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(11/29/07 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Acting major? Art History major? Music major? What are you going to do with that? Every year the question is posed with a perplexed brow to thousands of students majoring in the arts. It is widely known that careers in the arts are notoriously difficult to break into and perhaps not as immediately lucrative as a gig on Wall Street, but that is not stopping these ambitious seniors from taking the plunge. JazzLike many aspiring artists, I plan to begin my post-collegiate career by mooching off my girlfriend for a while. After bumming around Europe for a year or two and writing a never-to-be-published coming-of-age novel, I'll probably go to grad school, insuring that regardless of my actual artistic achievements, I'll be able to hold on to a mediocre salary. With any luck, a small part of my soul will still remain intact when I am finally able to retire from my job handing disinterested football players their required "ART" credits at a third-tier state school.Another way to say all of that is that I am shooting for a career as a composer of art music (a.k.a. "classical"). There is an 'industry' associated with this kind of music (recording, publishing, facilities, administration, agents, etc.), but it isn't lucrative or artistic, and I have no interest in it as a career. Most composers teach because it guarantees a regular salary and, often, well-rehearsed ensembles to play new music. In general, the university level is best for this because the pay is relatively good and the students tend to be more actively involved. There are very few composers who could live off of their royalties and commissions, so most will aim for a school that best suits their style and philosophy of composition. However, it is an extremely competitive field, so I have no idea where I'll end up. At the university level a doctorate is nearly always required, so I really will be scrounging for the next 10 years or so, and hopefully at the end of it I'll have a good degree, a few job options and a few people who enjoy my music.Although I came to Middlebury as an aspiring guitar god, I've realized during my time here that I'm not interested in stardom and I need a greater amount of control over my art than I can get in any capacity other than as a composer. I'm also aware of the level of competition in any area of the arts, but I can't say it bothers me much. I enjoy teaching, performing and composing music - and that enjoyment isn't tied to standing in front of an audience or being paid a ton of money or anything else ≠- it's just what I like to do and I can't imagine my life without it. - Tristan Axelrod '08 Art BusinessWhen I graduate in February, I am going to pursue my interest in the intersection between the visual arts and business. I love all art, and I am also fascinated with the fluctuations that make the market tick and help determine the value of art.I have pursued a number of paths in the art world through my professional experience. I spent the summer at Christie's in New York working in the Department of British and Irish Art. I am an artist myself, and I have also been an artist's assistant, done art direction on a short film and worked at a small museum. I also have some business experience - having spent a summer with an equity investing firm - and I attended the Tuck Business Bridge Program at Dartmouth.Ten years from now, I'd love to start my own gallery, be a corporate art buyer or work in art investing. In the meantime, I'm going to find a job that will get my foot in the door. I hope to find a job in New York - either at an auction house or in a gallery of contemporary art. On the flip side, I would also be delighted to start in the business world, and segue into art from there.I am also working on a project with Bethany Holmes '07, a fellow History of Art major. We are going to start an informal springboard space for up-and-coming artists to exhibit their work. We're not calling it a gallery; it will be a space in which we show art, but are not officially selling it. The focus will be on putting art up on the walls, throwing a party and letting artists make their own connections with potential buyers or galleries. This venture is about getting to know artists and facilitating conversation around art rather than being commercial in nature. Although I want to work in art commerce, I recognize how important it is to gain experience with the art world before striking out on my own. - Allegra Morosani '07.5 ScreenwritingThe biggest problem with aspiring to be any kind of artist is that there is simply is no surefire way to getting there. The nature of art itself is creative and individual, thus there is no well-beaten path to becoming something inherently new. I want to be a screenwriter. Great, so I'll write a killer script and MGM will give me a million bucks for it, right? Wrong. That is the legend perpetuated by the '80s when Hollywood turned towards writers and started paying big bucks for scripts left and right. Doesn't happen anymore. Now, most working writers spend years working within the film industry making contacts before ever selling anything, for really not that much money. I've heard that the only semi-sure way to move up in Hollywood is to get a job at one of the huge, Mafioso talent agencies in Los Angeles, move to a position where you would be assisting the agent of whoever it is you want to be (writer, actor, director), eventually try and become an assistant to the writer/actor/director herself, and then finally become established enough so people are willing to consider your work seriously. To me, this sounds like an awful lot of serving creative people and not doing enough creating yourself. When I mentioned this fact to a Vice President in Los Angeles, he said (and they are all "he's") that if I actually wanted to write, I would do it on the two nights a week that I would not be going out - that is, going out in order to meet people who I could potentially give my script to. My boss in Los Angeles told me that recently, when he had been stopped at a red light, some guy in the jeep next to him recognized him, jumped out of his jeep, opened his trunk, took out a script and threw it through my boss's open window, all before getting back into his car and screeching away when the light turned green.It seems to me that you have to strike a balance. If you want to be an "artist" in corporate America, the scene is well, corporate, and you have to play by those rules. But you can't forget why you're there in the first place. If you love being creative, you'll find time for it, no matter where you are. - Julie Lipson '07.5
(11/15/07 12:00am)
Author: Michelle Constant If the Early Decision I application pool for the Class of 2012 continues to resemble last year's pool, approximately 700 applications will have found their way to the Office of Admissions by today's application deadline. While Early Decision I applications are projected to remain at last year's level, regular admissions applications have been received at a much faster rate than last year. Dean of Admissions Bob Clagett attributed the growth over the past two years of both the early and regular decision applicant pools to "the combination of our overall rise in popularity with more students deciding early in the process to apply early for what they think is the strategic advantage in getting in [to the College], often for the wrong reasons."According to Clagett, in the most selective colleges, the admittance ratio for early decision applicants is slightly higher. This leads prospective students to believe that applying early will increase their likelihood of admittance. However, Clagett stated that this slightly higher ratio reflects the fact that, qualitatively, the early pool is superior to the regular pool. He said that more selective colleges offer less of an advantage to applying early."If anything, the bar is raised for early decision applicants," said Clagett. "We ask ourselves, 'are we certain that this is someone who would definitely get in regular?' " The Office of Admissions plans to meet soon to discuss the desired overall size for next year's first-year class. Admissions officials prefer not to admit more than 35-40 percent of the class through early enrollment applicants. Last year, 38 percent of the first-year class, including February admissions students, or Febs, was admitted early decision. "I feel uncomfortable going higher than 40 percent because we don't know what is coming in the regular applicant pool," said Clagett. "We could easily admit half the freshman class early, but if we were to do that, we would be sending an even stronger signal to apply early. We want to keep the admittance rates [for early and regular decision] close."The Office of Admissions is hesitant to overcommit to the disproportionately homogeneous early decision applicant pool, because statistically it has been found in the past that there is less geographic, racial, international and socioeconomic diversity in the early pool. For this reason, the office tries to discourage prospective students from applying early."The overall goal is to give the College the most interesting, eclectic mix of students possible," said Clagett. "This is part of the reason why Admissions seeks to keep early decision students low."The Office of Admissions also discourages early applicants because the College does not determine financial aid eligibility differently for early decision versus regular applicants, but uses the same need-based analysis for both groups. If a student applies early, he or she is essentially tied to one financial aid package and cannot compare this package to that from another prospective school.According to Clagett, regular applications may also be affected by the elimination of early application programs at Harvard and Princeton. This increases the incentives for the Office of Admissions to allow for more room in the first-year class for academically and extracurricularly superior regular decision applicants."We are likely to see more great applications in the [regular] pool that would have applied to Harvard and Princeton early and withdrawn their applications from other schools," said Clagett.Next year's first-year class may also be altered by the change in the Feb program. The College strives to make the Feb program a more voluntary program. While in the past only one-third of accepted Febs expressed a willingness to enter the program, future Feb classes will be comprised of two-thirds willing applicants. Ideally, Clagett hopes to reduce the Feb program to include between 80 and 90 students.Notifications of admittance for the College's first round of early applicants will be mailed by mid-December. Decisions for the second round of early applications will be mailed in early February, and regular decision applicants will receive notifications in April.
