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(04/21/05 12:00am)
Author: Polly Johnson I've driven past that mysterious building overlooking the town green hundreds of times, wondering why it's covered in scaffolding and why I have never heard anything about it. After my Monday afternoon tour of the renovation project with Executive Director Doug Anderson, however, I learned what an interesting history the structure has and what an impressive future is in store for it.The Town Hall Theater has a long history - it was constructed in 1884 by architect Clinton Smith to be the town hall of Middlebury. It included town offices and a theater, and it was once the cultural hub of Middlebury life. In the 1950s, however, the town offices were relocated and the building was sold. It was turned into a bar and the interior was ripped out and gutted and what was once the heart of community life slowly deteriorated into an empty, windowless shell. I toured the building with Anderson, who was a theater professor at Middlebury in the '80s, and who works now with the music and theater departments. The outside of the building looks crumbled in places, due to the bricks that have been removed to unveil the windows. The inside looks like a construction site, although its high ceilings and big stage foreshadow a future of a beautiful theater and community space. The walls show remnants of wallpaper dating back to when it first opened in 1884. Anderson foresees the site as a completely community-oriented space, where shows, weddings and concerts can take place. He also envisions it being used by the local schools for performances. Anderson was eager to share the Town Hall Theater's history and the current status of its renovation."There was a big movement in the 1990s to restore many of the town halls in Vermont, which had a lot to do with our senator Jim Jeffords," who provided state funding, Anderson explained. "The town pretty much forgot it had ever had a theater, and when I taught at Middlebury in the '80s, I wondered why we didn't have a theater." At the time Anderson decided to pursue the project, "it was a bar, there were no windows anywhere, it was a horrible space and only the remains of the theater were left upstairs."Anderson worked with Christian A. Johnson Professor of Art Glenn Andres, going around town and asking local citizens about raising money. Along the way, they questioned if what they were trying to accomplish was even feasible.Remarkably, they "got lots of great feedback from the town and we raised $500,000, with the help of the College as well." Anderson said, "So far, we've raised $1.8 million and we still have a couple million more to go." Although he noted that they will probably never make back all the money they will eventually end up spending on it, he admitted that's just what happens when you do work like this. The ultimate payoff will not be monetary, but rather it will be the excitement of having a cultural center for the residents of Middlebury. On July 3, 2005, there will be a special ceremony, which will include returning the town bell that currently sits in front of the Sheldon Museum to the theater. Anderson told me the story of the bell - in the '50s, Sam Emilo, a controversial town resident, stole the bell from the town hall in the middle of the night because he wanted to melt it into scrap metal and sell it. The townspeople immediately responded, collecting money so that they could buy it back from him. They caught up with Emilo in Rutland and bargained with him so that Middlebury won the bell back, with the provision that Emilo be credited as the giver of the bell. Now, on the plaque next to the bell in front of the Sheldon Museum, there is a plaque that recognizes the bell as a gift from Emilo to the community.In remembrance of that story and the townspeople who had the will to save a valuable part of Middlebury, on July 3, 2005, two Morgan Horses will carry a cart holding the bell through the town. It will be returned to the Town Hall, and will be followed by a community picnic on the town green, during which the townspeople will hear the bell's ring for the first time for decades. The community has welcomed this project with open arms, and as Anderson said encouragingly, "Everybody's behind this, everyone wants this."
(04/21/05 12:00am)
Author: James Edward Kerrigan The Panther's suffered their fourth straight loss on Wednesday against Massachusetts College, but rebounded with a three game sweep of divisional opponent Hamilton.Mass. College took a commanding 6-0 lead after the first inning and never looked back. Mass. College took advantage of Middlebury's mistakes; they scored all six runs without collecting an extra base hit. Mass. College hit into a double play to stop the bleeding. John Lanahan '08 and Andrew Pavoni '06 both homered for the Panthers, but these two swings were overshadowed by Middlebury's seven errors in the field. After this defensive let down, the team fell below .500 for the season at 7-8. Four straight losses in the heart of the season may have broken most teams, but once again the Panthers showed their resiliency and character by taking all three home games against NESCAC opponent Hamilton. Previous losses certainly added pressure to perform well against Hamilton. Senior outfielder Dev Talvadkar who thrived under this pressure, collecting five RBIs, noted, "Of course we felt added pressure to win after last week because anytime your league schedule consists of 12 games and you lose three in a row there is added pressure to win." But Head Coach Bob Smith preaches approaching one game at a time. "We also played to put the pressure on Hamilton and not ourselves," he said. Expectations and pressures were high, but the men came through in impressive fashion.Game one on Friday went back and forth in the early innings. Hamilton scored six times in the top of the fourth inning to open up the game. Middlebury fought back though. The squad managed two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to pull within three runs at 7-4. First-year Jack Britton came on and pitched a remarkable 5.2 innings in relief. He took care of holding Hamilton. The bats also did their part as the attack put up five in the seventh and two more in the eighth. The men at the top of the lineup heated up as batters one through four each had multiple hit games. David Riester '05 led the way with four hits and three runs scored. But Dom DiDomenico '06 and Pavoni both had multi hit games; the two combined for three crucial runs. Smith recognized some difference between the series against Amherst and this past weekend. "Pitching and defense for Hamilton was not as good [as Amherst]. We were efficient and hit well." These differences were most visible on Saturday, especially during the first game. Middlebury picked up where it left off on Friday and jumped out to an 18-0 lead after just four innings. Between the end of Friday's game and the beginning of Saturday's game, the Panther offense scored two or more runs for six straight innings; they averaged 4.16 runs per inning over this stretch.The pitching was equally strong; the staff gave up only three runs over two games. Riester earned the win in game one and lowered his season ERA to 1.93. Senior classmate Russ Budnick struck out eight and picked up the win in game two. Hamilton did, however, manage to beat Middlebury in total errors 9-2. These proved costly for Hamilton. Talvadkar noted the importance of errors, saying, "This weekend we made fewer mistakes and came through in the clutch." When it was all said and done, Middlebury won game one 19-1 and game two 10-2.Next weekend, the Panthers square off for their final divisional series against Wesleyan. They stand at 5-4, one game behind of Williams in the NESCAC west region. But the important part is that Middlebury takes care of its own business. "We have to show up to play like we did [last] Friday and Saturday. If we win all three we are set. If we do not we may have to rely on fate, so we can control our destiny," Coach Smith commented. Talvadkar affirmed that, "If we play our game and limit mistakes we expect to take the series from Weslyean and hopefully if all goes as planned make the playoffs." Middlebury open on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and then come back at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday for a doubleheader.
(04/07/05 12:00am)
Author: Polly Johnson Remember the good old days in Starr Library when the deafening sound of unzipping your jacket caused death stares from the intensely studious people sitting all around you? Well, you can't even hear that zipper over to the chatty cell phone conversation heard from across the stacks in the new library. How about that lovely door alarm that seems to sound for one out of every ten people or the lobby telephone echoing from every corner or the printers. I could go on and on. And don't get me started on the not so silent study rooms. First of all, they are not soundproof, and the sound of your neighbor's iTunes does not make for the most conducive study environment. I don't care how well you can "1,2 Step," - some of us are trying to memorize 250 Art History slides or trying to finish a 2,500 word essay. Secondly, it seems that only large groups of friends utilize the rooms to "work" as a group. And by work I mean catch up on the gossip they missed by being separated between their commencement of dinner and the grand arrival at the library. What prompted this change? When did the library become the new Grille? When will the live musicians start? It's only a matter of time before $2 Otter Creek drafts are sold at the reference desk (for those with a bracelet, of course). And what exactly is the dress code here? For a girl, it is vital to exude the "I just threw on these sweatpants, yet my hair is perfectly straightened and makeup is ready for Friday night primetime." Guys are fine as long as their collar or two is perfectly popped and they're sporting a pretty stylish 'do.No one would argue that the library has become the new hot spot, however, most people would be hard pressed to find a library anywhere better than this one. With a fantastic selection, reclining chairs overlooking the gorgeous mountains, wireless internet and the newly offered "check out" laptops, this social haven can't be beat. Though we'll always miss the musty smell of the orange shag carpets or the creaky reference room of Starr Library, I think it's fair to say that this unnamed establishment has truly become our new home. Alright, gotta run, I've got to get ready for my 7:00 library rendezvous. I sure hope my sweatpants are clean.
