The Mac Weekly (2024)

28/10/2024

The Cultural House, or C-House as it is colloquially known, will not stand at 37 Macalester Street for much longer. This summer, Macalester is going to demolish the building, a decision justified by accessibility concerns and part of the implementation of Macalester’s strategic campus plan over the next decade. The C-House will be relocated to the Summit House next to the Highlander bookstore, a decision released on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 23 via an email to the Macalester community.

The Cultural House, or C-House as it is colloquially known, will not stand at 37 Macalester Street for much longer. This summer, Macalester is going to demolish the building, a decision justified by accessibility concerns and part of the implementation of Macalester’s strategic campus plan over th...

28/10/2024

Asheville thought it was invincible. Its geography, surrounded by lush mountains and far from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline has protected the city from natural disasters for decades. Some media dubbed the city a “climate haven” and suggested Asheville may experience a steep increase in population due to climate migration.

Hurricane Helene shattered Asheville’s reputation as a climate refuge and the damage is incomprehensible, instantly changing lives. Asheville became a graveyard of homes and trees. The city’s roadways transformed into dangerous rivers, carrying debris and prompting concerns over a dam failure.

Asheville thought it was invincible. Its geography, surrounded by lush mountains and far from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline has protected the city from natural disasters for decades. Some media dubbed the city a “climate haven” and suggested Asheville may experience a steep increase in population...

27/10/2024

Three months ago, I encountered a TikTok declaring that “Two Star & the Dream Police” was the best album of 2024, initiating my reverie within the woozy, whimsical world of the project. It is the debut studio album by Michael Gordon, better known by his stage name Mk.gee. The desaturated, midnight turquoise album cover, and the bus and guitar motifs in his visuals demand an appreciation of Mk.gee’s world-building and escapism. These components set the stage for the idiosyncratic sounds emanating from Gordon’s experimental guitar playing and production, which deliver gritty textures and emotional pangs that heighten the listening experience to one of cathartic tactility. These spectacular oddities can only thrive in the “Two Star” world, one that invites its listeners to escape to and explore their strange, nuanced interiorities.I was stoked to find out that Gordon was performing at Minneapolis’ Uptown Theater for the last U.S. show of his world tour on October 5th during my exchange at Macalester College. The theater was my physical portal to the “Two Star” world. I had to make the most out of this precious opportunity.

Three months ago, I encountered a TikTok declaring that “Two Star & the Dream Police” was the best album of 2024, initiating my reverie within the woozy, whimsical world of the project. It is the debut studio album by Michael Gordon, better known by his stage name Mk.gee. The desaturated, midnig...

27/10/2024

On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, Rain Taxi held their 24th annual Twin Cities Book Festival in the Progress Center at the Minn. State Fair Grounds. The event hosted a wide range of attendees and presenters from across the literary sphere. In keeping with Rain Taxi’s local focus, the event highlighted local publishers, authors and other various literary-related groups.

But what is Rain Taxi and why should people interested in all things literary be aware of their work? According to their website, Rain Taxi is “a literary organization that fosters engagement with innovative writing through programs and publications.”

On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, Rain Taxi held their 24th annual Twin Cities Book Festival in the Progress Center at the Minn. State Fair Grounds. The event hosted a wide range of attendees and presenters from across the literary sphere. In keeping with Rain Taxi’s local focus, the event highlighted l...

26/10/2024

On Saturday, Sept. 21, Macalester’s men’s soccer squad welcomed the then-national number 6 Gustavus Adolphus College to the John Leaney Field for a heavyweight clash. The game that followed would be in many ways emblematic of these Scots’ season. Fresh off of a run of six straight wins, the Scots went blow for blow with the Gusties but struggled to gain the upper hand. On a cloudy afternoon, though, the weather wouldn’t hold; lightning delays ultimately froze the game at the 24th minute.

When the game resumed four days later on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and the Gusties arrived again, having stepped up to national number 4 in the intervening days, the Scots stepped up to their tall task. They took control of the game, bossing possession of the ball, if not generating a huge number of good looks at goal. Playing some of their best soccer of the season, the Scots were able to carve out stretches of free flowing soccer, especially between midfielders, winning battles and holding the run of play. They had two major chances, one from the prolific Hans Haenicke ’25 and another from Chris Frantz ’27, although both fell short.

