Scripture, song, and silence

Posted by Julia Leef

This Sunday nearly 50 students and faculty members gathered together to remember and pay their respects to the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The service was held at Wilson Chapel and led by Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Rick Chrisman, director of religious and spiritual life at the college. Cellist Alexandra Guest '14 performed selections from Bach.

Those in attendance, including President Philip Glotzbach, listened as Chrisman spoke of the loss suffered on 9/11, quoting alternatively from the Bible, a passage from Hindu scripturep, and the Quran. It was a very quiet affair, as Chrisman continuously paused so everyone could either take a moment of silence or listen as Alexandra played.

Absent was any discussion of more political facets of the tragedy, as Chrisman later noted.

"This day is not about patriotism," Chrisman said. "It's about coping with devastation and coping with the realization that we can be hurt." He added that he had almost decided not to hold this service, thinking that the day should be reserved for the families' grief, stating that this grief was very different from the feelings of those who were not directly affected. "In a way, this day is for [the families]," he said.

Guest, whom Chrisman contacted through the music department, said that in addition to Bach being her favorite composer, she felt that the selections she chose possessed the appropriate tone for the evening.

"It wasn't overly sad, and the last piece that I selected had a more uplifting feel." This choice of ending the service on a hopeful note was something that both Guest and Chrisman agreed upon.

At the end of the service, Chrisman requested that everyone leave the chapel in silence before gathering again outside. Even once outside, most students remained quiet, some thanking Chrisman for the service before leaving.

Later that night from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Chrisman hosted a showing of the documentary "Beyond Belief," in the Davis Auditorium. The film follows the lives of two women who were pregnant at the time they lost their husbands in the 9/11 attacks and later reached out to Afghanistan widows through the organization Beyond the 11th.

Roughly 35 students were in attendance and before leaving some voiced their immediate reactions to the film. Among the reflections of the students were a reconsideration of "the enemy abroad" and how different America is from a third world nation such as Afghanistan.

"The movie hit me at several levels, showing how the widows coped with their grief," Chrisman said. "How tricky it is to try to help someone when you don't live their lives, and how very important it is to express feelings of compassion and to act on them."

A Tuesday in September: A decade later, Skidmore students and faculty reflect on Sept. 11

Posted by Julia Leef

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, students at Skidmore College woke up to attend class, beginning a normal day alongside most Americans across the country. That normalcy was short lived, however, and 10 years later students can remember the moment that the United States, and the world at large, was forever reshaped.

In the minutes after American Airlines Flight 11 collided with WTC 1 many students were not immediately aware of the full extent of the attack. Holly Leber '02, who served as the features editor for The Skidmore News at the time and is currently a columnist and reporter for the Life section at Times Free Press in Chattanooga, Tennessee, remembers that it was a few hours before she understood what had happened in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

"I had a seminar first thing in the morning. When I left the dorm I noticed a crowd of people glued to the TV, but didn't think much of it." Only after she had listened to a voicemail message from her cousin, asking if she had been able to reach her parents, did she turned on the television to see the news for herself.

Meanwhile Keith Kirshner '02, who now lives in Atlanta, had just started his term as SGA president. "I was leaving my house going to a marketing class that morning. One of my friends was home in Brooklyn; his dad was running in a local election, and he called us after he had just seen the first plane hit."

Without the stream of online information so readily available today, it was a while before Kirshner and many other students were able to learn more about what was happening.

In that window of confusion and miscommunication, members of the Skidmore community were desperate to hear from family and friends who worked at the towers. "It was a constant struggle for all of us to get in contact with these people," said Frank Won ‘02, who now works as an Optometrist in Yonkers, New York. "People couldn't get a hold of other people that they knew, and of course if you couldn't get a hold of the person for whom you feared the worst."

Accurate information proved equally elusive. Some students, like Justin Graeber '02, now a journalist at the Duxbury Clipper in Massachusetts, tried to gather as much information as possible.

"In the aftermath of the attacks, I just could not get enough news. I really became an Internet news junkie that day," he said. "This was just such a shocking event that everybody needed to know what was going on."

Although classes were not officially cancelled, many students did not attend and several professors cancelled. Holly Leber recalls going to an English class in which one of the students stood up and said, "We shouldn't be here." Justin Graeber recalls that many students felt angry that school had not been cancelled that day.

In the Spa, television screens ran the latest news from the towers, Washington and Pennsylvania. Lauren Yanuzzi '04 says that she felt dazed when she first found out.

"As I walked to Case Center alone to check my mail I thought about how relatively close my hometown was to NYC, that I had been in the towers several times, and how so many of my friends' parents commuted to the city. A lot of the people around me seemed dazed too. As though it was too big of a concept to fit in our heads at the moment. This was death we were staring at."

Kirshner spent a lot of time with then-president Jamienne Studley trying to figure out which students had family at the World Trade Center. "Once things had settled down," he added, "we needed to do something, so we organized an all-campus meeting."

This gathering was hosted on the Case green at 4 p.m., during which Studley, Kirshner, and Campus Safety Director Dennis Conway, tried to reassure people and inform them of the resources at hand, such as the Counseling Center, Health Services, and religious services.

"I don't know if there was anyone on campus who didn't go to that meeting," Kirshner said. "It was really just a sense of community, during a terrible but historic day."

Conway, who had just started working at the college in January of that year, remembers getting a call from an officer at the front desk who had heard the news on the radio. "One of the first things I did was rush to my computer; my biggest concern and fear was of how many people were in those buildings."

Soon after, Conway met with members of the administration to discuss how best to address the students. "We knew that we had a lot of our students from the New York and Metropolitan area," he said, adding that students were instructed not to tie up communication lines so as to leave them open for police forces.

Campus Safety also worked with local state and law enforcement, delivering a heightened sense of awareness to the college. "We brought in extra officers to make sure that we had a presence on the campus." As these officers entered Saratoga, certain student volunteer firefighters entered New York City to provide help at Ground Zero.

In the days after the attacks, Leber observed the people passing by her window. "There were certain students who were just sort of out and wandering around. Some of them looked almost envious of those who were providing some service or writing about it. I was so grateful to have something that occupied my time, some obligation."

Several students on campus lost family members and friends that day in September. One former student who suffered a loss was Kirk A. Cassels '02, who lost his close friend Tyler Ugolyn '01, of Columbia College. Ugolyn was working on the 93rd floor of the North Tower as a research associate for Fred Alger Management, Inc.

Cassels, who now works at Dartmouth College as a multimedia specialist at the office of public affairs, was serving as the editor-in-chief of The Skidmore News at the time. Shortly following the event, the staff gathered together for the next two days to print an issue centered on the events of 9/11, which in 2002 won the Associated Collegiate Press Award for special coverage.

In the aftermath Cassels found a lot of support in his immediate group of friends, as well as people he had never even met before. This to him was the only thing that allowed for a quick recovery. "Move on, but do not forget. This is our Pearl Harbor," he said, "our JFK assassination. This is our generational moment."

