Category: Opinions
In Defense of the Herald and Free Speech
By Jackson Mischler ’24 Herald Contributor “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -Aristotle Hobart’s collegiate crest contains a single word: Disce. Latin for “learn.” Disce encapsulates the core value of any liberal arts college, an educational environment that serves as a marketplace for the free exchange of ideas and exposes students to a wide … Continue reading In Defense of the Herald and Free Speech
Leading the Way
By Spencer Pinque ’26Staff Writer Studies report that above 77 percent of organizations report a lack of traditional leadership, and now more than ever, efforts are put forth to find specialized employees that exude qualities of ethical, inclusive, and value-based leaders. The Hobart & William Smith Centennial Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation is located at 603 South Main Street in Geneva, and serves as … Continue reading Leading the Way
Saga Hours Extended, Does it Solve the Problem?
By Hrithik BiswasOperations Manager It was recently announced by Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Becca Barile that following Thanksgiving break, November 28th, Saga will remain open until 9pm during weekdays and until 8pm on weekends. These extended hours were much hoped for by many athletic teams on campus, as well as the greater HWS community. This new progress in campus life was much advocated … Continue reading Saga Hours Extended, Does it Solve the Problem?
A First Year’s Perspective on Orientation
By Spencer Pinque ‘26Staff Writer Orientation all began on a Thursday. The chaos of the student arrival: the sea of cars, and the inevitable cries of parents lingering in the air. When matriculation came, smiling faces were literally everywhere. The shaking hands with the Colleges President, which is regarded as a very important benchmark because it will be followed up with another handshake upon graduation. … Continue reading A First Year’s Perspective on Orientation
Perspectives on Civil Discourse from two Hobart Alumni
Editors Note: The opinions shared in this article do not reflect the overall position of The Herald, but rather offer insight from the authors. By Jim Anderton ’65 & Nick Hurd ‘64 Please allow us to use this forum to explore some of our concerns about education today and how our undergraduate years at HWS prepared us to deal with them. We are all familiar … Continue reading Perspectives on Civil Discourse from two Hobart Alumni
Op-Ed: The Scissors
By Abby Leyson ’22 Staff Writer The Martini has come back to our campus just in time to enjoy the light of spring blooming in Geneva, NY. Their most recent issue was published on March 28. The Martini is back to its usual hard-hitting attitude, especially with some of their latest issue topics. Poetry and prose express sex, love, heartbreak, disappointment, and the most disappointing … Continue reading Op-Ed: The Scissors
Opinion: Student Government: A Source of Change, an instrument of hope and a catalyst for development-if students engage!
By Jaheim Javel Pierre ’25 First-Year Class President As one of the first-year class presidents, I was intimidated by the opacity of my new role in the first weeks of the semester. To me it seemed to rash at the time and lacked a logical basis, to be a first-year class president. I was inspired by government meetings, seeing students across all walks of life here at … Continue reading Opinion: Student Government: A Source of Change, an instrument of hope and a catalyst for development-if students engage!
Opinion on Freshman Orientation
By Paulina Tejada ’25 Staff Writer There were many aspects of freshmen orientation that made it a memorable time for all of us first years. There was a mixed bag of fun activities, information, and new friendships. Even though many people could say that through orientation they forged new bonds with their peers, there seemed to be a disconnect between the time that we as … Continue reading Opinion on Freshman Orientation
It’s Time to Divest, HWS
By Mikayla Gullace ’22 Herald Contributor The past few months have undeniably shown record effects of climate change, ranging everywhere from some of the most destructive hurricanes in history to rampant forest fires across the globe. These natural disasters tend to impact marginalized groups, specifically people of color, more than any other. According to many scientific studies, two-thirds of the emitted greenhouse gases triggering these … Continue reading It’s Time to Divest, HWS
Haughnted Houghton
By Julian Gurman ’22 Herald Contributor Johnny and Evan were sneaking along the broken-down brick wall, keeping their heads low. As they neared a broken spot on top of the wall, Johnny peaked out over and saw that they were getting close. Starting to loom in the distant darkness was Houghton House, the streetlights illuminating only a small portion of the ominous house. The entire north side was shrouded in darkness and the small … Continue reading Haughnted Houghton
HWS Lovestruck
By Abby Leyson ’22 Herald Contributor Love. With stay-at-home work occupying many people’s newfound lifestyles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the act of sharing love can be hard to find. Love is not as vividly seen as it once was before the pandemic as a result of public displays of affection dwindling due to social distancing. To resolve this matter, Sarah Spears, William Smith ’23, … Continue reading HWS Lovestruck
A Closer Look at the CTL and Accommodations
By Ani Freedman ’22 Photo Editor The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is known for the various ways it aims to offer students academic support and accommodations to ensure their success at HWS. The Herald spoke with CTL Director, Susan Pliner, as well as several students to get a better understanding of how applying for accommodations works. The process for applying for academic accommodations … Continue reading A Closer Look at the CTL and Accommodations
Drop Sodexo
By Olivia Rowland Copy Editor Note: I did contribute research to the Rising Panthers’ first demand, and so many of the same sources I use here are also in that document. Over the past few years, there has been a good amount of talk about the Colleges’ relationship with Sodexo. Despite hopes that President Jacobsen would offer the impetus needed to get the Colleges … Continue reading Drop Sodexo
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