The Scripps Voice

By Rosemary McClure ‘13
Editor-in-Chief

In mid-March, when Scripps senior Lydia DePillis-Lindheim went to turn in her mathematics thesis, the registrars broke some bad news: she would not be allowed to participate in commencement with the class of 2013. Forced to take a semester off due to medical reasons and a subsequent family emergency, Lydia will be finishing her 2.25 remaining elective credits this summer. Despite obtaining over 320 signatures on a petition over one weekend, the administrators refuse to budge.

The problems began a few weeks into her first semester sophomore year, when Lydia had to have surgery. “I thought I was going to just be able to take a couple of weeks off and come back and catch up,” she said, but by then she had missed three exams, and was advised by a professor to either drop classes or take a leave of absence rather than try to catch up.

“And then on top of that five days after my surgery my mom was in a car accident. …Once that happened I knew I was going to have to help with my sisters and take care of my family and everything so I took a leave of absence,” she continued.

Lydia and Amanda Bard ’13, photo courtesy of Amanda Bard

However, since all of these events occurred after the deadline for students to declare leave of absence, Lydia was charged half the usual amount for tuition. But half of Lydia’s tuition is covered by a scholarship, which was revoked when she decided to take the term off. So Lydia was still liable for the exact same amount as if she were receiving schooling. Furthermore, Lydia was required to pay the full amount for room and board. She was told that since the room had been assigned to her, she needed to pay for it, though she wasn’t allowed to keep her belongings in her dorm room.

Though Lydia’s case is an extreme example, the fact remains: why do we have a rigid deadline by which students must notify the school of plans to take emergency leave? Nobody plans to take medical leave. Nobody plans for their parent to be in a car accident. Scripps needs a better system to accommodate students in circumstances like Lydia’s.

Scripps needs to notify students earlier if they are short by even a fraction of a credit and will not be allowed to participate in commencement. If Lydia had found out earlier that she would be excluded from commencement, she could have overloaded on classes this semester. She has fulfilled all of her major and breadth requirements, and only needed to take a few electives. But she did not receive this news until mid-March, well after the add/drop date.

Scripps’ suggestion that Lydia participate in next year’s ceremony, with the class of 2014, is the only option afforded her, but it is very unrealistic. Scripps only holds one commencement ceremony per year, in May. But students who finish their requirements in the summer or fall may not be able to come back, especially if they are employed. “I feel like it would be kind of strange after nine months of work to be like, ‘okay, hold on, I gotta take a vacation and go back to college so I can participate in the graduation ceremony,’” observed Lydia.

Although the Scripps course catalog says “Students may participate in commencement exercises upon satisfactory completion of all degree requirements as verified by the registrar” and “Degrees are granted effective October 18 for students completing requirements over the summer,” it does not specifically stipulate that students cannot petition for an exception. Under “Petitioning Process” the handbook states: “A general petition form is available in the registrar’s office to: … Request a waiver of, or exception to, any stated academic regulation,” so Lydia assumed she could petition for an exception to the commencement policy. At Harvey Mudd, for instance, students who have a plan of action to ensure they will finish can petition Mudd’s academic committee in order to walk.

Despite overwhelming support from students, Scripps told Lydia that commencement participation is just not something a person can petition for. The registrar’s office told her they had contacted the other Claremont Colleges, who reported having the same policy as Scripps and abiding by that policy strictly. But we all know of students at other colleges who have received some leniency in this regard. Said Lydia, “I’ve heard examples from literally every single school except Scripps of people walking [despite being a few credits short]. So clearly they are petitioning for it and getting accepted and Scripps just…won’t. Even though they have the same baseline policy.”

Excuses for this rigidness range from faculty opposition to not wanting to detract from the experience for other students. But “we’re opposed because faculty are opposed” is not a legitimate rationale. In light of Lydia’s successful petition, which clearly indicates student support, the argument of detracting from student experience doesn’t hold up either.

She has also heard excuses like “we don’t want to set a precedent.” A precedent for what? For weighing the unique challenges and merits of a student? It’s not as though she is asking for her degree early. She just wants to participate in the ceremony. You would think a college as tight-knit as Scripps would be a little less bureaucratic given such a compelling case. “I feel that [setting a precedent] is one of the worst reasons of all,” said Lydia. “It’s like saying, ‘we don’t want to spend a little bit of extra time caring about one student because then we’ll have to care about more students.’ And I just don’t agree with that.”

