New Foreign Language Resource Center to be Completed

Posted by Taylor Ray

A new and improved Foreign Language Resource Center is in the works, according to Skidmore's Department of Foreign Language and Literature.?

The new center will belong to the department, but will be open to anyone who wants to use the space. The new space will have many qualities that the old center lacked to some degree, including functionality and flexibility according to Cindy Evans, Director of the Foreign Language Resource Center.?

One of the biggest differences between the current and new centers stemmed from the planning initial drafting process. The current center, which was redone in 1997, is more practical than functional. This time around, the Foreign Language and Literature Department worked closely with architect John Muse, who has done other projects for the college. "His process was to first listen to us at length about how we teach in the space, and the functionalities we would like to have," said Evans. Muse ultimately produced what Evans calls "an innovative design based on the learning experiences that we hope to support and promote."

The Foreign Language and Literature Department also brought in a consultant on language center design and held a departmental workshop in order to determine the needs, desires and priorities for the new center.

One of the primary goals of the new center will be achieved in the layout, in which Evans and five other faculty members representing the six languages taught at Skidmore will have offices. "We want to promote more informal interaction between students and faculty," said Evans.?

As for new features, the new center is getting an upgrade in appearance and functionality. There will be a multimedia classroom, a small seminar space that doubles as a group viewing lounge and a workstation for Language Assistants. "My mantra about this new space is that it needs to be flexible," said Evans. This flexibility will be reflected in the entire space, but especially in the open lobby, which will serve as a study area, viewing lounge and much more. Tables in the classroom and seminar space will be mobile, and designs for the center have minimized walls so that the space is highly adaptable.

The area will lend itself to tutoring offered by the center, video and foreign TV viewing and studying, relaxing and socializing in comfortable and colorful lounge furniture. The design and the physical elements of the center are meant to create an inviting atmosphere, also fostered by a flat screen TV, six computer stations and a kitchenette-all for use by anyone.

As in the current center, students will continue to have access to tutoring in any of the six languages taught at Skidmore. Tutoring is available at a drop-in basis, and available hours can be found on the center's website. The Foreign Language Assistants who hold tutoring sessions have all been recommended by a faculty member for the position-or have shown extensive and outstanding grasp of a foreign language-and the department hopes that the new center will encourage more students to take advantage of the tutors. Nonetheless, Evans reiterates that the space can be what students make of it. "We would like to get the word out there that students are welcome for tutoring, or just to use the facilities."

The new center will be located on the fourth floor of Palamountain Hall. Its anticipated date of completion is the fall of 2014.
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Fishing

Posted by Allison Smith

Fishing seemed like a good idea an hour ago. When our faces were red and we spat with every word said, taking a break to fish seemed like a good idea.

            We are sitting on a carpeted dock, smoking, fishing and not speaking. The sky is covered in grey clouds so it starts to get dark early. 

He wants to go home. 

I want to talk.

He wants to eat. 

I want to keep fishing.

            He puts out his cigarette on the dock, and then throws the butt into the water.  He looks at me as if to dare me to challenge him.  He wants me to tell him to not litter in my childhood pond.  He wants me to tell him that he shouldn't have burned a hole in the carpet on the dock where we are not supposed to be. He wants to respond to me that he does not care and I am such a nag.

            He stares at me with watery brown eyes and furrowed brows, tempting me to start another fight.

            I wordlessly pull his butt out of the water and place it next to mine in a tin. My eyes meet his.  Tension builds and then is broken by laughter. Not ours.

            I jump at the sudden sound.  He rolls his eyes.

            We both look back and see two teenagers holding hands walk through the path in the woods and step onto the dock.  I recognize them as they walk towards us.  The girl is Elizabeth Rummel, she use to be a tomboy in elementary school and we were friends for a short period of time because I liked her pet chickens.  She was also the first girl in our grade to have a boyfriend. In 5^th grade she and Geoffrey Stevens would walk around the playground holding hands.

            Now she is holding hands with someone who I recognize but I dont remember his name.  Wesley? West? Walker? Walker Littlehand.  Littlehale? Littlehan? Linahan? Ned Linahan.  Elizabeth Rummel dated Ned Linahan in middle school.  Now, in high school, she is dating Walker ...

            Elizabeth Rummel and Walker ... slow their bouncy walk when they see us sitting on the dock fishing.  We exchange greetings but mainly stay quiet.  I'm not sure if she recognizes me since I left our public high school where she attends three years ago.

Elizabeth Rummel and Walker ... stand to the right of the dock and we fish on the left.  They keep whispering in each other's ear.  We remain silent.  I can tell that my boy wants to leave as he starts to wind up his fishing line.  My attention keeps getting pulled to the right but sudden burst of laughter.

Elizabeth Rummel pulls her dress up over her head.  She is wearing a white string bikini that loosely sits on her low set hips.  She has always had short legs and a long flat torso.  Nothing much has changed, even her breasts still barely fill out the top of the bathing suit.

Walker ... pulls of his shirt while smiling.  He reaches out and puts his arms around Elizabeth Rummel's long waist.  They kiss quickly before jumping into the water.

When they bob up, both of them notice me staring at them.

My boy gets up and walks away. I grab my pole and leave Elizabeth Rummel and Walker ... behind.

Skidmore basketball teams pull off double victory over Clarkson

Posted by Matt Choi

It was a feel-good night of Skidmore basketball and new tricks on Tuesday as both the men's and women's teams were victorious against the visiting Clarkson Golden Knights.
Skidmore women tipped off the evening's entertainment at 6 p.m. and entered the contest with Clarkson on a two-game-winning streak. The Thoroughbreds, who looked to be in a free fall just four games ago, came in with a few new tricks to overcome a defensively sound Clarkson.
Jordyn Wartts '14 and Molly McLaughlin '15, both with 16 points on the night, fired quick and accurate cross-court passes to get Skidmore players open looks before Clarkson could set up. The skip passing was just one new aspect of the women's game. The College showed more of a willingness to shoot from a distance and run in transition than they had in previous games.
Both Wartts and McLaughlin displayed confidence finishing around the rim, with Wartts making a few tough shots through contact. One reassuring aspect was a play by Angela Botiba '15. Botiba was heavily guarded after her double-double against RIT last week, and although her numbers were down, the grace and confidence she played with was a noticeable improvement after looking a little raw and turnover-prone at the season's start. Botiba finished with six points and six rebounds, and was involved in a key play of the game, streaking to the basket and scoring an athletic put back after Lindsay Davis '15 missed a three-pointer. The final score was 64-53.
The men took the court next at 8 p.m. The opening half was a tense affair, with good match-ups on defense canceling out both teams' offense. It was a tale of two no. 33s as Clarkson's Felix Abango '16 and Skidmore's Conner Merrill '15 traded post moves in the first half's most exciting match-up.
Abango was a handful on the boards, securing eight rebounds in the first half alone. Merrill was equally tenacious on the defensive low post, with five blocks on the night, including a highlight-reel stuff on Abango.
Both teams cooled off significantly as the half wore on, with a 28-21 Skidmore lead going into half time. The offensive spark came from the great play of second-string guard Eric Lowry '16, who had 11 points off the bench and single-handedly broke down the Clarkson offense with some key steals.
As is usual with the Skidmore men during victories, the scoring was spread out, with Perun Kovacevic '15, Lowry, Erik Sanders '16, Merrill, Tanner Brooks '16 and Aldin Medujanin '16 all scoring 10 or more points.
One area of noticeable improvement was in the interior game. Skidmore has relied heavily on three-point shooting in the past. Brooks was cold from beyond the arc for most of the game, but the six-foot guard responded by taking it inside and duking it out with the Clarkson big-men.
The game ended at a comfortable 66-45. The College showed more of a willingness to drive the ball from outside this game, with Sanders and Medunjanin completing a number of athletic layups. The team will enjoy the development of a more nuanced strategy as they head towards a four-game road trip Feb. 11 to 21, and the playoffs loom ever larger.

