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Charles Murray invited back to Middlebury by College Republicans

Charles Murray, the controversial conservative speaker whose 2017 campus visit incited massive student protests and made national news, has been invited to return to Middlebury.  Murray is set to speak in Wilson Hall on March 31 at 4:30 p.m. The Middlebury College Republicans issued the invitation, according to an op-ed written by the club’s co-presidents Dominic Aiello ’22.5 and Brendan Philbin ’21 and published in The Campus today. Philbin said that Murray has accepted the invitation. “We understand that this will have ramifications for us personally and the community at large. Nevertheless, we will continue to support free inquiry on our campus,” Philbin wrote in a text to a Campus editor. “We wanted to be transparent, up-front, and as clear as possible about the planning of the event. In our view, The Campus is the best vehicle to communicate directly with the community.” The talk, which is being co-sponsored by the Open Campus Initiative along with the College Republicans, will focus on Murray’s new book “Human Diversity: The Biology of Gender, Race, and Class.” Many of the event’s details and logistics are still being discussed, according to a statement sent to The Campus by Director of Media Relations Sarah Ray.  Murray first visited the college in 2007 to talk about his book, "The Bell Curve." His second visit a decade later, on his book "Coming Apart," sparked protests by hundreds of students, which ultimately prevented him from speaking to a live audience in Wilson Hall. Murray later delivered his talk via live-stream on the college’s website. Political Science Professor Allison Stanger, who moderated the live-stream and had been set to preside over the live event, sustained serious injuries at the hands of protesters after she, then-Vice President of Communications Bill Burger and Murray exited McCullough Student Center.  In the op-ed, Philbin said that the administration has been involved in discussions about organizing the event since last September, when the College Republicans first proposed bringing Murray back to campus. Ray said  that the college’s policy of open expression should not be interpreted as an endorsement or approval of Murray’s views, and acknowledged the importance of open expression and student protest during speaker visits.  “Each year Middlebury hosts nearly 300 speakers who come to campus from across the country and around the world, invited either directly by the institution, by its faculty, or by its registered student organizations,” Ray wrote in the statement. “With each event, we are committed to providing a forum in which the Middlebury community can engage in a thoughtful, rigorous, and respectful manner.” Box Office Manager Debby Anderson told The Campus that the college has hired additional security for the event.  Murray’s ideology has been classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)  as white nationalism; the SPLC website describes Murray’s work as driven by “racist pseudoscience and misleading statistics [that] argue that social inequality is caused by the genetic inferiority of the black and Latino communities, women and the poor.” Student protesters widely decried his views, such as those espoused in “The Bell Curve,” as racist, misogynistic and hateful. After his 2017 visit, though, members of the American Enterprise Club (AEI), which invited Murray for that visit, argued that the prevention of the talk constituted a violation of campus free speech policies. Some national news outlets agreed.  Since 2017, Murray’s visit has contributed to re-evaluation of the college’s protest policy, prompted administration-led town halls and broadly influenced discussion about free speech on Middlebury’s campus and beyond.  Middlebury was thrust into the national spotlight after that visit, as news outlets including the New York Times, The Atlantic and Politico editorialized and reported on the event. Three weeks ago, Forbes magazine named the 2017 visit as one of 10 moments that “capture a decade in education.”  The college disciplined 74 students in the fallout of the event. In one case, an accused student filed a racial profiling complaint. Middlebury’s Title IX & Compliance Office launched an eight-week investigation and concluded that the Public Safety officer associated with the case did not violate its policies. Charles Murray and certain members of the administration involved in the event’s planning process could not be reached for comment at press time. This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly. Managing Editor Bochu Ding '21 contributed reporting. Correction: A previous version of this story did not mention Murray's first visit to the college, in 2007. The article has since been updated to reflect that information.

An invitation to reengage

To the Middlebury community: We’ve written this op-ed to inform you that we, as the elected co-presidents of the Middlebury College Republicans, have been working over the past several months to organize a speaking event featuring Dr. Charles Murray, the Harvard and MIT graduate and W.H. Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Disruptive protestors shouted down Murray at his speaking event on campus in March of 2017. This event will tentatively take place on March 31 at 4:30 p.m. in Wilson Hall. We believe that the way the administration and the protestors handled the 2017 event was a stain on Middlebury’s reputation and a betrayal of its mission of “creating a world with a robust and inclusive public sphere,” per the college’s Policy on Open Expression. We believe that this public sphere is integral to the meaning of a liberal arts education and the freedom of academic inquiry. First, we believe that this freedom of academic inquiry must not only be professed but also practiced. For the Middlebury community to live up to its mission statement, it must be willing and able to listen to, understand and challenge controversial ideas like those put forth by Murray. A college and its students should not only engage with ideas that run counter to their own beliefs, but they should also seek them. We believe that it is when our own perspectives are challenged — not reinforced — that we are able to develop as thinkers. Second, we believe that Murray’s work is influential in mainstream politics and therefore deserves a platform on which to be heard. His forthcoming book and the subject of the event, “Human Diversity: The Biology of Gender, Race, and Class,” will be published by Twelve, one of the more prestigious names in the publishing world. As the author of multiple bestselling books, he has established himself as one of the most prominent social scientists at the top conservative think tank in Washington. As just one example, founder of the Weekly Standard Bill Kristol has called Murray America’s “leading living social scientist.” Realistically, we aren’t expecting everybody in the community to change their minds about Charles Murray. What we are expecting, however, is that he will be given the chance to speak that was denied to him in 2017 — and that you, as members of the Middlebury community, will be willing and prepared to hear what he has to say and engage diligently and respectfully with it. This gets to the heart of our goal with hosting this event: to engage the Middlebury community in a civil dialogue across vast ideological differences. With the benefit of hindsight regarding Murray’s last event, we want to be as transparent as possible with you about our planning process in order to avoid many of the mistakes made in 2017. We believe that the short notice on which Murray’s lecture was either posted or recognized by the community last time inhibited the ability of students, faculty and staff to thoroughly consider the most effective ways to respond to the event. This compromised the security of the event and its participants. To avoid making that same mistake, we began planning this event in late September and have chosen to announce it now, two months in advance. We hope that this additional time will allow the community to constructively engage with controversial ideas rather than violently shut them down. Once we submitted our event proposal in late September, a dialogue immediately opened up between us and the members of the administration who are responsible for ensuring the success of events like this. Among those members were Senior Associate Dean of Students Derek Doucet, General Counsel Hannah Ross, Director of Public Safety Elizabeth Burchard, Associate Director of Public Safety Keith Ellery, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration David Provost and Director of Department of Event Management Jennifer Erwin. Over the course of the nearly four months since we submitted our initial proposal, the input of the administrators above, as well as our club’s advisor Governor Jim Douglas and two faculty members from the Committee on Speech and Inclusion, was integral to the planning process. In our effort to host this event as a dialogue across differences, we took into consideration several recommendations from the Engaged Listening Project and are seeking to format the event in a way that acknowledges as many voices as possible. We’d like to make clear that we not only welcome but also encourage any and all constructive forms of support or opposition to this event. We are fervent supporters of the right to peacefully protest and look forward to receiving input from the community in the coming months. Signed, Dominic Aiello ’22.5 and Brendan Philbin ’21 Co-Presidents, Middlebury College Republicans

