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Posted by Julia Schwartz
On Oct. 8, Liberty League posted its most recent rewards for fall athletes who have been excelling in their particular sport. Honors range from Performer of the Week to Rookie of the Week. For more information, check out the article from Skidmore Athletics.
Posted by Julia Leef
The Career Development Center will host the Graduate and Professional School Expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the Case Center. This event will host 60 representatives from 40 different schools including Clarkson, Syracuse, Bard, Columbia and Boston Law, representing a wide array of fields, such as education, healthcare, business and journalism. Though events of this kind have been held in the past, it has been a decade since an event of this format has occurred.
Shannon Rodriguez, the associate director for Pre-professional and Graduate Studies and organizer of the event, composed a list of more than 450 schools and programs based on the recommendations of professional associations, surveys and faculty suggestions.
Rodriguez had help from Karla Smagorinsky '13, who works in the Career Development Center and helped identify and organize contact information and conduct individualized outreach to bring in the representatives for the event.
Prior to this year, the College had held "Grad School Week," which took the idea of the expo and spread it across seven days. However, this decentralization of school representatives led to low event attendance. As a remedy to this issue, the expo was resurrected.
"Rather than spreading out these events over the course of the year, we thought we might be able to make a larger impact if we tried to get a bunch of people here on the same day," Rodriguez said. This plan was twofold, intending to stimulate attendance from both students and school representatives.
Rodriguez said she hopes to increase the number of graduate schools attending this event in subsequent years.
"20% of our students go on to grad school immediately upon graduation," Rodriguez said, "and about 50% go within 5 years."
The Career Development Center recommends that students research the schools and programs they are interested in ahead of time and prepare questions to ask the representatives, such as what the admissions requirements are for the graduate school, what types of financial aid are available, what is unique about the program, and where are graduates of the program are employed.
Students should also prepare to answer questions asked by the representatives, such as why they want to attend graduate school, when they plan to attend and what they would like to do with their degrees. The Career Development Center also recommends that students dress casually but appropriately.
A table map and a list of schools attending will be available. Student volunteers will be available at the event dressed in green Skidmore polo shirts and name tags. Students may be asked to complete a survey during the fair to aid the Career Development Center's planning of next year's event. Students who fill out the surveys will be entered into a raffle.
Further events:
In the three hours following the main event, there will be several events in various locations on campus with members of Skidmore departments and visiting graduate schools and program representatives.
Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler
After sifting through the talking points and empty rhetoric of last Thursday's presidential debate (we get it, five trillion is a big number), the American public is left with very little substance on which to compare the incumbent Obama and challenger Romney.
The two candidates each made bold attempts, particularly during the economic segment of the debate, to appear as if they were presenting facts and specifics about tax plans, the deficit and creating jobs. But in the end, what did viewers learn other than that Romney and Obama have starkly different opinions on how theoretical math works?
Can Obama decrease the deficit by spending more and taxing more? Romney said no, but demonstrated no evidence other than his lack of faith. Can Romney spend two trillion extra on defense without raising taxes on the middle class to pay for it? Obama said no, and the math seems to back him up, but he was unable to present his argument in a manner that would be digestible by a common viewer.
What the common viewer could easily discern, however, was that two presidential candidates with four Ivy League degrees between them, who both claim that the key to their governing style is bipartisan leadership, were unable to put aside polarizing, partisan rhetoric long enough to provide the American people enough information to make an educated decision about the future of our country
Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler
After sifting through the talking points and empty rhetoric of last Thursday's presidential debate (we get it, five trillion is a big number), the American public is left with very little substance on which to compare the incumbent Obama and challenger Romney.
The two candidates each made bold attempts, particularly during the economic segment of the debate, to appear as if they were presenting facts and specifics about tax plans, the deficit and creating jobs. But in the end, what did viewers learn other than that Romney and Obama have starkly different opinions on how theoretical math works?
Can Obama decrease the deficit by spending more and taxing more? Romney said no, but demonstrated no evidence other than his lack of faith. Can Romney spend two trillion extra on defense without raising taxes on the middle class to pay for it? Obama said no, and the math seems to back him up, but he was unable to present his argument in a manner that would be digestible by a common viewer.
What the common viewer could easily discern, however, was that two presidential candidates with four Ivy League degrees between them, who both claim that the key to their governing style is bipartisan leadership, were unable to put aside polarizing, partisan rhetoric long enough to provide the American people enough information to make an educated decision about the future of our country
Posted by Paulina Phelps
PP: How long have you been playing soccer?
MG: Pretty much since I could walk. I don't remember a time when I wasn't playing soccer.
PP: Where are you from and what year at Skidmore are you??
MG: I'm from Utica, NY but my family recently moved to Maine. I am a senior at Skidmore.
PP: How would you describe the dynamic of the men's soccer team at Skidmore?
MG: This year it's definitely different from past years. First off we have a better record. We have a lot of great players from the freshman class. Our goalie Eli, who is a freshman, has been phenomenal. The practices are much more intense and focused. It's a different feeling, it really is. Everyone on the team is really close to each other and we have somewhat of a brotherhood.
PP: How is the team doing so far this season?
MG: We are doing amazingly! We are 6-1-1. We have a national ranking now and are tied for first in the country.
PP: What do you feel is the team's greatest strength?
MG: I would have to say our whole defense and the way they've been playing.
PP: Congratulations on the win against St. Lawrence (the number one team in the league) on Sept. 22. What do you think made the win possible?
MG: Thank you! We just played how we've been playing all year. Our defense is amazing and makes it easy for the offense to get the ball. Brian Mitko has been amazing and leads the whole team to get on the same page.
PP: Is it hard balancing studies as well as athletics?
MG: It's really hard. This year has definitely been the hardest just in terms of my workload with graduating soon and taking 18 credits.
PP: What is your favorite part of playing soccer at Skidmore?
MG: Probably just being out there every day and playing with guys that love the game as much as you do. It's a great way to get your competitiveness out. I don't think I could really function without that competitive spirit. Being with a bunch of guys that have your back is great.