(03/31/05 12:00am)
Author: Andrea Gissing To the Editor:This letter is in regards to President Leibowitz's all-campus e-mail "To the Campus Community" which was a short e-mail heavily criticizing The Middlebury Campus' use of a doctored photograph in which Rudolph Giuliani is made to resemble Adolf Hitler.I am writing not to take issue with the content of the e-mail but rather with the means of dispersal. I see it as a serious misuse of power for the president of our College to send out an all-campus e-mail with the sole purpose of making his personal opinion pop up on the screen the next time each of us check our e-mail. The title of the e-mail gave no hint of its content and in the past, similar "Campus Community" e-mails, which only a handful of people have the clearance to send, have contained important announcements and schedule changes or have sought to address more weighty issues in an all-encompassing and direct manner - as on 9/11 or after the death of a student, staff or faculty member. At such times, making use of this privilege seems fitting and sensible. However, the medium is not meant to provide a soapbox for the hasty airing of personal grievances.In my opinion, the placement of such a shock-value picture next to Ben Gore's finely written article - which had a much greater subtlety to it than simply equating Giuliani to Hitler - was a poor editorial choice. But that is my opinion; and here it is, in the "Opinions" section, where it belongs -- -not in a campus-blanketing e-mail. Sincerely,Chris Ahern '05.5To the Editor: Although the caption says, "the numbers speak for themselves," the graph on the front page of the March 17 issue of The Middlebury Campus is misleading. While the comprehensive fee has risen only 28.6 percent since 2000-2001, the relative height of the bars in the graph conveys the impression that it has soared by 3530 percent over this period. A more honest design would begin the y-axis at zero instead of at $32,500. Sincerely,Bert JohnsonAssistant Professor ofPolitical ScienceTo the Editor: The most recent issue of The Campus contained a doctored photograph of former Mayor Giuliani resembling Adolf Hitler. The decision of The Campus' editorial staff to include such a photo reflects a gross misunderstanding of history, let alone of Mr. Giuliani's record. It also reflects an unacceptable and embarrassing ignorance of the magnitude of Hitler's crimes against humanity. Our community expects more common knowledge and common wisdom from Middlebury students.My concern here has nothing to do with free speech. Obviously, our First Amendment rights guarantee great latitude in what publications can print. Our College's newspaper is run by our students, without intervention or restraint from faculty, staff or administrators, and with all of the rights and responsibilities that go along with the opportunity to produce such a publication. And that is exactly my point: having these rights and responsibilities, The Campus' editorial staff should have exhibited greater seriousness and thought - and appreciation of the significance of what they are doing - than they did in last week's issue.Sincerely,Ronald D. Liebowitz PresidentTo the Editor:The March 10 issue of The Middlebury Campus contains an article on former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who is to address the graduating class of 2005, accurately reporting on the praise that he has received from some quarters during his tenure as mayor. However, you neglected to report on those aspects of his leadership that have been criticized by others. It is not the charge of a news story to take a position on the selection of a commencement speaker. You should, however, accurately portray how diverse sections of the public view this person.In fact, many community, civil rights and civil liberties groups have disapproved of the tone set by Mayor Giuliani's administration with respect to police conduct. Civilian complaints about excessive use of force rose 41 percent during his term. Several notable cases of police brutality (such as the torture of Abner Louima and the shooting death of Amadou Diallo), have been linked by Mayor Giuliani's critics to his lack of emphasis on police restraint. His determination to "clean up" the city also lead to many small vendors and homeless people being harassed or removed from the streets. By reporting on both the praise and the criticism that Mayor Giuliani has received you would be doing the readers a service. We could then make up our own minds about the wisdom of selecting him as a commencement speaker. In a world where the government and corporations are now passing along promotional videos as news stories, we need to be especially careful to understand the distinction between promotion and journalism. It is fine for a public affairs office to issue sunny advertisements about events on campus. That is their job. But this is not the work of journalists. Sincerely,Ellen OxfeldProfessor of AnthropologyTo the Editor:If Rudy Giuliani can be likened to Hitler in The Campus, with no factual backup, is there anyone who cannot be? Perhaps Hitler-calling has been so cheapened that we now forget the actual crimes of Hitler and turn his barbarity and the deaths of millions into a convenient figure of speech- a bon mot, a real cleaver gag, a lark. The Campus stoops.Sincerely,Brian Perry '95
(03/31/05 12:00am)
Author: Jodie Zhang and Lauren Smith The Middlebury Campus: How long have you been playing violin?Megan Guiliano: About 17 years. I started playing violin when I was three through the Suzuki program organized in my hometown.The Campus: Tell us about your participation in the orchestra. How many hours a week do you practice?Guiliano: As an ensemble, the orchestra practices four hours every week in two separate rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Individual practicing varies with each member of the orchestra. Outside of rehearsal, I tend to practice three to five hours a week. Unfortunately, with an intense class schedule, practice time is often left behind. I think Middlebury should provide a class for credit resembling the chamber ensemble class offered over Winter Term. The music department at Middlebury has potential to grow with the help of more organized opportunities for the students to perform. The Campus: Do you play other instruments besides the violin?Guiliano: No.The Campus: What is it like performing at Middlebury? How often do you perform, what kinds of pieces do you play (classical, modern, etc.), do you play for large or small audiences?Guiliano: Well, generally the orchestra performs a range of classical music including a few contemporary pieces composed by senior music majors in the spring. Performing at Middlebury is like performing anywhere else - there's usually that sense of camaraderie within the group - whether it's an orchestra or smaller string ensemble (i.e. - quartet, quintet, trio). Performing is the climax of one's experience with these other musicians and the group and individual's connection to the piece being played. Yes, a large audience is a compliment to the musicians' time and energy they've spent preparing, but performing is really about an ensemble committing their physical, spiritual and mental selves to the art form - aiming for precision and musicality through interpretation - and finally, sharing and communicating this musical experience within their community. The Campus: How has playing the violin helped or affected you in other parts of your life?Guiliano: Music magnifies sentiment. I think especially being here at Middlebury solely as scholars can be a very dangerous pattern. Music like all art provides a very essential parallel to this scholarly activity that makes it real. We need to feel and create and respond to that act of composing just as much as we function as intellectuals through research and analysis.The Campus: Who is your favorite composer? Guiliano: Too hard!The Campus: What kinds of music do you listen to on your CD player/ iPod?Guiliano: Variety is a necessity. Like any art, music has the potential to communicate, and because communication and understanding are very dear to me, listening to different voices and cultures is very important to my growth and understanding of the world. Of course, I have favorites. I love Paul Simon. I love the Borodin String Quartet, the Shostakovich Piano Trio and Tchaikovsky's Serenade. I love the Velvet Underground. I love Bach's Chaconne for Violin, Ravel's Tzigane, Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen and the Sibelius Violin Concerto. And of course, I can't forget the famous Stuart-Moore and his contemporary Mr. Lindblad, both of whom I admire greatly. The Campus: What are you future goals musically, short-term and long-term?Guiliano: I'm not a music major, but I'll always have music. Right now, I'm researching an idea for the summer involving volunteering in Guatemala and teaching kids violin by Suzuki method. I'm also starting to teach violin to a few kids from the community of Middlebury. Short term... I'm in different ensembles outside of orchestra and intend on practicing on my own and next year taking up an independent 500 level course and preparing a recital. Writing is why I came to Middlebury, but I'm also thinking of taking some composition classes - another incredible language of translating sentiment. The Campus: Any other thoughts you'd like to share with The Campus?Guiliano: I think the Middlebury administration should give the music department more attention, both academically and financially. Although there is a music major offered, there are few classes offered for credit involving performance, i.e. ensemble classes and chamber orchestra. Comparing the sports facilities with the arts facilities, the music department specifically, receives nowhere near the attention and focus of our administration. As a musician and student of Middlebury, I expect more for the music department in the future, both current musicians at Middlebury and those considering Middlebury in their application process. A college that praises itself for diversity must commit and contribute equally across all activities, including the arts.
