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the Bennington Free Press
T H E B E N N I N G T O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R
Volume 17 Issue 4 | Wednesday, May 30th, 2012
T
his term, after several years
of refning different aspects
of the Plan process, the Aca-
demic Policies Committee (APC)
has fnished revisions of the required
aspects of the Plan documents. Start-
ing next term, everything from the
Plan Proposal to the Plan Progress
Meeting minute sheet will be closer
in language to the College`s original
intention for the Plan.
The main change that incoming
Freshmen and rising Sophomores
will fnd in the Plan Proposal process
is new terminology that describes
what the student would like to study.
Instead of asking students to desig-
nate concentrations, as it did before
2010, the Plan Proposal Coversheet
will now ask students to pick Pri-
mary Areas of Study, and if need be,
Supporting Areas of Study. Robert
Ransick, Head of APC says, 'the pri-
mary areas of study are really where
the student believes they are going
to be doing advanced work. It`s tied
to the advanced work or at least the
proposal to do advanced work. It will
change, it can change, it`s totally fne
if [it] changes. The supporting areas
of study, for the most part.
Ransick says APC found that the
word 'concentration lends itself to
the idea of a major, which was not
the initial intention. Instead, areas
of study more accurately show the
broad nature of a Bennington educa-
tion. Students can now pick a work-
ing title or a question to guide their
study. Becky Godwin, an APC mem-
ber, says the purpose of these changes
'is to get back to the original idea of a
Bennington education, which is, she
says, not to have a major or rote re-
quirements but to foster an individu-
alized process in which each person
fgures out and pursues, with faculty
guidance, his or her major inquiry.
The Plan Proposal now ends by ask-
ing which discipline group or groups
will assess the student`s progress and
advanced work.
The Plan Proposal Meeting minutes
form has also changed. In the new
form, the Plan Committee is asked to
assess the student`s academic prog-
ress in more detail. In the section of
the minutes relating to the Plan, less
emphasis is put on projects and ad-
vanced work, and more on looking
to create a more all-encompassing
outline for the next two years. Instead
of asking 'Are there specifc courses,
subjects, or projects that this student
needs to pursue over the next two
years in order to realize his or her
plan? If so, please list and indicate
time frame (e.g. 'next term, 'within
a year, etc.), the new form asks
committee members to clearly articu-
late the areas of study that the student
will work in. The only question in the
new Plan Proposal minutes directed
solely at planning out advanced work
is 'How will the student use resourc-
es (e.g. faculty, FWT, study abroad)
to assist in the realization of his/her
Plan? Leaving advanced work for
later meetings allows students to fo-
cus more on their educational process
between meetings.
The Plan Progress meeting is now
the Plan Progress and Advanced
Work meeting. In the previous itera-
tion, the Plan Progress meeting min-
utes only asked how the student was
advancing, what the student hoped to
accomplish in the remaining terms,
and what specifc courses, subjects,
and projects students needed to com-
plete to satisfy their Plan and gradu-
ate. Now, the minutes ask the com-
mittee to reconfrm the primary and
supporting areas of study, and then
ask several new, nuanced questions
that refect the latest expectations of
a Bennington education document.
The new form asks whether the stu-
dent has studied a broad range of
disciplines, shown advanced writ-
ing skills, and generally fulflled the
goals of Bennington College. In re-
gards to advanced work, the minutes
form asks the committee to describe
what the student intends to accom-
plish in his or her last year.
The revisions also look to help fac-
ulty prepare their students to undergo
the Plan process, as APC amended
the materials for both faculty and
students that describe the process.
Faculty will be given documents to
help them lead students through the
Proposal and Progress meetings -
these documents contain suggested
questions that will help students ar-
ticulate their Plan and make sure that
they are fully meeting the expecta-
tions of a Bennington College educa-
tion. Godwin says these documents,
'ha[ve] to do with the move towards
transparency in general and towards a
shared understanding among faculty
and students so that we are all on the
same page.
These revisions came out of con-
versations among faculty, SEPC, and
focus groups carried out by SEPC. A
report given to APC by SEPC said,
'[students] feel that the faculty and
administration, let alone students, all
seem to have different interpretations
and beliefs about the Plan. They re-
port that they often receive confict-
ing information about the process
itself and their Plan in particular.
While for now these forms are fn-
ished, Ransick says, 'This is a living
document, and while we hope there
won`t need to be any signifcant revi-
sions, there will be a moment some-
time in the future when it might be
shifted, and that is the spirit of the
document. It is also the spirit of the
Plan process.
Students will receive all of these
documents next term in an open
Google Doc. Students looking to see
them now can email the Dean`s of-
fce.
Keeping infrastructure up to date
can be expensive and old icons can get
lost in the shuffe. In rapidly advanc-
ing felds like Science, sometimes
complete building overhauls are in
order. Luckily our beloved Dickinson
Science Building will remain intact
while receiving a long deserved dose
of TLC starting this summer.
David Rees, the College`s Vice
President for Planning and Adminis-
tration, explained that the renovations
have 3 objectives to accomplish. The
frst is to address issues regarding the
'consistency of air quality [such as]
heating and cooling, says Rees. The
air systems will receive a 'major sys-
tem overhaul to improve the comfort
of Dickinson.
The second is to redo the teaching
and learning spaces to 'modernize
them, and make them more effcient,
said Rees, who also mentioned the
College`s intention to create a 'full
Physics lab, so Physics and Geology
will have their own spaces.
The third major objective is to '[cre-
ate] more energy and more life in the
public spaces, and to get students
more excited about the research done
in the College`s science and math
programs. For example a change is
installing more windows and glass
doors in the building.
When asked about how long this
process might take, Rees claimed that
the plans are to complete this work
'over the next two summers and feld
work term, so within 'a year to a year
and a half. He explained that one of
the most diffcult aspects of these ren-
ovations is scheduling around classes
and faculty research in order to 'ac-
complish the project without major
disruptions. Any compromises made
for cost or lack of interference will
not affect the quality of the renova-
tions, and the project should be com-
pleted 'as effciently and also as cost
effectively as possible.
Dickinson is not the only building
that Bennington will be attending to
in the future. Rees explained that the
Dickinson update is the 'frst major
project of this next phase of the Col-
lege`s renovation and restoration of
existing buildings. Commons, the
Student Center, the Barn, and Jen-
nings are all looking towards upcom-
ing renovations. The extent of these
plans will require 'major fundrais-
ing that will take much time in order
for them to come to fruition.
Plan Documents Go Back to the Basics
APC Retool s Pl an Documents to Cl ari fy and I nspi re
42-year-old Science Building Gets Face Lift
I nfrastructure Overhaul
Y 1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
NEWS EDITOR
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>>Skinny
Seniors Last Coee Hour
That awkward moment
when a 22 year old realizes
no one in the room will
miss them.
