Lockdown on Skidmore College Campus

By Jacob Reiskin, Arts Director and Staff Writer This is a developing story.  Check soon for updates.

Suspect is in custody.  Lockdown has been lifted.

4:00 PM:The President's office has invited the campus community to an open forum in Gannett Auditorium at 5 p.m. today for an update on the situation and a review of our emergency procedures.  Northwoods is still being searched by a strong police presence.  Students have been asked to stay away from the area.

10:12 AM: Staff and faculty may report to classrooms. Campus Safety requests that everyone keep an eye out for suspicious items that may be evidence

9:57 AM: Classes to resume at 11:15 AM. The Dining Hall is open. Campus Safety requests that students, staff and faculty stay out of North Woods.

9:18 AM: The Skidmore News has put in a request for a comment from the President's Office.  Awaiting confirmation.

9:16 AM: 

9:04 AM:  Campus is still in lockdown for evidence search with all classes and activities still called off.

8:58 AM: Campus Safety confirms that the suspect is Shane Harding and that he is in custody.

The Saratogian has confirmed that Harding, wanted in Troy for sexual assault has been arrested on the Skidmore College Campus.

Harding, 25, is wanted for allegedly violating parole in connection with an attack described to them by an alleged victim. Harding was declared a Level 3 sex offender after a 2008 conviction in Rensselaer County. Troopers say he may be in possession of a handgun.

Photo of Suspect (Published by The Times Union):

Skidmore News reported the last lockdown in 2013

8:20: Fire fighting personnel seen leaving Sussman village.  Connection still unknown.

8:14 AM: From Skidmore Alert Email:

Suspect in custody on campus - Campus remains closed until police conduct evidence search.

8:09 AM: Fire truck has been spotted near the Sussman Apartments.  Connection to lockdown is unknown.

8:08 AM: Police appear to be dissipating from Wilson Chapel Area.  Police patrols still circling campus.

The Times Union has posted an article on the lockdown with the suspect, Shane Harding, 25 shown.

Police have now converged on the perimeter of North Woods, near Wilson Chapel.  No word on any findings.

Saratoga Police and State Troopers are patrolling campus in large numbers, with a report that entrances are being blocked.

As of 8 am this morning, classes have been canceled and email updates continue to stream to students.

At 7:04 an email went out to all students announcing a lockdown on campus, as seen below

Crossword: Patron Saints

Students Resolving Conflict in a Constructive Way at Schenectady High

By Sarah Rudgers-Tysz, Executive Director of Mediation Matters

Schenectady and Albany, NY – For over 12 years the Schenectady High School Peer Mediation Program has been training students as mediators and empowering them to resolve conflict between fellow students without violence or bullying. Mediation Matters, a local non- profit dispute resolution center, coordinates the program with a full-time staff person at the high school.

In recognition of the program’s success, Mediation Matters is honoring the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the program’s key contributors and the school’s administration at its Second Annual Fundraising Dinner. The individuals being honored at the event are the program’s student leadership, program coordinator Kashiff Thompson, Schenectady High School Principal Diane Wilkinson, and Schenectady School District Superintendent Laurence T. Spring. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 7th, 2014 from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Albany Yacht Club, 75 Broadway, Rensselaer, NY.

Through the program the peer mediators learn how to approach conflict constructively, practice active listening skills, and model this behavior for their peers. Along with the valuable life skills the students learn and the conflicts resolved through mediation, the program also reduces the need for disciplinary action, with 174 cases mediated last school year.

The Peer Mediation Program is one of the many ways Mediation Matters is making a difference in the community. The organization provides a place for families, businesses, educators, students, and other community members to resolve their conflicts through mediation. Mediation is a voluntary, neutral, and confidential process where people involved with a conflict have the opportunity to be heard and work to develop their own solutions to their own problems, outside of court. Between April 2013 and April 2014, 795 cases were mediated at the center. The organization also facilitates conflict resolution trainings and workshops, group discussions, and restorative justice circles in a variety of settings.

With excellent staff and invaluable volunteers, Mediation Matters’ services are available at little to no cost in each of the counties it serves: Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Rensselaer, Warren, and Washington Counties. In recognition of the value of a peaceful community, Mediation Matters has been providing the skills and processes that help people handle conflict in a constructive way since 1979.

To learn more about Mediation Matters, visit their website at www.mediationmatters.org, message them through their contact form on the website, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, or give them a call at 518-446-0356.

Dopapod Band Breaking Boundaries: Tomorrow's Performance at Putnam Den

 

By Blair Warren, Arts and Entertainment Editor

It’s hard to categorize the band Dopapod, as it seems to be of many genres. A combination of electronic, funk, and soul, the musicians see no stylistic margins. They do not hold back, disregarding norms and exploring their own groove. They have toured nationally with more than 150 shows per year, collecting listeners along the way.

Dopapod consists of Eli Winderman (keyboards), Rob Compa (guitar), Chuck Jones (bass) and Scotty Zwang (drums). When asked what inspired this type of music group, Rob Compa said that the inspiration was found in just being genuine to their own personalities. “It took a lot of experimenting and a lot of shows before it became what it is now. And if we're lucky, it will keep changing over the years. I can't speak for every musician, but I don't really have much of a vision behind what I want our music to sound like. I just feel like if we're having a great time and being ourselves, then the music will be honest and real.”

Compa explains that as a musician, the purpose is not to ensure that everybody likes the music, but rather that he likes it. “I'm not really in control of how people feel while we're playing. In the past I've spent a long time worrying about people's opinions and trying to make everybody happy, but you can't play one thing that one person will like without at least one other person having the opposite opinion about it. So at this point, we just play what we think is good and what we like. That is something we have control of. Life's too short to not play the kind of music you like!”

He also explains that inspiration can be found in anything. For Compa, he recently felt motivated to write about his concern that his next-door neighbor may be a serial killer. Whatever gets the creativity flowing! Below is a little description of each band member, from Compa’s understanding and for your entertainment:

“Eli Winderman is our keyboardist and our primary songwriter. He loves Pad Thai, Breaking Bad, vintage keyboards and is a big LeBron James fan. He can also fit his entire fist in his mouth."

