FREE PRESS

Vol. 17 No. 1 March 9th, 2012

THE
BENNINGTON
Bennington Free Press
1 College Drive
Bennington College
Bennington, VT 05201
contact @
bfp@bennington.edu
802.440.4544

Suspended
T
his Field Work Term
Bennington College students
came home from their internships
to a surprise. The College, whose
campus housing bears of the
names of important educators
like Dewey and Kilpatrick, is
discontinuing its Masters program
in Teaching.
For years, the Center for
Creative Teaching (CCT) has
educated teachers with innovative
methods. The program integrates
acting classes, content areas, and
student teaching more rigorously
than in other BA/MAT programs.
Throughout its history the
CCT has had low enrollment.
This year only 6 students are
enrolled. Isabel Roche, Dean of
the College, said in an interview
that several factors went into the
decision that we thought about
really carefully, but it has most to
do with the admission numbers
and recruitment possibility.
While the program was popular
with Bennington undergraduate
students, We just werent getting
the numbers from the outside
according to Roche. In addition
to a lack of revenue, according
to Roche many alternative paths
to traditional certifcation have
emerged. These market forces
made the future of the program
seem increasingly bleak. When
asked how long the College
has considered suspending the
program, Roche said, I dont
want to say a specifc date,
because it was something over
time weve been monitoring and
we held off making this decision
as long as we could, hoping that
the program could build.
While currently enrolled
students will graduate from
the MAT program, those who
wished to start in coming terms
will have to fnd another course.
Sophomore Megan Farnham
came to Bennington because of
the BA/MAT. The MAT program
was a big part of my decision to
come to Bennington. I thought
of transferring or taking time
oII aIter fnding this out. |The
suspension of the MAT program]
changes things a lot. If she had
known she would not be able to
participate in the MAT program,
she probably would not have
come to Bennington, I would
have gone to the School of the Art
Institute of Chicago.
Students with Plans in
Education received the same
notifcation as the rest oI the
college. Farnham found this
especially frustrating, since she
was not able to meet with her
advisor and had already signed
up for spring classes.
Nancy Pearlman, Assistant
Director of Programs in Teacher
Education was also only
informed recently. When asked
about the reasons for suspending
the program she said, I have
no idea. I wasnt part of that
decision. Carol Meyer declined
an interview.
The future of Benningtons
undergraduate program in
Education is still in transition.
One avenue for future
Education classes is through the
Advancement of Public Action
program area, says Roche. In
addition to the Center for Creative
Teaching, curriculum associated
with the CAPA initiative has
looked at questions of education
from another perspective...
MAT program shuttered after years of low enrollment
In the past, the state of the In-
ternet at Bennington has caused
varying degrees of debilitating
panic and soul-crushing despair.
Perhaps your schedule wouldnt
load at eight in the morning when
you were desperately trying to
fnd out where your frst class of
term was, or your room was in
a Wi-Fi dark spot and you had
to use an Ethernet cable as if it
was 1856, or Rompin Shop
wouldnt buffer, and ultimately
you were left impotently failing
at your keyboard and crying into
the void on your computer screen
where content should have been.
Maybe you handled it better than
I did.
The campus Internet is fnally
getting a major overhaul-the frst
in over a decade. Five months
ago Ted Martin joined the col-
lege staff as Director of Informa-
tion Technology to reassess our
technological infrastructure and
drastically modernize it. In his
initial evaluation he found some
of the weakest points of the sys-
tem to be the foundation of the
Internet connectivity, the age of
the equipment, and the types of
services that had been contracted
with AT&T, Comcast, and Level
3 Communications.
Since then he has implement-
ed improvements that are already
making a difference in the way
we use technology on campus.
Bandwidth has been increased
by four hundred percent, from 50
to 200 megabytes. The colleges
new service providers, Level 3
Communications and Smartech
Communications, provide us with
fber connectivity, with fber runs
that go through Boston and New
York City allowing data to take
the fastest and most cost-effective
route through the etherworld.
Bennington College now has its
own Class C Network, which
gives the college more freedom
in shopping for bandwidth. The
server room in Dickinson has
been reorganized, and the new
equipment is energy effcient and
environmentally friendly. In ad-
dition, the new network provides
the IT department with informa-
tion on the way in which students
use the Internet, which make it
easier to tailor Internet services
to our needs. The effect this will
have upon the quality of the por-
nography and other bandwidth
intensive activities at Bennington
College remains to be seen.
Ted Martin is optimistic
about the reconfguration, and is
pleased with the progress that has
been made so far. I think there
was a catalyst, he said, and the
college recognized they had to
improve their technology servic-
es, and theyre taking all the right
steps to do that right now. And
there are more improvements to
come. Upcoming projects to be
addressed this summer include
improving the wireless avail-
ability on campus, upgrading the
security of the wireless network,
and increasing the bandwidth to
300 megabytes. Do you hear that
whooshing noise, guys? I think
its the future!
Y ENNA DE VAIIE 'T3
The Betternet
As of Spring 2012, the college
modifed the way course books
are sold on campus. Textbooks
are no longer offered in the phys-
ical space of the bookstore - in-
stead, they are available in a vir-
tual bookstore online.
The college has been part-
nered with MBS Bookstore, an
online retailer, for some time
now. As the digital environment
evolved, so did the options for
offering textbooks. The virtual
bookstores online features allow
faculty to more easily research
for the best course materials and
latest editions for their classes,
Laura Krause, Chief Financial
Offcer of the College.
A work in progress, the pro-
gram has struggled at the begin-
ning of the term. Duncan Dob-
blemann, Dean of the College,
remarked that the school had
initially expected [the process]
to be much smoother and invis-
ible. For instance, as shipping
prices were not anticipated to be
so high.
Krause also notes that the vir-
tual bookstore was offered as a
means to automate [a] process
that was so manual and behind
the curve. Additionally, the on-
line format intended to make se-
lections more transparent and a
positive addition for those who
want to order online. She also
adds that the college tried to
make corrections as mistakes ap-
peared. There will be refunds
available for students who en-
countered problems with high
shipping costs.
Currently, the college is work-
ing with MBS Direct to see how
its service can better beneft the
college and its community. The
bookstore will still carry art sup-
plies and alumni books, but there
will not be a return back to the
way textbooks were previously
offered by the college.
