April 6, 2017
thescrippsvoice.com
The Scripps Voice SAS PASSES PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING PLAN since 1996
Your School. Your Issues. Your Paper.
By Erin Delaney ‘20 Staff Writer
S
cripps Associated Students recently underwent a restructuring of their organization. The proposed changes, which were voted upon by the Scripps student body in late February of this semester, are now going into effect. The changes brought about by the restructure, which are detailed on the SAS website, include the consolidation and creation of various board positions. According to the website, the positions of Campus Activity Chair, Student Union Chair, and CLORGs Chair into the Student Organization Commissioner position, the Senate Chair and Vice President positions will be consolidated into one Executive Vice President position, and the work of the Media Relations Chair will be consolidated into the job description of the SAS she did not think that there was Secretary. “anything inherently wrong” Another change will affect with the previous system, she the Scripps student body believes that “the new system representation in SAS, as will allow for SAS positions to students who are studying have more distinct job definitions abroad will now be allowed to and will allow the student body run for every SAS “The new system at os bae wb ehtot el er position apart from c o - will allow for SAS represented. treasurer. SAS Secretary M a n y positions to have Nimrah Imam m e m b e r s more distinct job (e Sc hCoRe d ‘ t1h7i s) of Scripps Associated definitions and s e n t i m e n t , Students are saying that will allow the enthusiastic the changes a b o u t t h e student body as a b r o u g h t changes. Senior about by the C l a s s C o - whole to be better restructure will Representative help SAS to represented” M e a g a n better serve the McIntyre said Scripps community. that “As a senior who has been “These changes have been in SAS for a couple of years now, discussed for the past couple [she is] very excited to see the of years,” Nimrah said, “and restructure in practice.” will better enable SAS to serve While Meagan stated that the needs and interests of
Inside This Issue:
Page 2 - 5C Educate
Check out what the new CLORG is all about
2016-2017 SAS members. Photo courtesy of Scripps Associated Students.
the student body through the the changes themselves. organization of resources and “I think this restructuring will transparency of involve more “Club leaders do people in SAS, our work.” A n o t h e r which is good a lot of important change which because then it many members is not as much work for our of SAS are of an insular school that is not anticipating is community with the stipending compensated, and people in similar of Scripps social circles this is a definite running each club leaders. Sophomore year.” step in the right C l a s s Jo also stated Representative that “Having a direction” Jo Nordhofflarger senate Beard explained that “Club will involve more of the Scripps leaders do a lot of important community in SAS, which will work for our school that is not bring much-needed diversity to compensated, and this is a SAS.” definite step in the right direction In short, the SAS restructure for student leaders to feel more aims to streamline the SAS supported and recognized by the organizational leadership while school for the work that they do.” creating a more representational Jo predicted that the SAS space for Scripps students. For r e s t r u c t u r i n g m a y h a v e more information about the positive impacts on the Scripps restructuring, please visit the community that span beyond SAS website, sas.scrippscollege.
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1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XX | Issue Seven
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2 • News
5c educate opens doors to future educators By Priya Canzius ‘20 Staff Writer
F
uture educators of the 5Cs, this one’s for you. 5C Educate, a club created by Pomona Senior Maya Kaul, is comprised of students from all of the Claremont Colleges who are interested in pursuing a career in or related to education. The club itself was created this year due to the lack of clubs focusing on students who are interested in education. “I was reflecting with my advisor, Professor Menefee-Libey, about my experiences teaching middle school students [last] summer through an educational access enrichment program,” Kaul said. “He pointed out that he had been having similar conversations with countless other students who had just participated in similar programs and had come to him to debrief and emotionally unload their experiences with him. We were both struck by the lack of a space for all of us students to come together and share our experiences in some constructive way, and so he suggested we convene all of those students for an informal debrief at some point that semester.” Kaul and Menfee-Libey then met with Dr. Maria Tucker, who was the Director of the Draper Center at the time. According to Kaul, Tucker “has worked with hundreds of students doing work in education over her time at Pomona to brainstorm the best ways to create a sustain such a community.” “We quickly realized that those who might be interested in being a part of this community far exceeded just the students who had participated in teaching programs, and that the 5Cs lacked a concrete community for students interested in pursuing work in all aspects of education, despite so many alums pursuing related work,” Kaul said. Kaul then surveyed students from each of the colleges, and received responses from 91 students. On November 17, Kaul held a meeting with these students to gauge their interests in a shared space. “The consensus at that meeting was [that] there was a lot of energy to sustain this group as a formal club,” Kaul said. “This semester, we registered as a club and I now work with a leadership team of five other students from the 5Cs and Professor MenefeeLibey to continue developing the club. This club basically created itself because there was so much untapped energy from students across the 5Cs in making the community as reality.” Because, according to Kaul, “the career path to reach work [in education] is oftentimes a lot less clear than many other professions”, alums with careers in education are not as publicized or connected as they could be. “So many alums of the 5Cs ends up teaching in some capacity after graduating, either through a fellowship or as ta longer-term position, but they are spread out across the globe and largely disconnected,” Kaul said. “The longer-term vision of this club, therefore, is to foster a community that exists far beyond the current club membership and in-
cludes a wide network of alumni.” Thus, Kaul has set goals for the future of 5C Educate. “Our goals are to: provide opportunities for discourse in issues of education through the hosting of faculty panels and guest speakers, create a community with 5C students and alumni involved in education and initiate opportunities for student-alumni networking, sustain a partnership with the career development offices of the 5Cs to be actively involved in shaping education career advising and recruitment events based on student interest (including graduate school opportunities, post-undergraduate teaching
5C Educate Aims To:
Photo courtesy of Pomona College.
