On October 18th, 2025, during Parents Weekend, the RA Union protested outside Burgess Cafe for a CBA (collective bargaining agreement) with Skidmore College, of which they have been in the process of bargaining for the past three years. They are demanding a clear and consistent contract, compensation for their training hours, and the ability to choose whether or not they pay for an unlimited meal plan.
Read moreYour Guide to this Year's Saratoga Elections
Voting tables at The Saratoga Springs DPW election in February. Image courtesy of CBS 6 Albany.
Every year, on a Tuesday in November, millions of Americans across the country exercise their civic duty and vote. This year’s election in Saratoga Springs is slated to be particularly contentious, with many vital policies on the ballot, including the recent shutdown of the CDTA Route 452 bus line, which offers direct service to Skidmore campus.
Read moreMamdani Dodges Endorsement of Governor Kathy Hochul
Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and Zohran Mamdani (from left to right) during the NYC Mayoral Debate on October 16. Image courtesy of MSN.
On Sunday, September 14, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for the 2025 New York City race. Mamdani announced his candidacy for the mayoral election in October of 2024 and has since had an extremely successful campaign, primarily focusing on making the city more affordable.
Read moreThe First Phase of a Truce
Palestinians celebrate the news of a potential peace deal in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Thursday. Image courtesy of AFP via Getty Images.
On October 8th, 2025, Israel and Hamas negotiators met in Egypt and agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire agreement. This monumental task was achieved not through direct discussion between parties, but through intermediaries from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as American businessman and son-in-law of President Trump, Jared Kushner, and the United States’ Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Read moreTrey Reed's Death in Question
On Monday, September 15, as the new school year began on campus at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, the body of 21-year-old student Demartravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging from a tree near the campus pickleball courts.
Read moreDoes Tylenol Cause Autism?
President Trump making an announcement about the link between autism and Tylenol. From left to right: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Donald J. Trump, and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Image courtesy of Local Syracuse.
On September 22nd, US President Donald Trump made an announcement regarding the “Autism Epidemic,” a name to suggest that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has increased in the American population in recent years. Trump advised doctors to not prescribe the pain reliever Tylenol, formally known as acetaminophen, to pregnant women.
Read moreGetting to Know the Fall SGA Candidates
It’s election season. Not a national election, or even a local Saratoga election: it’s time for SGA elections, so let’s learn more about the candidates so you can make an educated choice when you cast your vote tonight.
Read moreThe YIMBY Movement: What Is It?
The San Francisco skyline. Image courtesy of Marti Bug Catcher / Shutterstock.
In Marvin Gaye’s 1971 song Mercy, Mercy, Me (The Ecology), Gaye sings, “What about this overcrowded land, how much more abuse from man can she stand?” Gaye was tapping into a flourishing environmental movement of the ‘70s. This is where the “Yes In My Backyard” (YIMBY) has come in, a pro-housing movement that encourages new housing, urban development, and opposes density limits.
Read moreSkidmore Eliminates SILP and Expands Traditional Language Offerings
Outside a World Languages and Literatures Department office. Image courtesy of Alex Read ‘25.
On March 26, 2025, Skidmore College's World Languages and Literatures Department announced during a Zoom meeting its decision to eliminate the Self-Instructed Language Program (SILP) from the course catalog. SILP allowed students to study a language independently while meeting with an instructor for two hours per week.
Read moreA Conversation with SGA President-Elect Samantha Majiedt
SGA President-Elect Samantha Majiedt’s (‘27) campaign poster. Image courtesy of Samantha Majiedt ‘27/
After an exciting election season, The Skidmore News was excited to sit down with the college’s next SGA President, Samantha Majiedt, to ask how she felt about her victory and her plans for the upcoming semester.
Read moreThe Department of Education: What's Happening?
Image courtesy of educationnext.org.
