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College opens conversation on tobacco-free campus

A semester after Vermont’s new Tobacco 21 policy went into effect, the conversation regarding tobacco at Middlebury now centers around a possible transition to a tobacco-free campus. The Tobacco 21 policy, active as of Sep. 1 of last year, raised the legal age of sale for tobacco products to 21 throughout Vermont. In compliance with this policy, Middlebury banned the possession and use of tobacco and tobacco-related products such as e-cigarettes for students under 21. Likewise, the sale and distribution of tobacco is prohibited on campus. The implementation of Tobacco 21 has sparked a new focus on the role of tobacco in the Health and Wellness Education Office and across campus. This week, Kevin Kareckas, the alcohol and other drug education specialist, addressed the Middlebury Community Council about his office’s initiatives to provide better support to members of the campus community who have negative relationships to tobacco. Currently, students can set up one-on-one consultations with the Wellness Education office at go/talktobacco. The college also connects students with the State of Vermont’s online and over the phone program 802Quits. It also offers its own group-based cessation counseling program known as Freshstart. Kareckas discussed how a grant the Health and Wellness Education Office applied for would provide the campus with more resources to support community members. He asked members of the Community Council for feedback on what different kinds of support should be prioritized. The Community Council meeting also marked the first step in opening up a dialogue about the possibility of moving towards a tobacco-free campus. Middlebury is not currently a tobacco-free or smoke-free campus for students 21 and older, although restrictions exist. With the implementation of Tobacco 21, Kareckas has started to explore what a tobacco-free campus might look like. “Becoming a tobacco-free campus is a significant process and impacts some people significantly more than others,” Kareckas said, referring to the complex considerations of going tobacco-free and acknowledging how faculty, staff, and students, as well as members of Middlebury summer schools, might be affected differently by tobacco policies. Kareckas is also looking to expand this dialogue to the student body this week in the form of a go-link survey that will gauge students’ perspectives on tobacco use and policies on campus, as well as support and resources. The go-link will be active until Wednesday, March 4 and can be accessed at go/tobaccoatmidd. Other considerations raised by the council included the disparity between smoking and vaping use on campus, as well as whether the implementation of a tobacco-free campus would be feasible. The council, as well as Kareckas, agreed that the current focus is on support, and that any move towards a tobacco-free campus would be a long and deliberate process that would accommodate the different needs of community members. “The direction of future tobacco initiatives on campus needs to be a community decision with multiple stakeholders at the table,” Kareckas said.

Men’s hockey takes a hit

The past two months have been tough for the men’s hockey team, who have garnered just two wins out of 14 games in that span. After falling twice to No. 12 Williams this weekend, the Panthers sit fifth in the NESCAC as they enter their final week of the regular season.  The Panther’s kicked off their back-to-back duel against Williams away from home, where they fell to the Ephs in Williamstown by a score of 3–2 in overtime. Paddy Bogart ’23 quickly put the Panthers ahead, scoring a minute into the game. However, his effort was quickly neutralized by Tyler Scott’s backhander for Williams, which tied the game at 1–1 deep into the first period. After a scoreless second stanza, Williams needed just 34 seconds to earn the lead, thanks to the Eph’s forward Wyatt Glover. After a frustrating third period for the Panthers, a breakthrough finally came with 17 seconds left in the game, after Danny Tighe ’20 knocked in a shot following an assist from Brendan Dawson ’20. Despite their remarkable effort to extend the game past regulation, the Panthers were put to bed just over 2 minutes into overtime, when Williams sealed the win through a goal by Mac Carso.  Both teams headed north for their tie the next day, this time taking place in Kenyon Arena. Despite having home court advantage, the Panthers failed to capitalize, which was consistent with an overall trend this season. While men’s puck have been satisfactory for away games — winning 50% of their matches — they have been dreadful on their home ice, winning just 20% of their duels. After gaining the lead following an effort from Alex Heinritz ’21 at the end of the first stanza, the Panthers proceeded to concede five consecutive goals, suffering a 5—1 deficit by the middle of the final period. The Panthers notched two consolation goals, with both Mitchell Allen ’20 and Owen Powers ’20 finding the back of the net for the struggling home side. With this goal, Owen Powers extended his point total to 17, good for most on the team. This mark includes 5 goals (T-2 on the team) and 12 assists (most on the team).  Men’s puck (8-11-3, 6-7-3) is set to play their final two regular season games next weekend, hosting Amherst (9-9-4, 7-6-3) on Friday and Hamilton (10-8-4, 9-5-2) on Saturday. Game times are marked for 7 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Come out and support your Panthers!