PP: In your opinion, does the school support athletics enough??
MG: I wish it would a little bit more. But I understand that everyone is busy and has their own thing going on which makes it hard to find time to support each other. But as we support each other's activities more, the more effort will be put in and the better the outcome.
PP: What has playing soccer taught you over the years?
MG: The value of teamwork and that nothing can be achieved on the individual level. This goes into real life scenarios: any environment you're put in you need to learn to work on a group or a team and collaborate.
PP: What is your major and what are your plans for after Skidmore?
MG: In terms of soccer I'm thinking about playing for a Maccabi men's soccer team, which will play in Israel this summer. With my major I plan to work with alternate sources of energy. I have a job lined up with GE in their environmental engineering department.
PP: Anything else you would like to say?
MG: Just thanks to all of my teammates for an amazing year so far.
Posted by Julia Leef
Incidents of Note:
Further Incidents:
Friday, Sept. 28
Saturday, Sept. 29
Sunday, Sept. 30
Monday, Oct. 1
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Thursday, Oct. 4
Posted by Rachel Kim
Since July 2011, the Lucy Scribner Library has undergone many renovations, most of which were completed over the past summer. Upon entering the first floor and walking throughout the building, one can easily notice the new study rooms, furniture and equipment.
Previously the library had 15 study rooms, but with the renovations two of the old ones were lost and 12 new ones were added for a total of 25 group study rooms, 16 of which are equipped with flat-screen TVs. The study rooms are part of the new room reservation system, which students can use to reserve a room on the spot or 24 hours or less in advance online.
Along with a new library classroom, the library has added an experiment classroom for the Information Technology office to use when trying out and teaching new learning technologies with faculty. Ten new individual study carrels were made for a total of 32. A media viewing room was added on the first floor, which has been popular for class and outside-class use.
Stacks were trimmed so that all the windows on the second and third floors would have more tables by them. The new tables are also grounded, which allows students to more easily charge their laptops as they work. With the increased number of study rooms and tables, there are now 250 additional seats.
All of the computers in the library are new, and the overall amount of them is the same: 60 on the first floor and 34 on the fourth floor.
The school's GIS center and the academic technologies that work with software and hardware programs have moved to the second floor. IT is located on the first floor where the Inter-Library Loan office used to be. The ILL office is also located on the second floor.
A large amount of renovations went towards the basement. Media Services made the move there last spring, and were recently joined by enterprise systems replacing the periodicals, which have moved into the Hoge building.
Hoge, which used to be a power plant, is located next to Harder Hall and is open to the public from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It now houses 49,047 volumes of older periodicals. In order to access any of the periodicals, students must place a request for the article to be photocopied and delivered to them which will usually be processed between 24 and 48 hours.
Though the move to Hoge makes the periodicals less accessible, it does add greater security. In the past, pages of old editions of the Saturday Evening Post were ripped out, and other similar incidents of damage to the materials were more likely to happen because they were so easily accessible.
"It is true that it's not quite as accessible as it was, there is something that you will lose when you gain in a situation like that," Access Services Librarian John Cosgrove said. "The only way we gain the security for that material is by losing the open access for it."
The library currently has access to more than 68,000 electronic journals, magazines and newspapers. In 1994, the library had 2,081 subscriptions to print periodicals. Today, it has 391 subscriptions.
The shift from print to digital can also be seen in the ILL system. After requesting an article through the ILL, students will wait 24 to 48 hours for the delivery. The ILL delivery system, however, is not available on the weekends.
"It's a trade-off. What the community is gaining is document delivery of articles and some security on some materials that we want to make sure we have for a long time to come, and what we're losing a little bit is the open access that we used to have downstairs," Cosgrove said.
Currently, Nick Pierce, weekend public services coordinator, is going through the current collection and figuring out which issues people are using, which ones the library should cancel, how much space is available for back issues and how much of them should be held onto. The library is also using mailing seals on the first floor periodicals to determine which ones have been opened and browsed by patrons.
Aside from the immediately noticeable changes, the wiring was redone, the library was newly painted and carpeted, and the wireless network was strengthened.
When asked about the total cost of the renovations, a total number was not given. Cosgrove, however, estimated that the renovations cost several millions. The renovations have reflected the school's eco-friendly attitude with more energy-efficient lighting on all floors. There has been conversation about adding more recycling bins and potentially installing filtered water fountain stations.
Though the renovations have been completed, the library still has plans for more projects, including a new alarm system and an improved roof. For now, the furniture on the fourth floor is being furnished, signs outside offices are being installed, and the only remaining construction is taking place in the basement to connect the enterprise systems to the network and technical service offices located under Case Center walkway. The entire renovation process is expected to be completed by May 2013.
Posted by Emily Benoff
This semester, the College Office of Leadership Activities welcomes Joshua Nelson as the new Director of Student Leadership Activities. Nelson joins Robin Adams and Kris Scully, who work closely with the Student Government Association and its 98 affiliated clubs to promote student leadership and the involvement in co-curricular activities on campus.
After speaking with Nelson, it is clear that he approaches his new position with zeal. He greeted me with an innovative list of ideas melding diversity, leadership and involvement in campus activities. Because most students are not enrolled in academic classes that focus solely on leadership, Nelson feels that his job is to, "make sure that students have another outlet to go to in order to learn leadership skills that can be utilized after they graduate from Skidmore." He added, "Statistics show that most students will enter the non-profit work field where these leadership skills are vital."
Nelson has plans to experiment with different relationship structures within clubs to ensure that all students have equal representation and are kept socially engaged. Nelson commends the SGA in particular for instituting a consensus rather than a top down hierarchy.
Having been in the field for six years, Nelson has ample experience advocating for students and helping them solve their problems. He previously held similar positions at various other colleges ranging from Mount Holyoke College to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When asked to describe the differences between his work here and his work at significantly larger institutions, Nelson did not hesitate to express his enjoyment in working with a smaller population of students. He appreciates that rather than simply signing a paper to give a club permission to carry out a certain event, he is able to get to know each group personally and involve himself in all aspects of the activity.
