RawHead & BloodyBones' haunt audience

Posted by Melissa Cohn & Lauren Sager

From Feb. 20 through Feb. 22 in Studio A at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, nine female students performed the student-run production, "RawHead & BloodyBones."

The workshop was directed by Jeremy Ohringer '13 and Grace Troxell '13 and was managed by Rebecca McCourt '14.

The performance combined theater, art and music. It did not, however, contain any spoken dialogue. This unconventional characteristic itself was a large point of interest.

The 30-minute play was entirely movement-based and the absence of speech did not take anything away from the play, but rather managed to captivate and hold the audience's attention.

Based on an American folktale, "RawHead & BloodyBones" tells the story of two sisters from a dysfunctional family. The sisters embark on separate journeys of self-realization.

One of the sisters is sent on an impossible journey to the end of the world by her evil stepmother. When she finally reaches what initially seemed to be an impossible destination, she encounters RawHead and BloodyBones – two creatures who have been abandoned by their own families.

These creatures have never been shown love and threaten the protagonist. When the girl shows them compassion, RawHead and BloodyBones bestow good fortune upon her.

The evil stepmother then sends the other step-sister on the same journey. Upon meeting RawHead and BloodyBones, the second sister is cruel to them, and, in turn, becomes one of them.

Throughout the performance, the nine actresses engaged the audience with their frightening gestures accompanied by their frightening, eerie masks that were created by director Grace Troxell '13.

"RawHead & BloodyBones," performed by Kelsey Hull '14, Brittany Singer '14, Beth Svenningsen '13 and Alexia Zarras '14, controlled the movement of the other characters.

Dressed in all black and wearing makeup to match the masks, RawHead and BloodyBones stealthily prowled around the entire stage with their haunting movements.

The actresses used ujjayi breathing, a breath technique used in Hindu and Taoist yoga practices to emulate the sound of the ocean, to set a dramatic mood.

The first sister and step-mother were both played by two actresses each. Each pair of actresses manipulated the paper mache masks and the other body parts.

The first sister was played by Julia Bilbao '13 and Kathryn Rickman '13, and the evil step-mother was played by Laura Cornachio '14 and Adrienne Shaffler '13.

The directors did a phenomenal job of selecting moving and appropriate music. "Twice" by Little Dragon was by far the most fitting song. It was used in a scene where the first girl embarks upon her journey.

The lighting, done by Kelsey Lawler '13, was beautifully designed. The angles and colors set the tone for an emotionally compelling artistic display.

While the production was beautifully done and elicited a positive and emotional response from the audience, the performance was quite complex and seemingly detached from the audience.

Many might feel lost in the plot if they did not read the synopsis beforehand. The captivating masks and performances, however, managed to keep the audience's full attention.

However, the hard work of all who were involved in the "RawHead & BloodyBones" production could clearly be seen through every actress's moving, haunting and entirely captivating artistic display.

Uncontested SGA election yields large student turnout

Posted by Andrew Cantor

On Feb. 22 about 80 students packed into the SPA to hear Thomas Rivera ‘13 campaign for a seat on the SGA executive committee.

Logan Brenner '12, former vice president for Academic Affairs, is studying abroad this semester in Turks and Caicos, which created a vacancy for the position.

Rivera '13 ran uncontested for vice president for Academic Affairs, an executive board position, and won the position with 280 votes. There were 37 abstentions and 15 no confidence votes.

"It's a very tough position, honestly," Alex Stark '11, SGA president, said. "Especially midway though the semester, it's hard to find people running for that. The fact that we got someone very qualified for the job is even better."

Rivera was not required to give a speech for the election because it was uncontested.

"I didn't have to do this," Rivera said. "I didn't have to give the speech and put up posters. I told everyone to come out tonight because we have to make a shift from apathy to action."

"Currently student power is in the hands of a few students … Some of us forget that SGA represents the student body and a lot of us are simply giving up this power by not voting," he said.

Rivera launched a Facebook group named "Bridging the Gap between Apathy and Empowerment" where students can voice their ideas about how to shape academic affairs. His goal is to make SGA more transparent and accessible.

Rivera, in his new role as vice president for Academic Affairs, plans to have a dinner where students and faculty members from every department can meet and speak informally.

"As a business major I've never had the opportunity to speak with a biology professor," Rivera said. "It's important we speak to faculty members in other disciplines … and it's important they speak with different students."

Rivera also wants to alter the major fair and change the event venue from one large room with multiple majors represented at tables, to separate classrooms for each major. He said this is more conducive for an intimate atmosphere, giving prospective majors a better idea of each department.

In his speech, Rivera spoke about the need to be less apathetic in school affairs. The large student presence in the SPA on Monday night seemed to indicate, especially for an uncontested election, student interest in campus policy.

"We didn't even serve pizza on Monday night," Alex Stark '11, SGA president, said. "We usually feel pizza is a big draw for these things."

Writing Center set to break record

Posted by Gia Vaccarezza

The college's Writing Center, in its 30th year of operation, is slated to reach a record number of appointments for the 2010-2011 academic year. Student and staff tutors conducted 1,113 tutoring sessions in the fall 2010 semester, more than half the total appointments during the 2009-2010 academic year, in which 2,171 sessions were logged.

The recent numbers are a dramatic increase from past years. In the 2005-2006 academic year, the staff recorded 738 appointments and Writing Center logs from previous years show similarly low attendance.

Phil Boshoff, associate professor of English, and English Department Lecturer Martha Wiseman direct the Writing Center staff, which is comprised of 38 student tutors.

All student tutors are required to complete the EN303H: Honors Peer Tutoring Project course and spend a semester as unpaid tutors-in-training prior to officially joining the staff.

Co-Head Tutor Annie Potish '11 said no single change in the Writing Center's approach explains the dramatic increase in student turnout, but she is pleased with the change.

"It's really nice to be part of something becoming so central in the Skidmore community," Potish said.

In Sept. 2010, English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist Thad Niles joined the Writing Center staff.

Niles works with student tutors to develop approaches to working with non-native English speakers, as they often have different needs than native speakers.

Niles holds office hours in the Writing Center and is available to work with ESL students who have been referred by student tutors throughout the week.

The Writing Center has increased its hours of operation to accommodate the increase in tutoring sessions.

The current hours of operation are noon-midnight Sunday through Thursday, and noon- 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Additionally, for the first time, the Writing Center will have limited office hours during the second Summer 2011 academic session.

In an attempt to reach more students, Wiseman is leading grammar and style workshops outside of the Writing Center this semester.

Designed to teach writing basics such as punctuation, organization and narrative voice, the hour-long workshops are scheduled for Thursday and Friday afternoons throughout the semester and are open to the entire campus community.

The next workshop, titled "Beyond Evidence: Using and Integrating Secondary Sources," will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Mar. 10. in Bolton 103.

During the academic year the Writing Center staff encourages students to call and set up appointments in advance to ensure a tutoring session, though the staff tries to accommodate walk-ins as well.

Papers longer than five pages must be dropped off an hour before the appointment, and papers longer than 10 pages must be received via e-mail 24 hours prior to a scheduled appointment.

Students can call the Writing Center at 518-580-8441 to make an appointment, or visit the office in Scribner Library room 440.

