Puck Colby

Editorial: A mixed blessing

This past Sunday, members of the Bowdoin community gathered on the steps of the Museum of Art to hold a candlelight vigil to reflect on recent events both near and far. Attendees reflected on a variety of sobering incidents varying in scale and proximity to the Bowdoin community, including nationwide student protests for racial equality, a sexual assault in Mayflower apartments and, most recently, the terrorist attacks in Paris. Students and administrators gathered to comfort others and be comforted themselves. It was but one example of the Bowdoin community finding a way to come together in a difficult, confusing time.
After an occurrence of cultural appropriation that harmed students of color and others on campus, many—including those affected—performed public displays of protest and unity in the following days. A Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) meeting provided a platform for many to voice their sadness and frustration, and resulted in the General Assembly releasing a Statement of Solidarity. The next week, many students gathered in the Union for a protest that called attention to difficulties students of color face on campus. This month, BSG’s annual No Hate November initiative has provided outlets for support and education, including a photo display showing support to those affected by racial bias and an Uncommon Hour presentation today on racism by Associate Professor of Africana Studies and History Brian Purnell. Last Friday, dozens of Bowdoin students marched in solidarity with students of color across the country fighting forms of racism on their campuses. While large issues of racism cannot be immediately solved and there is much more work to be done, it’s encouraging to see many Bowdoin students work relentlessly to make change in our community.
The sexual assault and other troubling incidents of a similar nature have caused many on campus to reconsider their sense of security. Many members of the student body feel confused and vulnerable. However, the response has not been one of helplessness. Hours after Tuesday’s incident, a Facebook group called Bowdoin Safe Walk was created as a forum for students to offer and seek out rides or “walking buddies.” The group has over 1,500 members. That same night, Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols visited several off-campus houses on and near Potter Street to check on the wellbeing of students living there. The next day, BSG organized a community safe walk through campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. These responses have affirmed the strength and resilience of our community. The events that have forced us to reconsider our sense of security have also revealed the ways that members of the Bowdoin community can come together to support one another.
The past few weeks have been trying in a way that few on campus remember in the recent past. It is necessary to view Bowdoin critically and honestly, and the administration’s handling of some of the recent events has at times left something to be desired. But at the very least, we should still be grateful for the movements at work here: the responses we’ve seen across campus have reaffirmed for us that Bowdoin’s community is something to be thankful for.
This editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient’s editorial board, which is comprised of John Branch, Sam Chase, Matthew Gutschenritter, Emma Peters and Nicole Wetsman.

Editorial: To move forward, vote yes

On Tuesday night, President Clayton Rose facilitated a town hall-style meeting in Smith Union that sought to answer the question “Why do issues of race matter if I’m white?” The aim was to foster an open discussion amongst the entire student body—a difficult task considering the sensitive nature of the issue at hand. The event was packed and it was the most visibly engaged the campus has been in recent memory; hundreds of students, faculty and staff filled the Union to listen and participate, with many standing for the entire 75-minute event.
The discussion was honest and lively. President Rose was a firm moderator, guiding the discussion as necessary, unafraid to rephrase certain comments into more pointed questions. People talked not past each other but to each other, which is especially meaningful on a campus where much of the provocative dialogue takes place behind closed doors or on Yik Yak. In his closing remarks, Rose said that this was just a first step, and “in some ways, we haven’t done anything.” The town hall was successful as a starting point, but it will be meaningless if the conversation and action around race at Bowdoin ends there.
In November, the Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) executive committee introduced a proposal to elect a multicultural representative to serve as a voting member of the general assembly. This student would represent the Multicultural Coalition, an organization of 17 student groups dedicated to diversity and multicultural life. There is precedent for this position: the Entertainment Board, the McKeen Center, Inter-House Council and Athletics all have designated representative positions on the BSG.
Voting on the referendum began on Wednesday of this week and remains open until 9 p.m. this Saturday. In order for the position to be approved, one third of the student body must vote and within that group, two-thirds must vote in favor. This position would guarantee that there is a voice on BSG to represent minority students on campus regardless of BSG’s elected members. In theory, the representative would place multicultural issues at the forefront of their agenda, ensuring that issues of diversity and race will never fall through the cracks. BSG has taken a proactive role on issues of race this year, issuing resolutions of solidarity with students of color at Bowdoin and at the University of Missouri. However, BSG is a large, complex body with dramatic turnover each year, and it has not always shown the racial consciousness proving so important this year. A multicultural representative would help to hold it accountable to the interests and concerns of minority students no matter who its elected representatives are.
As Rose said at the end of Tuesday’s town hall, “This is the beginning of this conversation, not the end.” This semester has seen a dramatic uptick in the Bowdoin community’s willingness to talk frankly about race—but it cannot stop now, even as the shock and anger from certain specific incidents fades. A vote for the creation of the multicultural representative is a vote for a concrete step toward lasting awareness of racial issues at Bowdoin.
This editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient’s editorial board, which is comprised of John Branch, Sam Chase, Matthew Gutschenritter, Emma Peters and Nicole Wetsman.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

December 4, 2015

Tomorrow’s the big one, friends: Bowdoin vs. Colby ice hockey in Sid Watson Arena. Easily the biggest sporting event on campus every year, Bowdoin-Colby takes a normally sedate student body and whips it into a frenzy for three periods of puck. But, like Thanksgiving dinner at Thorne or Ivies weekend, this iconic campus event requires careful planning. In the interest of providing the fans in the stands with a fun night and helping secure a win for the boys on the ice, the Orient’s editorial board humbly presents to you the ABCs of Bowdoin-Colby hockey.

Access

Were you one of the lucky souls that waited in the now-infamous line that snaked around Smith Union throughout the week and emerged victorious with a ticket? Kudos, your dedication to Bowdoin men’s hockey is a huge part of what makes the program the NESCAC powerhouse that it is. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t score a seat to the big game, though. There’s an unspoken understanding that those who show up to the game will find a way in. That said, don’t make the ushers’ jobs hard or awkward by begging them for admission. Have the courtesy to bring a homemade ticket or just dart past them inconspicuously.

Booze

It’s going to be tempting to drink all day in preparation for the game, because that is an awesome thing to do if you’re 21 years old. Don’t darty too hard, though—there’s nothing worse than passing out at 6 p.m. and not even making it to the game. And don’t pregame intensely directly before the game, either. The bleachers will be packed and you’ll be uncomfortable. Drink in moderation before the game, and save turn up o’clock for immediately after the boys get the W. As hockey legend Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Chants and Chirps

The best anti-Colby chants, ranked:

1. “UMaine-Waterville”
2. “Mules are sterile”
3. “Safety school”

These are the essentials, the classic war cries shouted by generations of Bowdoin students. They will be chanted, and they will be chanted often. But don’t hesitate to take things a step further. Scan the Colby men’s hockey roster and put some names into Google. Does the goalie speak Russian and French? Yup—shout some things at him in Russian and French! Does the leading scorer have an embarrassing Vine account that hasn’t been updated in two years? He sure does! Please loudly make reference to it while he’s on the ice. It’s not about insulting the opposition—in fact, that should be avoided. The best chirps are obscure, innocuous references to the players’ lives.

If you’ve ever felt envy while watching a student section go wild at a big-time college sporting event, tomorrow night is your chance to live that life. The Mules are coming to town, and every self-respecting Polar Bear should be present to defend the hallowed grounds of Watson Arena. It’s time for Bowdoin-Colby hockey.

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