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Dancing in the Rain, Field Hockey Crushes Colby 5-2

After a decisive victory on Saturday, the field hockey team advances to the NESCAC semifinals, where they take on fifth-ranked Trinity at home.  Middlebury got off to a great start against Colby, scoring three goals in the first half. Less than four minutes into the game, senior Grace Jennings intercepted a pass and charged up the field, blowing by her opponents before finding the back of the net to make the score 1-0. The Mules retaliated shortly after to tie it up, but Meg Fearey ’21 buried a pass from teammate Erin Nicholas ’21 on a penalty corner to regain the lead. About ten minutes later, Marissa Baker ’20 marked her seventh goal of the season to put the score at 3-1 going into halftime.  Colby struck first in the second half, cutting Middlebury’s lead to one goal, but the teams were called off the field immediately afterward due to a weather delay.  “During the rain delay, we talked over the game like we would at halftime,” said Baker. “But the radar wasn’t looking good and we knew were going to have a lot of time to kill, so for an hour and a half we blasted the speakers and had a dance party. On our team, dancing is our way of staying loose and amped.”  Down the hallway, Colby’s speakers died, which led the team to ask the Bowdoin women’s soccer team to join their dance party. The resulting locker-room dance battle made it onto the NESCAC barstool Instagram and now has almost 10,000 views. “I think that’s a really special moment,” continued Baker. “What more can you ask for out of sports?” Back out on the field, still 35 degrees and raining, Erin Nicholas ’21 marked her 12th goal of the season and Jennings scored for the second time in the match to stretch Middlebury’s lead to 5-2. Meg Collins ’19.5 finished with three saves, while Middlebury dominated shots 19-7 and corners 10-3.  “We were very excited for the start of postseason and the opportunity to play Colby again,” Nicholas said. “Earlier in the season, we played on their home field, a slower field turf, so it was nice to get the chance to play them on our faster AstroTurf. Everyone stepped up and was focused on our team strategy in order to help secure the win.” Playoffs bring an added level of excitement to the field, when every game could mean elimination. But the approach remains the same. “We knew that on any given day, any team in the NESCAC can win, so we focused on playing our game and maintaining our structure and intensity throughout,” Nicholas said. If all goes well on Saturday, the Panthers will compete for the NESCAC Championship on their home field on Sunday. In preparation, the team will continue to develop its game in order to be ready for anything. “Our goal is to improve our own game so that we can execute and perform no matter which team we face out on the field,” said Assistant Coach Lauren Schweppe.  Come out to support the defending national champions on Saturday at 11 a.m.!

The Center Will Hold: Madeleine Kunin Reflects on Aging and Optimism in Politics

The current midterm election cycle has seen record numbers of women running for office across the country. There may be few Vermonters more qualified to speak on that topic to Middlebury students than Madeleine Kunin, the first and to this day only female governor of Vermont. Kunin, who was Vermont’s governor from 1985 to 1991, visited the college last Tuesday to read from her second memoir, “Coming of Age: My Journey to the Eighties.” Kunin was greeted by a room packed full of students and town residents alike. Ruth Hardy, the executive director of Emerge Vermont and a Democratic candidate to represent Addison County in the Vermont Senate, introduced Kunin. Kunin founded Emerge Vermont, which trains and provides resources for female-identifying Democrats seeking public office. Holding back tears, Hardy recounted her time working with Kunin, with whom she celebrated success and recovered from failure. Hardy remembered the joy she and Kunin felt at Hillary Clinton’s success in winning the Democratic nomination for the presidency and their sadness at her loss four months later. [pullquote speaker="Ruth Hardy" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]A woman in her forties has time to wait for the next big election, while a woman in her eighties may not.[/pullquote] “As painful as it was for me, I knew the loss was far greater for Madeleine,” said Hardy. “A woman in her forties has time to wait for the next big election, while a woman in her eighties may not.” The adversity that Kunin faced, however, has not dulled her impact in Vermont and beyond. As she concluded her introduction, Hardy’s message was simple and perfectly conveyed the success of Kunin’s work as a role model and advocate. “Thank you for all that you have done for me and for women and girls across Vermont,” Hardy said. Indeed, Kunin’s work to pave the way for women in politics is significant. Kunin was born in Zurich to Jewish parents and moved to the United States to escape the Nazis as a young girl. Hardy told the audience that as a mother, Kunin fretted for the safety of her young children as they crossed railroad tracks each morning to get to school. Her initiative to find a solution to this problem led her to politics. Kunin went on to serve as the first and only female governor of Vermont, and the only woman in the United States to serve three terms as governor. After her governorship, Kunin continued her work in government as the United States Deputy Secretary of Education and Ambassador to Switzerland and Lichtenstein under the Clinton administration. Kunin also hopes her memoir will tell a story beyond her political career. “You are caricatures almost in public life,” she said. “You are either liberal or conservative, good or bad [...] I think at some level, even though I’m shy about bringing it out to the extent I did, I also want people to know what my life and thoughts were — that I was more than this flatlined public caricature of a woman.” The perspective is unique because Kunin is able to be more direct, noted Karin Hanta, Director of the Feminist Resource Center at Chellis House. “She candidly reflects on aging through a gendered lens,” Hanta said. “She no longer feels like her words are ‘filtered through a fine meshed screen’ because her public life no longer depends on public approval.” [pullquote speaker="Madeleine Kunin" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.[/pullquote] Kunin also read from her writings in poetry and prose, which described her experience growing old. “I want to stay in the brilliance, [but] there is also sometimes a desire to retreat,” Kunin said. This sentiment was also reflected in her remarks on the importance of political engagement today. “That is the most dangerous thing — that we get so depressed that we shut the doors and turn off the lights, and we can’t afford to do that,” Kunin said. Hanta emphasized that Kunin served as a role model for people who identify as women asserting themselves in politics rather than fading into the background. “In today’s political climate, Governor Kunin’s accounts of strength in the face of adversity — she was sometimes ridiculed and rendered invisible in her political life — inspire women to persevere in playing an active political role,” said Hanta. “By addressing a topic that is not often talked about, she inspires women to have courage and speak their truth.” When asked about specific advice that she had for women in politics, Kunin responded first saying she was glad that someone had asked. She reflected on the fact that in the United States, progress for women in politics has been excruciatingly slow compared to other countries.  [pullquote speaker="Madeleine Kunin" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]That is the most dangerous thing — that we get so depressed that we shut the doors and turn off the lights, and we can’t afford to do that.[/pullquote] This year, however, she believes that things are changing. She expressed her pleasure with the outpouring of women running for office this year and believes that we actually have President Trump to thank for this.  “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Kunin said, articulating her belief that the most effective and tangible remedy for the problems women face in the world is running for office. Such experiences of invisibility in politics are all too familiar to Kunin, who recalled her testimony during the confirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. “It was all men, the whole Senate Judiciary Committee, and we knew they weren’t listening to us,” Kunin said. She recounted how powerless it felt to look up at the dais and to know that she had no impact. In spite of the adversity and challenges that Kunin sees women facing today, she remains hopeful. “Despite the dark times, I would urge you to continue to believe in democracy — the pendulum does swing,” Kunin said. Perhaps the dark times Kunin referenced reflect Yeats’s prophetic line: “things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” But Kunin concluded with a concise message of hope, elaborating that even in the hardest of circumstances, we must have hope and not give up on democracy. “The centre will hold, but only if we are vigilant,” she said.  Kunin’s reading was made possible by The Vermont Book Shop and The Feminist Resource Center at Chellis House. College Democrats and Feminist Action at Middlebury also sponsored the event. Editor’s Note: Ruth Hardy is the spouse of Prof. Jason Mittell, The Campus’ academic advisor. Mittell plays no role in any editorial decisions made by the paper. Any questions may be directed to campus@middlebury.edu.