(11/15/07 12:00am)
Author: Mary Lane Dave, a large man covered in tattoos and his colleague, Chris, a skinny, black-haired man with a thick Boston accent, stood in front of a group of some 40 Middlebury College students at a Christian Fellowship meeting on Nov. 4. Both share testimonies regarding their transformations from drug-addicted criminals to upstanding members of society. Such changes occurred, they professed, through religious conversions undergone through Teen Challenge, a Christian rehabilitation program for men and women of all ages. "When I came into Teen Challenge, I had been high on crystal meth for five days," Dave told the group. "I've been able to transform my life through [the church] and learn to pastor and speak to gentlemen in prisons."Chris has a similar story. He was addicted to oxycontin and heroin before entering the program, but is now the head of the Education Department for Teen Challenge Vermont.Such stories are very common for Teen Challenge, which boasts a 67 percent success rate for graduates living drug-and-alcohol-free lifestyles, according to a survey by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Of those surveyed, 72 percent had sought prior treatment, while 88 percent credited Teen Challenge with breaking their addictions. "About 80 percent of prisoners who go through state-funded programs end up back on the streets again," said Dave. "We're successful through 'the Jesus factor.'" The program was founded in 1958 when pastor David Wilkerson read in Time Life that a teenage gang had killed a wheelchair-ridden man and stolen his sneakers. Horrified, Wilkerson went to New York and went so far as to storm a courtroom trying to find the delinquent boys. "While he never managed to minister to the boys, he did get dragged out of court trying to reach them, resulting in a picture of him in the paper held back by cops and brandishing a Bible," said Dave. This, Dave said, gave Wilkerson the "street cred" to minister to the down-and-out in inner city New York. Wilkerson's ministry grew quickly, and he soon bought a house in the city, where he founded the Bible-based rehabilitation program that currently operates out of 157 locations in the United States. While Teen Challenge receives no federal funding, the program has been praised by President George W. Bush as part of his Faith-Based and Community Initiative, and receives several positive mentions in White House reports on drug and alcohol rehabilitation. "Government can pass law and hand out money but it cannot love," Bush said in a March 9, 2006 speech. Christianity is the main component of rehab, explained Teen Challenge Vermont Executive Director Richard Welch in a recent interview. "[Participants] stay with us for about 15 months and are discipled in the Word of God," said Welch. "It's all about studying the Bible and applying Biblical principles to life." Teen Challenge Vermont was founded in January 2005 and works with male adults only. "We've had 31 graduates," said Welch. "About half of those who enter finish."While many applicants initiate contact with Teen Challenge, the program also seeks to recruit participants from nearby prisons."We regularly go to all the prisons across the state and testify as to what God has done in our lives," said Welch. The program's Web site states, "It is not required that a student have a conversion experience to enter or complete, but conversion is regarded as the greatest hope for breaking an addiction." Welch himself came into the program as an 18-year-old heroin addict. "I fell in love with Jesus and the ministry and wanted to serve God and help men get their lives together," he said of his career decision to come to Vermont in 2003 to start up the flagship center. Many of the men at the Vermont center have come from prison, but the state allows only five people on parole to live in the Teen Challenge house at a time.The rehabilitation program is open to men of all ages but, under Vermont law, sex offenders, extremely violent criminals and arsonists are not allowed. Throughout their enrollment in the program, men and women undergo a strict regimen of prayer, religious study and various chores in the morning. Chris and Dave both had to memorize 536 scripture passages during their 15-month program. Patients work jobs in the local community in the afternoon, and all paychecks go directly towards funding the program. The strong work ethic the program fosters often results in job opportunities upon program graduation, said Dave and Chris. "These men gain knowledge on how to be responsible employees and apply Biblical principles to their work ethic," said Welch.Men in the Vermont program must be free of piercings and keep their hair cut short. All romantic relationships must be ended before entering rehabilitation. "Of course, if you are married or engaged or have children with someone then we work with that," Welch said. "Working with families is very important. We just don't want our men to be distracted by non-serious relationships, which detract from the healing process."Teen Challenge also does not allow the use of medication at any of its facilities. The Web site states, "Teen Challenge believes in the faith modelÖ[and] does not subscribe to the medical model of helping an individual involved in drug abuse." Consequently, most Teen Challenges require patients to detox before entering the program. "Men come here of their own free volition," Welch said. "We don't deny that some people have chemical imbalances, and if they want to leave and get help, then that is their decision."Chris promoted Teen Challenge's belief that chemical imbalances are often caused by chemical abuse. "This was the first program that got me to take responsibility for my actions," said Chris. "So many other programs give you pills or excuses. Here, they told me it was my own problem, and helped me get out of it."Upon graduation from the program, men and women are equipped with an "exit plan." "You're required to have a home church, a place to live and a job," said Chris. "Any denomination is ok, but your pastor must call in once a week. After six months of this, then you graduate." "I'd say it's not so much a rehabilitation program as a fellowship program," Dave told Middlebury students. "We don't give our guys medicine. We give them Christianity."
(11/08/07 12:00am)
Author: Kelly Janis On Nov. 3, local residents equipped themselves with hats, gloves, hiking boots, cameras and the odd Robert Frost poem to join forces for the Town of Middlebury's effort as part of Step It Up's National Day of Climate Action.Step It Up is a nationwide campaign spearheaded by Bill McKibben, scholar-in-residence in Environmental Studies at the College, and a team consisting of several Middlebury alumni. The organization urges Congress to support legislation to cut carbon emissions 80 percent by the year 2050 as part of a larger effort to curb climate change.This November's day of action was intended to reinforce the message imparted by participants upon political leaders and civilians alike during April's undertaking - which, by sparking more than 1,400 events in all 50 states, secured for itself the distinction as the largest global warming event in U.S. history. It also promoted the newly established "1 Sky Campaign," whose chief science-based priorities include creating 5 million "green jobs" aimed at environmental conscientiousness and the conservation of energy, cutting carbon emissions and enacting a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.In Middlebury, Step It Uppers boarded the Addison County Transit shuttle to Ripton, where they embarked on their choice of a guided reflection at the Robert Frost cabin or an exploration of the Spirit In Nature trails. As the day wore on, participants were moved to espouse their motives for attendance.Event organizer Laura Asermily was drawn into issues surrounding climate change while doing coursework at the Vermont Earth Institute. After six years of working with Middlebury's Earth Day Environmental Fair, the transition to Step It Up came naturally. "When we learned about Step It Up, we just converged with them because we saw them as aligned with our own mission to educate and rally people to take action locally," Asermily said. Asermily believes that this local action is vital. "I can't think of anything that affects us more profoundly and deeply," she said.Local resident Fran Putnam shared this sentiment. "I just think it's really important for people in our generation to take some initiative," Putnam said. "We helped create this mess, this problem of global warming, unwittingly, not knowing what we were doing for a large part of our lives. And then suddenly we've begun to realize that this is critical, that this is a terrible situation we're in." She deemed such efforts as Step It Up apt ways of beginning to rectify this situation."People in our generation are used to being activists because of the Vietnam War and civil rights and things of that nature," Putnam said. "So this is second nature for us to come out here and do something."Participant Anne Hoover suggested that as the direness of environmental circumstances mounts, so too will the public's concern. "It has to get to the point where the whole thing starts to hurt," she said.Hoover was not convinced that the general population has begun to feel the pain. "I'm no judge, but I think most people are off in the clouds someplace," she said.When asked whether Step It Up's goals were feasible, Hoover was blunt. "Well, we've gotta work at it," she said.Putnam agreed. "I think we're in a serious trouble if it isn't [feasible]," she said. "I think we have to set a really high goal. If we set a high goal and only get to three quarters of it, that's better than not setting any goal and not getting anywhere."Upon returning to Middlebury, participants gathered on the Town Green to honor local leaders in climate change and reflect on Step It Up's goals. Asermily read a letter from Bill McKibben. "A year ago, our central goal - 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions - was seen as a fringe and radical idea," McKibben wrote. "Now, it's near the center of the political debate, influencing every piece of legislation that is proposed. We haven't seen a perfect bill yet, but we're definitely getting closer, thanks to you. Because only people power can stand up to the enormous economic power on the other side."At the event's conclusion, ralliers were urged to "give the green finger" by rubbing their left index finger in green ink, scrawling that which they were most intent on protecting ("diversity" or "family" or "the forests," for instance) on the palm of their hand and unfurling the message in a group photograph in the pavilion.Behind the group lays the resolve of numerous highly motivated individuals.Despite his young age, North Branch School ninth grader Kelsey McGlashan is already heavily involved in issues of climate change. Subsequent to McGlashan's participation in Step It Up in April, McKibben - who McGlashan referred to as "a good friend" - urged him to take on a larger role this November. As a consequence, McGlashan served as one of the rally's co-leaders."It's important because this could be the end of the world - well, maybe not that," McGlashan said. "But this is a good action that is really going to address the problem."While energized by their efforts, many who comprised Middlebury's Step It Up crew lamented the fact that their neighbors had not joined them."I was a little disappointed at the numbers, because in April there were a lot of people," McGlashan said.Participants reminisced about the inaugural Step It Up rally, at which so many individuals assembled for a photograph on the Otter Creek footbridge that they were allegedly urged to disperse, for fear that the bridge would collapse. The estimated two dozen participants last Saturday did not pose a similar threat."There are not as many people out here today as there were in April, that's for sure," Putnam said. "And that does distress me, because I think there should be more, not fewer.""Right," Hoover said. "More, more."Conspicuously absent was the college-aged contingent. Two College students traveled to Bristol, while three more trickled in later in the afternoon to attend the event on the Town Green.Hannah Rabinovitch '09 characterized this scarce showing by her peers as disappointing. Though she suspected that many of the campus's most diehard environmental activists were justifiably detained by the weekend's related Power Shift conference in Washington D.C., she said that many students she had spoken to that morning were reluctant to add another engagement to a day already consumed by schoolwork. "It's crazy that people say they have too much work and can't come out for a day, because, when global warming hits, that mark on a paper isn't going to matter much," Rabinovitch said. "We need to re-evaluate our priorities, because this is really serious."Despite students' absences at this particular event, community members were still enthusiastic in their praise of the College's broader efforts."Keep on with this," Putnam said. "I am thrilled to see what students are doing. For years, we weren't seeing a lot of activism coming from the College. Now, in the last five to 10 years, it's just been bubbling up, and bubbling up. It's really inspiring.""This is going to become the big movement of your generation," Putnam said. "There's just no doubt about it."