Krause mentions that we are
looking at what works best here
at Bennington were trying to
make the improvements that will
enhance the service to make it
more user friendly, cost competi-
tive, and for it to be a value to the
campus. As with any change,
there will be a process of review
and discussion before any further
action is taken.
Y CEIENE AkkEkA 'T5
VOICES EDITOR
Bookstore Goes Digital
Continued on Page 2
Y 1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
NEWS EDITOR
Y 1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
NEWS EDITOR
WE FINALLY HAVE INK
Oh my god thank Jesus I was
seriously freaking out I had a pa-
per to print out and readings to do
but its so hard to read PDFs on a
computer screen you know?
I had an essay due today and
I read the sign on Crossetts door
that there was ink in Dickinson
but I only had 5 minutes and I
still wanted coffee so I just went
to class and said I would email
Rotimi later. Oops, still havent.
>>INSIDE
Pg. 3
lt's on eyesore.
Pg. 5
"5top being o slut"
Pg. 6
Vern in Vogue
Pg. 8
BACK PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2
>
news
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS > March 9th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 1
Mass Eect 3 Released
Evan Braun has cried twice
so far.
Microsoft Unveils Win8
Consumer Preview
Apple responds with reso-
lutionary new iPad. Google
counters Apple, releases
Steve Jobs porn browsing
history.
Steve Jobs Porn Habits
Revealed
World is stunned by exis-
tence of cruelty-free vegan
pornography.
Kim Jong-un Declares War
On Syria
Sources in the intelligence
community cite Jong-un
being possibly confused.
Satellite imagery reveals
NK troops have already
begun the seven month
march.
BFP Editorial Sta
Condemns Joseph Kony
Kony announces deep cuts
to BFP funding, but will
continue to advertise with
the paper.
College Bookstore Store
Announces It Will Cease
Selling Anything
Administration struggles
during re-branding
meeting.
Santorum Sports Trendy
New Campaign Swag For
Super Tuesday
ILLEGALIZE GAY deep-v
now available in hot pink
for $25 from
ilovesantorum.com
Dining Hall Cookies
Quadruple In Size
New chef was hired from
Mondo Burger.
Thank You Based God
You can write our paper!
Youre so funny! Youre so
nonchalant Based God!
Hot Dog Baron Elected To
Bennington Select Board
Citizens United reaches
its logical conclusion. The
Scully SuperPAC declined
to comment.
Ask Kajillian Walsh For A
Free Hug
Password is Josh, I would
like to go to bed tonight.
Insurance
Reassurance
Y KkI5TA THCkP'T5
Dear Reader,
The BFP is a student-run, school-spon-
sored publication whose purpose is to in-
form, represent and entertain the members
of Bennington College and the surround-
ing community about issues relevant to the
diverse readership in as fair and accurate a
manner as is possible.
News content in the BFP aims to be
accurate, balanced, readable, relevant and
signifcant to readers. The Voices section is
the sole opinion of the writer and the views
expressed are not neccesarily those of the
BFP. With that, we welcome any feedback:
criticism, praise or suggestions. Letters
must be typed and signed by the author
and submitted to cpanzariello@benning-
ton.edu or in the editors mailbox at Com-
mons. All letters submitted to the staff of
the BFP become property of the staff and
will not be returned. Additionally, the BFP
reserves the right to edit any letter submit-
ted for length, grammar, punctuation and
clarity.
Sincerely,
Connie Panzariello 12
A vote was held on Monday, March 5, to
fnally resolve the issue of Insurance for the
housekeeping staff at the college.
Since last fall, the housekeeping staff
and the school have been at odds over a
new health insurance policy. The policy
that the housekeeping staff was offered,
which is with Blue Cross Blue Shield, has
a deductible of $3000. In the fall, many of
the housekeeping staff felt they could not
afford the change. However, the human re-
sources offce reported that the policy they
were abandoning was completely unsus-
tainable for the college and the staffand,
due to new healthcare policy in Vermont,
will disappear in two years.
The negotiations were between the local
union, SEIU200, and the college. A federal
mediation was held on November 8.
Ultimately, a compromise was reached
on Monday. Forty out of ffty union mem-
bers on campus voted, reported on house-
keeper. The college agreed to help cover
the deductible to start off, and in four years,
the housekeeping staff will be on the same
insurance plan the rest of the staff has. We
believe that both the College and our union
staff members feel very positive about the
terms of this new contract and the overall
outcome of the negotiation process, said
Heather Faley, who handles the insurance
negotiations from HR. One housekeeper
said that considering the economy, it
seems to be best for the union and the col-
lege.
Introducing the Spring 2012
Campus Safety Commluee (CSC)!
CSC
COMMITTEE
SPRING 2012
Liam Dailey
Carly Flynn
Mike Goldin
Mary Gordanier Stephen Piccarella
Vivian Robbins
Julia Rocha
Have a question, comment or concern regarding Campus Safety?
1alk Lo any member of Lhe Campus SafeLy commluee, whlch
meeLs weekly wlLh ken Collamore Lo lnLerface on lssues-aL-
large concerning students and Campus Safety.
Want to get in touch with Ken directly?
Send an email to kcollamore@bennington.edu
>>Skinny
perspective, which is not teaching per-say
but educational policy and reform. After
conversations this term with students and
Dean Duncan Dobbelmann, Roche found
there are students who are interested in
education not because they want to be
teachers but are interested in it as a subject
matter in and of itself. I think we can fnd
all kinds of ways to keep those pieces of
inquiry alive and for them to fourish.
For now, Education students not en-
rolled in the MAT program will have to
fnd other routes to certifcation. Even
without the possibility of graduating with
an MAT, Megan Farnham is glad she came
to Bennington. 'It`s given me the chance
to study art and fll my schedule with other
classes that will infuence in good ways,
like science and literature. I`m glad I`m
here, but disappointed this program didnt
work out.
MAT Program
Continued from Page 1
In the face of school closures and district
consolidation, North Bennington Graded
School plans to go against the current.
Since the passing of Act 153 in the Ver-
mont legislature, school districts all over
the state combined to create Regional Edu-
cation Districts. What individual school
districts have lost in local control, they have
gained by consolidating schools as shifting
demographics have lowered enrollment.
