THE CAMPANIL
11.03.15 // Volume 101 // Issue 5 //
// Student-run newspaper serving Mills College since 1917 //
Curriculum
Controversy Proposed cuts to historic programs prompt responses from staff, alums, faculty and students According to the Oct. 19 memo sent out by Mills President Alecia DeCoudreaux, three programs are proposed to be “taught-out” over the next few years. These programs are American Studies, the dance undergraduate major and both undergraduate and graduate levels of the Book Art program. The Mills community has quickly come together to address these proposals and other underlying problems and changes at Mills. This issue of The Campanil is mainly dedicated to testimonials, open letters and reported articles on the events of the past two weeks. The Campanil will continue reporting as it gets closer to the Dec. 1 deadline set by the Board of Trustees. Go to thecampanil.com for futher coverage.
NFL hosts public forum to discuss Raiders move Thinking things through with Juliana Spahr M S onika
abic
sabic@thecampanil.com
Oakland Raiders fans, decked out in black and silver gear, gathered at Paramount Theater on Oct. 29 for the National Football League’s (NFL) public forum to address concerns about the team’s potential move back to Southern California. The open forum was the last of a three-city tour hosted by four members of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s executive staff: Eric Grubman, Chris Hardart, Cynthia Hogan, and league lawyer Jay Bauman. The Raiders are in talks of possibly moving back to Southern California and sharing a stadium in Carson with their NFL rivals, the San Diego Chargers, while the St. Louis Rams are eying land in Inglewood, CA for its own stadium. The NFL organized the open forums in the teams’ cities to allow fans to share their thoughts before the league’s owners voted for
Sarah Hoenicke staff writer
MONIKA SABIC
The Oakland Raiders have been located in Oakland from 1960-1981 and from 1995-present. They are in talks to move.
the moves. So far, no application has been filed for the Raiders to move locations. The Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982 under Al Davis before coming back to Oakland in 1995. The team has played four of its five Super Bowl appearances as
the “Oakland Raiders.” “The Oakland Raiders own three Super Bowl rings [and] there are three other teams that do not,” a Raider fan said. “Oakland is a part of the elite teams in the NFL because of that. I would ask that the see Raiders page 6
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Juliana Spahr is reluctant to self-define. Her ego is undetectable. She doesn’t romanticize her status as an artist or activist. Spahr doesn’t know why she took up writing; no one in her family was a writer. “Probably because I read a lot and I went to a liberal arts college, took some writing classes and just kept doing it. Just circumstantially, not for any good reason,” Spahr said. But Spahr’s writing and her life defy her statement. Getting to know her is to be introduced to an impressive intentionality and to a mind constantly at work. Her poetry, she says, is a way for her to think through things. But if you ask Spahr what she does, she says, “I teach.” Spahr teaches poetry at Mills College. She also grows fruits, vegetables and native plants at her home in Berkeley. She writes
criticism and gives lectures. She raises her 8-year-old son with two partners. The number of books she’s written depends on how she counts. Published books — not including books she’s edited — she numbers at five, yet she still doesn’t know when something’s finished. “I just kind of give in and publish a book in some form. That’s when you know it’s done — when you can no longer edit it,” Sphar said. The time it takes her to publish a poem varies wildly — a couple of weeks to six months, depending on how long or complicated the poem is, or if she loses interest and tries to bring it forward again. “That Winter the Wolf Came,” Spahr’s latest book, caught the attention of the New York Times and was reviewed by Times writer Stephen Burt. It was released
see Spahr page 7
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11.03.15
News
Qilombo fights gentrification in community amidst own battles Dajanae Barrows barrows@thecampanil.com In West Oakland there is one radical group that is fighting gentrification through empowering the community: Qilombo. To help build an empowered community, Qilombo has created various programs and meetings like community brunches, language learning workshops in KiSwahili (an African language mainly spoken by the people of eastern and central Africa), and garden working days in the Afrika Town community garden. Qilombo has made its claim as a community center and a radical group on the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and Brush Street for the past few years. Deriving from the Kimbuntu word kilombo, meaning a 19th century Brazilian settlement that provided food and shelter for escaped slaves, Qilombo takes its namesake to a modern level and works to benefit its neighborhood and all of Oakland in different ways. Qilombo’s roots began in 2011, formerly under the name the Holdout. The group was composed of mainly white anarchists that created a social space, events space, bookstore and bike workshop. However, the Holdout was not successful in
creating a social space, due to its failure in addressing gentrification and displacement for black and brown communities. The community center re-opened its doors in February 2014; this time, along with its new name, it has worked to address issues for people of color. Mills MFA student Van Dell works as an organizer at Qilombo. Dell has worked with the community center for a year after first working as a volunteer. “We have been a part of the conversation to frame what gentrification is,” Dell said. “We make sure that we keep the dialogue going, from that ‘amnesia’ that America has, so that it does get replicated.” Qilombo and the Afrika Town garden have also experienced its issues with gentrification. For instance, in April 2015, Noel Yi, the owner of the Qilombo property, wanted to sell the lot for undisclosed reasons. Qilombo responded with the all-day event “Liberation Day” on April 3, to spread awareness about Afrika Town’s potential demise. Organizer China Marchae shared her thoughts on the importance of Qilombo in West Oakland and the community. Originally from Long Beach, California, she began working with Qilombo in January 2015 after attending Sistar Cypher, a bimonthly open mic held on Fridays
Q i l o m b o ’ s c o m m u n i t y c e n t e r o f f e rs m a n y w a y s f o r at the center. While attending her article in the East Bay Express, Sulfirst meeting with fellow organizers livan’s actions are an expansion of in March, she recalled a bulldozer the hundreds of homes he owns in coming to tear down the garden. West Oakland. After police decided not to raid There has been a lack of comand construction workers did not munication between the group and appear to bulldoze the garden on Sullivan after his company gave April 3, a victory was claimed for Qilombo an eviction notice to vaQilombo and Afrika Town. cate the building within 30 days. However, in the past few When asked for a statement, Sullimonths Neill Sullivan, landlord van did not respond. and founder of Sullivan Manage“We don’t know what that is ment Company (SMC) in Oakland, going to look like,” Marchae said. bought Qilombo’s headquarters “Because of gentrification, we are to create it as a storage center for in a constant battle to stay here.” SMC Rentals. According to an Marchae also expressed hope
DAJANAE BARROWS
the community to unite. for Qilombo even with its own fight with gentrification and displacement for its volunteers and organizers. According to Marchae, Qilombo plans to spread awareness about the eviction through several ideas, such as taking the issue to court and hosting a block party on Nov. 8 to spread awareness. “As a space, this [Qilombo] has the potential to start combating it,” Marchae said. “I really do believe that Qilombo is a battleground for what’s going on right now, and I think it could be useful to folks around here.”