WINTER SPORTS RECAPS

Women’s hockey tops No. 1 Plattsburgh in Panther/Cardinal Classic BY MAX PADILLA Women’s hockey remains undefeated as the team enters its third week of the season. The Panthers tied Amherst, 1–1, on Friday, Nov. 22 before shutting out the Mammoths the following day, 2–0. Middlebury repeated the pattern this past weekend during the Panther/Cardinal Classic, tying Adrian 1–1 on Saturday, Nov. 30 and triumphing over top-ranked Plattsburgh State, 2–1, on Sunday, Dec. 1. “We focus a lot on having a strong defensive zone no matter what team we play and that was definitely a huge factor in the win this weekend,” Sidney Porter ’20 said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy going into it and that we had to work as hard as we could from start to finish which I think set us up for a successful outcome.” The Panthers will face off against Utica this Saturday, Dec. 7 at Kenyon Arena. Things look good for the Panthers as they head into this game, as they’ve beat the Moose in the last three games the two have played.  Men’s puck successful in NESCAC road trip, falls in PrimeLink Championship BY BLAISE SIEFER The Middlebury men’s hockey team are quickly gaining momentum this season, winning three of their past four games. The Panthers now boast a 4–2–0 record, good for third in the NESCAC.  Men’s hockey swept their first away trip of the season on Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23, defeating Tufts, 2–1, and Connecticut College, 5–2. Antoine Belisle ’23 netted a goal in each, notching the first two goals of his collegiate career. This past weekend, Middlebury headed north to Plattsburgh State, competing in the 22nd annual PrimeLink Great Northern ShootOut. The Panthers started the weekend hot, defeating top-seeded Norwich, 2–1 (OT) in the semi-finals. Entering this matchup, Norwich was one of four teams remaining in Division 3 with a perfect record. Zach Shapiro ’22 delivered the winning blow just under two minutes into overtime, slapping in a loose puck following a scramble in front of the Norwich net. With the win, the Panthers booked their ticket to the tournament final the next day. Despite their recent success, men’s hockey failed to extend their winning streak to five on Sunday, falling to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 4–3. Middlebury will hit the road again this weekend, facing off against Amherst on Friday and Hamilton on Saturday. Games times are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. Women’s hoops wins narrowly against Castleton and Cabrini BY RAIN JI After winning its first five games of the season, women’s basketball has proven itself to continue its success from last season.  “We are playing great team basketball,” Captain Kira Waldman ’20 said. “I am excited to follow this momentum and continue to show up with energy, effort and enthusiasm.”  On Nov. 23, Middlebury defeated the Skidmore Thoroughbreds in a convincing 74–59 victory. The Panthers fought a close battle in the first quarter, having been outscored by the Throroughbreds 16–17, but they managed to build a lead by halftime when the score was 33–28. Middlebury then extended its lead in the third quarter to a comfortable 15 points. After the last quarter, the game was settled at 74–59, Middlebury. The win wouldn’t have been possible without Betsy Knox ’20, who scored a career-high 23 points. Middlebury then fought hard against Castleton on Nov. 26 and won the game in overtime, 64–60. Captain Maya Davis ’20 proved to be an offensive threat, having scored 21 points. The NESCAC weekly release cited her outstanding performance during the game and she was also selected as the NESCAC Player of the Week.  On Nov. 30, the Panthers battled in another nail-biter when it faced Cabrini. Middlebury was down 58–59 with just 46 seconds remaining in the game, but it managed to regain the lead at 60–59 thanks to a pair of successful free throws by Knox. The Panthers then forced a key turnover and padded their lead to six points with more clutch foul shots by Davis, Knox and Gianna Palli ’23. The team will play Colby-Sawyer on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m.  Fifth-ranked men’s basketball routs Endicott, improves to 7-0 BY MICHAEL SEGEL On Sunday, Dec. 1 men’s basketball improved to 7-0 with a 98-78 rout of Endicott, fueled by a huge second half where they outscored their opponents 54-28. Endicott held a six-point lead at the half, but Midd turned the game into a blowout, with a 25-8 run and a subsequent 11-0 run. Jack Farrell ’21 led the Panthers with a career high 31 points, along with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Griffin Kornaker ’21, Max Bosco ’21, and Tommy Eastman ’21 each added 14 points (Eastman also providing 13 rebounds), and Perry DeLorenzo ’20 was a perfect four-for-four from beyond the three point line to give himself 12.   The big differences in this one were bench points and defense. Middlebury shot a clean 50% on field goals while holding Endicott to a slim 35.8%. Midd scored 32 points from the bench whereas Endicott had only 18. It was the end of a 5-0 road trip for Middlebury, who will come home to take on New England College at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 before getting back on the road again to face Stevens on Sunday, Dec. 8.  Men’s and Women’s XC tackles NCAA Championships BY JORDAN HOWELL The Cross Country season came to a close when the Panthers ran in the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23. The men ended in 29nd place, while the women ended in 15th place. The men were beaten out by first place Pomona-Pitzer. Key contributors for the Panthers included Theo Henderson ’20, who finished 34th with a time of 24:55.1. Next, there was Henry Fleming ’20 whose time of 25:25.6 placed him in 93rd place. “Obviously the team was a little bit disappointed with our result,” said Zander Kessler ’22, when asked about the men’s performance. “I’d like to thank the best captains ever, Henry Fleming and Theo Henderson for leading an otherwise young team through an awesome season. We’ll be back next year on a revenge tour. It was awesome to see Theo get all American in his final race.” The women’s squad was beaten out by first place Johns Hopkins. Crucial members for the women included Cassie Kearney ’22, who captured 26th place with a time of 22:01.0. Talia Ruxin ’20 had a time of 22:30.3 which netted her sixtieth place. “We were very pleased with our performance at the NCAA Championships. Going into nationals we were ranked 22 out of 32 teams that qualified for NCAAs, but we ended up placing 15th,” said Phoebe Colvin-Oehmig ’21. “The team dynamic was incredible this year. We're excited to carry this energy into next season!” Overall, the Panthers had an exciting season filled with many impressive performances, especially by Cassie Kearney ’22, who recently earned All-American accolades for the second year in a row.  Clearly, the Panthers can’t wait to come out and compete again next season.  

New protest policy incorporates student and faculty input

[gallery columns="1" ids="47729,47728,47727"] President Laurie Patton announced the college’s new Policy on Open Expression in an all-school email on Nov. 21. The policy, she wrote, was changed in conjunction with an updated version of the policy on demonstration regulations. Together, the policies constitute the college’s rules about student protest. The newest version of both policies, which are part of the 2019–2020 Student Handbook in sections A.5 and C.4, make clearer distinctions between “disruptive action” and “substantially disruptive action.” The Policy on Open Expression also more explicitly acknowledges the educational value of protests, and states that the college “recognizes the historical importance of nonviolent public demonstration and protest.” These changes, among many others, were made following a two-and-a-half year process of reflection on the college’s protest policy after the protest against Charles Murray in 2017. Following that incident, the college convened a Committee on Speech and Inclusion, made up of students, faculty and staff, which made some general recommendations about hosting controversial speakers. The SGA also contributed suggestions in the form of a bill that May. The college has since seen two drafts of a new policy — the first which was shared on Nov. 15, 2018, and the second on May 19, 2019. The 2018 draft, which was crafted using feedback from two open meetings held that fall, defined “civil disobedience” as a punishable violation of college policy, among other additions. It was widely criticized for ambiguities in its language. The 2019 draft more closely reflected the finalized updated policy. That policy was created by a Policy Working Group of students, faculty and staff. According to Michael Sheridan, group member and professor of anthropology and African Studies, the group looked to other college’s policies for reference. “I was deeply concerned about the [2018] policy’s retributive impulses, which is why I was one of a handful of students who voiced concern and led a teach-in to engage students in the process of proposing a more holistic protest and demonstrations policy,” said Grace Vedock ’20, a member of the Policy Working Group and student activist. Members of that group told The Campus they are generally pleased with the new finalized policy, and feel it reflected their recommendations. “[We] worked for two years on this issue and developed two statements that have both been adopted,” said Amy Briggs, a group member and professor of computer science, referring to both the statement on Academic Freedom, Integrity and Respect that faculty crafted in spring 2018, as well as the May 2019 policy draft. The 2018 statement “now appears as a preamble to the institution-wide policies in the Handbook,” Briggs said. The new policy is “clearly built around the key components of the framework created by the policy committee and voted on by the faculty at the end of the spring semester,” said Renee Wells, a group member and the director of education for equity and inclusion. “I’m very happy that the new policy clarifies how our community should interact when faced with controversy,” Sheridan said. “We will be a stronger community, and this policy will, I hope, be the foundation for building more trust on our campus.” Sheridan highlighted what he sees as important aspects of the new policy, including the clarification that open expression affirms the aforementioned three pillars from the faculty statement, as well as the expansion to allow all members of the campus community to “engage in personal activity involving protest and demonstration to express one’s own ideas.” The 2018 draft said that members of the Senior Leadership Group could determine that some staff positions were “incompatible” with participation in certain manifestations of expression at the college; now, staff are also free to protest under policy guidelines without fear of getting fired, according to Sheridan. “This expansion of the pillars to include staff will, I hope, enhance respectful relationships in our community,” Sheridan said. Despite mostly positive feedback, Vedock emphasized the importance of continued actions to improve the campus environment around protest. “Though I am optimistic about this new policy, I remain concerned about a campus environment that is, in my opinion, hostile to student protest,” Vedock said, explaining that she and fellow Policy Working Group member Taite Shomo experienced hostility last spring as they were planning a protest of the planned talk of right-wing Polish politician Ryszard Legutko who was planned to speak on campus.  “I hope that this policy is quickly followed by concrete and continued action that affirms these rights,” Vedock said. According to Hannah Ross, the college’s general counsel and chief of staff, the administration intends the new policy to reflect the college’s “equal commitments to open expression and an inclusive community.” Ross reaffirmed the college’s “conviction that all community members can participate equally and all voices can be heard.” In an all-school email on Nov. 1, President Patton described the college’s struggles over questions of speech and inclusivity as “a work in progress.” In addition to updating its policies, the college has also been working to strengthen relationships and planning practices with local law enforcement partners, and has developed workshops for students on college protest policy, amongst other projects.