Sup Parents
How are you? Im ne. I
hope you like the paper!
Shouts Out to Kenny Ol-
guin
For making peoples lives
better through neon yel-
low cheese noodles. <3
Why isnt the Plural of
New not News?
And why isnt one piece of
news not just a new?
This is the craziest Im
gonna get this week.
Rachel wears a coat in-
doors.
Meow Meow Meow
Meow. Im going to go
sleep in d207 now.
Stanley Wong 12
That is So Oensive. That
is Not Socially Acceptable
at All. [Giggles]
Overheard in the Pod.
WhatIsMikeGoldinDoing.
tumblr.com
Nobody ever asks how
Mike Goldin 14 is doing.
Student Life Denies O
Campus Housing
Town/Gown relationship
improves.
That Few Days After
Therau by Kanye West
Came Out
Cease and desist orders are
weird. What is the name of
this song now?
Power Outage During
Morning Classes
Brief hope for no more Star
Trek themed Google Docs.
End of Term Heat Wave
Students ock to CAPA for
the rst time.
OMG This Is My Last BFP
Hold it together. Dont cry.
This Is Hard. Im Going to
Miss You All
Sni. Goddamnit I said I
wouldnt cry.
Josh, shut up.
xoxox, Connie
2
The BenningTon Free Press / May 30th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 4 N E W S
Good news and bad news regarding housing
next term: while there will be fewer freshmen,
fewer students will be permitted to live off-
campus. Because off-campus housing quotas
are determined by enrollment, the record break-
ing incoming class sizes of the past two terms
have afforded a substantial number of students
the opportunity to live off campus.
Eva Chatterjee-Sutton, Dean of Students, has
noticed more students requesting to live off
campus. One of the things I tried to put out
right at the beginning when we did off campus
housing applications was this is a totally enroll-
ment driven decision so even students with
compelling reasons to live off campus may not
be allowed to. Many students whose applica-
tions were rejected have tried discussing op-
tions with Chatterjee-Sutton, but there is little
she can do. There have been a lot of one-on-
one conversations where people say, but I have
a compelling reason, and I say yes, of course
you do, my hands are tied.
There are, however, a number of ways for
students to move off-campus without needing
the permission of the College. Students over
the age of 24, those who establish local resi-
dency, and part time students are not bound by
the residency rule. Those who may need to live
off-campus for fnancial reasons should talk to
the Financial Aid Offce to understand how a
change of residency or going part time,could
affect their fnancial aid.
Y 1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
NEWS EDITOR
Y CHkI5 CCNkCY 'T2
Sorry, No Room Off
Campus
The BFP Gives
Back: This Article
Was Written for
Charity
Faculty Shufe: New Faces Take Old
Places
T
here will be seven new long-term faculty
members on campus next term; Andrew
Cencini in computing, Noah Coburn in Anthro-
pology, Micheal Dumanis in Literature, Susie
Ibarra and Michael Wimberly in Music, and
two new positions in Media Studies, and En-
vironmental Studies, flled by Erika Mijlin and
Valerie Imbruce, respectively.
The new faculty members were found through
a complex search process that began last Sep-
tember. According to Isabel Roche, Dean of the
College, there are two times new faculty are
hired on a multi-year basis: either a spot is va-
cated, or a new position is added. The Academic
Policies Committee, which Roche serves on, de-
cides how positions should be flled. 'The APC
decides how to best use our resources, Roche
explained, citing this years search for literature
faculty as an example. The end of last year left
the literature department with two vacancies.
The faculty put together a proposal as to why
those spots should be flled by literature faculty,
instead of adding faculty in another area. The
APC agreed the positions should be used to hire
new Literature faculty, and the search began.
The College puts out a nationwide advertise-
ment for new faculty, then sorts through hun-
dreds of applications and compiles a list of peo-
ple to bring to campus. The process takes an
entire academic year, said Roche, explaining
that there are complications when considering
the timeline of a search. It is important to the
school that students have input in the process,
however, students are gone for three months of
the year for winter break and Field Work Term.
We do as much as we can before Field Work
Term, Roche said, then start bringing candi-
dates to campus once the students get back.
Student input is important to the process.
When a candidate comes to visit, lunches and
lectures are scheduled so that the students and
other faculty can meet them and give their input
to the APC. Student input is one of the many
factors that we take into account, she said.
In order to ensure this, there is an individual
search committee for each vacancy that is being
flled. These committees have faculty from the
discipline for which the candidate is being hired,
a faculty member from another discipline, and
senior administration from the Dean`s offce.
The nature of a Bennington education involves
close relationships with faculty, and because of
this, students desire a say in the hiring of new
faculty. While the hiring process at Bennington
may be the most effcient way to use resources,
it can be unsettling to the students and their
Plans.
Emiline Mesmer, 15, was thinking of having
her plan focus more on computer science after
meeting Will Doane, who brought science to
her. My interest in computer science only
came about because of Will, and his dedica-
tion to the subject, she says. The class that she
took with him this term, Nature of Information,
had a signifcant impact on her planning for her
education, and she was thinking of doing a tuto-
rial with him to write a childrens book about
information. Now, shes considering looking
elsewhere to continue her study of information
due to the fact that Doane will be leaving. The
day I approached him about the tutorial was the
day he found out he couldnt do it, she said,
It was pretty heartwrenching. An anonymous
junior is having a similar issue with the lack
of a permanent political economy professor.
The fact that there is not a permanent politi-
cal economy faculty member means theres no
permanent faculty member to advise my senior
thesis, he said. [Geoff] was the professor that
I studied with the most. I built up a relationship
with him, he was my advisor.
The individual committees and the APC, how-
ever, work hard to make sure the people they
hire are a good ft for the school, and the student
upset is an unfortunate backlash. The reason
for the lack of the permanent political economy
faculty is that they have yet to fnd someone
who they felt was right for the position. The
present plan is to hire a visiting professor rather
than a multi-year faculty member that they are
unsure would ft into Bennington`s unique aca-
demic community.
Y KkI5TA THCkP 'T5
1C5HUA A. A. CUCHEk 'T2
CCIIN kANT 'T2 WA5 THE WINNEk CF THI5 YEAk5 EXTkA PIG HEAD. THE CTHEk PIG HEAD WA5 E5TCWED
UPON KILPATRIK HOUSE AND PLACED ON A STAKE OUTSIDE.
T
hey all skipped Get Dressed to Get Laid
to camp outside Gamers Grotto in order to
be frst in line for the release of Sukeban Sha-
chou Rena (we dont know either). Santino, ac-
customed to the fair climes of California, came
unprepared for the chill Vermont midnight, save
the former drug-dealers Nike jumpsuit he had
bought on the day blue-tags were half off at
Goodwill, and his leather jacket, a relic of his
high schools production of Grease (in which he
played Doody).