(11/08/07 12:00am)
Author: Theo May Nearly 80 Middlebury students, of 6,000 in total attendance, travelled to Washington, D.C. last weekend for the Power Shift 2007 conference, marking a significant milestone in the growth of the climate movement. Most of the Middlebury students drove down to Washington in a bio-bus sponsored by the Environmental Council and Environmental Quality. "I wanted to carry the excitement with us," said trip organizer Sierra Murdoch '09 about her decision to hire a bus. Getting Middlebury students to attend "turned out to be so much easier than I expected," continued Murdoch. Students from the College represented the largest out-of-state delegation in attendance.The conference gained notoriety for its high level of attendance, its practical focus on building a climate movement and its high-profile speakers. In another significant moment, the much-anticipated 1 Sky Campaign launched its three major initiatives at the conference."It was an unprecedented opportunity," Jeff Garofano '10.5 said on his decision to attend, "with 5,000 college kids and such a pressing issue."Students spent Nov. 3 in panel sessions covering topics ranging from methods of movement building to ways of approaching the 2008 elections.The day culminated in a series of keynote addresses from leaders of the climate movement. Speakers included Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Middlebury Scholar-in-Residence Bill McKibben, 1 Sky Chair Betsy Taylor and environmental activist Van Jones.Several Middlebury students stood behind McKibben and, after McKibben's call to action, stepped forward and added brief statements.In her speech, Taylor unveiled 1 Sky's three-pronged initiative which includes reducing U.S. carbon emission by 80 percent in 2050, creating 5 million new green jobs and building no new coal-powered plants. The most inspirational moment of the evening for students came as Jones, founder of the new movement Green for All, rallied the crowd around its common cause.It was the "most electrifying speech of the weekend, by far," said Garofano. "We're going to hear more from this man in our lifetime."Jones argued that the U.S. should be creating "jobs not jails," by promoting a program wherein lower-income citizens are trained to work in climate movement-friendly jobs. By teaching people to install double-paned windows, for example, they will be able to earn a higher income in order to deal with the increased costs associated with a clean energy campaign. This issue arose as one of the focal points of the conference.The conference took a unique turn on Nov. 4 as nearly 3,000 students descended on Capital Hill to attend a Congressional hearing and lobby legislators. The students met with a handful of senators and senatorial staff members to discuss environmental issues. Trained ahead of time on how to deliver a message, students presented the legislators with the principles of the 1 Sky initiative and asked them to sign on. Pier LaFarge '10.5, who met with a legislative assistant to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), found that the Power Shift proposals got a "fairly open reception." However, LaFarge was wary of expecting immediate results in the Senate. "[Graham's] acceptance of the goals is different from his acceptance of the means," LaFarge said.To the majority of attendees, the conference far exceeded expectation. "I came in unsure of the extent to which the movement could be organized," said LaFarge. "But over the course of the weekend, they changed my opinion on the ability of the climate movement to harness the economic and political issues."In an attempt to grasp the significance of the Power Shift conference, Murdoch considered the conference's implications. "I thought that students would focus on the nitty-gritty, but I started to see students articulating a bold vision for what we want our country to be," she said.
(11/08/07 12:00am)
Author: Lea Calderon-Guthe The Emergency Planning Steering Committee sent a student-wide e-mail on Oct. 12 informing that all students must enter personal evacuation plans on BannerWeb prior to registration for spring courses, in an effort by the College to improve its pandemic readiness. The e-mail was a follow-up of an notice from the Health Center in March of 2007 announcing the College's plan to completely shut down in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak."In comparing our plan, which involves complete campus evacuation, to other schools' that are trying to have partial campus evacuations, I think our model has the best opportunity to provide the most health and safety to the students," said Dr. Mark Peluso, director of the Parton Health Center and head of the Pandemic Planning Committee.Middlebury College was among to first to establish a plan for a complete evacuation over a year ago. Peluso said the logic behind a complete evacuation is simple, arguing that a partial evacuation makes little sense. "The models that we're being presented with for pandemic flu suggest that we can't guarantee that we will have staff or resources such as heat, electricity or food delivered to the campus," said Peluso. "Then we'd have students that we would feel responsible for, but we would not have the staff or supplies to provide for them."In order to access registration for the Spring 2008 term, students must first provide a personal evacuation plan on BannerWeb which identifies two locations to which they would travel should the campus unexpectedly close. Students would be able to log onto BannerWeb at any time in the future to view or update their plans.BannerWeb will also be utilized as a database to store phone numbers of students who confirm their evacuation plans. The College would then utilize this database in if it needs to notify students of an emergency.The horrors of a pandemic flu appear imminent, but the evidence that scientists are currently working with to predict a pandemic flu outbreak is solely historical: records show that the world can expect a severe pandemic every 80 to 100 years, with the last one being the Spanish Influenza of 1918. "If it never happens, great, but we're ready for it," said Peluso.While a potential influenza epidemic spurred the formation of an evacuation plan, the Emergency Planning Steering Committee has since begun more extensive work on other kinds of emergency preparedness."The planning for the pandemic initiated a whole emergency planning process, and then events like Virginia Tech, the Valentine's Day blizzard, the power outage on July Fourth, all of these events have happened and we have been able to look at them and use a planning framework and prepare for them," said Peluso. "I think it's been a valuable experience, overall, for the institution."After the College had formulated its plans for various emergency situations, another question arose: what to ask of the students? John Emerson, Dean of Planning, Secretary of the College and Co-chair of the Emergency Planning Steering Committee said, given the gravity of the potential situations, the answer was simple."The feeling of the Planning Committee was that this is pretty serious stuff," said Emerson. "We have got to be serious about student plans being a requirement and planning in advance because otherwise, if we have avian flu or some other catastrophe and we have to shut down, we'll have a nightmare here if we haven't anticipated what would be involved."Emerson admits that he is not fond of making individual evacuation plans a requirement in order to register for spring classes, but he also recognizes that there are few other ways to get students to take the process seriously. Emerson says the Planning Committee worked hard to make the process as painless as possible, and he estimates that actually registering a personal evacuation plan through BannerWeb should take less than five minutes. Several students who have registered already found this to be true."I had to figure out where I was going, but once I knew where I was going, it only took me five minutes," said Katie Zurbach '11. "I had to talk it over with my parents and figure it out, so that took a little time, but not that long."Many students also think that requiring personal evacuation plans prior to registration is a logical idea."I think it's fair for them to require you to have it to register for classes," said Zurbach. "It makes sure that everybody does it and everyone has a place to go."When it comes down to the actual plan formation, some students, like Shane Spinell '08.5 from Connecticut, have it easy. Though he has not registered yet, Spinell says he would just drive home. Other students like Danil Rudoy '11, from Russia, along with other international students, would have a more difficult time."I have an aunt who lives in New York, so I guess she is closest," said Rudoy. "Also, since I'm an international student, I have a host father who lives south of Middlebury. I guess if something really terribly happens, he will help me, but I would not be able to go home."
(11/08/07 12:00am)
Author: Daniel Streitfeld Reading the letters page in the Campus last week, I was slightly bemused to see two consecutive letters by unfamiliar men named Brian Flaherty and Kevin Keane. If you're desperately trying to remember if those are the two stoners from your French Lit class, I assure you they are not. They are not students at all (nor alumni, faculty or staff) but are representatives of Nestle Waters North America and the American Beverage Association, respectively.They both published presumably prepackaged statements ('press releases' would be a more appropriate term) in response to Rachael Jennings's Oct. 18 piece about the Think Outside the Bottle campaign, an effort spearheaded by senior Jen Foth to reduce the use of bottled water on campus.I suspect from the fact that no specific references whatsoever were made to the arguments of Jennings's piece that neither of the men even bothered to read the article, much less get to the bottom of the issues it discussed. In all honesty, while reading the letters I was reminded of the hilarious cinematic satire "Thank You for Smoking" and the sleaze-bag publicist characters from the tobacco, cigarette and alcohol industries.Unfortunately in this case, though, the two men are not actors, but paid representatives from the beverage industry - paid, meaning that their very livelihoods depend on the success or failure of bottled water in America. This fact made me very a priori suspicious of their intents - after all, if we as a college (or society at large) are trying to make a decision that affects all of us, why would we put much emphasis on the highly biased opinions of two intensely affected players?Still, though, I decided it was only fair to actually read the letters, off-put as I was by the 'so-unfunny-you-make-Bob-Saget-sound-funny' opening line of Mr. Keane's letter - "[t]he recent backlash against bottled water simply doesn't hold water"-har har!Both men rave about the environmental steps that the industry has taken as of late - developing "Eco-Shape" (less material intensive) bottles, increasing recycling and becoming more energy efficient. While I don't doubt any of these advances, the fundamental point is that bottled water usage comes down to a question of priorities.While I won't go through all of the detailed figures here (Ms. Jennings has already done so), bottled water is an extraneous and unnecessary waste in many respects - plastic and water are involved in creation of the bottles, fuel and other resources as used to ship/truck the product, many of the bottles (70-80 percent) end up in landfills, and even those bottles that are eventually recycled incur energy costs via their remolding/repackaging.All of this waste in terms of both carbon emissions and natural resources when effectively 100 percent of Americans have access (via preexisting infrastructure) to clean, sanitary, tasteless water (and if it's not tasteless then you can always invest $40 in a Brita water filter). Why do we need such a product then? We didn't a few decades ago. The two men do a great job of pandering to our often lazy and narcissist instincts - bottled water is "portable," helps you "[stay] hydrated throughout the day" and is perfect for our "on-the-go" society. Then again, so is a refillable Nalgene or other reusable container filled with eminently available tap water, all without any of the environmental costs associated with bottled water.Bottled water has, I would argue, become the ultimate symbol of the evil underside of our consumerist culture. A seemingly innocent product that is, alas, healthy for you (well, except for the fact that much bottled water, such as Dasani, has undergone reverse osmosis, a process Mr. Keane lauds highly, which removes the tooth-protecting fluoride found in good ol' tap water) is also completely unnecessary and wasteful. It's something we have become programmed to think we need, when in reality it is simply a particularly nasty display of our extreme resource misuse when contrasted with real water scarcity issues across the globe.If, as a society, we are going to act on our awareness of the necessity of responsible natural resource usage and carbon emissions reduction, I for one would much rather make the (extremely minor) sacrifice of foregoing bottled water as opposed to (or at least before) sacrificing something more substantial, such as taking fewer airplane flights or altering my diet to include less meat.As I have put forth, I think that in the case of bottled water we have become more attached to the idea of the thing as opposed to the actual product itself, in as much as it only makes sense to re-evaluate the benefits it offers us when we take into account the negative externalities its consumption entails. So the next time you have that hankering to drink a bottle of water from somewhere exotic like, oh, I don't know, Fiji, please, let's just leave it for the Fijians - your tap works just fine. Daniel Streitfeld '08 is from Dallas, Texas.