When it comes to open expression, keep the conversation open

A couple weeks ago, an email popped up in your Middlebury inbox from the Office of the President. In it, President Patton introduced the student handbook’s new Policy on Open Expression (section A.5) and revised Demonstration Regulations (section C.4). As Patton outlined in her email, these new documents replace the old Demonstrations and Protests policy and represent the culmination not only of a host of open meetings, but two policy drafts (one released November 18, 2018 and a second on May 19, 2019).   You might not have read the new policies. We don’t blame you (after clicking on the link, our own impulse was to retreat fairly quickly, cowed by multiple pages of sub-clauses and hyperlinks). Still, we think what’s there — FAQ, resource page and all — is worth your time. For one thing, we applaud the administration’s willingness to engage with criticism of previous drafts. A lot of students’ and faculty members’ feedback was acknowledged and included in the alterations. For instance, the new policy loosens restrictions prohibiting college staff from participating in protests, acknowledging that staff, too, have the right to open expression. On that note, we deeply appreciate the new policy’s acknowledgement of the value of protest and expression. Where the old C.4 policy briefly affirmed that members of the Middlebury community “should always be free to support causes by orderly means,” and then  turned immediately to the more legal and punitive stipulations of the protest policy, the new Policy on Open Expression devotes multiple paragraphs to the importance and legitimacy of peaceful protest and demonstration. It even recognizes that learning “occurs inside and outside the classroom, often involving public speech and action through which people affirm and enact their values” — allowing, in other words, that student activism and protest are not only important, but vital, educating tools for bringing about change on campus. Finally, we applaud the new policy for its thoroughness. Sure, there are too many documents and pages for most students to parse through en route to class, or in between lengthy political science readings. Still, we appreciate the edifying impulse behind the FAQ’s lengthy itemization of “non-substantially disruptive acts,” and the list of links on the “Resources on Speech and Inclusion” page. We also appreciate the policy’s clear detailing of consequences for violating policy; now, students can go online and determine the fairly specific repercussions of certain actions. A student who is “warned, asked to leave, refuses and/or must be escorted or arrested by law enforcement officers,” for instance, will “ordinarily” face “probationary status to letter of official college discipline, depending on the severity of the disruption.” To clarify: We don’t think the new policies are perfect. In fact, as student journalists, we’re sort of dying to give them an edit. Not only is the language difficult to decipher, but at times the policies read almost as though they were intentionally written to be vague or convoluted. We understand that college documents often adopt an elevated tone. But  as policies primarily geared at student activists (not to mention, published as part of the student handbook), shouldn’t they be written with a student audience in mind? Unnecessarily elevated or vague language only reinforces the confusion and disconnect between students and the administration which often surrounds Middlebury protests in the first place. To that end, we’d also scrap some of the more jargon-y additions — phrases like “robust public sphere” more closely resemble the stuff of admissions pamphlets than they do concise, clear protest policy. Most student readers are less interested in sweeping statements of purpose and more interested in concrete details about how to stand up for what they believe in without incurring major consequences. And then there’s the question of the policy itself. Taken together, the revised C.4 and new A.5 bring with them a couple of significant changes for Middlebury students activists. Now, student protesters are required not only to submit an “Event Scheduling Request,” but to sit down with the event management office and Public Safety to review any relevant policies or issues. While clauses like these don’t differ too much from the stuff of other colleges’ policies (Amherst, for instance, likewise makes students register with either college police, student activities or events), only time will tell how the new rules will play out in Middlebury’s own activist culture. In the event that these policies aren’t effective on Middlebury’s campus, we hope the administration remains responsive to feedback going forward. To that end, we encourage students not only to continue to voice their opinions on the policies in question, but to hold the college accountable to the promises and values included in them. The FAQ states, for instance, that Middlebury is committed to an “everyday ethic of inclusion” and seeks to “make Middlebury a place where everyone’s voice can be heard.” That’s great, but begs the question — how? Statements like those would benefit from the same kind of specificity that was used to distinguish “substantive” from “non-substantive” disruption, or that which was used to outline potential consequences. Just as a multitude of conversations went into the creation of the new policies, so too should many more conversations arise from them. In the wake of these new policies, Director of Public Safety Lisa Burchard is offering an inaugural J-Term workshop about “Activism on Campus.” Like the new policies, we think this workshop constitutes a step in the right direction. Again, we appreciate Public Safety’s willingness to engage with the subject. That said, the course description reads as slightly prescriptive; we’re not so sure Public Safety knows what constitutes “effective” protesting any better than we do. We hope the workshop looks more like a two-sided, mutually-instructive conversation, rather than a top-down lecture or course. We also hope that, if enough students show interest, Public Safety expands the course (or makes the information available elsewhere).  At the end of the day, students and administrators’ definitions of what constitutes “effective”— even acceptable — protesting will likely always differ. In the wake of the Murray and Legutko incidents, however, it’s especially important that the administration make their guidelines and policies as clear and accessible as possible. It’s equally important that students do their homework to understand the risks they’re taking and the consequences they’re incurring. It’s also worth noting that not all effective student protesting takes place within guidelines. The recent Harvard-Yale football game protest reaffirmed that there are causes, like climate change, whose importance outstrips any kind of administration-imposed consequence. Often, breaking rules or coming up with creative methods of protest represent powerful statements in themselves. Still, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the rules (not to mention, ensuring that those rules seem fair). That way, you can stand confidently behind whatever statement you’re making, and how.

Ask Tré

Dear Tré, As someone who has experienced trauma, I find that I put myself in unhealthy situations and relationships with people more often than I should. I have desires and like everyone else, a need for connection, but I am always putting myself in situations. How do I make sure I am putting myself first and how do I make sure that I am not hurting my mental health by doing something I believe I want, or fostering relationships I think I need? Sincerely, Anonymous Dear Reader,  This is a question that doesn’t really have a simple answer. Here is what I will do: I will share a story with you and hopefully it helps you come up with a solution for your problem.          As a gay black man, it was and still is very hard to figure out if I was ever going to find good love in my life. In a world where every part of my being is wrong, how could I ever be good enough for someone? When I first started dating, I found it to be extremely hard, especially in the gay community. It is a community where we are all supposed to be proud of who we are, yet we reduce each other to labels like “twink,” “otter” or “bear.” Don’t ask me what they mean, because I don’t even know.  Anyways, while I was starting to date, I did meet a guy. This guy was nice to me and made me feel good about myself. After a while, I eventually decided to become his boyfriend. Now, things were good in the beginning, but after a while I started losing parts of myself to him and this relationship. I found myself doing things for him that I would never do today, calling it a compromise because I was afraid that he would leave me. I wish I knew that he would have still left me, even if I didn’t do those things. When he left me, I was broken inside, wondering to myself how I let this happen. How did I lose him and what could I have done better? The reality is that I did all that I could and he still left me. Not because I was a bad boyfriend, or because our relationship was trash, but because he got bored with me. It took a really good friend of mine to help me see that I have to value myself before someone else can value me. I had to be ok with all the parts of myself and know that I bring value to any relationships I’ve had and will continue to have.          In terms of trauma, it is no secret that I am a sexual assault survivor. After being assaulted, I didn’t know what to do or how to feel anymore. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of being loved and that really put me in a dark place. I made some dangerous decisions and put myself in terrible situations. I didn’t want to be safe anymore and I was willing to take risks just to be able to feel something for myself and others. I wish I would have known that it takes time for traumatic wounds to heal, whether it be mental or physical. I wish I knew that I needed to work through my pain. Over time, it became clear that what I needed was to get to the root of the problem. I asked myself a very important question. Why am I sacrificing myself? More specifically, why can’t I be happy with the thought of being alone? The answer was hard for me to hear. It’s because I didn’t love who I was or who I became. I didn’t think I was worthy of the love and affection from another person and when I did get that I made choices that I never wanted to make again.  In loving myself and finding new ways to love myself, I have opened my world to new possibilities. While I am still trying to find a way where I can now love myself and let another person into my life, I also understand that sometimes those moments will have to wait. Loving yourself doesn’t mean just thinking positive thoughts. It’s about taking the time to make decisions for the betterment of your well-being. For lack of better words, it’s taking the time to get your sh*t together. It’s mustering up the courage to tell someone that you don’t have the time to spend with them. It’s doing whatever you have to do to make yourself feel whole and content without harming yourself in the process. I had to be strong for myself — and that is what I would tell you to do.          My advice to you, in terms of any kind of relationship, is to figure out what is it that you want for yourself. I get that you have needs and desires, but you have to ask yourself why you want those things so badly. What is the cost for you right now? Do you need this commitment right now? These are questions you should ask yourself. Take some time to do things for yourself and by yourself. Become OK with the idea of being alone. Learn what makes you special and what brings you joy. Find ways to make yourself happy before you can expect someone else to bring you happiness. Before we can make relationships with other people, we have to have healthy relationships with ourselves, or else we will fall back into that trap of losing ourselves to other people. Don’t be afraid to be a little greedy with your time. You have one life to live, and any decent person or someone who cares about you would let you take the time you need to get things together. If they can’t see things that way,those kinds of people are toxic and you can’t be around them. Be greedy, love yourself and be patient. It will all get better.   Love, Tre Stephens    Well that’s a wrap, folks! Ask Tre has been such a great way for me to connect with many people around the middlebury community. Thank you all for your support and reading my column. What started out as an idea between friends has grown and become something great. I hope Ask Tre can return next semester. Bye, for now— and good luck on everyones’ finals. Tre Stephens is a member of the class of 2021