Rolling Panthers suffer heartbreaker to Bates

The Panthers’ dominant season was given yet another high note on Friday night as they handed Tufts only their fifth loss of the season and their first in NESCAC play. Tufts took off on a full head of steam in the opening minutes, attaining a 9–3 advantage. Middlebury was not to be stifled, quickly knotting up the score at 9–9. The teams remained neck and neck for a good while until the Panthers attacked for eight unanswered points to give themselves a 44–36 lead. Holding a six point lead at the half, the Panthers were quick to advance their lead by scoring the first five points out of halftime. Middlebury began to creep away until the lead had jumped to 78–60. The Jumbos went on a late 8–0 run, but the game belonged to Middlebury and they won by a score of 86–74. Max Bosco ’21 had a tremendous offensive performance, leading all players with 26 points. Matt Folger ’20 put up an all-around impressive game with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and a couple of steals as well. Tommy Eastman ’21 added a double-double of his own with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jack Farrell ’21 was a key part as well with 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Friday’s relatively easy victory was quickly turned around by a heartbreaker on Middlebury’s senior day. Bates, thanks to a buzzer beater from Nick Gilpin, escaped with a 90–87 victory to end Middlebury’s regular season on a sour note.  Bates was out to a 10–4 lead when the Panthers turned the game on its head with a 10–0 streak. The game stayed tight throughout the first half, but Bates led 40–35 at the break. Middlebury was able to turn the game around once again and held a five point lead with less than five minutes to play. Bates fought back and with the game knotted up at 87–87, everything came down to the final ten seconds. A Bates-missed shot made it Panther ball, but a turnover gave the ball back to Bates and allowed Gilpin to drain the 23-footer to seal a hard fought victory.  Eastman put up 28 points, a personal best, and Folger put up his second double-double of the weekend with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It was a disappointing way to end a dominant regular season but on a happier note, Middlebury will play as the fifth seed in the NESCAC Quarterfinals against #4 Trinity at Trinity next Saturday at 3:00 pm.

Women’s hockey gifts seniors with a 'W'

The women’s hockey team continued their successful season, notching two wins this past weekend. They defeated Williams 4–0 on Saturday and 3–1 on Sunday as they finished off their home portion of the season.  Maddie Leidt ’21 shined throughout the weekend, scoring a total of three goals in the two games.  Middlebury is currently ranked atop the NESCAC with a record of 12-1-1. The panthers have outperformed the other teams by a mile, winning four more games than the second and third placed teams (Amherst and Colby, respectively) Their season will end this weekend against Bowdoin, ranked 5th in the conference. Over the past few years, the ladies have generally succeeded in beating out the Polar Bears. 

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Women’s hockey leaves February Break untouched

The second-ranked Panthers took a few hits over winter term, having lost to Plattsburgh State, 4–1, on Jan. 21 and to Hamilton, 2–0, on Jan. 31. The blue and white, however, turned the tables on Hamilton the following day and won 3–0.  The Panthers rounded out the break with a two-game win streak, beating Trinity 4–1 in their first game and 1–0 in the second.  Women’s hockey will continue their season against Williams, a team with whom they’ve struggled in the past. Last season, the Panthers lost to Williams in all three matchups.  “Going into this weekend, we have to make sure we’re doing all of the little things right that add up to the big things,” said Sidney Porter ’20. “Staying strong in the D-zone and getting pucks to the net will be a big focus all week.” 

