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April 29, 2007
Weekly Calendar 4/27-5/4
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These days, people don't like to vote- What's up with that?
Aikido Club to enlighten campus in martial arts
Emma Carmichael
This weekend, April 28-29, the Vassar College Aikido Club will host a two-day seminar that will bring in the top martial arts instructors from the region. The lessons, according to Aikido Club President Eric Snyder ’07, “are meant to help propagate sharing and cooperation among martial artists in the region.”
Sports Briefs
Co-Captain Erik Skartvedt '07 in the championship match. "To win with this group of guys who have put in so much effort and hard work, it feels awesome to...Overtime | Showing love for basketball referees
Kyle Nelson
Ever since the first Olympics in Greece, referees have been the bane of the sports fan’s (and participant’s) existence. In Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) country, we’ve known the list of in-conference basketball referees for the past 10 years. When one cycles out, we cross them off the list.
April 27, 2007
Vassar Cycling Club to host championship race
Elizabeth Pacheco
Even in a pack of cyclists battling to the finish line, the Vassar Cycling Club can be easily picked out from the crowd. Dressed in a fluorescent version of Vassar’s traditional pink and gray, the team stands apart from their opponents in both their uniforms and successes.
April 26, 2007
Vassar’s The Powder Kegs win radio contest
Mally Anderson
Last weekend, Vassar student band The Powder Kegs won the Prairie Home Companion radio show’s first annual People in their Twenties Talent Show in St. Paul, Minn. The six diverse finalists that competed were selected from over 700 entries, and won the chance to perform live on the radio show on Saturday, April 21. Over 11,000 listeners cast votes for their favorite band, who would win a $1,000 prize.
Russian futurist opera to be revived at Vassar
Liza Darwin
The Russian futurist opera “Victory Over the Sun,” first performed in 1913, will come to life at Vassar on Thursday, May 3. Rooted in the idea of transcending the visible world for a better one in the future, the opera plays with the concept of breaking down the monotony of past traditions and creating a new self.
Velvet Underground receives its own exhibit
Mike Newmark
The Velvet Underground—a serious contender for the greatest band of all time—embodied so many features of the late-’60s zeitgeist (sex, drugs, psychedelia, a mixture of apathy and anxiety) while simultaneously shunning them and defying easy pigeonholing.
Students present compositions
Rachel Pittenger
A variety of composers from the Vassar student body will demonstrate their musical talents in a concert on May 1. Pieces to be performed were all written by Vassar students in music department composition courses. A select group of musical compositions were chosen for the concert; they will be performed by student members of Vassar’s music community.
New spoof comedy Hot Fuzz offers wit, action
Matt Poland
As perhaps the sole opposer to 2004’s spoof-y cult classic, Shaun of the Dead, I entered into Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright’s follow-up burlesque of Hollywood action flicks, with a bit of trepidation.
Music Box | Mice Parade
Mike Newmark
“Post-rock” arguably stands as the most infuriating genre tag for musicians and the most convenient for music journalists. So far removed from Mojo magazine supremo Simon Reynolds’ original definition as rock that focuses on timbre and texture above all else, post-rock eventually served to classify bands that were deemed unclassifiable, from Labradford to Gastr del Sol to The Sea and Cake.
Just Coffee initiative supports grassroots fair trade
Sarah Siegel
Lately, students passing through the College Center have been flocking to a table with a simple grab: “Free Coffee.” Students in the Just Coffee initiative handed out free samples of the stuff last week in return for signatures on a petition seeking to replace Starbucks Coffee with Just Coffee at the Kiosk.
Convocation ceremony marks transition to new school year
Mike Alberti
Next Wednesday, seniors and professors will sport their robes, members of the Daisy chain will don their gowns, and the bell atop Main Building will ring all aftenoon. With Spring Convocation approaching, the year is drawing to a close.
RIAA guidelines target students for music downloads
Juliana Kiyan
Since 2003, colleges across the nation have been under pressure from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to crack down on students who use their network connection to illegally download music. During the past year, however, the RIAA has taken a more aggressive stance by targeting individuals who may share as few as four to five songs, along with those who make a large volume of copyright protected music available on peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks. In light of the recording industry’s new tactics, Vassar is taking steps to educate and warn students about the risks of engaging in P2P file sharing.
