On April 13th, Skidmore’s Student Life Committee was invited to Wellspring’s grounds for a tour and conversation with the Executive Director, Maggie Fronk, about the Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct (SGBM) resources that they offer to Skidmore students and the larger Saratoga community. Wellspring, located a 15 minute drive away from Skidmore’s campus in Malta, NY, offers free and confidential services to individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. Given the prominence of conversations on campus surrounding the College’s SGBM and Title IX policies since last semester’s student walkout, the Student Life Committee’s visit to Wellspring was an opportunity to gather more information about the external resources available to Skidmore students. Fronk shared that this recent visit was one of the best conversations that she has had with students in a long time, marking the resurgence of partnership and trust between Skidmore students and Wellspring.
Read moreAn Upcoming Production at Skidmore, “A Nice Indian Boy”
Arham Hashmi ‘23 is currently directing the first South Asian play to ever be performed at Skidmore: "A Nice Indian Boy" by award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Madhuri Shekar. It is a comedic play about an Indian man named Naveen, who expresses to his family his wants to marry another man through a traditional Hindu wedding. The play utilizes comedy to address deeper themes of queerness, heritage, and marriage within the context of the traditional Hindu culture.
Read moreSkidmore's SGBM Conversation: Alexandra Brodsky Visits The Center
On Monday, February 28th, a civil rights attorney at Public Justice Alexandra Brodsky spoke at Skidmore’s The Center. Her talk was focused on Title IX, sexual justice, and student activism - all prominent topics on campus following last semester’s walkout against the College’s Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct (SGBM) and Title IX processes.
Read more#FreeBritney: Britney Spears Goes to Court
Britney Spears is immersed in an ongoing trial over her 13-year conservatorship that officially ended on November 12, 2021. According to a Deadline article, there is a mini-trial set for July 27th, 2022 to further examine illegal activity, such as surveillance and total control over Britney’s personal finances, that occurred during the conservatorship.
Read moreHank the Tank: A Loveable Thief?
He’s on the run from a criminal past. Police are scrambling to find and catch him before any more damage is done. But who is this dangerous perpetrator? Why, he’s a five-hundred pound black bear named Hank the Tank! And it turns out, he might not be that dangerous after all.
Read moreTensions Rise in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
I asked my brother, Nathaniel, how he was getting acclimated to his new school. “It’s a ghost-town, Stephanie,” he replied, “everybody left.” My brother was referring to the American embassy kids who had left.
Read moreThe Center: A New Landmark for Diversity Conversations at Skidmore
This semester, Skidmore has signified its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), by launching a new hub on campus to house these conversations and related offices. Located at the heart of campus, on the second floor of Case Center, The Center opened its doors to the Skidmore public on Friday, September 24th.
Read moreWildfires and Toxic Fumes Are Swallowing the United States
Wildfires have been ravaging the California ecosystem for years now. Unfortunately, wildfires do not just affect those who can see their flames on the west coast. At different times within this past year, the eastern half of the United States watched in awe as skies filled with smoke, blanketing the country in gray and red hues.
Read moreOne of Saratoga's Last Historically Black Organizations in Danger of Vanishing
The Frederick Allen Lodge is located within Saratoga Springs, NY in the Beekman Street Arts District: 69 Beekman St. It has historically been a fraternal organization that did charity for the Black community. Nowadays, it still holds those values and exists as a prominent social club and gathering space for the Black population in Saratoga Springs.
Read moreMeet the Saratoga Commissioner of Finance Candidate: Minita Sanghvi
On June 1st of this year, Skidmore College Business Professor Minita Sanghvi announced her decision to run for Commissioner of Finance for the Saratoga Springs City Council. As the first openly gay candidate, Sanghvi announced her candidacy during Pride Month.