Women’s basketball plays opponents close in tough losses

The Panthers hosted the Conn College on Saturday, Feb. 1. Middlebury held a 16–8 advantage over the Camels during the first ten minutes of the game, thanks to impressive play from Reagan McDonald ’23 and Maya Davis ’20. During the second quarter, however, the Camels secured 18 out of the first 24 points, which brought the game to a stalemate 34–34 at half time. The two teams had intense exchanges during the third quarter, and Davis and Michaela Sullivan ’22 collaborated to score points. During the last quarter, with less than 7 minutes remaining, Middlebury was able to catch up to the Camels after seven straight points. Unfortunately, the Panthers could not turn the tide and lost the game 87–80.  Sullivan performed outstandingly in this game, scoring a career-high 25 points. In regards to the game, she said, “Losing to Connecticut wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. Despite the loss, we outscored them in the fourth quarter, which shows how unwilling we were to give up, and I’m really proud of the way we fought until the end. At the end of the day, it’s about working hard, becoming better basketball players, enjoying each other’s company, and having fun.” On Feb. 6, Middlebury traveled to Massachusetts to compete against Emmanuel College. The Saints opened the game with a 6-point edge over the Panthers, and in 10 minutes, they had a 25–17 lead. Middlebury fought hard to come back during the second quarter. Claire Miller ’23 and McDonald shot impressive back-to-back threes, and two teams scored evenly during the second quarter. Regrettably, the Panthers had a tough time during the third quarter, even after incredible plays from Alana Kornaker ’22. With a mere 4 minutes remaining on the clock, Middlebury continued to work to shrink the difference, but lost to Emmanuel 82–89. The Panthers had a bumpy start in their game against Wesleyan on Feb. 9, as the Cardinals led a steady 10-point advantage during the first quarter. Middlebury was able to reduce the point difference somewhat during the second stanza, but Wesleyan persisted in their attacks. Thankfully, McDonald was able to cut the disadvantage for Middlebury as she scored back-to-back. During the last quarter, the Panthers cut the deficit to 76–66 with a minute remaining. Betsy Knox ’20 tallied up six points, while Kira Waldman ’20 scored consecutive layups. The Cardinals overpowered the Panthers 84–70. Recounting the week McDonald said, “Although the past few games have not gone on our way, we are remaining positive and keeping our team morale high. As a team, we are focusing on working together and celebrating both individual and team success.”   The Panthers will challenge the Jumbos at Tufts on Friday, Feb. 14. 

Men’s hockey splits weekend away, better puck next weekend

The 2019-2020 men’s ice hockey campaign is quickly rounding up for the Middlebury Panthers, who recently travelled to Connecticut to face off against NESCAC opponents Trinity and Wesleyan. Despite falling to No. 9 Trinity in a blowout on Friday, Feb. 7, the Panthers found success in their matchup with Wesleyan on Saturday, Feb. 8th.  The Panthers kicked off their series against the Bantams, who narrowly defeated them by a score of 4–3, in early January. This time around, Trinity entered the match-up with a distinguished resume including a top-10 national ranking and a No. 2 standing in the NESCAC. Despite a closely contested first period, the Panthers were never able to find control of the game, conceding six total goals. Billy Dobensky ’23 and Bret Pastor ’22 found the back of the net for Middlebury, but it was not enough to faze the red-hot Bantams.  Middlebury then travelled south for an away match against the Cardinals, who dealt them a loss last month at home. After a scoreless first period, Alex Heinritz ’21 put in a deflected shot to put the Panthers ahead- and they never looked back. Brett Dineen ’20 doubled the Panthers’ lead early on in the third period and the effort was extended by Matt Danner ’21 and Tyler Capello ’22 who also added goals in the third. The game finished 4–1 for the Panthers. “The team really came together for the win on Saturday, and we’re building momentum for the playoffs,” noted Charlie Parsons ‘21. The Panthers begin their double header away at Williams on Friday, Feb. 14th and continue the following day, where they will play at home in Kenyon Arena.

