Thursday, Nov 14, a report summarizing findings from campus safety forums and listening sessions that have been held throughout the past few months was sent to the Smith community, explaining what steps the Campus Safety Advisory Group will be taking going forward and what feedback it has received about Smith’s police department.
THE SOPHIAN
On Monday, Oct. 21, children’s book illustrator Bryan Collier gave a speech at Stoddard Hall. The talk, titled “You Can Never Outgrow a Picture Book,” was sponsored by the Campus School and was open to students as well as the people of Northampton.
On Monday, Oct. 21, children’s book illustrator Bryan Collier gave a speech at Stoddard Hall. The talk, titled “You Can Never Outgrow a Picture Book,” was sponsored by the Campus School and was open to students as well as the people of Northampton.
In the depths of the bottom floor of the Campus Center, tucked into a corner, lies the WOZQ station for Smith College Radio. Lined floor to floor with disks, records, polaroids, drawings, letters and posters (specifically, a four-foot-tall poster of 2010-era Kevin Jonas, red-lipstick-kissed on his cheek), over eighty Smithie DJs come to broadcast their shows seven days a week.
Earlier this semester, the Student Government Association (SGA) asked students to participate in a survey regarding safety on campus. Many respondents expressed concern about poorly-lit areas, and the issue prompted discussion about preserving safety while reducing light pollution.
In September, Smith college joined 165 other higher education institutions throughout the state of Massachusetts in signing an Amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s revocation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. This comes in anticipation of the upcoming supreme court decision on the legality of DACA, which the Trump administration initially rescinded in September 2017. Arguments on the case began Tuesday, Nov 12. This ruling will impact the future of some 700,000 young immigrants.
At the beginning of November, Smithies and the Northampton community flooded into the Botanic Garden of Smith College to see the highly anticipated Fall Chrysanthemum Show. Nicknamed “the mum show,” this visually stunning display of bonsai, chrysanthemum cascades, oversized standard blooms and diverse variety of mums has a rich history that stretches across the globe. For a show with a little bit for everyone, its popularity is rightly deserved.
Thursday, Nov. 14th, I attended the 29th anniversary of Smith Celebration, an annual event on the Wilson House steps on the Quad which celebrates love in all forms.
Last Thursday, Nov. 7, representatives from the Sophian braved the cold and took a trip into downtown Northampton to Haymarket Cafe to meet the local writing group participating in National Novel Writing Month. Fondly known as ‘NaNoWriMo,’ this annual national tradition presents a seemingly simple goal — attempt to write 50,000 words of an original manuscript within the thirty days that November provides. As many who have attempted can attest, it is not as simple as it sounds. NaNoWriMo is an online based project that is supported by hundreds of local writing groups just like the one we met in the Haymarket Cafe.
Every morning, we wake up to our alarms and choose an outfit to conquer the day in. Maybe it’s skinny jeans and a t-shirt, a long dress with chunky heels or overalls paired with (to Tan France’s deep chagrin) crocs and socks. We might wear a certain sweater when giving a presentation, or a cozy scarf on a gray, chilly day. These fashion choices paint a picture of who we are and how we are living our lives. Clothes are more than just fashion trends — they are storytellers.