Campus Safety Incident Reports: March 23 to 28

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Saturday, March 24-Fireworks: Reporting person advised individuals at 3:40 a.m. who were setting off fireworks in front of the Macrury apartments. Officers dispatched report that the subjects were gone on arrival. No damage reported.
• Sunday, March 25-Forcible Sex Offense: Person reports a sexual misconduct incident at 7:50 p.m. from an off campus location. Officers and the Saratoga Springs Police Department conducting an investigation. Report issued.
• Monday, March 26- Assist: Students report they are stuck at 4:45 p.m. between floors in the South elevator of Jonsson Tower. Unit 10 and officers responded to the location. Officers report that the elevator is fixed and the students are off. No injuries or concerns reported. Report issued.

Friday, March 23

• College Violation: A loud banging noise reported at 4 a.m. outside of Howe-Rounds. Officers dispatched and searched the exterior of the entire hall. No noise was detected. Unfounded call.
• Parking: Vehicle booted at 4:13 a.m. in the Jonsson Tower lot for excessive tickets. Report issued.
• College Violation: Three empty boxes from air rifles reported at 8:15 a.m. in the trash in the housekeeping closet on the third floor of Wiecking Hall. Officer dispatched to investigate the ownership of the rifles. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested a transport at 10:32 a.m. from Barrett Center to Case Center. Dispatched officer completed a personal escort.
• Campus Safety Assist: An ongoing problem with parties at off campus residence reported at 9:30 p.m. Report issued. Administration and Saratoga Springs Police Department to address the situation.

Saturday, March 24

• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 12:08 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officers report a large group causing a noise disturbance outside. Officers dispersed the crowd and ended the gathering.
• Suspicious Odor: Odor of marihuana reported at 12:18 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer could not determine the source of the odor. Odor dissipating.
• Medical: Person reports a female vomiting in the backyard of an off campus residence at 1:50 a.m. Emergency Medical Service and the Saratoga Springs Police Department dispatched for medical transport. Report issued.
• Larceny: Reporting person requests assistance at 12:15 p.m. claiming a missing construction sign and traffic cones behind Oak apartments. Officer dispatched confiscated and returned the property to owner. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist-911: 911 emergency line activated at 2:40 p.m. on the third floor of Wiecking. Dispatched officers and notified the Saratoga Springs Police Department who reports they did not receive a 911 call. Officer on the scene reports no one in the area. False report.
• Stolen Property: Person reports an abandoned college-owned vehicle at 4:28 p.m. in the parking lot of the Saratoga Arms Hotel. Officers dispatched report locating a stolen utility cart from Media Services. Vehicle towed to campus. Report issued. Investigation pending.
• Criminal Mischief: Officers while on patrol at 9:12 p.m. observed a scorched paper attached to a corkboard in Wiecking Hall. Officers removed the paper and placed it in evidence. No additional damage done to the building. Report issued.

Sunday, March 25

• College Violation: A possible party reported at 12:10 a.m. at a Sumac apartment. Officers on the scene advised an unregistered party to disperse. Report issued.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:20 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officers dispersed a large gathering in a room.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief reported at 2:05 a.m. on the fifth floor of Jonsson Tower. Officers report witnessing subjects shattering large fluorescent bulbs in the stairwell. Subjects caught and a report issued.
• Parking: Vehicle booted for an excessive amount of parking tickets at 3:11 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Report issued.
• Parking: An unregistered vehicle towed at 3:40 a.m. for parking in the fire lane at Dayton Drive for an excessive amount of time. Report issued. Saratoga Springs Police Department advised.
• Criminal Mischief: A hole reported at noon in a hallway wall near Rooms 225 and 226 in Kimball. No known perpetrators. Damage recorded. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested transport at 2:05 p.m. from Wiecking Hall for medical assistance. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Drug Law Violation: Excessive noise reported at 6:43 p.m. from a third floor Penfield room. Officer dispatched reports observed a drug law violation. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 10:55 p.m. for a Cane apartment. Officers and Maintenance dispatched. No smoke or fire. Activation due to burned food. Report issued.

Monday, March 26

• Suspicious Activity: Person reports an unauthorized student using a computer in a secured area at 10:21 a.m. in Dana. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officers assisted a Saratoga Springs Police Department investigator at 1:18 a.m. in locating a student in Penfield Hall for an interview. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Person reports marihuana odor at 11:16 a.m. in and near room on the first floor of Wiecking Hall. Officers report that the residents were interviewed. Odor detected but nothing in plain view. Report issued.

Tuesday, March 27

• Suspicious Odor: Marihuana odor reported at 4:44 p.m. near Wait Hall. Officer dispatched reports a check of the area with negative results.
• Campus Safety Assist: Parent of a student in Jonsson Tower requests information at 9 p.m. regarding a concerning call that they received. Officer discussed the concern with the parent and assured the parent that the student was okay. Report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: Person reports a male subject expelled a fire extinguisher outside the Dogwood apartments at 11:55 p.m. for no apparent reason. Dispatched officer interviewed the subject who stated that the extinguisher was his personal property and apologized for his actions. No damage recorded.

Wednesday, March 28

• Animals: Person reports observing a "rat" at 4:35 a.m. in her room in Wait Hall. Officer and housekeeping dispatched. Officer observed a small mouse in the room and maintenance checked the window seat. Housekeeping set traps. Reporting person declined staying in an alternative residence.
• Fire Alarm: Person reported that smoke was coming out of an ash can at 11:50 a.m. near Palamountain Building. Dispatched officer and Maintenance who properly extinguished the smoldering ash can.
• Found Property: Reporting person found a cell phone at 3 p.m. on a chair in Case Center. The phone was given to a Campus Safety officer. The student was notified by email. Phone was placed in the lost and found.

Restaurant Review: Forno Bistro

Posted by Tegan O'Neill

The flames rising out of the brick oven at the back of the Forno Bistro caught my eye before anything else, and the image of heat was seared into my brain. Those in charge have put thought into creating a sense of warmth that goes beyond the wood-fired pizza. Although dark and a bit cluttered, the setting strikes a comfortable balance between ornate and cozy. Mammoth curly-q sculptures meant to mimic the tendrils of a fire's flame adorn the ceilings. Nearly everything in sight is on the warm side of the color continuum. It does not feel cavernous but it certainly feels far from small and intimate. It is more of a place for families and groups to congregate.

It is always a plus when bread is served warm. Unfortunately, this bread's warmth was its only positive attribute. There is not much to say about a plain piece of white bread without dimension. It did serve as a suitable canvas for the paint of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, though.

Right off the bat, I could tell the rhythm of the waitstaff was off. Our plates of food were brought to the table as if the meal was a road race, and our dishes were cleared before we even finished chewing our last bites. I felt as though we were being rushed through the meal, and our permission to enjoy it leisurely whisked away along with the bread basket. The overly attentive army in charge of our table was stifling. I just wanted to be left alone to enjoy the food, which was good enough to merit savoring.

For example, I would have loved to spend more time cherishing the flavor burst that the Bruschetta Classica delivered. If only I could have dragged out the seconds of that first shock of basil and the slow wave of garlic that followed. I was thoroughly impressed by the flavor packed into the playground of diced tomatoes that topped off the slabs of toasted bread. Ideally, the components of bruschetta are enjoyed simultaneously, but because the bread was too tough to be bitten into without some pulling and tugging, the tomatoes toppled off the bread leaving it to stand alone,. The scrumptious tomatoes left on the plate turned into a reward for struggling through the bread. And what better reward could there be than a simple m??lange of garlic, basil and tomato? The medley tastes like eating a summer garden.

The Mista Insalata was another appetizer that had its flaws but, nevertheless, could be forgiven. All that made up this salad were mixed greens, tomatoes and a thin, but large, slice of Grana Padano. The salad was slick with a white balsamic vinaigrette that was too heavy on the oil and not liberal enough on the balsamic. The presentation of the antipasti was beautiful in its simplicity. The slice of cheese draped over the greens was almost poetic. As it is a fairly mild cheese, the Grana Padano did not steal the show from the green and red parts of the salad. It added a slight richness to an otherwise unpretentious plate of humble ingredients.

Before we dug into the main course, we took our ever-attentive waiter up on his offer for freshly shaved cheese. What ensued was more than a shaving of cheese - it was a blizzard. It seemed as if time were frozen while white flakes resembling snow showered down from the grater above.

This glorious pile of cheese melted into the dish of Fusili con Broccoletti like snow on a warm spring day, enhancing an already interesting blend of foodstuffs. Springy spirals of Fusili pasta, house-made sausage, tuscan beans, broccoli pesto and fennel seeds made for a light but filling dish of pasta. Broccoli came out on top as the dominant flavor. That it was mashed made for a strange pesto. It was odd that the sauce was thick and mushy rather than smooth. Whole fennel seeds mingled with the clean taste of broccoli, which added an aromatic flare. Surprisingly, the sausage offered the least flavor, and, when paired with the hearty white beans, the sausage seemed an unnecessary additional source of protein. When thrown together and cooked, the beans, sausage and pasta all acquired a similar soft consistency, which, albeit pleasant enough, is not very remarkable. Beware of the large chunks of garlic buried within - unless, of course, you like whole cloves, in which case by all means plunge your fork in to the dish without abandon.

Forno's pizza has very soft, bread-like dough, trace amounts of grease on the bottom of the pie and a pillowy texture throughout, even when you get to the pizza bone. Neither the cheese nor the sauce speak loudly on Forno's Pizza Pomodoro e Rughetta. A thin layer of cheese makes it a dainty pizza. No strings attached here. The layer of sauce is even finer than the cheese. It seems to be used just for color effect. The flavors are muted, but it is a pleasing pie nonetheless. Spicy tendrils of arugula add some zing, but since they do not rip easily, it is difficult to avoid slurping up all of the arugula in the first bite, thus, leaving the remainder of the slice bare.

