarding the campaign…so that no one accidentally violates them and gets taken out of the race,” he continued.

After the candidates’ meeting, the formal campaigning process begins. Due to a recent change in the election bylaws, potential candidates are not permitted to campaign before the official campaigning period. Those who do campaign prematurely risk disqualification from the election process.

“Instead of having someone file on the first day and start campaigning immediately, and then have another person file on the last day and then start campaigning, people are starting on equal footing,” said Wheeler.

In addition to these changes, there are restrictions on how candidates can campaign. While generally word of mouth campaigning is acceptable, any promotions for a candidate that involve an abuse of power from a VSA member would be considered a violation of the VSA Election Bylaws. For example, official emails from House Team or VSA board members that contain campaign messages would be considered an abuse in power. Additionally, in order to avoid charges of abusing power during the elections, members of the Election Board must disclose any conflicts of interests that may affect the campaigning.

“It’s very important to keep elections fair, and so board members remove themselves from decisions that may impact a candidate with whom they are especially close,” stated Board of Elections co-Chair Seth Warner ’14, in an emailed statement. “To keep everything above board, we discuss any potential issues at the beginning of each elections cycle.”

The candidates are also restricted in terms of how they can campaign. According to the VSA Election Bylaws, the expenses each candidate spends on a campaign are limited and shall not exceed $45 if one is running for an Executive Board position, such as Vice President for Aca-

Madeline Zappala for The Miscellany News

ELECTIONS continued from page 1 race, it remains a bureaucratic process that can be confusing for those not in the know.

The election process begins with a 10-day filing period, during which time interested students declare their intention of becoming a candidate by filling out a form on the VSA website.

For the Spring 2012 elections, the filing period will last until April 11 at 12 p.m. During this process, students must include a candidate statement, which ideally includes information on their academic and extracurricular backgrounds and how this experience will help them if elected to their chosen position. These statements can currently be viewed online on the VSA website.

Although most positions last for only one year, there are a few exceptions, such as the junior representative positions for the residential houses and class councils.

“There will be a fall ballot and a spring ballot for these positions,” explained Board of Elections co-Chair Matthew Wheeler ’12. “We are taking into account that these are positions that people should be allowed to be held for one semester due to the Junior Year Abroad (JYA) program. People can run for a full year, but they have to run for fall and they have to run for spring.”

The implementation of semester-long positions for junior class representatives occurred after the VSA re-evaluated its election bylaws after last year’s elections. During this re-evaluation, the VSA also fixed language regarding who would be able to elect sophomore and junior representatives.

“Although they were positions that were on the ballot every year, electing sophomore and junior representatives was technically in violation of our bylaws,” explained Wheeler. “Someone long ago wrote that sophomore and junior representatives would be appointed by house teams and would not be elected.”

He continued, “Everyone must have missed that language and it just became standard practice to elect them—which I think is better. We just fixed the language to represent our current practices.”

On the evening that filing ends, all students who are running for a position are required to attend a mandatory Candidates’ meeting.

“During this meeting, we [the Board of Elec-

Above, students congregate in the Retreat for last spring’s Vassar Student Association Elections Results Party, an annual tradition. Filing for positions in this year’s elections ends on April 11 at 12 p.m. demics; $35 for a campus wide position, such as class president; and $25 for House positions, such as Raymond Sophomore Representative. Posters shall not exceed 11” x 7” x 1” and cannot contain any hanging attachments. Additionally, the VSA Election Bylaws prohibit any form of slander, libel, or blackmail during the campaigns.

After the campaigning period ends, students then vote over a 48-hour period, which this year will begin on April 21 at noon. During this time, all campaigning must cease, and any internet solicitations that are designed to promote a candidate, such as Facebook events, must be deleted. Students vote according to their class standing and place of residence during the upcoming semester.

“The VSA Board of Elections works very closely with Computer and Information Services to ensure that voters are able to participate in the elections of their respective class and residence,” stated Warner.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“When students submit their identification number to vote, it is processed to supply information to the voting service about each person’s unique constituencies. That way, we can ensure that voting portal is open to each student uniquely based on their eligibility in the bylaws,” he continued.

The voting period culminates in an elections results party in the Retreat, during which the winners of the elections are announced. This will take place during the evening of April 23.

However, due to the number of people who run for specific positions fluctuates each year, not every VSA position is filled during the campaigning season. When this is the case, VSA members may apply to fill these empty positions at the beginning of the next academic year.

Despite the restrictions that the VSA bylaws place on campaigning during these student elections, they nevertheless ensure that the election process runs smoothly and fairly.

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April 5 , 2012

Hudson Valley ‘locavores’ take 100-mile meal challenge A classic French reciple using (mostly) local ingredients Sarah Begley Columnist

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n the last five years, “locavores,” or people who eat locally, have been growing in numbers throughout the country. Eating locally appeals to people for several reasons: Consumers can feel more at ease knowing where their food comes from, they consume fewer preservatives and junk food, and the short distance the food has to travel leaves a smaller carbon footprint. Additionally, small businesses also often benefit from consumers who are willing to spend a little extra on local fare. Most locavores focus on seasonal produce, meat and artisanal products, but the truly dedicated attempt the more extreme “100-mile diet,” which limits eaters to food produced within 100 miles of home. The concept was popularized in the book Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon. Since then, numerous articles and blogs have appeared on the subject.

The diet poses more problems than just finding a reliable farmer’s market in your area. Cold seasons limit available produce in regions like New York State, where very little grows in the winter months. What’s more, certain items like bananas and citrus fruits would never be available on a Hudson Valley farm. The same goes for many essentials: Coffee, tea and chocolate can be especially difficult for modern eaters to live without. Even most commercial grains would be out of reach for New Yorkers.

Meat is easier to come by, because there are plenty of farmers with livestock in the Hudson Valley, and because it doesn’t have a particular season the way produce does. However, there are some more complicated questions with meat: Where does the animal’s feed come from? And how far does it travel to be slaughtered? (Millbrook’s Walbridge Farm, which I profiled in Oc-

tober, sends its cattle to a slaughterhouse in Massachusetts and back again.)

A strict 100-mile diet would be nearly impossible for most modern eaters to adjust to in New York State. Produce at this time of year would be limited to root vegetables and preserved goods from warmer months, both of which require planning in advance. Almost all packaged food would be out of the question, and local wine might be the only acceptable alcoholic beverage.

Nevertheless, a 100-mile meal—which for dinner includes a starter, an entree and dessert—is not impossible to manage. Indeed, in summer months, it would be relatively easy. As it is, at this time of year, I faced several challenges in putting together a dinner. I learned at Adams Fairacre Farmthat none of their produce comes from New York State at this time of year, except for Empire apples (a suitable dessert, I decided, albeit a simple one). Even potatoes, my great hope, just ended their season here. I had to settle for red potatoes from Florida—10 times farther than the maximum distance, but a necessary compromise if I was to have a full meal. At least it’s still domestic, I reasoned.

Next, I procured Hudson Valley Fresh milk and local ground beef from Adams’, though I had no information on the slaughterhouse whereabouts or the cattle’s feed. I also bought raw cow’s milk cheese from Sprout Creek Farm.

With all of these ingredients, I planned to make my version of a French dish my host mom often made in Paris, called Hachis Parmentier. It’s basically the French peasant version of shepherd’s pie: ground beef covered by mashed potatoes and topped with melted cheese, usually Gruyere.

“Hachis,” meaning “minced,” refers to the ground beef, and Parmentier was a Frenchman who encouraged cultivating potatoes as an edible crop in the 18th century.

Hachis Parmentier à la Hudson Valley

Ingredients: 2 lb red potatoes, peeled 1 lb ground beef 1/4 cup milk 2 oz cheese (Swiss-like varieties work best here) Preparation: 1.

Preheat oven to 350°F. 2.

In a large pot, boil potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes.

3.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or

skillet, brown beef over medium-high heat.

4.

Drain potatoes, add milk, and mash or whip with a hand-mixer.

5.

If using a Dutch oven, top beef with potatoes. If using a skillet, transfer beef to a casserole and top with potatoes.

Grate fresh cheese over top.

6.

Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Smith ’07 makes second attempt at Congressional seat

Courtesy of the Poughkeepsie Journal

Alumnus Jonathan Smith ’07, pictured right, is running for New York State Assembly for the 106th District, which includes the College. Smith spoke with the Vassar Greens last Wednesday, March 28.

Chris Gonzalez Guest Reporter

V

assar has a long history of producing graduates who run for political office, most recently with Rick Lazio ’80, a former U.S. Representative. Although boasting a different set of political aspirations, alumnus Jonathan Smith ’07, will join the ranks of Vassar grads in office if he wins New York State Assembly for the 106th District.

Smith is what is known as a nontraditional student, or one that, in his case, fell outside the realm of the normal age range for a Vassar student: He was 28 when he started attending Vassar in 2005.

“I went to school in Europe at the American University of Paris and then Trinity College in Dublin,” Smith explained. Smith began attending the American University of Paris in 1997 at the age of 20; he then transferred to Trinity College two years later.

However, because the credits from the Pari-

sian school did not transfer over to Trinity, he found himself without an actual degree.

Despite this academic debacle, Smith decided to attend Vassar partially due to the strength of the College’s academics.

Of the experience, Smith stated, “I came to Vassar because of the liberal arts focus and the strength of the student body and faculty, as well as the challenging educational environment. The professors were extremely important in helping me develop some of my political focus.”

After two years at Vassar, Smith graduated with degrees in English and political science.

Politics had been a major interest for Smith long before his time at Vassar. He cites the 1988 presidential election between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis as one of the primary inspirations for his interest in the political arena. Still, it would be a while before he actually made politics his career.

In the fall of 2001, Smith moved to the Dutchess County area, where he began working as the chief operating officer of a children’s intellectual property company.

Although this job did not directly involve his passion for politics, he nevertheless found the work rewarding and, in many respects, fun.

Yet Smith also found time to pursue his interests in politics. During this time, he started to take on a more hands-on role in campaigning. After working as a campaign coordinator and campaign manager on several congressional campaigns, Smith then decided to put his experience toward running for the New York State Assembly elections of 2008.

His platform focused on reforming education, universal health care for all New Yorkers, and the creation of jobs in manufacturing sectors.

He lost; the narrow defeat was actually the second-closest challenge race in the state. Despite the defeat, Smith is running again in November, proclaiming that he will keep fighting until he wins.

“We came so close to winning in 2008 and bringing our ideas to Albany to make substantial change and reform,” he said.

“And I know that this time, if we fight for the values that we believe in—good jobs, sound educational infrastructure and support for working people, then we’ll win.”

In addition to working on his campaign, Smith currently serves as the director of Vassar’s Annual Fund, a position he has held since 2009.

“We work hard to educate the students and the [alumnae/i] on the importance of philanthropy to the Vassar experience,” he stated.

The Annual Fund raises over $9.5 million in unrestricted gifts that support the operation and inner workings of the College.

Smith stated that his political experiences are very much related to what he does with the fund.

He said, “Whether organizing for votes, or organizing for the College, or organizing for jobs, it’s all the same.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Given the politician’s ties to Vassar, and the fact that the 106th district includes the College, Smith spoke to the Vassar Greens on March 28.

During this presentation, Smith discussed the importance of electoral politics, taking an active role in politics and voting for candidates that share the values you consider important. The meeting focused on Smith’s environmental concerns, which hold quite a bit of weight in his campaign. As seen on his YouTube channel JonathanSmith4NY, Smith discusses creating jobs through new, clean energy and creating jobs that will utilize solar, wind and micro-hydroelectric power.

Smith has interests in other social issues in addition to environmentalism, and has been a board member of the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals since 2008, a society which aims to shelter, care for and ultimately find homes for vagrant animals.

He was also a member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Solid Waste Management for Dutchess County. This organization wishes to achieve zero waste within the county as well as increase both composting and recycling.

On Smith’s many community interests, he said, “We face so many challenges both locally and nationally as a society. People are losing their homes, their jobs. The discrepancy between the very rich and the working people continues to grow. Too many Americans are without proper health coverage.”

Smith continued, “As a community organizer, I have always believed that what we cannot do alone, we can do together. This campaign is not about me, it’s about all of us working together to build a society we are proud of; working for values we believe in.”

While alumnae/i embark on different paths after Vassar, a strong work ethic and immense dedication seems to be a common link amongst them. While we all can’t be Academy Award winners, but for some, like Smith, working to make a difference in the world is all that matters.

April 5 , 2012

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Page 7

Students weigh in on benefits, costs of cars on campus Marie Solis

Guest Reporter

A

Jacob Gorski for The Miscellany News

lthough the possibilities of public transportation from beyond Vassar’s bubble range from the Vassar Student Association shuttle, taxis and zip cars, each comes with the inconvenient drawback of scheduling—which is why 504 students find it helpful to have their cars on campus. This year, 44 freshmen, 106, sophomores, 126 juniors and 228 seniors opted to bring their own cars to campus, some out of necessity and others out of preference.

Philip White ’15, who is originally from the Poughkeepsie area, brought his car when he matriculated. “Since I live really close it just made sense for me to have my car at school for whatever I need to use it for,” White said.

Most cars on campus have New York, New Jersey and Connecticut license plates.

“I usually use my car about two or three times a week,” said White. “If [my friends and I] are hungry and we don’t want to eat at the [All Campus Dining Center (ACDC)], we’ll go and eat somewhere else or just drive around aimlessly,” he said. While to some it might seem an enjoyable to escape campus for a few hours, for White having his car is not without its hassles. “A lot of my friends use me for my vehicle and ask me to drive them places such as the train station and airport,” White said. “Usually we work something out where they either pay for the gas expended on the trip or they pay me in some other capacity in the future.” White does not think lending his car out as too big of a problem, but car owners with more time commitments are more hesitant.

Natalie Crane ’14 is a Vassar student by day and a horseback rider by evening, which requires her to have her car so she can make it to the barn where she rides on the weekdays

To avoid getting parking tickets during the week, students park in South Lot, pictured above. Some students elect to keep a car on campus in order to travel to off-campus for extracurricular activities. and competitions on the weekends. “For me, my car is not a nice bonus to have around; it is a necessity for my sport, which is also my passion,” Crane emphasized. “The barn is about 20 minutes away, and I go five days a week. The competitions were all over the Northeast, between two and four hours away usually, and I went to those almost every weekend freshman fall,” she said.

Since Crane’s need for her car is different than most Vassar students, she cannot be as generous with free rides, and cannot afford to be a taxi driver. “A lot of people have asked me for rides, but I don’t give very many ... I

don’t really have a lot of free time,” she reasoned. For Crane, the main hassle of having her car on campus is finding a place to park, also not an uncommon grievance for students with cars. Vassar allows students to park in the South Lot near Skinner and allots part of North Lot for certain students, but permits students to park elsewhere on the weekends.

“I have to park in the lot at Shipping and Receiving; it’s a real pain to walk all the way out there three days a week, and walk all the way back [to Cushing],” said Crane.

The weekend rules allow students to park their vehicles on campus from 6 p.m. on Fri-

day until 7 a.m. on Monday, Marsala noted.

As for students attempting to park illegally, Marsala said, “We issue many tickets to students that park illegally on campus. The main violations are for parking on campus during the week during business hours and parking in fire zones.”

Seniors, who may have off-campus internships and field work positions, are in particular need of convenient transportation. This explains why the number of seniors with registered vehicles on campus is significantly higher than any other class year.

It is Holly Runde’s ’12 first year having a car on campus, and she finds it especially helpful, as she is the only person in her house with a vehicle. “I can’t really imagine not having it since we use it to get groceries, liquor and other general errands. I’m sure it’s nice knowing someone with a car as an underclassman, but as a senior it’s indispensable,” Runde wrote in an emailed statement.

Vassar’s price to register vehicles is currently $100 per year, but will in fact increase to $130 come Fall 2012. Marsala noted, “The price increase isn’t meant to discourage students from bringing their vehicles to campus.

We’re actually not as expensive as many other schools as I recall.” Schools located in cities often must charge the same price as any city-dweller would for a spot, and Cornell University charges $725.63. “[The choice is] totally up to them. Down the road, if it became a concern we might have to take a look at it but right now there are sufficient spaces for those that need them,” he explained.

The price increase is not expected to deter too many students from bringing their cars to campus, as there are many other considerations for students to think through before they pay for a spot.

Changes to sexual assault procedures improve VC response Mary Huber and Hannah Blume Senior Editor and Opinions Editor

C

ome Monday, Vassar will experience its annual flurry of blue and yellow t-shirts in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Week.

And this year, there’s a lot to talk about. Significant policy changes are coming to the Vassar community as a result of student activism and federal recommendations on sexual assault and abuse.

The first change will come as early as this June, when a new, full-time Sexual Assault Violence Prevention (SAVP) coordinator is scheduled begin working full-time. Director of Health Education Renee Pabst had fulfilled those responsibilities since the coordinator position was terminated in 2009, when the Department of Justice grant that funded the position expired.