Lydia has pretty much hit a wall in terms of her own participation in commencement, but she still plans to write a letter to Scripps senior staff asking them to reconsider the policy. She also hopes also to raise awareness for other students, so none of them will have to find out in March like she did.

“There have been a lot of people, even others in our class, who are in similar situations where unforeseen circumstances affected their ability to graduate on time. And they’re really close. And they really do deserve to graduate. They just got shut down, on individual basis—without their peers knowing about it, without options being presented. So I think the more people know about it, the more we can influence the policy.”

By Senior Class Gift Committee
Contributing Writers

Photo courtesy of Scripps College

Why do we have the Senior Class Gift scholarship? The Senior Class Gift is a decades-long Scripps College tradition in which seniors join together and raise money to provide a scholarship for a Scripps student with demonstrated financial need. The campaign also serves as a way to educate the graduating class about the importance of philanthropy and giving back.

This is the only student-sponsored scholarship at the College and it is critical to continuing the Scripps culture of students supporting and uplifting one another. For Poonam Daryani (’13), giving to the Senior Class Gift “was a small show of gratitude for all that Scripps has given me, including financial aid, but also enduring friendships and the opportunity to surround myself with peers who challenge, inspire, and motivate me on a daily basis.”

For many students, involvement in the Senior Class Gift is a way to commemorate their struggles, victories, and growth at Scripps. As Emily Jovais (’13) expressed, “I feel so fortunate for my Scripps education and if I can help support what is being taught here in any small way, I will. I know that Scripps depends on outside support and I think that a collective effort by the senior class is a communal and symbolic way of recognizing and honoring our experiences here.”

Supporting a scholarship helps make a Scripps education accessible to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Carolyn Angius (’13) was motivated to give to the Senior Class Gift “because scholarships are an essential part in ensuring financial resources are not a barrier to a great education.” Every $10,000 we raise creates a new scholarship, and our goal for this year’scampaign is to raise $30,000 to provide three scholarships. We are well on our way to achieving this goal, with $23,000 raised already, including gifts from students, alumnae, parents, staff, and friends. We are currently at 82 percent senior participation and have until Friday, May 3rd to reach our goal of 100 percent.

President Lori Bettison-Varga has challenged the seniors to give back to our soon-to-be alma mater and reach 100 percent class participation. She has already committed $2,500 to the cause, and when we surpass 95 percent, she will give an additional $500 for every 1percent increase. Every gift, whether $1, $5, $20 or more, makes a huge difference and brings us one step closer to achieving 100 percent participation and President Bettison-Varga’s full $5,000 challenge.

We invite all members of the Scripps community — seniors, sophomores, professors, staff, etc. — to be a part of this great tradition. To make a gift, just visit www.scrippscollege.edu/giving and be sure to designate your contribution to Senior Class Gift! Anyone can support a scholarship.

Caroline Miller ’15
Staff Writer

Though “The Place Beyond the Pines” tries to provide multiple narratives of life in a depressed city, ultimately this three-act film feels choppy and uninteresting at times, with only certain performances and directing decisions making it worth watching.

The first act follows Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling), a blonde, tattooed, talented, and brooding motorcycle daredevil who turns to a life of crime in Schnectady, NY, in an attempt to connect with and support his one-year-old child, Jason. Jason’s mother Romina (Eva Mendes), however, wants nothing to do with Luke. Ultimately Luke’s ambitions get the better of him, and he is—spoiler alert!—shot and killed by the focus of act two: Officer Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper).

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Cross, a morally upright and intellectual rookie cop, gets emotionally involved in Luke’s case, and becomes even more troubled when faced with the morally-corrupt police force (headed by Ray Liotta) he is a part of. His ambition to make the world a better place for his son AJ, and resolve his own conflicts, leads to him becoming Assistant D.A. of Schnectady.