I have yet to be convinced that cannoli is really as good as it is cracked up to be. This particularly cannoli did nothing to persuade me of the classic Italian dessert's merits. Maybe if the ricotta in this cannoli had not been so grainy and had been a little sweeter and a bit smoother, it would have been good. I wish that the whipped cream sitting underneath the cannoli had been used for the filling. It was thick enough to have done the job and more delectable than its distant dairy cousin ricotta. Tasty footprints of nutmeg, chocolate and powdered sugar left their tracks around the plate and in the cannoli.

The affogato kills two birds with one stone - sweet merges with wham-bam caffeine to form an alliance that seals the meal. The rich whipped cream, hot espresso, cold gelato and gloriously goopy caramel taste like a truly decadent treat. The gelato was too icy to be enjoyable but everything else was delicious, especially the caramel...if only it had been ladled on in gobs.

There is room for improvement at Forno Bistro, but I can understand why Forno is a much loved classic on the Saratoga dining scene. The restaurant has heart and seems to genuinely care about customer satisfaction, which is a redeeming trait important enough to make up for the small bobbles made along the way. 

To read more of Tegan O'Neills outings visit her blog. 

"Queerin' Putnam" in support of LGBTQ youth: Students gather at downtown bar for a "queer takeover" of Putnam Den

Posted by Julia Leef

In response to a recent incident at Putnam Den, in which two females who identified as queer were reportedly kicked out of the bar, BARE, the College's Sex Forum and online publication, organized a "queer takeover" of Putnam Den, which will host a drag show to raise money for the Trevor Project, which aims to prevent suicide in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning youth.

Originally, a post on March 4 in BARE urged students to occupy Putnam Den but boycott its services to protest against acts of non-tolerance.

"Many people have experienced blatant acts of homophobia at Putnam Den and recently people have decided to do something about it," the post says. "Make sure to give them none of your money that night so as not to support their unfair business practices."

Since this time, the situation has changed. According to Skidmore Unofficial, which has released several Op-Ed columns on the subject, a $10 cover for the band will be collected at the door, although there will be a $5 discount for people 21 and over. Minors are welcome, but under-aged drinking will not be permitted.

Becks Kolins '12, is one of the organizers for the event, and described it in an Op-Ed on Skidmore Unofficial as a nonviolent, empowering gathering to create a safe space for queer-identified individuals.

"Many of us have felt uncomfortable at Putnam and while there may be queer-identified individuals who haven't felt that way, it's important that those who do feel uncomfortable and those who are in support, are able to create a safe space that many of us haven't felt at Putnam and don't feel at many places downtown," Kolins said.

Kolins asked people not to associate incident in Putnam Den with underage drinking, as the two individuals involved were of legal age. Kolins encourages supporters to come and work with those who feel discomfort to establish a healthy, safe environment.

"I ultimately hope we can all enter this without hostility and in a way that we can all support each other," Kolins said. "If Putnam is queer-friendly, then we shouldn't run into problems and I would certainly love for no problems to arise."

More information to follow.

Speech Night: Candidates for the Inter-Hall Board and the SGA Executive Committee speak out (Update): Students listen as candidates explain their goals for the next academic year

Posted by Julia Leef

Election Results:

SGA President: Matt Walsh

Vice President for Academic Affairs: Ben Bechand

Vice President for Residential Affairs: Jess Sonnenfeld

Vice President for Club Affairs: Leland Martin

Vice President for Communications and Outreach: Amanda Seres

Vice President for Diversity Affairs: Jovany Andujar

Senior Class President: Emilee Bell

President of Wiecking: Ryan Rubbico

President of Wilmarth: Farwa Naqvi

Vice President of Howe-Rounds: Noam Yossefy

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More than 60 students filled the Spa during Wednesday's Speech Night, watching from the hallway and the upstairs balcony as 15 candidates voiced their platforms and ideas for the open positions on the Inter-Hall Board and Student Government Association Executive Committee.

Although more than half of the audience left after the two candidates for SGA president spoke, approximately 25 remained to hear the remainder of the speeches. The filmed event was hosted by Raiza Nazareth '12, vice president for Communications & Outreach on SGA.

"As a senior, it definitely feels strange that my time on the SGA is soon coming to an end," Nazareth said. "Being a part of the SGA is like being a part of a family. I will truly miss the work I've done, the events and committees I've been a part of and most of all the people I've worked with."

Of the 11 open positions, eight had students who ran uncontested. The only three that had more than one candidate were the positions for the SGA President, Vice President for Club Affairs, and Vice President for Communications & Outreach.

Candidates for SGA President: Aaron Shifreen '13 and Matt Walsh '13

Shifreen currently serves as vice president for Residential Affairs and the SGA's digital coordinator, and has been an SGA officer since the third week of his freshman year, when he started as the president of Howe-Rounds. He has served on numerous committees, including the Inter-Hall Board and the Student Affairs subcommittee.

Among his goals, he said, is the need to make the administration feel more accountable to the student body and to increase student involvement in faculty committees.

"The administration sees us as an apathetic body, which I see as absolutely not true," Shifreen said. "I think the best way to fix this is to increase channels for student output. I want to demonstrate that students are still interested in Skidmore College."

When asked to define a leader, Shifreen described a person who is conscious of his environment and is aware that working toward the next thing inspires others to follow in the same path.

"A leader is someone who does the right thing, even when no one else is watching," Shifreen said.

Walsh, who is now president of the Class of 2013, opened by repeating what he described as the most memorable thing anyone has ever said to him: "Solve the problem today." He said his time serving on the Sustainability Ad Hoc committee has shown him the importance of the student voice, especially in his work on the team that created the Sustainability Committee, the latest addition to the SGA.

"I found that, in our work with the student government, our voices are heard in the conversation, and that's what's important," Walsh said. "If our voices aren't heard, there's no point in sitting through a meeting. We need to recognize where the issues are for the general population of Skidmore and to adjust our own issues to reflect that."

Walsh said that although he has not sat on the Executive Committee before, he sees this as an advantage, as he experienced first-hand the divide between the Executive Committee and the Senate. He said that by defining Executive Committee members and the Senate separately in discussions, it makes it difficult to see them working together as a whole.

"I want to use that experience to alleviate that split next year, and hopefully nobody else will feel the same way that I've been feeling," Walsh said.

Both candidates advocated for a set schedule of "office hours" to become more accessible to the general student body and supported more personal conversations with students around campus.

Candidates for Vice President for Club Affairs: Donald Duff '13, Leland Martin '14 and Laura Venner '14

Duff has participated in many clubs, including Hyatt and the Hip Hop Alliance, and has served on the Club Affairs Committee and the Budget & Finance Committee on SGA. He said he hopes to help new club leaders who do not know who to go to or what to do in order to run their club, especially financial-wise.

He also would like to see clubs given more opportunities to showcase their efforts, perhaps through a "club day" in addition to the traditional club fair, in which clubs would show students what and who they are.

"Clubs are the life on campus," Duff said, adding in response to a question that he would like to see more SGA senators become involved in non-SGA clubs, and vice versa. "If I'm reaching out to you, I'd like to see you reach out to me as well."

Martin has served on the SGA since the first semester of his first year, and said he gained insight on how club budgets are put together from his time on the Budget & Finance Committee. He is also involved in several clubs, including the Chemistry Club and the Irish Dance Club.

One of his goals, Martin said, was to encourage different clubs to reach out to each other, perhaps through establishing a separate budget that would help financially sponsor multiple clubs collaborating on one event.

"I would encourage all clubs to work together, and to improve the community at Skidmore," Martin said. He also told students not to be afraid to go to the SGA for help, and that if elected he would work to bridge the gap between the student government and the rest of the student body, as a student who has had experience in both SGA and non-SGA clubs.

Venner has been a part of the student council since serving as the treasurer for the Class of 2014 in her first year and recently joined the SGA Senate this year, sitting on the Club Affairs Committee.

If elected, she said she would work to initiate discussion between the executive boards of different clubs, and to provide active support for new leaders of clubs who may not know the resources available to them on campus.

"Clubs are an integral part of this campus," Venner said. "They create close-knit communities for students with similar interests and allow students to expand their horizons."

Venner said she believes it is important to have SGA members sit on non-SGA clubs, as she has witnessed the divide between the two through her participation in the student-led Pre-Med Club. Conversely, she also encourages club members to serve time on the SGA, at least as a member of the Senate.

Candidates for Vice President for Communications & Outreach: Amanda Seres '14 and Stacy Sullivan '13

Seres, this year's Willingness-to-Serve coordinator, has worked with more than 100 students who have run for Willingness-to-Serve positions and said she believes her work helping people find an outlet through which to voice their own opinions translates well into her work in the SGA.

"I think it's a good fit that I would continue on to become the vice president for Communications & Outreach next year," Seres said, adding that her previous experience on the SGA would be very helpful in continuing the plans and ideas from this year into the next. "In order for a body to be effective, it needs to have continuity, or nothing will ever get done."

Seres said that if elected to the position, she would evaluate the SGA Senate, to make sure it is run as effectively as possible and maximizes student involvement.

When asked by Walsh how much she thought clubs should be able to update their own content on the SGA website, Seres said she prefers the idea of having an SGA member, possibly the digital coordinator, serve as an intermediary between the clubs and the website to manage content and create an aesthetically pleasing site that would best represent the College.

Sullivan has sat on the SGA Senate for three semesters on the Academic Affairs Committee, and said she would like to work with the Dean of Student Affairs to ensure students have the opportunity to give input on changes to policies before they are passed.

In addition, Sullivan said she would try to institutionalize a revision of the SGA constitution and major policies at the beginning and the end of every year, to ensure that they still reflect the needs of the student body.

"I would like to use my position to highlight certain things that the SGA and the Senate do that are really beneficial to the student body that students don't always know about."

She also said she often thinks about the divide between the Senate and the SGA, and would like to create more events to garner student input on the matter, improve the SGA's relations with the student body as a whole.

"Our purpose is to serve the student body and their needs," Sullivan said.

SGA Executive Committee Positions:

Ben Bechand '14 is running for vice president for Academic Affairs, and believes his most important responsibility would be to increase the communication between students and faculty, incorporating a higher degree of transparency to what faculty inform students about on campus.

