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(11/20/08 12:00am)
Author: Richard Wolfson "Buy an SUV instead of a car," says Bill McKibben, and you'll waste so much energy that "it's like you've decided to leave your refrigerator door open for the next seven years." Shut down the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, you say, and we can replace it with wind turbines. Both of these statements sound reasonable, and both would garner nods of agreement from Middlebury environmentalists. Both statements are also quantitative, explicitly in the first case and implicitly in the second. Could you justify either statement?Being an authoritative environmentalist means being able to grapple with quantitative issues. "How rapidly are we humans raising atmospheric CO2 concentration?" "What's exponential growth and how does it affect our projections of future environmental conditions?" "What percent of species are threatened with extinction?" "What's the imbalance in global energy flows and how does that drive anthropogenic climate change?" "How much power is available from wind, and how's that compare with our total energy consumption rate?" "What change in stratospheric temperature should we expect from an enhanced greenhouse effect, and how's that provide evidence for anthropogenic global warming?" "At what rate is sea level rising, and how's that compare with historical rates?" "What's 'tipping point' behavior, and how does its mathematical description differ from 'normal' behavior?" The list of quantitative environmental questions is endless.The College community is rightfully proud of its commitment to the environment. We're green in so many ways, and we're activists who inspire others beyond the small world of the Champlain Valley. We're even aiming to become carbon neutral by 2016 (By how much must we reduce our carbon emissions? What's Middlebury's greatest source of carbon? How do our other sources compare?). Yet I'm not sure we're always willing to be as quantitative as we might be. Last year's Environmental Studies colloquium series featured a session on the many voices that need to be heard in the environmental movement. Missing was the quantitative voice. We need that voice, not only to sound - and to be - authoritative, but also to help guide our own environmental decisions. Wind and solar photovoltaics are great for the environment, but understanding Middlebury's electrical energy mix quantitatively shows that they can't help much with carbon neutrality. Buying local chicken reduces our carbon footprint and other environmental impacts, but, as a recent ES colloquium showed, we can't do that without exhausting the local poultry population (How many free-range chickens are there in Addison County?). And switching to hybrid cars will help the environment in many ways, including making a significant dent in our carbon emissions. But only a quantitative assessment can show that hybrids alone won't get us to "80 percent by 2050" or to 350.org's goal of an eponymous atmospheric CO2 concentration. Understanding all this requires quantitative thinking and the quantitative voice. It's a voice we environmentalists should use proudly, forcefully and often.(Richard Wolfson is professor of Environmental Studies and the Benjamin F. Wissler Professor of Physics.)
(11/20/08 12:00am)
Author: Rachael Jennings In the commotion of Ross Dining Hall, you brave the line and emerge with a plate of chicken parmesan, unaware that you are part of a chain of sustainability and environmental awareness that has resulted in the steaming poultry dish in your hands. Middlebury Dining Services' primary source, Burlington Food Services, has provided many of the ingredients in the chicken parmesan - including the parmesan itself, which hails from Schuman Parmesan and Great Lakes Parmesan.Even the room in which you stand is environmentally engineered - natural sunlight spills in from the westerly facing windows and energy efficient lighting brightens the setting in the evening. Ross Dining Hall was designed with environmental concerns in mind: the faucets in the kitchen are low-flow faucets, the energy generated from the walk-in freezers is used to heat the mechanical workroom, and automatic sensors keep the air conditioning in check as the demand for cooling rises and falls."'Green' is something that we as a College and a department live every day," said Matthew Biette, director of Dining Services. "I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that Middlebury began an Environmental Studies program back in 1965. That and the fact that Vermont has had a very proactive approach to land stewardship for generations have led us all to be more green."Indeed, the College has been buying local foods for decades, if not centuries. Dining Services has been composting with the College for over 15 years and, just last year, they removed trays from the dining halls to help the College reach its carbon reduction goals. Serving upwards of 7,000 meals a day, it is imperative that the College work to maintain efficient and environmentally friendly dining practices. These efforts are displayed through the efficient presentation of meals, the implementation of local food, and effective waste management.Before digging into a meal, there are preventative measures you can take to ensure less wastefulness. Each incoming class of first-year students is given Nalgenes and reusable Middlebury Cupps Mugs. At large outdoor functions, the College uses melamine reusable plates. These seemingly minor actions actually influence healthier consumer habits among students from the start of their Middlebury careers.One of the biggest measures the College took was the recent abolition of trays from the dining halls. Though that decision may have made sledding a bit more difficult, it significantly decreased the amount of waste we produce simply by making students more aware of exactly what - and how much - they want to eat.In the winter, the dining halls provide salad greens from Florida and California. Still, even after the ice snakes over the sidewalks, Dining Services finds ways to support organic and locally grown food. All of the College's milk products are produced at Monument Farms in Weybridge. The barrels of Wilcox Dairy ice cream in the dining halls hail from nearby Manchester, Vt. The dining hall's shell eggs are from Maple Meadows in Salisbury; the maple syrup that compliments the pancakes on the weekends is made in Starksboro and Bristol; and all of the apples come from four local orchards, which also produce the cider, apple slices for pies and applesauce in the dining halls. Many of the vegetables come from local farms via Burlington Food Services and Black River Produce. "Buying local foods - which in turn supports the local economy - is extremely important to us," stressed Biette. Even with the current state of the economy, Dining Services is adamant about continuing to buy locally."We are looking at other ways of buying foods so that we may keep our local purchases the same," said Biette. "We are actually looking to local farms to grow certain crops for us thus making more local purchasing possible."The Middlebury College Organic Garden (MCOG) sells about 80 percent of what it grows to Dining Services, 15 percent to local restaurants and donates the remaining five percent to the Addison County Food Shelf. MCOG workers also sell their bottled honey retail through the Center for the Arts Box Office. In the weeks between the end of the Language Schools and the beginning of the fall semester, MCOG sells its produce to restaurants in Middlebury. Out of their earned income from vegetable sales, they are able to purchase supplies, seeds, equipment and tools."I think more people want to know where their food comes from and how it is grown," said Jay Leshinsky, director of MCOG. "I think that has led to a revival of home gardening and also to a more widespread desire to know about and use organic gardening methods."Local farms and MCOG help support the environmental vision of Dining Services. As always, Dining Services will also continue to prepare many of their menu items from scratch, an act which avoids the waste often produced in corporate "open a box and go" methods.Even with all of the effort behind the production and presentation of the food, though, some waste is inevitable. On a national scale, food waste comprises about seven percent of the solid waste stream. The College has attempted to lower that figure, converting nearly 300 tons of food waste into compost for greenhouses and gardens. Food preparation scraps and other waste items - such as paper napkins and paper towels - which comprise about 70 percent of Middlebury's food waste are all composted now. As for that extra chicken parmesan or the crust of the Tollhouse Cookie pie you simply could not finish - these items, referred to as "plate waste," are run through a pulper, a process that removes excess water. Other frequently used measures that help reduce dining waste include the "Grille techninque." This familiar method employs three public sorting stations, labeled "trash," "recycling," and "compost," in which diners can dispose of their plate waste. These bins are a simple tool for sorting waste, which show that? all it takes to help reduce our footprint is a flick of the wrist in the right direction.Since the College stopped using trays, one ounce of waste per meal has been saved - and an ounce can actually add up to as much as three-quarters of a pound of true waste, depending on how water-soluble the material is. This figure includes the pulped or dry waste in combination with the pre-consumer vegetable scraps. In order to monitor waste patterns, Dining Services constantly tweak their menus for acceptance."We try to give the appropriate serving utensils so that over portioning does not happen," added Biette.These dining decisions are just some of the ways that Dining Services is trying to make students think before they eat, by showing us how beneficial reexamining our dining practices truly is. "We are a leader and people often ask me how they, too, can be leaders," said Biette. "What they don't realize is that we think a certain way; we don't look at a list of things to do and then check them off. Our staff, our faculty and our students often have conversations that bring about another great idea. We had independent studies that revolved around a greenhouse way before people were into that. At Middlebury, 'green' is part of the way we think and run the business."