Field hockey captures third consecutive national championship title

Snow fell on the turf throughout the morning, but the Middlebury field hockey team was not kept away as it captured its third consecutive national championship — its fourth in five years. This was the second-ranked Panthers' fifth NCAA Division III championship win, having previously captured the title in 1998, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The Panthers traveled to the final four for the 11th time in program history after receiving an automatic bid with a NESCAC championship win, securing victories against Babson (2–1) and Kean (4–1) in the regional round. Yesterday's national semifinal was played in Manheim, Pa., where Middlebury defeated the Salisbury Sea Gulls 1–0. Off an assist from Erin Nicholas '21, Katie George '23 fired the ball inside the right post with 6:27 left in the third quarter. The defensive squad was able to hold off Salisbury without a shot until 7:51 remaining in regulation. Middlebury took advantage on both shots (13) and penalty corners (six). The Panthers faced off against the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats, who advanced to the championship match for the first time since 1981 after scoring a 3–1 victory against Johns Hopkins. After a delayed start time due to snow earlier in the morning, the game remained scoreless for the first three quarters. With 6:17 left in regulation, Marissa Baker '20 put a low shot in against Franklin & Marshall goalie Christina Seery, off an assist from Isabel Chandler '21. The Diplomats tried to rebound in the last few minutes of the game, earning penalty corner ending in a blocked shot. 

FALL SPORTS WIND DOWN

Field hockey is headed to its 11th final four BY MIGUEL ESPINOSA Second-ranked field hockey triumphed in NCAA regionals after scoring wins against Babson College and Kean University in the first and second rounds, respectively.  The team will advance to the NCAA tournament’s Final Four where it will face off against third-ranked Salisbury on Saturday, Nov. 24 in Manheim, Pennsylvania. Should field hockey win the semifinal and championship matchups, the program will earn its third straight title. The blue and white’s 2–1 victory against Babson proved to be a close battle. While Babson tallied the first goal six minutes into the first period, the Panthers responded with two unanswered goals in the second, thanks to shots by Erin Nicholas ’21 and Julia Richards ’20. Richards was assisted by Marissa Baker ’20. For the rest of the game, the score remained unchanged.   The Panthers then dominated their following matchup against Kean with a convincing 4–1 victory. Katie George ’23, Meg Fearey ’22 and Baker all posted goals within the first ten minutes of the first period and Emma Johns ’20 extended the Panthers’ lead to 4-0 in the third. Kean, however, managed to strike back four minutes later, settling the score to 4–1.  On Nov. 24, the Panthers will journey into the Final Four with an incredibly talented roster and head coach. Midfielder Erin Nicholas captured her second-consecutive NESCAC Player of the Year Honors prior to the Babson game. Having also won Rookie of the Year for the 2017 season, Nicholas becomes the first NESCAC player to win Rookie of the Year and then back-to-back Player of the Year honors.  Nicholas also earned NESCAC first-team honors along with Baker, while Isabel Chandler ’21 and Katie George gained second-team honors. George was named conference Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Katherine DeLorenzo took NESCAC Coach of the Year.  XC logs solid performance at NCAA Regionals  BY JORDAN HOWELL The Panthers had the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 16. The women were able to capture fifth place while the men picked up sixth. The top finisher for the women was Talia Ruxin ’20. She was able to come in 22nd place with a time of 22:07.02. Not too far behind her was Meg Wilson ’20 who captured 25th place with a time of 22:16.22. Another top finisher was Cassie Kearney ’22 whose time of 22:19.60 netted her 27th place. Theo Henderson ’20 led the men with a fourth place time of 24:59.12. Next up was Henry Fleming ’20 in 25th place with a time of 25:34.06. Connor Montgomery secured 40th place with a time of 25:56.47.  Both the women and the men received bids to compete in the NCAA Championships and they will be racing on Saturday, Nov. 23. If the Panthers show up with the same energy and determination that they have demonstrated all season, they will be a tough pack to beat. Men’s soccer falls in penalty kicks BY MIGUEL ESPINOSA Men’s Soccer fell in its NCAA regional final matchup against 12th-ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) after three overtimes and a 5–3 penalty-kick thriller. Both sides played excellent defense during regulation, considering that neither the Panthers nor the Engineers scored during regulation. RPI, however, carried the upper-hand in shots, having attempted 16 compared to Middlebury’s nine.  Ben Potter ’20, Kiernan Bhave ’20 and Shams Mohajerani ’20 each connected with the back of the net for the first three rounds of penalty kicks, matching the Engineers 3–3. RPI’s Michael Harten gave then Engineers the advantage, 4–3, when his shot landed successfully. Liam Sloane’s ’22 subsequent kick was blocked and when RPI’s Paul Silva scored to set the penalty-kick tally to 5–3, the match was decided.  The elimination comes after the Panthers defeated Johnson and Wales University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 2–0.  Women’s soccer eliminated in NCAAs BY HEATHER BOEHM Women’s soccer had its season cut short this past weekend with a heartbreaking loss to Stevens in the round of 32. Middlebury advanced to this second round of play after shutting out the University of New England 2–0 at home on Saturday, Nov. 16.  The conditions were tough for the Vermonters on Saturday when they were forced to compete in single digit weather to kick off NCAA tournament play. With a scoreless game with 18 seconds to go in the first half, senior veterans Olivia Miller and Virginia Charman showed their experience when the duo found a way to get past the UNE defense. Miller picked up her eighth assist of the season as Charman awarded Middlebury its first goal. Despite creating numerous opportunities, it took Middlebury 30 minutes into the second half to bring their total to two. Eliza Robinson ’21 found the left goal post to solidify her team’s win. The hosts’ 10 shots on goal to the visitor’s zero shows the way in which Middlebury dominated the field.  Sunday’s contest was the true test. With Stevens’ 17–3–1 record and 14 game winning streak, the Panthers knew it was going to be a battle. In just the first few minutes, the Ducks got themselves on the board with an impressive shot by Gianna Nitti ’22 on a direct kick. The game held a score of 1–0 until well into the second half. Once again, Robinson showed up with a well-placed slap to the left post to tie the game. With about 15 minutes left on the clock, Middlebury suffered some bad luck. A shot from Stevens bounced off of a Panther defender and found its way into the goal. Middlebury seemed to dictate play with its 11 shots on goal compared to Stevens’ three, but just did not have the same luck. The Panthers say goodbye to six seniors, who contributed greatly to the team’s overall successful 2019 year. Among the seniors, Virginia Charman and Ursula Ulwang ’20 were recently selected as First-Team All-NESCAC Honorees.  Fortunately, the Panthers will return plenty of talent next year, when they return First-Team Selections Isabelle Hartnett ’21 and Gretchen McGrath ’21, and Second-Team Selectee Simone Ameer ’22. 