On Saturday, Sept. 21, Macalester’s men’s soccer squad welcomed the then-national number 6 Gustavus Adolphus College to the John Leaney Field for a heavyweight clash. The game that followed would be in many ways emblematic of these Scots’ season. Fresh off of a run of six straight wins, the Sc...

26/10/2024

From Oct. 9-11, Macalester hosted its 31st International Roundtable (IRT) — an event organized through the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship each October, which brings community members together to engage in critical dialogue around a chosen theme. This year’s campus-wide forum, “Slowing Down, Seeking Roots, Making Sanctuary: Belonging Beyond the Anthropocene,” featured four plenary speakers and eight student-led sessions.

On the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 9, the event opened with a keynote address delivered by philosopher, professor, author and chief curator for the Emergence Network Dr. Bayo Akomolafe. Akomolafe’s presentation, entitled “For Those Spirited Away: Making Sanctuary as a Vocation of Exile in Restless Times,” focused on coexisting temporalities and the history and shaping of exile.

From Oct. 9-11, Macalester hosted its 31st International Roundtable (IRT) — an event organized through the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship each October, which brings community members together to engage in critical dialogue around a chosen theme. This year’s campus-wide forum, “Slo...

25/10/2024

On Monday, Oct. 21, students gathered in the Old Main fourth floor lounge to provide feedback on the future of the Cultural House (C-House) in a meeting led by Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn Kay Coquemont and Vice President for Institutional Equity Alina Wong. Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Javier Gutierrez and Planning and Implementation Manager in Student Affairs Jonathan Cardenas also attended.

This meeting comes three and a half weeks after Coquemont and Wong sent a joint email to students announcing two potential temporary locations for the C-House: Grand Cambridge Apartments (GCA) or Summit House. The current structure will be torn down in the summer of 2025 as part of the Comprehensive Campus Plan (CCP).

On Monday, Oct. 21, students gathered in the Old Main fourth floor lounge to provide feedback on the future of the Cultural House (C-House) in a meeting led by Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn Kay Coquemont and Vice President for Institutional Equity Alina Wong. Associate Vice President an...

25/10/2024

To begin the Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) meeting on Thursday, Oct. 10, President Joel Sadofsky ’25 introduced Paul Overvoorde, professor of biology at Macalester and associate provost. As associate provost, Overvoorde serves as the co-chair of Macalester’s Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, a committee among several implementation groups whose purpose is to “advance elements of the Imagine, Macalester strategic plan,” according to the college’s website.

Overvoorde expressed his appreciation for MCSG’s work before introducing Macalester’s strategic plan to the Legislative Body (LB) members.

To begin the Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) meeting on Thursday, Oct. 10, President Joel Sadofsky ’25 introduced Paul Overvoorde, professor of biology at Macalester and associate provost. As associate provost, Overvoorde serves as the co-chair of Macalester’s Strategic Plan Impleme...

15/10/2024

It was November 7, 2000. Election night. George W. Bush vs Al Gore. No clear winner had yet emerged because the initial vote tally in Florida was still close, triggering a machine recount and later one done by hand. Dec. 12, 2000. The Supreme Court ended the recount and ruled Bush as the next President of the United States. However, Gore had won the popular vote over Bush by some 500,000 votes—the first inversion of the electoral and popular vote since 1888.

But there was a reason that the election was so close, other than the ballot issue in Florida, and it’s something I’ve heard Democrats talk about in agonized tones since I was a kid: the Democratic vote was split between Gore and Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. If the nearly three million people who cast their votes for Nader had voted for Gore, we wouldn’t have ended up with eight years of Bush. As Bill Nye mentioned in his speech at Macalester this past weekend, the effects of this election were long-lasting. The United States invaded Iraq, lost precious time in fighting climate change, and witnessed the destructive effects of super PACs due to the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC.

It was November 7, 2000. Election night. George W. Bush vs Al Gore. No clear winner had yet emerged because the initial vote tally in Florida was still close, triggering a machine recount and later one done by hand. Dec. 12, 2000. The Supreme Court ended the recount and ruled Bush as the next Presid...

15/10/2024

The Scots are back and ready to make a splash. On Sept. 28, Macalester’s swim & dive teams hosted their annual Alumni Swim & Dive Meet.