Student activism played a large role in the reinstatement of the full-time SAVP coordinator position. Feminist Alliance had multiple discussions with President of the College Catharine Bond Hill and Dean of the College Chris Roellke.

“Many groups, offices and individuals (notably Renee Pabst) spoke to this issue with the administration; Feminist Alliance and Break the Silence were by no means alone in their efforts,” wrote Feminist Alliance member Rachel Ritter ’12 in an emailed statement.

According to Ritter, “The administration was not initially receptive, and it was a long and difficult process to get them to agree to reinstate the SAVP coordinator position. But once they did, they consulted with a wide range of students from groups including Feminist Alliance, Break the Silence, CARES and TransMission to make sure our voices were heard. Though the process was difficult, we are very pleased to be welcoming a new SAVP coordinator this summer.”

Roellke portrayed the administration as more proactive than Ritter. “The federal government has...increased their scrutiny of college campuses, and I think Vassar is ahead of the curve.

They released this document of best practices to prevent and deal with sexual assault, and we anticipated much of that in our policies,” said Roellke. “One main thing they recommended is a victim-centered approach, which we have.”

The “best practices” Roellke mentioned

refer to a letter sent to institutions of higher learning by the Office for Civil Rights in April 2011—widely known as the “Dear Colleague” letter—outlining required and recommended policies for addressing sexual assault on college campuses.

In addition to a new SAVP coordinator, the Committee on College Life (CCL), which Roellke chairs, is currently reviewing a host of new policies. According to Associate Dean of the College, Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Officer Belinda Guthrie, the impending policies include a strengthening of hazing regulation, updated record retention policy, a revision of the College Regulations appeals procedures, and updating the complainant/alleged victim and respondent/accused student Student Conduct Rights.

The CCL was unable to vote on the changes at their March 28 meeting, due to a lack of time.

However, they expect to address the proposals by the end of the semesters. Any new policies would go into effect next semester.

In one important example, Vice President for Student Life Charlie Dobb ’12 noted that one proposal would revise a current clause in Student Conduct Rights that grants both the accuser and the accused the “right to select a support person to accompany them to the hearing and to any other relevant meetings held throughout the student conduct process,” from the Vassar community. According to Dobb, the new changes would allow “any support person of [a complainant’s] choosing, from Vassar or not.”

How these policy changes affect the number of sexual assaults that take place at Vassar is impossible to say, as it is impossible to gauge the exact number of sexual assaults that occur on campus given gross underreporting. According to Associate Director of Safety and Security Kim Squillace, it is extremely rare that students immediately report sexual assault directly to the Campus Response Center (CRC). “In the 15 years that I’ve been here,” she said, “there has been only one report where something had happened in the last couple of hours.”

Safety and Security reports the numbers of forcible sexual offenses were three in 2007, one in 2008, three in 2009 and six in 2010. The Safety and Security website states that these numbers “may not necessarily reflect” crimes

reported to other offices or organizations on campus, such as CARES or Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). There have been no reports of non-forcible sexual offenses during those years.

Pabst wrote in an emailed statement, “The number of reports and students seeking support this year is more than it has been in the last two years but is about equal to three years ago, when we had a full-time SAVP coordinator. This to me is not a reflection of [sexual assault] happening more—it has always been occurring—but this speaks to a level of education and dedication to offer survivors support.”

She also stated that following the termination of the SAVP coordinator position, the College saw a drop in students reaching out for support.

However, this semester, reports have climbed to a level comparable to the time when Vassar had a full-time SAVP Coordinator. Roellke said, “This [uptick in reports] is not unanticipated, particularly in light of the bystander accountability and educational programming we have done.”

He continued, “Actually, when we were talking about re-instituting the SAVP coordinator position, something SART pointed at as an indication we needed the position was a downturn in reporting.”

Pabst also cited Break the Silence at Vassar, a self-described “online community dedicated to highlighting the importance of ending personal violation through the sharing of personal stories,” as another factor in a jump in reporting. “Students realized they were not alone and there were places on campus to go to get support,” stated Pabst of Break the Silence at Vassar.

Besides the SAVP coordinator position and the CCL guidelines, the College’s sexual assault policies have gone through several smaller, but still important changes over the past year.

Guthrie and Pabst worked before the 20112012 school year begun to establish guidelines that expanded the number of mandatory reporters on campus. Department chairs, deans and other administrators are now required to report incidents of sexual assault or abuse to Guthrie, though those interviewed stressed that the information in the reports would remain private and confidential. Said Pabst, “This

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

change was vital in making sure that students understand all their rights if they are to come forward to a college official. It has also streamlined the process for support and assistance.”

SART, a group of specially trained faculty and staff who assist victims of sexual assault, has recently begun accepting staff members as advocates, in addition to solely faculty members.

According to Professor of Psychology, SART advocate and founding member of SART Janet Gray, “SART started out as just faculty because that’s who first came together to talk about the issue, and we wanted to form a strong cadre of faculty—which we did. However, it became clear that this is an issue of great importance to community members. People have come forward from all kinds of positions, and as far as I know no one’s been told, ‘Oh, you’re just a so-and-so.’” SART is also in the process of adjusting to all the recent changes, like wider mandatory reporter status.

Everyone interviewed emphasized the importance of confronting the issue of sexual assault and violence. Said Gray of SART’s mission, “When we first started, we used this classic feminist phrase; we wanted to ‘unsilence the moment.’ I think we have succeeded in unsilencing the issue of sexual violence.”

Student activists like those with Break the Silence at Vassar seek to continue and expand upon that work. “There’s an assumption that, because we go to a progressive liberal arts college, members of our community aren’t capable of violation,” wrote Feminist Alliance member Jessi Colla ’12 in an emailed statement. “We assume that when people are educated about oppression they will never act as an oppressor.

We wanted to acknowledge that sexual assault happens very close to home ... [it] isn’t special just because it’s happening at Vassar. It still counts.”

If you have been affected by personal violation, there are resources available to you.

These include CARES (peer-to-peer) and SART (trained faculty and administrators), which can both be reached by calling the CRC at (845) 437-7333, and RAINN (a national network reachable at rainn.org or (800) 656-4673.

Additional on- and off-campus resources are listed at http://breakthesilenceatvassar.com/ resources/.

FEATURES

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April 5 , 2012

As GOP primaries continue, MICA stresses key issues Thomas Lawler Guest Reporter

Courtesy of msnbc.msn.com

As the Republican primaries trudge into the spring, the nation watches to find out who will become the GOP’s presidential nominee.

Although Mitt Romney holds a commanding lead in delegates, his opponents—Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul—remain in the running. Vassar’s Moderate Independent Conservative Alliance (MICA) has been diligently watching and weighing in on what David Keith ’13 called, “One of the craziest nominating processes that we have ever seen in American politics.”

Keith, a political science major, has been a member of MICA since his sophomore year and is the current co-vice president of the organization along with Todd Densen ’12. He likes to focus on non-electoral matters in MICA, and despite New York’s primary on April 24, the club is choosing to refrain from holding any events related to the primaries.

As Keith explained, “Some members may do things on their own but MICA as a whole is not getting involved or endorsing, either for presidential or congressional [elections].

That is not our interest.”

Instead, the group’s interest is much more discussion-based. President Will Serio ’13 wrote in an emailed statement, “We are not a partisan organization, so we try to refrain from endorsing partisan politics over thoughtful engagement concerning current issues and problems in America.”

In past elections, however, MICA has chosen to endorse candidates. Most notably in the 2008 presidential election, a subgroup within MICA endorsed John McCain, although they decided against endorsing his running mate Sarah Palin.

“I don’t think that MICA should be endorsing [one candidate in particular] because our organization is not a College Democrats or College Republicans. We are something different and therefore our goals and purposes should be different than picking a side

or partisan politics,” said Keith. At this point neither Keith nor Serio are sure whether there will be interest within MICA to form a subgroup to support a GOP candidate when one is chosen.

MICA members say they are more interested in starting a campus discussion about the issues and the decision-making process, and are trying to refrain from becoming ensnared in the dogfight of partisan politics.

As Keith phrased it, “If you are interested in the horserace you don’t want to be riding one of the horses.”

MICA members, although they wish to remain objective about the primary season, expressed their wish that a better selection of candidates had entered the race.Said Serio of the candidates, “MICA has talked extensively about the political primaries, and in the early days there was a palpable amount of excitement surrounding Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah and former ambassador to China.”

He continued that currently, “we have been keeping up with the primaries and most of us agree that Mitt Romney will win the Republican nomination for president. His delegate count is steadily increasing due to his organizational and monetary advantages.”

In order to clinch the Republican nomination, a candidate needs 1144 delegates. After months of campaigning, with candidates ranging from Paul to Rick Perry, the primary race is quickly becoming Romney’s race to lose.

Keith does not believe that the Republicans’ chances in the general election have been inhibited by this long primary season.

Citing the elongated Democratic primary season in 2008 with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the group is confident that the Republican party will eventual unite and pose a respectable contest for the presidency.

Although a candidate must be chosen before speculation about a running mate will begin, Serio notes that MICA has some

GOP presidential candidate hopeful Mitt Romney, pictured above, celebrates after a primary race victory. Vassar’s Modereate Independent Conservative Alliance chose not to endorse any cndidate. thoughts. Should Romney become the nominee, Serio said, “We think that [his vice president pick] will be one of the following: Senator Rob Portman, Senator Marco Rubio, Governor Bob McDonnell or Governor Bobby Jindal. It promises to be a very interesting ticket regardless.”

Although following the Republican primaries closely, MICA is still critical of the strategies of the Republican party. Keith believes the party should be focusing on the economy, as it is the most important issue that the country current faces.

Like Serio, Keith predicts that Romney will become the nominee. He stressed the fact that starting April 3 the primaries are

winner-takes-all and that Romney is a favorite in many of the remaining states, particularly in the Northeast. “But if Romney has no mathematical approach to getting the delegates needed to secure the nomination, then we could see a broken Republican convention,” warned Keith.

In a broken convention, the GOP could essentially pick whomever they want as delegates and therefore can realign and throw their support to other alternative candidates.

Regardless of who obtains the Republican presidential nomination, the race next semester will provide a wealth of the type of campus dialogue MICA prefers.

VSA Council members explain voting practices, methods Jessica Tarantine

Assistant Features Editor

W

Kat Mehocic for he Miscellany News

hile all Vassar students are, according to the body’s constitution, members of the Vassar Students Association (VSA), the relationship between VSA—the entire student body—and VSA Council—made up of class and house presidents—is often complicated and, at times, contentious. And while student imput is important when deciding issues before the VSA Council, it is treated as a guideline rather than an ultimatum.

“I think it is important to note, for most of the time, the VSA is very much a representative democracy, [but] the VSA isn’t a pure democracy,” said the Class of 2014 President Michael Moore ’14.

This means that for voting members of the VSA Council, the decision of how to vote is a complicated affair. “There’s a balance between the opinions of my constituents and my own views on an issue that can be hard to balance at times,” said Class of 2015 President Benedict Ngyugen ’15.

Members of Council deal with this issue in various ways“I tend to gauge the views of my constituents by sending an email presenting them with the issue and asking for their thoughts,” said Davison House President Doug Greer ’14. “ I also am close with most of my constituents and hang out with them often and have more informal conversations about issues that way.”

While some voting members use tools like polls to gauge sentiments, most prefer informal conversations either with friends or more organized groups such as house teams or class councils.

“I would rather take [the issue] to class council, because I am trusting that they are keeping up communication with the sophomores in the dorms,” said Moore. “They are bringing in a lot of views from sophomores from house teams.”

Despite representatives’ desire to get as many views as possible, it often proves difficult to get everyone’s opinion, either because of the sheer number of constituents or time

Vassar Student Association (VSA) President Tanay Tatum ’12, left, and VSA Vice President for Student Life Charlie Dobb ’12, right, cast their votes on a resolution at a recent VSA Council meeting. constraints.

“I try to gauge my constituents opinions, but a lot of times it is hard to do that completely accurately and reach all all of my constituents and get everyone’s opinion,” said Cushing House President Dan Shaw ’14, who uses informal conversations and dorm-wide emails to ascertain his house’s feelings on a subject.

One way that the VSA Council and individual voting members try to construct a comprehensive picture of what Vassar students feel about a particular issue is through polling. But while many thought that they were great tools, polls are not necessarily an answer for gauging student’s feelings in the long run. “[Students can get] poll fatigue. You send too many polls and you’re in danger of not getting a representative view,” said Moore, who recognized that too many polls tend to cor-

relate with a drop in participation, especially considering that that the VSA Council is not the only entity on campus to send out polls.

As such, most members felt that polls should be limited to issues that affected student life in a meaningful way. “When VSA holds large polls it’s for issues they really need student input on,” said Moore. “So [things like] smoking and issues around alcohol usage. When we need empirical data to make decisions that’s when we go...to a large open poll.”

Time is also another constraint which prevents class and house presidents from reaching out to constituents for every issue. “A lot of time you come up with a thought at the last minute [during a vote at Council] and you can’t reach out to your constituents because you are in the middle of a meeting,” said Shaw.

In such cases most constituents were com-

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

fortable using their own judgment. “I feel for the most part I got elected because people had faith in my judgement to a degree. [Of course] at the same time I’m not going to vote for something everyone in my house opposes,” said Shaw.

“I always try to vote what I think will be the best overall for them. If they were in my shoes how would they vote?” concluded Shaw.

While most representatives felt that the student body’s feelings on a matter were important for making decisions, in some cases, other factors could be more important.

Moore cited the VSA restructuring, which proved unsuccessful last semester. “The big issue for this was the restructuring of the VSA, when we had a large dissenting voice. Whether the majority was for or against, was up for debate,” said Moore. “A number of people felt that we were acting to restructure aspects of our government with special knowledge. We understood things [in regards to how VSA works] that they didn’t, and we felt that their opinions were reactionary in unfair ways.”

Shaw also explained that sometimes minority voices could get lost when voting strictly by majority. “If we are all supposed to be voting representing our constituents, and lets say three-fourths are in favor and there is onefourth not in favor and everyone is voting in line with the three-fourths view that no one is representing that one-fourth view,” said Shaw, “so that is my continual struggle as far as voting goes.”

While members of the VSA Council discuss dissenting opinions in Council meetings, polls could also fall victim to the same sort of majoritarian politics. “Although 95 percent of a campus could be in favor of something, that 5 percent could be extremely negatively affected. I think that is the case where a poll is good to gauge opinion but shouldn’t be treated as an ultimatum. [Even with a 95 percent vote in favor of something] I still wouldn’t be willing to vote on something which would actively make student life worse for some students worse,” said Shaw.

OPINIONS

April 5 , 2012

Page 9

Behavior at 50 Nights disrepectful

Miscellany News Staff Editorial

Prank or not, sexist posters condone misogynist remarks, athlete stereotypes O

n Saturday, March 31, Dean of the College Christopher Roellke sent an email to the Vassar community stating that a “derogatory and sexist” poster had been found the night before in the All Campus Dining Center (ACDC). This poster, which purported to advertise an athletic event with the words, “Guys Please Come Drunk, Girls Stay in the Kitchen,” was the result of an antagonistic bout of publicity between members of two of the College’s athletic teams. Whether or not the posters’ aim of implicating another team for offensive language was meant in jest, the bluntly mean and sexist implications of these posters is not acceptable.

To be sure, we need not state that public sexist statements hurt the entire student body. The frequency with which sexism still appears both at Vassar and in the world at large paints misogyny with an air of legitimacy, as if it were normal and acceptable to cast women as the punch line of a prank between two male sports teams.

These posters condone putting down women. Worse, this patent disregard for fellow students’ feelings was couched in a blatant sarcasm that attempts to delegitimize any rightful indignation felt by students.

That the students of Vassar College pride themselves on being politically conscious and sensitive is well known; as such, the individual responsible must have anticipated the campus’ resulting outrage at these posters. Perhaps they felt their actions were excused by the tone with which the project was undertaken.

But by manipulating the student body’s justified outrage at misogynistic comments, members of this sports team

insulted that outrage’s legitimacy. The intent of the team’s joke doesn’t matter; students are offended and deserve redress.

“These posters condone putting down women.

Worse, this patent disregard for fellow students’ feelings was couched in a blatant sarcasm that attempts to deligitimize any rightful indignation felt by students.”

Adding to the gravity of the incident is that faces of students not involved with the prank appeared on the posters. The association of misogyny with another member of our community constitutes a personal attack—although apparently an unintended one. It says to us that if the perpetrators were not acting out of mal-

ice, they were acting with an irresponsible disregard for the potential results of their actions that is equally unacceptable.

In discussing this controversy, we must acknowledge that the Vassar student body holds a generally negative perception of sports teams. These stereotypes create an unnecessary distance between segments of the College community, and cast the vast majority of male athletes in an unfair light.

But the highly public actions of a few athletes have now given the Vassar community reason to believe in a depressing caricature of student athletes as all of the above. In short, these individuals’ braggadocio has exacerbated existing prejudices and harmed the reputation of their peers.