The need to pop the Skidmore bubble: Practial Race and Diversity

Posted by Danny Pforte

Ah, our great democracy… our free and equal country. Will anyone address the fact that 1 percent of our nation's population holds more than a quarter of the wealth (by the way, the government doesn't tax this bunch anymore), leading to more than a third of our nation struggling to survive? How about the increasing disparities that plague people of color in terms of poverty and incarceration? Any talk of equal pay for women being shot down in a recent congressional session? These issues are a few that often go unspoken about.

So as we enter a period of increasing inequality based on differences in race, class, gender, etc., our community faces a problem that is ingrained in our culture. The term the Skidmore "bubble" troubles me because it impairs our vision of the problems we face in our community. Students actually believe that our campus is special in that it goes against the ideals and practices of the larger society. But this is simply not true.

Issues in the broader world are salient on our campus. The majority of students come from an upper middle class background. Most are white. Increased inequality has seeped into our education system, leaving for the most part only the privileged to attain one of our most cherished resources. With privilege comes apathy. An apathetic campus has resulted from the facade of the Skidmore "bubble," leaving many students uninformed of issues that impact all of us, all of the time.

However, although relatively small in number, students of different backgrounds do exist. Many of them, including myself, possess frustration of mistreatment and discomfort.? A lack of understanding of those who embody identities that are discriminated by society's structure is evident on campus. At times, I feel as if my experiences would not be understood by a majority of students here. So I keep quiet, but not anymore.

Many students on this campus share this same sentiment. With recent events, such as the dialogue addressing campus climate and the student reaction to the Compton's incident, students who do not fit into the majority do not feel as comfortable as they should, or as safe. And this is what inequality does to society. This is what it has done to our community. So as we walk around, invisible in a sea of sameness, try to understand why that is. Understand our concerns are as important as yours. We are acting and we will continue to fight against the invisible oppression on our campus and in our society. I hope you pay attention, and burst the "bubble" that is suffocating our community.

Danny Pforte is a sophomore from Cambridge, Massachusetts who studies social work. He is inspired by Malcolm X, Jay-Z and Bernie Sanders.

Hide/Seek' pushes boundaries: Art lecture centers around recent exhibition controversy

Posted by Sandy Zhang

Censorship in art has always been a controversial issue in the U.S., a country that prides itself in the freedom of speech and the liberty of expression.

In an effort to bring this controversial issue onto the college campus, Jonathan Katz, co-curator of the "Hide/Seek" exhibit, spoke on Friday Feb. 18 in the Payne Room at the Tang Museum.

The issue of censorship recently surfaced last December with the opening of the "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture" exhibit of the National Portrait Gallery, an art gallery administered by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.

"Hide/Seek" is the first major exhibit in an American museum to pioneer and explore visual representations of queerness and differences in sexuality, gender and sexual desire.

On Dec. 1, secretary of the Smithsonian, Wayne Clough, succumbed to political pressures from the right and pulled a four-minute excerpt of David Wojnarowicz's film "A Fire In My Belly" from the exhibit.

The Catholic League, a Catholic civil rights organization, along with congressional Representatives John Boehner and Eric Cantor, condemned a scene in the video that showed ants crawling on a crucifix and asked that the House and Senate Appropriations Committees reconsider the federal funding of the museum if it was going to house what they considered to be an anti-Christian fare. 

John Weber, director of the Tang, introduced Katz and opened the lecture saying, "We think it's an issue for the whole country, obviously it should be an issue for Skidmore as well. It's an issue that has to do with accepting differing points of view and understandings of artworks, and public discourse."

He stressed the importance of holding such lectures and drawing attention to the issue. "We felt very strongly that Wojnarowiz's video should not have been removed from the exhibition. We wanted to add our voices to the many art and museum communities around the country that are protesting and lamenting that decision," he said

"What we're trying to do here is try to learn more about what happened and the context for it, and then we can decide what it means for the future," said Ian Berry, chief curator of the Tang.

Katz started the event with a presentation of the other selected pieces that were a part of the "Hide/Seek" exhibition.

The presentation featured works by George Belloys, Jasper Johns, Romaine Brooks, Andy Warhol and other 20th century artists. Katz discussed the historical contexts of the works, the backgrounds of the artists and the different representations of queerness, gender and sexual desire.

The highlight and focus of the event, however, was the screening of both Wojnarowicz's unedited 13-minute "A Fire in My Belly" and the condensed four-minute version edited by Katz.

Both versions include graphic portrayals of fire, blood, flesh and the controversial crucifix. Katz was forced to cut down the film to meet the gallery's screen-time standard.

A discussion between Katz and Berry followed the presentation and screening. Katz claimed that the Catholic League used the crucifix scene in the video as a red herring to attack the exhibit as a whole.

Katz also shared that Clough immediately made the decision to remove the video without consulting the curators of the exhibit or considering the alternative options offered by the museum.

Additionally, congressional Republicans threatened to cut $100 million from the budget of the Smithsonian if Wojnarowicz's film was not removed.

The conversation also took on a tone of regret at the general unwillingness of American museums to openly explore and discuss the role of sexual desire that is clearly present in the artists and the works they produce.

Katz stated that even if larger American museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art display works by queer artists and works about queerness, they refuse to talk about these themes.

Gaydar debuts album on iTunes: Album features acoustic indie-folk songs written over winter break

Posted by Gia Vaccarezza

The college's campus is home to many talented students. Matt Gaydar ‘14 is no exception. He recently released an album on iTunes, "Tastes Like Wintergreen."

Gaydar's debut album features nine tracks that focus on acoustic guitar, indie-folk melodies and catchy lyrics. Gaydar has been playing guitar since he was in fourth grade and started singing during his sophomore year in high school.

At the end of his high school career, he made the decision to compile all his songs and write new ones in hopes of creating an album.

While his first attempt did not succeed, Gaydar realized over winter break that he had written more songs during his time at the college and recorded them in his basement. He then distributed his album to the iTunes store and TuneCore.com.

Having done a project during his first-year seminar on how music labels for upcoming artists are no longer necessary for an artist's success, he was confident in his endeavors.

However, he still had to go through the strenuous and stressful process of copyrighting each song.

Gaydar attributes his inspirations to musicians like YouTube sensation Jeff Pianki, Jeremy Messersmith and The Tallest Man on Earth.

When Gaydar first encountered Messersmith, he was taken by the fact that Messersmith is not a high profile musician who enjoys playing locally and interacting with his fans.

The name for the album came about when Gaydar needed one more song and quickly wrote the title track, "Tastes Like Wintergreen."

He described the process as natural. "To me, songwriting comes from the five senses," he said.

The rest of the tracks have a mix of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) tracks and Gaydar on the guitar, piano and melodica. The album also features tracks that he previously recorded with his high school friends.

So far, the album has received good reviews from the listening community.

In an iTunes review of the album, a sideline critic wrote, "This freshman album from 19-years-old Matt Gaydar captures the diverse talent of this young artist."

Gaydar won't know the financial benefits until two months after the album's release date, but so far he has been content with getting feedback.

As for future recording plans, Gaydar looks to record another album this summer that features more collaboration with friends, more female voices and other instruments.

He looks forward to seeing how fast he can "crank out the next one." Gaydar's current album, "Tastes Like Wintergreen," can be found on iTunes for $8.91 and features album artwork by Gabriella Carboni '14.