The event was part of the weekend’s MacFest, a celebration that brought Macalester students, families, faculty, staff and alumni to honor Macalester’s 150th anniversary and the beginning of a new academic year.

The Scots are back and ready to make a splash. On Sept. 28, Macalester’s swim & dive teams hosted their annual Alumni Swim & Dive Meet. The event was part of the weekend’s MacFest, a celebration that brought Macalester students, families, faculty, staff and alumni to honor Macalester’s 150th a...

14/10/2024

The Mac Weekly interviewed Lucas Nelson ’25, Ramier Villarama ’25, Adley Schwartz ’25, Lila Schisgal ’25, Georgia Barnes ’25 and Rylan Mueller ’25*, all of whom participated in the Oct. 6 Twin Cities Marathon.

TMW: How did you decide to do a marathon, and what was your preparation?

LN: My friends and I were like, maybe I want to run a marathon. So we all signed up and decided to run it. And my younger brother ran a marathon before I did, so I was like, now I have to run two … This training block went super smoothly; I got up to 60 miles a week for three weeks, and then got a little bit sick, so I had it down to 50. But, super well.

The Mac Weekly interviewed Lucas Nelson ’25, Ramier Villarama ’25, Adley Schwartz ’25, Lila Schisgal ’25, Georgia Barnes ’25 and Rylan Mueller ’25*, all of whom participated in the Oct. 6 Twin Cities Marathon. TMW: How did you decide to do a marathon, and what was your preparation? LN: M...

14/10/2024

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Macalester history department held a panel in the Weyerhaeuser Boardroom, commemorating the final year of the United Nations’ “International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024).” The event brought together a group of five speakers, who discussed the history of systemic racism in their individual communities while speculating on the potential for reparatory justice.

Jennifer Branche, a Senior Legal Officer in the Administrative Law Division of the United Nations (U.N.), acted as the panel’s moderator. She reminded students that, according to the U.N., over two hundred million people of African descent currently live in the Americas. As such, the issue of reparations had “everything to do with all of us.” She spoke of the contemporary African diaspora as a diverse group, united by a shared identity of “descendants of ancestors, whom I would like to think of as overcomers.”

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Macalester history department held a panel in the Weyerhaeuser Boardroom, commemorating the final year of the United Nations’ “International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024).” The event brought together a group of five speakers, who discussed the his...

13/10/2024

In June of 2022, Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision that protected the right to an abortion, was overruled. The case had initially been brought in front of the Court in 1973 by Norma McCorvey (under the pseudonym “Jane Roe”) who became pregnant with her third child and wanted an abortion. The issue, though, was that she lived in Texas, where abortion was illegal except when necessary to save the mother’s life. In the end, the Court agreed with McCorvey’s lawyer, who argued that this restriction was unconstitutional, stating that the right to an abortion was “fundamental”. This interpretation stood as fact for almost 50 years. Until, that is, the sitting justices determined that the right to an abortion was not protected by the constitution and thus the initial ruling was incorrect. The court overturned Roe v. Wade, and abortion suddenly was an issue of the individual states once again.

As soon as SCOTUS released their decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, it became clear just how much this choice impacts and will impact adolescents, specifically those who can get pregnant. When discussing the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we often look at physical health, citing medical complications and maternal mortality. However, the impact on mental health will be the most lasting detrimental result of the decision for today’s adolescents and for those in the decades to come.

In June of 2022, Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision that protected the right to an abortion, was overruled. The case had initially been brought in front of the Court in 1973 by Norma McCorvey (under the pseudonym “Jane Roe”) who became pregnant with her third child and wanted an abor...

13/10/2024

Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Macalester will be hosting a series of events to counter-commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the United States’ war in Vietnam.

On April 30, 1975, the United States fully withdrew from Vietnam. This date is contemporarily considered the end of the Vietnam War among those living in Vietnam and the diaspora.

Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Macalester will be hosting a series of events to counter-commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the United States’ war in Vietnam. On April 30, 1975, the United States fully withdrew from Vietnam. This date is contemporarily considered the end of the V...

12/10/2024

Last year, Adelante and IfNotNow, along with other student organizations, co-sponsored a vigil on Nov. 7, 2023, in memory of what was then more than 11,000 Palestinians and more than 1,100 Israelis who died as a result of the violence in Gaza.

