By Claire Joshi ‘21
Herald Staff
On March 5, it was announced that Gianna Gonzalez ’20 won the March 2 election for the new William Smith Junior Trustee. On March 9, Edens Fleurizard ’20 was announced as the new Hobart Junior Trustee following a run-off election. Continue reading Meet the William Smith Trustee
The author of this piece requested that it be published anonymously as it contains sensitive and personal reflection “What do you do on the weekends? Get hammered and go home with someone?” This disrespectful and generalized comment was made to me by a male student on the yellow couches of the first floor of the library, a public space for all to use. Following that … Continue reading Respect on Campus: Power of the Human Voice
By Professor H. Wesley Perkins
Department of Sociology
I write in response to Phoebe MacCurrach’s March 2, 2018 Herald article titled “HWS Social Norms and Just Facts.” Ms. MacCurrach is not happy about the 20% of students who engage in unintended sexual activity as a result of drinking during the academic year, the 27% who are not offended by sexist comments, and the 21% who do not use a designated non-drinking driver.” Neither am I, nor are others who work in the field of health promotion and risk prevention, nor most people who simply care about themselves and others. I applaud her concern about these potentially harmful behaviors. I wish she had taken the simple step and a few minutes of her time, however, to speak with me or my colleague, David Craig, about our Just Facts information (we routinely invite students to do so and our doors are open) before launching her apparently uninformed critique of our work. Continue reading Letter to the Editor 4-6-18
By Phoebe MacCurrach ‘18
Herald Staff
On the Friday before spring break at noon, President Gregory Vincent ’83 sent out an email with the subject “Diversity of thought and the First Amendment Right to freedom of speech.” The email addresses his belief in the importance of complying with the community standards, he even included a link to an online version. Continue reading Free Speech Discourse on Campus
By Dan Bristol
Managing Editor
Through a decisive vote last week, the Classes of 2018 decided to make this year’s commencement ceremony on May 13th a joint ceremony with Hobart and William Smith students sitting and graduating together. This marks the second year in a row that students from both schools will be seated together, returning to a graduation arrangement more familiar to President Vincent ’83 and his peers from the 70s and 80s. Continue reading Classes of 2018 to Have Joint Graduation Seating
As policy, the Herald follows Associated Press guidelines and does “not generally identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted…except in unusual circumstances.” The four interviews with survivors of sexual misconduct on this campus were conducted on the record, and the Herald will not identify those victims of sexual assault and harassment. Instead we have given them the opportunity to choose a pseudonym with … Continue reading A Culture of Respect?
By Grace Ruble ’21
Herald Staff
March 8, 2018 was International Women’s Day. This year, many Hobart and William Smith students celebrated by participating in a walkout and rally on the Coxe steps and then marching to a rally in downtown Geneva. The walkout and Coxe steps rally were organized by a group of William Smith students including Hilda Agyekum, Kerry Bartholomae, Madeline Cook, Bex Czajkowski, Loretta Hauslauer, Alex Holmes, Sydney Hummel, Lara Johnson, Megan Mahar, Morgan Neils and Ainsley Rhodes. Continue reading William Smith Walkout
As policy, the Herald follows Associated Press guidelines and does “not generally identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted…except in unusual circumstances.” The four interviews with survivors of sexual misconduct on this campus were conducted on the record, and the Herald will not identify those victims of sexual assault and harassment. Instead we have given them the opportunity to choose a pseudonym with … Continue reading Reporting Concerns: Survivors Describe Experiences with the Office of Title IX
By Ryan Skinner ‘19 Staff Writer On March 21, while students were enjoying Spring Break, a bombshell struck HWS. An anonymous email signed by “A Professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges” was sent to Professor Scott Brophy, Professor Tom Drennen, Professor Steve Penn, and senior officials at the University of Pennsylvania as well as news agencies such as The New York Times, Washington Post, … Continue reading Board Investigates President Vincent
By The Herald News Team On July 12 2014, The New York Times published an article on the front page of its Sunday edition titled “Reporting Rape, and Wishing She Hadn’t: How One College Handled a Sexual Assault Complaint” that specifically focused on the adjudication process of the alleged rape of a first-year student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The article was preceded by a … Continue reading Four Years Later: the Herald Investigates Sexual Misconduct Response at HWS
