The Scripps Voice

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.

By Leslie Sachs ‘14
Contributing Writer

Pomona Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault participating in Take Back the Night were heckled as they processed through Claremont McKenna College last week.

Beginning with a moment of silence and a candlelight vigil, the event was a peaceful demonstration to raise awareness about sexual assault and to remember victims. The demonstrators marched through all 5Cs, chanting a simple message “NO means NO and YES means YES.”

Photo courtesy of Take Back the Night

The march passed through North Quad and was about to clear the area, when a couple of individuals stepped out of the Boswell dorms and shouted, “That’s right, go back to Scripps where you belong.” One of the advocates later informed me that this was one of several negative comments made by individuals on CMC’s campus.

While this is not the first derisive comment I’ve heard directed at Scripps women, in this context it seems especially out of step with the values of the 5C community. Regardless of whether the intent of individuals making the comments was merely a mindless taunt or expressed their opposition to our position on sexual assault, it raises a question about the campus cultures.

I do not think that the actions by these individuals are representative of CMC students or students at any of the other colleges. I suspect the vast majority of 5C students and faculty find jokes about sexual assault an affront to human rights. I think most also agree that when one of our own perpetuates negative stereotypes about ANY of the 5Cs, it tarnishes us all.

Despite this, we must recognize that hateful statements of this sort on our campuses are too commonplace for comfort. It is time to stop treating such behavior as an ignorable nonevent. I believe we can promote the values of our academic community by taking the initiative to let those who express such contemptuous attitudes know that enmity for members of our community is not acceptable.

Sexual assault is a 5C issue, not that of one campus. There are students at each of the 5Cs that are working hard to change the culture around sexual assault and to make our environment safer for everyone. Sexual assault is not an easy issue to address. If we want to create a safer campus with more cohesive policies we need more communication between our student leaders and input from the study body. Regardless of what institution we each attend, we are all classmates, teammates and friends—let’s unite on this important issue.

Check out It Ends Here, Scripps’s sexual assault awareness club, or contact them at itendsherescripps@gmail.com to get involved. There will also be a Scripps chapter of Advocates starting in the fall—if you are interested in getting trained as a first responder contact Theresa Iker at TIker4240@Scrippscollege.edu.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted you can contact the Pomona Advocates at advocates@pomona.edu.

Pomona Advocates also has a great list of resources on their website: pomonacollegeadvocates.wordpress.com/contact-us/.

By Elizabeth Lee ‘16
Staff Writer

The recently established Claremont Colleges Ballet Company (CCBC) is preparing for its second performance of the year. During the course of this second semester the dancers, along with Co-Founders/Presidents Emily Kleeman (PZ ’14) and Vivian Delchamps (SC ’14) and Vice-President Nicole Wein (HMC ‘15), have been preparing excerpts from traditional classics such as Tchaikovksy and Petipa’s “Sleeping Beauty” as well as from the more abstract world of contemporary ballet like the Joffrey’s “Ray One.”

Photo courtesy of CCBC

As a new outlet within the vast Claremont Colleges dance community, the club is looking to not only attract new members but also to develop greater presence and recognition across campus by drawing in a larger audience and regular following. Thus in addition to showcasing the classical and neoclassical ballet talents of its own members, the CCBC is also collaborating with the Tap Club in a friendly performance “battle” during its upcoming show.

While many dancers have at some point felt forced to choose academics over dance, the need or desire to dance is not something that is easily shed. Many students are often determined to stick with it despite their other obligations. Although many unique dance classes and performance opportunities exist at the Claremont Colleges, the CCBC is the only performing ballet group on campus, and it is completely student-run, a status which comes with its own unique drawbacks and advantages.

As a small, new group, the CCBC is still struggling to gain enough funding to put on performances of high quality production value—a dancer’s pointe shoes alone can cost up to $100 and last for as little as one to two weeks. Additionally, the club’s lack of association with any particular college’s dance department makes it difficult to gain widespread recognition and performance opportunities. Within the club, the dancers face a variety of other internal struggles.