This is not the first time Vassar has encountered prejudice, but each time these incidences occur the College community is hurt by them. In the past, students have taken issue with the way the administration has responded to such incidences. In this case, however, we at the Miscellany applaud Roellke for the prompt email he sent to the student body in response to the posters. We believe that it is the College’s duty to investigate sexism—or any bias incident—within our community, and trust the College to treat its investigation with the seriousness, tact and care it deserves.

Furthermore, we hope the perpetrators will learn their lesson and not seek to incite, hurt and defame their fellow students.

—The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of at least two thirds of the 23-member Miscellany News Editorial Board.

College must not tolerate sexist poster Rachel Ritter, Tristan Feldman and Faren Tang Guest Columnists

W

e were saddened and disappointed to learn that posters appeared on campus this weekend with the text: “Vassar Men’s Lacrosse: Guys Please Come Drunk, Girls Stay in the Kitchen.” Those who wrote these posters seem to have intended them to be some kind of joke or prank. Far from being funny, this attempt at humor is one of the many ways in which sexism worms its way into our community. Reminding female-identified individuals of the fact that patriarchal culture views them as less than human is not particularly funny. There is nothing clever, witty or creative about repeating old and harmful stereotypes or reinforcing oppression, so please stop doing it.

This act of sexism damages the Vassar community by making it less welcoming and safe for all individuals.

The idea that women should “stay in the kitchen” plays into the historical construction of women as bodies that exist solely for the physical, emotional and sexual service of men. Making a “joke” about women staying in the kitchen is not harmless; it serves to reinforce and perpetuate a whole host of ideas and behaviors that treat women as subservient beings whose bodies and selves exist for the purposes of exploitation. It may seem that we have moved past the era in which women genuinely were pushed to “stay in the kitchen,” but this is far from true. The messaging may be more subtle (or even invisible) nowadays, but women still face an enormous amount of pressure to conform to traditional, oppressive gender roles.

Hostilities like the one expressed by this poster figure into a larger spectrum

of violence and oppression. Each verbal or written expression of sexism is not only dehumanizing and insulting, but creates and perpetuates an environment in which oppressive words and acts are more likely to occur. Every expression of sexism on this campus operates collectively to make it a sexist environment, no matter how seemingly small each act

“Making a ‘joke’ about women staying in the kitchen is not harmless; it serves to reinforce and perpetuate a whole host of ideas and behaviors that treat women as subservient beings.” may be and regardless of the spirit with which it was intended. If we are to be a part of this community, we must respect one another. Part of that respect is recognizing that other people’s experiences and interpretations may not be the same as one’s own. We understand that not everyone has a problem with these posters or other jokes of this nature, but for many these posters are yet another reminder of the fact that female-identified individu-

als are consistently viewed as “less than.”

The posters are indicators that certain members of this community think that this “less than” status is funny, reminding us all of just how far we still have to go as a campus and a culture.

Sexist and oppressive statements and actions are not to be tolerated in any community, and certainly not in a community whose roots are in a commitment to women’s equitable education. Fortunately our administration, once alerted by students to the situation, has taken prompt action in condemning this occurrence and is committed to finding the parties responsible and holding them accountable. Still, we, as the students of this institution and the driving force of this campus, must stand as a group against the environment that allows these acts to occur.

We encourage anyone who believes that this kind of behavior is unacceptable, including and especially the many members of Vassar athletics teams who do not think that sexism is funny, to publicly condemn this, any and all acts of sexism and to state their solidarity with and support of all oppressed groups. If those responsible for these posters are indeed from an athletics team, we encourage them to recognize that their actions reflect poorly not only on themselves, but also on their team. Linking sexism to athletics, even if intended as a joke, contributes to harmful stereotypes of athletes. It is unclear who is responsible for these posters, but even those who were not involved should take this opportunity to say “not on my team and not on my campus.”

—Rachel Ritter ’12, Tristan Feldmlan ’12 and Faren Tang ’13 are all members of the Vassar Feminist Alliance.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Pam Vogel

Guest Columnist

I

n my capacity as President of the Class of 2012, I was involved in the planning and execution of the One Last Chance: 50 Nights Until Graduation event that took place at the Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie this past Saturday. With Vassar College Entertainment and the Council of Black Seniors, I believe we pulled together a truly innovative campus event in a new space. I’m proud of how it turned out in the end, but I’m not proud of how a lot of Vassar students acted that night.

In our planning meetings at the venue, The Chance, one of the first questions the owner asked was, “Do Vassar students play well with others?” The immediate response from all of the event players was an adamant “No.” While you will find me low on the list of students likely to criticize my experiences at Vassar, I was appalled to witness countless classmates live up to those incredibly low expectations. Students kicked down doors and destroyed property, were repeatedly asked not to urinate in the alleyway entrance and were caught stealing food from the venue. The waiting line for the buses

“Poughkeepsie is not Vassar’s bathroom, garbage can or charity case.” was chaotic and dangerous, with students physically pushing each other and running to get in the front of the line. While the bus organization could definitely have been improved, and I take responsibility for that critique of the event, the chaos also came from large groups of students arriving en masse to the bus pick-up location at a peak time and expecting to walk onto a bus without waiting.

It is this spirit of entitlement and impatience I saw in the bus line and at the Chance that we can all see on campus every weekend, which is why I wasn’t as surprised as I should have been to witness such outrageous and embarrassing behavior that night. After years of phones being ripped out of the walls on weekends, of fire alarms being pulled for fun or bathrooms trashed, of vomit decorating the surfaces of campus on Monday mornings, it’s not that far-fetched to see the same sort of disrespect in a different place. The difference is that The Chance is located deep in the “real world,” a whole bus ride away from our idyllic campus—where Poughkeepsie police are charged with protecting us and a bouncer can easily leave you in the street. When forced to interact with this “real world,” where the general rules of society apply and second chances are few and far between, some Vassar students just can’t seem to handle the responsibility of behaving with respect for their surroundings.

Throughout my almost four years at Vassar— and almost four years involved with student government in some way—a recurring theme has been the need to improve town-gown relations, to get students off campus and to foster meaningful relationships with residents of Poughkeepsie. I would venture to say that most students, faculty, administrators and staff at Vassar understand the tenuous relationship our school has with the surrounding community—yet it seems to me like no one really knows what to do about it. After last Saturday, I can pretty easily make a list of what not to do. Poughkeepsie is not Vassar’s bathroom, garbage can or charity case. It is a vibrant city with good parts and bad parts, just like my own hometown or anyone else’s. It’s a place that deserves as much respect as our campus deserves.

If we truly want to improve Vassar’s tenuous relationship with the community in which it is located, Vassar students have to behave with a certain amount of respect on and off campus, and start acting like grown-ups.

—Pam Vogel ’12 is President of the Class of 2012.

OPINIONS

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April 5 , 2012

Martin, Alawadi murders shine light on U.S. racism Tragedies reveal norm of racially motivated violence Bill Crane

T

Columnist

hough the murders of Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi happened a month and a country apart, together they represent the bitter fruit of institutional racism at the heart of American society.

On Feb. 26, as most of us know by now, Trayvon Martin was returning from the store to the house of his father’s fiancée.

While walking through a gated community in Sanford, Fla., his presence was picked up on by self-appointed “neighborhood watchman” George Zimmerman, who happened to think he didn’t belong. Despite repeated attempts by a 911 dispatcher to dissuade him, Zimmerman followed Trayvon and shot him, killing him on the spot.

The story came out nearly a month after the shooting, at which point no indictment had been issued against Zimmerman. We had barely heard about Trayvon, and immediately began to wonder how his case might be connected to race. Soon enough, however, a media campaign began to attempt to kill him again. In numerous newspapers and news programs, it was alleged that Trayvon was suspended from school for possession of an “empty marijuana baggie,” and photos of him posing in a “gangster” style were beamed across the country. Geraldo Rivera said that it was his attire—a hoodie—that was to blame. The conclusion: Martin was likely a drug dealer, and Zimmerman was most likely acting in self-defense.

Let’s leave aside for the moment the question of how an “empty marijuana bag-

gie” or a picture of a 17-year old posing as a gangster equals drug dealing. Let’s also forget that even though Zimmerman claimed self-defense, witnesses only heard Martin calling for help, and video taken after the shooting shows no injuries to Zimmerman, who refused medical attention at the scene.

I think a more telling question is why he was following Martin in the first place.

I don’t think Rivera was entirely off the mark when he blamed the hoodie—but let’s take a step back from even that. Martin was a black man in a hoodie, walking in a white community. To a lot of people, the very fact of being a young black man is enough to justify suspicion of criminal behavior. In a country where one out of three black men spend part of their lives in the criminal justice system, and one where we are told they are most to blame for violence and drug abuse, Zimmerman’s perception of Martin should hardly be surprising.

If you look at the statistics, it is actually white men of around my age who are most likely to abuse drugs. Violent criminal acts are committed by similar ratios of all racial and ethnic groups. So why am I not at risk of being shot down like Martin when I go to MyMarket for a snack? Why don’t the police conduct drug sweeps on the campus of Vassar, where drug abuse probably takes place at a higher ratio than the inner-city black and Latino communities they focus on the most?

Legal scholar Michelle Alexander calls the war on drugs and mass incarceration of black men “The New Jim Crow.” Anyone

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wanting to know more can read her book, but I think she is onto something when she refers to these as the reincarnation of slavery and Jim Crow, systems which have long succeeded in oppressing black people in a way that is central to the functioning of

“Islamaphobia has spread from the talk shows of the lunatic right into our government and the wider society. The campaign in many states against sharia law is much more sinister than mere paranoia about a Musilm takeover.”

American capitalism.

Now let’s turn to the case of Shaima Alawadi. This Iraqi-American mother of four was savagely beaten about the neck and head with a tire iron in her own home in a suburb of San Diego. The killer left a note referring to her as a “terrorist” and telling her and her family to “go home.” Shaima was likely targeted due to the fact that she

chose to wear hijab, and was easily identifiable as a Muslim. She died five days after being removed from life support.

Despite this compelling evidence of a hate crime, the police force of El Cajon, Calif. announced that this was only “one possible angle” of the murder. “It was an isolated incident,” said one police representative.

An isolated incident? So we are to believe this has nothing to do with the tide of hate toward Arabs and Muslims in this country since Sept. 11? This atmosphere of fear and suspicion toward them has been taken advantage of and fostered by our government in its attempt to prosecute imperialist wars in the Middle East.

There have been more than 700,000 Muslims interviewed by law enforcement since Sept. 11. Every day, over a hundred Muslims are stopped for between three and 12 hours.

Tens of thousands have been deported or had their visas revoked, and mosques are frequently checked for bombs or other “terrorist” materials. We might also remember that just a few months ago, it came out that NYPD Chief Ray Kelly had approved the showing of a documentary to officers claiming that ordinary Muslims are part of an age-old conspiracy to dominate the world.

Islamophobia has spread from the talk shows of the lunatic right into our government and the wider society. The campaign in many states against sharia law is much more sinister than mere paranoia about a Muslim See MARTIN on page 12

Commemorating Adrienne Rich, feminist illuminary Brittany Hunt Columnist

O

n Friday afternoon, a small group of students and faculty gathered around a large table in the Kenyon club room over tea and cookies, reading some of our favorite poems and sharing stories. Despite how adorable this sounds, morose tones wove through our words and gave our voices a somber edge throughout the hour-long event. It was a memorial reading of the poetry of Adrienne Rich, who had died at the age of 82 of rheumatoid arthritis just days prior.

In case you do not know, Rich is a renowned poet, famous for writing beautiful pieces with an unabashedly feminist and queer slant. Her poetry helped to bring feminist and lesbian issues to the forefront of American consciousness at a time when the male perspective in literature was even more impenetrable than it is today.

Much of her poetry powerfully explores the lesbian erotic, putting desires and feelings down on paper that few people would be bold enough to articulate, and almost none adept enough to execute with such grace, tactility and delicacy.

Beyond being a prolific poet praised for her elegance and craft, Rich wrote many influential essays and has worked as an activist for civil rights, feminist issues, an anti-war agenda, the arts and Jewish issues. She is one of the rare writers to seamlessly transition from a lyrical form to more heavy theory. Any student who has taken Introduction to Women’s Studies will remember her article “Compulsory Heterosexuality and the Lesbian Existence,” a text that was brought up many times at the memorial reading by students and faculty alike for its mind-altering effect on one’s approach to gender studies.

There is no doubt that anyone interested in feminism, poetry or social issues will miss Rich’s presence and remember her astounding impact, and that was more than clear to me as I sat around that table surrounded by my peers.

Every person in the room had been influenced on a personal level by Rich. At one point during the reading, Professor of Sociology Diane Harriford spoke up, pointing out that perhaps this loss is so profoundly felt because it is coming at a time when what it means to be a womanidentified woman is so tangibly threatened, both in the world at large and here at Vassar.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Nationally, women’s rights are crumbling due to budget cuts, poor governmental representation and outright sexism shrouded thinly in outdated rhetoric. Here at Vassar the Women’s Studies Program is threatened by an ever-tightening budget, and an alarming rape culture persists despite our cries for action. It is not easy to be a feminist right now, and it is definitely not “cool.”

Adrienne Rich’s life reminds us that no matter how trying it can be to stand up for the rights of an oppressed group against an overwhelmingly stalwart opponent, it is possible. Her legacy reminds us that we have an admirable past full of influential individuals, that being a creative, intelligent, outspoken woman can be rewarding in multitudinous ways, that we can make a difference. Though we have lost an invaluable, breathtaking voice, we have not lost the memory of what one can accomplish.

Two years ago I had a chance to hear Adrienne Rich read her poetry at an event at the 92nd Street Y in New York City thanks to the generosity of the Women’s Studies Program. Hearing Rich’s dynamic poems in her own voice was wonderful, but what truly moved me was seeing a crowd of people of all ages and from all backgrounds coming together to hear the words of a woman whom everyone loved and respected in their own way. The women around me clutched each other’s hands, clapped, swelled and cried as an elderly Rich shuffled on stage with the help of a walker then read for a while in a wavering voice. Feeling the energy and appreciation around me was amazingly powerful. The experience made me realize that these people, and countless others, really cared about the words being spoken. As a feminist and a writer it was inspiring to remember that people need to hear women’s words and women’s stories. Efforts to silence our voices will always fall flat, because what we have to say is far too important. No one exemplified this more than Adrienne Rich, whose death brings the feminist community and all those who loved her work great sadness but an even greater hope that there is still room for change in our country.

—Brittany Hunt ’12 is a women’s studies and English double major. She is a member of the Feminist Alliance.

April 5 , 2012

OPINIONS

Page 11

Contemplating the death of Obamacare Lane Kisonak

Opinions Editor

L

ast Friday my home state of Vermont did something it hadn’t done in 17 years: host a sitting president. Yes—President Barack Obama brought his re-election campaign to the University of Vermont in Burlington, breaking a dry spell the state had endured since one William Jefferson Clinton graced us with his presence.

According to the Burlington Free Press Obama was warmly welcomed and delivered a captivating speech to 4400 Vermonters in a packed athletics center (03.31.12, “President Obama tells Vermont crowd there’s ‘more work to do’”). Naturally Obama networked with some of Vermont’s most prominent government leaders—Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Gov. Peter Shumlin among them.

The pool of reporters on the scene were unable to listen in on their conversations, but on Friday I began to wonder, aside from “What the hell am I still doing in Poughkeepsie?” and “Maybe he’ll sing some Phish,” just what he was talking about with Shumlin and company. In light of last week’s Supreme Court healthcare hearings, it wouldn’t surprise me if he chatted with Gov. Shumlin about his signing Vermont’s future statewide single-payer healthcare system into law last year, the first such program in the country. Perhaps he made small talk with Sen. Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, about the imperiled future of SCOTUS as the last bastion of prestige in federal government.

Indeed, I think it’s worth taking a bit of time to explore the world of consequences that could await us if Obamacare’s mandate is killed.

To tell a long story short: 26 states have joined forces to dismantle the individual mandate that, were it to come into force in 2014, would impose a penalty on any person without an exemption who fails to secure minimum coverage. After

a series of hearings in federal appeals courts across the country, the individual mandate has finally been brought before the Supreme Court in a joint action titled Florida v. United States Department of Health and Human Services—a name likely to appear, abbreviated, in many future history books.

During last week’s hearings U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli defended Obamacare in front of four liberal justices, four conservatives and Anthony Kennedy (Schrödinger’s justice himself). Justice Antonin Scalia, who summed up the conservatives’ sophisticated stance on the issue by asking if the government could now force people to buy broccoli, will certainly vote to strike down the law. So will Clarence Thomas. The odds that John Roberts and Samuel Alito will too are certainly good.

So what about Justice Kennedy? Well, I am discussing the death of Obamacare, after all, so let’s say he swings right. If Obamacare dies, the consequences could be massive not only for the national healthcare market but also for the Supreme Court.

The Affordable Care Act, of course, hinges upon individuals’ participation in the insurance market, whether they be sick or healthy, so that risk can be adequately pooled and premiums kept to a lower level. There are subsidies and Medicaid expansions in the Act that would encourage some people to get into the market anyway, but the mandate keeps the system from buckling. If the mandate goes, some are saying, these parts of the Act—along with safeguards against pre-existing condition discrimination, allowing people to remain on their parents’ plans until the age of 26, no lifetime benefit limits—could go as well.

