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February 23, 2007
Former Ambassador speaks on U.S. foreign relations
Ilyse Kramer
The ambassador outlined some important regional economic policies currently in development, such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
February 22, 2007
Weekly Calendar 2/23-3/2
Backpage
NCAA considers expanding Division III athletics
Emma Carmichael
The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) is facing growing problems in Division III, now its largest division with 420 active members.
Sports Brief | SAAC approves release of drug testing policy
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) voted unanimously on Monday, Feb. 20 to release the drug testing policy that has been in process for nearly three years.
Men’s basketball prepares for first-ever playoffs
Elizabeth Pacheco
If you attended the last weekend of home games for the men’s basketball team on Feb. 2-3, you were probably surprised to see the typically sparse stands transformed into a sea of Brewer red and gray.
Overtime | NBA unable to accept homosexuality
Kyle Nelson
Earlier this month, John Amaechi, a retired black British basketball player, came out and became the first openly homosexual to have played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). What does this mean?
Academy Awards night 2007 is coming: Predictions for sure winners, close calls
Rachel Pittenger
The climax of the awards season has finally arrived—Oscar Night falls on Sunday, Feb. 25, and while the crop of noteworthy movies is sizable this year, the critics are having a hard time identifying the “shoo-ins” in some of the major categories.
Matt and Kim to rock Vassar
Liza Darwin
Up-and-coming guitar-and-drum duo Matt and Kim will perform with Yeasayer at the Vassar NoViCE show on Friday, Feb. 23. According to NoViCE Co-President Jake Friedman ’07, Vassar students will have the opportunity to see “next big things” in the world of music with Matt and Kim.
FLLAC event at KooNewYork
Weintana Abraha
The Vassar community will soon be presented with a unique opportunity to explore modern Asian art. On Thursday, March 1, the Friends of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center will hold the opening of the third annual East Meets West gallery visit series at KooNewYork in Manhattan.
Music Box | Lucinda Williams
Mike Newmark
Notwithstanding the hit-making assembly line of Nashville, country music will always bring me back to the idea of wandering, a sense of nomadic drift brought about by pain, heartbreak and loss. The tradition dates back nearly a century to the Carter Family, whose songs may sound dated but whose lyrics of leaving heartache to wander away from home and into the grave ring surprisingly true today.
Campus Killer Coke Campaign intensifies
Mike Alberti
Ray Rogers has been called “a legendary union activist” by Business Week, and Time magazine stated that he “has brought some of the most powerful corporations to their knees.” On Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Rocky 200, Rogers will speak to Vassar students on behalf of the Vassar Killer Coke Campaign.
Author to recount Guantanamo experiences
Amanda Melillo
James Yee, former United States Army chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, will be coming to Vassar to discuss his experiences at the infamous detention center.
Students launch two new Queer publications
Sarah Siegel
As a freshman, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgeneder and Queer (LGBTQ) activist Kelsey Smith ’07 felt the LGBTQ community was in tatters.
One student’s trash is another’s research focus
Juliana Kiyan
All Campus Dining Center (ACDC) patrons were bound to notice an unusual sight from Feb. 5-7 as apron-clad students called attention to such routine items as paper cups and non-recyclable yogurt containers by digging these scraps of trash out from under piles of food and sorting them into various containers.
Vassar Technology Today | The mystery of your slow computer: What’s the culprit?
Matthew Leung
Adding a new refrain to the recent chorus of Vassar technology complaints is the increasing slowness of computers. This complaint is so common that it seems like there must be someone, or something, behind this “slow computer” syndrome.
Students dance the years away at Matthew’s Mug
Lauren Sutherland
This year marked the 32nd birthday of Matthew’s Mug, which has become firmly embedded in campus life as the host of musical performances, themed parties, trivia nights, and good old-fashioned clubbing.
Staff Editorial | Vassar should prioritize full repairs to the Mug
Last week, Matthew’s Mug was closed due to sewage leaking from a blocked sanitation line. Since the space plays an important role as a social center for a large number of students, we believe that exhaustive repairs must be done in order to ensure that it will be open and operating.
Eye On America | Angelou School an example for reforming offenders
Ross Weingarten
The students at Maya Angelou Charter School in Washington, D.C. are just like any other high school students in the country. They go to class, play sports, work part-time jobs to make extra spending money, and socialize with their friends. Many of them hope to graduate and go off to college.
Views On Vassar | More rugby coaches needed to improve perfomance
Tendai Musakwa
“Beast of the East” is the name of one of the tournaments that both of Vassar’s rugby teams have won in their long and successful histories. The teams can certainly be described as “beasts” of east coast collegiate rugby: According to cstv.com, the women’s team ranked 11th in the nation as of Feb. 20.
Object Lessons | The media’s framing of “choice” obscures larger goals of feminism
Carolyn Bradley
Will someone please explain to the right wing that when women speak out against sexism, they are not claiming victim status but rejecting it? How feminism, once maligned as the political movement of power-hungry, man-bashing castrators, came to be derided as an ideology of female helplessness and victimhood is a question not easily answered.
Jobs’ letter prompted by sales concerns
Walker Boyd
“A storm is brewing”, is what the technologically inclined would say. No doubt they would be referring to the controversy surrounding Digital Rights Management (DRM) and digital music downloads.
Letters to the Editor | Details of Israel-Palestine conflict inaccurate
Ross Weingarten’s description of the current negotiations between Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah (02.15.07 edition of The Miscellany News) is quite accurate. However, his history is in some places ill-informed, and the sweeping judgments he makes based on this history need be addressed.
Poughkeepsie Galleria parking garage collapses due to snow
Shahreen Saifi
Part of the upper deck of a parking area collapsed at the Poughkeepsie Galleria at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, burying several cars under snow and debris. The southeast section of the mall was shut down to allow rescue teams to survey the wreckage.
Financial aid offices at 60 colleges investigated by N.Y. State Attorney
Brian Farkas
New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is expanding a nationwide investigation examining the relationships between colleges and the private lenders recommended to students applying for loans.
Sewage once again floods Matthew’s Mug
Audrey Tempelsman
Monday through Saturday, sweat-soaked students crowd Matthew’s Mug, the campus bar and club. But lately, bodily secretions of a different sort have dominated the dance floor. The sewage backup that flooded the Mug on Jan. 27th recurred last Tuesday, prompting a shut-down and disappointing Jazz Night devotees.
ASA gets apology from Mr. Vassar contestant
Stephen Cheng
The Asian Students’ Alliance (ASA) met this week to examine remarks made by Austin Clark ’08 at the recent Mr. Vassar competition. Clark attended the ASA meeting on Wed., Feb. 14 and apologized, but explained that he had expected shock from the audience, not laughter. “As outrageous as my statements were, I chose my words carefully,” said Clark.
Vassar launches new internship fund
Hayley Tsukayama
As of this week, all students may now apply for the Summer Internship Grant (SIG) fund, which was established as the Class of 2008’s Sophomore Gift and will provide financial support for Vassar students working at unpaid summer internships.