Don't make Brooklyn a hipster 'clusterfuck': Ancient American Traditions

Posted by Brian Connor

During the Superbowl, the largest superficial display of consumerism in the U.S., one commercial aired had the rare quality of genuineness. The "Imported From Detroit" Chrysler commercial displayed brilliant shots of various iconic statues and buildings in Detroit, announcing the phoenix-like return of a city that's "been through hell and back." It was a statement of municipal pride that transcended the normal sports rivalry hoopla and challenged the motor city's detractors as "people who have never even been here, who don't know what we are capable of." Though its tone turns sentimental and corny as a solemn Eminem addresses us in front of a cliché African-American choir, the message of civic solidarity, of the need for a city to determine its own reputation and destiny, is one we should all take to heart.

Last October, an article appeared on Skidmore Unofficial titled "From 87 to the L: Demystifying the Skidmore Migration to Brooklyn." After a protracted, rambling introduction, the author, an alumna, attempts to weigh the pros and cons of moving to Brooklyn after graduation. The author then makes various assumptions, about which I have much to say.

Firstly, the article ignores the fact that many Skidmore students are from Brooklyn, a simple but still resoundingly inane omission. The author writes that, New York "is the city I have wanted to move to since fully grasping the meaning of suburb. And since most of you are likely from Massachusetts or the Tri-State area—with a dash of Midwest for novelty and San Fran for scruff—you will understand that sentiment." The reality is, Brooklyn, Bronx and the other outer boroughs are fairly well represented at Skidmore, and many of these students are from low-income and racially diverse backgrounds. This statement marginalizes an important sector of the student body.

Secondly, the article assumes its audience can afford to "migrate" to one of the most increasingly expensive areas in the U.S. (due in no small part to the influx of post-liberal arts college gentry, who drive up real estate prices, and force out low-income residents).

And finally, the author describes Brooklyn, albeit facetiously, as a "hipstered-out clusterfuck."

I sincerely hope I don't need to tell you that Brooklyn is much more than that. A borough of 2.5 million people, a borough which on its own ranks among the top five most populated cities in the U.S., Brooklyn is arguably the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the nation.

This article epitomizes the misrepresentation of Brooklyn I have observed in the words and behavior of young "migrants." These members of the Williamsburg liberal arts gentry believe they are pioneering and invigorating a thrilling new urban world, naturally grasping the subtleties of multicultural city life. What they don't realize is that they are turning much of Brooklyn into "New Connecticut," a bastion of upper-middle class white culture, replete with Indie bands, trendy bars, and expendable cash. Characterizations of cities by newcomers and outside commentators, such as that of Brooklyn as a "hipstered-out clusterfuck," necessitate a renewal of civic pride, a will to refute these misrepresentations.

A lack of will on the part of inhabitants to determine their city's reputation, has led to commentary and municipal criticism such as this, as well as the use of a term that is in much need of analysis and criticism. Though the author doesn't use this term, her evaluation of Brooklyn smacks of that classist and ignorant label that is far too widely used: "that city is very ‘livable.'"

This term, like most insults, has the opposite effect of its user's intention. It is often meant to convey cosmopolitanism. Its user aims to present him or herself as a citizen of the world. Instead it merely conveys its user's misconception that everyone is jet-set like him or herself and can afford to pick the locales in which they reside. It reveals its user's total ignorance for the reality that the working class, low-income peoples of the world, to say nothing of the starved and impoverished, are very much tied to their cities.

Let me demonstrate this word's obnoxiousness by paraphrasing its subtext. Phrase: "That city is very livable." Subtext: "I can find all of the amenities to which my white privileged background entitles me. Also, my expensive bachelor-of-arts degree has made me an expert on urban sociology and I feel entirely comfortable passing judgment on cities the world over."

The most odious implication of the "livable city" designation is that some cities are "unlivable." Phrase: "That city is unlivable." Subtext: "that city is a post-industrial wasteland in which lazy philistines have doomed themselves, by their inherent lack of worth, to toil away their days."

For these reasons, the Chrysler commercial's reclamation of Detroit's reputation is important. I imagined its declaration of civic pride to be aimed at the exact type of municipal marginalizing and disparaging that I refer to. It announces Detroit's indifference toward elitist detractors who would label it "unlivable," who would stigmatize it as a rust-belt "clusterfuck" of impoverishment. The Skidmore alumnus refers to "the stigma of moving to Brooklyn as a Skidmore grad". Well, future alumni, if your "migration" is stigmatized by Brooklynites, it wont be because your moving to a "hipstered-out clusterfuck;" it will be because you have no shame in characterizing our city as such.

Brian Connor is a senior American studies major from Brooklyn who spends his summer nights at Siro's. He is a gourmand and an amateur Chinese Handball player.

Indie student play displays creativity

Posted by Rachel Kim

On March 4 the Theater Department will open the annual spring Black Box Seminar Production, "Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater.

The play, written by Nilo Cruz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, centers around siblings Luca and Luciana whose lives are affected by their move from Havana to U.S. in 1961.

The two go through an emotional journey as they return to Cuba to search for their missing childhood and trace their roots.

Luciana finds refuge and is taken in by Hortensia, a woman who opens up a world of love, warmth and miracles with the Museum of Dreams.

As they go through this emotional journey, the characters learn to come to terms with their own personal past and ultimately challenge the audience's capability to hope, love and forgive.

"Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" is directed by Ilanna Saltzman '11, who has had prior experience with directing and working with her peers in this kind of setting.

Saltzman previously directed student-written and student-run "Pegasus" last semester, which was well received and commended for its thought-provoking quality.

Like "Pegasus," "Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" is a student-run production, an experience that proves to be valuable and beneficial to all the students involved.

The student influence is not limited to directing and acting and extends to management and all other aspects of design.

"Through excellent mentoring by our faculty, students are able to learn about the theatrical process in a very hands-on way," said Katie Lane '11, publicity manager of college's Theater Department.

Student-run productions like "Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" receive support and guidance from the department, but are also able to give students the freedom to explore and discover their responsibility and individual creativity.

"In "Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" in particular, we have students taking charge in nearly every single area - directing, acting, set, lighting and costume design and even management which is incredibly exciting," Lane said.

Performances of "Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams" will be held at the Black Box Studio in the JKB Theater until March 9. General admission tickets cost $12 and student and senior citizen tickets cost $8.

One-man play recounts Baldwin's life

Posted by Rachel Kim & Derek Liakos

On Feb. 18 in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, Staged Dreams presented "James Baldwin – Down from the Mountaintop" an original solo play written and performed by Calvin Levels.

The play takes the audience through the life of James Baldwin, who was a novelist, playwright and human rights activist.

"James Baldwin – Down from the Mountaintop" guided the audience through many major points of Baldwin's life, including the publication of his first novel, "Go Tell It On the Mountain," his stay in Paris, and when he joined Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.

At the start of the play, Levels emerged from the audience and graced the stage. This opening gesture reminded audience members that Baldwin was just like any other individual and transformed this historically important figure into a close, personal form.

Levels spoke in the voice of Baldwin, an act that would naturally be assumed by the audience, but was self-referential and claimed, in the voice of Baldwin, that he had possessed the physical being of an actor to share his story.

The set was composed of an armchair, a coffee table with books and a liquor bottle and side tables with lamps and photographs. This simple set allowed members of the audience to concentrate their focus on Baldwin's story.

From the start of the play, there were projections that showed drawings and paintings of Baldwin.

