The Middlebury Campus

Class of 2013 now totals 666

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Total applicants for the incoming first-year class have declined 11.7 percent, a drop attributed to changes in the application process.

As of May 4, the College's Office of Admissions received 584 deposits for September enrollment and 82 for February. Dean of Admissions Robert Clagett predicts that the College will meet its target enrollment of 600 students for September and 90 for February.

College puts pandemic plan on hold

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Though the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5 - one step short of a global pandemic - the recent outbreak of swine flu (also called the Influenza A[H1N1] virus) across the globe will not prompt Middlebury College to execute its Phased Plan for Pandemic Flu just yet.

Cuts to save College $20 million

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

When the Middlebury College Board of Trustees convenes for its annual spring meeting from May 7 to May 9, money will be at the forefront of its discussions, especially the $20 million in budget cuts Old Chapel is planning for the next academic year.

"By and large, we're going to devote most of our time to talking about the financial situation," said President of the College Ronald D.

Twitter takes College, classes by surprise

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

What do the Pentagon, the White House, Karl Rove and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) have in common with National Public Radio, Shaquille O'Neal, Lance Armstrong, Jimmy Fallon, Coldplay, the United Nations and now, Middlebury College? They are all using the Web's fastest-growing social network, Twitter, to share news and ideas en masse at lightning speeds.

Relay for Life raises over $100,000 for cancer

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Despite torrential rain this weekend, Relay for Life pulled it together on May 1 to create a successful event, raising over $100,000 to fight cancer.

"We made the decision barely 48 hours before due to the chance of rain," said Relay for Life co-chair Ruthie Reinken '09.

Voters approve new honor code

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

On May 1, three proposed Honor Code recommendations passed after finally being approved by a two-thirds majority of the student body.

The honor code referendum, however, was at a standstill for over a week. In order to be passed, the code amendment had to be voted on by two-thirds of the student body, and two-thirds of voters needed to approve the changes.

Faculty begin adopting new educational media

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Next semester, you may be reading The Campus on your Amazon Kindle, after getting a Google Alert on your iPhone about the arrival of the latest edition, and you'll probably have a few classes at Middlebury where you are asked to blog, post to Segue or a Wiki and perhaps even spend work-related time on YouTube.

Overseas briefing

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

TANZANIA - I lowered my cupped hands into the cavity of the slaughtered goat, filled them with blood and drank. The night before, I had slept on a cowhide "bed" next to my naked Maasai Mama. I danced in the discos, rode the public transportation and kickboxed at the local gym.

College shorts

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

NYU WARNS OF HIGH COST

New York University is one of the most expensive higher education institutions in the country, with an annual cost of $54,000, and their low endowment per student means they cannot provide ample financial aid for all students. Eighty percent of undergraduates have one job, 25 percent work two jobs and 500 students work three.

Midd brief

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A selection committee compromised of select seniors has chosen Jake Liberman '09 to be the student speaker for this year's Commencement. Liberman will be joining Gary Hirschberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farms in sending a final message to the class of 2009.

"When I thought about what I wanted to say to Midd and my class, I realized there were two ideas I couldn't neglect," said Liberman.

Wield a musket, fire a cannon, play a fife.

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Ever woken up in the middle of a field in strange clothes? Jim Ross, a history teacher at Mt. Abraham Union High School, does it 10 to 12 times a summer, but the clothes he wears have been meticulously researched, and rather than waking up in the middle of Battell Beach, he wakes up among hundreds of tents at Fort Ticonderoga.

Music, art slated for summer schedule

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Staying in Middlebury this summer? With gas prices expected to rise, don't head to Burlington or Lake Champlain to beat the heat. Middlebury and Addison County offer more than enough to keep you busy this summer, from outdoor adventures to musical performances.

Used record sale raises funds for Ilsley

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In the back room of Ilsley Library's second floor, a slice of Americana sits in seven cardboard boxes of vinyl records. These LPs, many of which are still wrapped, bring customers back several generations in popular music. Louise Mosher, cashier and Friends of the Library board member, fondly remembers a time when "music had a definite beat and melody," she said.

Town/gown

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Several years ago, my family decided to take a guided tour at a zoo we were visiting. Everything was going quite well: we rode the little trolley from cage to cage oohing and ahhing at the crocodiles and monkeys and giraffes. Then we got to the panther.

"We call these panthers," informed our guide, "but there are really no such things.

One in 8,200: Where the personalities of Middlebury proper are celebrated

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Maggie Surprenant is quick to tell you that "taking the bus is really cool."

Having been a resident of Addison County for 33 years, she started driving the mid-day Middlebury Shuttle route for Addison County Transit Resources in February 2007. She also drives the Burlington Link route on Saturday.

Shelburne Farms celebrates spring

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

On May 3, Shelburne Farms held a free Calf Open House, allowing Eddie McCaffray '09 and Emmeline Cardozo '09 to get acquainted with chickens, pictured above. Those interested in farming were able to check out the farm's Brown Swiss Cow herd which makes milk for Shelburne Farm's farmhouse cheddar, while kids explored the barns and took wagon rides around the property and students tried hands at milking cows in the parlor.