Campus Safety Reports: Jan. 24 to 30

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Sunday, Jan. 26-Depressed person: Campus Safety assistance requested at 4:48 a.m. for a female student who had attempted to harm herself in Kimball Hall. Officers dispatched. Counseling involved. Report issued.
• Monday, Jan. 27-Report received at 1:20 p.m. from a person stating that unknown persons stole cash from her office in the Tisch Learning Center. Officer dispatched issued the report.
• Monday, Jan. 27-Campus Safety Assist: Officer reported at 6:52 p.m. that he had assisted with the traffic due to an accident bordering the campus until the Sheriff and the National Grid arrival.
• Wednesday, Jan. 29-Power Outage: The campus experienced an unplanned power outage at noon. Officers and maintenance dispatched to individuals trapped in elevators. Power outage plan was enacted and the power returned approximately 30 minutes later.
• Wednesday, Jan. 29-Animals: A squirrel reported at 5:59 p.m. in the Club Storage room in Case Center. Dispatched officer. Squirrel exited Case Center without incident.

Further Incidents:

Saturday, Jan. 25:

• Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported an alcohol violation at 2:19 a.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 6:31 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Officers, the Saratoga Springs Fire Department and the Unit-10 dispatched. Activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 7:23 p.m. on the third floor of Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched reported that they were unable to determine the source of the odor.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 11:53 p.m. at Cane Crossing. Residents complied with the request to lower the volume.

Sunday, Jan. 26:

• College Violation: A loud noise reported at 12:30 a.m. from a registered party at Dayton Drive. Officers spoke to the residents who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:45 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Residents complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Intoxicated Subject: A male subject reported at 1:23 a.m. who was intoxicated and vomiting in Wilmarth Hall. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service responded. No additional medical attention necessary.
• Intoxicated Subject: The Saratoga Springs Police Department advised Campus Safety at 1:49 a.m. of a 911 report of an intoxicated student. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service responded. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Report received at 9:40 a.m. of an intoxicated subject who was asleep in a vehicle in the West Lot. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched to evaluate the subject. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A welfare check for a student requested at 11:28 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officer who responded reported locating the subject and that parental contact was made. Report issued.
• College Violation: A drug law violation reported at 4:56 p.m. on the third floor of Wiecking Hall. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 10:55 p.m. on the tenth floor of Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched reported detecting an odor but being unable to determine the source.

Monday, Jan. 27:

• Campus Safety Assist: A parent requested a welfare check at 10:55 a.m. on his daughter in Kimball Hall. Officer dispatched located the subject and advised the concerned parent.
• Medical: A fallen subject reported at 10:48 a.m. in a bathroom in Kimball Hall. Officers dispatched requested the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Subject was transported via ambulance for medical treatment. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: An escort requested at noon from the Williamson Sports Center to the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall as the subject had just had surgery on his leg and it was too slippery to walk there on crutches. Officer completed the transport to and from these locations.
• Drug Law Violation: A strong odor of marijuana reported at 2:48 p.m. on the second floor of Wiecking Hall. Dispatched officer reported viewing a Drug Law Violation. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:42 p.m. from the Sussman Apartments. All officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Activation was due to burned food.

Tuesday, Jan. 28:

• Campus Safety Assist: Report received at 1:47 a.m. from a housekeeper who stated that there was an unauthorized male subject in the Scribner Library, which was closed at the time. Officers canvassed the entire library but did not locate anyone.
• Medical: Medical assistance requested at 2:56 a.m. for a roommate in the Sussman Apartments. Officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Accident: A PDAA reported at 8:20 a.m. on Clinton Street. Officer assisted until additional police units arrived. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A transport requested at 3:56 p.m. for a student to urgent care. Dispatched officer who completed the transport. Report issued.

Wednesday, Jan. 29:

• Suspicious Odor: Reporting person called at 2:13 p.m. about a suspicious odor in Wiecking Hall. Officer was dispatched and reported that the suspicious odor was unfounded. Odor had dissipated prior to the officer's arrival.
• Medical Assist: Report received at 7:39 p.m. that a female had slipped on the stairs at Kimball Hall and injured her ankle. Dispatched officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service to evaluate her condition. Report made.

Thursday, Jan. 30:

• Fire Drills: Fire alarm sounded at 10:07 a.m. for the Lodge. Good drill. Alarm reset.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 12:39 p.m. for 6 Cane Crossing. Dispatched officers, maintenance and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officer reported finding no cause; apparent malfunction. Alarm reset.
• Maintenance: Reporting person called at 1:57 p.m. stating that he and his friend were stuck in the elevator in Harder Hall. Dispatched officers and maintenance. Officer reported that the power appeared to be out in the Harder Hall building. Advised Facilities. Students were assisted out of the elevator. The power was restored at 2:12 p.m. An electrician worked on on the problem.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 10:41 p.m. for the Sussman Apartments B. Officer and maintenance dispatched. Officer investigated and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department was advised that the alarm was tripped by smoking. A Drug Law Violation was observed. Report made.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 10:49 p.m. for the Sussman Apartments L. Officers and maintenance responded and discovered that the alarm was due to cooking. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department was advised and did not respond to the alarm.
• Criminal Mischief: A missing pin reported at 10:54 p.m. from a fire extinguisher on the ninth floor of Jonsson Tower. Report made.
• Animals: A bat reported at 10:29 p.m. loose in the main lobby of Wiecking Hall. Officers were dispatched and released the bat without making contact.