The third act of the film deals with a teenage Jason and AJ, with clearly intended to show how the life choices of the fathers affected the fates of the sons. It is rather muddled, however, and we are mainly shown the activities of aimless ,degenerate high schoolers with nothing better to do than drugs.

This is undoubtedly Ryan Gosling’s movie. His character has the best writing and directing, his third of the movie is the most intriguing, and his performance is the most compelling. Perhaps that is because “The Place Beyond the Pines” is his second outing with director Derek Cianfrance after 2010’s similarly bleak film “Blue Valentine.” Each of the films stings with the apparent lack of sympathy towards the plight of their characters. Both films also employ ambitious but different forms of storytelling—in “Blue Valentine,” it works.

After part one of “The Place Beyond the Pines,” however, it starts to break down. Bradley Cooper turns in an okay (but not great) performance as the troubled but morally sound cop. After “Silver Linings Playbook,” we know he can act—but his performance is only decent in this film. I don’t really blame him, however. His third of the movie is has a number of undeveloped plot points and a truly unsettling undertone implying that without privilege and a great education he would have the same corrupt morals as the rest of the force. The supporting cast is fine but no one in particular stands out except Emory Cohen, who is spot-on to the point of unsettling in his depiction of Avery’s trouble-making guido son (my time spent on a boys’ hockey team introduced me to way too many of his type).

So I have a few final thoughts on the film. First, it is really beautifully shot and the music complements it well. Second, Ryan Gosling is great and the film should just follow his character. Third, the portrayal of Schnectady, NY as one of the most depressing cities in America is extremely powerful. Finally, the film was still worth watching because a third of the film can be spent staring at a tanned, muscular, blond, tattooed, and troublemaking Ryan Gosling.

The Scripps Voice Editorial Staff

No matter how excited we all were about leaving home and starting a new chapter, we were all a little nervous coming to college. Adjusting to a new environment, living in the dorms, and learning how to learn in a college setting were—and still can be—daunting tasks. But Scripps College and the 5Cs say they seek to make that transition easier by providing a plethora of resources for incoming students. From the CLORGS provided by SCORE, to 5C resources like the QRC and the Advocates for Survivals of Sexual Assault, students are told that there will always be someone to turn to when they need help.

Still, many students say that this is not the case.

Alexandra Vallas (’15) was somewhat disappointed in the religious resources afforded her when she arrived on campus. “As a born-and-raised Greek Orthodox girl, the church has always been a large part of my life, providing guidance and contributing hugely to my culture and experiences,” she said.

“However, when I came in as a freshman, I felt like there was nothing offered for people of my faith.” Greek Orthodoxy, said Vallas, is rich in history and tradition, so more contemporary, multifaith services leave something to be desired. Additionally, Vallas said she’s had a difficult time connecting with other Greek Orthodox students.

“Heck, the only person I’ve met here of the same faith is someone I met in a car on the way to the airport, which basically means I am better able to connect to people of my faith through random chance rather than the services Scripps provides,” she said.

Photo by Caroline Novit ’14

The MacAlister Center’s website states that holiday services and meetings for Greek Orthodox students occur, but provide no contact information or other direction for such students. “Don’t get me wrong—I really do understand how few of us there are here, and I think the interdenominational approach is sufficient for a lot of people. It just isn’t enough for me, and access to some of that 2,000-year-old tradition is something I really miss while I’m at Scripps,” said Vallas.

Other Scripps students also feel under-accommodated for other reasons. An anonymous first-year said that she was excited to get involved with clubs similar to those she’d participated in in high school, but had a hard time getting involved while adjusting to college. “By the time I settled in and felt reasonably comfortable with the transition to college, I felt like everyone had already packed up and went home, and it was suddenly so much more difficult to find out about the various resources on campus,” she said.

The student, who identifies as queer and is Jewish, also said that she somewhat expected having to work to find a supportive space on campus, but that she actually felt isolated for other reasons.

“Rather than feeling alienated due to my religious background or queerness, I felt mostly alienated due to the for years,” she said. “Above all, though I was aware of counseling offered at the 5Cs, I felt as if there wasn’t a support network for others dealing with depression or similar issues.”

She continued, “Oftentimes, I found that when I was dealing with a particularly low point, it wasn’t professional counseling I wanted or needed, but just a support group on campus or a community I could be a part of.”

