Campus Safety Reports: Nov. 4 to 14

Campus Safety Reports

Incidents of Note:

• Saturday, Nov. 9-Suspicious Activity: Reporting person observed a five-pound bucket of whey protein filled with rocks and numerous BB shot holes at 6:04 p.m. in the Falstaff's Parking Lot. Report issued.
• Sunday, Nov. 10-Criminal Mischief: Officer reported observing five male subjects at 3:50 a.m. throwing unknown objects at the windows of Wiecking Hall. Officers dispatched identified the subjects. Report issued.
• Tuesday, Nov. 12-Trespass: A female subject located at 11:06 p.m. sleeping in the Tisch Learning Center. Officers escorted the subject from the secured building.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Nov. 8:

• Campus Safety Assist: The Saratoga Springs Police Department reported an emergency call at 12:12 a.m. regarding a verbal altercation at the Sussman Apartments. Subjects were located and the situation was resolved. Report issued.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 2:44 a.m. in Wilmarth Hall. Subject was alert and responsive. No medical attention necessary.
• Emergency Phone: An emergency blue light activated at 9:51 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments with no caller response. Officers dispatched reported no one in the area and a probable false activation.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 11:42 p.m. at Dayton Drive. Dispatched officers spoke with residents who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Drug Law Violation: Fire alarm activation received at 11:51 p.m. at Cane Crossing. Dispatched officers who reported that the alarm activation was due to marijuana smoke. Report issued.

Saturday, Nov. 9:

• Campus Safety Assist: Report received at 12:20 a.m. of someone vomiting in Jonsson Tower. Assistance requested. Dispatched officers checked the area and reported that the call was unfounded at the time.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 1:55 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Dispatched officers who found the source of the noise to be a loud television. Residents complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 2:34 a.m. in Kimball Hall. Dispatched officers requested the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 4 a.m. to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Larceny: Reporting person came to Campus Safety office at 1:24 p.m. to report a larceny from her room in Kimball Hall. Report taken.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported finding a washing machine door damaged and broken off at 3:31 p.m. in McClellan Hall. No known perpetrator. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer found wall damage at 3:38 p.m. at the Colton House. Investigation pending.
• Accident: An accident reported at 4:49 p.m. in the Sussman Village. Officers dispatched reported that a utility cart had overturned on a steep hill. No personal injury. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:08 p.m. for the Hillside B Apartments. All units, Unit-10 and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department notified. Activation was due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officers reported unsafe driving at 9:25 p.m. in Case Lot. Officers confronted the driver and found him rude and argumentative. Report issued.
• Medical Assistance: Student reported at 9:58 p.m. that he had injured his foot playing basketball and requested an evaluation from the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service at Howe Hall. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Subject evaluated.
• Campus Safety Assist: A male subject reported at 10:49 p.m. being carried into Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched canvassed the area and the building. No subject located.

Sunday, Nov. 10:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:23 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officer dispatched spoke with students who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated subject reported at 12:08 a.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room via ambulance. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported finding three holes at 3:45 a.m. in the wall of the Penfield stairwell. Damage recorded. Report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 11:18 p.m. on the third floor of Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched reported noting no noise upon their arrival.

Monday, Nov. 11:

• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 2:40 a.m. on the second floor of Kimball Hall. Dispatched officer reported that the call was unfounded at the time.
• Campus Safety Assist: An escort requested at 11:33 a.m. from a room in Wilmarth Hall to Health Services as the reporting person was not feeling well. Officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A burned rubber odor reported at 7:59 p.m. in the Williamson Sports Center. Officer dispatched requested that maintenance examine the dryer. No smoke or fire reported.
• Drug Law Violation: A suspicious odor reported at 9:17 p.m. in Kimball Hall. Dispatched officers who reported a drug law violation. Report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: Report received at 11:44 p.m. of a male voice yelling in Wiecking Hall. Officer dispatched reported locating the subject and that he was fine. Report issued.

Tuesday, Nov. 12:

• Trespass: Report received at 6:33 a.m. that a female subject was issued a trespass warning at Palamountain Hall. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A gas odor reported at 4:35 p.m. at the front door of Jonsson Tower. Notified Unit-10 and an officer. Maintenance reported detecting no odor at the time.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 11:13 p.m. on the eleventh floor of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer who reported the call was unfounded.

Wednesday, Nov. 13:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at midnight at Whitman Way. Officer dispatched reported hearing no noise. An additional noise complaint received. Officer spoke with residents who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 4:46 p.m. in the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm was due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 10:57 p.m. on the first floor of Kimball Hall. Dispatched officers, who reported detecting no noise. Call unfounded at the time.

Thursday, Nov. 14:

• College Violation: A loud noise reported at 12:39 a.m. on the floor above a dorm room in Wiecking Hall. Dispatched officer reported that the resident complied with the request to lower the television.
• Complaint: Unauthorized subjects reported at 4:40 p.m. parked in the Childcare loading area by the entrance to the Williamson Sport Center. Officers dispatched contacted the owners and the vehicle was removed. Report issued.

Skidmore Cares begins another holiday season of community support: Donations for various organizations will be collected on Dec. 6 at the Scribner House

Posted by Julia Leef

In the eighth year of its inception, Skidmore Cares hosted a luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to emphasize the importance of the many charitable services performed by local organizations during the holiday season.

The program, started by President Phillip A. Glotzbach and his wife Marie in 2006, includes over 50 faculty, staff and student volunteers. Several student groups are also involved, including the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Benef-Action, Beatlemore Skidmania and the Student Government Association.

"We always look forward to this event to bring everyone together to meet everybody," Marie Glotzbach said in her presentation of the program's accomplishments. "We began this program to provide the Skidmore community with the notion of responsible leadership."

Skidmore employees who promote and organize the event also collect donations. These "cheerleaders" include members from Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Finance and Administration who are responsible for donating various items to their respective programs, such as canned goods or school supplies. In addition, the Beatlemore shows will raise funds through ticket sales and collections at the concerts on Nov. 22 and 23.

The recipients of the 2013 Skidmore Cares program are the Corinth Central School District, the Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County, the Franklin Community Center, the Latino Community Advocacy Program, Mary's Haven, The Salvation Army, the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, the Saratoga Springs City School District PATHS Program and Shelters of Saratoga.

"Skidmore College enhances the meaning of the Skidmore Community coming together and makes a positive difference in the lives of many families in the Saratoga County," Marie Glotzbach said.

There will be an Open House from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 for Skidmore employees and their families, which will be designated as Skidmore Cares Friday. Canned goods and school supplies will be collected on this day in a sleigh on the front yard of Scribner House, and all donations will be received at the Scribner house. There will be no on-campus collection of donations.

Typhoon Haiyan strikes the Philippines, Skidmore begins to respond

Posted by Andrew Shi

Earlier this week, Typhoon Haiyan swept through the Philippines, obliterating whole cities and villages in its path. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported 4,460 deaths as of Thursday, Nov. 14, but exact numbers will not be determined until remote cities are reached and reviewed. While the magnitude of death is staggering alone, an estimated 11 million Filipinos of a population of  98 million have been affected and approximately 900,000 displaced.

Unfortunately, casualties of the storm may grow as repercussions of the typhoon including the proliferation of disease and shortages of food and clean water worsen. With destroyed infrastructure and a paucity of clean water, those in the directly affected areas may resort to drinking water contaminated by effluent. The tropical weather of the Philippines only exacerbates the incubation and spread of disease. The New York Times reports that those affected are at risk of lethal diseases such as cholera, hepatitis, malaria, dengue fever, typhoid fever, bacterial dysentery as well as polio, which has to this point been eradicated from the Philippines for 14 years. Already insanitary environments are worsened by the decaying of the dead bodies which have only begun to be buried in mass graves.

Major news outlets report that there is a severe lack of clean water, food and medication being provided by operating aid organizations. There are also reports of anarchy and fights over what limited supply there is.

The UN estimates that it will need $301 million to provide thorough aid to the Philippines.

While the number is dauntingly large, a few dollars, sometimes as low as $1, can purchase a single vaccination. One vaccination can save a life.

Skidmore College has a strong tradition of coming to the aid of others, from the victims of Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina to those of the earthquake that shattered Haiti.

Monday night, a small vigil was held outside the Murray-Aikins dining hall by Cleo Gordon '15 and several other students along with members of the Office of Student Diversity Programs clubs.

On Thursday, an email was sent out to the Skidmore Community by Richard Noel Chrisman, Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, asking the community to consider donating money to organizations dedicated to aiding the Philippines. Among the organizations suggested were: the American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Direct Relief International, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, UNICEF and World Food Programme. An additional article by The Times offers a larger selection of potential charities and NGOs.