While this has saved taxpayers money, it
has caused schools to close and send kids
on long bus rides to regional schools.
The Prudential Committee of the South-
west Vermont Supervisory Union found an
alternative to this method. Eva Chatterjee-
Sutton, Dean of Students and Chair of the
Independent School Investigatory Com-
mittee of the Southern Vermont School
Union`s Prudential Committee, has sub-
mitted a proposal to the state Department
of Education and in a referendum that was
voted on this last Tuesday.
Instead of losing local control by com-
bining with other school districts, North
Bennington Graded School will have
more control as an Independent School.
Independent Schools are similar to private
schools in that they can set enrollment
criteria and fundraise. North Bennington
Graded School will draw its tuition from
the local tax base, and hopes to apply for
grants and seek donations. The school will
also not have to abide by local union con-
tracts, though they will abide by them as
the school transitions.
On Tuesday Bennington voters ap-
proved the referendum, and following state
Department of Education approval, the
North Bennington Graded School will be
independent next year.
North Bennington
Graded School Wins
Independence
Y 1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
Eating is a political act. As students we
believe that we deserve access to afford-
able, high-quality, responsibly-sourced,
and ethically-produced foods. This is
the frst part of a mission statement from
the currently in-development Bennington
Co-op. The organization, an offshoot of
the Bennington Sustainable Food Project
(BSFP) is aiming to provide the campus
with additional food options including the
choice of cooking for themselves, a variety
of produce, bulk grains, and student-made
products. The initiative also hopes to get
those participating students access to af-
fordable groceries and ingredients. The
aim of the co-op is to get students to think
more critically about what they are eating
and the origin of their food, as well as to
build a community around these ideals.
One of their main goals is to claim a physi-
cal space for students to collaborate, cook
and educate others on matters of food.
Last term, the BFSP starting selling coffee
in order to raise money for the co-op and
determine student interest in the initiative.
The BFSP will be selling coffee ($1.00 a
cup) throughout the term to raise money
for the co-op.
Co-operation
BY CONNIE PANZAkIEIIC 'T2
EDITOR IN CHIEF
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS > March 9, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 1

> features
Benningtons Two Favorite Vegans
Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN 'T5
The Program Activity Councils done it
again, bringing Washington, D.C. natives
No Age to the Bennington stage this term.
With the 2008 release of their album Nouns,
the duo comprised of Randy Randall and
Dean Spunt shot into indie fame, gaining
critical attention from big-name magazines
and signing to Sub Pop Records. After
releasing their album Everything In
Between in 2010, they embarked on a year-
and-a-halI long tour, and have now fown
from sunny Los Angeles to perform for
a Bennington audience. Randy Randall
agreed to a phone interview with the
Bennington Free Press just before leaving
to answer a few quick questions about their
performance and their lives as musicians.
BFP: So you have the show coming up
here this weekend, which everyones pretty
excited about. Itll probably be a pretty
small audience compared to what youre
used to, but how are you feeling about it?
RR: Were psyched to come out and
play. I think that crowd size usually varies
- we know that if were going into a student
only kind of show then it may not be a
huge audience, but its still a lot of fun for
us to come play, because sometimes the
smaller shows are more fun. Theyre just
more intimate. You get closer with people,
and thats always fun for us.
BFP: Are
you guys
working on
anything right
now?
RR: We did
about a year and
a halfs worth
of touring after
Everything In
Between came
out, and we
didnt have
too many
oppor t uni t i es
while we were
on the road to
write. Weve
been home now
for a few months
and weve
been writing,
and there are
a couple new
songs that were
probably going
to play on this short tour.
BFP: How did the writing process change
for you between Nouns and Everything In
Between? Nouns was obviously a huge hit,
so that was probably a lot of pressure going
into a new
album.
RR: It
was pretty
similar - we
didnt take
into account
the pressure
of having
to follow
up Nouns
when we
were writing
Ever yt hi ng
In Between.
I think we
knew that
when we got
done that we
had to start
working with
the record
label and
start talking
about how
we were
going to market and advertise it. But as
we were writing it, we had pretty much
the same idea - writing songs that we felt
were interesting and challenging to us on
a personal level. It wasnt written with an
audience in mind.
BFP: Which bands did you enjoy
playing with when you were on tour?
RR: We played with a lot of great bands.
We opened for Pavement when they were
doing their reunion show, and that was
interesting and cool. I was a Pavement fan
a long time ago, so it was cool to get to see
them play live on multiple nights. There
were a bunch there was a great band in
Florida called Diet Coke Heads.
BFP: What are you guys listening to
right now?
RR: It gets tricky when were writing
stuff, I end up going into the past, and
kind of doing some archival research
off the music that we made before not
necessarily music thats currently coming
out or bands that are currently performing.
One band is Delfonics, theyre a smooth,
doo-wop sort of act. Kind of down tempo.
I also really love Nick Lowe, who put out
a record last year called The Old Magic.
Hes an awesome songwriter and musician.
So those are the top of my playlist.
No Age performs March 9th at 10 PM
in the Student Center.
3
Compiled by Gioia Pirrello 12
>
features
Vol. 17 No. 1 > March 9, 2012 > THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS
4
B
onjour, I am Simone de Bou-
doir, the Bennington Free
Presss resident sex advice
columnist. From now on if you have
questions about sex, sexuality, sexual
health, relationships, and the like you
can consult me! Send an e-mail (ben-
ningtonsexadvice@gmail.com), ask
a question via Facebook (friend me:
Simone de Boudoir), or slip your que-
ries into the big envelope on the wall
in the mailroom. My frst priority will
always be your anonymitymy next
your pleasure!
Dear Simone de Beaudoir,
To tell a boy youre a virgin or not to tell
a boy youre a virgin? That is my question.