While some students feel that they are without resources, others take issue with being compelled to use such resources. Selene Hsu (’15) said that she opted not to remain in the 5Cs’ Asian American student organizations after her first year because she felt the organizations’ work and goals did not align with her experiences.

In high school, “I did not feel different because I was treated with the respect and courtesies that I felt all, if not most students, were given,” Hsu said. “In general, we were all in the same boat.”

“It wasn’t until I came to Scripps that I started feeling different because of my race,” she continued. “I would be called, emailed, and be given invitations to special events that were ‘exclusively’ for Asian students. I was given so much attention and privilege to the point where it made me fairly uncomfortable. These events and invitations just drew so much attention to how different I am to the rest of the population, when I don’t identify myself as different.”

Still, Hsu said she felt that the organizations have an important place on campus. “Some Asians do not feel the same way I do and I encourage them to find a way to make their experiences at the 5C’s work for them,” she said. “But trying to make me feel different or just highlighting, even celebrating my differences does nothing for me.”

Another first year, who asked she remain anonymous, but describes her self as “a half-and-halfie,” half Latina, half white, also felt that Scripps’ resources were somewhat problematic and unwelcoming. “I don’t know any other language besides English and have [therefore] been labeled and pushed away by groups that claim to be all-encompassing for people of a certain race.”

“That’s not to say that they aren’t amazing resources for some,” she added. “They just aren’t always the all-encompassing spaces they claim to be. You should never have to meet a certain superficial unmentioned criteria (that is, speaking the language of the culture, or being less than second generation) to be accepted in a support group on campus.”

Another anonymous student, a Scripps senior, came to Scripps shortly after checking out of rehab. Staying clean and sober on campus was a big priority, but she found virtually no resources to help her. “I went to HEO, Monsour, I spoke with a campus drug and alcoholic counselor—I event went to mass and talked to the priest,” she said. “I’m not religious, but I was losing it, and I knew if I drank I would end up dropping out of school. They were like, ‘there aren’t any other students like you,’ which is bullshit. It was very alienating.”

No student should be simply told there’s nothing for them, but perhaps the issue goes deeper than the existence or non-existence of student resources; perhaps the issue is the over-generalization of students’ experiences. While there is infrastructure for the existence of such groups, and there are many avenues for students to create resources where none currently exist, there needs to be a broader discussion about the gaps in the system. There needs to be a forum for students to connect with others needing the same missing resources.

Most importantly, first year students should not necessarily be told that they have all the resources they need at their fingertips or that they should have all of these things figured out.

What do you think, Scripps? Share your experiences and opinions with us on our website, voice.scrippscollege.edu.

Anonymous

Seniors slowly emerging from their thesis caves, freshmen bitterly recalling hall draw results, bikini-clad girls roaming sun-soaked Scripps lawns. Yes, spring has sprung and summer is slowly creeping up behind it. Now’s your last chance to finish (read: start) the group projects your professor knows are inconvenient, stress-eat through the remainder of your flex (and if you have flex leftover, god bless you), and have raunchy sex with the black-haired vixen in your calculus class. I, personally, prefer my sexcapades to be memorable or, I guess, as memorable as they can be after sipping on some magic juice. Considering we no longer have to concern ourselves with uncomfortable encounters in the pho line at the dining hall, I say go out with a bang. I proudly present you with my list of places just begging to be fucked in, and thoroughly implore you to try out some consensual cunnilingus (and more) at any of these locales.

1. The Margaret Fowler Garden

This one’s a little tricky, considering the garden is closed and locked every night and weekend, but I’ve heard there’s a way around the administration’s feeble attempts to keep roving romantics at bay (tree climbing isn’t just for kids). I think what makes me tingle the most about the Margaret Fowler Garden is the utter serenity that encompasses that space. There’s a chapel, for Christ’s sake. The idea of penetrating such a calm vibe with the soothing sounds of moaning mates makes me giggle with delight.

2. The CMC Fishbowl

Look, the fishbowl has been up for almost two years now, and I still have yet to hear about two drunk students boning in there after a rowdy round of TNC. C’mon, Claremont McKenna, get it together and get it on in the most outrageously public way possible. God forbid some hooligans from Pomona defile your precious cube before you do!

