The Bates Student

The Bates Student The voice of Bates College since 1873

Crowning our newest staff writers / photographers! We are so thankful for and impressed by your contributions to the new...
11/17/2024

Crowning our newest staff writers / photographers! We are so thankful for and impressed by your contributions to the newspaper this year🗞️🍰

This past weekend saw the run of Wolf Play, written by Hansol Jung and directed by Sophie Wheeler ‘25. Beyond fulfilling...
11/14/2024

This past weekend saw the run of Wolf Play, written by Hansol Jung and directed by Sophie Wheeler ‘25. Beyond fulfilling the requirement for her senior thesis, the piece perfectly showcases Wheeler’s brilliant creativity and proficiency in all things theater arts.

Wolf Play follows a six-year-old boy (or wolf, played by Josie Kim ‘27), as he is adopted by a le***an couple, Robin (played by Ananya Rao ‘25) and Ash (played by Ruby Marden ‘27), and the love, struggle, joy and pain that this new experience brings. Wheeler’s eye has caught a gem in Jung’s Wolf Play, as it is in equal parts hilarious, uplifting, heartfelt and tragically devastating.

Taking place on a small scale of time, perhaps weeks or months, Wolf Play focuses on Robin and Ash’s navigation of being parents while managing their own professional and personal lives, as well as the dysfunctional families around them. Wheeler describes Wolf Play as “a manifestation of our current country, in which those holding power force their ideologies onto the less powerful,” as stated in the director’s note. This theme of ideology appears throughout the play, as the family has to weather the expectations and outside forces of others. Wheeler also delved into a greater societal context in which this play takes place, one in which children like Wolf are shaped by families trying to force him into a specific definition of family.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Max Olson ‘25

Jessica Horn, Jace, and John Valentin from Turner, ME pose with their Sesame Street themed family costumes. They drove a...
11/14/2024

Jessica Horn, Jace, and John Valentin from Turner, ME pose with their Sesame Street themed family costumes. They drove at least two towns over to spend Halloween at Bates.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Hadley Blodgett ‘26
📸 : Hadley Blodgett ‘26

Think back to Fall 2023: Bates field hockey is having their most successful season yet (7-3 NESCAC regular season play)....
11/14/2024

Think back to Fall 2023: Bates field hockey is having their most successful season yet (7-3 NESCAC regular season play). In the NESCAC quarterfinal round, they beat Bowdoin and, for the first time in program history, advanced into the NESCAC semifinal, eventually making it to the NCAA championship.

It’s 2024, and so far this season, Bates has gone 6-4 in the NESCAC conference games in the regular season to be seeded number five among NESCAC programs in the conference playoff tournament. Right on the heels of number four seed Wesleyan, Bates took the arduous journey to central Connecticut where they were set to play Wesleyan on their home turf.

In September during the regular season, Bates suffered a loss to Wesleyan (a final score of 1-5). Since then, both teams have been gaining momentum on the season, and a showdown was brewing.

The game was afoot. In the first quarter, Bates took the edge in offensive plays. Wesleyan defended well to prevent any scores. Bates’ defense also played well, preventing Wesleyan from seeing the goal.

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✏️ : Quinn Hughes ‘26
📸 : Erwin Kardatzke’28

A post-election rally on Coram Library steps Nov. 12 called for solidarity, resistance and to take action against the da...
11/14/2024

A post-election rally on Coram Library steps Nov. 12 called for solidarity, resistance and to take action against the dangers of Project 2025 following the election of Donald Trump. The event was organized by “a group of politically active students on campus from a multitude of different clubs,” including the Bates Leftist Coalition and Bates Climate Action according to organizer Adrian Madanes ‘25.

Project 2025 is a playbook of conservative policy initiatives that would usher in sweeping changes to the government including, but not limited to, putting the entire federal bureaucracy under presidential control, “stop[ping] the war on oil and natural gas” and banning the abortion drug, mifepristone, from pharmacies.

Written by the Heritage Foundation, president-elect Donald Trump denies knowing who wrote the document, despite 140 people who have previously worked with him having been involved in its authorship, according to a CNN investigation.

To read more, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Carly Philpott ‘27
✏️ : Max Olson ‘25
✏️ : Ella Beiser ‘25
📸 : Carly Philpott ‘27

“What is your favorite spot on campus?” Almost all of us have been asked that question before—perhaps as an icebreaker a...
10/31/2024

“What is your favorite spot on campus?”