"Working with a team of passionate students who want to make a difference in the coming year, I can accomplish some really great things," Bechand said.

Jovany Andujar '13 is running for vice president for Diversity Affairs, a position he held last semester. He said he would like to adjust the idea of allies on campus, encouraging students to become allies or everything, rather than for a specific issue.

He also said he wishes to increase the diversity of some of the major groups on campus, such as the sustainability committee, which he described as predominately white and female, and the SGA. Such diversity, Andujar said, is important, both for students currently enrolled and to give prospective students a more well-rounded perspective of what the student body is.

Emilee Bell '13 could not attend Speech Night, as she is currently studying abroad in South Africa, but spoke about her desire to serve as senior class president through several pre-prepared videos. In these videos, Bell emphasized the importance of bringing all the classes together, so that underclassmen could benefit from the experience of their older peers.

Bell said she also wants to encourage student voice and to help build relations between the student body and the SGA.

"I want to make sure that everyone has their voice heard in some way or shape," Bell said. "I think people get scared of the SGA as a body, and that's wrong. We want to do things and we want everyone to be involved. I want people to care about what we're doing."

Residential Hall Positions:

Jess Sonnenfeld '14, who has been a dorm president for the past two years and said she enjoys planning events for students, is running for vice president of Residential Affairs.

Sonnenfeld said that among her ideas is to plan a fall Fun Day, to celebrate the return of old students as well as to welcome in new ones.

Ryan Rubbico '15 is running for president of Wiecking, and said he would like to address the issues he has heard about the lack of community in the dorm by increasing the dialogue between himself and Wiecking residents to hear their ideas.

"I think it's key for any leadership position to have transparency. This will allow me to better understand what students need done and for them to understand what I'm doing and how I'm listening to their concerns," Rubbico said.

The candidacy for president of Wilmarth is filled by Farwa Naqvi '15, an international student who said she wants to become more involved in the community as a representative of her dorm. She said she would like to see more interactive all-hall events and is open to suggestions.

"Just email me and I will make it happen," Naqvi said.

Noam Yossefy '15 is running for vice president of Howe-Rounds, and said she would like to establish a better connection with the student body, welcoming freshmen when they come into their dorms for the first time, and fixing issues between roommates when they arise.

Kate Bridgham '15 is running for vice president of Wilmarth.

Voting begins at midnight, and will continue until 11:59 p.m. March 29. Students may vote at the SGA desk in Case Center, in the Atrium of the Murray Aikins Dining Hall, or online on the SGA website.

Interview: SGA Presidential candidates on eve of election: Aaron Shifreen and Matt Walsh sit down with the Skidmore News

Posted by Andy Shi

In an interview with the Skidmore News both candidates for SGA President, juniors Aaron Shifreen and Matt Walsh, sat down to explain their views and qualifications before the student body casts its vote on Thursday.

Q:  Why do you think you would make a good SGA President?

Shifreen: My greatest personality trait is I listen more than I talk. I'm open to other people's opinions. I hear both sides of an argument before I formulate an opinion and I'm good at finding compromise which has made me a good mediator. I'm honest, an awful liar. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I care very much for the student body. SGA must be more transparent, and I believe my predisposition to honesty will help achieve this goal.

Walsh: I think the president has to be responsible. Responsible to multiple groups, and responsible for getting things done. I am also efficient, which is a very important quality. As Junior Class President, I worked on starting the Sustainability Committee. I had to be able to meet deadlines and make sure everything was on track so we could start the committee this semester.

I have no problem speaking my mind, even if my opinions are different from others. I would not be silenced even by a majority, which would allow me to project the opinions of the many groups I've been voted to represent.

Q: How have you previously participated in SGA?

Shifreen: I have served on the SGA since my third week in Freshman year. I was Howe- Rounds President from Fall 2009 to the Fall of 2010 when I went to Washington D.C for a domestic study my sophomore spring. I served as the Honor Code Commissioner during his Sophomore year and am currently the Vice President of Residential Affairs, where I chair the Inter Hall Board; I also sit on the Communication and Outreach committee and Budget and Finance committee, and is also chair of the Moorebid Ad-Hoc committee.

I also sit on the Intercollegiate Policy and Planning subcommittee on Student Affairs (IPPC-SA), an all-college committee that discusses issues pertaining to student life at Skidmore. The committee is currently conducting research to predict if in the future Skidmore might become a smoke-free campus, as well as working on easing the burden of student parenting. I am also the  only student representative on the new residence hall group, where I did work on student concerns with environment, water quality and providing more large hydration systems to provide greater water quality.

Walsh: I joined the SGA as Vice-President of the Sophomore Class council. I sat on the Communication and Outreach committee and was involved with the organization of Spring Fling. I helped with finding the music for Fun Day (unofficially) and did odd-jobs for people who needed help. I helped with election and policy and worked on a flow-chart to better depict how the SGA runs.

This year I was elected to Junior Class President. In addition to organizing Junior Ring weekend, I am also in charge of mentoring the new Freshman Class council. I help them transition into SGA. I also sit on the academic council and help plan the Major Fair.

My responsibility is to help people even if I don't identify with them. I am part of mobilizing the effort to educate the campus on diversity.

Q: What are important decisions you have made while a member of SGA?

Shifreen: As Vice-President of Residential Affairs I've worked on changing Moorebid without compromising its values and traditions. This past year I felt we - campus security, SGA, and Residential Life- did the best we could with the time and resources we were given, but by already having the ball rolling for next year, we have a shot at making sure the event will be as safe and enjoyable as possible for the student body.

Walsh: I can't really pinpoint one decision, it's all been more of one whole process. Just being part of the Senate body and helping manage the budget, willingness to serve, reaching out to others, see what they wanted, shape policy around others and just in general give back to Skidmore.

Q: What do you believe are the most pressing issues at Skidmore and how would you address them?

Shifreen: There is a need for the SGA to become more transparent. There is a need for dissemination of information from the SGA to the student body. Only certain SGA officers have control of the SGA email and that the content of the emails should pertain to announcing changes in policy as opposed to solely advertising events.

Another big issue with Skidmore is the way the college administration treats SGA. The administration doesn't take SGA seriously because the student body doesn't. We need to make the SGA and administration more accountable to the student body. This accountability could be accomplished by actively petitioning people on big decisions.

Walsh: SGA needs to encourage student input in decisions in a more formal sense such as with the AOD policy and summer housing. There should be more students in the SGA committees making policy with everyone else. Although the SGA members are voted to speak on behalf of the student body, there is a need for more student contribution in discussions on major issues that will affect the campus.

There is also a large diversity concern. The school can only do so much to getting the community to a comfortable place. As a freshman, I didn't see diversity as an issue, but once I joined SGA I realized how ignorant I was of the issues and that ignorance is part of the issue. I see a need to work on creating a more accepting campus and plans on working more closely with the Vice President of Diversity Affairs to formulate new ideas and plans for achieving this goal.

Both candidates encouraged students to attend Speech night on Wednesday and to cast their votes Thursday, at either designated voting booths in the dining hall or Case center. It's also possible to vote on the SGA website from any computer.

Students host Social Justice Week to promote awareness for various issues: Events include panels and discussions on topics ranging from hunger to human trafficking

Posted by Julia Leef

Students Najwa Webster '14 and Timothy Kim '15, as well as members of Skidmore VISTA and alumna Jennifer Au '11, are organizing Social Justice Week from March 26 to 30, to raise awareness about hunger, domestic violence, education, refugee, human trafficking and class through the theme, "Creative Action Matters."

The idea for this event originated at the Resolve to Fight Poverty Conference last November, which motivated a select group of students to raise awareness about hunger and homelessness for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which took place two weeks later. This semester, the group decided to host a social justice week.

"We wanted to include other injustices that we cared about," Sushi Au '11 said. Au was hired by Michelle Hubbs, director of Community Service Programs, as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the year. "We also wanted input from other students because we definitely were not the only ones of campus who cared about justice."

Au's job in the AmeriCorps, a federal community service organization, is to alleviate poverty in Saratoga Springs through her work with the campus. She works with three nonprofit organizations in the Capital Region, although this week's events are not associated with any of them.

In the initial announcement to the College, Au said that more than 30 people showed an interest in participating in the event, however, that number eventually decreased to fewer than 15 students, who now serve as the event's core team.

"The students who organized this week chose injustices they were passionate about," Au said. "We decided not to touch upon race and sexuality because the Office of Student Diversity Programs already covered it, but instead, we wanted to shine light on issues that weren't talked about much on campus."

Each issue will have its own day, during which students may learn more about it through such events as panels, dialogues, simulations, and a fair-trade market.

The core group began planning at the beginning of the semester and divided into six teams, each addressing a different issue, and met as a group weekly. Au helped students connect with the appropriate resources, find volunteers, obtain supplies and equipment and worked with the team for the human trafficking awareness day. She also made sure students would be able to carry out the event next year without her help.

"My service year ends in August, but the students who planned this event now known how to plan one and what to do," Au said.

Many clubs and faculty supported the group's actions, including the Student Government Association and the Committee of Diversity Affairs, whose members offered tips and advice on outreach techniques.

Benef-Action, a student-run volunteer club that develops and supports community service among the student body, provided a place to collect co-sponsorships since the group is not a club and therefore does not have a budget. Several co-sponsors include: Inter-Group Relations, the Feminist Action Network, the Christian Fellowship and the Center of Sex and Gender Relations.

There will be a follow-up group meeting, most likely next Wednesday, to review the event and improve for the years ahead. Au said she has hoped since her first year at the College to have a social justice club on campus and is excited to see where students will take the idea.

A full schedule of this week's events may be found here .

"We want students to know that they have the resources and skills to take action," Au said. "Knowing about an issue is great, but without action, we can't change the world. And there are so many ways to act."

