Author Archives: BZOD

MUSIC
Skeleton Brain – Music by Dexter Dine ’14

A few weeks ago, I got this email from Dexter Dine ’14, who sent me this blurb about some awesome music he made, which I failed to post until now. But here’s his blurb and link:

Hey! I just finished an album for my senior project, and you can download it by following the link below. Just enter in $0 and get it for free! If you see CD’s lying around campus, those are physical copies of this album. Please take one! If you like me or don’t know me, take a listen. If you dislike me or want something to throw, smash it. I don’t care either way, I just don’t want my name on litter all over campus for too long. Thanks!

[LINK]

EVENT
The Ascension of James: A Slender James Concert

From the illustrious Nate “Neepaz” Repasz ’14:

Slender James was formed in a simulation of 2011 under the auspices of a cosmic DOYCE. Since then, it has developed several norms and regenerative properties.

Yet, as all self-sustaining entities must, the James now prepares to forfeit its progenitors to ensure the future of its progeny. And so, as the eve of the Ascension approaches, we supplicate you to watch a swan song, as we step aside for our supplanters.

In other words, come listen to us sing songs as we send our six seniors into the sunset.

James Ascended. James eternal. James bless.

Date: Today, Friday, May 9
Time: 7:30 PM
Place: WestCo Lounge
Facebook: Yep!

EVENT
Spirits Spring Jam!

Ethan Tischler ’14 submitted this, and then I posted it:

At last, the Wesleyan Spirits Spring Jam / Mother’s Day Concerto! As we celebrate all the wonderful moms throughout the world, we’ll also bid farewell to the current seniors: Cole “Econometrics” Chiumento ’14, Rob “Shrakstar” Roth ’14, Marc “Twotoned” Whittington ’14, Ethan “Woodsman” Tischler ’14, and Ben “Lord of Language” Jacobs ’14. Come celebrate another fulsome year of Spiriting, and raise the song one last time before finals!

Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Place: Memorial Chapel

EVENT
Senior Film Thesis Screenings Start Tonight

The film theses are back! Since there are 27 films this year, the film department has organized the screenings a bit differently – there will only be ONE viewing session for each film and NO REPEATS THIS WEEKEND, unfortunately (though they will be screened again on Friday and Saturday of Senior Week.)

FRIDAY, MAY 9th, 8PM: DIGITAL FILMS PART 1, $5

Peter Cramer ’14
Chloe Shipko ’14
Peter Conforti ’14
Adam Keller ’14
Kallan Benjamin ’14
Alissa Goldberg ’14
Sky McGilligan ’14
Elijah Cone ’14

SATURDAY, MAY 10th, 8PM: 16MM FILMS, $5

Neo Sora ’14
Alice Lee ’14
Hanna Edizel ’14
Carlen May-Mann ’14
John Ryan ’14
Morgan Ross ’14
Jessie Napier ’14
Sam Gilberg ’14
Jake Ewald ’14
Sidney Schleiff ’14

SUNDAY, MAY 11th, 8PM: DIGITAL FILMS PART 2, $5

Andrew Cohen ’14
Amanda Hayley Sonnenschein ’14
Leah Khambata ’14
Alienor Leon ’14
Richie Starzec ’14
Annalora Von Pentz ’14
Solomon Billinkoff ’14
Spencer Burnham ’14
Henry Hall ’14

Date: Friday, May 9; Saturday, May 10; Sunday, May 11
Time: 8:00 PM
Place: Goldsmith Family Cinema (Center for Film Studies)
Cost: $5

FEATURED
WSA Passes Resolution 11.35: Wesleyan Divestment from Companies Profiting from or Contributing to Illegal Occupation of Palestine

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A few days ago, on Sunday, May 4, the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) passed Resolution 11.35: Wesleyan Divestment from Companies Profiting from or Contributing to Illegal Occupation of Palestine. This resolution has two operative clauses. The first calls upon Wesleyan University to divest from companies that a) provide weapons, security systems, prisons, or military support for the occupation of Palestinian land; b) build or maintain the wall between Israel and Palestine and the demolition of Palestinian homes; and c) help build, maintain, or develop Israeli settlements, outposts, roads, and transportation systems in occupied Palestinian territory (defined in the resolution as the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem). The goal of the resolution is to remove the financial incentive to participate in the occupation of Palestinian land. The resolution’s second clause recognizes that the University will likely not divest from Israeli companies, and thus calls upon the WSA to divest its own endowment from the University’s endowment to avoid supporting the occupation by the transitive property.

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EVENT
MPhil Symposium, “Joseph Stella: Artist Interrupted”

Join us for a special presentation by 2014 MPhil candidate Richard Friswell. Friswell will discuss his thesis, American Futurist Painter, Joseph Stella, and the Decade 1913-1923: “An Artist Interrupted.”

