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The Sophian

Why do female athletes get more concussions?

According to the National Institutes of Health, a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is any type of brain injury that leads to temporary or permanent brain impairment. 

The most commonly diagnosed type of TBI is a concussion, which can be caused by any sort of blow to the head, either during athletics or daily life. The Brain Injury Research Institute approximates that around 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions are diagnosed each year as a result of sports. Although concussions have been studied in detail in the past, biological differences between the way concussions present in males and females are only just beginning to come to light. 

Trump v. North Korea

At a recent United Nations meeting, President Donald Trump severely criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump referred to Kim with the mocking nickname “Rocket Man” and threatened to “totally destroy North Korea” if necessary.

The Diverse Smithies series kicks off

Last year President McCartney introduced the Innovation Challenge for Advancing Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. It was a new funding opportunity to support ventures which strengthen the Smith community. The Diverse Smithies Series was the proposed project of the Office of Alumnae Relations and started last week. 

Wendy Pearlman shares stories from Syrian refugees

Wendy Pearlman was captivated when she first heard about the protests raging across Syria during the 2011 Arab Spring.

The associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, who has been studying the Middle East for more than half her life, was initially surprised the protests had spread to Syria. 

New surveillance cameras proposed in downtown Northampton cause unease

A proposal from the Northampton Police Department for new cameras downtown created a stir amongst Northampton residents, as well as Smith students, earlier this month. Despite opposition from the community and questioning of the motives for such a proposal, Police Chief Jody Kasper of Northampton Police Department has defended the new surveillance. 

Smith responds to Title IX changes from Dept. of Education

In an all-campus email last Friday, Provost and Dean of the Faculty and Interim Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Katherine Rowe formally assured the Smith community that “Smith College continues to take its obligations under Title IX very seriously. We remain firmly committed to our Gender-Based and Sexual Misconduct Policy … [F]or now, that policy remains in effect and unchanged.” 

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