Incoming Feb deferred due to China travel ban

ZhiZhong Pu ’24, a Chinese international student who intended to matriculate at Middlebury as part of the class of 2023.5, was barred from starting school this semester due to President Trump’s travel ban. The ban, intended to prevent the spread of coronavirus, prohibits any foreign nationals, including F-1 student visa holders, from traveling to the U.S. if they have been in China within the last 14 days. Trump issued the executive order that instituted the ban on Jan. 31, and it went into effect on Feb. 2 at 5 p.m. EST. On Feb. 4, after the ban went into effect, the college told Pu that he would not be able to begin at Middlebury as a February admit this spring, and would have to wait until the fall to matriculate.  As the last Middlebury students studying abroad in China quickly evacuated after the college cancelled the spring semester of the Middlebury C.V. Starr School Abroad in China, Pu remained stuck in the country without access to his passport.  “I’m so frustrated,” Pu said. “I’ve been looking forward to this for so long, and I had everything prepared. To suddenly have this tragic issue, I’ve never felt so bad in my life.” Pu had intended to visit Montreal before beginning orientation at Middlebury on Feb. 5. He applied for a Candian visa through Visa Facilitation Services Global and submitted his passport to the agency. The company had not processed his request before the Lunar New Year began on Jan. 25. Although the holiday ended on Feb. 2, many companies, including VFS Global, remain closed to prevent the spread of the virus.  “Technically, if I had paid a huge amount to get here before the deadline, I still could have come. I would have done that, except it was impossible [because VFS Global has my passport],” Pu said.   Once VFS Global reopens and returns Pu’s passport to him, he would still have to travel to a third country and remain in self quarantine for 14 days before coming to the U.S. With a growing number of airlines suspending flights to and from China, even leaving the country could prove difficult. If Pu received his passport today, he would still miss more than two weeks of classes. According to an email sent to Pu on Feb. 7 by Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Baishakhi Taylor, an absence that long would exclude him from enrolling at all this spring. “We are a residential college where our living-learning community requires on-campus residency and participation,” Taylor wrote in the email. “I cannot grant your request to join the spring semester late. Please know that we are looking forward to welcoming you in the Fall.”  “The travel ban itself wasn’t that bad. I anticipated it very early on,” Pu said. “What I didn’t anticipate was the dean of students’ disapproval of me arriving two weeks late given this exceptional situation. I never thought that would be a problem.” The returning Middlebury school in China students were instructed to self quarantine for 14 after their departure from China in accordance with Trump’s executive order and CDC guidelines. They may participate in the spring semester, though some will miss the first week of classes.  Pu lives in Xinjiang, the easternmost region of the country, more than 2,000 miles away from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. Despite the distance, Pu said that the disease remains a constant presence in the minds and lives of the residents in his region. “The situation in China is very depressing. The government is trying to limit people’s interaction and prevent people from going out or traveling across the country,” Pu said.  Pu said he receives constant temperature checks whenever he goes into public. When he visited the VFS office, security checked his temperature upon entering the building and again when he reached the fourth floor. Face masks are mandatory for entering train stations or other public spaces. Pu spoke to the Campus via Skype on a train from Shanghai to Xinjiang. His face mask, usually carefully secured, was haphazardly hanging on one ear, his face open to the computer camera. As the only passenger in his compartment, he was not worried about the possibility of infection. “I’ve never seen this in my life,” Pu said. “In China, train stations are always so busy. You can’t even find a seat in normal times, and now, all the seats are empty. I’m literally the only person.” Pu said he is not afraid of contracting the virus, since he is confident that his youth and good health would protect him from its fatal consequences. However, he finds the atmosphere of tension and fear in China nearly unbearable. “The situation is very bad, but the sensationalization of fear, that’s even worse than the virus,” Pu said. [related title="Related Stories" stories="48150" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]