Reflections From The Curator of ‘Let’s Celebrate Resilience’

In January of this year, I founded a group called Brave and Believed which is comprised of students who openly denounce sexual violence through social media outlets and blog posts. Our collective practice begins with actively observing and critically analyzing what we believe to be the societal structure that produces and permits sexual violence, or rape culture. It is important to Brave and Believed that our readership understands the importance of uniting our respective communities in order to continue supporting survivors of all genders and sexualities.  On Thursday, Oct. 25, Brave and Believed hosted an event in M Gallery called “Let’s Celebrate Resilience.” The theme of this event was to celebrate the resilience of the survivor. Historically, accounts of sexual violence have been both questioned and silenced. This has led to underreporting and feelings of guilt and shame for survivors. The intent behind this event was to continue to spread awareness about this public health issue as well as soak in the “power” of the survivor.  Too often, when we talk about sexual violence on campus, it feels like something heavy is sitting in the room — feelings of discomfort, sympathy and empathy among many things — that leaves individuals either stoic, highly reactionary or neutral as they process the information being presented to them.  For this event, I aimed to make it interactive and engaging as guests actively traversed the space. It is important to me that those who attended the event walked away with the impression that although the stories conveyed can be disheartening, that doesn’t take away from the strength that a survivor has and demonstrates every single day. This event had everything from audio recordings to paintings, all of which illustrated that regardless of what happened to the survivor, they continue to push forward and persevere. Like I have been saying and will continue to say, survivors are some of the strongest individuals that I know — and that is definitely something worth shedding light on and celebrating. Editor’s note: Arts & Academics Editor April Qian participated in organizing the event. She played no role in reporting. 

Map Project Marks Locations of Sexual Assault On Campus

Signs reading “go/mapproject” appeared across campus last week, advertising a link that leads to a form where respondents can identify where they have been sexually assaulted on campus.   The goal of the project is to visualize locations where sexual violence has occured on campus. It Happens Here (IHH) began the map project in 2012, placing a map with red dots paired with a selection of anonymous stories on display in the atrium of Davis Family Library. Taite Shomo ’20.5, one of the organizers of IHH, led the effort to revive the map project this year.  “The reason we decided to bring the map project back now is because of all of the student activism on campus, as well as the activism around the country about sexual assault,” Shomo said. “I’ve also been looking for ways to make IHH larger than just a once-a-semester event, and this was one way to continue to raise awareness about sexual assault at Middlebury aside from the regular events.” The map project reflects the reality that sexual assault remains a major problem at Middlebury.  This reality is what drove the protest that took place at the Pather Day parade against Middlebury’s handling of sexual assault. One of the protestors at the Panther Day protest was holding the 2013 map. “The map is powerful because it gives people a visual of how pervasive and prevalent sexual assault and harassment are on this campus,” Shomo said. Recent campus security reports have recorded no more than 25 reported instances of sexual violence per year — a figure that IHH organizers believe is in fact much higher. [pullquote speaker="Taite Shomo '20.5" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]The map is powerful because it gives people a visual of how pervasive and prevalent sexual assault and harassment are on this campus.[/pullquote] “The objective is to get people to consider how much of a reality assault and harassment are here,” Shomo explained. Annie Blalock ’20.5, president of Feminist Action at Middlebury (FAM), echoed the same sentiment.  “There’s that one story that you have in your head that you saw on the news, and then looking at a map like that, you think ‘that’s this one red dot here’ and then you’re like ‘oh, there’s hundreds of red dots, every one of those is a story like that,” Blalock said. Although she is not involved with organizing the map project, Blalock is an enthusiastic supporter. IHH and FAM engage with many overlapping issues. “There’s an obvious tie between feminism and raising awareness of sexual assault and holding perpetrators accountable,” Blalock said. “We are now living a culture where people who formerly were silenced by our society and the systems in place that silenced victims, are being given the space to speak out.” In the original map project, which was completed in early 2013, most submitted sexual assaults occurred in party hotspots such as Atwater, social houses, KDR and Palmer, as well as other residence halls, especially underclassmen dorms. However, sexual violence can happen anywhere, as victims reported incidents in both the McCullough Student Center and the Freeman International Center as well. [pullquote speaker="Annie Black '20.5" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]Walking through a place like Allen and being like, ‘Someone was assaulted here.’[/pullquote] “I think it’s an interesting perspective to gain,” said Blalock, reflecting on the benefit of locating the the incidents of sexual violence on a map. “Walking through a place like Allen and being like, ‘Someone was assaulted here.’” According to Shomo, the map from this year will be formatted in the same manner as the previous map. However, Shomo added that organizers may need to make the map bigger because they are accepting reports of both sexual assault and harassment, whereas the 2013 map only dealt with sexual assaults. “I would be surprised if we see any of the campus on the map, as opposed to it just being all red dots,” Blalock said. The go/mapproject survey contains two questions. The first asks in which residence halls respondents have experienced sexual assault or harassment. The second asks in which other buildings, including dining halls and academic buildings, respondents have experienced sexual assault or harassment. “Filling out that form itself could be empowering for people because they feel involved,” Blalock said. She also believed that some people would still not feel comfortable submitting the form, although it is anonymous. “Even with all the reports that this map project gets, it’s not going to be the whole number of assaults or reports of harassment.” Between 2013 and 2015, some members of the college community were concerned that IHH’s events and advertising were triggering to students. Others were worried that the map project would stigmatize certain buildings on campus, but Shomo was not concerned about this. “I think that the maps will show that sexual violence happens in so many of the buildings on campus that I’m not concerned about it sending a message that assault only happens in some spaces,” Shomo said. In a 2013 Campus article on the map project, Luke Carrol-Brown ’13 responded to the criticism that the project stigmatized certain locations on campus.  “The Map Project has never been about identifying danger zones on campus,” he said. “That would stink of emphasizing victim responsibility instead of placing accountability where it should lie: in the hands of the individuals who perpetrate these crimes. The Map Project is about coming clean with a problem that so many of us deny or disregard, putting the human impact of this epidemic in visual form and driving empathy amongst survivors.” [pullquote speaker="Luke Carrol-Brown '13" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]The Map Project has never been about identifying danger zones on campus.[/pullquote] In January 2014, The Campus published an editorial titled “It Happens Here: It’s Time to Evolve.” In it, the editorial board argued that the map, IHH events and signs reading “It Happens Here” could be powerful triggers that hurt survivors, and urges them to adjust their strategies.  Student organizers of IHH published an op-ed in January 2015 addressing the conversation surrounding the potential triggering effect of their work. They acknowledged that though “these criticisms weigh heavily in our minds,” “there must be spaces for survivors to share their stories if/when they’re ready,” and that “if we are to continue to hold these events, we will continue to need to advertise. In our minds, relegating survivors’ experiences to the margins of this campus has never been and will never be an option.  “We raise consciousness that It Happens Here in the hope that one day, It won’t.” Blalock was concerned about the lack of institutional support for survivors of sexual violence at Middlebury, but saw the Map Project as a resource for students. “This is as much a tool for survivors and victims of assault or violence or harassment because it could be cathartic, it could be building that community, it could be feeling like a part of something or feeling not alone, but I think it’s as much a resource for survivors and victims as it is for bystanders or people who have not had a situation like that,” Blalock said. “One survivor is not alone, they are one of many people that have been victims of perpetrated violence.” The submission form will remain open until Nov. 16.