Shivering, he watched a pale Yehudi cross
the street, with a penguine gait and Game Boy
thrust out like a compass. Whatre you play-
ing?
Pokmon.
Starter?
Squirtle.
Right answer.
Only answer.
What I wouldnt do for a shell.
Overhearing the conversation through the
walls of his double-fll cotton canvas-with a
dry-fnish silicone treatment for water repel-
lency and mildew resistance-tent, Chris burst
through the fap, the lipidinous scent of Totino`s
flling the air. In an immense gesture of gener-
osity, he invited the others to join him within.
Flubbergasted at the elephantine invitation,
Josh and Santino yielded to its gravity.
Shortly, a knock shook the water repellant
and mildew resistant stockade. Room for an-
other? Came a gilded plea.
Womb for an hour? What? Sure.
Thus Duff joined the exquisite fraternity; the
friendship formed that night would not only
defne an era at Bennington College, but also
provide no less than three struggling families
with enough Ramen to last at least the amount
of hours their charitors would log in Skyrim.
God I cant believe we are actually publishing
this. Jesus Christ. At least its for a good cause.
The Bennington Food and Fuel Fund earned a
wopping $90 for this. Thats crazy. Way to go.
3
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / May 30th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 3 F E A T U R E S
Dating at Bennington is kind of like
bobbing for apples at the very end of
the apple-bobbing party; the selection is
limited, you can barely tell what youre
doing, and all of the apples are already
covered in someone elses beery backwash.
Still, a number of us do it anyway, because
our primitive, pre-humanoid instincts
occasionally rise up out of the cognitive
murk to yell at us for wasting our nubile
years reading books when we should be
attacking other people with our sex parts.
This becomes complicated here due to the
70/30 gender split, which makes this place
a romantic bizarro world where the highest
concentration of pretty girls on the Eastern
Seaboard gets about as much action as
the Elephant Man, and, resultantly, the
level of female desperation has turned
most of the eligible male population into
confused, secretly frightened pseudo-
Lotharios. For some, amorous encounters
come fying naturally out of the ether, but
for others, engineering alone time with
that certain anyone is like a never-ending
sexual Greenwall. Let me guide you
through this nightmare so that you can get
your end-of-term jollies or start planning
ahead for your September conquest.
First: Use the internet! Social media
exists for the express purpose of making
it easier to hunt down potential bone-
zone-dream-teammates on college
campuses. Have someone particular in
mind? Learn the name of his/her favorite
band so you can whisper it mid-potential-
coitus! Creepy knowledge is creepy power.
Then: Go to the party. The year is
ending and the atmosphere is charged with
sexual frustration and the social anxiety
that accompanies the collapse of the Senior
power structure. Capitalize on this by
dressing like a centurion who could protect
him/her or your various desired its from
invading Visigoths. The same hierarchical
confusion might persist into the frst weeks
of next term, too, but it wont be as heady
an aphrodisiac as the current atmosphere
of imminent loss and sweaty humidity.
Once you get talking, try: Mnemonic
devices, catchphrases, and memes are
the key to modern courtship. Can you
imagine how many people have gotten
laid by just repeating the chorus of
HYFR to each other? Probably like
8. Maybe ratchet it up intellectually by
repeating your favorite passages from
Ulysses, or throwing down some
Nietzsche. Maybe just stick to HYFR.
Escalation: Lets assume that his
desperation so exceeds your weirdness
that he or she is willing to overlook your
recitation of the My Name is Maximus
speech from Gladiator and you are now
alone somewhere. Get freaky, or whatever.
Ew, youre into that? Ok, ok, Ill leave.
Registration: Be it hand-holding, kissing
in a closet, nude yoga, or a blood oath, if
a physical demonstration of interest has
been made, and it wasnt Hindenberg-
status traumatizing, youve achieved the
sexual equivalent of a 16-credit clean
sweep at Greenwall. Even better, if
youre planning on trying this out before
we all Exodus the fuck out of here,
all the weird stuff that comes after the
frst day or so of a relay-lay isn`t your
problem, because youre leaving almost
immediately! So if youre tired of having
a stable, independent, and well-organized
life, get on out there and fnd your apple.
Maybe You Should Just Stay Home
Did freshman Bryan Conover know he
wanted to be the senior speaker?
No.
So how did this happen?
Well, four years, you know? I think what
appealed to me the most was making my
parents proud. I feel like my mom and dad
are gonna appreciate it even if Im really
nervous for it. Theyll be able to say, Im
not spending this money for nothing. But
itd be hard to pinpoint on any one turning
point in my time here.
Something you struggled with during the
selection process was the actual delivery
of your words - whats the story with that
and how did you get over it?
I dont know if I ever got over it. It
was different every time I delivered it.
You go into that room, and its right next
to the president`s offce. The frst time
there were probably twelve people in the
room and there are a bunch of people
we dont know, we dont really know
the administration and half of them were
those type of people- NPCs- non-playable
characters here. I think thats what made
me pretty nervous about it, added to
the fact that I wouldnt call myself a
great public speaker - Im just not very
experienced in it.
I didnt edit my speech and I didnt
really practice that much. I wasnt in the
mindset to practice this thing - it just felt
weird. I didnt practice it until a few days
before I had to deliver it again, and the
frst time I had to give it I actually only
practiced it the morning of - which isnt
a good thing to do when youre already
nervous. I feel like whoever says theyre
not nervous going into that situation is just
lying.
Have you practiced it since then?
No. [laughs] I mean, Ive read it and
Ive been thinking of changing it. I wrote
it sometime last term, and Im talking
about senior year and I didnt know the
full scope of what would happen. So
Im trying to touch it up so its a more
accurate refection of the process. And
then with all my work its been hard to
practice this thing, but I pretty much have
it memorized now. Its pretty short.
When you started writing it did you
already have an idea or did you just start
writing it?
Well I had to submit an outline of what
I would write about if I were selected
as a fnalist. One thing that was really
important to me - and Im pretty sure
it was important to the other fnalists
too - was just thanking the faculty,
because these are the people who, in my
experience, push me to actually work.
Bennington gets a lot of students who can
be smart, but in terms of being a student,
Bennington attracts a lot of people who
need motivation and we have such a great
faculty. In literature, at least - I dont
really know the other faculty. Annabelle
has been on my case since freshman year
and it might have been unpleasant at frst
but Ive been so grateful to have had her
guiding me and always challenging me.