Over the past few months, the Department of Education has experienced many changes, some of which are causing concern for families, educators, and students across the United States. Among other responsibilities, the DOE is most known for ensuring rights to an equitable education, supporting schools, and providing grants and loans for higher education.
Read moreProven Experience vs. New Perspectives: The SGA Presidential Debate
The SGA Presidential Debate in Gannett Auditorium. Image courtesy of Caleb Taran
Perhaps the most anticipated race of the season is for SGA President, as current President Josh Maxwell ‘26 runs against Vice President for Institutional Diversity, Samantha Majiedt ‘27. Although there have been debates for this position in previous years, none in recent memory has stirred this much excitement—or showcased two very different candidates.
Read moreThe Road to Fair Contracts: Supporting Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Case walkway on a rainy March afternoon. Image courtesy of Caleb Taran ‘25.
On Tuesday, February 25, negotiating representatives from the Skidmore College Administration and the Skidmore non-tenure track (NTT) faculty Union reached a tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for fair contracts. Voting on the CBA will occur on March 17-18, and the agreement will pass if the Union reaches a majority vote.
Read moreLarge-Scale ICE Raids Target Sanctuary Cities Across the Country
An immigration raid in Castalia, Ohio, in June 2018. Image courtesy John Minchillo of Associated Press.
In the months running up to the election, Donald Trump ran on an unyielding immigration agenda that advocated for mass deportations, the militarization of the southern border, and the revocation of birthright citizenship. Two weeks into the new administration, President Trump is attempting to keep his promise of sanctioning mass deportations.
Read more“Tik-Tok": This App’s Time is Running Out
The message that was displayed on the front page of TikTok on January 19th, following its nationwide ban. Image courtesy NPR.
Since its launch in 2016, TikTok, a video-sharing social media app, has gained immense popularity among users of all ages. Users can share a diverse range of videos on TikTok, including lip-syncing, dancing, video edits, cosplay, and product promotions through the app’s TikTok Shop. Despite its popularity, however, the U.S. government has expressed concerns about how the app may compromise national security.
Read moreCalifornia in Flames: Fires Erupt Across the State
Two firefighters battling a blaze. One points towards a house, which is engulfed in flames. Image courtesy of CNN Weather.
Los Angeles residents woke on January 7th to see a world engulfed in relentless, all-consuming flames. California is known for its wildfires and the state’s dry climate and vegetation, brought on by now-common drought conditions, make perfect kindling for fires to rapidly spread over large swaths of land.
Read moreSGA Fall Semester in Review
An SGA meeting this past fall. Image courtesy of Josh Maxwell ‘26.
The Student Government Association (SGA) had a very busy fall semester. From passing important legislation to representing students in College-wide discussions to hosting fun and informative events, the more than 75 members of the SGA worked hard to serve the student body.
Read moreMurder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Sparks Online Criticism of U.S. Health Insurance Companies
Luigi Nicholas Mangione, suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Image courtesy of NBC News.
On December 4, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside an entrance to the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel on West 54th Street in New York City. The suspect, now believed by authorities to be Luigi Nicholas Mangione, age 26, shot him multiple times in the back and legs and fled on an e-bike.
Read moreNorth Korean Involvement Adding to Tensions to Ukraine-Russia War
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and Russian President, Vladimir V. Putin, conversing. Image courtesy of The New York Times.
As of late June, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin have revived a peace of history dating back to the Cold War. Putin and Kim Jung Un signed a mutual defense treaty during a summit in Pyongyang in June, with Putin mentioning that this would be a “breakthrough” in solidifying bilateral relations.
Read moreVoices of the Future: Insights from Skidmore's SGA Elections
The current serving members of the Student Government Association. Image courtesy of Skidmore SGA.
The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived: the Fall 2024 Elections results are in! It’s time to celebrate your newly elected student representatives for the 2024-2025 academic year. This year, we have a dynamic group of leaders stepping up to represent you, each bringing unique perspectives and ambitions to the table.
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