Vermont Leads Nation in Voter Registration Rate, Topping 90%

Less than a week away from the midterm elections, 481,111 Vermonters are registered to vote. In October, the state reached a record high, with 92.5 percent of its eligible voters registered for the upcoming election, according to VTDigger. Vermont now leads the national registration rate by about 20 percent.  Vermont has been making a concerted effort to expand its voter rolls since January 2017, when the state instituted a new system allowing for automatic voter registration when receiving or renewing an ID at the Department of Motor Vehicles.   Of the more than 30,000 new Vermonters who have registered to vote since that time, over 16,000 of them used the new system. With driver’s licenses set to be renewed every four years, the state expects to see a continued uptick of registration throughout the next few election cycles. “The goal is we’re going to get as many eligible Vermonters as possible to be registered to vote,” Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos said in an interview with VTDigger.  Condos’s efforts are coming to fruition. More than 7,000 new voters have also registered through the state’s new online system, and flexible registration deadlines have also contributed to Vermont’s leading rates. Vermonters are permitted to register any day up until and including Election Day, a privilege only granted in 14 other states. The state allows for early voting and absentee ballots upon request.  “It’s just a way of making it easier for people to vote,” Condos told VTDigger. Vermont is also one of just two states, along with Maine, that does not restrict felon voting rights. These states not only protect felons’ right to vote, but allow them to do so from behind bars via absentee ballots, according to NBC News. [pullquote speaker="Jim Condos" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]The goal is we’re going to get as many eligible Vermonters as possible to be registered to vote.[/pullquote] It’s because of these factors that the MIT Elections Performance Index, a nonpartisan, empirical evaluation of state elections, recently ranked Vermont’s election management to be first in the nation.  It’s a great feat to reach a higher percentage of eligible voters than any other state, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the state will see the nation’s highest turnout rate on Nov. 6. Despite Vermont’s record registration numbers, how many of the state’s automatically registered yet previously politically inactive citizens will actually go to the polls? The answer, according to Bert Johnson, professor of Political Science, is complicated. Although improved access to voting can only improve participation, he told The Campus, new voters are historically the least likely to turn out. “Probably not all of them will, because without the habits in place to vote, you may not necessarily think to do it when Election Day comes,” Johnson said.  It doesn’t help that Vermont’s midterm elections are not particularly competitive, Johnson noted. Despite nationwide efforts to mobilize voters, turnout usually correlates with the closeness of the election. In Vermont, there are no closely contested U.S. House or Senate seats. Sen. Bernie Sanders is functionally uncontested in retaining his position, and Rep. Peter Welch is expected to be re-elected as well. The race for governor is slightly more competitive, as political newcomer Democrat Christine Hallquist challenges Republican incumbent Phil Scott. However, polls still show Scott at a solid 14 points ahead, making his re-election the more likely outcome at this point. At the college, however, efforts to get out the vote have extended beyond state lines. Many student organizations are working toward greater voter registration and absentee ballot access, including the College Democrats, College Republicans, the Student Government Association and Sunday Night Environmental Group, among others. Most dedicated to this cause, though, has been MiddVote, a student-led non-partisan group whose main goal is to register as many students as possible before Nov. 6 and to provide the tools, information and assistance to get students to the polls. Center for Community Engagement Program Director Ashley Laux ’06 has spearheaded MiddVote’s efforts throughout the fall election season, emphasizing the need to establish habits of political engagement that she hopes will follow students throughout their lives. “MiddVote’s person-to-person, relationship-focused outreach has been very useful,” Laux said. “While of course this year is important, my overarching goal is supporting democracy initiatives.” The group has also contributed to Vermont’s new voter registration record by reminding students that they can register to vote in Vermont at any time regardless of their home state — a message they plan to continue to spread up until Nov. 6.

Financial Services Office Unpacks Aid in MiddWorks Session

Staff in the Student Financial Services Office explained the college’s financial services in this year’s second MiddWorks presentation on Oct. 25. Director of Financial Aid Operations Michael McLaughlin, Senior Associate Student Financial Services Director Michele Almeida and Loan Programs and Compliance Specialist Jane Aube led the presentation, which was intended to give students a better understanding of how aid works. Student Financial Services oversees four main systems: financial aid, student billing, the college cashier and education loan financing. The discussion focused primarily on the financial aid component, given its relevance to the student body. McLaughlin emphasized the relevance of the session and of the Student Financial Services Office, an integral part of college operations. “It touches every part of campus, every population,” McLaughlin said.  When applying for financial aid, students must fill out two applications: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which concerns federal financial assistance, and the College Scholarship Service (CSS), which is the institutional methodology that dictates Middlebury’s financial aid.  The majority of financial aid is given out by the college itself. The average grant for an incoming student in the Class of 2022 was $49,000. In determining how much aid a student will be granted, the office first calculates the expected family contribution (EFC). Both parental and student contributions are based on taxable income, with allowances made for things like child support, day-to-day medical costs, and daily expenses. It also considers assets like cash, savings, investment and real estate, with allowances for emergency reserve savings, education savings and low-income status. The office also considers the number of siblings attending undergraduate institutions, which can affect the expected parent contribution. Student contributions, considered the “self-help” component, are largely made up of loans and work-study offers.  This is considered with the idea that a student should share responsibility for the cost of their education. The financial aid office then builds a budgeted cost of attendance for the student by first determining the total billed costs, like tuition, housing, meals and student activities, and the unbilled costs, such as supplies and travel. From this total cost, the EFC is subtracted. The resulting number becomes the calculated need for the individual student. Scholarships are a common source of confusion in the financial aid process. McLaughlin explained that Middlebury does not offer merit awards because most students are academically qualified and admitted based on their merits. The office’s goal is to allocate funds to those who need it the most. The financial aid office does not allow outside scholarships to replace the family contribution, but they will let them replace loans or work-study. Another aspect of Student Financial Services is student billing, where the department uses third-party vendor Nelnet Campus Commerce to bill students the cost of their attendance. Families can choose either to pay one semester at a time, on a monthly payment plan, or through a multi-year pre-payment plan. The college cashier also operates through student financial services and deals with student charges such as dorm fines and parking tickets, as well as the campus retail operations such as dining, the Snow Bowl and the box office. Education loan financing deals with the different loans families may take out as part of their financial aid. The college also offers exit loan counseling sessions before students graduate. Aube said this helps students plan for the future as they manage their loans after college. 

MIDDVOTE WANTS YOU TO VOTE

The student group MiddVote has led the charge to increase voter participation on campus this election season with the goal of doubling Middlebury students’ 14 percent voter turnout in 2014. Abby Dennis ’21 and Nora Bayley ’21 are spearheading the initiative as co-organizers. MiddVote is a non-partisan organization that strives to increase civic engagement and informed voter participation. The group has provided resources and hosted events to help guide students through the voter registration and absentee ballot application processes.  “It’s hard to tell people what to do and how to vote because it’s different in every state,” Dennis said.  Hazel Millard ’18 founded MiddVote with help from the college’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE), which provides funding. Thanks to Millard, MiddVote has a master document detailing voter registration and absentee ballot instructions and online application links and due dates for each state. At MiddVote’s voter drives, students can find stamps, envelopes and copies of each form for states that use a non-electronic system. MiddVote even mails student’s forms. MiddVote and the CCE worked together to provide the Center for Careers and Internships, Mail Center and Residential Commons offices with stamps to give students for free. Since the beginning of the school year, MiddVote has helped more than 60 students register to vote and more than 160 students apply for an absentee ballot.  “Even if students don’t stop, simply seeing our table in Wilson reminds students to register on their own,” Bayley said. Along with drives, MiddVote has organized a shuttle that will run from Adirondack Circle (ADK) to the polls every hour on Election Day, Nov. 6.  A #VoteTogether Celebration organized by MiddVote and the CCE will also be held at College Park across from Shafer’s Market & Deli on Election Day from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Free pizza, hot chocolate and face-painting by college student volunteers will be provided. The event is a local celebration under the national #VoteTogether initiative, which aims to host 2,000 similar events across the country to bring community members together to vote and celebrate civic engagement. Bayley and Dennis won a grant from MTV’s +1theVote campaign, which selects one application from each of the 50 states to receive funding for a voting celebration.  This event is especially important to MiddVote’s organizers because in Vermont, citizens can register to vote on Election Day, and all Middlebury students registered to vote in the U.S. are eligible to vote in Vermont.   “A lot of students have been registering in Vermont, especially people who missed the registration deadline in their home state. This event allows students to get to the polls, register and vote on Election Day,” Dennis said. In addition to posting reminders on its social media account, MiddVote has reached out to President Laurie Patton and the Student Government Association President Nia Robinson to send out campus-wide emails with voter participation reminders. MiddVote volunteers are also taking a grassroots approach by announcing reminders in classes. The Middlebury College Democrats and the Middlebury College Republicans have left the voter participation push to MiddVote.  “I have huge respect for what MiddVote does. The Middlebury College Democrats have resisted pressure to do partisan registration out of respect for MiddVote,” said Grace Vedock ’20, the president of College Democrats. Although some members within the Middlebury College Democrats have pushed for encouraging voters to support Democratic candidates, the club’s leadership has decided not to facilitate partisan voting. This has translated into club members volunteering at MiddVote drives rather than operating under the Middlebury College Democrats banner. Dennis, Bayley and Vedock noted that the country seems more tuned into this election than in previous non-presidential election years.  “It is easy to get frustrated with government and feel like your voice isn’t being heard, but the solution to that is not to not vote,” Bayley said.  “If everyone says that their vote doesn’t count, then their vote won’t count,” Dennis said.