Almost all of us have been asked that question before—perhaps as an icebreaker at a club meeting or while showing your family around during Parents’ Weekend. It’s a tough choice, but my answer would have to be Lake Andrews.

Think about it: how many other colleges do you know of that have a lake on campus? It may be small, but Lake Andrews is surprisingly mighty in terms of biodiversity. You may be familiar with the Mallard ducks that frequent the lake or the American Crows that can be seen scrounging around campus trash cans. But have you ever seen a Golden-Crowned Kinglet? Or a Hooded Merganser? You can spot some truly spectacular birds at Lake Andrews with just a little time, patience and determination.

If the mere sight of these lovely little creatures isn’t enough to convince you though, there are many other aspects of bird-watching that make it a perfect hobby for college students.

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✏️ : Paul Schmitz ‘28
📸 : Paul Schmitz ‘28

For a few notable years throughout the early 20th century, Bates boasted a new academic department that was relatively u...
10/31/2024

For a few notable years throughout the early 20th century, Bates boasted a new academic department that was relatively unprecedented amongst its peers at the time. The Bates Forestry Department had a short lived and often forgotten reign at the school, but generated lasting implications that can still be traced to impact the community to date.

A century ago, Bates took possession of nearly 11,000 acres of timberland in York County, Maine, which soon became known as the Bates Forest. The Bates forest was a 17-year saga, which was eventually put to rest by the harms of the great depression, high taxes and overwhelmingly bad luck.

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✏️ : Sydney Schuster ‘25

Coming from Texas, the current weather in Maine is my equivalent to the depth of winter, so you can imagine how cold I w...
10/31/2024

Coming from Texas, the current weather in Maine is my equivalent to the depth of winter, so you can imagine how cold I was as I hurried, bundled in a coat and beanie, from the Bobcat Express. But as I entered L/A Arts around 7 p.m. on Oct. 10, the sight of pizza and the sound of laughter told me my night was soon to be improved.

Last Thursday marked the beginning of the new season of The Corner, a recurring event on the second Thursday of every month where community members gather to share food and stories. Each month a new theme guides storytellers, with October’s theme being “Let’s Eat!” Everybody, experienced or not, is encouraged to share a story. The rules are rather simple: your story must be a personal narrative that is no longer than five minutes, and told without notes.

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✏️ : Jacey Dlabal ‘28

To view more photos from the Bates versus Tufts game, visit the link in our bio.📸 : Jack Ryan ‘28
10/31/2024

To view more photos from the Bates versus Tufts game, visit the link in our bio.

📸 : Jack Ryan ‘28

On Oct. 25, 2024, exactly one year after Lewiston was struck by a historic mass shooting, community members gathered in ...
10/31/2024

On Oct. 25, 2024, exactly one year after Lewiston was struck by a historic mass shooting, community members gathered in the Colisée to honor the memory of those killed and the resilience of the city since.

Tom Caron, local TV sports commentator and Lewiston native, served as master of ceremonies for the memorial event, sponsored by the City of Lewiston and the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s only natural that we would feel a wide range of emotions as we come closer to the anniversary of this day; sadness, anger, anxiety,” Caron said to the gathered crowd. “In the past days, there have been more and more stories about what happened here a year ago, and with them come a flood of memories. We are here to share in those emotions, to help one another and to help us get through this date.”

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Carly Philpott ‘27
📸 : Carly Philpott ‘27

Coming off the recent loss to Wesleyan (1-5) and dropping to a No. 12 national ranking, Bates set out to return to natio...
10/10/2024

Coming off the recent loss to Wesleyan (1-5) and dropping to a No. 12 national ranking, Bates set out to return to national top 10 form. After returning to the drawing board, Bates came back with a vengeance.
And who better than their arch-rival Bowdoin?

Both coaches and players had a personal stake in this game. The Bobcat’s assistant coach, Kelly McManus, a 2012 Bates alum, recently returned to Bates after coaching Bowdoin’s Field Hockey team since June 2016.