(11/20/08 12:00am)
Author: Layout by Hannah Wilson, Photos by Andrew Ngeow and Angela Evancie From our earliest discussions of making this issue, we knew the most effective approach would be twofold - the week's content would focus on pressing environmental issues, of course, but we would also endeavor to change certain aspects of our normal production in an effort to fully understand the implications of green publishing. Below are examples of some of those adjustments that we made, or at the very least, of ideas that the past week has inspired us to explore._____________________________________________________________ What do silver halide particles, mercury, table salt, and egg whites have in common? They have all been employed in the taking and making of photographs. Beginning in 1837, with the invention of the daguerreotype, scientists and artists alike began to experiment with different combinations of chemicals and processes, all in the name of finding the perfect balance of light sensitivity and image longevity. But besides being messy and emitting strange odors, these processes proved wasteful. Even today, the production of a single traditional photograph could mean toxic chemicals and 20 gallons of fresh water washed down the drain, not to mention lots of failed attempts that end up crumpled in the trash.With the inception of digital photography in the l980s, this mess gave way to thousands of neat little pixels comprising an image file. No more egg whites, no more mercury, and a reduced environmental impact for a once materially extravagant medium. Our very own Campus photographers used to spend hours in the darkroom on production night; these days we tinker with Photoshop and never print a page. And while there is something quite pleasing about a vintage black and white photograph, for our purposes you really can't beat a memory card and a USB cord.- Angela Evancie, Photography Editor One of the questions that often goes unasked (and necessarily unanswered) about those newspapers waiting patiently for readers in the dining halls, library, Grille or myriad other places on campus is how they got there. To minimize the negative environmental effect of delivering our papers, we purchased carbon offsets from Vermont-based NativeEnergy to offset the trip from Plattsburgh, N.Y. (the location of our printer) to Middlebury. We bought $12 worth of offsets, which neutralized the 0.056 tons of C02 emission from driving a total of 114.55 miles. Once in Middlebury, The Campus editorial board delivered the papers by foot or bike, a route that is normally done by car.- Jack Lysohir, Managing Editor The obvious irony of a newspaper producing a green issue is that it has to print thousands of pages of paper in order to highlight environmental issues. Though it draws about 80 percent of its readership online, The Campus distributes over 2,000 hard copies of every weekly 24-page issue. As a result, challenges existed to make the printing process as environmentally friendly as possible. Fortunately, The Press Republican (our printer) assured the editorial board that the paper was already in good, green hands. The paper used for each issue of The Campus is 80 percent recycled and completely biodegradable. Furthermore, the Press Republican uses soy-based, petroleum free and compost-friendly ink when printing. Despite our initial thinking that a black and white newspaper would be more environmentally sound, the difference of printing in color turned out to be negligible The process requires minimal electricity as well, with The Campus taking all but ten minutes to completely run off the presses. - Scott Greene, Editor-in-Chief Our office is located in a dark, leaky basement where, on a good day, the climate seems to vacillate between arctic and tropical. As such, we sometimes forget the good conservationist measures that Middlebury has instilled in us and throw caution to the wind, leaving lights and monitors on, opening windows when the heater is churning, and printing article drafts in - gasp - single-sided mode. Recently, we employed brilliantly named "Kill A Watt" devices to discover that, if left running indefinitely, our seven computers normally use around eight dollars of electricity on a weekly basis. And so, to pay homage to the Green Issue (and, perhaps, to absolve our guilty consciences), we decided to be extra mindful of our paper and energy usage this week, making all of our edits directly onto our computers (thus saving over 200 sheets of paper) and working during the daylight hours whenever possible.- Tess Russell, Features Editor
(11/20/08 12:00am)
Author: James Kerrigan In mid-October, The Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest became just the nation's seventh building to earn The United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum status, the system's highest level of certification. The announcement publicly recognizes the College's decade-long emphasis on "building green," an essential ingredient in the its commitment to sustainability."This recognition is a credit to the creative energy of our faculty, staff, students and the architect who had the vision to transform a farmhouse into an advanced environmental facility while preserving its historic value and character," said President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz in a Nov. 3 press release. Asher Burns-Burg '05.5, while a student in Luce Professor of International Environmental Economics Jon Isham's Special Topics in Environmental Economics senior seminar, initiated the idea as a part of his final project three years ago. But what started out as an academic pursuit turned into an actionable plan. He presented his coursework on the importance of LEED certification and the opportunity at Hillcrest to the committee that oversaw the project. "The persistence of Asher [Burns-Burg] in pushing his initiative was very important," said Isham, who downplayed his role in the Burns-Burg's project. "It was an example of embracing the good idea and getting out of the way."Burns-Burg and the committee's efforts materialized in 2007, when the College teamed up with architect Steve Smith of SAS Architects in Burlington to complete an adaptive reuse of the existing facility, in coordination with Middlebury's Best Practices for Construction and Demolition Contractors, which include asking the important question: "What can be reused right on site for new construction?"Motivated by the desire to obtain LEED certification, the architects and builders had to demonstrate that the building met numerous criteria in each of five categories, including: sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. It did so through a careful design process and thoughtful construction choices, according to Project Manager Mark Gleason. "Hillcrest exceeds other campus buildings in the efforts that were made by the design team, the contractor and the College personnel who worked on the building," said Gleason. "These efforts were necessitated because of the decision to pursue LEED certification." Much of the original Hillcrest - both its materials and spaces - was preserved in the construction. For example, the southern annex was removed and over 80 percent of the materials were recycled or reclaimed. Although renovation of the original building was the priority, the two-story addition on the south created important new spaces - the seminar room and "The Orchard," a technologically advanced lecture hall with space for 100. Hillcrest also includes 14 offices, a study lounge and several informal meeting areas. During the construction, contractors used as many local materials as possible, including slate from Poultney, Vt., granite from Barre, Vt. and certified hardwood trim and flooring from College-owned forests. Moreover, the local carpenters helped supply interior furniture to complete the project. The result has been a success. "This building is a powerful example that green architecture doesn't demand a cleared site and a new foundation - that we know tricks enough these days to make any building work both for its users and for the planet," wrote Scholar-in-Residence in Environmental Studies Bill McKibben on the building's Web site. Originally built in 1875, Hillcrest was acquired by the College in 1919 to be used for student housing. This function continued until the 1980s when faculty offices replaced student dorm rooms. Recognizing that the building underwent a historical transformation and served both students and faculty during the 20th century, the College moved to have the two parties coexist. "Environmental studies, metaphorically speaking, was always a hub on campus," said Isham, "but now it's actually a hub. The purpose of a building is to bring people together, and Hillcrest has further enhanced a good thing. It may be small, but should not be underestimated. It has brought us all together."Once spread out all over campus, Hillcrest has centralized the Environmental Studies program by putting faculty, the Dean of Environmental Affairs, staff of the College's Sustainability Integration Office and the Office for Community Based Environmental Studies under one roof - a roof that includes a seven kilowatt bank of solar panels, which provide upwards of 20 percent of the power used in the building.In addition to solar panels, the building satisfied 52 of the possible 69 elements of LEED, the third-party certification system. Hillcrest also received a perfect score in the "Energy & Atmosphere" category, which has been the primary goal of on-campus construction projects, according to Gleason. 50 percent of the purchased electricity comes from "cow power" - electricity generated by burning methane captured from decomposing manure at Vermont dairy farms. Builders also used thorough blower tests to identified invisible air leaks through the high-efficiency windows and doors. Insulating foam and vapor seals further contribute to energy conservation in the building, which will be heated by the biomass powered central steam plant beginning Dec. 1.Inside, the building uses low water-use fixtures, including waterless urinals and a low-flow showerhead - an amenity meant to encourage bike travel. Strategic window placements maximize passive solar heating and cooling. When natural weather conditions are not enough, the building's temperature is monitored and controlled through a central energy management system.Just as construction has been "performed with sustainability goals in mind" over the past several years, so too will projects of the future, according to Gleason. "With each subsequent project, the College has improved on its past performance so that previous leading edge practices become a basis for new standards," Gleason wrote in an e-mail. The Donald E. Axinn '51 Center for Literary and Cultural Studies at Starr Library is another example of an environmentally conscious adaptive reuse construction project. With the cost of building from scratch, the College will likely look for ways to use its current spaces in new ways. "You have to look at what you have and what you are trying to do," said Axinn Project Manager Tim McGinn. "It is difficult to justify tearing down current square footage because of the cost." This, too, was the model for restoring the nearly century-old Starr Library."The [Abernathy] Reading Room was a grand space, and important for the College to maintain," said McGinn. Preserving history was a hallmark for the project as the design and construction teams found ways to maximize the energy management system, especially by using sunlight and local materials.Both Hillcrest and the Axinn Center highlight the larger effort on the College's part to prioritize "green building" as it moves forward with construction projects. But administrators are not the only ones concerned with environmentally sustainable building. Within the environmental science major, architecture is the fastest-growing focus, according to Isham. Students, as well as the College, seem to be simultaneously recognizing the importance of the built environment and implementing it in both academia and on-campus construction.
(10/30/08 12:00am)
Author: Molly West The Middlebury women's rugby team won its first playoff game 7-5 Saturday in a tense, grueling match against the University of Rhode Island Rams. In anticipation of the game, captain Rachel Korschun '09 correctly stated: "This is going to be a tough game and we will [need to] step up the level of play we've been facing throughout the season." Indeed, the game did prove the most competitive contest thus far this season.Middlebury entered the game Saturday with full force and heads held high. Coming off of a win against Keene State, Brittany McAdams '09 commented that, although "we had to sit some strong starting players last Saturday - Emma Lennon '11, and Evan Pagano '12 - we still ended up winning 109-0, which really shows the depth of our team." Korschun added that the team has "a lot of flexibility which was shown through the efforts of Justine Jackson '10, and Kristina Brown '10, who played a different position than she normally plays in the Keene match." When asked what she was anticipating for Saturday's game, McAdams responded, "While we're expecting a tough match this Saturday, we are also very confident in our team's ability to come out on top. Not only are we entering playoffs undefeated, but we've also shut out every team we've played so far." Saturday's game, however, was a nail-biter. The fans watched with excitement and nervousness as the two powerhouses took the field. The action of the game emerged right from the get-go. Middlebury gained the upper hand when Emily Coles '09 scored for the Panthers and gave them the early advantage. Amelia Magistrali '09 made the conversion shortly after, adding another two points to Middlebury's score. However, Rhode Island's strong attack soon translated into points for them as well, as the team scored to tighten the score to 7-5. The climax of the game occurred when the Rams' kicker lost her opportunity to tie the game up by missing the conversion, resulting in Middlebury's victory. The team now looks forward to next weekend's semifinals game that most likely will be played on the road against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. When asked what the team is focusing on in this crucial point in the season, McAdams responded, "Our main focus is keeping our defensive-line strong and playing a smart game for the full 80 minutes. We also want to make sure we have a fluid connection between our forward pack and back line in order to allow us to use all of our strengths." Heading into the playoffs this past weekend, Middlebury was ranked number one in its division by the New England Rugby Foundation. Because rugby is not yet a varsity sport at the intercollegiate level, the club level consists of the top rugby players in the nation. The team's success thus far is quite an accomplishment, and the Panther faithful wait in suspense for the results of this weekend's semifinal matchup.