Even now in classes with her she wont
take any bullshit - still gotta do all the
reading like I did freshman year, look up
all the words I dont know
So thats what I wanted to do. I wanted
to make sure there was a sense of
gratitude that came across. Also just the
kids you go to school with. Its hard to go
to such a small school and leave people
after four years. We all know each other
pretty well. So I just wanted to get that
across. I cant speak for anyone else. I
wasnt interesting in writing a speech
like, remember all those crazy nights?
you know, the typical college or high
school graduation speech where its like
Ill always remember the times we had
together, guys. I wanted it to be rooted
in something tangible- my progress as a
student and then touch on the other stuff
in a more meaningful way.
In writing something thats not just for
yourself there is an expectation. Youre
speaking to and in a way that is also
speaking on behalf of others. How did you
know that what you wrote was the right
thing?
Well Id never written a serious speech
before. And I wasn`t sure if I wanted to
make this sad or - thats what people ask
me, usually. The seniors want to know if
its sad, or happy or whatever- but I cant
imagine myself making that many people
laugh. [laughs] Thats just not me, really.
I dont know if its right. I still dont
know if its right. Whether its right for
me or not? Every time I submit a paper
Im up until the last minute changing
stuff. I feel like its just a part of writing
where you have an idea in your head thats
not really something that can be expressed
and so the work that you do is never really
satisfying because itl l never completely
match up to this idea - which is changing
all the time.
If you could give your freshman self one
piece of advice, what would that be?
Hm. [long pause] That`s a diffcult
question... [long pause] Take a Take a
visual arts class. I never took one and I
really regret not taking one. I wish I took
one some time in the four years. I guess
thats kind of a lame answer, but Yeah. I
wish I took one.
Interview: Bryan Conover
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
ARTS EDITOR
Y ENNA DEI VAIIE 'T3
4
THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / May 30th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 4 F E A T U R E S
Connie, originally published 2008: I
like to think of my frst night at Bennington
as what will probably be a metaphor for
my entire college experience here. At the
student center, there was this drum dance.
That`s really the only way to describe
it; only it wasn`t exactly a dance in the
traditional high school vein. In fact, most
of my high school population would
have run out faster than you could say
the words, had they been there. I had my
doubts as well, until I just stood there and
watched for a little while. Everyone was
just dancing, or moving their body to the
rhythm. They didn`t care about how they
looked or what anyone thought about
them, they just did it. And after several
minutes of initial Oh my god, what
am I doing here?` thoughts- I joined in.
I`ve had more and more of those
moments over the past month and I know
it sounds like some horrible clich, but
it does feel like the opening to a path of
self-discovery that I wouldn`t have been
afforded (no pun intended) at another
school. It is also perhaps the most
terrifying experience of my life. I liken it to
the proverbial falling without a parachute;
only, its not like you forgot the parachute;
it simply does not exist. Before, at home,
you probably had your parents, your best
friend, and your dog, to fall on. Here, you
have yourself and about 231 other people
who are in the same exact plane as you are,
but alas, they don`t have parachutes either.
My friends are all at traditional
universities and they think I am in the
middle of nowhere with a bunch of
weirdoes (myself highly included).
They routinely ask if I have gotten lost
in the woods yet (the answer is, almost,
actually) or if I miss civilization (a
C O N N I E P A N Z A R I E L L O 1 2 : T H E N A N D N O W
Across:
1. First 'President of the United States
4. Whether tis this in the mind
5. The son of William the Bastard
8. This man has a lean and hungry look
9. Second largest rodent
10. This is one of these puzzles
11. The second season of this show premiered April 1st
12. Submissions for this were due April 1st
14. Fought at Battle of Bennington for the British
15. This many Presidents served before John Adams
Some of you BFP readers may know
that I have been working on a medicinal
soup cookbook for the past year. Having
completed the project, I decided to share
my favorite recipe from the collection.
Usually reserved for baked goods,
lavender has been gaining popularity
and is showing up more and more in
savory dishes. The light foral taste
adds an interesting layer of favor to
this traditional Greek lemo n and egg
soup, and with the vitamin C from the
lemon, the protein from the egg, and the
antibacterial properties of lavender, it can`t
hurt to try this soup when you have a cold.
2 lemons
3 eggs
4 cups of chicken stock
cup of long-grain rice
2 teaspoons of lavender
salt and pepper
In a medium sized pot, bring the broth to
a boil. Add the rice and bring to a simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is
cooked. Season with salt and pepper. In a
large bowl, whisk together the zest and juice
from two lemons (always zest frst!) and the
three eggs. When thoroughly combined,
gently pour the mixture into the broth
while constantly stirring. Continue stirring
until the eggs are cooked and the soup is
creamy (1-2 minutes). Add the lavender
and season again with salt and pepper.
Lavender
Avgolemono
ANEIIA VCTTEkC 'T2
Down:
2. Found deserted in 1590
3. An interpreter in an Arabic country
6. Captain whose name means to look in Australia
7. This 'Bonnie Prince escaped to the island of Skye
8. One of the Third who couldn`t beat the Parthians
12. Lost their nose to Sa`im al-Dahr
13. This founding father invented the swivel chair
16. An adj. meaning to have a rounded build or body
17. Walks on four, two, and then three
18. What the Raven sat upon
EN1ANIN C. DAVID5CN 'T4
little bit). However, they all have this
fascination with Bennington because it is
something entirely unique to them. While
they played name games and went to frat
parties, I dressed up like Dorothy and sat
under the stars at 2 am for no particular
reason, other than it was a beautiful night.
I am still adjusting to life here. It is
completely different to the structure of m
home, where everything is planned out for
me and my friends and I have to decide
whether to go to the Starbucks at Barnes
& Noble or the Starbucks in the middle of
town (trust me on this, there are not a lot of
other options where I come from). It`s hard
trying to fgure out where you stand, how
you stand or if you should even be standing
there in the frst place. Yet, I think the
beauty of this place is that no one is going to
tell you; you have to fgure it out yourself.
First of all, Im sorry you had to read
that article, and, if youre a senior,
Im more sorry that you might have
had to read it again. Im guessing
the upperclassmen that read it at
the time were like bitch is gonna
transfeerrrrrr because thats how
delusional I sounded. Also, I hate
fucking drum circles now because
well, thats what happens when you
have to hear them every weekend.
PS: A garbage can is not a drum. More
specifcally, the garbage can below
my window in Woolley is not a drum.

Anyway, that was my frst month at
Bennington, so I thought it would
be interesting to write a senior
perspective article on my
last month and how I felt.
take this shit. You are wonderful, intelligent
people who deserve the best in life.
*Saying that, it would be great if
we, as women, could be nicer to each
other and not fght over the asshole
boys because this is a 'we have to stick
together situation if I`ve ever seen one.
4. On that note, I think when I frst
came here I viewed Bennington as a really
accepting place and, to a certain extent, it
very much is. However, I have witnessed
enough homophobia, sexism, and even
casual racism here to know that we are
not exactly the college embodiment of
'It`s a Small World. Stop using the 'f
word. And not the one rhymes with truck.