Vassar Technology Today | RIAA lawsuits against peer-to-peer downloads cost us more than just cash
Matthew Leung
On Jan. 23, 2007 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) registered for the domain name p2plawsuits.com. No one knew what they were up to with the new site until Feb. 28, when the RIAA posted a press release on its Web site, riaa.com, stating that it was launching “new initiatives” to address illegal music downloads by college students using peer-to-peer (P2P) clients such as Kazaa and Limewire.
Eye On America | Gonzales case indicates administration’s disregard for legal process
Ross Weingarten
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ congressional testimony concerning the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year has not received the full media attention that it deserves as of late. Gonzales’s refusal to admit wrongdoing is just the latest in a long line of political blunders by this administration, and one that proves just how arrogant and, at times, idiotic, the White House can be.
Off Topic, On Point | Walls indicative of Vassar’s attitude towards community
Evan Casper-Futterman
When hundreds of Vassar staff, faculty and students turned out one year ago for the Poughkeepsie May Day march down Main Street, there was a definite feeling of progress in Vassar-Poughkeepsie relations.
Rumors about Vassar becoming a dry campus prove to be fiction
Alan Neuhauser
So let’s get this straight: Dean of the College Judy Jackson does not want to make Vassar a dry campus.
Staff Editorial | Virginia Tech tragedy reminds us of support
Student-athlete misquoted about jocks at Vassar
Letters to the Editor | Blame for racial tension at Vassar misplaced
VSA announces elections results
Hayley Tsukayama
Vassarions, meet your incoming Vassar Student Association (VSA) Executive Board: President Sam Charner ’08, Vice President for Student Life Morgan Warners ’08, Vice President for Operations Summer’s-Grace Green ‘09, Vice President for Academics Jessica Cho ’08, Vice President for Activities James Kelly ’09, and Vice President for Finance Jessika Wong ’08.
College to consider need-blind admissions policy
Brian Farkas
The Board of Trustees will likely consider a move to a need-blind admissions policy at its next meeting, scheduled for May 10–12. Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid David Borus said that he is confident “that this is one of the many issues that they will be considering.”
Student loan troubles escalate to federal level
Katie Paul
The student loan controversy went federal on Tuesday, April 24, when Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the formation of a task force that will examine “key lender issues” amidst the recent onslaught of allegations, multimillion-dollar settlements, and—this week, for the first time—a lawsuit.
News Briefs
Dorm fires spark security concern, investigation
Juliana Kiyan
Following the discoveries of burned materials in Noyes and Strong Houses this semester, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police and Arlington County Fire Department are conducting an investigation of both incidents. Buildings and Grounds and Security are also taking measures to educate students about fire safety and awareness.
“Keep Vassar Weird” campaign fights shift to mainstream
Shahreen Saifi
Vassar students tend to take pride in the liberal atmosphere and the tolerant environment that are associated with the College. “Vassar is a comfortable respite for indie-chic students who revel in obscurity,” one student declared to the Princeton Review, which posts the comment on its Web site to describe the school. However, some students allege that the Vassar administration is now downplaying the school’s offbeat personality.
Photo of the Week
Politican and environmental activist Ralph Nader signs his new book 17 Traditions for Ezra Noon '07 after kicking off Earth Week with a lecture in the Chapel on April 23,...April 19, 2007
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Weekly Calendar 4/20-4/27
Ultimate competes in sectionals
Emma Carmichael
The Vassar ultimate frisbee teams were recently rewarded for their hard work, with the women’s teams qualifying for regionals. The men’s team is hoping for a similar finish from their rescheduled finals game.
Athlete of the Week | Mattelson a smash in men’s tennis
Elizabeth Pacheco
For the Vassar men’s tennis team, the spring season has brought along a welcome string of successes. Although the team is led by a series of veteran players, freshman Mike Mattelson has recently emerged as a viable threat, helping the team to post an impressive 9-3 spring record.
Brewers shine in home competitions
Spring teams fight for wins in league and non-league games.
Indie darlings TV on the Radio to perform
Marcella Veneziale
Lauren Sutherland
When David Sitek and Tunde Adebimpe formed TV on the Radio in 2001, they were lumped together with just about every other indie rock set coming out of Brooklyn. Although they have recorded several albums and EPs—OK Calculator; Young Liars EP; Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes— they have distinguished themselves from the pack with their latest offering, Return to Cookie Mountain.