Later that same day Sofia Naqvi '14, a student representative of  the Office of Student Diversity Programs and President of Hayat, sent out an email to club presidents. "We, as a united Skidmore community, can act. We can make a positive effort to help. We have the resources, the means, the people power to do something about this," Naqvi said in her email. 

Her email purposed a fundraiser of some sort and solicited co-sponsors as well as general ideas. Naqvi recommended a benefit concert/performance with tickets sold at the door. Responses were quick and supportive of the idea. 

Naqvi's email echoes many of the sentiments espoused by Skidmore's annual Social Justice Month which the College is currently half-way through. In the spirit of the month, if nothing else, it seems only appropriate that Skidmore pursues all avenues to providing aid to those devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. 

Skidmore College hosts its first TEDxSkidmoreCollege event

Posted by Elizabeth Hopkins '15

Skidmore students Sarah Green '16 and Jake Mitchell '14 have been busy at work this semester organizing one of this semester's largest discussion panels: the first TEDxSkidmoreCollege event entitled"Crossing Borders: Why Creative Thought Matters." The event is scheduled at 7 p.m. on November 18 in Zankel Center's Ladd Concert Hall.

Skidgenuity and the Communications Department are sponsoring the event and Professor Catherine Hill advised Green and Mitchell in organizing it. Skidmore faculty members Heather Hurst, Professor of Anthropology, Flip Phillips, of the Psychology and Neuroscience Departments, and Music professor Anthony Holland will speak at the event.

"The professors will be discussing how their unique career paths have driven them into their interdisciplinary research and findings, as well as their personal passion behind what they do and what they want others to take from it," says Green.

Professor Hurst will give a talk entitled "Painting with Mittens and Bananas: A Collaboration with Ancient Maya Artists," in which she will focus on her own work with Mayan archaeological artifacts. Professor Holland's talk "Shattering Cancer with Resonance Frequencies" will take a scientific turn, while Professor Phillips will add a more artistic element to the event with a discussion entitled "And I'm Still Not an Architect..." The professors were selected based on the interdisciplinary nature of their research, according to Green.

The event is free and open to the community, although the projected volume of attendance warranted the Zankel Box Office to offer tickets. The event is currently sold out, although there will be a few more tickets available on the night of the discussion.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The TED2014 Conference will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler. TEDGlobal 2014 will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; and TEDBooks, short e-books on powerful ideas. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED

For information about TED's upcoming conferences, visit http://www.ted.com/registration

Campus Safety Report: Nov. 1 to 7

Incidents of Note:

• Friday, Nov. 1-Complaint: Several counterfeit $1 bills reported at 2:53 p.m. found in the vending machines in McClellan Hall and around campus. Report filed.
• Wednesday, Nov. 6-Property Damage Auto Accident: A hit and run reported at 5:59 p.m. in West Lot. Dispatched officer and advised the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Report made.
• Wednesday, Nov. 6-Sex Offense: Report received at 10:34 a.m. that an email had been sent to a faculty member which stated that a student was sexually assaulted by another student in the spring of 2013 at the College. No further information received at this time.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Nov. 1:

• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 12:55 a.m. in Wilmarth Hall. Officers reported that the female was conscious and alert.
• Depressed Person: Reporting person called at 7:32 p.m. from 5 Dayton Drive to reported that her boyfriend was depressed and that she needed assistance in locating him. Officers dispatched and he was located.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 10:23 p.m. from the Surrey Inn to pick up medication at the pharmacy. Assistance provided.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 11:06 p.m. from a registered party at Hillside Apartment B. Officers requested that the music be turned down and students complied.
• Suspicious Odor: A natural gas odor reported in the Wiecking Hall basement. Officer and maintenance reported finding no problem.

Saturday, Nov. 2:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 12:20 a.m. from an apartment at 7 Dayton Drive. Residents complied with the request to quiet down.
• Campus Safety Assist: A complaint of noise and damage reported at 8:17 a.m. from an off-campus party. Report taken.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 1:34 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officer checked the area. Unknown source.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person requested crutches at 1:34 p.m. in Penfield Hall. The subject was examined by the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service and escorted to the Saratoga Hospital.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 6:39 p.m. at the Tang Teaching Museum. Unknown source.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 11:26 p.m. on the first floor of Wilmarth Hall. Call unfounded.
• Intoxicated Subject: Officer requested the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service at 11:48 p.m. for an intoxicated female in Field House. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department Ambulance transported the subject to the Saratoga Hospital.

Sunday, Nov. 3:

• Intoxicated Subject: An ambulance requested at 12:35 a.m. for an intoxicated female at the Field House. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service on the scene as well.
• Campus Safety Assistance: Received a 911 call at 1:15 a.m. from Wait Hall. Officers checked and found no problems.
• Criminal Mischief: Damage reported at 12:03 p.m. to the "Capitalism" sign in front of the Tang Teaching Museum. Photographs taken and report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: The grass reported disturbed at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Surrey Inn. Area photographed and report filed.
• Larceny: A missing lawn chair reported at 2:08 p.m. from 14 Whitman Way. Report taken.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:43 p.m. for Sussman F Apartments. Alarm due to cooking.
• Campus Safety Assistance: Assistance requested at 6:53 p.m. in following up with a student in Jonsson Tower. Officer assisted.

Monday, Nov. 4:

• Criminal Mischief: Report received at 11:18 a.m. that the wooden fence behind the Williamson Sports Center had been damaged by unknown persons. Officer issued a report.
• Fire Alarm: Fire Alarm activation received at 12:49 p.m. for the Sussman F Apartments. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Source found to be from a cooking error.
• Larceny: Report received at 11:50 a.m. that the post office handcart was removed by unknown persons from the cargo area of the post office delivery truck. Report issued.
• Harassment: Report received at 11 a.m. that two unwanted phone messages were left over the weekend at Palamountain Hall from unknown persons. There were no overt threats, just an annoyance. Report issued.

Tuesday, Nov. 5:

• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 12:13 a.m. for the third floor of Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched and reported that the group complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:21 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officer reported music coming from a vacant room. Officer keyed in and lowered the volume. Room secured.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person called at 4:15 p.m. to report an incident on Case Roadway involving the CDTA bus and a contractor. Officer issued a report.

Wednesday, Nov. 6:

• Medical Assistance: Report received at 5:03 a.m. of an ill student who requested assistance. Officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room.
• Medical Assistance: A female observed at 7:30 a.m. sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall in Jonsson Tower. Subject appeared to be in medical distress. Dispatched officers and toned out the Skidmore College Medical Service.
• Emotionally Disturbed Person: Report received at 11:15 a.m. that a subject received an email from a student last night who appeared to be in distress. The reporting person just wanted Campus Safety to be aware of the incident. She had spoken to the student that morning and did not believe there was any cause for alarm.
• Medical Assistance: An officer requested at 12:47 p.m. as a student had just passed out in a classroom in the Tisch Learning Center. Dispatched officers who reported that the student was conscious and alert upon arrival. Student requested to be escorted to Health Services and declined Emergency Medical Service.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 2:22 p.m. at the Sussman F Apartments. Dispatched all officers, maintenance and contacted the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officers reported that the alarm was due to cooking. Advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 2:32 p.m. at the Sussman J Apartments. Dispatched all officers, maintenance and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officers reported that the alarm was caused by cooking. Advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm reset.
• Suspicious Activity: A suspicious male reported at 9:32 p.m. behind 10 Whitman Way. Dispatched officers reported locating the subject and transporting him off campus after ascertaining his identity. Report made.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 11:19 p.m. at Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer, maintenance and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officers reported that a sprinkler was going off and flooding the floor rooms. Investigation occurred. Report made.

Thursday, Nov. 7:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 1:12 a.m. in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. All officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched.
• College Violation: Subject reported at 2:40 a.m. hearing yelling and banging outside her room in Kimball Hall. Officer dispatched.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm reported at 6:59 a.m. in Case Center. Dispatched officers, maintenance and notified the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Accidental trigger. Advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm reset.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person called at 11:10 a.m. stated that he was with another male in Bolton Hall who had a head injury from falling on the stairs. Dispatched officers, who transported the male for further medical treatment.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person stated at 9:05 p.m. that a male had injured his ankle while playing basketball in the Williamson Sports Center. Dispatched officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service.

Piper Kerman scheduled to give lecture at Skidmore College

Posted by Blair Warren

Have you ever wondered what life in prison would be like? You're not the only one. "Orange is the New Black," a memoir about author Piper Kerman's time in prison and now a popular television show, has gained a large following since it appeared on Netflix.

