Campus Safety Reports Oct. 12 to 18

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Saturday, Oct. 13: Campus Safety Assist: Speeding vehicle reported at 8:23 a.m. to have hit a transformer cover on Moore Way. Officers and Saratoga Springs Police Department dispatched. Driver identified. Report issued. Repairs pending.
• Monday, Oct. 15: Accident: Power outage reported at 8:48 a.m. at Dayton Drive due to damage sustained by a transformer hit by a vehicle. Report issued.
• Wednesday, Oct. 17: Trespass: Person reported at 6:29 a.m. seeing someone in the recycling bin with a flashlight outside North Hall. Officer dispatched located and identified the subject. Subject was warned off campus. Report issued.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Oct. 12:

• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 12:05 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officers dispatched report that subject complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Medical: Medical assistance requested at 8:50 a.m. for a fellow student in Kimball Hall who collapsed in the shower with severe pain. Dispatched officers. Emergency Medical Service was contacted and transported the subject to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Accident: Damage reported to a vehicle at 2:10 p.m. while parked in the Jonsson Tower lot. Dispatched officer issued report.
• College Violation: A loud party reported taking place at 11:32 p.m in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reported a small birthday gathering. No other violation observed. Subjects agreed to lower the volume.

Saturday, Oct. 13:

• Criminal Mischief: Unknown subjects reported at 1:16 a.m. causing a disturbance across campus, including a number of acts of misconduct near the Starbuck Center. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person states feeling unwell and requests transport at 1:35 a.m. to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• College Violation: Unauthorized gathering and excessive noise reported at 1:46 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Officers dispatched dispersed the group.
• Criminal Mischief: Unknown subjects reported at 2:04 a.m. breaking the glass on the front door to the Case Center's main entrance. No witnesses at this time. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Unknown subject reported at 2:14 a.m. throwing a glass bottle against subject's door at 2:14 a.m. in Rounds Hall. The subject requested to speak to an officer. Investigation pending. Report issued.
• Falsely Reported Incident: Person reported at 2:11 a.m. an expelled fire extinguisher in Howe Hall causing the fire alarm to activate. Officers, Saratoga Springs Fire Department and maintenance responded. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 3:31 a.m. criminal mischief done to the walls in the stairwell at Kimball Hall. Unknown subjects caused damage. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: The Saratoga Springs Police Department requested the information of a student under warrant for arrest at 9:24 a.m. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport for medical attention requested at 11:25 a.m. from an off-campus location. Officer dispatched completed the transport.

Sunday, Oct. 14:

• Campus Safety Assist: Officer reported at 12:43 a.m. that an event at Falstaff's has been shut down due to overcrowding and unsafe conditions.
• Campus Safety Assist: 911 hang-up call received at 1:39 a.m. from Whitman Way. Officer called the phone back and was informed that the call was made in error. Officers continued responding to verify the incident. No further problems reported.
• College Violation: Unauthorized gathering and excessive noise reported at 2:39 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Subjects dispersed and the volume was lowered.
• Criminal Mischief: Fire extinguisher was discharged at 5:20 a.m. on the first floor of Case Center. Officer dispatched issued report. No known perpetrators at this time.

Monday, Oct. 15:

• Campus Safety Assist: Saratoga Emergency Service came to Campus Safety office at 2:20 a.m. stating that they had received a 911 call from Jonsson Tower. Officer was dispatched to escort the EMS to the reporting person. Subject was transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Damage reported at 11:35 a.m. to the air handler fans between Starbuck and Wilmarth. Dispatched officer documented the damage. Report issued.
•  Campus Safety Assist: Injury reported at 8:20 p.m. as the result of a fall in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Reporting person requested transport for medical assistance, which was completed by an officer. Report issued.

Tuesday, Oct. 16:

• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested to have the on call counselor call her at 3 a.m. at her North Woods residence. Officer delivered the message and the return call was made accordingly by the counseling service.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reported at 11:17 a.m. that she felt ill and requested transport to her residence. Officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Larceny: Person reported at 1:40 p.m. that her skateboard had been stolen from the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Officer issued a report. Unknown perpetrator at this time.

Wednesday, Oct. 17:

• Medical: Transport requested at 12:26 a.m. from Whitman Way to the Emergency Room. Officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 8:52 a.m. for medical assistance from an off-campus location. Officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Larceny: Personal property reported stolen at 12:20 p.m. while at an event at Falstaff's. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Escort requested at 7:02 p.m. from an off-campus location to the Saratoga Springs Emergency Room. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 10:48 p.m. in Wiecking Hall. Dispatched officer reported the odor of burned food detected.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 11:06 p.m. on the tenth floor of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers reported the odor was detected but the source was undetermined.
• Campus Safety Assist: A speeding vehicle reported at 11:19 p.m. in North Woods. Dispatched officer canvassed the area and reported the subject gone on arrival.

Thursday, Oct. 18:

• Campus Safety Assist: Two students reported at 2:40 p.m. smoking pot at the main entrance of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reported that the subjects vacated the area prior to his arrival.
• Campus Safety Assist: Assistance requested at 4:35 p.m. with welfare check at Wait Hall. The check was conducted and the subject was determined satisfactory. Message delivered.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 8:40 a.m. locating a shattered window in the lobby of Howe Hall. Officer recorded the damage. No witnesses in the area. Maintenance taped the glass to prevent injury.
• Campus Safety Assist: Student requested a transport at 10:36 p.m. from Jonsson Tower to the Emergency Room. Officer completed the transport to and from the Emergency Room. Report issued.

Pro-Choice rally held before Senate debate

Posted by Rachel Kim

On Oct. 17 NARAL (National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws) Pro-Choice New York, Planned Parenthood and students held a pro-choice rally by the College's main Broadway entrance before the Senate debate took place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. 

NARAL Pro-Choice NY is a political advocacy organization that has worked with women's organizations, health care groups and legislators to protect reproductive rights and secure access to reproductive health care for the women of New York.

The organization works to organize communities on both a local and state level. Planned Parenthood is a not-for-profit organization and the nation's leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate.

"Even to us the local elections are really key. We're basically bringing information to the people so they know the information and can make voting decisions for themselves," said alumna Emily Zahn '11, who currently works with NARAL Pro-Choice New York.

The organization, along with Planned Parenthood, gathered to support incumbent senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who supports a pro-choice position. Republican challenger Wendy Long holds a pro-life position.

"Supporters have gathered today to show their support of Planned Parenthood and will not stand for the health care of three million women, men and teens nationwide to be jeopardized," said Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York President M. Tracey Brooks.

Also present were students involved with Skidmore Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthood, an organization formed to mobilize students to advocate for reproductive rights on campus. Aside from the rally, Vox has held other events to keep students politically active on campus.

"Vox and Christian Fellowship were co-sponsoring a voter pledge campaign where students come by and basically pledge to vote. Everyone knows what a big election this is, so I don't think there are many students who aren't thinking about it," said Vox President Emily Rooke-Ley '14.

The Senate debate and the rally are all signs of the recent slight increase in student political activeness on campus. Dianne Patterson, who works with Family Planning Advocates of New York State, stressed the importance of student voices.

"These young people have really never known anything but access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare without restriction. Unfortunately, we are being tested now and safe legal abortion is being challenged, and without the young generation coming up to help fight this fight again, forty years later, it would be discouraging, so we are very enthused about having young people partner up with us," Patterson said.

Students and members of the two organizations continued to rally until 7 p.m. at which point they moved to Zankel to watch the debate and support Senator Gillibrand.

"She is an incredible pro-choice champion and it is important to maintain a pro-choice Senate. With this rally we're saying to Senator Gillibrand, 'We understand this is a big deal for you, so welcome to Skidmore'," said Zahn. 

U.S. Senate debate held at Arthur Zankel Music Center

Posted by Jesse Shayne

On Oct. 17, the debate between incumbent Democratic senator Kirstin Gillibrand and her challenger Republican Wendy Long, took place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College immediately following a pro-choice rally outside.

The debate was sponsored by YNN and NY1 (branches of Times Warner Cable) and was moderated by Capital Tonight host Liz Benjamin and Inside City Hall host Errol Louis.

Journalists from the New York Times, the Associated Press, the Albany Times Union and a slew of other news outlets were present, along with 575 spectators-about half of whom were Skidmore students and faculty members, the other half comprised of invitees of YNN and NY1, Skidmore trustees, members of the political world and the public. The event was broadcasted on YNN, NY1 and News 12. It was also streamed on C-Span's website and aired on WNYC Radio.

President Phillip A. Glotzbach started the event with a speech to the immediate audience-prior to the live broadcast-where he emphasized the importance of debates for political and educational purposes and as the foundation of democracy. He thanked the producers and senators and also mentioned the significance of the event to Skidmore.

Liz Benjamin and Errol Louis then took the stage and warmed up the audience with jokes and questions. They asked those present in the auditorium to raise their hands in support of either candidate, to which Gillibrand received an overwhelming majority.

The debate then began, as did the airing, with one-minute opening statements from both candidates. Gillibrand stressed the importance of job growth as the number one concern of the election, and mentioned her belief in fighting for the middle class.

Long emphasized the significance of equality and noted the struggling economy of New York-a testament to Gillibrand's service in her opinion.

The candidates were then asked a number of questions by the moderators pertaining to issues such as the recent attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, the effectiveness of the stimulus package passed under President Barack Obama, gun control, abortion (and the constitutionality of the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade), tax-cuts and the economy.

Gillibrand and Long both came out aggressively, interrupting each other often and going over-time on their answers quite frequently. Both stuck to party lines, advocating for their respective party's presidential candidates and their platforms.

"It was interesting how a lot of the issues directly overlapped with the presidential campaign," said Xan Goldberg '13 who was a student assistant at the event.

