THE CLiMAX hampshire college december 11, 2009 volume Xii issue 6 Citing “broken system,” QCA Winter graduates cancels Drag Ball By emily drummer Drag Ball is traditionally held us.” Staff Writer during spring semester as an act QCA’s statement alleges that of resistance to mainstream cul- certain groups are receiving pri- ampshire’s Queer Com- ture and gender binaries, but some ority funding over others. Among Hmunity Alliance (QCA) is- believe the nature of the dance it- the groups mentioned was the sued a statement via Facebook on self to be problematic. QCA sign- Cheese Club, who received nine December 2 announcing the can- er Cyree Johnson contends that times more funding than the QCA cellation of its annual Drag Ball in “Drag Ball, in its current form, re- from FiCom last year, although protest of what signer Mike Wolf ally does more to exclude queer this number does not include calls “a very broken system.” The people on this campus than it COCA-funded events—for which statement calls for more funding, does to include them.” Many feel the QCA was granted thousands. educational workshops, and safer that the dance has been reduced Johnson and Wolf said that a con- sex supplies. It also demands for to a night of hyper-sexualized flict with the Cheese Club was “Community Council (CC) to be partying, trivializing the nature not intentional, and that “it’s not held accountable for their favor- of drag and undermining its orig- like we hate the cheese club or we itism and embezzlement”—accu- inally subversive message. hate cheese. We’re distinguishing sations that come only a month Johnson believes that Drag Ball between recreation groups and after Committee on Community should remain cancelled regard- identity-based groups that are Activities (COCA) co-chair Sam less of funding. “I don’t think that used to represent the school.” Light was found to have misused COCA stepping in and funding us COCA co-chair Kalei Sabarat- Student Activities Funds (SAF). or [President] Ralph Hexter step- nam maintains, “Our job is not However, Wolf urges the commu- ping in and funding us is going to prioritize groups” and argues nity that Drag Ball’s cancellation to help queer people as a whole that the QCA’s allegations of fa- is part of a much larger issue: the because regardless of workshops, voritism are further complicated administration’s failure to pro- they’re going to keep kicking by the fact that ten out of twelve vide adequate funding for identi- us around. If you can’t keep our COCA members identify as queer. ty-based groups on campus while community safe, we’re not going Additionally, Section F of the photo by jo nguyen/the climaX simultaneously using the groups to put on this party for a bunch committee’s bylaws, titled “Im- An example of some of the fine work done by students set to graduate in to promote Hampshire as a queer- of straight people to hangout and partiality,” states that “Officers February. See page 8 for full article. friendly safe space. dress in drag and sexually harass See IDENTITY-BASED, page 3 Community Council approves stipends for officers By henry parr dent Activities Fund; the total sum of the is “absolutely merit in acknowledging that award stipends and that “if it turned into a Managing Editor stipends is $5,500 (if every officer took there is a difference.” COCA co-chair Sam pattern of cyclical corruption the business their stripend). Light furthered this by saying that, “the office could just not award them.” Pohevitz ast tuesday, December 2, Communi- After each committee presented their added responsibility warrants a higher also noted that the council had also en- Lty Council voted and approved this se- stipend proposal, Catherine Craig, the Sec- stipend.” sured that officers weren’t being paid twice mester’s stipends for council officers. The retary of Community Council, motioned Craig highlighted this point in a con- when they “put in the bylaws that you motion passed 8-2, with one abstention. that the council approve the proposed sti- versation held after the meeting, giving couldn’t be elected for two [positions].” The final vote gave stipends of varying pend amounts, and COCD Rep. Emily Ry- the example that “[the] SafeCom Co-Chair Certainly, however, the discussion over amounts to the officers of the Committee an seconded the motion. The motion was works a whole lot less than someone on stipends comes into new context with the on Community Development (COCD), the blocked quickly by Community Council’s COCA,” and that while she views SafeCom recent misuse of SAF funds by COCA Co- Committee on Community Activities (CO- Communications Officer, Ella Wind. as a valuable and important committee, the Chair Sam Light and complaints made this