The attacks on 9/11 affected the entire campus, and left their imprint on each and every student. "The one thing that made that day so different from any other kind of tragedy or sad news," said Graeber, "was that it was something just so raw, so shocking that you couldn't imagine what to do with yourself."

Students who wish to mark the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 on campus may attend two events being held on Sunday: a half-hour memorial observance at the Wilson Chapel at 5 p.m., and a documentary screening of "Beyond Belief" from 9:30-11 p.m. in Davis Auditorium.

Elizabeth Marie Glotzbach, daughter of Philip and Marie, dead at 30

Posted by Gabe Weintraub Elizabeth Marie Glotzbach, daughter of college president Philip Glotzbach and theater department professor Marie Glotzbach, has died from complications relating to Type-I diabetes, according to an announcement by Vice President for Academic Affairs Susan Kress. Glotzbach was 30 years old.

Read Kress's full announcement after the break.

---

Dear Members of the Skidmore Community,

I write to convey the very sad news that Phil and Marie Glotzbach's daughter, Elizabeth Marie, has died from complications relating to Type-I diabetes.

Elizabeth Marie Glotzbach graduated from Santa Clara University in 2003 as a Communications major and a Political Science minor. She began working in the film industry in 2003 with Paradigm Talent Agency, where she remained for three years, eventually becoming the assistant to their head literary agent. In 2006, Liz moved to Fox Searchlight, the industry's premier "indie" film production company, concluding her career there as a Creative Coordinator. At the time of her death, she was in New York City working as an associate producer on a new film. Everyone who met her recognized her amazingly positive spirit and enthusiastic creativity. Liz loved working in the film industry, bringing projects to the screen that not only attracted an audience but above all told stories that illuminated our shared humanity.

Liz is survived by her parents, Phil and Marie, her brother Jason, sister-in-law Kristi, and nephew Barrett. She was 30 years old.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

I know that the entire Skidmore community joins me in expressing our deepest sympathy to Phil and Marie, Jason and Kristi, and their extended family and friends.

Sincerely,

Susan Kress

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Powershift draws activists to D.C.

Posted by Tess Wendel

What do we want? Green jobs! When do we want them? NOW!

This was just one of the many messages students gave to Congress in Washington, D.C. last weekend. Eighty-two students from Skidmore College joined 10,000 other students from around the U.S. for Powershift, the largest environmental youth summit in the nation.

The idea behind Powershift is to create a network of environmental leaders across the country who can share ideas and experiences and through these partnerships and bring regional change to their schools and communities.

This year there was a strong focus on leadership training but there were also more specific workshops like the future of electric utilities, how to ban bottled water on your campus and promoting public transportation.

Students heard from world-renowned speakers like Van Jones, Bill McKibben, Al Gore and Rita Jackson of the EPA, who urged them to keep up the fight for a greener future.

There were also lobby trainings and direct action workshops to prepare for the third day of the conference where there was a large rally and march to the capitol.

Half of the students scheduled meetings with their representatives and senators and urged them to continue supporting the EPA and protecting the Clean Air Act, which has been under attack, particularly by the Republican party.

The other half of students took part in a direct action by marching to the Chamber of Commerce to protest the huge subsidies given to oil and coal corporations and then moving to the Department of Interior to protest the land being given up to uranium mining for nuclear power in Wyoming.

The environmental movement is incredibly diverse, but the beauty of Powershift is that it recognizes that all of the different smaller campaigns within the movement can be united through a shared goal of a clean equitable future for all.

One can become overwhelmed with the number of problems that need to be solved, whether that is human trafficking, hydrofracking or corporate greed and campaign financing.

The conference is designed to give students the tools to tackle these important issues and form a successful campaign to bring change.

However, the weekend is not just about learning the tools for change. As organizer Rachel Chalat says, it is there "to provide the inspiration and motivation to come back to campus and make personal, college and community changes."

This is the third year Skidmore students have gone to this biennial event organized by the Environmental Action Coalition, an umbrella organization for many smaller environmental groups, and the weekend continues to be a catalyst for change at Skidmore.

The last conference in 2009 inspired Laura Fralich ‘11 to start the Skidmore garden and spurred Becca Drago ‘11 to start the cool cities campaign, which led Saratoga Mayor Johnson to sign the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement.

Library Cafe deemed unsuccessful

Posted by Gia Vaccarezza Nearly a semester after the Lucy Scribner Library Cafè opened on the first floor of the library, students say they are still not sold on its services.

After multiple requests for a place to get coffee in the library, Dining Services remodeled the old copier room on the first floor, moving the copiers to the basement. The room now has a small counter, bakery case and Keurig instant-coffee machine.

A major source of complaints about the library café is the overpriced coffee, according to students.

The library café uses "K-cups," small packets of coffee grounds inserted into a machine. "K-Cups" only brew 10 ounces of coffee, but are brewed into 12 ounce cups and cost $1.25. A full 12-ounce coffee at the Burgess Café costs the same price.

Student often ask employees at the Library Café for medium or large coffees, but find they can only choose the 10-ounce size.

"I know a lot of students would really like bigger sizes. I think Dining Services would bring in a lot more money and students would be more satisfied if they offered bigger sizes," one student employee said.

Other students have also said that the hours of the café aren't conducive to their needs. The library café is open from 8 a.m. to noon and 8 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday. On Friday, the café is only open for the morning hours, and it does not open at all on Saturdays.

Many students said they do not frequent the library during these hours and were hoping the café would be open during the afternoon. Some students have suggested Dining Services send out a poll to Skidmore students to find when the most beneficial hours of operation would be.

Student employees open the café at 7:30 a.m. and during their morning shifts they report seeing very few customers. This is also the trend with students working the night shifts.

"I get six customers during my two-hour shift. It gets really boring," one employee said.

Some students have come up with suggestions for Dining Services in addition to polling the student body. They said they would appreciate different hours of operation, as well as lower prices for the coffee. The general consensus is that, because the amount of coffee from the Library Café is less than a small at the Burgess Café, it should not cost the same price.

Another suggestion is offering constant specials, like the Burgess Café does. At Burgess, before 11 a.m., there are five different breakfast specials - one per weekday. They all include some type of pastry or bagel and a small hot beverage. The prices for these specials are noticeably less than buying the two items separately.

The opening week at the Library Café did offer a different special per day, including a two-for-one special. They were successful at generating customers, according to student employees, but now that business has slowed, students are calling for special incentives.

"They should make getting coffee at the café appealing, because going to Burgess offers so many other options and a nicer atmosphere," Amari Boyd '14 said.

Bill Canney, director of Dining Services, did not respond to questions about the financials of the Café. However, the empty room alludes to little or no business and leaves some students wondering, "Why not just put in vending machines?"

SGA president-elect vows government transparency

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

Jonathan Zeidan ‘12, SGA president-elect for the 2011-2012 academic year, says he will emphasize transparency and accessibility within the organization during his term as SGA president.

"SGA does a lot of great and influential work in the community, but a lot of the time students don't know what's going on within SGA, or how to get involved and participate," Zeidan said, "SGA doesn't work without voices. Community engagement is paramount to our success."