5. I stopped wanting to eat at the Dining
Hall about two weeks into the term. After 4
years, eating with 500 other people 2-3 times
a day in one big space becomes more of a
necessary headache than a pleasant social
interaction. And you also have to witness
how inexplicably excited the freshmen
seem to be about everything, with the
knowledge that they will soon be as jaded
as you are. It`s a vicious cycle. Plus, I think
a good audience. Those were perhaps the
most nerve-wracking moments of my
Bennington career, and I think they were
made easier by the fact that this school
does have such a supportive environment
in terms of the work we all do. I was
continually impressed by all the senior
work this term and proud to be part
of such a talented class. End gushing.
9. I hope you enjoyed reading this
newspaper. Hell, I hope you read this
newspaper at all. I worked hard to bring
you a readable one. Good luck, Mike,
Rachel, Celene & Ethan. I wish you the
best next year. Sometimes when I think
of leaving this place, I literally have to
pause in disbelief and take a deep breath.
Not to get all 2008 on you guys, but time
fies super fast here and this really is a
place like no other. Enjoy it. Have fun.
Xoxoxo,
CP
the paintings in the big room are dumb.
6. Why isn`t the bar in the Student
Center open more? Why do we have
only one tap? Why is the tap usually
PBR? These are the questions that
have defned my life this month.
7. Third foor Commons sitting there
empty never ceases to depress me. When I
went on a tour up there a few years ago, the
dancers literally got down on their knees
and kissed the foor of Martha Graham`s
studio, and I`m pretty sure Joan Goodrich
had to physically pull me out of the theatre
space (there`s a stage up there - a full
stage!!). My favorite part (other than the
STAGE) is the radio station room with all
of the 90s indie band posters that looked
like they came straight out of Empire
Records. At the time, Joan told us it would
take about $20,000,000 to renovate it, never
mind getting it up to fre code, but I haven`t
given up hope that it will one day happen.
8. Thanks for coming to my script
reading and laughing. Thanks for coming
to our solo performances and being such
Connie, today:
1. Your last month at Bennington is
much like your frst: you`re much too
busy doing shit to process anything
that`s happening. Also, you want
to drink a lot. That doesn`t change.
2. On a more personal note, I had
Lyme disease when I got here and I
probably have it now, which is why I have
to wear that stupid air cast everyone`s
asking me about (thanks, by the way, I`m
fne). But yeah, DON`T WALK IN THE
TALL GRASS WITH SANDALS ON.
JUST DON`T! WEAR SOCKS AND
PROPER FOOTWARE! The antibiotics
are made less effective by alcohol and
no one wants to not drink their last three
weeks in college. I`m not counting
airplane bottles of Absolut Grapevine
as drinking, though, so it`s all good.
3. A good chunk of the boys at this school
view the ratio as their god given right to be
shitty to the girls here. I`ve seen some of the
smartest, wittiest women on this campus
be fucked over by this attitude and so, my
parting wisdom - Bennington girls, do not
5 The BenningTon Free Press / May 25th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 4
V O I C E S
Walshin It :
Summer Jobs
Y KIIIIAN WAI5H 'T4
Its that time of year again. No, Im not
talking about the summer premiere of True
Blood`s fIth season (Vampire Stabler!),
Im talking about the annual college stu-
dent rush for employment. I realize some
of you may have had the foresight to set
this up a few months back. Or, perhaps,
you took care oI it even beIore Spring
term began. And Im sure still more of
you probably got a job through your ever-
burgeoning network of professional con-
tacts. In my case, however, its becoming
more and more apparent that Ill have to
thrust myself out into the job market like
a lonely forty-something looking for love,
complete with well-kept clothing and an
essential necktie.
And its not like I havent tried.
Ive got a good resume, and its varied
with jobs in the service industry, certain
secretarial positions, a few stints at various
theatres, and a good enough educational
background to come off impressively. All
Im really lacking is bartender training and
maybe an odd job as a house painter. If I
had those skills I could work weddings,
moonlight at the dive bars on the
Southwestern stretch Western Avenue, or
paint houses. But it`s not my qualifcations
that worry me. Its the job market.
I live in a neighborhood of
Chicago that has several large high schools
and a sprawling community college with
an enrollment just over 5,000, so those
vaunted jobs at Chipotle and Jamba Juice
are highly competitive. Even getting a
salesclerk post at the dilapidated Lady
Footlocker in The Plaza mall is getting
harder each year. Businesses are being
boarded up, too. We lost the large Border`s
Bookstore when that company went belly-
up, the Starbucks shut down a couple years
ago (although this was largely because
using its drive through required Knievel-
level steering), Fatburger came and went
in spite of Kanyes desire to make it big,
and nothing seems to be coming to fll their
collective void.
The sensible course of action
to take after this would be to head to
newspaper classifeds and get clippin`.
These days, though, what seems to fll
those pages are either ominous-sounding
medical testing opportunities or dubious
propositions that will likely lead to an
uncomfortably sexual situation with a
stranger. Job websites like Monster cater
to college graduates, posting fyers Ior
odd jobs can only go so far, walking into
a place and dropping off your resume is a
little frowned-upon now: things are really
looking bleak.
As Bennington students, we do
have access to the Field Work Term and
Career Development OIfce which, iI you
get past the long haul it takes getting from
your dorm to CAPA, sadly can really only
oIIer help to East and West coast students.
Its just a sad fact about where the strongest
arms of our alumni and extended networks
exist.
Im sure that I wont be the only
one struggling to fnd employment this
summer, either. If I was, thered be every
reason to do what those above-mentioned
loveless forty-somethings do when theyve
run out of luck: hit up some dive bars. But,
Im not giving up hope, and you shouldnt
either. The way fast food restaurants burn
through employees means that Ive at least
got a fghting chance. And iI all oI that Iails
and I do end up jobless, theres always
panhandling.
With the reality oI graduation
quickly approaching I have come to a re-
alization. I have spent four years espousing
controversial opinions to my friends and
hoping that one day I would write an article
on each oI them. With this idea no longer
feasible I have decided to give you a list of
headlines.
1.Just because Obama has a good voice/
talks about vague feelings/seems like a
chill guy does not make him care any more
about you or your constitutional rights than
Mitt Romney does. Romney has never ex-
ecuted an American citizen without a trial.
2.Led Zeppelin, CCR, and the Sex Pistols
are overrated, terrible, and boring. The Sex
Pistols are not a punk band, CCR has no
right to talk about any kind of bayou, and
Led Zeppelin are racist/sexist dolts who
dont give credit where it is due.*
3.If you talk ad nauseam about your pets or
how cute any kind of animal is, you have
no right to eat meat until I can watch you
kill an animal according to the Shechita
laws.