By Quinn Cullum ’18 News Editor As announced on February 9, John Grotzinger ’79 will be giving the Commencement address for the classes of 2018. He studied Geoscience, was a member of the Hobart Lacrosse team, and a brother in Theta Delta Chi while at Hobart. Now an accomplished geoscientist and an endowed chair at CalTech, he upholds the liberal arts philosophy and he reflected … Continue reading Journey Beyond: An Interview with John Grotzinger ’79
By Dominique DeRubeis ‘18 and Ryan Skinner ‘19 Herald Contributors What is it like to be a member of the Budget Allocations Committee? In one word: frustrating. In many more words: a unique opportunity to maximize opportunities and events on campus for other students. Too often, BAC is seen as an impediment — another perimeter of red tape— to student clubs and organizations. At its … Continue reading A Plea for Renewed Student Autonomy
By Mary Warner ’21 Arts & Entertainment Editor A new exhibition is on display at the Davis Gallery at the Houghton House, called “Choices from The Collections.” Architects, Art Historians, and Studio Artists from the Colleges have chosen their favorite pieces from The Collections to be showcased. The exhibit also includes explanations of why the specific pieces were chosen to be shown in this context. … Continue reading Davis Gallery: 10 Years of ‘Choices’
By Grace Ruble ’21 Herald Contributor On Friday, February 23, HWS students and faculty, as well as members of the Geneva community gathered at the Smith Opera House for the reveal of a photograph taken by HWS’s Chief Photographer Kevin Colton. This photo would serve as the inspiration for seven plays to be written that night, then rehearsed and performed for an audience the next … Continue reading Annual Finger Lakes Photo/Plays Showcase Creative Spirit
By Wren Andrews ’21 Herald Staff Following the recent addition of Au Bon Pain, renovations to SAGA, and revised meal plan options including docked hours of food availability, elimination of meal swipes outside of SAGA, and a mandate for all first years to purchase the most expensive meal plan, food and nutrition on campus have been contemptuous topics of discussion. These changes have been even … Continue reading Food Pantry Opens for Students
By Ryan Skinner ’19 Herald Contributor As the United States endures a national flu pandemic, concern has risen among many students at HWS about health standards at the colleges. This concern was exacerbated by a small outbreak of influenza and influenza-like illnesses on our campus. Rumors began to swirl about quarantines being imposed on certain residences. Students may have noticed their professors liberalizing their policies … Continue reading Illness Strikes HWS
By Abbey Frederick ’20 Herald Staff Three times every year, the Hobart and William Smith Board of Trustees assembles to discuss issues on campus, meet with faculty, clubs, and sports teams, and make crucial decisions about the future of the Colleges. The Board includes alumnae and alumni from the class of 1961 to the class of 1996 and from a wide range of professions. It … Continue reading Role of the Student Trustee
By Kathleen Fowkes ’18 Herald Contributor As full-time college students, I can, with almost absolute certainty, guarantee that each and every single one of us has a moment in our day where we hate everything about existing on this campus. A moment where all we really want is some peace and quiet. To not have to listen to that *one, specific* Hobart student talk about … Continue reading ‘Ding Dong!’ The Library is Dead
By Phoebe MacCurrach ’18 Staff Writer The intent behind the HWS Just Facts campaign is in the right place, but the fact is that there’s more to the number we are presented with than what they are showing. For every time, we see that “80% of students never engage in unintended sexual activity as a result of drinking during the academic year” we also know … Continue reading HWS Social Norms and Just Facts
By Phoebe MacCurrach ’18 Herald Staff Access is not a privilege or a convenience but a fundamental human right. Without equal access, there is no equality. Our understanding of disability has grown, we know now that it is a spectrum, you meet a person with a disability and you have only met one person with a disability. From physical disabilities to learning disabilities to psychological … Continue reading Accessibility & Inclusivity at HWS
By Dan Bristol ’18 Managing Editor Another William Smith Congress and Hobart Student Government election passed at the end of January with a worryingly small amount of fanfare. Not only did students pass through the two-day period in which the polls were open unaware of the election, but most positions were also uncontested. Of the eight positions up for election across the two governments only … Continue reading Lack of Engagement with WSC & HSG Elections