(10/30/08 12:00am)
Author: Nicole Lam The week before Halloween, festive treats and goodies fill up Middlebury shops and restaurants as everyone gets in gear for the holiday. Instead of reaching for the typical candy corn, orange and black M&M's, and orange caramel-filled chocolates sold in supermarkets like Shaw's, check out the bakeries and cafes on Main Street selling homemade, delicious Halloween treats.In celebration of Halloween, Otter Creek Bakery has brought out a basket filled with vanilla and chocolate butter cookies shaped like Halloween characters that have enthralled us since childhood. In the shape of cats, witches, and bats, these cookies are sprinkled with orange sugar that emanates a subtle orange-peel spice. The crunchy cookies are wrapped in plastic gift bags tied with orange and black ribbon, making them a simple Halloween gift or an easy-to-go snack. In addition, the bakery is accepting orders now for their infamous sourdough "bat bread." With cherry kisses for the eyes and a piece of almond for the mouth, this two-pound sourdough loaf is a delightful favorite. If you are looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, go for the decadent pumpkin-raspberry cheesecake. Exquisitely adorned with raspberries and dripping with sauce, this cheesecake is not too sweet, but still flavorful with rich notes of pumpkin.Two Brothers Tavern is also joining in the festivities by hosting a Halloween Ball featuring a band called The Horse Trader. The band is known for playing 80's and 90's music. The whole bottom floor dance room will be decorated with spider webs and hay stacks to fit the occasion. There will be costume and pumpkin-carving contests to check out when taking a break from dancing. Candy will be doled out as always for trick-or-treating and there may be goblin cookies as well. Kristin Bittrolf, the floor manager, hopes for goblin cookies and marshmallows. There will not be any changes in the dining menu or drink specials but with the band, decorations and music, Two Brothers Tavern will provide a fun, spooky night.If you are thinking of heading to Shaws to buy your Halloween sugar fix, cross the street and check out the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op first. Next to the cashiers, there is a table stocked with baskets of nutty dark chocolate ghosts and witch hats. There are also chocolate lollipops glazed in orange icing adorably shaped into smiling pumpkin faces. Underneath the orange sign that says "Look for the goblin in you" are packages of chocolate coins covered in orange wrapping and one-pound pumpkin heads made completely out of chocolate.For those of age, Halloween night would not be complete without imbibing a few Wolaver's Will Stevens' Pumpkin Ale. The autumn brew is named after Will Stevens of Golden Russet Farming in Shoreham, Vt. The Stevens family has been growing organic vegetables and flowers for over 25 years and in the true spirit localvore movement infiltrating Middlebury, the farm is located less than 15 miles away from the brewery. According to Kate Corrigan, marketing assistant at Otter Creek Brewery, the beer is brewed with Stevens' organic pumpkins, spices, and organic hops and malt. The pumpkins are first baked and skinned, then converted into a pulpy mash that imbues the beer with its delightfully hearty pumpkin flavor.Finally, at American Flatbread, the staff plans to dress up for the occasion. The Wizard of Oz was a theme three years ago. The restaurant will definitely have apple and pumpkin pie and is considering popcorn balls. The food and drinks menu have not been determined yet for Halloween but the setting of the restaurant already makes one feel like they are feasting in a haunted castle. The oven glows in the background while a black cauldron heats up tomato sauce. The wooden ceiling and creaky floor add to the spooky touch.
(10/30/08 12:00am)
Author: Grace Duggan Rock 'n' roll may have developed in the United States, but almost immediately afterwards it became difficult to pigeonhole it as a uniquely American phenomenon. Rock music has cemented its influence everywhere from CBGB and the Viper Room to Wembley Stadium and Budokan, but what about the rock bands who don't necessarily care about making it across the pond or being huge in Japan? Souvenir is one such band. Formed in Pamplona, Spain in 1999, this electro-pop rock duo has released four albums, including last year's 64. Thankfully, unlike bands like Nous Non Plus (who performed at Middlebury in recent years) Souvenir doesn't camp up their Francophile status - they may sing in French, but they still remember what side of the Pyrenees they grew up on. On their web site they describe 64 as a collection of songs "interwoven with the different vocabularies of techno-pop, new wave, 80s dance music ... sung with Patricia's beautiful voice and Jaime's 'surf' guitar touch." The energetic songs - complete with more than their fair share of Bauhaus-inspired music videos and cover art - let Patricia de la Fuente's light vocals shine through and withstand the rock and electronic accompaniments supplied by Jaime Cristóbal (and the occasional help of a full band). "Accident à Londres," the album's opening track, has it all: twangy guitars, ethereal synthesizer melodies and de la Fuente singing husky, desperate lines that sound good regardless of how much French you remember from high school. Some Spaniards do in fact stick to their mother tongue, including Barcelona-based Refree, Raül Fernández's latest project (he also sings in Catalan). Formerly of influential Spanish indie band the Corn Flakes, Fernández began recording as Refree in 2003 and continues as lead singer of Élena. On his Web site his music is described as a successful union "of sounds, rhythms, instruments, collaborations ... [and] a markedly urban and modern profile ... [that] confirm a body of work simultaneously a concave and convex mirror in which all of our expectations are reflected." His sweeping songs and beautiful lyrics make albums like Els Invertebrats and Quitamiedos important rock/electronica works in the contemporary Spanish music scene. If you were that kid that didn't like your peas touching your mashed potatoes, maybe you don't like all that electronica mixed in with your rock 'n' roll. Maybe you're just a purist. In either case, Mexico's recent rock scene merits more than a cursory glance. The now-defunct Zurdok got its start in the city of Monterrey with a sound not altogether unrelated to English groups like Oasis and The Verve. Make use of the $o.99 downloads on iTunes and listen to songs off of Hombre Sintetizador, such as the creeping "Nos vemos en la luna" and "¿Cuántos pasos?," complete with strings and simple, ambivalent musings on a dead-end love. Maquillaje features a number of memorable tracks, including the single "Estático," a tight, irresistible track with an addictive hook and a delivery reminiscent of - stay with me here - post-Beatles John Lennon records, particularly Double Fantasy. Also from Monterrey is Kinky, a band of continuing importance and prominence in the Mexican rock scene. Ridiculous name aside, the best part of the band is their genuine integration of Mexican music traditions into the rock genre. Case in point: the sweet accordion melody on "Sister Twisted" off of Reina, their 2006 release preceding last month's iTunes-only debut of Barracuda. See also: the Latin percussion-heavy "Más" and "¿A dónde van los muertos?," a jumping, scratchy song with an accordion part you would expect from a lead guitarist or bass player. If Jethro Tull could make flutes cool, maybe the accordion isn't so bad. Also make sure to listen to their wonderfully subversive cover of Wall of Voodoo's bizarre hit, "Mexican Radio."What about the rest of the world? Well, this is a column, not an encyclopedia. Past these four bands, I guess sites like www.muzikalia.com, www.commonpeoplemusic.com and www.mondosonora.com will have to do.
(10/23/08 12:00am)
Author: Tim O'Grady Robert Jansen has enacted a plethora of changes since becoming manager of the Middlebury College Bookstore in January 2007. As he plans for the future, Jansen strives to create a world-class bookstore that delivers more value back to students.One way he plans to achieve his goal is by reorganizing the current set-up of the Bookstore. The Bookstore is currently divided into two sections: one where school supplies, apparel and memorabilia are sold and another where textbooks are sold. The ongoing construction of Proctor Hall will provide a new, more efficient bookstore by June 2009. "Instead of having our textbook sales in one location, and our school supplies in another, everything will be in one location" said Jansen via e-mail. Additionally, the new bookstore space will be about 30 percent larger.Two new Bookstore policies were enacted this academic year in order to benefit students and Middlebury College as a whole. The new book return policy, which took full effect in fall 2008, sets stricter regulations for students to return books and reimburses students solely with store credit. Under the new policy, students may return books for any reason until the first Friday after classes have commenced. After this date, some books may be returned for partial credit depending on the title and when it is returned. In order for a student to be reimbursed fully for returned books after the aforementioned date, he or she must verify that they have dropped the class for which the books were bought for and must return all books within two days of dropping the class. The bookstore staff cited several reasons as to why they amended the return policy. One reason was that the old policy negatively impacted students financially. Many students would buy used books from the Bookstore and then return them after finding a better deal online. This technique forced certain students to buy new textbooks because other students were borrowing the used ones, only to return the used books later in the week when classes are in progress and students are required to already own the books.Additionally, the old policy was harming the College financially. The campus Bookstore is a profit-maker, and uses all net revenue to lower the cost of a Middlebury education. The actual cost of a Middlebury education is over $80,000; therefore, if the bookstore doesn't make enough revenue, the College must find other ways to subsidize the difference between what students pay and the actual cost of a Middlebury education.The "Panther Rewards" program was established for the 2008-2009 academic year in order to reward students for keeping their money on campus and shopping at the Middlebury Bookstore. According to the Middlebury College Bookstore Web site, "this appreciation is really from Middlebury College as a whole, since all revenue earned by the Bookstore goes to offset other educational costs of the College." Student must initially sign up for the rewards program online then purchase a Panther Rewards Gift Card at one of the four amounts ($250, $500, $750 or $1,000). Students earn reward points for every dollar they spend on in-store or online purchases, which can be accumulated to buy gift certificates. Panther Rewards members also have additional benefits such as members?only sales and giveaways."Over 1,000 students signed up for the Rewards Program, earning over 300,000 points; it will represent the largest transfer of educational investment dollars from students back to students in the history of the Middlebury College Bookstore," wrote Jansen in an e-mail.The two new changes in the Bookstore strive to deliver more value to students and reward those who keep their money on campus. Despite the beneficient intentions of the policies, many students believe that textbook purchasing can be improved. During the Community Council's meeting on Oct. 15, many students contended that booklists should be available for students to view before registration. Not only would students be able to search for cheaper textbooks online, they said, but it would also aid students with course selection since many students select classes based on what books will be read."Students that really need the ability to buy less expensive books ... do not have the option to go online to search for cheaper books without getting an academic penalty," said Bobby Joe Smith '09, Community Council member and Student Government Association president.In order for booklists to be available earlier, more pressure would have to be put on professors to hand in their syllabi on time. Only 20-30 percent of faculty currently turn textbook lists in time. Professors at the Oct. 15 Community Council meeting said they understood the importance of handing in their syllabi on time, but some argued that the restrictive deadlines may impact the academic quality of courses since professors are rushed to hand in a syllabi at a certain date."[Professors take a lot of time to] come up with the most updated syllabi, with updated books ... so that you can get the best intellectual quality for what your tuition pays," said Faculty Co-head of Ross Commons and Professor of Religion Maria Hatjigeorgiou. The recently approved College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 will put more pressure on universities to inform bookstores and students about the required texts for classes. This new act will require IHEs (Institutions of Higher Education) to provide the International Standard Book Number for each required and recommended book in course schedules. Additionally, it will require IHEs to inform college bookstores about course schedules for the subsequent year and certain information about the textbooks being used.