Zeidan said this year's SGA members have done an incredible job of responding to the community's concerns after a semester of arguably negative publicity.

The college made national news after incidents of alcohol-related hospitalizations in October. In December, four students were charged with the assault of a local man at Compton's Diner in downtown Saratoga Springs.

In the wake of the Compton's assault charges, many students and faculty members spoke out on behalf of one of the students, who was charged with a hate crime.

SGA hosted a number of campus climate dialogues during the spring semester, during which students could express their concerns about the incident.

"I think SGA has done a great job of giving students a forum to have their voices heard in a focused way — but perhaps not quite focused enough, in the sense that the dialogues tend to be large and people may not feel completely comfortable voicing their opinions," Zeidan said.

The executive committee for 2011-2012 plans to host an open forum in the fall for students to tell SGA what issues they feel are important to discuss. From there, Zeidan said, SGA will work to create smaller, more focused forums for student dialogues.

"Intersections dialogues are going to continue, and those cover race, class, gender, nationality; but we also want to know what issues the students think are important," Zeidan said.

One area in which Zeidan said he feels SGA could improve is in its tendency to be reactive.

"On the flip side, SGA does do a lot of great things, but I think it has been very reactionary in the past. Taking a proactive, rather than a reactionary, stance is one place where I do think we can improve as an organization," Zeidan said.

Zeidan said he will take many cues from Alex Stark '11, the current SGA president.

"I can definitely learn a lot from Alex's term as SGA president. Alex is strong and flexible, and she's been able to draw the best out of everyone, which is something I hope I'll be able to do. She works hard and she works smart. We can all take a lot from her presidency," Zeidan said.

The biggest goal for his term as SGA president, Zeidan said, is fostering a stronger relationship among SGA, the college community and Saratoga Springs.

"At this time next year, I hope SGA is more a part of the community. We want to define each position and each person, so every student knows that if they need money they should contact Ethan Flum, our incoming vice-president for financial affairs, or if they're curious about a curriculum change, contact Thomas Rivera, the vice-president for academic affairs. It has to be all about transparency and accessibility," Zeidan said.

Senate re-examines campaigning policies

Posted by Kat Kullman

On Tuesday, April 26, the Senate of the Student Government Association voted to amend the SGA election policies and procedures, limiting candidates' use of campaign materials and banning third party campaigning.

Jenny Snow '11, vice president for communication and outreach, brought the resolution to the floor. The primary change in the policy was the addition of a clause saying no candidate may produce more than 50 pieces of physical campaign material.

To help the campus become more environmental, Senate added an additional clause that no more than 35 of the campaign pieces may be paper.

A second clause in the resolution says the candidate is the only person who can campaign for his or her candidacy. The clause is included in the policy to give every candidate an equal opportunity, according to Snow.

"I don't want SGA and elections to become a popularity contest," Snow said. "We're trying to protect the people of Skidmore who don't have an army of friends to help campaign for them."

Some senators disagreed, saying more campaigners would raise awareness of elections.

"We don't have a right to tell people what they can't say," said Alex Bland ‘12, vice president for club affairs. "All this is doing is stopping people from talking about elections."

While many senators were in support of striking the clause from the policy, Snow pointed out that if the clause were to be struck it would become impossible to account for any slanderous or unfair campaigning from either the candidate or supporters.

The clause remained in the policy, meaning a candidate is now the only person who can campaign for his or herself. The resolution to amend the policy was passed, but will likely return at next week's Senate meeting.

Class raises funds for Japan: Student-directed course focuses efforts on disaster relief

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

On April 20, the honors forum class "Citizen Studentship" began selling T-shirts in Case Center to raise money for relief efforts in Japan.

Shirts cost $12, and all proceeds will be donated to Youth for 3.11, a student-run organization that was formed in Japan immediately after the disastrous 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11.

"Citizen Studentship" is a course designed completely by the students who enroll.

According to the description in the college's master schedule, "The course gives students the chance to break down traditional educational structures of authority, thus offering an alternative method of education that emphasizes participation and responsibility as a member of the academic community."

Economics professor Roy Rotheim facilitates the class.

Students in the class say they decided to focus their studies on relief efforts in Japan because it was a cause everyone was passionate about.

The class decided to donate to Youth for 3.11 because it is a student-run organization and the class members are confident that the money they raise will be used productively, students said.

"[The organization is] actually on the ground, at the site, working with relief efforts there. They know what Japan needs and how to use the money to help," said Sarah Roscher '12, a student in the class.

The class received $1,000 from SGA to buy 160 T-Shirts, and the Honors Forum helped pay for expedited shipping. Kaorina Kuok ‘11, who is not in the class, designed the shirts.

The students set up a table on the second floor of Case Center and began selling shirts at 9 a.m. By 2 p.m. the same day, the students had already sold about 30 shirts.

"It's been really great so far," said Roscher, "People have even come up and asked if they could just donate money and not take a shirt."

The class will continue to sell shirts while supplies last.

Senate unanimously votes to institutionalize IGR

Posted by Kat Kullman

On Tuesday, April 19, the Senate of the Student Government Association met with facilitators of the Inter Group Relations class to discuss a petition to institutionalize the program, which Senate passed unanimously.

IGR is currently a two-credit course in the Interdisciplinary Department, but is still in its pilot and has no commitment of resources. The IGR students brought a petition to Senate to collect signatures to show Skidmore that the program has the support of SGA.

The IGR program began in Michigan in 1988, and has spread across the country in the years following. It is a course designed to develop intercultural understanding, and is taught by rigorously trained student facilitators, rather than professors.

The typical class is designed to be half white students and half students of color, so several sides of racial issues can be presented and discussed.

IGR classes have been offered at the college for two years, and the students involved said they wish to make it a permanent part of the curriculum.

Teshika Hatch '11, a trained IGR facilitator, spoke about what she believes is the importance of the program.

"IGR has a lot of momentum because of the campus climate this year," Hatch said. "And there have been some of our dialogues that just can't happen because of lack of resources. With the institutionalization of IGR we would be guaranteed a budget and faculty support. We could even get people off the wait list for the class, and eventually offer dialogues on religion and gender, not just race."

Part of the problem with making IGR more permanent, according to the presenters, is the resistance of some professors.

"Some professors think that the class isn't academically rigorous enough, and that because it's student-led it's not legitimate," Hatch said.

"Some faculty members feel that experience-based learning is not academic enough, but it's very emotional and rewarding. It's totally unique to IGR," Frank Cabrera '11, another facilitator, said.

Currently, the professors involved in IGR are committed to it only through interest, not job description. Institutionalizing the program would ensure that money and professors be allocated to the class.

The Senate unanimously approved making the program permanent, offering to help organize a support rally and a spot in the SGA newsletter to advertise.

One senator said, "Any professor or student who says that this isn't exactly what Skidmore needs right now isn't really here. Any way to get students involved in meaningful dialogue needs to be supported."

Each senator signed the petition of support, which will be distributed to the student body in the coming weeks.