Club presidents finalize the changes to the CAC Policies and Procedures: The final revision will be put before the SGA Senate next Tuesday

Posted by Julia Leef

After a meeting with the College's club presidents on Monday evening, March 26, the group made its final revisions to the Club Affairs Committee (CAC) Policies and Procedures, which will be presented to the Student Government Association Senate Meeting on Tuesday, April 3. 

Previously, both the concerned member of an organization who requested a meeting to discuss the impeachment of an officer, as well as the impeached officer, could appeal to the SGA Executive board. Now, only the impeached officer may do so.

In the revised policy, the impeachment process may only come as the result of an ethical violation or a failure to perform the duties as deemed by that club's charter.

The Club Affairs committee has considered making these revisions as early as last semester, according to Logan Brenner, vice president for Club Affairs.

The amendment process for updating the policy involves getting as much feedback as possible from the club presidents, Brenner said, in order to make changes accordingly.

"During the presidents' council meeting, students had the opportunity to share with me their concerns or suggestions," Brenner said. "I also incorporated some suggestions that I received electronically during the week before the meeting. Senate will have the final vote on whether to update the policies according to my proposed amendments."

In particular, Brenner said she received many suggestions pertaining specifically to the newly written impeachment clause.

"Impeachment is a difficult and sensitive process for all parties involved," Brenner said. "Creating a uniform process is meant to create equality between all clubs and provide a support system and a consistent methodology for those undergoing the process."

The clause also adds in new language that requires a club to inform the vice president for Club Affairs of impeachment, and voids the impeachment clauses in clubs' charters.

Brenner cited several reasons for this latter change, including the limited number of charters that have impeachment clauses, some of which are vague and unclear, and several of these clauses are identical, an attempt at consistency by a former VPCA that was discontinued.

The Policies and Procedures will be sent to the club presidents and will continue to be revised before its appearance in Senate.

Campus Safety Incident Reports: March 15 to 22

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Thursday, March 15- Suspicious Activity: Two unkept male subjects reported at 11:09 a.m. pushing a green shopping cart from between Greenberg and the Williamson Sports Center. Dispatched officers located the subjects and escorted them from campus. Subjects said they were cutting across campus and did not intend any harm.
• Sunday, March 18-Burglary: Student notified Campus Safety at 4:40 p.m. about a possible burglary to her residence at Birch apartment. Officer dispatched and report issued. Investigation pending.
• Thursday, March 22- Animals: Person reports at 7:05 p.m. that she observed a bat flying around the third floor of the Scribner Library. Officer dispatched and the Nuisance Wildlife Control was notified. The bat was removed without incident.

Further Incidents:

Thursday, March 15

• Campus Safety Assist: A Williamson Sports Center employee states at 7 a.m. that he was cut off while driving onto campus. Officer identified the vehicle and appropriate actions were taken.
• Suspicious Activity: Two unkept male subjects reported at 11:09 a.m. pushing a green shopping cart from between Greenberg and the Williamson Sports Center. Dispatched officers located the subjects and escorted them from campus. Subjects said they were cutting across campus and did not intend any harm.

Friday, March 16

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 10:08 a.m. in an office for Howe/Rounds. Dispatched all units and maintenance. Officers determined burned food to have caused the activation.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person at Campus Safety requests records check at 11:50 a.m. of a former student for an application of employment. Campus Safety disclosed the records and received a waiver. Report issued.

Saturday, March 17

• Suspicious Activity: Three suspicious individuals reported at 4:28 p.m. near the Turf Field. Officers conducted a search of the area and found no problem. Subjects gone on arrival.

Sunday, March 18

• Criminal Mischief: Officer reports at 3:58 a.m. that, while on Patrol, he came upon a sledgehammer/axe tool on the Wait roadway and a No Parking sign on Wait Hill. Perpetrators are unknown, as is the origin of the item. Report issued.
• Larceny: A student reports at 1:51 p.m. finding the front door of her apartment at Whitman Way ajar and cash missing since arriving back on campus from spring break. Dispatched officer. Report issued by Campus Safety and the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Investigation pending.

Monday, March 19

• College Violation: A continual problem with noise from a dorm room in Jonsson Tower at 12:20 a.m. Reporting person requests that an officer address the noise. Officers dispatched a report that no noise was detected in the area.
• College Violation: Person(s) unknown reported at 9:11 a.m. having disturbed the playground equipment at the Lodge. No damage done. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested a transport at 11:20 p.m. from a location off-campus to the Wilton Medical Arts. Dispatched officer completed the medical transport. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A concerned parent requests a welfare check on a student at 11:35 a.m. Officer located the subject and delivered a message to contact the parent. The condition of the subject is satisfactory.
• Criminal Mischief: The ping pong table in the basement of McClellan Hall was reported damaged at 9:50 p.m. by unknown person(s). Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint received at 10:12 p.m. for an excessive volume of music coming from a residence on Whitman Way. Officers dispatched report that the residents complied with the request to lower the volume. A second complaint was received at 11:33 p.m. stating that the residences have raised the volume of the music again. Officers dispatched. The small group in the residence has now dispersed and the stereo has been shut off for the night.

Tuesday, March 20

• Missing Person: A missing person reported at 10:30 a.m. Appropriate procedures initiated and investigation pending. Subjects later located and is in satisfactory condition. Report issued.
• Parking: Officer reports booting a vehicle at 1:44 p.m. as it has an excessive number of parking violations. Report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: Suspicious activity reported at 4:25 p.m. regarding removed window screens at Whitman Way. Officer dispatched documented the activity. Report issued. No other disturbances noted.
• Suspicious Activity: A suspicious male reported at 5:02 p.m. on the Case Green by the Scribner Library. Officers dispatched located the subject and identified him. Subject was warned off-campus. Report issued.

Wednesday, March 21

• Larceny: Person reports at 12:01 p.m. the larceny of her watch. Saratoga Springs Police Department report issued. Person later reports that the watch was returned by an unknown person.
• Campus Safety Assist: Employee requests transport at 3:34 p.m. from the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall for medical attention. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A concerned parent requested assistance at 6:35 p.m. with contacting his son. Subject was located and the message delivered.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested assistance at 7 p.m. with transportation back to campus as his vehicle was impounded by the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 10:06 p.m. at Dayton Drive. Officer dispatched reports no odor detected.

Thursday, March 22

• Found Property: Person reports at 3:53 a.m. finding two Best keys at a computer station at the Cyber Cafe. Secured in Found Property. Owner unknown.
• Complaints: Person reported an incident at 1:20 p.m. that she had at the College Polo Field earlier with an argumentative subject. Report made.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests records check at 1 p.m. on a former student. Waiver obtained and records released.
• Medical: An art model reported fainted and fallen at 3:30 p.m. Officers and Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Medical: Reporting person requested Campus Safety assistance at 4:30 p.m. for an ill student from Palamountain Hall. Report issued.
• Medical: Student and guest stopped into Campus Safety at 6:22 p.m. with a Medical need. Officer applied bandage to the small laceration. No further medical attention was necessary.
• Animals: Person reported at 6:30 p.m. that a turtle was on the roadway near the Arthur Zankel Music Building. Dispatched officer reports that the turtle was removed and placed at a pond.
• Criminal Mischief: Person reports glass objects being thrown from Jonsson Tower at 11:32 p.m. Officer dispatched reports locating the removed window. Subjects denied any participation. Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 11:30 p.m. in McClellan Hall. Officers observed alcohol violation. Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint received at 11:47 p.m. from residence at Whitman Way. Officers dispatched report that residents complied with the request to lower the volume of the stereo.

Changes and collaborations surround the new Career Development Center: Career Services to work more closely with students, including the addition of student Career Coaches

Posted by Adrian Appleman

April 20 will mark the culmination of changes in Career Services that have occurred over the past few semesters with the official renaming of the service to the "Career Development Center."

Though most of the changes have taken place gradually since the center's new director, Deborah Loffredo, came on board at the beginning of the fall semester, this switch will ceremoniously usher the campus resource into a new era of services.

Even with the relocation from Starbuck center earlier in the semester, momentum has not slowed within Career Services. According to Loffredo, the staff members have settled well into their new home in what used to the Case Center Game Room.

"Everyone, from Facilities to IT, was wonderful," Loffredo said. "The time frame was unbelievable - I remember one week seeing the floor plans laid out on the pool table, and two to three weeks later, there were offices!"

Since the relocations began, Career Services has sponsored numerous events around campus in collaboration with other departments and offices, including the SGA Fashion Show on "What Not to Wear," a presentation on how to dress for the professional sphere, which took place early last month.

This event also included collaboration with Alumni Association, bringing in Keith Fitz-Gerald, Class of '87, chairman of The Fitz-Gerald Group, LLC and chief investment strategist for Money Map Press, to deliver an introduction.

Later that week, the "Health Professions Career Panel" took place, which involved the combined efforts of the Pre-Med Club, Alumni Affairs and College Events and the Health Professions Advisory Committee, as well as Career Services.

Career Services is also currently working with Communication's Online Community Manager Daniella Nordin to offer a social media course beginning March 26.

All these events underscore the central philosophy of what is to be the new Career Development Center: collaboration. In analyzing the results of a Career Services survey posed to students last semester, the Career Services team determined that focusing on generating new ways to better integrate their services into the rest of the Skidmore campus is a priority.

"All the data from the survey has been analyzed, and what you are seeing is our plans to address this feedback," said Loffredo. "We are constantly coordinating new events to increase collaboration across the board. The biggest thing on the docket, though, is definitely the new Career Coaches position."

Career Coaches are student employees who will serve as peer professional mentors, much as the First-Year Experience office offers academic and social peer mentors, and the Off-Campus Study & Exchanges Office provides student program advisors.

Career Coaches will be current sophomores and juniors, whose jobs will include conducting workshops on r??sum?? and cover letting writing, interviewing skills, summer internship possibilities, etc., in residence halls, as well as one-on-one r??sum?? and cover letter reviews.

Loffredo said this position is aimed to help give students a professional experience, expand the capabilities of the new Career Development Center and provide a new area of collaboration directly with leaders and involved members of the student body.