3. Library

I’m not going to specify which library because, to be frank, I encourage y’all to bone in Denison or Honnold-Mudd (or both). The Scripps website describes Denison’s Gothic-inspired décor as one that “create(s) an environment encouraging learning and reflection,” and I can’t help but agree. Whenever I’m in there I want to learn what titillates people and reflect on how many times I can orgasm before the librarian shushes us. Honnold-Mudd, on the other hand, is a much more proud endeavor. Dozing off trying to write that fifteen-page paper on the art of the meme for your Genre Theory class? I can think of one invigorating activity to get you through the night, and I’m pretty sure the blonde buried in neuro notes you’ve been eyeing for the past hour wouldn’t mind a little pick-me-up, either.

4. Pomona College Farm

This is arguably the most ambiguous place on the list. From the Greek Theatre to the crunchy paths of the East Farm to the athletic field, there are enough locations to keep you occupied well into the sunrise, which I’ve heard is quite beautiful to witness while naked on top of the Adobe Dome eating fresh-picked loquats. The only real setback is that there are no bathrooms anywhere near the farm, but I mean, come on. Once you start fucking in the woods, peeing outside becomes mere child’s play.

5. Skyspace

This must be timed correctly. Getting humped by a large, dark figure silhouetted in a demonic red isn’t something I’d like to experience, but hey, if that’s what you’re into, go for it.

6. Frary Dining Hall

I can think of few things that would be better than boning under the agonized eye of a dickless Prometheus. In addition to making me feel like an odd vigilante (they painted over his divine member, he deserves to see someone getting down), the stage is the perfect platform for fornicating. Also, have you noticed how sultry the lighting in there is when they drop all the overheads and just light up the stage? It’s as if the electrician wanted college students to get it on there.

In all honesty, I could fill this entire issue with great places to get down. However, space is limited and I don’t want y’all invading all of my favorite fucking locales. Get creative and have fun. This is the one mischievous activity you can engage in that Camp Sec isn’t eager to write you up for.

By Kara Odum ’15
Economics Columnist

The Eurozone crisis has been dragging on for nearly three years now, with periods of rioting, public unrest, and fierce negotiations between financially unstable countries and the troika, made up of the European Central Bank, the European Commission, and the International Monetary Fund. While most countries have been hit with recessions following the 2008 financial collapse, some have fared better. With multiple countries vying for the Financial Failure Medal, Cyprus is the winner of the month.

Photo courtesy of Modis

Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 for the political protection the EU offered, not for economic reasons. Low corporate tax rates and double taxation treaties, which exempt companies from taxes both in Cyprus and in their home companies, have drawn foreign business to Cyprus for several decades. This is partly why so much money from Russian businesses ended up in Cypriot banks.

In 2008, Demetris Christofias, a communist, was elected president based on a political platform of reunifying the island and solving political problems with Turkey. Throughout his time in office, the Cypriot government took a fiscally healthy country and overspent on unproductive projects. This resulted in international investors losing confidence in Cyprus because of its new fiscal policies, and Cyprus ultimately lost access to capital markets in May 2011. Making matters worse, an explosion destroyed a power station that produced half of the island’s power. The country was thrown into recession.

At this time, the European Banking Authority reviewed two of the largest Cypriot banks via a stress test. While the banks passed, they needed some extra money to get them through the recession. To avoid asking the troika for a small loan package, the Russian government gave Cyprus a loan of 2.5 billion euros.

On Oct. 27, 2011, the real problems started. The EU council decided to wipe out 80 percent of the value of Greek debt held by the private sector, which meant a 5 billion euro writedown for Cypriot banks. In conjunction with a capital shortage in the euro area, the EU also mandated that banks hold more capital to hedge against risk. Cyprus couldn’t come up with the additional capital needed because the government was trying to distance themselves from the banks, otherwise the government could have issued public debt to raise money for the banks.

In June 2012, Cyprus bonds were downgraded to below investment grade; the government debt was not eligible for collateral. The troika had waved this restriction in Greece and Ireland but did not for Cyprus because the banks needed to go through structural adjustments to remain solvent. Cyprus asked the troika for assistance and began implementing programs such as reductions in pension benefits, wages, and salaries of the public sector as well as privatizing government owned corporations, which had been standard practice throughout the EU when a country was asking for financial assistance.