CA), the Safety Committee (SafeCom), the Some council members voiced concern question remains, “How do we compen- week by QCA over their being denied ade- Financial Committee (FiCom), and Com- that stipend amounts differ by committee. sate people for their time and their ener- quate funding from COCA and FiCom. munity Council. Each committee internal- While the Co-Chairs of COCD will receive gy?” Ryan, who also spoke with The Climax, When it came to a vote for the first time, ly discussed their stipends and proposed a a stipend of $250, the Director of FiCom said, “There are people who do a whole lot the motion to approve stipends as ini- final figure in the council meeting. will receive $700. more work than other people, they should tially proposed by each committee failed The largest stipends, at the amount After the meeting, Chair of Community be compensated more.” to pass, with a final count of 4-3, with 4 of $700, will be awarded to the Director Council Dee Dee Desir said, “I think that Desir also brought up the consistent in- abstentions. of FiCom and to the Co-Chairs of COCA. every position that has a similar title, as crease in stipends. “Last fall semester, there Desir then offered an alternative solu- However, one of the COCA chairs, Sam far as a chair of the standing committee, were only three positions being funded in tion, motioning that all officers be paid Light, has already turned down his stipend. should have the same [stipend] because COCA. This spring semester, four positions the same amount, $450, which Wind sec- $400 will be awarded to both the financial all the standing committees are the same.” are being funded in COCA. You just see onded. This was put to a vote after Po- director of COCA and of FiCom. $250 will Desir continued by saying that “giving dif- this steady adding of positions, adding of hevitz blocked, and it found little support be awarded to the Co-Chairs of COCD and ferent individuals different amounts holds amounts.” throughout the discussion. Desir’s mo- SafeCom and to the secretaries of COCA certain standing committees to a different This years stipends, however, are not a tion to award all officers the same stipend and FiCom. Community Council proposed level.” significant increase to last years, and mem- failed to pass 2-6, with 3 abstentions. a flat stipend of $450 for all its members: During the meeting, however, members bers also argued that there are a number of On November 16, Community Coun- the Chair, Communications Officer, Facili- argued that the different committees have catches put in place to stop council from cil held an open event, the “Big Block of tator, and Secretary. different responsibilities. SafeCom repre- unjustly raising stipends. Light pointed out Cheese Night.” Numerous students at All stipends will come out of the Stu- sentative Leanna Pohevitz said that there that the business office has the final call to See STIPENDS, page 2 in News: QCA calls off Drag Ball (1), Community Council stipends (1), Art Barn burglary ( OpiNion: Queer Bowl viewpoints (3), Ornia and encryption (4) this Features: Basketball double-header (5), Richard Rushfield memoir review (5), February graduates (8) issue arts & EntertaiNmeNt: Sound Thoughts on holiday music (6), 41 shows reviewed (6), Benevento Trio tribute (7) 2 the climaX news volume Xii, issue 6 Officers granted stipend; two of Arts Barn burglarized, them decline student work stolen Continued from front page look into the ethical issue of paying ourselves out of the event brought up the topic of stipends, some the SAF (Student Activities Fund)” Wind also explic- of whom wondered whether they should even be itly voiced her opinion of stipends saying “I don’t re- awarded at all. ally support stipends for council, period.” Wind said of the open event that “it was pretty Saucier proposed holding an all-community meet- unanimous. The vast majority of the students that ing about stipends but did not find support from the came said, ‘We don’t understand why you have sti- council. pends.’” Wind cites this as a reason why she initially FiCom Director then Daniel Erickson motioned voted against the motion. “For me, that’s a really big that the stipends, initially proposed at the beginning factor, and that really influences my decision and of the meeting, be approved, with the caveat that a makes me more secure in saying that I don’t support stipends meeting be held early next semester. Light stipends.” seconded. The motion passed as Wind changed her The “Big Block of Cheese Night,” however, was vote, and three of the abstentions voted in support of not the first time that stipends have been called into the proposed stipend amounts. question by students or committee members.