By Henry Duerr ’21 Staff Writer When I first arrived on campus at HWS, I was a little disappointed with the food options on campus. I come from a household that really focuses on communal eating: meals are meant to be shared, savored, and prepared in the home. I was unfamiliar with this centralized hub of food activity on campus. So, I did what any … Continue reading Disconnect in Sodexo Kitchens
By Dan Bristol ‘18 Managing Editor On John Henry Hobart Day every fall, Dean Mapstone waxes poetic about the value in being a Statesman. In his idealistic world a Statesman is better than a normal man, he is an example of what a man should be, he is the epitome of a scholar and a gentleman. Hobart has an ideal Statesman, but too frequently we … Continue reading A Call for Decent Men
By Abbey Frederick ‘20 Herald Contributor Two new exhibitions are on display at the Davis and Solarium Galleries at Houghton House. Sacred Thunder features the ephemeral paintings of Barry Lee Darling, and Stephen Reber’s sculpture Auto- Mending explores the manufacture of cultural objects. Barry Lee Darling’s vibrant paintings, on display in the Davis Gallery, explore fleeting moments of wonderment. His vibrant, life-sized works may inspire … Continue reading Sacred Thunder and Auto-Mending
By Quinn Cullum ‘18 News Editor The 2018 Commencement Address will be delivered by John P. Grotzinger ’79 S.D. ’13. A leader the field of geology, Grotzinger made history as the project scientist for the Mars Science Laboratory when the NASA team that he led successfully landed the Curiosity rover on Mars and confirmed that the environment there could support life. Grotzinger’s contributions the field … Continue reading John Grotzinger ’79 Named Commencement Speaker for 2018
By Wren Andrews ’21 Staff Writer Common adjectives used to describe this year’s Welcome Back Concert included, but were not limited to: messy, disorganized, unsafe, and bad. Any calculated or logical attempt to enter the venue proved futile – there was apparently a massive bottleneck leading up to the doors, featuring extremely loose security that culminated in grapevine stories rumoring that a ten-year-old and multiple … Continue reading Welcome Back Concert Leads to Student Criticism
By Jackie Fisher ‘18 Herald Contributor A serious question for AJ McFarlane: If I’m sexually harassed in jeans, was it my fault? Your article wasn’t clear on that issue. When a speeding car drove past me, threw a beer can at me, and yelled that my friend and I were whores, was it because I was wearing a tank top? No, and no. I really … Continue reading ‘Polarization’ Polarizes
By Mary Warner Arts & Entertainment Editor On January 20, 2018, millions of protestors gathered in cities around the world to participate in the Women’s March. One of these protests took place in Seneca Falls, NY, home to the Women’s Rights National Historic Park. Around 15,000 people attended the march and a number of people spoke at the event, including Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and … Continue reading Seneca Falls Women’s March
By Alex Kerai ‘19 Editor-in-Chief On Monday, February 5, the Martini published an incendiary piece that can only be qualified as an Op-Ed –although there was no real purpose, opinion, or point to the piece as a whole. By the late afternoon, one particular paragraph from that piece was circulating around campus, from the @BossBitchTheory Instagram account to messaging chains. To say it provoked a … Continue reading ‘The Martini’ Publishes Incendiary Piece
By Phoebe MacCurrach ‘18 Herald Contributor Upon return from Winter break, many students noticed there have been some large changes made to The College Store. While what students have noticed are mainly changes in layout and organization, there is a much larger change that is underway. Under the new administration, The College Store now under the direction of the Communications Office. Under this new direction … Continue reading Changes for the College Store
by Abbey Frederick ’20 Staff Writer HWS Theatre will be taking audiences back in time to 1956 with their upcoming production of 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche. The show, written by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder, will run Thursday and Friday, Feb. 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m in the McDonald Theatre at the Gearan … Continue reading Theatre Takes Audience Back in Time
By Dan Bristol ’18 Student Activities announced on Instagram on Thursday that A Boogie wit da Hoodie will perform this year as the headliner for the Welcome Back Concert in January. The Welcome Back Concert is an annual concert hosted by the Concert Advisory Committee in the Bristol Field House in January featuring artists such as T-Pain, Waka Flocka Flame, and B.O.B in recent years. The … Continue reading A Boogie wit da Hoodie to perform at HWS in January