Skidmore athletics celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day

Posted by Maggie Sweeney

Skidmore College's women athletes hosted 118 girls in a clinic for National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Saturday, Feb. 1. This was the 8th annual event at Skidmore College and the 27th year for the nationwide celebration. The day consisted of a series of celebratory events provided for a group of jubilant women and girls. The abundance of positive energy in the Williamson Sports Center was highly contagious.
NGWSD began as a memorial to Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her efforts to assure equality for women's sports. Hyman died of Marfan's Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since then, NGWSD has become a day to acknowledge the past and to recognize current sports achievements.
It is also a way to expose the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality in women's sports. The event aims to recognize the accomplishments of individuals involved in the promotion and the advancement of girl's and women's sports.
The celebration also commemorates 41 years of Title IX, the federal law passed in 1972 that prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions. It is not just a day to celebrate how far female athletes have come, but to educate with the hopes of fighting discrimination.
This event helps raise awareness of women's athletics on the Skidmore College campus and in the community, and it exposes girls and women to various sports-related opportunities. It encourages their participation in sports while celebrating the past achievements of female athletics. Skidmore's program offers girls from around the Saratoga Springs community in grades 3-7 the opportunity to learn this rich history.
As a member of the women's lacrosse team, this writer was able to participate in the event with her teammates at a station where we offered them the use of our equipment and taught them basic skills. We executed drills to help with their stick work, and the enthusiastic group of girls rotated around and eagerly shadowed the older female athletes.
This year, the tennis, lacrosse, softball, soccer, field hockey and volleyball teams all participated. Some of the girls were first time participants, which gave us the chance to educate them on basic techniques. The girls had the opportunity to eat lunch with Skidmore athletes and they were able to ask questions and get to know each other. They took photos with the Thoroughbred mascot and received free shirts and bags.
The Skidmore female athletes served as role models for the younger girls by encouraging athleticism and inspiring them to live an active lifestyle.
The event officially ended at 1p.m., but participants were encouraged to stay to watch the Skidmore women's swimming and diving meet. Meanwhile, the College offered several free fitness classes for women, such as yoga.
Numerous communities around the country are working to support the ongoing struggle for equal access for women in sports, and we are proud to be contributors to this cause after our successful day of commemoration.

Skidmore's Women In Business Club

Posted by Taylor Ray

Women in Business, a recent addition to Skidmore's list of clubs, has sparked interest all over campus. Founders and co-presidents Zoe Dartley '16 and Lyssa Jackson '16 have high hopes for the club, and since its creation in Fall of 2013, both have helped put Women in Business in the spotlight.

Women in Business is a forum through which the Skidmore community may share ideas, thoughts, and experience relating to female leadership. Carol Chiarella, faculty advisor for the club and member of Skidmore's Department of Management and Business, describes co-presidents Dartley and Jackson as being "energetic, dynamic, and focused individuals who care about affecting change."

According to a recent interview with Her Campus, Women in Business was created after Dartley and Jackson discovered the program's prominence in big universities around the country. They reformed the program to fit a small liberal arts environment but kept the focus and intent holistic and all-inclusive, with a fundamental goal of encouraging strength and leadership for women in all disciplines. For Women in Business, the path to achieving this goal lies in the sharing and exchange of knowledge, expertise and experience. "Skidmore's climate is characterized by community participation and engaging alumni," Chirella said. The club hopes to achieve its goals by taking advantage of said climate. Exchange of simple tips-such as how to act in a business environment-brand Women in Business as a practical, constructive and collaborative club.

Members of Women in Business have made it clear that its goals reach beyond solely the business major. "To be dynamic and better the position of women, we need to be inclusive, support each other, and share wisdom we gain from our respective backgrounds,"  Chiarella said. In their interview with Her Campus, Dartley and Jackson describe the club's values as both entrepreneurial and philosophical, noting that the club will set pathways for applied learning and useful preparation for a number of careers. This will be done within the Skidmore community itself, but also within a network of students, community leaders and alumni.

Among other future plans for Women in Business are skill-building workshops that focus on leadership and communication skills, a student forum that includes job opportunities for women in the business field and a newsletter. Co-presidents Dartley and Jackson also plan to foster an engaged and successful club through panel discussions with representatives from the community.

Last December,  Women in Business sponsored their first panel, entitled "Do Aggressive Women Win?" The speakers and audience members contemplated expectations for women in the workplace, the glass ceiling and more. The panel featured Skidmore professors from the business and philosophy departments, including Paula Tancredi, Susan Parillo, and Corinne Moss-Racusin. Doreen Crosby of the University of Albany represented professionals from outside of Skidmore.

Women in Business has already begun to promote a collaborative learning experience through social media, predominantly through their Facebook page. In this informal setting, anyone is welcome to post interesting articles that may spark debate or discussion on an issue relating to women in business, women in the workplace or women's rights in general. The club also uses this space to post photos and updates on meeting locations and times.

Women in Business meets at 7 p.m. on Monday nights in Palamountain 201. The current leadership positions within the club include Treasurer Leah Docktor, Co-President Lyssa Jackson, Co-President Zoe Dartley, community outreach coordinator Olivia Dynan and Secretary Emma Marshall (all class of 2016).

CTM In Action

Posted by The Editorial Board

Skidmore College, like any college or university, is a business. Successful businesses have a strong brand, an aspect of the organization that makes them unique among their competitors. Skidmore chose "Creative Thought Matters" (CTM) as the hallmark of its brand as a liberal arts college. The current incarnation of creative thought has strayed from its intention, to the detriment of the college community.

Skidmore's current Strategic Plan, effective from 2005 until 2015, helps inform how the College views CTM relative to the school's mission. The Plan highlights the "vibrant culture" that the arts bring to Skidmore's campus, concluding that they are a "key dimension of our heritage." It is a logical next step, the Plan maintains, to integrate this feature into the school's motto. The Strategic Plan puts a strong focus on CTM as a statement of innovative and unusual thinking, a concept through which students may gain "the independence of mind required to formulate a new approach to a particular problem or to rethink an entire domain of knowledge." But, perhaps most relevant to this conversation, the College asserts that "merely to value ideas, however, is not enough;" creative thought is truly of use when it is applied in practice. Both the school's Mission Statement and the Strategic Plan make mention of "Skidmore's dual legacy of mind and hand, episteme and praxis" alongside "the college's founding principle of linking theoretical with applied learning." The school's literature establishes and emphasizes that action is fundamental to CTM.

Whether this "dual legacy" of thought and action is played out on this campus on a day-to-day basis is debatable. At its most devalued, the motto is abused by students as an ongoing, campus-wide joke, the unfortunate subject of hashtags and a euphemism for YOLO . But at its most ineffective, CTM is an excuse for apathy, encouraging lofty thoughts without insisting on action.

Perhaps Creative Thought Matters is too safe a concept for students. Other mottos push students to strive for excellence with their focus on achieving distinction in all they do. Amherst College goes by "Let them give light to the world," Hampshire College by "To Know Is Not Enough," New York University by "To Persevere And To Excel." CTM suggests a framework for thought, but those three words put no explicit emphasis on action. In its current interpretation, CTM allows us to slouch down and lean back, to stray away from collective action and energy and remain in our own heads. It is too easy for students to project their own standards onto the idea of CTM (think of the student who declares "CTM!" upon finishing their dorm room photo collage). The motto poses no challenge to those who ascribe to it, offering only a ready-made catchphrase. CTM applies to everyday occurrences as well as a professor's research into fighting cancer with sound: it casts too wide a net, allows too broad a definition of purpose. Without a motto to define the spirit of our school, our education and ourselves, we lose sight of the purpose of our place here and shortchange our school.