The process of early development for this company has provided a plethora of learning experiences. Students from a variety of different training backgrounds, and therefore different methods of approach, meet at least once a week in Scripps’s Richardson Dance Studio to work through a warm-up class to keep dancers in shape before launching into repertoire classes or rehearsals for upcoming showcases.

This system requires its participants to organize themselves with great discipline and commitment. It offers these dancers the opportunity to develop great leadership, cooperation, and communication skills as they work with one another to develop the structures, schedules, and creative goals within their company.

While these dancers may come from a variety of dance backgrounds and methods, what they all share is a love of dance that allows them to come together to share and consider each other’s insights and ideas. This pure love of dance, untainted by contracts, monetary commitment, competition, or judgment gives these dancers a sense of newfound freedom with the art form in which many of them have so strictly trained for years.

“The atmosphere is much more relaxed than the regular rigorous discipline of ballet,” said dancer Rebekah Lim (PO ’15). “We’ll do frappés to the ‘Cantina Band’ song from Star Wars or sing Les Misérables at the barre.”

There is a sense of contagious joy and pride within the dance studio each Saturday afternoon, when the club convenes. There are few rules and all arms are poised in an unfaltering “à la seconde”, or open wide stance. Such freedom opens this budding company’s future up for either great chaos but more likely even greater success.

The Claremont Colleges Ballet Company’s first spring showcase will take place Sunday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the Pendleton Dance Studio.

By Rosemary McClure ’13

Editor-in-Chief

The words “hip-hop musical” hit me like a ton of bricks—or perhaps I should say, like a slug to the chest. The concept makes so much sense, one wonders why such productions are not mainstream.

“Krunk Fu Battle Battle (KFBB),” the hip-hop musical written by Qui Nguyen which opened on Apr. 11 at Pomona College, did not disappoint. KFBB tells the story of Norman Lee (Cheuk Piu Lo, PZ ’14), a high school student who just emigrated to Brooklyn from Hong Kong, who foolishly challenges Sunset High’s reigning b-boy Three-Point (Ben Hong) to a dance battle for a date with slam poet Sweet Cindy Chang (Kayla Dalsfoist, SCR ’13). With the help of his new friend Wingnut (Bredan Gillett, PO ’14) and b-boy coach Lloyd, A.K.A. Sir Master Cert (Ken Saw), Norman accesses his inner b-boy, taking down Three Point’s crew and learning life lessons: “It’s not about getting it right. It’s about making it work when you get it wrong.”

Photo by Rosemary McClure ’13

KFBB is at its core a feel-good boy-meets-girl underdog story, which is nothing new. Like all musicals, it is over-the-top—every time a character says “Krunk Fu Battle Battle,” the audience hears thunder and the lights flash ominously. But the hip-hop element is fresh and innovative, preventing heavy-handedness as the narrative explores immigration, language, and burgeoning masculinity and femininity. KFBB is like a younger, hipper “West Side Story.” With breakdancing. Like if “You Got Served” had a soul.

Director Joyce Lu, Assistant Professor of Theatre at Pomona College, picked her cast well. Lo was perfect as Norman, conveying the character’s heart of gold without overdoing the naiveté. Saw, as the unexpectedly legit aging b-boy coach Sir Master Cert, was flawless, from the vintage Kangol to the shower sandals (complete with socks!). Dalsfoist as Sweet Cindy Chang left me wanting more: in similar storylines, the female lead is often portrayed as a passive object, her companionship is awarded to the victor like a trophy. But Chang is no damsel in distress. She is a talented poet and a feminist with big dreams and a take-life-by-the-horns attitude. Dalsfoist actually wrote the spoken word piece that introduces us to Chang’s character.

Dance performances were collaboratively choreographed by D. Sabela Grimes and King-Edqux Robinson (PO ’15), as well as breakdancers Ben Hong (as Three Points), Ronald Nemo (as Three Points’ crony L.A.), William Goodman, and Rocky Reyes. From flares to floor rocking, hand glides, back spins, backflips (yes, really), and one-handed handstands, these dancers’ incredible talent was a treat.

