Retracing the Ongoing New York Migrant Crisis

Photographs by Yunghi Kim/Contact Press Images/CNN

In September of 2023, it was recorded that more than 118,000 migrants had arrived in New York City since the spring of 2022. This statistic prompted Mayor Eric Adams to declare a state of emergency in the city. Mayor Adams has been adamant about putting a stop to this crisis by begging the federal government, even going to Washington himself, to obtain sufficient funding and hasten work authorizations for the incoming migrants, which would allow them to be self-sufficient. Adams relayed his frustration by claiming that President Biden has “failed” the city by not attempting to do more. During this time, Adams has also been dissuading migrants from seeking shelter in New York City.

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Your guide to the MLB postseason

At the beginning of October, the Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season wrapped up and moved on to postseason games. The MLB postseason is a high stakes series of playoff games spanning the month of October to determine which teams will compete in the World Series. This October so far has been a postseason of ups and downs with unexpected teams taking the top spots. If you haven’t been paying attention, fear not. This is a comprehensive and rather simple guide to the postseason, so you can jump right on the bandwagon when the World Series rolls around at the end of the month.  

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Skidmore welcomes Mongolian Folk artists

On September 23rd, Zankel Music Center launched listeners into a captivating cultural experience with The Tuvergan Band; a Mongolian folk group complete with an array of beautifully unique instruments and vocals. The Chicago-based band debuted in 2020 and has since toured countless venues including performing at The Chicago World Music Festival, The Chicago Cultural Center, and of course, our very own music center. Students and faculty were lucky enough to attend the performance free of charge, relax into a wonderful musical experience and gain new insight into music from other cultures. Music plays an integral part in Mongolian culture and the performance was a compelling and unforgettable experience. The folk band’s lead singer Tamir Hargana  is also using this week to visit student’s classes, asking music students around campus to indulge in exciting new sounds and engage in conversation with new faces.  He gave demonstrations and explanations of the vocal styles and instruments,  led throat-singing workshops, and even let the students ask him questions and prompt discussion about the music. 

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annual arts quad party celebrates skidmore’s vibrant art scene

Formed five years ago, the Arts Quad Party was initially intended to incentivize students “who had never set foot in the building” to come check out the JKB, and it has since evolved into a social event which helps members of the Skidmore community destress, socialize and get in touch creatively before beginning the academic year.

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Palm-Sized Dragon

He isn’t a mighty dragon that any myths depict, bravely fighting off adventurers to protect his treasure, nor a fearsome companion that I soar through the skies with. You won’t see him on the battlefield, roaring with enough strength to shake the earth; in fact, he’s the quietest member of my family, squeaking only in surprise in the 20 gallons of water he lives in.

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SGA Update: Introducing Free Laptop Lending Kiosks to Skidmore College

On February 28, 2023, the SGA Senate passed Resolution 33-14: Laptop Loan Program Act, approving the purchase of an automated laptop lending kiosk and twenty four computers to be installed in the Scribner Library. This service, as of September 14, 2023, is officially available for use to students, staff, and faculty. Each of the 24 laptops available comes with the following programs: Microsoft Office, Chrome, Firefox, Zoom, Adobe Reader, Mathematica, JMP, Matlab, and STATA. Borrowing a laptop is simple. You can initiate a loan from the kiosk touchscreen and swipe your Skidmore card, which will check the laptop out on your library account. The loan period is fourteen days, and if you need more time, you can return the laptop you have and check out a new one.

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Film Review : New Frontiers and Old Farces in “Asteroid City”

Until now, Anderson has been a master of reinvention. The director has walked, gracefully, the narrow line between consistent and repetitive. But “Asteroid City” is so self-referencing that it ceases to be captivating or clever, and misses the mark of annoyingly-but-tolerably-cocky. Instead, the film feels altogether redundant. 

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Skidmore College and SGA Partner to Eliminate Per-Cycle Laundry Fees

We write to share some exciting news about a College-SGA partnership to address the ongoing challenges around laundry services. Following approval of a joint-financial plan between SGA and the College by the Skidmore College administration, and a subsequent vote of approval by the SGA Senate, the College is eliminating per-cycle laundry fees, effective Fall 2023. This initiative is reflective of a 2022-23 academic year marked by increased communication and collaboration between SGA and the Skidmore College administration to better meet your needs and improve the residential experience.

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What's in Your Car?

The collection of items in her hands falls in front of the cashier in a tumble of plastic that crinkles when it hits the hard surface. The boy behind the counter wears a blue baseball cap backwards, and is swallowed in a large yellow sweatshirt. She wears baggy clothes too, but it isn’t cool in the same way the cashier dresses. He looks ready to be photographed in magazines, and she looks like her clothes aren't her own. He chomps loudly on a piece of gum, and each time he pops a bubble, her jaw twitches. She tries to ignore the sound and motions to the stands behind him. He points to the cheapest pack. He doesn’t even turn around, one hand sliding across a brightly colored screen and the other grabbing blindly behind him. She stuffs her hands into the pocket of her cargo pants, and when she pulls them out, her nails are black and broken, her wallet matching the tips of her fingers. The beep of the scanner makes her twitch, and she swears she only has, at most, five things, but the sound keeps playing in her head relentlessly. Beep, beep, beep. 

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Mayday, Mayday! Know Your Labor History

Every May, people come together across the world to commemorate the heroic efforts of workers during what is now known as May Day, or International Workers’ Day. The celebration’s origins date back to 1886, when more than 300,000 workers across the United States from hundreds of different trades walked off their jobs in what became the first May Day celebration in history. For decades people had been putting up with inhumane working conditions and cruel 12–16-hour workdays. Regional demonstrations had been underway at this point. However, May 1st would mark a turning point in history, being the day of the first nationwide general strike demanding an eight-hour workday.

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Resilience and Culture Drive Historic Season for Skidmore Women’s Basketball

For the first time since the 2017-2018 season, the Thoroughbreds took home the Liberty League title with an impressive 54-52 win on the road at #1-seed Ithaca College on February 26. The team ended the season with a 22-5 record, marking the program record for most wins in a season. The team then celebrated Skidmore women’s basketball’s first-ever NCAA tournament win, defeating Johns Hopkins University 62-59 with an incredible comeback in the fourth quarter. Though the historic playoff run was cut short by a 59-50 loss to Tufts University the next day, there is no doubt that this Thoroughbreds team was dynamic, energetic, and committed.

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