Editorial: The Skidmore News Self Reflects

By the Editorial Board

As the year comes to a close, The Skidmore News editorial board spent our last editorial meeting reflecting on our progress, accomplishments, and potential room for improvement. We are proud of the work we’ve done this semester to ensure Skidmore News’s relevancy to the Skidmore community.

This semester, we made a concerted effort to stay on top of relevant issues. We pushed ourselves to stay current and thought provoking, and we would like continue to be more successful in this endeavor next semester.

We responded vigorously to events on campus—for example, we live-updated the Skidmore News website during the lockdown when a criminal was on campus. We also published numerous articles in response to the dialogue surrounding sexual misconduct on campus. We made it our goal to stay connected to the students, and be the forbearers of on-campus news. This was reflected in the number of readers we gained—our readership went up significantly this year. Almost all of our articles published in March reached over 1000 views. Some of our highest view counts on recent articles are 3889, 3325, and 2449, and we average about 850 views per article.

Other big changes this year included our increase in leadership and our return to the print edition. We added members to our editorial board this semester, and switched editors-in-chief. We now have two EICs, who share the responsibilities of being editor. We also brought back the print edition of the paper, which we’ve published at the end of each month and distributed throughout campus.

Next semester, we’ll be switching up the types of pieces we’ll be writing. We’ll keep our Arts & Entertainment, Sports, and Pulp section, and will be dissolving the news and opinion section, with the goal being that all pieces will integrate news coverage and opinions. We’ll be adding a Student Life section, which will cover student club activity, SGA activity, and any notable student achievements. We will also include an Administration and Faculty section, in which we will cover policy and administrative changes, as well as faculty features and departmental news. Finally, we’re adding a National News Here section, which will cover national events that are relevant to Skidmore, and any Skidmore events that relate to national goings-on.

Additionally, beginning next semester, we plan on implementing some educational workshops that will be open for any students to attend. These workshops will cover reporting, writing, editing, and reviewing past material to see what could have been done better. We think this will be a great way to hone new writers’ skills, and improve the quality of our content.

We definitely have some room for improvement, though. Skidmore News would like to have published a larger variety of pieces throughout the past year. We also have not been on top of breaking news pieces, but rather have responded to pieces after they’ve already reached the public. The campus newspaper should be the source you hear news from first, so we’ll be making an effort to make sure that’s the case next semester. Similarly, we need more investigative pieces with thorough journalism on important topics.

On another note, our multi-media content has been lacking throughout the past year. We’d like to be producing videos and graphics alongside written pieces and we hope our new art directors will make this happen.

So, while we have done a strong job this year, we certainly have more work to do semester. We would love to publish an even wider range of pieces and we hope to continue to push the envelope even more in the upcoming semesters. In order to do so, we need more members of the community to come forward and join our team. We encourage you to stop by our meetings next year, Monday nights at 9 pm in the Newsroom.

The Battle of the Two Asian Big Cats: Can India Beat China Economically?

By Bryn Hsu '16

Can India surpass China? The two countries, which together make up half of the continent of Asia, both have risen to power in the last few years and have grabbed international attention. China has stayed ahead of India in terms of economic growth and development of the country, but will this gap be sustainable in the future? China may be strong now, but India may have even more potential due to its different strategy, as the country focuses more on long-term governmental and economic strategies for growth.

India has not grown as quickly as China, but the much-loved former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru famously stated decades ago that India did not need to grow quickly, as long as it grew steadily. Whilst China has rushed to the top in terms of economy growth and country development, India has focused on the application of longer-term strategies that are low-risk and has encouraged more stable and steady economic growth. It is likely that India will soon emerge as a formidable opponent.

India has encouraged the growth of high numbers of private companies. China, on the other hand, focused on exporting, but this left the country with no world-class companies because they only manufactured products. This could potentially cripple China’s future for years to come. India, on the other hand, has invested in white-collar jobs through creating companies competing internationally with the best that Europe and the United States have to offer, allowing India to sustain their growth long-term. Clear evidence for this is seen through the fact that Forbes 200 ranked 13 Indian firms as the world’s best small companies.

What the citizens of the two countries invest in also differs, and the focus of these 2.5 billion people potentially has massive effects on their nation’s economies. Chinese citizens purchase housing and property whenever they can, since they believe that housing prices always increase. This is known as China’s housing bubble, and if it were to collapse, that would heavily disrupt the economy, slowing down the country’s growth and decreasing its GDP.

Indian citizens, on the other hand, invest in gold. Culturally they love gold, and see it as an infallible currency that also symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Gold, unlike housing, is easily marketable. Gold is also low risk, as it is internationally desired. Thus, it is low risk because the price of gold will never drop as dramatically as housing prices could, assuring India that its economy will not be heavily influenced by market fluctuations.

Fortune believes that the most important aspect of India’s infrastructure is its human capital. India’s population is so valuable because of its large pool of young workers—65 percent of India’s population is 35 or under, while China’s population ages rapidly every year due to its only recently loosened one-child policy. China may become the world’s most aged society by 2030, whereas India’s population is still growing and likely to remain young and active in the workforce.

Most telling of all is Forbes’ recent report that India’s GDP is now growing faster than China’s. This increase in growth in India is expected to keep rising, as government consumption growth and investment growth are both on the rise and private consumption is expected to improve at a steady pace.

Governmental regime also appears to be an important factor for assessing where India and China will stand in the future. To support its private companies, India has had to develop methods that allow its markets to operate with greater efficiency and transparency than China’s do (China Now Magazine). China imposes substantial legal and regulatory constraints on private firms, limiting the potential of these companies. China’s government favours its own state-owned companies and discourages entrepreneurs. The lack of transparency and the focus on state businesses limits China’s potential. In the long-term, India seems to have more room and freedom for economic growth.

India and China adopted drastically different strategies in their economic and governmental policies. China’s strategy is now facing imminent problems, the most potentially damaging of all being the housing bubble that could disrupt the country’s economy. India’s strategies have taken longer to take off, but as of February 2015, they have begun to pay off as India takes the lead in the fight towards becoming the fastest growing country. India may be on the rise more slowly, but as a country, they take less risks and steadily progress, while China has been running fast for decades and has recently appeared to be a little out of breath.

How Sustainable is the Seafood in the Dining Hall?

< By Celeste Calderon '16 & Nandini Srinivasan '15

Skidmore College is the first liberal arts college in the state of New York to become Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody certified. As many marine species stocks are becoming depleted due to overfishing, people are becoming more aware of issues such as illegal fishing and seafood fraud. Does that mean all seafood that the dining hall (Dhall) serves is sustainable? No, but it is a step in the right direction.

MSC Chain of Custody certification is a traceability standard for supply chains from the MSC certified fishery, to the distributor, to the consumer’s plate. Each company or institution that handles or sells an MSC certified product must obtain a valid MSC Chain of Custody certificate. MSC eco labeled seafood comes from an independently assessed fishery, which is then certified as environmentally sustainable with full traceability.

Achieving MSC Chain of Custody certification promotes traceability within the food supply chain. However, it does not fully ensure that an institution, restaurant, or supermarket is 100 percent eco-friendly or sustainable. In general, sustainability can be defined as meeting today's needs without compromising the needs of future generations. According to NOAA, sustainable seafood entails farming or catching seafood responsibly "with consideration for the long-term health of the environment and the livelihoods of the people that depend upon the environment" (NOAA).

The only MSC certified seafood products that Dhall serves or sells is pollock, cod, and haddock. Dhall has even made the effort to label menus online and at the entrance of the dining hall with the MSC certified seafood label. However, Dhall still serves uncertified seafood such as: shrimp, salmon, catfish, unknown fish in the fish tacos, and mahi mahi served for special occasions like themed dinners (Pirates and Mermaids).

Although MSC is known as a sustainability label, some argue that it is simply a "blue washing" technique, and does not promote real sustainability in seafood. A paper released in 2013 by the Biological Conservation highlights some of the objections against MSC labels (Fairbrother, 2013). An overarching issue they bring up is that MSC uses third party inspectors who have discretion when it comes to determining whether a fishery meets MSC standards. For this reason, a fishery may not really meet the MSC requirements but could be granted certification (Ainley, Bailey et al. 2013).

Additionally, the MSC standards for fisheries are vague. The three principles include sustainable fish stocks, minimizing environmental impact, and effective management (MSC). They are more qualitative than quantitative, which leaves room for varied interpretation. This is especially possible because of the third party inspectors. The standards also do not address fishing methods.