We don’t need a Koch sponsored Green New Deal

Did you know that an on-campus organization accepts money from fossil fuel billionaires? The Alexander Hamilton Forum (AHF) supposedly offers students “an opportunity to think critically about the relevance of political and constitutional theory to a range of contemporary debates in American public life,” according to its site. The forum, however, receives funding from the Institute for Human Studies (IHS), an organization that has received over $35 million from the Koch family — who runs one of the largest oil and gas conglomerates in the country and is one of the largest forces guiding the right-wing agenda. Charles Koch currently sits on the IHS Board of Directors.  On Feb. 20, the AHF will host a debate between two scholars arguing whether or not we need a Green New Deal. You may have seen the posters around campus — seems fine, right? Somebody arguing “Yes, we need one,” and somebody else arguing “No, we don’t.” Yet while this debate may seem innocuous at first, the AHF’s agenda in hosting this event is not harmless. When the AHF hosts “discussions” and “debates” like these, it undermines the validity of progressive ideals. The speakers don’t have to disprove every argument as long as they can plant doubts in our heads. By hosting the debate, the organizers of the forum choose which questions to ask, therefore reinforcing and normalizing discourses that question climate activism.  A debate, even if it contains two differing opinions, is not a politically neutral event. Context matters! And in this context, an organization funded by Big Oil money is organizing a dialogue about a congressional resolution that would rapidly transition the country away from oil. This Big Oil money is Koch Industries, a company owned by the Koch family whose operations include but are not limited to oil and gas exploration, pipelines, oil refining and chemical and fertilizer production. Charles Koch, one of the wealthiest people in the world, jointly inherited Koch Industries with his now-deceased brother. Their father, Fred Koch, made his fortune building oil refineries for Hitler and Stalin. The Koch brothers have been donating money to colleges and universities across the United States for decades. This funding often comes with strings attached, allowing Koch Industries to influence hiring and curriculum decisions. One notable example occurred at Florida State University in 2007, when the Charles Koch Foundation offered their economics department millions of dollars under several conditions: the curriculum would align with Charles Koch’s deregulatory economic philosophy, the Foundation would partially control hiring of new faculty members, and Bruce Benson would remain chair of the economics department. Benson noted that “If we are not willing to hire such faculty, they are not willing to fund us.” Taking the AHF’s funding into account, we want to question why the forum is hosting a debate on the Green New Deal. The AHF hosts various speakers and debates on campus, and is directed by Political Science Professor Keegan Callanan; on its steering committee are Political Science Professor Murray Dry, International Politics and Economics Professor Allison Stanger and Executive in Residence Jim Douglas ’72. While Callanan claims the program does not take direction from its conservative donors when inviting speakers, the forum is responsible for inviting Ryszard Legutko, a far-right Polish scholar and politician whose party is known for its homophobic and xenophobic orientations, and Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for the New York Times who promoted American exceptionalism when he came to Middlebury in the fall.  Given the AHF’s funding and the previous speakers it has brought to campus, we doubt the forum is inviting speakers in a good-hearted attempt to practice democracy and explore in earnest two sides of a debate.  This concerns us. The Green New Deal is certainly not perfect, but it represents an attempt by members of Congress to foreground the struggles of indigenous, marginalized and working class people in a transition to clean energy, stable jobs and a more equitable world. It is unique in its unrepenting and progressive vision of what this country could be. The debate hosted by the AHF chips away at students’ struggle to enact transformations towards justice by dictating the terms of our discussions, and by silently and coercively controlling what kinds of climate action appear reasonable. To affect students attending the debate, the AHF simply has to introduce enough doubt about the Green New Deal that it no longer seems to be a viable option. To Koch Industries, apathy or confusion is just as good as outright opposition; it means fewer people will support any change to the status quo. We want to be clear that we are not arguing against open dialogue and debate. Dialogue, especially on college campuses, is vital to shaping informed opinions. But we do not support debates on environmental issues when these debates are indirectly sponsored by the fossil fuel industry. The AHF cannot possibly provide a fair and two-sided representation of political opinions in this context. Koch money has no place in our college. Because we refuse to let a group funded by fossil fuel tycoons dictate the narrative of campus events, a group of students will host an open, alternate event at the same time to discuss resistance on Middlebury’s campus: “What Does it Mean to be a Student at Middlebury in the Age of Climate Catastrophe?: A Koch-Free Conversation.” Occurring on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Axinn 219, this event is for anyone who thinks there is something wrong with allowing Koch-funded groups to host events on Middlebury’s campus and who wants to do something about it. Luckily, students have been resisting for years. We want to have our own dialogue, one where our voices and your voices are heard and considered. Students will provide an introduction to activism at Middlebury and connect various campaigns across campus against injustice. That means when you show up, you have a hand in forming both the discussion and the future of resistance at Middlebury.  Rather than once again debate the validity of the Green New Deal, we’re asking: What bothers you? What angers you? What scares you? Where do you see injustice? Unlike those organizing the AHF debate, we want to know who you are and hear your responses. Let’s have a conversation, Koch-free. Tara Santi is a member of the class of 2020 and Lucy Weiss is a member of the class of 2020.5. 

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School in China suspended amidst coronavirus outbreak