“Chuck Jones is our bassist. Chuck loves staying in shape, goats, and pedals. He can name all 50 states in either alphabetical order or in chronological order based on when it was admitted into the Union."

“Scotty Zwang is our drummer and newest member. He loves the scent of lilacs, enjoys a good scotch now and again, and is a part time tattoo artist."

“My name is Rob Compa, and I play guitar. I enjoy playing guitar, looking up guitar equipment that I can't possibly afford, playing with my cat and dog, and making up completely falsified facts about the other members of the band.”

Come see Dopapod perform this weekend, Sept. 27 at Putnam Den, in advance of their upcoming new album!

Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $15 ADV/$18 DOS. Age restrictions: 18+. Address: 63 A Putnam Street Saratoga Springs, NY. Venue phone: 518 584 8066. w/ Consider The Source

SGA Fall 2014 election results

By Noa Maltzman, Staff Writer

This past week, students had opportunities on both Thursday, Sept 18 and Friday, Sept. 19 to vote online or at Case Desk, the Dining Hall or Thursday night's Rock the Vote Student Band Showcase at Falstaff's. Even with these opportunities to vote, the turnout in this election was small with only 605 students participating.  While this is significantly less than half the student body, it surpasses both turnouts from last year. Last year’s fall election had a voter turnout of 507 students and the spring election had 560 voters.

The low voter turnout was foreshadowed by the prior night’s election speech, which also had a small turnout despite the event’s enticing announcement that Plum Dandy Cookies&Milk was to be served.

During the election speech, the candidates were questioned about their running. These questions included more practical issues regarding their qualifications and goals for the future, as well as some less serious questions like, “if you had one dollar to spend on something for your class what would it be?”

The student candidates sought eight different positions. However, there were many more open positions available. , “Not all of the positions were filled because we have a lot of positions, and we very intentionally allow people to get involved throughout the year,” SGA President Addison Bennett '16 said.

Only three positions were contested: junior class treasurer freshman class president and vice president for Diversity Affairs—a position on the executive SGA committee.

From the class of 2018, Maddie Hoffman and Themba Shongwe ran for freshman class president, with Shongwe eventually winning.

Posted on SGA’s Facebook page were the candidate platforms and campaign videos. Here, students could learn about and compare the candidates running for contested positions. Shongwe included three primary points on his platform posters, the first of which was “making SGA relevant to freshman.” His competitor, Hoffman, had different goals in mind. Among her goals was “to unify the campus as a whole.”

“We don’t want to shut the door on people joining SGA in September,” Bennett said. For those of who missed the boat on elections and want to get involved, there is ample time and space.

The student government would “love for more people to join Senate, a committee, or their class council, and luckily we have the open seats for people to join through willingness to serve,”  Bennett said.  To apply for a position through willingness to serve, students should go to the SGA site.

Below is a complete list of the Fall 2014 elected SGA officials:

First Year Class President: Themba Shongwe

First Year Class Secretary: Rachael Thomeer

First Year Class Treasurer: Alyssa Bueno

First Year Class Vice-President: Tayler Salvatore

First Year Senator: Kalika Likhi and Olivia Golden

Junior Class Treasurer: Ramsey Daniels

Sustainability Senator: Lauren Scauzzo '15

Vice President for Diversity Affairs: Sibo Gama '15

Campus Safety Reports Sept. 12-18

INCIDENTS OF NOTE: * Sunday, September 14 -ASSAULT AGGRAVATED 3:12 am .RP in office reporting a male is being assaulted in Sussman Apartments. Dispatched Officers. 3:13 AM- RP reports hearing screams for help. Advised Officers and dispatched SCEMS, 911 and SSPD. Two arrests made.

* Wednesday, September 17 – SEX OFFENSE- FORCIBLE 1:46 PM RP called to report a sexual assault on campus.

Friday, September 12, 2014

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE noise complaint made at 1:38 AM. Officers dispatched to Cane Crossing, students complied with request to quiet down.

* FIRE ALARM-OTHER- fire alarm activated at 1:54 AM from Sussman Apartments. Units dispatched, due to shower steam. Report generated.

* FIRE ALARM-OTHER – Fire alarm received at 8:19 AM from Sussman Apartments. Units dispatched, due to cooking. Report generated

* COMPLAINT – report of 11:06 AM of problem between two employees. Report generated.

* FIRE ALARM-OTHER- fire alarm activation received at 12:22 PM from Sussman Apartments. Units dispatched, due to cooking. Report generate.

* ACCIDENT- report at 4:32 PM of car damaged in sports center parking lot.

* WELFARE CHECK- 9:46 PM welfare check requested to Howe Hall. Officer dispatched. Spoke with roommate, report generated.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

* SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY – at 12:24 report of a female acting suspicious in Wait Hall. Officers checked, appeared to be dumping water in sink with residue.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION- NOISE 1:44 AM, noise complaint made on Dayton Drive. Officer reports no disturbance noted.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE report of loud noise on Moore Way at 1:56 AM. Officers report loud music lowered and group dispersed.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE report of loud music coming from a parked car near Sussman Apartments at 3:02 AM. Officer states care is leaving.

* CAMPUS SAFETY ASSIST- 3:00 PM RP provided assistance with fire extinguisher training for 48 students who work in chemistry labs

* SUSPICIOUS ODOR- 3:50 PM report of possible gas smell in Jonsson Tower. Maintenance reports odor unfounded.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION- 10:34 PM report of a game of mass consumption in Wait Hall. Report generated.

* FIRE ALARM- OTHER – 11:14 PM Fire alarm activation receive. Units dispatched, due to cooking. Report issued.

* LIQUOR LAW VIOLATION- 11:01 PM RP reports loud noise in Howe Hall. Students found with alcohol, report generated.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE 12:34 AM report of noise complaint in Sussman Apartments. Officers spoke to students who remedied problem

* CRIMINAL MISCHIEF at 10:42 AM Officer discovered hole in stairwell in Wilmarth Hall, report generated

* CRIMINAL MISCHIEF at 11:18 AM RP reports street sign on the roof of Starbuck Center. Grounds assisted to removed, returned to DPW.