A lightning round of yes or no questions followed the initial round. Many of the questions contained references to pop culture icons such as twitter and Fifty Shades of Grey, but some were more serious. The candidates were asked if they believed in reinstituting the death penalty in the state of New York to which Gillibrand responded in the negative and Long the affirmative.

A cross-examination round of questions followed in which Gillibrand asked Long if she was willing to break Grover Norquist's GOP anti-tax pledge and Long asked Gillibrand about the recent sexual harassment scandal involving New York State Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez.

The moderators then took back over and asked questions about health care, Iran, U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, hydro-fracking in upstate New York and immigration. The hydro-fracking issue received more discussion time given recent consideration to allow New York hydro-fracking by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

When Long came out in support of fracking with an emphasis on job creation and energy independence she received boos from the audience. Gillibrand took a more modest approach stating that she would not allow fracking in New York until studies have proven it to be safe.

After the last round of questions the candidates made their closing statements and left the stage. Both Senate-hopefuls stuck around to receive questions from the media afterwards.

The event was a collaborative effort between many parties-YNN, NY1, the campaigns and the college. At times the audience applauded and booed despite being asked to remain silent by the moderators, but overall it went smoothly.

"Hosting the debate was a real team effort among Campus Safety, Special Programs, the Communications Office, and, of course, our colleagues at the Zankel Music Center," said Executive Director of Communications Dan Forbush. "It was a great opportunity for our students, giving them a front-row seat in a key political race, and it was a great opportunity for the College to show off Zankel to a vast new audience."

The college placed an emphasis on student involvement in the debate by reserving about 200 tickets for the student body, which were distributed on Oct. 3.

"It was easily accessible for students and free, which was nice," said Leslie Valasquez '14.

Student involvement ranged from spectating to helping run the event. Zankel student ushers were present as were volunteers from the student body recruited by Associate Director of the Office of Campus Life, Robin Adams, who sent out an email asking for student assistance for the event a couple of weeks prior. Xan Goldberg was one of those students.

"It was kind of like being an intern or a production assistant for the event," Goldberg said. "It was a great opportunity for someone who is interested in production and politics to get some experience,"

Members of the public seemed impressed by Zankel, which opened in 2010. The moderators and politicians all thanked Skidmore for hosting the event, and noted the allure of the auditorium.

"Zankel is an outstanding venue for this kind of event," said Forbush. " We know that YNN is so pleased both with the building and with how things went that they will be considering Zankel for similar events in the future." 

Career Jam to kick off Celebration Weekend: The event will host 81 volunteers to speak with students about their futures

Posted by Adrian Appleman

To kick off Celebration Weekend, the Career Development Center will hold the fourth annual Career Jam, a networking opportunity for students to learn about how to enter potential fields of interest once they are armed with their Skidmore degree.

Approximately 81 volunteer representatives from various firms and organizations, willing to share their industry insights with interested students, will fill the second floor of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall on Friday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

As a collaboration of the Parents Council, the Alumni Association and the Career Development Center, Career Jam consists of volunteers from local businesses, national brands and organizations, Skidmore Parents and Alumni and current employees. In the works since June, the event incorporates the vast network of the extended College community to provide students with a perspective on the various courses professional lives can take after college.

The increase in volunteers, from approximately 40 last year, comes from an increased focus on local businesses.

"We deliberately increased local representatives for students who are looking to intern while in college," said Deborah Loffredo, director of the Career Development Center.

Although some of the companies represented will be hiring, the event is not considered a hiring event. Career Jam centers on building a foundational professional network for students, and assisting in building effective and useful networking skills that can be utilized for the rest of their careers.

"Career Jam is a networking event," said Loffredo, "not a job fair. There are some who are looking to hire, but most are here to talk about their careers. They provide the opportunity to allow students to ask questions like, 'Do I need a graduate degree to enter your field?' or, 'What's a good entry-level job for me to get my foot in the door?' They are there to offer advice, and so many people want to help."

To help build anticipation for the Jam, events on Thursday begin with the What-Not-To-Wear fashion show on the second floor of the dining hall at 6 p.m., an instructional fashion show on how to properly dress in professional environments. Following the show, there will be an informational meeting with alumna Anne Wargo '89, who will provide tips on how to make the most of what will be many students' first networking experience.

Friday, the Jam will be in full swing, beginning with a presentation on the MB-190 course entitled "A Brand Called Me," which focuses on creating an effective, marketable self-image, in Gannett Auditorium at 1 p.m. The Career Development Center will then offer time slots for resume critiques and conducting mock interviews at the Center from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., on a first-come first-serve basis to those who sign up ahead of time at the Center.

"It's never too early to start looking," said Loffredo. "It's never too early to search for internships. Career Jam it not just for Seniors-it is for everyone!" 

U.S. Senate debate held at Zankel Music Center

Posted by Jesse Shayne

Last night, the debate between incumbent Democratic senator Kristin Gillibrand and her challenger Republican Wendy Long, took place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College immediately following a pro-choice rally outside.

The debate was sponsored by YNN and NY1 (branches of Times Warner Cable) and was moderated by Capital Tonight host Liz Benjamin and Inside City Hall host Errol Louis.

Journalists from the New York Times, the Associated Press, the Albany Times Union and a slew of other news outlets were present, along with 575 spectators-about half of whom were Skidmore students and faculty members, the other half comprised of invitees of YNN and NY1, Skidmore trustees, members of the political world and the public. The event was broadcasted on YNN, NY1 and News 12. It was also streamed on C-Span's website and aired on WNYC Radio.

President Phillip A. Glotzbach started the event with a speech to the immediate audience-prior to the live broadcast-where he emphasized the importance of debates for political and educational purposes and as the foundation of democracy. He thanked the producers and senators and also mentioned the significance of the event to Skidmore.

Liz Benjamin and Errol Louis then took the stage and warmed up the audience with jokes and questions. They asked those present in the auditorium to raise their hands in support of either candidate, to which Gillibrand received an overwhelming majority.

The debate then began, as did the airing, with one-minute opening statements from both candidates. Gillibrand stressed the importance of job growth as the number one concern of the election, and mentioned her belief in fighting for the middle class.

Long emphasized the significance of equality and noted the struggling economy of New York-a testament to Gillibrand's service in her opinion.

The candidates were then asked a number of questions by the moderators pertaining to issues such as the recent attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, the effectiveness of the stimulus package passed under President Barack Obama, gun control, abortion (and the constitutionality of the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade), tax-cuts and the economy.

Gillibrand and Long both came out aggressively, interrupting each other often and going over-time on their answers quite frequently. Both stuck to party lines, advocating for their respective party's presidential candidates and their platforms.

"It was interesting how a lot of the issues directly overlapped with the presidential campaign," said Xan Goldberg '13 who was a student assistant at the event.

A lightning round of yes or no questions followed the initial round. Many of the questions contained references to pop culture icons such as twitter and Fifty Shades of Grey, but some were more serious. The candidates were asked if they believed in reinstituting the death penalty in the state of New York to which Gillibrand responded in the negative and Long the affirmative.

A cross-examination round of questions followed in which Gillibrand asked Long if she was willing to break Grover Norquist's GOP anti-tax pledge and Long asked Gillibrand about the recent sexual harassment scandal involving New York State Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez.

The moderators then took back over and asked questions about health care, Iran, U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, hydro-fracking in upstate New York and immigration. The hydro-fracking issue received more discussion time given recent consideration to allow New York hydro-fracking by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

When Long came out in support of fracking with an emphasis on job creation and energy independence she received boos from the audience. Gillibrand took a more modest approach stating that she would not allow fracking in New York until studies have proven it to be safe.

After the last round of questions the candidates made their closing statements and left the stage. Both Senate-hopefuls stuck around to receive questions from the media afterwards.

The event was a collaborative effort between many parties-YNN, NY1, the campaigns and the college. At times the audience applauded and booed despite being asked to remain silent by the moderators, but overall it went smoothly.

"Hosting the debate was a real team effort among Campus Safety, Special Programs, the Communications Office, and, of course, our colleagues at the Zankel Music Center," said Executive Director of Communications Dan Forbush. "It was a great opportunity for our students, giving them a front-row seat in a key political race, and it was a great opportunity for the College to show off Zankel to a vast new audience."

The college placed an emphasis on student involvement in the debate by reserving about 200 tickets for the student body, which were distributed on Oct. 3.

"It was easily accessible for students and free, which was nice," said Leslie Valasquez '14.

Student involvement ranged from spectating to helping run the event. Zankel student ushers were present as were volunteers from the student body recruited by Associate Director of the Office of Campus Life, Robin Adams, who sent out an email asking for student assistance for the event a couple of weeks prior. Xan Goldberg was one of those students.

"It was kind of like being an intern or a production assistant for the event," Goldberg said. "It was a great opportunity for someone who is interested in production and politics to get some experience,"

Members of the public seemed impressed by Zankel, which opened in 2010. The moderators and politicians all thanked Skidmore for hosting the event, and noted the allure of the auditorium.

"Zankel is an outstanding venue for this kind of event," said Forbush. " We know that YNN is so pleased both with the building and with how things went that they will be considering Zankel for similar events in the future." 

Car damages transformer, causing power outage in Northwoods Village

Posted by Rachel Kim

In the morning hours of Oct. 20, a car struck and damaged a transformer located in the Northwoods Village. According to the Saratogian, the incident left three apartment buildings and 114 people without electricity.

"The transformer affecting the power outage to several Northwoods buildings must be removed and repaired, which will take about a week," said Community Coordinator for Residential Life Joseph Murphy in an email sent to Northwoods residents earlier today.

Power returned late Monday afternoon after a generator was installed to temporarily replace the damaged transformer. The generator will supply the apartments with electricity for the remainder of the week.