"We will be considering student Career Coaches as full members of the staff," Loffredo said, "and therefore will be training them at the professional level. They will even have responsibilities similar to the full-time staff, including being available to their peers during drop-in hours."

Career Coaches will be paid $9 per hour to compensate for their extensive responsibilities.

"Career Coaches will receive premium compensation due to the advanced specialized skills, knowledge or abilities expected," details the Career Coach job description, "as well as an increased level of responsibility, working with minimal supervision and making independent decisions."

The applications for the positions closed on March 8, and interviews for Career Coaches will begin later this week. The selected candidates will join the Career Development Center team in the fall.

Meanwhile, the Career Development Center continues to build upon its slew of program offerings with another installment of its "Living the Liberal Arts" in Gender Studies at 5:30 p.m. on Monday in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall.

There also will be a presentation during Autism Awareness Week by the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, looking to recruit students interested in nursing and working with people with disabilities, on Tuesday, April 17 (more information can be found on the Career Services Calendar ). A new Career Development Center website will launch later in 2012, as well.

Even though April 20 is the date for the Career Development Center's official relaunching, changes will continue to be gradual.

"We plan to offer a whole lot more over the coming months to hit different and broader audiences," Loffredo said. "The great thing about a liberal arts education is that it is a springboard into the widest array of careers. Our goal is to accommodate a diverse community of students and alumni who are interested in, well, everything." 

NY Times journalist Danny Hakim to speak on campus: The event, hosted by the College and Saratoga Reads, will discuss investigative journalism

Posted by Julia Leef

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31 in Emerson Auditorium, Albany Bureau Chief of the New York Times Danny Hakim will speak to students on the life of a journalist, in relation to Rebecca Skloot, an investigative journalist and the author of the winning title of this year's Saratoga Reads, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."

Hakim will speak to coming up with story ideas, working with their sources and using his investigation skills to uncover the details of a story, all of which Skloot did to uncover Henrietta Lacks's story, an African-American woman whose cancer tissue was taken for medical and scientific experimentation without her consent and led to dozens of medical breakthroughs.

Hakim said he enjoyed Skloot's novel, but that he did not know the author personally.

"As I understand it, the College doesn't usually get the authors, just people to talk on various related topics," Hakim said. "I have no connection to the book itself."

Kirsten Drabek, associate director of Community Relations, explained the College's relation between Hakim and Skloot's novel.

"We were brainstorming potential events to tie into the book title, [because] we wanted to offer an event surrounding the topic of investigative journalism," Drabek said. "While Danny is not an investigative journalist per se, he does research and interviews with sources to put together his articles. Plus, we thought that having a New York Times journalist speak on campus would be a draw."

Michelle Bilodeau-Lanne, a member of the Saratoga Reads Events Team and a friend of Hakim and his wife, contacted the journalist regarding the event. Hakim has visited the campus multiple times to speak in several classes for Douglas Meyer, director of Special Programs.

As a resident of Saratoga Springs, Hakim also has visited the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery and said he enjoys seeing the College hockey games.

Among the topics he expects to talk about during the event, Hakim listed his work on "Developmentally Disabled 'Abused & Used' At New York State Group Homes," a series that he co-wrote that exposes the abuse and neglect present in some group homes in New York. He also expects that his role as part of the team that broke the story about the Eliot Spitzer scandal story a few years ago will most likely come up during the discussion.

Hakim said he did a lot of freelance writing when he started, and encourages potential journalists to build up their resumes.

"It's a tough field to get into right now. It's kind of a shrinking field in a lot of ways," Hakim said. "Try to write, try to get your stuff published as much as you can."

Linda Hall, associate professor of English and former writer for "New York" magazine, will preside over the event.

The College shares a partnership with Saratoga Reads, and has hosted a variety of events in the past, including a book fair at Barnes & Noble in Wilton in early December, two junior book discussion sessions for middle school-aged children in February and a book fair in March in conjunction with National Read Across America Day.

Next Thursday, March 29, a group of Saratoga Reads members will travel to Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., to hear Skloot speak. There will be a follow-up event at 7 p.m. on April 26 in the JKB Theater, when David "Sonny" Lacks, son of Henrietta Lacks, and one of his children will speak about their experiences after finding out about his mother's cells. Joe Donahue of WAMC, Saratoga Spring's local public radio station, will moderate the discussion.

Public use of North Woods to be topic of open forum: Students organize discussion for their senior project

Posted by Julia Leef

Adam Schmelkin '12 and Charles Glassberg '12 have planned an open forum to discuss the opportunities for public use of the College's North Woods, as well as initiatives to protect and conserve the property.

The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 29, in Davis Auditorium.

The North Woods is a 170-acre tract of forested land extending north from the College's main campus. The area is home to numerous native species, including migrating songbirds and 33 types of ferns. With southern oak, hickory and northern hardwoods, as well as ponds and marshes, the woods support a biologically diverse animal and plant population that is important to faculty and student research. Much of the area is available to the public.

The forum will be of special notice to joggers, hikers, dog-walkers, bird-watchers and others with an interest in the natural environment. 

"Come and join this discussion to help build a sense of stewardship and respect for this piece of property that many of us have the opportunity to enjoy," Glassberg said.

Schmelkin and Glassberg are environmental studies majors who work for the Sustainability office as North Woods stewards. Their responsibilities include public tours, trail maintenance, monitoring of invasive species and public outreach. 

As a senior project, the two students are researching the attitudes and behaviors of North Woods users as well as the challenges to land preservation in the area. The public forum is the culmination of their project, which will result in a report to the College with suggestions for managing and preserving the North Woods.

"We feel that it's crucial that the recommendations we develop reflect the diverse values of North Woods users," Schmelkin said. "This forum will help us refine our research on the values of community members. As a shared resource, the North Woods should be managed in a way that considers these varied values." 

For more information, contact Campus Sustainability Coordinator Riley Neugebauer at rneugeba@skidmore.edu, or at x5865.

Professor Profile: Aldo Vacs

Posted by Marcella Jewell

Government Professor Aldo Vacs might be known for the sheer number of books covering his office wall-to-wall. Described by his colleagues as one of the most well read professors in the government department it is no surprise his office resembles a condensed version of the Library of Congress. What students may not know about the Argentinean native is that he was exiled from his homeland amidst a military coup in the 1970s.

At the end of his senior year at university, his life was uprooted as the coup gained momentum. Seeking refuge in Brazil, Vacs continued his education, developing a passion for Latin American relations.

Vacs grew up in Mendoza, Argentina, close to the Andes Mountains. His involvement with grade school student government paved the way for his participation in the youth revolts when the military coup overtook Argentina. The radical transformation in Argentina between 1976 and 1983 from a democracy to a dictatorship created massive uproar among the youth. Vacs participated in youth street revolts when students were unfairly forced to leave their studies behind.

In Brazil, Vacs's new home, a period of liberalization emerged as another military coup lost support. Vacs studied political and social science at the school of sociology at the Univerdade de Sao Paulo. He began to work in Brazil and became involved in demonstrations for democracy. Vacs commented that his inspiration to study political science and sociology stemmed from "the general situation in Argentina," along with "the need for change." He was especially inspired by the military coup and read constantly in order to understand the totalitari infiltrating his country.

Vacs expressed concern with people's lack of acknowledgment for eminent political changes around the world. "It is imperative for people who are going to be citizens of a democracy or a culture to have a sufficient background. They must acknowledge what is going on... More and more globalization does have an impact on the youth" he said. On the Colbert Report and Daily Show-popular shows on campus-Vacs comments, "Sometimes you can make some jokes, but international perspective is growing. You don't always see so much interest, seeing how the rest of the world is changing."

Vacs relocated to Pittsburgh and received his M.A. and Ph.D at the University of Pittsburg. The University of Pittsburg Press published his dissertation research paper titled, Discreet Partners: Argentina and the USSR since 1917, in 1984. The former Soviet Union ruled with a right wing military dictatorship, similar to Argentina during the military coup.

When asked about his pursuits for the future, Vacs commented on his interest in the consolidation of democracy in Latin America. He plans to study the transformation of the relationship with Brazil and other Latin American affairs this summer with the Fulbright Scholarship. Vacs comments, "There is much more familiarity with international affairs than what there used to be...college is pushing [students] in that direction."

Vacs's immersion into Latin American culture and first hand experience with the demolition of democracy triggered his desire to understand the precarious politics that reshaped his life. With his cheerful attitude and willingness to share, Professor Aldo Vacs brings his first hand experience to his students.  

Burglaries continue in Scribner Village apartments: Similarities in modus operandi may indicate the cases are related

Posted by Julia Leef

Police are still investigating incidents on March 4 and on an unknown date during spring break, in which unknown subjects broke into two Scribner Village apartments through unlocked kitchen windows, stealing several items of liquor and, in the latter incident, some food items. Since that time, there have not been any new leads on either case.

According to an email sent out to the student body by Campus Safety, the residents of the apartment that was robbed on March 4 went to bed at approximately 1:30 a.m. and noticed, upon arising at approximately 8:30 a.m., that someone had entered their apartment but had stolen nothing else except for several liquor items. Campus Safety officers did not find anything after searching the area.

A similar incident took place over spring break in another apartment, and again, Campus Safety did not find anything in the immediate area. Despite the similarities--both incidents involved the subject(s) entering through an unlocked kitchen window and stealing liquor--Campus Safety has not yet determined whether these two cases are linked, according to Dennis Conway, director of Campus Safety.

"In these situations, you look for similarities and the modus operandi, how they do it and what they take," Conway said. "They're both similar in this case, so it's a possibility. They've been taking these specific items, instead of others right out in the open that have been of considerably more value."

Campus Safety is working with the Saratoga Springs Police Department to speak with facility workers who were on campus during spring break, and has increased patrols and stationed extra officers in the Scribner Village area. Officers have also spoken with the locals to determine if any similar incidents have occurred off-campus.

"We're going to keep working on it, and hopefully we'll get some leads from people in the area," Conway said. "This is uncommon in the sense that the two cases are so similar. We've had burglaries from time to time over the past, usually as the result of an unlocked door. Everybody should really take affirm steps to make sure their doors and windows are locked."

