Campus Safety Reports Feb. 20 - Feb. 26

Friday Feb. 20 Drug Law Violation at Moore Way 9:07 PM: Officers report a drug law violation.

Suspicious Odor McClellan 10:46 PM: Officer reports a drug and alcohol violation.

Saturday Feb. 21

College Violation Dayton Drive 1:28 AM: RP reports noise complaint. Dispatched officers. Occupants agreed to lower music.

Suspicious Odor Jonsson Tower 9:17 PM: RP reports a suspicious odor outside the basement. Officer dispatched. Unfounded – no odor present upon their arrival.

College Violation Moore Way 11:37 PM: RP reports a loud party. Disp. Officers who report locating two apartments with loud music. Both were asked to lower the volumes and both complied without further incident.

Sunday Feb. 22

Criminal Mischief Kimball Hall: 12:27am - Officer discovered the vending machine in the first floor lobby had been tipped over or rocked as the items were dislodged from their holders. Photo taken. No known witnesses at this time.

Criminal Mischief McClellan Hall 2:21am - RP states residents just woke her up stating a loud group of males put a very large hole in the hallway wall. No known suspects and no descriptions available. Advised Officers.

Criminal Mischief McClellan Hall 2:36am - RP contacted Campus Safety stating he just observed a male punch a hole in the wall on the 2nd floor. Disp. Officers.

Suspicious Activity Perimeter Road 2:22am - RP observed a male walking in the middle of the Perimeter Road, staggering and feels that he may get hurt. Disp. Officer who conducted a search of the area as well as Clinton Street to no avail. Subject apparently GOA at this time.

Criminal Mischief Wiecking Hall 11:56am: RP reports broken light bulb and cover. Officer dispatched. Advised Housekeeping and Maintenance as well for clean-up and repairs.

Fire Alarm Sussman Apartments 6:15pm: Fire alarm sounded on the DMP Computer for Sussman B. Disp. Officers, Maintenance and advised SSFD. Resident called stating the alarm is due to them cooking and there is no problem.

Suspicious Odor Jonsson Tower11:36pm: RP called stating there is an odor of marijuana on the second floor. Disp. Officer who reports unable to locate any source of the odor at this time.

Monday Feb. 23

Fire Alarm Sussman Apartments 6:33 PM: Fire alarm activation received. Disp. Officers, Maintenance and advised SSFD.

Suspicious Odor Campus Wide 9:00 PM: RP called to report problematic emails that are being sent to the class of 2015 list. Disp. officer.

Fire Alarm Sussman Apartments 10:38 PM: Fire alarm activation received. Disp. Officers, Maintenance and advised SSFD. Officers report alarm due to cooking.

Suspicious Odor McClellan Hall 11:21 PM: Suspicious odor report received. Disp. Officers.

College Violation Penfield Hall 10:47 PM: RP called to report a noise complaint. Disp. Officers reported upon arrival found a person in the area reading. No further problems at this time.

Tuesday Feb. 24

Accident Wilmarth Hall 3:30 pm. RP reports a window was broken accidentally. Disp. Officer.

Wednesday Feb. 25

College Violation Wait Hall 1:10 AM: RP stated loud noise. Officer dispatched.

Criminal Mischief McClellan Hall 7:49AM: RP reports a hole in the wall in the stairwell. Officer dispatched and took photos. Canvassed area for witnesses or perpetrators with negative results.

Fire Alarm Sussman Apartments 1:29PM: Received a fire alarm. Dispatched Officers, Maintenance and advised SSFD. Source found to be cooking.

Fire Alarm Sussman Apartments 3:46 pm Received a Fire Alarm. Dispatched Officers, Maintenance and advised SSFD. Resident reports cooking was the cause of the alarm. Advised Officers, Maintenance and SSFD.

Thursday Feb. 26

Suspicious Odor Jonsson Tower 4:50 PM: RP reports suspicious odor in north stairwell. RP cannot locate source. Disp. Officer who could not locate source.

Suspicious Odor Wait Hall 10:31 PM RP reports a suspicious odor. Disp. Officers.

The Perception Painter

 

Danielle Rubin 2017, Skidmore News photographer

Story By: Douglas Patrick ’18, Contributing Writer

"The Perception Painter"

Molly listened as Adam told his friends at his lunch table of his English teacher’s stupidity. Adam had been given a week to write a poem about something he found either particularly beautiful or disturbing. His clumsily peach-fuzzed chin and neck moved dumbly while he explained his taking of a poem off the internet nearly word-for-word. He, then, followed by saying he had received a superior mark on “his work.”

The way he put it, as he pushed his moppy dark hair out of his brown eyes, was “poetry sucks, why should I write more of it for the world to not read?” His friends laughed around Molly while she sat silently. Her arm began to press down more tightly over her light blue covered notebook that laid on the table full of stanzas and rhyme.

. . .