(10/09/08 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall and Liya Gao Here are five creative young directors who have taken it upon themselves to realize their artistic conceptions in five upcoming all-student productions. The five plays range from the exploration of gender to the problems of philosophy to the palpable political climate, taking full advantage of student acting, production and technical talent. The Campus talked to these talented students about the drive and direction of their dedication to independent theatre.Production: "Comings and Goings"Dates: Nov. 13-15, Hepburn ZooDirector: Dawn Loveland '09Tickets will be available through the College box officeThe setup: Megan Terry's "Comings and Goings" is a "theatre game" that explores various male/female relationships. The piece is a series of scenes between one man and one woman that transform directly from one to the next, where the characters and the circumstances constantly shift. The cast consists of three men and three women. During random points in the show, the actors will be called upon to enter the action and switch roles with another actor. The switches are determined on the spot, so there will never be the same performance twice.The attraction: As a director, I was interested in working on a piece in a style that was completely foreign to me, yet allowed for so many dramatic opportunities. Also, this play lends itself to working with an ensemble of actors who all participate equally in the show. I love the sense of community that surrounds the process of creating this piece. We can do an improvisational exercise, and the actors will take it and turn it into an incredibly moving, funny or truthful scene. I love being able to work so collaboratively. And there are no restrictions in the text. The piece can be whatever we make of it. The impact: This show brings a unique sense of playfulness, fun and experimentation to the stage. There is no plot, there is no main character, there is no saying exactly what is going to happen next. I have not seen another show during my time at Middlebury that allowed for the same freedom.Production: "Dying City"Dates: Nov. 20-22, Hepburn ZooDirector: Maegan Mishico '08.5Tickets will be available through the College box officeThe setup: Justine Katzenbach '08.5 and I are working together for our 700 project (I am directing and she is acting). We are producing "Dying City" by Christopher Shinn. Trying to not give everything away, the basic synopsis is a year after her husband dies during military tour in Iraq, a young woman is visited by his identical twin brother and forces both of them to explore social class, sex, intimacy, violence, the impact of 9/11, the hidden consequences of war and thus raises questions about the nature of public conscious and private grief.The attraction: While researching possible thesis projects, Justine and I found that we wanted to work with a relevant, contemporary play that would impact the way our generation views the society around us (this play was first produced in 2005). "Dying City" forces the audience to confront their own beliefs about our world today, while still being an engaging and vibrant theatre experienceThe impact: The issues that these characters discuss are issues that you hear being talked about in dining halls or in classes. We hope that this play will contribute to a greater dialogue in the College community about the current state of American culture and beliefs.Production: "Dusa, Fish, Stas & Vi"Dates: Dec. 4 & 5, Hepburn ZooDirector: Emily Feldman '09Tickets will be available through the College box officeThe setup: Four women sharing a flat in London struggle to find happiness in a world riddled with obstacles and expectations. See how their contrasting personalities help and hinder their relationships with each other and with the men in their lives. Each has her own personal battle to fight, but all have a desperate need to find a place in the world as women and as individuals. The attraction: Stephanie Spencer '09 and Lucy Faust '09 read several plays in their search for a 700 project. Faust read "Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi" in a Contemporary Women Playwrights class with Cheryl Faraone and she had an "I've gotta do this play someday" moment with it. So then she gave it to Spencer to read. They love the language and the issues it deals with. It's set in the 1970s in London, and it's a very feminist play, but the issues are still pertinent to our culture today. It's been a very cool process to work with an all-female cast and a female director. We're also really enjoying all our research about feminism in the 1970s. It's so weird to see how far society has come in some respects, and how stagnant it's stayed in others.The impact: It's a quirky play that explores the work-life balance that women of all generations grapple with. I think it will present issues that concern women on the College campus from a unique cultural lens! Production: "Two Rooms"Dates: Nov. 6 - 8, Hepburn ZooDirector: Oscar Loyo '10Tickets will be available through the College box officeThe setup: The piece is about political terrorism, the government and the media. In the play, a professor, Michael, is kidnapped in Beirut three years prior and the play chronicles his wife, Lainie. She tries desperately to get her husband back and is torn between how to act. The state department is urging her to stay quiet and let them do their jobs, while the media is encouraging her to go public with her search. The play focuses on Lainie and her struggle to make a decision.The attraction: It's a timely piece that questions the motives of the government and the media, and whose intentions they are really looking out for. It's a play that makes a political statement and pulls at your heartstrings at the same time.The impact: This is definitely a piece to make you think and question the environment around you. While the play takes place on the other side of the world and is set in the 80s, it presents a situation that is very relevant the world today. Production: "On Ego"Dates: Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, Hepburn ZooDirector: Sara Swartzwelder '09Tickets will be available through the College box officeThe setup: The piece, a thought experiment by Derek Parfit, takes up the question of personal identity. Does our idea of the self have the stability, the significance or even the existence that we experience it to have? The attraction: The nature - the meaning and the existence of the self - is put into question through the medium of theatre, and the play does something that philosophy so often fails to do. It allows philosophical issues and questions to collide with real life.The impact: It addresses the kinds of things we tend to abandon as soon as we leave the classroom (or even before) because they're too difficult to think about, to fathom, to apply or to try to reconcile with our reflexive, everyday sense of who and what we are. "On Ego" poses a question philosophers have pursued literally for millennia and, by planting it in the story of realistic, emotionally-charged characters, makes the answer easy to swallow.