Coming Together: A Charles Murray Reflection

I spent the summer with AEI. But it’s not what you think. During my time at school I have considered myself a moderate, reluctant to embrace the term “liberal” due to the meaning of the term on Middlebury’s campus.  That all changed this summer. I had the opportunity to attend a seminar taught by Dr. Charles Murray and hosted by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The students who attended were interviewed and selected by AEI to participate in seminar-style discussions. Students from Whitworth University in Wisconsin, Yale University and King’s College in London, among others, were selected to participate in the program. Survey results shown to us by AEI illustrated that the composition of the ideological views were roughly two-thirds conservative and one-third liberal. Why did I pursue this seemingly hostile opportunity, especially as a Middlebury student? The Murray incident led me to believe that there was another side to the debate, containing ideas that I would never encounter at Middlebury. The course was provocatively titled “Staying Calm in Unsafe Spaces” and tackled controversial issues, from the infamous Bell Curve race and IQ argument to whether women should work due to their biology. To summarize the course, Murray says that social policy has been based on the premise of equal opportunity since the 1960s, but in reality, it is more pragmatic to focus on and formulate policy based on human differences such as race, gender and genes.  Here are some of the things that I heard from my classmates and from Murray in discussion during the sessions: “Islamification is destroying the West.” “Diversity is not conducive to a civil society.” “Multiculturalism doesn’t work.” “There is nothing you can do about IQ.” “We should create a dual economy due to biological differences between men and women.” These statements made me very uncomfortable. As a result of my discomfort, I was able to figure out what my values are and ultimately how to articulate and defend them. Through debate and introspection, I embraced concrete values that I am proud of. Here at Middlebury,  valuing diversity is never challenged. Growing up in a multicultural environment, I knew I valued diversity, but until someone challenged this belief and told me that diversity is incompatible with the West, I never knew why I value diversity. I had to defend my values, and in doing so I gained a better understanding of what they are and why I believe in them. Although the seminar’s environment was tense and at some points uneasy, people were not going after their classmates, but rather their ideas. As many of you know, in March 2017, Murray attempted to speak on Middlebury’s campus, but faced protests. More than a year has passed, so why am I compelled to speak up and pour salt in this wound? John Stuart Mill states that “both teachers and learners go to sleep at their post, as soon as there is no enemy in the field.” I want Middlebury to make me feel uncomfortable and challenge my values. In high school, I participated in a program where we had the opportunity as a community to have weekly discussions on issues from the ethics of being a student to racism in school. These community meetings, although boring at times for a 15-year-old, marked the beginning of my intellectual career and were a driver of my decision to apply to Middlebury. They were a testing ground of ideas in a way that I thought Middlebury could replicate.  During my first visit to Middlebury, I sat in on a political science class that was based on open debate. Like in the AEI seminar, people were not going after their fellow classmates, but rather their fellow classmates’ ideas. It was a beautiful sight: many engaging individuals, from different backgrounds, speaking freely and growing from each other.  I am lucky to have heard Murray speak and feel more intelligent and passionate about my political views because of it. We as a community need to determine if we are living up to our duties as students on this campus. We are only cheating ourselves when we do not engage with one another. The answer is not more town halls or working groups, but more honest conversations in our dorms, our classrooms, and our dining halls with students outside our traditional social groups. I write this piece not to criticize Middlebury, but to encourage the respect for conflicting ideas and open debate that I know rests within the student body.

What is Panther Pride?

Last Saturday, the college hosted its first-ever Panther Day. The main event of the day was the parade, which started at the Kirk Alumni Center and ended at the Mahaney Center for the Arts. After the parade, students could attend the second annual Harvest Festival, the opening of the Continuity of Change exhibit and the Harsh Armadillo concert.  During these events, some of which were better attended than others, we found ourselves wondering: what does it mean to have “Panther pride?”  Perhaps, showing Panther pride means waving a banner supporting your cultural organization or commons at a school parade. Or, maybe Panther pride means attending a football game and cheering for Middlebury.  But maybe Panther pride also means actively working to better the college community by critiquing the institution and protesting when it’s necessary.  Self-reflection and criticism was a structured part of the Continuity of Change exhibit at the Kirk Alumni Center, but the exhibition opening was not as well-attended as we had hoped. With a full class schedule and midterms to contend with, the time crunch meant that students were forced to choose which events to attend and which to skip. But students found other ways to make their voices heard.  Student protesters stood peacefully by the Mahaney Center for the Arts during the parade, some holding signs, some standing with their mouths taped and some offering informational sheets to those that wanted them.  They were protesting Middlebury’s treatment of sexual assault survivors. The protesters were not necessarily there because they hate Middlebury; rather, they were demonstrating through protest that they care about this community and want to make it better by standing in solidarity with survivors of  sexual assault.  Protests can generate pride among alumni as well. Several alumni who were visiting Middlebury for Panther Day and Homecoming Weekend thanked protesters for raising awareness about issues surrounding sexual assault they felt were not properly addressed during their time on campus.  Similarly, after publishing articles about student protests and efforts challenging the college to do better, The Campus will often receieve comments and letters from alumni expressing support.  This Panther Day showed that Middlebury is not entirely unwilling to face its history, but the focal point of the day remained an enthusiastic attempt at a parade that overshadowed the day’s opportunities for self-reflection. We are not arguing for the dismissal of the parade. We recognize that parades can be fun, unifying and empowering events.  Instead, we ask the college to consider other ways it can encourage manifestations of school pride. The juxtaposition between the parade and the protesters showed that pride manifests in different ways and that all forms can be impactful across the broader Middlebury community. For example, last May several Middlebury students organized the first “Nocturne: A Middlebury Arts Festival,” in which students displayed their artwork to the public from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. throughout campus, from the Gamut Room to The Knoll.  The festival was a success: many students stayed out late to see their friends’ work, and the campus buzzed with discussion about the striking exhibitions for days to follow.  Nocturne constitutes another example of an event that encourages its own breed of Panther pride. During Nocturne, students rallied together to organize an event centered around supporting peers’ creative ambitions. We think it is important for the college to consider how it might support these student-led pride events.  Being proud of this institution requires continuous reflection and critique of its past and present in order to facilitate a better future. We are grateful that the college is attempting to unify the student body by fostering Panther pride. We simply ask that as we continue to find ways to celebrate that pride, students and the college administration alike practice an awareness of the various spheres of campus life that inspire it, and the many different forms it can take. 

The Parade

The Panther Day parade, last year’s winner of the New Traditions contest, began at Kirk Alumni Center on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and ended with a celebration at the Harvest Festival behind the Mahaney Center for the Arts (CFA).  Led by the Pep Band, participating student groups included the International Students Organization, The Mountain Club, Evolution Dance Crew, Feminist Action at Middlebury, Queer and Trans People of Color, Green Dot and the Student Government Association (SGA). To encourage attendance, parade organizers offered $20 Amazon gift cards to the first students who arrived at the parade. The crowd was sparse for the Panther Day parade, but the Harvest Fest was brimming with students and alumni alike.  The parade and Harvest Fest festivities were followed by a reception at Kirk Alumni Center to mark the opening of an exhibit titled “The Continuity of Change: Living, Learning, and Standing Together.” Six student interns and college archivist Danielle Rougeau curated the exhibit in an effort to highlight the history of student activism at the college using photos and documents from Special Collections. A concert by the band Harsh Armadillo in Wilson Hall concluded the day.  “Panther Day desires to start a new tradition,” said Baishakhi Taylor, interim vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “In that sense it builds on Middlebury’s history. What we want Panther Day to become really is to savor the spirit of Middlebury as it has evolved and grown.”  The idea for Panther Day, one of more than 30 submitted proposals, came from junior students Emily Barnard, Ben Snow, Kate Zecca and Sophia Peluso. In an email earlier this year announcing the New Traditions contest, President Laurie Patton wrote that there was a significant desire to implement a new tradition at the college.  [pullquote speaker="Baishakhi Taylor" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]In a time that, like Isabel Wilkerson says, the country is dangerously fragmented, how do you create a tradition that is really focused towards not just celebrating the spirit of this community but bringing the campus together?[/pullquote] When asked how Panther Day may fulfill these hopes, Taylor emphasized the need for a new tradition that not only celebrates Middlebury’s spirit but also brings people together. Panther Day sought to be a unifying force for the student body. “We wanted a tradition that everyone can be a part of,” Taylor said. Dave Kloepfer, assistant director of student activities for programming and events, said the choice to make Panther Day the college’s newest tradition was rooted in its ability to allow for various forms of participation.  According to Taylor, the hope for Panther Day was to celebrate everything that makes Middlebury unique and special. She acknowledged that there have been few opportunities to celebrate the college lately. “In a time that, like Isabel Wilkerson says, the country is dangerously fragmented, how do you create a tradition that is really focused towards not just celebrating the spirit of this community but bringing the campus together?” she said, referencing the college’s 2018 commencement speaker. 