“Ah, yes.” The painter’s face of wisdom glowed while he said his thoughts aloud. A delicate stroke of black is given as his gift to the easel. His canvas stood within a cloudy, white room. On two wooden stands that created a “U” with the easel, were an array of paints; the painter stood between them. On the right side of the painter were beautifully vibrant full containers of blues, purples, yellows, whites, and greens that stood proudly. On the left, half-used containers of dark reds, deceitful blacks, and sad grays awaited their inevitable use. After putting his brush down, he took a small, careful step back and looked upon his work with an expert eye.  Satisfied, he turned to the door and walked out into the pink hallways of Molly’s brain.

. . .

The bell interrupted Adam’s rant on poetry to signal that lunch was over.  The tables of people sprang into action. Molly pulled her backpack up off the floor by its right strap. Halfway through her forceful tug she realized, much too late, that the big pocket was left unzipped and the contents flipped out on to the cafeteria tiles.

Adam heard the splashing of papers and realized what had happened. He walked quickly over to Molly and, while standing over her, asked, “Need any help Molly?”

. . .

The painter stopped in his tracks during his trek down the walkway. “Oh, of course, I must add that!” He thought aloud once more. He rushed to the door he had just shut and threw it open while the block letters that read “Adam” flew past his face while the door flew open. The easel awaited him and he nearly jumped to the bright wooden stand to his right to make his addition. He picked up his brush and dipped it–but the bristles didn’t wet with a light blue. They hit the paint like a wall. The painter tried again and again. The black quills just pushed back up to the handle, refusing to dip into the paint.

. . .

Molly looked up from her gathering of books and loose papers off the floor and into the dark brown eyes of Adam. She replied, “No. I’m perfectly fine without any of your help.” And a confused Adam made no attempt to insist and walked away.

Molly knew one thing for certain, the paint had dried.

Which Skidmore Sports Team Do You Belong On?

Which Skidmore Sports Team Do You Belong On?

1) Which of these is more important to you?

1. a) Booty
2. b) Beer
3. c) Bitches
4. d) Global Warming

2) Area of study?

1. a) Self-declared Film Studies
2. b) Gender Studies/ Environmental Studies with a focus on the testing of Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara on small female rodents
3. c) Culinary Arts
4. d) Defense Against the Dark Arts

3) Favorite euphemism for breasts?

1. a) Cans
2. b) Melons
3. c) Jugs
4. d) Coconuts

4) Buddy the elf! What's your favorite color?

1. a) Primary. Wait, did you say kind of color or did you want a specific color?
2. b) Covergirl Clump Crusher in the shade Brownish Black
3. c) Aubergine
4. d) Green

5) Can you even catch?

1. a) Dad wasn't around much when I was young, so the neighbor taught me how to catch. It wasn't until last year that I found out about him and Ma.
2. b) Yes, but I'd prefer not to.
3. c) Honestly? Not so much.
4. d) I can only catch things with my mouth.

6) What team do you want to be on?

1. a) Real talk? I don't even know what sports teams we have here.
2. b) I wanted to go out for women's lacrosse but I'm a man and they have, like, zero respect for my gender expression. I guess men's lacrosse.
3. c) The one with the ponies!
4. d) Umm, duh, the one where I get to fly around on a motha-truckin broomstick! Huh? Wait... what do you mean? Then how do they even—? Oh, fuck it.

If you answered mostly A...

Hockey! Looks like you know a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to pucks. Try it! If that doesn't work out, you could always try something else, like Netflix.

If you answered mostly B...

Congrats! You were practically born to wield a lacrosse stick. Start growing your mullet and head to the Skid Shop to purchase some of that Vineyard Vines gear all the kids are wearing these days.

If you answered mostly C...

Honey, this is your mother. I know things have been hard for you socially this semester. I think that joining the soccer team is a great idea. You'll meet so many friendly people. In the mean time, try bringing cookies to your classes! That seems like a neat way to make friends!

If you answered mostly D...

You're the Chosen One. No, not chosen to defeat the dark lord or take me to prom. You've been chosen to join the Quidditch team! Fly like an eagle!

Skidmore Madlibs "My Friday Night"

By Nicole Smith, Pulp co-editor

My Friday Night

It began when I invited my ____ (noun)_____ over to my house at around 7 p.m. I was _____(adverb)___ cooking a dinner of _____(food)___ for the both of us when my friend asked us what we should ___(verb )___ tonight. I decided to text ____(person)___ to see what they were doing tonight. They replied that they were going to __ __(place)___ and suggested that we come along. Once we arrived, we immediately began ___(verb ending in –ing)___ and ___(verb ending in –ing)___. We soon become bored of this and decided to go to ___(place)___. So we called a ____(noun)___ and _ __(verb)___there. When we arrived, everyone was ____(verb ending in-ing)___. We stayed all night and had a lot of ____(noun)____. Everything turned into a ____(adjective)____ mess. We had no idea where we were or how to get home. We ended up getting lost in ___(place)___ for ____(number)___ ____(unit of time)___. Finally! We arrived at home, were both of us had a ____(adjective)___ night sleep, until tomorrow.