About two years ago, NPR released an article discussing the controversy of MSC’s eco label. Even though the program is based on science and evidence, many environmentalists and scientists lost their faith in the company when the Canadian swordfish fishery was certified. On average, the Canadian swordfish fishery was catching about five blue sharks for every swordfish due to its unsustainable fishing method of longlining. A fishery using the longlining method usually lets out 30 to 40 miles of fishing line, suspending more than 1,000 hooks that result in tens of thousand of shark bycatches every year. Many of these sharks that are accidentally caught are “threatened,” “endangered,” or “of special concern” under the Canadian government. (Zwerdling, Williams. 2013)

This specific case reflects that the Canadian swordfish fishery did not abide by the one of the three fundamental MSC standards—an important standard for guaranteeing sustainability. Principle two of the MSC Fisheries Standard states, “Fishing operation must be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function and diversity of the ecosystem.” Even though the swordfish population is plentiful, the fishery is ruining the integrity of the ecosystem by not being aware other the other marine species being negatively impacted.

The bottom line is that MSC has good intentions for protecting fish stocks and marine life, but needs to improve their standards as well as enforcement of standards. The organization is a strong advocate for raising awareness at a consumer level about the importance of traceability and sustainability in the seafood we eat. MSC’s official website provides information about the global impacts of unsustainable fishing, and even includes smart shopping tips for the consumer and businesses interested in purchasing sustainable seafood. MSC also highlights the significance of educating younger generations about traceability in the food chain supply.

So, with all this controversy over the effectiveness of the MSC certification and label, should Skidmore be commended for its MSC certification? One could argue that an MSC certification is better than no certification, and we have to say we agree. While the MSC standards definitely have flaws, Skidmore is making an attempt at supporting sustainable seafood, and as seafood tracing and monitoring increase, hopefully so will certification standards.

References Ainley, D. Bailey, M. et al. 2013. A Review of Formal Objections to Marine Stewardship Council Fisheries Certifications. Biological Conservation. "It's Official: You Can't Trust a 'Certified Sustainable' Seafood Label." TakePart. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. . "MSC Fisheries Standard." — MSC. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. . "Sustainability Information | EPA Research | EPA." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. . Zwerdling, D., & Williams, M. (2013, February 11). Is Sustainable-Labeled Seafood Really Sustainable? Retrieved April 20, 2015.

Polarity and Fear: Why Hillary is not my Primary Pick

By Madeleine Freundlich, '17 Staff Writer

The people tweeting #WhyI’mnotvotingforHillary have many complaints about the presidential candidate, many of them accompanied by unflattering photographs, political cartoons and caricatures. Some complaints aired include: “Because she believes in dependency on government & not individual freedom!”; “Because I don't think helping your husband smear women he slept with for political gain is empowering of women,” and “Hillary has a long history of unethical behavior.”.

My skepticism about Hillary is not because of her values, character, or even her ability to get things done. I’m concerned that she doesn’t prioritize protection of the environment highly enough, and much more importantly, I’m worried that if she wins the Democratic primary, her Republican opponent will be able to beat her in November.

As a very open liberal and a registered Democrat, I find myself choosing the left over the right in nearly every election. But the fact of the matter is that Hillary has too many enemies to ensure that she is electable. There are far too many people who absolutely detest Hillary Clinton, stating there is “no chance” they would vote for her if elected. There are also people who oppose the presence of Bill Clinton in the White House, or have “Clinton Fatigue Syndrome”. And obviously, Republicans certainly don’t like Hillary. For these reasons, I think that a GOP candidate would not have a hard time beating Hillary, and I am worried about the direction this nation would move in with a Republican-controlled executive accompanying Congress.

While it seems unlikely right now, I sincerely hope that another viable candidate emerges from the Democrats. Barack Obama was nowhere near a household name before his presidential run, but ultimately, that did not set back his campaign. I believe that with the speed of modern media, a brand new face would be able to publicize his or her campaign very effectively, and I think that newcomer would genuinely have a better shot of winning.

However, if Hillary does win the nomination, I will vote for her in the general elections. In her campaign video, she acknowledges that middle and lower-class families are struggling economically. Furthermore, she does have an impressive amount of government experience. And if current Supreme Court Justices retire or die while in office, I am confident that Hillary would appoint individuals whose values align with mine. I am just fearful that she will not get the chance to do so, and that if a Republican candidate is up against her, they will easily win the election.

Editorial: Why Skidmore's Website and Wi-Fi Suffer

By the Editorial Board

Students commonly complain about Skidmore’s technology, especially the design and navigational usability of Skidmore’s website, and the frequent connectivity problems with Skidmore’s wireless Internet. The editorial staff found that Skidmore’s poor allocation of resources towards improving the school’s technology is responsible for these poor services.

Skidmore’s website has been pretty disjointed over the past couple of years because the site has been in a transitional period. The Communications department has been working on moving Skidmore’s web pages from their old content management system (CMS) to their current design and system. The webpages you may have encountered that contain dated information and that look aesthetically different from most other pages were likely the CMS pages that had not yet been transferred.

The process of transferring the CMS pages began in July 2012, and will only just be wrapping up around the end of this month. It has been such a long process because it is very tedious work, moving each page piece-by-piece and image-by-image, and the Communications department has only one person singlehandedly moving all of the webpages. The number of old pages in CMS format was 46,889, and the number of current, newer web pages is significantly larger, so transferring the pages is no small endeavor. The tedium of the job is compounded by Communications’ need to work individually with each department to determine what content needs to be kept, what should be done away with, and how new pages should be organized.

This is a massive responsibility to put in the hands of just one person. That was the only option though, since Skidmore’s Communications team is just four individuals, each of who is always incredibly busy. Somehow, Skidmore cannot afford to hire an additional person to help work on updating the website, thus prolonging the process for years. This is a disservice to the students, and a case of mistaken priorities on behalf of the administration. No professional organization should need three years to implement a new website. Having an outdated, ineffective, and unstandardized website does not serve current students’ needs, and it discourages prospective students. A college’s website is one of the first places prospective candidates visit--it is their primary source for information about the school. Therefore, a seamless website is integral to Skidmore’s success and is beneficial to the entire institution.

Students also commonly belabor Skidmore’s egregious Wi-Fi, and wonder why it is so ineffective. The wireless is often very slow (or down altogether) because ResHallWifi is currently based on an old standard of wireless connection called IEEE 802.11g. This connection is what the wiring in the residential buildings was designed to handle, so in order to update to IEEE 802.11ac, the newest standard of wireless connection, the buildings must all be completely rewired. This is a very timely and costly project. Information Technology rewired Weicking Hall last summer, will be rewiring Howe-Rounds this summer, and will be working on other buildings over the next few years. This could be done quickly if enough capital was made available to do so. In a recent meeting with the Skidmore News, President Glotzbach emphasized that the school has money available every year for infrastructure improvements; improving the campus wireless should be a priority.

At the pace Skidmore is going, it will be several years until all res-halls have standardized, updated wireless access. And by the time all the dorms are updated, the new wiring will likely already be outdated, since technology shifts so quickly. Because access to the Internet is crucial to any student’s academic success at Skidmore, it would be in the best interest of the students for Skidmore to direct a little more time and money towards a speedier rewiring process, so that it does not drag on the way the website update did.

It’s easy for students to mindlessly complain about website issues and slow wireless connection, and demand that Skidmore just ‘fix the problem’. The Editorial Board approached this topic assuming that Skidmore staff members were merely being lazy about dealing with these seemingly simple technological issues. But, it’s important that we all understand and recognize how much time and effort goes into these large projects. When frustrated, we should not always blame Information Technology or Communications, since they are doing the best they can with the resources they have been allotted. Skidmore’s administration should expend more resources on projects like rewiring the residential buildings, or expanding the Communications department’s pretty small team. This would certainly minimize the time it takes for Skidmore to update these projects, so that the school is not always one step behind the current technology.

Editorial: Regarding Religion on Campus

By the Editorial Board

Discussions of religion on Skidmore’s campus have not been of interest to students. However, it would be in the best interest of all Skidmore students for us to engage in respectful discussions about religion more often. Skidmore’s community has a paradoxical approach to acceptance and liberality on campus. We want a diversity of students on campus, but without subsequent diversity of thought and opinions. Considering Skidmore’s vocality on acceptance and tolerance, we are surprisingly homogenous in our expectations of other people’s viewpoints and behaviors. We will gladly engage in a respectful debate regarding race issues, but our reaction to religion is either one of silence and avoidance, or of inflammatory and offensive remarks.