Social Justice Resource Center welcomes new assistant director Monika Sabic
sabic@thecampanil.com
Known for his impressive background in social justice advocacy and education, Alfredo Del Cido joins Mills as its new assistant director of the Social Justice Resource Center. Del Cido previously served as UC Davis’s training and administration coordinator for associate students and assistant director for the LGBTQIA Resources Center, prior. At Mills, he hopes to bring his passion for intersectionality to the Social Justice Resource Center. “The key components that really drew me to this position was that it aligned with one of my values which is working through an intersectional lense,” Del Cido said. Sabrina Kwist, director of Engagement and Inclusion Division of Student Life, appreciates how Del Cido brings a true and authentic commitment to social justice.
She believes that Del Cido’s knowledge and experience will help facilitate conversations on campus with both grace and empathy. “This isn’t just his job,” Kwist said. “It is his personal commitment to social justice that impressed me.” Kwist is excited to work with her new assistant director in designing new programs in creative ways that brings the entire Mills community together. Born in San Francisco, California Del Cido grew up in Guatemala until he came back to the United States for college. He earned his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara in sociology and LGBTQ* studies. Currently Del Cido is attending graduate school at University of Southern California for a masters in education. He is optimistic about his position as assistant director being mutually beneficial to his graduate work — taking real life issues from here at Mills and applying it to his studying in education, and vise versa.
COURTESTY OF ALFREDO DEL CIDO
D e l C i d o f e e l s a p e rs o n a l p u l l t o h i s p o s i t i o n a t M i l l s .
Del Cido was initially attracted to Mills because of its rich history, like how it was established the same year the city of Oakland was founded. After working in big collegiate institutions, Del Cido loves the small community Mills has to offer. “I love that aspect of Mills
Chief News Editor Abbey Flentje
Emily Mibach Editor in Chief eic@thecampanil.com 5000 MacArthur Blvd. Rothwell 157 Oakland, CA 94613 510.430.2246 phone
Arts & Ent. Editor Grace Forrest Sports & Health Editor Monika Sabic Opinions Editor Dajanae Barrows Online Editor Alexina Estrada Asst. Online Editor Calli Storrs Design Editor Francesca Twohy-Haines
where it is small enough for people in their departments to get to know each other and build personal relationships” Del Cido said. So far, Del Cido is working with the Summer Academic Workshop programs for his portfolio. In the future, he hopes to expand the Resource Center’s
Asst. Design Editor Britt Hart Staff Writers Sarah Hoenicke, Valarie Williams, Taelor Ramos, Erin Strubbe, Annie Clark, Tania Gidney, Emily Burian Copy Chief Kenna Wright Copy Editors Lindsay Ballie Photo Coordinator Hart Rosenberg Staff Photographer Eve Switzky-Martin Ad Manager Cleo Pierce
efforts in creating an inclusionary space for undocumented and AB540 students, and undocumented students who pay in-state college tuition only if they have attended high school for three or more years and have a high school diploma. Del Cido also plans to expand the center’s work done in LGBTQIA issues by creating programs and learning spaces. On his first day as assistant director, Del Cido presented to 42 Division of Student Life Ambassadors (DSLA) on LGBQTIA Month, thinking of the importance of narratives and stories, and of intersectionality. Residential Assistant Irena Huang, who attended the presentation, was impressed with Del Cido’s knowledge in LGBQTIA issues. “We are moving into a more historical women’s college now because we are starting to accept students of different sexualities and genders,” Huang said. “[Del Cido] will be beneficial to help us be a more inclusive campus.”