(03/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Ethan Lake The Office of Campus Sustainability has sent campus wide e-mails announcing this spring's environmental competition. The challenge has been issued to Middlebury students - how can they improve campus sustainability using a frugal budget? Before this question is answered (the revealing of the winning grants in the near future will do just this), having a little background information on the Office of Campus Sustainability might be helpful.What is a Mini-Grant? A Mini-Grant is a grant of money, amounting up to only $100, which is given by the Office of Campus Sustainability to motivated students interested in improving Middlebury's environmental impact and outlook, but who may lack the resources to do so.The Office of Campus Sustainability has been offering grants to concerned students for the past five years. Students, working with staff and faculty, have developed over 45 grants within that time period to help improve our school. Through their auspices, around $70,000 has been spent to improve Middlebury's sustainability and environmental outlook. The grants highlight not only student concern and ingenuity but also the willingness of the Middlebury College community to come together to accomplish a worthy goal.In past years, the Campus Sustainability Office has received up to $25,000 to support student environmental awareness and concern. This year, due to their uncertain funding situation, only $2,500 was received, and the Mini-Grant challenge was developed to maximize the paucity of funds. The Mini-Grants hope to not only raise awareness for the Campus Sustainability Program, with the intent of getting it a permanent budget, but also to foster an entrepreneurial spirit amongst the grant applicants. A similar contest was offered this fall, with slightly more grant money available, and two grants were selected and given about $1,500. These fall grants did not fully use up the funds given to the Campus Sustainability Office, so the Mini-Grant contest was formed.One grant supported publicity for the student dishwashing initiative. This initiative, which started a couple of years ago, has students volunteer to wash dishes in the dining hall for dinner, raising awareness not only of how much food is wasted, but also of what an excellent job the College staff does to make student life more enjoyable. The money was spent this year on a banner to raise awareness and guides for students on how to work the dishwashing equipment.The other grant paid for the updating of the dining hall posters that illustrate how Middlebury supports local food. The information on the posters had been somewhat out of date, so concerned students this fall requested and received a grant to update them to their current iteration.Sadly, the entire grant initiative has an uncertain future. Without a concrete budjet for grants, the Campus Sustainability Office has had to rely on outside sources. In the past, a concerned president gave large amounts of his discretionary money to the program. Other times the program approached various commons or the Environmental Council for funding. Yet there remains hope for this worthy program. President Ronald D. Liebowitz has ordered a study of the grant program along with a proposed permanent budget for the program. The successful adoption of this budget may well hinge on the impact of and response to these Mini-Grants.
(03/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Polly Johnson The times they are a changing, and that change is beginning right here in Vermont. Last week residents met in town meetings across the state to consider proposals as varied as banning smoking in restaurants and requesting the recall of Vermont's U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. In a Middlebury town vote on March 1, residents voted 706 to 200 to advise the town's selectboad to ban smoking in all public bars and restaurants in Middlebury.The vote came after the Middlebury town meeting Feb. 22 when the selectboard met to discuss issues pertinent to the town. Selectboard members present at the meeting included Town Manager Bill Finger, Police Chief Tom Hanley and Town Planner Fred Dunnington, among others. Since the smoking ban vote, one town establishment has already responded to what they saw as a ringing endorsement for extinguishing cigarettes. Two Brothers Tavern announced in a press release on March 2 - the day after the vote - that they have decided to immediately institute a "smoke-free environment." Beal Jacobs, bar manager and co-proprietor of Two Brothers, said, "Initially [the smoking ban] might be negative, at least at the bar, although for the most part we have received positive feedback, even from smokers. Plus we are going to go non-smoking on March 14, which is about three months before anyone else." Two Brothers decided to enact the ban now based on overwhelming town response and felt there was no reason to wait until they were required to do so by the state. In the press release, Co-Proprietor Holmes Jacobs stated, "Many of our valued customers smoke. This decision is not meant to ostracize anyone, or show favoritism to one group of patrons over another. We respect a person's right to smoke. To us this is not an issue about taking away a person's rights. It is about creating a cleaner indoor environment that all people must share." The decision came after much consultation with patrons, who ultimately agreed that the smoke made for a negative dining experience. The staff at Two Brothers said they are confident that customers who stayed away from the restaurant because of its smoky environment will now realize that it is a "comfortable environment with a wonderful cuisine." Another issue of importance to Middlebury residents -- especially admist debate over the impact of stores like Wal-Mart moving into small towns- - was a propostion to tighten the town's zoning restrictions. While a vote has not been taken on a proposed amendment that would limit retail stores to 50,000 square-feet, 500 citizens filled out surveys, with the majority supporting an imposition of "big box store restrictions." The issue will be discussed at the next town meeting of the selectboard. A third issue discussed was a proposal to call for the return of Vermont's U.S. troops from Iraq. Similar propositions were debated in towns across the state. Middlebury residents voted 609-285 in favor of a resolution that would encourage the return of U.S. troops from Iraq. A similar meeting was held in Dummerston, Vt., where nearly 120 Vermont citizens showed up to give their perspectives on the ongoing war. So far, about 1,200 National Guard members from Vermont have been enlisted to serve in the war in Iraq. Vermont has the second highest rate of troops per capita currently in Iraq, behind Hawaii. Additionally, Vermont has the highest percentage of soldiers who have died in Iraq of any state, including four members of the National Guard and seven members from the active military. Vermont National Guard spokeswoman First Lt. Veronica J. Saffo said at the meeting in Dummerston, as reported by The New York Times, "Vermont is a very small state, and people are really feeling the effect of this." The towns of Vermont have yet to see what will become of the proposed resolution, but it is definitely clear that Vermont residents will continue to fight for their loved ones and fellow community members who are currently fighting in Iraq.The final issue voted on was a proposal to create a publicly financed health care and insurance system for Vermont. Dr. Jack Mayer, a pediatrician in Middlebury, critcized the fact that the state does not "have a system based on equity," and used examples from his own practice as well as a 20-foot long spreadsheet of all the insurance companies his office has to deal with to illustrate his belief that a universal health care program is necessary. Residents voted in favor of the resolution.
(02/24/05 12:00am)
Author: Sarah Polling-Leuhrman The Middlebury women's swimming and diving team ended their season with a remarkable performance this past weekend at the first NESCAC Championship swim meet ever to be held in the Middlebury Natatorium. Though they placed third with 1,337 points behind Williams, NESCAC champions since 1987, with 1,729 points, and Amherst, with 1,431.50 points, the Panthers can be proud of a successful weekend full of record-shattering swimming, "as this became the fastest NESCAC Championship in conference history," said Head Coach Peter Solomon. Though only 24 swimmers suited up for the event, the entire team turned out in their Pink Panthers flair to cheer their teammates on against the seven other teams present for the competition. Star swimmers Marika Ross '08 and Sara Cowie '08 were the team's highest scorers for the weekend, Cowie tying for first place with 96 points and Ross for fourth place with 94 points. Both swimmers performed better than they have all season, each collecting multiple individual first place wins and contributing strong relay performances. Altogether, Middlebury's first-years scored by far the most points of any other freshmen class (456 to Williams' 336 and Amherst's 295). The weekend began with Cowie's first place win in the 500 yard free event on Friday evening, her time of 5:02.64 earning her an NCAA "A" qualification and setting a pool record. Saturday, she placed first and posted the meet record of 10:21.04, another pool record, in the 1000 free event, and Sunday she achieved another NCAA "A" cut in the 1650 free with her winning time of 17:19.50. Ross's stellar performance brought her three individual victories over the course of the weekend, all setting pool records and NESCAC Championship Meet records and all three times qualifying as NCAA "A" cuts. Saturday she won the 200 yard IM in 2:04.98 and the 400 yard IM in 4:29.71, and she won the 200 fly in 2:03.09 on Sunday, breaking a NESCAC conference record.Other notable individual swimmers included sprinter Barbara Van der Veer '07, who won third place in the 100 yard free and fourth place in the 50 yard fly and the 50 yard free and Anna Flores '08, who picked up a third place win in the 50 yard breaststroke and broke a school record.The Panthers' relay teams delivered strong performances throughout the weekend; Van der Veer, Ross, Liz Rice '07 and Lauren King '05 winning second place in the 200 yard free and a NCAA "B" qualification with their time of 1:36.51. Also picking up NCAA "B" recognition was the 200 medley relay team, Van der Veer, Flores, Rice and Becca Reingold '07, who won fourth place in their event. More remarkable still were Van der Veer, Rice, Ross and Pam Chatikavanij '08 and their third place win and NCAA "A" time of 3:31.50 in the 400 free relay. "I don't think I've ever had so many of our swimmers perform so well in a championship meet before," said Solomon. "It seemed like every time someone got up on the blocks that they did a personal best time."Tessa Truex '05 ended her final season as a Middlebury diver with second place finishes and NCAA "B" cuts in the 1 meter and 3 meter diving events. Truex set new school records in both events, and her stellar performance made her the Diver of the Meet. She and Alanna Hanson '08, who finished fourth in both events, "showed that they were the team to contend with" and provided "unmatched depth in the event," said Solomon. Not only were the divers recognized, but their coach, Lisa Gibbs, was named Diving Coach of the Meet."Middlebury held their own in a very competitive meet," said Solomon proudly of his swimmers. "The addition of some talented freshmen this year really helped to keep us on a level playing field with the likes of Amherst and Williams, both teams that are expected to go on and be one of the best 5 or 6 teams in the country." Middlebury is planning on being right there with them when they travel to Hope Collage in Holland, Mich. for the Divisions III NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 10-12th.