The assumption on campus regarding religion is that most individuals are not actively religious. Therefore, unless a student is noticeably and actively involved in religious life, the underlying belief is that they are part of a presumed majority of agnostic or atheist students. This becomes a circular way of thinking--because students assume that other students are not religious, they do not recognize Skidmore’s prominent religious life, and assume that religious gatherings at Skidmore are either nonexistent or unattended.

However, this is untrue. Skidmore has weekly Muslim prayer at Wilson Chapel on Fridays, holds weekly Shabbat services, has an active Chaplain on campus, and Skidmore’s clubs include Christian Fellowship Club--which hosts various weekly meetings, Hillel, Lift Every Voice Gospel Choir, and Newman Club--an organization for Catholic students at Skidmore. Skidmore does have a lively religious life on campus, it is just overlooked.

Skidmore also tends to exploit events that are rooted in religious heritage. For example, last year’s Holi event celebrating the Festival of Colors had somewhat disastrous results. Students showed up to the event with no concern for the Hindu values imbedded in Holi, its history, or its cultural resonance. When some students went up on stage (after administrative intervention) to share their knowledge about Holi, students on the green ran for the colors, turned on loud music, and drowned out the students on stage with their yelling. Rather than listening respectfully and gaining some understanding of what actions they were about to partake in, they demonstrated a flagrant disrespect to the Hindu culture and history, and a disregard for the religious significance of the event.

In order to combat the ignorance surrounding religion on campus, Skidmore should have more venues for learning and discussing religion. Think of how many courses at this school examine race, class and gender, and the way those identities can be tied into various disciplines. Conversely, few courses outside of the Religious Studies department examine or even acknowledge religion. As a community, we are all well-versed in how to engage in a critical discussion about race, class or gender, likely because of the attention spent on these subjects in Skidmore’s academic discourse. If we were as well-versed in religion, perhaps we could shed the biases and stigmas attached to religious students here, foster a more elevated level of respect for religious practices, and could avoid hate-fueled arguments like the intolerant threads regarding Christianity that occurred on Yik Yak over Easter weekend.

Religion is pertinent across all disciplines. It is relevant to our past, present and future, and it has a place on Skidmore’s campus--whether that goes unnoticed or not. To be educated in the complexities of religions, or to even have a broad understanding of religion is to be far more literate on the history of humanity, on vast amounts of world literature, and to be more well-attuned to current events. Furthermore, it would help us be more attuned to and appreciative of the cultural diversity on this campus. The celebration of Holi last year was an example of a missed opportunity to better educate students about Hinduism. If we had more events to discuss various religions, and if students actually respected the religious events that we do host, we could better appreciate the diversity of thought on this campus, not just strive for an ideal of diversity. And an overall better education on religion would help shape Skidmore students into more well-rounded, less ignorant, and far less polarized citizens.

Editorial: The Myth of Skidmore's Hookup Culture

By the Editorial Board

We’ve all heard people griping about the unavoidable ‘hook-up culture’ that we evidently live in these days. Whether it is your mother, an anonymous Yik Yakker, or a columnist for the New York Times, everyone’s talking about hook up culture. It’s an ambiguous term that implies a comfort shared among millennials with casually sleeping around. Hookup culture is the pervasive norm of relationships in our generation, particularly on college campuses--or so it seems.

In reality though, students are not hooking up more than they ever have, according to a study on the standards of campus hookup culture, and whether it is as widespread as it seems. People our age aren’t having more sex than they used to, they’re just more vocal about the sex that they are having. We have become more comfortable being vocal about our sexual behavior over the past couple of decades, which creates the illusion that we’re all having so much more of it.

In fact, the whole idea of hookup culture is more mythical than one might think. For one, although students may act very comfortable with the prospect of casually sleeping around, people often are not as okay with that behavior as most observers and other students think. This is not to say that students on Skidmore’s campus are embracing relationships either, though. Fear of commitment is a common concern, as is fear of attaching any type of label to a relationship. However, according to The Atlantic, 83% of college-aged women and 63% of college-aged men would prefer having a traditional relationship over being single and just hooking up.

If that is the case though, when was the last time you heard about two students going out on a real date? Never? That’s probably because nobody calls them dates anymore. We’re all too scared. Or maybe we’ve lost our touch, and our nation’s youth has never learned what a date is. Maybe we need what The Atlantic refers to as a “class on dating.” Students ‘hang out’ and ‘hook up’ and ‘go into town together,’ and the label stamped onto that relationship becomes the noncommittal “they’re hooking up.” But aren’t they really just dating, without referring to it as dating? Herein lies our obsession with quantifying relationships compounded with our fear of labels, and why it all becomes so murky and convoluted.

The Editorial Board doesn’t believe there should be a ‘campus culture’ when it comes to sex and relationships. Sex, in all its many manifestations, and relationships with all of their complications and nuances, can be extremely diverse. No one person’s wants or needs are the same. Since we’re talking about such a subjective, individual experience, it seems silly to try and generalize that behavior into terms as broad as a campus-wide culture. Trying to broaden an individual experience is impossible, and doing so also creates anxieties and pressures. It establishes an assumed norm that students feel like they either have to keep up with, or are missing out on. So, let’s all just calm down about sex.

Sex positivity is great, and an open dialogue surrounding sex can be productive, but can also lead to generalizing language, apprehensions, unrealistic expectations, and warped perceptions. The reality is, some of us are having sex, some of us aren’t. Some of us are in relationships; some of us don’t want to be. Some of us are comfortable with casual sex, some of us prefer monogamy. Some of us don’t even want to be having any sex. The only campus culture we should have regarding sex is one that is free of judgment.

Editorial: A Policy of Administrative Silence on Sexual Misconduct

By the Editorial Board

Throughout the past month, the public controversy surrounding sexual misconduct policy at Skidmore College has escalated. Students have been speaking out against Skidmore’s current policy via social media platforms, at the widely attended Readmission Protest on Friday, and at the open forum on Tuesday, March 24. However, the school administration has remained strangely silent in direct response to the protest.

It is commonplace for Skidmore students to learn more about the happenings on their own campus through local news reports, rather than from their school’s administration. This is not the first time Skidmore has remained quiet throughout conflict--this summer’s campus safety officer’s arrest for sexual assault went unaddressed by the school for months. The recent student break-in and robbery of Case Gallery and Skidshop went without comment, as well. And now, Reina Kiefer’s sexual misconduct case and readmission protest have been met largely with silence.

We recognize that Skidmore College is in a very challenging situation. No official statement will come anywhere close to resolving the issue at stake, but saying nothing is also saying something. The school’s silence insinuates a disconnect between the student body’s concerns and the administration’s awareness.

This lack of acknowledgement is because Skidmore is legally constrained in what they can and cannot say. Regarding ongoing investigations on campus, the school cannot confirm or deny that these investigations are even occurring. This is understandable. What is perplexing is why Skidmore doesn’t just very clearly express to its community that they cannot say much. If they simply explained why they couldn’t elaborate more on the issue, the Skidmore community would likely be far less critical of what the administration does say.

For example, on the evening of March 15, the day of the readmission protest, Skidmore’s official Facebook page posted the following update: “Today, Skidmore students gathered to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based misconduct on campus. We are proud of our students when they give voice and visibility to issues they feel strongly about. Skidmore has a strong sense of community, as evidenced by today's gathering.”

This status update was met with a largely negative response. In response to the school describing the protest as a “gathering to raise awareness,” Facebook commenters said the wording was “opportunistic and disingenuous” and “appalling,” and that they were “controlling words” but “too little too late.” They mocked Skidmore’s mention of their “strong sense of community” in light of the protest being an expression of students’ mistrust and dissatisfaction with the administration. Commenters also noted that sexual and gender-based misconduct on campus is an issue portrayed as something “they” (the students) care about, not something the administration cares about. Commenters also noted that actions speak louder than words, so the school being proud of students is irrelevant, and is simply “soft-pedaling” the issue. A few commenters agreed that the post was a “PR nightmare.”