Philaletheis produces acclaimed play “Proof”
Liza Darwin
How closely tied are genius and madness? David Auburn’s acclaimed play, “Proof,” tackles the close relationship between the two mental states. “Proof” follows the story of Robert, a once-genius mathematician who has supposedly had a mental breakdown.
Reviewing published alumnae/i authors:The Miscellany News evaluates notable novels and nonfiction
Music Box | Nine Inch Nails
Mike Newmark
Zero is a non-entity, a symbol of nothingness. It’s the absence of something once there and the idea of what never was. It carries obvious apocalyptic connotations that speak to all things—time, the world, us—ending as they began: at zero.
Anthology of Jewett alumnae/i memories spans a century
Sarah Siegel
Since its opening, Jewett House has been home to more than 10,000 Vassarions. In preparation for the celebration of the dorm’s 100th birthday, Jewett House President Chris Smith ’07 asked some alumnae/i to share their stories. What emerged was a remarkable history of Vassar women and men: their concerns, their antics, and their community.
Earth Week expands, features Ralph Nader
Mike Alberti
National Earth Day is Sunday, April 22, but the Vassar Greens refuse to settle for just one day of environmental education and activism. The Greens have collaborated with several other groups on campus, including Democracy Matters, the Vassar Green Party and Kick Coke, to fill April 22-28 with various events promoting environmental consciousness on campus.
Vassar Debate society to host national championship tournament
Amanda Melillo
This weekend, the Vassar Debate Society will have the chance to prove how far they have come since Vassar students participated in their first intercollegiate debate at Wellesley College in 1902. Over 100 years ago, debate was considered “unsuitable” for the female constitution, which the Vassar women disproved when they defeated the Wellesley girls on the topic of “Resolved: that the United States could subsidize a merchant marine.”
Vassar Technology Today | Facebook, Windows software integration compromise user privacy
Matthew Leung
Just last Wednesday, April 11, Facebook updated its layout and added a few new features. One such feature was the addition of Newsfeed preferences that allow the user to type up to 40 names of people they want to monitor more closely.
This Week at Vassar in 1981
Emma Epstein
In April 1981, Vassar students had the opportunity to attend performances by two famous artistic figures in the same week.
Staff Editorial | Maintaining dorm character should be a priority in renovations
This weekend, Vassar College is celebrating an historic milestone: Jewett is turning 100. The Milo Jewett House will commemorate its centennial with events throughout the day on Saturday, April 21.
Eye on America |Imus incident highlights common misuse of offensive language
Ross Weingarten
As the old saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” However, a recent event reminded us that spoken words, like written ones, have a similar power. When acclaimed radio show host Don Imus called the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos” last week, he launched a nationwide debate about race, gender and power in the media.
Views On Vassar | Racial tensions still prevalent on campus
Tendai Musakwa
My blackness is inescapable. It penetrates each and every facet of my Vassar life, soliciting not-too-subtle extensions of “solidarity” that are expressed through comments ranging from the obtuse, “I once dated a black guy, you know,” to the more forthright and narrow-minded, “Aren’t you glad you are here?”
33 dead in Virginia Tech massacre
Lauren Sutherland
On the morning of Monday, April 16, two deadly shootings at a dormitory and a classroom building at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Va., eclipsed all recorded incidents of public shootings in American history.
Vassar responds to Virginia tragedy
Brian Farkas
The news of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) shootings hit home for many individuals on Vassar campus, some of whom have personal connections to the University and to the town of Blacksburg, Va.
Task force looks into faculty course loads
Juliana Kiyan
Can Vassar College commit equally to both teaching and research? This fundamental question of Vassar identity is at the crux of ongoing discussions about the faculty’s current teaching policy and whether it should be revised.
Jewett to honor its past in centennial celebration
Stephen Cheng
Juliana Kiyan
In honor of Jewett House’s 100th birthday this year, the Jewett House Team is hosting a day of activities to celebrate the dorm’s rich history as well as its past and current residents.
VSA holds two Executive Board candidate debates
Hayley Tsukayama
On April 17, candidates for Vassar Student Association (VSA) Executive Board positions debated for the second time in The Retreat. Candidates had three minutes to respond to individual questions, and one minute was allotted for each to address rebuttals. Much like the first debate on April 12 in the All College Dining Center, there was low student turnout.