The images changed as Levels continued telling Baldwin's story. Photos of Baldwin's family, his milestones and even an unsettling photo of a lynching were portrayed on the screen.

The visuals and accompanying music were present throughout the entire production, but never detracted from Level's performance and kept the audience's attention.

Various texts that questioned and dealt with issues of racial equality and sexuality were also projected onto the screen.

The overall show itself was a monologue, but Levels often addressed the audience and even reacted to their presence and reactions.

His monologue established and defined the role of the writer, especially during a time like the Civil Rights Movement, as the disturber of peace.

The audience was able to see the connection between the political turmoil that inspired Baldwin's works such as his play, "Blues for Mister Charlie" (1964).

Although this 75-minute performance only featured one actor, the narrative structure worked well because of Levels's engaging performance and swift movement through the important events of Baldwin's life.

A question-and-answer session followed the performance and Levels eagerly responded to the active audience response and feedback.

He shared his personal history with Baldwin and claimed that Baldwin would be a role that he would play for the rest of his life.

Levels is a member of the Actors Studio and is a New York Drama Desk and Tony Award nominee.

The event was sponsored by the Black Faculty Staff Group, Intercultural Studies, the Office of Student Diversity Programs, Religious & Spiritual Life and the English and Theater Departments.

A double success at the Big Green Scream

Posted by Evan Owen

This past weekend, Skidmore College hosted Clarkson College in both men's and women's basketball for their final home games of the season. The event itself, known as the Big Green Scream, drew a huge crowd that came for the games and various prizes like shirts, water bottles and (most importantly) a 32-inch flat screen television.

The lady Thoroughbreds, coming into the game with a record of 11-12, played the first game of the day. Before the game, they held a ceremony for the squad's three graduating seniors, Christine Kemp, Cyrida Felton and Ismatu Alison, all of who will be missed on the floor.

The Thoroughbreds and the Clarkson College Golden Knights began the game relatively even. Skidmore attacked with hard cuts inside combined with good rebounding and put back shots, while Clarkson shot almost all of their shots from the perimeter. After trailing by two points at the half, the Thoroughbreds kicked into high gear in the second half, limiting Clarkson to only 12 points in the entire second half. In the end, the whole team contributed to a strong 55-41 win, bringing their overall record to an even 12-12 and their liberty league record to 8-6.

The men's team experienced the same success on Sunday, also playing Clarkson College and winning by a commanding 20 points. The game marked the last home game for the team's lone senior, Jeff Altimar, who has consistently performed well at Skidmore College for all four years.

The game started off a bit rocky for the Thoroughbreds when they fell behind Clarkson early on by as many as 10 points. However, in the middle of the first half, spectacular outside shooting by juniors Gerard O'Shea and Brian Lowry contributed to a 23-9 point run, allowing Skidmore to end the first half with an impressive 17 point lead. From that point on, there was no doubt that the Thoroughbreds would emerge victorious. Strong performances by Langyintuo and Altimar contributed to the overwhelming victory with 12 and 9 points, respectively. The final score was 83-63, and the win secured Skidmore's third seed spot in the Liberty League tournament next week at Hobart College in Geneva, NY.

The Big Green Scream was both entertaining for the students of Skidmore College, with games and prizes, and successful for both basketball teams, each recording victories in their final home games.

Joan of Arc: martyred saint or moody teen?: Stranger than Fiction

Posted by Hunter Prichard

The story of Joan of Arc, a Catholic saint who was burned for heresy and witchcraft in the mid-15th century, has been told and re-told many times by diverse authors.

One of the more original reimagining's of the story is the 1923 play, Saint Joan, by the renowned Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. If you are a reader who appreciates drama without seeing it on stage, run to the nearest library. This is one of the best and most interesting plays I have read.

The legend of Saint Joan has an admirable legacy. Joan is a pure and honest female warrior who leads men into battle, a woman who struggles against the powerful Catholic Church, a long-time political symbol for nationalism during the time of Napoleon, a martyr and, at the very core, a saint.

Shaw does not believe in that image and instead originates the character of Joan as an immature girl who is condemned by the Catholic Church and "judiciously burnt" by the English.

Joan's actions were of her own accord and her execution was based on the much practiced law of the society and of the time.

As Shaw states, "There are no villains in the piece . . . they are judicial murders, pious murders . . . the angels may weep at the murder, but the gods laugh at the murders."

The character of Joan is a raw, egotistical and ignorant child. She is not a blasphemer, a harlot or a witch. Still her apparent ‘crimes' would be deemed destructive under 15th century legal proximities and her execution was an appropriate conclusion to her trial.

Although she is respected by a small group of ‘followers,' one must also note how quickly these followers turn on her once she is brought to trial.

One of these followers is an army officer named Dunois with whom Joan becomes colleagues. Joan's relationship to Dunois is important in explaining how the English found it justifiable to execute her.

Although their relationship is strong in spirit, Dunois quickly turns on her when the Church pressures her.

In their first encounter, a raging Joan criticizes Dunois's rulings on battle. This arrogance on the battlefield combined with the disrespect that she shows the fellow officer — who is a senior and more experienced — leads to her capture.

She treats him like an idiot; he treats her in the way that a parent would treat a young, unruly child. They quarrel and eventually become colleagues.

Joan's dismissal of the authority of a commanding officer foreshadows Dunois's own dismissal of Joan when she is brought up in front of the court later in the play. Even with Dunois' loyalty to Joan, he cannot disagree with others on the subject of her immaturity.

Joan lives by her own hand and, in doing so, she dies by another. Although Dunois desires to stand beside her and help, he refuses to do so if she does not improve her arrogant beliefs.

At the end of Scene V, Joan attempts to instate her dominance in front of the court as it turns on her.

Dunois says, "If she fell into the Loire I would jump in, in full armor to fish her out. But if she plays the fool at Compiegne [the trial location] and gets caught, I must leave her to her doom."

Dunois is Joan's most distinguished follower and friend, but even he has no choice but to turn on her.

Thus, Bernard Shaw suggests that Joan's eventual execution is her own doing. It is her foolishness and egotism that gets the people to turn on her and, ultimately, to allow her to burn.

In Act IV, we are introduced to the judges — in other versions of the story, these would be the villains of the story — who order the death of Joan.

These men are not villains; they are people who represent the social and political conscience of the 15th century. Their disagreement with Joan is not written by Shaw as a ridiculous, over calculation of a troubled youth.

Joan is neither villain nor hero, and the reader is not to have ruthless opinions on her accusers.

In turning Joan into this figure, Shaw removes the myth surrounding her and turns her into a less-sympathetic character.

In addition, the men on trial who execute her are not the villains of the story.

The story is not one of good and evil; it is one of process and of the unfortunate conclusion, and distinctive arrogance (on both the part of Joan and the men on trial), which collide to form uncontrollable circumstances.

Hunter Prichard is an English major from Portland, Maine.

Hustvedt lectures on literary truth

Posted by Noam Dagan & Jean-Ann Kubler

At 8 p.m. on Feb. 22, prize-winning novelist and memoirist Siri Hustvedt presented a lecture and panel discussion titled "Memoir vs. Fiction," in Emerson Auditorium. The auditorium was above capacity and many were not able to find seating.

Hustvedt is the author of three critically acclaimed novels, and several books of memoirs. The New York Times Book Review praised her most recent work, "The Shaking Woman or a History of My Nerves."