KFBB is breaking ground in terms of both its genre and its thematic concept. Apart from R. Kelly’s magnificent “Trapped in the Closet,” which I consider to be in a genre all its own (one reserved for masterpieces of Shakespearean genius with “Family Guy” randomness), rap musicals have languished at the margins. Pomona’s production was the first run of the show since its world premiere in May 2011.

Photo by Rosemary McClure ’13

Asian and Asian American actors are exceptionally underrepresented in film and on the stage. The roles they do receive are often restricted to one-dimensional characters that perpetuate offensive stereotypes. Asian men are cast as Kung Fu masters, evil villains, or the token foreigner whose plotline centers on his assimilation into white culture. Asian women are pigeonholed into hypersexual, dangerous roles: secret agents, geishas, and sexy assassins whom the male lead must “conquer.”

KFBB pokes fun at these tropes. Meghan Gallagher (SCR ’15) plays Chang’s best friend Moe Moko, whose neon wig and Sailor Moon-esque costume caricature our obsession with anime. To explain his curious bruises and late nights, Norman tells his mother Lloyd is teaching him Kung Fu—“Ancient Chinese wisdom.” But Lloyd does not know the first thing about Kung Fu—he is a KRUNK Fu master! The play also satirized the homogenization of Asian cultures that too often occurs in pop culture. Norman joked that because he was Chinese, he could easily pick up Tagalog to impress Chang, which is a bit like saying, “I speak Spanish, so Swahili should be no problem.”

The Bechdel Test, a heuristic shortcut to expose gender bias in movies, asks three questions: does the film have at least two named female characters? Do they talk to each other? About something other than a man? Anti-racist media critics have adapted this rule of thumb to test for racism: Are there at least two Asian characters? Do they talk to each other? About something other than their ethnicity? Most films, TV shows, and books fail both tests miserably. Thus, KFBB’s majority-minority cast serves as a much-needed counter-narrative to the Othering norms of mainstream American pop culture.

“This was the first time I’ve been cast in a role that’s explicitly Filipino,” said Dalsfoist. “I’ve always been cast as ‘ambiguous’ or whitewashed. I’m Filipino. And Swedish. It’s weird being able to act onstage as yourself.” While KFBB is male-centric, Dalsfoist thinks Cindy Chang has “more depth than the usual leading lady. I also appreciate that they didn’t make Cindy oversexualized.”

While KFBB’s lead characters’ ethnicity is in no way ignored—Chang flows about being Filipina, Norman struggles to adjust to Brooklyn, and we discover Lloyd is faking his accent to spend time with Norman’s mother—it is one of many defining characteristics in a narrative that re-centers Asians and Pacific Islanders without tokenizing them. In doing this within the context of the little-utilized hip-hop musical genre, KFBB presents a counternarrative that is well-placed in the college musical theatre context.

By Lauren Prince ’14
Editor-in-Chief

Claremont Colleges Relay For Life is finally here! After months of planning by the Claremont Colleges Against Cancer club, the 24-hour event that raises money for the American Cancer Society (ACS) will be held this from this Saturday at 11 a.m. to the next day at 11a.m. at the CMC Track.

“Planning Relay For Life has been an incredibly rewarding experience, not just because it’s a wonderful cause, but because of the absolutely outstanding people I’ve worked with for the past year,” said Selene Hsu ’15, Logistics Chair.

The Claremont Colleges Against Cancer club has been planning and running Relay For Life for four years. 150 students participated last year, and they raised about $34,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, 230 participants have signed up and have already raised $20,000. The club decided to paint the entirety of Walker Wall because “painting the whole wall, like Relay For Life being a 24-hour event, is a reminder of the perpetual fight [for] people who have or have had to battle cancer. By mirroring the omnipresence of cancer and the effect is had on everyone in society, painting the entirety of the wall reminds people of the struggle and implores them to join forces with us in the fight against cancer by participating in Relay For Life,” said Vice President Justin Gutzwa (PO ’14).

Have you seen those purple sweatshirts around campus? Relay For Life decided to order sweatshirts for their entire committee, so they would be walking billboards to recruit new participants and be liaisons between ACS and the 5C student body. The sweatshirts have a dinosaur that says, “Help us fight cancer?” The group has adopted a hashtag to help them campaign as well: #Iam5cRelay.