Local lowdown

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Wildflower walk

May 9, time TBA

Join the Green Mountain Club's
very own Ave Haviland for a hike
up Forest Service Road Number 32
in Goshen to Silver Lake. This is an easy-to-moderate three to four mile hike. Call
496-6677 for details.

Garden Club sale

May 9, 9 a.

Editorial

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From our vantage point as journalists, college life tends to become distilled into an admittedly predictable collage of "big moments." As such, a retrospective of the past year would inevitably be highlighted by the College's two national championship victories - congratulations are in order again to the women's cross country and men's rugby teams - as well as by a stunning portrayal of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," brilliantly brought to life in a 1920s setting; by the (quite literally) groundbreaking undertaking of the Cross Street Bridge; and by the final conclusion to the renovation of McCullough.

Letter to the Editor

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Wow, I disagree with so much of the April 30 Campus editorial ["Demystifying the bubble," Opinions section, April 30]. No, the structure of higher education has not historically been one that breeds socially and environmentally conscious graduates, you are right.

Notes from the desk

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Last Saturday night I met the man of my dreams. Well, the men of my dreams.

At first glance, it would seem as though Greg and Bob have got it all figured out. They lead vibrant, thoughtful lives. Bob is a charming artist. Greg, a once antique-selling post grad, is a captivating folklorist at the Vermont Folk Life Center, where I first got to know them.

OP-ED: In pursuit of knowledge

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Primum non nocere. It was here in the Opinions section in an article by Annie Onishi '09 that I first heard of this so-called Hippocratic Oath. It means "above all, do no harm," and is traditionally taken by physicians upon entering the practice of medicine.

OP-ED: An unconstructive misunderstanding

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After reading Andrew Throdahl's article two weeks ago ["Constructive and unconstructive methods of change," Opinions section, April 23], we would like to address the same subject that he endeavored to address: constructive and unconstructive methods of change.

OP-ED: Thinking about the future

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

I don't think I'd be alone in saying one of the top reasons I came to Middlebury is because "the people here seem so nice." I can remember taking tours, visiting classes, going to the dining halls and spending the night during my senior year of high school in order to learn about what it means to be a Middlebury student.

The Elephant in the Room

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

With graduation looming, "The Elephant in the Room," like all good things, must come to an end.

Today, in this final column, I have no topical commentary to offer, no pithy comments to make. Instead, I will just say this: there are brilliant minds at this institution who are being ignored and brilliant voices that are being silenced.

Campus Poll

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

RESPONSES
What do you think is the most productive way to spend your summer?

Productive is an interesting term. It limits the answers one can give to this question. It is of course not "productive" in the traditional sense to catch up with friends, relax, get lost in lots and lots of books that you never would have had time to read during the semester, but if we're talking about the value of these things, they are more worthwhile to me than getting an internship.

Lupo Fiasco

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

With the media focused on the whirlwind of domestic and international challenges facing President Obama, a discussion of women's issues seemed unlikely to occur at the president's "100th day in office press conference." And yet, CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry asked specifically about Obama's stance on abortion.

Cartoon

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Procrastination destination

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

It's every Middlebury student's biggest predicament. You want to take advantage of that beautiful spring day, but you would feel too guilty leaving campus to go to a nearby lake or waterfall Instead, take a five-minute walk to the back of the CFA and bask in the sun next to the pond, head up to the roof of a building of your choice or take a walk into town and find your adventure.

Old Stone Mill rocks opening night

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

At the close of Old Stone Mill's first year as a part of Middlebury College, 27 students have taken advantage of the open studio and gallery space to pursue independent artistic endeavors.

The College purchased Old Stone Mill in January 2008 for $2.1 million through funds from an anonymous donor.

Middtunes

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Former "American Bandstand" host and pop culture icon Dick Clark once remarked that "music is the soundtrack of your life." It's true. Sometimes the best way to define an experience is through song. Certain songs remind us of the good times, and bad times can remind us of a song too.

Let's talk about sex, babies

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Throughout this semester, I've been encouraging everyone on campus to pursue their desires honestly and safely. Sounds simple enough, right? But what if you don't have any clue what you really want? I was talking to a good friend of mine the other day, and she's one of the most sexually empowered women I know on campus.

From the Kitchen of Sasha Swerdloff

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The film "Waitress" depicts a young woman with imagination and a gift for making pies. Pies are her therapy. She takes her feelings and transforms them into creative and comical crusts and fillings with even more creative and comical names. She is pregnant with a baby she doesn't want, married to a man she doesn't love, works in a diner for a boss she doesn't respect and dreams of starting her own restaurant that serves pie and nothing else.

Winners & Losers

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

RHINOCÉROS

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

On Saturday, May 2, a packed crowd in the Château Theatre got to encounter the French language in its most animated, phlegmy incarnation. Spit flew, buttons popped and a variety of paper and cardboard horns paraded before the audience in a production of Eugène Ionesco's "Rhinocéros," put on by Associate Professor of French Charles Nunley's upper-level class, "Study/Production of a Play.