Career Jam draws crowds to Case: College unexpectedly grants five internship awards to students

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

The college's second annual Career Jam, held on April 15, drew more than 200 students to Case Center in search of employment opportunities and advice. Toward the end of the event, five students received internship awards in a competition that was originally going to select only two winners.

Two of the college's established internship grants were awarded: the Parent's Council Award and the Council of 100's award, each of which provides $2,500 to help financially support students' unpaid internships.

Five finalists presented minute-long presentations to a panel of judges from the Parent's Council and Council of 100. The presenters briefly detailed their proposed internships and why they required funding.

After the presentations, Matt Cowe '11 received the Parent's Council award for his summer internship as a lab assistant at Albany Medical Center.

Laura Meli '12 received the Council of 100's award to fund her summer internship researching adolescent schizophrenia and behavioral cognition at the Weill Cornell Medical Center.

The three other finalists were Aneta Molenda ‘14, Chris Iredale ‘11 and Rachel Weller ‘13.

Their internships are with the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that provides summer vacations to underprivileged children; Shakespeare & Company; and a domestic violence shelter, respectively.

After the two scheduled award announcements, Parent's Council member Dan Cox announced that the judges were so impressed with the other finalists' presentations that they would fund the three remaining students as well.

"There are no losers here. You will all be funded for your summer internships," Cox said.

Before the prize announcements, approximately 50 alumni and parents representing a range of careers — from medical research to publishing — spoke to attendees about their respective career fields.

Career Jam is hosted and organized by the Office of Career Services and the Parent's Council.

"A lot of networking went into organizing the event, and we think it was successful. The speakers who are here showed a lot of interest in coming back and helping students figure out what their options are," Gail Dudack '70, chair of the Parent's Council, said.

Dudack said much of the networking and planning happened during the town hall meetings the college hosts throughout the country.

"A lot of the questions that came up during the town hall meetings had to do with the value of a liberal arts education — Career Jam is a great way to demonstrate that value," Dudack said.

The alumni and parents who participated were set up at tables throughout the second floor of Case Center.

Students wandered in and out of Case between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., approaching representatives to discuss career options and possible employment.

Parent and alumni participants represented a number of career fields, including human resources, marketing, law, arts and entertainment, management, publishing, finance and non-profit work.

Many recent graduates that participated in Career Jam heard about the event during the town hall meetings.

Hilary Sayia '08 contacted Dudack about participating in Career Jam after she attended one of the college's town hall meetings in New York City.

"Programs like this are so important. When you graduate, they hand you a degree and then it's just sort of like ‘Well what do I do with this?'" Sayia said.

Sayia, who majored in business and economics, works as a sales coordinator on the advertising decision solutions team for Akamai Technologies.

"As a business major I focused on advertising, and my education has been so useful in the field of digital advertising I work in now," Sayia said.

Unlike the first Career Jam, this year's event featured six career-oriented workshops, held in Ladd 206 and 307.

The workshops focused on interview skills, resume building, how to emphasize the value of a liberal arts education to a perspective employee and how to start a small business.

Though most of the organizers said they felt the event was a success, some student attendees were disappointed.

"I thought there would be more information about actual job opportunities for the summer. This just wasn't what I was expecting," Philip Diamond '13 said.

Skidmore hosts the class of 2015

Posted by Julia Leef

April is one of the busiest months of the year for admissions. Between tours, open houses and Accepted Candidates Days, admissions is kept busy with a stream of incoming prospective students. Monday, April 18, marked the last of the three Accepted Candidates Days this month, as students and their families attended a series of events mainly hosted at the Arthur Zankel Music Center to learn more about the college.

Families arrived as early as 7:45 a.m. for registration at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, and many then opted for one of the 8 a.m. tours, focused on the science facilities, the arts facilities or the campus in general. After being officially welcomed to the college, accepted students listened to Beau Breslin, assistant dean of the faculty and director of the First-Year Experience, and to a panel of students organized by Rochelle Calhoun, dean of student affairs, who talked about their experiences at the college. The candidates and their families were also taken to Williamson Sports Center where they met with faculty representatives from all of the academic and athletic departments for a 45-minute session. Families were also given the opportunity to sign up for financial aid appointments throughout the day.

After the 1:30 p.m. tours, which included bus tours of Saratoga Springs, the day ended with a closing reception at the Porter Plaza, where a jazz group entertained families. On the previous Accepted Candidates Days, which took place on April 8 and 15, the day culminated with The Accents and the Treble Makers, respectively.

Christina Sanyour, an early decision II student from Summit, New Jersey, said that she was attracted to the wide variety of programs she could participate in on and off campus. "Being here today made me realize even more things I could do," she said, adding that she really liked the idea that "Creative Thought Matters." Robert Miller, from Wellesley, Massachusetts, had an uncle who attended the college, and is interested in the liberal arts programs offered. He added that it was a nice day when he last visited and that he enjoyed seeing students outside on the green.

According to Mary Lou Bates, dean of admissions and financial aid, a total of 209 people came to the final Accepted Candidates Day on Monday, bringing the total from the month up to 540, which is slightly less than last year's total of 580. Prior to the construction of the Arthur Zankel Music Center, the college hosted four Accepted Candidates Days because of the large number of candidates and limited amount of space. This involved a day that was only for early decision students in late March.

Bates says that she has received positive feedback from families, whom she says are impressed by the how organized and efficient the events were. "One of the ways we gauge how successful the day was is the number of people who come out of the bookstore with big bags," Bates joked, referring to the people who bought items, such as college sweatshirts, from the SkidShop.

John Murphy, from North Andover, Massachusetts, said that it was the best accepted students day he had been to, and that he thoroughly enjoyed hearing students talk about their experiences at Skidmore. "The students that I see walking around seem like people I could relate to," he said. John is also interested in the new Arthur Zankel music building and is considering minoring in the music department.

On Thursday, April 21, the campus hosted an open house for high school sophomores and juniors. After an optional 8 a.m. tour of the campus, high school students registered at 9 a.m. and attended a student panel and an information session on applying to Skidmore. Several other tours were available throughout the day.

This open house provides high school students with enough information to see if Skidmore College would be a good match for them, Bates said. And it brings in a wide variety of people every year. "We see students from literally all over the world," she said.

There are six open house days during the spring semester, three of which occur on April 6, 12 and 21. An estimated 620 people attended the open house on Thursday, by far the largest attendance of the year (the second highest was in March, which through two open houses attracted 130 people). Since the open houses occur relatively early in a high school student's college search, they can really affect the student's perception of the college, Bates said. Those who come away with a positive impression of the college may even apply early decision.

In addition to these two events, the college also uses two programs to contact the families of potential students, Parent-to-Parent, in which parents of current students talk to those of prospective ones, and alumni volunteers who talk to accepted students. These programs both occur during the month of April.

The college employs other methods to attract potential students. Peter MacDonald, director of Recruitment Communications, works closely with admissions from a communications and marketing perspective. This working relationship was a recent change made within the past two months. "It's a sign that the administration is taking our efforts seriously in terms of outreach," MacDonald said, "and in terms of making sure we do the best that we can in getting the word out and increasing our yield."