Photo of the Week
In response to the tragic shootings at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the Vassar community held a silent vigil on Tuesday, April 17 on the Chapel lawn. The...April 13, 2007
Prospects of future work get mixed reviews
Mike Alberti
Vassar’s plan to revitalize Raymond Avenue was met with mixed reception in the Poughkeepsie community last year. Many Poughkeepsie residents worried that the new roundabouts would slow traffic on the major road, and that their tax dollars were going to be spent on a project that would benefit the College alone, despite the College’s insistence that the construction is an attempt to help integrate the campus with the local community.
April 12, 2007
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Athlete of the Week | Sharnak aces opponents during senior tennis season
Emma Carmichael
As senior co-captain of the women’s tennis team, Debbie Sharnak ’07 has done more for Vassar’s program than perhaps any player in its history. Sharnak has played at the number one singles spot for almost her entire Brewer career, and has established herself as a force on a national scale.
Rugby teams achieve national rankings
Elizabeth Pacheco
After ending their fall seasons with defeats in the semi-final rounds of the National Rugby Union Championships, the men and women’s rugby teams have both regained success in their recently achieved national rankings. Before their games this past weekend, the men’s team was ranked 18th in Division II and the women’s team was ranked seventh in Division I, a nine-place jump from their previous postion at number 16.
Overtime | Head coaches losing respectability
Kyle Nelson
Off-seasons are either a highlight or the bane of the sports fan’s existence. There are only two things for a sports fan to do: bask in the glow of a team’s success or just complain. To die-hard sports fans, many of these complaints involve changes in players and coaches, and can reach the analytic level of college theses.
Victoria Legrand ’03 to perform with Beach House
Mike Newmark
The warm, sensual duo Beach House (singer/organist Victoria Legrand ’03 and guitarist Alex Scally) concocts lovingly simple music that wouldn’t be out of place inside a dream. Three years after Legrand graduated from Vassar, the duo quietly dropped their debut album, Beach House, which was lauded by the press and landed at number 16 on Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums of 2006.
ASA invites art figureheads to speak at conference
Marcella Veneziale
In support of this year’s Asian Students’ Alliance (ASA) Conference, “Art and Activism,” five artists who work in a variety of media will perform and talk with students. The theme of the conference changes annually, as ASA addresses timely issues affecting Asians and Asian Americans on campus and beyond the gates. ASA President Wayne Coito ’07 said, “[The conference covers] people from different artistic genres: poetry, comedy, film, and fashion. [We wanted to show] how a message can be sent through different media.”
Jazz vocalist Melody Gardot sings at After Hours
Rachel Pittenger
After Hours has promised us the moon, and they’re just about giving it to us by inviting 22-year-old rising jazz singer Melody Gardot to perform on campus. With the hype surrounding her nascent album increasing, Gardot’s show will likely preview a blossoming career that is quickly gaining momentum.
Music Box | Pole
Mike Newmark
Berlin producer Stefan Betke took his nom de plume from a busted Waldorf 4-pole filter that lent his most characteristic work a little crackle and hiss, but I couldn’t help hearing his early electronic experiments as the aural equivalent of an actual pole: cold, metallic, not very interesting and utterly devoid of emotion, personality and authorship.
Double-feature Grindhouse all silly, half-satisfying
Matt Poland
I entered into Grindhouse, a double-bill ode to the exploitation films of the 1970s, equipped with all the necessary accessories: a large tub of popcorn with a triple-squirt of butter, a 32-ounce cup of syrupy Cherry Coke, and a king-size package of Sour Patch Kids. By the end of the 190-minute program—two feature lengths plus a handful of fake trailers—I felt bloated, nauseous, and more than a little malnourished. Like my makeshift meal, Grindhouse offers a lot of bang for your buck, but ultimately, it might be a little too much of a bad thing.
Generations commemorate Holocaust effects
Shirley Shangguan
The generational effects of the Holocaust have touched millions, including members of the Vassar and Poughkeepsie communities. These issues will be expressed through an event on the Vassar campus this Sunday that will feature spoken word pieces and musical selections.