Creativity is about imagination and courage, but it becomes truly meaningful when applied in a productive way. As the College intended it, Creative Thought Matters is a motto that inspires thought and action, theory and practice. Skidmore has talented students who bring a rich variety of talents and interests to our campus. It is time to start living CTM as it was intended, as both an inspiration for thought and a call to action.

Healthy Perspectives: The Functionality of Physique: A New Look at Body Image

Posted by Brittany Dingler

One of the most prominent priorities across college campuses is combating the issue of negative body image. Regardless of gender or age, a toxic concoction of the intrinsically and extrinsically placed stressors brought on by work, classes, family concerns and general frustrations, induced by the realization that a gap exists between where we are and where we want to be, most often manifests itself through critical thoughts toward others and, sooner or later, ourselves. Although the possibility of an eating disorder should be delicately and seriously considered when diets are drastically modified for the purpose of changing one's body, here I hope to address more general tendencies that so many of us have whenever we get dressed, see ourselves in pictures from weekend festivities or - god forbid - pick up a magazine.

Many of us share a common set of ideas for how we define beauty. Although there are a limitless number of deviations from this common canon of pleasing traits, we are, essentially, biologically programmed to find certain core features attractive. That being said, the constant bombardment of sex-focused advertisements, TV shows and movies has seemingly overridden our brain's natural propensity to favor symmetrical faces, women with wider hips (suggesting greater reproductive fitness) and men with a strong jaw line (denoting higher levels of testosterone). Now we're told to admire an infinite assortment of features that, when consolidated, are not naturally found in one single person. The comedian Tina Fey comments on our propensity to envy these tailored traits in others while condemning our bodies for not having gotten the memo. Fey jokes that if we were to create a single individual with the 'most beautiful' version of every trait, we would obtain something that most closely resembles Kim Kardashian, who "was made by Russian scientists to sabotage our athletes." Although funny, Tina Fey's insight is spot-on in pointing out the absurdities of our expectations. We need to confront our proclivity to condemn even the smallest, pore-sized imperfections on ourselves, an energy-sucking habit that takes time away from dealing with other, more productive tasks. 

Unfortunately, these criticisms tend to linger most when we evaluate our body by how it looks rather than by what it's able to do. We criticize our curves by abhorring the inappropriately placed adipose tissue concentrated too highly in our thighs (so sensitively named "saddle bags") or obliques ("muffin tops"). We are hopeful that we can simply wish it all to more desirable locations so our bodies may mimic an hourglass figure, spontaneously transforming into a svelte, toned physique. After shaming the quality of our muscle and fat, however, we move on to critique the quantity; we want to be toned, but not bulky, curved but not chunky. Even the language we use to describe our "wobbly bits," as the zaftig Bridget Jones affectionately refers to hers, confers acceptance or disapproval. We experience estrogen envy toward those with larger cup sizes, or resent the larger, testosterone-triggered triceps that our 135-pound frame just won't quite allow. Furthermore, we often use arbitrary terms to describe our body shapes as the fruits they most closely resemble and continue our condemning from there: apples want to be bananas, who want to be pears - and all fruits gang up to envy their mutual enemy: the hourglass (a shape that currently only describes eight percent of women in the US). 

It is important to note, however, that Americans did not always have this drive for the unobtainable perfection. In the late 19th century a Prussian immigrant named Eugen Sandow garnered considerable fame for his body. However, unlike Kim Kardashian and friends, he had a noble purpose for willfully advertising his defined, shaped, bodybuilding physique in the nude: to motivate inactive, American men to get up and shape up. In his "Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modern America," Lynne Luciano reflects on Sandow's ability to use his known success as a weight lifter, coupled with his impressive form, to "transform muscle and strength training into a miracle cure for the ills of a sedentary and stressed male population." Sound crazy? Perhaps. But one must acknowledge Sandow's bold brilliance, which can also be seen today in the First Lady's "Let's Move!" campaign, designed to get kids and teens up and moving. Her program aims to fight the obesity epidemic by making healthy food more accessible and tasty and by reigniting the fun of exercise for those who have grown up in an increasingly sedentary society made even more toxic by its technology-ridden tendencies. 

Fully clothed, unlike Sandow, Michelle Obama works hard to look strong and healthy, thereby affording her the credibility to emphasize the importance of eating for fuel and exercising for fun. She created an environment in which the conditions for healthy eating and exercising are more readily available for everyone, issued incentives for children and teens to meet certain exercise goals, and, by being fit and healthy herself, is a non-photoshopped role model who passively and straightforwardly embodies the attainability of health. Moreover, she gracefully juxtaposes the omnipresent, rib-jutting storefront mannequins with her famous biceps and full face. It is therefore no surprise that not only have the First Biceps inspired the "Michelle Obama Arm Workout," but also, as President Obama pointed out in last week's State of the Union address, the obesity rate has dramatically dropped since "Let's Move!" took off in 2010 - a much-needed decline antithetical to trends from the past three decades. Although recent statistics show that children and pre-teens have benefitted the most from Mrs. Obama's laudable campaign, we all have something to learn from her and her biceps. In wit, rather than attempting to over-control the "wobbly bits" by creating a relationship with food in which we choose what to eat by imagining what ghastly effects each option could have on our physique, the First Lady's model encourages us to evaluate the food based on what we need it to do for us in that moment and for various energy-demanding tasks throughout the day. In other words, when we begin to treat our bodies as temples for health and productivity, rather than merely for beauty, the latter comes as a natural side effect.    

Punching in Daily at D-Hall: Gold Medal Chefs.

Posted by Matt Choi

King crab and amaranth salad, apricot glazed pork belly, saut??ed trumpet mushrooms, you could be forgiven for thinking this was the menu at a downtown restaurant, but it's actually part of the menu prepared by Skidmore Dining Hall chefs for January's American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Competition.  

Skidmore chefs Paul Karlson, Kelly Zimmerman, Scott Carey, and Frank Esposito took home a gold medal for the first time in eight years of participation in the competition.  Most would think an award-winning chef would take their talents to the glamorous world of restaurants and hotels, but the ACF award speaks to the ability of Skidmore's Dining hall to attract and nurture top culinary talent.  

"It's a very attractive industry when you can work in a college environment and still have a family life," said  Mark Miller, Director of Dining Services.  

For chefs trying to make it in the restaurant world, it means arriving at work in the afternoon and not leaving until late at night.  It means working on weekends and holidays, not ideal for spending time with your kids.  These benefits were echoed by members of Skidmore's ACF team.  

"Quality of life has a huge impact on us here, in a very positive way," said Production Manager Frank Esposito.  "I know when my days off will be," said Chef Zimmerman, "and there are usually two of them." These benefits, standard in much of the working world but not always in the fast paced culinary world, is one way Miller says Skidmore attracts top talent to Skidmore's kitchens.  Miller, as well as seven of his managers, have culinary arts degrees from top schools like the Culinary Institute of America.  