Retail Giants Target and H&M Open First Vermont Branches in Burlington

Vermont has always been known for its lack of chain corporations — the state remains one of the only without a McDonald’s in its capital city. To the joy of many, however, Vermont recently welcomed its very first Target and H&M outlets, both of which are now open for business at the University Mall on Dorset Street in South Burlington. The state’s first Target outlet opened on Oct. 21, replacing Bon-Ton, whose lease expired in January. Large crowds gathered to celebrate the opening on Sunday, including Gov. Phil Scott and the iconic Target dog. Target originally announced its plan to open this small-format store on Oct. 19, 2017, making Vermont the final state to welcome the retailer. The store also announced its plans to hire 150 “team members” for the new outlet. Hiring events have been held throughout the past week in anticipation of the store’s launch this past weekend. “We are so excited to join the community of South Burlington and build a talented team of about 150 new team members who will help us serve residents, college students and area visitors,” said Jake Moore, store team leader, to the Burlington Free Press. Heather Tremblay, general manager at the University Mall, told The Campus last year that the mall had known about Bon-Ton’s expiring lease and were quick to look for new stores in anticipation of the open spot. “Over the years, a lot of people have asked for a Target here. It’s been the number-one requested store,” Tremblay said last October. “We’ve been talking to Target for many, many years, and we finally both clicked because they have a smaller version of their store that they’re doing now.” Target’s new, smaller stores take up a space similar to that of the newly vacated Bon-Ton outlet, so the opportunity would have been hard for the mall to pass up. As previously reported in The Campus, Tremblay is optimistic about the presence of the new stores in Burlington as a way to draw shoppers to the area from farther away, including out of state customers. For college students, the arrival of the popular chain brings with it the promise of affordable snacks, cleaning supplies and other dorm necessities. “Most people I know at UVM are pretty excited about the Target opening,” said Annika Ruben, UVM ’21. “It’s not the most convenient location-wise for college students because getting there requires a car but economically speaking I would say that it could be a positive thing for a lot of people.” [pullquote speaker="Heather Tremblay" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]“It’s going to be great for the University Mall to get some anchor stores...to attract traffic.[/pullquote] The Target outlet, measuring 60,000 square feet, is a smaller iteration of the typical Target format, less sprawling than the typical 135,000 square foot store or the 175,000 square foot Super Target. Target has launched a number of these smaller “CityTargets” in urban and dense suburban areas across the country with the hope of expanding the retailer’s presence. Areas near universities are also a major priority in the retailer’s expansion, making Burlington a prime target for a Vermont location. This smaller storespace also worked as compromise with the Burlington community, reducing the impact that a typical mega-store could have on the area. The original announcement last year of the University Mall’s new stores led to a torrent of outspoken concern about the effect it could have on Burlington. The smaller iteration of the store, as intended, should have a less formidable and obstructive presence, and a better coexistence with small, local businesses. The launch of the new Target outlet came only a few weeks after the addition of the new H&M in the University Mall on Oct. 11. This H&M will also be the first of its kind in Vermont. Tremblay told the Burlington Free Press that the new installation would be like a “small department store.” The H&M has been erected in a 20,000 square foot space, a less expensive installation than University Mall’s new Target.  To make space for the new additions, several smaller stores in the mall moved or left the University Mall entirely, with Bon-Ton making a notable departure. About 42 Bon-Ton employees were affected by the store’s closure. According to the Burlington Free Press, Tremblay remains optimistic about the increase in employment opportunities the additions will create.  Target also institutes competitive wages and currently offers a minimum hourly wage of $12 in stores across the country. They plan to increase store minimum wage to $15 per hour by the end of 2020. In her interview with The Campus last October, Tremblay discussed the community benefit she expected the new stores to pose for other outlets in the mall. “People want to be next to Target,” she said. “People will want to take advantage of all of the foot traffic coming in, so the whole mall will be strengthened.” Given the sharp rise in October traffic in anticipation of Target’s launch, her predictions have already proven to accurate. In preparation for the arrival of the new retailers, improvements have been made to the University Mall roofing, heating systems and ventilation. The University Mall has also made adjustments in the parking lot to improve access to the mall. The long process of construction that Target and H&M underwent coincided with the general mall renovations over the last several months.  Despite Tremblay’s optimism, Target and H&M may still prove to be threatening forces to small businesses across the area. The effect the new chain installations will have on surrounding small businesses, including the numerous thrift outlets around Church Street, is uncertain as the University Mall becomes increasingly central to business in Burlington. Despite the incoming chains, not all local business owners show signs of intimidation. James DeRosia, owner of prominent Church Street thrift store, Downtown Threads, seemed unphased by the additions. “As a vintage and consignment shop we carry so much off the wall fashion and higher quality durable clothing items that people will still continue to come here for items that they won’t be able to get at fast fashion stores,” said DeRosia. “It’s going to be great for the University Mall to get some anchor stores that are still relevant to people to attract traffic, hopefully it doesn’t lure too many people from Church Street while we go through some pain with the Marketplace Mall construction.”  Even in a period of long term transition along the strip — a development project currently slated at three years to completion — DeRosia is undeterred. Ruben shared a similar outlook and hope for the continued success of small businesses, declaring, that “many students will still try to shop at thrift stores because it’s the hip thing to do.” The one-two punch of H&M’s launch on Oct. 11th and Target’s launch on Oct. 21st has turned University Mall into a hotspot for shopping not only in the city of South Burlington, but all of Vermont. It is now up to the rest of the stores in Burlington to keep pace. Additional reporting by Sadie Housberg.

Students Lead Charge to Ban Crisis Pregnancy Center from Campus

A group of students are circulating a petition to ban a local Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC) from advertising and participating in on-campus activities. CPCs, also known as Pregnancy Resource Centers, are nonprofit organizations that generally provide peer counseling related to pregnancy and childbirth, as well as financial resources and adoption referrals. The mission of these organizations is to advise women with unintended pregnancies against having an abortion, and offer adoption or parenting as alternative options. Historically, research has shown that 80 percent of CPCs provide misleading or factually inaccurate information regarding the physical and mental effects of abortions. Currently, there are an estimated 2,300 to 3,500 CPCs actively operating in the United States. The local Pregnancy Resource Center of Addison County is located downtown at 102 Court Street, near Middlebury Union High School. Their mission statement is “Empowering Individuals to Make Informed Choices.” They operate without state or federal funding. In the past two years, the center has attended and advertised their services at the college’s fall student activities fair. Students at the college have also previously worked at or with the local CPC chapter, serving as on-campus representatives. Toria Isquith ’19 and Kelsie Hoppes '18.5 started the petition to ban the CPC. Several of the students learned about CPCs in Gender, Sexuality, & Feminist Studies Professor Carly Thomsen’s Politics of Reproduction class last year. Isquith was ispired to take action when she saw the CPC’s booth at the activities fair . “The booth had information about STDs, free flip flops, and business cards, but the CPC did not bring any of their information about abortion to campus,” Isquith said. “This struck me and other students as an effort by the CPC to misrepresent themselves on campus. I followed up with many of these students, who in turn spread the word to their friends and peers, and soon we had a group suggesting ideas for how to get the Middlebury CPC off our campus.”  “Our goal is to protect our peers from misinformation, bias and fear mongering,” Isquith added. “CPCs pose a tangible threat to students’ reproductive autonomy, and our goal is to protect this autonomy while also spreading awareness about CPCs and starting a larger conversation about them in Middlebury.” [pullquote speaker="Toria Isquith '19" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]This struck me and other students as an effort by the CPC to misrepresent themselves on campus.[/pullquote] Several college staff and faculty have signed the petition, including the Director of Chellis House Karin Hanta, who read over the petition and offered edits.  Thomsen led the only successful movement to ban CPCs from advertising on a college campus when she attended the University of California, Santa Barbara.  “In my class, we read academic articles about CPCs and watch related documentary films,” Thomsen said. “These texts provide useful tools for discussing many feminist studies concerns far beyond the topic of CPCs, including, for example, the state’s responsibility to counter misinformation deliberately circulated by activists.” “These scholarly texts do not, of course, provide a simple road map for participating in political activism or for conducting their own research,” Thomsen continued. “This is what we are witnessing at Middlebury. Students are taking information learned in their GSFS courses and applying it in the world. This is happening in the form of circulating petitions, creating websites, writing op-eds and marching in the Homecoming parade.” Joanie Praamsma, the director of the Pregnancy Resource Center, defended the center. “The claim that we provide inaccurate information to our clients is categorically false,” Praamsma wrote in an email to The Campus. “Through our free services, our center is helping to build healthy and stable families.” Praamsma described the center’s commitment to Christian faith and this influence on their health services. “We make no secret of the fact that our center’s work is motivated by a Christian commitment to the dignity of every life and the preciousness of the family,” Praamsma said. “It is called faith, and it is a faith shared by millions of Americans.” [pullquote speaker="Joanie Praamsma" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]...our center’s work is motivated by a Christian commitment to the dignity of every life and the preciousness of the family[/pullquote] Isquith criticized the CPC in an op-ed published in The Campus in November 2017. She has also worked with former Middlebury students to create an interactive map providing information on abortion services in Vermont. For Isquith, the petition is the first step in raising awareness of the issue. “Beyond this, I’m hoping that students, especially younger, will continue to partake in reproductive justice activism at Middlebury and in the broader community,” Isquith said. “I would love to collaborate with the Middlebury Union High School to educate students about the CPC, especially since they are located so close to the high school and pose a threat to younger students. But I am trying to tackle one project at a time.” “That students are transforming academic material learned in their GSFS classes into activism and new research reflects the spirit of GSFS as well as Middlebury’s mission to create opportunities for students to ‘learn to engage the world,” Thomsen said. Correction: an earlier version of this article mistakenly stated that faculty had helped circulate the petition, and misidentified the students who were involved in the effort.