"Dance Delight" Illuminates Skidmore's Best Performers

By Madeleine Freundlich, Contributing Writer

This past Saturday, Skidmore students got to experience an impressive array of incredible dancers. Performance groups and soloists joined forces to create the spectacular show, "Dance Delight." This collaboration was the first of its kind, and included every student-run dance group on campus, as well as a talented hip-hop group from Siena College. After the first half of the show, Skidmore and Siena dancers independently faced off in one-on-one dance battles. Officiated by break-dancer and hip-hop pioneer "Crazy Legs," dancers of all different styles each had a minute to improvise their best moves to a variety of pop, dance, and hip-hop music. The competitors primarily performed in a style that could be categorized as a fusion of hip-hop and breakdance, although jazz and even ballet influences could be seen.

The show was designed and executed by Daniel Li of 213 Crew. When asked about the performance, Li said he was very happy with how the event turned out, and the best part was to watch the dancers "communicate and inspire each other with their moves, and free themselves within diverse styles." Every competitor was in fact quite unique, from Prince Tsabedze's impressive micro-isolations to Michaela Ritz's funky and graceful moves. All of the competitors exuded joy and confidence, responding to each other with playful mimicry. John Li, well known for his sensual yet sharp style, was crowned champion of the competition after several very intense battles. Li's performance showed off both his technique and passion. Students watching the dancers said they were surprised and impressed by the sheer amount of talent displayed. Daniel Li says he would love to make this show an annual tradition, to "teach the history, concepts, and foundation of hip-hop" to Skidmore students for years to come.

Weekend A&E Briefing

Ad-Libs Improv Audition

Feb. 27, 3:30 p.m., JKB upstairs studios

Newbie Show

Feb. 28, 9:30 p.m., Wiecking Basement

Try some improv, audition to join the Ad-Libs, or just enjoy the newbies in their first mini show.

American Flute Performance

Feb. 27, 8 p.m., Zankel

A concert of American flute music is to be performed by Jan Vinci and pianist Reiko Uchida. It is free and open to the public.

The Penelopiad

Feb. 27 – March 4, 8 p.m. (Sunday at 2 p.m.), JKB Theater

Written by Margaret Atwood and directed by Emily Moler, the Penelopiad is a play that takes on a modern twist of The Odyssey. Atwood has chosen to give a voice to Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and to her twelve maids. In this dazzling, playful retelling, the story becomes as wise and compassionate as it is haunting, and as wildly entertaining as it is unsettling. With wit and verve—drawing on the story-telling and poetic talent for which she herself is renowned—Atwood gives Penelope new life and reality, and sets out to provide an answer to an ancient mystery. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for the general public.

South Asian Festival

Feb. 28, 3 p.m.-6 p.m., Tang Museum

Come celebrate South Asian culture, organized by Hayat Skidmore College and the Tang in conjunction with the exhibition “Realms of Earth and Sky: Indian Painting from the 15^th-19^th Century.” There will be performances by Veena Chandra and Devesh Chandra, as well as art-making activities, Henna, and Indian food!

Sketchies Sweet Sixteen

Feb. 28, 10:30 p.m., Gannett Auditorium

The Sketchies present their Alumni in a one-night only performance.

Student Athlete Profile: Sukie Emerson '16

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Q: Where are you from? A: Norwich, Vermont

Q: What is your major? What do you plan to do after Skidmore? A: I’m a business and management major and a Chinese minor. I plan to attempt to find a job after college and earn some money before hopefully going to graduate school.

Q: When did you start rowing? A: I started rowing freshman year of high school.

Q: Why do you love crew? A: There are many aspects I love about this sport, from the intensity, to [my] teammates, to the fluidity of every stroke. I love that, for me, [crew] really is the definition of a team sport, because when we cross the finish line everybody is in it together. In other sports, people can stand out, and people can still stand out in crew. However, when it comes to race day we are all put in a boat together and with every stroke, we are moving as one to make the boat go as fast as possible.

Q: How are you preparing for your upcoming season? Do you feel good about the prospects? A: I am preparing for the upcoming season by trying to get on a regular and healthy sleep and work schedule, since crew practice is, for the most part, in the mornings. As I was abroad last semester studying in China, I had difficulty staying on a good workout routine. However, [after] coming back in December, I tried as hard as I could to make up for lost ground. I feel good about the prospects because every season brings the good prospects of winning and working hard and, inevitably, the not so good ones.

Q: How does your team bond with their new members? A: Since I was not here when new members initially came onto the team [this year], I am somewhat out of the loop. However, as I have been the new member since coming back (with those who joined while I was abroad), I would say team bonding has been slow but steady, and has picked up since official practice started.

Q: What is one thing you want the student body to know about your team? A: I want the student body to know that my team is accepting of everyone, and once you're accepted to the team, you're part of the family. There is something truly special about having the support of teammates.