The Campanil welcomes public commentary on subjects of interest to the campus community, as well as feedback on the paper itself. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 150 words. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity only. All submissions must include the author’s name and contact information and may be submitted via e-mail or in typewritten form, accompanied by an electronic copy. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received one week before the publication date to appear in the next issue. The Campanil reserves the right to upload all content published in print, in addition to original content, on our website, www.thecampanil.com. The Campanil is published every other Tuesday. Students interested in joining The Campanil staff should contact the Editor in Chief at eic@thecampanil.com
Opinions
Since the news about the proposed curriculum changes came out on Oct. 19, the community of French & Francophone studies has been concerned about the future of language studies at Mills. Not only have Dr. Brinda Mehta and Dr. Audrey Calefas-Strebelle taught us to be critical thinkers and global scholars, they have also fostered a community of love and respect in our department. As language students we are sensitive to the nuances of coded text and speech. The information we have received from the administration has both confused and frightened us. The proposed plan for the transition of language studies from a major to an area of concentration concerns us. Our department has fought for Mills to have a language requirement for 15 years, and it is finally becoming a part of the core curriculum. It is irresponsible to attempt to broaden the scope of the language department while simultaneously removing our majors and dismissing our faculty. We do not understand what it means to become a concentration in an umbrella major. We cannot spread out without our roots. French, Spanish, and cultural studies majors are necessary parts of our identity as a Liberal Arts College, as all languages should be. We are not only concerned for our own futures, but also for the futures of incoming students and of our faculty. Current first year Dylan Nesser states: “I am disheartened by the news of the curriculum changes that are meant to be put in place soon, especially as someone who just recently went through the application, acceptance, and orientation processes at this school … With an institution that widely celebrates and advertises its diverse student population, why is it that the language and culture studies programs are being cut? The studies of different cultures is essential to the respect of diversity, so what does it mean when those studies are being taken away?” We ask that the administration reevaluate what it is we do in the department of languages and literatures. Sophomore Alexa Barger reminds us that “These
studies are not merely focused on grammar or mainstream culture; they incorporate nearly every discipline offered at Mills, including history, philosophy, sociology, gender studies, ethnic studies and literary studies.” It is important to recognize the diversity of our department, and the impact that our curriculum and our community has on students of color, and what it means to have professors who represent racial and cultural diversity. Senior Kelly Ortiz states: “Professors like Brinda Mehta and Audrey Calefas-Strebelle provide the interdisciplinary education and cross-cultural perspectives that are often neglected within institutions of higher education. The language department has been the locus of my personal growth as a student of color and a French speaker and thinker during my time at Mills. Professors like Brinda and Audrey are essential in upholding the vision of a diverse and social justice driven institution that Mills College proudly commends itself for being.” The department of languages and literatures has been a safe haven for many students of color who feel alienated in other departments. Senior Tiara Jackson writes: “I came to Mills with the expectation that I would be in community with people who were passionate about learning and social justice, and what I experienced was racial inequality and invisibility. The campus climate was one of hostility toward Black students. It was in the languages and literatures department where I found my voice and where I saw diversity reflected in my professors and my classmates ... it is because of this community that I am proud to call myself a Mills Woman.” We appreciate the support from students and faculty, and ask that the administration hears us and provides clear and intelligible answers to our questions. NOUS SOMMES ICI. Emma Wilson and Tiara Jackson
CALENDAR OF CURRICULUM BASED EVENTS 11/3 Dance Performance, Holmgren Meadow, 5 p.m. 11/4 Open Office Hours with Pres. DeCoudreaux, MH 09, 3-4 p.m. 11/5 Printathon, CPM 118, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 11/9 Community Meeting, Gathering Hall of Larry I. Lokey School of Business, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. 11/12 Community Meeting, Gathering Hall of Larry I. Lokey School of Business, 4 p.m. - 5p.m.
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The proposed changes at Mills and its impact on campus
Staff Editorial
An open letter from students of French & Francophone studies
11.03.15
On Monday, Oct. 19, President DeCoudreaux sent out a memorandum to students discussing the proposed curriculum changes that administration compiled. One of the proposals that surprised everyone, from students to faculty, is that three programs are to be “taught-out” in the next few years: the undergraduate and graduate Book Art program, the dance undergraduate major, and the American studies major and minor for undergraduate students. Since then, students in both the book art and dance departments have fought against the cuts in various ways, from petitioning to multiple emails to Tumblr pages of feelings about these occurrences. There have also been forums in the past few weeks to discuss the matter between administration and students, which resulted in more confusion, anger and anxiety among students. At the same time, students and faculty have composed counter proposals in response to the tabled curriculum changes. Recently, students also stood on Holmgren Meadow in protest and solidarity with the departments that are being threatened with the changes before the last forum to address the issues at hand. First of all, we are just as
concerned as every one else is on this campus. As students, we realize the impact of what these proposals could bring to Mills; we take part in these programs that are proposed to be changed and/or cut entirely, so this affects not only the future, but also the present. Because of that, we hold awareness of the impact that all of these programs have had for the past and present of Mills. For instance, our dance department is the longest continuing program in the country. Mills is known for its book art department, having many of its alumnae go on to successful futures. We have revered and respected professors on our campus in their departments, a mission statement and history revolving around social justice, and so many more things that drew us to Mills during our admission processes and choices. Now that these ideas have been proposed, it makes us wonder not only about our place on this campus, but also the future of Mills. At the same time, we also acknowledge the potential that the curriculum changes could bring. Based on the memo (aside from the cuts and changes) some of the ideas could be fruitful for Mills. However, the proposed cuts and changes make us wonder about the
stakes — financially and historically — for both current and prospective students. While we do also recognize the historical impact of these respective programs, we also hold awareness on the departmental inequities in them, leading to the campus inequities that the administration holds concern for and have spoken about. Most marginalized students (i.e. students of color, Black students, LGBTQ students, first-generation students, etc.) on campus feel unsafe in classes and on campus, showing an intersectionality between low enrollment/retention rates and the inequities in these departments. In order for both administration and the departments to truly see results, marginalized students have to be included in the conversation that concerns Mills at this point. Away from our roles as editors, journalists, reporters, photographers, etc., we are still students. We share concerns and values in the proposed curriculum changes. Our roles as participants in the Mills community based on our educational choices cannot make us help but worry about what will happen in the future if these changes are passed.