What does this talent mean for the student dining experience?  Karlson touched on the educational benefits the staff can take back to their everyday jobs.  "You get to refine things, see new industry standards."  Carey echoed this sentiment.  "You get to see new trends, what's trending upward. When I went to the [ACF] competition at UMass they had this whole Mediterranean theme so I was able to bring some of that knowledge back here."  

Trends don't just refer to taste issues. Everyone interviewed for this article espoused new standards in health and environmental responsibility.  Esposito highlighted the unique relationship between an educated student body and educated food professionals. "You guys know what's going on with the food source, the environment, the country," s Esposito said. "Our job is to bring that to your attention as well by going out and getting educated about food." 

According to Espositio, one of the roles of the chefs is to apply their expertise and knowledge to student tastes and concerns. Karlson, who has worked at Skidmore since before the existence of the new Dining Hall, pointed to gradual changes in portion size, nutritional value, and environmentally friendly ingredient sourcing as examples of Dining Service's response to student concerns about food.  

The ACF gold medal is part of a longer narrative of improved meal options at Skidmore dating back to the 2008 renovation of the Dining Hall.  Dining has been identified as the administration's top quality of life concern for students, and a major admissions factor.  Miller said that he had heard of instances where the Dining Hall had been the make or break factor in a student's admissions decision.  

Of course Gold Medal's mean nothing to students if their daily meal isn't good. Luckily, for Dining Services the proof seems to be in the pudding.  When talking about the Dining Hall's napkin suggestion board, Miller remarked "They're all very positive... its all, 'can we get this,' or 'this was great let's get this more often."'

NBA Talk: Trades that need to be made

Posted by Andrew Shi

Detroit was expected to be a middling contender in the enfeebled Eastern Conference playoff picture. However, they're currently two games behind Charlotte for the 8th and final playoff spot. The much-maligned Smith-Monroe-Drummond trio, expected to fail from the start, hasn't surprised its critics and has weighed the team down heavily. Detroit needs to blow up its big man project, but with Smith tied to a four-year, $54 million contract and Andre Drummond proving to be a future all-star, and possibly the marquee center within another few years, the odd man out is Greg Monroe. Monroe himself could be a future all-star, and while his numbers are down from last year, they'll most likely skyrocket again once he is moved to a team that allows him to slide back to center, his natural position.

Possible Trade:

Detroit: Greg Monroe, Jonas Jerebko, Luigi Datome
Washington: Trevor Ariza, Otto Porter Jr., 2016 first round pick

The Wizards have recently been rumored to be pursuing the Detroit big man. Marcin Gortat is on an expiring contract and Monroe could serve as an upgrade. In return the Pistons get the small forward with the range that they need, the Wizard's first round pick from this year, who with a couple years of seasoning could redeem having been the third pick, a future round pick and unload some unwanted salary.

Possible Trade:

Detroit: Monroe, Charlie Villenueva
Boston: Jeff Green, Brandon Bass, Celtics' protected 2016 first round, Clipper's 2015 first round

The Celtics finally get their big man and an expiring contract. The steep price of two first-round picks is because Detroit will be, with the additions of green and Brass, trading for financially inflexible contracts as well. However, Green will give them the outside shooting they need and Bass will be a worthy backup for Smith

Houston is fifth in the West and certainly a contender. So to say they need this trade is a bit of an overstatement, however, if they want to solidify their chances, then trading Omer Asik for a few role players and possible pick would be prudent.

Possible Trade:

Houston: Omer Asik

Boston: Brandon Bass, Joel Anthony, 2015 Clipper's first round, Philadelphia's first round

The Celtics, as mentioned before, need a big man. Asik is a top defensive big man and will fit well into the Celtics' defensive-minded game. The Rockets, meanwhile, pick up two first-round picks, although the Clipper's will likely be a late-round pick, and Philadelphia's may turn into two second-round picks if they don't make the playoffs by 2015. However, Brandon Bass is a great all-around player and will play well off the bench. Anthony, while not the most talented player, brings high energy and can hold his own during those several minutes that Howard will need a break. The Rockets will also be able to unload Asik's contract before it rises in his final year and becomes harder to move.

Phoenix has been a pleasant surprise in a somewhat disappointing season with an abysmal Eastern Conference and a series of injuries. They have made it known that they are searching for players that will help them push through the tough Western Conference during their unexpected playoff run, and are willing to trade some of the pool of picks they have collected for those players.

Possible Trade:

Phoenix: Emeka Okafor, Washington and Minnesota's 2014 first round picks

Philadelphia: Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes

Phoenix, an already young team with a lot of talent, no longer wants four picks in one draft. Thaddeus Young is averaging 17.5 ppg and posting a Player Efficiency Rating of 17.74. Hawes is the best three-point shooting center in the league. The two of them will give the Suns a lethal barrage of three-pointers, or, in other words, how the Mavericks won the 2011 Championship. The 76ers get the picks they want, although they may be reluctant to trade away Young. Still two draft picks that will land late lottery (Minnesota) and right outside of the lottery (Washington) will be worth it.

Book Review: The Circle

Posted by Zoe Dartley '16

We continue reading a book for many reasons: the beauty of its language, its intriguing plotline or perhaps the fact that the story's tension is so palpable that one simply cannot stop following it, despite an ever-growing feeling of sickness. This is the case in Dave Eggers' latest tour de force, The Circle, whose plot unfolds like a fast-moving train wreck you can't take your eyes off of.

The novel opens at the beginning of Mae Holland's journey as a new employee at The Circle, a Bay Area Internet titan that has streamlined all search engines and social media systems into one completely transparent program, removing all anonymity from the web. Its members have a cult-like devotion to the company's mission, "Privacy is theft, Secrets are lies." The symbolism may not be subtle, but it's potent. Eggers has a gift for understanding the nuances of his main character's thought process. We follow Mae's opinion of the company from complete astonishment to mistrust to, finally, devotion.

While The Circle's employees are all Type-A devotees, they still know how to party; on her first night Mae attends an orgy-like festival, complete with rare, gourmet food and alcoholic potions. Many members pass out in the campus's well-equipped dorm rooms, feeling no need to return home when all of their necessities are on site.
Part of Eggers' genius is the fact that, although we know something is about to go terribly wrong in the book, we can't seem to stop turning the pages. The novel reverberates with prophetic wisdom, especially because all of The Circle's inventions seem believable. What start out as nifty tech ideas morph into agents of immense societal change at a company where young and ambitious geniuses are given exorbitant amounts of money to roll with their dreams.

The most prominent example of this is SeeChange, a program that is introduced during Mae's first few days at the company. The program consists of tiny, high-definition video cameras that can be placed anywhere in nature and produce live-stream coverage. Introduced as an agent of human improvement, The Circle's employees believe the world will be free of corruption if these cameras are omnipresent. Thus, the regime begins: the cameras begin to be placed in cities all over the world, in private homes and even around the necks of politicians.

Sure to evoke comparisons to 1984 and Brave New World, The Circle is unequivocally relevant. While it may be hard to suppress a rise of bile in the throat whilst reading it, one emerges with a greater understanding of not only our technological world, but how it affects our need for validation and communication. As any great book should, The Circle will haunt its readers with questions long after its scarlet cover is closed. How far are we willing to go in the need for information and innovation? Perhaps the next great dictator isn't a single figure, but rather the result of one of the proudest human inventions: technology.