Their theme this year is Prehistoric Jungle Safari, so there will be a Dinosaur Bounce House, a dinosaur egg hunt, and other fun dinosaur related activities.

There will be free professional 10-minute massages, Hamster Balls, arts and crafts, pony inflatables, and other fun things throughout the entire day. The rest of the fun activities are below.

“There’s no advertising like someone actually doing the event, so the better we can get people to come out and see the greatness for themselves, the better Relay will be in 2014,” said Gutzwa.

Event Schedule:

11 a.m. Opening Ceremonies

(2 5C student cancer survivors are speaking)

1:30 p.m. Water Balloon fight

2 p.m. Without a Box

3 p.m. K-Pop performance and workshop

5 p.m Miss Relay Pageant

6 p.m. Dodgeball Tournament ($1 entrance fee)

6 p.m. Hip Hop Workshop

7 p.m. Kosher Chords

7:45 Men’s Blue and White

9 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony

10:30 p.m. Ultimate Frisbee

11 p.mm. Inland Emperors

12 a.m. Super Smash Bros Tournament ($1 entrance fee)

1 a.m. Zumba

1:30 a.m. Energy Drink Pong Tournament ($1 entrance fee)

2 a.m. Jurassic Park Screening

4 a.m. Just Dance 3

6 a.m. Sunrise Yoga

10:30 a.m. Closing Ceremonies

By Priya Srivats ‘13
Food Columnist

Photo by Priya Srivats ’13

Every year, the Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) hosts an organic dinner at one of the dining halls. The dinner features totally local and organic foods, as well as performances from many school bands. The decorations are all recycled, with beautiful flowers everywhere plucked from campus. It is a lovely celebration of healthy, organic living, completely put on by students. I’ve included the entire menu for you to jealously examine everything comes in small plate form, meaning you can taste just about everything.

The organic dinner provides a welcome break from dining hall fare (which as it is, is far above average here at the Claremont Colleges), with unique flavors and tastes from around the world. Everything I ate was delicious, however my favorites had to be the chilled strawberry bisqué layered onto the Greek yogurt panna cotta, the Indian plate containing naan, dahl and a “samosa” (I would call this more of a mix between a pakora and a falafel, but whatever, it was still delicious) and the mango lassi. My friends who had the scallops said that was the best dish of the night, while my friends who had the mezze plate said that was the best plate- this just goes to show how truly delicious and well thought out each item was. Props to ASPC for putting on a wonderful event, and I hope everyone at the Claremont Colleges takes advantage of it in the coming years!

Photo by Priya Srivats ’13

Menu:

Cold Appetizers/Salad:

Mezze: crispy quinoa tabouleh, grilled artichoke hearts, hummus, pine nuts, kalamata olives, grilled halloumi cheese

Chilled strawberry bisque: frozen vanilla-coconut greek yogurt panna cotta

Local apple salad: field greens, local apples, oven roasted yellow tomatoes, point reyes bleu cheese, pecans, crispy apple chips, balsamic vinaigrette

Soups:

French onion soup with 3 cheese croutons: organic butter, parmesan, provolone, gruyere

Green chili crab and corn bisque: jalapeno, cheddar, corn fritter

Vegetarian/Vegan Entrees:

Butternut squash-pumpkin ravioli (vegan): roasted sweet peppers, hazelnuts, sage-lime-brown “butter”, chive

Matar paneer & dal makhani (vegan): naan, samosa/chutney/raita, mango lass

Potato pierogi (vegan/vegetarian): caramelized onion, cabbage, kale, leeks, tempeh bacon, apples

Meat Entree:

Seared sea scallops: cauliflower puree, golden raisins, capers, toasted almonds, balsamic syrup, curry oil

Muscovy duck leg confit: huckleberry sauce, braised red cabbage & apples, haricots verts, sweet peppers, roasted tomatoes

Desserts:

Old-fashioned strawberry shortcake (vegan)

Caramel Dutch apple pie with vanilla ice cream

Compiled by: Elizabeth Lee and Kehau Jai ‘16
Staff Writers

Q: How long have you been around?