dil Yoga Sanctuary Opens Doors to Community

MIDDLEBURY — At dil Yoga Sanctuary, yoga is for everybody. The studio opened its doors on Oct. 13, welcoming the residents of Middlebury with the message that dil is a place for those from all corners of the community. Its grand opening attracted around 200 people into the 700-square-foot studio, launching the business in the same way that the owners hope to run it –  as a space of acceptance and warmth. The studio — named “dil” (intentionally spelled lowercase), carrying the Persian and Hindi meanings of heart, soul, courage, generosity and wish – was started by sisters Jaime and Jennifer Parmelee and their close friend Bronwen Kent, all of whom are also instructors in several weekly classes at the studio. Both of the Parmelees graduated from Middlebury Union High School and have practiced yoga for two decades, having taught professionally in New York City before returning to Middlebury. Kent, too, has avidly practiced yoga before dil, and met the Parmelees through training as a yoga student. “It has been beautiful to see the community coming together and experiencing what we’ve put our heart and soul into,” Jennifer said, reflecting on dil’s first few days open.  Bronwen agreed that the new yoga sanctuary provided the town with a new means of community building. “In a place like Middlebury, I sometimes feel like I know everybody in town, so meeting all these new people is so nice,” she said. In terms of community involvement, the studio’s location helps. Situated adjacent to Middlebury Bagel and Deli and two doors down from the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, dil’s central location allows it to integrate into the town’s structure and its residents’ lives. Dil takes up the 13 Washington Street address, previously “Ollie’s Other Place,” a gift store that stocked books, toys and educational games for kids, which closed this past June. [gallery ids="40889,40891"] The studio is currently offering what Jennifer Parmelee described as “a bouquet of classes depending on what the community’s needs are.” These classes range from those suitable for beginners that focus on the mental benefits of yoga, to higher-level classes with titles such as “Sweat and Surrender” that emphasize yoga’s physicality. Regardless of type, every class aims to take a holistic approach in hopes of retaining yoga’s original purposes.  The goal is to “keep mind, body and spirit centered and grounded,” said Jaime. “It’s yoga as it’s intended to be.” In addition to regular classes, dil also has several workshops planned, including a Beginner’s Workshop on Nov. 10 and a Singing Bowls & Healing Restorative Workshop on Nov. 3, open to anyone in the community. They are also offering 200-hour yoga teacher training sessions led by the owners. The variety of classes and workshops offered is a crucial part of dil’s identity as a yoga studio, as it offers classes not only for each level of student but also for those of all ages and abilities. This includes pre- and post-natal yoga, classes aimed at middle schoolers and sessions specifically for the elderly and differently abled.  Dil’s owners also intend to develop a relationship with Middlebury College students. The Parmelees and Kent have been in contact with the college’s Yoga Club and hope that the classes they are offering will attract its students. From overstressed students to in-season varsity athletes, the Parmelees and Kent believe in the restorative powers of yoga in every aspect of life.  Jaime Parmelee said she loves working with athletes, and is excited to reach those on Middlebury’s campus and from Middlebury Union High School. While teaching yoga in New York City, she often worked with professional athletes in private sessions. Of this work, Parmelee said that the yoga “strengthens your body and connects your mind to your space, and it really shows in their performance on the field.” Walking into the sanctuary, you can see why. The instructors are warm and welcoming, and the softly-lit wooden room relaxes guests before classes even begin. A few of Middlebury’s students have already given dil a test run, including Elizabeth Callaway ’21, who attended a Self-Discovery Level 1-2 class taught by owner Jaime Parmelee. After the class, Callaway complimented the instructor for being “able to fit the yoga experience to everyone in the class. It was very customizable, and it was a great reprieve from student life. “A little joy is relaxing and we want to make [everyone] feel as welcome as possible,” Kent said.  This has proven to be true so far. “All of the instructors are so friendly and conversational — they want you to have fun in the class, and you do,” said Middlebury College Yoga Club member Olivia Sommers ’21, who has already attended a few classes at dil. “It’s so much fun but still so calming.” As dil sets out to connect with the community, it wants others to find their own connections to both yoga and themselves. Above all, the owners hope to create a space that allows people from all walks of life to experience yoga. They want students to be laughing and smiling in classes while also discovering themselves and finding inner balance. As Jennifer said, “Everyone has a specific connection to yoga in some way.”

Football Narrowly Defeats Bates

The Middlebury football team took on the Bates Bobcats in front of the Homecoming crowd this past Saturday. After a thrilling fourth quarter, the Panthers finished with the win, 35-34. The previous week started off a new sense of momentum for the Panthers. On Saturday, Oct. 13, the team traveled to Williams College, where they snapped Williams’ undefeated streak this season with a score of 21-10.  Two Middlebury players received NESCAC Player of the Week awards, senior Bobby Ritter (Defensive Player of the Week) and junior punter Maxwell Rye (Special Teams Player of the Week). A total-team effort propelled the Panthers over the Ephs, an attempt to come back from their loss to Williams in the 2017 season. This week’s matchup was a little too close for comfort, but the Panthers held on for the win — this being their 30th straight win over Bates. Three consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter on the part of the Panthers included 92-yard and 17-yard touchdown passes from quarterback Will Jernigan ’21, as well as a drive into the end zone for Drew Jacobs ’18. By halftime, the Panthers were up 28-13. The third quarter kept the momentum going for awhile, as a matched score for each side put the teams up 35-20. Soon, however, Bates began capitalizing on Middlebury turnovers and driving down the field. Another Bobcat score in the late third quarter put them just a touchdown away from the Panthers, and the intensity increased. The next Bobcat possession also led to a touchdown, making the score 35-34 during the fourth quarter. At the 2:20 mark, Bates had one last chance to take the lead. With less than a minute left, senior Clay Hunt picked off the Bobcat pass, allowing the Panthers to take home the victory, 35-34. Jernigan led the offense in the game, completing 17 of 26 passes for 266 yards. On the defensive end, Hunt led the team with nine tackles and the game-sealing interception. Next weekend, the Panthers will go on to face the Trinity Bantams, who are 5-1 on the season.