Although Nelson recognizes that his department has authority over each club, he feels that his position focuses on helping students efficiently "carry out the legacy of their club" from year to year and accurately spread the club's mission so it will appeal to future students.
Because he is new to campus, Nelson has made it a priority to publicize himself and the responsibilities of his new role. He serves on the panel of Everyday Leadership, and has visited many of the school's co-curricular financial and board meetings. He wants students to feel comfortable approaching him with issues or ideas and understand that he will advocate for them no matter what.
When it comes to publicizing new outlets for student involvement on campus, however, Nelson admits that his actions are primarily behind-the-scenes. He hopes to put the SGA in the forefront; Nelson is in favor of students encouraging fellow students to get involved on campus. He cooperated with SGA in organizing the recent club fair and activities showcase to demonstrate the many opportunities for leadership roles at the college. Nelson's office is located in Room 228 of the Case Center and he encourages all students to stop by during his office hours.
Posted by The Editorial Board
With an ever-rising number of college campuses in the country banning or restricting smoking, it has come as no surprise that members of the Skidmore College community have been discussing the idea. As noted in "Smoke-Free? Skidmore's future as a smoke-friendly campus," SGA and the administration have been entertaining such a notion since the end of last year. The question at hand is not whether the school has the right to enact such a policy, but what kind of approach the school might take in restricting smoking, and whether or not such action is truly necessary.
Cities and states have been placing bans on smoking in public places since the 1990's. According to a study done by the American College Health Association, published in 2009, 48.6% of the U.S. population is already protected by 100% smoke-free workplace, bar and restaurant laws. Despite protest and an eventual repealment after a year, the ban on smoking in New York City public parks proved that no place, public or private, indoors or outdoors, is safe from such policies. In principle this applies to Skidmore. As long as we walk on ground that is owned by the College, the administration has the right to enforce this policy.
If taken from a more democratic angle, it should be noted that the 2012 Surgeon General's Report on Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults states that 24.8% of college students aged 18-22 were smokers in 2010. If one considers the idea of majority rule, then shouldn't it make sense for the 75% of students who do not smoke to be recognized and protected?
According to the Americans for Nonsmoker's Rights Foundation, 774 colleges or universities in the U.S. have adopted 100% smoke-free campus policies as of July 2012. The trend seems to be spreading rapidly considering that the number of campuses with such a policy was only at 420 two years prior. It should also be noted that these numbers do not even include campuses that have enforced designated smoking zone policies as opposed to absolute bans.
Many campuses have instituted policies that restrict smoking to certain parts of campus, and this idea is more inline with what the Skidmore administration is considering. The College already banned smoking in the residence halls and stopped selling cigarettes in the Skidmore Shop. There is not a whole lot more that the administration can do to discourage smoking other than by banning or restricting it.
If students are still complaining about having to endure the vast amount of secondhand smoke that seem to accumulate outside of the residence halls and academic buildings, then in order to avoid infringing upon the rights of smokers, we need to consider how Skidmore as a community can balance everyone's rights equally.
Some students might argue that by placing ashtrays on the tables outside of Burgess and on the walls outside of buildings the administration is either condoning smoking or designating those areas as smoke-tolerable, but these same zones seem to be the most commonly complained about by nonsmokers. It is worth noting that these ashtrays are there for environmental purposes. The administration could not make its rightfully justified stance against smoking any clearer than with the policies that are already in place. They do not condone it, as anyone who understands the health implications would not, but they respect us as mature adults and thus allow us to continue doing it.
If we are going to avoid having to enact such a policy we need to be considerate of each other. Just because the ashtrays are located next to doorways doesn't mean you have to smoke there. Walk ten or fifteen feet away from a building so that passerbys do not have to endure the consequences of other people's decisions.
We do not need to have a formal written rule when we can have an unspoken one. If we respect each other and our rights to smoke or avoid secondhand smoke, then the administration will not need to further consider this policy.
Opinions, questions, concerns? Submit a letter to the editorial board about this editorial or any other campus topic you feel is worth discussing.
Posted by Elizabeth Hopkins
On Sept. 27 Dr. Lauret Savoy, professor of Environmental Studies and Geology at Mount Holyoke College, made this year's Environmental Studies Keynote Address at the college, entitled "Restor(y)ing America's Environmental Past and Present." The event was a memorable and enlightening experience for listeners in Gannett Auditorium.
Dr. Savoy, a "lover of the environment and a sensitive reader of landscapes," can be described as something of a renaissance woman, immersing herself in disciplines as varied as writing, photography and earth science.
Drawing upon her childhood experience as a young woman of African-American, Native American and European heritage, Savoy recalled the injustice she experienced as a child growing up in the 1960s. As a young girl, Savoy encountered so much racial discrimination in school that she began to avoid mirrors just to avoid seeing her own reflection.
One question burned into fourteen-year-old Savoy's mind: "Why [is] it that human relations [can] be so cruel?" An answer to this question can be found in the connections Savoy drew between heritage, history and environment. When we think about land preservation, rarely do we consider social justice as a related subject.
Aldo Leopold, an ecologist and author of the early twentieth century, described land as encompassing far more than just the physical elements of which it is comprised.
Savoy echoed this idea, calling for the audience to "imagine environment... not just as [our] surroundings, but as a set of circumstances, conditions and contexts in which we live and die." With this definition in mind, the concept of environmental conservation can include the culture of a place, and how that culture leaves its marks on the land. Preserving land not only means preserving its physical ecology, but also maintaining its history and the rights and heritage of its people.
Savoy cited historical figures such as Frederick Douglass and Sarah Winnemucca as individuals who united social justice and environmental justice as a universal cause, as they fought for nature conservation alongside the preservation of civil rights.