Most external attention comes from the college website, referred to by MacDonald as "the centerpiece of admissions recruitment." Other attractions come from social media offshoots such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, as well as e-mails, which are sent to accepted and high school students, and a number of brochures. The college also uses websites such as cappex.com that help students with their college search. "There are so many ways for students to get information and so many places where they are," MacDonald said.

The Class of 2014 is well-known for being the largest and most diverse class in the history of the college. According to Bates, the college's target number for '14 was 640 students on campus and 36 in London, but, due to an unusual increase in the number of accepted students who decided to attend Skidmore, the end result was 730 students on campus and 40 in London, even after the summer melt, a term Bates used to describe the students who say yes in May but do not end up coming to campus in September.

The class target for this year fell within a range of 580-630 students in anticipation of an even higher yield on May 1, also known as "Candidates Reply Date". The college also offers a unique option to students on the wait list that allows them to notify the college by May 20 or 21 about whether they are still interested in attending. If not, they will be taken off the wait list in favor of those who are.

Attending events on campus is not the only influence that affects a student's final college choice. Financial aid plays a role in this decision as well. Skidmore College is a need sensitive institution, and will provide full financial need to as many accepted students as possible. "We are committed to meeting the full need of any student whom we admit who demonstrates financial aid need," Bates said. However, with a limited financial budget ($33 million this year), the college can only provide full aid to a certain number of students. After there is no more money left to give, students will be accepted who do not require financial aid. There is no difference in the academic quality of these students.

Bates would like to thank the students for being a part of the process and in welcoming prospective students to the campus. "We hear from the kids who visit how warm and friendly Skidmore students are here, that Skidmore is a very welcoming place," Bates said. "When students on the panel are asked why they chose Skidmore, that comes up again and again."

Campuswide game draws big crowds

Posted by Brad Morris The zombie apocalypse has come. OK, not really. On Apr. 13, the college began playing the campus-wide game of tag, "Humans vs. Zombies." The game will last four days and ends on April 16.

The game has several rules: humans must wear headbands around their arm to signify this status, while zombies must wear headbands around their heads; the zombies feed on the humans by tagging them; if a human is tagged, he or she becomes a zombie, and the zombie rules now apply to her or him.

To fight off the zombies and protect themselves, humans can stun zombies with a shot from a Nerf gun. Students who do not have Nerf guns can throw a sock at a zombie instead. Melissa Philley ‘13, a coordinator of the game, said if you do not want to lose a sock, you can simply run.

On Tues Apr. 5, Philley promoted the event in the dining hall atrium with Graham Dawson '13 and Sam Gunther '13, who helped advertise the game around campus. They were prepared with Nerf guns, bandanas and a cardboard cutout dubbed "Pressure-Point Pete."

All three were styled in Humans vs. Zombies surgical masks. "We signed up about 40 people. It was pretty successful considering we were only advertising for a few hours," Philley said.

Human vs. Zombies was created at Skidmore, but at Goucher College in 2005 by students Brad Sappington and Chris Weed. After hearing about the game, Philley and Charlotte Levy ‘13 decided to try to bring the game to Skidmore.

"It just [felt] natural [to do this]," Philley said. "We've been doing ‘Nerf Wars' since freshmen year so it sort of progressed from there," Levy said.

The process for setting up the game took the coordinators and helpers most of the year. They originally set up a booth at the club fair fall semester "to see how many people were interested," said Philley. After a great number of students expressed interest, they decided to progress their idea by contacting the sophomore class President Emilee Bell to set up event.

When discussing the process for setting up Humans vs. Zombies,

"We've been doing it in bits and pieces [since the fall]. The Humans vs. Zombies website is a big help in terms of registering and keeping track of the participants. The rest of the process is mostly scheduling," said Philley.

On Apr. 9, Philley said around 180 people had signed up for Humans vs. Zombies. By Apr. 1, the number increased to over 200 participants. Philley said this number "is well within the range of how many people we expected to sign up."

Participants are enthusiastic about the event. Dawson, who is participating in the game, said, "I am finally excited to live out my dream to survive and fight through the zombie apocalypse."

Skidmore website sets new 'welcoming' layout

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

The co-founders of Skrounge.com, a Skidmore-exclusive coupon web site, debuted a new welcome page on April 14.

Skrounge.com, created by Dan DeMartini '11 and Jacques Ward '11, launched on March 21.

The web site offers discounts to local Saratoga Springs businesses, and features a discussion board where students can post housing opportunities and buy or sell textbooks and other items. "Toward the end of spring 2011, we started to think, ‘What do other schools do to encourage students to interact and spend money in their own town?' The idea developed from there," DeMartini said.

Curry Ford and Bob Ford, family friends of Ward, provided funds for the site's startup and helped the founders establish the site as a legally recognized business. Though funded by the Fords, DeMartini and Ward maintain control over the site's development.

To access the site, members of the community must provide a valid Skidmore e-mail address. Use of the site is free for students and vendors, but if the site proves to be successful vendors will eventually have to pay to advertise deals.

The founders said some students have been reluctant to use the site because of the welcome page.

"Currently, the sites welcome page asks you to register before you can see the deals we offer, and we think people visiting are turned off by that. They think its some sort of scam," DeMartini said.

The new welcome page allows visitors to browse the site first and only register if they want to print and use the coupons.

"We have over almost 60 vendors represented on the website," said Ethan Flum '13, the Skrounge.com business manager. Flum will take over local operations of the site when DeMartini and Ward graduate in May.

"It's not just discounts for restaurants and fast food," DeMartini said, "We have three mechanics offering huge discounts for the Skidmore community. You can find deals for clothes, housing, it's all there on the site."

The Skrounge.com team is also working on a smartphone application, which will use geo-location to connect users with local deals.

"If you're standing in the middle of Saratoga, and want deals for the nearest pizza place, the app will tell you the closest deals, and you can walk right in with the coupon on your phone," DeMartini said.

If the site is successful at Skidmore, the founders said they hope to expand to other colleges, and eventually turn a profit.

Cornel West tackles race, politics: Intersections keynote address fills Zankel to capacity

Posted by Max Siegelbaum

On Thursday April 6 Zankel Auditorium was at full capacity as Cornel West presented the final lecture in the Intersections Panel series, titled, "Race and Democracy in the Age of Obama."

More than 600 students, faculty and community members attended.

Audience overflow was sent to Gannet and Davis auditoriums, where the lecture was simulcasted.

West is the Class of 1943 Endowed Professor at Princeton University, where he teaches African American studies.

He is a civil rights activist and a self proclaimed "radical democrat."

West is also an author, a musician and an actor, with cameos in "The Matrix Reloaded and "The Matrix Revolution."

He is also a frequent guest on television programs such as "The Daily Show," "The Bill Maher Show," and "The Colbert Report."

The lecture began with an introduction by Acting President Susan Kress, who thanked Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Human Resources for making the lecture possible.

Professors Jennifer Delton of the history department and Michelle Rhee of the English department followed the Kress, and spoke about interactions they had with West when they were both students at Princeton.

Professor Grady-Willis ended the introduction with a list of West's accomplishments.