WINTER SPORTS ARE HERE

Strong seniors to lead indoor track  BY JORDAN HOWELL As the cold weather hits and J-Term approaches, so does the indoor track and field season. During the last indoor season, the men placed fifth in the Division III New England Championships while the women captured fourth. In the indoor NCAA Championships, the men tied for seventeenth place and the women tied for sixteenth place. There will be six captains for the Panthers this season, each of whom put together great performances last season. The men will be led by Nick Hendrix ’20, Nathan Hill ’20 and Jonathon Fisher ’20. The women will be led by Helene Rowland ’20, Alex Cook ’20 and Anna Willig ’20. Nathaniel Klein ’21 commented on the upcoming season. “We want as many athletes to qualify for Division three New England’s and potentially go to Nationals,” Klein says. “I’m excited to get on a consistent training schedule... We also have two first year throwers who are learning the weight throw so I’m excited to teach them a new event.” The first meet of the season will be the Middlebury Winter Classic on Saturday, Jan. 11. Hopefully a strong start to the season will lead the team to their goals. Women’s hoops opens season with a bang BY RAIN JI The 2019–20 Middlebury women’s basketball team kicked off the season with a 68–55 win over Keene State College. The team is led by head coach KJ Krasco, assistant coach Savannah Morgan, and senior captains Maya Davis  ’20 and Kira Waldman ’20.  “The main hope for this season is to build on our accomplishments and progress from years prior,” Waldman said. “Our goal is to compete hard in every game so that when we step off the court we feel proud of our energy, effort and enthusiasm.”  The team boasts a promising balance of young talent and experience, with five seniors who bring leadership skills, game experiences and strength in forward positions. Additionally, sophomores contribute different layers of offensive and defensive abilities, and first-years are especially capable in the guard position. They will allow fresh outside looks and innovative passes through the key. “Every member is crucial to our team’s success,” Waldman said. The team is excited for every upcoming game, and they will take all seriously, whether that be preseason or conference contests. The team will play 11 games at Pepin Gymnasium, with the first home game on Nov. 19.  Men’s squash downs Camels BY MAX PADILLA On Saturday, Nov. 16 the Middlebury Men’s Squash team played their 2019–2020 season opener against Hamilton and secured a victory over the Continentals by a score of 8–1. Historically the Panthers have taken on the Continentals and pulled away with a win, scoring 9–0 in the past two seasons that they’ve played them. The team seemed to really come together during their first match. Though, he wasn’t able to play Teddy Best ’22 was proud of his teammates. “We adapted well to Hamilton’s courts and cheered each other on to compete with a loud home crowd. Being away didn’t throw us off our game,” he said. He also noted that Hamilton really brought their A-game, showing up with “with good sportsmanship and athleticism.” Best ’22 is excited about what lies ahead for the Panthers, “We’re looking forward to training hard in the next couple of weeks for our next match in January.” The Panthers will continue their season on Jan. 5 against Williams. Men’s hoops starts strong at Middlebury tip-off BY MIGUEL ESPINOSA The Middlebury men’s basketball team enters the 2019–2020 season with a talented group that only said goodbye to two seniors last spring. This experience was visible on the court this past weekend at the Middlebury Tip-Off tournament, when the team beat both Bridgewater State and Wentworth at home on Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16. Over the past 12 years, the men have tallied 265 wins and 72 losses for a .786 winning percentage in addition to three appearances in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The team will shoot for its third NESCAC Championship in five seasons and to make a run in the NCAA Tournament after dropping a first-round game last year.  “A NESCAC championship is on all of our minds,” said Captain and first year all-NESCAC point guard Jack Farrell ’21. “Then, we want to compete at a high level in the national tournament and hopefully make a great run to the championship.”  Five-time NESCAC Coach of the Year Jeff Brown enters his 23rd season with Middlebury. He will commandeer an experienced group that was second in all of the D3 in defensive rebounds per game, fourth in total rebounds per game, and fourth in blocked shots per game.  The Panthers will be under the leadership of captains Farrell, Griffin Kornaker ’21 and Matt Folger ’20, who logged his 1,000th point as a Panther on Saturday. The supporting cast includes Max Bosco ’22,  who averaged 14.6 points and started nine games last year, and 6’9” Alex Sobel ’22, who will look to fill the big shoes of Eric McCord ’19.  The Panthers followed up Saturday’s win with a 92-82 victory over perennial New England hoops powerhouse Keene State on Tuesday, Nov. 19. They next face SUNY Canton on the road on Thursday, Nov. 21.  Alpine Skiing Preview BY CAPTAIN RUDOLPH Heading into the winter season, the Middlebury Men’s and Women’s alpine skiing teams are looking to perform at a high level. Excitement is brewing as they get ready to head to Colorado during Thanksgiving Break for some highly anticipated pre-season training.  The nearing season comes with high expectations. “I’m pretty optimistic about this season to be honest,” Michel Macedo ’22 said.  “I think we’ve got a lot of firepower coming out of the gates. We’ve got a couple guys skiing really fast and I’m excited to see what the freshmen can bring to the table.” Additionally, returning seniors include Pate Campbell ’20 and Katie Utter ’20, both of whom should provide valuable leadership experience. Campbell boasted impressive performances at the St. Lawrence and University of Vermont slaloms, gaining 46 and 33 points, respectively.  As for race locations, the skiers are pumped up to be skiing at mountains like Waterville Valley, the Cabin Lawn, and Middlebury’s very own Snowbowl. Of course, the racers at Winter Carnival look forward to getting major support as they ski in front of their home crowd. “There is definitely a high level of hype surrounding the Carnival,” Tatum Coutu ’23 said.  “My expectations are for the entire school to be there,” Emma Hall ’23 said. Women’s squash sweeps Hamilton BY MIGUEL ESPINOSA Fourteenth-ranked Women’s squash travelled to Clinton, New York and dominated conference foe, Hamilton College, for its first meet of the season on Saturday, Nov. 16. All nine Panthers won their matches.  At the first spot, Caroline Arena ’23 secured victory by giving up just one game against Hamilton’s Hope Worcester, with a performance of 8–11, 11–6, 11–3 and 11–7. Gwen Davis ’22, Natasha Lowitt ’20, Anne Glassie ‘20, Mira Chugh ’20, Maya McDonough ’23, Kiernan Suntha ’23 and Summer Hornbostel ’22 all won their matches without losing a game. Grace Santoro ’23 triumphed in her match against Madison Sakheim, with a line of 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.  The team looks to build upon the momentum from last year’s season in which it posted a 13–6 record. Although the Panthers lost two of its top three players to graduation, the team will be led by the senior trio of Glassie, Chugh and Lowitt. As demonstrated by its convincing play against Hamilton, Women’s squash is appears to be on track to replicate last year’s successes.  Winter tip-off: Men’s hockey splits weekend BY BLAISE SIEFER The Middlebury men’s hockey team, coached by Neil Sinclair (Middlebury ’93), enters the 2019–20 campaign full of optimism. Returning five of their top seven point scorers from last season, the team brings back much of its offensive firepower and hopes to build off of last season’s 8–13–4 overall record.  “The team is feeling confident coming into the season,” captain Brett Dinneen ’20 said. “We return an experienced, battle-tested group and see a lot of potential from our first-years to help us win some games.” The Panthers welcome seven first-years to the team this year, including a goalkeeper, three defenders and three forwards. “The first-years have made a great mark on this team in their short amount of time on campus,” Dineen said. “They have not settled to just be the younger members of the team but have led by example and are making a big impact immediately.”  Men’s hockey opened up their season with a double-header this past weekend, competing on both Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Nov. 15 the team narrowly lost to Bowdoin 6–4. Goals came from Emack Bently ’22, Mitchell Allen ’20, sophomore Zach Shapiro ’22 and Brendan Dawson ’20. Despite falling in their season opener, Dineen finds a positive in Middlebury’s late push.  “Friday night wasn’t the result we hoped and there are definitely areas to improve, but it was encouraging to see us make a strong push late,” he said. “We also were able to generate a lot of offense in that game, but it is important for us to not have it come at the expense of defense.” On Saturday, Nov. 16 Middlebury earned their first win of the season, besting Colby 3–0. Allen found himself on the scoresheet for the second game running, while Owen Powers ’20 and Conor Breen ’22 netted their first goals of the season.  “Our second game was an awesome all around team win,” Dineen said. “It was really encouraging to see how the team responded from the previous night and we hope to carry this momentum into next weekend.”  The Panthers get back to work on Friday, Nov. 22, facing off against Tufts in Malden, MA. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.  “Friday night wasn’t the result we hoped and there are definitely areas to improve, but it was encouraging to see us make a strong push late,” he said. “We also were able to generate a lot of offense in that game, but it is important for us to not have it come at the expense of defense.”  On Saturday, Middlebury earned their first win of the season, besting Colby, 3–0. Mitchell Allen found himself on the scoresheet for the second game running, while Owen Powers and Conor Breen netted their first goals of the season.  “Our second game was an awesome all around team win,” Dineen. “It was really encouraging to see how the team responded from the previous night and we hope to carry this momentum into next weekend.” The Panthers are back in action on Friday, Nov. 22, facing off against Tufts in Malden, MA. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.  Swimming & diving faces Conn College in return to natatorium  BY JACK KAGAN The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have returned to the Middlebury Natatorium this past weekend as the men edged out Connecticut College by a margin of four points while the women suffered a tough loss. This is just the start of a season that will see both squads host the Middlebury Invitational on Jan. 31–Feb. 1., while the women will host NESCAC Championships on Feb. 13–16.  The men have seven seniors who will be competing in their final season this winter. The squad is coming off several years toward the back end of the NESCAC rankings, and will look to turn things around this year under the leadership of co-captains Jacob Fleisher ’20 and Charles Quinn ’20.  On the womens’ side, seven seniors will look to make their final impact. With identical results to the men’s team, the women finished eighth in the conference last season and sent no representatives to NCAA’s. However, the women do have experienced leaders like co-captain Frances VanderMeer ’20, who has contributed to four school records in her time on campus, including the 50 Freestyle and multiple different relay teams, in addition to her postseason experience.  Both squads will get back into action at 1 p.m. against Springfield College at home. 