Becky Stern '14, Speakers Bureau chair here at Skidmore College, is one of many fans intrigued by Kerman's story. She stumbled upon the book and later discovered the television series, and was fascinated by what Kerman had to say about women and America's correctional system.

Piper Kerman will be giving a lecture hosted by the Speakers Bureau on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium. This lecture will hopefully explain the role of privilege in America's prison system, the power struggles present within prison walls, and Kerman's opinion on the current state of prison reform in this country. She will also delve into the process of turning her memoir into a television show.

Kerman tells "powerful, sharp, and brilliant stories," while still being "energetic and fun!" said Stern. This lecture will hopefully provide a memorable, eye-opening experience for the Skidmore community. 

Faculty discuss fundraising campaigns and tenure in November meeting

Posted by Emily Singer

Faculty members discussed efforts to raise 220 to 240 million dollars for various renovation projects in the monthly faculty meeting on Nov. 1. They also continued their debate regarding the language of the Faculty Handbook in reference to tenured and non-tenured faculty. The meeting was led by Dean of Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs Beau Breslin in the absence of President Philip A. Glotzbach.

The recent visit of the Board of Trustees to the campus, which was extended a few days more than expected, involved much discussion of tenure, budget plans, and a campaign currently underway to raise the over 200 million dollars. This money support the College's plans for a new science center, a new admissions space, the Tang Teaching Museum, the college endowment, and financial aid for students.

The College will raise the money over the next six years, and 50 million dollars has been raised so far from generous donors, according to Mike West, Treasurer and vice president for Finance and Administration, who spoke on the tentative budget for the upcoming year. Other upcoming construction projects include the renovation of Case Center, for which the College is currently working with a consultant, but plans to begin the actual reconstruction won't start until after the new science center is completed.

Another heavily discussed topic for faculty members was the criteria standards for tenure, including how to improve the process of granting professors' tenure. Suggestions ranged from creating a process more effective in determining which faculty members receive the benefit of tenure, which is currently decided by the Board, and editing the language of the faculty handbook to be distinguished between the obligations of tenured and non-tenured faculty.

The Faculty Executive Committee brought forward revisions to the more out-of-date language in the faculty handbook, which resulted in a lengthy conversation amongst faculty members concerning whether faculty as a whole should be addressed in the book or if it should be categorized between tenured and non-tenured faculty. Several faculty members brought up concerns that faculty seemed to be treated differently and received different benefits depending on whether or not they had tenure.

Many faculty members were opposed to changing the language of the handbook without understanding the true difference between tenured and non-tenured professors, as well as whether it would be necessary to distinguish between them at all in the handbook. In the end, the majority of the faculty voted to table the motion indefinitely until the FEC rewrites their new propositions for the handbook to be discussed again at the next meeting.

Another policy under review is the College's general education requirements, which the Committee on Education Policy and Programming is discussing with the Student Government Association and various academic departments. In addition, the Institutional Policy and Planning Committee is working on a new Strategic Action Plan that will detail the various goals the College would like to see executed within the next 10 years. These goals include improving or altering various departments and improving the "transition and transformation" program the College runs to aid post-graduate students with linking their Skidmore College career to a job.

The meeting concluded with the FEC acknowledging the work of President Glotzbach and his wife Marie in the past ten years since they were inaugurated as head figures of the school, followed by a round of applause by the faculty. 

Campus Safety Reports: Oct. 25 to 31

Incidents of Note:

• Saturday, Oct. 26-Larceny: The theft of a debit card reported at 8:56 p.m. in Wiecking Hall. Officers dispatched. Report made.
• Sunday, Oct. 27-Accident: Damage reported at 12:10 p.m. to the front quarter panel of a vehicle while parked in the Williamson Sports Center parking lot. Second party not present. Report taken.
• Monday, Oct. 28-Criminal Mischief: Reporting person advised officer at 8:46 a.m. that the fire extinguisher in Penfield Hall was missing. Officer located the extinguisher in the second floor kitchenette with the pin out and with graffiti written all over it. Officer brought the extinguisher back to Campus Safety and Facilities was advised to pick it up and replace it.
• Wednesday, Oct. 30-Campus Safety Assistance: Report received at 8:33 a.m. of a student found unconscious on the floor in Jonsson Tower. Emergency Medical Service transported the subject for further medical attention. Report issued.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Oct. 25:

• College Violation: Loud music reported at 3:06 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officers dispatched to investigate. Occupants told to keep the music down.
• College Violation: People being loud reported at 3:21 a.m. at Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer who reported that the people were gone upon his arrival. Area quiet at the time.
• Criminal Mischief: Damage reported at 11:31 a.m. to an outside display at the Tang Teaching Museum. Dispatched officer. Report made.
• Suspicious Odor: A gas odor reported at 2:30 p.m. by the south door of McClellan Hall. Sergeant reported normal odor when the boiler first started up and the exhaust was blowing up the south stairs.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 5:58 p.m. in Sussman K Apartments. Officer responded and observed cooking smoke. No fire observed. Maintenance dispatched, arrived and reset the alarm. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department notified of the call and updated.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 7:31 p.m. at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater. Officer on the scene observed an alarm in the utility room. Officer and maintenance dispatched and advised that there was no fire on the scene. Notified the Saratoga Springs Fire Department.
• College Violation: Officers responded to a loud, large gathering at 11:21 p.m. in the Whitman Way area. Dispatched officers.
• Fire Alarm: A fire alarm received at 11:41 p.m. at 12 Whitman Way. Officers found a heavy smoke condition from marijuana upon their arrival. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department was contacted and advised.

Saturday, Oct. 26:

• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:26 a.m. at Whitman Way. Dispatched officers who reported loud music.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 2:44 a.m. from the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers who reported loud music and told the residents to turn it down.
• Criminal Mischief: Report received at 2:24 a.m. that a front door in Wait Hall wouldn't close. Dispatched officer and maintenance who requested a carpenter. The carpenter reported at 6:16 a.m. that the door had been repaired.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 3:04 a.m. in Wait Hall. Dispatched officer who reported the noise was coming from a loud television.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 3:40 a.m. from Dayton Drive. Dispatched officers.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 8:14 a.m. at the Hillside Apartments A. Dispatched officers, maintenance and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm was due to cooking. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department was advised.
• Criminal Mischief: A broken exit light discovered at 9:17 a.m. on the seventh floor of Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer. Report made.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person requested the Skidmore College Emergency Medical System at 7:06 p.m. to check head for a possible concussion in Jonsson Tower. Officer and the SCEMS dispatched. Patient transported to the Wilton Medical Arts by a friend.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported finding a hole at 8:48 p.m. in the second floor east stairwell of Penfield Hall.
• Intoxicated Subject: A friend reported intoxicated at 11 p.m. at the Sussman K Apartments. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service requested. Officers and the SCEMS dispatched. Subject transported to the Saratoga Emergency Room for further evaluation.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 11:44 p.m. in the Keys Quad. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched.
• Criminal Mischief: Two males reported at 11:50 p.m. urinating on a Moore Way building and then smashing a bottle against the reporting person's door after she closed it. Officers dispatched but subjects were gone upon arrival. No damage found and the glass was cleaned up by a resident.
• Suspicious Activity: A suspicious vehicle reported at 9:30 p.m. parked in the Cane Crossing Parking Lot.

Sunday, Oct. 27:

• Drug Law VIolation: Drug paraphernalia reported at 12:17 a.m. in a room on the second floor of Kimball Hall. Officer dispatched.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 12:18 a.m. in Wilmath Hall. Dispatched officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service.
• Medical Assistance: The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service called at 12:29 a.m. to report an intoxicated female in the second floor bathroom of Ladd Hall. Unable to locate the subject. Officer later reported finding the subject and dispatched the SCEMS.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated male reported at 12:39 a.m. in second floor lounge of Wait Hall. Officer dispatched. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched.
• Disorderly Conduct: Officer reported at 12:22 a.m. that a student pushed past him at an event in Case Center.
• Intoxicated Subject: An intoxicated female reported at 2:19 a.m. on the second floor of McClellan Hall. Officers and the Skidmore College Medical Emergency Service dispatched.
• College Violation: Campus Safety received a noise complaint at 2:25 a.m. from the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officers dispatched.
• Drug Law Violation: A drug law violation observed at 2:40 a.m. in Jonsson Tower.
• Drug Law Violation: Officer reported a drug law violation at 2:40 a.m. at Penfield Hall.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 7:33 p.m. on the second floor of Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched.
• Medical Assistance: A friend reported at 10:09 p.m. in need of medical assistance in Case Center. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Transported the subject to the Saratoga Springs Emergency Room.
• Suspicious Activity: Officers reported a suspicious male at 11:42 p.m. near the exhibit at the Tang Teaching Museum.