Monday, September 14, 2014

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE at 1:00 AM Excessive noise complaint in Sussman Apartments. Responding officers report residents lowered volume upon request.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE 12:32 AM Noise complaint received. Responding officers report residents lowered volume upon request

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE 1:30 AM Noise complaint received in Wilmarth Hall. Responding officer reports three people in common area asked to lower the volume of their voices. Subjects complied with request.

* DRUG LAW VIOLATION- 8:30 AM Officer observed a drug law violation. Items confiscated. Report made.

* FIRE ALARM 3:09 PM Fire alarm received in Sussman Apartments. Dispatched all units. Advised SSFD. Due to cooking. Report made.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

* FIRE ALARM-OTHER – 10:30 AM, Fire alarm received. Dispatched officers, maintenance and advised SSFD. Due to burnt food.

* FIRE/SAFETY ORIENTATION- 6:30 PM Fire and Safety Orientations were conducted at 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM in Filene Music Hall.

* FIRE DRILLS- 8:31 PM in Sussman Apartments Unannounced fire drill was held in one of the buildings.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

* LARCENY FROM BUILDINGS 11:00 AM report of items missing in a room in Jonsson Tower. Officer responded to the report. SSPD contacted.

* FIRE/SAFETY ORIENTATION at 6:30 PM a Fire and Safety Orientation was conducted in Filene Music Hall.

* COLLEGE VIOLATION-NOISE at 11;44 PM, RP reports a noise complaint outside the dorm. Officers dispatched and found students playing string instruments. Instructed to stop and counseled about noise at this hour.

Thursday, September 18 2014

* FIRE ALARM-OTHER – 8:45 AM Fire alarm activation received in Jonsson Tower. All units dispatched. SSFD advised. Alarm due to burnt popcorn.

* BURGLARY-NO FORCE 6:05 pm report of computer missing from room in Wilmarth Hall. Report made. SSPD contacted.

* FIRE DRILLS – Officers conducted fire drills at various times in Wilmarth Hall and Northwoods Apartments.

Moorebid Cancelled

By Andrew Shi '15, Editor-in-Chief

After years of unyielding issues, Moorebid, the popular dance held to celebrate Halloween, and named after Moore Hall, an off-campus residential hall that closed in 2006, has been cancelled for this year and the foreseeable future. The decision to cancel Moorebid—a perennial consideration but never coming to fruition until now—was advocated after last year's event by Joshua Nelson, Director of Leadership Activities, and supported by Director of Campus Life David Karp and Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun.

The cancellation of Moorebid comes as a surprise to many, as last year's dance is considered one of the more successful in years. Nelson acknowledged as much in a private interview and in a letter to the editor. "Truly last year was one of the best, if not the best, planned Moorebid in the history of the event. Nonetheless, the meaning behind the tradition was lost amongst the students using drugs and alcohol to fuel a night of no-rules and destructive actions. The concern was not the event itself, but the pattern of high-risk, sometimes life-threatening behavior that accompanied Moorebid."

According to SGA President Addison Bennett '16, "The cancellation was a result of a trend of Moorebids that the administration felt were unsafe and disrespected. The Office of Leadership Activities articulated to us that due to the cultural expectations of the event, they do not feel there is any way to hold the event in a safe way."

Nelson estimates that eleven people were sent to the hospital at least year's event, and Bennett also noted that the number of people treated by the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service during the dance was a cause for concern. "We believe Moorebid was generally a success last year. To be clear, there were obvious safety concerns, including the sheer number of people in the event at once or the number of SCEMS dispatches for alcohol-related calls, " Bennett said.

Moorebid has a history of being hazardous and has been shut down multiple times before due to overcrowding. In 2010, the event made national news when 11 students were treated for alcohol poisoning at Saratoga Hospital. After that year, the venue for Moorebid was switched from Case Center to the Recreational and Dance gyms to mitigate overcrowding, however, after approximately 1,400 students tried to squeeze through the halls of the Williamson Sports Center to reach the dance floors, the dance was shut down early. In 2012 the event ran its full course when it was hosted in the big gym of the Sports Center and student participation was capped at 800. Seven students were hospitalized that year for alcohol poisoning, but only four from Moorebid. The others were from the residential halls.

The circumstances that make Moorebid so problematic are multifold. One is the culture of excessive-drinking that surrounds the dance, and perhaps Halloween in general, as Nelson iterated. Some also believe that because this is the first large community dance, first-years may overzealously drink for the event. The Big Show hosted earlier in October is supposed to steal some of this enthusiasm, and the introduction of Fall Fun Day in 2012 was to serve a similar purpose in part.

The second issue is overcrowding.  One of the most popular events on campus, the venues for Moorebid—Case and the Sports Center—are incapable of accommodating. Even after students had to buy tickets, overcrowding remained problematic and reports of student trampling continued.

"We tried various venues around campus (entire Case Center, Williamson Sports Gym, Recreation Gym, SPA). We tried to increase capacity; we tried limiting capacity. We increased on campus safety officers and hired outside security to help staff the event. We partnered with the Office of Health Promotions in awareness campaigns and even offered discounted tickets if you attend an alcohol awareness event prior to Moorebid. Nothing seemed to curb the riotous behavior of students," Nelson wrote in his letter.

A third issue, often overlooked, is the aggressive behavior of students during the event. Nelson recounts having beer bottles and other detritus thrown at him last year when they wouldn't let students enter; students shoving other students; disrespect toward Campus Safety officers; and a massive bill from facilities for having to work overtime to clean up vomit across the building and campus.

Still, Bennett thought the event went pretty well overall. "I think Moorebid went about as well as it could have last year. The SGA event planners thought of every detail, the safety concerns were generally well managed, and most importantly, students obviously enjoyed it."

In lieu of Moorebid, SGA will look to fund other events, one being the Founder's Day barbecue that occurred early September. Nelson also mentioned that other clubs plan to fill the void with their own events, including a haunted house and slew of film screenings. SGA will also continue the discussion on Moorebid and the possibility of reviving it in the future. "We will keep the conversations going for sure," Bennett said.  "I’ve already spoken to many administrators about the future of Halloween events at Skidmore, and I’m hopeful for good solutions in the future. One of our many jobs is to put on enjoyable student events, and we won’t forget that mission."