(02/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Sarah Poling-Luehrman A four-meet winning streak ended for the Middlebury women's swimming and diving team when they faced first Williams, perennial NESCAC champions, on Jan. 29 and then Dartmouth, a Division I team, on Feb. 2, both in the Middlebury Natatorium. Williams proved to be the toughest competition the team has faced thus far, and although Middlebury lost 167-131. "The competition between the two schools was tighter than what the score might suggest," said Head Coach Peter Solomon. The Panthers won 7 of 16 events, and in some of those they lost, they finished behind by mere fractions of a second. "Had we been able to pull off just two more close wins," said Solomon, "the team scores would have come out 151-147 in our favor. To be only two wins away from dethroning a team that has only loss 1 dual meet in the past 120 competitions is something that I am very pleased about."Marika Ross '08 had a particularly good meet against Williams, with three first place finishes in the 100 fly, 200 fly and 400 IM. Her time of 4:35.09 in the 400 IM broke a varsity record and qualified as an NCAA "B" standard, while her times of 57.87 in the 100 fly and 2:04.62 in the 200 fly broke the varsity record and the pool record and qualified as NCAA "A" standard. Her consistently strong swimming also contributed to the 200 free relay team's outstanding performance. Barbara Van Der Veer '07, Pam Chatikavanij '08, Liz Rice '07 and Ross finished second to Williams, but their time of 1:39.28 earned the team another NCAA "B" standard recognition. Sara Cowie '08 also contributed a strong individual performance and took first place in the 500 free and the 1650 free. Her time of 17:44.46 in the 1650 free earning yet another NCAA "B" recognition.At the other end of the pool, Middlebury divers stepped up to the board and performed outstandingly against Williams. Not only did Tessa Truex '05 deliver two more first place finishes in both the 1m and 3m diving categories, but Alana Hanson finished just behind her in the 1m category, both divers earning NCAA recognition. "We can hang with this team," says Solomon. "NESCAC's is just around the corner, and if we compete like we have all season long, and our swimmers and divers 'step-up', then perhaps we can become the first team since 1987 to beat Williams at a Conference Championships."The following weekend's 113.5-144.5 loss to Dartmouth proved that "our team was a little flat coming off a big weekend with Williams," commented Solomon. "On a different day, I think we could have beaten Dartmouth." Nonetheless, Ross set two more pool records in the 50 Fly with a 26.56 and in the 100 IM with a 1:00.23, also a varsity record.The MIT Invitational on February 5th marked the last meet of the regular season before the NESCAC Championships. Team scores were not kept at MIT. It was all about racing the clock. "The swimmers and divers got out the razors, and literately shaved seconds off of their times to finish the year with some personal best times and scores," commented Solomon. "You could sense the excitement and spirit of the team watching teammate after teammate touch the wall only to celebrate another great performance." Individual performances continued to impress - Ross picked up wins in both the 200 free and the 500 free, Cowie won the 200 fly, Anna Blasiak '07 won the 200 breast and Truex added yet another diving victory to her season with a first place win in the 3m competition. The MIT Invitational was significant meet for the Panthers, especially those who will not be able to compete in the NESCAC meet, as there is a roster limit of 24 swimmers. For some, the meet was their last racing opportunity this season. "If attitude and work ethic were the only criteria used in the selection process, many of the athletes finishing up this past weekend would have been the first names on our conference roster," said Solomon. "I have the utmost appreciation for all that these individuals bring to our team, and couldn't have been happier to see all their hard work pay off in big dividends this past weekend's meet at MIT. It was an appropriate finish to their great season."NESCACs are coming up for the swimming and diving team, and they will be hosted at Middlebury for the first time on Feb. 18 and 19. The Panthers will be training hard until then, hoping to give their strongest performance yet and make Williams fight harder than they have ever had to. "Wouldn't it be the perfect script to our season, considering that this is the first time our school has ever hosted the championships." said Solomon of the prospect of beating Williams. The team can only swim as they have been and round out a competitive and successful season.
(02/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Megan O'Keefe Red Bull - the energy drink that is synonymous with vodka-laced partying and study-filled all-nighters - has never been a big hit with idlers. In fact, it is probably safe to say that those serious enough to guzzle multiple cans of the caffeine-loaded beverage are not looking to add to their workload. But the more Red Bull you drink, the more time you have, right? At least that is the marketing strategy of Red Bull makers, who challenged fans of the drink to create original artworks out of their empty cans this winter. Despite the gimmicky slogan -"What will a full can of Red Bull inspire you to create out of an empty one?"- at least one Middlebury student found inspiration somewhere between the bright yellow liquid and the surplus of empty cans. Studio Art major Nicholas Colacchio '05 was among 31 finalists selected in the Red Bull Art of the Can Contest, which drew entries from 400 amateur and not-so-amateur artists around the world. Ben Cooley '05 was also selected as a finalist for a piece entitled, "Exhausted Energy," but said he is unsure how Red Bull identified him as the artist because he did not create or submit the piece.Colacchio's piece, a 14-foot pin-art-style sculpture of a face entitled "Insomnia," takes its name from his experience in making it. In his artist biography on the contest Web site, Colacchio said, "The majority of time assembling the piece was done the weekends before and after my final exams at school - at one point, I spent 63 consecutive hours working on the piece without sleep." In total, Colacchio estimates he spent more than 150 hours assembling his sculpture, but months longer conceptualizing and modeling the piece. As it turns out, during days without sleep, his inspiration came strictly from the cans - not their contents. "I actually didn't drink any Red Bull as I worked on my piece," Colacchio noted. Instead, he fueled up on Gatorade, Protein bars and music - "anything from Van Morrison to Mariah Carey's Christmas CD, Ben Harper to Bob Marley, Mozart to Moby."Colacchio rarely drinks Red Bull, but collected about 1,500 cans from recycling and redemption centers to create the piece after Dave Irwin '05, Middlebury College's Red Bull representative, told him about the contest. Colacchio first conceived the idea for the piece several years ago "as something [he] wanted to make out of beer cans in response to [his] experience working with drunk patients as an emergency room technician." When he discovered the Red Bull contest, Colacchio realized he could adapt his early project to the new medium, noting, "I also just thought it would look sweet if I could pull it off." Colacchio's work on the piece was labor intensive. "It definitely competed for time with my other classes, to say the least," he said, adding, "I can only imagine how I'd do in my other classes if I spent as much time preparing for a paper or oral exam."Though Colacchio's piece was not near completion by the preliminary deadline, judges saw enough potential in the sculpture-in-progress to select him as a finalist, giving him the opportunity to come down to Boston and continue to work on the entry.The 31 selected pieces will be on display for one week, beginning Feb. 26 at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston before a panel of judges selects the winning entry. Colacchio will travel to Boston on Feb. 21 to complete work on his piece before the judging and will return for the public exhibition opening on Feb. 26. A panel of judges including Bobby Hansson, author of The Fine Art of the Tin Can; metal artist Boris Bally; painter William Quigley and curatorial assistant for the Institute of Contemporary Art Emily Moore will determine the top three winners. Each entry will be evaluated based on three criteria including: creative concept, conceptual execution and overall construction of the piece. The first prize winner will be awarded a trip for two to the 51st International Arts Festival in Venice, Italy.Go to redbullartofthecan.com to view and rate all of the entries, including Colacchio's.