West began the lecture with a direct address to the audience.

"You are an intellectual jewel and a moral gem," West said, "Make no small plans."

West then said he wanted to begin on a Socratic note.

"What does it mean to be human?" he asked.

He said being human, for many, has to do with dealing with the "vicious legacies of white supremacy, which create unjust suffering."

West then said he believes the nation has to embrace race, because "sometimes color blindness leaves us more than blind."

Transitioning to the topic of current American society, West said he believes it is difficult to be courageous because of societal obsessions with wealth and status.

For past generations, West said, the general goal was to be a great person, but today the goal is to be successful.

He blames the current market driven society and culture of celebrity, West said.

West said he was fiercely critical of President Obama, who he believes is too politically moderate and does not address race aggressively enough.

"We are not post racial," West said.

West said that America has made progress, but not fully. The prison system, he said, is a massive failure, with 2.5 million people incarcerated, and 71 percent imprisoned for "soft drug" use.

West then discussed the importance of love, saying that he loves fully and unapologetically.

He said he believes that "to be human is to have a loving conscious."

West then directly addressed the audience again. "Integrity is in the kind of person you choose to be and the kind of life you choose to live."

It is important for everyone to find an individual voice for his or her self, West said.

West ended the lecture saying that he is not optimistic, but considers himself a prisoner of hope.

After the lecture ended, West participated in a question-and-answer session with the audience.

West was brought to campus by a team of faculty and administrators, including Winston Grady-Willis, Rochelle Calhoun, Muriel Posten, Herb Crossman and Mariel Martin.

Cars vandalized in Northwoods

Posted by Andrew Cantor

Sometime late April 8 or April 9, unidentified subject(s) broke into and vandalized seven vehicles parked near the Northwoods Apartments.

The subject(s) smashed windows, ripped off side-view mirrors, and spray painted the cars in light blue paint, spraying "FAG" on one car, according to a Campus Safety report.

Director of Campus Safety Dennis Conway said he does not believe the vandal(s) targeted certain students.

"The students are from all different areas of campus… they're musicians and athletes… the cars are also next to each other," Conway said. "After speaking with the police, the students do not believe they were targeted."

Conway said Campus Safety and the Saratoga Springs Police Department are simultaneously investigating the vandalism. He said a police officer assigned to Saratoga Springs High School investigated if students from town were behind the attack. Conway believes the vandal(s) are from campus.

"I'm fairly confident people on this campus know who did it," Conway said. "If the student code of conduct means anything we should get to the bottom of this."

Conway cited an Oct. 30 incident, when vandal(s) caused $200,000 worth of damage to the Northwoods construction site, as a reason to believe the vandal(s) are college students.

While Conway did not know the cost of damage done this past weekend, he said the damage most likely constitutes felony criminal mischief.

In New York State, damage of 250 dollars is a class "E" felony, and damage more than $1,500 is a class "D" felony.

The vandalism on campus has students questioning their safety in the Northwoods parking lot.

"I'm worried to be in the parking lot at night," Preety Aujla ‘11 said. "I don't know if anyone's targeting me."

The vandalism did not threaten senior Matt Belloise but it did offended him, he said.

"It's ridiculous. First of all, I don't know why they dropped the ‘f' bomb," Belloise said. "Unprovoked destruction is the last thing we need right now, the way things are going at Skidmore this semester. It really makes you think about 2012."

Contact Campus Safety at 518-580-5566 or use the confidential T-I-P-S line from a cell phone at 518-580-8477 to provide any information about the incident.

Senate amends ICC operating procedure

Posted by Kat Kullman

On Tuesday, April 12, the SGA Senate unanimously passed a resolution to change the Inter-Class Council Operating Codes.

The new resolution stipulates that each class is required to have at least one event where the proceeds go to charity.

This rule was already in effect from a resolution created at the start of the year, but due to an error, had yet to be officially added to the Operating Codes.

Libby Gronquist, president of the 2011 class, and senator Emilee Bell '13 brought the resolution to Senate.

"We've already been doing this all this year, but it's important to have this in writing to set precedence," Bell said. "This year we did pinnies, the can drive, and several other events. It's important that class council have support for each other and that we give back."

"We came into this year with interesting relations with Saratoga and we need to strengthen that relationship. Saratoga is a big part of Skidmore and we need to act as leaders for our community," Gronquist said.

Senator Dan DeMartini ‘11, presented a brief update on the development of the new housing complexes. DeMartini sits on the Scribner Village Replacement Committee with administrators such as Mike West and Rochelle Calhoun.

"Weather has been a major concern, obviously, but they've been doing as much as they can," DeMartini said. "They're still planning on having the Northwoods apartments done by January 2012."

Construction will continue during the summer months and into the fall semester, when progress should be openly visible.

The three new sophomore buildings will potentially be finished in September 2013, with all the construction done in the fall of 2014.

"When it's finished, it's going to be amazing," DeMartini said.

The new Scribner will include composting cites, a community center, a picnic area and a fire pit.

"In fact, the seniors of 2014 will probably want to live in the new Scribner, and the juniors will get Northwoods. Campus is going to be different, but fantastic," Demartini said.

DeMartini will continue providing updates as the committee continues to meet.

In other news:

• Senate unanimously granted a supplemental of $700 to the Model U.N. so the club can go to a conference in New York City next week.

Club president John Goeppinger '11 came to Senate to request the money, which is needed for food and subway fare for the seven attendees.

•Voting for the fall 2011 SGA senators-at-large began on April 14 at midnight. Candidate speech night was April 13.

SGA president Alex Stark will announce the results via e-mail.

Band Trailer debuts

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

On April 2, a new space for bands to practice became available to the college community.

Informally known as the "band trailer," the space is located behind Falstaff's.

Members of student bands began petitioning for extra space to practice on campus last fall.

Prior to the opening of the band trailer, Wilson Chapel was the most readily available practice space for student bands, but was difficult to book because it is also used for other campus activities.

"The petition wound up on my desk and in consultation with Mike Hall, the director of financial planning and budgeting, Paul Lundberg from facilities and some of the students involved in the petition I put together a Presidential Discretionary Fund request for just more than $10,000 to create the space," said Robin Adams, assistant director of student leadership activities.

The trailer is currently just a soundproof room.

Adams said he hopes to get a PA system installed and a drum set put in as soon as possible.

"I hope to get more equipment for the room so you don't have to spend tons of time setting up and tearing down and your time slots can be used for practice rather than taking apart drum kits," Adams wrote in an e-mail to students on April 6.

Students can reserve the space for three hours at a time.

A sign up sheet is available outside of Adams' office in Case 226b.

The key to the trailer can be picked up at the Campus Safety office in the basement of Jonsson Tower.

"Be respectful of the space. If it gets trashed then it's done. Both myself and Campus Safety will pop in periodically to make sure it's in good shape but I'll expect you to police yourselves on this one," Adams' wrote.

Students are reacting positively to the additional practice space.

"I think [creating the space] is one of the most productive things Skidmore has done in a while. The trailer is pretty much everything you can ask for as student band," said Warren Bianci '11, bassist for the student band Houseboat.