The driver responsible for the damage done left the scene without reporting it to Campus Safety.

Students and other community members can report tips by calling the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 518-580-8477.

Skidmore College to host Gillibrand-Long senator debate: The debate will be the only one of its kind this campaign season

Posted by Sarah Rose-Slate

On Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., the candidates for the U.S. Senate seat for New York, incumbent senator Kirsten Gillibrand and her Republican opponent Wendy Long, will face off at Skidmore in a debate to be held at the Zankel Music Center. The debate held on campus is the only one the candidates have agreed to participate in. The debate is sponsored by YNN and NY1, and will be co-moderated by Capital Tonight host Liz Benjamin and NY1 political anchor Errol Louis.

Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democratic incumbent, was elected to Senate in 2010. A former congresswoman, she was appointed senator in 2009, filling Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's vacated seat. In 2010, she won an election for the rest of the six-year term, beating Republican Joseph J. DioGuardi.

As a member of the Senate, Gillibrand has been an advocate for the repeal of the law that banned homosexuals from openly serving in the military, which ended during her term in 2010. Gillibrand also helped passed an initiative to provide health care for rescue workers who were sickened by smoke and fumes during the attack on the World Trade Center. Before the Senate, Gillibrand served in the House of Representatives, where she voted in 2007 to withdraw troops from Iraq and voted against the Wall Street bailout bill. She has shifted her views somewhat since becoming a Senator, as she has become a supporter of amnesty for illegal immigrants as well as a supporter of gun control.

Gillibrand's opponent, Manhattan lawyer and Republican Wendy Long, will challenge Gillibrand for the Senate seat. Long has served as a clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and on the counsel for a conservative group that supported judicial nominees. She was nominated for Senate by the Conservative Party, helping Long beat her opponents in the Republican primary in order to challenge Gillibrand in the upcoming election.

Long's stance calls for cutting taxes, reducing regulation, and cutting spending in order to balance the budget. While Gillibrand focuses on bringing transparency and openness to her position as Senator, Long champions the idea of a limited self-government that follows the original principles of the Constitution.

The two candidates also disagree on reproductive rights. Gillibrand has stood by her decision that women should have the right to choose and defends women's right to access reproductive health care. Long, on the other hand, has said she is pro-life and has worked in the past for anti-abortion group Americans United for Life.

The process of deciding to hold the debate at the College and preparing for the event has been extensive. Interim Dean of Special Programs Paul Calhoun says New York-based news station YNN originally contacted the College in efforts to hold the debate on campus, consulting first with Director of Media Relations Andrea Wise. Michelle Curran, Zankel Music Center's concerts and events manager, and the President's Office helped organize the event. The President's cabinet, in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs, met to coordinate the technical requirements for the debate: power, lighting, and sound, as well as ticketing, catering, facilities and parking. The office of Student Affairs met three times to discuss the event as well.

"The process was a smooth and cooperative one with few complications," said Calhoun.

Response to the debate on campus has been positive, with tickets to the debate selling out within 36 hours. Due to the high demand, the school has decided to broadcast the debate in Davis, Gannett and Emerson auditoriums for people without tickets.

The Senate debate on campus punctuates a rise in political involvement among members of the college and surrounding community. A Pro-Choice rally will be held prior to the debate at 5 p.m. and will gather at the College's main Broadway entrance. Among the groups involved in the rally is NARAL Pro-Choice New York, a political and advocacy organization that advocates for women's reproductive rights. There will also be Voter Pledge Campaign tables in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and Case Center encouraging students to vote.

Skidmore Student Emily Rooke-Ley '14, who is involved in campus political and social advocacy groups, noted the importance of the debate being held on campus and being open to the public.

"A lot of important issues such as a woman's right to make their own decisions on healthcare, student loan availability, universal health coverage and energy policy will be decided in this election. Students should get out and vote so they have a say in their future," Rooke-Ley said. 

Man who threatened President Obama sentenced to one to three years: Dickinson sent threats from a Skidmore College computer early last March

In a press release on Oct. 15, Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III announced today that Brent Dickinson of 2601 Maple Ave. Apt. 9 Saratoga Springs, NY was sentenced to one to three years in a state prison in Saratoga County Court for an attempted terroristic threat as a Class E Felony for a crime that occurred on March 2, 2012. 

Dickinson had posted threats against President Barack Obama online using a Skidmore computer in the Sasselin Art building. This charge is still pending with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
 
Dickinson also threatened young school children at an unnamed and nonspecific school in Saratoga County, and it is alleged that he threatened to torture and kill elementary age school children.

"We take any threats against children in schools seriously. We've seen too many of these people take action on threats that result in death and serious injury," Murphy said in the press release. "We have to ensure that kids are safe on the bus and at school. We have to assist teachers and administrators in making our schools a place to learn and be safe; not to be worried about threats of violence and danger." 

According to the press release, Dickinson took full responsibility for sending the emails to the school and to the president.  He fully admitted his conduct was criminal in court and understood what he did was wrong.  He recognized the nature and character of his behavior and realized that his medication is helping him significantly. 
 
Judge Scarano ordered the defendant to seek counseling and stay on his medication while incarcerated and after he is released. 
 
"Mr. Dickinson is presently under the care of a doctor and will continue to be while incarcerated," Murphy said in the press release. "He will also continue to be medicated during his incarceration and after being released.  He has the resources of Saratoga County Mental Health at his disposal in the event he is in need of treatment in the future. "

An Order of Protection was issued against Dickinson, ordering him to stay away from all parochial and private schools in Saratoga County, the Skidmore College campus, all branches of the YMCA of Saratoga and the Saratoga Springs Public Library.
 
The Saratoga Springs Police Department and the US Secret Service cooperated in the investigation.

Campus Safety Reports Oct. 5 to 11

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Friday, Oct. 5: Criminal Mischief: Numerous signs on campus reported spray painted at 8 a.m. Damage recorded. Report issued and investigation initiated.
• Sunday, Oct. 7: Medical: An intoxicated female reported at 12:10 a.m. at a Toga party at Field House. Officer assessed the subject and requested Emergency Medical Service. Subject was transported to the Emergency Room for medical attention. Report issued.
• Wednesday, Oct. 10: Animals: A squirrel was reported at 1:01 p.m. running up and down the main stairwell in Palamountain Hall. At 1:03 p.m. a male called stating the squirrel was on the second floor of Bolton near the vending machines. At 1:08 p.m. officers reported cornering the squirrel and releasing it back outside.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Oct. 5:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:23 a.m. in Howe Hall. Officers dispatched reported that the subjects were gone upon arrival. The area on the second floor was quiet at this time.
• Suspicious Activity: Subjects reported at 12:43 a.m. on top of the covered walkway in the Keyes Quad. Reporting person requested that they get down but they did not respond. Officer dispatched reported the walkways clear.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requests a referral to Health Services on call at 12:46 a.m. Officer contacted personnel and delivered the message for return contact. Reporting person rendered assistance.
• Suspicious Activity: Wait hill construction gate found open at 1:07 a.m. Officer checked the construction site and found no disturbances at that time. Gate secured.
• Harassment: An act of vandalism that occurred earlier in the morning reported at 11:38 a.m. at Jonsson Tower. Report issued.
• Sexual Misconduct: An act of sexual misconduct reported at 11:38 a.m. that occurred late last October. Reporting person does not wish for police or college involvement at this time. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reported a subject driving a black sedan recklessly at 1:53 p.m. in Palamountain parking lot. Officer dispatched reports the subject gone upon arrival.
• College Violation: Subjects reported at 10:58 p.m. smoking in a room in Howe Hall. Dispatched officers reported the residents left the room prior to their arrival.
• Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported observing a liquor law violation at 11:06 p.m. in Howe Hall. Report issued.
• College Violation: Person reports loud yelling at 11:29 p.m. from a Hillside apartment. Dispatched officers reported a check of the area and the apartment. Subjects were gone upon their arrival.
• College Violation: A large gathering reported at 11:43 p.m. at Moore Way causing a disturbance to neighbors. Officers dispatched dispersed the large group.

Saturday, Oct. 6:

• Liquor Law Violation: Officers reported a large gathering of people at 12:02 a.m. behind 2 Moore Way. Officers reported locating the party and observing several liquor law violations. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm Apparatus: Officer reported at 12:30 a.m. that while on a routine fire and safety check hearing the stopper alarm that covers the fire pull station in Penfield Hall activated. Officer reset alarm and cover. No actual fire alarm activation.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested contact with the counselor on call staff at 3:10 a.m. Officer made contact and assistance rendered.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reported a disturbance at 1:54 p.m. caused by construction workers in Scribner Village. Officer spoke with the construction supervisor and the behavior ceased.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 9 a.m. finding the fencing damaged leading to the Scribner Village construction area. No known perpetrators at this time. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reported at 6:56 p.m. a dog tied to a tree outside the Dining Hall. Officer dispatched. Subject and dog gone upon arrival.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 8:31 p.m. at residence on Dayton Drive. Officers, maintenance and Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Activation was due to burned food. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 8:57 p.m. on the second floor of Wiecking Hall. Officers dispatched reported that no odor was detected.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:16 p.m. by the Kimball Hall West Lot basement door. Officers detected the odor of marijuana with no one in the vicinity.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 10:30 p.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Officers dispatched assessed the subject and requested Emergency Medical Service. Subject was transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• College Violation: Caller reported a loud group at 11:48 p.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Officers dispatched reports the subject gone on arrival.
• Drug Law Violation: Officer reported a drug law violation in plain view at 11:46 p.m. as he exited Kimball Hall. Report issued.