“If there is a type of event you would want to see but don’t see represented in our current agenda, please let us know,” Kaul said. “I would encourage anyone with an interest in any aspect of education to join this group. Above anything else, my goal in creating the club was to create a community where students could connect with other likeminded students and have a support network as they seek opportunities in whatever area of education they are most passionate about. So, even if you don’t see yourself becoming a teacher necessarily and would rather work on the tech or policy or any other side of things, there is a place in the club for you!” Upcoming 5C Education events include an event co-hosted by CGU’s Education, “How to Become a Teacher 101” on March 24. “The event will take place at Albrecht Auditorium at CGU at 1PM,” Kaul said. “DeLacy Ganley, the Director of CGU’s Teacher Education program, will be talking through the logistics of how to become certified as teacher and answering questions at the end.” 5C Educate strives to also include 5C alums involved in education. “We are currently trying to put together a panel and mixer with alumni during Alumni Weekend, another panel on charter schools/alternative schools featuring school administrators and teachers from the LA area, and a workshop on teaching in multilingual/ESL contexts,” Kaul said. “Details for all our events will be published on our Facebook page, so follow along to stay tuned!” 5C Educate is an impactful club for students of various interests to learn more about their passions. “At the beginning of last semester, I never had the specific intention to create this club, but could not be more grateful for the community that has come from it,” Kaul said. 5C Educate is open to any 5C student. If you are interested in joining, contact educate.5c@gmail.com to be placed on the email list. Alums doing work in education are welcome to join the community by joining the Facebook group:
- provide opportunities for discourse in issues of education - create a community with 5C students and alumni involved in education - sustain a partnership with the career development offices of the 5Cs - work towards creating a fund to support student internships - facilitate a space for students interested in all aspects of education fellowships, and international education fellowship), work towards creating a fund to support student internships, and facilitate a space for students interested in all aspects of education,” Kaul said. Currently, 5C Educate “organizes workshops focused on teaching skills, panels that engage current topics in education policy and politics, and create spaces for students interested in doing work in education to meet with and learn from each other,” according to Kaul. However, 5C Educate is open to suggestions from current and future members.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/111 4597901990656/?ref=bookmarks
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
News • 3
The Scripps Voice Staff
sustainable Scripps
Ways to Celebrate Spring and the Earth this April Mia Farago-Iwamasa ‘18 Staff Writer
Places to Go on Campus
Margret Fowler Garden When it gets hot around campus, this oasis stays 5-10 degrees cooler and is a great place to study or just hang out. While you’re there, look for the orange trees near the back and have a local, organically grown snack.
Editors-in-Chief Rachel Miller-Haughton Elena Pinsker
Fruit Picker See some local, organically grown fruit on campus but think it’s too high to reach? You’re in luck because the Field House has a fruit picker that will reach the tops of those orange trees.
New Hall As our first residence hall to use solar power and innovative design to keep outdoor hallways and courtyards cool, it is a great place to have a group study session or just enjoy the beautiful architecture. You can also learn about the building’s energy and water consumption via the Lucid platform in the kitchen.
Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Mel Gilcrest Meghan Joyce Copy Editors Sophie Fahey Anyi Wong-Lifton
Hang out on the lawns Another place to enjoy the sunshine is on Scripps’ beautiful lawns. Our grass is Bermuda, which only requires a fraction of the water other grass types use. While you are out there, please use the new outdoor recycling bins with blue lids. Courtyards with fountains Need to cool off? Go to any courtyard with a fountain. The water helps cool the air and is recycled so the fountains have a low water impact too.
Sallie Tiernan Field House Pool There’s no better way to welcome the warm weather than hanging out by the pool. The Field house pool uses an environmentally friendly filtering system and is covered at night to keep it warm. The Field House has also recently added more lawn chairs and less lawn to lower their water impact and accommodate more people.
The Motley Looking for a refreshing drink (or some caffeine to get you through those midterms and final projects)? Look no further than the Motley. This spring be earth conscious and order your drink with alternative milk like coconut, almond, or soy. Cow milk is very water, energy, and land intensive and produces a lot of pollutants.
Green Bike Program Want to go to the Village farmer’s market on Sunday morning or explore the neighborhood or just enjoy the 7 campuses? Borrow a bike and travel quickly without polluting the environment.
The Student Garden This organic fruit, vegetable, and herb garden is located behind Browning on the north side (near Harvey Mudd College). This garden is run by students for students and also hosts our residence hall composting program.