(10/02/08 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] This past Friday Sept. 26 marked the anniversary of the first televised presidential debate. On that day in 1960, presidential hopefuls John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon took the stage to debate domestic policy. It was the first time in U.S. history that the majority of Americans owned a television set. It was the first time American families were permitted the luxury of judging candidates not only aurally - but also visually.Both candidates refused stage make-up. Vice President Nixon, still recovering from a knee injury, looked sallow, unable to shed his perpetual five o'clock shadow. Kennedy, on the other hand, was fresh off a campaign circuit in sunny California. And while he was not nearly as well known as Nixon, Kennedy's television debut would launch the handsome Harvard grad onto the national scene - and, well, we all know the rest.If the televised "great debates" of 1960 whetted the American appetite for image and sound bite, the voting constituencies for the 2008 presidential election may find themselves in a state of sensory overload. Indeed, more than stage presence, the next president of the United States may be the candidate who is most apt to tap into the social-networking power of a generation that is accustomed to interacting, thinking, and even meeting over the internet.Digitizing the Political CampaignIn early October of 2007, staff members of the popular social-networking site www.facebook.com held a series of workshops and information sessions in Washington D.C. Their aim was to demonstrate ways in which politicians could leverage Facebook's networking capabilities as part of their campaign strategy. "Our goal is to make you win," offered Josh Rahn, Facebook's director of sales, who explained to various attendees that of some 45 million active users, 80 percent were of the voting age. Spending an average of 22 minutes logged in each day, users had ample time to get the campaign low-down. This past week Facebook reached the milestone of 100 million active users: among them, presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama.They're not alone. In the past year many political candidates have joined Facebook and similar networking sites in an effort to reel in voters. Launching themselves onto the virtual scene was not without pitfalls. In Hilary Clinton's own Facebook jaunt, a manager of her site accidentally accepted a relationship request from a lucky supporter. But if there's been one candidate to embrace new media capabilities it is democratic hopeful Barack Obama, currently boasting nearly two million supporters on Facebook."One of my fundamental beliefs from my days as a community organizer is that real change comes from the bottom up," Obama said in a statement. "And there's no more powerful tool for grass-roots organizing than the Internet."Doesn't hurt having Chris Hughes on your side. Hughes, one of the four founders of Facebook, left the company in early 2007 to work on Senator Obama's new media campaign in Chicago. In an unprecedented fundraising initiative, Hughes helped raise millions of dollars through thousands of $200 donations over the internet and also founded the wildly successful www.mybarackobama.com. But Obama's not the only candidate employing digital social-networking as part of his campaign strategem. Despite the generation gap, McCain is no slouch when it comes to digitizing his campaign. While he lacks Obama's extensive grouping network and has only gathered slightly more than 500,000 supporters on Facebook, his live video feed of McCain-Palin events is reaching constituents across the country. Facebook goes PoliticalOver the past year Facebook has made several political applications available to its users, most notably, the U.S. Politics application. An informational blurb on the site reads, "This application allows you to see which politicians you and your friends support, take part in Debate Groups about the hottest topics in politics today,…see which politicians have the most support on Facebook, and get the latest political news from ABC News." The application also includes results from what Facebook has deemed "Election Pulses," Facebook polls about various political topics. Candidates can post notes and various external links with regards to vote registration, absentee ballots, and community gatherings. Beyond personal pages of the candidates, swims a whole web of super cyber groups.Networking in Middlebury, VermontEven in rural Vermont the new politically-savvy Facebook is touching down. "We're living in an age where popular media is no longer concentrated in the hands of a few people," remarked Stefan Claypool '09. "Bloggers are reaching out across cyberspace and building communities of like-minded individuals in order to promote a cause in which they believe."Claypool attended the Republican National Convention and became an accredited blogger over this past summer. For Claypool, blogging is revolutionizing the presidential elections and changing politics for the better. Professor of Political Science, Matt Dickinson, is a renowned presidential scholar and a self-proclaimed non-partisan. While he admits that he is not a huge consumer of Facebook, like Claypool, Dickinson is an avid blogger"With the interest level so high among students, this is an ideal opportunity to teach them about the presidency and presidential elections."Dickinson cites the logistical benefits of sites like Facebook."I think they are useful in reminding students about registration requirements, deadlines and general voting procedures." Yet in terms of a persuasive tool, adds Dickinson, Facebook has little clout."Facebook, Myspace and similar sites tend to reinforce preexisting political dispositions, rather than expose people to new ideas. For most students, it's a vast echo chamber." Sarah Tucker '09.5, organizer for MiddVote and a college coordinator for the Obama campaign, agrees. "It feels that these online sites and pages are for 'members-only' and are in a lot of ways meant to encourage supporters and fire up the base." Other sites might foster partisan discussions, but Tucker does not include Facebook among them. But as Claypool points out, one of the beauties of Facebook is its ability to foster what social scientists have deemed "ambient awareness," or incessant web contact with others."It is impossible to log on without seeing videos and articles that friends have posted," asserts Claypool, "by using Facebook to propagate information concerning the election, individual users are having a greater impact on the election than ever before." From Affiliation to ActionTucker worked for Obama in both the New Hampshire and Massachusetts primaries. For Tucker, "one of the strengths of the Obama campaign is that it recognizes that different forms of communication work best for different groups. It recognized this early on," explained Tucker, "and in my work organizing college campuses I was encouraged to use Facebook and college blogs as a medium to reach people and get students interested and active."But for Tucker, it's the connection between affiliation and action that Facebook really lacks. "As for increasing awareness, it's the job of on-campus groups and the campaigns to channel this online interest into action." While as of yet there is no Middlebury for McCain group on the Facebook, there is a Middlebury for Obama, and it currently has 263 supporters. Last week, the Middlebury College Democrats hosted a kickoff event in Dana Auditorium, advertised through - you guessed it - Facebook. Co-president of the Middlebury College Democrats, George Altshuler '10.5 is the contact for the Facebook gro
up. Altshuler is himself an example of the power of media proliferation. In his profile picture, Altshuler appears with a cartoon bubble just above his left shoulder shouting the word "VOTE!" "We're really excited about how we're using Facebook to help the campaign," explained Altshuler, who described the group as "mostly a communication device."Altshuler was enrolled in Media Technology and Cultural Change this past Spring, a course which examined Facebook in terms of "social capital." According to Altshuler, Facebook's primary success lies in its ability to draw upon the "strength of weak ties." And it's those "weak ties" that the Middlebury Democrats are angling to tap into. "We're using Facebook as a tool to get people to mobilize their social connections in order to get people voting for Obama," asserted Altshuler. Indeed, it may be grass-roots mobilization through social-networking connections that will make the difference in swing states.48 years ago, Nixon and Kennedy mounted their respective podiums to face off in televised debate. This November, candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will be facing off in a variety of venues, including Facebook. The age of television revolutionized presidential elections. In 2008, we've entered into a whole new domain.
(10/02/08 12:00am)
Author: Jaime Fuller Middlebury College added to its list of environmental commendations last week when the College was selected as one of 15 "Overall College Sustainability Leader" institutions in the United States and Canada. The list was compiled in the 2009 edition of the College Sustainability Report Card, which is published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The report card is in its third year of ranking the environmental aspirations of institutions of higher education.The College received a grade of A-, receiving a grade of A in nearly all the subcategories, which included administration, climate control and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation, investment priorities and shareholder engagement. The only subcategory that Middlebury did not excel in was Endowment Transparency, in which the College received a D. The report card cited that the College "makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators and other select members of the school community," and does not release shareholder voting records, which led to the College's only substandard grade.Middlebury College Director of Sustainabilty Jack Byrne has already started planning on how the College can improve. "The good news is that Patrick Norton, Middlebury's Chief Financial Officer, has asked the Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing to research other institutions that got high marks in this category," Byrne wrote in an e-mail. "I would anticipate that they will find some solutions that will be reflected in a better score in that category next year."The initiatives that contributed the most to Middlebury's high marks included the plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2016, the dining halls' commitment to serving local products and the biomass facility construction. The report card also drew attention to the College's commitment to green building, which has grown considerably since the construction of the Janet Halstead Franklin '72 and Churchill G. Franklin '71 Environmental Center at Hillcrest. The building, which is made of 80 percent deconstructed and recycled materials, is pending Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The College hopes their efforts in green building will result in Hillcrest receiving the top prize of a Gold LEED rating.Student involvement also drew the attention of the Sustainable Endowments Institute; the report card named the College's involvement with the Power Shift 2007 conference as another reason for the College's high score. The College paid for 80 Middlebury students to attend the conference in Washington D.C last fall, where college and university students from all over the nation called for more governmental commitment to solving the climate crisis. Other student initiatives that were mentioned in the report card were the student-run organic garden and the new program that is seeking to create environmentally sensitive study abroad opportunities. 15 other schools received the same grade of A- on their Sustainability Report Card: Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, Carleton, Dartmouth, Dickinson, Oberlin, and the Universities of British Columbia, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. 43 schools, including Middlebury received "Campus Sustainability Leader" status, by receiving exemplary ratings in six non-finance subcategories. Only four of the 300 colleges and universities graded received an F, Brigham Young University, Howard University, Bryant University and Hillsdale University."It's heartening to see the significant progress being made by other colleges and universities to demonstrate leadership in this area in their own ways," wrote Byrne. "What's going on here is not just "being green." It's also showing how we can create a more durable and positive future at a time when we seem to have lost sight of the fact that how we choose to live today reverberates long into the future where our successors reap or suffer, the consequences of our choice"The increase in colleges and universities receiving top grades in the College Sustainability Report Card shows how the environment is becoming a major priority in the realm of college administrative affairs. According to the institute, this year's results have 191 schools showing an improvement in their commitment to sustainable practices, with the number of schools with full-time sustainability staff positions growing from 37 to 66 percent. 54 percent of colleges have committed to addressing the climate through carbon reductions, compared to 45 percent last year. "Making a commitment to sustainability, ranging from local food sourcing to renewable energy investments, is no longer a priority of only environmentalists," said Mark Orlowski, Executive Director of the Sustainable Endowments Institute. "Such innovations are capturing the attention of everyone, from college trustees to admissions applicants."Students hastened to agree with such a sentiment."Even with the official rankings, it is obvious from all the projects the College has taken on that it is a priority for the College to be environmentally aware," said Sarah Simonds '11. "With the biomass plant and all the green building projects, I'm proud to tell people that I'm a student at Middlebury."Romany Redman '11 agreed in principle, but cautioned that the College should not get caught up in its achievements."I think it's really great that Middlebury's grades improved in the last year, but I don't think that should be the end goal," she said.
(09/18/08 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker My Grandma Jean may have taken to confusing the family dog with Picasso, but her self-imposed commitment to bettering the youth of today has not yet eclipsed her. Indeed, as a distinguished matriarch of 80-odd years (she vows never to divulge her age), she's not out to convert the world's heathens - she's out to reform the behavior of college students. Like a hawk, Grandma circles the children's table where her six-foot tall grandkids cower over their plates, wincing as she lunges to readjust the butter dishes or wage war on a cowlick with a vengeance that would not even escape little Piper Palin.In all seriousness though, whatever happened to our manners? At college, in our state of unmonitored bliss, we find ourselves on a campus teeming with grievous violations to the Grandma doctrine. While I am in no way an expert on social graces, I shall endeavor to bring to light some of the more immediate affronts to etiquette at Middlebury.HANDRAISING HOW-TO'SDon't be tempted to employ the over-the-forehead sling in an attempt to appear earnest. If there's one thing I've learned in college, it's that we are not invisible. Professors see all.PATHWAY POLITENESSTwo paths diverged on a grassy knoll, and sorry you could not travel both, you ... stopped to engage in idle banter with your suitemate. Fellow Middlebury students, we are all at a crossroads, but venturing off the beaten path inevitably precipitates toe-squelching doom. DOORWAY DECORUMNothing wrankles Grandma like a flimsy door-holder. Strike a balance between the pass-off and door-holding magnamity - you'll be sorry when you become the doorman for an entire tour.SALAD BAR SMARTSGo against the flow of traffic at your own risk. Should a space become available mid-transit, you may venture into the mix cautiously but keep in mind that speed is of the essence. When in doubt, honor the sneeze protector rule -- if at any time during your salad-tong maneuvering your chin happens to graze the glass, you know you've reached too far.