Q: What’s a favorite memory you have from being on the team? What’s been your greatest accomplishment? A: My favorite memory of being on a team has been spring breaks, when we go to Tennessee for a week of spring training. To say the least, it is far from a break because we are training heavily each day. But we use the time off well, by telling stories and cooking and relaxing and bonding. I think my greatest accomplishment was a couple years ago, at New York State Championships, when my boat was competing in one of the final heats. We somehow managed to pull into second in the end, through the tears, the pain, and the passion.

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about joining a team but are worried about balancing schoolwork and athletics? A: I would just say, try it. You won't know if you don't try, and yes, there will be hard times, but the good ones often outweigh the bad. So just give it a try – if it's not for you, then it's not for you, but balancing schoolwork should not be a huge factor impeding a new passion that you may truly come to love.

Editorial: Facing Sexual Assault on Campus

 

By the Editorial Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Open Letter to the Community

Dear Friends, Peers, Classmates, and all Skidmore Community Members,

As members of this community, we are writing in support of the recent efforts to bring attention to sexual and gender-based misconduct (SGBM) at Skidmore. This is an issue we have been working as SGA to address since the start of the academic year. Through the It's Happening Here campaign and our work with the Advisory Council on SGBM, we have made strides to effect concrete policy changes that prioritize student safety and promote a zero-tolerance environment. Reina Kiefer’s readmission hearing protest on March 13 is one of the many examples of activism we have been calling for this year. We urge students to attend this peaceful protest to show our Student Body’s support for survivors across our campus. SGBM happens far too often at Skidmore and, as students, we must stand up together and work to prevent it.

It is time to become the zero-tolerance campus we wish to be. When a community member commits a sexual crime, we should not welcome that person on our campus. SGA has been working with the Advisory Council, the Vice President/Dean of Student Affairs, and other parties to make significant revisions to the SGBM policy, including:

1. Changing sanction language to state that the College expects the SGBM Hearing Board to expel students found in violation in all cases of SGBM.
2. When the Board does not choose expulsion, it must justify its decision in a written rationale for the case's official record, which would be available to both parties.
3. Expanding definitions of SGBM to include types of misconduct Skidmore does not currently account for, such as emotional and financial abuse.

Thanks to the work of the many student leaders and the responsiveness of the Advisory Council to our serious recommendations, we are happy to announce that changes along these lines and more are likely to be added to the official policy very soon.

We know the numbers. Too many students of all genders experience SGBM while at college. Furthermore, the statistics available to us at this moment suggest that offenders will take advantage of other individuals more than once. According to Jed Rubenfeld in his 2014 New York Times article, Mishandling Rape, “Research suggests that more than 90 percent of campus rapes are committed by a relatively small percentage of college men — possibly as few as 4 percent — who rape repeatedly, averaging six victims each. Yet these serial rapists overwhelmingly remain at large, escaping serious punishment.” At the start of this year, we knew we needed to work toward practices that acknowledge this reality and adequately sanction all sexual offenders.

We are proud to say that progress has already been made so that students will not have to go through what Reina is going through moving forward. However, at this moment, there are wrongs that must be corrected if Skidmore truly does hold its community values to a high standard. We are here to represent and stand by each and every student on this campus and to advocate for what is right.

As student leaders -- but most importantly, as Skidmore students -- who have taken on this task of advocating for changes to our policy and culture, we have been heartbroken and humbled to hear stories from our friends and peers who have experienced SGBM at Skidmore. Whatever our policies may state, in the very real experiences of these innocent survivors, Skidmore does not always appear to prioritize their needs over those of the individuals found in violation.

To Hearing Board administrators and faculty: We implore you to remember the voice of the student body and the changes we have been advocating. Do not allow rapists to be a part of our community.

To the students: We urge you to take notice of this issue, educate yourself, and take steps to establish yourself as our ally against SGBM. We look forward to changes not only to our policy, but also to our culture, and we need your commitment to achieve that end.

To survivors: We admire your strength, and we offer you our advocacy as peers and friends. Please know that you have the support of an overwhelming majority of students and their representatives through SGA. We respect the difficult burden that you must bear, and we hope that the increased attention drawn to this issue will serve to combat without causing further harm.

We hope that our friends, peers, and classmates become our allies in setting Skidmore's community standards on sexual and gender-based misconduct to a level as high we believe they should be.

Sincerely,

Soraya and Addison

Soraya Attia                                                                Addison Bennett

Senior Class President                                   Student Government Association President

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

by Silas Phipps-Costin '16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates to Speak at Skidmore Next Week

 

By Tara Lerman '15

Ta-Nehisi Coates, a celebrated American journalist, will deliver the Student Government Association (SGA) keynote speech on Thursday, March 5 at 8p.m. in Gannett Auditorium. Coates is a national correspondent and blogger for The Atlantic, where he covers significant social and political issues such as poverty, drug abuse, and racial discrimination. In 2008, Coates published his memoir The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood, a moving story about inner-city adolescence and the power of family. Coates served as the Martin Luther King visiting associate professor at MIT for the 2012-2013 academic year and held the position of Journalist-in-Residence at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism this past fall.