The last time these two rivals saw each other was in the quarterfinals of the 2023 NESCAC Championship. Bates, in a stunning overtime performance scored the winning goal of the game, and ended the Polar Bears’ season, while Bates went on to make history for their program, playing all the way into the second round of the Division III Field Hockey NCAA tournament.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Quinn Hughes ‘26
✏️ : Hadley Blodgett ‘26
📸 : Erwin Kardatzke ‘28

Ka Bogso is a five piece art exhibit that was shown in Olin Arts Center from Sept. 24 to Oct 3. This visual art piece di...
10/10/2024

Ka Bogso is a five piece art exhibit that was shown in Olin Arts Center from Sept. 24 to Oct 3. This visual art piece displayed a newly developed theory – centered around five Rs – about Somali refugee women’s intergenerational healing and growth. Chronologically – or from left to right – the pieces are titled “Running,” “Resettlement,” “Residual Stagnation,” “Reconciliation,” and “Resolution.”

This display was a collaboration between Fowsia Musse, Yun Garrison, and Won Kyoung Lee. All three collaborators are women of color – one refugee and two immigrants to Maine. The oral theory was developed by Musse and transcribed by Yun Garrison, Assistant Professor of Psychology. Their journey together, as friends and colleagues, was summarized beside their art display – emphasizing that the collaborative process was almost as important as the theory. The five pieces of physical artwork was created by Won Kyoung Lee, an immigrant artist in Maine.

This project has been going on for eight years; Musse said she had the idea of creating the five Rs in 2016. Initially, she developed what became the third stage (“Residual Stagnation”). Then, she moved to develop the first stage (“Running”). Perhaps the nonlinearity of the order of development reflects a deeper message within the healing process. By the end of 2019, Musse completed the final stage (“Resolution”).

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Catalina Passino ‘26
📸 : Shadia Abdulahi

When it comes to reading, most of us divide our literary experiences into two rigid categories: reading for school and r...
10/10/2024

When it comes to reading, most of us divide our literary experiences into two rigid categories: reading for school and reading for pleasure. The former is often a necessary chore, while the latter is a leisure activity, an escape into the worlds of our own choosing. However, every once in a while, a rare and valiant book from the syllabus defies these rigid boundaries and dares to be pleasurable. These are the books we read for class that unexpectedly captivate us, the books that become as enjoyable as the novels we pick up for fun—reminding us that, occasionally, reading for class curriculums can also be an experience of literary delight.

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

In her 2017 debut novel Salt Houses, Hala Alyan weaves the intricate tale of the fictional Palestinian middle-class family, the Yacoubs. Spanning four generations and crossing continents, the novel delves into profound themes of displacement, belonging and family. The Yacoub family’s journey through place and time provokes poignant questions about history and heritage, identity and diaspora and pain and privilege.

Why it was assigned: Alyan highlights key historical events such as the Six-Day War (1967), the First Intifada (1987), the Gulf War (1990), the Second Intifada (2000), 9/11 (2001) and the 2006 Lebanon War. Through the Yacoub family, the story captures the ripple effects of war, forced migration and cultural dislocation, revealing how these experiences not only fracture a sense of home but also reverberate through generations.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Gail Curtis ‘26

Campus coffee shop Le Ronj’s budget was reduced by Campus Life this year among other budget cuts affecting various Bates...
10/10/2024

Campus coffee shop Le Ronj’s budget was reduced by Campus Life this year among other budget cuts affecting various Bates organizations.

Ronj managers and Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Life & Student Leadership Nick Dressler declined to state exactly how much the coffee shop’s budget was cut down or what it had been previously, but one anonymous Ronj employee stated it was “a significant cut.”

According to multiple employees, Dressler directed Ronj workers not to divulge the exact budget. Some worried that sharing this information would threaten their employment. They were, however, able to state that the Ronj would be receiving less money from Campus Life this year.

“I can confirm that the Ronj received a cut in the amount of subsidized funding that it receives from Campus Life this year,” Dressler said via email statement to The Student, adding that it was in part due to the Ronj’s record profits last year. “This growth gave us confidence that we could reduce the Ronj’s allocation from Campus Life with minimal impact on Ronj operations, which is helpful in light of budgeting.”

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Carly Philpott ‘27
📸 : Carly Philpott ‘27

Content warning: The following article contains reference to sexual assault and Title IX formal resolutions. When one me...
10/10/2024

Content warning: The following article contains reference to sexual assault and Title IX formal resolutions.