According to Savoy, the connection between social and environmental justice has remained primarily "invisible" throughout American history, just as the most obvious signs of racism in American culture have increasingly become since the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 (just two months before the signing of the Wilderness Act-no coincidence, as Savoy notes). The most blatant divisions between white people and people of color have vanished, but racial discrimination subtly persists in the American mindset.
"The hard thing is to cultivate a capacity to ask about lives that are not our own," Savoy said. She posited that nature does not lend itself easily to understanding the perspectives and experiences of others, and it is for the same reason that environmental conservation presents a difficult task, particularly in America where the nation's ecological footprint far "exceeds Earth's ecological limits."
Savoy's recent book The Colors of Nature: Culture, Identity and the Natural World, co-edited by Alison Hawthorne Deming, presents a series of essays written by an ethnically diverse group of nature writers. The book addresses the key question that her lecture explored: Why have we not heard a more ethnically diverse group speak out about environmental issues? The proposed answer is that these voices are out there, but perhaps we just haven't chosen to hear them.
Savoy will continue to explore the topic of race and environment in her upcoming book, which she is currently writing and hopes to have completed by this summer.
Posted by Ashley Copperstone
To all my vegetarian readers, this one is for you. Are you craving meat, or even just the idea of meat, but don't want to give up on your crusade to save the animals, your stomach, or your soul? Well, we have all been there at one point or another, so this one is for everyone's Meatless Mondays: Eggplant Meatballs.
For those of you who have never eaten eggplant meatballs, they definitely are not a traditional carnivore food. They are, however, very similar to their cow/pig/chicken-filled cousins, so worry not. They have more of an herbal taste and are less juicy than the traditional meatball, but they are FULL of zesty flavor. They are also easily convertible for those of the gluten-free or dairy-free persuasion. It's as simple as substituting in gluten-free breadcrumbs, or omitting the cheese.
This recipe is definitely a step up from a simple assembly-line procedure like my previously covered Black Bean Flat Wraps. You will also need a food processor or a blender, though in a pinch this can be replaced with some ambitious mashing. My suggestion is to make this dish on a Sunday night and have enough delicious leftovers for sandwiches, pasta toppers, and even a mix-in for your lunch-time salad to last the week.
Eggplant Meatballs:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Eggplant, peeled and diced into small cubes
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1-2 Tablespoons of water
2 eggs
Enough Parmesan cheese to satisfy your cheese craving
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon of Parsley
1 tablespoon of Oregano
1 tablespoon of Basil
1? cups of breadcrumbs
Step 1: Cook the minced garlic and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat-watch this carefully! Once the garlic reaches a golden brown, you are ready to move on!
Step 2: Throw the cubed eggplant and water into the pan and cover it. You need to steam the eggplant for a good ten minutes or until the cubes are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 3: While the eggplant steams, combine eggs, diced onion, parsley, oregano, basil and cheese in a food processor or blender using the pulse setting a couple of times.
Step 4: Take the eggplant off the burner and cool for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Place the eggplant in the food processor with the other ingredients and pulse until combined-it will look smooth with small chunks.
Step 6: Scrape mixture out of food processor and into a large bowl and add breadcrumbs. Form into meatballs. If they don't stick together, add more breadcrumbs.
Step 7: You can either bake these babies in a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes or fry them in a pan with oil for 5-7 minutes or until brown.
The meatballs should come out wonderfully crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! You can add them to a sauce, top pasta, or make a sandwich! So be creative and frugal, because this makes 16 BIG meatballs for around $6.23!
Posted by Tara Lerman
At 2:00 p.m. on Saturday Sept. 29 and Sunday Sept. 30, the Dance Department honored American dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan with "The Ancient and Eternal Ideal in Art". Although originally scheduled to take place at the Surrey Garden Amphitheater, the event was moved to the Dance Theater due to the weather.
The performance celebrated the 35th Anniversary of the Isadora Duncan International Institute. The IDII was founded in 1977 by Maria-Theresa Duncan and Kay Bardsley, and has since been committed to help improve education through dance and the arts.
The performance was co-directed by Alumna Jeanne Bresciani, artistic director and director of Education at the IDII, along with Mary DiSanto-Rose, associate professor of Dance at the college.
By the time the performance had begun, all but a couple of seats in the theater were full. The audience was made up of not only students, but also children and adults from the Saratoga community.
Each dance required a different wardrobe, as the dancers' costumes depended on the theme of each dance. For the mini performance, which gave off a cool and natural feel, the dancers wore light blue flowing gowns. However, the second dance, titled "Dance of the Furies," was faster paced and angry, so it made sense that the dresses the dancers wore were shorter and bright red. Each dance was unique in its story, choreography and mood.
In particular, "Beyond Thyself Shalt Thou Build" was particularly moving. It featured all of the dancers in the show, and together they created what was understood to be a heartbeat. The increased volume of the music and background imagery of a blue sky made the dance powerful. Judging from the audience's reactions after this performance in particular, it was definitely a crowd favorite.
The array of talent that exists within the college's community never ceases to impress, and that talent was well exemplified in "The Ancient and Eternal Ideal In Art," which served as a unique cultural experience.
Posted by Eli Cohen
As one of the first big-name albums out this fall season, "Away from the World" is the Dave Matthews Band's first studio album in three years. It also happens to be the first with producer Steve Lillywhite since the "Busted Stuff" and "Before These Crowded Street" days.
Consequently, "Away from the World"sounds distinctly like what audiences have come to expect from a DMB album. Alternately sweet, beautiful, angry and horny, the 45-year-old front man gives some of the best performances of his career in this new release.
The album is as beautiful as only the Dave Matthews Band can be--complicated, multi-layered arrangements flow seamlessly together to really illustrate how well Lillywhite compliments their sound.
Matthews sings about loves lost and found, and provides several condemnations of those who are socially and politically active in word alone, singing: "We gotta do much more than believe if we want to see the world change" in the song '"Gaucho". This sentiment is echoed in the album's first single, "Mercy", a beautiful ballad to the citizens of a world that bears a suspicious resemblance to John Hiatt's classic "Have A Little Faith In Me."