(02/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Polly Johnson A Jan. 30 carbon monoxide leak in an apartment complex housing a number of University of Vermont (UVM) students has left one dead and six others injured. The Redstone Apartments at 500 S. Prospect St., in close proximity to the university, houses 200 residents, most of whom are UVM students. Building number three at the 11-building complex was the source of the leak, which erupted the night before the incident actually occurred. Carbon monoxide began to back up in the building after the gas-fired, hot-water boiler backfired and blew out a section of the ventilation pipe. The causes of the boiler malfunction are still unknown and are currently under investigation. The apartment complex did not have any carbon monoxide detectors. Vermont law does not require them. Jeffrey Rodliff, 23, of St. Johnsbury, died as a result of the leak. He was not a student, but was visiting the apartment building. Six others were affected and once medical assistance arrived at the scene, all were rushed to the Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington. All had to be transferred to other hospitals in Boston, Montreal and Syracuse because the facilities in Burlington did not offer the specialized oxygen treatment that was needed.John Novarr, managing partner of Prospect Venture LLC, the company that owns the apartment complex, remarked to the Burlington Free Press in a phone interview that he "doesn't understand why it happened or what the cause of it was, but the only thing in the building that makes carbon monoxide is the boiler." He traveled to Burlington immediately following the incident to investigate.UVM President Dan Fogel, in a statement released following the tragedy, said, "We will communicate with the property owner today and make clear our expectation that our students should not return to their apartments until every mechanical system in every building has been thoroughly and professionally inspected, and carbon monoxide detectors have been installed throughout the Redstone Apartment buildings."Since the incident, it has been revealed that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission confirmed that the P lexvent plastic vent piping installed in the Redstone Apartments was included in its 1998 recall of around 250,000 pipe systems that were prone to cracking or separating causing carbon monoxide leakage. The pipe that broke in the building was found to have separated from an elbow joint. Novarr says that he was never notified of any such recall. Since the incident, UVM has stepped up housing safety and its efforts to ensure that all residences are inspected and safe. This week, carbon monoxide detectors were installed in all student residences on campus and all the furnaces in the Redstone Apartments were replaced. In a campus wide e-mail, Fogel wrote that he intends to "ensure the UVM family that the safety of our students is our highest priority."On Monday, Feb. 7, the Burlington City Council, after much prompting from Governor Jim Douglas '72 and Mayor Peter Clavelle, voted on whether or not to make it mandatory for carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in all Burlington residences.Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of some fuels. It can have extremely harmful or fatal effects, even at low exposures. It can cause headaches, nausea and fatigue, unconsciousness, coma and death. Each year, carbon monoxide poisoning accounts for 200 deaths nationwide. Thousands more are sent to the hospital annually from poisoning. There are many ways to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, including installing a carbon monoxide detector, which is cheap and reliable. The detectors are similar to smoke detectors and sound an alarm when carbon monoxide is detected in the air. A certified technician should also regularly check appliances. UVM students who live at the Redstone Apartments were able to begin moving back in on Friday evening - they had been staying at the Sheraton Hotel since the incident. Novarr confirmed that all heating systems had been replaced and the Burlington Fire Department confirmed that the apartments are safe. UVM officials, with the assistance of the Burlington Fire Department, responded quickly and efficiently to the incident. Precautions are being taken to prevent a repeat of this incident. As Novarr noted in the wake of the tragic event, "There's no price on the life of a student."
(01/27/05 12:00am)
Author: Heather Wright The Middlebury College Women's basketball team had their first opening games for their NESCAC schedule on Jan. 14 and 15th. The Panthers came out strong on Friday evening as they defeated Connecticut College, 65-50. Middlebury lost on Saturday against a strong Wesleyan University team, 75-54.Coming into the game against Connecticut College, Middlebury knew "this was a huge game for us because we wanted to start out league play on a winning note," said Captain Elyse Carlson '05. The Panthers came out flat in the first half and shot the ball poorly. This led to Connecticut College holding the lead for the entire first half. Middlebury went into halftime down by two points, 25-23, but managed to come out strong in the second half. The Panthers managed to do this by picking up their defensive intensity and finished their shots. "This win was a solid team effort with everyone contributing in some way," said Carlson. Middlebury continued to play strong throughout the second half and gave Connecticut College no chance, eventually beating them by 15 points, 65-50.The Panthers faced a determined Wesleyan University team that had come up to Middlebury on Saturday, Jan. 15 after a big upset the night before at Williams. Middlebury lost decisively 75-54 as none of their shots seemed able to find the basket. Wesleyan outscored Middlebury 17-4 from the foul line and hit six of eight three-pointers throughout the game. One of Wesleyan's players, Sue Frost, hit five three's before halftime, giving Wesleyan a 42-26 lead at intermission. The Panthers were able to cut the lead to 13, but were unable to do more than this. Carlson led Middlebury with 12 points and Katie Fehsenfeld '06 scored 10. "It was a physical and aggressive game, and unfortunately for us they had a height advantage and shot the ball really well," said Carlson.Middlebury traveled to Union on Tuesday, the 18th and fell 62-54. Union came out strong and the Panthers were never able to catch up. Middlebury then traveled to Bates and Tufts this past weekend. They lost to a good Bates team 75-50 on Friday the 21st and traveled to Tufts on Saturday where they were more successful. The win at Tufts moved them to 2-2 in NESCAC play as they solidly defeated the Jumbos 68-59.Carlson said, "From here on out we play really good teams, so we know we have our work cut out for us. But we practice hard and play determined, so I know that we are ready for the challenge." This challenge has been escalated as two starting players, captain Lacey Hebert '06 and Katie Fehsenfeld '06 both are out for the remainder of the season with torn ACL's. It is now more important than ever that the bench steps up. They have proven they are capable of doing just that with their win over Tufts.Middlebury's next home game is on Thursday night. when the Panthers host Keene State at 7 p.m.
(01/27/05 12:00am)
Author: Members of the ICC To the Middlebury College Community:Throughout the last semester, the Intercommons Council (ICC) has been discussing the future of the Commons and attempting to establish a line between what we feel is a Commons based initiative, and what is a general program aimed at the student body as a whole. There has been a considerable amount of dialogue, and while we are constantly refining our boundaries, we all believe that our purpose is to first provide worthwhile activities for the students in our Commons. For the past month, we have been discussing Feb Celebration and the Feb Committee's request for funding from the ICC. Needless to say, this has not been an easy decision. After discussing the situation at length with the Feb Celebration Committee, it appears to us that Feb Celebration is not receiving adequate funding. Despite the fact that Middlebury College puts such a large emphasis on the Feb program throughout the admissions process and when new Febs arrive each spring, it seems as though the administration is unwilling to support this group of students financially as they prepare their Celebration. Since Febs comprise a significant portion of each graduating class, it seems to us that it is the administration's responsibility to fully fund an event that impacts such a large percentage of our student body. The College encourages Febs to take pride in their acceptance and come together as a group of 100 or so students and it does not seem right that they are forced to search for funding from various other organizations on campus. Furthermore, since Feb Celebration is clearly not a Commons-based initiative and will in no way further support each Commons community, the ICC does not feel that it is our responsibility to fund the $500 requested by the committee; however, we find ourselves in a difficult situation. We unanimously agree that Feb Celebration deserves adequate funding and strongly believe that some other organization, group, or office on campus should cover the funds requested by the Committee. Even though all Febs do have the opportunity to participate in May Graduation, Feb Celebration does mark the end of their four years here, and it is the responsibility of the administration to provide adequate funding and support for this event. Again, the ICC's decision has not come easily and while we completely support the Feb Committee, we do not feel that it is the individual Commons' place to fund this program. Instead, we hope that some other campus organization will see the importance of this Celebration and provide the support necessary to make Feb Celebration a memorable weekend.