Thanks,
Virgins Are Great If Not Amazing

Dear VAGINA,
Assuming that youre a cisgender*
female who is using virginity as shorthand
for havent-had-vaginal-sex-with-a-dude-
before, lets talk statistics:
According to data put out in 2005
by the CDC, by the age of 17, 49% of all
American (sorry international students)
females have had vaginal intercourse with
a male. By the age of 19, its increased to
77.4%. Finally, for those of you a little
older, 91.8% of females aged 22-24 have
done it. Assuming that Bennington students
track the national statistics (which, despite
our desire to think we are so different, is
quite likely to be close), lots of your fellow
students came here as virgins. As it seems
that roughly 35 to 40% of females have
vaginal sex for the frst time while college-
aged, it is a safe bet that a lot of your peers
have lost their virginity or even remained
virgins while at Bennington. So in case
you were worried that you were abnormal
dont be. If anyone tries to tell you
otherwisefuck em (or, in this case, dont
fuck them). Chances are that a lot of people
are wrongly claiming a lot more experience
during rounds of the Orientation staple
game Never Have I Ever than is true.
The choice of whether to tell
someone youre seeing that youre a virgin
is really up to you. If you are planning
on having sex with this boy, Id highly
recommend being honest because (1) it
isnt as uncommon as you may think,
(2) in sex, communication is the second
most important thing after consent, and
(3) it will make whatever sex you do have
more enjoyable. The truth is that frst-time
vaginal sex is not going to be great. Not
in that totally overblown blood gushing
down the sheets and screams of pain way
(we are talking possible slight discomfort,
if even). Rather, it can take a while to learn
to have enjoyable sex with a partner. Dont
worry about getting (or faking) an orgasm,
whether it will ft (when in doubt use some
condom-compatible lube and go slowly),
or doing the stuff youve seen in movies
(the lighting will just never be as good and
you really arent expected to experiment
with positions the frst time around).
Ideally, if youre going to have sex with
someone you should trust him enough to
say that you arent experienced and ask
him to check in and go a little slower this
time around.
*Cisgender means that the gender you
were assigned at birth, your body, and your
personal gender identity are all the same.
The prefx cis` is the antonym to trans.`
Confdential to you-know-who:
Vajazzling has not been around long
enough to be done ironically yet. Beware
all ye DIYers: craft glitter and sensitive
vaginal tissue are not a match made in
heaven.
Best Coast with
Beer Broad
Y INDIA KIE5Ek 'T2
Y ANEIIA VCTTEkC 'T2
Beer: Pranqster
Brewery: North Coast Brewing
Location: Fort Bragg, CA
Type: Belgian Style Golden Ale
In Three Words: light, simple, classic
I have never tried a beer from this brew-
ery before, and the Pranqster ale caught
my eyes because of its classic approach to
beer: the cork in the top and the illustration
of a bunch of merry men merry-making
with great casks and pints of ale seemed
to embody everything that beer has come
from.
I was not disappointed. This is indeed
a very classic beer, light with a boldtaste
that is easy to sip. There are hints of fruit
that come through but overall, I really cant
think of a better word to describe it other
than golden. It just tastes like a ray of
sunshine. A slight bitterness comes through
to balance it all out so it becomes far from
boring. The different aromas overcome you
as you drink it but the taste remains airy
and satisfying. No overpowering stench or
hoppy bitterness; just a refned light taste
that I feel like could go well with every-
thing.
This is also a very bubbly beer, making
fora tingly taste when combined with the
fruity lightness of the brew itself. Abso-
lutely delicious all around.
Beer: Hop Stoopid Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Location: Petaluma, CA
Type: Ale
In Three Words: intense, hoppy, bold
Americas premier brewpaper The
Celebrator calls this beer big and stinky.
They mean it in the best way, and so do I.
This beer is so incredibly hoppy, its stupid
(or stoopid, I guess). I have to admit I have
been growing increasingly jaded about the
hop trend that has been going on for beers
these days; some times the beers just come
out simply way too bitter and it is diffcult
to enjoy them without feeling like your
cheeks are being constantly pinched. But
Lagunitas does it right. They blend that
hoppiness with an array of other favors
that just makes it balanced and great tast-
ing.
The citrus under-taste (if I may invent a
term) mixed with a really nice malt favor
is what keeps this beer from being overly
bitter. The frst instinct I had upon tasting
is actually a sweet favor mixed with the
malt, and then the bitterness after. Despite
this bitterness though, the beer itself is very
light. Not dark at all or intense; the inten-
sity of the favor comes from the bubbles
(it is quite bubbly) mixed with that intense
hop that they are doing so well.
All around, light but intense, bold with-
out overwhelming. Stoopid good.
Home in San Francisco for Field Work Term, resident beer expert India Kieser12
explored some California brews. Cant you just feel the sunshine? Read more of her
reviews at beerbroad.tumblr.com.
A Meal with Amelia
Simone: On The First Sex This issue featuring FAUX FUR.
Whats a better way to warm those cold,
late night walks to VAPA than snuggling
up to some fuzzy synthetic fber? And with
a stuffed animal hat to match? Badda bing,
badda boom. Check out more, including
color photos, at onthelawn-bennington.
edu.
On The Lawn
Y CAITIIN CVEkINGTCN 'T4
I love grilled cheese sandwiches.
Cheese? Good. Bread? Good. A gooey,
crunchy marriage of the two? Perfect.
However, I am very particular about my
grilled cheeses. First off, they must never,
ever contain American cheeseyou might
as well use Tofutti slices. Secondly, the
bread must always be crispy. There are few
things I fnd more frustrating than a soggy
grilled cheese sandwich. Finally, I like my
grilled cheeses to be a little more robust
than simply just bread and cheese. Here is
a variation of this lunchtime classic that I
sometimes make in the dining hall.
Grilled Cheddar Cheese with Bal-
samic Caramelized Onions, Apple, and
Walnuts.
1. Fill a small dessert plate with some
red onion from the salad bar. Grab a little
butter and head over to the wok station.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter
then add the onion. Cook onions until
they become soft and begin to caramel-
ize. Pour in a tablespoon or so of bal-
samic vinegarjust enough to coat the
onionand continue to
cook until fully caramel-
ized.
3. Build your sand-
wich. On one piece of
bread, layer cheddar
cheese, spinach, and
apple slices. I person-
ally like to use Granny
Smiths because they are
nice and tart, but theyre
not always available in
the dining hall. Add the
caramelized red onion
and a sprinkle of walnuts
(available near the ice
cream or by the cereal).
Top with second slice of
bread.