11 months later, on Oct. 8, Adelante, IfNotNow, Mac for Palestine and Human Rights at Macalester College held another vigil; this time, they grieved the deaths of more than 41,000 Palestinians and 1,139 Israelis.

Last year, Adelante and IfNotNow, along with other student organizations, co-sponsored a vigil on Nov. 7, 2023, in memory of what was then more than 11,000 Palestinians and more than 1,100 Israelis who died as a result of the violence in Gaza. 11 months later, on Oct. 8, Adelante, IfNotNow, Mac for....

12/10/2024

On Thursday, Oct. 3, Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) convened in the Harmon Room of the library to call check on Mac Chess Club’s travel fund request. Their agenda also included voting on MCSG’s edited Bylaws, approving nominations for the Judicial Council and discussing the implementation of a “Class Leads” system.

Chess Club presented to the Legislative Body (LB) to appeal after the Financial Affairs Committee (FAC) rejected their travel fund request, which was originally submitted on Sept. 16, of $5,185.42 to send six members of Chess Club to a tournament in Toronto, Canada on Oct. 12 to 15. In meetings with FAC, the request was amended to $4,393.22, which FAC also voted to reject.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) convened in the Harmon Room of the library to call check on Mac Chess Club’s travel fund request. Their agenda also included voting on MCSG’s edited Bylaws, approving nominations for the Judicial Council and discussing the impleme...

11/10/2024

On Sept. 26, students received an email from Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn Kay Coquemont sharing two potential temporary locations for the Cultural House (C-House): Grand Cambridge Apartments (GCA) and Summit House. This update comes as Macalester plans to demolish the Cultural House, part of the Comprehensive Campus Plan (CCP). Replacing the C-House structure will be a new residence hall and welcome center on the northwest corner of Macalester Street and Grand Avenue.

Zayna Hopkins ’27 lived in the C-House and found fellowship alongside her classmates in the first-year course (FYC) ‘We Demand! Student Power, World Building, and Democratizing Higher Education.’

On Sept. 26, students received an email from Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn Kay Coquemont sharing two potential temporary locations for the Cultural House (C-House): Grand Cambridge Apartments (GCA) and Summit House. This update comes as Macalester plans to demolish the Cultural House, p...

11/10/2024

Mark your calendars. This Sunday, Oct. 13, the Macalester Orchestra will be performing “Danse Macabre,” a seasonally appropriate spooky waltz in G minor composed by Camille Saint-Saens. Typically the orchestra would have performed at MacFest, but this year, the conductors of Macalester’s music groups decided MacFest would be too early to debut their semester’s repertoire. Instead, there will be a one-off Jamboree, where musical groups at Macalester will each conduct a short performance in succession. These groups include the African Music Ensemble, the Asian Music Ensemble, Chorale and Concert Choir, Mac Jazz, the Wind Symphony and the Symphony Orchestra.

“Danse Macabre” is a particularly fascinating composition, characterized by its aberrant musical structure and thematic morbidity. The piece was written in 1874, and the French title translates to “The Dance of Death.” This chilling waltz references artistic and cultural depictions of death from medieval Europe, which dealt with the acceptance of death’s inevitability and power over humanity as an “all-equalizing” force.

Mark your calendars. This Sunday, Oct. 13, the Macalester Orchestra will be performing “Danse Macabre,” a seasonally appropriate spooky waltz in G minor composed by Camille Saint-Saens. Typically the orchestra would have performed at MacFest, but this year, the conductors of Macalester’s music...

11/10/2024

For many students, there was only one thing to do on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 5.

As John Bunting ’26 said, “if Bill Nye shows up at your tiny little college, what are you gonna do — not go?”

For many students, there was only one thing to do on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 5. As John Bunting ’26 said, “if Bill Nye shows up at your tiny little college, what are you gonna do — not go?” A crowd of 355 eager Macalester students packed into Weyerhaeuser Chapel that morning to welcome...

08/10/2024

When you are in Nebraska for nearly four months straight, you have exactly two options: die of boredom or do literally anything else. Considering that I dearly wished to see my friends in the fall, I needed something to occupy my time. So, this past summer I set a goal for myself: to listen to 150 albums by the time I went back to school.