Monday, Oct. 28:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 1:38 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Officer dispatched reported that the resident lowered the stereo volume upon request.
• Aggravated Harassment: Offensive texts reported at 4 p.m. at Cane Crossing. Follow up conducted and report taken.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person in Campus Safety office at 8:01 p.m. stated that he would like the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service to check him over. Dispatched the SCEMS.
• Medical Assistance: Assistance requested at 9:28 p.m. for a hand injury at the Saisselin Art building. Dispatched officer and the SCEMS.
• Medical Assistance: Assistance requested at 10:04 p.m. for a student who was hit in the nose during intra-murals at the Williamson Sports Center. Dispatched officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Service.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person in Campus Safety office at 10:14 p.m. requesting to be checked over as he had just hit his head. Dispatched officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Transported the subject to the Emergency Room.
• Medical Assistance: Assistance requested at 10:55 p.m. for a visitor who had injured his ankle at Dayton Drive. Dispatched officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service.

Tuesday, Oct. 29:

• College Violation: Loud music reported at 12:28 a.m. at Penfield Hall. Officers reported the call was unfounded as they did not detect any noise.
• Drug Law Violation: A suspicious odor and loud music reported at 12:59 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officer advised of a drug law violation in plain view. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud music reported at 2:55 a.m. from a neighbor in Penfield Hall. Officer advised the residents who complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Campus Safety Assistance: Reporting person in the Campus Safety office at 8:34 p.m. requesting a transport to Wilton Medical. Dispatched officer who completed the transport.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 11:44 p.m. at Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer who spoke with residents who complied to lower the volume while in the lounge area.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 11:44 p.m. from a Cane Crossing residence. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.

Wednesday, Oct. 30:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 9:44 a.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers, maintenance and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Medical: An ill employee reported at 1:23 p.m. at the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. Officer dispatched reported that the employee was transported for medical attention. Report issued.
• Emergency Phone: Officer initiated the monthly testing of emergency phones, handicap doors, and the academic fire system at 8 p.m.
• Complaints: A truck reported at 8:31 p.m. with two occupants throwing eggs out the window in the Jonsson Tower Lot. Dispatched officer was unable to locate the vehicle.

Thursday, Oct. 31:

• Campus Safety Assistance: Student requested a courtesy transport at 1:51 p.m. from Jonsson Tower to the Williamson Sports Center. Officer completed the transport.
• Medical: Assistance requested at 5 p.m. for a female who had been sick at Cane Crossing. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint received at 8:25 p.m. for a loud stereo at Dayton Drive. Officers dispatched reported detecting no noise. Call unfounded at this time.
• Emergency Phone: Call received at 7:52 p.m. from an elevator phone. No response from the caller. Officer dispatched reported that the elevator was clear and working properly.
• Liquor Law Violation: A liquor law violation reported at 9:10 p.m. in plain view in McClellan Hall. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud noise reported at 9:22 p.m. in the common area on the third floor of Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer reported that there was a loud group which had passed along to another area.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 9:36 p.m. in the stairwell of Wiecking Hall. Dispatched officers who reported detecting a musty odor. Call unfounded.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 10:58 p.m. on the first floor of Kimball Hall. Dispatched officers reported that residents complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 11 p.m. in Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer spoke with the students who complied with the request to lower the volume.

Campus Safety Reports: Oct. 18 to 24

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Saturday, Oct. 19-Campus Safety Assist: Concern reported at 2:25 a.m. for a friend who could not be reached. Officers were unable to locate the subject on campus. Desk officer contacted the local authorities and located the subject. Report issued.
• Sunday, Oct. 20-Medical Assistance: The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service reported a visiting spectator had fainted at 4:20 p.m. at the Williamson Sports Center field. Officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Report issued.
• Monday, Oct. 21-Fire: Fire alarm activation received at 6:37 p.m. at the Hillside Apartments. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Active fire on stove from grease. Fire extinguished by the suppression system. Report issued.
• Thursday, Oct. 24-Drug Law Violation: A drug law violation reported at 9:31 p.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Items confiscated. Receipt left. Report made. Received a call from the Saratoga Springs Police Department requesting assistance in locating a student wishing to file a theft report. The room occupant had contacted the Saratoga Springs Police Department to make a formal complaint regarding drug paraphernalia and marijuana seized from the room.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Oct. 18:

• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 1:06 a.m. for the third floor of Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer stated that students complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Suspicious Activity: Students reported at 7:02 a.m. exiting the bus and acting suspiciously in the area of the art exhibit in front of the Tang Teaching Museum. Officers dispatched reported that the subjects were gone on arrival. No disturbances reported.
• Campus Safety Assist: A medical transport requested at 9:50 a.m. for a student at Jonsson Tower. Transport completed for medical attention. Report issued.
• Suspicious Odor: A faint odor of marijuana reported at 3:17 p.m. in the hallway of Wait Hall. Officer reported a very faint odor but was unable to locate the source.
• Emergency Phone: Emergency phone activation received at 7:40 p.m. at the Case Center parking lot. Officers dispatched reported no one in the area and no existing problem.
• Suspicious Activity: Unknown persons reported at 9:16 p.m. smoking marijuana by Wait Hall. Officer advised that no one was in the area upon his arrival.
• Suspicious Activity: A suspicious male reported at 11 p.m. by Wiecking Hall. Officers identified the authorized male.

Saturday, Oct. 19:

• Campus Safety Assist: A group of four students reported at 12:45 a.m. who seemed to be having trouble walking on Perimeter Road and may have needed assistance. Officers dispatched for a welfare check. Another officer on the scene reported that what appeared to be the same four subjects were fine and declined assistance.
• Medical: An intoxicated male reported at 1:30 a.m. in Case Center. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Report issued.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 2:17 a.m. at Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched reported that the complaint was unfounded.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 1:56 a.m. coming from Dayton Drive. Officers dispatched and the students complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: Alcohol violation reported at 2:35 a.m. in plain view at Jonsson Tower. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 6:20 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Activation was due to burned food. Report issued.
• Medical: A female student requested medical assistance at 9:44 p.m. on the third floor of Jonsson Tower. Officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Report issued.

Sunday, Oct. 20:

• Intoxicated Subject: Report received at 1:02 a.m. of what appeared to be a highly intoxicated male being assisted by friends in Wait Lot. Officers on the scene requested an ambulance. Subject was transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 2:12 a.m. at Penfield Hall. Officer dispatched reported that the resident lowered the volume upon request.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer assistance requested at 2:54 a.m. with an intoxicated subject in Wait Hall. Officer dispatched reported that no medical attention was necessary. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 5:13 a.m. to the Emergency Room from Cane Crossing. Officer dispatched and escort provided. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: The Saratoga Springs Police Department made a request at 1:22 p.m. for information regarding a student. Assistance provided.
• Arson: Student reported a burnt poster at 4:30 p.m. on the wall of Wait Hall. Damage recorded and report issued.
• Suspicious Activity: A suspicious male reported at 11:20 p.m. walking up and down the stairs in the Jonsson Tower Lot. Officers reported that the individual was gone upon their arrival. Subsequent search did not locate the reported person.

Monday, Oct. 21:

• Intoxicated Subject: Subject in Campus Safety office at 12:05 a.m. with a head injury due to a fall. Subject also appeared intoxicated. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service called to evaluate the subject. Student was transported to the hospital for further treatment. Report issued.
• Parking: Officer reported a vehicle at 4:04 a.m. booted in the Falstaff's parking lot for numerous parking violations this semester. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 9:30 a.m. for a student from Health Services to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Dispatched officer completed the transport. Report issued.
• Medical: Report received at 10:55 a.m. that a student had fallen in Penfield Hall. Officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Report issued.
• Medical: Medical assistance requested at 1:15 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Officers dispatched with the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Subject transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• Medical: Report received at 5:58 p.m. that a dancer had fallen in the Dance Theater and hurt her right foot. Dispatched officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Report issued.
• Medical: A possible broken ankle reported at 5:58 p.m. at the Williamson Sports Center field. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service evaluated the subject who was transported by Campus Safety.
• Medical: Student reported at 6:18 p.m. that her friend in Penfield Hall had lower abdominal pain and requested an evaluation and a transport to the Emergency Room. Campus Safety officer and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Transport provided.
• College Violation: Loud noise and a large gathering of people reported at 11:01 p.m. at Penfield Hall. Officers requested that the subject lower the volume or vacate the area. Residents became argumentative. Report issued.