(09/18/08 12:00am)
Author: Lizzie Zevallos Tents sprout across the lawn of Marbleworks every Wednesday and Saturday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30p.m., creating a one-stop-shopping enterprise for all of your gourmet desires. See if you can wake yourself up before mid-day this weekend and take a look at (and a taste from) five of our favorite vendors.C IS FOR COOKIE LOVESoftness is key at this friendly trove of baked delights. Sample one of its many delicious and wittily named flavors, including "Forbidden Love", "Addicted to Love" and "Mother's Love," and your love for cookies will reach a new height. Want more for later? No problem. Vermont Cookie Love also serves "DOUGH-ritos", frozen dough wrapped like a burrito, so you can savor these delectable confections in the privacy of your own home or dormitory. Ask co-owner and cookie expert Paul Seyler to demonstrate how to make a beautiful cookie with that textured "homemade" appearance so you can impress friends, hall-mates or that special someone. Using local natural ingredients and a mastery of the craft, Seyler and his wife, Suzanna Miller, hope to revolutionize their product the way American Flatbread and Ben and Jerry's did with theirs. So be part of the revolution while you scarf down a buttered, sugary disk of dough. SAY BYE TO AUNT JEMIMAIf you are looking for an authentic Vermont gift to send home to the family this season, there is nothing better than the sweet golden maple syrup of Addison County. Tell mom and dad to chuck Aunt Jemima out the window and replace her with Williams Farms' Grade A Medium or Dark Amber syrup. If you are not a pancake or waffle person, sample its maple jelly and maple cream which are both perfect spreads for crackers, toast, English muffins and bagels. Now the glistening, viscous sap that drips from Vermont's maple trees can find its place in almost every breakfast meal. And its just-right flavor comes from years of experience: Lucille Williams boasts of a time when she and her husband, Rob Williams, still used horses and oxen rather than tractors. Although both are nearing 80, their syrup is young in spirit, especially with the help of two more generations of Williams' family syrup makers. WINE & CHEESE PARTY - BLUE LEDGE FARMS STYLEOur image of Vermont outside of Middlebury tends to be a green pastoral landscape dotted with the robust black-and-white splotches of grazing cows. Consequently, Vermont's goats are often left out of the picture. Blue Ledge Farms, however, gives these delicate dots the credit they deserve with a popular array of award-winning goat cheeses. For pure simplicity, begin with the classic crottina, a white-mold ripened dainty cheese aged for three weeks, or go bold with the spreadable fresh pepper chevre, which goes wonderfully with crackers at your next classy, college wine party. Co-founders Greg Bernhardt and Hannah Sessions began their cheese-making endeavors in 2000 by reading books and using the scientific trial-and-error method. Their efforts proved successful when their cheese was chosen for the 100 Greatest Cheeses in Wine Spectator Magazine. They didn't let it get to their heads, though, and Blue Ledge Farm cheese remains entirely unique to the Northeast. THE ONE STOP FARM SHOPHere, you will find a one-stop emporium of certified organic vegetables, as well as fresh chicken, turkey and whole or half pork. With all products grown on rich clay soil, the Singing Cedars Farmstead prides itself in its high nutritious quality and exceptional taste. In 2006, co-owners, Scott Greene and Suzanne Young decided to use their veggies to create a mouth-watering homemade salsa made from six different kinds of tomatoes, three types of onions, six peppers, a hint of garlic, a touch of cilantro and a perfect amount of parsley. Sample this colorful concoction for a taste that beats anything bought in the store. NO POISON IN THESE APPLESDo you want a red, crisp piece of deliciousness to begin your Saturday morning? Look no further. The Stevens Orchard stand has the widest variety of apples at the market, even including those rare, "antique," varieties that you cannot find in the stores. It's most popular kind is Honeycrisp, of which it has been the largest producer in Vermont for several years. For only 50 cents a pop, the stand also serves "Honeycrisp Seconds," damaged apples which have nothing wrong with them except being "cosmetically ugly," according to co-owner, Bob Fields. Located in the Champlain Valley, Stevens Orchard dates back to the late 1800s when barges would pick up these fresh delights and take them en-route to New York City. Fields and his partner, Karen Blair, moved to Vermont from California in 2000 to restore the neglected orchard and plant 4,000 new trees. The duo does not see the orchard as an enterprise but instead a passion.
(09/18/08 12:00am)
Author: Bill McKibben, Scholar-in-Residence For a while, it looked as if the 2008 presidential election might be one of the first to really tackle the single biggest problem facing the planet, the threat of runaway global warming. With the Arctic now an island for the first time in human history (and long before); with drought and flood increasing dramatically as hydrological cycles start to tilt; and with oil prices rising rapidly as supplies dwindle, it seemed the perfect moment for a serious debate on energy and climate.And John McCain and Barack Obama seemed the best duo to have that debate. McCain was out in front of almost all his GOP Senate colleagues in addressing global warming - after he was dogged by student protesters in New Hampshire during his 2000 bid, he returned to Washington and held hearings that produced the first attempt at even modest legislation. I spent a couple of days in Washington interviewing him at that time, and was impressed with his candor. Meanwhile, Obama responded to protesters of his own - after last year's nationwide StepItUp demonstrations, organized primarily by Middlebury students, he signed on to the call for 80 percent carbon reductions by 2050.Unfortunately, the debate has yet to materialize. Partly that's because the media has focused attention elsewhere, rarely raising the issue in debates. And partly it's because McCain has steadily backed away from his aggressive stance. Though his Website continues to say that he views global warming as our primary environmental challenge, he has endorsed (like Hillary Clinton) a 'gas tax holiday' to drive down the price of fuel and dampen the price signal sent by dwindling supplies. He has also appointed a vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, who has said she is unsure if human beings even cause climate change (which is a problematic stance, since if we're not causing it, it's hard to imagine how we could slow it down). The floor of the Republican National Convention last month was crowded with adults chanting "Drill, Baby, Drill," which in a global warming context really is another way of saying "Burn, Baby, Burn."Obama, meanwhile, has been more straightforward. Despite a continued weakness for so-called 'clean coal,' especially when giving speeches in the Appalachian mining states, he's mostly advanced a platform of strong action on global warming. Earlier this month he endorsed the innovative SkyTrust program, which would charge the big energy companies for the right to emit carbon dioxide and send a check to each American ever year for their share of the proceeds - a scheme that has some hope of maintaining broad political support for higher energy prices in the years ahead. Such straightforwardness makes Obama the obvious choice on climate issues, and is the reason I joined Environmentalists for Obama.But both candidates will need a healthy push from the populace if they're going to make real progress on this most difficult of issues. In particular, they need to be persuaded to take a real lead on the upcoming international negotiations, the kind of talks the U.S. has boycotted for the last eight years. 350.org, led by recent Middlebury graduates, will next month launch a campaign to get people from across the country and around the world to send invitations to each candidate, urging them to come if elected to international meetings scheduled for Poland in December. That would be a real chance to demonstrate their intent to lead, not follow, on this most crucial question.
(09/11/08 12:00am)
Author: Kaity Potak Gray skies and rain showers did not stop Middlebury community members from gathering on the Green to celebrate this fall's Harvest Festival on Sept. 6. Featuring everything from homemade ice cream and a harp player, to a whole host of workshops geared toward educating and encouraging local eating, the festival showed community spirit at its finest. The festival's slogan of "Eat Local, Eat Well, Eat Together" perfectly epitomized the essence of this event. A pot luck lunch kicked off the day, inviting Middlebury citizens to socialize under the tent on the Green and listen to live music from the gazebo. Oblivious to the foreboding weather, children rode tricycles down the hill at alarmingly fast rates, painted colorful banners with which to adorn the Green and enjoyed slice after slice of homemade pie. "We had forty pies here today. Forty!" event coordinator Kristin Bolton gushed. Such festivities were, however, simply the backdrop for a much larger cause. The combined efforts of the Addison County Localvores, members of the Middlebury Co-op, the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACoRN), and other organizations and individuals are part of an initiative to support eating locally, saving energy, supporting local businesses and encourage self-sufficiency. Other than the celebrations going on outside, there was a full schedule of workshops taking place in Saint Stephen's on the Green Episcopal Church. Workshops with titles such as "Breaking Ground - Your First Garden," "Harvesting Wild Edibles," and "Eating Locally Throughout the Year" were, as Shari Brown, a founding member of the Eat Local Challenge, said, "a way to focus people's attention on the idea of eating locally, a way to shift their awareness." Joanna Colwell, another founder of Middlebury's Eat Local Challenge, supported Brown's explanation by adding, with a huge grin, "we're here so that we can get people rammed up to eat locally!"The Eat Local Challenge, which was begun here in Middlebury three years ago, is a well-established project in Vermont and throughout the country that asks those involved to commit to eating locally. Throwing the word "challenge" into the title offers a touch of intimidation but the initiative is much less a set of demanding rules than it is a personal decision to be more aware of what one eats. Those involved set themselves challenges that range from trying to make two meals a day from local products to swearing that 80 percent of their diet will be local (from within 100 miles of home). As both Brown and Colwell attest, the Eat Local Challenge is not about the specifics of making a vow, though. "Where did we even come up with that 80 percent? Where did that number actually come from?" said Shari Brown. "Well, actually, I think I just made it up. I mean, it seemed reasonable at the time," Joanna Colwell said. Whatever the deciding factor, the Eat Local Challenge, which the Harvest Festival helped to bring to the forefront of everyone's attentions, certainly seems to be gaining ground. In its opening year, the organizers were happy to see 70 people become involved. That number has grown steadily, and continues to do so this year, as information is shared like gossip, pages are added to the sign-up sheets throughout town and pamphlets are picked up like hotcakes. Or perhaps, like pieces of freshly baked pie.As the afternoon wore on, conversation was suddenly interrupted and attention refocused as kids swarmed toward the big white tent outside to take turns cranking the old-fashioned ice cream maker. The fiddle player on the gazebo offered foot-tapping music that mirrored the excitement, and with the apple barrel looking pretty low, it seemed pretty apparent that despite the rain, the Harvest Festival certainly accomplished its goal and managed to get people "rammed up to eat locally."