Read moreMeet the Saratoga Mayoral Candidate: Heidi Owen West
Heidi Owen West, a local business woman in Saratoga Springs, announced her candidacy for mayor in March of 2020. She is running under the endorsement of the Saratoga County Republican Committee, but is personally an Independent. In her interview with The Skidmore News, West emphasized her role and skills as a local business woman, which she believes will make her an effective city leader.
Read moreMeet the Saratoga Mayoral Candidate: Robin Dalton
In her interview with The Skidmore News, Commissioner Dalton detailed her plan for implementing effective communication between the community and city hall, supporting the city’s police and fire services, and advocating for nonpartisan elections in Saratoga Springs.
Read moreMeet the Saratoga Mayoral Candidate: Ron Kim
Capital Region native Ron Kim is the only Democratic candidate in next week’s mayoral election. After spending eight years on the Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals and two terms as Commissioner of Public Safety, Kim is now dedicated to improving Saratoga’s infrastructure, reinvigorating democracy and restoring trust in the government. This week, The Skidmore News sat down with Ron Kim to discuss his platform, goals for Saratoga Springs, and how he envisions Skidmore students as actors in this work.
Read moreBackstage Missing Cases in Wyoming: The Exclusion of Indigenous Peoples
Twenty two-year-old Gabby Petito’s death was nothing short of tragic. A week after being filed as a missing person, Petito’s body was found in Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. With the official cause of death being ruled as strangulation, her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie is being pursued as a suspect. But is the same amount of attention being given to find answers and justice for missing Indigenous peoples?
Read moreSaratoga Politricks: A Conversation with Jason Golub
Followers of Saratoga politics understand the complex and often stunted nature of implementing policy change within the city. It’s been seen through the lack of leadership surrounding initiatives to support the city’s unhoused populations, minority communities, and a diverse economy – outside of mainly tourism – which often barricades valuable change in Saratoga. On top of these issues, the events of the city council meetings this spring, in terms of their passage of a controversial resolution in response to the Police Reform Task Force have only further exemplified the divisiveness between Saratoga Springs leadership and their residents.
Read moreSaratoga Lakeview Park Residents Faced with Eviction
It’s easy to pass off Saratoga Springs as a fun evening destination to spend time with friends, especially considering that Skidmore College is an insular community in itself. However, a larger Saratoga community rests outside the college, made up of long-time residents, small business owners, and families. Currently, these residents are struggling with affordable housing or lack thereof. One group in particular – residents of the Saratoga Lakeview Mobile Home Park – are in jeopardy of eviction.
Read moreA Q&A With Freirich Entrepreneurship Competition Winner
The Kenneth A. Freirich Entrepreneurship Competition was founded by Ken Freirich, ‘90, in 2010 to encourage interest in business and entrepreneurship at Skidmore. Dylan Telano, ‘23, received the first-place prize of $20,000 for his online writing platform, VoyceMe. I interviewed him over Zoom for a Q&A session about himself and his project. Following are edited excerpts from that conversation.
Read moreSaratoga Springs Constitutional Crisis: What the Final City Council Meeting on Police Reform Revealed
Saratoga Springs finds itself in political turmoil as the city council held another open dialogue on police reform on March 31 on zoom. This meeting was the last open dialogue held before the city council voted to adopt the 50-point plan on police reform created by the Saratoga Springs Police Reform Task Force (SSPRTF). The SSPRTF created the 50-point plan to address Saratoga’s reform of the Saratoga Springs Police Department (SSPD). The proposal has been met with reluctance by the Saratoga city council and open hostility from the SSPD. However, the third draft proposed by the city council was passed with only one member in opposition.
Read moreThe Question of Statehood: Can Washington D.C. Become a State?
Updates on the Saratoga Police Reform Task Force Dialogue Ahead of City Council Vote
Earlier this month, the city council published its first resolution to adopt Saratoga Springs Police Reform Task Force’s recommendations for police reform into city policy. Shortly after, they published another. Residents and activists were dissatisfied with the language used in the resolution, which prompted the council to reissue their response last week.
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