From there the album moves into "Sweet", a song that Matthews sings gently with his ukulele and some accompaniment from the rest of the band towards the end. "You know the feeling when you're in too deep," he all but whispers to the audience, before confessing that he's "too young to want to be younger now."
Those two sentiments as well as the song's name seem to mirror the themes of "Away from the World." It is stripped back, to the extent that Dave Matthews can ever be stripped down (this is a man whose solo album contained six players including Trey Anastasio, plus a brass band). It contains a sense of sweet melancholy, and while there is no chart-topper - no "Crash Into Me" or "Crush" or even a "Funny The Way It Is" - on this album, we are instead treated to a full album of very good, beautiful songs, none of which are particularly stronger or weaker than the rest.
The album ends with "Drunken Soldier", a nine and three-quarter minute five-part epic full of Dave Matthews wisdoms, such as, "Once 'round just once so take your shot/ Don't waste time trying to be something you're not," and some very laid back instrumental grooves.
However, the album does seem to be playing it a little safe. There are not many chances taken that Matthews has not taken before (even though the nine-minute song harkens back to "Proudest Monkey" from the "Crash"days).
In spite of this, the sheer talent of Matthews and his band of super-musicians makes this album a great one, simultaneously returning to his old sounds while maintaining a forward direction with the band. This manages to not sound like a nostalgia album, but contains all the things that made the early 2000's DMB so great.
Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, will visit Skidmore College in October to discuss science, policy and wildlife conservation during her lecture, "The Policy Environment" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11 in Gannett Auditorium.
Clark, as the Robert O. Carr distinguished interdisciplinary lecturer at the College this fall, is a leading national expert on the Endangered Species Act and imperiled wildlife. She will explore the intersection between environmental science and public policy, and provide insight into current issues as well as career opportunities in the field.
The College's Carr residency provides students and faculty with opportunities to interact with influential leaders and professionals, including policy makers, government officials, and business leaders, who are on the cutting edge of social issues, non-profit and public-service innovations, and social responsibility initiatives.
A graduate of Towson University, where she earned a B.S. degree in wildlife biology, Clark earned an M.S. degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Maryland.
Known for her lifelong commitment to wildlife and conservation, Clark chose a career in wildlife biology early in life. In her college years, she released peregrine falcons into the wild as part of a successful recovery effort-so successful, in fact, that 20 years later, as director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, she had the honor of removing them from the list of endangered species.
Clark joined the Defenders of Wildlife in 2004, after a 20-year career in conservation with the federal government, mostly with the Fish and Wildlife Service, where she served as director from 1997 to 2001. During her tenure, Clark oversaw the establishment of 27 new refuges, the addition of over two million acres to the National Wildlife Refuge System and presided over the recovery of key endangered species, such as the Bald Eagle, the Gray Wolf and the Aleutian Canada goose.
Clark also worked for the adoption of a number of innovative policies to encourage landowners to voluntarily conserve wildlife, including the establishment of the Safe Harbor Program and an expanded Candidate Conservation Program. Under her leadership, the service secured the passage of the landmark National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 which established wildlife conservation as the primary purpose of all wildlife refuges.
"The Policy Environment" on Thursday is free and open to the public. There will be a reception to follow the lecture.
Posted by Jake Dolgenos
With the excitement of the Summer Olympics only now slipping from the world's headlines, and with football season underway, the experience of once more finding ourselves enraptured as a species, and as a school, by the results of competitive athletic activity comes with a sense of occasional communal confusion. As we are ostensibly drawn together through our desire to better ourselves intellectually, what, if any, is the place of athletics on a modern college campus? It's a question that provokes much whispered skepticism, and may elicit some ill will for the mere act of it's asking, but one which warrants some discussion nonetheless.
It's easy to feel frustrated as a student when a character like Ryan Lochte, the Olympic swimmer for the United States, captures the world's attention and applause only to prove an inarticulate, self-centered jock. His self-congratulatory mumbling made it hard to ignore an uneasy feeling that punctuated the jingoistic trash talk around my television. Is this the role model we've chosen to represent our society? Is Ryan Lochte deserving of our national attention? It's hard not to weigh the broader sociological implications.
This connects to what I'll call the Typical Intellectual Objection (TIO) to sports in general, one all of us have probably heard or felt or defended or attacked during our time at college. Athletic competition shouldn't command the attention it does, the argument goes. It shouldn't fill our time or define our lives. It shouldn't take our minds and bodies from class, or funding from our tuition. Our national love of sports, the argument may continue, is part of a larger cultural trend, which emphasizes superficial values, anti-intellectualism, and mindless competition. Celebrity worship. The obsession with fitness and skinniness. The stereotype of the dumb jock bully is rarely mentioned, but seems always to hover around the TIO intimidatingly
Admittedly, it seems hard to defend athletic competition in the modern world, a world run by computers and machines, a world no longer requiring the kinds of physical activity we once needed to survive. Cooperation, not competition, seems far more promising a proposition.
I am the first college athlete in three generations of both sides of a particularly bookish family. I come from a world of near-sighted English majors and the authors of books on constitutional law. My parents pushed me into recreational soccer but routinely read books while I played, and encouraged my inevitable mediocrity with the overarching assurance that sports and games are for fun, and that pursuits of the mind were the activities that mattered. Few have been so well exposed to the TIO as have I.
So when I heard my aunt, who teaches law at Rutgers University, admit that athletes were often her favorite students, it gave me pause. She elaborated.
They come to class on time and prepared. They respect the authority and knowledge of the professor. They are considerate of the group's experience in the class, not just their own. They get their work done and don't question its value. They know how to ask for help when they need it. They know how to accept criticism and make appropriate changes.
This was not, she made clear, representative of all of the athletes she taught, nor were these qualities relegated to only those students who had participated in collegiate athletics (soldiers were another favorite of hers). But I found in her assertion my own answer to the TIO.