English professor Robert Boyers introduced Hustvedt, who began her talk by addressing the contract between writers and readers of memoir and fiction.

Hustvedt spoke about the current public fascination with memoir, which is echoed in the popularity of reality television and celebrity gossip. Readers of memoir, according to Hustvedt, expect that writers are not openly deceiving them. There is no such expectation from the readers of fiction, Hustvedt said.

Although readers may not expect truth from fiction writers, Hustvedt said a good fiction writer does capture some form of the truth.

"Some novels do lie, the good ones do not," Hustvedt said. The truth a fiction writer may tell is not held to the same standard as the truth told by memoirists because a memoir can be fact-checked, Hustvedt said.

"We are not talking about truth with a capital ‘T'," she said. Rather, the importance is the truth of the feeling of the work, Hustvedt said.

Hustvedt spoke about the fallibility of human memory and how it is nearly impossible for any human to recall his or her experiences in full detail. For this reason, she said, dialogue in memoir is often true to the nature of a real conversation, but not necessarily a factual account.

Memory is inherently subjective, Hustvedt said, and no two people recollect the same events in exactly the same detail.

The difficulty of memory's subjectivity is scientifically documented, Hustvedt said, and the same parts of the brain control memory and imagination.

Hustvedt spoke about an example of memory's fallibility in her personal life. She said her husband and daughter have strikingly different accounts of when her daughter first decided to be a performer, and neither of their accounts are the same as Hustvedt's.

Following her lecture, Hustvedt asked for questions from the featured panel, which included Visiting Assistant professor of English Melora Wolf, Senior Writer-in-Residence Greg Hrbek and Boyers. All three panelists teach English courses related to non-fiction writing.

The panel members asked questions regarding intentional lies, misremembering and poetic license. They also asked Hustvedt to discuss the different discoveries a writer may make through fiction and through memoir.

Hustvedt said the freedom of fiction often allows her to be more open in her personal discoveries and unlock material from her unconscious.

Memoir, Hustvedt said, can limit the potential of personal discovery because the writer is often concerned with protecting a story's real-life subjects.

Hustvedt then asked for questions from the audience. Russell Banks, a notable author, was in the audience and contributed to the discussion.

James Blake offers idiosyncratic musical blend: Noteworth Releases

Posted by Kara Clark

James Blake's first full-length and self-titeld album, "James Blake" is running rampant on-campus via word-of-mouth.

Released on Feb. 8 in the U.S., this London native's album offers an idiosyncratic musical blend.

Blake has released EPs and singles prior to this album, since the spring of 2010. These songs were more electronically oriented with hints of soulfulness Blake would later develop.

His work caught the attention of BBC Radio 1, and, since then, Blake has been pinpointed as an artist to watch.

Blake's curious mixture of electronic, acoustic and R&B style is immediately captivating.

The album sounds like what Bon Iver and Kanye West could have delved into with their track on West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy."

Kick drum, piano and acoustic guitar echo behind Blake's soulful, heavily auto-tuned vocals, which are placed especially high in the mix.

The track "Unluck" starts the album off with ominous synth and a simple beat, eventually morphing into a complex percussion pattern that feigns erraticism. Blake laments, "I wouldn't like you, playing, falling, there."

The album boasts plenty of excellent moments. "Wilhelm Scream" and "I Never Learned To Share" epitomize the beauty that can be found in emptiness, not only due to Blake's pained voice, but also because of the scarcity of sound in both songs.

However, these tracks manage to avoid stagnancy, due to an intense sonic catharsis toward their ends. "To Care Like You" and "Lindisfarne (I and II)" follow the same vein.

The weaker selections of the album tend to be tracks that feature piano and vocals alone. Songs like these have been done before, and without the electronic spin that Blake executes on his other songs, they're inevitably boring.

Several critics have labeled this release as a "dubstep album," a conclusion that is questionable at best. This album differs entirely from the music that plays at dubstep parties in Scribner Village on the weekends.

Blake will more likely inspire thought rather than movement. The album is certainly influenced by dubstep, but the overall album cannot be considered a good example of the genre.

The album is good, but not as great as most will claim it to be. Blake has created a few outstanding songs, but they are all enticing for the same reasons.

This album may need a different kind of diversity than what Blake has provided.

Instead of the simple and complex songs, this album calls for a further exploration of the stylistic blending that Blake obviously does well.

His more laid-back dubstep beats garner more interest and will hopefully be featured more in his future works.

Kara Clark is a sophomore English major who hopes to find a job after college.

Fall in love with fresh baked bread: A Sprinkle in Time

Posted by Katie Lane

Attention everyone: I have fallen in love — head-over-heels in love.

I am in love with baking bread.

First, there is the heavenly smell of rising yeast that fills every inch of the house and welcomes you home with a big, bready hug as soon as you walk in the door.

Second, there is the endless variety of bread-making options. Rye, wheat, white, swirled, loafs, rolls — it never ends! I bet you could make a different type of bread every day of the year.

Third, there is the undeniable comfort that comes from eating a large hunk of carbs. All toasty warm. Slathered with a nice pat of butter.

Do you know how cool the process of making bread can be?

I am not talking ‘toss some flour and yeast in a bread machine and call it a night.' I am talking about stirring, kneading, rising, punching, steaming, baking. I am talking about enzymes and glutens and fermentation. I am talking about flour and water and muscle and patience.

Okay, I am not sure if there is such a thing as a bread nerd ... but I would like to be one.

As a New Year's present to myself, I bought Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Bakers Apprentice." It is a one-way ticket to bread obsession, let me just say that. My older brother and I are baking through the entire book one recipe at a time.

I read through the 100+ pages of introduction – all about the science, technique and history behind bread making before diving in to any recipes.

I thought, like a good college girl, that studying up would make bread-baking a cinch. Not quite.

I am here to tell you that bread is hard work.

After 10 minutes of kneading a tough blob of gluten, I start to get a little sweaty — I will not lie! But the satisfaction of opening the oven and pulling out a beautiful golden loaf of cinnamon raison walnut goodness is worth it.

I have only made a couple recipes so far but each time I just feel extra proud — more so than I ever would with a plain old batch of brownies or cookies. There is something just complex enough yet still always comforting that makes bread a fascinating and rewarding art.

So if you want to fall in love, take a Saturday afternoon and spend some time getting to know bread.

For more yummy kitchen adventures, visit me at asprinkleintime.wordpress.com!

---

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

Recipe adapted from "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart (note: there are a lot of extra skills and tips that I will not be publishing here – you have to buy the book!)

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups bread flour

4 tsp granulated sugar

1 ¼ tsp salt

2 tsp instant yeast

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2 tbs shortening or butter,

melted

½ cup buttermilk or whole

milk

¾ cup water, room

temperature

1 ½ cups raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

 1. Stir together flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add egg, shortening, buttermilk and water. Stir together until ingredients come together to form a ball. Add flour/water if the dough seems too stick/dry.

2. Turn dough onto floured counter and knead for approximately 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Sprinkle in the raisins and walnuts during the final two minutes of kneading. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer dough to the bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Let rise for two hours, or until dough doubles in size.

4. Divide dough into two equal pieces and roll each out to a 5x8 rectangle. Stir together ½ cup sugar and two tbs cinnamon and sprinkle over rectangle. Roll up from short end, pinching ends together. Place each loaf in a lightly oiled loaf pan, mist the tops with oil, cover with plastic wrap.

