The Spectator - Editorial archive

Editorial

Hamilton SEAS to a need

April 26, 2012

Last week, Dean of Students Nancy Thompson sent an email to the Hamilton community announcing the creation of a new program: the Hamilton Student Emergency Aid Society (SEAS). According to the email, the fund will provide assistance to those students who need one-time financial aid for some sort of emergency. The creation of this program, following the adoption of a need-blind admissions policy in 2010, indicates the Hamilton’s continued efforts to support students from all financial backgrounds. While we commend the administration on this initiative, we are concerned about how decisions will be made. More ...

Perspective for prospective students

April 19, 2012

Accepted Students’ Day has become too regimented, preventing students from really getting a sense of what it is like to be a Hamilton student. Although many of the activities currently provide students with valuable information, seminars and tours do not provide the full story. Such sessions are canned and tours guides are all trained by the Office of Admission. As a result, prospective students are missing out on an opportunity to accurately determine if Hamilton is where they want to be. More ...

Students hungry for more dining options

April 12, 2012

With the upcoming housing lottery, students are not just deciding on their future dormitories, but are also selecting their meal plans for next year. Depending on where they choose to live, rising sophomores have limited choice in their meal plans. Unless they live in what Residential Life terms “an apartment,” sophomores will be forced to pay for the 21 meal plan, whether they use it or not. The 21 meal plan is an obligatory expense does not make sense for many sophomores. Current dining plans, including limited hours and options, should be reevaluated to accommodate the needs of different students. More ...

Bursting the bubble: Hamilton recognizes a national tragedy

April 5, 2012

On a campus so far removed from many of racial issues that plague our nation, it was reassuring to see last week’s response the shooting of Trayvon Martin, as discussed in Jessica Moulite’s article on the front page. Students frequently joke that Hamilton exists in a “bubble,” far removed from the real-world events off the Hill. Jokes, though, usually have basis in fact, and the reality of Hamilton’s “bubble” is usually seen in the lack of response to significant events that occur off-campus. Even if an incident does occur on campus, discussion of it rarely lasts for more than a few weeks before the issue then fades from the campus consciousness without any meaningful conclusions or changes. Off the Hill, though, these problems have long-term consequences, and Hamilton, as a community, needs to start paying more attention and responding to national events. More ...

Our open curriculum closes doors

March 29, 2012

As class registration approaches, students are considering what they want from their education and how best to accomplish their goals. Many students chose to come to Hamilton because of the open curriculum and the broad education that it offers. In principle, students can take a wide range of classes; in practice, however, there are few classes designed for students who don’t plan on concentrating in the class’s discipline. To enable students to truly acquire a liberal arts education and take advantage of Hamilton’s unique curriculum, departments need to begin to offer more classes designed for this purpose rather than for future concentrators. More ...

Commencement speaker too close to home

March 1, 2012

Seniors should be excited about their Commencement speaker. News of this year’s speaker, however, is more likely to disappoint. Although we recognize that the speaker selected for May’s Commencement ceremony, A. G. Lafley, has made significant contributions to Hamilton, we fear that this selection loses sight of the meaning of Commencement, and more importantly of the character and diversity of the senior class. Moreover, it seems as though the selection has been motivated by an excessive focus on the bicentennial. More ...

Common Reading should guide students in the next chapter of life

February 16, 2012

This week, the First-Year Experience Committee invited members of the campus community to discuss the problems first-years face in acclimating to college life. Simultaneously, the Common Reading Committee continues to discuss how to make the common reading a year-long, integrative experience that can work to bring the campus together. These two committees, however, are not effectively working in concert, and in failing to do so, the administration is missing a unique opportunity to both enhance the common reading experience and help students adjust at the same time. More ...

Fixing first-year foibles

February 9, 2012

The Committee on the First-Year Experience is slated to talk with members of the community next Monday about the challenges students face when they arrive at Hamilton. The discussion could not come at a more opportune time; the campus, amidst concerns surrounding destructive drinking behavior, could benefit from a second look at how one of the most critical aspects of the first-year experience—orientation—sets the stage for the rest of a student’s college career. One major revision to the way orientation is run has already occurred: Residential Life now leads orientation, starting with last month’s program for Jan-admits and transfers. More ...

Hammering out the consequences of excess drinking

February 2, 2012

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Cultural mindset runs deeper than alcohol abuse

January 26, 2012

Dean Nancy Thompson recently sent out an email detailing several frightening incidents that occurred this past weekend, all of which likely arose as a result of irresponsible alcohol consumption. Such incidents highlight the alcohol-related problems facing Hamilton’s community that will be discussed in the town hall meeting this Saturday. Although alcohol consumption will probably be the major topic of discussion in the meeting, we would like to stress that these incidents are ultimately reflective not only of careless partying, but of deeper issues underlying the campus culture. More ...