Business Manager Maureen Cowhey Webmaster Emma Wu Shortt
EVENT
TIME
HOST CAMPUS
LOCATION
April 6
Creative Liberties: Orozco’s Legacy in Cold War Mexico
7 PM
POMONA
Lincoln 1135
7
Scripps Sustainability Fair
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
SCRIPPS
Elm Tree Lawn
7
Spring Planting Workshop
4-7 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
8
Volunteer @ the Farm
10 AM - 12 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
8
Cooking Workshop
TBD
POMONA
Pomona Farm
9
Claremont Food Justice Series: Farm to Frank Claremont Food Justice Series: Meat Startup Panel
5 - 7 PM
POMONA
Frank Dining Hall
7 - 8 PM
CMC
Freeberg Forum, Kravis
4 - 5:30 PM
SCRIPPS
Motley Coffeehouse
11
Claremont Food Justice Series: Chai Decolonized Claremont Food Justice Series: Food as a Tool of Resistance
7 - 8 PM
TBD
TBD
11
Black, Gold and Green Speaker Series: Dr. Simona Bordoni (Caltech)
12 - 1 PM
HARVEY MUDD
SkyCube, Shanahan
12
Claremont Food Justice Series: The World that Food Made with Raj Patel
7 - 9 PM
POMONA
Rose Hills Theatre
13
Claremont Energy Vision
7 - 9 PM
HARVEY MUDD
Shanahan Auditorium
13
Claremont Food Justice Series: Regenerative Farming Workshop
4 - 5:30 PM
TBD
TBD
14
Claremont Food Justice Series: Hive Workshop on Fermentation
4 -5:30 PM
POMONA
The Hive
14
Claremont Food Justice Series: Farm Potluck
5 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
14
EcoHacks: 7C Sustainability-based Hackathon
10 PM - 12 PM (4/15)
HARVEY MUDD
Shanahan Center
15
Claremont Food Justice Series: Huerta del Valle Tour, Volunteer, and Lunch
11:30 AM - 4 PM
ALL
TBD
15
Volunteer @ the Farm
10 AM - 12 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
15
Tour: Bernard Field Station
TBD
ALL
Bernard Field Station
18
Painting Party
4 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
19
Panel: The Politicization of Science
7:30 - 9 PM
POMONA
Millikan Auditorium
21
Petition Signing
11 AM - 2 PM
POMONA
Frary Dining Hall
22
Claremont Earth Day Celebration
10 AM - 3 PM
ALL
Claremont Village, 2nd St
22
Farm Fest
3 PM - 7 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
22
March for Science- Los Angeles
9 AM - 4 PM
ALL
Pershing Square Park, LA
22
Outdoor Women’s Alliance - No Man’s Land Film Festival
5 - 9 PM
SCRIPPS
Balch Auditorium
23
OEC Mountain Cleanup Day
10 AM - 7 PM
POMONA
OEC
Comments and letters can be submitted by emailing scrippsvoice@gmail.com or by visiting our website at www. thescrippsvoice.com. Please review our guidelines online before submitting feedback.
25
Workshop Series:: Lessons from the 1990s on Environmental Justice
12 -1 PM
HARVEY MUDD
Aviation Room, Hoch
25
Design Thinking for Food & Sustainability
7 - 8:30 PM
ALL
The Hive
The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.
Columnists & Staff Writers Ali Bush Maureen Cowhey Erin Delany Emily Diamond Sophie Fahey Mia Farago-Iwamasa Erin Matheson Jo Nordhoff-Beard Rhiannon Schaub Isobel Whitcomb Lizzie Willsmore-Finkle Emma Wu Shortt Photographers Molly Ferguson Jessica Padover Layne Wells
DATE
April Sustainability Events at the 5Cs
10 11
26
Everyday Genius
7 - 8:30 PM
ALL
The Hive
26
Letter Writing Campaign
7:30 - 9 PM
POMONA
The Hive
28
Farm Stand
4 - 6 PM
POMONA
Smith Campus Center
29
Farm Tours- Alumni Weekend
4:45 - 6 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
29
Volunteer @ the Farm
10 AM - 12 PM
POMONA
Pomona Farm
29
People’s Climate March Los Angeles
11 AM - 3 PM
ALL
Banning Park, LA
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
4 • News
Recently discovered New planets Offer wider horizons By Lizzie Willsmore-Finkel ‘20 Staff Writer
One quiet winter morning in late February, headlines across the US went supernova over NASA’s new discovery of a seven-planet solar system similar to that of Earth. Detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA reports that three of the seven planets are located in an area with conditions that could support life. At only 40 light years away from Earth, scientists refer to the planets as the TRAPPIST-1 system, after the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope located in Chile. The planets in question are similar in size to Earth, and are probably composed of rock-like materials, according to analysis and calculations done with the Spitzer telescope, located in Pasadena, California. The original study in Nature reports the planets to contain orbits periods between one and thirteen days - significantly shorter than that of our own planet. Most astounding, however, is that the temperature of these planets is conducive to liquid water – a vital element in NASA’s extraterrestrial search for alien life. NASA’s official term for these seven new celestial bodies is “exoplanet,” which refers to any planet not located in Earth’s solar system. The seven planets orbit a dwarf-star, whose surface temperature is moderate enough for the nearest orbiting planet to contain liquid water. Additional findings report that the planets are positioned so one side is permanently facing away from the dwarf-star, while another is always directed towards the sun. Further analysis by the Hubble Telescope reveals the atmosphere of these rocky bodies are similar to the hydrogen-gas clouds of Neptune, despite even the farthest planet being closer to the dwarf-star than Mercury to the Sun in our solar system. The initial report’s release prompted a flurry of media attention, including an interactive artist’s rendering of the terrain of one of the planets. For viewers desiring a grander perspective, NASA created a New World Atlas of both individual planets and the solar system itself, with features allowing a size comparison between Earth and Jupiter. After the excitement of this galactic discovery dimmed, one simple question began circulating among scientists and the media alike: Could these planets contain alien life? The question of contact has served as the basis for an entire literary genre (science fiction), millions of dollars of federal funding towards research and missions to space (NASA), and has captivated humankind from the very beginning. Most telling is a poster advertising a “Planet Hop” to TRAPPIST-1, depicting a fictional family staring wonderingly at the surface of the new planet. The next step in this galactical discovery will begin in 2018, with NASA’s plan to send the new “James Webb Space Telescope” into the cosmos, whose job it will be to calculate the chemical composition of the seven new planets, as well as their temperature. With this new information, NASA hopes to gain information on whether humans could theoretically survive on these newfound celestial bodies, an endeavor which propels us as observers to ask one question: what will we find if we get there?