Tuesday, Oct. 22:

• Accident: Report received at 2 p.m. that an unknown person hit the reporting person's vehicle while it was parked in the Williamson Sports Center Lot. Dispatched officer issued a report and the other driver was identified.
• Campus Safety Assist: A welfare check requested at 3:56 p.m. on a student at Whitman Way, as she had sent a cryptic text to another housemate. Dispatched officer issued a report and forwarded it to the reporting person for intervention.
• Fire Alarm: Fire Alarm activation at 5:22 p.m. at the Sussman L Apartments. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Activation was due to a cooking error. Report issued.

Wednesday, Oct. 23:

• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 12:23 a.m. for the third floor of Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer who stated that the area was quiet at the time.
• Parking Violation: Officer reported at 11:10 a.m. booting a vehicle parked in Cane Lot as it was unregistered with the College and had numerous violations.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 2:36 p.m. for the Sussman L Apartments. Dispatched all units and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm was due to cooking.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm received at 2:42 p.m. for the Sussman H Apartments. Dispatched all units and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Officers reported that the alarm was due to cooking. Alarm reset.
• Emotionally Disturbed Person: Student reported at 8:30 p.m. having difficulties with other students. Officer was able to locate the student and provide transport to the Saratoga Emergency Room for further medical evaluation.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 10:34 p.m. at the Hillside Apartments B. Dispatched officers who reported checking the entire building to no avail. Reporting person advised.

Thursday, Oct. 24:

• Campus Safety Assist: An officer requested at 9:22 a.m. to take photos and do a report as it appeared that student in one of the Sussman I Apartments had a campfire, charring the window sill of that apartment. Dispatched officer. Report made.
• Larceny: Officer reported the larceny of a laptop at 10:37 p.m. from the second floor lounge of McClellan Hall. Report made.
• College Violation: A loud noise reported at 11:38 p.m. from inside a dorm in Wait Hall. Dispatched officer. Report made.
• Medical Assistance: Student advised at 11:56 p.m. from the Hillside Apartments B that he cut his thumb earlier in the evening. Officers dispatched. 

Sussman Village Dedication

Posted by Julia Leef '14

Skidmore College shared its praise for the Sussman family at the official dedication of Sussman Village last Friday, Oct. 25 which, although open to the public, was mostly attended by trustees and administrators. President Philip A. Glotzbach, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun and student representative Emily Abeshouse '14, all spoke on the transition from the Scribner to the Sussman Village, while former Trustee and Chairman of the Investment Committee S. Donald Sussman and his two daughters, Emily and Carolyn, talked about their passion for the College.

Scribner Village was built in 1973 as a temporary residence for students and had fallen into poor conditions, necessitating its replacement with the new Sussman Village, which opened to students this fall semester. The dedication ceremony took place to recognize the people involved in this project and to officially give the name "Sussman Village" to the new apartments.

Calhoun began the event by recognizing the many people who had been instrumental in bringing the Sussman Village project to completion, including Director of Residential Life Don Hastings, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Finance and Administration Mike Hall, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Mike West, Project Manager of Facilities Services Paul Lundberg and Vice President for Student Life Hannah DeGraaf '15. Calhoun expressed her pleasure at having this space where students could come together as a community and invited Abeshouse, who is one of the Unit Advisors for the Sussman Apartments, to lend a student perspective to the event.

"The College provides a number of resources to help us plan and care for our lives," Abeshouse said. "Fundamental living skills aside, being able to live with three of my best friends is what, for me, makes Sussman Village a home. We are so incredibly grateful for the generous gift you have provided for us."

President Glotzbach followed with a slightly historical perspective, reminiscing to ten years ago when only 75 percent of students lived on campus, as compared to today's approximately 86 percent. Glotzbach emphasized the fundamental support of the Board of Trustees and thanked Donald Sussman for the $12 million boost needed to complete the reconstruction of Scribner Village.

"A central element to our mission is to be a residential community," Glotzbach said. "Donald understood the need to replace Scribner Village and helped move us forward to the place we want to be. Each Skidmore home will serve as a home for students for many generations to come."

Emily Sussman, an alumna from the class of 2004 and for whom Emily's Garden in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall is named, said how important her residential experience at the College was.

"When I look back, it really was about communication and the lessons I was able to learn at that pivotal time," she said, adding that when she lived off-campus her junior and senior year, she felt that she missed out on many on-campus events. She also expressed her gratitude to her father for his support, especially since he himself did not attend Skidmore College.

Emily's sister Carolyn did not attend Skidmore College, but highlighted her father's dedication to his daughters' passions as something that has been a constant presence in their lives.

"He takes our goals and passions and makes them his own," Carolyn said, pointing out that her father's devotion to vegetarian meals and to field hockey stems from his daughters' interests. "When Emily left [the College], he didn't just say, 'Okay, I'm packing up and leaving.'"

Donald Sussman delivered the final speech, speaking about how his close relationship with Emily's friends allowed him to see the residential experience of the College first-hand, which he remembered after joining the Board following Emily's graduation.

"Looking through the course catalogue is unimportant," Sussman said, referring to parents looking at their children's colleges. "What they eat and where they sleep is a really important experience."

Sussman decided to financially support the reconstruction of Scribner Village after considering many factors, including whether an on-campus residential area would still be relevant after 20 years, referencing the rise in online classes, although he pointed out that only about 10 percent of people actually finish their online courses.

President Glotzbach closed the ceremony by presenting stones engraved with "Sussman Village" to Donald Sussman and his daughters, followed by a toast to the entire family for their support in this endeavor. 

Mental Health: The Measure of Skidmore's Progress

Posted by Alex Hodor-Lee '14

Progress is happening at Skidmore College. Between Zankel, a new science center, geothermal projects and the development of student housing, Skidmore is becoming one of the most appealing colleges in the Northeast. And the numbers don't lie. Applications for this year's freshman class increased by an unprecedented 40%. The increase signals a new dimension of competition at Skidmore College. Last year Skidmore recorded its lowest-ever acceptance rate: 35 percent. The College accepted 42 percent of applicants in 2010.

That same year, The New York Times reported college students' skyrocketing mental health needs. The Times cited normalized recognition of trauma in today's younger generations, including bulimia, self-cutting and childhood sexual abuse. The Times also noted the proliferation of psychotropic drugs (used to treat mental disorders, such as depression, attention disorders and bipolar disorder). Both have allowed for a greater number of students to attend college. Decades ago, intense stigma and the absence of drugs to treat symptoms might have precluded students with mental disorders from attending Skidmore. This trend also means an increased demand for counseling programs on U.S. college campuses.

In 2009, the College proposed to house all health service programs-EMS, counseling, general medicine-under one roof in the newly-developed Sussman Village. But with the 2008 recession fresh in their minds, the Board of Trustees did not approve funding for the project.

"Long term, the Counseling Center and Health Services should be in a different space, so we will be looking at that down the line," President Glotzbach told Senate in an Oct. 11 open forum. "We do not have a plan right now for what we want to do with the counseling center. I am not sure that we can address that in the next four to five years."

The Counseling Center currently operates with four full-time therapists. While appointments are free, there is a yearly eight-session limit on the number of counseling sessions for students. Thus, therapists' schedules are tight but "if a student has an ongoing problem that requires counseling, they need to be outside of Skidmore, so that they can continue [therapy] outside of their Skidmore career." President Glotzbach told SGA.

President Glotzbach also noted the counseling shortage "is more a problem of perception. If people feel they need to go to the counseling center, they should go and trust that the eight-session limit will not be an issue."

The College has experienced a 45 percent increase in the number of students receiving therapy in the last nine years. "This year we've seen 28 percent more students," Dr. Julia Routbort, Director of the Counseling Center, told The Skidmore News. "As of October 10 we've seen 177 individual students." This time last year the Counseling Center had seen 138 students.

On average, each counselor holds approximately thirty, 45-minute clinical appointments in a 35-hour workweek, according to the center's statistics. The majority of Dr. Routbort's patients are suffering from depression or anxiety. Additionally, 70 percent of her patients are female. While it was once the case that most students seen were mostly freshmen, the recent surge of students is distributed more evenly across classes, according to Routbort.

It remains unclear why there is a surge in student therapy sessions. "As our student population gets to be more academically high-performing, in certain ways, students are putting a lot more pressure on themselves and so that shapes into it. If you've been highly anxious for a long time then it's pretty easy to get exhausted and depressed. College is not a great place in terms of people having stable sleeping and eating and substance use schedules, so that sort of starts to affect people's moods," Routbort said.