(11/01/07 12:00am)
Author: Amanda Greene Halloween gets college students excited. Really excited. The ability, for a few hours, to dress up as something else, to indulge childhood fantasies and to become an object or a person that is usually off limits is undeniably enticing. Halloween, as a holiday where you are encouraged to wear your grandmother's weathered cardigan, with your mother's hot pink spandex from the 80's and your little brothers Sesame Street t-shirt, widens the range of acceptable dress. That said, Halloween is not an invitation to don clothing that will offend others or push the boundaries of respectability. Your lingerie cannot double as a fairy outfit. And that outfit you're wearing that mirrors the boy who always wears three polo shirts and perfectly ironed khaki pants to 8 a.m. Monday classes is not original or funny. As a general rule, any outfit that pokes fun at someone else who you are not close enough to joke around with should be avoided. Do you really want to bump into the person you're dressed up as at Johnson, and have to awkwardly avoid eye contact amidst flying watermelons and water balloons?The secret to choosing the perfect Halloween costume and to maximizing the enjoyment derived from dressing in a ridiculous outfit lies in the selection of something that is clever and fun in a PG way. For Middlebury students, wit is currency. Did you see the kid with a pot on his head? That underwater superhero getup shows the figure you've worked for all summer without exposing too much skin. Sexualized Halloween costumes are as uncool as bottled water.And now for this week's question:Q: Two of my good friends are dating, and I am sick of constantly being bombarded with excessive displays of PDA. I'm well aware of what they do behind closed doors, and I don't think that their relationship and their affection needs to be exhibited across campus. I think it's adorable when couples hold hands, kiss briefly and show warmth, but I feel uncomfortable when public affection progresses further. When is it appropriate for me to ask the lovebirds to restrict their caresses to a private space? - Distressed about CaressA: Couples should not do anything in public that they would not feel comfortable doing in front of their grandparents, coaches and professors. As a generalization, cuddling should be restricted to the level of touch that reflects friendship and not intimacy, and kissing should stop at a peck. The rules loosen up at parties, but daytime rendezvous' demand a level of affection that expresses care without explicit demonstration of what care entails. If you know the PDA transgressors it is acceptable and appropriate for you to voice your concerns, and to speak up about anything that makes you unnerved. Campus is a public, communal space and must be treated as such. Want to consult The Ethicist? Send submissions to amgreene@middlebury.edu.
(11/01/07 12:00am)
Author: Max Nardini The administration recently announced that, effective spring semester 2009, Winter Carnival will be shortened to a two-day event. Then, later in the spring, there will be no classes on the day of the Student Research Symposium. This change was made without substantial input from the student body and strikes a major blow to one of Middlebury's most established traditions. The College's Winter Carnival is the oldest and largest student-run carnival in the country. Midd-kids greatly appreciate this three-day celebration, coming in the middle of a long, cold winter. Whether cheering on our first-class ski team at the Bowl or just playing in the snow, Carnival weekend is a time to unwind and have fun.Certain administrators, however, argue that attendance at Winter Carnival events (most notably, the ski races) has dropped significantly in recent years. Thus, they continue, there is little harm in eliminating the Friday off. In my experience, Winter Carnival spirit abounds right from the start. Still, if the administration has a point, we should be brainstorming how best to reinvigorate Winter Carnival weekend, not truncating it. There is also talk of moving the ski races from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday to allow students with Friday classes to attend. However, if there has already been a decrease in spectators to Carnival races, doubtless holding them on a Sunday will only exacerbate this problem. Furthermore, no long weekend means (obviously) no Thursday night dance party. For the past three years, I have been one in waves of spandex-clad students flowing into McCullough to '80s it up with Orange Crush. This event is almost as popular as the Saturday Ball itself. Moving this concert to Friday night would be no panacea. With Carnival weekend so compressed, students may "burn out" on Friday, and be less likely to attend the (always spectacular) Ball on Saturday. I wish that I had had the opportunity to raise these concerns with the administration. However, despite the fact that I have been in the Student Government for three years, the first I heard of this calendar change was two weeks ago - long after the decision had been made. Indeed, the Calendar Committee, which ultimately recommended the change to President Liebowitz and the Board of Trustees, did not include any student representatives. Furthermore, no one is fooled by the claim that students had ample time to respond to this calendar change, as it was mentioned in the Strategic Plan. When members of the administration want to hear student perspectives on an issue, they hold open forums specifically on that issue. They ask the SGA Senators to e-mail their constituents. They post on their blogs. They do not merely tuck the proposed change into the Strategic Plan, which, at last count, numbered 111 pages. Lest anyone think otherwise, in my opinion an all day Student Research Symposium is a fantastic idea. I attended last year's symposium and was very impressed by the work of fellow students. I also agree that if the event were held on a day with no classes, it is likely that more students would be able to attend. However, it is not necessary to steal a day from Winter Carnival. Holding the symposium on a Saturday or Sunday would be just as effective. After all, students who would attend on a Friday off would attend on a weekend date. Put more cynically, students who would not attend on a Saturday or Sunday would probably not eschew a three-day weekend to attend on an otherwise free Friday. In fact, the Symposium is harmed by this calendar change, which turns an otherwise excellent event into something to be rebelled against. In a previous issue of The Campus, James O'Brien submitted an op-ed entitled "Hey Administration! Lieb our Beirut Tables Alone." This article, while hysterical, does not, in my experience, adequately sum up "the administration." For one, the members of the administration rarely, if ever, wear powdered wigs. Second, the administration is not an amorphous power that seeks only to interfere with student affairs. On the contrary, Middlebury administrators work tirelessly for the betterment of the College community. This calendar change was not made out of malice. It was made in support of a superb event that showcases student achievement. However, in this instance, the administration did not seriously take student opinion into account when making this decision. Had they, they would have seen results like those in the recent Campus poll, which indicates that only 3 percent of students support the change. Devotees of Winter Carnival should not yet lose hope. Recognizing student opposition, President Liebowitz and other administrators are eager to explore alternatives that will allow us to keep Winter Carnival intact. Those interested in restoring Carnival weekend to its fullest must continue to make their voices heard, either by e-mailing their SGA representatives or President Liebowitz himself. The calendar for 2008-9 may already have been determined, but the calendars for 2009-10 and beyond are not yet set.At Middlebury, we are lucky to have administrators who are so dedicated to making our experience meaningful. For the most part, these administrators really do want to hear what the students have to say. Therefore, it is our responsibility to let them know that in their haste to innovate, they have crippled one of Middlebury's most prominent traditions. We must remind the administration that as Middlebury looks to the future, globally, we should not forget about the present, locally. SGA President Max Nardini '08 is a Political Science major from New York, N.Y.
(10/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Aviva Shen The identity of the social space formerly belonging to Eat Good Food (EGF) is starting to gather definition as planning continues into the fall semester. This past summer, Dean of the College Tim Spears and a committee of students who were on campus at the time began brainstorming when the lease was first signed."Weekend programming will offer live entertainment and a place where people can meet for drinks and light fare," wrote committee member Micah Gurard-Levin '07.5 in an email. "This space isn't going to be the new Angela's. I want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that encourages responsible socializing, not binge drinking and drunken walks home from the bar. I'd love to see students and townspeople meeting with friends or family for drinks while listening to live jazz - maybe even dress up a bit and be somewhat formal." Since the summer, the planning process has broadened to include the opinions and ideas of different interest groups in order to tailor the space to satisfy as many people as possible."In our first few meetings in the fall, we quickly determined that it would be beneficial to invite members of the faculty and staff to be part of the planning process, as well as representatives from town who are unaffiliated with the College," wrote Gurard-Levin, "in order to develop a space that serves all of the interests involved and can be used by both the College community and the town as a whole."Student groups that may have a stake in what happens to the EGF space have also gotten involved, including WRMC 91.1 FM, Dolci and the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB.) These groups were invited to investigate the viability of bringing their respective activities off campus ."Tim sent us an e-mail inviting us to a meeting to talk about the possibility of bringing Dolci to the space," said Beth Connolly '10, one of the managers of Dolci. "So we went to see the space with a bunch of other students who wanted to turn it into an art gallery, a fundraising space, things like that."Practicality, however, has narrowed the options. "We looked at the kitchen and it's just too small," Connolly said. "Right now we use Proctor's kitchen and we cook for about 80 people, so we need a lot of space. We also use the food already in the kitchen. We don't buy it. We'd have to change a lot about Dolci in order to make it work. So we backed out.""One person at the meeting said, 'Let's have a 24-hour student-run restaurant there,'" Connolly continued, "and Tim said, 'Okay, but who's going to be there at 5 a.m. to receive supplies and get everything together?' It's much more complicated than people think. I'd definitely be interested in how it works."One possible solution to the problem of staffing such a venue is outsourcing management to a non-College entity. Tom Corbin, assistant treasurer and director of Business Services, and Patrick Norton, associate vice president for Finance and Controller, are investigating this option. However, outsourcing could complicate management further."For instance, we do not know whether it is possible for the non-College entity to serve alcohol under the College's license," Spears wrote in an e-mail. "It may be that this non-College entity would, under [Department of Liquor Control] regulations, have to hold the license. That adds another layer of complexity to the question of whether we should outsource the management of the space."Regardless of whether or not an outsourcing plan is adopted, the College expects to maintain control of the programming of the space. The path that programming will take, however, is still obscure."One of the hardest aspects of this project is that we want to create a specific vision that establishes a clear identity and function for the space, but at the same time we want to be flexible and fulfill as many ideas and visions as possible," wrote Gurard-Levin. The identity of the space, then, will come from a blend of many different student interests. Many hope to create a uniquely satisfying social outlet, stemming from a collective need on campus."While the space will be affiliated with the College, our goal is to create a space that doesn't necessarily reflect that," wrote Gurard-Levin. "We understand students' desires to get away from campus and ultimately this space will be an opportunity to do exactly that.""We're not looking to reproduce another Grille or Gamut Room or Bunker and we're also not looking to replace them," wrote Josh Wessler '09, another committee member, in an e-mail. "Instead, we feel we're responding to a need for a social life that does not so closely revolve around a homogeneous culture within the 'bubble.'"Another important aspect of the space is its potential to bring the College and the community together. The improvement of College and town interaction, according to those involved in the planning, is one of the main points of the space."We are committed to establishing a venue where folks from the College and town can meet and collaborate," wrote Spears.Hopefully, this will be achieved before the space even opens. The shared planning process attempts to bring the local community into what will ultimately be a shared social space."By inviting members of the community to be part of the planning process, we are better able to create a space that offers something to the College community and the town community alike," wrote Gurard-Levin.Still, it will be up to the students to make the effort to leave the "bubble" and truly create the identity of the space."We're envisioning an initiative that steps up to the need for a change in our social life - and the initiative will ultimately stem from the students," wrote Wessler.Gurard-Levin agreed. "Every time the College tries something new on campus, people question how it will influence student social life," he wrote. "If it doesn't work, students blame the College. This is an opportunity that the College is presenting to the student body. It is up to the students to decide how this space will influence social life."