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
Photos courtesy NASA.gov
Sports • 5
Courtesy Jo Nordhoff-Beard, The Student Life
Recognizing the Claremont Foxes By Jo Nordhoff-Beard ‘19 Sports Columnist
The Claremont Foxes women’s rugby team is the best least talked about successful team on campus. Not that many Claremont Colleges students know about women’s rugby; they do not have a large club budget and face institutional adversity when attempting to provide resources for their team members. Despite all the institutional obstacles they face, they are a focused group of people who work hard and have achieved considerable success in the last two years. On April 2, the Foxes won their second consecutive Pacific Coast Championship for small college rugby teams in Medford, Oregon. With this win, the Foxes have advanced to the national 15s rugby championships that will take place in the fall of 2017. The NSCRO (National Small College Rugby Organization) established these championships
last year for the burgeoning amount of west coast small college women’s rugby teams that do not have a critical mass of teams to have a full league. Most teams in these championships play in Division II leagues against bigger schools with more funding and that are more well established. The Foxes are exempt from this rule. Last season, the Foxes peaked at the right time and got better as the season went on, which allowed them to win a championship. This season, based on a renewed team culture that took practicing and conditioning more seriously, the Foxes won all of their league games except one against UC Irvine. The team created a four day preseason mini-camp, much like any CMS or P-P team, during the last week of the semester break, which allowed those coming back from abroad to get reintegrated with the team and allowed the whole team to mesh well together before school started. The team also gained a lot of new players who embraced rugby like none other.
Most people on the team have never played rugby before. Some have never even played a sport before. Some are varsity athletes from other sports looking for a change. Rugby is a difficult sport to pick up, but once you pick it up the vibes are infectious. When I was on the rugby team last year, the bond I had with my teammates was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was an environment where I felt like people finally liked me for me, instead of how much I could memorize or how well I could do on a French test. Rugby brings people together who are able to disagree effectively, respect each other’s points of view, and people who are unbelievably supportive of one another. The physical bond of hitting each other does a lot for people’s friendships and community. This year, the Foxes have become so much more than a group of friends. They are a successful team who are committed to helping each other on and off the field.
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
SPOTLIGHT
6 President
Executive Vice President
Candidate: Kelly Peng
Candidate: Irene Yi
Platform: prioritize student voices as key stakeholders, center student experiences in policy drafting, recognize student work and ensure SAS holds Scripps accountable and is constantly thriving to better serve the Scripps community. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “People always ask me what drew me to Scripps and what I like most about Scripps, and I always tell them it’s the community. It’s the people here, it’s all of you that make me feel the way I do about Scripps and give me the fire in my belly that makes me want to make things better.”
Platform: Collaborate with student leaders in organizing to support student voices within our community, increase SAS transparency by tabling weekly so all students stay involved as a part of SAS, keep SAS accountable in prioritizing resources for student needs on campus Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I hope we continue to work to improve Scripps by promoting healthy communication not just between our community but with the administration as well.”
Vice President of Student Activities Candidate: Kaya Mark Platform: Improve funding of events across all five campuses, better communication with other 5C programming boards, advise programming positions in a helpful way, share diverse 5C events with the student body. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I can assure you that I will dedicate my time towards creating a healthy social environment on Scripps’ campus, as well as on the other four colleges’ campuses.”
UNCONTESTED
Candidates: Romanshi Gupta and Grace Wang Platform: Bring transparency to the process of distributing funds, listening to the needs and interests of Scripps students, maintain SAS budgets, actively communicate with student leaders, faculty members and administration to allocate funds in a fair and just manner. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “Through both of our diverse experiences we’ve cultivated a really good skill set that balances each other out and since we’ve been such good friends since first semester we know how to work through conflict and difference of opinion.”
Platform: Answer reimbursement, club budgeting, and event funding questions, open office hours, talk to CLORGs about budgeting tips, transparency and diligent record keeping. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “The reason we decided to run is because we think we possess the skills necessary for any pair of co-treasurers. I like to think that our personal qualities and past experiences complement each other nicely.”