But before Coates was a nationally renowned author, educator, and journalist, he was just a student who loved to read and write. After high school, he matriculated at Howard University but later dropped out to pursue a career in journalism. He began working as an intern at the Washington City Paper under the mentorship of David Carr, the editor-in-chief at the time. Coates eventually went on to work for The Village Voice and TIME, and has contributed to The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Coates' recent articles include "King David," a piece commemorating David Carr and "The Broad, Inclusive Canvas of Comics," an investigation of the lack of diversity in Hollywood adaptations of comic book characters.

The SGA Speaker’s Bureau has worked hard to provide funding and logistical support for this event. “The piece that brought Mr. Coates to my attention was ‘The Good, Racist People,’ written after Forest Whitaker was accused of shoplifting in a deli near his NYC apartment in 2013, about the impact of well-meaning white people. He’s been on my radar since, and I always thought he’d be an incredible voice to hear on campus,” said Hope Spector, the elected Chair of Speaker’s Bureau (who is also an Op-Ed Editor for The Skidmore News).

Coates was awarded the Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism in 2012 and the 2014 George Polk Award in Commentary for his in-depth study of institutionalized racism in housing and development, "The Case for Reparations." Coates is also well respected for his investigative skills and innovative prose throughout the sphere of professional journalism. In an article featured in The New York Observer, Jordan Michael Smith writes, "Mr. Coates is the single best writer on the subject of race in the United States." Hendrik Hertzberg, political commentator for The New Yorker, calls Coates "one of the most elegant and sharp observers of race in America." And Rachel Maddow of MSNBC has admitted that she "doesn't know if, in U.S. commentary, there is a more beautiful writer than Ta-Nehisi Coates."

At the lecture, Coates will discuss how race is lived in the United States. This event is free of charge and open to the public.

Marta Brunner Announced as New College Librarian

 

By Noa Maltzman ’18, News Editor

Skidmore College recently announced that Marta Brunner would be the new college librarian. Brunner will be replacing Ruth Copans, who will be retiring this year. Copans has been at Skidmore since 1991 and has served as the college librarian for over a decade.

Brunner, who is originally a graduate of Goshen College in Goshen Indiana, is coming to Skidmore from the University of California Los Angles. Currently, she is the head of Collections, Research, and Instructional Services at the Charles E. Young Research Library at UCLA.

Brunner was one of forty people who applied for the job. The search committee—made up of students, faculty, and staff—worked with Storbeck/Pimentel to conduct a national search and narrow down the list of forty candidates. Out of the forty candidates, ten were invited to do Skype interviews. “We spent more than an hour talking to each candidate,” said Linda Hall, professor of English and member of the search committee. Four of the ten candidates, including Brunner, were invited to campus this past December. Ultimately, of the four of them, the search committee choose Brunner to be the new librarian.

Everyone on the committee was looking for something different in the new librarian, but Sam Harris ’15, a student member on the committee, said that “it was clear that the new head librarian needed to be someone with a strong vision of where libraries and academia are going, someone who works very well managing others, and someone who really fits into our very specific community.”

Bringing a student perspective to the committee, Harris said that he and Shannon Keane '15 “were focused on finding someone who prioritized student involvement in the direction of the library, as well as someone who was invested in student research. The library is an incredible resource, and we wanted someone who wanted to help students utilize the library in the best way possible.”

Copans had the unique opportunity of meeting one-on-one with each of the four candidates who were brought to campus, and when asked if she had any advice for Brunner she said, “I guess my one piece of advice would be to take whatever time she needs to understand the local culture, and what our students, faculty, and staff expect of the library.”

Though Brunner is coming “from a large university system, she has a keen interest in the digital humanities that will serve her well at Skidmore,” said Bill Duffy, the Chief Technology Officer.

“Despite my rewarding experiences at UCLA and other large universities over the past fifteen years or so, the prospect of continuing my career at Skidmore College feels like coming home for me,” said Brunner in her cover letter. Brunner will officially be joining the Skidmore community in July. “Marta has some rather large shoes to fill, though everyone on the search committee is confident in her ability to even exceed our expectations,” said Harris.

BANFF Film Festival Review

By Hannah Fowler '18, Contributing Writer

Thirty-five hundred miles, two men, and one boat. James Addair and Ben Stenning attempted the seemingly impossible: to row across the Indian Ocean without a support boat. This was just one of the incredible stories in the film productions featured at the Banff Film Festival World Tour. The Outing Club hosted the event on Friday, Feb. 15 in Zankel, featuring a total of 10 film productions.

It opened with a brief voice-over announcing the mission of the film festival: "...To reveal and protect our amazing planet…” The films then displayed breathtaking views and images of people performing all types of stunts such as flipping, paragliding and purely appreciating the outdoors.