This is an incredibly negative response to what appears to be a fairly vague, harmless Facebook update. If this were not the first time many students, community-members, and alums had heard a peep from Skidmore about the issue, it likely would not have received so much vitriol.

In a comment responding to the question of what the result of the readmission hearing was, Skidmore said “Federal privacy laws prohibit us from commenting on any specifics related to proceedings such as these.” So, why make a vague post skirting around direct acknowledgement of the issue? Why open up a conversation about the protest when they are aware they cannot follow through? And furthermore, why not just address these federal law constraints in a post itself--not in a comment?

Furthermore, it seems that many of Skidmore’s students and alumni do not recognize that according to Skidmore’s policy, they must offer suspended students a chance at readmission. The hearing held on March 15 was not a unique situation--it was done because of Skidmore’s protocol. Skidmore should acknowledge and explain this too. The Skidmore News recently published an article explaining Skidmore’s Sexual Misconduct Policy in detail, since we felt students were widely misinformed and confused about the school’s policy. More deliberate full disclosure on behalf of the school would surely dilute some of the animosity directed at Skidmore and would help students feel less in the dark about the goings-on of our own campus.

In the Facebook post, Skidmore addressed the protest about as supportively as they could have. However, without the knowledge of Skidmore’s legal constraints, the post did come across as exploitative of the protest, condescending to its participants, and certainly opportunistic in the way they did not acknowledge it as a protest directed towards the school, but still used it to reflect positively on the school’s student body and “sense of community.”

Skidmore has not altogether neglected to take action in the wake of student outcry. The school is hosting an online conversation about their sexual misconduct policy with alumni and parents on March 31, and they hosted an open forum for students on Monday, March 24. They have responded well to the student body’s concerns, but we would all benefit from more transparent statements from the school.

The Overlooked Benefits of Exploremore

by Allison Trunkey '18

A trademark of the Skidmore community is collaboration between students and faculty in the pursuit of personalized, productive knowledge bases. In concurrence with this principle, Skidmore hosts “Exploremore” discussion meetings throughout this week and next week, aimed to provide opportunities for freshmen and sophomores to explore various majors and minors of interest.

At Skidmore, we are privileged to have professors who sincerely want to advance our educational experiences, but during these stressful final weeks of the semester, it becomes easy to forget that support and information are readily available. Exploremore connects students not only with faculty but also with other students who hold leadership positions within the departments. These students are willing and eager to help undecided students make the critical decision of what subjects they want to pursue.

Students at Skidmore receive what might delicately be referred to as an extreme number of emails each day, but out of the bulk that we receive, those about Exploremore are worth investigating. Particularly for those of us who entered college with vague (at best) expectations about our future major and job prospects, Exploremore meetings are advantageous. The opportunities these meetings facilitate, to have direct contact with potential professors and advisors is extremely valuable. The events often encourage students to share their past and future course interests within the department, while declared majors speak on behalf of their notable experiences.

However, for fair warning, professors are inherently advocates for their own departments, and they can be charming, brilliant spokespersons toward these ends. Attend many Exploremore meetings, attend just one, or attend all of them, but be prepared to walk away with a burning desire to major in roughly all of the departments.

Editorial: Educating Students on Sexual Misconduct

By The Editorial Board

As an educational institution, Skidmore is required to teach its students - not only about history or science, but also about how to be good global citizens. We are put in various situations that require us to act as responsible students and members of a community. Standards are set by the school: follow the honor code, abide by drinking and drug laws, respect one another - yet Skidmore does not do enough to discuss sexual assault. It seems that students have been producing the most conversation. Between hearsay emails and Facebook groups - it is clear that the reigns are in the hands of the student body, not the administration. Granted, there are green posters that are in every room on campus; however, those green signs are often overlooked and simply state the steps one can take in managing sexual assault, post-occurrence. Most students are well-versed in the AOD policy. They understand preventative measures one can take to avoid acquiring points here and there because the AOD system is written in chart form and placed within all residential hall bathrooms. Unlike sexual misconduct, the AOD policy is driven into our minds.

Sexual assault does not have the same set of educational measures instituted. The preventative measures are not discussed enough; therefore, students lack education on this matter. We are programmed to comprehend what is considered “right” or “wrong,” yet at an institution where “wrong” has consequences, it seems only fair that students be educated on sexual misconduct, just like they are with the AOD policy. Due to the nature of offenses and the less concrete sanctions, the sexual assault policies are much harder to find than the AOD policy. Rather than being posted in bathrooms around campus, the sexual assault policy lives online in long-form PDF. Students don’t know the repercussions of violating sexual misconduct policy

The editorial board was in agreement that Skidmore should emphasize preventative measures in the domain of sexual assault within the first year experience.

Skidmore has increased programs this year including that of the Social Norms Campaign and “The First 6 Weeks.” Employing all of these aspects are fantastic, but their focus centralizes around addressing broad themes of alcohol education and only briefly detail sexual and gender-based misconduct and do not mention sanctions.

Yes, if you investigate Skidmore’s, “The First 6 Weeks” webpage you will see a statement that, “Skidmore College is committed to promoting a campus environment where sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and exploitation are not tolerated;” however, these few paragraphs are not satisfactory enough to be claimed as a “discussion” about sexual assault.

The editorial board believes that added discussions across campus through lectures, debates and mandatory class sessions would emphasize better behavior on campus. The board felt that the fourth credit hour of the Scribner Seminar would benefit from devoting a mandatory class session to sexual assault. Many times that fourth hour is disregarded, but it can be used for something better - a look at sexual assault and certain preventative measures.

Skidmore should make the campus more aware of preventative measures when it comes to sexual assault. Campaign posters for various other first year programs are in surplus, so why not add another component? If Skidmore can inform us of the repercussions of drinking under the age of 21 (which we all know is illegal), than Skidmore can inform us of sexual misconduct--preventative aspects and potential consequences for violated Skidmore’s code of conduct. Creating posters is always a creative, yet captivating way to catch a student’s attention, or adding a mandatory fourth credit hour conversation on the matter would benefit students facing such a tough topic. Perhaps if Skidmore worked harder to make these policies more apparent in our everyday life, then sexual assault would decrease. “Racy readers” might further some knowledge regarding the matter, but they can only be so effective. Despite their quick read - they do not do enough to establish methods for informing students about preventative measures. Skidmore needs to take charge and stop the problem at the root.

As students approach the “real world” it is necessary that we are able to have discussion about topics such as sexual assault, and it is necessary that Skidmore help to furnish these talks. Discussions like these would lead to students becoming respectful and intelligent citizens in their own communities.

For more information on sexual misconduct policy:

Investigating Sexual Misconduct: Skidmore's Policy (Part 1)

Also, we encourage participation in an on-going gender and sexual based misconduct survey being conducted by the Office of Health promotions.

Securing Its Future or Shooting Itself in the Foot? China’s Strict Censorship and Its Returning Students

by Niki Deininger '15

Over the last few weeks—on the Internet, in college classrooms, and in business offices—Chinese citizens are sighing in frustration at what many believe to be the Communist Party’s toughest censorship regulations in decades. Taken out of context, the government’s clampdown might not seem out of place. Yet, considering General Secretary of the Communist Part of China Xi Jinping’s continued efforts to snuff out Party corruption, including last month’s ousting of former provincial party leader Su Rong, tighter censorship reveals a heightened sense of state instability. While the country’s economy and private sector may continue to grow miraculously, the substantial increase of state limitations on foreign-educated citizens may ultimately shoot the Communist Party in the foot.

For several weeks now, stricter controls on Internet use, academic curriculum, and business applications all seem to be a result of the Party’s fear of outside influences threatening the legitimacy of the Chinese government. Amid state investigations to root out corruption--an endeavor that has already implicated thousands of government officials, including 70 high-ranking party members--Xi Jinping is seeking to maintain stability by tightening the leash on censorship. And the number of restrictions is still growing. In addition to expelling all Google services last year, as of last month, bloggers and chat-room visitors are required to register their full names on websites, as well as provide written affirmation that they will not challenge the political system. In the weeks to come, new regulations may require foreign companies to hand over intellectual property and products under the guise of “security checks.”