This is because Obamacare lacks a severability clause, which would allow the rest of the Act to stand if the mandate were stricken down. In-

dependent attorney H. Bartow Farr argued before the Court last week that the rest of the Act should stand because the mandate is not the only mechanism in the Act directed toward fulfilling its objectives of coverage expansion and cost management (The New Republic, 04.02.12 “What If the Mandate Goes?”). If Bartow’s arguments fail to sway the justices, all of Obamacare may be nullified.

By all accounts the Court should rule to uphold the mandate by offering a reasoned reading of the Commerce Clause. The federal government has long drawn authority from the Commerce Clause to regulate the activities of large firms, manage interstate trade and fight discrimination. In 1942, the Supreme Court validated this sort of legislation in the case Wickard v. Filburn, upholding the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 and producing what is now known as the “aggregate effects” doctrine.

This means, according to The Atlantic, that if the federal government reasonably believes an individual action might impact interstate commerce, it can regulate that action (03.26.12 “How Obamacare Will Be Settled: A Primer on the Commerce Clause”). This has been a part of SCOTUS’ interpretation of the Commerce Clause for the better part of a century. Since before Obamacare came along, however, conservatives have begun to espouse the view that there should be a definitive limiting principle embedded in acts like Obamacare. There has been no such precedent, but last Tuesday Justice Kennedy shot the question of establishing one to Solicitor Verrilli, much to the surprise of the political commentariat.

As noted by the Brookings Institution, previous landmark rulings built on judicial activism, such as Brown v. Board, were given unanimously and thus possessed a certain long-term See OBAMACARE on page 12

What didn’t you show your families this Parents’ Weekend?

“My parents don’t come.

Makes life easy.”

Drew Carlton ’12

“VC Student Bodies. At the DC.”

Daniel Sherwood ’13

Keystone promises natural, human costs Gabe Dunsmith

I

Assistant Opinions Editor

mploring Congress to ax tax credits for Big Oil, President Obama recently stated that American politicians can “stand with the big oil companies, or they can stand with the American people.” Unfortunately, the President’s statement is mired in hypocrisy: Obama has affirmed his commitment to the fossil fuel industry while ignoring the environmental and social consequences of resource extraction. The President’s recent decision to fast-track the bottom leg of the Keystone XL oil pipeline betrays a frightening allegiance to Big Oil and demonstrates profound insensitivity towards human welfare, indicating that the President is firmly secured in the oil industry’s back pocket.

Over the past year, Keystone XL has become a rallying cry for the environmental movement. If built, the entire pipeline would slash a path from Alberta, Canada down to the Texas coast, so that dirty tar sands oil could be sold on the global market. Vast tracts of tar sands lie under Alberta’s wetlands and forests, and this land must be torn up like a carpet to get at the oil.

The fight over Keystone XL has been protracted and livid on both sides. But after 12,000 people encircled the White House in opposition to the oil pipeline last November, it was apparent that the public would not stand idly by as a pipeline carrying dirty tar sands was strung through the American heartland. In response to the public pressure Obama delayed the permit for Keystone XL by one year, only to have Congress force a deadline upon him to approve or deny the permit. In January, Obama denied the application.

But here’s the catch: The Obama Administration only denied the part of the pipeline that crossed the U.S.-Canada border. It left open to development the southern segment of the pipeline, which would slice down from Cushing, Okla. to refineries on the Texan Gulf coast. And on March 22, it is this southern segment of the pipeline that Obama green-lit.

But Obama did more than just approve the pipeline; he issued a special memorandum to ensure that the pipeline was built, sidestep-

ping the usual approval process and effectively banning any environmental review of the project.

The issue isn’t just that tar-sands extraction requires millions of gallons of water, that forests and wetlands have to be bulldozed to get to the tar, that lakes and rivers are contaminated by toxic effluent and that the territory of some of Canada’s First Nations is decimated in the process. For those living along the pipeline route, Keystone XL is a distinctly local issue as well: oil spills— which are environmentally ruinous, detrimental to the health of humans and wildlife, and costly to clean up—are inevitable. The southern leg of the pipeline will also cross aquifers that provide drinking water for millions of people. And TransCanada, the massive tar sands corporation that owns the pipeline, is threatening individual landowners; anyone who refuses to surrender their property to the dirty pipeline faces legal action in the courts.

Under any normal circumstances, a private corporation cannot claim imminent domain. However, one of the most frightening components of Obama’s executive order is that it could override any legal avenues individuals might pursue to stop TransCanada from taking their land, effectively crippling opposition and steamrolling private property for the favor of big oil companies. Individual land rights do not hold up in the face of corporate greed and governmental subservience.

The fact that Obama is rushing the pipeline not only demonstrates a failure to examine the pipeline’s downsides, but an attitude that energy decisions must be hurried so that the United States is not letting its resources merely sit around. Accelerating the southern leg of Keystone also reveals a fear that the pipeline’s approval would not hold up under customary legal proceedings.

By fast-tracking the pipeline, Obama has relieved the government of its role to protect the rights of the American people and guard the environment from harm, and has instead interpreted its role as one that gleefully assists fossil fuels companies. The Obama Administration has turned itself into an apparatus of corporate interest.

The President, for all his talk of ending Big Oil subsidies and kick-starting the U.S.’s green energy economy, really has no intention of extinguishing Big Oil’s stranglehold on U.S. energy policy. Indeed, he is far more eager to hand over the reins of government to the likes of TransCanada than he is to topple the corporate regime that is intent on draining every last drop of fossil fuel from the planet. Big Oil only wants to line its pockets as oil erodes the American landscape, from the forests of Alberta to the plains of North Dakota to the coasts of Texas.

The more Obama capitulates to Big Oil, the more he ignores the environmental crises of the 21st century. If Obama really wants to help remedy global warming, he would have never so readily endorsed the pipeline.

Already, 21,000 gallons of oil have suffocated land near Cogswell, N.D., due to a rupture in one of TransCanada’s earlier pipelines. And in Michigan, one million gallons of tar-sands oil spilled into the Kalamazoo River because of a burst pipeline run by another Canadian firm, Enbridge. Has Obama not learned anything from such disasters?

His decision to expedite the southern leg of Keystone XL only entrenches the United States further in an extraction-based fossilfuel economy, encouraging consumption and denying the desperate need to find a solution when the oil runs out. He has sacrificed American families’ rights to clean air, water and land, all so that a private corporation can pump toxic tar sands oil overseas.

Obama should stand alongside the American people who are threatened by TransCanada’s pipeline, not fight against them. Instead of lending himself as a vehicle for corporate abuse, Obama should lead the crusade against a dirty oil company that is robbing people of their land, dumping toxins into their water and wrecking the climate.

Unfortunately, the President would rather pander to the Corporate Right and big oil companies who already hate his guts than stand up for the American people.

Obama’s curtsey to TransCanada is perhaps his largest environmental transgression yet.

—Gabe Dunsmith ’15 is the Assistant Opinions Editor of The Miscellany News.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“Pretty much all of Noyes.”

Sarah Hennigan ’12

“Student fellow condom envelopes.”

Stephanie Guyot-Sionnest ’15

“The Mug.”

Kattie Chen ’14

“My parents are cool!

There’s nothing I wouldn’t show them.”

Bella Kosmacher ’14 —Juliana Halpert, Photography Editor Matt Ortilé, Social Media Editor

OPINIONS

Page 12

April 5 , 2012

Commerce Essential for Left to cast vote Deaths show Clause guards for Obama come November enduring U.S. Obamacare prejudice Jonathan Bix

Guest Columnist

OBAMACARE continued from page 11 legitimacy (03.29.12, William Galston). A strikedown of Obamacare would almost inevitably occur on a 5-4 split. Some argue that, in such an event, the Supreme Court could distance itself from charges of politicization. Others believe that the Court, for much of the 20th century the most trusted branch of the federal government, could lose its last vestiges of legitimacy in a spiral of public cynicism made possible by a series of partisan rulings from Bush v. Gore to Citizens United v. FEC. Polls show that both public trust in the judiciary and approval have fallen since 2000, according to Gallup (10.03.11 “Supreme Court Approval Rating Dips to 46 Percent”).

Trust is the most important metric here; for most of this nation’s life the Court fulfilled the Framers’ desire to insulate the judiciary from the vagaries and mudslinging of politics. With a partisan ruling to strike down a law passed by a clean legislative majority, the Court could endanger its standing in the eyes of the people whose Constitution it is meant to safeguard.

More importantly, 30 million people would find themselves victims of partisan judicial activism, the shaky ruling of a court insufficiently realistic to work in a world more complex than the world of 1787 and insufficiently compassionate to consider the impact that a strike-down would have on the millions of people who lack the ability to attain the care they need.

The one possible source of hope in this unfortunate scenario is that, if the Roberts Court kills the mandate (and newly inaugurated President Mitt Romney drops healthcare back on the states) some may look north to Vermont and embark on the journey to a more cost-efficient, equitable single-payer system, where many progressives, including myself, wanted to end up in the first place. As the last week’s hearings have proven, anything is possible.

—Lane Kisonak ’13 is Opinions Editor of The Miscellany News.

P

rogressives, liberals and socialists alike must vote for Barack Obama in the upcoming presidential election because there is no other responsible course of action. We can recognize that ex-Wall Street executives such as Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers and Jacob Lew have played an integral role in his administration; that his foreign policy has resulted in the deaths of massive numbers of civilians; that his administration has diminished civil liberties in the United States; that he has furthered the destruction of our environment; and that in reality he governs as a moderate conservative on most issues. Yet, there is no viable third-party candidate, and whoever wins the Republican nomination will undoubtedly be even worse.

“To not vote is simply to give a vote to the Republican candidate.”

There are those who argue that there is no difference between Obama and Mitt Romney, but that is simply not true. The difference between Obama and Romney may not be felt tangibly in the lives of most Vassar students, but there would be severe consequences for the political, economic, social, physical and mental well-being of the poor, the working class, non-whites, women and immigrants. The Obama administration has tried to hold the line on social safety net programs, while Romney has no real sense of the lives of the poor and denounces programs like Medicaid and Food Stamps and universal health-care access as parts of an “entitlement society” like Europe, which he contrasts negatively with a “free” free-market America. The Obama administration has deported a record

number of illegal immigrants, but Romney will not be any better. While Obama supports the DREAM Act, which would provide permanent residency to some undocumented immigrants who graduate from high school or arrived in the United States as minors, Romney opposes it.

Furthermore, a spot on the Supreme Court will likely be filled by someone chosen by the next president. The Court ruled in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission that corporations have the same political speech rights as individuals, opening the way for unlimited corporate expenditure in political campaigns. This ruling gave rise to Super PACs, supposedly independent campaign groups that can accept unlimited corporate money. Whatever is decided in the case on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, Citizens United made clear that the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court is crucial.

Finally, abstaining does not contribute to any sort of systemic change. We need instead to increase voting by marginalized groups, especially in the wake of conservative attempts to suppress their votes. We can facilitate voting for marginalized groups by extending early voting, moving election days to weekends or declaring election days to be national holidays.

We can also combat the recent repressive Voter ID laws passed in many states that aggravate the disenfranchisement that accompanies massive incarceration.

To not vote is simply to give a vote to the Republican candidate, and does not serve any higher purpose. Many people fought to win the right to vote, and more people in the world will experience a lower quality of life and die if a Republican is president than if Obama is. To paraphrase the great Democratic Socialist Michael Harrington, we need to be on the left of the possible. If our goal is to minimize human suffering and increase human dignity, then there is no other choice than to vote for Obama.

—Jon Bix ’14 is a sociology and political science double major.

MARTIN continued from page 10 takeover. Similar laws in many states have made it nearly impossible to establish a mosque, and some proposed laws ban simple practices such as praying to Mecca or washing after prayer. The campaign of fear and intimidation against all Muslim Americans is what made the killing of Shaima Alawadi possible.

By unraveling the social context behind these two murders, we find they are not as different as they seem. Both were killed because, in the contemporary United States, to be a certain color or to practice a certain religion says something else about you to many people. If you are a black man, you are a criminal.

If you are Muslim, a terrorist.

These two tragedies show, however, that these two groups have always suffered much more violence than they ever inflict. Together they reveal a picture of a very sick society, where racially motivated violence has become the norm, aided ideologically and physically by the state.

To collectively atone for the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi, we as a society will have to go much further than demanding that their killers be brought to justice. We will, instead, have to take on the whole system that produces the daily acts of humiliation toward blacks and Muslims in this wworlld that can turn into a racially motivated killing.

Hoodies and hijabs up. This will take a while.

—Bill Crane ’12 is an Asian studies major.

He is a member of the International Socialist Organization.

The Miscellany Crossword

by Jonathan Garfinkel, Crosswords Editor ACROSS 1. Study at the last minute 5. Frequent utterances from Santa 8. Puzzlemaker’s nickname 12. Progenitor 15. Actress Thurman 16. Menagerie 17. Bomber’s goal 18. “Up in the Air” carrier, briefly 19. Certain woodwind 20. Genetic stuff, briefly 21. Rider’s whip

23. Deviate 24. Observe surreptitiously 26. Author Joyce Carol _____ 28. Pastry found in the proverbial sky?

29. Scent 33. Bruin great Bobby ___ 34. Mailing label abbr.

35. Hanoi holiday 37. Cheat, perhaps 39. What a 19-across has two of 41. SNL alum MacDonald

Answers to last week’s puzzle

44. Place for some cobrahunting in the Bronx 46. At once, once 47. Horror director Craven 48. First woman, to the ancient Greeks 50. Nice water 51. John _____ tractors 53. “Cloud Shepherd” sculptor 54. Atilla, for one 55. Shank 58. Bill Clinton’s instrument 60. Yoko and kin 62. “___ thee hence!”

63. Emporio ______ 67. Bruins of the NCAA 68. Pittsburgh-NYC dir.

69. Some china 70. Legit 71. Paths (abbr.)

72. Outdo DOWN 1. With “The”, home for Snoop and Dre, briefly 2. Norma ___, Sally Field title role 3. Alight 4. Jolly 5. McCarthy group, briefly 6. “The Wire” stickup

man extraordinaire 7. Bar in the old west 8. Slime 9. Playwright Edward _____ 10. Results of the Rodney King verdict 11. “Everything Is Illuminated” Author Jonathan Safran ____ 13. Parisian denial 14. “___-La-La” 22. Treaty 24. Horse’s daddy 25. Hollywood blogger Hilton 27. Angsty one 28. Genre for Britney or Ke$ha 29. Listener 30. Suffix for “home” or “farm” 31. Courtroom typist, briefly 32. “Star Wars” home of the Ewoks 36. Jenga structure 38. Big (holy) Poppa?

40. Airport code in The O.C. 42. What one must do with what one sows 43. East Lansing sch.

45. Boat movers 49. “______ region” (“naughty bits”) 51. Idiot 52. Hiroshima B-29 _____ Gay 53. Some feller, say

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

54. Word with “finest” or “darkest” 56. Dean Martin song, “____ that a Kick in the Head” 57. Apiary denizens 58. Maple syrup precursor

59. “Alice’s Restaurant” Singer Guthrie 61. “Rebel Without a Cause” actor Mineo 64. Consumed 65. Teutonic “new” 66. AOL, for one

HUMOR & SATIRE

April 5 , 2012

Page 13

OPINIONS

A cigarette encyclopedia: An Assassins rebuttal from Vassar’s smoky possibilities Noyesian Liberation Front Arick Wong

Guest Columnist

N

ow that we’re all totally ecstatic about not having plastic water bottles on campus, we’ve almost forgotten how perturbed we were by the smoking ban. Personally, I started smoking cigarettes because I wanted to impress Justin Bieber with how mature I was; yeah, I’m of legal age to purchase cigarettes, no big. But after he turned 18 (on March 1, so YES, HE IS NOW LEGAL), I had to resort to other things, such as legally driving while talking on a cellular phone in Illinois or drinking alcohol in Ontario. After finding out that every cigarette you smoke takes out 11 minutes from your life, I was concerned about my future. For every two cigarettes I smoke, I’ll potentially miss one episode of 30 Rock. What the what? And that also amounts to 11 less minutes I can spend with Justin Bieber.

But enough about me. I can’t imagine how the administration is going to “ban” smoking. It sounds like such an arduous task, as their previous implementations seemed to have failed miserably.

Those minimalist “No Smoking” signs they place on the Retreat patio area just so sleek and ignorable in that 24pt Helvetica that they might be better off in the Loeb. But before the implementation of the smoking ban, let’s consider what’s really important: the diverse range of cigarettes we have here at Vassar.

Writer’s Block Cigarette This is the most popular type of cigarette during study week. There’s nothing more soul-searching than a cigarette outside the 24-hour space, contem-

plating existence, considering Acrop and planning out the next few lines of your social theory paper.