The Counseling Center received funding for a part-time, temporary therapist last week, one week after filing a request for one. The money came from a contingency fund (an institutional fund reserved for emergencies). Routbort described the Administration as "very responsive," though she had not been informed that expanding the counseling center was absent from the President's plans for the next four or five years. "Space and staffing issues are so tied together," Routbort said. Wand, without expanding the center's space, it will be difficult to upsize the staff to meet student needs.

Though understaffed, the Counseling Center provides a source of relief for many students who may speak to someone in the context of their Skidmore experience.

One female student, who chose to remain anonymous, emphasized the importance of having on-campus therapy resources. "It's just really helpful to have [the Counseling Center] on campus, because price-wise it's really good and accessible to everyone," she said, but admitted that the eight-session limit causes concern and has an attached socio-economic implication. "I will hit [the limit] eventually. I think that it's the kind of thing where I would have to talk to my parents about whether or not paying for it would be a priority for them, or me and how that would work."

This is a matter of values, according to Siena Tugendrajch '14, who insists administrators "don't understand the depth of why students go [to therapy]." Tugendrajch is the founder of Active Minds' Skidmore chapter. Active Minds is a non-profit organization that empowers students to speak openly about mental health to educate others and encourage seeking help, according to the organization's website.

Mental disorders on campus still have "so much stigma attached," Tugendrajch said in an interview with The Skidmore News. Students are deterred from making appointments for fear of being seen by other students lingering in and around Jonsson Tower, the College's most populated dorm, which also houses the Counseling Center.

Since fall 2005, the number of students electing to take a medical or personal leave of absence has increased by more than twenty-five percent. Last year more than 500 students went to the Counseling Center-meaning one in five students have received therapy at the Center. Of those students, 19 hit the eight-appointment ceiling. While this figure seems low it may not accurately represent students' struggles with mental disorders.

Many presume that students with mental disorders have taken care of their conditions since before their college careers. Administrators use this rationale to adjust policies, including their judging of students with mental disorders' capacity to study abroad. This thinking can be inaccurate, considering many mental disorders onset during ages 18-24, according to Active Minds.

"I know too many people who have rationed their sessions out," Tugendrajch says. Many students feel forced to neglect counseling when they need it for fear of hitting their limit. This is especially true for students unable to afford an outside therapist, according to Tugendrajch. While there is a session limit, most colleges and universities have some type limit on the number of therapy sessions offered to students. At Skidmore, the limit does not extend to group therapy sessions, psychiatric evaluation and emergency counseling sessions (though three-quarters of the time slots reserved for emergency sessions are usually booked).

Despite efforts by groups like Active Minds, students and faculty are not aware of how stigmatized mental health disorders are on campus. Moreover, administrators have taken little action to develop long-term plans to expand programs for students suffering from sundry mental health disorders. Though Skidmore's amenities have improved in recent years, little has been achieved in enhancing the College's Counseling Center and mental health programs. The College has not expanded its programs in proportion to the growing population of students and their needs.

Tugendrajch frequently asks herself how we should measure Skidmore's values and progress during her four years here, "A counseling center does not seem like a place to skimp. We have the best dining hall, the best housing; if we're going to cater to students in these ways, it just seems like we're letting down the students who need it the most." 

Charcoal is theme of upcoming art exhibition at Skidmore's Schick Gallery

The Schick Art Gallery at Skidmore College will present Charcoal!, an exhibition of works in charcoal by 12 contemporary artists, from Nov. 1 to Dec. 16. An opening reception is planned from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 at the gallery; an artists' talk with exhibitors Kate TenEyck and Scott Hunt is scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. that day in the gallery. Both events are free and open to the public.

The exhibition features work by the following artists: David Nash, Dozier Bell, Dragna Crnjak, Maggie Evans, April Gornik, Ken Greenleaf, Scott Hunt, Susan Hauptman, Anthony Mitri, Emily Nelligan, Kate Ten Eyck, and John Walker.
A material widely used in all college-level drawing classes, charcoal is both revered for its malleability and reviled for its messiness. In past centuries, it was primarily used as a preparatory medium in advance of painting; now charcoal is often an end in itself, and is capable of producing finished works characterized by varied textures and a rich range of values. 

Curated by Schick Gallery Director Paul Sattler in conjunction with the faculty gallery committee, the exhibit includes 33 drawings, three sculptures, and one installation created on site. The works represent a wide range of styles and subject matter, from moody interiors and atmospheric skyscapes to linear abstraction and works evocative of forms found in nature.
For more information, call 580-5049 or visit www/skidmore.edu/schick. 

Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas to open Oct. 25: Special features will include a BTX auditorium, discounts for students, and bonus tickets

Posted by Julia Leef '14

Students and community members will finally be able to enjoy the newly-finished renovations at the Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas, which has been under construction since March 1. The theater, which opens to the general public at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, will sport eight upgraded screens and a large-format Bow Tie Xtreme auditorium, which features a 2,000 square foot screen.

Bow Tie Cinemas, which took over for Regal Cinemas after it vacated Wilton Mall last February, is a four generation family-owned company which, according to its website, is "dedicated to returning style and elegance to the movie-going experience." While the theater at the Wilton Mall has been completely refurbished, the renovations did not add any square footage to the space.

"We looked at historical film release patterns," Joe Masher, chief operation officer, who offered a media tour of the new theater on Thursday, Oct. 24, said. "We knew this could only have eight [screens] as it was. If we had messed with the architectural design, you would have really tiny auditoriums." Masher, who grew up in Troy, has been with Bow Tie Cinemas for ten years.

The new theater will provide 1,250 deluxe custom leather rocking chairs, with auditorium sizes ranging from 135 to 250 seats. All theaters will support Dolby Digital surround sound and wall-to-wall screens.

Masher praised Wilton Mall for its help in the renovations, repaving the parking lot, replacing the entrance doors, and adding on extra security to cover the theater times.

"The mall's been phenomenal to us," Masher said.

Unlike the downtown theater, Criterion Cinemas, which opened on Oct. 18 and provides screenings of older films as part of Movies & Mimosas? and Cine Classics, Masher said, the theater in the Wilton Mall will focus more on major Hollywood releases and family films.

Additional features of the movie theater include a private birthday party room, and an entire auditorium that can be booked as part of the Private Premiere Party package, which also offers parties before the theater opens to the general public and kid packs for a minimum of 25 adults and children. Patrons may also purchase the Deluxe Party package for a minimum of ten children, which includes kid packs, reserved seating, and the use of the party room for one hour before or after the selected movie during regular business hours.

In addition to the regular hours of operation, there will also be continuous bargain matinees, daily evening shows, extra early matinees on weekends and holidays, Classics shown every Saturday and Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and Insomnia Theater every Friday and Saturday at 11:30 p.m.

The longer hours at the Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas, as well as the addition of the second downtown movie theater, has created new jobs for the area. According to Masher, between the two theaters, the company employs 70 part-time and six to eight full-time employees. Masher declined to comment about the cost of the renovations, as Bow Tie Cinemas is a privately-funded family operation.

Bow Tie Cinemas has received a warm reception from the community thus far, Masher said, and several advance screenings, with an advanced screening of "12 Years a Slave" for Saratoga Reads at the downtown theater on Oct. 17 and a free screening at Wilton for nearly 300 mall employees and their guests on Oct. 24, yielding higher attendances than expected. Bow Tie Cinemas projects approximately 750,000 patrons a year, according to Masher, but based on this early excitement, he said, the actual turn-out could be higher.

In addition, Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas plans to host special events throughout the year, including the Bow Tie Cinemas' Free Kids' Summer Film Series, which will provide free kids movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and special showings of movies such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Night of the Living Dead," as well as concerts and special events for kids.

Masher also said the theater would be considering a caregivers program for which they would provide bottle-warming stations and movies at a low-volume for patrons with young charges.

When asked whether maintaining two theaters in such close proximity to each other would be difficult, Masher expressed confidence that Bow Tie Cinemas would be able to control the entire market area, and that they were even looking to expand, although he did not specify to which areas. Masher explains that the design differences between the two theaters, as well as the fact that they would not have to compete with each other for film screenings, would help with this.

"We're not a cookie-cutter operation," Masher said. "If you travel around and look at our sites, no two are the same."

There will be a special discount for students who provide their ID cards ($9 matinees and $10 evening shows), as well as "Super Tuesday," which will feature all-day $6 movies. The theater will also sell "bonus tickets," which patrons can buy in advance for $7 each and exchange at the box office for a general admission ticket for any movie at any time (with a $3 surcharge for 3D films), unless it has sold out or is being rented out for a private screening or premiere. These bonus tickets will be sold in booklets of 50 or in packs of two at BJs and will never expire.