Though it is still in its trial phase, Adams said if everything goes well he hopes to install a more permanent practice space on campus.

Students can send questions and suggestions for improvement to Adams at radams@skidmore.edu.

Anthropology department re-evaluates program

Posted by Julia Leef

As part of a self-study that each academic department and program must conduct every 10 years, the college's anthropology program is evaluating its faculty and curriculum in an attempt to improve student academic experiences.

Proposed changes include eliminating several elective courses, including North American Indians and Applied Anthropology, shifting 300-level research methods courses to the 200-level, and altering 100-level courses from four credits to three.

"These are exciting moments because they are opportunities to stand back and consider what does work and what doesn't work," said Rik Scarce, associate professor and chairman of the department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work.

Michael Ennis-McMillan, an associate professor of anthropology who was on sabbatical for the past academic year, said he has been with the anthropology program for 13 years, and has witnessed many changes to the staff and curriculum.

Throughout the past few years, McMillan said, several professors have passed in and out of the anthropology program, bringing with them new ideas and inspirations for students, which, in turn, determine what courses students respond to and help shape the future curriculum of the program.

"I can see how, from a student's perspective it's news that professors come and go and programs change, but it's actually the way the program works," Ennis-McMillan said.

Based on recommendations from evaluators based on contemporary anthropology programs in other colleges, the anthropology program has strived to incorporate a broader range of training for its students.

According to Scarce, 90 percent of anthropology majors go abroad, so there is a lot of interest in studying non-western cultures.

There are also many opportunities for students to conduct research in Saratoga Springs, allowing students to study both locally and globally.

"What can we learn, literally in our own backyard, in the U.S?" Ennis-McMillan asked.

During the next couple of years, anthropology majors will be required to complete a research methods course in Saratoga Springs, McMillan said.

In 2001, the college applied for a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to broaden knowledge and encourage high standards of service and leadership.

The grant sponsored a fifth teaching position for four years, with the understanding that this position would focus on non-western areas, particularly east Asia, after which the college funded the position.

Both Scarce and Ennis-McMillan said professors' areas of specialization are highly relevant to students' lives, especially for those interested in interdisciplinary work.

"The college has asked us when hiring people to have people who can actually contribute to other majors," Ennis-McMillan said.

According to Scarce, although the anthropology program is small, it is essential to student education.

"Anthropology has a really important role in this globalized future to bring understanding and to bring us together in very positive ways," Scarce said.

Jono Zeidan '12 elected SGA president: Large voter turnout fueled by competitive races

Posted by Andrew Cantor

On a Friday afternoon, SGA President Alex Stark '11 e-mailed the second round SGA election results to the campus. She announced the winners of a highly contested election for many positions, and said the elections received a very high voter turnout.

Students elected Jono Zeidan '12, currently vice-president of financial affairs, to the position of SGA president, the highest Executive Committee position in the college student government. He defeated Alex Bland '12, vice-president of club affairs.

"It was a pleasure to run against someone who was so qualified," said Zeidan in his first statement as president-elect. "I'm looking forward to the upcoming opportunities next year as SGA president."

According to the Stark's e-mail, 893 students voted.

 "We're really happy with the voter turnout. Usually participation is closer to 600 students," Stark said. "I think people voted because a lot of these positions were contested. It gets people excited."

In the other contested races, Logan Brenner '12 won the position of vice-president of club affairs, Raiza Nazareth '12 won the position of vice-president of communications and outreach and Aaron Shifreen '12 won the position of vice-president of residential affairs.

All candidates running in uncontested executive committee races won against votes of no-confidence or abstentions: Melvis Langyinto '12 for senior class president, Thomas Rivera '13 for vice-president of academic affairs and Ethan Flum '12 for vice-president of financial affairs.

All candidates running in uncontested inter-hall board races won against votes of no-confidence or abstentions: Jess Sonnenfeld '14 for Howe-Rounds president, Daniel Gaunard '14 for How-Rounds vice-president, Britt Dorfman '14 for Kimball vice-president, Lindsey Decker for Penfield vice-president, Molly Grant '14 for Wait vice-president, Kim Ohnemus '14 for Wiecking president, Jess Strasser for Wiecking vice-president, and Margeau Canon '14 for Wilmarth vice-president.

---

At 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening, about 100 people packed into the SPA for the second round of SGA Speech Night. During the course of the two-and-a-half hour event, 20 students delivered speeches for significant SGA positions including SGA President.

Voting began at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday morning and ended at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Election results were not available as of press time on Thursday, as elections had not yet ended. Students who voted were automatically entered into a raffle with a chance to win gift certificates to local restaurants.

Many students' platforms focused on adding transparency to SGA to make the group's policies more clear to members of the student body. Students also campaigned to change the general campus culture in response to the recent dialogues about diversity.

Students also proposed "fun" all-college events, such as hosting a snowball fight and purchasing sleds for the student body, both related to the snowy winter months the college historically experiences.

According to SGA President Alex Stark, Wednesday's Speech Night received one of the largest audiences during her four years at the college.

SGA President: Jono Zeidan vs. Alex Bland

Students ran contested in nearly every executive board position for round two of elections. Alex Bland '12 and Jono Zeidan '12 both ran for SGA president, the highest executive committee position.

Bland started his speech for president by commenting on SGA's lack of transparency.

"On an average day I'll have a conversation with someone and I'll tell them I'm in SGA… I get the response ‘what is SGA?,' ‘what does SGA' do?'," Bland said. "People think it's just an acronym on a poster."

"Our biggest accomplishments don't always come from inside, they come from the student body," Bland said.

Zeidan agreed. "Perhaps the biggest thing SGA does is extract ideas from everyone else," he said.

Bland said SGA sometimes receives superficial requests, like including an elevator in Scribner Village to connect to the Jonsson Tower parking lot, but also receives more significant requests, like changing the college's Sexual Assault Policy.

Zeidan began his speech by appealing to the audience with references of classic Skidmore all-college events.

"Did you know Skidmore used to have competitive mud wrestling?," Zeidan said. "We used to have hot tubs on the green in the dead of winter. We can bring the fun back to Skidmore… Those are some silly ideas but we I have some other [serious] things we can get done."

The candidates were asked what they thought of the diversity dialogues on campus, and how they would continue them, if at all, in the following semesters.

"I didn't know there was such an issue until I went to the dialogues," Bland said. "They caught me off guard… I think the biggest problem is that people just don't know."

Zeidan said the larger issue was that students feel uncomfortable on campus, and binge drinking has a been a way to remedy the discomfort.

"Alcohol is a symptom of this discomfort about diversity," Zeidan said. "Through these dialogues, we've laid the foundation, and now it's time to take the next step."

Bland saw the issue of diversity differently.

"I agree alcohol is a problem on campus but it's different than diversity," Bland said. "We need to address both [separately]."

One member of the audience said both candidates' platforms were similar, and asked what distinguishes each other from their candidate.

Neither candidate fully distinguished themselves from their opponent.