UPDATE — Tuesday, Feb. 4 Students returning from China will not be allowed to return to the Middlebury campus until 14 days after their departure to prevent any possible spread of coronavirus. Following the suspension of Middlebury School in China, 11 students who had already arrived in China had to evacuate the country. The last program students evacuated China on Saturday and thus will not be allowed to return to campus until Feb. 15, five days after the start of classes on Feb. 10. Middlebury made this decision in line with Center for Disease Control guidelines, which ask that travelers coming from China limit contact with others and submit to monitoring by health officials during the two-week period after their departure. “You won’t be penalized for missing classes, since this isn’t your choice, but rather is something that the college is asking of you,” wrote Assistant Director of International Programs Bill Mayers in an email to returning students. Sabian Edouard ’21 and Edgar León ’21 had already returned to campus when Middlebury made the decision to quarantine returning students. Two days after their arrival on campus, the two received an email requesting that they report to Parton Health Center immediately.  Director of Health Services Dr. Mark Peluso informed the students that their risk of infection was low because they had left China quickly and because their study abroad location was not near the epicenter of the outbreak.  Edouard and León elected to remain on campus for this period and will be quarantined in a house on campus. They chose not to return home due to concerns about potentially contaminating their loved ones. “Back in Beijing, my study abroad site, my friends and I were heavily encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible during the outbreak, so this is nothing new,” Edouard said. While he is disappointed that he is unable to continue his study abroad experience in China, Edouard feels lucky.  He acknowledges the many who are suffering from the novel coronavirus and those in the immediate outbreak zone in Hubei Province. “We are privileged to be back home safe and sound,” he said. Edouard and León are good friends, so he predicts that the two weeks in quarantine will not be too unpleasant.  “Besides, now I can start watching that Game of Thrones series everyone was raving about,” Edouard said. __ Friday, Jan. 31 The three Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad in China will not run this spring due to concerns over the coronavirus, the college announced in a campus-wide email this Tuesday. The college advised students who were planning to study in Hangzhou, Kunming and Beijing beginning this February to re-enroll in their home universities this spring. Non-Middlebury students whose home institutions have begun spring classes have been offered the chance to attend Middlebury for the semester — an estimated seven or eight out of the 37. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a “public health emergency of international concern” on Jan 30. As of this morning, the World Health Organization confirmed 9,720 cases and 213 deaths in China, and that the disease had spread to 19 other countries. Today, the US State Department raised the China travel advisory to “Level 4 - Do Not Travel”, their highest rating. Only 13 other countries share this classification. “There is too much at stake to risk any course of action other than suspending the program,” wrote Bill Mayers, assistant director of international programs, in an email to students enrolled in the Middlebury School in China for the spring semester and their parents. “We are considering both the potential health and safety risks, as well as the consequences for your academic progress,”  Program participants, hailing from 15 different universities, were set to arrive in China on Feb. 12. Eleven students, however, had already arrived when news of the cancellation hit — two of whom were planning to study there for the entire year and eight of whom arrived on Dec. 27 for a winter term course with CET Academic programs in Beijing. Students began evacuating on Jan. 28, and the last student is scheduled to leave China at 6:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 1, according to Benjy Renton ’21, a Campus editor and one of the Middlebury students evacuating the country.  Capital Normal University, the location of the Winter Term class, is closed to all non-university personnel, including CET Beijing's resident director. In the interim, Renton is helping coordinate student departures and repatriation efforts. Middlebury will screen students upon their arrival on campus.  With several major airlines suspending or considering suspending flights to and from China, as well as President Trump’s administration instituting a partial travel ban, the Office of International Programs was worried that students might become stranded in the country.  “We don’t want them to be getting stuck there. We don’t know how Chinese authorities are going to react, if they are going to be clamping down more. We have no control over that, and that’s the part where we are a little more concerned,” Mayers told The Campus. “When to make a decision and what we should decide to do are unbelievably challenging, given that the whole situation was changing so quickly,” said Zhang Kai, director of the Middlebury school in China in Beijing. In addition to health and safety concerns, logistical challenges played a large part in informing the Office of International Programs’s decision, according to Mayers.  “We do this program hoping that students are going to have an immersive experience, but, frankly, they’re restricting gatherings of any size,” Mayers said. “You can’t go out and gather with other Chinese students. You can’t go to the movie theater, you can’t go to the club, you can’t do anything that Chinese people do in China. What are you going to do? Just stay in your dorm room the whole time? It’s not an immersive experience.”[pullquote speaker="Bill Mayers" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]You can’t go out and gather with other Chinese students. You can’t go to the movie theater, you can’t go to the club, you can’t do anything that Chinese people do in China. What are you going to do? Just stay in your dorm room the whole time? It’s not an immersive experience.[/pullquote] Schools and universities are indefinitely suspended across the country, with municipalities deciding when to reopen campuses. The Chinese government has imposed wide-scale travel restrictions — and many train lines have closed across the country and many of the top tourist attractions have closed indefinitely, according to Renton. “At Capital Normal University, security guards are becoming increasingly more strict with entering and exiting. Each exit requires the guard to call our Resident Director to seek her approval,” he wrote in a post on his blog. The cancelation poses academic concerns to many students. Some majors require a semester abroad. The Office of International Programs plans to run the program in China next fall, and will offer spots to the students who were unable to study abroad this spring. Students who have fulfilled the relevant language and course requirements were also offered the opportunity to study at other Middlebury schools abroad, such as those in Latin America.  “We feel horrible about [canceling the semester]. We know a lot of students come to Middlebury because they’re planning on studying abroad and we’ve got good programs,” Mayers said. “They’ve been waiting for two and a half years and we pulled the rug out from under them .... We feel that it’s the right decision, but it’s not a good one.” The Office of International Programs sent an email to the faculty encouraging professors to be understanding and flexible in their class sizes to aid registration for incoming students. Mayers confirmed that the college has found housing for all 37 students, should they choose to come to Middlebury. Non-Middlebury students must make the decision to enroll in the spring by Feb. 3. “We do hope that you will help us in every way you can to make them feel welcome,” wrote Vélez in his initial campus-wide email, “Whether they are Middlebury students to begin with or if they come to us from other institutions, they will be Middlebury students for the time they are here.” Editor’s note: Middlebury Campus editor Benjy Renton ’21 has been independently reporting from China on his blog, “Off the Silk Road.” Read his posts here.