4. Put sandwich in the
panini press and cook un-
til the sandwich is at the
desired cheese-meltiness
and bread-crispiness.
*Dried cranberries
are also a good addition
to this sandwich.
CAITIIN CVEkINGTCN 'T4
CCUkTE5Y CF ANEIIA VCTTEkC 'T2
One November day in 2010 I
was looking at my Facebook page when it
suddenly dawned on me: I am a fucking
creep! What else do you call someone
who looks at pictures of people they dont
know, parties they didnt attend and family
dinners they could never be a part of? What
instinct, other than some latent voyeurism,
could ever allow me to care for the Likes
and Dislikes, Favorite Quotes and
Interests of people whom I barely knew,
had sometimes never met? What difference
was there between I, possessor of the
artfully crafted Facebook page, honed to
promulgate all of my assets but betray little
of my faults, and the common dating site
varlet?
This revelation drastically altered
my online activities. I became so disgusted
with myself, so haunted by my apparent
virtual guilty pleasures that I committed
Facebook suicide. Freed from my online
perversion crack pipe, I was convinced
that I had seen the last of Pete Fey the
creep. Then I started to attend Bennington,
and I once again felt the rumblings of my
inner peeping Tom. To be sure, with no
Facebook to fall back on, I became even
creepier.
So I suppose this is an apology of
sorts.
Students of Bennington, I am
sorry for my creepy behavior, and I
know that I have made many of you
uncomfortable. Indeed, I have attempted
to seductively thrust my hand through my
hair in your presence. I have looked at your
iTunes music library so much that I know
exactly what albums you added over FWT.
On Tuesdays I even pick outfts based on
what I believe will impress you the most
when we pass each other at approximately
2:03 in Down Commons, you on your way
to Jennings, me to the Barn.
Yet still, many of you are
beautiful. Many of you are smart. Many
of you can draw. Many of you dance, sing,
act, bike, razor scooter, discuss literary
diaries, play RISK and drink beer in ways
that turn me on, so much so that I cannot
help but notice that you drink 2% milk
everyday. I willfully admit that my life
has been a battleground between a moral
abhorrence for my creepiness and the sheer
wish to indeed know more about so many
of you. So what am I to do? Do I allow
my mind to constantly wage war with my
more carnal pursuits? Or do I accept the
fact that maybe I am a genuine creep- an
individual with lewd interests, a carbon
copy of a Scooby-Doo criminal?

The lines between technology
and art have been blurred since the dawn
of human thought. Despite the association
of science with the logical left side of the
brain, invention and artistry are strikingly
similar creative processes, and when
combined they can give rise to some
of humanitys crowning achievements.
The printing press has taken literature to
heights previously unimagined, the camera
has spawned an entire art form, and more
recently computers have enabled the
creation of astounding images, sounds, and
experiences. One of the most innovative,
and, as of late, omnipresent of these
computer-based experiences is the video
game, which I believe has become an art
all its own.
The New York Times has called
Grand Theft Auto IV a ...richly textured
and thoroughly compelling work of
cultural satire, and I have seen several
discussions on whether or not video games
can more accurately convey the experience
and atrocities of war than either literature
or flm. AAA games now consistently out-
gross Hollywood movies, we have seen
the arrival of the high-brow video game,
and I have witnessed people being verbally
attacked for saying that they like Call of
Duty. Internet fash-based games and indie
developers now get just as much attention
as any independent flm. I think it`s time
we lose the mind set that video games are
for huddled nerds in dark claustrophobic
rooms lit only by computer screens,
because that is simply no longer true.
I see the bookshelves of
Bennington College indiscriminately
holding games just as well as books and
movies, and I have taken part in
thoroughly engaging conversations
about the mechanics, graphics, music, and
stories of various video games just as I
would discuss a books use of metaphor,
or a photos composition. These days,
many developers are hailed as creative
geniuses on par with great directors; and
as the costs of producing a quality game
continue to fall, we will only be more and
more astounded by what human creativity
can give rise to. I think that we are not
very far off from seeing liberal arts schools
such as our own Bennington from offering
engrossing courses on game design
and creation. I think its safe to say that
children born today will aspire to become
game designers and developers of their
generation in the same way that many of us
here aspire to become actors, painters, and
poets of ours.

5 Vol. 17 No. 1 > March 9th, 2012 > THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS >
>
voices
Ladies, Babies, and Limbaugh
Y PETE FEY 'T3
Y TkEVCk T. 5TANNU5 'T5
Y kACHEI 1ACK5CN 'T4
The Game As Art
...do I accept the fact
that maybe I am a genuine
creep?
Last month the Obama administration
presented an insurance reform that
would make it mandatory for employers-
regardless of their personal beliefs- to
provide health care that would cover birth
control for employees who require it.
I have, like many of my fellow women
(as well as Im sure many men), been
enraged over the last few months as these
debates over the reproductive rights of
American women have taken place. I
have read articles where the comment
sections are flled with slut-shaming and
men imploring us to just keep our legs
closed because they do not believe that
birth control can be a medical necessity
and is only for women who sleep around.
However, they turn a blind eye when
insurance companies cover medication
for men with erectile dysfunction, though
quite arguably, an inability to get a hard-on
is not a medically pressing matter.
This debate, while not only incredibly
misogynistic, is the result of the
deterioration of what once was a separation
of Church and State. Many people believe
that a woman should not have principle
over her own body due to their (not the
womans) religious and moral beliefs- a
fact that has made itself apparent over the
recent series of debates. A large argument
against Obamas proposal is that men
claim that they do not want to pay for
womens lifestyle choices. I can easily
point to the now-infamous quote stated last
week by Rush Limbaugh on his radio show
in reference to Georgetown Law student
Sandra Flukes testimony to Congress
in support of Obamas policy: If we are
going to pay for your contraceptives, and
thus pay for you to have sex, we want
something for it. We want you to post the
videos online so we can all watch. He also
managed to throw in several references
to Ms. Fluke slutting it up in the same
commentary, to add insult to injury.
Look online and read any of the articles
written by men insulting Ms. Fluke and her
entirely legitimate defense of affordable
birth control for insurance-paying women.