While some Western observers may shake their heads at this turn of events, many others are more struck by China’s nontraditional model of development and growth. China’s support and effort to fuel economic activity, Xi Jinping’s campaign against corruption, the country’s greater availability of educational opportunities abroad, the government’s encouragement for innovative ideas and technology, and China’s growing middle class all seem to suggest that democracy is somewhere in their attainable future. Classic modernization theory in particular asserts that a prominent middle class will lead to democracy. However, the government’s recent crackdown on censorship quells hopes of a China that can embrace civil liberties, such as free speech, in years to come. China’s model of development differs from that of more liberal democratic countries. The government’s desire to remain firmly in control is troublesome and clashes with the country’s rapid economic growth in the private sector and its increasing number of foreign-educated middle class citizens.

In addition to China’s astounding economic growth over the years, the United States’ desire to accept international students into U.S. colleges and universities, combined with China’s surplus of knowledge-seeking students has created a profitable market for an American education. While Chinese students have continuously represented the largest number of international students studying in America, the rate of Chinese student enrollment is still on the rise. In 2014, Chinese student enrollment surged 17 percent from the previous year, reaching a total of 274,439 students, about 31 percent of all international students studying in America. Yet unlike in past years, more American-educated Chinese graduates are returning home for employment. According to the Ministry of Education, in 2011, 187,300 Chinese graduates returned home after completing their studies. However, a year later, that number skyrocketed to 272,900 graduates. Part of the explanation for this drastic increase lies in how difficult it is for Chinese citizens to obtain a U.S. work visa. These figures also highlight China’s tremendous economic growth, its expanding private sector, and the opportunities for skilled jobs that come with economic growth.

With more and more American-educated Chinese graduates returning home to join China’s blossoming private sector, its bilingual, bicultural workforce has the potential to pump new ideas and innovations into China and spur further economic development. While this is good news for the Communist Party’s hopes of maintaining sustained economic growth, the consequences of encouraging students to return home with foreign Western ideas could pose a real, tangible threat to China’s attempts to stifle political dissent. The Chinese government refuses to let in information it deems threatening to the nation, and yet it wants to encourage innovation in the private sector from its foreign-educated citizens. China cannot have both, or else it will set itself on a collision course with democracy.

Editorial: Facing Sexual Assault on Campus

 

By the Editorial Board

Sexual assault is often considered a distant issue, something that happens anywhere except at Skidmore. It happens at large, party-oriented universities, like Duke, Stanford, or USC. It happens at schools with a strong Greek life. It happens at places where students can get away with anonymity. But not here, right? Skidmore is a tight-knit community and its liberal bubble can often be deceiving. The SGA is working to dispel the notion that sexual assault is out of our realm of concerns with their new campaign, ‘It’s Happening Here.’ This campaign is a “program designed for Skidmore students by Skidmore students to bring our community together and face the issue” of sexual assault.

It is happening here; sexual assault is a pervasive issue that no school is immune to, and Skidmore has taken strides in the past few years towards addressing it. The Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy has undergone numerous revisions over the years. Skidmore has also adapted a restorative justice approach to incidents of student misconduct, whether it is an instance of physical assault, sexual misconduct, or plagiarism. Restorative justice is an approach that’s main concern is an attempt to resolve matters between the perpetrator and the individual who was most harmed by the incident. Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Campus Life David Karp is a firm believer in restorative justice, and is part of a national movement towards restorative justice on campus.

However, the Editorial Board does not believe that restorative justice is an appropriate approach towards handling incidents of sexual misconduct. This kind of interactive, reparative approach is too complicated and has too much potential for harm when used in situations as sensitive as sexual assault.

We also take issue with one of Skidmore’s options for sanctions. Skidmore’s Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy offers an opportunity of readmission for a student who has been expelled or suspended, if the student presents his or herself as eligible to reenter the college. The possibility of readmission presents a fundamental issue in Skidmore’s approach to sexual misconduct. Why would a student who was found guilty of misconduct and worthy of suspension or expulsion be somebody Skidmore would want among its student body? Where does the willingness to re-welcome this student stem from?

Readmittance of a sexual assailant is not only unfair and potentially damaging to the survivor of the assault, but it also presents a threat to the entire student body. The school cannot be sure that an individual who committed a harmful crime in the past will not commit wrongdoing again. Although Skidmore may be inclined to take a restorative justice approach in attempt to give the assailant and victim an opportunity to work through trauma and rehabilitate, the (slim) potential for a positive outcome in that scenario is not worth the risk of placing a potential repeat-offender back on campus.

Furthermore, the fact that a student found guilty can be readmitted to Skidmore does not reflect well on the school’s role as a trustworthy entity with student interests in mind. Readmittance of a student who is a threat to the Skidmore community is not reassuring to other victims of wrongdoing, and most likely makes students less inclined to report incidents.

In going forth with policy changes, the Board recommends that Skidmore do away with the option of readmittance. A clear cut set of consistent, irrevocable sanctions would be much more beneficial to the student body, and would reflect more positively on the administration’s approach to sexual assault.

Update, 2/25/15: After further reviewing Skidmore's sexual misconduct policy and interviewing relevant administrators, we have found that our opinion is not in line with certain facts. Please look forward to a more extensive piece early next week that will explain and evaluate the sexual misconduct policy, as well as critique the student response. Thanks, Jacob Reiskin, Co-Editor-In-Chief

Letter to the Editor: Financial Impacts of Divestment are Uncertain - Climate Impacts Less So

by Silas Phipps-Costin '16

The Skidmore News recently ran an editorial suggesting that a proposal to divest from the top 200 fossil fuel reserve holders is unrealistic. The plan, which calls for the liquidation of all assets including these companies, has been the topic of over a year's work by the Skidmore Task Force on Divestment, a committee of students, faculty, staff, and a trustee. The committee was formed in response to a petition signed by 498 students, and 58 others, demanding that the college "withdraw from direct investment in fossil-fuel companies and withdraw from direct ownership and from comingled funds including fossil-fuel equities and corporate bonds within five years," (Skidmore Divestment Petition to President Glotzbach and Board of Trustees). This petition was endorsed by the SGA.

The main objection that the editorial raises is that divestment would result in a massive loss of returns on our endowment. This is a valid concern - this endowment fuels Skidmore's ability to provide financial aid to underprivileged students, to teach and prepare students, and to work on local sustainability initiatives. It would be foolish to ignore the potential risk to these extremely important goals.

At the same time, it would be just as foolish to assume that such losses are inevitable. Colonial Consulting, the firm that assessed the financial implications of divestment, provided the estimate of a $127 million loss. This seems like a dire consequence, and would almost certainly make divestment a highly irresponsible decision. However, this value is not a precise prediction of the actual cost. Even within the model used for analysis, the firm acknowledges that it "prefers to focus on potential worst case scenarios," (Colonial Consulting LLC).

More importantly, their model is based off the fact that the majority of Skidmore's endowment is invested in comingled funds, run by managers for whom Skidmore is but one of many clients. This means that Skidmore would need to liquidate all of its assets in the fund. In making their predictions, Colonial assumed that this money would then be invested in unmanaged funds, which would track the market as a whole (managed funds often do 1-3% better than the market). This is where their predicted losses come from - there is nothing inherently less profitable about portfolios without fossil fuels (in fact, a MSCI-ACWI index suggests that over the past 10 years, the market without fossil fuels has had 1.2% better returns than the market as a whole.

There is absolutely no reason to trust this assumption. It is an absolute worst-case scenario, in which the endowment is unguided and dependent on the whims of the market. This would absolutely not be the case in a divestment scenario. Although Colonials report did no research on managed funds that exclude fossil fuels, they do exist - a cursory search yielded 19 Asset Management Firms and 8 Mutual Funds with fossil free portfolios. Even if Colonials unfounded assertion that these are "simply not the best investors" were true (which would certainly call for some actual data), as trained financial analysts, they are almost certainly able to produce returns greater than market average. This means that, in addition to being an extremely poor model of actual outcomes, Colonials predictions are exaggeratedly conservative, giving the false impression of catastrophic endowment loss. It is disconcerting that Skidmore News is citing this deeply flawed, highly tenuous report as absolute fact.

Additionally, the editorial suggests that divestment would prove purely a symbolic gesture. The 4% of our current $377 million dollar endowment that is in fossil fuel reserves represents a volume of oil with the potential to release about 129 million pounds of CO2 - the equivalent of driving three and a half million miles (around the world 144 times) in an average passenger car. To fail to divest In the name of funding a bike share program is absurd.