The first film was from Sweet Grass Productions. "Afterglow" captured the sensational feat of skiers in neon suits skiing down all types of Alaskan slopes at crazy speeds. It was all filmed at night and the skiers wore custom-made light emitting diode (LED) suits that contained over 7,000 LEDS. It took nine planes to haul all the equipment to the mountains. One of the skiers commented on how they couldn't even see where they were going because it was so bright. The film truly demonstrates not only the amazing effects of technology through the LED suits and innovative filming experience, but the pure love the skiers have for the mountains and sense of trust they place within the environment and themselves enough to ski down the dangerous slopes practically blind to demonstrate the beauty of them.

The next film was an Uncage the Soul production called "Mending the Line." The film told the story of Frank Moore, a 90-year-old World War II veteran and an exceedingly talented fly fisher. The story shares his journey back to Normandy to return to the rivers he saw as a soldier to fly fish.

The two other films presented were "Happy Winter" and "Touch" which were great and had beautiful aesthetics. But the film featured right before intermission, "And Then We Swam," told the incredible story of James Addair and Ben Stenning. Having never rowed before, it was almost comical at the beginning thinking that these two relatively unexperienced men were going to row 3,500 miles across the Indian Ocean with no back up or support. Following the ups and downs of their travel as their set sail from the west coast of Australia, one could not help but root for them every step of the way as they pressed on despite broken equipment, only being able to listen to the call to prayer on the radio and a huge wave that knocked them both off the boat forcing them to swim three miles to a nearby reef. Experiencing hypothermia and all types of shock and exhaustion, the two almost didn't make it until a rescue boat picked them off the reef. They both discussed the awe and wonderment they now have for the water, environment around them and their lives in general. Addair stated, "It gives us a new focus to life."

The festival concluded with five more film productions all of equal wonder, breathtaking scenery and life changing meanings. The event was an overall success and the Outing Club did an excellent job hosting and facilitating the event.

Student Athlete Profile: Samantha Skott '15

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Q: Where are you from?

A: I'm from Hoosick Falls, NY, a little town about an hour away from here.

Q: What’s your major? What do you plan to do after Skidmore (the dreaded question!)?

A: I'm a biology major with an education minor, and I've been accepted to Union Graduate College to pursue my master's in education for biology next year. I'm also applying for a teaching fellowship opportunity, so ideally I'll be very busy next year!

Q: What position do you play? When did you start playing softball?

A: I'm an outfielder, and I actually didn't start playing softball until I was 11 — my little brother joined little league and I got jealous that he was having all the fun, so I had to sign up, too.

Q: Why do you love softball?

A: The thing I love most about softball is simply that anything can happen on any given day. Nothing is ever certain. You may end up scoring a bunch of runs in the seventh inning to overcome a huge deficit and win the game!

Q: How are you preparing for your upcoming season? Do you feel good about the prospects?

A: Well, we’ve already been practicing for about a month, and while it’s hard to get a realistic practice in a gym, we’re certainly doing everything we can to be ready for our season opener next month. I think we have a lot of talent on this year’s roster, and we’ve started a solid foundation for the program. I’m really excited to see what happens this season.

Q: How does the softball team bond with their new members?

A: As with just about any team you’ll find, we have certain traditions that we like to maintain. Just the other day, we made locker room signs for the season. But for us, our spring break trip to Florida is probably when the most bonding happens. It’s hard to not learn a few things about each other when you’re living together for a week!

Q: What’s one thing you want the student body to know about your team?

A:I think one thing that everyone should know about Skidmore’s teams in general is just how hard everyone works, and how much effort is put into a team’s success. It’s a big time commitment, and I think Skidmore’s athletes really embody what it is to be [a] collegiate athlete.

Q: What’s a favorite memory you have from being on the team? What’s been your greatest accomplishment?

A: It’s almost impossible to pick just one memory. But I know at the end of the year when it’s all said and done, what I’m going to remember most is all the teammates that I’ve had over the past four years that have really made this experience worthwhile. That being said, our greatest accomplishment was probably reaching the Liberty League playoffs last year for only the second time in [program’s] history.

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about joining a team but are worried about balancing schoolwork and athletics?

A: Honestly, I think being on a team really makes me value the free time that I have. I know when I need to get my work done, so it really forces me to manage my time well.

Comfest Reactions: Gentlemen Party and Baby Wants Candy

 

By Janine Kritschgau '18, Features Editor

My experience at the 26th Annual Comfest was pretty good. I attended the very last show, on Sunday Feb. 15, in which professional groups Gentlemen Party and Baby Wants Candy performed. Gentleman Party, a Chicago-based troupe made up of six males and a female, opened the event. The group performed a handful of prepared sketches. One of the most popular-- based on the audience's reaction-- was their very first. The skit was a playful take on mind-trickery in which the audience is convinced a man is addressing his children as “little mangoes,” but the mangoes are actually fruit. The hilarious skit closed with the words “you’re crazy!” projected on the set. The audience went wild.

Crowd members seemed more divided during other sketches. For example, one sketch, where a pastor is attempting to baptize a child but becomes feverishly concerned about some rancid room-temperature shrimp he had just consumed, was so repetitive and feverish that some audience members were not left laughing.