Restaurant Review: Triangle Diner

Posted by Tegan O'Neill

The coffee at Triangle Diner isn't particularly strong, but the service makes up for it. As for the food, it is neither healthy nor fancy, but it is good, and that is all that matters on a weekend morning. Without a car, Triangle is not as easily accessible as the competition on Broadway, but some extra effort on the transportation front is worthwhile if you are hit with a hankering for a classic diner breakfast. Expect to have to wait until a spot opens up when at Triangle; expect to wait even longer if you prefer a booth to a seat at the bar. Most likely, the other diners are the ones holding things up because the women in the kitchen (on a recent visit, all workers were women except for one male dishwasher) are moving at a breakneck pace.

It should not take all that long to decipher the menu. Triangle has your classic fare and as always, there is the glaring divide between savory and sweet. At Triangle, though, you have the split between run-of-the-mill sweet and super sweet. This particular morning's sweet specials were Reese's pancakes and chocolate caramel french toast. Only those who were brave enough to go down the peanut butter pancake route will know what that concoction tasted like. I can not include myself in that ilk, but I can report on the chocolate caramel french toast. Talk about chocolate overload. Have you ever been worried that an eatery won't put enough chocolate chips in the chocolate pancakes? If so, put your fears aside at Triangle. A generous handful (or two) of chocolate chips provided a thick, sticky blanket for the toast so that not a bite of toast went naked. The wealth of chocolate smothered any hope for also tasting caramel or, for that matter, tasting the bread.

Although by no means the more visually appealing, the savory option was the more gustatorily appealing, hands down. What is this pile of fat on fat with more fat poured over it that you see pictured on the screen? Country eggs benedict in all its glory. The first layer, biscuit, is so buttery it tricks you into thinking that you just walked out of the barn from milking cows and sat down at the kitchen table in an old farmhouse. The second layer, sausage, has the same flavor that sausage (the real thing, not that fake tofu stuff) has had since you were in elementary school eating at the annual pancake breakfast. The third layer, poached egg, represents the pinnacle of poached eggs. The yolk oozes its golden goo out from its cocoon of light white. The last layer to be lathered on, homemade gravy, is better than any other gravy you have had. It avoids the common pitfalls of being too starchy and too tasteless; instead, it packs seriously rich flavor into a velvet-like cream. As if the portion were not yet big enough, a hefty side of starchy potatoes makes the plate complete.

You will leave Triangle with a full stomach, guaranteed. You will also leave with a smile. You won't be able to resist at least a chuckle when you remember how you saw two elderly women sharing a booth and how one of them ordered a bowl of fruit and the other ordered a huge chocolate eclair piled high with whipped cream; her eyes widened like a little girl's when her dessert was placed in front of her.  

Book Review: The Circle: Zoe Dartley '16

Posted by Contributing Writer

We continue reading a book for many reasons: the beauty of its language, its intriguing plotline or perhaps the fact that the story's tension is so palpable that one simply cannot stop following it, despite an ever-growing feeling of sickness. This is the case in Dave Eggers' latest tour de force, The Circle, whose plot unfolds like a fast-moving train wreck you can't take your eyes off of.

The novel opens at the beginning of Mae Holland's journey as a new employee at The Circle, a Bay Area Internet titan that has streamlined all search engines and social media systems into one completely transparent program, removing all anonymity from the web. Its members have a cult-like devotion to the company's mission, "Privacy is theft, Secrets are lies." The symbolism may not be subtle, but it's potent. Eggers has a gift for understanding the nuances of his main character's thought process. We follow Mae's opinion of the company from complete astonishment to mistrust to, finally, devotion.

While The Circle's employees are all Type-A devotees, they still know how to party; on her first night Mae attends an orgy-like festival, complete with rare, gourmet food and alcoholic potions. Many members pass out in the campus's well-equipped dorm rooms, feeling no need to return home when all of their necessities are on site.
Part of Eggers' genius is the fact that, although we know something is about to go terribly wrong in the book, we can't seem to stop turning the pages. The novel reverberates with prophetic wisdom, especially because all of The Circle's inventions seem believable. What start out as nifty tech ideas morph into agents of immense societal change at a company where young and ambitious geniuses are given exorbitant amounts of money to roll with their dreams.

The most prominent example of this is SeeChange, a program that is introduced during Mae's first few days at the company. The program consists of tiny, high-definition video cameras that can be placed anywhere in nature and produce live-stream coverage. Introduced as an agent of human improvement, The Circle's employees believe the world will be free of corruption if these cameras are omnipresent. Thus, the regime begins: the cameras begin to be placed in cities all over the world, in private homes and even around the necks of politicians.

Sure to evoke comparisons to 1984 and Brave New World, The Circle is unequivocally relevant. While it may be hard to suppress a rise of bile in the throat whilst reading it, one emerges with a greater understanding of not only our technological world, but how it affects our need for validation and communication. As any great book should, The Circle will haunt its readers with questions long after its scarlet cover is closed. How far are we willing to go in the need for information and innovation? Perhaps the next great dictator isn't a single figure, but rather the result of one of the proudest human inventions: technology.

McLaughlin, Brooks earn Liberty League Honor Roll

Posted by Katie Peverada

Although the men's and women's basketball teams are in different positions in the Liberty League, with the men fighting for a playoff spot and the women looking to bust the bracket, both teams are still receiving excellent team and individual efforts. Both teams placed a player on this week's Liberty League honor roll.
Junior Molly McLaughlin scored a season-high 20 points in the 73-55 Thoroughbred's Liberty League victory over RPI on Saturday. The victory was the Thoroughbred's second-straight, as the night before they upended Bard 64-49, a game in which McLaughlin netted 11 points, seven assists and four rebounds. For her efforts, McLaughlin was named to the Liberty League weekly honor roll. McLaughlin leads the Thoroughbreds in 3-point percentage (.347), assists per game (4.4), and minutes played per game (37.8). McLaughlin is second in the Liberty League in minutes played per game and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9), and her assists per game and 3-point field goals per game are both third and sixth respectively in the league.
Sophomore guard Tanner Brooks continued his clutch play for the Thoroughbreds men's basketball team three-win week, averaging 16.3 points per game on his way to a place on the Liberty League honor roll. Brooks, who is tied for third in the Liberty League in assists per game (3.6) and steals per game (1.6), led the Thoroughbreds in victories over St. Lawrence, RPI and Bard, scoring 17, 17 and 15 points respectively. In the win over St. Lawrence, Brooks scored nine of his 17 points in the final 2:15 minutes of play in a close 69-66 victory. Brooks also shot 82-percent from beyond the arc and 57-percent from the field across the three victories. Brooks currently sits fourth in the league in 3-point field goals per game (2.3), and leads the team in 3-point field goals this season with 45.