Recent Grad Trustee Candidate: Caroline Quinn
Platform: Work with the board to think of better ways to support marginalized students, advocate for all students around issues such as institutional oppression, accessibility and academic support, provide the voice of a recent alum to the Board of Trustees to create long-term solutions to student issues. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “Being a First Gen low-income person of color in science meant that I didn’t see much representation in SAS, in the faculty, or the administration. This has encouraged me to become an active member of the Scripps community and has made me committed to changing the experience for all students throughout their time here at Scripps.”
Candidate: Marie Vail Platform: Extend orientation, modify SOAR program, transparent financial aid, more contact with alumnae association. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “The success of this role is dependent on someone who is a strong communicator who understands the inner-workings of the administration.”
Candidate: Sneha Deo Platform: move the school towards need-blind admission, improve financial aid, increase opportunities for student perspectives to be shared with the Board in ways that are more convenient for students, get Board members invested in student movements, deepen Board understanding of the breadth and depth of student needs. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “As a queer, chronically ill student of color, and as a member of these various student [organizations], I plan to navigate these administrative spaces and the board to push policy based on what student needs are.”
Candidate: Maddie Warman Platform: Spread knowledge of SAS services, increase accessibility, continue positive changes of Student Union, promote inclusivity, productivity, and positivity. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “This is a new position, which makes it even more important to set the precedent for forward-moving thinking and positive change on campus.”
Candidate: Leta Ames
Sustainability Chair
Platform: Make sustainability initiative more integrated into Scripps projects, such as dorm renovations, create a transparent and accessible sustainability culture on campus, push for more student input on administrative projects, create more sustainability resources for students. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I want to make it so more students have more input on school projects, and that these initiatives aren’t a second thought, they’re the first thought when it comes to building new dorms or other dorm renovations.” Candidate: Dena Kleemeier Platform: Sustainability as a priority at Scripps, improve Scripps’ efforts to reduce water usage and waste around campus, communicate students’ needs and desires regarding sustainability to administration, facilitate communication between students, staff and administration. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “If given the chance to serve as sustainability chair, I will work to ensure that our campus is not only aware, but accountable, for the way that we interact with and impact the environment here in Southern California.”
Candidate: Forest Balemian-Spencer Platform: uphold, reform, and mobilize Scripps’ sustainability mission, address the ways by which Scripps can conserve energy and resources, voice campus-related environmental concerns from the student body to administration, encourage student participation in sustainability efforts. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “One of my ideas is to start a monthly sustainability campaign. Each month I would choose an area to focus on and explain ways to become more sustainable in that area.”
Diversity and Inclusion Chair
Faculty Staff Relations Chair
Candidate: Aleah Booker
Candidate: Abby Clarke
Platform: Meet and learn everyone’s name by the end of the year, plan events that promote community and inclusivity amongst the entire class, be an advocate at meetings to ensure that all students’ voices are heard, maintain open communication to bring student-generated programming to life, send monthly emails Excerpts from Personal Statement: “In order to work towards creating a more cohesive community, I think knowing all of its members is crucial since I will serve as an advocate for the class on SAS.”
Platform: Ensure that the needs of underrepresented students are represented and acknowledged, hold Scripps College, specifically PACDI, accountable for changes students have previously brought to the attention of administration, address specific issues related to academics, mental health, and the overall Scripps experience. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I have personally experienced some of the ways in which underrepresentation affects one’s academic progress, mental health, and overall Scripps experience..I seek to hold Scripps accountable for changes marginalized students have already expressed to the institution as measures that are deeply needed.”
The Scripps Associated Students Executive Board candidate speeches were held on Tuesday April 4 at 8pm in Balch Auditorium. Senior class president Kelly Peng ran the event, kicking it off with an emphasis on community. “People always ask me what drew me to Scripps and what I like most about Scripps, and I always tell them it’s the community,” said Peng. “It’s the people here, it’s all of you that make me feel the way I do about Scripps and give me the fire in my belly that makes me want to make things better.” Many of the candidate’s speeches focused on themes including transparency, community, communication, and support for underrepresented groups on campus. Voting opened at 9am on Wednesday, April 5.
Candidates: Julia Gill and Olivia Gilbert
Candidate: Leonida Radford
Student Organizations Commissioner
2017-2018 SAS CANDIDATES
SAS Co-Treasurers
Platform: Communicate to the Board the diverse needs and wants of the student body, serve as a link between students and the Board, collaborate with the current and future RGTs, remain engaged with the many points of view at Scripps. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I understand that we, as Scripps students, are united by the fact that we make up the student population. However, I also understand that we are a dynamic community, a student body full of diverse personalities, passions, and necessities. It is these diversities of thoughts, wants, and needs, that I want to thoughtfully and accurately convey to the Board.”