Its not only offensive but positively
disgusting. You can see these men
salivating over the prospect of sexually
available college girls. Their argument
against their insurance payments being put
towards women getting birth control has
an undertone screaming Its not faaaair!
perhaps because they are unsatisfed with
their own sex lives.
When it comes down to it, the part I still
cannot get over is the fact that Congress
found it appropriate for a panel discussing
womens health to not include at least one
woman. Frankly, I feel that invalidates any
conclusion reached in the discussion. I say,
get the fuck out of my uterus.
Consider the Co-Op
Student run co-ops are a benchmark of
progressive institutions nationwide, and
every Bennington student has the right
to experience its benefts. The Welling
Townhouse and Longmeadow Eco House
are positive and essential components of the
campus community, but are proportionally
inadequate to the needs of a progressive
student body such as Benningtons. If
we are to collectively transition into the
next generation of academic, artistic, and
activist spheres, the College and the student
body require a centrally located space for a
student-run dining co-op.
For all of the benefts they
provide, Longmeadow and the Townhouse
are isolated, insulated spaces to many
students. They represent essential steps
towards the student-run system that will
be unique to Bennington, but simply do
not provide enough placemats for the
population of students who wish to take a
more direct role in the preparation of food
plates. With a growing campus farm, a
student body beneftting directly from real-
world experiences over FWT, and the local
Vermont culture of connectivity with farm
and food production, this campus is the
perfect setting for a successful student-run
dining co-op.
Napkin-notes, recipe contests,
and the meal-plan shopping credits at
the Student Center are surface-level
avenues for involvement and tasty token
compromises. Most people are quite
content to wait in line for a hot meal or
order from the Student Center because
the staff and chefs are kind, responsive,
and talented. The operations are well run
and most students are satisfed, and those
who wish to eat and clean communally are
understood to have moved to the Town-
House or Longmeadow.
However, there are many students who
do not currently live in one of these spaces,
and would not be at Bennington if they
were willing to be forced into compromise
when common sense shows us another way.
There is a growing part of the student body
that is willing, able, and excited to build a
co-op on campus. The exact shape of this
space will be decided upon and installed by
students, but everyone on campus needs to
give this effort the attention it deserves.
As forward minded as Bennington
students can be, at times it can be diffcult
to expend the energy beyond our own
work. This happens at the expense of what
could be in communtity. It may be hard to
commit to the dirty work for something
that we may not immediately beneft from
in concrete physical terms, however a
student-run Co-Op could be whatever we
want it to be. Consider the thought!
For Petes Sake: Pete The Creep
Features Editor
Y ETHAN CIAkKNC5CHEIIA 'T4
Production Manager
6
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS > March 9, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 1

> arts
Prole: Veronica OLeary
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
ARTS EDITOR
Queering the Bennington Bubble
THE BFP STAFF
EDITOR IN CHIEF
CCNNIE PANZAkIEIIC 'T2
FEATURES EDITOR
kACHEI 1ACK5CN 'T4
NEWS EDITOR
1C5HUA CUCHEk 'T2
VOICES EDITOR
CEIENE AkkEkA 'T5
ARTS EDITOR
NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
PRODUCTION MANAGER
ETHAN CLARK-MOSCHELLA
'T4
COPY EDITORS
EIIIE 5HENKEk T3
NAkEN 1CHN5CN T5
SPECIAL THANKS
TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS!!
Y KENNETH CIGUIN 'T4
VEkCNICA CIEAkY. PHCTC Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
Springsteens Wrecking Ball-
Do we still need The Boss?
Y 1EkENY WINCGkAD 'T3
KENNETH CIGUIN. PHCTC Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
T
he frst thing one notices about
Veronica O`Leary is the way she
moves. All arms and legs, she possesses an
unearthly sort oI poise - a grace too relaxed
to be called cat-like, and which suggests
that perhaps she understands better than
most how to bear gravity comIortably.
A ballet dancer since the age oI two,
she exhibits none oI the usual tension so
endemic to that Iorm - in that way, her time
at Bennington shows.
I met O`Leary in the Student Center Ior
dinner aIter having shadowed a rehearsal
Ior her senior show the night beIore. A
turkey sandwich, a Snickers bar, two bags
oI SunChips and a bottle oI water comprise
her dinner. She claims to usually eats less
healthy, which is surprising given her
slight fgure. Regardless, I was eager to
learn what the spinning tangle oI arms I
had witnessed the night prior was all about,
and she was eager to explain.
The spinning tangle, by the way,
is called Voguing. As O`Leary tells it,
Voguing was inspired by catwalks and frst
appeared in Harlem`s gay community in
the 1960`s. 'Guys would come together,
dress up in drag, walk down a strip and
be judged on how well they walked.... It
was mostly about Iashion. Movement
became incorporated later, and Voguing
eventually spawned sub-genres oI its own;
O`Leary was initially intrigued over Field
Work Term when she noticed underlying
similarities between Voguing`s high-
precision arm movements and her own
vocabulary.
Her highly technical background may
yet serve her well Voguing`s 'hand
illusions as they`re called are extremely
complex, and O`Leary is upIront in
discussing the diIfculties inherent to a
process where she is both teacher and
student. 'This Voguing expedition` is
unique because it`s not something that I
know how to do already. She describes
that process, in conjunction with teaching
her dancers how to execute on the Iorm, as
'kind oI scary, but also exciting.
That mix oI Iear and adrenaline are
Iundamental to any creative endeavor;
O`Leary manages them in part by
decentralizing her creative process and
distributing some oI the work to her
dancers. 'Having them make their own
movement phrases gives me an idea oI how
they move and what their tendencies are....
It`s also a nice way to generate material.
She says. 'Having them make some oI the
material |helps| because then it`s not just
me trying to put movement on them that
may not be organic.
That organic element has been
Iundamental to her growth at Bennington,
and in turn is an elemental component oI
the program itselI. She explains: 'The
intention |at Bennington| is to really
allow the individual to fgure out how they
move... Not to stick them in a class where
everyone needs to look the same. It is
this exact Ireedom, however, which makes
dance at Bennington so indecipherable Ior
many students- dancers and non-dancers
alike. When asked how to best watch
and enjoy dance, O`Leary took a sensible
position. 'To watch dance, you need to
be willing to not come in with any sort
oI reservations or judgements about what
you`re going to see.... A very open mind
can really help.