5. Let rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or until the dough crests the top of the loaves and is nearly doubled in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 ° F and place loaves on sheet pan.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Rotate pan and bake another 20 to 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top and makes a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

8. Immediately remove the bread from their pan. If desired, brush tops with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar. Cool on a rack for at least one to two hours before slicing.

Faculty and students bring weight loss program to campus

Posted by Mariel Kennedy

Have Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas cookies, Valentine's candies and all those trips to late night this semester taken their toll on your body?

Are you not loving your winter love handles?

Spring break is right around the corner and — if you are like me and plan to be spending some time at the shore — you are already dreading swimsuit season, which is looming ominously over the horizon.

If you are looking to shed weight along with your puffy winter coats and clunky snow boots, you are in luck. A group of students and faculty are attempting to restart a Weight Watchers group on campus this semester.  This is not the first time that Weight Watchers has been brought to Skidmore's campus.

According to the organization's official website, Weight Watchers is "an integrated approach that combines smarter eating, healthy habits, exercise and a supportive environment."

The program, which started more than 45 years ago, "guides you toward nutritious eating choices, and helps you lose and maintain a healthy weight" through watching caloric and fat intake and weekly support meetings.

Patricia Poirier, coordinator of Biographical Records, is behind the group this semester.

Though she states they "won't be having a group for awhile" due to a lack of participants (there is a 15 person minimum required), all one has to do to join is respond to one of the many membership appeal e-mails Poirier sent out.

According to Poirier, the group started because "several of us wanted to lose weight and a couple people had experience with Weight Watchers and liked the idea of meeting here at work during the lunch hour."

Poirier states the group is dedicated to helping members feel better, look better and be healthier in general. Weight Watchers claims to help members adopt healthier lifestyles and thus be able to keep off lost weight. "[Weight Watchers] is a very supportive group and leader.  No chastising if you don't lose weight, but lots of encouragement," Poirier explains.

When speaking of the meetings, held at noon on Thursdays in North Hall Large Conference room. Poirier states, "The leaders are exceptional and very encouraging.  We exchange ideas of how we handle different situations to stay on track.  We have had several lifetime members during our years on campus including myself."

From vegetarians to brides, nursing mothers and families to manly men, Weight Watchers online states that it has a plan — including recipes and tips — for everyone.

For more information on the program, go to www.weightwatchers.com, which gives thorough and informative answers to many questions regarding the program, its values and its goals.

Students who are interested in a Weight Watchers program on campus should notify Poirier at ppoirier@skidmore.edu.

Letter: Perspective in a position of privilege

Posted by Matt Cowe

Humans are a tribal species. We like people who look, speak and act like we do. This may be because our brains evolved to categorize, to associate certain things with "good" or "bad," "safe" or "dangerous." This instinct is advantageous in the wild: I've never seen a tiger other than on TV, but if I see one in person, I'll run for my life.

Unfortunately, our societies evolve much faster than our brains do. If I had grown up in an all white neighborhood and my only exposure to racial minorities was through the biased eyes of the media, my instincts might take precedence, and I probably wouldn't be able to make any legitimate assumptions about them.

Yes, there has been a trend toward a more positive portrayal of minorities; I can think of at least three cartoons with highly intelligent black characters. But these shows are designed too shallowly to undermine the overwhelming amount of negative stereotypes: the murderers, the rapists, the high school drop-outs, the freeloaders who suck "our" country dry because they are on welfare. Remember that there is a difference between the idea that "stereotypes have to come from somewhere" and this endless recycling of narrow-minded dehumanizing caricatures.

As embarrassing as it may be, I admit to having prejudices of my own. It's reflexive, and although it's okay if the subject is a tiger, the same isn't true if it's a human being with all the same needs and frailties that I share. Passively absorbing these prejudices took no effort, but seeing beyond them requires constant vigilance.

I am privileged in many ways, being a white, male, native English speaker who attends a prestigious liberal arts college. But I am also unprivileged in several ways, being gay and from the only family on welfare in a town of mansions. As a result, I find myself caught in between.

Those who know nothing but privilege aggravate me. I have felt attacked without cause, and blamed for crimes I can't recall committing. I'm frustrated when the wealthy conflate their social status with personal achievement. I have been frustrated with heterosexuals who take their families' acceptance for granted, and who don't know what it is like to be the subject of constant political debate. It gets old hearing people

I argue whether people like you should be granted equal rights.

I have been on both sides of the conflict between the privileged and the unprivileged with fists and teeth clenched. But my anger isn't helping. It clouds my thinking.

Tension is mounting on campus. And although diversity discussions must be held, people don't take the time to breathe. Arguments become heated — which is understandable, given the gravity of the issue — but they need not become overly personal. There can be arrogance from both parties, an attitude that "I know all about, I'm right, you're wrong, and you are stupid and ignorant for disagreeing with me." And when this attitude emerges, it is far too easy to forget our common goal: a diverse and equitable student body.

Discrimination is dehumanizing in two ways: just as the abused gay kid is lowered to animal status by an attacker, so too does the attacker become an inhuman monster in the eyes of the victim. During these discussions, if we think of the other side as a bunch of ignorant wolves, then they will reciprocate this prejudice. If we keep our egos out of it, these discussions would be far more productive.

Finally, for those in privileged positions, have compassion for yourselves. It doesn't make you a bad person to be born into a position of power, to be frustrated by discussions on diversity or even to be ignorant to another culture or way of life. Sometimes the underprivileged don't handle these issues respectfully and will go out of their way to malign you. Some people are sensitive and are quick to get hostile. But don't get offended in turn; it's unfair, but that does not necessarily invalidate their position.

Embrace humility. Do not dismiss someone's ideas because he or she is hostile. Demand respect and patience and return it ten-fold. Read the literature. Broaden your understanding of discrimination and how it affects the lives of your peers. Go to lectures and meetings on the topic. But most importantly, set your ego aside and stop to think about what others have to say and what you can do to counteract inequality. Remember, fellow humans, remember to breathe. Deeply, and constantly.

Matt Cowe is a senior neuroscience major from Massachusetts.

Sports Wrap: Men's hockey and basketball advance

Posted by Isaac Baker

The men's basketball team secured their spot in the playoffs last Friday with their win against St. Lawrence. Though the final spread was a 13-point margin, 82-69, the Thoroughbreds had to work for every bit of their lead. After dominating the first half, Skidmore went to the locker rooms with a 46-19 lead; they had connected consistently from beyond the arc and were moving the ball around successfully. Jeff Altimar '11 led the team at the half with 13 points.

St. Lawrence, however, did not throw in the towel and came back in the second half with a nearly impenetrable zone-defense and a much stronger offense. With just seven minutes to play, St. Lawrence had closed the 27-point gap to 7, and Skidmore's self-assurance from the first half had all but faded.

But they held on and maintained a tenuous lead through the end of the game, largely due to a high outside shooting percentage. Melvis Langyintuo '12 scored 18 points for Skidmore and shot 4 for 5 from beyond the arc, while Brian Lowry '12 put up 15 points off the bench. With a hard-won victory in their minds, they looked forward to Saturday's game at The Big Green Scream.

There was an electric feel in the gym on Saturday when Skidmore went up against Clarkson in the final game of the day's events. The Big Green Scream brought in a much larger crowd than usual to support the team in its final regular season game.