(10/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Will Mallett Should you have been so lucky as to find parking around the United Methodist Church on Sunday night, you would have found seating in that building scarce. Jazz and blues enthusiasts from the extremities of the region were gathered for the commencement of this year's After Dark Music Series, featuring the dynamic and genre-transcending trio Triple Play. The group, whose music represents a type of melting pot of blues, jazz, classical and folk - predominantly American, but drawing on some international influences as well - were exemplary of the series as a whole, which draws diverse and prominent musical acts for the purpose of fostering a sense of community through the arts. Now in its 13th season, the volunteer-driven series brings some of the country's top blues, folk, Celtic and Americana acts to Middlebury in a jovial and informal setting. "It's very community-oriented," said Annie Harlow, a long-time volunteer from Bristol. "You look forward to seeing people here that you only see here." This sense of community is exemplified by the dedication of the volunteers themselves. Harlow noted, "Volunteers are very loyal. You kind of just get in and you stay in." Dedication may not be altogether altruistic, however, as Harlow noted that "for only $5.50 you get killer homemade food." This community to which the series is oriented is, however, geographically expansive, consisting of music aficionados from far beyond the borders of the town, or even the county. According to Carol Green, who runs the series with her husband Harvey, "We have people with season's passes from the extreme parts of the state. I'd say about one-third of the audience comes from Addison County." The series is thus decidedly inclusive, as evidenced not only by the geographic diversity of attendees but by the range of the music itself. Next month will feature a Scottish traditional folk group by the name of Back of the Moon, to be followed in January by Elana James, a member of the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. Triple Play, fitting only uncomfortably into the category of "blues" or "jazz," seemed more to represent the theme of inclusiveness which characterizes the series as a whole. Although evading simplistic categorization, the essence of Sunday's featured band was aptly summed up in some passing remarks by group leader Chris Brubeck during the introduction to a hard-hitting blues tune in the first set: "Start with a some bass, add a little Memphis guitar, now a little Cajun harmonica. Alright, now turn up the heat." A particularly practical-minded volunteer took the latter imperative literally and proceeded to get some water boiling downstairs, where the group's members retired after the first set to throw back cups of coffee and discuss their music, largely in terms of geographic symbolism. "We say we're 'patrolling the borders' of blues, jazz, funk and soul," said Brubeck, emphasizing the diversity of influence the group embraces. Currently stationed in Wilton, Conn., Brubeck reports for metaphorical border-patrol duty either on the keyboard, electric bass, trombone or vocals. Peter "Madcat" Ruth of Ann Arbor, Mich., contributes on "Cajun" harmonica, guitar, jaw harp, percussion and vocals, while Joel Brown of Saratoga Springs, NY is responsible for the aforementioned "Memphis guitar" and further vocal. The enormous breadth of those "borders" Triple Play seeks to patrol is further evident in the independent work of the three musicians, each of whom presents an impressive set of credentials in his own right. Brown, who teaches classical guitar at Skidmore College, has worked with Brubeck in composing orchestral pieces that have been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra as well as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Brubeck and Brown, who have been playing together in different groups since 1968, have also done work with Brubeck's father Dave - one of America's greatest jazz musicians. "Madcat" also worked with Dave Brubeck in the 1970s, touring nationally and internationally, before teaming up with Shari Kane to form the duo "Madcat and Kane" in the 80's. Regarded as one of the finest harmonica players in the world, Ruth has worked with harmonica orchestras in Singapore and Japan. But despite their achievements, the three virtuosos are equally proud of the esteem in which they are held in Vermont, where they return loyally every few years. Brown boasted, "We've actually been voted back several times to play in - what's that town? Chester?" "We're big in Chester," chimed in "Madcat" Ruth, to the amusement of all present.So setting aside community-building, as well as the plate full of "killer homemade food," the ongoing success of the series highlights the importance of its fundamental goal - to bring good music to town. Just as good music is apparently big in Chester, it's big in Middlebury too. Perhaps it's universal.
(09/26/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker "You wanna buy a snake?" ventured the shorter of the O'Brien brothers, emerging from behind a rack of fluorescent bathing suits and puce-colored dresses to poke his head into the tent. Too quickly, Dave looked up from the pile of '80s gym t-shirts he was pouring through and found himself holding the writhing black creature. "It certainly smells like snake," he laughed uneasily. "You think this one's good," chimed in Sheila, abandoning a customer to join our small group, "We got two bigger ones inside."The day began with good, however innocent, intentions. My friends and I had an early start (11:15 a.m.), grabbed a sufficient breakfast, and pilfered enough apples from Ross dining hall to tide us over for at least a week on the apple-a-day mantra. Bounding down to Ridgeline, we took to the road. Basking in Saturday bliss, we leaned out the windows, drowning any nagging "I-should-be-workings" with a throwback mix on loop.Twenty minutes later, we realized we'd been driving for twenty minutes. Whoever said Snake Mountain was just off campus completely lied. After several failed attempts to find phone service, we opted to venture back towards campus with hopes of driving into network. No luck. Thirty minutes later, we were back at Ridgeline, getting directions from a friend, the fuzzy high of our first drive steadily wearing off. Yet we persisted. We found Snake Mountain Road. After a near road accident involving a cricket, we decided to stop at Sheila's Garage sale where a lucky spotting of a bright teal onesie led to a thorough rummaging of Sheila's '70s and '80s wardrobe. After being delivered a set of collective of directions by the O'Brien family, we left ≠≠≠- still no snake - to find the mountain. A few wrong turns and a false start later, we had reached the summit, where we stretched out on the concrete embankment to take in the hazy view.Truth be told, our morning adventure wound up spanning four hours. The hike to the peak took 45 minutes, not 25 as we had projected. We forgot water, missed lunch, and wound up with stomachaches from all the apples we consumed. Yet driving back, chased by that same O'Brien brother on four wheeler (doing 500 yard wheelies), the day felt perfect. So my advice? Don't Mapquest Snake Mountain. Bring your wallet, pack a lunch, and seek out your own family O'Brien.Aylie Baker '09 is a Features editor from Yarmouth, Maine.
(09/26/07 12:00am)
Author: Mary Lane Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb caused quite a stir last week after he lost the Monday Night Football game against the Redskins 20-12 on Sept. 17 and had his August HBO interview with Bryant Gumbel aired. In the interview McNabb argued that black quarterbacks in the league are criticized more than their white counterparts, stating, "No matter what the style of play you're displaying, there's always going to be criticism."McNabb's comments seem to be his attempt to make sense of his faltering place as the darling of Philadelphia.Donovan, you're being criticized and your place as starting quarterback is in jeopardy because your performance (except for beating up on the woeful Lions Sunday) has been horrible of late. It's not because you're black.In 2003, Rush Limbaugh notoriously made his claim that McNabb, then having carried the Eagles to two NFC Championship games, was not a very good player "from the get-go." McNabb was propped up by the media because they wanted to see a successful black quarterback. The day after Limbaugh's comment, McNabb remained relatively quiet on the issue and sought to distance himself from the image of the black quarterback persecuted because of his race saying, "It's sad that you've got to go to skin color. I thought we were through with that whole deal." Limbaugh resigned from Sunday NFL Countdown and the issue was put to rest.Then came the bizarre, racist remarks in 2005, from J. Whyatt Mondesire, who owns the historically black newspaper the Philadelphia Daily Sun and is also president of the NAACP's Philadelphia chapter. There has always been a distinction between the more daring, exciting running quarterback and the seemingly more intelligent pocket quarterback. Despite being an excellent running quarterback, McNabb made clear at the beginning of his pro career and has maintained his stance since that he is a pass-first quarterback. Although many - including myself - have always thought he doesn't run enough, it's ultimately his call. McNabb doesn't typically offer a lot of explanations for what he does and the Eagles were obviously pleased with his performance up until the time of the knee injury, so there really didn't seem to be a problem. Mondesire, however, decided to write in his column that McNabb's decision to run less was a betrayal of his "blackness," and "not only amounts to a breach of faith, but also belittles the real struggles of black athletes who've had to overcome real racial stereotypcasting in addition to downright segregation." Huh? Not only was Mondesire making up a word, he was making up a problem. Now, though, McNabb is doing just what Mondesire did, making a racial issue out of the criticism he has received lately, referencing Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning and saying, "They don't get criticized as much as we do." Well, of course, they don't, Donovan, but it has nothing to do with their skin color. It has to do with their productivity. Manning just won a Super Bowl. You earn a ring, you get less criticism, duh. Palmer had a career high of six touchdowns against the Browns in Week Two and it didn't seem out of the ordinary. McNabb played well on Sunday against the Lions, with four touchdowns as he completd 80.8 percent of his passes, but the last time he had season-long stats like Palmer's was when Middlebury seniors were still in high school.