Moreover, the nominal value of divestment does not necessarily represent its impact - in addition to depriving the fossil fuel industry of capital, which would allow exponential expansion of their harvesting efforts, it would also be providing demand for fossil-fuel free managed funds, and setting a precedent for ethical action with academic endowments. Even the smallest endowment represents an enormous increase in demand in the burgeoning impact-first investment industry, and the potential to attract top managers who will improve its viability.

It's important to acknowledge the limitations of our ability to predict the financial impact of divestment. It will almost certainly be less than the worst-case figure provided by Colonial Consulting. It could be anything between that value, and an improvement in return on investment (like what happened at Unity College when it divested). Divestment may be somewhat of a risk - but it is not the only risk at play. We also cannot evaluate what the consequences of failing to act now will be – and in a world where our actions have far-reaching consequences, we must also have far-reaching perspective. Stuck dealing with uncertainties as we are, we should act with precautions against the greatest potential threat. Nowhere in the Skidmore mission is the size of our endowment mentioned - but it is quite clear on the need to "make the choices required of informed, responsible citizens."

Editorial: We Should Not Divest

By the Editorial Board

This week, Skidmore released the Phase 1 report of its review of divestment from fossil fuels. The report explains the implications of divestment for Skidmore, which the Editorial Board has since reviewed.

Phase 1 was the process of evaluating what divestment would mean for Skidmore, and what the implications are for divestment on a global scale. After reading the 32-page report, we identified some tension between the Skidmore Task Force, which is clearly advocating for divestment, and Skidmore’s investment advisors, Colonial Consulting, who state that divestment would be incredibly difficult and damaging for Skidmore. Colonial specifically states that divestment “would be challenging, costly, and would likely impact the Colleges ability to fund student financial aid, academic and related program support, employee pay and benefits, capital projects and other expenditures that are essential to carrying out the College’s educational mission.”

The report also states numerous times that the act of divesting from fossil fuels ultimately would not have a significant impact on the larger issue of climate change, but would instead be more of a symbolic move to aid stigmatization of fossil fuel companies. So, where does this leave Skidmore?

Skidmore College has a reputation to uphold as an environmentally aware institution. It also has an obligation to stay true to its goals of social responsibility, and its endeavor to produce globally conscious citizens. As President Glotzbach stated in a meeting with the Skidmore News, while discussing divestment, the College is addressing the “most important issue that humans have ever faced,” namely, climate change.

However, full divestment would have drastic negative implications for Skidmore. Of all Skidmore’s total investments, only 4% of its assets are connected to fossil fuels. However, because Skidmore’s endowment is invested in outside-managed investment funds that almost all contain fossil fuel holdings, Skidmore would have to liquidate and relocate about 100% of their endowment. Thus, in-turn, Skidmore would be forced to reallocate funds to less reputable and less capable investment managers, described by Colonial as “simply not the best investors,” causing significant long-term and short-term losses to investment returns. According to Colonial Consulting, the college would lose about $127 million in returns over 10 years, which is a significant loss, since the endowment currently stands at $335 million. This means that in enacting a primarily symbolic move of divestment, Skidmore would have to sacrifice its financial security

Significant endowment funds go to financial aid. In forfeiting some of this endowment money, Skidmore would compromise the opportunity to admit large numbers of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. In this process, Skidmore would lose sight of one of its core missions, which is to have a “diverse population of students.” So, while the school would certainly be setting an environmental precedence, it would be neglecting other social responsibilities—such as having a diverse study body, and providing opportunities to less privileged students.

Skidmore would also be forgoing other opportunities for sustainability—such as sustainable infrastructure, or further educative programs in the field of sustainability. Skidmore could instead allocate the money it would be losing in divestment towards a sustainability minor, or to the Skidmore Environmental Action Club. Middlebury College has taken a similar approach. They decided not to divest from fossil fuels, but they chose to allocate $25 million of their endowment towards “investments focused on sustainability business such as clean energy, water, climate science, and green building projects.” They also allowed $150,000 to be managed by their Socially Responsible Investment Club, a student-run organization. We believe an approach like this would be ideal for Skidmore.

Skidmore College is not a large enough institution to lead the charge in addressing climate change or divestment. The damage divestment would cause to Skidmore as an institution does not make divestment a reasonable option right now, or in the near future. However, Skidmore should maintain its role as a socially responsible school, and must respond the best it can to climate change, be it not full divestment from fossil fuels.

While we believe that divestment from fossil fuels is an unrealistic goal for Skidmore at this time, we certainly recognize the institutions need to act responsibly, act quickly and act sustainably. We hope that ultimately, Skidmore does revisit the issue of divestment, at a time when it is a more realistic accomplishment.

The Sound of Silence: Why no one is talking about Net Neutrality, and what that says about us as citizens of the world

by Ryan Davis '17

On Feb. 19, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) will announce their decision on the legality of ‘Net Neutrality’. Net Neutrality is the reason the Internet works the way we know it to today. It ensures that all data on the Internet be considered equal. Much like how water or electricity sent to your house cannot be controlled by individual providers, data must also be allowed to flow to your home or workplace unrestricted. The result of free data movement has been an open Internet where smaller websites can compete with big name corporations’ websites, because the speed at which both sites can be accessed is the same. It has made the Internet a fertile ground for entrepreneurs and innovators, and Internet-savvy youth have benefited as a result, though we might not realize it. Sites that we take for granted such as YouTube, Facebook, and Tumblr all got their start as small websites, which, due to the principle of net neutrality, were able to compete with sites that were already established.

However, this is all poised to change. In January. 2014, Verizon sued the U.S. government, proposing that due to a technicality wherein Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are not classified as common carriers (i.e. services that can be regulated by the government because they serve the public, such as gas pipelines), the FCC has no right to regulate them, and as such, Net Neutrality does not apply. Since then, the FCC has been deliberating on whether ISPs are common carriers, and if Net Neutrality should be abolished. The consequences of this ruling will be monumental.

If Net Neutrality is abolished, it will allow ISPs to slow down or speed up the bandwidth of any website they want. ISP representatives have described this as creating “fast lanes.” Initially, this doesn’t sound too bad, but think about it this way: by abolishing net neutrality, ISPs can essentially strong-arm any company they want into paying them to maintain the speed at which their services can be accessed. If Netflix wants to stay in business and not lose subscribers due to poor buffering speeds, they would have to pay a premium. A competitor who can’t pay that premium would fail because they would not be able to compete. Given the way ISPs currently operate, this would be comparable to a form of extortion. According to the FCC, 67 percent of Americans have two or less ISPs to chose between. If Comcast wants to extort a bit of money out of Tumblr, they can, because if Tumblr doesn’t pay, over half of their customers will be experiencing frustrating or unusable Internet speeds to access their service, hurting their bottom line and potentially putting them out of business.

Upon further investigation, the issue becomes exceedingly complicated. One problem is that Comcast and Verizon are essentially monopolies regarding how little choice their consumers actually have in choosing a service provider. Another issue is that ISPs exert huge amounts of influence over the U.S. government. According to Bloomberg News, Comcast is the second largest corporate lobbyist of the U.S. government, just behind Northrop Grumman, a defense contractor responsible for aerospace systems, electronic systems, information systems, and technical services for the U.S. military. Comcast lobbies the U.S. government second only to the guys making helicopters and jets for the air force. (Think about the implications of that for a second.) Comcast spent $18,810,000 on lobbying alone in 2013. Their influence goes beyond lobbying money, though. Current FCC chairman Tom Wheeler is a former lobbyist himself for telecommunication companies. Now he’s in charge of the government office that regulates them. I would argue that this is a little more than a potential conflict of interest.

So, a decision that effects the very foundation of the Internet is happening in a week’s time, and no one seems to be talking about it here at Skidmore. I can only speculate as to why that is, but I think political satirist John Oliver put it best in saying, “If you want to do something evil, put it inside something boring.” This is a shockingly true statement. For example, look at the Edward Snowden leaks. The outcry against government surveillance has been muted at best, because the actual legislation governing electronic surveillance and data collection is boring. Cable news has been slow to report on Net Neutrality or Snowden.

My larger point is, groundbreaking things are going on in our world, both domestically and internationally, and yet we seem to be confined to only the problems we can make sense of. Large public outcry seems limited to issues that are promoted by cable news, or ones that we can take polarizing opinions on. Take any hot social issue of our time, from minimum wage to gay marriage. An us vs. them mentality sets in, it becomes easy to vilify the opposing side, and outcry on both ends is loud and zealous.