Athletics, like any other activity, do not magically transform anyone's personality. I say this to make it clear that I intend to make no apologies for Lochte-like cockiness or (seeming) stupidity. There are some athletes who fully embody the dumb jock stereotype. But I believe that the spirit of the liberal arts involves learning from all kinds of experiences and experiencing all kinds of learning.
Playing a sport may involve kinds of physical activity that society no longer needs, but it also promotes and rewards actions and attitudes, which remain truly important in any society. Leadership, cooperation, organization and self-improvement as the result of accepted criticism sounds like a laundry list of inspirational business posters, but these are the kind of incredibly necessary, hard-to-teach values that organized sports inform.
There is little here, I imagine, that students have not heard before, and constitutes a fairly typical response to the TIO. But for me, the kind of hypothetical argument it encompasses is grounded in my own experiences and those of my athletic friends.
There is a mindset to athletics that I rarely see in the rest of my life. It's an attitude that relishes greater challenge, that encourages constant self-examination and critique, which involves honor and dignity in the face of obstacles or defeat. It feels old-fashioned. It's a thrill. It wakes me up in the morning.
For those who live without this feeling, or for whom sports offer little interest, consider the value of the modes of life they inspire. To my fellow athletes, consider what athletics mean to you in a broader sense and try, like my aunt's favorite students, to more fully embody the positive values a lifestyle of competition should promote. What a world it would be, to have every professor so convinced of the benefits of a class full of athletes.
Posted by Rebecca Stern
At 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 15, the Schick Art Gallery began its 2012 - 2013 season with the annual "Selected Art Faculty Exhibition."
Faculty members are chosen to present on a rotation every few years, and create a show of varied artistic styles and mediums. The ensuing diversity leads to more opportunities for inspiration and allows students to see what their professors do outside of the classroom.
"It is important to show my students that I am a working artist, and that I own my own studio," said Trish Lyell, visiting assistant professor of the Art Department. Lyell teaches Studio Art, Drawing and Painting this semester. Her drawings are inspired by the radio show "Radio Lab," and its focus on the unknown edges of the galaxy.
Visiting Assistant Professor Victoria Palermo's bright mod architecture greatly contrast with Lyell's intricate drawings. Palermo's work focuses on the display of color and space, which enhances her work overall. The viewer is inclined to imagine walking through the different color rubber, to see how the colors change as they go through each other.
Drawing and Painting Professor Deborah Morris had a much different approach to her paintings. Her works attempt to find underlying connections between objects such as peas and paint. Her work "P's" encompasses different items that begin with the letter, closing them within the confines of a canvas.
The exhibit also serves as the debut of new Ceramics Professor Matthew Wilt, who was formerly the Associate Professor of Art at Southern Illinois University. Wilt said one of his teaching missions is to show what can be created through ceramics, "besides a pinch pot." Inspired by Dadaism in the 1930s and the Industrial Revolution, he makes his pieces as complex as machinery with electrical movement. The presence of Wilt's work acts as an inspiration to students by displaying clay's versatility as a material.
The variety of pieces in this staff exhibition displays the wide range of art that can be explored and achieved at the college, and how creative concepts can be translated through painting, drawing and sculpture. Curatorial Assistant Rebecca Shepard considered the opening a success, observing that a fall event "adds a sense of community."
The Selected Faculty Arts Exhibition remained on display through Oct. 21.
The Theater Department has announced that its fall Black Box production will be John Cariani's "Almost, Maine," directed by Theatre Department chairman Larry Opitz. The production will run from Oct. 19 to 21, and Oct. 25 to 28 in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater. All performances will be at 8 p.m., except for Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
"Almost, Maine" depicts a moonless winter's night in the eponymous town, a place where all is not quite what it seems to be. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised and hearts are broken, but the bruises heal, and the hearts mend - almost - in this midwinter night's dream.
"Love is messy," Opitz said in a recent press release, "but we all need it. "Almost, Maine"is a fable about the joys and tribulations of love-what it means to win, to keep and to lose love. Reality and magic combine to produce an enchanting and whimsical tale, and I hope that our audiences will feel free to laugh and cry with us."
As is typical for black box productions, seating for "Almost, Maine" is very limited. Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Box Office at (518) 580-5439, or via email at boxoffice@skidmore.edu. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens who present valid IDs. For group sales, contact Kathy Mendenhall at (518) 580-5431 or through her email at kmendenh@skidmore.edu.
Posted by Eric Stumpf
Behn Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" opens at the Saratoga Film Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4, and Friday, Oct. 5, and again at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7.
The winner of a grand jury prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is a must see. Filmed in Louisiana, the movie is based on the real life community of Isle de Jean Charles. The story explores the power of nature and its ability to take away everything. It follows six-year-old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis)and her father (Dwight Henry), who live in an enchanting tumbledown community called the Bathtub. The story explores Hushpuppy's imagination and reality while her life is completely turned upside down by a number of apocalyptic events that she believes she has caused.
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" gives hope to the future of the film industry. For some who truly appreciate film, the rabble of 3D, high budget nonsense that Hollywood has been spewing out lately certainly arouses feelings of hopelessness (perhaps, at a certain point, many filmmakers made a deal with the devil, agreeing to lower quality in exchange for more explosions).
Behn Zeitlin, first time screenwriter and director, will shatter any preconceived notions you may have about young filmmakers. He brings a new spirit to the film industry that fights conformity. Most filmmakers, for example, shy away from child actors, animals, and filming on the water-Zeitlin's film is abouta child on the water with animals. Zeitlin spent eight months in casting, looking at over 3,500 children for the part of Hushpuppy. The entire cast is made up of untrained actors that will completely blow you away.
The cinematography is equally fantastic. This movie will move you, and provide some assurance that artistic and experimental film isn't dead.
Relevant Majors: Performing Arts, Psychology, History, American Studies, Sociology, English, Studio Art, Environmental Studies and Music
Look out next week for a review of "Bully," coming to the Film Forum on Oct. 11.