Comparisons between local grocery stores offer food for thought
Sarah Siegel
Amidst constant grumbling over meal-plan prices, Vassar students often turn to other sources for grub. But for those of us who lack the money to eat at Miss Saigon’s every night, the options are fairly limited: the College Bookstore, Adam’s, or Super Stop & Shop.
Wadud preaches a more inclusive Qur’an
Amanda Mellilo
Amina Wadud created waves in March 2005 when she became the first woman to lead a mixed congregation of Muslims in prayer. The Liberal Islam Network likened the controversy that she generated to the outcry over Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses.
Two Broads Abroad | Exams highlight contrasting aspects of Italian and American university systems
Acacia O'Connor
Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am not really the nervous type. I tend to take things as they come with an easy spirit and ready confidence. Contrast this, however, with the Acacia on the morning of Tuesday, April 3, nearly shaking as she flipped through her extensive notes for the hundredth time.
Vassar Technology Today | The future of passwords looks to pass-up rote memorization
Matthew Leung
Shortly after the creation of the personal computer in the 1970s, the slightly annoying idea of a “password” emerged. We have reached a time when Webmail, Facebook, Ebay, online banking, plus an endless list of online services all require unique passwords.
College, DOT plan construction for Arlington
Shahreen Saifi
The construction of two the roundabouts on Raymond Avenue, completed last fall, was Phase I of a proposed multi-part overhaul to the Arlington business area that includes the creation of new paths and storefronts, as well as the addition of more roundabouts and landscaped medians extending from Raymond Avenue up to the Route 55 West intersection.
Staff Editorial | Drug testing policy fails to prioritize student welfare concerns
Student-athletes and Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council members debated the merits of the new drug testing and education policy proposed by the Athletics Department at the Sunday, April 8 meeting, and several points of concern were raised.
Eye on America | Pelosi’s diplomatic gambles embody a new era in U.S. politics
Ross Weingarten
In the short time that Representative Nancy Pelosi has been speaker of the House, she has received mixed reviews. Her work to pass legislation on issues such as healthcare, immigration and raising the minimum wage have received bipartisan praise. Recently, however, Pelosi has earned a reputation as a bit of a rogue politician. Her tour of the Middle East caused controversy in the region, and ruffled more than a few feathers back in Washington, D.C.
Views On Vassar | Stereotyping of male athletes as jocks unwarranted
Tendai Musakwa
Sports and masculinity are virtually synonymous in American culture. In his book, Jock: Sports & Male Identity, Donald Sabo contends that athleticism has influenced the male psyche in profound ways, helping to create the male-dominated, success-oriented and status-seeking society that is the United States today.
Object Lessons | Feminist movement gaining strides in American contraception battles
Carolyn Bradley
It is a truth universally acknowledged that feminists dwell in a victim-complaint-style ideology, and that therefore they can never celebrate their victories. Well, not quite. But perhaps there is some truth to the idea that feminists tend to be wary of looking on the bright side of things. (It’s true of most smart people.) Which is why I am so surprised to find myself smiling this week at how successful feminism has proven lately, at least in its much merited attack on abstinence-only education.
Letters to the Editor | More careful consideration of drug policy would allay concerns
Although I have only had a chance to briefly read over the Vassar Student Association (VSA) open letter, I get the feeling that the VSA’s concerns stem from an apparent discrepancy between what the Athletics Department representatives say and what the policy says.
Letters to the Editor |Proposed drug testing policy an unnecesary invasion of privacy
The Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council approved a letter Sunday night that outlined specific complaints with the Athletics Department’s proposed drug testing policy. Rather than rejecting the drug testing itself, the letter tacitly conceded to drug testing as an appropriate and acceptable tool to protect the health and safety of students. We voted against the VSA Council letter because we strongly believe that a drug testing program will not serve the best interests of the College.
Letters to the Editor | Casper-Futterman’s article misguided
In Evan Casper-Futterman’s column (“Gay marriage debate provides impetus to critique a troubled American institution,” 4.05.07 issue of The Miscellany News), the columnist asserts that the traditional institution of marriage, with its long and complicated history, should be done away with completely.
Letters to the Editor | Lack of clarity in Marriage Op-Ed inflammatory
Last week I read a column by Evan Casper-Futterman about “gay marriage” (“Gay marriage debate provides impetus to critique a troubled American institution,” 04.05.07 issue of The Miscellany News) that really bothered me. I still cannot decide whether to be offended or amused. I have read, and re-read, this article several more times than it deserved. You see, I still don’t know if I have divined the point the author intended to make.