Second Year Class Representative
7 Candidate: Alix Hunter
CONTESTED
Junior Class Co-Presidents Candidates: Claire Putszta and Nikki Sharma
Platform: Support student initiatives regarding diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility, find a Commencement speaker who represents the values of our class, host meaningful class events, get some class gear, be a student-administration connection. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “We know that the process of approaching administration can be intimidating, and we aim to not only convey and represent your interests to SAS, but also to be resources and make the process of navigating Scripps easier.” Candidates: Casey B. Harris and Jahnavi Kothari Platform: Junior class bonding events, transparent and inclusive planning process for choosing commencement speaker, accessible, inclusive and fun programming, information sessions for Senior Year requirements, connecting with friends studying abroad and conducting debriefs. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “We really want to emphasize that with any sort of programming, accessibility, and inclusivity are really the most important things; we want our events to be welcoming and fun for the entire Scripps community, and we would always be as approachable and open as possible to your suggestions and criticisms.”
Judicial & Academic Review Chair Candidate: Ryan Finley Platform: provide better experiences between students and CAR to ensure that the board takes every petition seriously, gather information from students about their experiences with the Registrar and DOS to ease the difficulties, make academics something you don’t have to give up every part of your being for. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “This position really caught my attention because I want to make Scripps a better environment than it has been for myself and those around me...We pay for this education and should not have to struggle so hard to reap the benefits of whatever major we decide, whatever classes we decide to take.”
Candidate: Désirée Santos Platform: Work directly with students to help them draft and submit the most persuasive and successful petitions possible, to protect the rights and interests of the student body, increase transparency, communication, and outreach. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I would be here for you no matter what to make sure that you feel heard in the Scripps community and so that you are able to achieve all that you want to do here at Scripps.” Candidate: Natalie Lillie Platform: Advocate for students’ voices and needs regarding academic policy, communicate effectively current policies to Scripps students for increased transparency, create a Scripps Student Judicial Committee. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I’m super passionate about the process of restorative justice and I want to implement a system that would make that the norm next year.”
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
Platform: Talk with students to ensure that needs are communicated, increase transparency, form connections with faculty and staff Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I am running today because I have the experience and fortitude to make Scripps the best it can be for everyone. As Faculty Staff Relations chair, I will reach out to students to make sure that their voices are heard and I am more than comfortable communicating these concerns with faculty, staff, and administration.”
5C Events Chair Candidate: Maddy Denton Platform: Organizing and promoting amazing, unforgettable, and safe 5C events, serve as a 5C resource, contact other 5C event coordinating boards to establish community and cohesiveness, encourage more student participation in organizing events Excerpts from Personal Statement: “I chose Scripps because I knew it would be a community where women are empowered to effect change and lead. This is what I am seeking to do as 5C events chair.” Candidate: Ariel Lewis Platform: Foster an environment where community is strengthened through inclusive events that are successfully created and executed and having fun. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “My goal as SAS 5C Events Chair is to create an environment where the 5C community is strengthened through inclusive events that are safe and accessible to everyone, including students who are often glossed over, such as black students, queer students, non-binary students, and indigenous folks. It’s not about creating her story, it’s about creating our story.” Candidate: Faith McDermott Platform: create events that celebrate Scripps’ history while embracing a progressive platform, host events where all attendants feel safe and comfortable, create a strong sense of community among Scrippsies, plan events with student input. Excerpts from Personal Statement: “As someone who definitely had to navigate the social scene and try to remember how to make friendships, I really want to make an environment that inclusive and that is accessible and is fun for all Scripps students, regardless of what their identities are.”
8 • Features
Kimberly Drake
Director and Associate Professor of the Writing Program with Anna Liss-Roy ‘20, Staff Writer
Writing director and professor Kimberly Drake can often be spotted strolling around campus with her golden retriever, Roxie, but she can more often be found working with students in the Humanities building or her Vita Nova office. Drake’s main area of expertise is protest writing and rhetoric, a perspective she has incorporated into many of her classes, including the Writing 50 course, “Writing for Social Change.” Drake grew up in California and attended University of California, Berkeley, where she received a Ph. D in English. Though she always planned to be a writer, Drake found herself en route to becoming a college professor. “A classmate once told me, ‘Being a professor is a really good and relaxing life’ laughs Drake. “Which is really not true at all.” As a college student, Drake found inspiration through her own rage after auditing a class on the book Native Son. “I remember thinking, how did that book make me so angry?” says Drake. “Once I got into [protest literature] I remember thinking to myself, finally! Something I really like!” Along with her published dissertation, Drake
has edited 3 volumes of writing. “I like the idea that professors are writing for undergrads so that they can understand the stuff I write,” said Drake. “We shouldn’t only be writing to each other as professors.” One of her more recent projects has been with Crossroads, a local program providing services for women who have been incarcerated. Drake began working with the Crossroads women in 2009 through mandatory writing workshops that have since led to a published book of recipes entitled Stinging for their Suppers: How Women in Prison Nourish their Bodies and Souls. “We had so much [material] and it got so good,” says Drake. A self-described “public school person,” Drake had taught at Virginia Wesleyan for 8 years before accepting a position at Scripps. “I didn’t really know what it was going to be like,” said Drake. Despite her initial wariness, Drake found many reasons to stay. “Students were not trying to impress each other or be cool, which I had seen a lot before. I said, I am going to do whatever I can to stay here.”
