Category: Opinions
Arts Campus Has Real Issues
By Niki Russell ’19 Herald Contributor The arts campus seems like a faraway, mystical place to many students here at HWS, but for 21 percent of the student population it is a very real part of each week. Anyone who has taken a class there knows that it is not at all mystical and, indeed, very far away. The campus consist of three buildings: Houghton … Continue reading Arts Campus Has Real Issues
Sodexo: History & Concerns
By Olivia Rowland ’21 Copy Editor & Staff Writer Saga food isn’t the greatest. At least, that’s what everyone says in continual complaints about dining on campus. But what about Sodexo — the company that runs Dining Services and Buildings and Grounds? Although I won’t argue that complaints about food aren’t warranted, there are many reasons that students should be more concerned about the company … Continue reading Sodexo: History & Concerns
Sustainability at HWS
By Yellie LaBare ’19 Special to the Herald In 2007, HWS President Mark Gearan signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which charged the Colleges with a new task: carbon neutrality by 2025. Although bold, this act was crucial in the forward momentum of the Colleges’ sustainability, and 12 years, two solar farms, and countless program initiatives later, the Colleges are well on … Continue reading Sustainability at HWS
Tackled by School Administration
By Nicola Russell ’19 & Makayla Pydych ’19 Herald Contributors On March 30 this year, Hobart and William Smith Colleges officially announced the building of a new indoor turf field for the school’s varsity sports teams, funded through Hobart Lacrosse Alumni donations. The development would create an additional winter space for varsity athletes to practice. However, this indoor turf field is being built on what was once … Continue reading Tackled by School Administration
Seating Opinions: Commencement 2018
At the end of March, the Classes of 2018 voted to decide between joint seating and processions for commencement or separate seating and processions by college. The debate prompted discussion about gender differences and inclusivity within the coordinate system. To shed greater light on the discussion the Herald asked three campus leaders and active participants in the conversation to express their views in print. Their … Continue reading Seating Opinions: Commencement 2018
Seating Opinions: Bex Czajkowski
At the end of March, the Classes of 2018 voted to decide between joint seating and processions for commencement or separate seating and processions by college. The debate prompted discussion about gender differences and inclusivity within the coordinate system. To shed greater light on the discussion the Herald asked three campus leaders and active participants in the conversation to express their views in print. By … Continue reading Seating Opinions: Bex Czajkowski
Seating Opinions: Alex Santiago
At the end of March, the Classes of 2018 voted to decide between joint seating and processions for commencement or separate seating and processions by college. The debate prompted discussion about gender differences and inclusivity within the coordinate system. To shed greater light on the discussion the Herald asked three campus leaders and active participants in the conversation to express their views in print. By … Continue reading Seating Opinions: Alex Santiago
Respect on Campus: Power of the Human Voice
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
Letter to the Editor 4-6-18
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
A Plea for Renewed Student Autonomy
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
‘Ding Dong!’ The Library is Dead
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
Lack of Engagement with WSC & HSG Elections
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
A Call for Decent Men
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
‘Polarization’ Polarizes
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
‘The Martini’ Publishes Incendiary Piece
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
To “Go Greek”or Not, an Honest Opinion
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
You Need to Vote
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
Why Everyone Should Study Aborad
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