For some, the writer’s block cigarette is a regular staple of every-day life. For others, it’s what’s left when you run out of Crystal Palace.

The Pre-Deece Cigarette Smoking curbs your metabolism, and the occasional before-dinner cigarette suppresses your hunger. It’s basically the missing ingredient to your stir fry. Plus, cigarettes are vegan and gluten-free, so you will have one less thing to worry about on Meatless Mondays.

The Drunken Cigarette There are people who smoke. There are people who smoke when they black out. And I guess there are some people in between.

The Walk-to-the-THs Cigarette The time it takes to smoke a cigarette just happens to be the same amount of time it takes to walk to the THs. That is, if you’re not too busy getting written up by Security for being belligerent, or being distracted by sophomore girls arguing over who gets to hold the Franzia.

The Self-Righteous Cigarette Arch your back when you lean against the columns of Main Building into the perfect position of smug superiority. You smoke Parliaments or roll your own Fair Trade tobacco as a simple self-reminder of how much better you are than everyone else. No, freshman, don’t ask me for a cigarette.

ADVERTISEMENT

Noyesian Liberation Front Guest Columnist

T

here has been a lot of outrage on campus this year, against everything from acts of sexism to that one Tuesday early in the semester when we expected it to be Tasty, but then it wasn’t. We have endlessly debated and discussed the campus climate, but seemingly with little result. Just two weeks ago, in the pages of this very godforsaken tabloid, yet another act of wanton aggression was committed against the students of this school. A recent article in The Miscellany News discussed several dorms participating in a game known as Assassins. The article named five dorms—Joss, Raymond, Lathrop, Jewett and Davison—as participants and implied that this was a new tradition in the dormal community. Yes? No. Or should we say: No, Yes. Noyes House has organized a game of Assassins every year for at least the last five years (before then is forever hidden behind the mists of time/we don’t know anyone from the Class of 2007). The article fails to mention this crucial aspect of Vassar history, which clearly manifests the ellision of marginalized voices here on campus. Some may call this hyperbolic; we demand it is merely parabolic. As diasporic Noyesians, we feel this quadrangle-normative behavior should not be tolerated at a supposedly liberal-minded institution. As a critical consciousness is instilled in us in the classroom, so too should we use it to challenge the architectural hegemony the Miscellany propagates in its pages (which happen to be rectangular. Coincidence? We think not.) Thus, Noyes has decided to follow the established campus model of conflict resolution: open war and bitter recrimination.

Noyes’ Assassins history, as with the broader Noyesian struggle it reflects, abounds with tales of cunning and couth. We have created warriors who, like Noyes’ geometric integral, knew no bounds, enacting devious murders of such artistic merit and beauty that they should be remembered in timeless artwork, hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Art next to our famed chairs.

(Can any other dorms boast such noteworthy artifacts? Can ResLife promise that anything as grand will be foisted on the next year’s couchless seniors?) Noyes Assassins has indeed trained such skilled fighters as Brian Kim ’11, former philosophy student and current ninja (whereabouts unknown) who jumped off of the second floor of UpC to escape detection, and Benny Witkovsky ’12, who conducted first-hand research for his thesis on assassination by dive-bombing (read:

hopping) out of a window to eliminate a target.

This year’s game started two weeks from Saturday, with Dan Kessler ’14 at the helm, and is sure to put “Jewett” to shame.* In an oft-overlooked moment in Vassar’s history, Noyes declared Independence from the College on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 in order to contest similar acts of erasure of Noyes House and its denizens. The Articles of Secession were delivered to the so-called “President of the College” Catharine Bond Hill, so-called “Dean of the College” Chris Roelke, and so-called “Secretary General of the United Nations” Ban-Ki Moon, and a revolutionary guard was established.

Thus every subsequent game of Noyes Assassins, rather than mere folly, has served as training for future operations. Under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, Noyes has the right to request international aid to defend itself against acts of aggression, and so any day you may witness Bard Pirates coming to Noyes’ aid in the recent border struggles with Cushing. So while other dorms may make overtures at understanding the consequences of political intrigue, Noyes House alone has firsthand experience.

Because of this history of independence, we both understand the Miscellany’s mistake and consider it an act of silencing. The Miscellany must stop resorting to blatant lies and rise to the lofty standard set by its clearly superior counterpart, The Chronicle. The struggles of Noyes must be included as a part of the broader campus dialogue. What corner of this campus may be left for the cornerless? We demand that dormal equality is not mere ephemera, but achievable in our lifetime! Break the Joss-Davison-Main Triple Entente! Occupy the Quad! Rock the ROC! We look forward to the upcoming CLRG Conversation Dinner on this topic.

And to the current Noyes Assassins: May the Narwhals Be Ever in Your Favor. *Pro-tip: This Tuesday, carefully examine your Twisted Soul tea, as not all of those are bubbles. Our mole in the VSA Operations Office is constantly at work.

—The Noyesian Liberation Front is a non-hierarchical society that seeks to end all oppression everywhere, but mostly against Noyes and really just at Vassar. Its unmasked membership includes Keven Cabrera ’12, Stephanie Mischell ’12, Hannah Groch-Begley ’12 and Benny Witkovsky ’12, but the true number of its hordes may never be known.

Weekly Calendar: 04/05-04/11 by Alanna Okun, Humor & Satire Editor Thursday, 4/5 3 p.m. Tea. “Hey dude, how’s it hanging? Are you going home for Easter this weekend?” Rose Parlor.

7 p.m. Flawless Drag Pageant. Which is a perfect anagram of “A Swagged Fallen Strap.” Coincidence? Hardly.

Villard Room.

cio’s to Tokyo Express for one night does not a classy dinner make. Villard Room.

10 p.m. Roaring Twenties. Is this just a thinly veiled euphemism for “21- and 22-year-old seniors drunkenly bellowing at one another from across the TH circle because they can’t begin the fathom the creeping, terrifying inevitability of graduation?” Yeah that’s what I thought.

UpC.

9:30 p.m. Indecent Exposure Spring Sketch Show.

You say “sketch show,” I hear “Draw Something projected on a giant screen for two to three hours.” Shiva.

Saturday, 4/7

Friday, 4/6

6 p.m. Passover Second Night Seder. Passover? I hardly know ‘er! CC MPR.

3 p.m. Tea. “Yeah, I’m going home, champ, but not for Easter. It’s the start of Passover! Haven’t you ever realized that I’m one of the Chosen People?” Rose Parlor.

5:30 p.m. Good Friday Fish Fry. The punning opportunities lost because this event is not named “Fish Fryday” are downright inexcusable. ACDC Dodge Room.

6:00 p.m. Class of 2015 Classy Dinner. Ay yo freshmen, upgrading from Mr. Boston to Svedka and from Ba-

Sunday, 4/8

Monday, 4/9 3 p.m. Tea. “Chosen for what, captain? Not being able to eat ramen or drink Natty for a whole entire week?

Being forced to watch as your fellow group maliciously guzzles nachos right before your eyes? Listening to your great-uncle Lou make subtly racist remarks about other minorities over dinner? Sounds pretty bleak to me.” Rose Parlor.

Tuesday, 4/10 3 p.m. Tea. “Oh right, like your holiday is so much better. How did giving up visiting VCStudentBodies for a month work out for you? Do you feel hella atoned?” Rose Parlor.

All day. MY BIRTHDAY!!! Also apparently the day that the alleged savior of the known universe or whatever was resurrected or some ish. But like, priorities. Everywhere.

Wednesday, 4/11

3 p.m. Main House “Spring Fling.” I mean, if my birthday weren’t so important, why would a house team sponsor an egg toss and candy hunt specifically in my honor? QED. Library Lawn.

3 p.m. Tea. “Hey, brah, no hard feelings. Look at it this way: We totally both got extensions on our essays this weekend. And that’s the true spirit of religion.” “Tight.”

Rose Parlor.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

2 p.m. VSA Majors Fair. If there’s no “Studies” at the end, STFU. Villard Room.

ARTS

Page 14

April 5 , 2012

Minstrels perform an eclectic array Ramsey continues her childhood passion for music, singing at Vassar Jack Owen

Assistant Arts Editor

M

Sam Garcia

Guest Reporter

M

aria Ramsey ’15 knows four musical languages: percussion, strings, woodwind and brass. She started the piano at six, the violin at eight, the flute at nine and the French horn at 14. She has played more than one instrument in the same concert. “And I’ve been singing my whole life,” Ramsey added.

Ramsey also puts her energy into sewing her own clothing, and is a member of Vassar On Tap, a group devoted to tap dancing.

Ramsey inherited her interest in music from her family, with two musicians as parents. “I heard a lot of music around the house,” Ramsey explained. “And it was something to do.” Her parents were not professional players, but their enthusiasm for music translated to Ramsey.

“I was in a lot of different choruses in high school and before high school. I was in my school’s chorus and my school’s chamber choir,” explained Ramsey. When her high school lacked an orchestra, Ramsey sought one outside of school. Ramsey hasn’t stopped even now.

Ramsey chose Vassar for its musical opportunities. “I knew I wanted to go to a small liberal arts college,” Ramsey noted, “and Vassar looked like it had a lot more music than the other ones.” Ramsey has embraced Vassar’s music community, now a member of Camerata, Women’s Chorus and the Vassar College Orchestra. She’s taken piano and violin lessons like many a Vassar music enthusiast.

Ramsey sticks primarily to playing and singing classical music, and firmly links music to her identity. “It’s just something that I’ve always done, and I feel like I can’t really comprehend not doing it,” Ramsey said.

“It’s so much a part of my life.” Ramsey enjoys the process of immersing herself into a piece of music.

Ramsey’s talents don’t just lie within the musical world, though; she also designs and sews some of her own clothing and accessories. “I probably started in middle school. My mom sews and that’s why I wanted to start.

She still helps me. I’m not actually that good

Campus Canvas

Carlos Hernandez for The Miscellany News

atthew’s Minstrels, Vassar’s oldest co-ed a capella group, has a wide repertoire that mirrors the eclecticism of many Vassar students’ iTunes playlists. Founded in 1978, the Minstrels play into one’s nostalgia for not only 1980s pop hits, but also 1960s classics as well as more contemporary hits.

On Friday at 8 p.m. in Rockefeller Hall 300, the Minstrels are hosting a special concert, serving as the opening act for Dartmouth College’s a capella group, Sing Dynasty, and premiering a newly arranged song, then closing with a collaborative piece.

“We’re very excited to be hosting Sing Dynasty again,” said Emily MacLeod ’12, a soprano and copitch for the Minstrels. “They came to Vassar in February 2010 and then we went up to Dartmouth that May. We sang ‘The General’ by Dispatch together, which was so fun, and we’re going to reprise that performance for this concert.”

The Minstrels, having participated in the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella (ICCAC) last year, have enjoyed focusing inwardly during 2012 instead. “This year we decided to take a break from the ICCAC and focus more on our repertoire, and doing gigs off and on campus,” said MacLeod. This focus has included arranging songs by more recent pop singers such as Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelsson. Still, the group has retained influence from its earlier days by adhering to the eclecticism and strong work ethic that go back to its founders. “We rehearse four days a week and I look forward to every rehearsal!” wrote alto Janet Kanzawa ’14 in an emailed statement.

Back in ’78, The Minstrels were founded by students from choir who wanted to break away from choral music, sing more pop songs and try their hands at a capella. “We actually have some of their first albums,” said MacLeod. “The repertoire is really interesting, because it’s a mix of spirituals, show tunes and jazz, but also some ’80s songs. They were a really eclectic group and I like to think that we have continued that.”

The group has 14 members, two of whom are currently abroad. They accepted three freshmen this year among the large group of students who auditioned. “We have members in Women’s Choir, Mixed Chorus and Madrigals, and a lot of people who are in the musicals that [Future Waitstaff of America] puts up every semester as well,” explained MacLeod.

“We try to get group members from a wide range of interests and backgrounds. We even have one athlete,” she added. MacLeod further said that bringing group members from such a diverse range has been exciting for her because it has enabled her to meet people with whom she would not necessarily have become friends otherwise.

On top of arranging complex harmonies and melodies, the group also works to incorporate fun choreography and shout-outs that reflect its quirky personality. “For our final concerts we have a theme, which a lot of groups do, so we have costumes and in the spring semester we try to make videos as well,” said MacLeod. “This year’s theme is Saturday Morning Minstrels, and we are going to be dressed like characters from some of our favorite TV shows as kids. I’m torn between a character from Scooby-Doo and Arthur. It’s really hard. People are constantly switching,” she said with a chuckle.

Soprano Miranda Alquist ’14 also discussed the Minstrels’ wackiness in an emailed statement: “From joking in rehearsal to singing (sometimes screaming?) late into the night at our parties, we always have such a great time when we’re together,” she wrote. They even announce their soloists in a silly manner. After arranging a song, they have interested members sing it in front of the group and step outside while they vote on who should get it. They then make up a ridiculous skit to reveal who won the solo, and perform it for the winner once they have stepped back inside.

“The Minstrels have been the most important part of my Vassar experience, just in terms of having a family on campus and having a group of people who you see all the time and love to work with, but also love to hang out with,” said MacLeod. “I’ve met some of my best friends through Minstrels, and it’s going to be hard to leave but I am so excited to see where the group will go, because even since my sophomore year we’ve just been getting better and better.”

Maria Ramsey ’15, pictured above, plays percussion, string, woodwind and brass instruments in addition to singing and sewing her own clothes. She chose Vassar for its musical opportunities. at sewing on my own. Usually what ends up happening is I design what I want to make,” Ramsey said, “and she is the engineer and helps me figure out how to make it.”

Ramsey even came to the interview wearing one of her own creations, a white dress with black polka dots. “I’m working on a skirt right now,” she said. Ramsey even almost designed her own prom dress, but couldn’t for lack of time. Ramsey has considered trying her hand at costume design thanks to her talents.

On Tap provided a further outlet for Ramsey’s creative energy. “I’m in the beginner section for fun, to see what it’s like,” she explained. She joined the club to fulfill another life-long interest: dance. “I’ve always wanted to dance,” Ramsey said. When a friend hers joined On Tap, she decided to join as well.

A weekly space highlighting the creative pursuits of student-artists

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hen playing around with media, I’m always drawn to processes or tools that use texture to create form. I have no inclination to be a sculptor, but the random warps and cracks in an old wooden board are my inspiration and these natural forms can make two-dimensional ones come to life. I can work forms into the varied texture of the board and these building block helps me visualize what I want to create.

This piece (11’ x 18’), drawn with charcoal and chalk on top of a board spread with crackle paste, is an example of the merging of texture and flat medium that I love. The foreground, middle ground, and background emerged out of the varied sizes and shapes of cracks in the thick paste. The shape of tracks started to take place and the texture adds something more to the piece

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

Ramsey’s deep-seated passion for the arts is something she hopes to someday pursue outside of Vassar. As of now she’s unsure of what she will do. “Possibly music, I’m not really sure—possibly design or interior design or fashion design, if I get better at sewing,” Ramsey said.

These interests in design stem from Ramsey’s interest in visual and musical art. “I’m a very visual person and I’m very interested in how things look, and color combinations are really interesting to me, as well as combining together different shapes,” Ramsey explained.

Ramsey hopes to pursue one of her many artistic talents in the future. “I’m not really sure what that [career] would be yet. I have a lot of really different ideas,” Ramsey said.

“I’ll probably end up doing something artrelated.”

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that light and shadow cannot. The soft blurring of the charcoal and chalk contrasts to the sharp warps in the crackle paste where pigment gets trapped. While my inspiration for the piece was borne out of texture, it still, like most of my pieces, address industrial issues. This piece shows how once, a train was a modern piece of technology, and how in this day and age, a new piece of technology is less revolutionary and more routine.

­— Maya Khatri ’15

April 5 , 2012

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Elseewi a scholar of all forms of cultural expressions Jack Owen

Assistant Arts Editor

“I

Jonah Bleckner for The Miscellany News

can really watch anything on T.V. and be interested,” said Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow of Film Tarik Ahmed Elseewi with a grin.

Elseewi is particularly interested in studying how cultural identities are represented in the media, with a focus on television. Elseewi is able to see the merit of almost any T.V. show, because while some may have more inherent artistic value than others, he believes one can learn from even the most absurd or poorly done.

“I think it’s important to note that studying T.V. is not like studying high literature.

It’s about studying popular culture and what people like,” he explained. “Something like Hoarders is just as worthy of study as a Fellini film or Shakespeare play. I’m not interested in looking at the intrinsic value of art; I’m interested in how art manifests itself in society and what it does in society.”

Born in Riverside, Calif., he and his family moved to Egypt when he was just six months old, and returned to the United States seven years later. He then studied English at University of California, Santa Cruz, and went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin’s Radio, Television and Film Department, with a focus on Middle East studies.

“I am interested in looking at things like representation, such as the representation of Arabs and Muslims in America, and the representation of identity and nationality and gender in Arab cultural production. So I really work on both sides of that divide,” explained Elseewi.

Although Elseewi was not certain from the start that he wanted to study representation in television, he had always been drawn to the media in one way or another. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he worked in Egypt for several years as a journalist, cov-

ering mostly local common-interest stories.