4.If you are a vegetarian why would you
eat Iake meat? Would you also hire a mime
to fake slaughter it for you? And if you are
a barefoot runner why do you wear fake
shoes?
5.Tom Hanks ruins every movie
6.Robert Zemeckis is the most overrated
and sexist director making flms now.
7.Just because True Blood is a big allegory
for LGBT rights does not make it an in-
teresting show, nor progressive. Actually
comparing demonic beings who feed on
human blood to homosexuals probably
makes it homophobic.
8.I think maintenance works hard and does
a good job.
9.Pot is for stoners
10.The construction is not that bad and
the look of the redone houses is awesome.
11.There are some good folk-punk bands
12. Tegan and Sara`s album So Jealous is
one of the best albums of the last ten years
13.I think Zack Franklin might still go here
14.The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is rac-
ist.
15.Third street is a fun place
16.Mickey Roberts is one of the only peo-
ple I respect on campus.
17.No, you dont need that much reverb-
People who wept over graIfti in VAPA
but did not have the same reaction to the
vandalizing and destruction of classroom
materials in Dickinson are idiots.
18.Anthony Bourdain is bad for America.
Also pig products are not an interesting
topic of conversation, bacon does not need
to be in everything (anything).
19.I think CAPA is great.
20.The BFP is funny, sometimes
II you disagree with these fnd me,
fght me.
*See: every classic rock band / Chuck
Berrys bank account compared to
Jimmy Pages.
Homage to the Turkey Mesa
Y DANA 5CHEIN 'T2
The Turkey Mesa is a sandwich
that my mom discovered at the Blue Benn
Diner upon my frst visit to Bennington.
Somehow, sorting through dozens oI
handwritten offerings taped above the
counter, she found the best thing on the
menu. I am certain of this because in any
subsequent visit to the Blue Benn my order
always looked better than the persons
sitting across from me.
I wont indulge too much in
describing the sandwichs contents: two
buttery slices of toast containing warm
turkey, avocado, cheddar jack cheese, and
most importantly, a mystery sauce that
elevates the Mesa to the type of pleasure
that induces suspicion. I once asked a
waitress Ior the recipe. She leaned one arm
on the counter with the other akimbo. Its
a secret, she said.
The ritual eating of the Turkey
Mesa marked the beginning and end of
every semester when my dad and older
brother would drive from New York City
to drop me off or pick me up. For my
dad and I, lunch was easy. Years went by
and the menu remained unopened. Then
came a point when my brother became
restless. Im tired of the Mesa, he
conceded; maybe theres something else
on the menu. Looking down at his plate
of iceberg lettuce and refried beans my dad
and I shared a look of palpable victory. My
brother never wavered again.
My junior year I was exchanging
letters with a boy who lived abroad. I was
deeply infatuated him. He asked me about
college. 'Vermont is nice, I wrote. 'The
leaves are nice in the fall and theres an
old fashioned diner where I order the same
sandwich every time. A year later, when
we were dating and he came to Bennington
for a visit, I delighted in the prospect of
introducing him to my beloved Turkey
Mesa. My eyes widened as I watched him
take a bite. Its OK, he remarked.
Now faced with the reality of
leaving many of the comforts associated
with college, I will also have to part with
my sandwich. Nothing else has remained so
constant over four years. I envision lunch
at the railroad car diner on graduation day,
punching in the numbers for Roy Orbisons
Crying on the jukebox, and savoring my
last taste of Bennington.
Reales Controversial Opinions
Y PETEk kEAIE 'T2
PHCTC Y EN kEDNCND 'T4

Once again, Dogfsh Head manages to take
a beer trend I think I am tired of and make
it delicious. We all know hops are a thing
right now and the hoppier the beer, the
more you are supposed to enjoy it, right?
Not always. Some beers severely overdo it
and make it diffcult to enjoy the drink at
all. But this beer, the Hellhound Ale, is ab-
solutely delicious. Besides the hops, there
is a huge amount of citrus favor that comes
through upon the very frst drink. Till the
last drop in the bottle, the taste is bold and
delicious. On the bottle they have inscribed
at the bottom 'Ale brewed with lemons,
which is what frst intrigued me; that lem-
on taste is defnitely my favorite aspect of
the beer. Absolutely delicious.
To balance out the hops there is
a tad bit of sweetness that comes through
and a heavy carbonation. I honestly felt
like I was drinking a citrus fruit drink at
times were it not for the perfect amount
of alcohol taste that surfaces at the end of
each sip. Surprisingly, despite the amount
of hops and citrus fruit involved in the
making of this beer, it is not that bitter.
Maybe this is what places this beer over
the other ones in the hop fad that is going
on. Dogfsh Head certainly knows how to
brew em. Thank god this only comes in
large bottles; you`re not going to want any
less.
In addition to this, fun tidbit about
the name of the beer, straight from the
Dogfsh Head website: '2011 would have
marked the 100th birthday of Mississippi
Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, who ac-
cording to legend, sold his soul down at
the crossroads in a midnight bargain and
changed music forever. Working again
with our friends at Sony Legacy (yup,
the same folks we did our Miles Davis-
inspired Bitches Brew with), Dogfsh Head
paid tribute to this blues legend by gettin`
the hellhounds off his trail and into this
fnely-crafted ale.
Beer Broad:
Robert Johnson`s
Hellhound On My
Ale
(beerbroad.tumblr.com)
6
The BenningTon Free Press / May 30th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 4 A R T S
Not a lot of Bennington bands are
as straightforwardly, unabashedly fun
as Hot Babes. Maybe this is because
Christian Mailloux 14 and Jay Kineke
15, originally conceived the whole thing
as a joke: While staying up all night
after a Ty Segall show in New York City
last term and talking about how nobody
dances at Bennington concerts, Mailloux
and Kineke began throwing around an
idea to start their own band that might get
us listless post-modernists moving our
desiccated bodies. The conversation led
Mailloux to a revelation: I wanna make a
surf band... I wanna make a joke surf band,
in... New England. They immediately
made a list of song titles (Im Really
Starting to Get Sick and Tired of All
These Goddamn Tourists, Cool Wave,
Stoked on Some Girl, Shitty Van, etc.)
that, while obviously meant to be goofy,
comprise an evocative, nostalgic, and
somehow refreshingly earnest repertoire.
Hot Babes is generally described in the
blogworld press (coverage is slowly but
steadily accumulating) as lo-f garage
surf punk, with plenty of yelling, jangly
guitars and elements of Beach Boys-esque
romanticism. For Kineke, guitar dude and
co-vocalist, that kind of sound runs in the
family. My dad was in a surf band he
said, laughing, At the time I really hated
it. I was more into Nirvana. Kineke
himself had been in a few high school
bands which he describes as kind of
silly. Mailloux, drum shredder and also-
vocalist, has been singing/songwriting
for some time and once had a band in
high school called Punching... Meat
Noise that only played one concert,
which was at a Halloween party. Their
present collaboration is both comfortably
experienced and playfully weird.
