Mount Holyoke should introduce student debt forgiveness
Attacks on teenage climate advocates are inexcusable
The climate crisis has landed in the hands of teenage activists as far-right politicians continuously refuse to promote environmentalism and deny the reality of global warming. In response, commentators, talk show hosts and social media users have begun attacking these young conservationists in a show of character that is both troubling and disconnected.
HBO’s “Euphoria” relies on tired teen media tropes
Democratic debates are uninspiring and unhelpful
The Dining Commons needs plant-based options
Jane Kvederas discusses the fact that the new Dining Commons does not reliably serve enough plant-based protein options to provide enough sustainable nutrients for those with dietary restrictions. While the Dining Commons is doing a fine job overall providing for the dietary needs of students, there are improvements to be made in providing for vegan and vegetarian students, especially when it comes to protein.
The Asian “model minority” stereotype is not all-encompassing
BY PRERNA CHAUDHARY ’22
Due to the perception that many Asian-Americans have achieved conventional forms of success, like attending highly ranked colleges and having a high income compared to the national average, thus achieving the “American Dream,” they are often stereotyped to be the “model minority” of the United States.
The “non-liberal arts” 12-credit limit is unnecessary and limiting
BY OLIVIA MARBLE ’21
Towards the end of the add-drop period for this semester, I received a confusing email from the Office of the Registrar. It read: “you are close to reaching the Non-Liberal Arts limit at Mount Holyoke. This means that you are close to maximum amount (12 credits) of classes in the CUSP [curricular support] or non-liberal arts designation that you can count toward your 128 credit requirement.”
Reparations for slavery are more feasible than many Americans believe
BY NINA LARBI ’22
One of the issues dividing the ballot in the 2020 election is slavery reparations. The concept has always had an ambiguous definition, but fundamentally, it entitles compensation — usually financial — for the descendants of slaves, meant to make amends for the centuries of brutality Americans faced under slavery and their economic and legal disenfranchisement thereafter.
Heavily grading class participation ignores students with anxiety
BY MIMI HUCKINS ’21
In my junior year of high school I had the same conversation with a teacher that I always had to. We had just split up the class for two separate, smaller discussions and I had not spoken. While we retreated back to our classroom after the brief conversation, the teacher made a remark about me not participating. “I’m trying,” I said timidly. He scoffed and said, “Really?” I spent the rest of the class trying not to cry.
North Africans’ identities as African should be respected
BY NINA LARBI ’22
The North African identity is complex and often goes unrecognized. Those who identify as North African are consistently labeled as Middle Eastern, Muslim or simply as ambiguously brown. We are grouped together with the Middle East most frequently, aggregated under the acronym MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Whatever the label is, it is hardly ever “African.” Today, “African” has become synonymous with “black.” This is not to dismiss anyone else’s pride or identity, but we as North Africans are Africans, too. Despite racial and cultural differences, North Af- rica should be considered part of Africa rather than an extension of the Middle East. The mindset that the Maghreb — the Northern region of Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Mauritania — functions as part of the Middle East damages North African identity and degrades ethnic pride in the region.
Drag Ball needs to be more accessible to QTPOC
BY SAACHI KHANDPUR ’22
As a first-year student, I was told that Drag Ball was not to be missed. Drag Ball is a party and drag show that has been hosted by Familia, Mount Holyoke’s support network for queer and trans people of color (QTPOC), since 2017. It is an event meant to create a safe space for QTPOC on campus.
Blaming affirmative action ignores the influence of legacy and bribery
BY NINA LARBI’22
High schoolers across the nation are waiting anxiously for their college acceptance letters. When they receive their decisions, the agonizing often isn’t over. Students wonder why they did not get accepted by MIT while their friends did, or why they did not get enough financial aid from the University of Pittsburgh while their classmate got a full ride.
Appointment of Daniel Hect demonstrates negligent hiring process
The return of the Jonas Brothers profits off your nostalgia
BY MIMI HUCKINS ’21
A typical morning for me in 2009 would begin when I boarded the school bus, often in my Camp Rock t-shirt, listening to the Jonas Brothers’ album “A Little Bit Longer” on my purple iPod Nano. The Jonas Brothers defined a very memorable period of my life. Nick Jonas was my first celebrity crush. I threw a fit when my mom wouldn’t let me buy a Camp Rock duvet cover which featured extremely enlarged faces of each brother.
UMass deserves a better reputation in the Five Colleges
BY OLIVIA MARBLE ’21
At my high school in Massachusetts, most people perceived the University of Massachusetts, Amherst as the ultimate safety school. Almost everyone applied, and almost everyone assumed they would get in, due to its reputation as a somewhat “second-tier” institution — somewhere almost anyone could go.
Musicians should not appropriate black culture for popularity
Autism Speaks does not deserve its negative reputation
BY CHRIS CASSIDY ’20
My brother Zach has autism. Over the past few years, he has aged out of school services and is now receiving what are called “adult services” by the state of Vermont. This has come with mixed success and the realization that there really aren’t any “adult services.” We are working to find a permanent living situation for Zach before my parents become too old to take care of him. Between meetings with the state, program research, finding money for services, doctor’s appointments and making sure someone is supervising Zach, my family is exhausted.
Students should be trusted when asking for accommodations
BY GWYNETH SPINCKEN ’21
Today, the average college or university offers some version of disability services, and most encourage students in need to access this aid. These accommodations allow for more equitable treatment for students with disabilities. The support is vital, and without it, professors would overlook many students with the potential to make meaningful contributions to their college or university by not properly supporting them. Additionally, students would be punished unfairly for their disabilities and suffer from lower grades for something they have little to no control over.
Crowded Democratic primary race may result in Trump victory
BY OLIVIA MARBLE ’21]
The Democratic primary race for the 2020 election is already likely to be the largest in history, according to TIME Magazine. There are currently 12 Democrats who have declared their candidacy and, according to the New York Times, there are 14 more who may declare soon. I believe that the sheer number of candidates will split the Democratic party and allow Donald Trump to win another term as president.