Sunday, Oct. 7:

• Campus Safety Assist: A personal escort requested at 2:20 a.m. from Jonsson Tower to her residence at Wiecking Hall. Officer provided transport.
• Intoxicated Subject: Person reported at 3:22 a.m. that her friend is intoxicated and needed assistance at North Woods. Officer dispatched assessed the subject and found her alert, coherent and responsive. Subject declined further attention. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: A large hole reported at 10:17 a.m. in the south stairwell of Kimball Hall, as well as a sprinkler valve cap that had been taken off. Dispatched officer recorded the damage and issued report.
• Suspicious Activity: Two suspicious males reported at 12:33 p.m. at the front entrance of the Williamson Sports Center. Officers dispatched and the subjects were gone on arrival. No further reports.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 8:06 p.m. at Hillside apartments. Officers, maintenance and Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Officer reports the alarm activation was due to cooking smoke. Report issued.

Monday, Oct. 8:

• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested an on-call counselor contact her at 12:57 a.m. Officer made a notification and assistance rendered.
• Criminal Mischief: Person reported criminal mischief at 1:06 a.m. to the vending machine in Rounds Hall. Damage recorded and report issued. Investigation pending.
• Accident: Person reported at 7:29 a.m. that a sign was struck by a tractor-trailer at the entrance to the College on North Broadway. Damage recorded and report issued.
• Accident: Person reported at 10:09 a.m. that a female student had fallen off her bike on the Perimeter Road near the Williamson Sports Center and would like to be transported to Health Services. Officer dispatched provided assistance. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 10:13 a.m. at the Hillside Apartments B unit. Officers, maintenance and Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Burnt food determined to have caused the alarm. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: 911 emergency activation received at 9:53 a.m. from Officers dispatched to the area. Caller reports call made in a misdial error. Officers confirmed.
• Parking: Officer booted a car at 2:06 p.m. in Cane Lot for excessive tickets. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 2:47 p.m. in the Hillside Apartments A unit. Officers, maintenance and Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Officers responding reported the cause of activation was burned food. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested a transport at 5:35 p.m. to the Saratoga Emergency Room from Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer completed the transport.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested at 10:22 p.m. to speak with Health Services on call staff. Officer made a notification and assistance was rendered to the person at Whitman Way.

Tuesday, Oct. 9:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 4:30 a.m. in front of a Cane Crossing apartment. Officer dispatched reported no one in the area and no noise detected.
• Safety Check AED: Officer reported a check at 10:50 a.m. of all the Automated External Defibrillators on campus. All are operational at this time.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activated at 2:30 p.m. for Hillside Apartment B unit. Dispatched officer, maintenance and Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officer reported the alarm was caused by burnt food. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:44 p.m. from a Hillside Apartment. Dispatched officers, maintenance, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officer reports burned food as the cause of activation.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reported an older male subject at 5:23 p.m. entering Jonsson Tower making residents suspicious. Officer reported locating a male employee in Health Services for his flu shot.

Wednesday, Oct. 10:

• College Violation Noise: Noise complaint reported at 2:45 a.m. at Jonsson Tower. Officer dispatched reported three residents complied with the request to lower the volume.

Thursday, Oct. 11:

• Power Outage: An unplanned campus-wide power outage occurred at 11:22 p.m. An e2Campus message was sent out. Officers checked all buildings, elevator phones, and notified all vendors. Power was restored at 12:58 a.m.
• College Violation Noise: Several students reported at 12:45 a.m. running through the halls on the second floor of Wait Hall creating a lot of noise. Officer dispatched.
• Parking Vehicle Towing: Officer requested a tow truck at 2:27 p.m. Matt's towed the vehicle at 2:46 p.m. from campus as it had an excessive amount of tickets this academic year.

Unknown subjects vandalize on-campus signs

Posted by Rachel Kim

Campus Safety received reports of vandalism the morning of Friday, Oct. 5, regarding on-campus signs.

Approximately 13 parking and stop signs were either partially or completely covered with black and pink spray paint. The signs were primarily in Northwoods Village, but also in other locations including Jonsson Tower, Perimeter Road and North Hall.

There were no specific designs or tags, leaving no kind of an identifier.

"I believe, in these cases, that this is being done by somebody who is living on campus, just by the nature of it and how it's being done," said Director of Campus Safety Dennis Conway.

When any damage to campus property occurs, the repair costs are billed to the individuals involved. If no one can be found responsible, the costs are charged to all students' tuition as a part of the Room and Board Agreement. If an outside guest is visiting a student at the College and is found to be guilty, both the guest and the host are found accountable. According to the Room and Board Agreement, repair of damage to residence hall areas and the apartments is shared equally by each resident if the persons responsible do not come forward.

Though no one has been identified for the damage done this past weekend, it is suspected that students are responsible for the damages.

"In the past, vandalism on campus - whether it's indoors or outdoors - would be from the school community," said Associate Director of Residential Life Don Hastings.

"Whatever the rationale, to me it's just disrespectful. This is your home," said Conway.

Vandalism on campus is not new to the College. For the 2010 to 2011 academic year between $26,000 and $27,000 of damage repair was charged to students. The following 2011 to 2012 academic year, however, saw a large decline and just under $16,000 was charged.

Despite the recent incident, Hastings expects to see the numbers continue to decline.

"We're very hopeful and I think that the community is looking forward to that trend." Still, Hastings stressed the importance of acting to remediate and prevent future incidents.

"The community really needs to take care of itself. Here's where we would rely on the community population, including guys like myself, to actively, directly get involved - in this case, by calling in the tip line," Hastings said.

Students and other community members can report tips by calling the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 518-580-8477. 

Campus Safety receives reports of gunshots and an explosion: Commotion attributed to off-campus hunting and Falstaff generators

Posted by Julia Leef

Following initial reports of gunshots in the North Woods area, Campus Safety received another report of gunshots heard last Sunday, Sept. 30, but have not yet had any follow-up information from the Saratoga Springs Police department.

According to a Campus Safety report, a person reported hearing gunshots at approximately 3:37 p.m. coming from the vicinity of North Woods. Campus Safety and Saratoga Springs Police officers canvassed the area and interviewed potential witnesses, but Dennis Conway, director of Campus Safety, said he did not think they would have any luck with the search.

Conway further explained that open deer hunting season in Saratoga Springs recently began, and that people also engage in target practice in the surrounding wooded area, which may explain where the gunshot sounds came from.

Campus Safety has requested facilities to make additional signs for the college area, cautioning hunters to remain off-campus.

The gunshots are not the only unusual sounds heard in the North Woods area. At 8:46 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3, a person reported hearing a loud explosion from the Falstaff's parking lot, followed by a flash of light coming from the North Woods area.

According to the Campus Safety report, officers requested that an electrician respond to the area to check the transformers. The source of the explosion, Conway explained in a later interview, was a squirrel that got into the wires in the generating area by Falstaff's. The area has since been cleared.

Campus Safety Reports Sept. 28 to Oct. 4

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Sunday, Sept. 30- Suspicious Activity: Person reports hearing gunshots at 3:37 p.m. in the vicinity of North Woods. Dispatched officers. Shots fired beyond Skidmore College property in target shooting near the woods.
• Wednesday, Oct. 3- Suspicious Activity: Person reported at 8:46 a.m. from the Falstaff parking lot that he heard what sounded like a loud explosion and a flash of light coming from the North Woods area. Dispatched officers. Officers reported they were unable to locate any problem, but requested that an electrician respond to the area to check the transformers. Report issued.
• Thursday, Oct. 4-Campus Safety Assist: Person reported a non-student banned subject on campus at the Scribner Library without authorization at 7:50 p.m. Report issued. Subject gone upon arrival.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Sept. 28

• Suspicious Activity: Several males reported at 12:08 a.m. smoking out of a hookah in the breezeway of Howe-Rounds. Officer dispatched issued a report regarding the violation of college policy regarding hookahs. Item confiscated.
• Alarm: Officers conducted a testing of the academic buildings' fire alarm systems in Palamountain, Bolton, and Dana, and a testing of the emergency phones and blue lights on campus. Work orders prepared for deficiencies.
• Campus Safety Assist: A concerned father requested a welfare check at 10:55 a.m. of a student in the Oak Apartments. Officer located the student and had him call his father. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A concerned parent requested a welfare check at 10:46 a.m. for an ill student at Oak apartments. Officer contacted the subject and delivered the message. Subject was in a satisfactory condition. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:35 p.m. at Dayton Drive. Dispatched officers, maintenance, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm was due to burned food. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:18 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer confiscated contraband. Report issued.

Saturday, Sept. 29

• Complaints: A large group of students reported at 12:20 a.m. causing a disturbance outside an off-campus home. The Saratoga Springs Police Department was contacted to respond.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:20 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officer dispatched reports the subjects leaving the residence upon arrival. No further problems.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief reported at 12:45 a.m. to a lobby light fixture in Kimball Hall. No known perpetrators. Report issued. Damage recorded.
• Suspicious Activity: Four males reported at 3:35 a.m. causing a disturbance in a female bathroom in Rounds Hall. The reporter's personal belongings were dumped on the floor and the subjects were gone upon arrival. Report issued. No known perpetrators.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported criminal mischief at 9:52 p.m. on the second floor of Howe Hall. Damage recorded and report issued. No known perpetrators.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 11:31 p.m. from a room in Wiecking Hall. Officers dispatched spoke with the resident who complied with the request to lower the volume. Report issued.