Changes to Vermont’s higher education landscape on the horizon as Marlboro announces merger

This past year has brought significant changes to the higher education landscape in Vermont, as Green Mountain College, College of St. Joseph and Southern Vermont College closed due to declining enrollment and financial issues. One more college has just announced changes to its operations — Marlboro College plans on giving its endowment and real estate assets to Emerson College in Boston. This merger has been in the works since early 2019, according to a statement from Marlboro College. “The Board’s willingness to address all of these challenges now has meant that Marlboro, unlike our neighbors, has the resources to forge a partnership that ensures the continuation of our mission,” wrote Marlboro College President Kevin Quigley. Earlier in the fall, Marlboro  investigated the possibility of merging with the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, but the deal fell through. In a campus memo, Laura Skandera Trombley, Bridgeport’s president, said that Marlboro’s “challenges are too great for us to proceed,” according to Inside Higher Ed. The acquisition would mean that Marlboro’s 146 students would be admitted to Emerson, and its 24 tenured or tenure-track faculty members would be invited to teach at the school in Boston, which has 3,800 undergraduates and 633 graduate students. “The Institute [for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies] will be renamed for Marlboro and will welcome existing Marlboro students and tenure-line and tenured Marlboro faculty who wish to continue their work at Emerson,” Quigley wrote to the Berkley Beacon, the student newspaper at Emerson. In addition, Marlboro’s endowment and real estate holdings will be given to Emerson, valued at $30 million and $10 million respectively. For a school of its size, the endowment is considered to be healthy and the college will close virtually debt-free at the end of the 2019–2020 academic year. “It is not a closure,” Quigley said in an interview with VTDigger earlier in the month, immediately following the announcement. “It is a transition of the Marlboro program to Emerson College.” The transition of Marlboro College will leave an impact on the surrounding area, particularly on staff, due to its location in a town of around 1,000 in southern Vermont.  “Marlboro is a rural community,” Tim Patterson told The Campus. Patterson formerly served as the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Sterling College, an institution with 125 students in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. “There are not a lot of jobs. It will be very challenging to find comparable employment unless some other organization comes in to fill this void.” The fate of the Marlboro Music Festival, a retreat and concert series held every year on campus, remains unknown. Last year, administrators at the college signed a 99-year lease with the festival. “It does leave staff and others — students and faculty who aren’t in a position to move to Boston — out in the cold,” Patterson said. “I hope that something will grow in the town of Marlboro.” Patterson speculated that students close to graduating would be willing to transfer to Boston, but those starting their college careers at Marlboro would be more reluctant to do so. “To go from a very rural hilltop campus in Vermont to Boston Common is a big cultural shift,” he said. Anson Tebbetts, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, graduated from Emerson in 1987 and pointed to the college’s location in the heart of Boston Common, close to the financial and theater districts. “My experience with Emerson is it’s one of the friendliest places on earth,” he said. “They’re always creative and always adapting to what they need to adapt.” Emerson’s academic offerings include strong journalism and creative writing programs, which led Tebbetts to a career in media and his role as the news director for WCAX in Burlington. While this acquisition seems well on its way, some point to a potential turnaround of its closure by the Marlboro community, such as in the case of Hampshire College in Massachusetts with a fundraising campaign spearheaded by school leaders and alumni. Will Wootton, former president of Sterling and a 1972 graduate of Marlboro, encouraged the Marlboro community to consider revitalizing the school in a Brattleboro Reformer op-ed. “Of even greater importance, big current donors, and the families of those who have made restricted gifts to Marlboro’s endowment, to its scholarships, its buildings, libraries, and labs must willing to step up and say, ‘No, that’s not what this gift was intended for. It was for Marlboro College,’” he wrote. “There is the possibility that Marlboro alumni and groups who care about the school might rally and go through a process of establishing control of governance and changing course, but the more time passes, the less likely that becomes,” Patterson said. The merger of Marlboro and Emerson is only one of a few higher education changes in Vermont in the past few weeks, with Southern Vermont College in Bennington signing a $4.9 million purchase agreement with New Hampshire-based Oliverian School. According to its website, Oliverian is a “hybrid school that combines the best of traditional, alternative, and therapeutic education.” Enrolling 50 students in grades 9–12, the school hopes to use the 371 acres that formerly comprised Southern Vermont College to expand its middle school offerings and add a college transition program. “We are thrilled by this opportunity to continue the legacy of education and community that SVC brought to this remarkable campus,” Oliverian’s CEO Will Laughlin said to the Bennington Banner. “We feel that our students and faculty would thrive here.” Before the sale is complete, there is a three-month due diligence period to investigate the feasibility of the school moving to Bennington. For Vermont’s 18 colleges and universities, a decline in high school graduates and a rise in tuition rates have led to hardships, as some small schools have struggled to survive. “There is a real need for colleges to move swiftly to ensure their programs are relevant and attractive in today’s higher education marketplace,” Patterson said. “Just sheltering in place isn’t a viable strategy.” Colleges continue to attract students with affordability. Last week, University of Vermont (UVM) President Suresh Garimella announced a tuition freeze for the 2020–21 school year, the first move of its kind in 40 years. Tuition costs are currently $41,280 for out-of-state students and $16,392 for in-state students and will remain the same next year. “Our most sacred obligation is to ensure the success of our students and that starts with access and affordability,” Garimella said, as reported in the Vermont Cynic, UVM’s student newspaper. “The struggle is the population decline, and we’re trying to attract young people to come to school here and stay here,” Tebbetts said. “Vermonters can get a wonderful education in-state.” In the near future, Patterson sees more innovative programming in Vermont’s higher education landscape. “I think we’ll see colleges partnering more with dual-enrollment programming in high schools, as well as other ways of building pathways between secondary and post-secondary education and between two- and four-year colleges,” he said. The Campus will be publishing more on the aftermath of these recent college closures and changes to higher education landscape in future editions.

Students protest human rights abuses in Palestine at lecture by former Israeli diplomat

Roughly 25 students participated in a peaceful protest on Thurs., Nov. 14, during a lecture by Ishmael Khaldi, Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat and a former soldier in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Khaldi spoke at the Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs about his experience facilitating conversations between Bedouins and Jews in Israel. The event was co-sponsored by the Modern Hebrew Department, the Middle Eastern Studies Department and the Israel Institute, a D.C.-based non-advocacy organization that “enhances knowledge about modern Israel through the expansion of accessible, innovative learning opportunities, on and beyond campus,” according to its website.  Tamar Mayer, who invited Khaldi in her capacity as the director of the Modern Hebrew Department, felt he had a valuable perspective about the minority experience in Israel. “Inviting an Israeli Bedouin Palestinian to tell his story and to provide an analysis of what it means to be a minority in Israel would be of interest to our community, especially since such perspective has not yet been heard in Middlebury,” she said.  Khaldi has experience speaking about this topic — he started a project called Hike and Learn with Bedouins in the Galilee to start conversations between Bedouins and Jews, and he is the author of “A Shepherd’s Journey: the story of Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat.”  However, protest organizers wanted to use Khaldi’s lecture as a platform to bring attention to human rights violations in Palestine. Organizers felt that, as a former diplomat, Khaldi represented the Israeli government and spread misinformation about Palestine on its behalf.  “Khaldi fails to acknowledge the severe human rights violations of the Palestinian people at the hands of Israel,” said Kamli Faour ’21, one of the organizers. “Most recently, his retweets have demonized the Palestinians who are imprisoned within the Gaza Strip without basic human necessities, instead, glorifying the IDF which has brutalized the Palestinian people for decades.” Another organizer, who asked to remain anonymous due to extenuating family circumstances, said they believed that the timing of the invitation of Khaldi was insensitive. Khaldi has served in the IDF, which has engaged in heightened conflict in Gaza recently, including attacks that killed 34 Palestinians in Gaza last week.  Before the protest started, students gathered in the basement of Forest Hall to prepare. Organizers Faour, Emily Romero Rodriguez ’20 and the anonymous student organizer first briefly discussed the purpose of the protest and shared with the group what they considered problematic about Khaldi. They distributed black and white posters that read “End the Occupation,” “Apartheid is illegal,” “Stop bombing Gaza” and “Free Palestine.”  Participants were encouraged to take posters that resonated with them. The majority of protestors taped on their backs and under their jackets images of Handala, a figure created by Palestinian political cartoonist Naji Al-Ali as a symbol of Palestinian resistance.  As posters and images of Handala were being distributed, the leaders also shared the college’s protest policy with the group. They told participants that SGA President Varsha Vijayakumar ’20 had given them guidelines to ensure the protest did not violate policy. They repeatedly stated that it would be a silent protest, to best follow the policy that prohibits “noise or action that disrupts the ability of the audience to hear” an event in section C. 4.(2). The organizers also said the group consciously chose the modality of the silent protest to symbolize the voicelessness of the Palestinian people. Participants left Forest Hall and split up at Franklin Environmental Center before proceeding to Rohatyn Center in separate groups and entering the lecture hall. After the welcome address at the lecture had concluded, three protestors stood up with a Palestinian flag, while other participants subsequently stood with different signs. Organizers hoped the diversity of the group would show that it was not only Palestinian students demonstrating. After about a minute, the group followed Faour’s signal to leave the space and gathered outside the center. After the protestors left, about 25 people remained for the lecture. Khaldi did not engage with the protestors, and he kept talking during and after their demonstration. When asked what she thought of the protest, Mayer said that “Khaldi’s critique of Israeli policies regarding land appropriation, unequal rights, etc. was informative and important and I am saddened that those who demonstrated did not stay to listen.” Dan Golstein, a junior and exchange student from the United Kingdom, shared a similar sentiment. “I have seen walkouts happen before in this context,” he said. “They’re completely antithetical to progress. People are less informed because they haven’t listened to the other side, which is the fundamental element to finding a solution. This speaker was someone who represents a significant Arab minority in Israel, and so has valuable insight to share on the potential for cooperation.”  Despite critiques, the protestors deemed the protest successful.  “A number of us have felt anxious about voicing our pro-Palestinian voices on this campus for some time,” Faour said.“The reality is that we receive a lot of resistance from those who do not recognize that Palestine has been brutally occupied for 70 years. It is time for us to reclaim our space.”  She added, “Seeing so many students standing with Palestine was remarkable and beautiful. It is was time that we, students on Middlebury’s campus, publicly acknowledge and resist the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and recognize it for the violent violation of Palestinian human rights and dignity that it is.”  Marisa Edmondson ’20, who participated in the protest, has visited Ramallah, Palestine before, which she said has helped her understand the weight of the issue.  “You can not turn a blind eye to injustices because then you’re being complicit,” she said. This is not the first time that Khaldi has faced various kinds of resistance on college campuses in the United States. In 2011, at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, a group of approximately 60 students also staged a silent walkout. In the same year, during Khaldi’s visit to Kent State University, former Associate Professor of History Julio Pino shouted “death to Israel!” at Khaldi’s lecture.  Khaldi has also spoken at Amherst College and Tufts University, in public and private settings, respectively, without incident. After the walkout, Romero Rordriguez expressed a desire to stage a successful protest at Middlebury to show that protest can be a positive contribution to public discourse.  “A successfully-executed peaceful demonstration could make protest a less taboo topic at Middlebury,” she said.  Romero Rodriguez also spoke about wanting to be an ally in support of Palestinian rights. “I came to Middlebury to become a more global citizen, to understand the nuances of things and to be able to connect with people from different backgrounds,” she said.  The anonymous organizer felt the protest was a positive example of solidarity across different groups for a common cause. “What’s so beautiful about this protest is that those who identify [as] Americans, Arabs, Jews, Christians and Muslims all came together,” they said. “The Israeli-Palestine conflict has always been modeled as ‘Muslims vs. Jews’ or ‘Arabs vs. Israelis,’ but regardless of our different backgrounds, we all stood with human rights.” Correction: A former version of this article reported that the Jewish Studies Department also co-sponsored the talk. This information was incorrect, and has since been amended.