(11/06/03 12:00am)
Author: Joshua Carson Prospective BU President Steps Down with $1.8 MillionOne day before he was scheduled to assume the job of president of Boston University, Daniel S. Goldin, the former NASA administrator walked away from the commitment with $1.8 million. Goldin had been heard on campus threatening to "sweep the place clean" by dismissing longtime deans, faculty and administrators. After an emergency meeting, the University's trustees agreed that they did not need or want a radical restructuring and offered Goldin the sum for forfeiting the presidency. Those involved in the search process for the new president were not surprised at Goldin's comments as he had spoken candidly during extensive interviews that if awarded the job, he alone would run the university. Members of the search committee made their concerns known to the Board of Trustees, yet Goldin was still offered a $750,000-a-year contract plus perquisites and benefits, in addition to the ability to take extended vacations to Malibu where he and his wife are building a house. "It's Boston University," said trustee Terry Andeas. "We do a lot of stuff in Boston. Long vacations in California are not part of our day-to-day activities." Until a new president is selected, the board named Dr. Avam V. Chobanian, dean of the Medical School, as interim president. Source: The New York TimesAnti-Gay Protests Heighten Tensions at UNH ConsecrationAs Rev. V. Gene Robinson prepared to become the first openly gay Episcopalian Bishop, Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., submitted a request to the Durham Police department for permission to protest the ceremony being held at the University of New Hampshire. Phelps also organized a protest at the funeral service of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student killed in 1998 because he was a homosexual. The University community, forced to allow the protest because it will occur on public property, urged people to ignore the protestors and not to engage them. Local law enforcement officials feared that Phelps was looking to pick a fight, as he has brought suit against individuals who react violently to his protests in the past. President of the University Ann Weaver-Hart addressed the concerns of the GLBT community supporting the consecration, saying, "As a public institution, we are carefully constructed for safety, and we must give all groups the opportunity to speak." The UNH Police Department was on hand to ensure that opposing groups did not clash and designated specific "pro" and "con" areas, which were heavily monitored by police. The UNH Alliance has organized a pro-Robinson campaign on campus by printing and distribution 500 blue T-shirts that say, "Gay? Fine by me." Co-president of the Alliance, Dave Merry, promised that their "goal is to be a visible but quiet force. No signs, no chants. We will just be there. There is a fear that we're mobilizing with rocks, but we're not. We're mobilizing with T-shirts."Source: The New Hampshire OnlineForeign Students Shy away from U.S. SchoolsThe increased difficulty and delays in obtaining a student visa has forced many international students to shy away from attending American universities, suggests a new study which shows that the number of foreign students enrolling in U.S. colleges increased by less than 1 percent in 2002-2003. This is the smallest increase in seven years and has resulted in an increase enrollment in British and Australian schools. The Institute of International Education (IIE), which conducted the study, concluded that not only a change in policy affected the enrollment numbers but also a negative perception of the difficulty in obtaining a visa. "The word of mouth is out in certain countries about the difficulty getting a visa. And the perception is having as much of a impact as the delays," said Peggy Blumenthal of IIE. Foreign students began experiencing delays following Sept. 11, 2001, and also as the new homeland security policies were implemented requiring them to report a change of address, academic major and other factors that may influence their visa status. The decline in student enrollment in U.S. colleges has been matched with a marked increase at British and Australian institutions. The number of Chinese students studying in Britain increased 36 percent this year. The same increase holds true for Australian institutions. U.S. schools want foreign students both for revenue contributing $12 billion annually and for their contributions in academic research. Students from Asia, the Middle East and Africa have experienced the greatest delays. Source: The Associated Press
(11/06/03 12:00am)
Author: Greg Duggan One of Vermont's most controversial laws may finally change both for the better and for the worse. Vermont's Land Use and Development Law, known as Act 250, stipulates that developers must follow certain rules when they wish to build new sites in Vermont, from subdivisions to roads to shopping areas. In the near future, parts of this law governing the application and appeals process may change.The Vermont Environmental Board held two recent deliberations before voting on Oct. 22 to approve several changes in Act 250. The Board has sent the proposed changes to the State Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, made up of four members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, who will review, comment on and then either approve or deny the proposed changes.The Vermont Legislature passed Act 250 in 1970 with the purpose of, as described in the law's brochure, achieving "a balance between economic development and the legitimate interests of citizens, municipalities and state agencies in protecting the environment." Specifically, the Act applies to certain types of development and subdivision plans such as industrial, commercial or government construction on more than 10 acres, the construction of 10 or more housing units, road construction, development executed over 2,500 feet in elevation, and the drilling of oil and gas wells. To receive permission to build in any of these circumstances, developers must apply to one of nine District Environmental Commissions around the state. Environmental Commissions base their decisions on 10 criteria that deal with the developmental impact on air and water quality, water supplies, traffic, education and municipal services and historic and natural resources. The Environmental Commissions approve most plans, though sometimes after adding conditions which ensure that developers observe the criteria.Should any appeals be made to the Environmental Commissions' decisions, they then go to the Vermont Environmental Board, also formed under Act 250. Consisting of eight members, plus a chair, the Board oversees Act 250 by ruling on any appeals and creating rules to interpret and administer the Act. Recently, the Board voted 6-1 in favor of the proposed rule changes, with one member abstaining from the vote.Through the proposed changes, the Environmental Board hopes to streamline the process of granting building permits to developers. Several of the changes have been more controversial than others, and Patricia Moulton Powden, chair of the Board, said, "The most controversial is the proposal to change the party status rules," which limits the type of parties that have the right to file an appeal. If the rule changes are passed by the legislature, materially assisting parties - an individual or group that has information such as commentary or studies and can materially assist the commission in its decision making - will lose their right to appeal, limiting that privilege to individuals or groups directly affected by the development. Other changes include reducing the time frame, from 30 days to 15, in which a party will be able to file a motion to reconsider a decision. Further simplifying the appeals process, the Board has the ability to narrow the issues on appeal or even dismiss an appeal if no disputes about the facts of the case exist. The final major proposed change gives greater privileges to applicants, allowing them the right to request a pre-hearing conference. Currently, only a Commission or the Board can ask for such a conference.The Board made the decision to vote for the changes this year after listening to feedback from Vermont citizens. When the changes were proposed a year ago, people from around the state largely objected. After some changes in wording and lots of discussion, popular opinion towards the rule changes became much more balanced, and the Board voted to approve the changes for legislative consideration. The legislative committee is expected to review and comment on the rules by November, and have a final decision by early December. "I rarely speculate on how the legislature will go, but we're obviously hopeful they will approve," said Moulton Powden.
(10/23/03 12:00am)
Author: Emily Thaler Keith Williams, a first-year from Manchester, N.H., will be representing Middlebury College in this year's "Jeopardy" College Week series, which airs beginning Nov. 10. Williams has been an avid "Jeopardy" fan for years and claims to have first watched the show when he was three years old. In addition to his interest in the show, Williams also has experience as a game show contestant. Throughout high school, he participated in an interscholastic quiz bowl, which featured longer format questions than those asked on "Jeopardy." Williams' high school team made it to the state semi-finals, where he was selected to be part of an all-state all-star team. The all-star team traveled to a larger tournament in Florida, where it lost in the second round. Williams attributed the loss to the competition's "unusual format for questions."The format of "Jeopardy" questions should pose few problems for Williams, though, given his long-standing interest in the game show. He prepared for "Jeopardy" primarily by watching the shows or reading old questions and learning the correct answers. A potential political science major, Williams' strongest categories are geography, science and math. He admits that he is "all right" at pop culture and celebrity gossip but doesn't really like it. World Capitals is the only area Williams actually studied for prior to the competition.Williams found out about the college series while watching "Jeopardy" and then signed up online. After registering, he was selected at random to try out for "Jeopardy" in New York City. The game show recruits potential contestants and tests them at four different sites around the country: Los Angeles, New York, Indianapolis and New Orleans. Williams, the geography expert, noted "they cover pretty much all areas except the Rocky Mountain states." The "Jeopardy" test-date was initially set for Aug. 16 but had to be rescheduled for Sept. 6 due to a blackout in the Northeast. The make-up date wound up coinciding with Middlebury College's First-Year Orientation, and Williams was left to "wrestle with going to 'Jeopardy' or finishing orientation." He eventually realized, "Hey, this is my one chance," and left orientation early to travel down to New York City. Ironically, the Vermonter had to switch out of his MOO trip and into "This is Vermont" so that he would be able to leave early. On the Saturday, Williams took a written test with about 80 other "Jeopardy" potentials, at the Times Square Westin Hotel. The test consisted of 50 questions, each representative of a different category, and participants needed to get 35 right to pass the exam. Announcer Johnny Gilbert read the question via recording, and contestants were given eight seconds to respond correctly. In addition to William's testing, there were two other testing times that day, as well as on Sunday which gives some indication of the size of the contestant pool.After the written test, Williams and 14 others in his testing group who had passed the exam were asked to stay and compete in a mini-game, complete with buzzers and a game board projected onto a screen. In the mini-game, each group of three was asked 12 questions. Williams admitted that he did not do as well as he would have liked in the mini-game, but it didn't matter, as the mini-game was simply a test for "TV compatibility." He had already proven that he could answer the questions in the written exam.The Tuesday after he tested in New York, Williams received a call from "Jeopardy" asking him to participate in the college series. The taping would be at Yale, and representatives from the show made plans for his travel and accommodation. Williams was reunited with a fellow competitor from the tryouts on his flight from Burlington to Albany to Hartford.Throughout the early days of the tournament, the two contestants hung out with another contestant from Carleton College, whom they met in the elevator of their hotel. Despite the fact that "Jeopardy" did not want the contestants to associate with one another prior to the tapings, the trio spent some of their down time seeing the sites in New Haven.During the first week of taping, Williams and 14 other college students competed in groups of three until the field could be narrowed down. Confidentiality agreements made by all contestants forbid Williams from revealing the outcome of his stint on the show, but the results will air soon in Middlebury. Williams' first game will air on Wednesday, Nov. 12, on Channel 5 at 7 p.m. "College Week" will run weeknights at 7 p.m. from Nov. 10 to 21.