(09/26/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker "If you could say something to the Earth, what would it be?"For an onlooker standing in downtown Concord, N.H. on Aug. 4 this past summer, the answer would have been quite obvious. Indeed, the colorful tide of silk streamers emblazoned with missives - here a stanza from Walt Whitman, there an apology, behind perhaps a chorus of Joni Mitchell wound about a celebration, a promise - may have been overwhelming. "There was definitely something spiritual about it," recalled Becca Wear '10.5, one of 18 Middlebury students who took part in organizing an August march across New Hampshire as a culmination of "Climate Summer." Streamers waving, citizens braved the heat to raise a cry to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. Yet the march across New Hampshire from August 1-4 was much more than a rallying trek. As Bonnie Hemphill-Fry '08 said, it was "a pilgrimage," a case of "bringing movement to the movement, democracy in action and [of course] shaking up the system." Over the course of four days, the highways of New Hampshire swelled as tributaries of a vibrant community coalesced - farmers, teachers, artists, politicians, religious leaders, old and young.This was "Climate Summer" as it was envisioned some six months before by 25 student environmental activists - a multifaceted, community-based grassroots movement which was multilateral - "of course environmental, but also social, economical, about energy," said Hemphill-Fry. Whether riding bedecked in "red, white and green" on a carbon-neutral float in a Fourth of July Parade, carrying a wheelchair-ridden woman three miles in the sweltering heat or simply lining up to wash dishes after a fourteen-hour day, these students lived the movement. The overwhelming passion and scope of "Climate Summer" in many ways invokes powerful memories of the famous Freedom Summer of '64, which, for Bill McKibben, environmental journalist and author-in-residence, stands as a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Granted, this time round, "the worst people were going to face was getting sunburned - not shot or put in prison," according to McKibben, but nevertheless, "there was the same kind of idealism, dedication, and hard work" pulsing in New Hampshire this past summer.Students were not searching for converts as much as they were attempting to harness the rumblings of an environmental movement already underway across New Hampshire. Sierra Murdoch '09 could not stress enough their drive to "draw upon the resources already within [the state], to draw upon the New Hampshire culture." "There was this huge sense that we were the thread that pulled it together," said Wear.Thus, in addition to networking through the Sierra Club and joining forces with existing organizations such as the Carbon Coalition, students undertook a whole host of community-based initiatives. And so "Climate Summer" took shape as a multi-pronged, broad-based initiative. The 25 students divided themselves into different groups, aligned along both geographical and interest focuses.Leading one such initiative was Hemphill-Fry, who, working almost entirely through e-mail, managed to rally 175 hikers to partake in "Climb it for Climate." It was a "flash-in-the-pan type deal," explained Fry of her event. On July 14, hikers across the country assembled to climb the Presidential summits and hike two traverses where they flew banners urging the reduction of carbon emissions."We covered 1000 miles of trail, and gained a total of 5000 feet of elevation - that measures up to 17.5 Mt. Everests!" said Hemphill-Fry. Other students focused on projects involving theatre, local foods, art (as in Wear's Case), community rallies and various media exposure. By the time the march (organized largely by Murdoch) began in early August, all fronts seemed to be coming together. "It was a massive community effort to get everyone on the same page every single day," admited Hemphill-Fry, "[but] honestly I don't know if I'll ever be part of a group of people who worked so well together."Truth be told, there was no coincidence that "Climate Summer" was based in New Hampshire. With presidential elections looming on the horizon, New Hampshire was an obvious choice to host such a movement as "Climate Summer." Yet students had limited interaction with politicians over the summer months. Instead, by rousing the New Hampshire community, students were invoking an indirect political action, explained Hemphill-Fry, forcing the question, "Are you going to respond to your constituency?"While the days of summer are slowly ebbing, the initiatives drawn up by the students behind Climate Summer are only increasing. There are unprecedented numbers of climate conferences this fall and the handful of students returning to campus are continuing to work diligently on Focus the Nation and carbon neutrality initiatives. Yet these students are also intent on rallying students to the cause by challenging misperceptions about environmentalism, explained Wear. "What does an environmentalist look like?" She asked. Not just the croc-donning granola she insisted. "Everyone can embody it." Beyond Middlebury, the march continues. Many of the students involved in "Climate Summer" have set up base in Manchester in preparation for Step it up II on November 3 (marking the one year race to elections in 2008). "We hope that we can invite every senator, every representative to come meet with their constituents," expressed McKibben. "Every state to talk about climate change." Step It Up II, while reiterating similar goals of "Climate Summer" shall take a more political stance as participants will travel to landmarks across the country to pay homage to leaders of the past. By uniting on "Mount Washington, Mount Abe, the birth place of Rachel Carson Ö Mount Rushmore in South Dakota," explained McKibben, Americans can "inspire some of these politicians to stop being politicians and become leaders for a while."
(09/19/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker "You can go to sleep in a place with no seasons for twenty years and just lose track of time," says Tom Payne, his voice faint in the receiver, muffled perhaps by the faulty connection, perhaps by the resounding truth in his statement. I sit in awe as he unleashes a colorful tale of newspaper-packed Subarus, sun-kissed children and budding journalists - three years of bliss framed by a backdrop of cherry-stained skies, rolling sand and glass-like waves - and wonder why he would possibly have chosen to return to Middlebury, Vt.Yet over the course of an hour, listening to Payne speak with such passion about his experiences, I come to both understand and admire why a man, running a successful newspaper in what he deemed "an absurdly wonderful place," would choose to leave the Virgin Islands and return to teach at Middlebury.After graduating from Columbia University, Payne became an adjunct professor at Middlebury in 1998, where for four years he taught a variety of courses in the Creative Writing curriculum. And while he insists he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Middlebury, in 2004, he and his wife Shirley Reid decided to jump ship and relocate, selling their home in Vermont to resettle far away from the Green Mountains in the Caribbean.The decision to escape to the U.S. Virgin Islands was in no way random. Payne first met Reid on the island of St. John in the 1980s, when the 9 by 5 mile island was still a haven for expatriates - who Payne deemed "explorers, seekers, artists, hippies," and, with a laugh, "escapees." After a brief stint living on a remote island just off of Grenada, Payne explains how he and his wife discovered that they missed belonging to a community and decided to abandon their private paradise and relocate to St.. John. But the island on which they had fallen in love was rapidly changing. "St. John was, and still is, under assault from big money," explained Payne. Since the mid '90s, property prices have risen astronomically, pushing out locals of West Indian descent - many of whom had inhabited the island for hundreds of years. Reid had started a paper back in the '80s, and with her background in art and Payne's in writing, an arts-based local paper seemed a perfect way to revive a struggling community. "A small town paper can move a place progressively," said Payne. "When you don't have a paper that's mirroring the people around, I think it's very easy for forces from the outside to corrode the community." And so, their advances long gone, the two set to work from scratch.In need of some talented journalists, Payne immediately thought of his former students. "Middlebury students are the most can-do., down-to-earth, unshakable lot of kids I've ever met," explained Payne, his statement tinged with an air of parental swagger. When he called Teddy Flanagan '04 and casually asked if he would be willing to fly down on a day's notice to pursue a journalist streak he'd always exhibited but never explored, the jobless graduate jumped at the opportunity."The great thing about Teddy is he never batted an eye," laughed Payne. "'Okay Tom,' he said. 'I'm there.' Click." Two days later, "this absolutely pale Irish-American kid shows up at the end of the dock," and within a week "he's best-friends with the lady who owned the corner bar called Mooey's." Teddy was soon joined by Carolyn Kormann '05 and Anna Speigel '06 - also former students, also delighted by this auspicious opportunity."You have to have this intuitive delicacy to make your way," explained Payne of writing in a local community like St... John. Well, Flanagan, Kormann and Speigel certainly had it. And so the St. John Sun was born.From its conception, the Sun was a community-based, arts paper. "We wanted to make the paper a stone soup," explained Payne, "a bouillabaisse of community effort." Focusing on features and spotlighting local art and culture, the Sun sought to capture the essence of the St. John community. "We weren't after hard news," stressed Payne, stories do not "have to rise to a particular event to be news with a capital N.""We had a vision that if we could just get enough voices in the paper as possible that it would be stimulating," said Payne. "And the more different voices we could get, the more we could reflect the island as a whole."Payne's only mandate was that the paper be positive. "Not in a boosterish way," he interjected as if to validate his decision, "but it goes along with the saying that if you walk a mile in somebody's shoes you'll understand them." And so Payne and his wife set out with a slew of journalists, local staff writers and graphic designers in tow to rove the island of St.. John for stories≠ - interesting stories, stories which were illuminating and personal and empowering. "It got a little ridiculous," admitted Payne. So ridiculous in fact, that "they used to say that I walked around with a big sign painted on me," recalled Payne, laughing into the phone, "'Do you want to write about it?'" But who could blame him? The St.. John Sun had become a thriving business and every two weeks they had a forty-page paper to fill."The joy of being a writer is you get to live with your curiosity, and you're paid for it," gushed Payne when asked about the stories the Sun covered on the island. None of the Middlebury students he had hired had journalism experience. All three wound up working second jobs. Yet each of them found their niche on the island, slipping into the local community pen and pencil in hand, eager to discover. "God yes, it was extraordinary," boomed Payne, a palpable sense of excitement radiating in his voice. "I got a huge 45-year-old kick out of how all three of them fell in love with journalism in their own ways." From environmental features highlighting the Sahara dust to coverage of the notorious local bar wars, opportunities to grow and explore were boundless. "It was like a crucible of creativity," described Payne. "We just had this freedom because the thing was so solvent to let them do whatever they wished."For Kormann, Flanagan and Speigel it was quite literally the opportunity of a lifetime. Kormann is now studying journalism and American Studies in graduate school at New York University on a full scholarship and recently won a fellowship in environmental writing. Flanagan is writing novels, working as a TV reporter and picking blueberries. Speigel is applying for graduate school in journalism while pursuing a career in restaurant reviews in the Washington, D.C. area. And what of Payne and Reid? Why did they leave paradise and a successful paper to return to rural Vermont?"I never expected to be a businessman," confessed Payne. "I've been one now. I respect the people who want to be businessmen. But I'm no businessman." The money that was coming in did not thrill Payne as it might other entrepreneurs. Rather, the paper's success only reaffirmed his faith in the power of teaching, deepening a belief that was already there.And while he loved producing the paper and seeing its effects in the community, ultimately it was kicking back in the office after a long day to chat with Kormann, Flanagan and Speigel about their writing which Payne truly savored. "I hadn't really realized it until it was almost all over but I was doing what I had done at Middlebury, which was talking about how to use writing to make a difference," said Payne." I started thinking...maybe I should try to go back to teaching again."Yet Payne was not the only one who yearned for the Vermont landscape, a change of seasons. Payne described how he and his wife had looked to his young daughter, "a barefoot girl who could swim 10 feet down and 20 feet out over the coral reef, who could tell you which bushes on the island were good for medicinal teas, who had sun-bleached hair and 20 little friend
s." And "even with that," explained Payne, "which you would think was the most exotic childhood for a little girl, when we asked her, she said she wanted to be back in Vermont."Furthermore, while the newspaper had in many ways revived and sustained the community which Payne had long ago grown to love, the island was still irrevocably changing. Corrupted by money, St. John was no longer the artistic mecca which Payne and his wife had once thrived in. And so a variety of factors came together to lure the family northward, and northward they went.It's getting late, and sounds of impending bedtime linger in the background of our conversation. I manage to squeeze in one more question. What's it like teaching again? Back on campus for the first time in several years, Payne described how he cannot help but feel changed. In many ways, browsing through unopened mail from 2004 and exchanging cordial greetings with former colleagues, it is as though he has never left. But at the same time he has simply been refreshed, the time he has spent away has only reaffirmed beliefs he has always had. "It's so exciting when you're in a position when you can actually feel like you've changed something on a spiritual level, on a simple level, to change someone's life," says Payne, looking back upon his experiences with Flanagan, Kormann and Speigel. "I don't think that all graduates, perhaps very few, are lucky enough to feel that what they're doing after college is actually seen rather than being visible." Flanagan, Kormann and Speigel certainly do. But this is only the beginning. There are still more to come.
