A Hamilton College Student Publication, Clinton, NY April 9, 2009 Volume XLIX Number 21 THE SPECTATOR Community Holds Concerned Students Candlelight Call Out to Faculty by Ezra A. Rosenberg ’10 facilitate some event and further NEWS EDITOR discussion that addresses these is- sues by the end of the semester.” Vigil The Fillius Events Barn bal- Hamilton Faculty meetings cony could not hold all of the stu- are open to the public, but strictly dents who organized at Tuesday follow Roberts’ Rules of Order, afternoon’s faculty meeting to de- which specifically call for the chair clare, “We need you to stand with of the meeting to initiate all debate us…We need you to take action.” within the quorum. 10 of the con- Students shield candles Students, who described them- cerned students delayed the start selves as “concerned students,” of the meeting when they stood at from the wind during declared that they are offended the front of the seated faculty and Saturday night’s vigil by College officials’ lack of action read a series of statements. in memory of those and lack of response to a growing The 39 statements highlighted who have died cross- number of campus events which how student have been offended ing the U.S. Border. they described as “hate speech.” and citied both events and racially (See pages 10-13 for Students contended that fac- insensitive terms that have been ulty support is needed. Corinne used on campus. The students full coverage of student Bancroft ’09 read and submitted concluded in unison saying, “We reaction.) an open letter to the faculty calling demand action.” PHOTO BY CHRIS EATon ’11 on them “to pass a motion laying The faculty meeting proceeded Memorial Held Outside “Mexican Night” on Saturday concrete plans for moving forward. as normal, and it appeared the fac- We hope that you, either as a body, ulty would begin debating edits to by Julia Mulcrone ’11 its location in the Tolles Pavilion ous faculty members. (Urgo also a group of individuals, or with the NEWS WRITER (Annex), a fact that led to specula- stopped by the party.) Said Jose aid of an outside organization, will see Students Express, page 3 tion that the vigil was also a protest Iraheta ’11, a student involved “As human beings, we have of the party. in the organization of the event, a moral obligation not to attend Around 10 p.m., the 50 or so “All of this was rigged up in two this party,” read a flyer distribut- people participating in the vigil or three days, but we’re still proud Former Child Soldier ed throughout campus regarding began to gather at the bottom of of what we’ve done.” Regarding Delta Phi’s 53rd annual “Mexican the stairs next to the Events Barn. faculty presence at the vigil, Assis- Night” party. The flyer urged the Despite the rain, those participat- tant Professor of Sociology Jenny Raps on War in Darfur Hamilton community to participate ing moved outside to the entrance Irons said, “Faculty support for by Kerry Q. Coughlin ’11 writing to tell his story. “I swal- in a vigil in lieu of attending the in front of the Annex with lit can- students of color on this campus is NEWS WRITER low my own pride and sacrifice event. Many members of the com- dles. After a few words from an widespread and strong, and many my own story to be a voice for munity have taken offense to the organizer reminding everyone that of us are very concerned about the Few, if any, Hamilton stu- those who can’t speak,” began invitations that promoted the event “[their] actions [were] not going to impact the incident will have on dents have childhood memories Jal. By “those who can’t speak,” (including the flyer’s publishers, go unnoticed,” participants held a these students and on the campus of fighting for a rebel army in a Jal was referring to the millions Hamilton student members of the moment of silence in remembrance community as a whole.” war-torn nation. Emmanuel Jal, of people whose lives have been migrant aid organization No More of those who have died crossing After the performances ended who spoke to the Hamilton com- destroyed by the conflict and civil Deaths). This controversy has ig- the border. around midnight, those interested munity on Thursday, April 2, war in Darfur, Sudan. nited a heated debate on campus. The vigil attendees then con- were invited to stand at the en- shared his experience as a former Jal was born in southern Su- In response to the invitations, gregated in the Events Barn for trances to the party holding signs Sudanese child soldier who has students from a number of campus student performances that includ- with words such as, “I don’t feel found an outlet in rapping and see Jal, page 18 organizations came together to or- ed poetry, speeches and singing. safe here,” “I don’t feel respected” ganize a vigil that was, according Some performers supplemented and “I don’t