On March 1, 2013, the new president Nicos Anastasiades came to office hoping to get the country’s finances straightened out by completing the adjustment program. However, in March, Anastasiades was forced with either haircutting deposits or cutting off liquidity to the banks. The troika had opted for a bail-in, which would have levied a tax on all deposits in Cypriot banks but was later changed to leave out insured deposits of under 100,000 euros.

Angela Merkel, the current Chancellor of Germany, is up for re-election in Sept. 2013, which has sparked some speculation that the new strategy of bail-ins was politically motivated. There is some truth to that statement because forcing losses on deposit holders has not been a part of previous bailout packages to countries like Greece, Ireland, or Iceland. Also, people in Germany have been labeling any assistance to Cyprus as an attempt to bail out Russian oligarchs, which is not a popular political move.

This strategy will hurt public confidence in the banks and hinder future economic recovery. Furthermore, Cyprus’ trouble and the following EU response have set a new precedent that puts the rest of Europe in danger of losing even more public confidence. Bank deposits are typically very safe and insured to a certain amount, but with the bail-in, people might think twice before trusting a bank with their money. This alone can stunt Europe’s economic growth even more because without money for banks to lend, people can’t get loans for houses or businesses. It will be interesting to see how Europe responds to this new development as Spain, Italy, and Greece remain in financial jeopardy.

By Justine Desmond ‘13
Staff Writer

Click on the Kiva homepage, and an image of a potential beneficiary pops up instantly. “Victoria” is 45 years old, lives in Pucallpa, Peru, and a mother of three. She needs $400.00 to buy a greater supply of soft drinks to sell at her store. The window asks for just $25.00 to help empower Victoria and would-be entrepreneurs around the world that need capital to jump start their business.

Photo courtesy of Kiva Microfunds

Over 918,000 lenders have been moved by Kiva’s depiction of entrepreneurs in the developing world. As of April 15, 2012, the Scripps College Economics Society joined the growing list of supporters, and invested $747.45 into a micro-lending project. Board members determined that the funds would empower women in developing countries in an economically sound way, and, in fact, 86 percent of the borrowers that received the assistance are female. While I was not a board member when that decision was made, it had my full support: I opened an account with Kiva back in 2006, just a year after it was founded.

This past spring, one of our board members, Taryn Ohashi, suggested divesting from Kiva and finding a new microfinance organization. I had just joined the board as communications chair, and was taken aback to learn that Kiva and certain practices associated with microfinance had drawn such criticism. Together, our board, in dialogue with Professor Latika Chaudhary, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Scripps, decided to look into the matter. An investigation yielded some disappointing realities.

Questions had been raised about Kiva’s economic soundness. When Kiva first took off, lenders in developed countries believed they could help bolster local economies in countries like India by giving small loans to entrepreneurs. Kiva was presented as a go-between to advance this worthy goal. It seemed efficient, and with rising domestic demand in India, China, and other hubs of the developing world, the need for capital was self-evident. Years later, however, critics concluded that the plan failed to take into account economies of scale and shifting demand in global markets.

Governments are leaving behind dated, protectionist policies. India embraced economic reforms in 1991 while China backed dual track reforms in 1978. These markets are changing at a rapid pace.

For instance, after facing seemingly insurmountable barriers to entry in India, Walmart finally gained access to domestic markets in Dec. 2012. As Professor Chaudhary points out, “Eventually, Walmart will come. Small-scale traders will not be able to compete.” She explains, developing countries need to embrace economies of scale. Microfinance does not provide the proper economic incentives to help countries along in this process.

In addition, some microfinance organizations do not recognize the dynamic nature of these markets as they continue to invest in nonviable sectors like basket weaving. In the short term, stores like 10,000 Villages continue to sell products produced through microfinance initiatives, expecting socially conscious individuals to make a charitable purchase of beaded earrings, or a wicker basket. But outfits like 10,000 Villages can do little to solve the developing world’s rapidly expanding need to market goods abroad.