To be fair, this idea did not start this summer, but last December in Colorado, where a more than eight hour road trip lay ahead of me. I was in one of those phases where every single song I had ever listened to was suddenly boring and overplayed, so I decided to spend this time finding new music by listening to full albums, front to back, for the entirety of the car ride. This quickly became a road trip tradition for me, helping me discover new music and give each album my undivided attention.

When you are in Nebraska for nearly four months straight, you have exactly two options: die of boredom or do literally anything else. Considering that I dearly wished to see my friends in the fall, I needed something to occupy my time. So, this past summer I set a goal for myself: to listen to...

07/10/2024

The rhythmic lights were bright and chandeliers hung over the packed crowd, the venue floors were slightly sticky, the frontman acted like the coolest person in the room and the guitarist looked like somebody’s dad who had stumbled onto the stage: it was Two Door Cinema Club at The Fillmore and they were fantastic.

The opener was a man named Petey who I had never heard of before and was a little skeptical of. Nevertheless, he brought an avid following of his own and an infectious energy that turned much of the crowd into believers by the end of the set. His indie-emo rock sound and irresistible earnestness certainly won me over. His lyrics battled issues like toxic masculinity, religion and mental health throughout his eight-song setlist, including in standouts like “Freedom to F**k Off” and “Don’t Tell the Boys.”

The rhythmic lights were bright and chandeliers hung over the packed crowd, the venue floors were slightly sticky, the frontman acted like the coolest person in the room and the guitarist looked like somebody’s dad who had stumbled onto the stage: it was Two Door Cinema Club at The Fillmore and th...

07/10/2024

For the past couple decades, the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival has become a constant place for film buffs to expand their viewing horizons. Put on by Mizna, a woman-led organization that focuses on showcasing arts from Arab and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) cultures, the 18th annual festival took place Sept. 25 through 29, specifically focusing on stories from Sudan and Palestine.

“The 2024 festival brings programming that responds to the catastrophic state faced by much of the SWANA region while providing audiences a space to engage with critical, stimulating and challenging ideas, histories, and aesthetics,” Mizna’s description of the event reads.

For the past couple decades, the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival has become a constant place for film buffs to expand their viewing horizons. Put on by Mizna, a woman-led organization that focuses on showcasing arts from Arab and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) cultures, the 18th annual festi...

06/10/2024

The 15-0 score against the Scots at the first quarter mark didn’t bring down the crowd’s spirit. The Mac community had come out in full force for the football team’s first MIAC game against the St. Olaf College Oles.

A few feet in front of me, JP Kerrigan ’28, Joaquin Aguillon ’28, Eric Wentz ’26 and Sanjeet Devidayal ’26 (left to right in photo above) came to the game prepared.

The 15-0 score against the Scots at the first quarter mark didn’t bring down the crowd’s spirit. The Mac community had come out in full force for the football team’s first MIAC game against the St. Olaf College Oles. A few feet in front of me, JP Kerrigan ’28, Joaquin Aguillon ’28, Eric We...

06/10/2024

From Oct. 9-11, Macalester will host its 31st annual International Roundtable (IRT). The IRT is a Macalester tradition that involves guest speakers and the Macalester community in a series of workshops, exhibits and presentations. The event encourages students, professors and community members to engage in dialogue about a topic chosen by the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship (KAIGC) every year.

This year’s topic, “Slowing Down, Seeking Roots, Making Sanctuary: Belonging Beyond the Anthropocene” derives from a quote by Nigerian speaker, activist, writer and professor Dr. Bayo Akomolafe. As a renowned posthumanist who challenges our human-centric approach to collective justice and activism, his words represent the theme of making space for rest.

From Oct. 9-11, Macalester will host its 31st annual International Roundtable (IRT). The IRT is a Macalester tradition that involves guest speakers and the Macalester community in a series of workshops, exhibits and presentations. The event encourages students, professors and community members to en...

05/10/2024

Many student workers in the dining hall — and Macalester students as a whole — see Cafe Mac as the least desirable workplace on campus. A few weeks ago, some Cafe Mac student workers came forward to make their workplace issues — and the organizing they are doing to improve their situation — more public.

Many Cafe Mac workers did not receive much or any training before starting the job.

Many student workers in the dining hall — and Macalester students as a whole — see Cafe Mac as the least desirable workplace on campus. A few weeks ago, some Cafe Mac student workers came forward to make their workplace issues — and the organizing they are doing to improve their situation — ...

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