Letter to the Editor: Joshua Nelson on the Cancellation of Moorebid

By Joshua Nelson, Director of Leadership Activities

Many students have noticed a lack of the Moorebid on the Student Events Calendar, and I wish to respond.

Over the past several years the Office of Leadership Activities has worked very closely with the Student Life Committee of the SGA to address some of the major concerns related to Moorebid. Capacity issues, space-limitation, student alcohol abuse, alcohol-related transportations to the hospital, student mis-conduct cases, etc. all centered around the weekend of the Moorebid event. We tried various venues around campus (entire Case Center, Williamson Sports Gym, Recreation Gym, SPA). We tried to increase capacity; we tried limiting capacity. We increased on campus safety officers and hired outside security to help staff the event. We partnered with the Office of Health Promotions in awareness campaigns and even offered discounted tickets if you attend an alcohol awareness event prior to Moorebid. Nothing seemed to curb the riotous behavior of students. There truly was a culture of excess around the entire weekend – something that is a stain on a student culture and Skidmore as a whole.

Reports of students being violated, feeling threatened and generally not feeling welcomed at an event that so blatantly has a culture of excess, where students demanded free tickets, and stormed the doors to enter, is not something I can support. I spoke up. I explained to the Student Life Committee of the SGA that I was not going to approve the registration of the event in the future, and advised them not to allocate funding for such an event this year. They discussed my concerns and agreed to pull the funding and focus their efforts on other community-minded events. Specifically, this year they chose to fund the Founder’s Day event that occurred on Sept 3rd and was open to the entire Skidmore Community. We agreed that events they sponsor should be open to all students, and should not carry a culture so counter the mission of the SGA and Skidmore as whole.

Truly last year was one of the best, if not THE best, planned Moorebid in the history of the event. Nonetheless, the meaning behind the tradition was lost amongst the students using drugs and alcohol to fuel a night of no-rules and destructive actions. The concern was not the event itself, but the pattern of high-risk, sometimes life-threatening behavior that accompanied Moorebid. It’s clear to me that tradition of Moorebid had been corrupted into one of excessive drinking and a disregard for the community standards and college policies. Unfortunately, Moorebid is not the social event of the year. That novelty has been lost.

The Office of Leadership Activities continues to rely on a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the SGA, and will support them and their 130 registered student clubs. I personally look forward to the many upcoming events already scheduled for this year.

Men's Soccer to Open Liberty League Play

By Skidmore Athletics  

Skidmore College Men's Soccer team will host Vassar this Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.; this will be the Liberty League opener for both teams. Currently, the Skidmore Thoroughbreds are 5-3-1 and the Vassar Brewers are 6-2-1.

This season, Skidmore is averaging 2.1 goals per game and 5.67 points per game, landing them third place in the conference.

Senior forward Adam Beek is leading the conference with five 15 points (5 G, 5 A). Junior goalkeeper Eli Kisselbach is third in the conference with 36 saves and 5.14 saves per game. Kisselbach has also tied a season-high with eight saves.

Skidmore last played Vassar in September of 2013, and the game was tied.

Link to game live stats:

Live Stats

Link to game video:

Video

Men’s Lacrosse take part in Wounded Warrior Project

By Skidmore Athletics  

The Men's Lacrosse team will take part in the Wounded Warrior Project, "Faceoff for a Cause", hosted by Siena College. This is the second annual "Faceoff for a Cause" to help raise money and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior Project's mission is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. The WWP's purpose is to raise awareness for the injured service members, along with helping them with unique programs and services to meet their needs. The event, being held on Oct. 12, will include six team scrimmages between Siena College, Colgate University, Pace University, Western New England University, Union College and Skidmore College. Last year, the men’s lacrosse teams raised more than $8,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project, and this year, the participants are looking to reach to $15,000. Additionally, anyone can donate to the cause by making an online donation. The Thoroughbreds will face Western New England at 10 a.m., and Pace at 2:45 p.m.

To make an online contribution, click here.

You’re Majoring in WHAT?!

By Tara Lerman

“It’s an interesting major, but I don’t know what you’re going to do with it,” is the response I received from my doctor when I told him that I am an English major.

Had I been on top of my game that day, I would have informed him that I am actually interested in going into journalism, and that many English majors go into the fields of publishing, education, and even politics. Instead, I just smiled and laughed awkwardly at his ignorant remark.

This doctor’s reaction to my choice of study is one that I have heard many times before. We at Skidmore attend a college that has established a widespread acceptance for a variety of different majors. For example, English—a major often shunned by college-aged students—is one of the most popular areas of study at Skidmore.

When I tell other students at Skidmore what I am majoring in, most of them are interested to learn more about the classes I’m taking and what I want to do with my degree after I graduate. But, when I step off campus, this reaction tends to change drastically. I don’t mean to say that everyone outside of Skidmore is unsupportive of the English major. There are many people who do appreciate the value of a liberal arts education, in all of its embodiments. However, I have also encountered many people like my doctor who have made me feel inferior because I did not choose to go into the sciences.

Some people seem to think that if you are not on a mathematics or science-based track, you are wasting your tuition money. But each major at Skidmore—be it art history, sociology, government, psychology, or anthropology, for example—provides its students with a unique set of ideas, as well as a lens through which to view our environment, both critically and analytically.

And the truth is, what we choose to study in college is actually becoming less relevant in terms of what we decide to do as a career. Nowadays, employers seem to be more impressed with the fact that a student graduated from college and succeeded in their studies, rather than what he or she specifically studied there.

Skidmore students of all majors go on to do a wide variety of things after graduation. Some go on to law school or medical school, while others participate in gap year programs such as Teach for America or City Year. Some decide to travel abroad, while others find jobs in their field of interest and begin working.

I’d like to dispense with the term ‘useless major.’ All majors carry value. Any future prosperity or societal contribution is dependent on our own hard work and ambition, happiness notwithstanding.

Club Profile: J Street U

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor

Noam Yossefy was kind enough to talk to The Skidmore News about being the President of J Street U's Skidmore chapter.

