College Voice Vol. XLI No. 7
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Connecticut College Digital Commons @ Connecticut College 2017-2018 Student Newspapers 2-6-2018 College Voice Vol. XLI No. 7 Connecticut College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/ccnews_2017_2018 Recommended Citation Connecticut College, "College Voice Vol. XLI No. 7" (2018). 2017-2018. 6. https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/ccnews_2017_2018/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in 2017-2018 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 VOLUME XLI • ISSUE 7 THE COLLEGE VOICE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1977 Title IX: Does It Take a Village, or Just Lack a Leader? Amar-Olkus Max of courtesy Photo GRACE AMATO this conversation at this time,” CONTRIBUTOR but appreciates the invitation to speak. As both Title IX co- As Spring 2018 begins, it re- ordinator and Associate Dean mains unknown when Conn of Institutional Equity and In- will get a permanent, full-time clusion, McNeely Cobham will Title IX coordinator. Senior continue to work with com- Associate Dean of Student Life plaints of discrimination on Sarah Cardwell broke the news the basis of race, sexual orien- in a bullet point of an email tation, ability, and other aspects titled “Student Handbook No- of identity, as well as main- tice”: the temporary role was taining work in Unity House, shifted from Dean of Institu- the Womxn’s Center, and the tional Equity and Inclusion LGBTQIA center. Additional- John McKnight to Associate ly, McNeely Cobham will now The Mysterious Ways of the Walter Commons Dean of Institutional Equity oversee issues specifically relat- brings to mind the language novative, others comparing and Inclusion B. Afeni Mc- ed to Title IX, including sexual MAIA HIBBETT of efficiency. The round- or it to a “Bond villain’s living Neely Cobham. The style of the harassment and assault. Ac- EDITOR IN CHIEF ange couches make me think room” or a “nineties disco.” announcement left some stu- “streamline;” the glass-pan- The transformation of the cording to McKnight, McNeely Its look is bold yet mini- dents concerned, as Title IX is eled collaboration rooms say first floor of Blaustein, which Cobham’s role as the Associ- malistic; its name, the oppo- “synergy.” began with little warning on an essential legislative tool in ate Dean of Equity and Inclu- site. Although the Otto and Student reactions to the Oct. 2, 2017 and was com- combating sexual assault and sion “was already dedicated to Fran Walter Commons for Walter Commons have been pleted before the start of misconduct. In the wake of Global Study and Engage- looking at our bias response on mixed, with some calling the spring semester, raised the #MeToo movement, Title ment may be a mouthful, the campus, and it just made sense the space beautiful and in- IX seems more important than to have them also think about space’s ergonomic aesthetic CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 ever, as sexual misconduct con- Title IX complaints because the tinues to be a prominent topic processes are very similar even of discussion on college cam- if the nature of the complaints puses, and yet Conn’s change in are different.” New Medicaid Work Requirements and coordinator was presented with Some students, however, have little warning or emphasis. concerns about adding Title IX Lockouts Threaten Lives of Thousands Though she was recently ap- insurance programs for programs and services as the to McNeely Cobham’s exist- JENNIFER SKOGLUND pointed to the most pivotal role the elderly and the poor. backbone of a socially just ing responsibilities. For Emma OPINIONS EDITOR in the enforcement of Title IX, Race ’18, this feels like a “way Johnson envisioned that nation finds its antithesis McNeely Cobham responded to avoid real structural change,” In July of 1965, Lyndon the sweeping reforms of today in the social vision of to requests for comment on especially because students B. Johnson signed into law his presidency would make the Trump administration, her new title by stating that she the Social Security Amend- possible a “Great Society” which seeks to eliminate vir- is “not prepared to engage in ments, establishing Medi- in America, a future free of tually every public-funded CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 care and Medicaid, health economic and racial injus- social service and destroy tice. Johnson’s vision of public IN THIS ISSUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 NEWS OPINIONS ARTS ARTS Jozette Moses provides Jillian Noyes considers Aster Max Amar-Olkus reflects Charlie King and Sam background on the Gilbert’s interventions