Column: The economic case for going vegan

Veganism — perhaps the biggest thing in 2019 after the movement to storm Area 51 and the Keanu Reeves Renaissance. Fast food chains are producing vegan burgers with meat-free patties, and a recent Economist article showed that sales of vegan food “rose ten times faster than food sales as a whole.” Today, about 3% of the U.S. population identify as vegan, and this number is growing, especially among Millennials and Gen Z’s, according to a Gallup poll in 2018. Does this mean that all of us should go vegan? We can turn to economics for an answer. In deciding whether to eat vegan, we should first consider whether it is what we want. As consumers, we make decisions to buy based on our individual preferences. Choosing to switch our diets depends on our preferences defined by a number of factors: our taste for vegan food, the extent of our value for our health and the environment, etc. The utility — or pleasure — we get from leading a vegan life will determine whether we ultimately decide to lead this lifestyle.  Of course, this assumes that we are perfectly aware of our preferences, which is not always the case. Martin Abel,Professor of Economics said: “People may not have tried vegan food, or have misconceptions. [This is] the ‘status quo bias’ - a tendency to stick with the familiar.” Preferences can also fluctuate depending on tastes and opinions, and perhaps more subtly, exogenous factors, such as advertising, the media, norms and exposure. We know our preferences; still, whatever our preferences are, we are limited by scarcity. Thus, our decision to become vegan also depends on whether it is possible for us. Typically, economists identify cost as a constraint. According to a study by Diana Cassady, Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis, low-income Americans would have to spend 43% to 70% of their food budget on fruits and vegetables. A large part of this is because the locations where many low-income Americans shop are convenience stores rather than supermarkets and grocery stores. Not only do convenience stores tend not to provide fresh produce, constraining access, but those that do tend to charge more. [pullquote speaker="Jackson Evans '22" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]I didn’t like the taste of meat and that killing animals wasn’t really something I wanted to support[/pullquote] At the same time, a large reason why stores can afford to overcharge or simply not supply vegan options is due to the lack of demand for these products. Economic theory suggests, however, that if more people begin demanding vegan food, the price of these products will increase. However, producers — farmers, restaurants and stores — will see this as an opportunity to profit and enter the market. As a result, the supply of vegan food would increase, offsetting the price and making vegan options more affordable. This also addresses the unemployment argument, where veganism will lead to a huge surge of unemployment in the meat industry; while this is true, it is also important to understand the jobs that may open up in place. Then, the question becomes whether we should go vegan. Jackson Evans ’22 states that animal treatment was a large motivator his decision to go vegan four years ago. “I didn’t like the taste of meat and that killing animals wasn’t really something I wanted to support,” Evans said. In economics, these moral and environmental costs are referred to as externalities.  Recent research from the University of Oxford has shown that veganism is “the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth.” Using a “vegan calculator” to figure out the marginal effect of going vegan, one year of veganism could save 7,436 pounds of CO2 from being released, and 401,766 gallons of water. There is also the humanitarian factor, which Evans cited earlier to be industrial farming. Industrial farming reflects the inhumane conditions of the farms, including overcrowding, abuse of antibiotics for stress and illness and breeding for fast growth or high yield of meat. Technology has made farming all-too-efficient, which can be illustrated through a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, citing total commercial red meat production in September 2019 alone at 4.44 billion pounds. While animal welfare is not included in the traditional economic welfare framework, there should be lots of thought given to how living beings are treated, and how this could reflect our own wellbeing and welfare.  So should we go vegan? It really depends on our preferences, constraints and how we will affect those around us if we don’t. Then, how about Midd’s dining halls? We’ve already seen Meatless Mondays take over Proctor and Ross, and word is going around that Atwater will be increasing vegan food production in J-Term (see News, Page 2). First, let’s start thinking about the preferences of the dining halls. Dining Services’ preferences are likely most focused on foot traffic. Granted, a dining hall that is all vegan would likely lose a significant number of student diners; however, if the kitchen were able to build a menu that appeals to students regardless of being vegan, this could alleviate the loss of non-vegans. Next, we turn to constraint. Finally, we can look at how becoming vegan will affect others. Environmentally, it will have a significant impact, saving hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and pounds of CO2 gas. By going vegan, the dining halls could change the dining habits of Middlebury students. Remember the status quo bias from before? Abel suggests that this change could transform students’ preferences: “[People can] discover their preferences… by being forced to experiment and try and develop new habits.” As a result, more students could decide to go vegan. Evans described this to be the case when he first got to Middlebury: “[H]ere when all the options are there, it’s simple and is congruous with my thoughts on not hurting animals, and attempting to mitigate our climate disaster.