(09/19/07 12:00am)
Author: Will Mallett Some of you may have seen Apocalypto this weekend - a great movie about cliff-jumping. Though it was tempting to write an article extolling the benefits of the activity while watching Jaguar Paw make a leap of faith over an 80-plus-foot waterfall and come up unscathed, the fact that a number of his pursuers came up short of so-lucky upon attempting the same leap was a reminder of its drawbacks. The Middlebury Campus, being more than a little hesitant to endorse an activity that may put the health or lives of our readers at risk, has provided, instead of a list of "cliff-jumping" spots around the area, a survey of nearby "swimming holes" that provide equal refreshment without the death-pass. Sure, the weather of late has been less than ideal for aquatic adventures, yet we may be so fortunate as to have a few more days of warm weather before the frost sets in. Being in a state so well-endowed with beautiful places, a reasonable piece of advice would be to enjoy as many of them as possible before it is too late. So if you doubt your resilience to cold water, just bring along some of your work, a bottle of vino and a fishing pole and get off campus for an afternoon. Here's where you should go: var uslide_show_id = "5aad7044-0ac7-4c34-ba5b-3e4e1b354731";var slideshowwidth = "468";var linktext = "";Branbury State Park at Lake Dunmore: About a 15-minute drive by car south on Rt. 7, there is a sign pointing east toward Lake Dunmore. If you make this left and stay on it, bearing left when the road forks just in view of the water, and follow it around the lake you will come to Branbury State Park on the right. There may or may not be a nominal entrance fee, but there is also a beach, comparatively warm water, charcoal grills, picnic tables and plenty of space. Luckily, there being nothing tall to jump off, the park is safe. Falls of Lana: Just past the entrance to Branbury State Park, there is a parking lot on the left. A little further up the road, there is another parking lot on the left. Park at either one of these and walk up the trail (they connect) for about 15 minutes. The trail crosses the brook just above the waterfall, and on either side you can walk down to get a good view of the falls and the pool, and walk a bit further down to get to the water. The hill faces west so this is a nice spot to go in the afternoon and still get some sun. The pool, though surrounded by tempting cliffs, is rather small, so if you find yourself inclined toward daring, maybe you should stay on the safe side and spend your afternoon somewhere else. Bartlett (Bristol) Falls: Just past the village of Bristol, Rt. 17/116 crosses two black bridges. After the second of these, there is a road to the right which heads toward Lincoln. Follow this road for a couple hundred yards, park on the shoulder and walk down a short path to the renowned Bartlett Falls. If you somehow miss the 15-foot waterfall, you will know you are at the right spot if you see a crowd of mustachioed men in cut-off jeans practicing acrobatics. The water below the falls can be shallow at this time of year, but the bottom is sandy. Swim up from below and you can hang out in the cave behind the waterfall, entering via the large flat rock on the far side of the river. The New Haven River at this point runs north, with a small mountain climbing to the west, so this favorite spot is best enjoyed at midday, when the sun is up above the trees. Dog Team Road: North on Rt. 7, just past the River Road on the right, the Dog Team Road bears off to the left, meandering down a hill to the banks of the New Haven River. The road crosses this river just before coming to a parking lot on the left that grants access to a large grassy area overlooking a small falls. Park your car or lock up your bike here and scramble down through some bushes to a pebbly beach area. Of the swimming holes included herein, this would be the closest to campus. Just watch out for flying worms and hooks - this is also a popular fishing spot. East Middlebury: South on Rt. 7, left on Rt. 125, the bridge at East Middlebury is just a short drive from campus and is a perfect spot for an in-between-class dip. When Rt. 125 bears right, crossing the Middlebury River, just pull off on the side of the road and walk the few steps down to the river and swim below the bridge. The rock on the north bank inclines gradually upstream, reaching its apex just beneath the bridge. One can hop in at any point along that continuum, but bear in mind the water may be shallow. Though not quite as picturesque as the Falls of Lana or as sublime as Bartlett (both of which appear to have come straight out of a Frederic Church painting), the East Middlebury Bridge nonetheless has its virtues. Relatively close to campus, very close to the road and with an easy in-and-out, this is the perfect place for a quick dip.
(09/19/07 12:00am)
Author: Jake Cohen In the wake of Tiger Wood's domination of the first inaugural FedEx Cup, the Middlebury men's golf team took on a field of 25 schools from across the country at home this weekend at the Duke Nelson Tournament hoping to find the same success. Though historically this tournament has been a reason for the Panthers to celebrate, this year's results brought a bit of concern. Middlebury finished tied for seventh overall and was 26 strokes behind the winning team, Skidmore, who defended its title from last year. Williams and St. Lawrence rounded off the rest of the podium as the Panthers were forced to watch the same team take the tournament trophy out of its house once again.In the past, the Duke Nelson has been one that Middlebury golfers and fans alike anticipate. The team gets to compete on its home course, has an unparalleled familiarity with proper club selection, tricky greens and an infectious confidence that can naturally lead to lower scores.But this year was different. Middlebury's top four scorers shot a combined 32-over-par, leaving them in sixth place after Day One, 14 strokes behind first round team leader Williams College. The performance was particularly disappointing in light of last year's success. Middlebury finished fourth overall for the entire weekend, only 14 strokes behind the perennial all-star Skidmore Thoroughbreds.What could have possibly gone wrong? Everything was working in Middlebury's favor - a strong showing at St. Lawrence the previous weekend, home course advantage, exploding confidence and a great week of practice - and yet Middlebury could not pull through.Captain Harrison Bane '08.5 attributes the poor Panther performance to overconfidence. "We went out all week and hit the ball great," said Bane. "We practiced hard and felt phenomenal. But when game day came, I think we just got too excited and too confident." Bane was particularly frustrated with his performance, mainly his 85 (14-over-par) on the second day. George Baumann '08 lead the Panthers with a combined two-day total of 151 (78- 73) followed by promising Brian Cady '11, who shot a 157 (80- 77) in the tournament. Heavy winds undoubtedly made the playing conditions difficult, but not impossible."Some great rounds were shot on the Ralph Myre course this weekend," said Coach Bill Beaney. "Unfortunately, very few of them came from Middlebury athletes." One of the standout performances he may have been alluding to was entered by Skidmore sophomore Chris DeJohn, who shot a two-day best of 145 (72-73), only three strokes over par.Despite the frustrating outcome, the team remains positive. "We had a great start at St. Lawrence," said Bane. "Unfortunately, we couldn't convert that into a solid performance this past weekend. But we have a great team who is working hard together and focusing on the final goal." The upcoming NESCAC Championships, slated for Sept. 29-30, awaits. But first, the Panthers head to Williamstown, Mass., to play what many regard as one of the most difficult courses in the New England area, the Taconic Golf Course. The team is ecstatic to play at one of their favorite courses and pick up where they left off at St. Lawrence. "We have what it takes to win," said Bane. "Next weekend, we're going to head down to Williams and show them exactly what we're capable of."