(05/08/08 12:00am)
Author: Dina Magaril "Here's the deal. I'm looking for some help. You'll need to be up at five in the morning and working till six o'clock at night and it's going to be dirty, dusty, smelly dangerous work for about 10 dollars an hour. So how many of you want to do this. Just raise your hands please."Sheryl Connor, a co-founder of the Addison County Migrant Workers Coalition often begins discussions regarding issues faced by migrant workers in Vermont with the above-mentioned speech. Her plea for help reflects the serious issue of securing workers who are willing to work under less than desirable conditions for as many as six days a week. No one ever raises their hands, a fact that doesn't surprise Connor, and would not surprise the majority of the farmers in Addison County."No one wants to do this job," said Connor regarding the day-to-day job description required of dairy farm work. Connor and her husband own a dairy farm with nearly 250 cows that need to be milked twice a day, fed and washed. "Without these migrant workers, dairy farming would not be able to survive," she said. Four years ago, Connor's husband was involved in a serious farming accident, requiring him to be hospitalized for several weeks. Connor recalled hiring some workers temporarily, but to her dismay they lasted for less than a week before they left for less-stressful climates. It was at this point that Connor began employing migrant workers, many of whom had come from Mexico looking for work. "Our first Mexican workers were just like family to us," said Connor, referring to the husband-wife pair who came to work on the Connor's farm along with the young woman's brother for over a year. Associate Professor of Spanish Gloria Gonzalez-Zenteno has been working with Connor and other members of the coalition in conjunction with her independent book project entitled "Invisible Mexico." Through a compilation of interviews Gonzalez hopes to tell the story of the Mexican migrant worker population living in Vermont, or as she said, the pioneering immigrants in Vermont. "I say pioneer because in Vermont we are seeing the beginnings of the process of a new, very young immigrant community being formed," said Gonzalez-Zenteno. But like with any new community, this one too comes with its own set of issues regarding stereotypes and prejudice."People are distrustful and afraid of others when they have had no personal contact with them," continued Gonzalez-Zenteno, referring to the often-homogeneous nature of the racial breakdown of the Addison community. "Five, 10 years ago, the distrust was much less," she said, adding that negative depictions of this population on the news is one of the main factors that is propagating prejudice. A fabricated image coupled with little interaction of with members of the community is a disheartening fact that Gonzalez-Zenteno, as well as other members of the coalition, is hoping to address.Laura Budzyna '08 was one of the students in Gonzalez-Zenteno's 2006 class "The New U.S. Latino Writings," who was deeply affected by the community service aspect of her coursework. The class' service component involved student involvement in accompanying workers to medical appointments and offering their translation services wherever necessary."I was visiting a pregnant woman whose husband worked on a dairy farm that basically needed companionship," said Budzyna, who went from visiting the woman once a week to bi-weekly meetings, including one during the summer. "We were very connected." While studying abroad in Chile, Budzyna received an e-mail from her former professor offering her a research assistant position and language coordinator responsibilities for Gonzalez-Zenteno's independent project. Budzyna accepted and spent this past year going from farm to farm conducting interviews with workers who had been in Vermont anywhere from several months to several years. Through her research, Budzyna saw a clear need in the migrant worker population that could not be adequately serviced in one class semester. During Winter Term Budzyna decided to take matters into her own hands and started a group on campus that would assist migrant workers in various areas including teaching English and offering interpretation services. Budzyna teamed up with Michael Fletcher '08 and the two applied to the Tree House Fund for a grant that would enable the group to purchase supplies to aid in teaching, including such basics as notebooks, dry erase boards and reimbursement for gas. Additionally, Fletcher is one of several students who visit a farm weekly, where he meets with a 23-year-old Mexican dairy farm worker. While Fletcher, as well as almost any other volunteer involved in teaching English, has seen tremendous improvement in his student's language ability, he cites the social aspect of the Middlebury program as his main reason for staying involved."Many of these guys are working 80 hours a week with no contact with Americans or the opportunity to integrate into American culture. We talk to them and teach them English but we're also providing a social outlet and friendship," said Fletcher.The student group cites the help they have received from the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE) as integral to their survival. "They're really the people that facilitate the link between the students and the outside community that is involved [with these migrant workers]," said Fletcher.When Gonzalez-Zenteno came to Middlebury in 1996, she estimated that there were no migrants workers living in Vermont. Then, in about 2005, Gonzalez-Zenteno began to hear from various acquaintances that a small community of Mexicans was living in Vermont. Gonzalez-Zenteno, who is Mexican, made it her mission to find these people and speak to them about their experiences."For me, personally, going from a situation where I am living in a community that doesn't resemble me at all to having people I can communicate with in my own language and culture was really exciting for me," said Gonzalez-Zenteno. She said she recognized her unique position as an ambassador between the students she was teaching and the Mexican workers that she wanted to teach and the farmers they were working for, nearly all of whom speak little to no Spanish. Gonzalez-Zenteno envisioned her community service project based class as an ideal opportunity for students at Middlebury to use their Spanish outside the classroom setting. "[These students] didn't have to wait to go abroad to advance their language skills," said Gonzalez, who added that the students were an integral part of the project, whose services were invaluable to working with migrant workers. As an educator, Gonzalez-Zenteno felt personally responsible for combating the negative rhetoric that exists about these groups both through community awareness and by providing the workers she visits with the tools they need to express themselves in a culture that is often impatient with foreigners. "There's always a need for something," said Gonzalez-Zenteno regarding her work. While Gonzalez-Zenteno and Budzyna are confident that the service projects they are involved with will continue to grow and reach more people, the two admit that there are still many loose ends that need to be addressed."We should be reaching the farmers too and teaching them Spanish," said Gonzalez-Zenteno, adding that time constraints of the job often do not make this a very viable option.The Coalition's future plans center around securing documentation for workers so "they're not fearing for their life in prison when they're out in the street or in a car or anywhere," said Connor, being quick to add that while Middlebury is a generally safe place from local police, state police and border police pose the greatest threats to many of these workers' security.And while
Budzyna may be graduating this year, she is confident the younger members of the group will continue her enthusiasm and expand both in size and scope. "[The group] has become really relevant and popular, and students are finding the prospect of using Spanish in a real life context to be very appealing," she said.
(05/01/08 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall I am trading brown sweaters for worn linen, retiring Columbia boots for Madden flats, tired jeans for cotton dresses and my work ethic for three-hour meals on Battell Beach. And as I am restructuring my mood from hibernating bookworm to GPA-murdering social butterfly, I find myself deleting playlists such as "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," and facelifting my iPod with mixes boasting the promises of "Why Ponder Life's Complexities When the Leather Runs Smooth on the Passenger Seat?" While your Belle and Sebastian catalogue may be where you instinctively turn to, just because you have a favorite t-shirt doesn't mean you never update your wardrobe. Try these three artists on for size - they will at least keep you covered until the new Death Cab release on May 13. Besides awesomeness, the tying factors between the French duo M83, Baltimore childhood couple Beach House and Liverpool vixen Candie Payne is nostalgia. M83's fifth full-length release Saturdays=Youth is aptly named - playing itself as the ideal soundtrack for idyllic afternoons and windows-down windy roads. The first cut, "Graveyard Girl," incorporates the lushness of acclaimed 2003's Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts, but updates some of the duo's earlier shoegaze aesthetics with poppy percussion. Unfortunately, it drags me back to high school in a bad way with a cheesy spoken interlude including the gem, "I'm 15 years old and I already feel like it's too late to live." The '80s-inspired synth-pop tracks like "Kim and Jessie" and the more subdued "Too Late," however, more than make up for it, evoking simpler times scripted by John Hughes. Throw in lines such as "Kids outside worlds / They are crazy about romance and illusion" sung in Anthony Gonzalez's stylized vocals, and I feel exhilaratingly infinite after 20 minutes into the disc. The Phil Collins of our generation, M83's April 15 release is pure pop, masterfully memorable in its reconstructed musical memories of a past decade. Fittingly enough, Beach House is the perfect vacation from joint-rolling jam-bands, ghetto-gyrating Young Jeezy and even the plastic punch of the material girl's new single "4 Minutes" (no disrespect, Madge). From the opening harpsichord harmonies of "Wedding Bells," their second attempt, Devotion, blends the catchy chamber-pop of Matt Pond PA with the inebriating ambience of Tegan and Sara. The languid organs, wistful waltzes and the steady vinyl vocals of Alex Scally on standout songs "You Came to Me" and "Gila" add a '50s flavor and '60s sensibility to the Baltimore duo's sophomore release - the warped warbles on "Home Again" even evoking The Beatles at times. Despite the reemergence of peppy-girl group The Pipettes, the sugary sounds of Lucky Soul and Amy Winehouse's R& B revamp, Britain's Candie Payne purred and slinked her way into the critical eye with her freshman endeavor I Wish I Could Have Loved You More, slated for a May 21 release. Payne's seductive voice tangos with a guttural guitar and cheeky brass on the opening title track which has all the sex appeal, flair and intrigue of a classic Bond flick. The singer/songwriter sustains the tempting tension with "Why Should I Settle for You" - her adoration of Billie Holiday evident in her measured, smoky vocals while the perky percussion of "One More Chance" and "All I Need to Hear" reinvents Motown as modern. Although over-produced and forcibly a period piece at times, Payne's first album looks back and glances forward to a strong career for this Liverpool lady. So grab a blanket and a couple blank CDs and set about inventing some summer memories of your own. Visit http://www.hypem.com to download any of the above-mentioned tracks, and don't forget the sunscreen - only music is fun when it's burned.