Men’s basketball splits home weekend, including loss to NESCAC leader Colby

The Panthers took on Albertus Magnus, a team in the midst of an 11-game winning streak at the time, on Tuesday, January 14th. This series of victories ended as Midd landed an 84–76 victory over the Falcons. The Panthers trailed by six early, but turned the game around to own an eight-point lead at the end of the half. Middlebury led by as many as 21 points in the second half, which would be cut down to seven late in the game but the Panthers held on for the eight-point victory. Max Bosco ‘21 led Middlebury’s offense, putting up 23 points. Matt Folger ‘20, Tommy Eastman ‘21, Jack Farrell ‘21, and Ryan Cahill ‘21 also turned in double digit point performances. Middlebury suffered their second loss with an 89–82 loss to an undefeated Colby on Friday, January 17th. The contest began in back and forth fashion with Colby taking a 9–2 lead. Middlebury would comeback to within a point before Colby soared to a ten point advantage fueled by an 8–0 stretch. The Panthers closed out the half on a 7–2 run to cut the deficit to five. This pattern extended into the second half as Colby got back out a double digit lead, which the Panthers cut to four, only to have the Mules stretch the lead out to eleven. In a furious comeback bid, the Panthers sailed into the lead thanks to a 15–2 run. This didn’t last long as Colby turned the game around again to take a ten point lead that they didn’t surrender this time, and Midd lost by seven. In the defeat, Farrell led the squad with a 20 point performance Eastman followed with 14 points, and Folger added 12 rebounds. The Panthers were quick to make up with an offensive onslaught on Saturday, January 18th against Bowdoin. The game remained tight throughout the first half, going into the break with Middlebury on top 40–34. The Panthers hit the ground running in the second half going on a 31–12 run fueled by three three-pointers by Cahill and two each from Folger and Kornaker. Bowdoin went on a 14–4 run but Midd’s lead only grew from there and they soared to a 93–71 victory. It was the fifth time Midd surpassed the 90-point mark this season and it was led by a 19 point effort from Bosco, 17 points from Eastman, and 16 points and six rebounds from Farrell. Cahill delivered 13 points off the bench. Folger led the team with seven rebounds and Kornaker had eight assists to lead the squad. Middlebury returns to action on Saturday against Williams at 3 p.m. at Midd. 

Women’s hockey perfect season snapped by Plattsburgh St.

Second-ranked women’s hockey pushed their winning streak to seven-games before it was ended by first-ranked Plattsburgh State. On Saturday, Jan. 11, the Panthers triumphed over Endicott College 3–0. Madie Leidt ’21 won the race with the first goal in the first period and Delanie Goniwiecha ’23 scored twice in the second period. On Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 18, Middlebury went 2–0 in two consecutive games against Wesleyan with a final score of 3–1 in both games. Leidt, hungry for the win, scored early in the game on Friday, and twice on Saturday.  The Panthers, however, suffered their first loss at the hands of Plattsburgh State, 4–1, on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Middlebury entered the second intermission down 3–0, but a goal by Eva Hendrickson ’22 a minute into the third period prevented them from being shutout. 

Men’s squash comes up short against higher ranked opponents

In November, the Panthers started off strong. However, they struggled this month to bring home a win.  Since Jan. 5, Middlebury has taken on 8 teams and walked away with only one win against Amherst this past Thursday, 9–0. They finished off the long weekend by losing 6–3 to Franklin and Marshall College and 5–4 to Brown. By this time last year, the men’s team had competed in 12 matches and walked away with 10 wins. For reference, last season, the Panthers defeated Brown and Williams, two teams that beat them this month. It is worth noting that the order of the schools they played are very different from years past. The Panthers played most of the schools that they traditionally lose to earlier this season than last, and schools they generally beat, the Panthers have yet to play. The Panthers look to this weekend for another opportunity to compete. The team will take on Bates this Thursday, Jan. 23, who they have beaten at least the last three times they’ve played.

