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September 15, 2007
Vassar questions validity of U.S. News and World Report college rankings
Brian Farkas
Vassar College President Catharine Bond Hill announced this week that Vassar, along with 18 other liberal arts colleges, will no longer mention the U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) rankings in any future promotional publications. They will also make public all statistics that were formerly distributed to individual ranking companies.
Mold once again found in the THs
Hayley Tsukayama
Residents of Town House (TH) A10 moved back into their home last weekend after mold in their TH bathroom forced them to live in dormitories for two weeks.
Planned changes to Graduate Record Exam underway
Elysia Glover
Students planning to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) this fall may see something a little more familiar than they had originally expected. After a joint decision by the Educational Testing Services (ETS) and the GRE Executive Advisory Board, the release of a fully-revised, computer-based GRE was halted this past April as a result of concerns over the accessibility of an Internet-based examination.
Food, punches thrown at Serenading
Brian Farkas
While most enjoyed the chaos and revelry involved in the annual tradition of Serenading, the day hit a sour note. At around 4:30 p.m. in front of Davison house, a student and custodial worker became involved in a heated exchange that led to the worker striking the student in the face.
Intentions of new paper quota lost in hasty start
Printing a paper or reading for class has rarely been easy at Vassar. Three years ago, Library printers were often jammed or backlogged with abandoned print jobs. As a remedy the College instituted a VPrint system. This year, however, printing at Vassar backslid into its inefficient ways. The College has instituted a new printing system with a 1,300-sheet paper quota per year, after which students must pay by the sheet.
Plastic bottles dilute natural benefits of water
Alyssa Roush
Over the past few years Americans have adopted a new favorite beverage, which according to The Wall Street Journal is more popular than beer or coffee: bottled water. This “chic” drink, however, is extremely harmful to the environment. Sure, it seems to make sense to grab a bottle as you exit the door or go to the gym, but does convenience trump morality?
Vietnam remark misrepresents history, occupation in Iraq
Queen Pham
War opponents were enraged. Americans were shocked. The world was speechless… The Vietnamese just sighed.
Letters to the Editor | Lessons of diversity talk cannot be dismissed
Law hikes birth control prices on campus
Stephanie Damon-Moore
Are birth control prices out of control? A preliminary study by the Feminist Majority Foundation found that the price of prescription birth control pills at college health centers across America has increased by an average of 145 percent over the last six months. Similarly, the cost of the patch is up by 105 percent.
Department stays à la mode with change to new name
Acaica O'Connor
What’s in a name? Or you might say “Qu’y a-t-il dans un nom?” A lot, say French language study programs.
Saved by the Microwave
Nick Marmet
The toughest decisions at school don’t always occur in the classroom. For many, the hardest thing to decide at the end of the day is what to eat for dinner. Curry, easily made at the Stir-Fry Station, is a quick, delicious and filling solution to any dining dilemma.
Students celebrate Jewish High Holy Days
Matt Baker and Sarah Siegel
At sundown on Wednesday, Sept. 12, observant Jews will begin celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The holiday commemorates the day 5,767 years ago when, according to ancient Jewish tradition, God created the world.
Vassar Technology Today | Evaluating new technologies: Zimbra, VPrint
Matthew Leung
Over the summer I sat in front of my computer far away from Vassar, reading about the Webmail upgrade process. I tried to keep abreast of the changes on campus, from the overnight migration from SquirrelMail to “Zimbra,” to the upgrade to the VPrint system. Both systems are purportedly sleek and streamlined, but each has its own challenges that users must overcome.
Serenading
The Serenading tradition began in the early days of the College with more tranquil singing. It has since then evolved, but the playful spirit remains.
Harryette Mullen to deliver Bishop lecture
Juliana Kiyan
In the tradition of the annual Elizabeth Bishop lecture at Vassar, the English Department invited an eminent poet whose innovative work reflects a range of influences and criticisms. Harryette Mullen, an award-winning American poet, writer and scholar, will deliver the lecture on Sept. 18.
Palmer Gallery displays studio art majors' works
Jackson Reeves
A small group of junior and senior studio art majors spent the summer perfecting their craft for the greater Vassar community to enjoy at the Studio Art Majors’ “Summer Work” exhibit at the Palmer Gallery, opening Sept. 13 and running through Sept. 22.
Film League presents Vassar's (free) movie theater
Anita Varma
For students who savor the thrifty moviegoing experience, Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE)’s Vassar Film League has a solution: free film screenings in Blodgett Auditorium or the second floor of the Students’ Building on Fridays and Saturdays.
Brooklyn bands to play No-ViCE venue
Marcella Veneziale
Fresh off the success of their first show on Sept. 6, No-ViCE is gearing up for another exciting performance. Ex Models, caUSE co-MOTION! and Holy Hail are slated to play the outdoor space near the Doubleday Studio Arts Building on Sept. 14.
Music Box | Animal Collective
Mike Newmark
For all of Animal Collective’s stylistic leapfrogging over the course of six albums, one could reductively say that their career has been a steady trajectory toward accessibility. “Accessibility” is, of course, a relative term, and it depends on who you ask.
Music Box | Overlooked Albums: Sweet Trip
Mike Newmark
You could call the early-2000s the era of indie electronic music, offering a deluge of indie pop albums punctuated by a kind of digital poignancy. Suddenly, electronics weren’t just the province of DJs and bedroom producers, but a way to imbue rock songs with certain moods that a guitar couldn’t accomplish on its own.
September 14, 2007
Cross country feels the heat in the first meet
Elizabeth Pacheco
On Saturday, Sept. 8, the men’s and women’s cross country teams began their seasons by hosting the annual Vassar Invitational. Despite unbearable heat conditions, Laura Coogan ’09 and Anthony Lucero ’09 had standout performances, leading the Brewers to capture the title, the women for the fourth year in a row and the men for the fifth.
Athletes losing to an unexpected obstacle
Elizabeth Pacheco
Located in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Vassar’s campus is relatively free of serious air pollution. Athletic teams practice outside daily and students are seen at all hours biking, running and simply enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Not far from campus, however, the air quality begins to decrease.
Czula leads Life Fitness Program
Joe Bubar
Director of Life Fitness, Roman Czula wants to be clear: “‘In the Pink’ is not a porno site,” rather the name of the Life Fitness Program at Vassar.
Golf team tees up for success
Ansser Sadiq and Elizabeth Pacheco
Five years ago the Vassar women’s golf team was non-existent. Last spring, the team finished 16th in the nation at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Invitational for Division III sports.
Sports Briefs | Fall sports score in season openers
The Brewers set to spike during a match at the Vassar Invitational.D. Bruck-Segel Krista Romita '09 prepares for a backhand during her match against Union.S. Donahue...Overtime | Roll call for national scandal
Kyle Nelson
This was the summer of sports…controversies. There was backstabbing, dogfighting, lawbreaking and just about anything else you can think of.