Sports recaps: Nov. 14

UNDEFEATED FOOTBALL MAKES HISTORY, WINS ‘CAC CROWN BY LAUREN BOYD The Middlebury football team made history this past weekend, becoming the first NESCAC team to go 9-0 during conference play. With this historic achievement, the Panthers also secured a solo NESCAC title after defeating Tufts 31-24 on Saturday, Nov. 9. The Panthers started off their final game of the season with a 7-0 lead, as QB Will Jernigan ’21 drove the ball into the end-zone. Their lead didn’t last long, as Tufts was able to respond quickly, tying up the game by the end of the first quarter. Maxim Bochman ’20 and Jernigan led Middlebury down the field on the next drive, culminating in a touchdown pass between the two Panthers. Up 14-7 for some time, the Panthers capitalized on two interceptions (Finn Muldoon ’23 and Kevin Hartley ’20) with a Carter Massengill ’20 field goal. Going into the half, Middlebury topped the Jumbos 17-7. Returning from halftime, the Panthers were calm and collected, which propelled them throughout the rest of the game. Jernigan and Bochman put the next touchdown on the board, with another touchdown pass for the score. The Jumbos answered with a touchdown of their own, but couldn’t defend a response from the Panthers. Middlebury upped the score to 31–14 with a touchdown run from RB Alex Maldjian ’23. Although Tufts was able to score another 10 points, the contest ended with a Panther win and NESCAC title. Family, friends, alumni and fans made the trek to Tufts to watch the historic event, as the Panthers acquired their fourth overall NESCAC title and first solo title since 2007. FIELD HOCKEY WINS THIRD STRAIGHT NESCAC TITLE BY MIGUEL ESPINOSA Field hockey snatched the NESCAC title in an overtime thriller against Tufts on Sunday, Nov. 10. The victory marked the Panthers’ third-straight conference championship and illustrated Coach DeLorenzo’s hugely successful run in the past several years. Since the 2017 season, field hockey has accumulated a 58–4 record and earned two national championships. The team seeks to pick up its third-straight national championship once it embarks upon the NCAA tournament. The Panthers’ first matchup will be against the winner of Babson/St. Joseph’s (Maine) on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 11:00 a.m. and will be played at Kohn Field. Last Sunday’s close battle saw no team scoring in the first quarter. The Panthers eventually struck first one minute into the second quarter, thanks to a goal by Emma Johns ’20 and an assist by Erin Nicholas ’21. Momentum quickly swung in Tufts’ favor, however, once they tallied two unanswered goals in the second and third quarters. Middlebury then managed to tie the game with eight minutes left in regulation with a goal by Katie George ’23. The match headed to overtime and captain Marissa Baker ’20 buried a rebound shot into the opposing net with four seconds left in overtime.  Ali Denby ’20 was awarded NESCAC Player of the Week for her grit on defense.  “We played with a lot of heart and energy [on Sunday],” Nicholas said, when asked about what contributed to their championship victory. “Everyone was determined to win and this was demonstrated both on the field and on the sidelines.” More work, however, still lies ahead for the Panthers.  “To prepare for regionals we want to build off of the momentum from the Tufts game,” Nicholas said. “We learned a lot about our strengths and weaknesses as a team and we want to use these lessons to help guide our practices in the following weeks.” Men's soccer edged in NESCAC championship, will enter NCAA tournament BY ERIK ARDVIDSSON Heading into the postseason with just two regular season losses, the men’s soccer team believed that they’d be difficult to eliminate. Their play backed up their confidence; in the NESCAC semifinals, they took down Amherst, the first-ranked team in the country. The following day, Middlebury faced defending national champion Tufts for a shot at the NESCAC title. Tufts would score a heartbreaking last minute goal to prevail over the Panthers, 2-1. Despite the disappointing loss, the Panthers learned that their season would be extended when they received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. On Saturday, Nov. 16, the Panthers will travel to Troy, N.Y. to face Johnson and Wales University. After two years of first-round exists, the boys are ready for vengeance.  “I think the key for the game this weekend is to take advantage of opportunities when we are wide open in front of the net,” Jake Labranche ’21 said. “To do that, we just need to shoot the ball, and hope it goes in the goal.” Volleyball fights in NESCAC play, finishes in semi finals BY HEATHER BOEHM The Panthers gave it their all this weekend during post-season play. On Friday, Nov. 8, the women overcame Amherst in a thrilling five-setter before ultimately falling the next day to Tufts to end their run. After losing in straight sets last time around to Amherst, the Middlebury women knew they had to come in and make a statement- and that is what they did. The Panthers started the match off on their terms, denying a chance to be shoved around by Amherst with a 25-17 first set. The Mammoths found a way to rebound in the second and knotted the game at one set a piece. The following two sets mirrored the first two, and the teams would fight for a chance to keep their season alive in a fifth-set tiebreaker. The score was neck and neck until Laney Sullivan ’23 capitalized on a Mammoth error and brought her team to the NESCAC semifinals with a 16-14 finish. The Panthers were ready to give the top team in the conference a run for its money after coming off of a big win the day before. Tufts’ early runs defined the rest of the match, with a little help from a home court advantage. The Panthers had a hard time narrowing the large margins and finding their stride. After a tough two sets, Middlebury found its groove a little too late in the third set. Midd was able to get on top briefly with a 10-9 lead, but ultimately fell 25-20 in the final period. Although the women have a bottom-heavy line up, it will be tough to see some seniors go. Gigi Alper ’20 may be hanging her jersey up for good, but in her four years she made a name for herself in Middlebury volleyball history. The senior captain rounded out her last hurrah by ending up with the third most digs in program history.  Chellsa Ferdinand ’20, an opinion editor for the Campus, will leave her final season tallying 146 kills, 1867 Assists, and 608 digs and Beth Neal ’20 will bow out with 110 digs to her name. The Panthers close out the 2019 season with a 15-10 record, going 6-4 in the NESCAC. They will look to the off-season to train for next year’s revenge with a young and hungry team. Women's soccer falls in NESCAC title match, earns NCAA bid BY HEATHER BOEHM This past weekend, the reigning NESCAC champion Panthers were looking to preserve their title. While the women moved past archrival Williams to reach the finals, they fell just short of their goal when fourth-ranked Amherst found its way to the back of the net for a 1-0 victory.   The heated rivalry between the Panthers and the Ephs is not new, but tensions were high this season after last year’s battles. Middlebury had previously tied Williams in regular season play and, with a chip on their shoulder, went back to the drawing board in preparation for another fight on Saturday, Nov. 9. There were opportunities on both sides early on. Finally, Olivia Miller ’20 set Gretchen McGrath ’21 up with a perfectly placed ball that she was able to slap past the Eph goalie. Throughout the rest of the first half Williams threatened the Middlebury defense, but nothing was able to sneak past Eva Shaw ’20.5. The Panthers remained offensive in the second period. Izzy Hartnett ’21 doubled her team’s tally with a remarkable header off a corner kick from Eliza Robinson ’21. The 2-0 score would hold until the last whistle, and the women would get another chance to pick up a conference title. The Panthers knew they would have to bring their best on Sunday, Nov. 10 as Amherst had been the only team to topple Middlebury in the regular season. The women did an impressive job denying Mammoth threats early on. But the Amherst offense did not let up and continued to apply intense pressure waiting for their chance to pounce. While the score was tied until the 53rd minute, there was a large disparity between the shots on goal per contender. Amherst rounded out the match with six shots on goal compared to Middlebury’s one from Ellie Greenberg ’20. The Amherst goal during the 53rd would be the only one scored throughout the contest and give the team its fifth conference title in program history. Due to the Panthers’ strong all-around play, Middlebury still received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, and will host the University of New England on Saturday, Nov. 16. 

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Committee proposes switch to credit hour system

The Educational Affairs Committee is proposing that the college switch to a credit hour system, allowing for students to receive more than one credit for more time-consuming classes. Questions still remain, however, as to how the college would transition to the new system. The earliest that faculty would vote on the motion is at their December meeting, and the earliest potential year of implementation is 2021. Discussions about this potential switch stemmed from concerns that the college’s current system is unfair to students who take a high number of time-intensive classes, including students who might have to balance these classes with work-study jobs. Some classes at Middlebury meet for as little as two-and-a-half hours per week, while courses with labs or discussions require many more hours in a student’s schedule. Yet courses are uniformly valued at one credit each. This is because Middlebury uses the credit unit system to measure progress toward an undergraduate degree, within which all classes are valued at one credit on a student’s transcript. The alternative would be the credit hour system, in which universities designate credits based on the number of weekly hours a student spends in any given class. Under this system, a student with more hours of class a week would accumulate more credits for their time. While some students expressed uncertainty about the exact benefits and drawbacks of different credit allocation systems, many feel the current policy is imbalanced. “Last year, I took around 20 hours of class per week, and this semester, I’m only taking around 12,” Sabrina Templeton ’22 said. “It is a little bit unfair that I’m getting the same amount of credit for such different amounts of class time.” Students who opt to take classes with time-consuming labs, screenings, and discussion sections may have difficulty studying abroad, and may not be able to take certain classes outside of their majors. “I feel like it makes it harder for science students to study abroad and reduces some opportunity to try other subjects,” Ming Harris-Weidner ’22, an Environmental Chemistry major, said. “However, I don’t really have much of an opinion on it because I’ll be happy as long as I graduate.” The college does provide a way to transfer credit units to credit hours for students who need to provide that information to a potential employer, or if they transfer to another school. The college’s website states that one Middlebury credit can be considered equivalent to 3.3 credit hours, while a class involving separate labs can be valued at 4.0 credit hours. “The 3.3 credits comes from comparing the minimum credits required for a Middlebury degree, which is 36, and the minimum credits required for a bachelor’s degree in a semester hour credit system, which is 120,” Registrar Jennifer Thompson said. “It is up to each institution to decide how they will normalize our credit into their system.”  While the credit unit system is not particularly common, many other NESCAC institutions also use it. However, not every college uses the same conversion metric — at Bowdoin College, each class translates to 4.0 credit hours, and Williams College considers each course to be 3.75 credit hours. If faculty do vote to change Middlebury’s credit system, the college would not be the first NESCAC institution to adopt a credit hour system.  Tufts University implemented a credit-hour system in 2018, assigning semester-hour units to each course. The number of units varies, depending on instruction time, demand of lab requirements and rigor of outside work. On their website, Tufts cites straightforward transfer of credit to other institutions and transcript standardization as the primary reasons for the change. Additionally, the university states that students can better anticipate a course’s difficulty, seeing as credit hours are assigned according to how many hours the course will take up in a week.