The Grand Opening of the new Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas at 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 24 showed screenings of "Free Birds," "Last Vegas" and "About Time," with tickets selling for $20 for adults, $10 for teenagers, and $5 for children aged 12 and under. Sales will benefit the Saratoga Regional YMCA.

Both the Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas and the Criterion Cinemas will open at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. Bow Tie Wilton Mall Cinemas is located at 3065 Route 50, and Criterion Cinemas is at 19 Railroad Place. This week's showings will include "Bad Grandpa," "Gravity" in 2D and 3D, "Escape Plan," "Captain Philips," "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" and "Rush." Ticket prices may be found on the theater website. 

Campus Safety Reports: October 11 to 17

Incidents of Note:

• Sunday, Oct. 13-Suspicious Activity: A male reported at 4:49 a.m. running around the Wait Hall basement without clothing and in need of assistance. Dispatched officers and the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. The Saratoga Springs Police Department and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department responded. Subject transported to the Emergency Room for medical assistance.
• Sunday, Oct. 13-Sex Offense: A sexual assault reported at 5:26 p.m. No further information given. The person who made the complaint was made aware of all the services offered by the College. Report issued.
• Monday, Oct. 14-Missing Person: Concern for a housemate who had not returned from a hiking trip reported at 10:03 a.m. from Moore Way. Dispatched officers conducted an investigation. Subject was contacted and welfare confirmed. Report issued.
• Thursday, Oct. 17-Medical: An ill student who had possibly lost consciousness reported at 12:34 p.m. in the Dana Science Center. Campus Safety dispatched and contacted the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Report issued.

Further Incidents:

Friday, Oct. 11:

• Intoxicated Subject: Report received at 12:51 a.m. of female in the bathroom in Rounds Hall. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud music reported at 1:09 a.m. at Dayton Drive. Officer reported detecting no noise. Call unfounded.
• Criminal Mischief: A bike reported damaged at 9 a.m. near the front door of Jonsson Tower by an unknown person. Report issued.
• Medical: An unconscious player reported at 8:37 p.m. on the field from the soccer game at the Wilton Sports Center. Officers, the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service and the Saratoga Fire EMS dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.
• College Violation: College alcohol violation reported at 11:10 p.m. in Jonsson Tower. Report issued.

Saturday, Oct. 12:

• Fire Alarm: Officer received fire alarm activation at 12:09 a.m. in the Hillside Apartments. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• College Violation: Loud noise reported at 12:30 a.m. coming from Whitman Way. Dispatched officers who broke up several large groups of students causing a disturbance.
• College Violation: A strong burning odor reported at 12:19 a.m. in the bathroom of Wilmarth Hall. Officer dispatched reported the odor was caused by burned food. No smoke or fire.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:26 a.m. at Moore Way. Officers reported that the loud music was lowered upon request.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 12:43 a.m. in Wait Hall lobby. Dispatched officers, who noted that students were exiting the building.
• Drug Law Violation: Officer reported a drug law violation at 2 a.m. in plain view in Wiecking Hall. Report issued.
• Power Outage: Power outage reported at 8:30 a.m. in a campus-wide incident. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported criminal mischief at 10:20 a.m. in McClellan Hall. Furniture was tipped over in various areas.
• Medical Assistance: The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service requested at 2:52 p.m. to look at a subject at the Williamson Sports Center who had an injured mouth. Dispatched the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service and Campus Safety. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 3:30 p.m. in Sussman Village. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Activation was due to burned food.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:22 p.m from the Hillside Apartments. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Activation due to burned food.
• Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported a liquor law violation at 9:31 p.m. on the third floor of Kimball Hall. Reports issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer requested at 9:50 p.m. to have a fire extinguisher replaced in Jonsson Tower as unknown persons had exhausted it.
• Medical Assistance: A 911 call reported at 9:38 p.m. to Wait Hall. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service dispatched. Officers dispatched. Subject transported to the Emergency Room by the EMS. Report issued.
• Medical Assistance: A female student reported at 9:48 p.m. feeling faint from the sight of blood in Wait Hall. Subject evaluated by the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service and Campus Safety. Report issued.

Sunday, Oct. 13:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 1:07 a.m. in Sussman Village. Officers, Unit-10 responded. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department notified. Activation due to burned food. Report issued.
• Liquor Law Violation: Officer reported a liquor law violation at 1:45 a.m. in plain view at Kimball Hall. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported a hole in the wall at 3:05 a.m. in the Penfield Hall east staircase. Damage recorded. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 9:36 a.m. in Penfield Hall. Officers and Unit-10 responded. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department notified. Activation due to burned food. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 11:35 a.m. from the Sussman Village. Officers and Unit-10 responded. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department notified. Activation due to burned food. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: A transport requested at 12:52 p.m. for medical treatment from Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer completed the transport.
• Missing Person: Concern for another roommate's welfare reported at 5:58 p.m. in the Sussman Village. Dispatched officers who reported the student not found in her room or classroom. Subject located. Report issued.

Monday, Oct. 14:

• Medical: Subject reported at 12:56 a.m. hitting his head the previous night in Howe Hall and not feeling well. Officer dispatched evaluated the subject. Reporting person declined further medical attention. Report issued.
• Medical: A transport requested at 3:03 a.m. from Whitman Way to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Dispatched officers completed the transport.

Tuesday, Oct. 15:

• Campus Safety Assistance: A female reported sick at 12:19 a.m. in Wiecking Hall. Officers checked her room and found her to be satisfactory.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 1:12 a.m. in the Sussman Village. Officers, Unit-10 and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Officers on the scene reported burnt food as the cause. Report issued.
• Parking: Report received at 4 a.m. booting a vehicle in the Case Center lot for excessive tickets. Report issued.
• Parking: Officer reported booting a vehicle at 10:44 a.m. in the North Woods lot for excessive tickets. Report issued.
• Accident: A Property Damage Auto Accident reported at 11:56 a.m. in Palamountain lot. No injuries reported. Minor damage. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 2:15 p.m. from the Hillside Apartments. Dispatched officers, the Saratoga Springs Fire Department and maintenance. Alarm due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Fire alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:14 p.m. at Dayton Drive. Dispatched officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Concern for a patient reported at 12:20 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officers dispatched were unable to locate the subject initially. Officer later reported that the subject was located and transported to the Emergency Room. Report issued.

Wednesday, Oct. 16:

• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:29 a.m. at Wait Hall. Dispatched officer reported that the occupant complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Campus Safety Assist: Assistance requested at 12:14 p.m. for an elderly female who was in some distress at Case Center. Dispatched officer located and assisted the subject.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 2:49 p.m. for students from Jonsson Tower to the Saratoga Emergency Room. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.

Thursday, Oct. 17:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:15 p.m. from Sussman Village. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.

Future of privacy and free speech to be Skidmore Fiscus topic: Author/scholar Jeffrey Rosen to give Nov. 1 talk

"The Future of Privacy and Free Speech: Translating the Constitution in the Age of Google Glass and Wikileaks" is the title of the 2013 Ronald J. Fiscus Lecture at Skidmore College, to be presented Friday, Nov. 1, by Jeffrey Rosen, president and chief executive officer of the National Constitution Center.

Free and open to the public, the talk begins at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 in Gannett Auditorium, Palamountain Hall.

The National Constitution Center is the first and only non-profit, non-partisan institution devoted to what it calls "the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed: the U.S. Constitution." Located across from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the center is an interactive museum, national town hall, and headquarters for civic education that engages millions of citizens.

Rosen was named to the center's top post in May. He was an adviser to the center during its early planning phases and was a visiting scholar during the summer of 2003.

He is also a professor at the George Washington University Law School, where he has taught since 1977, and is the legal affairs editor of The New Republic. He is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he explores issues involving the future of technology and the Constitution.

A highly regarded journalist, Rosen has contributed essays and commentaries to The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, on National Public Radio, and The New Yorker, where he has been a staff writer. The Chicago Tribune named him one of the 10 best magazine journalists in America and a reviewer for The Los Angeles Times called him "the nation's most widely read and influential legal commentator." He received the 2012 Golden Pen Award from the Legal Writing Institute for his "extraordinary contribution to the cause of better legal writing."

His books include The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries that Defined America; The Most Democratic Branch: How the courts Serve America; The Naked Crowd: Reclaiming Security and Freedom in an Anxious Age; and The Unwanted Gaze: The Destruction of Privacy in America.

Rosen is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School.