By Ryan Carson Opinions Editor I hear a lot of discussion recently about whether or not the administration of Hobart and William Smith should allow first year students to rush fraternity and sorority organizations in the spring of their first year. Frankly, I’m indifferent to the idea. I say so in large part because I’ve attended two different schools in my undergraduate education. One university … Continue reading To “Go Greek”or Not, an Honest Opinion
By Dan Bristol Editor in Chief As we watched the results feed stalled out no one in the room could believe the results. A special election where over 20,000 voters voted, where over $1 million had been spent, where hundreds of volunteers went out to knock on doors during a 2014 polar vortex had come down to 9 votes (a week long election canvas later … Continue reading You Need to Vote
By Aldo Giannattasio ‘19 Part of downtown Geneva is being revamped with the development of townhomes that run off of solar power in what is an estimated 8.5 million dollar project. Known as Lake Tunnel Solar Village, the project shall be built on a vacant three-acre lot near the pedestrian tunnel running under Routes 5&20. Under the proposal roughly 38 single-family townhomes will be built … Continue reading Sustainable Development to be Built in Geneva
By Noelle Nichols ’18 Composting your pumpkins just got a whole lot easier with the help of Organix Green Industries. Instead of throwing your pumpkins away, Ontario County officials are urging residents to drop off their old pumpkins at designated vermicomposting collection stations to avoid a mass amount of pumpkins ending up in the Ontario County landfill. Organix Green Industries is a large-scale vermicomposting facility … Continue reading Don’t Throw Out Your Jack-O-Lanterns!
“FAST PACED MODERN APPROACH, BUT STILL SHAKESPEARE” By Julian Ruf Staff Writer The upcoming evenings at the HWS Theater promise to be spectacular. Shakespeare’s classic and famous tragedy is coming to the college stage at HWS. Macbeth is the fearless and respected warrior who becomes a murderer rather than waiting to become the next in line to the throne, yet he has the reverence of … Continue reading HWS Theater Opens Season With Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
By Noelle Nichols ‘18 The first-ever Youth Climate Summit in the Finger Lakes region will be held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and it’s all thanks to the initiative of a William Smith College student.The Finger Lakes Youth Climate Summit, FLYCS, is a one-day summit that seeks to educate, empower and engage students to be change agents in their local schools and communities. On … Continue reading Climate Youth Summit Debuts in the Finger Lakes Region
By Dan Bristol ‘18 Editor in Chief As offices around Hobart and William Smith Colleges work to improve retention rates of first year students, the Interfraternity Council (IFC) has a suggestion of its own: allow Hobart students to join fraternities in the spring semester of their first year. Currently students may only join Greek Life if they are of good academic and social standing, are … Continue reading IFC Considers First Year Bids
By Dan Bristol ‘18 Editor in Chief Hobart and William Smith’s newest Greek organization was revealed on October 16 as the new men of the Upsilon Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha were unmasked in the Vandervort Room. Alpha Phi Alpha joins Theta Phi Alpha and Sigma Chi as a new addition in a flurry of new Greek organizations as the third in as many … Continue reading Alpha Phi Alpha Revealed to HWS
By Noelle Nichols ‘18 High levels of toxins from algae blooms have been reported lakewide in Owasco Lake on Sept. 24, and people in the region are concerned about the future of their safe drinking water. The Cayuga County Health Department recently published information regarding a previously undetected cyanotoxin, homo-anatoxin, in Owasco Lake which as a result has led to traces of this toxin in … Continue reading Toxic Algae Blooms in Owasco Lake Sparks Concerns About Safe Drinking Water
By Aldo Giannattasio ‘19 In what has become a highly popular minor since its creation in 2015, the entrepreneur department has decided to expand its reach into downtown Geneva, N.Y. Currently, in its infancy stage, Hobart and William Smith Colleges are starting the renovation of 22 Castle Street, which will be used by the Entrepreneur department. The Incubator as it will be known first become … Continue reading Hobart and William Smith Expands Downtown
By Alex Borreil Staff Writer Odell’s has a new composting system that has been set up by the Office of Sustainability. This effort was put in place to help reduce the amount of waste that is continuously put into our landfills each year. But there is question on whether or not students will be loyal to the system. On August 30th, the Office of Sustainability … Continue reading Composting Buckets Distributed to Odell’s Units