“Journalism taught me how to get out there and find out information, but I’m really interested in much deeper information than the newspaper format can satisfy,” he said. “I realized that instead of working on a topic for a week, I prefer to work on a topic for six months to a year.”

Sure enough, Elseewi is now able to study topics of interest more extensively and spend more time on specific projects.

He is currently working on a book entitled Revolution of the Imagination, which delves into Arabic language television and national identity, especially in light of the recent Arab uprisings.

The book, using Egypt as a case study, also discusses how media representation has become so transnational in scope that all individual cultural input is mixed with more exterior cultural influences.

“I argue that new kinds of media are producing new kinds of Arabs, who are no longer willing to accept the authoritarian government,” he said. Elseewi hopes to explore what sorts of identities are developing because of this recent phenomenon. He has not yet disclosed a release date for the upcoming book.

Elseewi plans to return to Egypt this summer to do further research and explore how the Internet and social media have helped organize the Arab uprisings. “I haven’t been [there] since the revolution, so I’m just interested to see what’s going on and to talk to Egyptians,” he said.

Elseewi’s classes are commonly crosslisted under the Media Studies and Film Departments, two categories apt at characterizing Elseewi’s studies. Currently he teaches a class entitled Transnational Television, which often discusses the contemporary phenomena of globalization and mediation.

Elseewi has also previously taught classes on Middle Eastern cinema with a media

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow of Film Tarik Ahmed Elseewi, pictured above, studies how cultural identities are represented in the media, particularly television. He plans to visit Egypt this summer for research. studies bent, and a survey course on the history of television.

As a professor who focuses on T.V. so often, Elseewi says that he is frequently asked what his favorite television shows are. Aside from watching sports, particularly the NCAA women’s and men’s basketball leagues, Elseewi is a huge fan of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan, a reality show in which Mexican-American dog trainer Cesar Milan travels across the country to work with disobedient canines.

“I can almost always be found watching the Dog Whisperer,” he said. “It’s about a guy who goes around and helps people make their dogs better behaved. He is an immigrant from Mexico and he’s worked his way

up from the absolute bottom rung; people love him! It’s just a fascinating story.” Elseewi hopes to write a paper soon about the Dog Whisperer phenomenon.

Other favorites include the HBO series Eastbound & Down, which details the turbulent life of a former Major League baseball pitcher, and Life’s Too Short, an observational sitcom that follows the ups and downs of show business for a little person.

“Both are totally cringe-worthy but also hilarious,” said Elseewi. “I’m wondering what’s going on in American society that makes us drawn, myself included, to all this cringe-worthy stuff on television today, and I have found that students love discussing this topic as well.”

Ballroom Dancing home for veterans, novices alike Nicole Wong

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Reporter

Jacob Gorski for The Miscellany News

ancy learning the tango? Or perhaps the foxtrot? I didn’t know them, but Vassar’s Ballroom Dancing welcome and helpful lessons reassured me I can dance.

Founded in 2008, Ballroom Dancing first became an organization on campus when a group of students wanted to create a way for students and faculty to learn dance. The club now meets on Mondays from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Aula and on Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Villard Room.

“We wanted to provide an outlet of dance where literally anyone could come and do it without experience,” co-President of the club Mrinmayee Patil ’12 said. “I love [Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre] and Fly People, they’re great, but those are outlets of dance where you have to audition and have a certain level to get in.”

Added Patil, “I started with no experience with ballroom dancing. We wanted to be able to give that to everyone.”

A major part of the club’s mission is to ensure that everyone, with any level of dancing experience and a willingness to learn, will leave knowing more about ballroom dance then when they first arrived.

Co-President Alex Wang ’12 explained. “My philosophy about ballroom is that if you want to dance and you can walk, you can dance,” Wang said. “I personally am not the cool breakdancing kind of person. I have no dancing skills at all, but I feel that if I can ballroom dance, then anyone can. It’s a way for people to express that dancer inside of them, even if they feel like they’re the most awkward person on the planet.”

Vassar Ballroom primarily teaches American-style ballroom, which includes waltz, tango, rhumba, cha cha, salsa, foxtrot, East Coast swing and samba. In the first 15 minutes of each lesson, the club teaches complete beginner steps, which are followed by 15 minutes of a recap of what was done in the previous week.

In the next half hour, new material is covered, and in the concluding 15 minutes, social danc-

Above, members of Vassar’s Ballroom Dancing learn how to foxtrot, a dance similar to the tango and salsa. The club welcomes veteran and novice dancers and meets every Monday at 8 p.m. in the Aula. ing takes place. “That’s how we do it so that every week, if we get new people, they’re taken care of,” said Patil.

Samantha Merrill ’14 joined the club at the beginning of the year. “When I got to Vassar I knew I wanted to try some new things, and ballroom dancing sounded potentially fun,” wrote Merrill in an emailed statement. “I love the social aspect of ballroom dancing. It’s a

great way to meet new people because you’re basically forced to introduce yourself to every new person you dance with.”

People may not know that members in Ballroom teach the dance styles to each other.

Both Patil and Wang have taught in their junior years and still dabble, but they are mainly passing the torch to current juniors to ensure Vassar Ballroom healthily continues. “It’s very fun

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

teaching,” said Wang. “The crowd is amazing, and I think if you ask anyone I’ve ever taught, they’ll say that I’m not the most traditional of teachers. I have interesting techniques and stories that people might find unconventional, but it gets the job done.”

Beyond their teaching imperative, Ballroom Dancing also has a growing emphasis on performance and competition. “Honestly, as we’ve grown, I guess our mission has changed.

Originally, we just wanted to be able to teach people things, and that’s definitely the core of the club,” said Patil. “We started out with just having Wednesday afternoon classes to adding another day, to now having three nights a week where we even bring someone else in to teach.” The club holds two all-campus events a year, and will dance at any event they’re invited to. Ballroom is known to put on a big dance performance for said shows at midnight.

Last weekend club members entered a dance competition this past weekend called The Boston Tea Party, an annual swing dance conference in Newton, Mass. Patil herself competed in the competition and finished as the second alternate for the semi-finals for swing, having only started the style last September.

“It was a very big deal for me,” said Patil.

“Because after having so little experience, and to have the judges notice me, it was great. I hope that we can now expand into that arena so that if people want to compete, they can.”

Ballroom Dancing events like the annual Dancing with the Professors have successfully brought together Vassar and Poughkeepsie. “I think one purpose, whether intentional or not, is that it does bring the community together with the Vassar community and the Poughkeepsie community,” said Wang, “Anyone is welcome. If you want to dance, just come here, and dance with us. I think that’s a good purpose for this club.”

“Everyone should come and join, and come see all of our events,” concluded Patil. “Drop by even if you think you have two left feet. Just come by and give it a try. I’ve never danced ballroom before [Vassar] and now I absolutely love it.”

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April 5 , 2012

QCVC’s Flawless a welcoming venue for drag artists Matthew Hauptman Assistant Arts Editor

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Katie De Heras for The Miscellany News

ix-inch heels, glitzy costumes, extravagant makeup, sidesplittingly hilarious emcees and lots of attitude—one might associate all of these things with a star-studded event in Hollywood, but they are equally applicable to Vassar’s annual drag show extravaganza, Flawless, presented by the Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC).

Perhaps one of the most rollicking events of the year, Flawless will be held on Thursday, April 5 at 7 p.m. in the Villard Room.

As of now, the competition will feature six competitors. One of those contestants is last year’s winner, Brandon Logans ’12, who will be reenacting Keri Sunshine, the role for which he won. As Logans explained, Keri is sweet and sentimental, but also quite sensual in her appearance and demeanor.

Logans insisted that Keri does not have the typical drag queen attitude; she is not abrasive or tough-talking. “I want to show another side of womanhood that is not always shown in drag,” Logans explained. In creating his drag persona, Logans drew inspiration from the women closest to him in his own life, and he sees Keri as a tribute to those women.

He is is thrilled to be a contestant for the second year in a row and hopes to relive the adrenaline rush that he experienced last year, especially during the lip-sync portion of the competition, which Logans characterized as reminiscent an out-of-body experience. And of course, Logans is also excited about the dress that he will be sporting, but wants to keep it a surprise until the day of the show.

But Logans isn’t the only one excited about his outfit. The audience can expect to see exuberant costumes on all the contestants, but also on this year’s emcee, Cassidy Hollinger ’13. A member of Indecent Exposure, Vassar’s all-female, stand-up comedy troupe, Hollinger is readily preparing for the upcoming show. She bought a dress online from a store in Beijing and can’t wait to show it off.

Mitchell Gilburne ’12, pictured above, performs as his drag alter-ego Madea at last year’s Flawless event. Presented by the Queer Coalition of Vassar College, Flawless will be held on April 5 at 7 p.m.

But as she also pointed out, “To call it a dress would be a stretch. It’s more like a sliver of fabric, covered in sequins.”

Hollinger has worked with QCVC on other events—most notably at Gays of Our Lives, where she performed a stand-up routine at the start of the show. She jumped at the opportunity to participate in another QCVC event, but she has a different set of plans for hosting Flawless than she did for hosting Gays of Our Lives, the annual stereotypeshattering event.

For starters, Hollinger will not be doing stand-up, but she does have a special performance planned out that she is keeping under wraps until the show. As Hollinger sees it, her job will be to help move the show along as smoothly as possible and to keep the audi-

ence entertained. She is tailoring her humor to the event, but ultimately, she wants to keep the tone positive throughout.

“A lot of the time drag is all about attitude, but I really want to keep the tone positive.

I’ll do my best to be a peacekeeper,” she explained. That said, she does hope to engage in some banter with everyone involved, and that includes the judges, each of whom comes from a different class year.

Representing the sophomore class will be Ryder O’Dell ’14. His biggest piece of advice for the contestants: stay in character. As he pointed out, drag is all about acting; it’s all about persona, and it’s all about conveying that persona to its extreme.

“I’m interested to see the personas that [the contestants] come up with,” said O’Dell, who

has had no shortage of experience dressing up as women. For the last three consecutive Halloweens, O’Dell has transformed himself into female stars Joan Crawford, Little Edie from Grey Gardens and Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard. “I do know a fair amount about drag,” he quipped.

O’Dell is excited about the lip-sync part of the competition because of its vibrant theatricality, and he is also excited to see that this year’s roster includes more entries from drag kings.

“There’s less familiarity with drag kings than with drag queens, and I think it’s really important for people to see all aspects of drag culture,” he said. Drag kings, as one might expect, refers to artists—primarily female ones—who dress in masculine drag that exaggerate and embody masculine stereotypes. Drag kings too are have a strong role within the queer community like drag queens occupy.

Pam Vogel ’12 will be the judge representing the senior class, and she is thrilled to be participating in Flawless because of its creativity and inclusivity. As Vogel pointed out, Vassar is probably one amongst a small handful of colleges to host an event like Flawless year after year. As for her style of judging, Vogel said, “I think of myself as more of a Simon, but I’ll probably be a Paula.”

President of QCVC Octavia Smith ’14 suggested that this event is in keeping with QCVC’s responsibilities because it educates the Vassar community about different facets of queer identity. Drag has become a cultural phenomenon, Smith explained, and it has become a staple of the queer community as a result.

At this point, Smith hopes that the rest of the Vassar community shares her excitement about the upcoming show. “I can’t wait to see Cassidy and all the contestants. They’re all going to bring their A-game, I know it,” Smith said. And with the right amount of A-game, one lucky contestant will come out on top.

Cheng translates paintings into a dance Local library serves 73K I residents Adam Buchsbaum Arts Editor

Courtesy of Cheng Peng

n Chinese painting the most important aesthetic quality is the brushstroke: how the brush is held, how the brush moves across the canvas. The brushstroke is a movement enlivened with energy by the body—and the art of dance is no different.

And so, Cheng Peng ’12 decided to translate the motions of Chinese painting into the motions of dance. “You can see painting or calligraphy as painters dancing on the paper,” explained Peng. Peng will choreograph a dance performance with this painting aesthetic entitled “Landscape beyond the river.” The show will take place in the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater on April 14 at 8 p.m.

“Landscape” derives its title from a Buddhist metaphor. “It’s symbolic of being delivered, to achieve nirvana, to achieve enlightenment. The world on this side of the river versus the enlightenment at that side of the river,” Peng said. The title matches the spiritual, meditative tone of the performance. “When I think of this title I think of a theater space, because you have a separation between the audience and the dance going on. It’s like there’s a a river in-between.

We’re trying to transfer this artificial space into a semi-natural, divine space.”

Peng first had an inkling of an idea after watching performances by Taiwanese dance company Cloud Gate. “[Cloud Gate] is the first dance company that I saw on DVD … it’s the first time I knew there was something called modern dance, so I’m really inspired by them in many ways,” Peng explained. Peng also wanted to integrate what he learned at Vassar—his major is Asian studies, with a thesis on Asian painting— with his interest in dance.

Simone Levine ’12 and Emily Dunuwila ’12 are both dancers in “Landscape.” Levine and Dunuwila each appreciate Peng’s

Dancers rehearse “Landscape beyond the river,” horeographed by Cheng Peng ’12, center, in preparation for its performance in the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater on April 14 at 8 p.m. unique approach to dance and choreography. Dunuwila characterizes Peng as a choreographer who doesn’t focus on technical ability and in dance the way modern American dance does.

“The process is really inspiring. He never just starts with moves. Nothing with Cheng is ever just about the moves. He’s all about the feeling,” Dunuwila explained. “He said something that really stuck with me: ‘If you don’t feel something when you’re dancing—if you don’t feel something in the movement—you’re not doing it right.’”

Dunuwila has appreciated her experience so far under Peng’s direction. “I love working with [Peng]. He sees dance as an art form. His respect for dance I find has

built my own respect for dance,” Dunuwila said. “I find it so inspiring to be around someone who’s doing their own thing and doing it in a way never done before.”

Levine describes herself as a very technically trained dancer, noting that modern dance can sometimes feel more like a mental game to her rather than dance. In “Landscape” she finds a new, more Easterninfluenced style she appreciates. “I really liked performing with him because it’s such a spiritual experience in the end,” Levine said. “The choreography is simpler and more meditative.”

In dance, Peng finds a truer, more meaningful form of art. “You are using your raw materials—your body,” Peng said.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

LIBRARY continued from page 1 They come in at the beginning of the school year and get a card, and come back for popular fiction and audiobooks,” she said.

“Sometimes people take books out of the Vassar library for the whole semester, so if you need a book quickly, it is helpful to use the local library,” Sarah Moseley ’14 noted. “Recently, I needed to read a book for a research project that was checked out of the Vassar Library, and I didn’t have time to order it from ConnectNY. Getting the book from Arlington was a great solution.”

The Branch serves not only Vassar students of course, but the city and town of Poughkeepsie, comprised of over 73,000 residents. “We serve a multi-layered population,” said Pilkington, “consisting of Vassar professors, people who are looking for work, and parents with young kids. We also have a big collection of large print books.”

The library also serves as a community center.

“We have programs that serve every population in the community—from the babies to the elderly,” said Pilkington. Every season, the District publishes The Rotunda, a newsletter chock-full of library-sponsored events. “One popular activity is the weekly brain games,” said Pilkington.

The Poughkeepsie Library District also hosts author readings, computer classes, workshops for job seekers, film screenings, creative writing workshops, GED classes, ESL workshops, toddler time playgroups, tween gaming sessions and more, at both the Arlington and Adriance Branches.

The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “It’s nice to see [Vassar students] around,” Pilkington said, “and they are always welcome.”

ARTS

April 5 , 2012

Page 17

Trailers offer enough fodder for reviews Yen Nguyen

Guest Columnist

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elcome to April, ladies and gentlemen. We find ourselves on the last leg of our journey through the landfill that is the post-Oscar-season, pre-summer-blockbuster offal. To mix metaphors, this season is basically the cinematic equivalent of a caterpillar eating its old skin for sustenance after molting. Don’t do that, caterpillar. There’s a perfectly good leaf over there with a satisfying story arc and interesting characters and an original concept that isn’t your dead skin.

What I’m saying is that there are no good movies out right now. Maybe some mildly enjoyable ones, but none that you’re going to remember the next day unless you’ve got some very bad experiences with the color orange, in which case I’m sorry that the Lorax has found his way into your nightmares.

Since The Miscellany News doesn’t reimburse us for our movie tickets, none of the Arts staff really wants to sit through a feature-length test of the human pain threshold just to go home and poop out 800 words that basically amount to, “Wasted money to see a huge waste of money.”

There is, however, a happy shortcut. While previews are rarely an accurate indication of how good a movie might be, they are usually great indicators of how bad it can get. So, in lieu of a professional film review this week, allow me to do a quick and certainly unfair snap judgment of several movies currently playing based solely a form of advertising that has the wonderful ability of making me not care at all: the movie trailer.

21 Jump Street

So obviously the first trailer you see after the lights go down in the theater is a fine way to tell if you’re actually going to see something like The Artist or if you blacked out in line and asked for “The Fartist” instead, which in our hypothetical, movie universe, stars Carlos Mencia and Andy Dick somehow.