Skidmore's Fiscus Lecture was inaugurated in 1991 by the College's Department of Government to honor the late Ronald J. Fiscus, a Skidmore faculty member from 1980 to his death in 1990. Professor Fiscus was a constitutional law specialist and a key contributor to the development of a minor in law and society at Skidmore. 

Skidmore College considers renovation plans for Case Center

Posted by Elizabeth Hopkins '15

Case Center may be undergoing construction within the next ten years and the architectural planning process has begun as Skidmore College starts to envision what the new space might look like.

In 2008, the Case-Ladd Task Force initiated the conversation by presenting the community with the question: "How do we want to enliven this building?" Based on the feedback received and their own brainstorming sessions, the group produced a report with recommendations to the President's Cabinet and Institutional Policy and Planning Committee (IPPC). Their report suggested the formation of Case Council, a group comprising students and the faculty and staff that work in Case.

The second suggestion was to hire an architect to review Case Center and Ladd and develop a design plan for Skidmore to consider. In Spring 2013, Case Council initiated a conversation with Will Spears of the architectural firm Miller Dyer Spears Inc. Spears began meeting with the Student Government Association (SGA), student-led clubs, and faculty and staff to formulate some "conceptual ideas about the building," says Rochelle Calhoun, Dean of Student Affairs.

In September, Spears produced an updated series of floor plans for the building, including designs with and without an addition. Spears considered various possibilities, including revising the dining area, adding a multipurpose room and including a rehearsal or auditorium space. One particular idea that Calhoun advocates is the expansion of the dining space next to Burgess Caf?? into a patio that would extend over the Skidmore Shop. "It would make the building sing a bit," Calhoun said. "We want to use all of the vital elements here to create a more vibrant space."

But the plan for renovation is still very much in the works. Skidmore College is currently prioritizing the Dana Science Center as the next large renovation. Ultimately, the College envisions all of the science and related departments-including Anthropology, Exercise Science, and the Natural Sciences-to occupy the same building. Currently an estimated $100 million of renovations are needed to complete the desired renovations to Dana. A capital campaign will soon be launched to fundraise for the project. Once the College has acquired half of the needed finances through the campaign, work on the science center will begin.

Additional long-term projects in the works, or at least in consideration, include renovations to the athletic facilities and moving the Admissions Center back on campus. 

Moorebid Ball Sold Out: Alex Hodor-Lee

Posted by Contributing Writer

Moorebid Ball, the annual campus-wide Halloween event is sold-out, according to the Student Government Association.

Moorebid will be held in the Spa for the first time since 2010, when the Campus Safety Department ended the dance 45 minutes early, after eleven students went to Saratoga Hospital, apparently suffering from alcohol poisoning. The eleven students requiring hospitalization also caused a shortage of ambulances in the town.

In 2012, SGA decided to make the event ticketed-only. The decision came after the 2011 dance was also shutdown early, marking the third successive year that Moorebid was cut short due to safety concerns.

"They usually get shutdown because they're above fire capacity, not because of a lack of ambulances," said Hannah DeGraaf, Chair of the Committee on Student Life, the committee responsible for planning the event. 

Though many students have expressed their aggravation with SGA's 500-ticket maximum, the limit is not set by SGA. "It's because that's fire capacity for the space," DeGraaf said.    

SGA members are surprised that the event has sold out so early. DeGraaf told The Skidmore News, "I thought we'd at least make it to Friday [before the event sold out]." 

Last year 800 tickets were available, and though tickets were not sold out before the dance, SGA did sell out tickets at the door. 

Moorebid will be held on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 26 and will run from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. "If the Spa isn't at fire capacity by midnight, we'll let students in for five dollars," DeGraaf said, but admitted, "even if you do get there, there's a slim chance that you'll be able to get in."

Hillside kitchen fire causes flooding; no students hurt: An unattended pot on a stove in Hillside A10 results in the flooding of the surrounding apartments.

At approximately 6:40, a small kitchen fire started in Hillside A10, when a resident left his pot on the stove unattended. After the fire alarm went off, Skidmore Campus Safety, Skidmore EMS, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department responded to the incident.

A10 has suffered heavy flooding as a result of the sprinkler system and there is substantial flooding to the apartment below it as well as minimal flooding to neighboring apartments. By 7 p.m. students in Hillside were allowed to return to their apartments.

Skidmore EMS confirmed that no students were hurt in the fire.

Skidmore Orchestra presents Russian Masters for Children and Adults Program features "Peter and the

The Skidmore College Orchestra will present a program of music by Russian masters when during its first concert of the academic year at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, in the college's Arthur Zankel Music Center.

The program highlight will be Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, which has helped introduce generations of children to the instruments of the orchestra and the concept of telling a story through music, fulfilling the goal Prokofiev set for himself in 1936. Featured Skidmore student performers include Hannah Emmery'14 (clarinet) as "the cat," Katie Murphy'14 (flute) as the "heroically brave bird," Jared Herman '15 (bassoon) as "the grandfather" and student horn players Liz Estey '14, Brendan Sullivan '14, and Natalie Linton '14 representing the "dangerous wolf." Timpanist David Slitzky '14 will dramatically announce the sounds of the forest hunters. Guest narrator will be Lary Opitz, professor and chair of Skidmore Theater Department and artistic director of Saratoga Shakespeare Company.

Other selections to be performed include Stravinsky's Circus Polka for a Young Elephant, originally composed for the Ringling Brothers circus in 1942 as a ballet for elephants, and Shostakovich's dramatic Symphony No. 5 (Movements I and II). Symphony No. 5 features dramatic changes of mood and a pattern of assertive statements with apprehensive retractions. The second movement has been described as homage to waltzes and draws from whimsical themes and raucous material.

The Skidmore College Orchestra is a semi-professional orchestra whose members include of students and top players from several regional professional orchestras, including the Albany Symphony, Berkshire Symphony, Schenectady Symphony and Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. Skidmore's unique orchestral program emphasizes students in the most important orchestral positions and features students in the most important solos. The combination of professional and student players creates an exciting synergy and a concert atmosphere for players and audience members alike. Anthony G. Holland, associate professor of music, directs the orchestra.

Admission for the Oct. 26, concert is free for Skidmore students, $8 adults, and $5 seniors. For advance reservations visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel for more information. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired. For more information, please visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel.  

With Fiscal Crisis End in Sight, White House, Advocates Gear Up for Renewed Immigration Battle

Posted by Alex Hodor-Lee

As congress moves towards a vote on a new budget deal, effectively ending the government shutdown, President Barack Obama plans to tackle the nation's broken immigration policies.

Following reelection, the President announced that immigration reform would be one of the administration's top legislative priorities. However, assiduous efforts from determined House Republicans to deny funding to the Affordable Care Act--President Obama's signature achievement--have stalled any talks of immigration reform.

Once Capitol Hill sources revealed that Senate Democrats and Republicans struck a deal to end the shutdown, the President declared that White House efforts will shift to focusing on immigration reform. Hours after the Senate's announcement, President Obama told Latino media outlet, Univision, "Once [the budget deal] is done, you know, the day after, I'm going to be pushing to say, call a vote on immigration reform."

Washington's top immigration advocates believe that the government shutdown may have created an opening to advance the discussion on immigration reform and push forward on expansive immigration policies.

Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice--one of the District's top advocacy groups--told Buzzfeed, "It's at least possible with sinking poll numbers for the Republicans, with a brand that is badly damaged as the party that can't govern responsibly and is reckless that they're going to say, 'All right, what can we do that will be in our political interest and also do tough things?' That's where immigration could fill the bill."

Sharry is one of the Districts's most active immigration reform advocates. He still has scars from the 2007 immigration reform efforts, when the Senate voted down a bipartisan bill that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the 12 million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States.

This time around, advocates are hoping for comprehensive reform. They have found support from unlikely corners, including moderate House Republicans, business and tech interests, such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg--who has already contributed $50 million dollars to the cause-- and Evangelical groups outraged at US deportation policies that have, in many cases, torn families apart.

In May, a group of eight bipartisan Senators--known as "the gang of eight"--put forth the Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill. The bill was written by an unlikely coalition, including John McCain (R-AZ), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Some of the bill's key provisions include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, expansion of a temporary worker program and a focus on fast tracking a system that distributes work visas to highly-skilled tech workers. The bill also contains provisions to reunite family members separated by the Obama Administration's robust deportation practices.

Despite a recent history of missed chances, President Obama and advocates--including Frank Sharry--are poised to make a vigorous push for immigration, relying on unlikely sources of support to grind the issue through Congress.

On Wednesday, Sharry addressed a Skidmore College government class to discuss the changing landscape of immigration in the United States. "We're an immigrant nation that's lost its way," Sharry told the students. "But I'm confident that we'll find our way again."