In regards to the reaction to major/minor cuts Mills Students, Faculty, and Staff, We would like to address the proposed major/minor cuts and the response that students have had to them, in regards primarily to the book art and dance departments. As students who are now finishing our fourth year at Mills College, we would like to question the department’s continual inequities including but not limited to: financial inaccessibility, racism, classism, elitism, fatphobia, and transphobia. I (Nazanin) have publicly advocated against the special topics belly dancing course in the dance department, and have privately advocated against the hip-hop dance course as well. Both courses are taught by people not of the dances original cultural backgrounds. Belly dancing fetishizes women of Middle Eastern descent, in what is now a hypersexualized dance done for the Western and male gaze. I was shocked personally, that Mills — a feminist school — would be interested in perpetuating these stereotypes about Middle Eastern people, especially when the school does not do a lot of work in supporting Islamic and Arabic students that are on campus. As for the hip-hop dance class, the teacher is financially benefiting from black expression that came out of black oppression. Black
oppression, that we, as non-black people have created and continued to perpetuate by having classes like this taught by non-black people. When departments have courses like this, people of color cannot be made to feel safe. These are direct examples of the link between low enrollment and lack of diversity in students in these departments. In the past couple of years, Mills College has received a lot of input from Black students asking to make
There needs to be major changes within these departments which address the inequities within them. this campus safer for them after a post which threatened to lynch Black women on the campus. The response by Mills Black students and allies was largely unsupported by fellow students as well as quickly forgotten about by nonBlack students after demonstrations had ended. How can departments which, with the exception of the French department, have made no effort to ensure my (Arianna’s) safety as a Mills student expect my support in allowing their continuation within Mills? There needs to be major changes within these departments which address the ineq-
uities within them. The majors and minors which are being phased out are extremely crucial to the Mills experience, but the fact of the matter is there are campus-wide and department-wide inequities. These inequalities are an extremely intersectional real factor in the low enrollment of classes and majors. If students of color and first generation students do not feel safe in a department, or it has been made clear to them that the space is not safe for them, then where lies the point in organizing students if the same issues are going to continue? Without the assistance of the activist undergraduate students on campus, we do not see the potential for the departments to be saved. Our support will not be given until we see a serious change in the conversation to center the marginalized students on campus. If the inequity and lack of diversity issues that led to low enrollment are not addressed, this conversation will happen again in five years. “You fight for your classes; we fight for survival.” – Margarita Sánchez Morales -Nazanin Szanto, Political, Legal and Economic Analysis and Public Policy -Arianna Cruz-Sellu, Early Childhood Education and Ethnic Studies
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Curriculum
Students fight the plan to close histor Book Art program Grace Forrest forrest@thecampanil.com Mills students and faculty are disappointed that the administration and trustees are voting to cut the world renowned Book Art program in the middle of November 2015. In a memorandum from the president on Oct. 19 a set of changes to the curriculum were outlined, as well as a list of programs to be taught out of the school’s academic offerings. This list of cuts include the minor and MFA in book art. According to the memorandum, changes to the curriculum are designed to help prepare Mills for the future — to create new innovative programs that will help the college continue to offer a high quality liberal arts education. However, faculty sources have said that the cuts and restructuring are part of a 3 million dollar budget cut. “This is exactly what has been happening on a national scale. Colleges are slashing arts, while administrators’ salaries and tuition skyrockets. It’s frustrating that the school would betray its roots like this,” 2015 book art alumnae Beck Levy, said in an email.
The Mills College Book Art program was instated in the early 1980’s. But the true start was in the 1930’s when Rosalind Keep wanted to start a private press on the Mills campus and created the Eucalyptus press. Today, the historic Eucalyptus press and its sister facility the Florence Walter Bindery house the internationally recognized Book Art program that helps to make Mills so unique. Very few programs exist in the country and the Mills program balances both the mechanical and scholarly aspects of book art in a way that no other program does, according to both faculty and students. Mills has long been pushing for more interdisciplinary classes and programs in all departments. “Mills has been looking for innovative interdisciplinary programs with a national reputation, and not only are we national, we are international. We are doing what the college wants,” Head of Book Art Kathleen Walkup said. According to students, what it seems the trustees and administration are missing is that ultimately the Book Art program is one of the main things that makes Mills competitive. With no other
program like it in the world, losing this would make the Mills education just that much more similar to the hundreds of other small colleges in the United States. “Mills is definitely going through a major overhaul towards industry productive majors and concentrations, and I’m really worried that its historical place in the arts is at stake,” studio art alumnae Sarah Knight, said in an email. Mills is going through large changes that are being decided by what some faculty call a top down administration. Moreover, several key administrators are either leaving at the end of the year, have an interim position or have just arrived and do not understand the realities of what is happening on the ground at Mills. “This is coming from a president who is leaving early. I’m just upset in general that she won’t be around for the impact of her decisions,” Knight said in a Facebook comment responding to the proposed cuts. Right now, the community is mobilizing and is determined to not let this historical program go down without a tough fight. “As the sole purpose of my attendance at this school I find it ultimately degrading that
my passion [book art] is being belittled to a budget solution. My educational validity will not be demolished for a free ride in saving this institution money ... I don’t doubt that our strong and empowered community will fight for our devotion to book art. This is the beginning of four weeks of unbridled community building and paper power!” Selena Matranga, a studio art and book art minor said in an email. By Tuesday morning, the book art MFA alums had created a petition to save the Book Art program, as well as a blog for students and alums to write testimonials and memories. Approximately seven hours after the petition went live, it reached over 750 signatures from across the country. “This department is strong and unique, something that sets Mills apart from other schools and fosters an amazing community. The idea that it could be gone, so quickly and with so little regard for its worth, is unbelievable,” Isabel Duffy, book art and creative writing MFA alum, said in an email. Twenty three current students, from many disciplines across campus, met on Oct. 20 to discuss plans of action, ideas and talking points for the open meeting being held on
PHOTOS LEFT AN
Book Art students hand printed a flyer (far left) requesting recognition in the 21st book (left and above) explaining the history and importance of book binding and le
Coverage
rical Oct. 21 in the faculty lounge. Multiple students pointed out that they chose Mills for its diversity and commitment to a truly liberal arts education and that by cutting one of Mills most unusual programs, Mills is becoming significantly less diverse. Sophomore Katie Gross came to Mills from across the state because of book art. “While many schools offer [creative writing], the Book Art minor program at Mills is what really tipped the scales for me when I was deciding where to attend,” Gross said. Beyond that, many students feel that the Book Art program is the community and heart that Mills promises its students. “The Book Art program is a supportive community. The professors and students I have met have changed the way I approach my science classes. They have improved my critical thinking skills and have made me a better Mills student,” Ruby Fisher, a biology major and book art minor, said. The ultimate decision of what will happen to the book art department lies in the hands of the trustees, tenured faculty and administration when they vote on the proposed changes in mid-November.