Baby Wants Candy, however, delivered a strong performance from start to finish. By inviting a random volunteer to the stage and conducting a short interview about their life, the cast improvised a series of scenes that satirically replicated the volunteer’s life story. This seemed impressive enough, but ultimately was just a warm-up for the lengthy, completely improvised musical the group went on to perform.

Audience suggestions for the title of the musical were plentiful. The group led an audience cheer contest to decide between two options: “The True Meaning of the Color Blue” (which was an audience suggestion used in a recent Ad-Lib performance at JKB), and “Downton Rabbi.” The latter won.

What followed was an impressive forty-five minute performance. The actors were surprisingly good singers, who artfully created spontaneous songs including choruses sung in unison and various verses. An equally impressive improv band accompanied the actors during each song. Horse impersonations and proclamations of love for a ‘Lady Mary’ played by troupe member Rachel Wenisky highlighted the performance. The crowd was consistently entertained throughout the musical, and left the theater with the satisfaction of a night well spent.

Michael Bérubé Comes to Skidmore, Talks Value of Humanities

By Allison Trunkey '18

Michael Bérubé is a leading scholar of American literature and disability studies, Professor of Literature and Director of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities at Penn State, author of soon-to-be eight books, including Life As We Know It: A Father, A Family, and an Exceptional Child. He is altogether an esteemed member of the academic community, and “one of academia’s most wanted,” as Professor Barbara Black terms him in her welcoming monologue at Bérubé’s lecture on campus on February 12.

The atmosphere in the crowded Filene Hall grew anticipatory as Professor Bérubé walked to the podium and smiled affably. He began with a casual anecdote about a graduate professor with a hamartia for square white ties, garnering several laughs from the audience, and promptly dove into the presentation: The Value—And the Values—of the Humanities.

Bérubé made clear throughout his lecture that he is a strong supporter of the humanities and the creative discourse that is so essential to a liberal arts education. He teasingly referred to himself as “a humanist with an asterisk and a twenty-page annotation.”

Perhaps the most interesting and speculative portion of his lecture concerns what he calls, “the Universal,” meaning universal values, which we typically understand to transcend societal boundaries. Bérubé claims that on the contrary, the concept of the Universal, with roots in the Enlightenment, has imposed perimeters on values and on what we consider human, and that this ultimately degrades our collective society.

Bérubé suggests that our current understanding of universalism is not quite universal enough. Debating the “value of values,” in a sense, has been the missing component in the development of the concept. While many Western civilizations might admit we need expanded human rights, such a pursuit becomes murkier when we have to consider what constitutes a ‘right.’ What makes something universal? Bérubé notes that for centuries, the Divine Right of Kings might have been considered universal, and yet today, few in the West would acknowledge the legitimacy of that ideology. Rather, we debate women’s rights, gay rights, disability rights, and animal rights, to name a few.

This kind of discussion has rallied people for centuries: we might consider war an extreme manifestation of humanity’s inability to reconcile opinions over values, or the debate over welfare in our country a tragic one. Who decides which values are substantial enough to warrant the term ‘universal?’ We will likely never know, or else we will find it somewhere around a “children’s theme park at the border of Israel and Palestine,” as Bérubé notes sardonically.

And yet, he concludes, the only platform on which we can openly discuss such ideas as universalism, the only way we can criticize it effectively and with purpose, is in the context of universalism itself. We are condemned to forever debate the system of values that govern our societies, but in the end, perhaps we are better for it.

Editorial: We Should Not Divest

By the Editorial Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Skidmore College considers divestment from fossil fuel companies

There has been increasing momentum in addressing the mounting issue of climate change in recent years. Since 2013, the Task Force on Divestment (TFD) at Skidmore College has been conducting research on the possibility of divesting the College’s investments from fossil fuel companies at the behest of student activists and the Student Government Association (SGA). In February of 2015, the TFD released the first assessment of a two-part process which ends with a recommendation to the Board of Trustees concerning divestment from fossil fuels. Their Divestment Review details the ethical significance of divestment from fossil fuels and provides a cost-benefit analysis done by Colonial Consulting, Skidmore's investment advisor.

The TFD upholds the environmental and social responsibilities of the College as a corporate citizen of the world. The report states:

“Skidmore has recognized the important role that institutions of higher education must play in major societal issues, and this is reflected in our institutional strategic goal of preparing every student to make the choices of an informed, responsible citizen at home and in the world. Furthermore, we acknowledge the deep connection between our commitment to responsible citizenship and our institutional behavior - especially in the realm of environmental awareness and sustainability.”

The TFD is responding to the urgency of reducing carbon emissions in order to prevent the irreversible negative impacts of global warming. These consequences were delineated by 44 scientific institutions from over a dozen countries in The Emissions Gap Report 2013. The report warns that if carbon emissions are not substantially cut by 2020, global temperatures will rise beyond the two degrees Celsius which the scientific community uses as the threshold beyond which global warming will incur irreversible ecological damage. Divestment is a strategy that, although would have little effect on the market value of fossil fuel companies, would send a message to these companies and to the general public. The report states:

“Arguments cited in favor of fossil fuel divestment… focus more on financial risk (to the investor), matching investment decisions with values, creating sustained public pressure and visibility, and finally, fostering an informed public debate.”