Luckily, despite the fact that this movie starts off looking like yet another teen comedy du jour, the studio somehow cut this in a way that preserved a feeling of genuine friendship between the main characters. More importantly, the funny moments shown still seem kinda funny. I could see myself enjoying 21 Jump Street, so my mind opens up that possibility to our mystery feature film!

Wrath of the Titans

Ooh, I was wrong. I can tell by the swathes of brownish-gray and grayish-brown that seep across the screen that this is supposed to be some gritty, testosterone-driven…thing. My suspicions are confirmed as soon as the trailer music starts up—it’s some guy that sounds like he is inviting a frog to make a permanent residence in his vocal cords and, of course, the guitar playing skill to match (see: none). And it’s a cover of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”?

And this is a sequel to something? This looks like less of a movie and more of an extended parody of a Nine Inch Nails music video minus the self-awareness.

Mirror, Mirror

At this point, I have no idea what I’m in for.

On the one hand, the trailer does a very good job of showing off the sumptuous and honestly

very pleasant fantasy design of basically everything. However, literally everything else is actively working against making this look like a good movie. First, you’ve got the heavy-handed trailer voiceover. Second, you’ve got Julia Roberts as the evil queen who upon her first line spoken in the trailer—the trailer! where you’re supposed to make a good first impression!— seems extremely miscast. Third, all the words are bad. Just, there are no good words—at all.

Apparently, there will never be good words again because all of those words got struck from the English language and were replaced with stupid, dum-dum words and references to Scarface. This is not how to sell a movie, though it might be the correct way to market an interesting failure. At this point, you can just feel the headache setting in.

Guest Reporter

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ever danced a day in your life? Want to start now? That’s okay, according to Vass Shakers, a new dance group on campus. Their first meeting was only on March 23, and they are welcoming anyone who wants to join, regardless of experience.

“Vass Shakers is a group in which Vassar students of any dance background can dance, choreograph and perform in any style they choose! It’s really just a forum to unify and empower all students who want to dance or choreograph, regardless of their previous dance training,” wrote Lizzie Tepler ’14 in an emailed statement. To keep the group as inclusive as possible, there are no auditions or requirements to join.

Tepler was inspired by a performance she saw of the Tufts Dance Collective at Tufts University. “They have this awesome group in which a huge portion of the student population gets on stage and performs hilarious, doable choreography,” Tepler wrote. “The large number of bodies on the stage makes the whole event fun for both performers and the people in the audience who never thought they would see their friends on stage.”

Tepler asked her friends Caroline Maguire ’14, Claire Grosel ’14, Carmen Reinicke ’14 and Elena Fruchtman ’14, if they would be willing to help found Vass Shakers, and they all agreed. Fruchtman explained why Vassar needs another dance group, especially when groups like HYPE—which also doesn’t have auditions—and others already exist. “There’s a place for hip hop here, and that’s HYPE, so we wanted to make a place for modern and ballet and jazz dancers can come,” Fruchtman said. “And the dances that are being choreographed are modern and contemporary and jazz dances.”

Inside Kenyon Studio II on Friday, March 30 the group of students who came to the second Vass Shakers meeting introduced themselves. While most of the people there were not part of any other dance groups on campus, around half did not have dance experience at all. Their majors varied from

English to the sciences, and their levels of dance experience varied just as much.

One of these students, Rachel Martinez ’14, loves to dance, but only started ballet in high school for physical education credit.

She is now taking a modern dance class at Vassar, and was looking for an extracurricular where she could dance. “There definitely are opportunities to do that at [other groups in] Vassar, but what I liked about Vass Shakers is that it’s open to everyone and you don’t even have to be experienced at all,” Martinez said. “You just have to show up and [want to] dance.”

The group doesn’t only attract beginners. Students like Emily Dowling ’14 have danced for a number of years. “Since I’ve been at Vassar, I haven’t had any chances to perform or be part of a dance group, and I really missed dancing,” Dowling wrote in an emailed statement. “Vass Shakers sounded like the perfect opportunity to start doing that again.” And while she had been doing ballet and modern dance for years, she liked joining a group with those who have never danced before. “I really love that the group doesn’t require an audition and allows everyone to participate in all of the pieces,” Dowling said. “It’s also wonderful to be able to be a part of pieces choreographed by other students.”

Afterwards, as the warm-up music began to play from the speakers, Tepler, Maguire and Fruchtman stood in the hallway outside and spoke about their new group. All had danced before Vassar, from modern to ballet, but were looking for a way to do what they loved at Vassar, but outside of the classroom setting. “The thing that’s so great about it is that it’s the most fun, ever,” said Fruchtman. “It’s so much fun, and so it doesn’t matter if you have no experience or if you have a lot of experience. The choreography is really enjoyable and happy, and the songs are really happy. People just want to get up and dance around...[and to] get to be on the stage and perform. That’s the draw.”

This brand new group has already entered into “Student Showings,” which will

Matt Zeltzer ’13

The Lorax

Or “How to Excise Charm from an Otherwise Wonderful Fable Through Unsympathetic CGI Characters and a Complete Disregard for the Actual Intelligence of Children.” This is when you abandon all hope, throw up in your stomach and walk out while upending your popcorn onto the floor passive-aggressively.

On your way out the door, you look over your shoulder to see what movie you were escaping. After all, from what you could gather, the intended audience was teenagers prone to violence, bad jokes and shelling out for products of crippling mediocrity. Surprise! It’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen that you thought was the best movie when you were 12. At any rate, you won’t ever have to watch any of these other movies. You’re welcome.

Vass Shakers provide new, open group Casey Zuckerman

“Obviously Game of Thrones.”

be on Monday, April 23. All the different dance groups on campus will be able to showcase their work there, and Vass Shakers’s founders are excited to perform and get the group’s name out. This year, they will have pieces ranging from beginner level to experienced. “I say we have two that are advanced, and then the rest can be done [by] everyone, which is the best,” said Tepler. “The levels are self-selected,” added Maguire, “so you go place yourself where you think you belong, and no one is going to tell you that you don’t belong there.”

Their group performance, involving a majority of Vass Shakers’ members, will be of Mika’s “Elle Me Dit.” Other dances are to Fun.’s “We Are Young,” Sam Sparro’s “Black and Gold,” a jazz piece to Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and a funk piece to “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall.

The group also provides an opportunity for choreographers of all varieties of dance and experience to have the opportunity to choreograph their own dance. “I think that a lot of people who want to choreograph— because there isn’t much space in these established dancing groups on campus— don’t get the opportunity to,” said Tepler.

An added bonus is the advantage of having a lot of students who would want to learn your routine. “What most people don’t really think about is that having a big group of people onstage is sometimes so much fun to watch. We really have that opportunity [for choreographers] because anybody can be in [Vass Shakers].”

“Hopefully next year we’ll become more of a regular group, so we hope to have our own show—not just dominate student showings—ideally at the end of next year.

Then people can choreograph for a whole year,” said Fruchtman. Fruchtman sees Student Showings as a chance to introduce interested students to the group.

Martinez is happy with her experience as a new member so far. “I think that some of the other groups it can be a little intimidating if you have to audition for them,” Martinez said. “This is very open. It’s whatever the members want to make of it.”

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

“The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan.”

Sophia Rosetti ’15

“The Legend of Korra.”

Nico Mongillo ’14

“The Office.”

Manning Wu ’14

“Rewatching Friends.”

David Reuss ’12

“Amores Perros.”

Nicole Glantz ’15

—Adam Buchsbaum Arts Editor

SPORTS

Page 18

April 5 , 2012

Moyer, Nash Kentucky-Kansas title game entertains transcend I limits of age Sam Scarritt-Selman Columnist

Corey Cohn

Sports Editor

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Courtesy of Getty Images

ith 19-year-old slugger Bryce Harper set to see Major League action with the Washington Nationals this season and 18-year-old Kentucky Wildcats hero Anthony Davis all but assured of being the first pick in June’s NBA Draft, it is hard to not to focus on the youth movement sweeping across the sports landscape. As incredible as it may seem for a kid to be able to make millions of dollars playing sports before he is old enough to spend it on booze, perhaps the more amazing spectacle is taking place on the other end of the age spectrum. Pitcher Jamie Moyer of the Colorado Rockies is about to embark on his 25th season in Major League Baseball at age 49, while point guard Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns recently revealed his plans to continue playing professional basketball past age 40.

For years, people have wondered when the soft-tossing Moyer would finally call it quits, but the ride finally appeared to end two seasons ago, when Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery. But the career 267-game winner said from the get-go that he planned on returning to the diamond. In a world where Brett Favre can give teary press conference after teary press conference while performing his version of a retirement, it was refreshing to read Moyer admit (as reported by ESPN. com’s Jim Caple), “If I hadn’t come to spring training in 2012, I would have asked myself ‘What if I had?’ until I died.”

And, unlike with Favre, everyone seems to be rooting for Moyer. Some of this contrast can be explained by the inherently selfish nature of any lingering quarterback. A football team essentially goes the way of its signal-caller, so if you have a dinosaur taking snaps because he’s afraid to say goodbye, the team’s success is immediately endangered. A starting pitcher like Moyer is generally part of a five-man rotation, so while pressure still exists to consider the good of the team before individual closure, the spotlight is not nearly as grand.

So, whereas fans across the country unleashed a collective sigh of exasperation whenever Favre’s name appeared in the headlines near the end of his career, the most common way to react to Moyer’s age-defying mission has been encouragement—and the occasional light-hearted jab. For instance, Moyer started the last day game at Wrigley Field before the stadium incorporated lights in 1988, proving that the veteran did indeed pitch in the Dark Ages.

But let’s be clear about something—Moyer has shown he can still be effective. After putting up impressive numbers in spring training, Moyer is slated to be the Rockies’ No. 2 starting pitcher.

Nash, meanwhile, has always conveyed an image of youth by virtue of his flashy, at times effortless, style of play. Even at 38, he has held his own against the likes of Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose. The Suns star leads the NBA in assists per game (11.3) while playing for an average Phoenix team with no dominant scorer. Nash’s eagle-eyed court vision allows him to make passes few others would think possible.

Still, playing for three additional seasons, as Nash reportedly wants to do, seems like a daunting challenge. There isn’t much of a promising precedent when it comes to point guards (or any NBA player, for that matter) suiting up after hitting 40.

If anyone could do it, though, Nash would be the best bet. He is the model of consistency and his top-notch fitness maintenance has been well documented in recent years. A creaky back that has reportedly bothered Nash of late is one of the few significant signs that Nash is mortal, let alone old.

The last thing an athlete like Moyer or Nash wants to hear at this stage of his career is that he plays well “for a guy his age.” Those who have played sports for as long as these two want to be measured among the best of the best, with no qualifying factors like age clouding the discussion.

Just as we expect the youngest professional players to compete among the game’s best regardless of their inexperience, we should apply the same standards to the elder statesmen as they willingly put their bodies through the grind of a season.

Most importantly, we should appreciate the time we have to watch guys like Moyer and Nash, because their talents and stories are surely ones we will miss after they do decide to call it a career.

n anticipation of Monday evening’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game, there was a peculiar tone of certainty and a sense of inevitability to the way most people were talking about the University of Kentucky Wildcats’ title hopes. Practically everybody had thought long and hard about the matchup between the Wildcats and the Jayhawks of the University of Kansas and concluded that not only was it incredibly likely that Kentucky would win, but that it was almost inconceivable that a team as good as Kentucky could manage to lose. Indeed, there was a preponderance of evidence that suggested that Kentucky should win: The Wildcats have an almost unfair collection of talent, demonstrate impeccable team chemistry and identity, and play each game with an undeniable hunger.

Nevertheless, there are few things so predictably surprising as college sports, and any pregame prognostication amounts to speculation until the game is played.

Of course, Kentucky did win, 67-59, but that shouldn’t be too shocking for anyone. There is a reason favorites are called favorites. Yes, college sports are typically at their best when the spectacular and inexplicable occurs and entire belief systems are subverted. However, the mere fact that things went largely according to plan on Monday does not diminish the significance of the game that was played nor rob the game of any interesting storylines.

Here, then, are just four things that made Monday’s game important to watch.

1) For a while, Kentucky played some of the more breathtaking basketball you’ll ever see.

To watch Kentucky during the first half of Monday’s game was to behold a team dominate in the fullest sense of the word. From offense to defense to those intangible hustle plays, Kentucky masterfully controlled pretty much every dimension of the game. As a result, the 14-point lead that the Wildcats took into halftime felt insurmountable. Kansas was not playing poorly; Kentucky was simply crushing them.

2) Kansas somehow found a way to make a game of it.

In light of what transpired in the first half, it was particularly remarkable that Kansas was able to fight its way back into the game.

On the strength of suffocating defense, Kan-

Above, University of Kentucky Wildcats and University of Kansas Jayhawks compete in the NCAA Basketball National Championship last Monday. The Wildcats won the title, besting Kansas 67-59. sas began chipping away at Kentucky’s lead.

Then, with roughly five minutes left in the game, Kansas started hitting critical shot after critical shot. Suddenly, there were 90 seconds left in the game and Kentucky was clinging to a five-point lead.

3) Anthony Davis’s stat-line was preposterous.

Anthony Davis was the best player in college basketball this year. Anthony Davis will be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

Anthony Davis has an iconic unibrow. In the national championship game, Anthony Davis had six points, 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals and six blocked shots. Incidentally, though, this verifiably absurd stat line does not even come close to capturing the impact Davis had on the court.

4) A team coached by John Calipari has won a championship Much ink has been spilled about what a complicated figure Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari is for college basketball, regardless of his success. On the one hand, he is among the five or 10 best basketball coaches of the past 10 or 20 years. On the other hand,

he is the face of the “one-and-done” era of college basketball, with many of his highprofile recruits treating their college ball experience as a one-year pit stop on the way to the pros.

Additionally, Calipari has a reputation for acquiring his top-level talent through questionable means—several of his most decorated teams have had their seasons vacated on account of recruiting violations. Thus, he is viewed as somewhat of a pariah figure, and many have expressed the fear that, if Calipari were to win a national championship, something sinister will be rewarded and something about the game of college basketball will be corrupted. While this strikes me as a somewhat irrational anxiety, it will be fascinating to see what Kentucky’s victory does to the overall landscape of college basketball.

Does Calipari’s model eventually become the norm, or will other programs refuse to take note, thereby allowing Kentucky to experience a dynastic run of success while seeing its roster gutted and replenished each year?

Now that Calipari has his title, we get to find out the answer.

Female athlete reacts to poster controversy A

s a member of a women’s sports team, I was shocked to hear about the recent controversial posters on campus. Clearly what was distributed was wrong and can be seen as offensive to the majority of campus. Every student at Vassar should realize the potential impact of anything published or even spoken regardless of athletic status. This is not an issue of athletes per se, but instead the kind of community that we want to exist on campus.

Athletes are just as much members of this “inclusive and caring community” (as Dean of the College Chris Roellke characterized the campus in an email distributed to the student body) as any other student or employee on campus. We provide entertainment just as any theatrical or musical groups do through performances. Prospective student-athletes consider Vassar for the same reasons as everyone else—academics, culture, size, location, etc. Athletics then come as an added benefit to one’s college experience. From the athletes I know, we did not come here only to play sports and are attracted to Vassar for the same reasons as everyone else. When I was a recruit on campus, the head coach stated frankly that I have to like Vassar as a whole because realistically, participation in athletics may not happen all four years for various reasons, including career-ending injuries.

And honestly, no athlete here has actual dreams of playing professionally as a career. Most teams set a goal of reaching postseason play but none realistically are expecting an NCCA Championship (and even so, it’s still Division III). With that

said, athletes are still a prominent group consisting of about 500 to 600 students (about a quarter of campus). This weekend alone, nine teams will have competitions and seven of them are traveling to off-campus sites. While off-campus, athletes are representing the school as a whole to other communities and specifically studentathletes from other schools, prospective students, parents, coaches, refs, etc. With this in mind, if an athlete does something that negatively impacts Vassar, the athlete should not only be disciplined for just that action but also at another level because of his or her power to represent the school as a whole. Being a member of an athletic team is a privilege, but that does not mean that athletes gain privileges after making the team—athletes are held to the same standards both academically and concerning character. Athletes regularly miss practices and even some competitions for academic reasons. We are student-athletes and, here, order matters: students first, then athletes.

Many athletics teams are ranked highly among their peers nationally in terms of team cumulative GPA. There are 27 varsity teams on campus and every team as a whole is different. Within each team, every member is a unique individual who comes from all over the world.

They have different interests, different extracurricular activities, different cultures, beliefs and majors but one thing they have in common is their interest in being at Vassar. Since each team is made up of a variety of people, you can’t judge a team based on any given person or subset. And even further, you can’t judge athletes as a whole

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

based on a small group of people or even one team. After all, athletes are Vassar students who happen to play intercollegiate sports. Take a look around campus and notice how many people were members of an athletic team before arriving at Vassar. The decision to play a varsity sport on campus does not drastically change the person, because some prospective students have the intention of continuing their careers whereas other athletes pick up new sports after arriving on campus. There are no athletic scholarships, no monetary incentives to be a member of a team. It is a personal choice that most athletes make based on the interest in the sport. To be honest, I feel like I have missed out on some aspects of campus because of athletics, but that doesn’t mean I regret playing at all.