However, consider issues that are more difficult to take opposing sides on; issues in which there is no villain with a human face. What about shadowy corporations exerting absurd amounts of control on our ‘government of the people’? What about corporations maintaining the power to enforce their religious beliefs over their workers and their healthcare? This list could go on and on.

These issues are complicated, relevant beyond belief, and seem to be largely ignored. Where is the media coverage of those matters? Where are the protests at all? Where are the discussions, activism, and calls for change? I challenge the citizens of the U.S. and students of Skidmore to be better rounded in our political activism and global literacy. I challenge us to reject sensationalized stories of modern news, and to become more active and knowledgeable both domestically and internationally. It can be easy to forget or become overwhelmed by the many problems of the world, and there are no easy answers to most of them, but for the sake of our future, we have to try.

Why Yoga Isn't Just for Basic B*tches

By Emily Gazzola, Contributing Writer

I recently took a hot yoga class for the first time. This was a new experience for me, someone who has only been practicing regularly for less than a year. Although I am not a huge fan of sweating, the class influenced my perception of yoga as a sport.

Upon entering, I was immediately surrounded in the packed, 105º room . To my left, a college wrestler did impressive handstands, while the woman to my right arrived last and seemed frazzled and uncomfortable in the class. I was in between the two extremes.

It’s time someone said it and my hot yoga class was the perfect example: Yoga is for everyone. How often in life are we able to devote a chunk of time to focus on syncing our mind and body? Yoga is a unique sport that can be practiced at different intensities and on different levels. There are modifications that can be applied to virtually any posture, guaranteeing a workout that is both vigorous and tailored to one’s specific level of ability. With all of the chaos that surrounds us every day, it is important to set aside time to focus on one’s body. Yoga is for athletes, dancers, runners, and seniors. Everyone can benefit from stretching his or her muscles. It prevents injury and just feels great!

Something I have come to learn about the practice of yoga is that it is both a mental and a physical challenge. I believe everyone should experience yoga because yoga is a metaphor for life. Even yogis who have practiced their entire lives will never achieve perfection. Yoga is so humbling in that everyone is working toward her/his own goals. Yogis acknowledge that everyone needs their own time to do that; some yogis will say that they worked on a particular posture for years. Years!

There is a common misconception about yoga, which should be dismissed. It seems that whenever the word is mentioned, instantly a picture of a perky girl clutching a yoga mat comes to mind. However, yoga is so much more than that. It is a vigorous exercise that has healing properties and positive effects on both the body and mind. There are many different branches of yoga that have deep historical and spiritual traditions.

One of the keys of practicing yoga well is learning how to quiet the mind even in times of great physical stress. I was once told that when you enter a new or especially challenging posture and your body begins to shake, it is your body’s way of ‘requesting strength.’ This idea struck me because it was a completely different perspective on exercise. It demonstrates the Eastern way of thinking about energy and balance that is essential to the yoga practice and refreshing to a Westerner. Pushing one’s body to the brink is not what yoga is about; it is constantly working to improve oneself in all capacities.

Yoga has positively impacted my own life in more ways than one, but I think the mental and spiritual takeaways are perhaps the most important lessons to be gained from yoga practice. In our lives we will never achieve perfection; there will always be someone on my left doing fancy inversions, just like there will always be someone on my right who can barely get into downward dog. It has taken me a long time to realize this life lesson: the ultimate goal is to find one’s own path towards achieving strength, balance, and positivity in all facets of life.

Try taking a yoga class. Breathe a little. Namaste.

-x-

P.S. If you’re interested in yoga now, there are many studios in the town of Saratoga, as well as yoga in Wilson chapel on Sundays as well as the Skidmore yoga club which meets three times a week with a private instructor. Additionally there are classes offered at the athletic center. Good luck!

Editorial: On Skidmore's Future General Education Requirements

By the Editorial Board

Skidmore’s long-standing general education requirements are finally up for review by the College. What exactly the changes to the core curriculum will look like is so far unclear. It’s a complicated topic, with significant implications, and the Editorial Board had trouble coming to a consensus on what Skidmore’s core curriculum should look like. We concluded that the future of Skidmore’s General Education requirements ultimately comes down to how Skidmore wants to treat its students.

On the one hand, Skidmore is a liberal arts institution. Liberal, most literally implying individual freedoms, could be interpreted as meaning a school with no requirements at all. If Skidmore is a liberal institution, designated to prepare its students for life after college, should we not be treated as adults while we are here?

One could argue that students should have a choice in what kind of requirements they must take, and that not all nine must be fulfilled before graduation. One could also argue that students need no babysitting at all, and that requirements should be excluded from the curriculum altogether. One of Skidmore’s boasting points is that it asks its students to step outside of their comfort zones, through its general requirements. But what about when those requirements get in the way of a student’s passions, or their major track? And what about when we take into account the school’s staggering tuition, and acknowledge that students are oftentimes paying for courses that may serve them no use whatsoever, that they do not want to be taking? Skidmore does offer many summer courses, which helps students complete some extra requirements, but for a hefty additional expense. One 4-credit course at Skidmore over the summer amounts to $4095 including housing. Many students pursuing an Art major often have to stay at Skidmore during the summer, in order to complete their major requirements, because much of their time during Fall and Spring semesters was spent completing General Education requirements.

So, perhaps the school should grant us some more choice and leniency as far as which requirements must be fulfilled in order to graduate. If the school wants us to act like adults, discover our passions and pursue them, and lead a successful life after graduation, then perhaps they should treat us more like adults?

However, there is, of course, an opposing argument. We all entered Skidmore fully aware that the school had General Education requirements that every student must fulfill. Skidmore holds its students to a standard that entails being a well-rounded individual. In the College’s Mission Statement, it states “Skidmore faculty and staff create a challenging yet supportive environment that cultivates students’ intellectual and personal excellence, encouraging them to expand their expectations of themselves while they enrich their academic understanding.” Thus, Skidmore’s Gen Ed requirements align with their Mission Statement outlining their expectations of us as students. They seek to broaden our horizons while educating us.

An employer who hires a Skidmore graduate most likely expects that they will be hiring an individual who has a basic understanding of all core disciplines. If said graduate had not, in fact, fulfilled all core requirements, the employer will potentially have hired an underqualified employee, unbeknownst to them. Furthermore, many students enter Skidmore unsure of what they want to major in. After dabbling in subjects, and fulfilling general education requirements, it is certainly easier for a student to narrow down what they do and do not enjoy. This is what a liberal arts education is all about--allowing its students to explore multiple disciplines before they hone in on just one subject. Without a core curriculum, some students may flounder, and other students will graduate with from study to narrow to be considered liberal arts.

Should Skidmore bestow its students more or less academic freedom? This is ultimately a question of values. Do we, the students, value our independence or our institution’s structure and standards more? Do we prefer a well-rounded education, or a boundary-free experience?

New Minimum Wage Law: More Money for All of Us

By Bryn Hsu '16

On Jan. 1, 2015, Skidmore College implemented a new minimum wage standard, paying its student workers a minimum of $8.75 an hour. This means a whole $1.50 increase from last year’s minimum. This new standard is aligned with New York State’s new minimum wage requirements that came into effect on December 31, 2014.

Before this increase is celebrated, several facts should be taken into account. While the 21 percent increase in wages may seem like a big leap, the truth is that the current minimum wage is far behind inflation rates. In the 1960s, the equivalent minimum wage would have been $9.39, making President Obama’s 2008 minimum wage proposal of increasing it to $9.50 seem not quite so drastic after all. Even at $8.75, the minimum wage is nearly impossible to live on, and represents an annual salary of just over $16,000, excluding taxes. It is a brutal number for those working in areas where the costs of living are extraordinarily high, such as New York City where the average monthly rent is a shocking $3,000. An annual minimum wage salary of $8.75 would not even pay for half of New York City’s average rent costs. Therefore, is it really enough to raise the minimum wage? The new minimum wage still leaves many with barely enough to scrape by.

It seems that New York State governor Andrew M. Cuomo does want to give his citizens more than the bare minimum, and as of Jan. 18, 2015, just a little over two weeks after the implementation of the new minimum wage law, Governor Cuomo announced not one but two new minimum wage proposals. He advocated for an even higher minimum wage of $11.50 in New York City and $10.50 for workers in the rest of New York State. If the state legislature approves of this proposal, New York’s minimum wage will be one of the highest in the country.