Second, while we wanted to use microloans as tool for promoting women’s long-term economic independence and empowerment, new research suggests that we may actually do them a disservice by introducing programs that only offer short-term solutions. As Chaudhary argues, “We are not even giving people real skills. We are perpetuating an enterprise that they are probably not running very well. Teaching something that would be more marketable that would get them more money in the future would be better than helping them with this business.” Why encourage women to become basket weavers when there is a growing demand for informational technology (IT) professionals?

Admittedly, some microfinance NGOs have met the need for education. Sadly, Kiva does not appear to be following this path.

Further, the model of group borrowing, still practiced by certain groups within Kiva, has faced additional scrutiny. While we are all for accountability, the pressure put on women within these groups can be over the top. A Wall Street Journal article tackled the issue in 2009, pointing to difficulties repaying loans and public shame as two common outcomes of group lending in Ramanagara, a town in India.

A last major concern of SCES regarding microfinance institutions like Kiva is that they simultaneously exploit our sympathy for women like Victoria while claiming to be business-minded. Is Victoria an entrepreneur or a charity case? Professor Chaudhary offers her clear judgment: “I don’t like the idea of a business that is not a business, and that is my qualm with microfinance.” At best, this is simply a marketing strategy that grips the attention of socially conscious individuals in the West. At its worst, the advertisements featuring women like Victoria are manipulative and patronizing.

The criticism of Kiva serves to remind well-intentioned investors—including small-scale investors, like the Scripps Economics Society, that they should research and evaluate the short and long-term goals of such organizations.

The money we take out of Kiva will still stay in microfinance, but in a new organization. Currently, as of April 12, we have $181.28 available Kiva credit, which we plan to invest in the Small Enterprise Foundation. Unlike Kiva, this organization focuses on the long-term benefits of the loans it provides to entrepreneurs in South Africa. SEF gives regular feedback on its clients’ financial health, self-sufficiency, well-being and future plans. While SEF also uses the model of group borrowing, it makes sure to keep track of clients’ repayment rates, savings rates, and attendance at meetings to protect against shaming and harassment by group members. While SCES still has some reservations about microfinance in general, we feel that our money will be put to much better use in SEF.

Anonymous

Everybody poops. But does everybody appreciate it? This issue, I’d like to invite all of you to open your eyes and anuses to the wonders of coprophilia: the magical mentality linking feces and sexual arousal. Contrary to popular understanding, such a fetish goes beyond the mere act of defecating on someone; attraction to the smell, taste, texture, or sight of feces as a primary means of arousal and gratification, alone or with a partner, constitutes coprophilia. Before diving into the history of this practice, I’d like to clarify that coprophilia is a legitimate sexual preference with a solid following. I encourage you to receive coprophilia as you would any other fetish: as long as consent is in the mix, scat away!

So here is my attempt to open up a historically taboo subject. Through some intriguing research, I’ve learned that coprophilia can be celebrated in many ways. While some prefer to witness from a distance, others like to get down and dirty with the feces. Without getting too graphic, coprophiles have testified to lathering themselves in, handling, and consuming poop. One male online user has recommended using scat as a form of lube when masturbating, also mentioning that the allure of coprophilia stems from the fetish’s intimate and illicit asspects.

Though the coprophile community remains pretty anonymous on the web, there are some well-known figures who have been revealed to enjoy scat sex behind closed doors. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, famous for his Piano Concertos, also wrote a delectable tune called “Lick My Ass Nicely,” a party ballad composed of the lyrics:

“Lick my ass nicely,

lick it nice and clean,

nice and clean, lick my ass.

That’s a greasy desire,

nicely buttered,

like the licking of roast meat, my daily activity.

Three will lick more than two,

come on, just try it,

and lick, lick, lick.

Everybody lick his own ass himself.”

Also joining the coprophilia club is Germany’s own Adolf Hitler, whose neice, Geli Raubal, asserts the former dictator required her to squat over him so he could see all up in her sphincter. Even my modern-day queen, Nicki Minaj, has alluded to sexual poop pleasures as evident in her song “Did It On ‘Em,” when the female emcee repeats the title line between verses asserting her dominance over her partner.