There is no doubt that the messages on the posters were inappropriate, but don’t judge athletes as a whole based on the actions of a few. Remember, athletes came to Vassar for the same reasons that you did and generally have similar values and beliefs. There are many examples of our peers making poor decisions, but that hasn’t made you want to leave campus yet. In no way am I trying to justify this incident, but instead I’m just hoping that everyone can see how this is the decision of one or a few people and not representative of the beliefs and values of nearly one-quarter of campus.

—The author of this column, who elected to remain anonymous, is a member of the Class of 2012 and has lettered four years on a women’s sports team at Vassar.

April 5 , 2012

SPORTS

Panel explores issues of race and gender in sports Corey Cohn

L

Sports Editor

ast Wednesday, March 28, the Africana Studies Program hosted a panel discussion exploring present-day issues of gender and race in sports. The discussion, entitled “Locked-In: Reckoning with Sports, Gender and Race at Vassar and the Nation,” took place in Sanders Auditorium and featured ESPN.com columnist Jemele Hill, Vassar alumna and managing editor of Gawker Emma Carmichael ’10, and Head Coach of Vassar’s women’s basketball team Candice Brown. Associate Dean of the Faculty Eve Dunbar and Assistant Professor of English Molly McGlennen served as moderators.

Associate Professor of English Kiese Laymon explained the importance he assigned to a panel of this nature. “At Vassar, we tend to give breath to a lot of issues, but sports often takes a back seat,” he wrote in an emailed statement. “So I really wanted to create a panel that would initiate more pointed conversations about sports in the future.” Laymon opened the discussion by calling it the “first of many conversations.”

After brief introductions, the panelists began by reflecting on some of the challenges they have faced in career fields dominated by men. Carmichael, who worked for the sports website Deadspin for a year and a half after graduating from Vassar, recalled being cognizant of the site’s primary demographic. “[I was] hyper-aware of being a woman writing for an all-male audience,” she said, adding that it took time for her to develop a sense of authority in her writing. Hill, who worked as a sportswriter for newspapers including The Detroit Free Press prior to coming to ESPN, said that being the only woman present in a professional team’s locker room made for an awkward dynamic at first.

The panelists also talked about the separate set of standards applied to women who work in sports. Hill remarked that it is especially important for female sportswriters not to cite an incorrect statistic, for even the slightest error can feed into harmful stereotypes. “[If I make a mistake,] all of a sudden I’m a woman who doesn’t know anything about sports,” she said. Similar conditions apply to female coaches, she observed, referring to the assumption that men can do a better job in their position.

Brown, who has led the women’s basketball team to two straight Liberty League championships, chimed in, “Oh, I definitely think that’s an assumption,” evoking laughter from the crowd.

The panelists also affirmed that there are ways in which their identities serve to their advantage in their work environment. Although most women’s basketball head coaching jobs are filled by men, Brown shared that she feels she can connect to her players more easily by virtue of being female. Hill stated, “Gender and race can work for you and against you at the same time.”

The conversation shifted to Title IX, the United States legislation that required male and female students to share equal opportunities for athletic participation. McGlennen pointed out that many schools responded to Title IX not by adding women’s teams to their athletics program, but by cutting men’s teams instead. Hill responded that female athletes initially became a target for backlash because of this, but that progress has been made in the 40 years since the legislation was passed. “Women’s sports have grown up under Title IX,” she said.

The panelists also addressed the use of language in sports media, particularly when race and gender are involved. They talked at length about Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American point guard for the New York Knicks whose recent stardom (dubbed “Linsanity”) has been marked by a focus on his background.

Carmichael was intrigued by how Lin’s story seemed to leave the media baffled. “Literally no one knew how to write about him,” she observed. “There was no template for it.”

Hill took a different route, saying that Lin forced the media to acknowledge a crack in one of its long-held traditions. “Sports are

known as this great meritocracy,” she said.

“If you’re good enough, you’ll make it.” Hill added that the fact that Lin was passed over by two NBA teams before erupting on the Knicks makes us wonder why his skill was overlooked for so long. “Did [he] not get the opportunity [before] because he was Asian?” she asked, acknowledging the question that few sportswriters comfortably address.

Relating the topic back to gender, Carmichael added, “It would be nice if female athletes could just be considered athletes,” noting that Lin is rarely addressed without a reference to his race.

Finally, the discussion shifted to the sports culture at Vassar, and possible tensions that exist between the college environment and athletics. Brown began by clarifying that sports provide benefits for the entire student body, not just for athletes. She added that this is a slow realization and students will need to expend greater effort in order to integrate athletics on campus. “Everyone might not agree [with the integration],” she acknowledged.

Carmichael recalled sensing friction between athletes and non-athletes during her time at Vassar. (Carmichael played on the women’s basketball team for two seasons.)

She referenced an informal campaign on campus to “keep Vassar weird.”

Brown responded that an influx of athletes wouldn’t change the culture of the College.

“It’s a misconception that if we let too many athletes in, Vassar won’t be weird— I have a team full of weirdos.” The women’s basketball team was well-represented in the audience and appeared to appreciate the sentiment.

The panel was then opened up to include questions from the audience. Questions continued to address the media, as one student asked about the emphasis put on the sexual appeal of female athletes and another raised the notion of media comparing athletes only if they share the same race. Discussion also returned to Title IX and the experience of Vassar athletes.

“Locked-In” was attended by a well-sized audience in Sanders, and several people approached the panelists after the discussion to continue the conversation. Laymon mentioned via email that he has received a lot of positive feedback in the week since the event, mostly from women. Dunbar remarked on what this panel signified, writing in an emailed statement, “I think it’s interesting for us to think about gender and race through sports because sports, next to music, are probably the venue through which most Americans access people of other races. We have to be critical of all of consumer habits and sports is not exempt.”

Dunbar continued, explaining what she personally took away from the event. “The discussion of the panelists really opened my eyes to the reality that women in sports [are engaged] in a hard-fought battle,” she wrote, “and that women of color continue to be underserved by the Title IX legislation and acts when compared to their male and female counterparts.”

She added that this was a conversation especially critical on Vassar’s campus. “I think the conversation was important for Vassar to have as education generally becomes increasingly feminized and the country (and Vassar) continue to be racially diversified,” she wrote. “We do ourselves a disservice not thinking about those topics in conjunction.”

Laymon made sure to reiterate that discussions contained in the context of sports would not be soon abandoned. John Carlos, bronze medal winner of the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Olympics, will give a talk at Vassar on April 23. Next year, Laymon shared, Bomani Jones (from ESPN and Sirius Satellite Radio), Dave Zirin (Sports Editor of The Nation) and David Leonard (Associate Professor of Comparative Ethnic Studies at Washington State University) will be coming to the College to help address Laymon’s objective. “We’ve got to make sustained conversations about Sports and Society a larger part of our campus engagement,” he concluded.

MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

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SPORTS

Page 20

April 5 , 2012

Brewers continue push towards Liberty League playoffs Swarthmore College 5-4. The Brewers took four of the first five matches, with the No. 6 nationally ranked team of Andrew Guzick ’13 and Ben Guzick ’12 winning 9-7 at No. 1 doubles and Dan Freeman ’13 and Kartik Kapoor ’13 taking No. 2 doubles 8-6. The Brewers built up their lead when both Guzicks won their singles matches, Andrew at No. 1 (6-2, 6-3) and Ben at No. 2 (6-1, 7-5). Vassar was able to extend three of the remaining four matches to three sets but was unable to capture another match, falling 5-4.

Women’s lacrosse began conference play this past weekend, falling to William Smith College 17-5 and Union College 13-5. Sophia Rosetti ’15 notched five goals on the weekend, half the Vassar tally.

The men’s lacrosse team dropped their second Liberty League contest of the year to Skidmore, 16-9. The Brewers surrendered nine goals in the first quarter as Skidmore was able to control the pace of the game.

The baseball team split a four-game series with first-place Skidmore, taking one game on Saturday and one on Sunday to improve their record to 5-10 on the season, 3-5 in the Liberty League. The Brewers took the first game of the series (originally scheduled to be seven innings) 4-3 in nine innings. Catcher A.J. Kim ’13 hit a walk-off single in the ninth, scoring Dan McCormack ’15 after right fielder Sean Morash ’13 singled with two outs in the seventh to tie the score. Zander Mrlik ’13 picked up the win for the Brewers, his second of the season. The Brewers then dropped the second game of the day 2-0. Lawrence Flicker ’13 gave up just two runs in the complete game, but the Vassar offense couldn’t manage to score.

The next day, Vassar took the first game of the doubleheader 8-4 in nine innings, behind a pair of three-run homers by Kim and Brett Zaziski ’14. Zaziski’s home run in the ninth proved to be the key blow for the Vassar offense. The victory gave Mrlik his third of the season, as well as his third in the Liberty League. Mrlik has now earned all three Vassar wins in the Liberty League. The Brewers, though, dropped the second game 8-7 in eight innings, after building a 7-0 lead entering

Cassady Bergevin for The Miscellany News

BREWERS continued from page 1 way to a 15-15 draw with Columbia University.

The Brewers jumped out to a 5-0 lead at the half; however, Columbia scored 15 unanswered points forcing the Brewers to rally back with two tries to level the score and force the draw.

Like their rugby counterparts, runners from the women’s track teams similarly established new top marks at the school this past weekend.

With both the men’s and women’s teams competing at the Dick Shea Open hosted by the United States Military Academy this past Saturday, two freshmen—Ariel Bridges ’15 (13.09) and Heather Ingraham ’15 (13.22)—set school records in the 100-meter race. Additionally, Kelly Holmes ’13 nearly set a new school mark in the 400-meter race, posting the second-best time in school history (1:01.39). Aubree Piepmeier ’14 likewise had a strong day, finishing fourth of 49 in the 1500-meter race (4:53.23). For the men’s team, Sam Wagner ’13 turned in a strong performance in the 400-meter, finishing fourth of 42 (50.53), while Zach Williams ’12 also posted a strong effort, finishing third of 48 (1:56.27) in the 800-meter race. The lone victory of the afternoon was captured by the men’s 4x400 team composed of Williams, Wagner, Mathue Duhaney ’13 and Andrew Terenzi ’15. The four finished in 3:28.66 to seal the victory.

Other teams saw their conference season heat up as women’s tennis, women’s lacrosse, men’s lacrosse and baseball all competed in crucial Liberty League contests.

The No. 25 women’s tennis team dropped a key Liberty League contest to No. 24 Skidmore College. With the loss, the Brewers fall to 3-1 in the Liberty League, while Skidmore now sits at 4-0 in the conference. The Brewers went up 2-1 after doubles.

Jennifer Beckerman ’12 and Samantha Schapiro ’15 won 9-7 at No. 2, while Hannah Van Demark ’15 and Jennifer Ruther ’13 won 8-4 at No. 3. In singles, the Brewers earned two wins at the top of the lineup, with Beckerman winning 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 and Ava Sadeghi ’15 winning 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2, but were unable to put up a fifth victory, falling 5-4.

Men’s tennis similarly almost pulled an upset over a nationally ranked team, falling to No. 21

Parker Werline ’14, takes a swing at a recent men’s baseball game. The Brewers split a four-game series with first-place Skimore College last weekend, improving their Liberty League record to 3-5. the bottom of the fourth inning. After the weekend, the Brewers are tied with Rochester Institute of Technology for fifth place in the Liberty League.

No. 10 men’s volleyball finished 3-1 in the Vassar Volleyball Invitational, dropping the final match to Springfield College 3-2 (21-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-27, 15-10). Joe Pyne ’14 led the Brewers with 15 kills against Springfield and was named to the AllTournament Team.

In their first match of the tournament, the Brewers cruised over No. 15 Baruch College 3-1 (25-14, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21), Matt Elgin ’13 hit .552 to lead the Brewers, notching 18 kills in the contest.

While the Brewers hit well in the match—a percentage of .302—their defense was truly stifling.

Baruch hit just .143 in the match, .129 in the first set and .000 in the second set. The Brewers routed Johnson & Wales in their second match of the first day 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-21) to end the first day on a high note.

On the second day, the volleyball team picked up right where they left off the previous night, handily defeating Newbury College 3-1 (25-17, 2515, 23-25, 25-8). Newbury hit just .053 in the match, recording 33 kills while committing 27 errors.

Vassar on the other hand, managed a consistent .315 hitting percentage.

Vassar Sports Information prepares alums for careers Tina Caso Reporter

A

Courtesy of Jimmy McCumber

s a driving force behind all publicity in the world of Vassar athletics, the Sports Information (SI) Department, headed by Assistant Director of Athletics: Communications, Marketing and Promotions Robin Deutsch and Assistant Sports Information Director Shane Donahue ’10, provides jobs to student employees and alumnae/i who seek work in a fast-paced and demanding field. The department, focusing on athletics communications, prepares student workers for jobs of all sorts after graduation by setting the groundwork for skills in communication, design, marketing and collaboration within a workplace.

Deutsch, attempting to explain all of the duties required of him, explained that his job has an extraordinary range. “There might be 35 different things that we do during one day,” he said. “In its broadest sense, we publicize Vassar Athletics through hometown stories, pitching stories to media, live stats and involvement with the website.” He continued, “Every single day we get to be artists.”

Donahue touched upon another perk of the job: its dynamic aspect. “Because you’re working to produce material and content and statistics, you’re not sitting behind a desk,” he said.

Donahue went on to highlight the importance of experience. After working three years as a student manager at the All Campus Dining Center, he applied for a job in Sports Information during his senior year. “I came in for the interview and [Deutsch] said, ‘I don’t take seniors.’ He said he would make this exception and bring me on for a year.”

Donahue is now in his second year as assistant Sports Information director and, with several years of experience, Deutsch claims that he is now in a position to become a director. “I’ve had a dozen people that have gone into Sports Information. Shane is just about ready to run his own office. His next

Above, Jimmy McCumber ’09, reports court-side, for his job as the Sports Information Director at Albright College. McCumber worked in Vassar’s Sports Information Department while a student here. question is: ‘well, how do I set this up?’”

Other alumnae/i who began as student workers and have continued in the field include Jimmy McCumber ’09, a soccer player for four years and SI worker for three during his time at Vassar. McCumber gained the position of assistant director at Misericordia University only several weeks after graduating. After two years working at Misericordia, he now is the Sports Information Director at Albright College.

Reminiscing on his job at Vassar, McCumber, in an emailed statement, wrote, “There’s no question that the Sports Information Department at Vassar was a training ground for me.” He continued, “The ability to write, to multitask and to work quickly and efficiently are perhaps the most important skills involved with my job. But specifically, I left Vassar so prepared for this industry because

I had already learned to complete those tasks independently and at a high level.”

He elaborated on his development, writing, “[Deutsch’s] method of training student workers is two-tiered—he teaches us how to perform our jobs at a high level, and then gives us the independence to do it ourselves.” McCumber added that the learning process revealed masked intricacies of the position. “I remember being a bit frustrated at how closely [Deutsch] edited the first few articles I submitted for the Athletics website, but the goal was not just to make my writing acceptable for publishing, it was to teach me every detail he could about how to write an outstanding sports article.

“As I’ve learned all too well over the past three years, keeping statistics for an NCAA game (or writing an article that is published

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on the school’s official athletics site) is no laughing matter,” McCumber wrote.

Despite the segmented and challenging style of the work, the office maintains an extremely close-knit atmosphere that is evident upon entry, which is shared by Deutsch and Donahue. Deutsch, who calls his office his extended family, said that he is “pretty sure I spend more time with Shane then I do with my family. When you add up that I’ve got nine student workers … we spend an awful lot of time together doing very fun, but labor-intensive work.” Donahue added, “It’s the most demanding student job on campus and we’re very selective with our workers in terms of how they fit in with the group. [Deutsch] likes to say that he’s coaching a team.”

When collaboration between so many different people is such a natural part to the job, Deutsch clarified, “This is a team here and I am very selective because the pieces have to fit perfectly.” He continued, “I judge a person as much as I judge how much they know about a particular sport. We all enjoy each other’s company, we all have a very­— hopefully—thick skin, and we can joke with one another.” McCumber is especially thankful for such a workplace, writing, “These were the people I was interacting with on a daily basis and it was a pretty special atmosphere we had. Working with so many people who had the talent, drive and knowledge to be successful in the sports industry forced me to always perform at that level, and without a doubt it’s a reason I’ve had success professionally in this field.”

As for the future aspirations of the office, Deutsch said, “We want to be great everyday and we don’t compete against another office the way you compete against other teams, but I want this office to be considered the best in the country. I don’t look at it through divisions. We do very similar work and I want this office to be considered the best in the country. I really believe we are. And if I didn’t believe it, I wouldn’t say it.”