With the clock ticking down to the debut
oI her senior show, O`Leary will need to
continue learning, teaching and creating
at a rapid pace - doubtless, however, she`s
up to it iI anybody is. At the end oI our
interview I asked iI she could summarize
what dancing is in a single sentence. She
paused Ior a long while beIore replying -
'Dancing is, Ior me, being able to use your
entire body to make art. And that is a very
satisIying and thrilling thing.
The word 'queer has undergone
defnitive transIormations since its
appearance in the 16
th
century, Irom
meanings such as odd and weird to
pejorative ones directed towards LGBT
individuals. Queer also has its own history
here at Bennington, most recently with the
QueerBennington student organization.
Still, little has been said (here or anywhere)
about what queer means today. In a society
that is slowly accepting homosexuality and
incorporating it into mainstream culture, to
what does queer now reIer?
Perhaps the usage oI 'queer has shiIted
once again, driIting Irom exclusively
denoting the LGBT community to a
much broader one not specifcally related
to sexuality and sexual orientation.
Consequently, the problem now becomes
a matter oI pinpointing this emerging
defnition and, as a Bennington student,
understanding it within the Iramework oI
the liberal arts.
In his book Saint Foucault, noted
gender and queer studies theorist David
Halperin defned queer thusly: 'Queer
is by defnition whatever is at odds with
the normal, the legitimate, the dominant.
There is nothing in particular to which it
necessarily refers. It is an identity without
an essence. Queer` then, demarcates
not a positivity but a positionality vis-
a-vis the normative. Understood in
this manner, queer represents a quality
determined entirely by context. For
instance, what might be labeled 'queer in
a Pennsylvanian Amish village might not
be so in New Delhi or by the burgeoning
global media.
II we accept this defnition oI queer,
how does it relate to a liberal arts
education, especially one at Bennington
College? Does queer even have a place at
Bennington or is it something that can be
disregarded and neglected?
To develop a coherent answer to these
questions, it is necessary to consider
the Iundamental principles oI a liberal
arts education. As described by the
Bennington College Plan Process, a
liberal arts education should cultivate a
Ireedom to study broadly across a variety
oI disciplines while simultaneously
Iacilitating concentration in a student`s area
oI interest. In eIIect, 'liberal arts creates a
synergy between breadth and depth.
Considering it in this Iramework, queer
clearly belongs in our liberal arts education;
it oIIers a uniquely contemporary
perspective that, should we choose to
incorporate it, will meaningIully expand
the breadth oI our study. Using queer as an
approach, as an alternative perspective Ior
creating innovative and original work we
can perhaps fnally 'queer our monotonous
Bennington Bubble. Moreover, queer need
not be limited to the arts, but can and should
apply to any and all work we produce (i.e.
how can we approach literature, science,
and anthropology Irom a defnitively queer
perspective?)
In essence, queer can Iorce us to break
old habits and venture into creative territory
that`s way out theresomewhere beyond
the avant-garde and just beIore insanity
(or perhaps a step past). Queer can be our
challenge, and as members oI a liberal arts
community which claims an appreciation
Ior Iresh perspectives, will we be up to it?
I
t`s about time Bruce Springsteen
changes his nickname Irom The Boss
to The Disgruntled Employee.
AIter all, his new album, Wrecking Ball,
is basically an Occupy Wall Street rally set
to music. We should have expected nothing
less in 2012 Irom Bruce, who, despite
being a flthy rich rock star oI nearly Iorty
years has somehow managed to continually
cultivate an irrepressible spokesman-oI-
the-working-class image. Many observers
have Iound a certain phoniness in this.
I`m not bothered by it myselI; FDR did
more Ior America`s poor than just about
anyone else in the 20
th
Century despite his
aristocratic background. Similarly, I see no
reason Springsteen can`t get just as riled up
about economic inequality as the next guy.
Even iI his heart and spirit haven`t
gone anywhere, it would be hard to
argue that he`s released a legitimately
consistent, top tier studio album since at
least Tunnel Of Love way the hell back
in 1987. At no point in that span oI time,
however, has Springsteen`s working class
hero message - the same one he`s been
preaching since 1975 - been more relevant
than it is today. Accordingly, Wrecking
Ball is Springsteen`s most ambitious and
interesting album in a very long while and,
amazingly, captures the spirit oI the times -
or at least the leIt wing version - as well as
any oI his classic records.
Now, I`m Iar Irom ready to anoint
Wrecking Ball into the pantheon oI
Springsteen Classics; it suIIers Irom its
share oI issues, as is inevitable anytime a
62-year old man tries to make a rock n`
roll record. The album-opening anthem
'We Take Care OI Our Own is actually
one oI the record`s weakest songs;
lyrically, he sounds like he`s Iorcing it and
it doesn`t help that the music just sounds
like a Springsteen cover band.
Once that`s over, however, Wrecking
Ball morphs into one oI Springsteen`s most
musically bold and adventurous works to-
date. Though many oI the songs are based
on simple three-chord Iolk melodies (the
bluesy shout-along work song 'Shackled
And Drawn, the thundering Irish Iolk
stomp 'Death To My Hometown),
Springsteen and producer Ron Aniello
spice them up with impressively eclectic
arrangements, incorporating elements
ranging Irom thwacking electronic drum
loops to a big band Irish Iolk sound
(similar to the one Springsteen employed
on 2006`s The Seeger Sessions) - a rap is
even perIormed by backup singer Michelle
Moore in the middle oI the gentle, gospel-
tinged 'Rocky Ground.
Even iI Springsteen`s melodic prowess
is no longer what it once was, Wrecking Ball
is arguably still oI equal thematic power
to older records like Darkness On The
Edge Of Town and Nebraska. Springsteen
never lost his giIt Ior character-based
storytelling and there is ample evidence
Ior this on Wrecking Ball. Some would
argue the world doesn`t need to hear Bruce
bombastically lionizing the working class
yet again - I would argue we need that now
more than ever.