The recent rise in New York’s minimum wage was not issued by the federal government; increases or decreases of minimum wage vary by state, and the federal minimum is still $7.25. However, the predicted benefits of New York’s new law may be an incentive for those states not yet implementing similar standards. For example, over one million New Yorkers would benefit from the increase, over 10 percent from New York City. Raising the minimum wage also promotes economic growth, as it gives a significant number of citizens more spending power. The GOP’s much repeated chant that a higher minimum wage will cause major job losses across the country can also be refuted with multiple studies and economy observations done over decades, which all clearly demonstrate that higher minimum wages have little, if any negative effect at all on employment rates. Raising the minimum wage is beneficial to the economy as a whole, and does not hurt labor markets.

What does this mean for Skidmore College students? Of course, it is great to receive competitive wages aligned with the rest of the state. It means more money for late night Spa trips, and for some, whether or not Netflix marathons can stay a reality. However, there seems to be an undercurrent of dissatisfaction from some students—those who already made more than $8.75. In general, those making above minimum wage (which is the majority of workers across the country) have extra qualifications or experience that make them valuable to their employers, and thus justify the demand for higher pay. However, neither New York State nor Skidmore College has any plans at the moment to increase wages for all workers. And this, understandably, is a sore subject for many people.

However, economists have found that when minimum wage is increased, the phenomenon of what is called the Ripple Effect comes into effect, and additional citizens also benefit and receive pay rises. CNN Money used New Jersey’s minimum wage increase last year to demonstrate that while 2.6 million people were directly affected by the increase, 2 million other people who were presumably making above minimum wage were also indirectly affected and benefitted. The Hamilton Project, a non-profit organization, performed an economic analysis that found the benefits of minimum wage affecting near 30 percent of the U.S. workforce. This further indicates that a rise in minimum wage means a rise in wages for all of us. This is because the rise in minimum wage puts pressure on businesses to keep employees by staying competitive and sometimes offering employees an increase in pay to keep social hierarchies in order. This chain reaction continues, creating the Ripple Effect, and ultimately benefits everyone.

Thus, raising the minimum standards of living will likely guarantee a raise in pay for all of us, but for the people already making above minimum wage, it could take time. For those waiting slightly disgruntled for their turn in the Ripple Effect, why not think of this joke about a Russian peasant: “A genie granted a Russian peasant a wish, and it could be anything he wanted. Anything at all! The peasant thought about it, and said to the genie, ‘I know! My neighbour has a cow—‘ and here the genie interrupted, ‘I could give you two cows.’ The peasant shook his head, and told the genie, ‘No, I don’t want a cow. I want you to take away my neighbours cow. That way, it will be fair!’”

Think about those two cows. They could be yours.

Editorial: The State of Freedom of Speech on Campus

By the Editorial Board

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris in response to Charlie Hebdo’s comic strips have sparked a worldwide dialogue about freedom of speech. Charlie Hebdo’s content is often racially charged, overtly offensive, and vulgar. In the aftermath of the attacks, countless people have stood in support of Charlie Hebdo, trumpeting the magazine as a proud example of the importance of free speech. However, as David Brooks pointed out in his New York Times opinion piece, “I Am Not Charlie Hebdo,” many people support the ideal of freedom of speech, but in everyday practice are quick to censor themselves and others.
The Skidmore Community has fostered an environment too eager to censor dialogue in the name of political correctness. A community more open to the use of satire and comedy to approach uncomfortable and touchy topics could aid progress in social issues on campus, such as race and gender relations.
The line between satire and hate speech is a fine one, and often a sensitive one. It is an ill-defined line because it varies from one individual to the next. One student may find a comment abhorrent, another may view it as completely acceptable. The Skidmore community tends to veer away from potentially touchy subjects altogether, so as never to offend a fellow student. Similarly, President Glotzbach’s recent welcome-back letter called for continued “diversity-related initiatives” but offered no new solutions—only more lectures.
Satire has always served the purpose of bringing to light unspoken truths and controversial issues. Its intent is to provoke and question its audience, not to attack them. A venue on campus for more satire and uncensored speech could open up a wider, less trepidatious dialogue on social issues. We often reflect on social issues at large, but talking about concrete concerns on campus is more difficult, partially due to our tendency as a community to draw offense so readily.
For example, Skidomedy has performed skits involving race issues that gained enormous laughter and applause at the time of the showing, but later received bias reports. The Skidmore News ran an article a few years ago that highlighted the overwhelming whiteness of the Skidmore Outing Club, the largest club on campus. The article was sent to the Bias Reponse Group and we felt it necessary to remove the piece from our site.
It is very important not to confuse satire with language or actions that should deservedly constitute as a bias incident. Hate speech is hate speech, never comedy. However, the administration's procedure for bias incidents lacks clarity.
Skidmore defines a bias incident as “an act of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation involving a member of the Skidmore community that a reasonable person would conclude is directed at a member or group within the Skidmore community based on race, color, ethnicity, nationality, economic background, age, physical and mental health or ability, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, or religious practice. A bias incident can occur whether the act is intentional or unintentional. Speech or expression that is consistent with the principles of academic freedom does not constitute a bias incident.”
Who constitutes a “reasonable person” and an unreasonable person, according to the Bias Response Group? And what does “speech or expression consistent with the principles of academic freedom” mean? This language lacks precision. Consequently, a bias incident can be filed on an arbitrary basis.
The student body should be capable of discerning the difference between appropriate satire and a bias incident. We must be more open-minded regarding the use of satire and comedy and be less cautious when communicating about social issues. Uneasy questions must be confronted and addressed outside of Intergroup Relations classrooms. The school community will benefit from diversity when it realizes the importance of truly difficult dialogue.

Letter to the Editor: In Response to "Editorial: On the Role of Health Services on Campus"

By Patricia Bosen, Clinical Director Health Services

I am writing to respond to your recent article about Health Services.

We recently sent a satisfaction survey to all students and I will use some of that data as well as our annual statistics to respond to your article. Our survey sample size was 347 students and represented all class years fairly evenly.

Health Services had a total of 6,325 visits last year (Fall ’13 and Spring ’14). This represents 1943 unique students and 75% of the student population. When we look at our statistics every year, the highest utilization of Health Services is by either freshmen or sophomore students.

Although we are not open on Saturdays, we are open on Sundays from 12-5 PM and see an average of 15 students per Sunday. According to the survey, 60% of students are aware of Sunday hours. Our staffing is limited on Sundays (one RN and either a nurse practitioner or physician) but being open one day of the weekend certainly is helpful to students who may not be able to get there otherwise.

We asked students why they were not coming to Health Services and 84% of the respondents stated that they have not needed the services. Only 3% stated that they did not know the services existed. Many students have commented that they like the fact that we are located in a res. hall as it makes us more accessible to them.

The article discussed that students frequently hope to “just drop in for a quick consultation”. There are always two registered nurses and a nurse practitioner available to see students on a walk-in basis anytime the office is open. According to our survey, 97% of students were aware that we had walk-in visits available and 73% of the respondents stated that their most recent visit was as a walk-in. Just like visiting a provider at home, Urgent Care or the ER- there may be times that students have to wait to be seen but once they are in an exam room- we spend as much time as we need to listening to concerns, educating and treating. Our website lists appropriate reasons for both walk-in visits and appointments. A student who has an acute illness, a general medical problem, injury, needs an immunization or lab work as ordered by an outside provider should come as a walk-in. We schedule appointments for more chronic issues, GYN exam/problems, birth control counseling, visits with the nutritionist, physicals for travel abroad, STI testing and counseling. If a student is unsure whether they should come in as a walk-in or appointment, we encourage them to call us and ask.

The recent satisfaction survey revealed that most students are satisfied with the services we provide and the overall attitude toward Health Services is positive. I know that there are always areas for improvement and certainly welcome any further discussions you would like to have regarding ways to improve the work that we do. It is sometimes difficult to be out on campus promoting ourselves when the work at the office is so busy. That’s when working with student groups and others across campus is essential.  This semester, we have had several strategic planning meetings with the Counseling Center and the Office of Health Promotion with the goal of serving students better, this work will be on-going. We have worked with the PHEs on projects to promote Health Services and have also worked with other student groups including VOX, SCEMS, and the Center.

Sincerely,

Patty Bosen