Sunday, Sept. 30

• College Violation: While on rounds, person reported a small group of residents at 12:27 a.m. outside residences at Dayton Drive progressively getting louder. Officers dispatched spoke with the small group and they complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Campus Safety Assist: While conducting off campus checks, officers reported at 12:57 a.m. large student gatherings at off campus residences. Numerous students observed in the roadways.
• Moving Violations: Officer reports observing a vehicle leave the Jonsson Tower lot driving recklessly with several students in the area. Officer issued report.
• False Report: The emergency phone was activated in the south elevator of Jonsson Tower at 2:14 a.m. The caller stated that the button was pushed accidentally and apologized. Responding officers advised.
• Criminal Mischief: While conducting a check of the North Quad at 3:06 a.m., person notes damage to the Rounds Hall vending machines located in the breezeway. No known perpetrators or witnesses at this time. Damage recorded and report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noised reported at 4:13 a.m. from two males in adjacent apartment at Whitman Way. Officers dispatched reported that the subjects lowered the volume upon request.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer received several dropped calls at 4:17 a.m. from a cell phone number at Whitman Way with no response. Officers dispatched in an attempt to located the female subject. The officer was able to finally contact the owner after several attempts and verify her status with one of her housemates, who reported that the cell phone had lost its signal and that the subject was in good condition. Report issued.
• Disorderly Conduct: Person reports his former girlfriend causing a disturbance at 5:45 a.m. outside his door in Jonsson Tower. Officers separated subjects and no further disturbances resulted.

Monday, Oct. 1

• Campus Safety Assist: Officers provided a personal escort at 1:28 a.m. for a female subject from Case Center to her residence.
• Power Outage: Campus-wide scheduled power outage occurs from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. for generator testing. Elevator phones checked and vendors called. Report issued.
• Found Property: Person turned over a bicycle at 2:50 p.m. that has been in the kitchen area of the third floor in Jonsson Tower for a couple weeks. Bike secured at Campus Safety.
• Graffiti: Graffiti reported at 3:28 p.m. on the second floor hallway of Penfield Hall. Officers investigating. Report issued.

Tuesday, Oct. 2

• Medical: Medical assistance requested at 6:40 a.m. at Kimball Hall. Officer dispatched transported the subject for medical assistance. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 11:35 a.m. in Scribner Library. Dispatched officer and notified Unit 10. Call received from a contractor stating that they were working in the area and neglected to cover a smoke detector from the dust. All officers and Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A male reported at 1:35 p.m. outside the Tang Teaching Museum appears to be wandering and doesn't look like he belongs on campus. Dispatched officers canvassed the area with negative results. No further reports received.
• Larceny: Person reports the larceny of her bicycle at 6:10 p.m. from the front of the Hillside Apartments. Campus Safety and the Saratoga Springs Police Department reports issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 8:33 p.m. at Whitman Way. Dispatched officer. Notified Unit 10 and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Caused determined to be a humidifier too close to the heat sensor. Report issued.
• Accident: Person reports a Property Damage Auto Accident at 8:33 p.m. in the Sports Center parking lot. Officer dispatched reports two non-Skidmore vehicles involved in a minor accident. Saratoga Springs Police Department contacted for the report. No personal injuries involved.

Wednesday, Oct. 3

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:05 a.m. from a residence at Cane Crossing. Officers, maintenance, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department were advised. Officers report the caused was determined to be excessive steam by the heat sensor. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer reported at 10:55 a.m. cutting the lock of a powder blue bike locked to the handrail outside the Barrett circle front entrance as it was causing a hindrance on the walkway. Bike secured at Campus Safety. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested transportation at 11:46 a.m. for her friend from her North Woods apartment at Dayton Drive to Health Services as she was ill. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious burning odor reported at 1:08 p.m. at Wait Hall. Officer and maintenance dispatched. Maintenance reported that the odor came from the dust on the newly repaired heater.
• Complaints: Person requested assistance from Campus Safety at 8:53 p.m. from the Scribner Library. Dispatched officer provided assistance. Subject transported for medical attention. Report issued.

Thursday, Oct. 4

• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports a Nortel 911 activation at 1:26 a.m. from Ladd Hall. Officer contracted the extension and was informed that the call was made in error. Officer interviewed the subject to affirm the error. Saratoga Springs Police Department advised.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requested an officer to assist her roommate at 9:45 a.m. in the Howe dormitory. Officer walked the student to Health Services per her request.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports at 11:30 p.m. that her ignition key is stuck in her car at Wait parking lot. Dispatched officers made several unsuccessful attempts to release the key. Subject secured the vehicle and will address the situation with AAA in the morning.

Career Development Center to host Graduate Fair on Oct. 9: 60 representatives from over 40 different schools will attend the event

Posted by Julia Leef

The Career Development Center will host the Graduate and Professional School Expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the Case Center. This event will host 60 representatives from 40 different schools including Clarkson, Syracuse, Bard, Columbia and Boston Law, representing a wide array of fields, such as education, healthcare, business and journalism. Though events of this kind have been held in the past, it has been a decade since an event of this format has occurred.

Shannon Rodriguez, the associate director for Pre-professional and Graduate Studies and organizer of the event, composed a list of more than 450 schools and programs based on the recommendations of professional associations, surveys and faculty suggestions.

Rodriguez had help from Karla Smagorinsky '13, who works in the Career Development Center and helped identify and organize contact information and conduct individualized outreach to bring in the representatives for the event.
Prior to this year, the College had held "Grad School Week," which took the idea of the expo and spread it across seven days. However, this decentralization of school representatives led to low event attendance. As a remedy to this issue, the expo was resurrected.

"Rather than spreading out these events over the course of the year, we thought we might be able to make a larger impact if we tried to get a bunch of people here on the same day," Rodriguez said. This plan was twofold, intending to stimulate attendance from both students and school representatives.

Rodriguez said she hopes to increase the number of graduate schools attending this event in subsequent years.
"20% of our students go on to grad school immediately upon graduation," Rodriguez said, "and about 50% go within 5 years."

The Career Development Center recommends that students research the schools and programs they are interested in ahead of time and prepare questions to ask the representatives, such as what the admissions requirements are for the graduate school, what types of financial aid are available, what is unique about the program, and where are graduates of the program are employed.

Students should also prepare to answer questions asked by the representatives, such as why they want to attend graduate school, when they plan to attend and what they would like to do with their degrees. The Career Development Center also recommends that students dress casually but appropriately.

A table map and a list of schools attending will be available. Student volunteers will be available at the event dressed in green Skidmore polo shirts and name tags. Students may be asked to complete a survey during the fair to aid the Career Development Center's planning of next year's event. Students who fill out the surveys will be entered into a raffle.

Further events:

In the three hours following the main event, there will be several events in various locations on campus with members of Skidmore departments and visiting graduate schools and program representatives.

• A meeting with graduate programs in accounting and business will take place from 5 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. in Palamountain 201, sponsored by the Career Development Center, the SkidMarket, and the Business department.
• The Career Development Center, the Psychology department, and the Education Studies department will sponsor "Education and Psychology: Careers as a Professional teacher, counselor, or administrator" at the same time in Ladd Hall 206.
• A panel titled "Letters from Law School" will take place from 5 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. in Dana 240 with the Career Development Center and the Pre-Law Society.
• From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. the Career Development Center, the Opportunity Program, the Pre-Med Club and the Health Professions Advisory Committee will sponsor "Chiropractic as a Career: Perspectives from Gilbert Rodriguez '07" in Dana 240.
• "Inside Public Health and the Medical Professions" will take place from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. in Dana 241 sponsored by the Career Development Center, the Pre-Health Club and the Health Professions Advisory Committee.
• The Career Development Center and the Social Work department will sponsor "Calling all Future MSWs" for psychology and social worker majors from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Tisch 204. 

Scribner Library renovations nearing completion: More recent changes include a new room reservation system and the relocation of several offices

Posted by Rachel Kim

Since July 2011, the Lucy Scribner Library has undergone many renovations, most of which were completed over the past summer. Upon entering the first floor and walking throughout the building, one can easily notice the new study rooms, furniture and equipment.

Previously the library had 15 study rooms, but with the renovations two of the old ones were lost and 12 new ones were added for a total of 25 group study rooms, 16 of which are equipped with flat-screen TVs. The study rooms are part of the new room reservation system, which students can use to reserve a room on the spot or 24 hours or less in advance online.

Along with a new library classroom, the library has added an experiment classroom for the Information Technology office to use when trying out and teaching new learning technologies with faculty. Ten new individual study carrels were made for a total of 32. A media viewing room was added on the first floor, which has been popular for class and outside-class use.

Stacks were trimmed so that all the windows on the second and third floors would have more tables by them. The new tables are also grounded, which allows students to more easily charge their laptops as they work. With the increased number of study rooms and tables, there are now 250 additional seats.

All of the computers in the library are new, and the overall amount of them is the same: 60 on the first floor and 34 on the fourth floor.

The school's GIS center and the academic technologies that work with software and hardware programs have moved to the second floor. IT is located on the first floor where the Inter-Library Loan office used to be. The ILL office is also located on the second floor.

A large amount of renovations went towards the basement. Media Services made the move there last spring, and were recently joined by enterprise systems replacing the periodicals, which have moved into the Hoge building.

Hoge, which used to be a power plant, is located next to Harder Hall and is open to the public from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It now houses 49,047 volumes of older periodicals. In order to access any of the periodicals, students must place a request for the article to be photocopied and delivered to them which will usually be processed between 24 and 48 hours.

Though the move to Hoge makes the periodicals less accessible, it does add greater security. In the past, pages of old editions of the Saturday Evening Post were ripped out, and other similar incidents of damage to the materials were more likely to happen because they were so easily accessible.

"It is true that it's not quite as accessible as it was, there is something that you will lose when you gain in a situation like that," Access Services Librarian John Cosgrove said. "The only way we gain the security for that material is by losing the open access for it."

The library currently has access to more than 68,000 electronic journals, magazines and newspapers. In 1994, the library had 2,081 subscriptions to print periodicals. Today, it has 391 subscriptions.

The shift from print to digital can also be seen in the ILL system. After requesting an article through the ILL, students will wait 24 to 48 hours for the delivery. The ILL delivery system, however, is not available on the weekends.