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
Features • 9
ANYA COOPER Part Two: Start Again
A Serial Story by Elizabeth Willsmore
suggested I apply to this incredibly prestigious one called Butcher Engineers Corp., who are known for their work on sustainable homebuilding and ere hours after the call, Anya was startled awake by the blaring of the likes. Well anyhow they called back and want to interview me for a her alarm clock. Groaning in exhaustion, she reached across her full-time position, saying it’s between me and this other applicant, and nightstand to her phone, hitting the “Done” sign and flopping back onto that they’d choose based on our ‘future conversations.’” her pillows. All at once, memories of the mornings events came flooding As she was speaking, Anya felt her nerves quiet and her words come out back; the nightmare, the flashback, Gramps’ frantic cries for help, and that slower, more clearly. Gramps warm, solid body beside her radiated heat bizarre phone call from the woman with the smooth voice. and stability, its unflappable strength seeming to flow across the couch “Maybe it was all just a dream,” Anya murmured to herself, as she reached and into her. up to rub the sleep from her eyes. Wearily, she stretched and got out of bed, “You want that job, right?” Gramps began after she’d recounted her grabbing her phone to check the time on the way to the shower. As she dilemma. flipped through her messages, a note under “Recent calls” caught her eye. Anya nodded slowly. At the very top of the list was the label “Unknown, 4:30 am, Received.” “Well, then it’s simple, you tell yourself that you’re gonna get it, that Anya’s hand froze over the screen, her heart began to beat harder against you’ll go in, talk to them, and they’ll love you and hire you.” her chest, and her fingers hovering above the telltale evidence. “But Gramps, what if I do all that and they still don’t pick me? What if Dropping her phone on her bed, Anya sprinted across the hallway and I blow my shot at this??” Anya felt the knot tightening in her throat again into her bathroom, slamming the door behind her. as her voice caught at the end. She felt her heart drop like a stone into the pit of Taking her hands in his firm larger ones, Gramps her stomach, her blood chilled at even the thought looked Anya right in the eyes, his gaze surer than of going to the meeting like that horrible woman she could ever remember. suggested. As her panicked breath quickened, Anya “If they don’t love you, it’s their loss, cherub,” he heard Gramps’ voice in her head asking calmly, spoke softly but certainly, no a trace of doubt in his “alright cherub, now what are you going to do.” eyes. “But if you don’t go to the interview, if you’re At this, Anya’s breathing quieted, and her racing so scared to fail you can’t even begin, you’re doing heart began to still. “It’s gonna be ok,” she whispered yourself a discredit. You’d take away your chance to herself, willing the panic down. “What would to succeed before it even started.” Gramps’ steely Gramps do, Anya? Just do what Gramps would do.” blue eyes seemed to burn as he spoke those words, As her pulse leveled out, Anya thought back to all surprising Anya with its intensity. those years ago, when, as a newly minted engineer, “But what if I still fail,” she whispered faintly. she’d applied for her first real job and was called in “How could I live with knowing I’d let everyone for an interview. Even then, before the accident, the down?” panic she always felt when meeting strangers had threatened to overwhelm “Well then, Anya,” Gramps replied, his back creaking as he stood up her, rising in her throat like a slowly building tidal wave. It was Gramps and began walking towards the doorway, “you’ll just have to pick yourself who’d found her on the living room couch, hyperventilating and staring back up and start again.” at the floor in an attempt to calm her shaking limbs. Anya repeated those words as she stood in the bathroom that morning, “I can’t do it Gramps,” she choked out between gasps. “How can I be waiting to decide whether or not to go to that godawful meeting. She an engineer when I’m so scared of failing I overthink something as simple remembered Gramps’ voice, its soothing baritone, and of those two words, as a job interview?” start again. Anya shuddered as she recalled how that woman had known “Alright little cherub,” Gramps murmured calmly as he settled onto the about the Sea Wall, about Gramps, about everything. couch next to her. “Why don’t you start by telling me the whole story, eh?” Suddenly, she felt a slight pressure on her shoulder, a warmth that Trying to quell the her hysteria, Anya drew in one shuddering breath radiated outwards like one of Gramps hugs. Glancing at the shower, Anya before beginning her tale. “Well see, I applied to several different companies took a deep breath, slowly coming to the realization that yes, she would who’d put out ads for structural engineers, mainly working on building, attend this strange meeting. If not for herself, then at least for Gramps. ah” here the gasps caught in her throat for a moment, “wing stability and She owed him that. fluctuation of fighter jets. I mostly chose smaller companies, but my advisor
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It was Gramps who’d found her on the living room couch, hyperventilating and staring at the floor in an attempt to calm her shaking limbs.
Illustration courtesy of J. J. Lankes.
