I first heard about the death of Darryl Mount Jr. in April of 2018. I remember the day clearly because I had come to the Saratoga Springs City Hall to interview Mayor Meg Kelly for a statement on the recent sightings of KKK flyers downtown. During our conversation, Mayor Kelly mentioned that she had been working closely with the local police department--particularly with the then-Police Chief Greg Veitch-- on preserving the town’s safety and ensuring that this would not happen again. It struck me during our interview that I needed to learn more about the city’s police department as our local authority of protection. After, I googled the Saratoga Springs Police Department and fell into the story of Darryl Mount Jr.
Read moreBlack Authored Books and Poetry: Reading List
Words have the power to inform the world, to honor the memory of those who have died, and most importantly, to destroy the silence. Reading novels and poems written by Black writers brings awareness about the experiences of Black people and educates us on the realities of discrimination and anti-Black racism. I have compiled a reading list of my favorite works that use the strength of language to write about social, racial, gender, and identity issues that depict experiences of being Black.
Read moreWeekly Haiku: The Sun
the warmth of the sun
its warmth like a hot shower
burns my back bright red
Dear Readers, A Letter from Skidmore News' Editor-in-Chief
Since the last issue of Skidmore News came out the week before Spring Break, a lot has changed (to say the least). The pandemic has totally disturbed lives and perhaps changed the meaning of “normal” forever.
Read moreOPINION: The Rites of Black History Month
Skidmore College’s black community worked hard to do justice to the month and to themselves — albeit alone. Many look to Skidmore’s clubs and members of the black diaspora, such as UJIMA, The African Heritage Awareness Club (AHA), and The West Indian Student Association Club (WISA), to make ample effort to empower their voices.
Read moreTo Zoom or Not to Zoom: How Students and Faculty Have Adapted to Online Learning
The sudden rush of remote learning is coming to an end as we enter our fourth week of online classes, and also the end of this spring semester. Although it seems as though things are going wrong, Zoom is here to give us some sense of normalcy while also not losing valuable class time.
Read moreSkidmore Seniors Express Concerns Surrounding Postponed Graduation
Skidmore College officially announced in a community-wide email on March 31 that while commencement will not be traditional in nature, something to celebrate the seniors and their respective accomplishments will occur. The vagueness of this update, accompanied by a rather unprecedented situation, has left many students wondering what a reimagined commencement will look like.
Read moreHinterlands in Humanity, A Poem
Instead of azaleas and cherry blossoms’ magical fraicheur,
And the societal balm of sport-
Greeted in the soft spring light by Pandemic’s frosted darkness
Skidmore Students Speak Out About the Coronavirus Pandemic
On March 9, students were notified through an email that classes were suspended until March 23. Three days later, students found out that the college would be moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester. The same email announced that all students needed to move off campus by the end of that week.
Read moreHow Clubs Are Reacting to a Remote Learning Semester
Club Executive Boards (e-boards) are always faced with the challenge of keeping their communities united and engaged throughout the semester, but how are they supposed to keep up now that their members are scattered across the globe?
Read more"I'm almost there": Gabriel Rossi on Golf and His Last Season Being Cut Short
Originally a soccer and tennis player, Gabriel Rossi ‘20 wasn’t that interested in golf in the beginning. It wasn’t until his best friend back home bought Rossi a set of clubs for his birthday and pushed him to play golf. Starting at the age of 12, Rossi would only play once or twice a month, but with lessons, he gradually got the swing of things.
Read moreHow to Stay Sane in Quarantine
As COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world, it is becoming more and more important that people do their part in flattening the curve by staying inside. Below is a list of things to try at home for those of us privileged to be bored during the quarantine.
Read moreCrumbs of Thoughts, A Poem
Heaviness of my thoughts contrasts the stillness of the world of mountains.
Read moreA Flame, A Poem
Unbreakable, indestructible.
Read moreWrite of Mourning, A Poem
The clocks mourn the loss, making the lost worthy of being a memory.
Read moreSkidmore's Campus Stands Deserted Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
As the entirety of Skidmore College’s community, from its student body to its faculty and staff, try to adjust to this disruption indoors — either attending or lecturing a zoom class — the campus stands like a ghost town.
Read moreOPINION: How Should Skidmore Rebuild Itself?
There’s been a tension building in Skidmore recently. Time and again these past few semesters, the administration and the wider community have found themselves in conflict. With the school’s operation mostly halted by the COVID pandemic, and the transition to a new president looming, now is a good time to consider what has been going wrong, and how things might improve.
Read moreThe Skidmore News Talks with President-Elect Marc C. Conner
When Skidmore College enters a new academic year in Fall 2020 — with two construction projects among other initiatives in tow — President-Elect Marc C. Conner, whose term officially starts in July, will have a busy job waiting for him.
Read moreSGA Actively Leading Effort to Turn Falstaff's into On-Campus Bar
The Skidmore community knows Falstaff’s to be a space that hold’s a multitude of club and concert events, but there’s been a spark in conversation about considering turning the venue into a bar.
Read more(Cat)Call and Response: A Thesis Project Empowering Victims of Street Harassment
Hey Baby, give me a smile. Oh, so you’re gonna ignore me? Hey, turn around and show me your face. If these sound familiar, then you’ve maybe been catcalled — whatever your age, the setting, or time of day. On Feb. 25, Eve Gertzman ‘20 officially launched her website and film project, (Cat)Call and Response with the hopes to empower victims of street harassment.
Read more