Men’s hockey falls twice, extends losing streak to four

The men’s hockey team lost both of its matchups this week, falling to Norwich on Tuesday, Jan. 14 and Plattsburgh on Friday, Jan. 17. With these two losses, Middlebury extends its losing streak to four, in addition to altering its season record to 7–7.  The Panthers traveled to Northfield, Vermont on Tuesday evening to face the fourth-ranked Norwich Cadets (14–2–2) in a non-conference tie. After a back-and-forth first stanza, the Cadets struck first in the second period with two goals within 59 seconds. Middlebury captain Owen Powers ‘20 responded quickly, netting his third goal of the season with 4:50 left in the period. In the third stanza, the Cadets added a third, sealing the win.  On Friday, the Panthers hosted Plattsburgh in their final non-conference game of the season, their fifth time playing in Kenyon Arena this month. Plattsburgh started hot, scoring an early goal 6:49 into the first period. They continued to find the back of the net in the second period, tallying two more goals halfway through the period. Just four minutes later, Zach Shapiro ‘22 notched his sixth goal of the season, a team high. Joe Drabin of Plattsburgh earned the final laugh though, finding an open pocket merely 12 seconds after Shapiro’s mark. Neither team was able to get on the board in the third period, as the game ended in a 4–1 defeat for the Panthers.  The men will compete on the road this weekend, facing off against Bowdoin on Friday, Jan. 24 and Colby on Saturday, Jan. 25. Game times are slated for 7:00pm and 3:00pm, respectively. 

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Women’s squash defends national ranking during home weekend

Women’s squash has had its ups and downs this season, but the team was able to bounce back over the holiday weekend, going 2–1 on its home courts.  The strong performance began on Thursday, Jan. 16 when the Panthers fed off of the energetic crowds that filed in behind them to sweep #16 Amherst. Confident after such a decisive win, the women eased past #18 Franklin and Marshall on Saturday, Jan. 18 with a 9–0 finish, giving the Diplomats only a single game throughout the entire contest. Unfortunately, Middlebury was unable to extend its winning streak as it could not find a way past #12 Brown on Sunday, Jan. 19. Strong play from three Panthers helped decrease the margin to 6–3. Holding the second spot in the lineup, Virginia Schaus ’21 stole a match from the Bears without dropping a game. Her win was followed by teammate Annie Glassie ’20 who snatched the win in a nail-biting five game match in the eighth slot. The third victory came from fellow senior Mira Chugh ’20 who closed out her contest in four games in the ninth position.  Glassie commented on the strong weekend. “We definitely felt good about our performance this weekend, beating Amherst and F&M 9–0 showed everyone’s focus and commitment,” said Glassie. “Our match with Brown was closer this time than it has been in the past, and I think everyone fought really hard and we never gave up. I think for this upcoming weekend we want to build on the momentum from brown and continue to bring the same level of energy and focus to Bates. Bates is a good team and one that we have always had tight matches with so it’s good that we are coming out of a successful weekend and everyone is fired up!” The Panthers, now with a 3–4 record, will use this week to prepare for their triple header that kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 23 on the road against Bates. The women will move on to face Bowdoin and Colby on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25 respectively. 

Students charged for damages incurred during the fall semester

[gallery ids="47983,47981,47982"] Following a fall semester wrought with student-caused residential building damages, especially among the buildings of Atwater Commons, students living in many of these residential halls have been charged for the common space damages that were not attributable to specific perpetrators.  “Prior to the Holiday break, all damages were totaled by building. Any damage to which a responsible student(s) had been identified was billed accordingly,” Atwater Commons Coordinator MariAnn Osborne wrote in an email to residents of Allen Hall, the Chateau, Coffrin Hall and Atwater buildings A and B. “Any remaining damage was totaled and shared equally among the residents of the area or building.  These costs were added to student accounts and labelled as ‘damage’.” Damages across all Atwater dorms for the fall semester totaled $5,953.16. Charges across all campus residential buildings were roughly $4,200, $2,700, $3,500 and $6,010 for the 2017–18, 2016–17, 2015–16 and 2014–15 academic years, respectively. Individual students incurred charges as little as $3 and as much as $40 for these “remaining damages.” Some charges were distributed to whole residential buildings, while others were allocated to specific hallways or towers.  Damages in Atwater A and B included the removal of signs and urination in elevators; Allen had several signs torn from the walls; the Chateau sustained broken lounge furniture, urine and scorch marks in elevators, and destruction in bathrooms.  Last fall, a community meeting hosted by Atwater Commons Residence Director Esther Thomas included discussions of financial responsibility for damages in common areas or halls with no identified perpetrator. Students at the meeting expressed disappointment with shared charges like the ones distributed for the Fall semester.  Damage and charges are not limited to Atwater Commons: other halls and buildings on campus are charged accordingly for the cost of destruction maintenance.