Burroughs ’83 Presides Over Major Affirmative Action Case

The judge presiding over the legal case that may determine the future of affirmative action in higher education is Allison D. Burroughs, who graduated from the college in 1983.  The conservative-led group Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) brought a lawsuit against Harvard, claiming that the university discriminates against Asian applicants. The divisive case has inflamed both opponents and supporters of affirmative action, given the wide impact it could have on higher education. The trial is expected to end next week. But however Burroughs rules, the case stands a strong chance of eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court on appeal, where justices may choose to restrict the role of race in college admissions. Burroughs, a judge on the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, graduated from the college with a degree in political science before pursuing a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Following her appointment to the District Court by President Barack Obama in 2014, she gained significant notoriety in January 2017, when she issued a temporary restraining order against President Donald J. Trump’s travel ban. SFFA originally filed a motion in 2014, arguing that the structure of Harvard’s admissions process essentially creates an illegal racial quota, favoring white, Hispanic and black students while discriminating against Asian applicants. SFFA has compared Harvard’s policies to the quotas established in the 1920s that targeted Jewish students. PIA CONTRERAS As evidence for discrimination, the group has also cited a 2013 internal Harvard report showing that the university’s admissions committee assigned lower “personality ratings” to Asian applicants than those of other racial or ethnic groups. Harvard has denied SFFA’s accusations and maintains that the admissions committee did not institute target-quotas against any particular group, be it racial, geographic or any other category. Instead, the institution has said it provides “some attention to numbers” in order to preserve its diverse community. Joined by its fellow Ivy League universities and other schools like MIT and Stanford in an amicus brief, Harvard has defended a “holistic” admissions approach that is conscious of racial identity.  The plaintiffs proposed a new form of affirmative action which would focus on socio-economic status. In response, Rakesh Khurana, the dean of Harvard College, said that Harvard’s goal is not to accurately represent the income distribution of the nation, according to the Harvard Crimson.  “What we’re trying to do is identify talent and make it possible for them to come to a place like Harvard,” Khurana said. Attention to the case increased after the U.S. Department of Justice announced internally in 2017 that it was funneling resources into investigating and possibly litigating against “race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.” However, a year earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in a case against the University of Texas that race was a permissible admissions factor.  Political Science Professor Murray Dry suspects that Burroughs will uphold the Supreme Court’s precedent, thus reaffirming Harvard’s holistic approach. But he noted that new factors set the Harvard case apart from previous lawsuits, such as SFFA’s strong accusations of discrimination and Burroughs’ own judgement. “As Judge Burroughs said when she gave her talk last fall at Middlebury, a judge must apply the facts to the law in an impartial manner,” Dry said. “I have full confidence that she will do just that.” Not everyone has demonstrated the same confidence in Burroughs’ impartiality. An individual going by the name “Veritas in Diversitas” circulated an email to all the reporters covering the trial, the New York Times reported Monday, insinuating that Burroughs was biased against Harvard because she had been denied admission there as an undergraduate. The email, titled “Federal Judge Hides Her Own Painful History of Harvard Rejection,” insists that Burroughs remains bitter about her own rejection as the child of an alumnus, though Burroughs already disclosed the fact in the pretrial hearings.  Despite the inflammatory message, both parties in the trial declared that they did not wish for Burroughs, who has worked on the case since 2014, to recuse herself.  Regardless of the decision she eventually reaches, Burroughs may not decide the ultimate fate of the case. Dry, a former teacher of Burroughs’, recalls her telling him that the case would ultimately be settled “above her paygrade,” meaning it would likely be appealed to the First Circuit and eventually to the Supreme Court, no matter how she rules.  The lawsuit would face a different set of justices compared to previous affirmative action cases if it reaches the Supreme Court. With the addition of Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, the court has swung right, and a ruling against race-conscious admissions may change universities’ admissions policies across the country. While the case could significantly impact Middlebury’s admissions process, Dean of Admissions Greg Buckles warned against jumping to conclusions too quickly.  “We are monitoring the situation through the media, professional conferences, and our various consortium relationships,” Buckles said. “There isn’t much to say right now, given it’s an ongoing trial that will likely take quite some time to wrap up. Until we know more, I’m not prepared to speculate on the possible outcomes.”

How Midd Works: The Title IX Office

The Title IX Office shed light on its procedures and policies, attempting to make more visible what goes on behind the scenes, in the year’s first MiddWorks presentation on Oct. 10. Title IX Coordinator Sue Ritter and Deputy Title IX Coordinator Karen Guttentag explained that the mission of their office is to promote safety and equality, investigate policy violations and ensure that the school complies with legal guidelines. The presenters expressed their commitment to maintaining the rigor of investigations while recognizing that they are time-sensitive.  While prioritizing depth over haste adds to the length of each investigation, Ritter and Guttentag explained that they don’t believe setting arbitrary deadlines serves any parties well. Throughout each investigation, both parties must have equal access to review all evidence provided in the case. This can include interview transcripts, text messages or other forms of information. The investigative process is not influenced by public discourse or political pressures, Ritter and Guttentag said. They stressed that their process is one of maximum transparency and privacy for the parties involved. The Title IX Office is overseen by the Office of Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. Because of this, many of its policies are dictated by national law, including the policies encompassing sexual harassment and other category-based harassment and discrimination. Policies apply to faculty, staff and students and form a foundation upon which the Title IX Office conducts its investigations. The college also added the category of “dating or domestic misconduct,” which is not included in the federal law, to give the office more leeway to address harmful or problematic behavior. Due to the private nature of investigations, the process may appear obscure. Ritter and Guttentag attempted to break down their investigative procedure to give the audience a better understanding of what they do. When a student files a complaint, the office provides the student specific written information about their rights, regardless of whether the student decides to go through with an investigation. If they do proceed, investigations are required to be fair and impartial and conducted by unbiased, trained officials.  Ritter and Guttentag said that they only enter the investigation process if a reporting student wants them to, except in rare circumstances. When there are factors that could indicate an ongoing, dangerous situation, the office may need to go forward in the name of campus safety contrary to the wishes of the complainant. The Title IX Office also sometimes handles reports of misconduct committed off campus. If problems occur abroad, in town, or even over the summer, the Title IX Office will pursue an investigation if a hostile environment continues to impact the complainant’s experience on campus. Ritter also explained that investigations are conducted as paper processes, rather than in the form of live hearings, which some other schools opt for. While Middlebury’s procedure takes longer, it also eliminated the pressure of confronting a live panel. Ritter concluded by addressing the potential changes the Department of Education has signaled they will implement in the coming months under Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Once the new policies are announced, the government will conduct a notice and comment period in which Middlebury will have the chance to respond to the guidelines. Regardless of  the outcome, the college will be bound to follow national laws regarding adjudication of sexual assault.  Ritter said it is highly likely that the upcoming changes will lead to any changes in Middlebury’s policies.  The “How Midd Works” initiative is led by the Student Government Association (SGA) and President Laurie L. Patton’s senior leadership group (SLG). The initiative is part of the SGA’s and SLG’s Common Agenda, and was developed to give students a better sense of how the college operates. The next presentation in the MiddWorks series will be held on Oct. 25 and will describe the operations of the Student Financial Services office. 

Bringing the Exhibits to Life: Thursday Nights at the Museum

The Middlebury College Museum of Art has existed in some form or other for over 50 years, yet many might still consider it a hidden gem of the campus. Hosting both a permanent collection as well as travelling exhibitions, the Museum of Art has established its place at the college but is still striving to be a destination for the student body. The museum’s latest initiative, Thursday Nights at the Museum, hopes to improve  just that.  The new program is largely organized by the Museum’s four student coordinators: Emma Boyd ’18.5, Flor Fernandez ’21, Pierce Gidez ’21 and Mimi Soule ’20. They act as the bridge between the Museum and the student body, working to make the space accessible and compelling to the student population.  In past years, the Museum held a large, semi-formal event every semester, typically with food and beverage, nice attire and live music. Turnout was good, but the infrequency of the event limited student exposure to the Museum. While these events will continue, the student coordinators hope that holding an event nearly every week will bring more students to the Museum and, as Gidez said, soon “make it the staple of the campus” it has not always been.  The Museum of Art first took form in the late 1960s with the completion of the Johnson Memorial Building, where many historically and artistically significant pieces gifted to the college were housed in the first floor. For many years the gallery was given little attention, so in the 1980s the college hired a gallery director. When the new Center for the Arts was designed, a space was designated for the Museum. Every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., the Museum is open and hosts events such as talks and performances, while refreshments and snacks are served. Above all, the student coordinators want the Museum to become a place where students feel comfortable coming to “study, have a cup of coffee and relax,” Boyd said.  Last week on Thursday night, Saifa Hussain, Middlebury’s new associate chaplain and Muslim advisor, gave a talk about the Hajj. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, a set of mandatory acts that form the basis for Muslim life, and consists of a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Though the pilgrimage is required only once of each person, Hussain has performed the Hajj twice.  After her talk, Hussain led the group into the Museum’s galleries, where the exhibit “Wondrous Worlds: Art and Islam Through Time and Place” is currently on display. The exhibition offers a glimpse of Islamic art through the ages in hand-printed Qurans, decorated plates and cups and engraved weaponry. In the context of her lecture, Hussain invited the group to explore the items and offered insight on many of them beyond what could be read on their labels. Much of religious Islamic art, she said, does not contain representations of humans or animals, and instead largely relies on geometry and symmetry, which was evident in the pieces on display.  This is just one example of the kinds of events held on Thursday evenings. Hussain’s talk tied into the art currently on display at the museum, but many of the other events are student-led, such as performance art and sketching.  Gidez said that the student coordinators would like to hear students’ suggestions too. “If the student population wants to see something,” Gidez said, “we are open to that communication.”  Describing it as a “living museum,” he thinks it is constantly evolving and improving, and the Thursday Night events should as well. 