By Mary Warner Arts and Entertainment Editor The English Department is currently holding a series of readings curated by John D’Agata, this year’s Trias Writer in Residence. In September, D’Agata, a Hobart alumnus, read from one of his older books, About a Mountain. This is a non-fiction book of lyrical prose that centers around Las Vegas, Yucca Mountain, and the suicide of a 17-year-old boy. … Continue reading D’Agata Reads for Trias
By Mary Warner Arts and Entertainment Editor The Davis Gallery at Houghton House will have a new exhibition, entitled Thread Bare, in November of chosen works by artist Kate Kretz. Kretz uses conventionally feminine mediums such as embroidery and sewing to engage with the theme of the formation of female identity as both a lived experience and ideological construct. In particular, Kretz focuses on the … Continue reading Thread Bare Debuts at Davis Gallery
By Dan Bristol ’18 Editor in Chief Gregory Vincent ’83 was inaugurated as the President of Hobart and William and Smith Colleges. The ceremony at Trinity Episcopal Church in Geneva, NY marked the official installation of President Vincent who has been serving in this role since the summer. While this inauguration was the official start of President Vincent’s term, it is merely ceremonial for a … Continue reading Area Records Enters Final Days
By Mary Warner ’21 Arts & Entertainment Editor Area Records and Music has been a Geneva institution for forty years, beloved by students and community members alike. However, the store will be closing its doors. Area Records’ owner, Mikel George, loves the store and is passionate about music but also ready to retire. “I could have kept going for two or three more years, but I … Continue reading Area Records Enters Final Days
By Mary Warner ’21 Arts and Entertainment Editor The Davis Gallery at Houghton House will have a new exhibition in October focusing on signs. The artists in the exhibition explore the ways signage reflects the consumerist values of our society, by physically overwhelming the built environment, conveying authority and authenticity, and blurring the lines between politics and the economy. The exhibition is especially focusing on printed … Continue reading Davis Gallery Explores Signs
By Adelaide Fowle ’19 Every student knows the feeling; your alarm is blaring impossibly loudly, your head is pounding, you’re tired, you’re groggy and your bed has never felt more comfortable. But what’s the one thing that drags you out of bed? Nine times out of ten it’s knowing that your professor’s attendance policy means that you need to get your sorry butt out of bed … Continue reading When Mandatory Attendance Policies Hurt Students
By Jack Krivit ’21 Staff Writer As of this school year, the Career Services Office is offering students a revolutionary new way to connect and interact with recruiting employers and build their career community. This program, known as Handshake, offers guidance to students who are looking to find and achieve the best jobs and internships available to them in a personal way. Handshake is a fast-growing … Continue reading Career Services Office Offers “Handshake”
By Quinn Cullum ’18 News Editor The Title IX Office at Hobart and William Smith has launched a new online course, Not Anymore, for all students this Fall. Completion of this course is mandatory for all students and must be finished by Sunday, October 1. If left incomplete by the deadline, students will be placed on social probation until the course is taken. Katie Stiffler, the … Continue reading Title IX Office Mandates New Online Course: “Not Anymore”
By Jack Krivit ’21 Staff Writer As part of a Downtown Revitalization Initiative in the Finger Lakes region, Downtown Geneva was awarded a grant of $10 million dollars in 2016. Currently, the area represents over 200 firms and nearly 1,500 jobs in the central business district alone, already making it a center of major employment. This grant will allow Geneva to transform its historic downtown into … Continue reading Geneva Awarded $10 Million Development Grant
By Ryan Carson ’18 Opinions Editor I think its fairly common these days, someone you know updates their Facebook profile picture to reflect their newfound freedom in a foreign country. I’m just as guilty of this as anyone else, as I don’t think I was in Greece for more than two days before I updated mine. While I might be a bit facetious here, I really … Continue reading Why Everyone Should Study Aborad
By Dan Bristol ’18 Editor in Chief “Let’s start a bar.” It is a thought that many college students have across the country, but very few see their dreams come true. Hobart alumni Ian Pattison ’16, Nick LaChance ’16 and Scott Heffner ’16 accomplished that dream in August when they opened Geneva’s newest music venue: FLX Live. What began as an idea for just another … Continue reading FLX Live Opens Doors