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
10 • Features
film
review ********** By Ali Bush ‘19 Film Columnist
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0th Century Women” (2016) is a sunstreaked collection of experiences and anecdotes of three women and a teenage boy set in 1979 Santa Barbara. Told through the experience of a 15-year-old boy named Jamie, the film is an ode to writer-director Mike Mills’s own childhood and the women that inspired him. His mother Dorothea (Annette Bening) is at the crux of the film, as she enlists in two young women, Abbie (Gretta Gerwig) and Julie (Elle Fanning) to help guide and raise Jamie to be a good man. Set in an era when gender roles were just beginning to be criticized, the film tackles important questions of gender roles and how they play out among the messiness of real life. While the film is heartwarming, nostalgic, and masterly questioning, the film ends up being more of a string of beautifully captured experiences rather than a film with a clear aim or message. The only conflict in this almost nonnarrative film is Dorothea’s concern for her teenage son, Jamie, a sensitive loner who has grown up without his father for most of his life. To teach her son how to be a good man, she enlists in a talented cast. Abbie (played by the effortlessly interesting Greta Gerwig) is a post-punk, fiery redheaded photographer who rents one of Dorothea’s rooms and faces tribulations of her own, as she faces the consequences of having cervical cancer. Julie (played by an always cool Elle Fanning) is Jamie’s best friend who flirts with all the local boys instead of returning Jamie’s affection. Dorothea (Annette Bening) bridges generations as she is a free spirited mom of the 70s who lets her son skip school, but also a woman of earlier decades who admits she got married too early, cringes at punk music and refuses to give up her cigarettes. All situated in one dilapidated Victorian house, these characters are what bring life to the movie, as it really has no aim whatsoever. Set in the late seventies, the film perfectly illustrates California at the end of the counterculture era and the looming transition into the yuppie culture of Regan’s 80s. While the film is obviously an aesthetically pleasing journey through this era, filled with VW vans, halter tops, and Talking Heads tracks, this era situates the characters in a unique position within feminism. Already familiar with militant feminism of the early seventies, Abbie and Julie clearly grapple with how to translate the glory of Gloria Steinem into real life. Despite the lack of a real message,
it becomes clear that the women simply teach Jamie about respect and sensitivity. Despite the adorable scenes of these misfits acting like a family, it was disappointing to find after watching 5 minutes of the movie, that a film named “20th Century Women” is centered around a male. Although the characters deal with the important task of deconstructing masculinity, the women in this film often sacrifice their emotional needs in order to fulfill the idealistic task of raising Jamie in an honorable way. Although Mills portrays these women with nuance and sincerity, it still pains me to see that this beautiful film was created by a man, and not a 20th century woman. Despite having no aim, the film is relatable and movie. Perhaps its anti-climactic nature is closer to the truth, as life is filled with so many messy, sad, and joyous moments. It becomes clear at towards the end of the film that even though the entire film is centered around teaching Jamie about life, each resilient woman learns about their own lives.
Photo courtesy of ComingSoon.net
Photo courtesy of Hollywood Reporter.
6 April, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Seven
Features • 11
“so you want to write a book:”
A SCRIPPS SEMINAR HOSTED BY 2 LITERARY AGENTS By Rhiannon Schaub ‘20 Staff Writer
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any a student at the Claremont colleges is an avid lover of books (apart from the time spent poring over class texts), and a large portion of those students secretly dream of writing a book. After all, what could be more gratifying than seeing your name elegantly printed across the cover of a paperback in Barnes & Noble? But the confounding problem is… well, how to actually get published. In our heads we imagine the shadow of a nameless and intimidating figure sitting behind the publisher’s desk, critically eyeing our soul-baring manuscript-- and then tossing it into the reject pile with a mere flick of their all-mighty wrist. Ouch. Luckily, Janet Kobobel Grant and Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency came to the rescue in “So You Want to Write a Book”, a two-day seminar series on book publishing hosted by Scripps Career Planning & Resources in the Humanities Building on March 23rd and 24th. Over the course of their time at Scripps, Janet and Wendy cleared away the impenetrable fog surrounding the publishing world, personalizing the classroom atmosphere by sharing anecdotes about everything from their One especially colorful example of a love of tea to the most cringe-worthy failed query featured the line “pounding business queries they had received. her fists into the tear-stained floor”, which the agents noted as not only unprofessional language for a business letter, but also an indirect over-promise of the writer’s own literary abilities. The best query example they gave starred a brief, professional format and a compelling hook. More than the writer’s resume and past accomplishments, Janet explains that an original storyline and stellar writing abilities are the selling points for taking on a client. The class itself covered a diverse array of topics, one of which was the role of a literary agent. Janet and Wendy explained how every week they look over a landslide of emails sent by hundreds of hopeful writers, and that from these they must mine out the gems with enough potential to represent and pitch to publishing companies. “An agent is only as good as their gut,” Janet confides to the class. Wendy adds that, since they are the main point of contact between the
author and the publishers, “the agent is the center of an ever-turning universe”. Janet and Wendy also bestowed one other tip upon the prospective book writers: make a trip to the bookstore to figure out exactly where your book would be placed. Because of the alphabetized system, it can be of great significance whether the first letter of your last name lands you low or high on the shelves. They advised the students to be aware that sales are influenced by the little things, and factors such as a clear genre, an appropriate title, and an attractive cover cannot be overlooked. Overall, this two-day seminar was not only informative and insightful, but resulted in the free gift of Janet and Wendy’s new book The Inside Scoop: Two Agents Dish On Getting Published, which was published and made available on Amazon just a few days before their visit to Scripps. The streamlined format makes it a quick read, and each chapter supplies original insight and helpful instructions for those on the path to publishing.
2 February, 2017 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XX • Issue Five