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Students dance against department cuts Erin Strubbe Staff Wruter Dance majors, minors and graduate students have rallied in outrage this week against proposed cuts to their program. The dance department, along with book art and American studies, is slated for massive cuts with the implementation of the proposed revisions for the Mills curriculum. According to the memorandum sent by President DeCoudreaux on Oct. 19, the dance minor and masters programs will be retained, but the major itself will be dissolved. “If you get rid of the dance major, people aren’t going to come to the masters program,” first year dance MFA student Bhumi Patel said. “We need our undergraduates. We love having that community of people.” Students in the dance department claim that many unique programs providing opportunities for students to perform and hone their skills, such as Studio One nights, Undergrad Underground, and the Repertory Dance Company, will fold without the support of undergraduate majors. “Mills dance is giving undergraduate female identified persons opportunities. Real opportunities. To make work, to explore the discipline beyond the surface, and to really grow as conscientious artists,” Zachary Forcum, a second year dance MFA student, said. The statement about the curriculum changes indicated that these changes were being made with the goal of creating programs that
MONIKA SABIC
D a n c e s t u d e n t s , g r a d u a t e s a n d u n d e rg r a d u a t e s h a v e p a r t i c i p a t e d i n o p e n forums to tell the administration that da nce is releva nt to a 21st century education.
would distinguish Mills as a college. Mills is known as the home of the country’s oldest dance program, leaving many students wondering why it is so ready to undermine this distinguished title if national renown is the administration’s goal. “How are we going to identify as a liberal arts college that has the oldest dance program in the country and let go of that as a major for students? How does that make us more competitive?” first year dance MFA Erik Lee said. Many current students are attending Mills solely for its historic dance department. One of these students, senior dance major Mackenzie Pierson, notes that, though the program is comparatively small, Mills has done nothing to bolster its enrollment or popularity. “The biggest thing [administrators] weren’t aware of is that in admissions they don’t advertise these programs,” Pierson said, referring
ND RIGHT CURTESY OF THE BOOK ART DEPARTMENT
century, as well as a small eight-fold etterpress printing in the 21st century.
MONIKA SABIC
S t u d e n t s h a ve p ro t e s t e d c o n t i n u o u s l y s i n c e t h e m e m o r a n d u m w a s s e n t o u t b y P re s i d e n t D e C o u d re a u x .
to dance and book art, which are both slated for cuts. “They push programs that have more funding but that we’re not known for.” Students like Pierson believe that advertising our historic programs and generating interest at local high schools may help increase the number of applicants to Mills, and help solve budgetary problems. The cutting of the dance major will only result in the termination of a single class: the senior thesis class. This leads many students to believe that closing out the major will not even cut costs enough to improve the college’s financial situation in the long run. This, paired with administration’s claims, during a student forum on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that the changes have more to do with bringing Mills into the 21st century than with cutting costs, has incited a great deal of confusion and frustration from dance students. “I found it very difficult to perceive what was genuine from the administration and what was just political rhetoric,” second yearmasters dance student Abigail Keyes said. “It was really hard for me to figure out if what they were saying was really heartfelt or if it was just pacification, because it felt really patronizing.” Despite claiming that these curriculum changes are aimed to give Mills students a 21st century education, they have neglected to give a definitive explanation of what they consider a “21st century education” to be. “[This proposal] doesn’t consider how important the arts are to this notion of a 21st century education,” Patel said. The administration has indicated that their concept of the new curriculum places great importance on making existing programs more interdisciplinary, but students in the dance program assert that their department already exists as a shining example of interdisciplinary study at Mills. “This training isn’t just to become a dancer. Learning about dance changes the way you think,” Pierson said. “It trains you for a
vast array of different jobs in a way that is more interdisciplinary, more connected, than other art training.” “It’s a lot more interdisciplinary than they give it credit for,” senior dance minor Sophia Klein said. This sentiment is echoed across the dance department with graduate students speaking out on behalf of their undergraduate peers. “People with BAs in dance go on to teach, go on to tech, go on to arts administration, go on to work in corporations, go on to start companies, go on to be choreographers, go on to be performers. They go on to be so many things because dance isn’t about just movement; it’s about discipline; it’s about working hard,” Patel said. “We were talking yesterday about the Mills mission statement, and if you replace ‘the College’ with ‘the dance department,’ that’s exactly what we’re doing here.” Forcum pointed out the dwindling number of professional female choreographers as motivation enough for continuing to support the dance program at Mills, a college that has from the beginning prided itself on empowering women and giving them the skills to be competitive in any field. “There are becoming less and less and less female choreographers,” Forcum said. “How are we going to create those artists if we don’t have that space in a college like this? How are we really serving the population?” Dance students believe that there are plenty of ways to improve Mills’ financial standing without cutting its most historic and distinguished programs, from increasing awareness of these programs in high schools, to reaching out to the many tech companies and foundations that got their start in the Bay Area, to consulting with the faculty and creating a plan of action to generate revenue from the programs that already exist. Students and Mills administration will continue to hold meetings about the cuts throughout the rest of the semester, allowing students to continue to make the case for retaining their programs.
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11.03.15
Sports & Health
Raiders fans fight the move back to Los Angeles Cyclone Swimmer awarded LAC Performer of the Week Monika Sabic sabic@thecampanil.com Abbey Flentje flentje@thecampanil.com
PHOTO BY MONIKA SABIC
The “Maniac” stated that if the Raiders move to LA then Oakland fans will not go to the games. from
Raiders page 1
because Southern California is not meant to be home to a football team. Los Angeles has been home to three footballs team: the Rams, Raiders and Chargers who have all left at some point. The same three teams are currently trying to move back to L.A. Raiders fans expressed their frustration about why the NFL would allow a historical franchise to break apart from its city. De-
Throughout the forum, fans continued to say, “Just stay, baby” in honor of previous owner Al Davis’s trademark slogan “Just win, baby.” Davis was known for building Raider Nation and making it a part of Oakland’s identity. Mark Davis was told by multiple fans that he was born into a Raider family much like themselves. Fans proposed different ideas to raise money for a new stadium, like creating crowd fund campaigns. One fan proposed the Raider organization become a communityshared organization, similar to the Green Bay Packers, where the public holds minor shares in the team. In an effort to keep their beloved team, fans call the Oakland Raider Nation a community family. “Oakland is home. Just stay baby.”