"We both even kind of look alike on paper so we're the same," Zeidan said. "I'm not going to bash Alex [Bland], he's a good friend of mine. What separates us is what's off the paper."

"The full commitment is pretty extreme and I'm ready to deal with it," Bland said.

Vice-President of Club Affairs: Donald Duff vs. Logan Brenner

Donald Duff '13 ran against Logan Brenner '12 for the position of vp for club affairs.

This past fall, Brenner resigned from her yearlong position as vp for academic affairs to go abroad to Turks and Caicos. Brenner gave her speech via a YouTube video she filmed outside by a beach, and she answered questions previously asked of her via Facebook.

The candidates outlined their procedures for chartering and de-chartering clubs.

"I would go through charters with the club affairs committee, and would ask the [executive] boards of these clubs to meet with the club affairs committee and if they've been inactive they should propose a plan for change for more activity," Brenner said. "I think all clubs deserve a chance [though]."

Duff campaigned for a more stringent policy on chartering clubs.

"The possible club or student members will have… a five week trial period before a recommendation to be chartered," Duff said. "For de-chartering, the club would have to be inactive for the semester, and would be put on probation status. If it remained inactive the next semester, they would be de-chartered by majority vote," he said.

Candidates were asked to elaborate on how they would change more bureaucratic processes, like the club presidents' meeting.

"I would like to create a social event in cooperation with presidents and vice presidents of clubs," Duff said. "I also think there should be interim evaluations of club presidents."

Brenner also campaigned for more social club presidents meetings.

"I'll make sure the meeting is properly publicized for their clubs try to get their opinions on how the semester is going… It'll probably be better with food in their stomachs… also smaller meetings would be helpful," she said.

Outside of his prospective duties for vp of club affairs, Duff plans to sponsor several SGA resolutions.

"I have not brought one to the senate but I plan to bring on in the coming weeks. One passed by Thomas Rivera, how the vp of diversity affairs should have OSDP experience. To understand what diversity is you have to be a part of OSDP club," Duff said. "Also one [resolution] by Leeland [Martin ‘14] … A Resolution for sleds for the coming year. It will create more fun. We'll have better things to do around here," he said.

Vice-President of Academic Affairs: Thomas Rivera-Patterson, unopposed

Thomas Rivera '13, vp for academic affairs, ran for the position he currently serves. Rivera won an uncontested election in February after Logan Brenner '12 resigned and vacated the position, as she is studying abroad this semester.

Rivera, in his role as vp for academic affairs, offered many changes to the current academic program and academic social life.

"I want to have a faculty and student dinner," Rivera said. "I think this will create a better relationship between students and faculty, and we'll get to build that bond… I've heard a lot of people saying they're in biology and they've never met anyone in the government department."

In addition to the outside of the classroom experience, Rivera is planning a service-learning program, which is not limited to volunteer work.

"I plan to have a student in every single academic major represent to other students in the major options for service learning," he said.

Alex Brehm '12 asked Rivera if he supported internship work, even if students, who are not getting paid, end up paying thousands of dollars for credit hours, whether it is "out-of-pocket" or paid through scholarship.

Rivera did not see this as a problem.

"Service learning is entirely worth it," Rivera said. "You're doing something active, doing workshops… When you engage in what you're studying, along with the internship, it's worth it."

Inside the classroom, Rivera said he plans to propose a public speaking course.

While Rivera feels comfortable in his role as vp for academic affairs, but he said it was not initially easy learning the procedures.

"There was a barrier to a certain extent. The more communication got better, things got better," he said. "I was nervous first as vp… But we're getting to the point now where we can move forward [more smoothly]."

---

While the candidates running for executive committee positions received more questions and had a larger audience to deliver their speeches to, the other candidates running gave equal attention to their speeches and platforms.

For executive committee positions, Melvis Langyinto '12 ran for the position of senior class president, Raiza Nazareth '12 and Alec Unkovic '12 ran for vp of communication and outreach, Jovany Andujar '13 ran for vp of diversity affairs, Ethan Flum '12 ran for vp of financial affairs and Alexis Curry '12 and Aaron Shifreen '12 ran for vp for residential affairs.

The candidates running for hall presidents and vice presidents all ran uncontested.

The candidates for vp of residential affairs commented on the future role of popular college drinking events like Moorebid Ball and Fun Day, as their position requires them to monitor and administer the events.

The 2010 Moorebid Ball received national media attention after 14 attendees were hospitalized for alcohol-related sickness and injury.  

"I want to speak with past planners of Moorebid Ball," Curry said. "I want to see how the event was transferred to Moore Hall [to Case Center], and see what was fundamental in doing that… We have to make sure Moorebid and Fun Day continue."

The recent race dialogues have also received attention, in the The Skidmore News and through various forums on campus.

Jovani Andujar ‘13 ran uncontested for vp of diversity affairs, and would be a leading voice in diversity affairs in his capacity in that position.

He said he wants to change the way diversity is perceived on campus.

"Diversity isn't about numbers," Andujar said. "It's about the interaction between the groups of people. There people who want to see diversity as something only visual. Diversity is more than something on someone's face and the color of their skin."

Seminar campaigns for change

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

On April 11, "EN105: Under the Influence," will begin two weeks of campus-wide campaigning to improve awareness of healthy living, green initiatives, binge drinking and gender relations in Africa.

The class, an expository writing seminar, spent the semester studying the use of persuasive language to influence audiences. As a final project, students are working in small groups to design persuasive campaigns for subjects they feel passionately about.

The campaigns explore issues specific to the college, as well as larger national and international issues.

Many of the groups are focusing on green initiatives, such as water conservation and increased recycling on campus, and convincing the administration to install motion-censored outdoor lights to decrease energy use.

Siwei Song '14, an international student from China, is campaigning with her group to raise money for oppressed women in Africa.

To encourage donations, the group is offering hand-folded origami figures in exchange for contributions to its campaign. The group is also seeking the assistance of Benefaction and the International Student Union.

Two student athletes in the class are campaigning to increase student use of the gym in an effort to promote healthier student lifestyles.

They plan to host a campus-wide dodgeball game to encourage students to be active and social, according to Aaron Beck '14, a member of the group.

First-year Anthony Giacim's group is campaigning to decrease binge drinking on campus.

"We know we're not going to be able to end underage drinking, but if we can get people to have one or two fewer drinks in a night, then we'll consider ourselves successful," Giacim said.

The persuasive aspects of the campaign will take the form of posters, Facebook groups and documentary viewings, according to the class. Many of the groups plan to set up tables and small exhibitions in the atrium of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall.

The success of the campaigns will be part of the students' final grades, according to Professor Thad Niles.

"Let's think about your actions on the ground," Niles said to his class during a brainstorming session, "The things people are going to see. The things that will make your campaigns successful and active rather than just ideas."

Each group will develop an individual, quantitative form to evaluate the success of its campaign. Song's group will judge its success by how many donations they receive, but many groups' evaluation methods have not yet been decided.

"All of these issues are so huge — it can be paralyzing to think about trying to take action. I want the class to see that even if it's just at the campus level, two people can get 30 or 40 people to take action, and that's success," Niles said.