Beginning soccer at the age of 10, Josh Ridenhour 21’ knew he wanted to play sports in college. After being put into almost every sport when he was younger to see what he was good at, Ridenhour finally landed on soccer. Now a senior on the Skidmore Men’s Soccer team, Ridenhour reflects on his time playing at Skidmore and what it was like to miss his senior season because of the pandemic.

Speech at Skidmore: A Conversation with Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath About the Role of Free Speech on Campus

December 23, 2020 Caitlin Neuhaus Kilgore

On the morning of a tumultuous and uncertain election day, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath, who gave the keynote address at this year's “Skidmore Speaks” lecture series. In response to the incidents of doxing over the semester, Skidmore virtually brought to campus Dr. Ben-Porath and experts on social media safety to inform students on how to protect themselves online and foster a discussion about free speech on campus.

What’s Said / What Should be Said

December 21, 2020 Hannah Charity

It’s not about race. Don’t bring race into it. Not everything is about race. Show me the proof. This fox-eye trend isn’t racist; it’s just makeup. Stop being so insensitive—hands to their face, pulling their eyes upward. Mocking before, now it’s beauty because they said it was. Too small. Can you see it?

Playing in the Pandemic: Sarah Winters On Her Unexpected Senior Season

November 18, 2020 Alyssa Ramsay

Starting field hockey in the third grade, Sarah Winters 21’ has always considered the sport a big part of her life. Winters knew she wanted to play at the collegiate level because of her immediate love for the sport. Now a senior on the Skidmore Field Hockey team, Winters reflects on her experience playing at Skidmore and how the pandemic changed her senior season.

Hannah Does Homework, A Haiku

November 16, 2020 Olivia Rosenblum

Bubble aesthetics

Rooted Inside

November 13, 2020 Hannah Charity

The sharp pain wind of the world prevails,

and there’s a seed of sadness growing in me.

You Promised

November 11, 2020 Caroline Shea

On my tenth birthday, you promised me you would be here for my 100th.

I wasn’t dumb.

I knew what death was,

but somehow I thought you were more powerful than it.

Día de los Muertos Event: Celebration of Loved Ones

November 11, 2020 Hannah Charity

In Latin America, Día de los Muertos, “Day of the Dead” is a holiday celebrated by many as a day to remember loved ones. Skidmore celebrated this year in a special and memorable way.

A Guide to Protecting Yourself Online

November 10, 2020 Emily Chase

On Wednesay October 28th, Skidmore partnered with PEN America and the Freedom of the Press Foundation to deliver a digital safety self defense workshop as an installment of the second annual Skidmore Speaks event. With this in mind, I created the following guide to protecting yourself online, in the hopes of relaying the knowledgeable advice of Vilk and Holmes.

“Conversation” with President Conner: A Recap

November 6, 2020 Maalik Dunkley

Watchful eyes from all over searched their emails or their feeds for a chance to watch Monday’s inaugural “Conversation with Conner”, where President Conner aimed to devote time to speak with the community. Many of the Skidmore student body, previously indifferent, may have found recent interest in President Conner’s address due to the troubling events of Halloweekend. A normal conversation was now seemingly colored by the effects of the outside world.

The Futility of Words

October 29, 2020 Emily Federico

Grief is a curious thing.

You disappear inside an ocean of get well soons

And what can I do for you?

But what do you say when you can’t see the body

When elbow bumps replace hugs

And hand sanitizer is more common than flowers.

What do you say

when you say good-bye through video chat?

Those pixels can’t capture the stench of dried sweat

And the rhythmic hum of the ventilator,

A drumbeat in a sterile room.

You are left to ponder your existence on a screen.

What do you say

To unimaginable loss

Shrouded in the indignities of politics.

With 32,972 dead

What do you say?

I love you could suffice

But the cotton of the mask traps the words

And leaves you unmoored,

Drifting,

Alone.

In 2020, Skidmore’s Storytellers Shift

October 28, 2020 Maalik Dunkley

Stories without words. History without pages. A roomless exhibit.

Socially Distant Activities

October 27, 2020 Emily Theisen

With all the risks that come with interacting with others, many of the activities we are all used to doing have unfortunately become impossible, and now that the weather is starting to get cooler, it can be harder to find socially distant ways to hang out with people. Here are a few ideas for ways to stay connected while staying safe!

Climate Change, Fire, and Skidmore: An Account from the North Woods Steward

October 25, 2020 Jacob Adams

On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 23rd, a fire broke out in the Skidmore North Woods. Fall had just begun, and it was a dry, hot day. Just off the orange trail, a visitor of the woods noticed the distinct smell of smoke and called campus safety. Other visitors smelled it while they were trail running, hiking, and walking their dogs. The fire department was called, and they promptly arrived, found the small fire, and put it out.

A Guide to the 2020 Election

October 23, 2020 Shayna Cohen

Casting Your Vote: In-Person and By Mail

Oh no! I’m not registered yet!

There is same-day registration in 21 states and D.C.: refer to the National Conference of State Legislature’s page on Same Day Voter Registration.

How to Vote In-Person in Saratoga Springs

If you are registered to vote at with your Skidmore address (a.k.a. in Saratoga Springs), you can vote:

Early in Gavin Park (10 Lewis Rd, Saratoga Springs) on Thursday, Oct 29th and Friday, Oct. 20th from 9 AM to 5 pm; Saturday, Oct. 31st and Sunday, Nov, 1st from 9 AM to 2 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) in Case Center from 6 AM to 9 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) at Saratoga Springs City Center (522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs) from 6 AM to 9 PM

State-by-State Deadlines for Absentee Ballots

Refer to U.S. Vote Foundation, vote.org, or your state’s Division of Elections.

Your Vote: What Does it Mean?

Presidential Election

For a brief overview of the Electoral College, I recommend the TED-Ed video, “Does your vote count? The Electoral College explained” (2012), which can be found on YouTube.

How many electors does each state have in 2020? (Image from Wikipedia)

This is also the number of congressional representatives in each state.

What are Faithless Electors and why might that be important?

There is no federal law or constitutional provision which binds the electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state. However, the precedent is that the party who elects the electors gets their votes.
There were seven faithless electors in 2016 (WA, HI, TX), the most since 1972.
July 2020: Supreme Court ruled that states could make a law which binds electors to the winning party. 31 states and D.C. have enacted such a law for the upcoming election.

For a fun novel about where the Electoral College could all go wrong (in an almost too-timely situation), check out The People’s Choice by Jeff Greenfield (1995).

Congress

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are elected by popular vote. Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years during the redistricting process. For more information on redistricting, see Ballotpedia's page on redistricting.

Voter Suppression

Voter suppression takes form in many ways, such as the wait time at polling places, the number of polling places in an area, and voter ID laws, and is seen across the country. It is crucial to pay attention to your state’s election rules and how they can suppress the voting rights of millions of people of color, persons with disabilities, immigrants, the elderly, and students. For a deeper look into voter suppression from a historical and legal perspective, watch the New York Times video, “Why Voting in This U.S. Election Will Not Be Equal” (2020). Also check out my 2019 Skidmore News article titled “How Student Voter Oppression is Upending Democracy” which is still incredibly relevant in this election. For a Skidmore News article about broader themes in this election, see the October 2020 article by Eleanor Ketterer-Sykes, “2020 Presidential Election: A Conversation with Professor Christopher Mann.”