“The Oakland Raiders own three Super Bowl rings [and] there are three other teams that do not,” a Raider fan said. “Oakland is a part of the elite teams in the NFL because of that. I would ask that the Oakland council and the NFL start treating us with that respect.” To many fans’ surprise, Raiders owner Mark Davis attended the meeting and stayed during the entire three hours. While at the podium, “The Raiders belong in many fans commented on how they Oakland. Oakland refrained from criticizing Davis because he was present to hear fans’ belongs to the Raiders” comments. In the past, Davis, son - Forum attendee of former owner Al Davis, has been ridiculed for not making an effort to keep the team in Oakland despite spite the team’s weak past records, making statements that the team Oakland fans are known for their belongs in the East Bay. Both the commitment to stay all four quarRaiders organization and Alameda ters, rain or shine. county have reached a statement towards a new Raiders stadium. One fan expressed that if Davis moves the team to Southern California again and tries to move back to Oakland, then he should expect “a no trespassing sign.” “The Raiders belong in Oakland. Oakland belongs to the Raiders,” one fan chanted. Also in attendance was Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf who spoke in the beginning about why Oakland loves its football team and should remain. Schaaf failed to stay for the rest of the forum. MONIKA SABIC Fans in attendance claimed that moving the team back to Southern Oakland was the last of the three city tours by NFL Executives California will be disastrous Chris Hardart, Eric Grubman Cynthia Hogan and Jay Bauman.
Calf stretches to do during a study break Alexina Estrada
First year swimmer Morgan Leischman was honored as the Liberal Arts Championship (LAC) Performer of the Week for her superb performance at the swim meet against California State-East Bay. In her first collegiate swim meet against CSU East Bay, Leischman broke three school records: the 100 backstroke in 1:02, the 200 backstroke in 2:14, and the 200 IM in 2:20. Not only did she beat Mills’ record during that meet, but she also placed in each race. Awarded athletes are chosen by coaches of the LAC for an admirable performance. The LAC is a conference made up of smaller, liberal arts schools with similar NCAA statuses from across the country that do not have a seasonending, culminating meet. Neil Virtue, head swimming coach, notes that Leischman works incredibly hard and has major commitment to the team. Virtue believes that breaking three school records as a first year is a great start to her career at Mills. “It’s hard to predict for four years, but she definitely has the potential, experience and work ethic,” Virtue said. “She works really hard, day in and day out of practice.” Virtue said that the day of the CSU East Bay meet, Leischman proved herself as a strong and accomplished competitor by breaking three school records in her first meet. At the team’s second double dual meet against College of Idaho and Biola College, she continued to impress by breaking both the 200 and 500 freestyle records. In the Bay Area Invitation meet against four colleges, she again broke the 400 IM record. Within three meets,
Leischman broke a total of six school records. “It was amazing to break [the records],” Leischman said. “It is validation that my hard work is paying off and that I am making a positive impact on the team.” Swimming competitively since she was seven years old, Leischman decided to join the swimming team at Mills after being impressed with how Virtue created an athletic environment that fosters excellence. “The school allows academics and athletics to survive, and the community was amazing,” Leischman said. Other Cyclone swimmers find Leischman to be a great inspiration and very encouraging of them. Swimmer Danelis PadronCastillo admires how Leischman works hard to constantly improve her skills. “She’s encouraging and goofy and always has a contagious, positive attitude,” Castillo said. For the rest of the semester, Leischman plans to build great bonds with her team members and have fun. She never wanted to finish a race thinking that she could have done more. Virtue feels Leishman is committed to improving herself and the team every time she gets into the pool. “She’s shown huge commitment and great work ethic, which are important tools to succeed,” Virtue said.
COURTESY OF APER
Upcoming Events Personal Boundaries & Consent Workshop Nov. 5 at 7:00-8:30 p.m. Haas 116
estrada@thecampanil.com
Since coming to Mills, I have found that the most helpful way to personally de-stress is to either go to a gym or do certain exercises in my room. I especially love to do calf stretches because they target a leg muscle that I use in other workouts and they prevent any potential injury when I do cardio. Here are three calf stretches that I do to relieve tension during a homework or study break.
Ankle Circles:
Begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Lift whatever leg you want to begin with up above the ground two inches and keep it straight. Then, use your big toe to pretend to draw big circles in the air. You should feel a small pull in your calves. Switch legs as needed.
Wall Calf Stretches:
Begin by standing in front of a flat-surfaced wall. Lean forward by putting your hand or elbows against the wall while keeping your legs, back and head in a straight line. Keep your feet and heels flat. To make the stretch easier, step closer to the wall and to make the stretch harder, step farther away while still keeping your feet and heels flat.
The rest of this column can be found online at: http://www.thecampanil.com/calf-stretches-to-do-when-you-need-a-break/
Haas Pavilion Hours Mon., Wed., Fri. 6:30 - 8:00 a.m. Mon. to Thurs. 12:00 - 9:00 p.m. Friday 12:00 - 7:00 p.m. Sat. to Sun. 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Arts & Entertainment
Professor of poetry Juliana Spahr from
Spahr page 1
In “That Winter,” Spahr intended to write about oil; however, halfway through, she realized she didn’t want to write a documentary poetry book. “I was trying to understand something about the entry of oil into all parts of our lives, through plastics, fertilizers, ingestion, and then I just kind of gave up on that,” Spahr said. The book ended up being written for Commune Editions, a press that she started with Jasper Bernes and Joshua Clover which publishes mainly anti-state, communist and anarchist books. Spahr’s activism goes beyond her poetry. She took part in the
“A period of concentrated interruption,” Spahr said, and laughs. “Politically, I have very few hopes in reform.” That interruption might come from capitalism’s inability to sustain itself or from environmental collapse. Spahr said various sorts of crisis often force a rethinking of the structures that have been created and that define our lives with our complicity but without our consent. “I’m interested in decentralized structures. There’s not a lot of evidence that this nation-state thing is doing a lot of good work,” Spahr said. Spahr was born in 1966, in Chillicothe, Ohio, an industrial town that housed a paper factory
COURTESY OF MOLLY MATALON
J u l i a n a S p a h r ’ s m o s t re c e n t b o o k , “ T h a t W i n t e r t h e Wo l f C a m e ” w a s re v i e w e d b y t h e N e w Yo r k T i m e s a n d e x p l o re s w h a t i t m e a n s t o b e a n o p p o n e n t o f c a p i t a l i s m .