"It's a trade-off. What the community is gaining is document delivery of articles and some security on some materials that we want to make sure we have for a long time to come, and what we're losing a little bit is the open access that we used to have downstairs," Cosgrove said.

Currently, Nick Pierce, weekend public services coordinator, is going through the current collection and figuring out which issues people are using, which ones the library should cancel, how much space is available for back issues and how much of them should be held onto. The library is also using mailing seals on the first floor periodicals to determine which ones have been opened and browsed by patrons.

Aside from the immediately noticeable changes, the wiring was redone, the library was newly painted and carpeted, and the wireless network was strengthened.

When asked about the total cost of the renovations, a total number was not given. Cosgrove, however, estimated that the renovations cost several millions. The renovations have reflected the school's eco-friendly attitude with more energy-efficient lighting on all floors. There has been conversation about adding more recycling bins and potentially installing filtered water fountain stations.

Though the renovations have been completed, the library still has plans for more projects, including a new alarm system and an improved roof. For now, the furniture on the fourth floor is being furnished, signs outside offices are being installed, and the only remaining construction is taking place in the basement to connect the enterprise systems to the network and technical service offices located under Case Center walkway. The entire renovation process is expected to be completed by May 2013. 

Campus Safety Reports: Sept. 23 to 27

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

? Sunday, Sept. 23-Campus Safety Assist: Saratoga Springs Police Department dispatcher advised Campus Safety at 5:41 a.m. of a missing female in the vicinity of the North Broadway area. Officers advised of her description. Report issued. Female was later found and faces false reporting charges.
? Sunday, Sept. 23-Campus Safety Assist: Person reports hearing multiple firecracker or possibly gunshot noises at 5:55 p.m. emanating from the direction of North Woods. Officers dispatched reported that the noises appeared to be coming from north of the campus. Saratoga Springs Police Department is investigating. Report issued.
? Monday, Sept. 24- Suspicious Activity: Suspicious person reported at 11:25 a.m. taking pictures in the North Woods apartments the previous night and left immediately after noticed. Statement and description taken. No further problems reported.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Sept. 21

? Drug Law Violation: Continuous excessive noise problem reported at 12:20 a.m. with a Hillside apartment. Officers dispatched issued report regarding violations in plain view.
? Trespass: Person reported observing subjects at 1:16 a.m. climb the fence and enter the Scribner Village construction site. Officers dispatched canvassed the site with negative results.
? Campus Safety Assist: Personal escort requested at 2:40 a.m. from Case Center to subject's residence. Officer dispatched completed the escort.
? Security Alarm: Person on patrol reported at 3:05 a.m. that he noted an audible alarm sounding from the Skidmore Shop bookstore. The alarm was connected to a computer. No disturbances or anyone in the area noted. Alarm are malfunctioned. Officer will address this with staff in the morning. Bookstore secured and alarmed.
? Intoxicated subject: Intoxicated male subject reported at 6:10 a.m. sleeping on the floor in vomit in McClellan Hall. Officers dispatched located the subject, who was awakened and was found alert and responsive. No medical attention necessary. Report issued.
? Suspicious Activity: Student reported at 12:03 p.m. that she found her Hillside apartment door ajar when she returned home. She is unsure if it is a housemate's error. No disturbances initially noted. Report issued.
? Criminal Mischief: Damage reported at 4:14 p.m. to a vehicle near the Hillside apartments by persons unknown. Saratoga Springs Police Department and Campus Safety reports issued.
? Complaints: Unauthorized subjects reported at 6:45 p.m. on a second floor balcony of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers reported subjects gone on arrival and the balcony secured.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:15 p.m. at Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reports the odor had dissipated and could only smell deodorizer at this time. Students were advised that periodic checks willwould be made.
? College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 9:12 p.m. in Kimball Hall. Dispatched officer reports that residents lowered the volume upon request.
? Complaints: Person reported at 7:02 p.m. on two occasions observing a female driver driving at a high rate of speed in North Woods on two occasions. Officers advised.
? Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported at 10:53 p.m. a Liquor Law Violation on the second floor of Wiecking Hall. Report issued.
? Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported liquor law violation at 11:12 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Report issued.
? Graffiti: Officer reported at 11:10 p.m. graffiti on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Unknown perpetrators at this time. Report issued. Damage recorded.
? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint reported at 11:57 p.m. in Hillside apartments. Dispatched officers report that subjects lowered the volume upon request.

Saturday, Sept. 22

? Emergency Phone: Emergency phone activation at 12:07 a.m. with no response. Officer checked and cleared the area.
? College Violation: Noise reported at 1:28 a.m. in front of Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched dispersed the loud group.
? Intoxicated subject: Intoxicated female reported at 2:05 a.m. at his her room in Wilmarth Hall. Reporting person requested officers to evaluate her. Officers dispatched reported the female was responsive and alert and declined medical attention.
? Trespass: Unauthorized subjects reported at 4:44 p.m. on the playing field of the Sports Center. All were informed that this field is for the Skidmore Field Hockey Team only. All complied with the officer's request to vacate the field.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 5:15 p.m. in the Jonsson Tower south elevator. Officer dispatched reports a faint marijuana odor but no one in the vicinity. Source of odor undetermined.
? Suspicious Odor: Marijuana odor reported at 8:49 p.m. coming in the window of a Howe Hall dorm. Officers dispatched were unable to determine the source.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:34 p.m. on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched reported that they detected the odor but found no drugs or paraphernalia.
? Campus Safety Assist: Parent called at 11:15 p.m. requesting to have her daughter call home. Officer dispatched reported that her roommates at Case Crossing stated she is out of town and will try to reach her alternatively.

Sunday, Sept. 23

? College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:09 a.m. in Hillside apartments. Officers requested that the volume be lowered.
? Suspicious Activity: Suspicious male reported at 10:52 a.m. in a red car going through a dumpster in the North Woods apartment grounds. Officer located the subject and warned him off campus. Male is subject to arrest if he returns. Report issued.
? Complaints: Multiple student complaints reported that the storage pods in Wait lot are taking up valuable parking spots. Officer contacted the Storage company to remove them. Message left.
? Campus Safety Assist: Health Services requested at 3:22 p.m. to have a student transported to the Saratoga Emergency Room due to off campus dog bite. Report issued.

Monday, Sept. 24

? Medical: An officer transport requested at 12:15 a.m. from Penfield Hall to the hospital. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
? Fire Drills: Officers conducted an unannounced fire drill at 10:03 a.m. at the Lodge. Good drill. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Person requested Campus Safety at 11 a.m. to check the records of a former student who graduated in May 2012. Proper release signed and record results were given.
? Medical: Student who had given blood earlier reported fainted at 2:50 p.m. in Dana. Officers dispatched transported the subject to Health Services for evaluation. Report issued.
? Medical: Assistance requested at 4:01 p.m. in Birch Apartments for female with a food allergy. Dispatched officer transported to Health Services. At 4:16 p.m., Health Services requested an ambulance to transport her to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 4:51 p.m. from Oak apartments to the Wilton Medical Center. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 7:51 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Dispatched officers reported that no one was present at the room and they detected a slight odor. No violations in plain view. Call unfounded.
? Campus Safety Assist: Assistance requested at 10:25 p.m. with subject's vehicle stuck on rocks in the Penfield fire lane. Tow truck service released the vehicle. Report issued.

Tuesday, Sept. 25

? Security Alarm: Alarm reported at 1:27 a.m. in Telecommunications with no prior notification. Officers dispatched reported that a staff member had exited without calling.
? Suspicious Activity: Suspicious vehicle reported at 6:50 a.m. parked at an extension of North Broadway. Officers dispatched identified subjects as travelers just stretching their legs. No further problems reported. Subject left the area immediately.
? Medical: Assistance requested at 12:44 p.m. with a student having a panic attack in the Howe-Rounds fire lane. Dispatched officer reports transporting subject to Health Services for medical attention. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Subject reported his vehicle stuck on a rock at 3:45 p.m. in Palamountain Lot. Towing service contacted for removal. Report issued.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 6:36 p.m. from the Sports Center to the Emergency Room for an injured student. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
? Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 8:46 p.m. in residence on Cane Crossing. Resident reported that burned food was the cause of the activation. Saratoga Springs Fire Department and officers dispatched. Report issued.
? Suspicious Activity: Officer reported papers smoldering at 10:25 p.m. on the ground outside Kimball Hall. Officers reported no open fire at this time. No known perpetrators. Report issued.

Wednesday, Sept. 26

? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint reported at 12:09 a.m. in North Woods apartment complex. Officers dispatched reported that residents lowered the volume upon request.
? Campus Safety Assist: A loud group reported at 1:44 a.m. in the common area of the second floor of Wait Hall. Officers reported that the subjects were gone upon arrival.
? Campus Safety Assist: Excessive noise reported at 2:04 a.m. in a North Woods apartment complex. Officers dispatched dispersed loud group. Residents complied with a request to lower the volume.
? Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 3:30 a.m. from a North Woods apartment complex to the Emergency Room. Officers dispatched completed the transport.
? Fire: Person reported at 3:27 a.m. that a trash can outside Case Center was on fire. Officers and maintenance dispatched. Maintenance extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher prior to the officers' arrival. Unknown cause of ignition of papers and plastic bag.
? Campus Safety Assist: Noise complaint of a keyboard and microphone reported at 4:02 a.m. in Wait Hall. Officers dispatched canvassed the interior and exterior of the residence hall. No such noise located at that time.
? Suspicious Activity: Unknown person reported at 4:25 a.m. banging on a door and ringing the doorbell at a North Woods apartment. Subject was fearful to answer and requested officers' assistance. Officers located and identified the male subject.
? Larceny: Person reported at 7:55 a.m. that a pumpkin was taken from the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Dispatched officer. Report made.
? Medical: Ride requested at 10:02 a.m. from the Scribner Village apartment complex to Health Services. Dispatched officer provided the transport.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 4:42 p.m. at Wiecking Hall. Officer dispatched.
? Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 10:41 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reported that the call was unfounded.