Brazilian Guitar Quartet Review: Starting Zankel?s spring season off right

Posted by Kelsea Schimmel

Launching Zankel's Spring 2014 events, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet performed in Zankel on Thursday, Jan. 30.  A world-renowned group, the quartet won the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Classical Album," and has been praised for its "seductive beauty" and "virtuosic gusto."  With a unique combination of six-string and eight-string guitars, the group has a traditional Brazilian sound and is able to perform an original and unusual repertoire. The group has performed over 250 times in America, Europe and Asia for more than a decade.

 The Brazilian Guitar Quartet masterfully performs traditional music, embodying the sounds and styles of Brazilian taste and culture.  Brazilian music is often referred to as samba, a genre of music that reflects the styles of Africa, Portugal and India.  In the 1960's, Samba mixed with American Jazz and became 'bossa nova'. This style is much more contemporary, yet still maintains its traditional roots.  Classical music is also prominent in Brazil, but maintains the traditional samba sound.  The Brazilian Guitar Quartet brilliantly performed the traditional sounds of Brazilian Samba, paving the way for the exciting 2014 spring season at Zankel.  Check out their latest CD, Spanish Dances, and get ready for more musical talent this spring.

Army Man

Posted by Allison Smith

Robert, my first best friend ever, boards Bus 22 today holding a large book.  I know he got it from Dusty, the oldest of his three brothers. The four of them all look the same.  Their mom cuts their white, blonde hair so short that they almost look bald.  They have clear blue eyes and dirty faces from running around in the woods.  My mom always washes the dirt off of my face. The book he holds in his hand has an army man on the cover with the same hair cut Robert has.

            "Cat, I wont be in school tomorrow." Robert announces. I think that will be alright because he has Mrs. Raven as a teacher and I have Mrs. Hilperts so we don't see each other during the day anyway. I then remember and start to worry about who I will have to sit with on Bus 22.  Patty Williamson better not sit down next to me because she is the worst and for her birthday got a purple backpack even though I had a purple backpack first. I decide that Robert needs to come to school tomorrow because I cannot and will not be stuck sitting next to Patty Williamson.

            Robert takes a deep breath in and then declares, "Cat, I'm joining the army." He drops the big book in my lap and I open it up.  We have looked through the book before. I knew he is joining the army but I did not know so soon. We are only in kindergarten. We had a plan. I look at the black and white pictures of the nurses helping wounded soldiers laying in rows of cots.

            "But, Robert, who will take care of you?" I ask.  We had a plan for after we graduate. I will go to nursing school and he will train with his brothers for the army.  Then we would meet in a distant enemy land and whenever he was wounded I would heal him.

            "I'm sorry Cat I have to go," He says in his deepest voice. "Dusty is going tomorrow and it might be my only chance to go with him."

            For the rest of our ride on Buss 22 we flip through the book and he points to the pictures of all the things he will learn to do in the army.  

Later that day on the playground I hide in the tunnel slide.

The next day I board Bus 22 and put my purple backpack on the open space next to me so that Patty Williamson cannot sit there.  Bus 22 stops at Roberts house and I start to yell up to Bus Driver Nick that we won't need to stop here anymore.  Then, to my complete surprise, Robert walks onto Bus 22. I quickly shove my purple backpack on to the floor so he can sit down.

"Robert what happened to the army?" I eagerly ask him with wide eyes.

Robert sits still for a moment.  Robert pulls back his shoulders and takes a deep breath to fill his chest. Robert dramatically exhales and explains, "They would not take me. I was too good."

Farm Pond

Posted by Allison Smith

There is another world down there and we are the Kings of it.  If we walk to the edge of the beach, and jump, then we would fall into the world we rule. We hope.

            A portal has been created by a universal agreement not to disturb the still water.  No wind, no birds, and no falling leaves dare cause a ripple on the surface. We sit on top of a disintegrating lifeguard stand on the ring that surrounds the opening. Tall black trees enclose the opening and us.

            The purple sky and budding stars are perfectly mirrored through the hole in the ground.  We are floating though space to some sort of heaven on this disintegrating lifeguard stand.

            The cold bites our toes but we still sit up high, peering down at the world we used to be Kings of.

            With our big sunglasses, red lips, we are queens of the beach. There is no way we are jumping into that cold water. The sand is warm and we like to run our manicured nails in it.

            Children drag their parents screaming with excitement into the mucky water.  The town's swim team, The Snappers, lazily lap back and forth in the deep end of the roped in area.

            We push our blonde hair behind our ears and stick buds in to listen to music.

            We walk in circles around the boys playing pickle admiring their firm abdomens.  We suck our stomachs in. We lie on our matching white towels waiting for them to bow down to their queens.

Student group renews approach to mental health awareness on campus

Posted by Elena Nogara '16

In this day and age, the topic of mental health is one that is brought up on most college campuses. Whether or not it is dealt with properly is another discussion. As Skidmore College climbs in competitiveness , the stress inflicted on students begins to increase; what can be done about this? Are there enough resources on Skidmore's campus for students to seek help, and how can students learn about them?

As a transfer student from Drexel University, new to the Skidmore community, I have seen many students affected by the difficulties and pressures that come along with the heavy workload in college. Unfortunately, some are affected to the point where they have no more will to fight on. Drexel's neighboring school, the University of Pennsylvania, suffered the painful loss of freshman Madison Holleran, who took her own life in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. While Madison's death shocked friends and family, it immediately caused students in the area to recognize the importance of the care of mental health on college campuses.

Skidmore offers student counseling services, shining a light on mental health, but are we sure that students are aware of this? We do not need a tragic event to happen at Skidmore to realize the importance of mental health care. All students should be knowledgeable of the resources at their disposal, and the school is starting to catch on to this idea.

Active Minds, a non-profit organization that empowers students to speak about mental health, is an excellent provider of information. Just last spring, Skidmore introduced their own chapter to the campus, and immediately started working on making the issue of mental health more well known. The president of the club, Siena Tugendrajch '14, strongly advocates for mental health awareness, and was able to provide insight on some plans and opinions the group has.

"Last semester, Active Minds actually made flyers for the counseling center precisely because we felt like students didn't know what was available to them." That's one of the ways Tugendrajch has addressed the problem with the lack of knowledge students have about the counseling resources. There is now talk of reusing this idea in the spring term, hoping to make another strong impression on campus.

Another big concern with mental health care on campus is what kind of counseling is offered and to what extent. According to Tugendrajch, "the counseling center does do a pretty solid job of working with people and referring them to outside counselors, but not everyone can afford to see someone outside of Skidmore." This shines a light on a big problem: students with fewer financial possibilities cannot always seek the help they might need. The counseling center also offers group therapy, but it is difficult for students to know how effective   these confidential groups are.

In addition, there is controversy on campus about the availability of the counseling center's one psychiatrist. Currently, the psychiatrist is only available once a week, which causes many timing conflicts for students. This is an issue that is being talked about among students, and if spoken about loudly enough, could potentially create change.

What can be done to help solve these problems? Tugendrajch has some ideas of her own that entail the involvement of students on campus. "We could have student-run groups, but people would need to be trained." If these groups were to come to life, it could help students who are not comfortable talking to professionals find a safe haven.