Anyone with any information regarding these incidents should contact Campus Safety at extension x5566 or the Campus Safety TIPS line at extension x8477. The Saratoga Springs Police may also be reached at 584-1800.

Skidmore Unplugged encourages conservation on campus

Posted by Sarah Barry

On March 5, the Skidmore community concluded its fourth year of competitive energy conservation by marking the end of this year's Skidmore Unplugged challenge. This year, Skidmore faced an added challenge as the campus residence halls competed collectively in the Campus Conservation Nationals against more than 100 other schools across the country. 

Skidmore placed third against other New York institutions in the New York Negawatt challenge with a 2.9 percent reduction of energy behind Hobart and William Smith, which had a 5.9 percent total reduction, and Hamilton College, which had a 3.4 percent reduction.

The campus as a whole saved 5,789 kilowatt-hours according to Lucid's Building Dashboard, an online resource that reported the progress of each building and school throughout the competition.

Kimball Hall finished first among Skidmore's dorms with a 5.6 percent total energy reduction, followed by McClellan Hall in second and Wilmarth Hall in third. 

This year's competition was organized primarily by the campus' Sustainability reps or "S-Reps.". The S-Reps worked independently with their individual dorms, but also promoted the event collectively with a variety of events and media. 

"Most of my individual promoting came from my bulletin board and emails. I found that, throughout the competition, using multimedia can be very effective. As a group we made a couple videos, which got a lot of views, and updated how the competition was going on Facebook" said Penfield's S-Rep Jeremy Rosen '14.

S-Reps, as a part of the Sustainable Skidmore program, are charged with increasing awareness of environmental issues and cultivating positive behavioral change in conservation efforts on campus. 

The S-Reps, in collaboration with the Peer Health Educators organized the "Do it in the Dark" promotion that ran during the week of Valentine's Day, as well as an "S-Rap" video and some short promotional videos. S-Reps also promoted the event in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. 

S-Reps said that if students commit to small individual changes, Skidmore can conserve a significant amount of energy collectively.

"Simple things, such as unplugging appliances or turning off lights, can make a huge impact when everyone is participating. This year we reduced the amount of energy that a typical US home uses for six months, just by taking part in simple behavioral changes around the dorm" Rosen said.

S-Reps were largely positive about Skidmore's additional engagement in the Conservation Nationals Competition. "While I'm not sure that Skidmore students engaged as much with the bigger national competition as they did with the dorm competition, it helped create some school solidarity and motivated people to keep reducing, even if their dorm was doing well already," said Eliza Sherpa '14 McClellan's S-Rep.

"I definitely think [the Conservation Nationals] improved the competition because it gave us access to tools like the Building Dashboard from Lucid, which greatly enhanced the look and feel of the contest, and gave more options to people in terms of committing to reducing electricity via social media and the Dashboard site" said Riley Neugebeauer, Skidmore's Sustainability Coordinator. 

S-Reps also encouraged students to remember conservation practices after the competition ends. "I think that while people might not be quite as consistent about reducing energy as they were during the competition,  some of the habits will definitely persist" Sherpa said. 

Despite the success of this year's competition, S-Reps and Neugebeauer still see areas for improvement. Neugeubauer hopes to see "more overlap with other groups on campus for the competitions so that we can continue to develop more collaboration and innovation as to how to engage people in these kinds of activities."

Margot Reisner '14, S-Rep for Wilmarth,, said she also hoped to build on this year's progress. "More games and events would be great to help raise awareness about the competition, and it worked really well for the S-reps to collaborate and share resources so I think it will be helpful to do more of that in the future," Reisner said. 

Healthful Hints: Fact or Fiction: A look at drug and alcohol assumptions on campus

Posted by Zoe Silver

Skidmore is a tight-knit community, so when a new fad hits campus, it is quickly on everyone's radar. But did you ever consider those trends and "customs" that you knew existed when you first got to Skidmore? Where did they originate? The truth is, many of the sentences we tend to start with "everyone does it..." are simply false. I would like to examine some of these common misconceptions, particularly those related to alcohol and drugs, so you can understand that it is OK not to do something, and no, NOT everyone else does it!

Myth: Everyone binge drinks on Friday nights.

Reality: There is a large community of students on campus who don't drink at all, and for those who do drink, the amount greatly varies. It is certainly not true that everyone is blackout drunk on a Friday night, nor is it true that you have to follow this fictional custom to fit in.

Myth: It is easier to make new friends when you are drunk, and you have to drink in order to fit in.

Reality: The reverse is more valid, as friends made while drunk are sometimes forgotten by the next morning. The only truth to this myth is that people are less inhibited when they are drunk and therefore may be more likely to approach new people or come out of their shell. When it comes to making new friends or connections, however, the lasting ones are generally made sober. Furthermore, if you feel that your current friends will only accept you if you drink, then you can find better friends.

Myth: You can cure a hangover with coffee and Tylenol.

Reality: The only cure for a hangover is time. Unfortunately, you cannot sleep it off, nor is there a medicine that will do the trick, although hydrating your body with water is helpful nonetheless.

Myth: You have to start drinking at 10 a.m on Fun Day and keep going all day long.

Reality: A lot of people chose to remain sober on Fun Day, and still have tons of fun! This is a day of sun-basking, listening to music, hanging out with your friends, eating and relaxing, all of which you can do without alcohol in your system.

Myth: Because marijuana is not addictive, it is OK if I smoke it every day of the week.

Reality: It is true that marijuana is not addictive, but you are still in an altered state of mind when you use it, which inhibits productivity and functioning. It is not good for this to become your "norm," as it may affect your schoolwork, social life, etc. If you want to smoke, try limiting it to weekends or special occasions.

Myth: It is OK to drive high, just not drunk.

Reality: This is just as dangerous and illegal as driving with alcohol in your system. Even if you feel in control, the drug affects your reaction time and mental capacity, and you do not have the ability to drive safely without putting yourself and others at risk.

I encourage you all to challenge the assumptions that you have about life on campus, because it is precisely these assumptions that create the behaviors to begin with. If we all had a more realistic idea of the behavior of our peers, it is likely that we would feel less obliged to engage in activities in which we may not want to engage, but do because we believe they are the norm and that we must partake in order to be accepted in the community. Until next time, stay healthy, enjoy the warmer weather and check your facts!  

Campus Safety Incident Reports: March 1 to 14

Posted by Julia Leef

Thursday, March 1

• College Violation: Several students reported at 12:06 a.m. engaging in a snowball fight and being very disruptive outside of Wiecking Hall. Officers requested subjects take activities elsewhere. Group complied without incident.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transport at 9:45 a.m. from Jonsson Tower as he is on crutches. Officer assisted subject and provided transport.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests an officer at 10:38 a.m. to accompany her to do welfare check on a student in Wait Hall. Officer and staff report subject is safe and will contact parent. Report issued.
• Accident: Student reports at 2:10 p.m. that while attempted to park her vehicle in Cane Crossing she hit another vehicle parked in the parking lot. Minor damage occurred to the reporting person's vehicle. No damage to other vehicle. Report issued.
• Alarm: Security alarm for Health Services front door received at 6:43 p.m. Dispatched officer reports area secure. Last person leaving may have set off the alarm. Report issued.
• Emergency Phone: Emergency phone activation received at 8:30 p.m. for the weight room in the Williamson Sports Center. Officer dispatched reports no one in the area. Attendant states it was possibly a false activation.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 11:18 p.m. on the sixth floor of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers report odor dissipated.
• College Violation: Report given at 11:18 p.m. of a possible party on the fifth floor of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers report no disturbance detected. Unfound call.

Friday, March 2

• Liquor Law Violation: Loud people and possible party reported at 12:59 a.m. in McClellan Hall. Officer dispatched observed alcohol violation. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud noise reported at 1:56 a.m. on the second floor lounge of McClellan Hall. Subjects complied with the request to lower volume.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transport for a student at 2:49 p.m. in Jonsson Tower to the Wilton Medical Arts. Transport completed. Report issued.
• College Violation: Report given at 6:34 p.m. of subjects sliding down the roof of the Tang Teaching Museum. Dispatched officer reports subjects gone upon her arrival.

Monday, March 3

• Drug Law Violation: Suspicious odor reported at 12:08 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officer located the source of the odor and observed drug law violation. Report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:31 a.m. from a television in Howe Hall. Officers dispatched report no noise detected. Additional complaint received at 1:03 a.m. Subjects in room requested to lower volume. Residents complied.
• Intoxicated Subject: Intoxicated female reported at 12:50 a.m. in the lobby of Kimball Hall. Officer dispatched reports that the subject was gone on arrival. Officer checked entire interior and exterior of the building with negative results.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transport at 1:09 a.m. from Macruary apartments to the Emergency Room for medical assistance for an ankle injury. Officer dispatched reports injured party declined medical assistance and was transported to his residence. Accident report completed for injury. Reporting person later requested transport to the Emergency Room at 1:35 a.m. to the Emergency Room. Transport completed.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 1:35 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officers dispatched report loud bass. Subjects complied with request to lower volume.
• Campus Safety Assist: A man reported at 5:17 p.m. on the loading dock roof of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Officers dispatched report no subject located or footprints in fresh snow. Call unfounded.