in on the distasteful evolution Weisenthal review albums #MeToo and Time’s Up “microporn” research on of once-beloved Dave debuting at home and movements on page 4. page 7. Chappelle on page 11. abroad on page 14. THE COLLEGE VOICE 2 • EDitOR’S DesK FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Conn on Fox: Is Viral News Really News? THE COLLEGE VOICE The views and opinions expressed in The College Voice are strictly those of stu- dent authors, and not of Connecticut College. All content and editorial decisions For a college that’s mainly on the left, but not by any means the most radical, we remain in the hands of the students; neither the College’s administration nor its sure get picked up by the right wing a lot. There was the fame/infamy of the “Sean faculty exercise control over the content. Sphincter” nickname. There was the dubbing of Conn “Hamas West” by conser- vative think tank Frontpage Magazine. And now, there’s a syllabus disclaimer gone viral. Maia Hibbett ’18 When I heard that the College was featured on Tucker Carlson Tonight, my first Editor in Chief instinct was to seize the opportunity of Conn in the spotlight. The news reached me via screenshot from Max, the Voice’s Creative Director, who also sent along the Dana Gallagher ’19 Instagram post from @oldrowofficial that helped a note from one Conn syllabus Managing Editor spread all over the Internet. Most readers have probably already seen the note, but for anyone who hasn’t, it reads: Trigger alert: I will try to present the various competing economic theories as well and fairly as I can. However, I must admit that I find conservative classical EDITORIAL BOARD theories to be pretty inadequate in explaining the economic events of the past decade. Moreover, I think our current President is mentally ill, a pathological Price Day ’19 liar, and a very dangerous aspiring dictator; a pathetic racist too. Some teachers Hannah Johnston ’18 think it is best to hide how they really think about these sorts of issues. I do not; News Editors I think it is best to let students know where I am coming from. Students who are upset with my views may want to consider taking Introductory Macroeco- Lauren Baretta ’18 nomics from another professor. Jennifer Skoglund ’18 To anyone familiar with Carlson and his politics, it’s clear why he’d take issue with Opinions Editors this statement, written by Professor of Economics Spencer Pack. (To anyone who isn’t familiar with Carlson: he’s on Fox News.) And regarding what Pack expresses Sophia Angele-Kuehn ’20 in the note, I’m generally in agreement: I don’t like Trump either; I’m not crazy James Murray ’18 about conservative classical economic theories, based on the vague understanding Arts Editors I have of them; and I believe that professors can and should be honest about their opinions, as long as they present them in a productive way. The only reason I was Max Amar-Olkus ’19 and am reluctant to write about the note is due to the nature of the attention it re- ceived, which leads me to question whether it’s responsible or worthwhile to spend Creative Director our time on it. Like I mentioned earlier, Pack’s syllabus went viral because of an Instagram post by “Old Row Official,” an account supposedly dedicated to comedy and leisure but MANAGING STAFF mostly consisting of misogyny, racism, and other unpleasant aspects of frat culture. As my friend and Voice cruciverbalist Eleanor succinctly put it, the content on Old Emir Kulluk ’21 Row’s Instagram page is “primarily butts.” After Old Row publicized Pack’s syllabus, Conn’s Instagram suffered. Most of Business Manager the recent posts by @conncollege are now riddled with comments that start with “MAGA” and get worse from there. In terms of public image, this isn’t great for Hallie Carmen ’18 the College. Social media accounts serve as all-but essential PR, and if a video of Web Manager Katherine Bergeron and her comically large scissors gets taken over by bigoted comments, it kind of detracts from the point. Emily Rubin ’20 While usually I’m one of the people trying to dig up information the College Katey Vesta ’21 doesn’t want exposed, in this case, the controversy seems like a cheap shot. I would Social Media Coordinators definitely be interested in hearing Professor Pack’s thoughts on the matter, as well as the reactions from some of his students—I would even run an article about it. But to focus only on Old Row and its “jokes, hot takes, [and] babes” or Tucker Carlson’s always-yelling style of coverage would give credence to a side that, in my CONTACT US opinion, deserves none. I’ll acknowledge it here because it is interesting, but it sure [email protected] isn’t intellectual debate.