Thursday, Sept. 27

? Medical: Transport requested for a student at 12:44 p.m. from the Tisch Learning Center to Health Services as she was feeling faint and is was located on the second floor of the building. Officers dispatched and transport provided.
? Medical: Transport requested at 5:08 p.m. for a housemate in the Scribner Village apartment complex to the Emergency Room. Dispatched officer. Subjected cancelled the requested upon the officer's arrival but said he would call back if he feels that he needs to go.
? Suspicious Activity: Person reports at 5:37 p.m. that he has heard some intermittent shots being fired in the North Woods area. Officers dispatched stayed in the area and did not hear anything. No other calls received regarding the noise. Officers left the area.
? Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 9:30 p.m. that damage was done to the first floor wall in the Kimball south stairwell.

New Intergroup Relations Minor Now Offered: After four years as a pilot program, IGR is now offered as a Minor at the college

Posted by Layla Lakos

The Intergroup Relations (IGR) program, brought to the school by Dr. Kristie Ford, associate professor of Sociology, is now offered as a minor after the Curriculum Committee approved the program last spring.

The IGR program addresses issues of racism, identity and social justice in American society, dealing with different levels of institutionalized racial perspectives. By employing an innovative dialogue-based pedagogy, the program seeks to bridge gaps in understanding race and personal experiences both interracially and intra-racially. The program is comprised of three dialogues: People of Color/White People, Multiracial Identity and White Racial Identity. These dialogues are capped at ten students, as well as two peer facilitators who assist the dialogue as neutral guides and moderators. The alternative course offered under the IGR program is titled "Race and Power," and is a foundation course for the minor.

The IGR program was developed in 1988 in the University of Michigan. In 2008, with the help of Ford, it was brought to the school as a pilot program. Ford worked in observing the dialogue process and developed her skills as a teacher of IGR during her time at the University of Michigan. "I had no intention to create an IGR program at Skidmore," Ford said. "I only decided to integrate some of the IGR process pedagogies into the 'Race and Power' course."  She found students were engaged, receptive and interested. "It pushed students to critically grapple with race and identities," she said. Ford described the school as a trailblazer in terms of having established the IGR program as an academic minor.

The courses incorporate a vast spectrum of readings dealing with history of oppression and racial identity. "People who are unaware of the course don't fully understand that it is not just an anecdotal class with reading, or it's like we talk about our experiences as if we are complaining," Ronell Evans '15 said. "There is a dual process; you have to go through the emotional process with the theoretical frameworks of race."

Evans was involved with a dialogue last springs and is currently enrolled in "Racial Identities: Theory and Praxis," with the intent to become a facilitator for the spring semester. When asked how the IGR program has helped in terms of understanding race, Evans stated, "You know as soon as you hear someone saying, 'This is how race has affected me.' Then you know its real."

With the shift in recent years favoring the dialogue process, Ford said more scholars recognize that the IGR program is not just a "touchy feely program" with no cognitive backing.

"It is a rigorous and academic program that engages students on an array of different levels and leads to substantive application, not only in how students think about certain issues, but then their actions in terms of how they interact," added Ford. "For some reason, there is a link between dialogue and engaging as a productive means of creating change." She attributes this toward the further diversifying of universities and the better education of teachers and students.

One student, who asked to remain anonymous, recounted their experience with the IGR program as a positive one, however, one unlikely to be utilized by all: "Although we live in a community that promotes tolerance of 'the other,' there are still prejudices that are ingrained. Unfortunately, the first step to addressing those prejudices is through something similar to the dialogue process which IGR offers."

Ford encourages students to become involved in dialogue. "It should not be required," she insisted. "Regardless of the benefit for different social identities and perspective, political perspective, there has to be a willingness to engage. That's not to say that students don't come resistant, because some definitely do, but there is a choice that they have made that they want to be there."

There will be two IGR Information Sessions held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17 and Oct, 25 at the Tisch Learning Center. For more information on the IGR program, visit their web site at /www.skidmore.edu/igr/.

Gunshots heard from the North Woods area last Sunday: Campus Safety searches are inconclusive, but shots may have come from hunters in the area

Posted by Julia Leef

Last Sunday night, Sept. 23, Campus Safety received reports of gunshots heard in the area around North Woods.

According to Director of Campus Safety Dennis Conway, Campus Safety received an anonymous call at approximately 5:55 p.m. on Sunday evening, saying that the caller had heard gunshots. Shortly thereafter, Lawrence Britt, associate director of Campus Safety, reported also hearing shots in the area.

"One of our officers sent to investigate parked his vehicle at Whitman Loop in North Woods and reported hearing popping sounds that he believed were gunshots, but that they were coming from well off campus," Conway said. "This was about 6:35 p.m. on Sunday."

Campus Safety searched the entire campus grounds and made additional searches as far as Route 9 and the Maple Avenue Middle School. They were unable to locate the source of the noises.

Conway also said the Saratoga Springs Police Department had received similar reports and were also searching the area with the same result.

"Sometimes hunters do come into the area if they're not familiar with it," Conway said, when asked if these gunshots could be part of the rumors circulating of hunters using the College property as hunting grounds. Conway said additional signs would be posted in the area advising hunters to remain off-campus.

Students who witness any suspicious activity should report directly to Campus Safety, Conway said, and under no circumstances approach the suspicious parties.

Campus Safety Incident Reports: Sept. 14 to 20

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Sunday, Sept. 16-Suspicious Odor: Possible smoke reported at 11:29 p.m. on the first floor of McClellan Hall. Officers and Unit-10 dispatched located a gas leak. Maintenance valved off the area and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning responded for repair.
• Tuesday, Sept. 18-Fire: Small grease fire reported at 12:46 p.m. in Pine Apartments. Fire extinguished with no injury or damage. Report issued.
• Wednesday, Sept. 19-Suspicious Activity: Person reports at 9:45 a.m. that an unknown male subject approached her in a vehicle on Perimeter Road and gave her a flower. This action made her uncomfortable so as to report the incident. The officers given a description were unable to locate the subject on campus. No other problems reported. Report issued.
• Thursday, Sept. 20-College Violation: Officers report observing a vehicle driving recklessly at 10:07 p.m. on Perimeter Road. Officers did not pursue the vehicle due to a safety hazard. Officers were able to identify the vehicle from prior incidences. Subject was banned from campus. Report issued.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Sept. 14

• Medical: Intoxicated student who ingested marijuana and vomited due to alcohol reported at 12:38 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched assessed subject and requested the Emergency Medical System. Subject was transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Medical: Officer reports finding a male student at 1:28 a.m. vomiting outside Penfield Hall. Officer assisted student who was responsive and coherent. No further medical attention necessary.
• College Violation: Reports at 2:36 a.m. of loud voices in Wait Hall for the past half hour. Officer dispatched reported that subjects were gone upon arrival.
• Medical: Student reported at 10:49 a.m. having a medical condition in class. Dispatched all units. Subject transported to health services. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief to handicap sign in Case Center Lot reported at 5:54 p.m. No known perpetrators at this time. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:15 p.m. in Howe Hall. Dispatched officer reports no odor detected at this time.
• College Violation: Reporting person went to Campus Safety office to report excessive noise at 10:41 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer spoke with residents and they complied with request to lower the volume.

Saturday, Sept. 15

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:38 a.m. at residence on Dayton Drive. Officers dispatched spoke with residents and they complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Alarm: Saratoga Springs Police officers dispatched due to an alarm at 1:24 a.m. at the Skidmore Employees Federal Credit Union office on campus. Officers dispatched located housekeeping and key-holder dispatched to respond. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud music reported at 1:36 a.m. between Kimball Hall and Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched reports that the group dispersed.
• Medical Assist: Reporting person said she smoked too much marijuana and needed assistance at 3:22 a.m. in North Woods. Officers dispatched transported the subject to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Intoxicated Subject: Reporting person said at 3:03 p.m. that she escorted an intoxicated student from Case Center to her seventh floor Jonsson Tower room. Officers dispatched reports subject alert and responsive. No medical attention necessary.
• Campus Safety Assist: Several noise complaints from the State Street area received at 3:40 p.m. regarding the volume level at Fall Fun Day. Report issued.
• Harassment: Person reports at 4:21 p.m. that her daughter was harassed at Fall Fun Day. Officers initiated an investigation. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: An anonymous caller who originally requested to speak with the counselor on call requested Campus Safety at 4:45 p.m. to meet them in the Dining Hall. Officer spoke with the person in regards to a possible sexual assault. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Unruly students reported at 4:53 p.m. attempting to enter the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall causing a disturbance. Officers dispatched.
• Campus Safety Assist: Another group of unruly students at 5:56 p.m. attempting to access the Dining Hall without shoes. Officer dispatched.
• Liquor Law Violation: Officer reports an unauthorized party at 5:20 p.m. in Howe Hall with alcohol violations observed. Report issued.
• Medical Assist: Reporting person with bee allergy was stung at 5:43 p.m. Officer retrieved the person's EpiPen and administered the medication. Report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: Person reports at 5:49 p.m. that she believes her suite mate was sexually assaulted. Dispatched officers investigated and issued report. Report unfounded; mutual consent present during activities.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 8:38 p.m. at residents on Cane Crossing. Officers dispatched were unable to locate any noise.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:10 p.m. on the third floor of McClellan Hall. Officers dispatched. Call unfounded.
• College Violation: Officer reports an alcohol violation outside the Starbuck Center at 9:29 p.m. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A welfare check was requested at 10:54 p.m. for a student in McClellan Hall. Officers dispatched and found the student to be sick but stable. Student said she would call if she needed further assistance.