(10/23/03 12:00am)
Author: Andrea LaRocca "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united state of ... Vermont?" Yes, you may have to rethink the Pledge of Allegiance. And no, that's not a joke, at least not if the Second Vermont Republic (SVR) has anything to say about it. This newly formed democratic grassroots group is devoted to restoring Vermont to its original 1777-1791 status of an independent republic - in other words, establishing Vermont as a sovereign nation. It has been steadily recruiting support and making its case to Vermont citizens with an increasingly loud voice.The message of the SVR was recently heard at an Oct. 8 University of Vermont lecture entitled "Vermont Independence Movement." Professor Thomas H. Naylor, who is a former Duke University economics professor of 30 years and was a visiting economics professor at Middlebury in 1993, spoke on behalf of SVR to explain the group's purpose, reasoning, and future actions.As one of the founding members of the SVR and the author of "The Vermont Manifesto," a book that details the possible seccession of Vermont, Naylor is considered an expert on the subject. Wasting no time at the lecture, he posed four questions to the audience for consideration and promised that he would answer these on behalf of the SVR: Why should Vermont secede from the United States? Would it be economically possible for Vermont to secede? Would it be constitutional for Vermont to secede? What is the politic feasibility of secession?Addressing the first question, Naylor argued that that no empire has withstood the test of time. He is convinced that the U.S. empire is now at the point when it is no longer sustainable "economically, agriculturally, socially, culturally and environmentally." He specifically noted how globalization, the full-spectrum dominance of the United States, imperial overstretch, the war on terrorism and congressional gridlock are slowly eroding the power of the American empire. Naylor proposed that Vermont recognize this declining empire and secure its own sovereignty while it still can,Furthermore, Naylor contended that Vermont is drastically different than other states. It therefore should, by all rights, be an independent nation-state. "Vermont is smaller, more rural, more democratic, less violent, less commercial, more egalitarian and more independent than most states," said Naylor. He pointed out, for instance, that Vermont has no military bases, no large cities and no huge companies. As an independent nation, he argued, no one would have any reason to attack Vermont. "And what would they do anyway, burn the sugar maple crop?" he joked. Naylor emphasized that Vermont is not a threat to anyone, yet the United States is a current threat to Vermont, in terms of the possible risk of the re-institution of military conscription. Appealing to the unique character of Vermont that he had earlier defined, Naylor questioned the audience, "How many of you are willing to risk your life for McDonalds, gas-guzzling SUVs, Bill Gates, and Fortune-500 companies?" Next, Naylor turned to what he called the "myth" that Vermont could not economically survive as an independent country. He noted that Vermont has a population of 608,000 people, already making it larger than 50 countries worldwide. Of the 10 richest countries in the world, five, such as Norway and Denmark, have smaller populations than Vermont. Furthermore, the state annually imports $3 billion worth of goods and exports slightly less. Naylor argued this gives Vermont a solid foundation for economic independence. While he admitted that Vermont could not be economically self-sufficient, he again compared it to other small countries, noting that Japan, for instance, is also not economically self-sufficient yet is still obviously a powerful and successful nation.To insure economic independence as a nation, Naylor proposed the Green Mountain Strategy. This economic plan focuses on producing high quality, high value, high price goods for niche markets (which Vermont already does), as well as further investing in the sustainable agricultural practices that Vermont also currently employs. Naylor comically mentioned that Vermont need only to focus on translating its reasons for independence into products, since "selling the Vermont mystique, both politically and actually, is what may make this work."At long last, Naylor addressed what many people view as the most important issue of all - the constitutionality of Vermont secession. Naylor, however, stated that the SVR is simply following the intentions of our forefathers. According to the Declaration of Independence, "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute a new government." He contended, "140 years ago, Abe Lincoln did a number on us and convinced us that secession in unconstitutional. Nothing is farther from the truth." For several specific political reasons, including nullification precedents, ratification precedents, the compact of sovereign states, and the 10th Amendment, Naylor argued that not only are secession actions constitutional, but they are also promoted by the constitution in times and for reasons such as those that Vermont is now facing.He concluded with a discussion of the political feasibility of Vermont secession. He pointed out that in 1985, nearly no one would predict that by 1989 the Soviet Union would no longer exist - in other words, history has shown that anything is possible. With this in mind, Naylor outlined a political movement for secession. It would begin with a citizens' request that calls upon a statewide representative convention to rescind the 1791 request to join the U.S. union. Such an action would have to be approved by two-thirds of the representative constituency. If approved, Naylor says that Vermont would then deliver a statement of their independence (likely modeled after the Declaration of Independence) to Washington D.C. At this point, Naylor said Vermont would simply have to act as an independent nation-state, though he admitted there would likely be some national backlash. Naylor does think that there is the possibility of Vermont secession being non-violent, suggesting that the David and Goliath metaphor may apply in this instance.At the end of Naylor's argument for Vermont secession, another member of the SVR, John Polk, took the stand and read the first draft of the Vermont Declaration of Independence, which he is currently writing and revising. Both Naylor and Polk then answered questions and specifically asked for suggestions about the Declaration, since they hope to read this on the steps of the Vermont capital next fall.Not surprisingly, the audience had mixed reactions to the message of the lecture and to the SVR's Declaration - some signed up immediately to join the SVR, while others walked out halfway through the event. UVM student David Bates '06 seemed cautious about the SVR's message, saying, "I don't think secession is a good idea, even though Vermont is very different from the rest of the union. I think it's better to stay in and change the union from within than to be an outcast." Ken Lawless, a concerned Vermont resident, echoed these sentiments: "Secession should be a last resort because it would leave the other 49 states in the clutches of Bush. A small state can lead! We shouldn't take Cherry Garcia away from America yet. We should lead from within and change the union before we change everything else."Regardless of these views, the SVR will continue to advocate Vermont independence throughout the state. If you would like more information about the Second Vermont Republic, visit www.vermontsoveignty.com, call 802-651-7642, or attend one of the upcoming SVR meetings (publicized in local newspapers). And if nothing else, consider the idea of a Vermont Pledge of Allegiance.