A: There is no past and future, only the eternal present in which Without A Box exists.

Q: How many members do you have?

A: 12.

Q: How can people become a part of your group, and what made you join?

Photo by Caroline Novit ’14

A: We hold auditions at the beginning of every fall semester. Many of us did improv in high school and some of us just thought it would be fun.

Q: When/how often and where do you perform/publish?

A: We perform about once a month in different venues around the 5Cs.

Q: What makes your group so especially funny and unique? What comedy niche do you fill at CUC?

A: We’re the only improv troupe that frequently and regularly performs at all the Claremont Colleges.

Q: What is one word you could use to describe your group?

A: Ragamuffin.

Q: What kind of humor do you find provokes the most successful response from college students? What does this say about us, or why do you think that is?

A: According to focus groups, the following is the most successful joke for college audiences: “Knock knock who’s there? Dwayne. Dwayne who? Dwayne the tub I’m dwounding!”

Q: What is off limits?

A: We know what kind of jokes we are comfortable making as a group. In general: don’t punch down.

Q: What is the greatest struggle that comedians, in general, often face?

A: Walking upright.

Q: Is laughter truly the “best medicine”, or is there another, perhaps darker, side to humor?

A: The best medicine is leeches, always and forever.

Q: What is the ultimate secret to making something funny?

A: Pinch of cumin.

Q: What’s the best joke you’ve got in your back pocket?

A: Knock knock who’s there? Dwayne. Dwayne who? Dwayne the tub I’m dwounding! God, that’s a good joke.

Compiled by: Elizabeth Lee and Kehau Jai ‘16
Staff Writers

Q: How long have you been around?

A: The website was founded on October 5th.

Q: How many members do you have?

A: We currently have seven recurring staff members, nine guest writers, four contributing editors,one graphic artist, and an estimated million bajillion dedicated readers.

Photo courtesy Clancy Tripp (CMC ’15), creator of the Golden Antlers

Q: How can people become a part of your group, and what made you join?

A: We ALWAYS accept applications via the “Join Our Staff” section of our website and we welcome guest article submissions at thegoldenstag@gmail.com.

Q: When/how often and where do you perform/publish?

A: We publish anywhere from one to seven times a week and every single article is pure gold.

Q: What makes your group so especially funny and unique? What comedy niche do you fill at CUC?

A: It’s a common misconception that The Golden Antlers is a satirical publication, in fact we take things very seriously. We pride ourselves on being the most serious publication at the 5C’s. (Here’s lookin’ at you TSL!)

Q: What is one word you could use to describe your group?

A: Golden.

Q: What kind of humor do you find provokes the most successful response from college students? What does this say about us, or why do you think that is?

A: Dick jokes, feminist-hating, swear words that would make your mother blush, and posts with the fewest number of words always get the most views – by a lot. No matter how smart you think you are, these numbers don’t lie. We write at a third-grade reading level so even the dullest of CMC jocks can understand our humor; some of our posts are border-line picture books.

Q: What is off limits?

A: The CMS Football team. Other than that, it’s basically a free for all.

Q: What is the greatest struggle that comedians, in general, often face?

A: I personally have no faults, but based on my role as Editor-in-Chief, it seems the greatest struggles that my comedian-writers face are grammar and spelling. Next year Golden Antlers staffers will be forced to attend remedial English grammar courses at the local Pomona Elementary School.

Q: Is laughter truly the “best medicine”, or is there another, perhaps darker, side to humor?

A: In the case of The Golden Antlers, laughter might be the best poison. We offend, on average, at least nine parties per paragraph in each article. An estimated 87 percent of readers cannot visit our website without weeping excessively and/or feeling that with each successive day they get closer and closer to a black lonely abyss that swallows them up until everyone they love forgets about them.

Q: What is the ultimate secret to making something funny?

A: Taking things way too far. (But not way wayyy to far. You should see the articles we DON’T publish.)

Q: What’s the best joke you’ve got in your back pocket?

A: The CMC Forum.