Mental health requires constant dialogue, whether it is among friends, family, or professionals. Without the ability to have an open conversation, students are put in dangerously unhealthy situations . Students are here at Skidmore to enjoy a positive learning experience, not an uncomfortable one. It is important to keep our eyes open to these problems, as they are often veiled in feigned happiness. As students feel the need to hide their pain, they begin to suppress their real emotions, and replace them with "peace of mind." Most people have a much easier time understanding happiness than depression, so it takes a little more concentration to see what is really going on in a person's mind. With that extra focus, we, as a community, can improve the mental well being of students at Skidmore.

Student group renews approach to mental health awareness on campus

Posted by Elena Nogara '16

In this day and age, the topic of mental health is one that is brought up on most college campuses. Whether or not it is dealt with properly is another discussion. As Skidmore College climbs in competitiveness, the stress inflicted on students begins to increase; what can be done about this? Are there enough resources on Skidmore's campus for students to seek help, and how can students learn about them?

As a transfer student from Drexel University, new to the Skidmore community, I have seen many students affected by the difficulties and pressures that come along with the heavy workload in college. Unfortunately, some are affected to the point where they have no more will to fight on. Drexel's neighboring school, the University of Pennsylvania, suffered the painful loss of freshman Madison Holleran, who took her own life in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. While Madison's death shocked friends and family, it immediately caused students in the area to recognize the importance of the care of mental health on college campuses.

Skidmore offers student counseling services, shining a light on mental health, but are we sure that students are aware of this? We do not need a tragic event to happen at Skidmore to realize the importance of mental health care. All students should be knowledgeable of the resources at their disposal, and the school is starting to catch on to this idea.

Active Minds, a non-profit organization that empowers students to speak about mental health, is an excellent provider of information. Just last spring, Skidmore introduced their own chapter to the campus, and immediately started working on making the issue of mental health more well known. The president of the club, Siena Tugendrajch, strongly advocates for mental health awareness, and was able to provide insight on some plans and opinions the group has.

"Last semester, Active Minds actually made flyers for the counseling center precisely because we felt like students didn't know what was available to them." That's one of the ways Tugendrajch has addressed the problem with the lack of knowledge students have about the counseling resources. There is now talk of reusing this idea in the spring term, hoping to make another strong impression on campus.

Another big concern with mental health care on campus is what kind of counseling is offered and to what extent. According to Tugendrajch, "the counseling center does do a pretty solid job of working with people and referring them to outside counselors, but not everyone can afford to see someone outside of Skidmore." This shines a light on a big problem: students with fewer financial possibilities cannot always seek the help they might need. The counseling center also offers group therapy, but it is difficult for students to know how effective these confidential groups are.

In addition, there is controversy on campus about the availability of the counseling center's one psychiatrist. Currently, the psychiatrist is only available once a week, which causes many timing conflicts for students. This is an issue that is being talked about among students, and if spoken about loudly enough, could potentially create change.

What can be done to help solve these problems? Tugendrajch has some ideas of her own that entail the involvement of students on campus. "We could have student-run groups, but people would need to be trained." If these groups were to come to life, it could help students who are not comfortable talking to professionals find a safe haven.

Mental health requires constant dialogue, whether it is among friends, family, or professionals. Without the ability to have an open conversation, students are put in dangerously unhealthy situations . Students are here at Skidmore to enjoy a positive learning experience, not an uncomfortable one. It is important to keep our eyes open to these problems, as they are often veiled in feigned happiness. As students feel the need to hide their pain, they begin to suppress their real emotions, and replace them with "peace of mind." Most people have a much easier time understanding happiness than depression, so it takes a little more concentration to see what is really going on in a person's mind. With that extra focus, we, as a community, can improve the mental well being of students at Skidmore.

Alcohol and Other Drugs 2.0

Posted by The Editorial Board

As college students, despite the fact that we attend a private college, we would very much like to believe that we do have rights. We understand that while we reside within housing provided by Skidmore, the institution has full remit to enter, exit, search, withhold and question as they see fit. We still, however, expect to be respected as adults, with our own certain freedoms on this campus. This is a belief we are justified indulging, for the most part, and it follows that when Skidmore exercises its ability to diminish these rights we feel threatened and betrayed.        

As of this semester, the College has amended the Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy to include a new clause pertaining to the usage or presence of marijuana. This new section allows for the distribution of points and fines on the suspicion that a student or group of students is using the drug. Campus Safety does not need to see smoke, find any marijuana, note paraphernalia or observe students smoking. They need only to suspect, with probable cause, that the drug is being used. If there is a reported smell of marijuana and a student's room is searched to reveal a fan near the window, a towel by the door and a bottle of Febreeze in sight, this gives Campus Safety the authority to administer points without the existence of concrete evidence of usage. The presence of items that facilitate the use of an illegal substance now makes students liable.        

 First and foremost, there is an undeniable link here to Skidmore's recent ranking as the number one school on the Princeton Review's "Reefer Madness" list. Additionally, a consultant hired by Skidmore to evaluate their AOD policy this past year gave the College a failing grade. The implementation of this new policy signifies that Skidmore is concerned with improving the College's public reputation, perhaps more so than it is with effectively protecting and benefiting the health and well-being of its student body. The school is evidently aiming to clear its name of this reputation, and is taking what feels like improper steps in order to do so. The ability to incriminate students for marijuana possession on fewer grounds feels not only like an infringement on student rights, but an effort towards stricter enforcement rather than prevention, which, if Skidmore was truly considered about the student's health, would be the proper route. The Editorial Board feels that greater enforcement will not alter the weed culture at Skidmore - students who smoke are inclined to do so regardless of the policy change, one whose implementation will be expectedly porous and half-hearted. Perhaps Skidmore will look better under public scrutiny --which may be all the administration is truly concerned about -- but if the administration is genuinely interested in lowering marijuana use, this policy will not, in fact, benefit or deter the students. 

Further, unintended repercussions may undermine, not bolster, Campus Safety. Residential Life works hard to impress upon its students that Campus Safety is present on campus for the safety of the students - their objective is not to get students in trouble. The belief is that a congenial relationship will allow students to seek Campus Safety when in need, preventing possible injury and protecting the campus as a whole. This new aggressive policy effectively undermines this cultivated image and paints Campus Safety officers as the enemy, a member of the opposite team. This perspective is potentially dangerous for students in terms of situations of crisis - it leads to greater hesitancy in reaching out to the officers even in emergency situations. Furthermore, it strains the relationships between students and their RAs who will be expected to report any and all signs to Campus Safety.        

So yes, this new policy feels like an infringement on student rights and raises questions on the stalled status of the Student Bill of Rights. Yes, we, the students, lose power in that we must now accept consequences without legitimate grounds for accusation, but the school has this power, and we sign it over to them when we commit and pay our tuitions. However, the Editorial Board feels that this addition to the Alcohol and Other Drugs policy displays an effort on the part of the administration solely to improve Skidmore's reputation and ignores the desire to effectively improve the, safety, health, and happiness of the student body