The TFD recognizes that the college is undergoing a moral as well as a financial deliberation. Skidmore is not alone nor is it the first; a large number of colleges and universities in the United States and elsewhere have decided on the issue of divestment from fossil fuels. Among those who chose divestment are Pitzer College, Stanford University, Hampshire College, University of Dayton, and Unity College. Reasons cited for the decision to divest include a desire for global sustainability , to support sustainable local enterprises, and to reduce environmental social inequality. Among those who chose not to divest are Vassar College, Bates College, Harvard University, Brown University, and Wellesley College. Reasons cited for the decision to not divest were primarily financial: divestment was seen as too difficult due to the complex and conglomerated nature of the investments and/or comparable non-fossil fuel investment alternatives were unable to be found.

Skidmore’s investment portfolio is also complex and conglomerated, containing many hedge funds with multiple investments in fossil fuel companies. Divestment would not be as straightforward as pulling out from fossil fuel companies directly. Since hedge funds are generally unwilling to tailor a portfolio for a specific client, divestment would require removing all funds from these hedge funds. The report states:

“Skidmore's total investment funds of about $377 million are actively managed by 40-50 managers in largely comingled funds, and our endowment income supports everything from scholarships to personnel to collaborative research. Based on an analysis by Colonial Consulting, we currently invest between 3-5 percent of our endowment in fossil-fuel assets.”

Although research has been undertaken to explore the effects of divestment on the finances of other colleges and universities that made the decision to divest, the results are inconclusive due to the recent nature of these divestments and the time-lag between the decision to divest and divestment actions.

Colonial Consulting “forecasts that full divestment would reduce the financial return on the endowment (over the next 10 years) from 8.3 percent annually to 6.4 percent annually, resulting in an endowment value that is $120 million lower than it would have been without divesting from fossil fuels.”

The TFD requests that the public keep in mind the assumptions underlying the assessments of Colonial Consulting. Colonial Consulting remains optimistic about investing in fossil fuel use and simultaneously protecting the environment. In addition, Colonial Consulting believes that the best and most experienced investment managers invest in fossil fuels, and diverting funds to a different manager, even if environmentally conscious, would mean a lower rate of return on investment.

The TFD expresses hopes that the Skidmore community will participate in this momentous deliberation. Open forums are expected to be held on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Times and places are to be announced shortly.

To read the full report, view: file:///home/chronos/u-656d88bce741d62fed8dc984d84fb72a2147bdf8/Downloads/Final%20Phase%201%20Report%20Feb%2013%20(1).pdf

Skidmore Hockey Gears Up for First Round of ECAC East Tournament

By Quint Turner

The Skidmore Men’s Hockey team will play in the quarterfinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East Hockey League this Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7:00 pm against the sixth ranked UMass Beacons at UMass. The winner of the three-round tournament will move on to the NCAA tournament, alongside ten other teams for the Division III Hockey National Championship.

Skidmore finished the season with a record of 4-18-3, but is currently on a six-game losing streak. The Thoroughbreds have played UMass twice this year, losing 6-1 at UMass and then losing 3-1 at home.

“We have shown improvement in every game and we expect the same thing to happen on Saturday against UMass,” said Coach Neil Sinclair. UMass finished the year in second in the ECAC East division with a record of 21-3-1, and are riding a seven-game winning streak.

Potatoes Over South Park

 

By Rhe Civitello

This past Saturday, Feb. 14, the snow banks of Skidmore’s South Park were pelted by an onslaught of Irish potatoes. Armed with sleek launchers made of PVC pipes, members of the Skidmore Space Cadets and Skid Builds met to observe the wonders of physics in action. “This is no huge science experiment, as much as it is a fun activity involving thermodynamics and classical mechanics,” explained Porter Hall ’16. The base of each apparatus was filled with hairspray, which—with the help of a barbecue sparker—caused combustion upon firing. One by one, students took careful aim at the frigid wasteland that is South Park. With a bang, the starchy missiles were sent hurtling through the air, covering an extraordinary distance at a startling speed. Hall attributes this powerful result to a chain of events involving the transfer of heat, mechanical work, and kinetic energy, working together “to create quite a boom.” Although cut short by an encounter with Campus Safety, the launch was an exciting event for all who attended.

Still in its beginning stages as a club, Skid Builds is currently under review by the Student Government Association. By forming the group, the founders of Skid Builds are seeking to cater to all those interested in exploring invention—science majors or not. So far, the club has organized a number of daring projects, including the construction of hovercraft. With SGA approval, Skid Builds hopes to take an active role in the Skidmore Community and beyond, possibly inviting local high schoolers to engage in their future projects.

Update 2/19/15: Skid Builds has been denied a charter by the SGA