Professor's Debut Film Screened Worldwide

“A little irresponsible” is how Film and Media Culture Professor Ioana Uricaru describes her decision to move to the U.S. in 2001 to study film and television production at the University of Southern California. She did not have any friends or family in the U.S., and naively she thought the university would provide housing for her. Moreover, she did not have the money to pay for the expensive program. Luckily, she found a room to rent online while she was still in Romania, her home country. She became friends with the landlady Tracey, who picked her up at the airport three days before school started, and stayed with her for a couple of years.     During her first year in Los Angeles, Uricaru sometimes found herself in a far from ideal situation. At some point, Tracey told her that she had to make lemonade, because “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”     That is where the name of Uricaru’s debut feature film comes from. “Lemonade” centers on Mara, a 30 year-old Romanian immigrant and single mother working on a temporary visa in the U.S. who marries an American man. When she applies for a green card, things start to become difficult, and she is forced to confront various obstacles. “I wanted to make a film about a Romanian woman who immigrates to America, because that’s what I know,” Uricaru said. “That’s what I lived through.” When she heard the overly-optimistic American expression that seems to suggest any trouble can be turned into something positive, she was puzzled and found it “really stupid and almost offensive.”  Later, she started to realize that the idea behind the saying is one deeply rooted in American culture — the belief that one can always find a way around hardships as long as one makes the effort. Yet that may not be totally aligned with reality, as the challenges faced by Mara in the film show.  Uricaru’s own story as a filmmaker and an immigrant perhaps can be seen as one of making lemonade out of lemons. Her father is a writer, her mother teaches Romanian, and Uricaru grew up in Cluj, a city in Transylvania, in a house full of books and a love of literature and fiction. At the same time, she grew up under the Communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu. Control over media is just one of the many repressive aspects of the totalitarian regime, and going to the cinema to watch movies became one of the very few things that Uricaru enjoyed and needed in order “to escape the bleakness of everyday life.” The reality of the dictatorship also influenced Uricaru’s choice in what to study in university, and she considered the range of options to be very narrow.  “A lot of possibilities were just out of the question, because many of the humanities were not just ideologically influenced, but [also] ideologically controlled,” she said. “You couldn’t do literature, or history, or philosophy — anything like that — and have a good feeling about it.” The sciences were what remained. For young Uricaru, going to a large city after university to work was also important. A degree in science and a potentially high-level research job in laboratories seemed to be the way to achieve success in Communist Romania, where the government would assign graduates their jobs.  Uricaru graduated from University of Bucharest in the Romanian capital with a Masters of Science in Biochemistry. The degree, however, did not land her a job in a lab. When she was still a student at the university, violent demonstrations against the totalitarian regime led to the overthrow of the government and the execution of Ceaușescu, ending the 42 years of Communist rule of Romania. What followed was a painful transition to capitalism and democracy. “Although I was a student in biochemistry, I felt that this is the last chance that I have to maybe do something else,” she said. “So I started thinking about it, and I realized that I still wanted to do film.” The only film school in Romania, National University of Theatre and Film, was harder to get in than one might imagine. The school would only accept about seven students each year for the directing track, and there was a rumor that only those with private ties could get in. Despite not knowing anything about film production, Uricaru believed it was the last chance that she had to pursue her passion. She took the admissions test twice, first when she was still in her fourth year of the biochemistry program, then when she had finished her science degree.  She compared the test to the kind of reality television show in which people try to survive on an island. It was probably a little less dramatic, but there were multiple rounds of stressful competition over the course of one week that eliminated the number of applicants from 120 to seven. “I thought … if I don’t get in the second time, then forget it, I’m just going to become a scientist,” she said. “But I did get in the second time.” The offer was not something she could turn away, and she started her journey toward becoming a filmmaker. Later, she continued her studies at USC and paid for the tuition herself through — unexpectedly but perhaps not surprisingly — a teaching assistantship in the university’s biology department. “So in the end, it was good that I did the degree in biology. It was useful,” she said, laughing.  It was also useful in the sense that filmmaking is as much a process of artistic creation as analytic, scientific organization. Uricaru possessed skills and experiences for both, and the duality of their combination resonates with both “Lemonade” and her identity. “Lemonade” is a Romanian film and is mainly produced by a Romanian company, while it is also set in the U.S. and focuses on this country of immigrants, making it somewhat similar to an American indie film. “I’m now a permanent resident, so I’m kind of an American now too. And if I ever get an American citizenship, I will keep my Romanian citizenship,” Uricaru said. “So I’m going to always be both. I like the film to also be both.” The film depicts the struggle of balancing two identities as an immigrant in the U.S., and the events in it all came from real-life stories that Uricaru gathered through extensive interviews with young Romanian immigrants with children. They told her different stories, but all of them expressed a similar sense of “ambivalence between what they left behind and the new country.” Uricaru found that they somehow saw themselves as “the sacrificial generation,” and that they were doing everything for their children, who were either born in the U.S. or came here early on. The immigrants she interviewed had some discoveries of their own, too. When she told them that she was looking for a little boy about eight or nine years old, who speaks Romanian to play Mara’s son character in the film, they all responded that their children could speak Romanian, which turned out to not be the case when she met the children. “The parents lived in this kind of illusion almost, because they spoke Romanian around the house, [and] the child seemed to understand, but actually the child didn’t speak it,” Uricaru explained, adding that many parents had since told her they started to try encouraging their kids to speak the language more. Uricaru was interested in this feeling of not fully belonging in either place and the constant self-questioning of whether the decision to emigrate was a good one. As for herself, she found it difficult to tell if that is something she still wonders about. What was more important was that she make a “very conscious effort” to spend time in Romania and do work there so that she stays in touch. If the style of her film can be an indicator of whether or not she has stayed in touch, it seems that Uricaru has. According to media production specialist Ethan Murphy, “Lemonade” is “very much in the style of new wave Romanian [cinema].” One of the film’s producers is Cristian Mungiu, an established Romanian filmmaker whose achievements include a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. Mungiu is among a group of new Romanian filmmakers who have been exceptionally well-received in the last 15 years.  To show me the Romanian films she considers to be masterpieces during our interview, Uricaru stood up from her office chair and reached for a few DVDs, including “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu” (2005) and Mungiu’s “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” (2007). The films have come to represent what people call “Romanian minimalism” — the idea that the individual story and detail of everyday life are emphasized, as opposed to the focus on the national and the collective under the Communist regime. “It’s really a contagion,” she said, referring to the filmmakers who continue to produce excellent films. “So I’m very proud to be a Romanian filmmaker at this time, I think it’s great.” In the one-hour talk with Uricaru in her office in Axinn, the fact that she is a professor dedicating a lot of of her time teaching two classes in one semester almost faded into the background.  Finne Murphy ’19 is an English major taking Uricaru’s screenwriting class, and she appreciates how hard she pushes students to make their screenplays even better. Murphy, not unlike Uricaru, grew up with a writer father. “[My father] has a MFA in screenwriting, so my whole life he has been writing scripts. I grew up learning it, but I’ve always wanted to write fiction,” Murphy said. “But since being in this class, I kind of wish I was a Film and English double major, or that I had started this sooner.” This is now Uricaru’s seventh year at Middlebury — producing “Lemonade” took eight. She shot the film in Canada during her year on sabbatical and completed the post-production while teaching, flying to Europe during one semester, Thanksgiving and winter breaks.  After its Canadian premiere in Montreal (where it was also shot) this week and before its Romanian premiere next week, “Lemonade” will reach Middlebury audiences as well. The film will be screened this Saturday as part of the Hirschfield International Film Series. Uricaru and Mălina Manovici, who plays the film’s protagonist, will be in attendance for discussion after each screening. The film will also be shown in Burlington on Oct. 18 at the Vermont International Film Festival. Editor’s note: Finne Murphy is an Arts & Academics editor.