Posted by Julia Leef
Incidents of Note:
? Sunday, Sept. 23-Campus Safety Assist: Saratoga Springs Police Department dispatcher advised Campus Safety at 5:41 a.m. of a missing female in the vicinity of the North Broadway area. Officers advised of her description. Report issued. Female was later found and faces false reporting charges.
? Sunday, Sept. 23-Campus Safety Assist: Person reports hearing multiple firecracker or possibly gunshot noises at 5:55 p.m. emanating from the direction of North Woods. Officers dispatched reported that the noises appeared to be coming from north of the campus. Saratoga Springs Police Department is investigating. Report issued.
? Monday, Sept. 24- Suspicious Activity: Suspicious person reported at 11:25 a.m. taking pictures in the North Woods apartments the previous night and left immediately after noticed. Statement and description taken. No further problems reported.
Further Incidents:
Friday, Sept. 21
? Drug Law Violation: Continuous excessive noise problem reported at 12:20 a.m. with a Hillside apartment. Officers dispatched issued report regarding violations in plain view.
? Trespass: Person reported observing subjects at 1:16 a.m. climb the fence and enter the Scribner Village construction site. Officers dispatched canvassed the site with negative results.
? Campus Safety Assist: Personal escort requested at 2:40 a.m. from Case Center to subject's residence. Officer dispatched completed the escort.
? Security Alarm: Person on patrol reported at 3:05 a.m. that he noted an audible alarm sounding from the Skidmore Shop bookstore. The alarm was connected to a computer. No disturbances or anyone in the area noted. Alarm are malfunctioned. Officer will address this with staff in the morning. Bookstore secured and alarmed.
? Intoxicated subject: Intoxicated male subject reported at 6:10 a.m. sleeping on the floor in vomit in McClellan Hall. Officers dispatched located the subject, who was awakened and was found alert and responsive. No medical attention necessary. Report issued.
? Suspicious Activity: Student reported at 12:03 p.m. that she found her Hillside apartment door ajar when she returned home. She is unsure if it is a housemate's error. No disturbances initially noted. Report issued.
? Criminal Mischief: Damage reported at 4:14 p.m. to a vehicle near the Hillside apartments by persons unknown. Saratoga Springs Police Department and Campus Safety reports issued.
? Complaints: Unauthorized subjects reported at 6:45 p.m. on a second floor balcony of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers reported subjects gone on arrival and the balcony secured.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:15 p.m. at Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reports the odor had dissipated and could only smell deodorizer at this time. Students were advised that periodic checks willwould be made.
? College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 9:12 p.m. in Kimball Hall. Dispatched officer reports that residents lowered the volume upon request.
? Complaints: Person reported at 7:02 p.m. on two occasions observing a female driver driving at a high rate of speed in North Woods on two occasions. Officers advised.
? Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported at 10:53 p.m. a Liquor Law Violation on the second floor of Wiecking Hall. Report issued.
? Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported liquor law violation at 11:12 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Report issued.
? Graffiti: Officer reported at 11:10 p.m. graffiti on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Unknown perpetrators at this time. Report issued. Damage recorded.
? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint reported at 11:57 p.m. in Hillside apartments. Dispatched officers report that subjects lowered the volume upon request.
Saturday, Sept. 22
? Emergency Phone: Emergency phone activation at 12:07 a.m. with no response. Officer checked and cleared the area.
? College Violation: Noise reported at 1:28 a.m. in front of Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched dispersed the loud group.
? Intoxicated subject: Intoxicated female reported at 2:05 a.m. at his her room in Wilmarth Hall. Reporting person requested officers to evaluate her. Officers dispatched reported the female was responsive and alert and declined medical attention.
? Trespass: Unauthorized subjects reported at 4:44 p.m. on the playing field of the Sports Center. All were informed that this field is for the Skidmore Field Hockey Team only. All complied with the officer's request to vacate the field.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 5:15 p.m. in the Jonsson Tower south elevator. Officer dispatched reports a faint marijuana odor but no one in the vicinity. Source of odor undetermined.
? Suspicious Odor: Marijuana odor reported at 8:49 p.m. coming in the window of a Howe Hall dorm. Officers dispatched were unable to determine the source.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:34 p.m. on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched reported that they detected the odor but found no drugs or paraphernalia.
? Campus Safety Assist: Parent called at 11:15 p.m. requesting to have her daughter call home. Officer dispatched reported that her roommates at Case Crossing stated she is out of town and will try to reach her alternatively.
Sunday, Sept. 23
? College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:09 a.m. in Hillside apartments. Officers requested that the volume be lowered.
? Suspicious Activity: Suspicious male reported at 10:52 a.m. in a red car going through a dumpster in the North Woods apartment grounds. Officer located the subject and warned him off campus. Male is subject to arrest if he returns. Report issued.
? Complaints: Multiple student complaints reported that the storage pods in Wait lot are taking up valuable parking spots. Officer contacted the Storage company to remove them. Message left.
? Campus Safety Assist: Health Services requested at 3:22 p.m. to have a student transported to the Saratoga Emergency Room due to off campus dog bite. Report issued.
Monday, Sept. 24
? Medical: An officer transport requested at 12:15 a.m. from Penfield Hall to the hospital. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
? Fire Drills: Officers conducted an unannounced fire drill at 10:03 a.m. at the Lodge. Good drill. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Person requested Campus Safety at 11 a.m. to check the records of a former student who graduated in May 2012. Proper release signed and record results were given.
? Medical: Student who had given blood earlier reported fainted at 2:50 p.m. in Dana. Officers dispatched transported the subject to Health Services for evaluation. Report issued.
? Medical: Assistance requested at 4:01 p.m. in Birch Apartments for female with a food allergy. Dispatched officer transported to Health Services. At 4:16 p.m., Health Services requested an ambulance to transport her to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 4:51 p.m. from Oak apartments to the Wilton Medical Center. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 7:51 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Dispatched officers reported that no one was present at the room and they detected a slight odor. No violations in plain view. Call unfounded.
? Campus Safety Assist: Assistance requested at 10:25 p.m. with subject's vehicle stuck on rocks in the Penfield fire lane. Tow truck service released the vehicle. Report issued.