In short, coprophilia ain’t no thang. Sing it loud, sing it proud, and in the words of Onika Tanya Maraj, “P-p-p-put your number twos in the air if you did it on ‘em.”

By Kara Odum ’15

Economics Columnist

The gender pay gap is the systematic wage discrepancy between men and women resulting from gender discrimination, variance in chosen field, and number of hours worked. The most popular figure often quoted is that women make 77% of what their male counterparts earn, or put differently, women earn 23% less than men according to the median income of a full-time year-round worker. However, this discrepancy isn’t completely due to gender discrimination in the workplace. In fact, if everything is held constant including the type of work, experience, skill, hours worked, etc., then the gender pay gap drops to 7%, which is still an unacceptably high number.

What are the other causes of the gender pay gap? Most experts agree that women choose professions that aren’t as profitable. For example, more women go into education and the social sciences, which historically pay less, while men are more likely to pursue historically more profitable fields such as engineering and computer science. This aspect of the pay gap represents the differing general career interests between women and men. Another explanation of the pay gap comes from men and women’s tendencies to negotiate for wages differently. This discrepancy starts from the first job held and grows as the women’s career progresses. If a man can negotiate a higher salary, like $35,000 compared to the woman’s starting salary of $30,000, then the next time a raise comes up or the worker gets a new job, the man will be able to get an even larger salary.

The key for women starting their first job is to negotiate for their salary, rather than take the first number offered. However, women are hesitant to do this for many reasons: they fear the offer can be rescinded, they are afraid of rejection or risk, and they feel they will be perceived differently for it. There is an element of truth to the concern that women who negotiate will be perceived as aggressive. In a study done at Carnegie Mellon, men and women asked for a raise using the same script, but while employers liked the men’s forwardness the women were branded as being ‘pushy’.

There is some hope that over time the gender pay gap will erode. Progress has been made in attracting talented women to science, making understood the importance of negotiating, and introducing even more skilled women into the workforce. Schools have been making an effort to include more women in STEM areas by increasing visibility of female professionals, broadening the focus of science to be more interdisciplinary, and encouraging girls early on to explore math and science. Recently women have been earning more degrees, 60% of all masters and 50.4% of PhDs and programs have been set up to help teach undergraduate and early-career women how to negotiate effectively for better salaries. Slowly but surely, the gender pay gap will continue to decrease, although gender discrimination will be around in the workplace for a while yet.

By Abby Volkmann ’13
Environment Columnist

In the past, Europe has been the core of the world’s global carbon market. The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism allows developed countries to assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development by earning tradable carbon credits for emissions reductions from clean energy projects in the developing world. Project developers invested billions to earn Certified Emission Reductions (carbon credits) that they sold to European companies participating in the cap and trade EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Photo by Caroline Novit ’14

However, Europe’s economic downturn strongly impacted the Union’s carbon market. Not only have emission reduction targets taken a backseat to the EU’s financial problems, but collapsed industrial activity, decreased demand, and reduced carbon emissions left Europe with millions of surplus emission permits, leaving room for carbon emissions to grow as the economy recovered without hitting the cap of phase two of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

While Europe’s emission trading system has faced a downturn, many other countries—developed and developing—are establishing their own carbon markets, making greater contributions than ever to the global action against climate change.

Australia implemented a carbon-pricing scheme (carbon tax) in July 2012, which has been successful thus far. Their Department of Climate Change and Renewable Energy reported a 9% reduction in emissions from electricity generators just six months after the scheme was introduced. Additionally, California introduced a landmark cap and trade program that will help the state reduce its greenhouse gas output to 1990 levels by 2020. The state is now working closely with British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba through the Western Climate Initiative to develop a United States—Canada emissions trading scheme. South Korea and South Africa have committed to the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms by 2015, and the World Bank is helping governments in Asia, Africa, and South America develop some form of emissions trading scheme.

The globalization of the carbon market has brought hope to what seems to be our world’s terminal illness that is climate change. If countries continue linking carbon markets as California is doing with Canada, the knowledge regarding the implementation and operation of carbon markets will expand. This may contribute to stronger cooperation and collaboration at the next global climate change summit, bringing us yet another step closer to overcoming climate change.