J Street U at Skidmore is a student-led advocacy club that organizes school-wide educational discussions, leadership workshops and supports a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nearly two years ago, a handful of (predominantly Jewish) students realized that there was not a proper forum for discussing the ongoing conflict and addressing its emotional impact on Skidmore students.

I am the co-founder and president of J Street U at Skidmore this year, but the club is always looking for new board members interested in advocating for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

J Street U is still a new club at Skidmore, but our ultimate goal is to serve the campus as a reliable source of information regarding the conflict. We've collaborated with several clubs, including Hillel, Hayat, Interfaith Council, and International Student Union, and have been sponsored by the Government and International Affairs departments and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. Although the organization is mainly directed towards American Jews, it is our goal that the club will attract a more diverse pool of students who want to discuss current events or conduct informal debates and discussions.

Although we are a young club, we've helped bring speakers and expert panels from the region to the Skidmore campus and have held student and professor-led educational programs about the logistical aspects of the two-state solution and Secretary Kerry's 9-month plan. This semester, we are presenting the Skidmore community with excellent resources, including a debrief of this summer's unfortunate events and first-hand accounts from activists on both sides.

To hear more about our upcoming events or get involved, check out J Street at Skidmore on Facebook or e-mail nyossefy@skidmore.edu.

Restaurant Review: Char Koon

By Janine Kritschgau '18 and Erin Silgardo '18, Contributing Writers

If offbeat is your style, you have to pay a visit to Char Koon. Sandwiched in between ‘The Circus Café’ and another shop sits a little Thai and Chinese combo restaurant that most would miss if they were not looking for it. Eating at Char Koon is somewhat of a bizarre experience. Upon entering, the first thing you’ll notice is the offbeat décor -- scratched floors, teal and pink booths, horse posters, and some sort of sparkly candy cane hanging on the back wall.

Although the atmosphere is nothing short of unique, the menu looks familiar. Variations of lo meins, fried rices, wonton soups, and dumplings are offered: the essentials in any American Chinese restaurant. There is a bit of something for everyone here, including extensive vegetarian options and a few spicy dishes for the adventurous eaters out there. In the interest of appealing to the masses, we tested popular items.

The vegetable lo mein is satisfactory. Not too salty, with a good noodle to veggie ratio. Served piping hot, this dish won’t disappoint. But maybe it would take more than a good heap of noodles to make you a believer. Enter the steamed dumplings which are exceptional. These pockets of perfection are accompanied with a kick of something a little different --a soy sauce infused with some mysterious herbs and spices. What makes this appetizer even better is the large serving (eight dumplings for $5.50). The total damage for this enormous serving of Chinese food? A mere $15.05.

As for the Thai menu, the shrimp in the Pad Thai was pink and tasted like it had just been caught while the noodles were mixed with the peanuts and coriander which gave an unusual but fresh taste to the food. The spring rolls were crispy, although a tad oily . Still, the array of vegetables and thin, clear noodles mixed in together made the rolls worthwhile. In the end, the Pad Thai and spring roll combo was just under $20.

If you are intrigued by the delicacies of this establishment but are not interested in the funky atmosphere, or simply aren’t up for the walk, Char Koon even delivers!

Your Brain on Meditation

By Brittany Dingler, '15, Peer Health Educator

       Generally, meditation is a mindfulness-based practice in which an individual sits quietly, focuses on breathing, and tries to clear their mind of any distracting thoughts or worries. Some meditators even choose to supplement their meditation practice with repeated mantras (think “ohmmm…”) or visualization (“imagine you’re a stick, floating down the river of zen”). Though often viewed as a wacky, spiritual practice reserved only for yogis, hippies, and monks, meditation is a critical tool that has recently gained more support as a source of daily restoration for CEOs and doctors as well as an effective, supplemental treatment for chronic mental and physical diseases. For now, however, let’s just take a moment to focus on meditation as a tool for combating the everyday stress and anxiety of college life. 

       When in a situation known to induce cortisol-driving symptoms, such as sitting down to start your homework in the evening or preparing for a big presentation, taking a few minutes to meditate allows you to tackle stress mindfully. This mindful approach involves taking a minute to sit, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing rather than how many Organic Chemistry problems you have. As you focus on your breathing, your respiratory rate and pulse rate should start to decrease, thereby allowing you to override many of the cortisol-driven symptoms of stress experienced just minutes before. Additionally, you are more likely to have an increased level of attention and concentration – helpful, right?

       The long-term effects of meditation are also worth noting. For example, in Health Psychology (2012), Shelley E. Taylor argues that meditation has been shown to outcompete other, unhealthy stress behaviors we might typically resort to, such as over-eating, self-medicating with marijuana or alcohol, or general avoidance of the stress-inducing situations. Furthermore, Grant and Rainville (2009) found that meditation and other mindfulness strategies can help with pain and may even offer some analgesic effects. 

       So how does this work?  How do a few minutes of sitting quietly and breathing create such profound physiological and psychological changes? For these answers, we must turn to neuroscience – specifically, the principles of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the phenomenon in which our brain anatomy moves around gray matter and synaptic connections in order to facilitate certain, repeated habits (such as juggling and playing the ukulele) or to regain lost functions from a traumatic brain injury. Meditation also shows neuroplasticity. For example, in 2011, Hölzel, Lazar, et al. found that an eight-week meditation program, in which participants meditated for only 30 minutes each day, lead to increased gray matter in the left hippocampus (the center for learning and memory), the tempero-parietal junction (activated during arguing, empathy, and compassion), and a decrease in gray matter in the amygdala (a small region responsible for perceiving threats and stress). In other words, the pre-frontal areas targeted during meditation overlap with those that provide the functions necessary to being productive, happy college students.

The Red Side: Reap What You Sow: The Return to Iraq on the Back of Obama's Failed Foreign Policy

This week, The Skidmore News introduces a new opinion column: Politimore. We've recruited four writers, two liberal and two conservative, to take turns writing on some of the big political issues of the week. The conservative column, The Red Side, begins with our columnist's thoughts on Obama's foreign policy and American's return to Iraq to battle ISIS. By Billy Kristol, Columnist

I have an eerie sense of déjà vu. Now, in the year 2014, America finds itself threatened again by an Islamic terrorist group that seems to grow stronger and more menacing by the day. The general American population is urging our leaders to use force to quell this Middle-Eastern threat by any means necessary. The threat is borderless, powerful, and if we do nothing, we risk the possibility of this threat coming into our backyards.