Tuesday, Sept. 25
? Security Alarm: Alarm reported at 1:27 a.m. in Telecommunications with no prior notification. Officers dispatched reported that a staff member had exited without calling.
? Suspicious Activity: Suspicious vehicle reported at 6:50 a.m. parked at an extension of North Broadway. Officers dispatched identified subjects as travelers just stretching their legs. No further problems reported. Subject left the area immediately.
? Medical: Assistance requested at 12:44 p.m. with a student having a panic attack in the Howe-Rounds fire lane. Dispatched officer reports transporting subject to Health Services for medical attention. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Subject reported his vehicle stuck on a rock at 3:45 p.m. in Palamountain Lot. Towing service contacted for removal. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 6:36 p.m. from the Sports Center to the Emergency Room for an injured student. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
? Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 8:46 p.m. in residence on Cane Crossing. Resident reported that burned food was the cause of the activation. Saratoga Springs Fire Department and officers dispatched. Report issued.
? Suspicious Activity: Officer reported papers smoldering at 10:25 p.m. on the ground outside Kimball Hall. Officers reported no open fire at this time. No known perpetrators. Report issued.
Wednesday, Sept. 26
? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint reported at 12:09 a.m. in North Woods apartment complex. Officers dispatched reported that residents lowered the volume upon request.
? Campus Safety Assist: A loud group reported at 1:44 a.m. in the common area of the second floor of Wait Hall. Officers reported that the subjects were gone upon arrival.
? Campus Safety Assist: Excessive noise reported at 2:04 a.m. in a North Woods apartment complex. Officers dispatched dispersed loud group. Residents complied with a request to lower the volume.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 3:30 a.m. from a North Woods apartment complex to the Emergency Room. Officers dispatched completed the transport.
? Fire: Person reported at 3:27 a.m. that a trash can outside Case Center was on fire. Officers and maintenance dispatched. Maintenance extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher prior to the officers' arrival. Unknown cause of ignition of papers and plastic bag.
? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint of a keyboard and microphone reported at 4:02 a.m. in Wait Hall. Officers dispatched canvassed the interior and exterior of the residence hall. No such noise located at that time.
? Suspicious Activity: Unknown person reported at 4:25 a.m. banging on a door and ringing the doorbell at a North Woods apartment. Subject was fearful to answer and requested officers' assistance. Officers located and identified the male subject.
? Larceny: Person reported at 7:55 a.m. that a pumpkin was taken from the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Dispatched officer. Report made.
? Medical: Ride requested at 10:02 a.m. from the Scribner Village apartment complex to Health Services. Dispatched officer provided the transport.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 4:42 p.m. at Wiecking Hall. Officer dispatched.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 10:41 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reported that the call was unfounded.
Thursday, Sept. 27
? Medical: Transport requested for a student at 12:44 p.m. from the Tisch Learning Center to Health Services as she was feeling faint and is was located on the second floor of the building. Officers dispatched and transport provided.
? Medical: Transport requested at 5:08 p.m. for a housemate in the Scribner Village apartment complex to the Emergency Room. Dispatched officer. Subjected cancelled the requested upon the officer's arrival but said he would call back if he feels that he needs to go.
? Suspicious Activity: Person reports at 5:37 p.m. that he has heard some intermittent shots being fired in the North Woods area. Officers dispatched stayed in the area and did not hear anything. No other calls received regarding the noise. Officers left the area.
? Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 9:30 p.m. that damage was done to the first floor wall in the Kimball south stairwell.
Posted by Sara Gagnon
On Friday, Sept. 21st folk trio Good Old War performed at Zankel Music Center. The concert was held in Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall and was put together by Student Entertainment Committee (SEC).
Good Old War's set was largely acoustic-driven, accentuating their signature harmonies and lively personalities. True fans and first time listeners alike were up dancing and clapping by the fourth song, joining in on Goodwin's expressive and totally appropriate dance moves. Overall the group was hilarious, from Goodwin referring to Arnold as "drummer boy" to numerous honest and self-deprecating comments and stories between numbers.
Good Old War played a variety of songs, including new favorites like "Amazing Eyes" and "Calling Me Names" off their latest album, Come Back As Rain, which was released last March. They also played older hits like "Coney Island" from their 2008 debut album Only Way to Be Alone and "My Own Sinking Ship" from their 2010 self-titled second album.
The best sing-along of the night, however, was their unexpected and energetic rendition of "The Banana Boat Song," made popular by singer Harry Belafonte. Drummer Tim Arnold began the song a cappella, and the crowd followed and belted as the three split into harmonies. It was obvious how genuinely excited they were to have the crowd join in.
Another surprise was their five-song encore, which they unabashedly acknowledged before playing their final number. The typically anticipated one-song-that-everyone-knows reprise became a total jam fest, featuring an impressive scat guitar solo by Arnold. Equally crowd-pleasing was Schwartz's electric guitar solo, which he played while holding his acoustic underneath.
Perhaps the most the most adorable highlight was Goodwin's introduction to "We've Come A Long Way." Barring a roomful of swaying audience members during "Amazing Eyes," Goodwin explained he had written the song for his wife, whom he met at age twelve, garnering unified "awws" from the audience. He responded flippantly, "Yeah, a lot of shit has happened since sixth grade," earning an even greater round of laughter.
All in all, Good Old War's personalities really shined through the entire performance. Their energy was exceptional, and the bond between them was evident, even if they hadn't talked about high school memories and poked fun at each other throughout the show.
Vocally and instrumentally, Good Old War really showcased their musical abilities. Their sound was incredible, and the music hall lent itself well to their beautifully blended harmonies and acoustic instrumentation. Good Old War has great chemistry onstage and a true appreciation for their fans. There's nothing better than seeing people do what they love and also do it extremely well. They're one of those bands that one just has to see live. At least go to Spotify or YouTube and check them out. Regardless of the type of music you're into, if you like to feel good while listening to good music, it'll be worth your time.