Sunday, March 4

• Campus Safety Assist: Excessive number of people reported at 12:03 a.m. at a residence in Maple Apartment. Reporting person requests officers assist him in dispersing the large gathering. Officers responded and dispersed the large group.
• Intoxicated Subject: Reporting person requests assistance at 12:40 a.m. at Falstaff's event. Officer dispatched. Responding officer requests Emergency Medical Services assistance for intoxicated female. Service dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief reported at 1:20 a.m. to the emergency door at the end of the second floor hall of McClellan Hall. Maintenance dispatched reports the door knob was intentionally broken and the door will not open or close properly. Supervisor on Call was contacted for a carpenter. Door to be repaired. Unknown perpetrators.
• Campus Safety Assist: Report given at 1:27 a.m. of an authorized party that has exceeded time regulation. Officers dispatched large group.
• Complaints: Two female subjects reported a rude cab driver at 1:43 a.m. Subjects were intoxicated and could not provide any further information regarding the company or driver name.
• Drug Law Violation/Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activated at 2:16 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officers dispatched. Activation due to student smoking marijuana in residence bedroom. Report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 3:50 a.m. in the common area of the ninth floor of Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched dispersed the disruptive group.
• Suspicious Activity: Reporting person requests assistance at 5:05 a.m. as an unknown male is attempting to gain access to her room in Kimball Hall. Officers dispatched located the subject and identified him. Subject was intoxicated and confused as to his room location. Subject escorted to his room. No further problems to report.
• Criminal Mischief: Reporting person says at 4:45 a.m. that while on patrol he observed the landline phone receiver in the lobby on the ninth floor of Jonsson Tower had been torn from the base. Unknown perpetrator or witnesses. Report issued.
• Burglary: At 4:34 p.m., students report a burglary at their Fain C apartment. Officer dispatched. Investigation pending. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer reports at 9:28 p.m. finding a vehicle parked behind 4 Cane apartment. Officer advised subject that parking in this area is not permitted. Report issued.

Monday, March 5

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:43 a.m. for 4 Cane Crossing. Officers and maintenance dispatched. No fire. Source of activation was due to a humidifier.
• College Violation: Reporting person requests an officer at 12:01 p.m. to pick up items found in apartments while conducting fire inspections. Dispatched officer. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor, identified tentatively by the reporting person as marijuana, was detected at 10:14 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer who checked the area could not locate any odor.
• Suspicious Activity: Officers report at 11:47 p.m. that they are out with a vehicle in Scribner Village and request police on the scene as officers observed drugs in the vehicle. By 11:59 p.m., the Saratoga Springs Police Department have two subjects in custody and the vehicle will be towed from its location by Matts Towing.

Tuesday, March 6

• Loud music reported at 1:07 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officers dispatched requested the volume be turned down. Resident complied without incident.
• Larceny: Reporting person called at 2:48 p.m. requesting an officer to take a report at Case Center as someone has taken $12 from a locker. Dispatched officer. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Graffiti reported at 4:10 p.m. graffiti on the washers and dryers in the laundry room in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer interviewed the reporting person and took photos of the graffiti.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 11:47 p.m. at 11 Cane Crossing. Dispatched officers reported that the resident turned down stereo. Officers cleared.

Wednesday, March 7

• College Violation: An ongoing problem with excessive noise reported at 12:27 a.m. from a room in Wiecking Hall. Officers dispatched report the residents complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Suspicious Odor: Person reports an odor at 12:48 p.m. of what appears to be marijuana coming from a room on the sixth floor of Jonsson Tower. Officer dispatched. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transportation at 2:27 p.m. from her Dogwood Apartment to Health Services as she is too dizzy to make it on her own. Officer dispatched completed the transport.

Thursday, March 8

• Parking: Officer reports at 9:50 a.m. booting vehicles in Tang Lot parked in violation of their parking restrictions and who have acquired an excessive number of tickets in this academic year.
• Larceny: Person reports at 10:40 a.m. that some of his tools were stolen at the construction area in the Scribner Library. Campus Safety report issued. Investigation initiated. No known perpetrators at this time.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests a record check at 12:47 p.m. on a student who graduated in 2007 for employment purposes. Check completed. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Unauthorized subjects reported on the roof of the Tang Teaching Museum at 8:52 p.m. Officers requested they vacate the area. Subjects complied.

Friday, March 9

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:02 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched. Residents complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:24 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Officers dispatched. Officers requested that subjects lower the volume and residents complied.
• College Violation: Excessive music volume reported at 1:05 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched reports the resident complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:07 p.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Dispatched officer was unable to detect the odor. Call unfounded.
• Suspicious Odor: A strong odor of marijuana reported at 11:16 p.m. in Howe Hall. Officers dispatched were unable to detect the odor. Call unfounded.

Saturday, March 10

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 1:41 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched report that the residents agreed to lower the volume upon request.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports at 8:27 a.m. being stuck between the first and second floor in the Case Center west elevator. Dispatched officers and maintenance to release the subject from the elevator. No injuries reported. Report issued.
• College Violation: Officer observed at 11:55 a.m. a subject playing with a knife in the dining hall. Officer confiscated the knife as it is a college violation. Report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: Anonymous male reports at 4 p.m. a tent set up in the North Woods Trail area. Dispatched officer reports that the tent is gone upon arrival and there is no sign of it or the owner. Report issued.
• Drug Law Violation: Staff reports at 7:08 p.m. that while closing for Spring Break they observed a drug law violation and contraband in a Dogwood Apartment. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports at 7:13 p.m. a college-aged male, possibly intoxicated, cutting through the Maple Avenue School athletic field and walking into the woods bordering the College property. Officer dispatched was unable to locate the subject. Report issued.

Sunday, March 11

• College Violation: Officer reports at 5:16 p.m. skateboarders near the JKB Theater. Skateboarders were asked to vacate the area as they were causing a disturbance. All complied without incidence.
• Trespass: An unauthorized dirt bike reported at 5:25 p.m. on the College walking trails. Officers dispatched were unable to locate the bike.

Monday, March 12

• Suspicious Activity: Officer reports at 1:50 a.m. hearing yelling coming from the wooded area near North Woods. Dispatched officers searched the area with negative results. All officers cleared.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports at 4:40 p.m. an unknown substance leaking from his vehicle in the Sasselin Art Building Lot. Officer assistance requested. Officer determined that the fluid as power steering fluid. No damage or hazard. Report issued.

Tuesday, March 13

• Accident: Person reports at 12:15 a.m. sustaining a one-inch laceration to her right wrist on broken glass in Jonsson Tower. Officer controlled the bleeding and a fellow officer provided assistance. The wound was cleaned and bandaged. Accident report issued.
• Propped Door: Person reports the front door of Penfield Hall propped open at 1:23 a.m. Officers secured the door.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person in the Campus Safety Office at 11:01 a.m. requests a background check on an employee. Director of Campus Safety Dennis Conway assisted the reporting person. Report issued.

Wednesday, March 14

• Suspicious Activity: Reporting person called at 11:09 a.m. stating that there are two scruffy looking males who appear to be homeless pushing a green shopping cart from between Greenberg and the Williamson Sports Center. Dispatched officers interviewed the subjects, who stated that they were just passing through and left campus via the 3rd Street Bridge without incident.

Skidmore student group to host talk by reproductive rights pioneer: Bill Baird to speak about his experience as the subject of a Supreme Court case

Posted by Julia Leef

Guest speaker Bill Baird, acclaimed "Father of the Abortion Rights Movement" by the Associated Press and the United Press International, will give a lecture titled "Who Owns Your Body: Church? State? You! The Fight for Birth Control and Abortion" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, in Gannett Auditorium. The College's Feminist Action Movement will sponsor the talk, which is free and open to the public.

A Brooklyn native, Baird graduated from Brooklyn College in 1955. He is the only non-lawyer with three U.S. Supreme Court victories. He has worked on the front lines of the reproductive rights movement for 50 years.

Baird will discuss the 1972 U.S. Supreme Court case Eisenstadt v. Baird that established the right of unmarried people to possess contraception. Baird was charged with a felony for distributing contraceptive foams after lecturing at Boston University. Massachusetts law at that time mandated that only doctors or pharmacists could distribute contraception, and then only to married people.

The Supreme Court determined that the law Baird was accused of breaking violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution, the same right to privacy that served as the foundation for the 1973 case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, and the 2003 case Lawrence v. Texas, which is seen as a victory for gay rights.

In the five years it took to bring his case to the Supreme Court, Baird was sentenced to three months in prison in the later-condemned Charles Street Jail. There he said he chased rats from his cell, picked bugs and pebbles from his food, suffered an eye infection from lice and endured humiliating random strip searches by guards.

In the lecture, Baird will discuss what he calls the "bologna method" that has sliced away at the gains achieved from Eisenstadt v. Baird and Roe v. Wade in the current social and political climate.

He will also talk about the presidential aspirants and their anti-abortion and birth control views and what he feels is the future for abortion and birth control, especially if a Republican is elected president. There will be a question-and-answer session with the audience at the end of his lecture. 

Communications sends out a new survey on redesigning the College website: Further revisions will be made to the designs based on the results of this survey

Posted by Julia Leef

On March 5, the redesign committee, comprised of members of Communications, the Student Government Association, and non-member students, discussed three new designs for the Skidmore website that had been developed based off of feedback obtained from students and faculty. The committee will show these designs to students through a survey on Sunday, March 18, in which they may provide further comments regarding their preferences.

Among the major changes from the previous designs, the committee cut down the amount of text, simplifying the overall design. The main feature of the home page will be a large slideshow of photos displaying creative endeavors by students and faculty, and is featured in all three designs.

"We are interested in how to make this as easy as possible for students to navigate," Executive Director of Communications Dan Forbush said. "We would always want to be telling somebody's creative story. There would always be a creative aspect to the featured photo."

The main differences among the designs, which can be founded in the survey, include the navigation menus, the color schemes, and the layouts. Designs A and B have the navigation bar, which will host quick links to popular sections of the website, possibly including Blackboard, the Master Schedule, and the Skidmore Shop, located at the top of the screen. The navigation menu for Design C, on the other hand, is on the left-hand side of the screen.

The main color for Design A is the traditional Skidmore green, while Design B has an all-white background, which members of the committee, including Keith Kallas '12, head of the student-run Photo Club, and Raiza Nazareth '12, Vice President of the SGA, said they did not find as warm and inviting as the other designs. Design C also uses green as its main color, but includes a lighter shade for the text color as well.

Members of the committee overall preferred the color scheme of Design A, but liked the simplicity and layout of Design B, which hosts a much cleaner format than the other two designs. Students will have a chance to comment on their own preferences through the survey, which will be released on Sunday.