'Hot Babes Cool SurI, their frst
EP, became available for download on
bandcamp this winter, and theyre starting
to get attention. Theyve been played
on MITs radio station (which is great,
because those nerds could use some surf
music) and, for some reason, the local radio
station of a small city in France. Theyve
been reviewed and plugged by 8 blogs
and music sites, including CaptainCrawl
and Dying For Bad Music, and the super-
obviously-named Indie Bands Blog.
They won this years Battle of the Bands
and put on an energetic show at Sunfest.
Since most of you were probably at home
washing off all of the chocolate sauce /
bacon grease / face paint / whipped cream
/ pig juice / baby oil during their set at
Pigstock, you missed them playing a show
in Kilpats bounce house and almost
destroying their own drum kit mid-show.
What comes next for these babe-alicious
wave-shredders? I think were doing
one more show this term - a weird show,
Mailloux says. I want to do a performance
piece with Nick de Leonardi dressed up
as a sea-man... Jays going to be a surfer
covered in blood and Im going to be either
a wave or a shark. They are also debating
going on a tour sometime within the next
year, probably in Christians currently
out-of-commission camper (and probable
inspiration for the song Shitty Van).
More concretely, they plan to release a
few more singles online for downloading,
and hope to make some vinyl records
next year if they can raise the neccesary
funds. They are currently making hand-
decorated and packaged CDs for anyone
who asks, on a name-your-own-price basis.
When I asked Hot Babes what they wanted
to say to Bennington at large, Christian
automatically started spouting dumb stuff
like Sand in your food kinda stinks like
Hot Babes when they`ve been surfn` and
Surf Life, but Jay had a more sincere
message- What I really want is for people
to do the twist. Please, do the twist at our
shows. So, guys, go to whatever weird
sea-play show Hot Babes is doing this
term, and for the love of god, do the twist.
With the 2012 Commencement Activities
looming (and the hype about Peter Dinklage
growing exponentially), many Bennington
seniors are currently facing, have faced,
or are attempting to put off facing for
as long as possible, the same question:
So, what exactly are you going
to do with a concentration in
(insert your Plan title here)?
With eight of the twenty Most Useless
Degrees according to TheDailyBeast.com
being art-related in one way or another,
it can be a diIfcult question to answer.
By now, youve completed four Field
Work Terms (successful or not) and the
majority of them were probably unpaid.
The current job market looks a little bleak
and while youre looking to get your foot
in the door, youre also trying to keep your
head above water. Maintaining a balance
between making your art, maintaining
your personal life as a college graduate,
and advancing your professional career is
the key according to alumni and faculty.
Since graduating, it has been clearer
and clearer to me that my life is my art
practice. While it is so important to keep
making drawings and photographs and
think formally about contemporary art
culture, it just as valuable to spend time
digging in the dirt and growing my own
food, taking really long bike rides and
having conversation with strangers,
says sculpture alumna Marisa Prefer 10,
who is currently working as a freelance
web developer/designer. At the moment,
she is collaborating with Eyla Cuenca
10 in Miami, Florida on starting an
alternative art space and photo studio.
Falling into a good rhythm engaging in
the arts discourse took time after
graduation, she says, but shes learning
how to keep her hands in her work while
maintaining her personal life as well.
Faculty members Andrew Spence and
Jonathan Kline stress the importance of
continuing to create; Thats our job,
says Kline, No one else could possibly do
it. Spence says that the painting faculty
attempt to prepare students for working
on their own without feeling totally
isolated. He suggests making art that
people want to see, for whatever reason,
which means fnding somewhere to make
it and the fnancial support to pay Ior it.
Usually a day job can help, as well
as sharing space, he suggests. Other
things to do would be networking;
become friends with other people who
are interested in making art; go to art
events; support an art community by
participating; fnd alternative exhibition
spaces that exhibit work by frst timers.
Kline recommended Diaries of a Young
Artist, a collection of diary entries written
by young artists, all responding to the
same set of questions regarding their role
as newcomers to the art scene. Compiled
Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN 'T5
by Shelly Bancroft, Peter Nesbett, and
Rebecca Sears, the answers range from the
abstract to the poetic to the bitingly realistic.
There seems to be a crisis of sorts in
the contemporary art world at present,
writes Adam Helms (whose response is
conveniently stickey-noted in Crossetts
copy of the anthology) This crisis is
the artists position not only within the
art world and the series of dialogues
and arguments surrounding but also
within the gargantuan, hydra-headed
juggernaut known as the art market.
While some of the artists the Press
interviewed are optimistic about the
future of the art market, others have
already developed a bitter stance
towards the carnival-like system of
commerce. They all agree, however,
that the most important thing to them
is their work. In many cases their work
has become their life or vice versa; the
two become inseparable as time goes on.
So dont worry, arts students, your degree
isnt totally useless. Find a working
balance between art, fnances, and a social
life and you might not have to get that
computer science degree that your aunt
has been talking about as a backup plan.
DEL VALLE WITH HOT BABES AT SUNFEST
PHOTO: MIKE GOLDIN
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 EDITOR
MAREN JOHNSON
SPECIAL THANKS
TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS!!
Making Art After Bennington
Hot Babes Surf Cool in Vermont
Y ENNA DEI VAIIE 'T3
"IN CkED Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN
FACE ON SCREEN, LIGHTER, COMPUTERS.
Rock out to Vermonts premier
surf band at:
hotbabes.bandcamp.com
SPECIAL NON-ARTS RELATED
ANNOUNCEMENT
FREE HOT DOGS OUTSIDE
TD BANK AT FOUR CORNERS
TODAY.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
THANK YOU.
advertise with the
bfp!
7 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / May 30th, 2012 > Vol. 17 No. 4 A R T S
On Thursday, May 24, less than a dozen
people in Tischman lecture hall bore
witness to a new wave in American cinema
art being born. Like many birthings,
this one was somewhat off-putting and
disturbed a number of audience members.
Two new flms, Professor Hand and Teen
Gone Bad, both produced by Bennington
students shocked their audiences severely
in a space oI about fve minutes (the
combined duration or their run times). The
BFP sat down with Liz Edwards, Katherine
Henderson and Katie Coughlin to discuss
their process in producing Professor
Hand and the future of American art.
Is this an autobiographical piece?
Liz: Why not? I think its everyones
autobiography, really.
Katherine: It illustrates those times you
wake up from a nap feeling really weird.
Katie, what was it like to work with the
rest of the cast and crew of Professor
Hand?
Katie: Liz and Katherine were great
directors, really.