(05/01/08 12:00am)
Author: Jake Cohen Raise your glasses to George Baumann '08 of the Middlebury men's golf team, who earned medalist honors by shooting 69-75 at Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Kensington, Conn. at the NESCAC championship hosted by Trinity. Despite Baumann's finish in solo first, the team placed third after losing a tie-breaker to Hamilton. "We knew this weekend that anyone could win it," said captain Harrison Bane '08.5. "It was just a matter of who was going to hold their concentration and make putts." Bane was correct, but on day one that player was not him - he shot an 80 with double bogeys on 14 and 18. "That was a huge disappointment," said Bane. Nevertheless, the veteran rallied on day two to shoot 74 and Middlebury's second-lowest score of the day.The star of the weekend, however, was Baumann who edged Drew Murray of Williams by one shot. The victory represented the payoff for the senior's intense dedication to his game.Baumann has woken up at 7:30 a.m. every weekday morning for the past few weeks in order to go hit balls and work on his swing. His hard work paid off in a big way this past weekend. On Saturday, this Panther shot an impressive 69 (-2) to take the overall individual lead. He secured the individual victory with a 75 on day 2 to finish with 144 (+2) overall. Behind Baumann was Brian Cady '11 who shot a 152 and edged out teammate and classmate Jim Levins '11, who finished at 153. Bane was right behind the two with 154 and Mike McCormick '09 rounded out Middlebury's team with a solid 160. The Williams Ephs bounced back after being defeated by Middlebury the weekend before to capture the NESCAC title. As a team, they shot 590, 13 strokes ahead of Hamilton and Middlebury.
(05/01/08 12:00am)
Author: Afsana Liza At 3 p.m. on a bright, sunny Friday afternoon, a huge crowd of Middlebury College students, faculty and townspeople gathered together to fight cancer as a unified force. Energetic event coordinators and helpers set up tents, tables, food and entertainment for participants for the all-night event, which lasted until 9:30 a.m. on April 26. This was the College's fifth year participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which were held on the athletic fields behind the Kevin P. Mahaney '84 Center for the Arts. Relay For Life is an overnight fundraiser event that allows community members to celebrate cancer survivors and remember those who have lost their lives to cancer, while still reminding those who fight that there is hope."The event is one of the three largest student-run organizations on campus," said event coordinator Heather Neuwirth '08. "It is coordinated by a 60-person committee."Last year, Middlebury College was the top youth Relay in New England, raising a total of $227,773. The College hosted 87 teams, gathered 952 participants and a total of 46 survivors. Each team raised on average more than $2,700. While this year's fundraising total is still being tallied, event coordinator Josh Chan '08 believed that "over $150,000 was raised with more than 800 participants and 69 teams." Chan estimated that the College has raised over $650,000 in the past four years. This year's Relay For Life featured a Luminaria Ceremony meant to signify hope, an empowering Survivor Lap and a Drum Circle performance. The event's opening guest speaker was Amelia Claringbould '08, a cancer survivor who discussed the importance of cherishing the important matters in life. Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Laura Basili read a poem and Provost and Executive Vice President Alison Byerly made several remarks.The theme of this year's relay was "Time Warp to a Future Without Cancer." For this theme, nearly every hour had its own theme lap from a "Toga, Toga, Toga Lap" to a "'50s Grease Lap" and even a "We love the '80s Lap." To keep children and participants entertained, "Three-Legged Race Laps," "Couple/Marriage Laps" and other quirky, festive laps were scheduled. Many teams in the Relay had campsites set up for the night. Many teams consisted of people from the town of Middlebury as well. Cancer survivor and town resident Kathy Sagendore was quite pleased with the high turnout from the College. "It's so empowering to see everyone come together for such an amazing cause on a beautiful day," said Sagendore. "I have been fighting cancer for the past seven years and have been participating in the Relay for the past three years. It's an incredible tradition for my family."In addition to the participants from town, a number of varsity athletes also joined Relay, including swimmers and players from the softball and football teams.Relay participant Alexandra Bertagnolli '10 was eager to engage in the event for her second year."I feel really this is an amazing cause," said Bertagnolli. "One of my friends asked me to be captain, and I'm so glad I took the position. It's been a great team project and it is so empowering for everyone to be here together."Event participants were eager to see the traditional Luminaria Ceremony. The luminaria are small paper bags that lined the walking pathways with each of the bags filled with sand and includ a small, glowing candle. Each bag's exterior bore the name of someone who had at one point battled cancer."One of my favorite parts of the event is the Luminaria," said Lauren Redfield '11, "because of the impressive scene they create once they are lit." The luminaria continued to burn into the night, lighting the way for the walkers along the laps, signifying a path of hope. It created a truly remarkable scene as participants, survivors and children walked along the lighted pathways to fight cancer. To further motivate participants throughout the all-night event, entertainment was provided throughout the evening by several of the College's dance and a cappella singing groups. Performances included those from the Drum Circle, On Tap, Riddim Dance Troupe, the Mamajamas, Bobolinks and the Mischords. The music, food and festivities allowed for a truly community-affirming event that paid a tribute to the many lives lost to cancer."Cancer is a really personal issue," said Melissa Hirsch '11. "Relay for Life is something big and positive that a lot of people can be involved in. It's an amazing unifying force that allows us to fight this together."
(04/24/08 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Claims about the academic dishonesty of Middlebury students are startling. More disturbing still, however, is the proposal by some members of the faculty to place professors as proctors in classrooms during exams. Cheating, plagiarism and other violations of Middlebury's oft-quoted, oft-inscribed Honor Code deserve serious attention, but proctoring exams would function as a staggering blow to the Honor Code as we know it. This is not to say, of course, that we should not be considering revisions to the Honor Code itself, or to the way in which the Honor Code is executed. Rather, before making the drastic decision to breech what is a traditionally revered Middlebury tradition, members of the faculty and student body both must consider more creative solutions. The most immediate (and arguably effective) way to tackle academic dishonesty on campus is to educate students more fully about the Honor Code itself. While Associate Dean of the College Gus Jordan's 2000 research indicates that over 80 percent of students will cheat in some way before completing their degrees, the majority of students profess to respecting the Honor Code. However, despite the early emphasis on the Honor Code - in both the letter to accepted students and in the Honor Code signing ceremony during first-year orientation - few students understand the details of the pledge. More importantly, ongoing education would be a helpful reminder to students at times overwhelmed by the pressures of the College.Education can be supplemented by premeditated course and exam design. Understandably, cheating is more prevalent - or at least more feasible - in certain classes or departments. Professors who are concerned about academic dishonesty might forgo, perhaps, take-home or self-scheduled exams in favor of in-class tests or intentionally collaborative work. We are saddened to hear that entire departments have voiced concerns about rampant cheating, but any "crisis" within individual departments should be handled within these disciplines. Solutions must at least be attempted on the class or departmental level before the Honor Code, as it stands currently, is subjected to any serious revisions. The judicial boards deserve a critical look if, as faculty members are asserting, professors have lost faith in the system's ability to prosecute cheaters. Members of the community and academic judicial boards of the College devote an unfathomable amount of energy and diligence to the difficult job of upholding the Honor Code. Opening lines of dialogue between the boards and faculty would circumvent the clash of opinions over major alterations to the pledge itself. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, discussions about academic integrity should not be happening solely in the provinces of faculty meetings. Creative solutions for addressing academic dishonesty will be most effective when they come from within the student body, instead of being opposed up it. Professors should voice their concerns with their students just as candidly as they do with their colleagues. Speaking frankly about academic honesty would not only serve to remind students of the importance of the Honor Code, but would also establish a classroom atmosphere founded on the mutual understanding of expectations. Ultimately, engaging the students who are grappling with questions of academic dishonesty will serve the community better than instating punitive measures that punish the student body at large. One of Middlebury's most charming and indeed unique characteristics is the trust that exists between students and their professors. This trust is reciprocal, and allowing professors to proctor exams sends a devastating message about a lack of trust in this community. Trust that infractions of plagiarism and cheating are as upsetting to students as they are to professors. Engage us in this debate sooner rather than later.