Italian-American Futurist painter, Joseph Stella (1887-1946), gained fame for his abstract depictions of Coney Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and the City of New York, among other early works. In the long trajectory of his career, he interacted with the giants of modern art, participated in the famous Armory Show of 1913, and the avant-garde cultural movement of pre-war New York. He remained torn between his attraction for the symbols of the modern city and a persistent longing for his native Italy. The period, 1913-1923 was the apogee of his career, after which he turned artistically to a profound exploration of his cultural roots and primal mysticism found in nature and faith. A great artist, Stella’s personal vision of the world would sadly and undeservedly marginalize him in the annals of 20th century art history.

Date: Tuesday, May 6
Time: 5:15 PM
Place: Usdan 108 (45 Wyllys Avenue)

EVENT
Wesleyan Master’s Project Readings and MPhil Talk

Join the Graduate Liberal Studies community for a special event celebrating the humanities. The event features MALS candidates Michael Felberbaum and Tom DeBeauchamp reading from their final projects in pursuit of their MALS degrees. After a short intermission, Matthew Bennett will give a talk from his MPhil thesis, “A Commentary on David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp.”

“Asterios Polyp” is a multivalent that requires multiple readings to fully understand the richness and complexity of David Mazzucchelli’s masterpiece. This commentary seeks to create a method and apparatus for reading Asterios Polyp. It offers a way of reading, a method; it also offers essays which facilitate an understanding of the novel; and it offers interpretations and analyses. On one level, it appeals to the reader in us, desperate for a way to come to grips with a work which by its very nature defies traditionally held beliefs about comics and what constitutes a novel. On another level, it serves as a way for teachers and students to gain insight and knowledge of the text through a deeper understanding of the content and context of the novel.

Date: Saturday, May 3
Time: 4:00 PM
Place: Allbritton 113

FEATURED
FAQ: What’s Going on with Fraternities, Sexual Assault, and the WSA?

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TRIGGER WARNING: The following discusses the issue of sexual assault at Wesleyan and may be triggering for some readers. Community and official support resources can be accessed here, here, and here.

If you’ve been on campus this semester, you’ve probably had at least one conversation about sexual assault and residential fraternities. Since spring break, there have been four contentious WSA meetings on the subject, drawing sexual assault survivors, fraternity brothers, and other members of the community together to discuss policy to reduce sexual assault, and what that means for Wesleyan’s residential fraternities. The discussion has morphed into a discussion encompassing not only sexual assault and fraternities, but also male privilege, gender equality, gender relations, and how all of those impact the social spaces in which we move daily.

Despite all the discussion on this topic, there has been considerable confusion on both sides about the various resolutions that have been introduced. This FAQ post aims to clear up some of that confusion.

Sexual assault has always been a problem on campus, but we haven’t talked about it much until a few months ago. Likewise, we don’t seriously discuss the role of fraternities on campus very frequently. How did the current discussion begin?

Last spring, a Wesleyan student was raped in the common room of Psi U. Following the incident, the student who committed the rape was dismissed by the University. The survivor left the University as well. In early March of this year, the survivor sued Psi Upsilon, the Wesleyan Xi Chapter of the frat, and several Psi U brothers for negligence. It was this lawsuit that set off the current discussions about sexual assault and fraternities.

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FEATURED
WSA Survey Results on Frats and Sexual Assault Released

Safety of fraternity spaces on campus, relative to other spaces:

19% say fraternity spaces are safer
31% say fraternity spaces are equally safe
47% say fraternity spaces are less safe

On April 18, the WSA sent out an all-campus email asking for student opinions about Greek life, safety, and gender equality. From April 18 to April 21, the WSA collected data. Within that time, there were 796 responses, which were close to representative of campus in terms of gender, class year, and Greek membership. A comprehensive breakdown of the survey are available here, on the WSA blog. The full set of survey results, complete with the number of people who answered each question and the questions asked, is available here: Sexual Assault and Greek Life Survey Results.

While I will be posting an FAQ post explaining Resolution B and the related resolutions later today, a few interesting excerpts of this right now, presented without comment:

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EVENT
Mathematica in Education and Research

During this seminar, we will explore Mathematica’s use for a wide variety of practical and theoretical applications across a variety of disciplines – from exploring random walks to social network analysis. Attendees will not only see new features in Mathematica 9, but will also receive examples of this functionality to begin using immediately. No Mathematica experience is required, and students are encouraged to attend and bring questions that they would like us to address.

Date: Thursday, April 24
Time: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM (including Q&A, refreshments at 4:15 PM)
Place: Allbritton 311


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