President Obama landed himself in the White House on the promise that he would withdraw our troops from foreign conflicts that the American people were tired of hearing about and tired of supporting. The cause had been forgotten, and eight long years of war in Iraq, more in the Middle East as a whole, had drained us of our idealism. A timeline was proposed for total withdrawal from Iraq, and although the mission in Afghanistan was accelerated, it too would have a definite end date. We dug up and destabilized the region, and now it was time to see ourselves out.

I would like to turn the reader’s attention to a little-recognized speech made by President Bush in 2007 which has been making the rounds on conservative news agencies in the past month. In it he says, “Withdrawal [from Iraq] would have emboldened these radicals and extremists. It would have confirmed their belief that our nations were weak. It would help them gain new recruits, new resources…Withdrawal would have increased the probability that coalition forces would be forced to return to Iraq one day, and confront an enemy that is even more dangerous.”

But by 2007, Americans had stopped listening to President Bush. They were exhausted with war, and this young, uncorrupted politician by the name of Barack Obama promised them change. He promised them an end to conflict without understanding the consequences of that premature declaration. Our enemies grew headstrong with the idea that we would leave them to fester in the hot desert sands and allow them to become something more powerful, more dangerous, and more evil.

By withdrawing from Iraq, President Obama created a vacuum of power in the Middle East, and ISIS was there to fill that vacuum. He has been lying to the American people about the true strength of ISIS. Just in January, only seven months before ISIS demanded America’s attention by beheading two of its citizens, Obama called ISIS “jayvee” terrorists. But a little research shows that ISIS now has more man power, more money, and more control over Iraq and Syria than Al-Qaida ever dreamed of having.

ISIS is the natural reaction to Obama’s weak foreign policy regarding the Middle East. Retired military officials, including ex-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, have criticized Obama’s lack of follow-through when it comes to Iraq. Regardless of how Americans felt about the war, it did not change the fact that we started it. One nation cannot declare war on another, completely destabilize it, and then leave without having accomplished anything of value. We needed more time in Iraq to ensure that a group like ISIS could not take advantage of the mess we created. We did not have that extra, time, and here we are.

This writer fears that we are witnessing the beginning of a new war which will require the use of American soldiers who want nothing less than to be shipped overseas again. Our early withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan only gave us a small dose of calm, but the deaths of James Foley and Steven Sotloff have signaled the end of that calm. I hope that our limited airstrikes can destroy ISIS, but it took a full-scale ground invasion to push back Al-Qaeda. We now face a much greater threat, and we are not doing enough to stop it.

Editorial: Enforcing the Smoking Ban

By the Editorial Board

This semester, Skidmore instituted a new smoking policy on campus. The new policy bans smoking in the campus interior, within Perimeter Road. The Editorial Board appreciates this new policy and its implementation method, and urges the student body to honor the new rule.

Students agree that the ban has made a tangible difference on campus. The air looks and feels cleaner. Parts of the campus, especially Case patio and outside of Bolton are no longer palls of smoke. Students voice appreciation for being able to exit buildings without encountering a cloud of cigarette smoke. The Editorial Board appreciates the steps the administration has taken towards creating a cleaner campus environment.

Perhaps the most questionable aspect of the new policy is the community self-policing that will be the only method of enforcement for the foreseeable future. Rather than employing Campus Safety to patrol campus, looking to stop students from smoking and writing up offenders, the policymakers opted to trust the student body to enforce the ban.

This is a bold and potentially risky move and, most importantly, it allows the student body to dictate the rate and nature of our uptake of the ban. The Editorial Board supports this approach to policy enforcing and is confident that it will be effective, although probably won't completely stop smoking in prohibited areas. Had Campus Safety come out in force within the first few weeks of school, yanking cigarettes out of students’ mouths on Case patio and stopping smoking students on their way to class, there no doubt would have been a strong backlash against the ban. Students do not take well to being told what to do, regardless of whether they agree with the direction or not. By allowing the student body to acclimate to the policy on our own time, the administration ensures a far more positive end result.

What does self-policing entail? It can be walking up to someone to tell them to stop smoking, but we believe that self-policing is more effective in smaller, day-to-day actions. It is a student turning down the offer to smoke from their friend, on Case or walking to class. It is students opting, night by night, to not take a cigarette break outside the library, instead waiting until they cross Perimeter Road as they walk back to their apartments. The decision to sincerely adopt this new policy comes from a place of respect, especially for upperclassman who have spent the past two or three years smoking whereverthey please. We choose to live, study and play in this community, and the rules of the community have changed. And it is not as if this new policy was foisted upon us against our will. The policy, which originated in the Institutional Policy and Planning Committee, was proposed by a group of students, although the administration was simultaneously, but independently looking into the same manner. However, to truly legitimize the policy, it may have been in the interest of the administration, though SGA, to hold a referendum on the matter, although it was thoughtful to also send out surveys to garner student opinion.

The transition may be bumpy at first, but as the older classes graduate, smoking will cease to be an integral part of the Skidmore scene. Incoming freshmen classes will see less smoking around campus and, thus, fewer new students will pick up or increase the habit. In 2017, when the College revisits the policy, and likely rolls out a more comprehensive ban, the hope is that the student body will be prepared for such measures. To get to that point, though, everyone: upperclassmen, new students, staff and faculty must commit to considering others and the lasting effect on the health of future students that they can have. It is up to the current upperclassmen to choose respect for our community over immediate comfort and habit, time after time.

President Glotzbach and SGA President Addison Bennett address issues at Skidmore College

By Jessica Kong '16, Staff Writer

President Philip A. Glotzbach and SGA President Addison Bennett '16 spoke to the most pressing issues on campus, including sexual assault, discrimination and student wages, on Friday Sept. 19 at the Arthur Zankel Music Center, in the first annual State of the College Address. Anticipation from student and faculty alike was palpable as Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun introduced Glotzbach and Bennett to begin the State of the College Address.