(10/10/03 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Students, faculty and members of the eco-business community gathered last Friday in Lawson Lounge to discuss the potential of biodiesel as a solution for the world's rapidly disappearing petroleum reserves. With fervor still lingering after this summer's highly publicized Biobus trip, during which 13 Middlebury College students converted an old school bus to run on veggie oil and then drove it cross country, it was only fitting for the college to host the conference titled "Energy Alternatives for Vermont: The Biodiesel Industry."The Vermont Alternative Energy Corporation (VAEC) organized the day-long event, which featured talks by College President John McCardell, Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie, veggie oil pioneer Joshua Tickell and other advocates of alternative energy. VAEC Director of Marketing Ronald Beales said Middlebury was chosen for the first of five planned biodiesel forums because of its attitude and interest toward alternative fuels and the high concentration of raw, energy rich materials in Addison County. So, why the fuss over biodiesel? Dwindling oil supplies and the ability to return to local economic production have made biodiesel the country's fastest growing renewable energy source. "This is the end of the oil era," said New Orleans-based Tickell, whose book "From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank" details his 30,000-mile 1997 journey in a veggie-powered Winnebago. Now at the helm of the Veggie Van Organization, Tickell travels the country by plane to tout the advantages of biodiesel and to deliver his grim forecast for world petroleum reserves. It has taken 150 years for the world to deplete half of its petroleum, and the other half should go in about 40, Tickell says. "We have to figure out sustainable energies," he explained. Biodiesel's higher price hasn't limited sales, which increased 300 percent from 500,000 gallons sold in 1999 to 15 million gallons in 2002. VAEC Board Member Mary Linterman hopes to have a biodiesel depot in Middlebury by the end of the month. "We need to bring fuel in to stimulate interest," she said. Tickell estimates an economy of scale for biodiesel at around one to 20 million gallons sold each year. While the United States might not be blessed with the bumper crop of black gold that sits under the Middle East, biodiesel is the only diesel fuel substitute grown on American soil by American farmers. According to Tickell, a local community infrastructure develops around the American farmers who grow the crops and the Americans who process and ship the fuel. Tickell calls algae the "the feedstock of the future" because of its high concentration of extractable oil. Biodiesel can be made from any vegetable oil including soy, sunflower, canola, coconut, hemp and used fryer grease from the local fast-food chains. Visiting Scholar and author Bill McKibben spoke at the conference about the need to return to local economies for production. He cited how Vermont apples are underpriced by Chinese imports. "The average bite of food travels 1,500 miles," he said. Biodiesel's appeal stems from its cleanliness. Just ask Tickell, who knows the toxicity of petroleum diesel firsthand. He moved from Australia to Louisiana as a boy only to see relatives die of cancer because they lived next to oil refineries in the deadly corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, known as "Cancer Alley." He describes biodiesel plants as clean enough to "put your kids to sleep in at night." Conference attendee Abe Noe-Hays from Putney, Vt., powers a Jetta with biodiesel that he pumps from two barrels by his garage. "It's so much nicer to be around," he said. Part of biodiesel's clean image results from its lung and ozone-friendly exhaust. The stench of petroleum diesel is replaced with "the aftermath of a barbecue or french fries," said Biobus member Julia Proctor '06.5. It is the only fuel in full compliance with the 1992 Clean Air Act because of significant reductions in carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Two of the members who breathed grease-laden air on the Biobus were Nick Benjamin '05.5 and Thomas Hand '05.5, who took to the microphone to offer stories from their 6,000-mile journey and future plans to lower the thermostats by a couple degrees in Middlebury buildings to save money. It was Hand's Winter Term workshop last year that showed him the potential of alternative energy. Now, after completing the trip and selling the bus on eBay, he sees more than just a new fuel as the answer to the worlds' petroleum shortages. "Biodiesel alone is not the solution. We need to combine it with conservation," he said. Tickell was beaming from his seat at the back of the room.
(10/10/03 12:00am)
Author: Daniel Phillips and Joshua Carson The latest battle to lure prospective students to university campuses across the country is being fought not over claiming cutting edge educational or research facilities, but in a gaudy competition of pampering students with overly lavish amenities. Whether it is student unions, recreational centers or sports complexes, these facilities previously furbished for pure functionality are now becoming multimillion-dollar luxury day spas with the allure of five-star resorts and have consequently spurred a nation-wide debate over just how far "educational necessity" can be stretched. The University of Vermont has recently decided to spend $70 million on a new student center of colossal scale, including a pub, ballroom, theater, artificial pond for wintertime skating, complete with a view of the mountains and Lake Champlain. According to Daniel M. Fogel, president of UVM, "These are not frills, they are absolute necessities."Cornell University is similarly engaged in a $259 million investment in what it calls "student life" and residential facilities. The University of Houston boasts a $53 million "wellness center," which opened this year with a five-story climbing wall behind its immense rotunda while boulders and palm trees accent the leisure pools outside. Meanwhile, students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania can play one of 52 golf courses from across the globe on their room-sized golf simulator that uses real balls and clubs. And not far away, Pennsylvania State University's equally excessive student center contains two ballrooms, three art galleries, a surround-sound movie theater and a 200-gallon tropical ecosystem with newts and salamanders, adjacent to a separate 500-gallon salt-water aquarium with a live coral reef. Ohio State University is recorded as spending $140 million on a 657,000-square-foot complex catered with kayaks and canoes, indoor batting cages and rope courses, massages and a climbing wall large enough to take on 50 simultaneously scaling students. Although such transformation of campuses is outlandishly driving up the cost of education, such construction has made a strange appeal to alumni who evidently "give to institutions they are proud to be associated with," said Linda A. Acciardo, a spokeswoman for the University of Rhode Island which, by the way, just opened a $54 million sports complex housing luxury boxes and a skating rink that is open 15 hours a day. Source: The New York Times
(10/02/03 12:00am)
Author: Ben Salkowe So far this year, Middining is as it has always been. Students have several dining halls available to them, the staff is maintaining its open-kitchen policy and cups seem to sprout legs and walk off. By this time next year, however, Middining will have a new smorgasbord of operations and students will have a new set of choices, as "the commons" vision of dining takes shape. With so much set to happen and so many preparations to be made, however, nobody seems to notice that the director of Dining Services is missing.Director of Dining Services Peter Napolitano unexpectedly resigned from his position this summer. According to the Director of Business Services Tom Corbin, the position will not be filled until the end of the year.Corbin explained that he is waiting "until the management team in dining and myself [have] an opportunity to examine the structure and operation of the department."The management team consists of Corbin and three Dining Services managers. They are currently addressing a number of issues the department will face next year. Their goals are to define the vision of Dining Services and determine what the department needs in a new director.This time next year Atwater will be the second commons dining hall to open its doors. Simultaneously, the roles of Proctor and Freeman International Center (FIC) will come into question. According to Matthew Biette, associate director of Dining Services and a member of the management team, "we will not be serving in four locations. We will definitely be serving in Ross and Atwater. The wildcard will be which is closed: Proctor or FIC?"Ultimately, the College plans to renovate Proctor. If the College is able to begin renovating Proctor next year, FIC will be spared. If that were the case, however, all dining halls would be located on the far north side of campus, which would require students to trek across Route 125 for each meal. In addition, FIC would have to house not only the load from Proctor, but also Redfield Proctor Room (faculty dining), the President's Dining Room, Dolci and the language tables. Currently, FIC only feeds about 200-300 students per day, whereas Proctor serves around 800 each day. Atwater would bear some of the load, but like Ross, Atwater is a commons dining hall. In other words, Atwater is designed only for the specific commons, a daily load closer to 500.Of course, if renovations to Proctor were put on hold, FIC would have to close its doors. This scenario might inconvenience fewer students, but would still leave Dolci and the language tables to be relocated. In addition to questions regarding dining halls, a new retail operation is on the horizon with the opening of the new library next fall. Part of the library's design includes a small 24-hour study cafÈ at the entrance seating roughly 45 persons. According to Biette "The menu items will be finalized this semester but will include espresso drinks, coffee, tea, bottled beverages, muffins, cookies and sandwiches." Because the library cafÈ will not have a kitchen, the menu will be prepared at The Grille. Unfortunately, the cafÈ will lack a Juice Bar like that of the Grille, "There will not be smoothies, Dr. Feelgoods, soup or pizza" in the library, Biette added.Then there is the persistent question of how this all fits into the "Commons Plan." Ultimately, five dining halls will exist - one for each commons. With the College using only three dining halls next year, the need for five dining halls will come only with increased enrollment. Of course now, a move like that would be the final blow to an already stressed college with too few rooms, mailboxes and parking lots. "Certainly when there are five dining rooms on campus, the hours of operations will be different based on needs," said Biette. But in addition, when all five Commons are complete, there should be significantly more residences halls, and it is hoped that MiddDining will be decentralized. Commons will be able to use the dining halls for special events or lectures, and each dining hall will have a somewhat unique character. Like Ross has its Mongolian grill and pizza oven, Atwater is being built with a unique "hearth oven" like that of The Grille. Biette comments that the "oven in Atwater will be used for hearth cooked items. This could range from whole muscle protein to vegetables to bread." It is the hope that the unique identities of each dining hall, and the fact that they will have multiple uses, will allow them to coexist.Finally, the most important issue for an incoming director is the disappearance of cups from dining halls. In reference to the dining hall cups, Biette said, "You struck a sore spot here...." Biette and Erin Sullivan '04.5, student co-chair of community council, are currently working out a system for dishware collection within each dorm.Under Napolitano's management, the College won it's prestigious "1999 Ivy Award for Excellence in Food Services" as well as several other awards for specific recipes. Napolitano was also himself named the President-elect of the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) while at Middlebury. A new director of Dining Services will be taking on quite a load, and have to maintain the college's vision for the commons. Not to mention the fact that another award would not hurt those viewbooks.