Sunday, Sept. 16

• Medical: Intoxicated student reported at 12:56 a.m. in McClellan Hall. Roommate requested assistance. Officers dispatched assessed the subject who was transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 1:45 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched spoke with residents who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Criminal Mischief: Saratoga Springs Police Department reports at 2:14 a.m. an officer out with three students on the Sports Field in reference to Criminal Mischief. Campus Safety assistance requested and officer dispatched. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Fire extinguisher reported missing at 6:12 a.m. in Case Center. Officers dispatched to check the area. Replacement issued.
• Accident: Two Skidmore vehicles reported involved in a minor property damage automobile accident at 6:15 a.m. at Case Center loading dock. Reports issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Missing thermostat reported at 1:24 p.m. near the kitchen of Wiecking Hall. Dispatched officer recorded the damage and issued a report. No known perpetrators at this time.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 7:22 p.m. from Jonsson Tower to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A concerned parent requested a welfare check on her child at 8:33 p.m. in Kimball Hall. Student was contacted on the phone to call the mother. A follow up call to the parent confirmed that the student had called.

Monday, Sept. 17

• Criminal Mischief: Fire extinguisher reported discharged at 7:46 a.m. on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched to check the scene and issue a report.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 11:02 a.m. for a student from Jonsson Tower to Wilton Medical Arts for further medical treatment. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Security Alarm: Alarm received at 6:45 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officers canvassed the area but the source of the activation was undetermined.

Tuesday, Sept. 18

• Suspicious Activity: A male student reported at 12:40 a.m. acting strangely at the entrance to Howe. Officers responded, interviewed the subject and advised that there were no further problems at this time.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 12:50 a.m. from the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officers checked the area and did not locate the odor in question.
• Campus Safety Assist: Health Services requested at 9:44 a.m. that a student be transported to an oral surgeon. Officer dispatched reports that the transport was completed.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officers reports at 5:19 p.m. that a large tree limb is on the North Broadway roadway hindering traffic. Officer has moved the limb out of the way and coned off the area. Grounds contacted for removal.
• Campus Safety Assist: Assistance from Health Services requested after hours at 11:17 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officer contacted on call personnel. Message delivered and contact made.

Wednesday, Sept. 19

• Accident: Vehicle accident reported at 1:50 p.m. in the parking lot at Cane Crossing. Officer dispatched issued a report. No personal injuries.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer provided transport at 2 p.m. for a student from Jonsson Tower to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports feeling ill and requests transport at 2:36 p.m. from Perimeter Road to Medical Services. Officers completed the transport to Health Services. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 3:07 p.m. for a student from Health Services to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Accidental Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 3:22 p.m. at the Art Center. Officer on the scene reports a faulty smoke detector. Electrician responded for repairs. Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised of the situation. Report issued.

Thursday, Sept. 20

• Security Alarm: An unknown alarm reported at 7:30 a.m. sounding in the Skidmore Shop. Officers dispatched reported that the activation was from the computer area. Officers were unable to shut off the alarm but no disturbances were noted. Staff resolved the issue.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person requests at 6:52 p.m. to speak with Health Services on call personnel. Student was transported to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Report issued. 

Children's author-illustrator Elisha Cooper gives lecture on "Inappropriate" children's books: Cooper illustrated his artistic methods and origins in the twenty-fourth annual Fox-Adler Lecture

Posted by Julia Leef

On Sept. 20, more than one hundred students, faculty and community members gathered in Gannett auditorium to listen to author-illustrator Elisha Cooper speak about writing and illustrating children's books.

This presentation was part of the twenty-fourth annual Fox-Adler Lecture, a traditional event at the college that honors the Fox family and the late Hannah Moriarta Adler, who loaned her extensive collection of 18th- and 19th-century literature to the college in 1967. Norman M. Fox later made the donation permanent, and his support for this lecture enables the perseverance of literature and the arts in honor of Adler's memory.

"This lecture provides innumerable visible occasions to learn from what we see, not only in the realm of words, but also in the larger, visible world," said President Philip A. Glotzbach, who gave the opening welcome speech. "This series highlights the wonderful Fox collection of illustrated books that we are privileged to hold in the Scribner library. I express my deepest appreciation to the Fox and Adler families for making this lecture possible every year."

Cooper, this year's guest speaker, is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator. His book, Dance!, published in 2001, became the New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year. He has also written several books for adults, including A Year in New York and the memoir Crawling: A Father's First Year.

"Cooper has written and illustrated over a dozen books, and his life and experience continues to be a source of inspiration for children and adults," said Dr. Catherine Golden, professor of English and director of the Honors Forum, in her introduction.

"I'm completely unqualified to be giving a lecture," Cooper said, immediately taking off what he said was the only suit he owned, a gift from his editor for painting his twins' bedroom. "Having an artist talk about his own work is strange to me, because I always think, 'it's in the art.'"

The title of the lecture, "Inappropriate," was in reference to a conversation Cooper once had with Maurice Senak, author of many children's books including Where the Wild Things Are and Chicken Soup with Rice. Cooper said Sendak disliked the idea that he had to be appropriate for children, and that he took especial pride in the books of his that were banned from libraries. "Inappropriateness is sometimes good," Cooper said.

Cooper continued with a brief biography of his life, saying he had been influenced at a young age by his grandmother, who painted watercolors of landscapes until her recent death.

"It's always funny to me that I'm doing the same thing I was doing when I was eight," he said.

Cooper continued to draw throughout his academic career, illustrating on a giant sketchpad the caricatures he used to draw of his college football coaches at Yale University. After college he was hired by The New Yorker as a messenger, and later as a writer, to deliver and pick up manuscripts and covers around New York City.

"I was a pretty bad messenger because I would take detours with my sketchbook and go and draw the Union Market Square, or something else," Cooper said. These sketches later became a book entitled, A Year in New York, which allowed him to quit The New Yorker and fully embrace the career of an author-illustrator.

Cooper's children also provided inspiration for his books. His A Goodnight Walk is inspired by walks he took with his oldest daughter Zoe when she was a baby in an attempt to get her to fall asleep. His memoir, Crawling: A Father's First Year, also stems from his experience as a parent.

To give an example of the process of creating one of his books, Cooper went into great detail about the conception and execution of his book Farm, which he thought of while driving through Illinois and seeing its flat fields and huge barns.

"I wanted to do it differently," he said, referring to the way many children's book authors illustrate farm settings and animals. "Farms are big, and they're flat, and they make food. I wanted to get that across. I didn't want to infantilize kids."

He went further into detail, explaining his dislike for books centered on morals or celebrity books illustrated by ghost artists. The same love and care is not shown when someone illustrates someone else's work, he said.

"Even though there are a lot of wonderful children's books right now, there are a lot of crappy children's books out there, and I often feel that they are cute, they are the same, they are infantilizing, and they talk down to kids," he said. "There are a lot of 'shoulds' in these books, what you should do and what you should be. There should not be any 'should' in art."

For his work on Farm, Cooper would pull over to different farms, asking farmers to take him around so he could see what they did, and he would make sketches of the farm equipment and animals he saw.

"I sometimes think about books in terms of a sculptor, who has a marble stone and starts chipping away to make the statue," he said. "I think that with writing especially you have to accumulate all the details first and make that marble before you can start chopping it down and sculpting it. My favorite part of making a book is that first moment there in the dirt with the drawing when I first see this book taking shape."

Cooper listed some of the artists he admired, including Mo Willems and Robert McCloskey, for their confident lines that come from so much practice and work.

"The beauty of writing and drawing and art and books is that anyone can do it," Cooper said. "All you need is a mind, a point of view, a pencil and yourself. If your story and the line you create resonates, that is all that matters. Art in that way is limitless."

With health concerns quieted, renovated Starbuck Center gradually re-opens: Offices given temporary homes across campus will move back to Starbuck starting this week

Posted by Sarah Rose Slate

After months of renovations, the Starbuck Center will reopen this week, allowing its offices to move back to their original locations in the building within the coming month.

"With a new insulated roof, completely new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, new connectivity of computer equipment, paint and carpet, we expect an improved environment for our students and staff," Michael West, vice president for Finance and Administration, said. "We also added two new offices to meet service demands."

Earlier this year, health concerns raised by employees in Starbuck prompted an evacuation of the building as well as an investigation into whether the center contained high levels of hazardous chemicals or mold.

Throughout this process, which ran from late January into February, 50 employees were evacuated, and offices were relocated to various places on campus including Palamountain Hall, Ladd Hall, and Case Center.

During the investigation, the building was tested for toxic chemicals including radon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde.

The results of the first round of testing confirmed that the chemicals were within or below the recommended ranges. A second round of tests also found no concerns. However, the building remained closed for renovations throughout the rest of the school year, the various offices remaining in their temporary locations.

Tuesday will mark the reopening of the Career Development Center and Student Academic Services in their new Starbuck offices. The offices of the Registrar, Financial Aid, Academic Advising, First-Year Experience,  Off-Campus Studies, Institutional Research, Office Student Accounts and the Card Office will move back into Starbuck and open over the course of this semester.

The phasing of the offices back into the Starbuck Center, according to President Philip A. Glotzbach in an earlier interview, will be scheduled according to each office's needs. This will ensure that members of the offices do not have to worry about relocation in addition to other events and tasks, he said.

Plans are continuing for the future of the Starbuck Center. The administration is working to convert the new building to be geo-thermally heated and cooled within the next year to improve the work environment for employees and increase convenience for students utilizing the College's resources, turning Starbuck into a more permanently established campus administrative building.

"Almost all offices benefit from the renovations," West said. "Starbuck Center will continue to serve these functions in the long-term future."