Among the issues the committee discussed was the importance of emphasizing the creativity of student activities through the design of the website. One of the ways in which they hope to accomplish this is through the photos on the main page, which they hope will change every day. Kallas said he liked featuring current student activities as main photos, possibly including photos taken by students for the annual Creative Thought Matters photo contest.

On this subject, the committee also discussed making changes to the CTM photo gallery in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, which currently feature photos of now-alumna taken by Emma Dodge Hanson '93. They also discussed the possibility of extending the gallery to other places around campus with blank walls, as well as including a section for it in the new website design.

"I think it needs to say something about the Skidmore experience," Forbush said.

Daniella Nordin, the College's online community manager, also announced the development of a new social media course in conjunction with the Career Development Center, which will instruct students in web marketing and basic website skills. The course, which has approximately 20 available seats, will begin on March 26, will consist of four sessions, and is open to all students.

To further discuss the website designs, two focus groups met over the Spring Break, one comprised of faculty members, which met on March 13, and one of students, which will meet on March 20 from 9:30 to 10:30 and again from 4 to 5 p.m. in conference rooms 1 and 2 in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Students may attend either one. The redesign committee will meet again in three weeks to analyze the results of the survey.

More detailed information about the new website designs can be found here.

The Greek economic crisis: a conflict that hits close to home

Posted by Stefan Cocorelis

My house back home is on the outskirts of Athens, just in front of the mountain Penteli where the marbles for the Acropolis were mined. These days, when I fly back home, I sometimes hike up the mountainside, but I no longer visit the surrounding area in which I grew up, This is in part because I want to preserve my memories of how it once was, and partly because I don't want to accept the fact that it has forever been changed.

When I first arrived at Skidmore, things back home were relatively fine, and I still had this boyhood excitement and energy about me. Sure, I was fully aware of the corruption, lack of organization and general array of problems, but like most Greeks, I wasn't concerned because, in truth, I personally was doing fine.

Even before the economic crisis began, virtually every Greek knew that the government was corrupt; people took bribes all the while knowing that the things worked was very ineffective. However, no one ever did anything about it, simply because they were never really affected by it personally. So when the crisis stated to unfold in 2008, no one was really concerned because, they continued to think in this hyper-individualistic way. It wasn't until catastrophe struck in 2010 that people actually started to feel unease.

When the crisis hit in 2010, my country's unscrupulous financial practices were finally revealed. You see, up until that time, Greeks in general worked primarily under a system based on corruption, something that was largely fueled by the government. This system of corruption, as well as bribery, was something that really became a part of modern Greek society. It became so common that one could not even get a driver's license without having to "slip someone an envelope".

Eventually this method of cutting corners, both on national and international levels, resulted in a giant bubble effect, in which the majority kept finding ways in which to both obtain and retain as much money as possible, with no one caring about any repercussions.

When the wave of the 2008 recession hit, it unearthed this massive amount of debt that had been hidden away for so long. The rest of the story, as some may already know, was that the government started to implement severe austerity measures in order to somehow keep the country afloat. This led to significant job losses and laid the burden of recovery strictly on the people, subsequently creating a massive nationwide movement of people who have come to be known as "??????????????" or "frustrated", peacefully protesting against these measures as their last resort.

All in all, it's a very weird feeling seeing your country slowly fall and break apart from afar. You can never really prepare for something like that. It is difficult to explain, for in order to really understand it, one must experience it as well. If I could sum it up in one word, it would have to be just plain weird. The best reason I can think to explain that ambiguity is that I am here while everything over there is collapsing. The feeling of shock, sadness and utter disbelief at what is happening dramatically increases when you are watching it unfold in its entirety, from your laptop in your bedroom, almost 5,000 miles away.

I may complain about my countrymen, how they annoy and frustrate me, but deep down my Greek identity is a huge part of who I am. I guess the closest analogy I can think of to better explain my view of my country is the character of Jesse Pinkman from the TV series, "Breaking Bad." Jesse is a type of character who is not in his heart a bad guy, though bad things always seem to happen around him. You just can't help but feel heartbroken because you know that, if under any different circumstance, he could have so much potential.

Greece is like that to me. We as a people have the potential to do great things, and it has been proven that throughout our illustrious history that in brief periods, we have - but for whatever reason we often come up short, and that's what really breaks my heart. Ultimately, I hope that somehow, after this mess, we can finally find a way to be the great people I know we can be. But this requires true honesty and realism, things that seem to be diminishing more and more. 

Restaurant Review: Esperanto

Posted by Tegan O'Neill

Esperanto has the vibe of a mall food court eatery that was picked up in the middle of the night (probably around 2 a.m.) and then plopped amid the row of bars lining Caroline Street. What you get out of your experience at Esperanto is all about the expectations you have going in. If you don't expect the atmosphere to woo you, you won't be at all put-off by the harsh lighting and the anything-but-cozy seating area. If you treat the locale as what it is - a whole in the wall - it will not disappoint; it might actually please.

The service is fast - that's one thing in Esperanto's favor. A good portion of the menu is already prepared and sits underneath hot lights at the register waiting for hungry patrons to stumble in to the storefront. Be forewarned that the food here necessitates a beverage. Chowing down at Esperanto sort of makes you feel like you've been deposited on a desert island. Luckily, pretty much every soda under the sun is available. If you have a hankering for something fruity, the MASH ripe mango and blood orange will quench your thirst. Packaged in an adorable squat bottle, it is a carbonated fruit drink that dances on the orange soda end of the spectrum with a sparkle of mango.

Esperanto also gets points for its eclectic menu. What other place has the nerve to lump food from Greece, Mexico, Thailand, the Middle East, and the garden on its menu? Plus, they have pizza and a slew of house specialities that, apparently, have no place on the map. At least, the street food of all of these countries (or areas of the world or of the yard) is represented, if not represented well.

Esperanto's falafel, for instance, is not the best fried concoction ever to grace the earth. Yes, falafel is usually deep fried, but it should never be fried so much that a scuba unit is needed to retrieve it. The fried matter encrusting the chickpea and veggie patty had the mouth feel of a rough cut gem. Strike two against the falafel: there was enough grease still on the patties that "grease" should have been included in the blurb about the menu item. Thank goodness for the soft pocket of pita enveloping the falafel; the pita cushioned the falafel's fall in more way than one. Nice too was the cucumber cool as can be.

The pinkish cubes of diced tomato were an unwelcome reminder of the fact that wintertime produce is not spectacular and although their inclusion was certainly well-meant, unfortunately, when it comes to food, it isn't only the thought that counts. The only function the hummus performed well was to serve as a filler. It slacked on its duty to add pep to the sandwich. The tahini sauce served on the side was too meek to contribute any extra flavor, although it did add another textural layer to the experience of eating the sandwich this one silky, smooth, and wet.

Very similar to the falafel is the gyro but instead of greasy, forgotten in the frier falafel, there was cafeteria style meat stuffed inside a pita. Don't order it. If you do, you will not be inspired to dream about food consumed between exploring various ancient Grecian remains under sunny blue sky. Rather, the grilled strips of lamb and beef "seasoned with a distinctive blend of Greek herbs and spices" will bring you back to the days of eating the hot lunch option at school and memories of sitting on hard benches without backs, next to people you don't really like but are stuck eating lunch with every single day nevertheless. I think the meat was supposed to be aromatic but the spices end up creating an off taste that was also too salty.

Both of these sandwiches (which are both fairly hulking, by the way) come with a pile of tortilla chips - a good thing since Esperanto has a gold mine of salsas that are worth sampling. Best was a simple medley comprised mostly of chopped tomato and onion. It had a little bit of a bite to it and an unmistakable air of freshness.

Speaking of mexican fare, Esperanto has a nice take on the chimichanga. It's not your typical chimichanga since the the tortilla shell is baked not fried, thus making it a lighter, less artery clogging snack. The flavors of the lil' food package are not too heavy either. More than anything, the BBQ beef filling the chimichanga is sweet in a dainty sort of way. And the chipotle-spiced potatoes are as light as Cirrus clouds. These wispy elements combine to produce a solidly pleasant food stuff that is not at all obstructed by the outer wrapping of dough that is so thin it can hardly be tasted.

There is a difference between foods that have a pleasingly mild taste (the chimichanga) and foods that have no taste at all (the pizza). Esperanto is known for its pizza; it is also known for catering to a late night, inebriated clientele. Hence, the former known fact makes sense. It is the kind of pizza that, since it doesn't taste outright bad, can be ingested in large quantities and, since it doesn't taste that spectacularly good, merits no cause for slowing down and appreciating it. The tomato sauce is slathered so sparingly you'd think it was a prized possession that they didn't want to part with (it isn't that great for this to be true). Further disappointing is that the cheese lends scant flavor to the slab of underlying dough that is blander and flatter than the state of Nebraska.

The twice baked potato proved to be a much improved selection. Once you get past the congealed top layer (which most likely - and understandably - formed once it sat under the warming lights for a few minutes) the potato that has been mashed and then returned to its skin was actually quite wonderful. Made with sour cream and butter, it was rich and bursting with cheesy savor. I was reminded of eating Cheese-It crackers but in a more mellow form. It's the best way yet to get that irresistible Cheese-It flavor without any of the pain of having spiky cracker crumbs scraping your gums. It just kept getting better: eating the skin was the best part of all. The natural, earthy quality of the potato's skin counterbalanced the inorganic merger of butter, potato, and sour cream.

The best thing about Esperanto is definitely the doughboy. This legendary comestible combines dough, chicken, and cheese in a way that has never been done before and for only $3.50, you can buy it in all its glory. Soft, chewy pizza dough is wrapped around a mixture of diced chicken, sour cream, chives, and cheeses of the cheddar and Colby varieties which oozes like lava from its casing when bitten into. While usually consumed while intoxicated, I can assure you that the doughboy is still intensely gratifying while sober. Its seductiveness lies in its ability to satisfy that basic craving for rich, salty, creamy food and, oh, does it do that job well. 

To read more of Tegan O'Neill's outings visit her blog.