feel my voice is heard.” to an all campus e-mail from the their creative work by shar- Standing both outside the entrance Social Justice Initiative (SJI), “in ing personal stories concerning to the Annex and on the Beinecke honor of the 4,000 or more people immigration. stairs leading down to the Annex, who have lost their lives crossing Vigil organizers seemed hap- vigil participants made sure that our southern border since 1994 py with the turnout that, in addi- partygoers would have to pass and their families.” The vigil was tion to students, included Acting through their signs and acknowl scheduled for the same time as President Joe Urgo, Dean of Stu- “Mexican Night” and held close to dents Nancy Thompson and vari- see Invitation, page 3 Ward Churchill Wins Case Scandal over academic dishonesty originated at Hamilton by Kate Tummarello ’11 vestigation by the University into victims of the World Trade Cen- MANAGING EDITOR his academic research. Churchill ter attacks deserved their fate, an was then terminated based on issue first brought to light in the When University of Colo- academic misconduct. He filed Hamilton controversy. The jury rado professor Ward Churchill and recently won a wrongful agreed with Churchill, finding last was invited to speak at Hamilton termination lawsuit against the week that his political views had PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNICATION & DEVELOPMENT in the spring of 2005, a contro- University of Colorado. been an influential factor in his Emmanuel Jal speaks to students about the violence versial essay he had written led Representatives from the termination. in Darfur, Sudan on Thursday, April 2 in the Chapel. to national outcry, spurred by Bill University of Colorado argued The investigation was or- O’Reilly, against him and the that the termination was solely dered by the university’s Board NEWS: 40 Years of Women on the Hill 2 College. The College cancelled based on his academic dishon- of Regents and conducted by a the event due to threats of vio- esty. Churchill, on the other committee of faculty members. FEATURES: Daily Bull Probation Prank 16 lence against Churchill, and the hand, contended that it was in This committee found evidence SCIENCE & TECH: Do it in the Dark 21 attention that the essay brought to response to a controversial essay Churchill’s work resulted in an in- in which he insinuates that the see Jury Cites, page 2 INSIDESPORTS: Lax Updates 22 April 9, 2009 Page 1 NEWS THE SPECTATOR College Celebrates 40 Years of Women on the Hill by Haley Riemer-Peltz ’12 consisted of panels discussing the K’72 and Lars Nielsen ‘77. The pan- traditional classroom settings. She Shapiro Harberson explained NEWS WRITER “Kirkland Generation,” the “Kirk- elists discussed their experiences of sought to take at least one class on originally liking the overall Hamil- land Endowment and Legacy,” and the merging of the two cultures, and the Hamilton campus per semes- ton aura, but not really appreciating In celebrating the 40th anniver- “40 Years of Women on the Hill.” of relations between the two groups ter. “At the time the two colleges Kirkland until she got here. “It felt sary of Kirkland College’s establish- “The Kirkland Generation” of alumni since graduating. had very different educational phi- good to know that there were pro- ment, alumni and current students was a panel discussion of the “The Kirkland Endowment” losophies,” she commented. The gressive ideas coming from the dark paid tribute to Kirkland’s influ- Hamilton/Kirkland dynamic over and Legacy was an open discussion experience at Kirkland was cen- side, and that Kirkland had a big in- ence on Hamilton. This past Satur- the school’s ten-year life span. The of this significant piece of Kirkland tered on women—“Everything was fluence on Hamilton,” she stated. day, April 4, there were programs panel, moderated by Shelley Cow- still operating on the hill today. The women,” she described. “If it was Shapiro Harberson’s mention throughout the day discussing the an K’75, included Professor Frank program was led by Acting Presi- an English class, it was women in of the dark side sparked the next integration of women on the Hill Anechiarico ’71, Peter Arturi ’75, dent Joe Urgo and Vice President for literature, if it was sociology, it was topic of discussion: where did the and the Kirkland legacy. The events Maureen Fellows ‘80, Jennie Morris Communications and Development women in society.” terms “light side” and “dark side” Richard Tantillo. Chestnut, who originally originate and what are their con- “40 Years of Women on the thought she was applying to Kirk- notations? Horowitz explained a Hill” featured a panel of five wom- land, had an experience that was common myth that there had been a en—an alumnus from each decade very different from Aisenson’s.