Though off to a shaky start, Skidmore started hitting its stride and went up by 17 at the end of the half. There was no question after that who would come out on top with Skidmore leading by as much as 27 in the second half.

Skidmore's bench outscored that of their opponent's 39-14; Gerard O'Shea '12 and Lowry each scored 14 points; and Langyintuo put up 12 points and brought down a team-high of eight rebounds.

Altimar scored 9 points, and, as the only senior, was also recognized by the coach, family and fans for his four years of dedication to Skidmore's basketball team.

As the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, Skidmore will face Rensselaer, the No. 2, Friday, Feb. 25 at Hobart; the winner of the four team playoff will move on to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Women's basketball

The women's basketball team also hosted St. Lawrence on Friday in what turned out to be well-fought loss for the Thoroughbreds, 49-47.

In the final second of Friday night's game, St. Lawrence's Kelly Legg put back a clutch offensive board to put her team up by two; this buzzer beater put St. Lawrence just ahead as the final fractions of a second ticked off the clock. On the whole, this was a low-scoring game and was close throughout – neither team lead by more than six at any point.

With two minutes remaining, Christine Kemp '11 scored a three pointer to tie the game at 47, pushing her overall contribution up to 15 points. Megan Gaugler '12 finished with 9 points, while Jordyn Wartts '14 put up eight. It was a tough loss, but they hoped to rally at Saturday's Big Green Scream.

Their hopes became reality in the Williamson Sports Center the next day in their 55-41 victory against Clarkson. This was also their final game of the season, and the crowd rolled in at 2 p.m. to watch the team's final moments of glory, and particularly the seniors on the team.

Gaugler led the team with 10 points, 8 rebounds and four assists; teammate Christine Kemp '11 followed with 9 points, 7 assists and two steals. Both of these women, along with Ismatu Alison-Konteh '11 and Cyrida Felton '11, were recognized for their long standing commitment to the women's basketball team and were assured that their presence and their contributions over the years would be sorely missed.

Ice hockey

The hockey team went on the road for its last two games of the season, travelling to Middlebury and Williams College. Skidmore held on in their battle against Middlebury, which ended in a 3-3 tie.

Though the score was even, Middlebury outshot Skidmore 36-16; Skidmore's saving grace was its goalie Colin Bessey '12 who saved 33 shots throughout the course of the game. Hunter Thayer '11 scored one goal from the right with a wrist flick, while Alex Essaris ‘12 led the team with two goals.

Skidmore's game against Williams College the following night at their rink was a blowout; the Thoroughbreds scored just two to Williams' seven. Tony Giacin ‘14 and Nick Dupuis '12 were the lone scorers for Skidmore.

Despite the loss, Skidmore will still advance to post season play, maintaining 4th place in the ECAC East. They will face Babson College on home ice at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 in the Saratoga Springs City Rink.

Calhoun, Senate evaluate Career Services

Posted by Kat Kullman

Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun met with SGA Senate on Feb. 22 to present a draft of a document outlining how the college can best help students use a liberal arts education after graduation.

The document, titled "Transitions and Transformations," focuses on increasing high-impact opportunities such as internships.

The committee that wrote the document is made up of 14 administrators and faculty members, which allows a cross-divisional collaborative team to address the issue.

Calhoun said the idea for a document addressing the utility of a liberal arts degree came from the town hall meetings, a part of the college's Strategic Plan, which occurred over the past year.

"A recurring question from the meetings was ‘what is the value of a liberal arts education?'" Calhoun said. "This isn't just about your transition out of college, it's every step of the way. We want the Skidmore education to be transformational."

These high-impact experiences will be more readily available and abundant, and will help Skidmore students leverage their education after graduation.

The changes would be geared toward underclassmen, especially sophomores, so that ideally every student would have had one high impact experience by junior year.

"We want these opportunities to be almost unavoidable, and to create an experience for all Skidmore students regardless of money," Calhoun said. "We need to provide resources and access for these things."

Changes outlined in the document include restructuring of Career Services, which includes the creation of new positions.

The new Career Services coordinator position will be a faculty position, the goal of which is to add more communication between the administration and faculty to sustain the internship program.

"We already do some of this work, but we want to develop the idea that experiential learning comes from curricular and co-curricular learning," Calhoun said.

The new coordinator would also be more external, focusing on networking with employers and other schools, Calhoun said.

A senator asked why Career Services seems to only direct students to websites that leave most of the work to the students.

"We can't avoid students doing some of the work, but our work needs to come from these sites knowing that you're special because you're from Skidmore. It's about creating the right balance of student initiative and institutional support," Calhoun said.

To increase networking ability and the possibility of future employment, many senators suggested 1-credit business etiquette classes, internship coordinators for each department and a wider range of internship opportunities not necessarily dependent on majors.

The draft of this document will continue to be evaluated, and a survey will be sent to the Skidmore community to gain feedback about Career Services.

In other news:

Senate passed a supplemental to allocate money from Program Support to fund the Environmental Action Club's trip to this year's Power Shift conference in Washington, D.C.

The supplemental was unanimously approved for $3,000. Sixty students will attend.

A distressed community confronts administrators

Posted by Julia Leef

Throughout the past few weeks, Skidmore has shown its ability and willingness to gather together as a community in response to the ongoing events and issues concerning diversity and inclusiveness on campus. Last Friday, the community came together again in Gannett Auditorium for an open forum discussion between students, faculty and members of the community.

Acting President Susan Kress and the members of the president's Cabinet led the dialogue. More than 300 people came to the event, filling up the auditorium so that some people had to listen to a simulcast in both Davis and Emerson. Even after the meeting started, more people continued to file in.

Kress began the discussion by speaking about the incidents that have occurred on campus recently, including the vandalism of the Sex and Gender Relations bulletin board, the Graffiti on the controversial "Food for Thought" posters and the recent Compton's Restaurant incident and the subsequent media response.

"We stand by our fundamental commitment to support a diverse community," Kress said.

"There is work for every single one of us to do."

Kress invited the crowd to share their feelings, opinions and suggestions concerning the aforementioned issues. In addition, a question box was placed outside during the meeting for people who had additional concerns.

Although the majority of the people in attendance were older members of the community and faculty, a sampling of students also voiced their opinions that afternoon.

Students from various grades and backgrounds, such as Frank Cabrera '11, Rebecca Drago '11 and Danny Pforte '13, said that action needed to be taken to create a dialogue with the greater Saratoga community.

Many, such as Thomas Rivera '13, said that there have been too many conversations and not enough action. He also suggested bringing students and faculty together, by adding courses to the curriculum that would address such issues.

"In order to make this environment better," Riviera said, "there needs to be an understanding on both sides, students and faculty . . . we need to see you there."

Other students expressed their dismay at the racially charged comments made online in response to articles published in the Saratogian and the Schenectady Daily Gazette.

"It's bringing to the surface underlying tensions of racism," Angie Tucker '13 said, "comments such as the ones regarding the Compton's Incident were directed at minorities in general, not just at the four students involved."

The group repeatedly mentioned the Inter-Group Relations, or IGR, and applauded the opportunity that it offers people to speak about diversity and to become more involved in the community. Several workshops, such as the one currently scheduled for the summer, are open to both students and faculty, and many of those who spoke on Friday encouraged everyone to attend.