Bennett acknowledged he is empowered to speak on behalf of the student body, but asked us all to become more involved in the community decision-making process. "All of us, not just student representatives, have a role. Without the participation of the student body, representatives cannot effectively do their jobs and Skidmore will not be able to make meaningful change to move towards the ideals our community holds.”

One of the most important points brought up by Bennett was the issue of alienation and exclusion, which has been a recent movement in our community, taking form in projects like I, Too Am Skidmore and last semester's theatre production entitled On The Record.

The consequential and newly minted SGA Inclusion Task Force is working hard to reach out to those who feel like they cannot actively participate in the community. Two new methods have been set to promote inclusion: the Student Activity Financial Aid Fund, which covers extra club event costs of individuals that may be excluded by financial shortcomings. The second is the Student Opinion Polling, which would allow students to express popular opinion in a concrete and influential manner.

Bennett next began on sexual assault, a disturbing matter for this community and an ongoing national issue. Particularly, this issue resonates after the exposed sexual assault incident involving a Campus Safety officer over the summer. "I know I speak for many students when I say I am disappointed by the months-long delay in notifying the community of the recent arrest on sexual assault charges of a Skidmore employee. I appreciate the delicacy of the personnel-side of the situation, and I am glad that swift, proactive action was taken against this person; however, the fact that many students learned about this breach of trust through rumors, social media, or the news is disturbing. We had every right to be scared and disappointed this summer. In this case, communication clearly fell short."

However, according to Bennett, the problem goes far beyond one previous Campus Safety Officer. President Obama's "It's On Us" campaign has been brought to Skidmore, and the message promulgates raising awareness for effective consent and fostering an attitude of zero tolerance toward sexual assault. In regards to the movement, Bennett said, "for SGA’s part, we have committed ourselves this year to fighting the causes of sexual assault and standing up for survivors.”

Bennett also addressed the matter of on-campus student wages, which are under the New York minimum but legal due to the College's not-for-profit status. He requested for the school to respect the quality of work put in by student workers, as well as their financial needs. "I was disappointed last year by the lack of progress in raising the minimum wage for student workers on campus, despite the New York State law that raised the minimum wage to $8 per hour. I join many students in feeling that the school should pay us a wage commensurate to our work and the legally established cost of living in this state, even if it is not required due to Skidmore's non-profit status."

As a final point, Bennett emphasized the need for unity and active participation in the community: "One Skidmore," an embracive byword that recognizes differences in opinion directed in an overarching sentiment of community betterment. He signed off with a tip-of-the-hat to social responsibility: "any student can become a leader." Though “taking action” was a commonly phrased, no clear actions were outlined.

Glotzbach converged with Bennett's agenda. "It is important that we pull in the same direction if we're going to get anything serious done. We are making a concerted effort this year to enhance communication in all kinds of ways across campus." As part of this effort Glotzbach announced that the number of community meetings was increased to once a month, and he established office hours during which anyone can meet with him.

Glotzbach revealed the fiscal year of 2014 concluded with a balanced budget. The current endowment is $340 million, which externally validates the stability of the institution. Moody's issued a stable outlook for Skidmore College this year, an exception to the often negative outlook of higher education in general.

Glotzbach next talked about the robust student body. The class of 2018 was picked from a pool of 8,700 applicants. Of those accepted and attending, 22% are domestic students of color and 10% are international students. The financial aid budget has been increased to $42 million. 42% of student receive financial aid; of those that do, 90% is need based. 100 Thoroughbred athletes were recognized for maintaining a GPA of 3.67 or higher this past spring.

The President happily announced that 32% of our electricity now comes from renewable resources. 40% of campus is powered by geothermal energy. This past August, Skidmore hosted the NY EXCEL Cleantech boot camp (http://www.skidmore.edu/nyexcel/about.php.), during which environmentally-friendly entrepreneurs learned about the most up-to-date business models and strategies that integrate people, profit and planet. Glotzbach spoke highly of the new program. "We saw the introduction of…NY Excel, which is a program to train executives in new business opportunities in renewable energy and energy efficiency."

Answering Bennett's concern for student wages, Glotzbach stated that the Institutional Policy and Planning Committee will begin to review the student minimum wage. "We are looking very seriously at the question of minimum wage. The IPPC will pick that up and I expect to see some movement on that this year."

Academic affairs are prosperous and growing rapidly. The plans (http://www.payette.com/project/2331088-center-for-integrated-sciences.) for the Center of Integrated Sciences have been completed. This 100,000 square foot building will stand behind the Dana Science Center, and construction should begin in the near future.

Although the college campus is alive and well, Glotzbach reminded us that there is always room for improvement. "In student affairs, the focus is creating a community of care and responsibility," he added. "We are all adults. Who decides what we believe? Who decides what we think? Who decides the nature of our social reality? We do." President Glotzbach assured that "we are in this together."

Flutist Amy Porter to perform Oct. 11 at Skidmore’s Arthur Zankel Music Center

By Shelley Curran, managing director; Andrea Wise, director of media relations American flutist Amy Porter will perform with pianist Katie Leung at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Arthur Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore College campus.

A professor at the University of Michigan, Porter received the Henry Russel Award for “distinguished scholarship and conspicuous ability as a teacher.” She is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where she worked closely with Samuel Baron and Jeanne Baxtresser. She also studied with Alain Marion and Peter-Lukas Graf in Austria.

She has educated many musicians with her series of publications, as a master teacher for the MPULSE Summer Institute for advanced high school students at the University of Michigan, and as the past president of the non-profit Southeast Michigan Flute Association. In addition, Porter has taught numerous master classes around the world including Sweden, France, Slovenia, Brazil, Luxembourg, Japan, and Taiwan.

Porter’s concerts have earned acclaim. The New York Times has called her “technically robust and musically forceful.” She has recorded with CBS Masterworks, Boston Records, Equilibrium, and ACA Digital labels, and has won more international competitions than any American flute soloist.

Katie Leung, a two-time winner of the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition, will accompany Porter in this performance. With a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, Leung has performed in the Akademiekonzert at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and at the Hot Springs Music Festival in Arkansas. She has performed many times in both a solo and accompanist roles.