What is the ideal viewing environment
and mindset to watch Professor Hand
with?
Katie: A blank slate.
Liz: Yeah.
Katherine: Tabula rasa.
Do you feel this process has changed
you as artists?
Liz: Oh, we have a lot more ideas.
Katherine: We are becoming flmmakers.
Liz: Our next flm is gonna be a surreal
workout video called Bodykick.
Katherine: And the flm aIter will include-
well, it was Katies idea- do you want to
talk about it?
Katie: Well, its upcoming. It has to do
with an 8-ball.
Katherine: A magic 8-ball.
Katie: And teen angst.
Liz: This one is gonna be in stop motion.
What is your process for developing
new ideas?
Katherine: Mostly we talk, about-
Liz: - What if we did this- and also that!
Katherine: Things happen in our lives and
inform our art.
Have you gotten any critical feedback
on Professor Hand?
Liz: I dont think people understand.
Katie: On person told me it was really
strange.
Katherine: One person told me he thought
it was great because it, in a way, mocks
flms which are Ieature length and trying
to be extraordinarily serious, whereas
were serious and silly. Seriously silly.
Any nal thoughts about the
contemporary cinema-verite art world?
Liz: Well, theres gonna be more from us.
Katherine: Expect more.
Liz: And you should make your own
movies too!
Katherine: Anyone can do it.
Professor Hand (2012. run time: 3
minutes) was directed by Elizabeth
Edwards and Katherine Henderson. It
features Katie Coughlin and the mysterious
Professor Hand. It is available for private
screenings at the discretion of the directors.
Each spring, the Bennington College
music department gets ready for senior
music students to present the culmination
of their work at the end of term. The senior
concerts are a focal point for the campus,
with student musicians, interdisciplinary
collaborators and cheering audiences
taking part. Most of the school only
becomes aware of these shows after the
posters go up, but for the performers
and music faculty, senior concerts are an
involved, year-long process culminating
in the creation of advanced musical work.
For some musicians, the senior show
begins germinating before they are even
seniors. Its been in my mind for a while
that I wanted to do a show about nature. I
picked out my fute solos as a junior, said
Holly Mutascio. Rebecca Blumental began
composing during her summer abroad, with
her senior show in mind. Before I left, I
talked to Kitty [Brazelton] about doing a
senior show. I think it was expected once
I got back, she said. For most students,
though, the senior show begins at the
beginning of term when the music faculty
begin meeting with students to discuss
advanced work. Students then begin to pull
together the components of their shows- a
process that includes soliciting musicians
and composing or curating performance
material. It could be way more organized
than it actually is.... They wanted to talk to
us, just a little about our ideas even iI we
didnt have them all in place. By the end of
the |Iall 2011| term, they gave us a space
request form and asked us to schedule
rehearsals, which is weird because some
of us didnt even know all the music
we`d be perIorming. says Mutascio.
Open-endedness is characteristic of the
senior show process, and while faculty
prefer to give students room to work,
they also recognize the dangers of such
an approach. The state of supervision
now is much more than it was one or two
years ago. People would do whatever they
want said music Iaculty Nick Brooke. The
concern most often cited by the faculty
was the students own ambition: since the
senior concert is a culminating work and
a very public one, students often want to
create Iull-fedged spectacles to show
off the full of extent of their talents. This
often involves multidisciplinary work
with lighting, costuming, even theatrics
and dance. These features may be integral
to a show, but students often dont have
suIfcient experience in these areas.
People would have these beautiful vast
dreams, and then they would get up there
and have no idea how to put it on, said
music faculty Kitty Brazelton. Slowly,
we decided we needed to help more.
This help comes in the form of a faculty
sponsor, chosen by the student to supervise
several rehearsals, give guidance and aid
the students communication with the
College in preparing a space. Sometimes
the sponsor is the students advisor, and
sometimes the student chooses a professor
they rarely work with for a fresh perspective.
While all of the music faculty participate in
the sponsorship process, they continue to
be largely hands-off. The supervising is
mainly just to see iI the music is fnished, iI
the rehearsal process has started, if theyve
dealt with the space, and make sure they
have their ducks in a row. Its not like a
tutorial where you`re really editing them,
said faculty Bruce Williamson. Brazelton
elaborated on the relationship: This
concert is a time to show your best work,
not a time to go off and try something new
and think youre the Messiah. Hopefully
we defuse some of that. We encourage
them to be short and really well-done[.]
We`re sheepdogs. We`re herding.
Even though the senior show process is
not as defned as the advanced work in
other disciplines, everyone involved is
generally pleased with the diversity and
quality of music that com es out of it. This
years concerts range from composition
showcases to vocal recitals to rock shows,
and other performances that simply
defy categories. If students are worried
about conservatism in the department,
these shows should put those fears to
rest. Generally, theyre supportive of
it, said Jo-Anne Hyun, whose indie
rock songwriting was compositionally
advised by Allen Shawn and Nick Brooke.
Sometimes the constructive feedback
doesnt come as quickly because its more
open-ended, but all the music faculty have
very open musical tastes, which is what
makes music at Bennington interesting.
Would these intriguing results be possible
without this process? Its hard to say. There
are real advantages and disadvantages to
this approach. We dont always see the
work until its fnally there. A lot oI work is
done really close to the wire, said Brooke.
That work, however it is developed,
is always eagerly anticipated by the
community as an exciting end to the year.
GREGORY OBIS PERFORMING HIS SENIOR CONCERT. PHOTO: INDIA K
PROFESSOR HAND. DIRECTED BY LIZ EDWARDS AND KATHERINE HENDERSON.
Whats In A (Senior) Show?
Y EN1ANIN ZUCKEk 'T3
The BFP At The Cinema:
Deciphering Professor Hand
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
ARTS EDITOR
Harlots Land
in Kinoteca
Sci-f Ians and students who had been
intrigued by the Senior Art Shows only
movie trailer crammed in to Kinoteca at
Midnight on Monday to catch the world
premier of Harlots From Venus- a new
movie by Colin Brant and Diedre Hamid.
While the cut of the movie shown on
Monday wasn`t completely fnished
(and wasn`t fnished rendering quite in
time for its midnight release, leaving the
audience with 15 minutes to socialize
amicably with their aislemates),
viewers were taken with the narrative
which was discribed as 'suspenseIul
and 'hilarious simultaneously.
There has been some speculation
regarding the ending of the movie shown
on Monday night, with the verdict on
whether or not the 'real ending had
been shown with the premier still up in
the air. At publication Colin and Diedre
had not responded to an inquiry from the
BFP regarding the movies ending, or
whether an online release was in the works.
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
ARTS EDITOR
KINO, MONDAY AT MIDNIGHT.
PHOTO: JOSHUA A.A. BOUCHER
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