(09/19/07 12:00am)
Author: Alexxa Gotthardt An issue forever surrounding the art world concerns art's capacity to affect, to stir, to touch the viewer. Is art more than just something pretty or interesting to look at, or is it conceived with a greater goal in mind? "Resonance from the Past: African Sculpture from the New Orleans Museum of Art," a compelling, ebullient season-opener for the Middlebury College Museum of Art (MCMA) and its first major African Art exhibition in over a decade, gives this question great intellectual nourishment. The show, on loan from the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) and guest curated by Frank Herreman of NOMA, opened , Sept. 18. In many African cultures, the connection between objects and the spiritual world is a strong one, and a connection manifested in the works of "Resonance from the Past." "Many African sculptures embody the spirits of ancestors or higher powers," said Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art Colin Mackenzie. "The work is not about beauty, it's about power - the power of the spirit."The more than 80 works of art in the show, created in Central and Sub-Saharan Africa from the late 17th to the second half of the 20th century, were mostly used in spiritual ceremonies or created for the purpose of worship, initiation or commemoration. Masks, figures, ivory statuettes, architectural elements, ceramics, costumes and beadwork vibrantly embody the inspirations, beliefs and talents of well over 20 African tribes and seem to resonate with the inspirations of their creators. The objects are arranged according to their region of origin, creating a kind of artistic map of Sub-Saharan Africa. Western Nigeria Benin, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Mali and Burkina Faso are all represented. The broad time period and the large number of works, makes this geographical organization not only effective but necessary. Also well thought out is the circular space in the center of the gallery, created by two crescent walls. The space creates a nucleus of energy, perhaps meant to evoke the center square of an African town or the circular motion of a ritual dance.In addition, the sense of travel or exploration through the art is amplified by the brightly colored walls - turquoise, orange, yellow and green. And while the intensely cheerful paint choices might come off as childish in another setting, against the displayed works they seem fitting, even sophisticated choices. The colors are not random, but chosen specifically to reflect the different regions and tribal cultures of the sculpture. To get a sense of where this exotic, perhaps unfamiliar art originates, the exhibition provides iPods equipped with a selection of tribal drumming and chant. Like the walls, the music corresponds directly with the regions - and rituals - represented. The tracks were chosen by Sarah Dewey '07.5, who recently completed a thesis on African art.As effective as the backdrop is, it remains backdrop thanks to the spectacular sculptures themselves. Ranging from miniscule to huge, sparkling to mud-caked, harshly simplistic to opulently ornate, the objects stand for many different facets of African culture. Some of the most striking pieces in the exhibition are the boldly carved masks - at least one from every regional group. The Ngafui mask, carved and assembled by the Loma (or Toma) people on the border of Liberia and Guinea, depicts a large male face, its exaggerated features, bulging eyes and king-sized feather headdress commanding attention. While its geometric surfaces seem to point to a quick carve-job, at closer glance a keen attention to detail is obvious. Thin, delicate lines adorn the cheeks, and the ears and teeth are well-defined, almost realistic. Monkey fur is used for the beard, and a bit of hair even sprouts out of the cylindrical nose. The mask seems a blend of the primitive and the sophisticated, and the effect is powerful. It is easy to imagine the awe or fear it might inspire at an initiation ceremony or funeral celebration. The Ogbodo Enyi crest mask of the Izzi Igbo peoples of Nigeria also stands out as both visually bold and complex. Its many flat planes and segmented pieces parts - the lips, for instance, seem to have at least six distinct surfaces - call to mind Picasso's cubist figures (which were inspired by African masks). The mask's severe features, menacing horn and double head certainly create the fear-inspiring effect the Izzi Igbo people hoped for - the spirits of Ogbodo Enyi "were described as harsh, violent, threatening spirits" that "were most probably powerful agents of social control," according to the exhibtion's catalog.Numerous fertility figures and small ivory statuettes also form a dynamic portion of the show. The Jonyeleni Nyeleni female figure's preposterous cone-shaped breasts and black sheen are typical of the fertility statues and the ivory amulet created by the Luba peoples of Congo conveys an impressive amount of emotion for its miniscule stature. One of the most spectacular pieces of the exhibition, situated in the center circle, is the Ekuu Egungun masquerade dance costume. While many of the works displayed have faded or completely lost their color over the years, this costume is still brilliantly colorful thanks to the intricate beading and patchwork. Damasks and velvets in browns, reds, golds and blues combine with the intricately patterned beadwork of the mask and lapel (even the nose is made of knots of red beads), inspiring both attention and awe - a desired goal of the creators in order to appropriately revere the ancestors that the costume embodies.Aside from its visual force, the origin of the materials is also noteworthy. While the shells are certainly from Oyo region of Nigeria, most of the fabrics were imported from Europe, as were the tiny beads. This recalls not only the exchange of materials between Europe and Africa, but also the slave trade.2007 marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire - a system that degraded and dehumanized the people of Africa for decades. "Resonance from the Past" comes to the public at an appropriate time. Through the exhibition of these artistic achievements - achievements which surely suggest spiritual and imaginative creators - the often undermined sophistication of the African people is celebrated. This celebration of the African culture was a major goal of Herreman and of MCMA's curators who worked to bring the exhibition to Middlebury."In an era when much of what we hear about Africa is negative, this exhibition brings to Middlebury something overwhelmingly positive," said Mackenzie. "The stunning works in the exhibition demonstrate vividly that traditional African culture is rich, visually highly sophisticated and possesses a history stretching back centuries." "Resonance from the Past's" cultural associations also resonate at Middlebury. In embodying an important aspect of history and a diverse range of African cultures, the exhibition corresponds with the College's continuing commitment to diversity. "I think the arts can play an important role in the diversity initiative," said Mackenzie, "and [Dean for Institutional Diversity] Shirley Ramirez certainly recognizes this through her [spoken] support." Individually, each sculpture in "Resonance from the Past" provides visual stimulation and cultural insight. Together, the more than 80 sculptures make up a thoughtful, visually impressive exhibition that reveals art with a greater goal in mind than aesthetic pleasure - a goal conceived and executed by a intelligent, spiritual and introspective people. "Resonance of the Past: African Sculpture from the New Orleans Museum of Art" will be up in the MCMA until Dec. 9, 2007. Various lectures by experts in the field of African art, music and culture will accompany the exhibition throughout its three-month run.
(09/12/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker Gender-neutral bathrooms. Mandatory diversity symposiums. An environmental honor code. On Saturday Sept. 8 incoming first-years grappled with such issues in the annual Deliberate Dialogue orientation event, exchanging ideas but also emerging with tangible solutions.Kelly Bennion '10 was one of roughly 80 facilitators who arrived before the start of orientation to undergo training and prepare for discussion. After a positive experience with Deliberate Dialogues in her own orientation, Bennion decided to return early and lead a discussion this fall. "I really enjoyed it," said Bennion of this year's discussion. "Hearing everyone's viewpoints makes me challenge my own and even if I don't necessarily agree with what the other person says it forces me to reaffirm why I believe what I do."Upon arriving at Middlebury, students were asked to choose from three discussion topics - "What role should gender play on Middlebury's campus?" "How should Middlebury instill Environmental Responsibility in our students?" and "How should Middlebury support and sustain a respectful multicultural community?" While in past years discussion topics have largely centered on broader issues, this year the focus narrowed, as participants tackled issues directly applicable to the college environment. As facilitators posed different hypothetical situations, students began to delve into the different issues, exchanging differing ideas but also posing tangible solutions. "The connection to Middlebury made the issues real and it was nice to see students begin to develop practical solutions," remarked Bennion."Choosing approaches that were specifically Middlebury issues was an excellent idea," agreed fellow facilitator, Rachel Pentecost '10.5. "Students were more invested in the dialogue, especially considering that reflections were recorded and passed onto the Dean of Environmental Studies."In addition to encouraging further action, Deliberate Dialogues effectively mirrored the College's dedication to fostering an open environment. "I think Deliberate Dialogue is really beneficial to the Middlebury community because it shows the first years students right from the beginning that they need to respect each other's points of views, " said Bennion.Yet ultimately, it seemed the Deliberate Dialogues only reaffirmed the intellectuality and candor of the incoming first-year class. "It's comforting to know that the members of the entering class were already so open and understanding," said Bennion.
(09/12/07 12:00am)
Author: James Kerrigan Just as it did last fall, the Middlebury men's soccer team earned a shutout victory over Connecticut College in its season opener, but the similarities end there. Playing on brand new field turf measuring 120 yards long and 80 yards wide, it was the return of two seniors to the starting lineup, not the introduction of the new surface that gave Middlebury students a reason to put the task of moving into dorm rooms on hold. Brandon Jackson's '08 homecoming from a year abroad in Italy was everything Coach Saward and company could ask for while Dave LaRocca '08 proved just how much he was missed when he had to sit out much of 2006 with a knee injury. The two hooked up for Middlebury's first goal of the season when Jackson collected a pass from Casey Ftorek '09 and sent a through ball behind the Camel's back line that met LaRocca's foot and Conn. College's keeper at the same time. Without showing any signs of injury or backing down, the senior striker won the battle and slid the ball into the back of the net with ease. Senior co-captain Andrew Germansky '08 is enthusiastic about having the dangerous striker back in action. "It's a huge boost to have LaRocca back in the lineup," Germansky said. Throughout the rest of the first half, Middlebury continued what it had been working during the preseason, namely keeping the team shape on such a big field and getting comfortable with the new surface. "The first game is always a work in progress," said Germansky "but we attacked Conn. College's three back system from the flanks really well." Just over ten minutes into the second half, Middlebury drew a foul just outside the penalty box. As the referee indicated that it was a direct kick, Conn. College quickly tried to organize a wall. Camel keeper Ted Lane directed traffic and positioned his five players right where he wanted, but the wall was not effective enough. With a crowd of Panthers standing just behind the spot of the foul creating sufficient confusion for Conn. College, Jackson emerged as the taker, approached the ball with a subtle confidence, and lofted a shot up and over the wall which floated into the upper left hand corner to take a 2-0 lead. Settling into a more defensive style, Middlebury packed it in and only sent the occasional man forward. Senior co-captains Alex Elias and Andrew Germansky controlled the tempo from the middle of the field. Elias was a workhorse in the central midfield, refusing to let anyone or anything behind him while Germansky commanded from the center back position and anchored an otherwise young, but not inexperienced group of defenders. When the Camels did generate a scoring chance, they could not get a good enough to look to sneak anything by keeper Brian Bush '09 who recorded his second career shutout. After two years of learning from Zack Toth '07, Bush is eager to be the man in charge. With the increased field size, staying fit will be a top priority for the Panthers all season. Perhaps the squad showed signs of fatigue in the latter minutes of the game as they surrendered several shots, each of which Bush effectively stopped. "We're going to have to keep figuring out how to play together and increase our work level for the next games," said Germansky. "We got lucky they could not finish because we gave them more room than we should have."Luck or not, Middlebury earned the win. With games against Amherst, Bowdoin, and Williams over the course of eight days in early October, Middlebury will undoubtedly be working hard as they prepare for these key showdowns.