7
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS > March 9, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 1

> arts
Sam Hunter on Playwrighting
Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN 'T5
Postmodernism:
No Excuse For Complacency
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
ARTS EDITOR
Queering the
Bton Bubble
(continued from page 6) it offers a
uniquely contemporary perspective that,
should we choose to incorporate it, will
meaningfully expand the breadth of our
study. Using queer as an approach, as
an alternative perspective for creating
innovative and original work we can
perhaps fnally 'queer our monotonous
Bennington Bubble. Moreover, queer need
not be limited to the arts, but can and should
apply to any and all work we produce (i.e.
how can we approach literature, science,
and anthropology Irom a defnitively queer
perspective?)
In essence, queer can force us to break
old habits and venture into creative territory
thats way out theresomewhere beyond
the avant-garde and just before insanity
(or perhaps a step past). Queer can be our
challenge, and as members of a liberal arts
community which claims an appreciation
for fresh perspectives, will we be up to it?
ARTS CALENDAR
March
TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 5:30 PM
Esther da Costa Meyer: Theories of Objects
The Clark
A free lecture by Clark Fellow Esther da Costa Meyer, Associ-
ate Professor of Art History at Princeton University specializing
in modern architecture
TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH, 7:30 PM
Visual Arts Lecture Series: Xaviera Simmons
Bennington College- Tishman Lecture Hall
Xaviera Simmons transplants diverse narratives into wild, engi-
neered, and somatic landscapes using photography, audio, sculp-
ture, performance, and video
SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH, 8:00 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 25TH, 3:00 PM
Chunky Move
Mass MoCA, $25
Australias leading contemp orary dance company presents
their newest work, Connected, a collaboration of choreographer
Gideon Obarzanek and visual artist Reuben Margolin
SATURDAY, MARCH 31ST, 8:00 PM
Jodi Melnick: New Work
Bennington College- Martha Hill Dance Studio
Bessie award-winning dancer, choreographer, and teacher Jodi
Melnick informally presents new work, including duet excerpts
with Jon Kinzel 91
Benningtons drama faculty have
welcomed playwright Samuel D. Hunter to
their ranks this term; recipient of the 2011
OBIE award Ior his play 'A Bright New
Boise and with a just-closed production
oI 'The Whale at The Denver Center, he
looks to be a promising addition. As an
active member oI the American playwriting
community, Mr. Hunter provides a valuable
perspective for his students with writers
across the country relentlessly generating
new material, actually getting
produced has become exceedingly
diIfcult, but Mr. Hunter remains
positive.
'It`s problematic, he says,
'because you`re getting all oI these
people coming out every year into
the feld with MFAs, and not enough
production slots. That`s the cynical
end of it, but the optimistic end of
it is that I think theaters, especially
regional theaters, are taking bigger
chances nowadays... The amount
oI opportunities is going up.
Additionally, smaller theaters are
beginning to push the envelope on
what types of plays they are willing
to produce. Controversial content
and subversive forms have become
more acceptable for regional
theaters, indicating the changing
taste of contemporary audiences.
Even holding degrees from
big name schools like NYU and
Julliard (which Mr. Hunter does)
doesnt guarantee quick success
most playwrights go through a
long series of workshops, readings,
and conferences before their work hits a
stage. These preliminary phases provide
emerging writers opportunities to hear
their work read without the high stakes of
a full-scale production, as well as make
connections with others working in the
dramatic arts. 'The director Ior the show
that just closed at The Denver Center was
actually someone that I met at the Ojai
Playwright`s ConIerence, Mr. Hunter
remarked, 'Those relationships defnitely
continue on.
As a writer`s medium, playwriting
holds a unique position in American
arts- 'Film is really a director`s medium,
and a lot of theater- Im not going to say
all oI theater- is a writer`s medium. The
words are going to remain intact, and
the director isnt going to change them. I
think [playwriting] is really important just
because oI that.
The unique culture oI Bennington gives
students a special perspective in the world
of playwriting; the touchstone of cross-
disciplinary interaction that Bennington
prides itself on nurtures stronger, more
interesting playwrights. 'Students here
have their hands in so many different
felds, and that makes what they write so
much more interesting. There`s a lot oI
theater thats just about theater, and I think
that Bennington students going forward
have the opportunity to write about the
culture at large in a more meaningIul way.
Mr. Hunter`s production oI 'When
You`re Here, directed by Jean Randich
will be opening at Bennington College
this May.
Sam Hunter
PHCTC Y NIKE GCIDIN T4
Thus Iar over the long arc oI history,
our simian race has produced only a
precious few meaningful truths. Searching
outwardly in every direction we have made
useful progress in the sciences whilst the
brunt of the work in an ageless inquiry of
introspection has been borne by the arts.
Having weathered the duration of our
existence and been carried to every corner
of the globe, art has evidenced itself as a
cardinal component of our humanity- a
fundamental element spanning time and
space, indivisible to the core of our being.
The Minoans were a people without war
and the Chinese a people without religion,
but there has never been a people without
art.
Since its inception Bennington College
has never wanted for art. Our people, if
you will, are steeped in a long tradition
of making. In our abundance innovation
abounds as ever, but the discussion has
stagnated. Locked in the long narrative of
postmodernism we have largely forgotten
that art still matters - that art still changes
things. That art changes people, and people
change things.
Artists shoulder a sacred obligation
older than God or dignity, neither of which
exist without the frst. At this college
where the arts have long thrived we share a
responsibility to understand that obligation,
regardless oI our feld. As the scientist
adjusts the scope of human knowledge
and the humanitarian rewrites the laws and
ethics which govern our lives, so does the
artist reveal mystic truths which inspire us
like only love and religion can.
Art does still change the world, but in
modernity the bar has been adjusted. Art
that is anything less than political is now
nothing more than design. Hence, this
capacity for change making must be more
than occupation or self-serving practice;
we risk irrelevance otherwise. Worse still,
we may have to answer for something at the
end oI all things- 'where were the artists?
The arts have long inIormed and humanized
issues in broader social contexts, and this
community has an obligation to treat them
that way- to think about the arts and to
talk about them; to argue and fght about
art until we feel something in the warm,
Iorgotten center oI our hearts. As citizens
and humans we share that obligation.
Welcome to our new
arts section-
Thanks for tuning in!
I look forward to
thinking with you.
> back page
March 9th, 2012> Vol. 17 No. 1 > THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS
8
www.benningtonfreepress.org
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JOB
WELL
DONE
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