Admission for the Thursday, Oct. 11, event is $8 adults, $5 seniors, retirees, faculty, and staff, and free for students. For advance reservations or more information, visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel or call the Zankel Box Office at (518)-580-5321. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired.

The sound of race, gender, and authenticity to ring out Oct. 2 at Skidmore's Zankel Music Center

By Shelley Curran, managing director; Andrea Wise, director of media relations

Maureen Mahon will deliver a lecture titled “And the Colored Girls Go: African American Women Vocalists and the Sound of Race, Gender, and Authenticity in Rock and Roll” at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the Arthur Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore College campus. The talk is the latest in Skidmore’s Tsou Music Scholar Series.

Mahon, a professor at New York University, is a cultural anthropologist who studies African American music and culture; the construction and performance of race and gender in music; and the relationship between race, class, generation, and culture. She is the author of a book called Right to Rock: The Black Rock Coalition and the Cultural Politics of Race (Duke University Press, 2004), and has published articles in American Ethnologist; Journal of Popular Music Studies; Women and Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture; and Souls: A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture, and Society. Mahon’s many fellowships include a 2013-14 National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship.

The lecture will focus on the experiences and musical style of African American women including P.P. Arnold, Ava Cherry, Merry Clayton, Venetta Fields, Gloria Jones, Clydie King, Claudia Lennear, and Doris Troy. In the late 1960s and 1970s these artists collaborated with such musicians as David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones. Mahon will demonstrate how the African American women helped create the “authentic” sound sought by the white artists with whom they worked. She hopes to highlight the intersection of race, gender, and authenticity in the music of the classic rock era and draw attention to “an under acknowledged aspect of black women’s cultural production.”

Judy Tsou, a member of Skidmore’s Class of 1975 established the Tsou Music Scholar Series to provide both formal and informal interaction of music students with prominent music scholars. The series is designed to extend Skidmore students’ musical education and to provide an introduction to prominent scholars and their work.

Admission for the Thursday, Oct. 2, event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For advance reservations or more information, visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel or call the Zankel Box Office at (518)-580-5321. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired.

The Blue Side: A Congressional Capitulation Sets a Dangerous Precedent

This week, The Skidmore News introduces a new opinion column: Politimore. We've recruited four writers, two liberal and two conservative, to take turns writing on some of the big political issues of the week. The liberal column, The Blue Side, begins with our columnist's thoughts on Obama's approach to ISIS. By Jeremy Ritter-Wiseman, Columnist

When both houses of Congress passed a spending bill last week that approved the training and arming of Syrian opposition forces, it potentially set a dangerous precedent for the war powers of the executive. In his speech to the nation last week, President Obama asserted that he has the authority to address the ISIS (Islamic State, ISIL, pick your poison) threat without congressional approval, but asked for support as he feels “we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together.” The bills were expeditiously passed with bipartisan support, granting Obama’s wish. The legislation, however, only approved the training and arming of Syrian opposition forces; failing to address the President’s claim that he could act independently.

Obama’s legal recourse for extra-congressional action is grounded in 2001 and 2002 congressional approval authorizing force to pursue Al Qaeda and to invade Iraq following 9/11. To many experts, this is an extraordinary assertion as the President is justifying potential military ventures with legislation passed over a decade ago in different circumstances. In preparation for the congressional vote, the administration has characterized ISIS as tantamount to Al Qaeda, as if to assure that the prior authorizations are still relevant. In the administration’s eyes, the threat posed by ISIS rivals that of Al Qaeda and Iraq in the early 2000s. Thus, authorizations from the beginning of the Iraq War should extend to cover the current military intervention.

Without congressional authorization, war powers of the president are largely limited to the ability to repel sudden attacks or direct threats to the nation (shout out to Ronald Seyb). Without a clear threat to national security, the president cannot act without congressional approval. Although Obama has received authorization to train and arm Syrian rebels, congressional silence on his claim to be able to act without new authorization could be interpreted as tacit approval; congressional inaction has been used as legal justification for presidential action in the past. This opens the constitutional floodgates for future executive military action and leaves the door open for Obama to escalate at will.

Congress’s silence on the issue could have consequences in the near future as the U.S. readies itself for yet another military operation poised for escalation. First, Obama has conveyed his readiness to conduct airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, which would represent a direct military intervention into a sovereign nation’s civil war – a daunting realization. Second, military “advisers” have already been sent to Iraq and are advising the Iraqi military in different capacities. However, the line between being an “adviser” and “combat troop” is becoming increasingly muddled. Finally, and perhaps most resonant, is the recent testimony from Obama’s top military adviser, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey. Testifying in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Dempsey noted that if the current strategy failed in eliminating ISIS, he would recommend combat troops by deployed to address the situation. Following weeks of a broken-record Obama constantly reassuring the American public that no U.S. combat troops would be committed to another engagement in Iraq, this recent revelation by the country’s senior-most military adviser is disconcerting. Although Obama wasted no time in once again reaffirming his promise to not send U.S. troops, the apparent convolution within the administration exhibits neither confidence nor coherence in the struggle to eliminate ISIS. Despite Obama’s assurances, such testimony from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs carries great weight.

There is clearly a need to address the crisis plaguing the Levant, and there is currently no reason to believe the President plans on breaking his promise of no “boots on the ground.” However, there is undoubtedly a long road ahead in confronting ISIS, and the possibility for some window of escalation seems likely. Therefore it is imperative that before acting without congressional approval, the administration reports that ISIS presents a direct national security threat and cites updated justifications that do not rely on twelve-year-old legislation as evidence. If this is not realized and Obama exploits the recent congressional capitulation of war powers, it could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.

The authorization to train and arm Syrian opposition forces runs out in December, opening up room for further deliberation. Upon that date, Congress must take up the issue of the early 2000s authorizations being used as legal justification for independent executive action. In its place, a new authorization must be developed that outlines the scope of the Commander-In-Chief’s options in addressing ISIS, and closes the door on ambiguously justified unilateral war powers.

Update: The U.S. announced on Tuesday that airstrikes were carried out against Sunni militants in Syria in conjunction with several other nations.