Occupy Oakland movement and demonstrated through her recent work with her friend and collaborator Stephanie Young that she is concerned about “the white room” of the MFA and of the mainstream literary scene. She has said that poetry will not reshape oppressive structures. What will?
that made the town smell and that generated a lot of waste. When NAFTA took effect, a lot of industries moved out; the town is getting smaller all the time, she said. She studied literature at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York and got her doctorate in English from State University of New York, Buffalo.
Though she’s an internationally known poet, Spahr isn’t sure that she has ever written something she is proud of. While she thinks, her face is frank, without pretense. Her eyes are busy, looking around the room. “I took classes when I was an undergraduate and had to write an undergraduate thesis. My thesis director, as a gift, gave one of my poems to someone who was starting a new magazine and it got published and I just kept doing it.” After teaching at University of Hawai’i at Mànoa for six years, she moved back to the continent in 2003. She moved because Hawai’i is isolated and expensive. She still misses the Islands. She enjoyed Hawai’i’s thriving local literary culture and it was there that she wrote “Fuck YouAloha-I Love You” (2001). The work deals with what it means to be local, in particular, to a place that you’re not actually from. Her next book, “This Connection of Everyone with Lungs” (2005), was about thinking through lyric — a term used loosely here to describe conventional poetic forms. “I’d been schooled as an experimental writer and there was a lot of dismissal of a certain lyric or bourgeois subjectivity.” Spahr started reading more internationally and found that there was a very long tradition of politicized lyric. Inger Christensen, a Danish poet, helped her see lyric differently. “One of the reasons we really liked her was because she was both doing very contemporary, experimental work but she also could speak to traditional poetics. She gave her job talk on the history of the sonnet, which surprised us, given the experimental nature of her own work. She’s quite deep in that way,” said Cynthia Scheinberg, English professor at Mills since 1992. Scheinberg served as dean of graduate literary studies at Mills while Spahr was director of creative writing. “She has a doggedness — she doesn’t give up on ideas,” Scheinberg said. “Personally, she’s very humble and understated. You would never know that she’s traveling around the world and doing this kind of work if you were just talking to her.”
Calendar of Events NOVEMBER
11.03.15
Movie review of “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.” taelor ramos staff writer
“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014) Available on Netflix instant, writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour’s intense horror-romance is set in an Iranian ghost town. Shot in sleek black-and-white widescreen, a lonesome vampire searches for her next meal and finds companionship. Arash, a young man stuck paying his father’s debt, channels James Dean levels of quiet cool. Their undeniably striking chemistry sparks against the gentle vulnerability of their intimacy. With its cinematography full of shining depth and a soundtrack of alternative hits, this robust story approaches the film noir style with a modern and original lens, spinning a tale with humor and bite. If you’re hungry for more horror, check out “Housebound” (2014). Set in New Zealand, a young woman is sentenced to house arrest in her childhood home after being estranged from her mother and step-father. As the boredom sets in, so does the suspicion of the house being haunted. When she discovers evidence of a murder, the surprises just begin.
annie clark staff writer
The recent resurgence of late 80’s-inspired synthpop in popular music is in no small part due to CHVRCHES’s 2013 debut “The Bones of What You Believe.” Even the omnipresent Taylor Swift has experimented with the genre. “Out of The Woods,” from Swift’s latest record, “1989,” would easily have a place on “Bones” with its blaring synths and frantically repetitive chorus. So what is there to do when even the most influential woman in pop takes cues from your music? You get even better. If “Bones” was largely an exercise in experimentation, CHVRCHES’s latest record, “Every Open Eye,” is a clear indicator that they’ve secured their songwriting
mapping a Detriot story @ Omi gallery.
10th Leadership Development Series: Building & Motivating Teams @ 5:00p.m. - 6:15 p.m. in Mills Hall.
@ Aggregate Space Gallery 6:00 p.m.
COURTESY OF LOGAN PICTURES SPECTREVISION
H u m o r a n d h o r ro r c o m e t o g e t h e r w h e n a v a m p i re l o o ks f o r h e r n e x t m e a l .
Other thrills on Netflix instant include “The Awakening” (2011), “American Mary” (2012), “The Babadook” (2014), and “Odd Thomas” (2013). For those that want to take a creepy stroll down memory lane there’s also “The Sixth Sense” (1999), “Vampire in Brooklyn” (1995), “The Addams Family” (1991) and “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) also on Netflix instant. Cult classics like “Beetlejuice” (1988), “Poltergeist” (1982), “The Little Vampire” (2000) and “Hocus Pocus” (1993) are available on iTunes.
Synthpop is revitalized on CHVRCHES’s new record “Every Open Eye”
6th Women’s Film Forum:“Treasure” from treasure to trans justice;
13th Synesthesia: MFA in Book Art and Creative Writing thesis show
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COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL
CHVRCHES continues to create innovative music that is transforming popular music.
formula and are sticking to it. Frontwoman Lauren Mayberry’s strong yet lilting voice carries the record from the steady, headstrong opener “Never Ending Circles” to the gorgeous, subdued “Afterglow.” Mayberry’s lyrical talents continue to be one of the band’s greatest creative assets, delivering stunning, cutthroat lines like “I am chasing the skyline much more than you ever will” and “Take care to bury all that you can/take care to leave a trace of a man.” Despite its commitment to the CHVRCHES brand, there are glimpses of a more varied sound at work on “Every Open Eye.” Martin Doherty, who also contributed lead vocals to two tracks on the band’s debut album, takes over for Mayberry on the stripped down “High Enough to Carry You Over,” as well as the bonus track “Follow You.” While Mayberry is unarguably the band’s most prominent creative engineer, some of “Every Open Eye’s” most affecting songs see her take a back seat. No matter which direction they may take, there are volumes of untapped potential for CHVRCHES as a band and as a revolutionary concept for a music industry in desperate need of innovation. If its two excellent records are any indication, CHVRCHES could very well be on its way to becoming one of the most transformative creators of music in this decade.