VSA hosts forum on drug testing
Brian Farkas
The Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council sent a letter to senior athletic and administrative officials of the College enumerating several problems Council members had with the Vassar College Department of Athletics’ (VCDA) proposed drug testing policy. The letter was adopted after a lengthy forum discussion that invited students and athletes to Sunday’s Council meeting.
College reconsiders quantitative requirements
Stephen Cheng
Last week, the Committee on Curricular Policy (CCP) passed a proposal to re-evaluate the current standards of the Quantitative Analysis Requirement. As the requirement currently stands, courses in a variety of disciplines ranging from the natural sciences to economics count towards the single unit quantitative requirement that each student must complete by their third year.
College to add seventh senior officer position
John Palmer
A new senior officer position will be created at Vassar as a part of President Catharine Bond Hill’s strategic planning for the College. The Dean of Planning and Academic Affairs will combine certain aspects of two existing senior offices and will primarily oversee “the development of long-term academic planning and the supervision of academic areas of the College outside the curriculum and the academic departments and programs,” according to a description of the position endorsed by the faculty on March 28.
With filing closed, VSA candidates launch campaigns
Hayley Tsukayama
The Vassar image. Dorm renovations. ACDC food. Tuition. As spring elections to the Vassar Student Association (VSA) draw near, student candidates find themselves thinking a lot about the state of the College and the major issues that will face the VSA next year.
News Briefs
Photo of the Week
From Mon. April 9th through Wed. April 11th, Haitian art is on display in the Palmer Gallery. An auction, run by the Vassar-Haiti project, will take place this Friday, Saturday,...April 06, 2007
Some things to do this week
Backpage | New Courses Not in Catalogue
March Madness shows evolution of women’s game
Emma Carmichael
Something has changed in women’s college basketball.
Prentiss construction stalled
Elizabeth Pacheco
Spring sports teams walked out to Prentiss Field last week for practice, expecting to find it under construction, but were surprised not a bulldozer in sight. The date to break ground for the Prentiss Field renovations, originally set for Nov. 1, was pushed back to Dec.1 and is now scheduled for April 19.
Sports Briefs
Steven '07 almost blocks a pass to Jon Reed '09 during Sunday's ultimate frisbee Hat Tournament.A. Neuhauser/The Miscellany NewsMen's lacrosse co-captain Vito Cataldo '07 looks to beat an Oberlin College...MLB opens regular season this week
Mathew Elias
For the 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams this week begins a time of hope and anticipation. Spring training is officially over and games that count toward team records have begun. As teams and fans start dreaming of play-off spots and a World Series win, there are a few top stories to keep an eye on during the 2007 season.
Green Haven art show returns to Vassar
Mally Anderson
It is difficult to imagine that many Vassar students feel as though the school hasn’t broadened their knowledge of people, environments and ideas different from their own. In keeping with this set of values, Vassar brings students the third annual Green Haven Prison Art Show, exhibiting works by currently and formerly incarcerated artists from area prisons.
After Hours undergoes revival and returns to Mug
Rachel Pittenger
If you’re wondering where the wealth of talented musicians at Vassar go to get their creative juices flowing, look no further than After Hours. Every Thursday at 9 p.m., After Hours provides a creative outlet in which the College’s singer-songwriters can perform in a relaxed setting.
NoViCE presents Erase Errata
Marcella Veneziale
You’ve probably heard Erase Errata before. The all-female trio has released a number of split-records with the likes of Black Dice and Sonic Youth. The San Francisco-based group has been a part of the San Francisco Noise Pop Festival and the Los Angeles’ Fuck Yeah Fest. Now on tour, they are promoting their third album, Nightlife, at Vassar at a concert on April 12.
Art sale to support Haitian school
Liza Darwin
While Director of International Services at Vassar and founder of the Vassar Haiti Project Andrew Meade was attending high school in Haiti in the 1970s, he got to know the land, the people, and the culture of the country. Concurrently, he discovered that beneath the poverty and political turmoil of Haiti, the people there still possessed an immensely vibrant spirit.