When one member of John and Mary’s club allegedly sexually assaulted another, they were forced to learn the Bates Campus Life and Title IX regulations for removing someone from a campus group. Now, John and Mary (both pseudonyms) say the process for removing a member accused of assault is frustrating and makes students unnecessarily uncomfortable.

“The new member removal policy says something like, if you miss a lot of club meetings and it’s detrimental to the club in that way, come talk to us [Campus Life] and we can ask them to leave,” John said. Meanwhile, when someone is accused of assault, it may take months for a Title IX hearing to occur and bring about action. “And so in that sense, it is about 100 times easier to remove someone from a club for missing meetings than it is if they sexually assault someone, and that just is unbelievable.”

The Student spoke with Mary and John after a reiteration of longstanding Campus Life policy on Sept. 16 at the club presidents summit. This presentation included a reminder of the club member removal policy, which was officially put into officer agreements this year. Contrary to what John said, this policy has been in effect at Bates for quite some time.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Ella Beiser ‘25
✏️ : Max Olson ‘25
📸 : Max Olson ‘25

What do you think of your dorm at Bates? We asked that question of each other at last week’s meeting of The Bates Studen...
09/26/2024

What do you think of your dorm at Bates?

We asked that question of each other at last week’s meeting of The Bates Student. People had plenty to say about it—some people wished their dorms had air conditioning. Some wanted larger common areas or better-stocked kitchens. None of those complaints shocked me. I was, however, surprised and saddened to hear several negative comments on Bates’s all-gender restrooms.

I’ll be candid: I am not necessarily trying to change anybody’s opinion with this article. I simply want to encourage you to think critically about why all-gender restrooms exist. I believe that the majority of issues people have with them are rooted in ignorance rather than genuine concern. For example, the vocal complainers were students who lived on floors with all-gender restrooms. If they opted to use a single-gender restroom instead, they had to visit a different floor.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Paul Schmitz ‘28
📸 : Hadley Blodgett ‘26

Bates is our home away from home, and so, we delved into the culinary scene to find a comforting cup of joe. After hours...
09/26/2024

Bates is our home away from home, and so, we delved into the culinary scene to find a comforting cup of joe. After hours of studying our respective psychology and English, we needed a break. Coming from Brookline, Mass. and Rochester, N.Y.; Lewiston was completely new to us. Coffee shops had always been a reliable study spot back home, so we decided to look for one around campus.

We forgot to check the hours for Bates’ beloved coffee shop, Le Ronj. In desperate need of a drink, we borrowed bikes from the library and pedaled into Lewiston. If you are interested in renting a bike, the Ladd Library offers the Green Bike Program, where you can check out a bike as easily as you would a book. It was 80 degrees out, a far cry from what we had expected when coming to Maine. In our hunt for coffee, we ended up with a mismatched lock and key for our bikes. Securing both with the one lock, we walked down the scorching sidewalk, looking for a place to sit. Forage and Blue Jay Coffee were closed, leading us to look elsewhere on Google Maps, where we discovered Obscura. While Le Ronj and Forage are well-known as Bates student hot spots, Obscura was a new name to us.

To continue reading, visit the link in our bio.

✏️ : Hazel Glazer ‘28
✏️ : Frances Hochleutner ‘28

A couple of my friends have a hard time balancing their diets (getting pretty much anything green / vegetable on their p...
09/26/2024

A couple of my friends have a hard time balancing their diets (getting pretty much anything green / vegetable on their plate). I’ve brought it up with them a lot, suggesting they come to the salad or vegan bar with me but they insist they’re fine. What can I do?

Dear Concerned Consumer,

While this is a question from late last year, I still find it to be an important one to address and discuss, because this is a sentiment I find is quite common. While I take your query to be in good conscience, I want to advise caution in this dilemma. I do want to give a more thoughtful response, as I said, I believe your concern is from a genuine place of compassion and care for your friend, and I want to honor that. So, I will give my thoughts, then a little bit of the reasoning behind it and hopefully it will give you a clearer direction about how to approach this.

When we go about commenting on someone’s life, food or otherwise, I think the best approach is always starting from the place of an observation, not a judgment. If you are going to broach this conversation at all, I’d recommend starting with something like “I noticed that…” or “Do you usually…”

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✏️ : Anonymous

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