The Reel Critic

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

MOVIE: Eyes Wide Shut
DIRECTOR: Stanley Kubrick
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman

I've reviewed films for this paper for about a year and a half. Since taking up this post, I have been asked for my favorite film on a weekly basis. I get the impression that people ask this of all film majors, but I also get the impression that the deadly combination of critic and student makes this question come up more often for me.

Spotlight on... Jack Reed '10 and Jennifer Yamane '09

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Jack Reed '10 and Jennifer Yamane '09 recently exhibited selected works from their Advanced Independent Study in Studio Art. Their collaboration was shown in the Johnson Gallery for the week of April 26. Emily Stephens interviewed Reed and Yamane about the process and motivation behind their art show.

Middlebury College Spring Choral Concert

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Led by Director of Choral Activities Jeffrey Buettner and Women's Glee Club Director Jessica Allen, the Middlebury College Men's Glee Club, Women's Glee Club and College Choir gave a concert on Saturday, May 2, in the Kevin P. Mahaney '84 Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

The Europeans struggles to impress

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Last week, staff writer Dana Walters provided a perhaps overly laudatory "sneak peek" into this weekend's production of "The Europeans," one of Howard Barker's infamously difficult "theater of catastrophe" pieces. First produced in 1990 by Barker's own company, "the Wrestling School," this much-anticipated production marks the close of Middlebury College's theatrical year and the latest piece directed by Professor of Theatre Richard Romagnoli.

Spring Dance Concert: A Vermont Collection

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

On Saturday, May 2, the Department of Theatre and Dance presented a program of new dance compositions at the Dance Theatre in the Kevin P. Mahaney '84 Center for the Arts. "The Newcomers' Piece," choreographed by Tiffany Rhynard, which included performances by Artist-in-Residence Leyya Tawil and University of Vermont guest dancers.

"Affair" entertains with no strings attached

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Judith Dry '09 built her senior work, "A Black Tie Affair," upon a large foundation of cross-dressing in the arts. Since Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," identity and gender confusion have been a staple of theater and film. Charlie Chaplin, Tony Curtis and Dustin Hoffman all donned skirts and slips when bowties and boxers were more the norm for members of their sex.

Men's rugby snags second championship in three years

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Count another championship for the rugby men of Middlebury. The Middlebury Rugby club defeated Georgetown 45-18 in the semifinals and Wisconsin-Madison 27-11 in the finals to capture their second Division II national championship in three years. The Panthers overcame a halftime deficit in the semis and withstood a comeback attempt in the finals on their way to the national title.

Men's lax stunned by Wesleyan

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The men's lacrosse team is still struggling to find their swagger. After a stressful regular season that featured nine games decided by three or less goals and four decided by only one goal, the Panthers dropped their NESCAC semifinal game to Wesleyan 15-14 in overtime.

Pranksters fall at New England Regionals

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Pranksters were unable to quell their opponents at New England Regionals this past weekend at Dartmouth as the Middlebury men's and women's ultimate Frisbee teams both fell short of receiving a bid to Nationals. The top two teams from each tournament received a bit to Nationals, which takes place at the end of May.

Men's tennis triumphs in NESCAC championship

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Panthers are once again top dog in NESCAC tennis, taking their fifth title in six years this past weekend. Middlebury cruised past last year's champion, Bowdoin College, 5-1 on Saturday. Sunday was a rematch of last weekend's game against always-tough Amherst.

Women set themselves apart at Division III New Englands

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

This past weekend, the Middlebury track and field team made its second trip to Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts to compete in the Division III New England Championship meet. The Middlebury women finished an impressive third in the team standings out of a total of forty competing schools.

Sports Briefs

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

TRACK & FIELD TEAM RACKS UP NESCAC HONORS

After a successful run at the NESCAC Championships hosted by Connecticut College, the Middlebury track & field team earned over 20 all-NESCAC Honors. First-year Michael Schmidt '12 claimed the Rookie of the Year title with an outstanding performance in the 10,000 meter race.

Crew team rows in tough, exciting competition

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

This past Saturday the Middlebury men's crew team headed down to Worcester, Mass. to participate in the New England Championship regatta along with a host of rival schools. The men turned in solid performances in what proved to be an overall exhilarating day.

Women's tennis bows out to top-seeded Ephs

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Middlebury women's tennis team earned the third seed for the NESCAC championship this past weekend at Williams College yet ultimately lost to the host team in the semi-finals. Amherst and Williams, the one and two seeds, respectively, each received a first round bye in the tournament.

Women's lacrosse falls short in semifinals

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After a season of highs and lows, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team ended their NESCAC run with a loss to rival Colby College in the semifinals this past Saturday.

The first half saw back and forth action from both sides. Middlebury struck first with two goals by Sally Ryan '11, but Colby wasted no time in responding, tying it up with two goals within one minute of each other.