Music Box | Fountains of Wayne
Mike Newmark
Google tells me that as many as 13 Fountains of Wayne album or concert reviews contain the word “sugar” or one of its variants. That critical short-circuiting once struck me as odd—bands with a higher sugar content didn’t get this characterization nearly as much—but after hearing Traffic and Weather, I finally understand.
April 05, 2007
Easter, Passover inspire student spirituality
Sarah Siegel
In its annual college rankings issue, The Princeton Review consistently lists Vassar students among those “Most Likely to Ignore God on a Regular Basis.” During Passover and the Christian holy week, however, divinity may be a bit harder to avoid.
Yo ho ho! Why the bottle of rum?
Lauren Sutherland
It would be odd to see Captain Jack Sparrow kick back with a cup of tea, and the ubiquitous “Got a little Captain in you?’ slogan would not be as effective for advertising milk.
This Week at Vassar in 1986
Emma Epstein
On April 10, 1986, 13 students from Vassar, Marist and Dutchess Community Colleges protested outside the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) building in Poughkeepsie and were subsequently arrested on charges of disorderly conduct. The students were protesting against IBM’s sale of computers in South Africa because it was alleged that the South African government used those computers in the enforcement of apartheid policies.
Vassar Technology Today | Third parties offer alternatives to Vassar technology options
Matthew Leung
In 2002, Internet Explorer had a monopoly of 96 percent over the Web browser market before Firefox struggled to gain its current 10 percent share. This is one of countless stories in the technology market that show that there are always alternatives to better suit some user’s needs, no matter how dominant any one product or technology has become.
Virtual reality provides new classroom possibilities
Mike Alberti
Imagine if, instead of getting dressed and walking to class each day, you simply logged onto the Web to watch your professor’s lecture. You could ask questions and have discussions with other students, all from the comfort of your dorm room. Well, it might not be such a stretch.
Staff Editorial | Quantitative Requirement lacks cohesion, clarity
This spring, pre-registration information lists over 21 courses that can satisfy Vassar College’s Quantitative Analysis requirement. These include classes in nine subject areas, ranging from astronomy to psychology, mathematics to geology.
Eye on America | More lenient immigration policy would benefit U.S.
Ross Weingarten
When I was growing up, I had a babysitter named “B.” Actually, come to think of it, I never knew her real name, or exactly how old she was. I remember asking B her age when I was very young, and she told me that she was 100. Many years later, I asked her the same question, and got the same answer.
Views on Vassar | More transparency in College’s finances desirable
Tendai Musakwa
To some, it may come as no surprise that the College has decided to raise the comprehensive fee (including tuition and room and board and other fees) for attendance at Vassar by almost $2,700. After all, this happens every year and is not a new phenomenon at Vassar. However, it is unclear why exactly these increases have taken place. The escalating cost of a Vassar education has not been explained as clearly as it could be to students and their parents.
Letters to the Editor | Moderate Muslims protest against terrorism but voices are not heard
In Ross Weingarten’s column (3.30.07 issue of The Miscellany News), “Moderate Muslims’ voices can help to curb extremist terrorism,” he claims that “the responsibility falls to moderate Muslims both in the Middle East and around the world to condemn violence and propose alternatives.”
Off Topic, On Point | Gay marriage debate provides impetus to critique a troubled American institution
Evan Casper-Futterman
As many national political issues are wont to do, it seems that the debate on gay marriage in the United States has become rather monolithic—as if to suggest that it is the universal and uncontested desire of all gays and lesbians to share equally in the institution of marriage.
NY Attorney General expands student loan investigations
Katie Paul
College and university financial aid offices received national attention this week as New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo expanded his investigation into what he deemed “deceptive practices” in the student loan industry.
Drug testing sparks VSA debate
Brian Farkas
Ilyse Kramer
A debate concerning the rationale behind a new drug testing policy aimed at student-athletes dominated the April 1 meeting of the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council. Expected to be implemented in August 2007, this policy has faced opposition from certain members of the student body due to privacy concerns. At the request of the VSA, Head Athletic Trainer Jeff Carter attended the meeting to explain the goals of the policy.
Students voice opinions on major dorm renovations
Brian Farkas
The architectural firm S/L/A/M Consortium was set to come to campus on Wednesday, April 4 to discuss the renovation of Davison House with students and administrators. This meeting marked the first opportunity for students to ask questions and voice concerns about prospective campus renovations directly to the architects.