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11.03.15
Curriculum Coverage Mills cuts three million dollars from budget
Current General Ed Requirements Skills: -Information Literacy - Written Communications - Quantitative Reasoning
Perspectives: -Women and Gender - Multicultural Perspectives
Disciplinary Experiences: -Creation and Criticism in the Arts -Historical Perspectives -Natural Sciences - Human Institutions and Behavior
New General Ed Requirements Foundational Skills: - Communications - Information Literacy - Quantitative Literacy - Critical Analysis
Ways of Knowing/Modes of Inquiry: - Race, Gender and Power - Language other than English - International Perspectives - Scientific Inquiry
Contributions to Knowledge and Community: - Community Engagement - Creative Innovation and Experience
MONIKA SABIC
T h e M i l l s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i s c u r re n t l y a t t e m p t i n g t o g i v e s t u d e n t s a v o i c e b y h o l d i n g o p e n f o r u m s w h e re t h e y c a n v o i c e c o n c e r n s o v e r t h e b u d g e t .
Emily Mibach eic@thecampanil.com Over the summer, it was voted, as The Campanil understands, by the Board of Trustees, to lower the amount of money being taken out of Mills College’s endowment, from 6.5% to 5%. Currently, according to Economics Professor Roger Sparks, Mills is currently taking roughly 5.25% out of the endowment for this fiscal year. However, the decrease in spending of the endowment has led to budgetary cuts of about $3 million across the campus, culminating in the proposals sent out by Mills President Alecia DeCoudreaux on Monday, Oct. 19. Among those proposals is a “teach-out” of both the American Studies and Book Art programs, as well as the elimination of the dance undergraduate major. Other proposed changes include grouping programs such as the public policy, government and international relations into one field of study, with those programs becoming either concentrations or minors. The same is proposed with the current African Diaspora, Latin American, French and Francophone and Spanish and Spanish American studies, as well as literary and cultural studies and philosophy. Also among the proposed cuts were additions and revisions to the College's curriculum including data science, an economics masters program and urban studies. Some of these proposed programs had been voted on or proposed by faculty members. However no other aspect of the outlined changes, including the cuts, had been known to the faculty prior to a meeting on Oct. 19, only hours before the memo was sent out to students. On Oct. 21, Professor of Education Sabrina Zirkel and members of the Facility Executive Committee (FEC) sent out an email to students and faculty concerning the way in which the cuts of the American studies, dance major and Book Art programs were proposed to the college. Typically when curriculum changes are under consideration, the proposal is to be brought to the Educational Policy Committee (EPC, a subcommittee
of the FEC), approved by them, and then brought to and voted on by the full faculty. Zirkel’s email notes that at this time, there has been no concrete proposal brought to the EPC. Currently, the only decisions that have been made are general education requirements and additions to the curriculum, including an ethnic studies major and the addition of minors in creative writing and history of philosophy. The email also said the MFA in translation was approved last month. This low residency program, according to the Mills website, will be a five semester long program with two week long intensive courses. "Nearly any language" will be available. The Core Curriculum, also known as gen-eds, has been reconfigured and will go into effect in the Fall of 2016. One of the more notable changes in the gen-eds is the addition of Race, Gender and Power, which is in part due to the first requirement on the list of demands released by the Black Students Collective (at the time, the Black Women’s Collective). According to Interim Provost Sharon Washington, the new requirement has to do with power structures in society. Things that could potentially be covered would be white supremacy or male dominance over marginalized races and genders. According to Diane Ketelle, professor of education, many of the proposed additions to the College came from a renewed emphasis on multi or interdisciplinary courses and programs. Sparks put forth the proposal for the master's in economics. According to him, only one course will have to be added in order for the first set of classes to be offered. He also released a poll to about 40 students, and 17 of them said they would be interested in pursuing a masters in economics at Mills. There are other counter proposals and appeals being worked on by both professors and students. As of Oct. 30, none have been released. At an emergency faculty meeting held Monday, Oct. 28, a letter to the Mills community was put together by attending faculty members. In addition, faculty began to put together their own counter proposals, which according to faculty sources include new low cost programs as
well as cuts across the school and across departments, instead of the cuts affecting only a few areas. The Blue and Gold paper is currently being drafted by students and is expected to be sent out on Nov. 11. The Blue and Gold paper contains demands from students and ideas about budget cuts across the campus that are not necessarily curriculum based. At least one of the suggestions from students called for a decrease in President DeCoudreaux’s pay. As reported by The Campanil, the president has a salary of $401,539 and an "additional compensation" of $100,717 from the organization and related organizations, according to the College's 2012 990 form. According to a report from Howard Bunsis, professor of accounting at Eastern Michigan University, who presented a financial analysis of Mills College in February 2015, as of 2014, full time faculty receive $118,626, associate professors receive $94,368 and assistant professors receive $65,605. On average, the salaries of both the College president and professors are on par with national averages, albeit on the lower side. According to the Washington Post, the average is $126,98 for faculty, $50,032 for instructors and according to US News, between $480,000 and $500,000 for liberal arts college presidents. However, Sparks raises the question that if students and faculty are willing to work on and create plans where the proposed amount to be cut is spread out through campus, is Mills really in a tough financial crisis? He presented to the Board of Trustees on Oct. 6 that Mills should switch its endowment payout and management to be a passively managed fund, instead of an actively managed fund, which means that less money (around $4 million) in consultant and accounting costs would come out of Mills’ funds. Sparks' math suggests that if Mills had switched to a passive endowment management scheme about five years ago, the value of the endowment would be about $100 million higher. On Nov 20th a special Board of Trustees meeting will be held. This will be after a series of meetings and gatherings between the board, students, faculty and administration.