By Anissa Joonas ‘13

Staff Writer

On April 4, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education and its Office for Civil Rights issued the Dear Colleague Letter: Sexual Violence. The letter is a call to action and presents guidelines for addressing sexual violence in schools and colleges. The statistics on sexual violence are deeply troubling. A report prepared for the National Institute of Justice found that 1 in 5 women are victims of completed or attempted sexual assault while in college. Approximately 6.1 percent of males are victims.

Photo by Tianna Sheih ’16

The Dear Colleague Letter is “a chance to wipe clean and look at our policies,” said Daren Mooko, Associate Dean of Students for Student Development and Leadership at Pomona College, at a live panel held at the Motley Coffeehouse on Friday afternoon (March 1, 2013).

The Deans of Students of the five colleges, Maggie Browning (Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Harvey Mudd College), Moya Carter (Dean of Students and Director of Campus Life at Pitzer College), Rebecca Lee (Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Scripps College), Daren Mooko (Associate Dean of Students for Student Development and Leadership at Pomona College), and Mary Spellman (Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Claremont McKenna College) openly discussed their proactive efforts to reimagine sexual assault policies.

The challenge for the 5Cs is to retain each school’s individuality while collaborating with the rest of the consortium. Sexual violence occurs across boundaries and requires a collaborative effort. The schools’ administrators are focusing on implementing a set of shared definitions as well as joint investigations. When rewriting the policies, the emphasis is on clear, plain language instead of legalistic, weighted terms.

“One of the questions that many students raise is, ‘Am I going to be treated fairly at another campus?’” said Mooko. The deans tell us that yes, the system is fair.

CMC is focusing on how to make sex ‘okay.’ Spellman wants the emphasis to be on the positive aspects of sex.

“Consent is active.” “Silence is not consent,” the deans of the 5Cs tell us.

One of the questions asked was, “Do the policies address issues of identity?” According to each school, gender and sexual identity play no role in how we define violence.

At Pomona, the administration is focusing on men’s groups—fraternities, sports teams, and other organizations—to redefine masculinity and raise awareness of sexual violence.

The five colleges are working hard on implementing policies and a system that is fair to all parties involved. The need for a higher degree of sexual respect is a chance for the schools to reexamine campus culture and not just the policy. For Mooko, “[the policy] is to be in compliance with the values of our institution.”

By Monica Dreicter and Marian Miller ‘13
Motley Community Engagement Manager & Head Manager

Discussions about sexual violence on the 5Cs have been particularly visible this past school year, and to engage in this important dialogue in a new way, the Motley will be hosting the deans from all five Claremont colleges this March to discuss new sexual assault policies. Last September’s email from Dean Lee to Scripps students, informing us that date rape drugs were possibly being sold on Pomona’s campus, was one of the initial events that sparked such intense conversation about sexual assault on campus. In this email, students were warned not to accept drinks from people we do not know, leave a drink unattended, or drink from a container we did not open. We were reminded to contact Campus Security or RAs in case we felt in danger. Outraged by this passive response from the schools, Motley managers Marian Miller (‘13), Julia Howard (‘14), Carrie Latimer (‘14), and Katelyn Muir (‘14) started the “Talking Back” campaign which asked students to write letters to their Deans of Students, encouraging them to focus on the issue of sexual assault at the 5Cs in a more active manner. However, the Motley was not the only group addressing this issue. Scripps students and administrators formed the Sexual Assault Awareness Committee (SAARC), incorporating various groups from campus to hold events promoting a dialogue about sexual assault.

On March 1, the Motley and SAARC are teaming up to host a panel of five Deans of Students from Scripps, CMC, Harvey Mudd, Pomona, and Pitzer in order to continue the discussion about sexual assault on campus. The Deans will be asked questions about their changing sexual assault policies: catalyzers for the changes, thought processes, goals, and steps they are taking outside of this policy change. Moderated by Professor Kim Drake, this will be a time for administrators and students to join the conversation together and increase transparency on sexual assault policies, as well to challenge the campuses—students, administrators, and faculty alike—to address the problem of sexual assault in meaningful ways. There will be a time for audience questions at the end of the panel.

Please be a part of this important conversation! The panel will be held at the Motley at 2 p.m. on March 1. For more information, email community.motley@gmail.com