Sarah Finkle '11 and Yasmin Hormozi '11, who helped run the recent SGA sponsored student dialogue, "The Talk We Need to Have," are both IGR facilitators and were both present at the open community meeting. Both stressed the importance of involving more people, starting as early as the First-Year Experience. Hormozi also brought up the suggestion, which was echoed by several other speakers, that there should be a requirement to attend these discussions.

Kristie Ford, assistant professor of Sociology, spoke about an upcoming faculty and staff workshop in May, an annual IGR workshop where faculty could come together over the course of three days to learn about race and diversity related issues on campus. Following the workshop, participants are encouraged to share their knowledge by overseeing peer-facilitated dialogues, running a follow-up workshop or meeting and hosting a staff dialogue.

In addition, Ford also taught several IGR courses, including this semester's course "Race and Power". The college also offers peer-facilitated dialogues.

The dialogue cumulated with members of the Cabinet each making a brief statement on the actions their area is currently taking to make this a more inclusive campus. Some of those actions involved incorporating dialogues into summer programs and orientations, as Jeff Segrave, dean of Special Programs, said.

Mike West, vice president for Finance and Administration and Pat Rubio, acting dean of the Faculty, spoke about the ongoing effort to recruit and keep faculty members of color. West also mentioned using college resources to create more faculty diversity programs and workshops. Michael Casey, vice president for Advancement, said that his department was currently working with alumni to address these issues and to reach out to members of the community and the press.

Even after the meeting officially ended, more than 80 people remained another hour to continue the dialogue with each other. This gave participants an opportunity to share personal anecdotes about diversity on campus.

"Diversity does not just mean race," Rebecca Drago '11 said, "one kind of oppression means all kinds of oppression."

In an interview following the event, Susan Kress expressed the importance of continuing dialogues such as the one on Friday.

"Dialogue is a part of action," she said. "I think having an opportunity for people to listen to one another, for people to hear particularly the experiences of our students and particularly the experiences of our students as students of color… I think that's a very important piece of this work that we are doing."

On Monday, Susan Kress met with Cabinet members to discuss the feedback they received in the open community meeting, and ways in which they could address the questions put forth. In addition to the efforts listed by the panel, the administration plans to bring in advisors to the college to talk about how best to approach sensitive topics such as diversity. The administration will also attempt to strengthen the college's ties with the Saratoga Springs area, and deal with the online discussion boards that have been the source of alleged racial bias.

"We talk about Skidmore and the town as if these are two separate entities," Kress said. "We are the town, many of our students live in the town . . . we are part of the town, [so] how do we work together to try to understand how we can all be a more inclusive community, both the town and the campus?"

The college showed solidarity in the past few weeks through dialogues about racial diversity and bias. In the upcoming weeks, the college will try and extend this dialogue to the larger community.

"I think this is urgent work, and it's work for every single person on the campus," Kress said. "I think we can do better."

Local woman helps fight cancer

Posted by Mariel Kennedy

Dinner is done. Dishes are clean. Kids are okay. Mission accomplished.

Lisa Morahan, founder of the for-profit organization Floyd Warriors, has taken on the mission to "help families cope with cancer one household at a time."

Morahan was diagnosed with Stage Three Breast Cancer two years ago; her tumor was eight centimeters and 11 out of 16 lymph nodes were affected.

Upon hearing that she had cancer, Morahan says on her website, www.floydwarriors.com, her initial concern was who would take care of her home and family while she underwent intensive treatment. Her doctor told her about several support groups, but none that cleaned, cooked and cared for a cancer patient's family. Morahan decided it was up to her to start such an organization.

"When I was first diagnosed I was completely overwhelmed," Morahan said. "Then one night as I was lying in bed, I put up my faith and said, ‘I'll do what I can so long as I have the health and body to do it.'"

Through any and all means — family, friends, neighbors, organizations, businesses and everyday citizens — Floyd Warriors hopes to "link all available help with families newly diagnosed," so they can get through the hard first months of diagnosis and treatment.

"Floyd Warriors started basically as a community resource to enable newly diagnosed patients to be inspired and to document my journey as it was happening to give a new prospective to the diagnosed people," Morahan said.

Morahan wants to help newly diagnosed patients achieve her (and many patients') goal: "to live through cancer diagnosis and treatment and move on."

Morahan also hopes to show the newly diagnosed patients that they do not need to have the persona of a chemo patient or take on the "typical look." Morahan said that at first, she was worried about her looks and losing her hair, rather than her health.

"Embrace it. Take control of your own life in the midst of cancer. I want to get across the message that you can do great things after diagnosis," Morahan said.

People interested in receiving or giving help through Floyd Warriors should contact Morahan through her website; she is always looking for more help, be it through donations or manual services.

Upcoming events are currently being organized and will be announced on the website shortly.

When asked what a Floyd Warrior is, Morahan describes her inspiration and quintessential Floyd Warrior: her mother, who lived every day to its fullest, despite her cancer diagnosis.

She describes Floyd Warriors as those who are "strong, in charge and in control. They are the ones steering the ship. They call their own shots, live life despite any diagnosis and live to inspire others. Floyd Warriors live with a twinkle in their eye, "Morahan said.

The community has responded incredibly to the group since its creation. Floyd Warriors has received a lot of attention from the media and has recently been awarded a grant from the Saratoga Travel and Tourism Bureau, which will be used to keep the organization running smoothly.

She also used her experience to educate others about cancer. Education is a key part of Morahan's mission.

"There is a lot of education as far as detection goes," Morahan said. "The problem is that we are detecting it because we have it."

A main part of education to Morahan is knowing what we put on and in our bodies; she stresses that the skin is the largest organ of the body and substances absorbed through the skin flow directly into the bloodstream.

Morahan is a founding consultant for Ava Anderson Non-Toxic in Upstate New York.

The same year Morahan was diagnosed, 14-year-old Anderson saw a report "on a study about hazardous chemicals in the bloodstream of teens commonly found in cosmetics and skincare products."

Shocked and horrified, Anderson researched the topic and was more and more troubled with the chemicals contained in everyday products and products advertised as ‘safe,' ‘all natural' and ‘organic.' She found that "nothing was truly non-toxic."

Anderson decided that she would have to create the line she wished people would use. After the hard work of many team members, Anderson says on the product's website that "the first full line of skincare and cosmetics in which every ingredient in every product rates ‘zero' on the Cosmetics Database" was created.

Anderson offers a wide range of products from cosmetics to haircare products and beyond for reasonable prices. The prices are comparable to drug store prices with most products sold for less than $20.

Products can be purchased online or through consultant-run parties.

"I got onboard because [consultants] are spokespeople for the products. Since sales are done through parties, we can put good information in the hands of buyers rather than just sell products without education," Morahan said.

Team Ava in Upstate New York is currently being organized by Morahan. Interested parties should contact her directly at (518) 429-0461, or by e-mail at info@floydwarriors.com. Likewise, people interested in hosting Ava Anderson parties or purchasing products should go to www.avaandersonnontoxic.com.

Morahan urges young women to take control of their health, reminding them that it is not up to doctors or others to take care of them.

She says, "Watch out for yourself. Even if you feel young and invincible, there are still many things you can do to better your health, educate yourselves and do differently to ensure wellness. You cannot do everything but you should do what you can."

Anyone interested in getting involved with Floyd Warriors should go to www.floydwarriors.com of personally contact Morahan at info@floydwarriors.com.