Issue 2, Fall 2010

VOLUME 96 ISSUE 2 www.thecampanil.com Wednesday | Sept 8, 2010

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Members of Mujeres Unidas manage a table at the Latina Heritage Month celebration in AdamsPlaza on Wednesday, Sept. 1. Some hand out fliers, while others help serve refreshments.

Mujeres Unidas kicked offLatina Heritage Month, a celebra-tion dedicated to the empowermentof Latinas and Latinos, during alunchtime affair in Adam's Plaza onWednesday, Sept. 1 . The event fea-tured live music, catered Mexicanfood and information about upcom-ing events during the month.

G.G. Huerta and Maria Mejia,co-presidents of Mujeres Unidas,welcomed those gathered in theplaza and introduced Mills alumnaElena Duran, an internationallyrecognized Latina flutist fromOakland. Duran gave a small pre-view of her show, "Mexico of MyHeart." Her full concert,with pianoplayer Luis Zepeda, was performedthat same evening in the Student Union.

Before playing her flute, Duran

addressed the crowd.“I just want to say how proud I

am to be back at Mills,” saidDuran, who graduated in 1973 andis now US ambassador to Mexico City.

As Duran preformed, thosegathered ate Mexican food cateredby a local taco truck.

“We (wanted) to give them a lit-tle taste of Mexico,” Mejia said.

“The food is great,” said a newmember of Mujeres Unidas, first-year student Raquel Juarez Cruz.“It reminds me of home.”

Mejia and Huerta also informedeveryone about various activitiesand events scheduled for the month.

“We have about twelve events,”Mejia said. She also explained thatLatina Heritage Month is there tocreate a “space where Latinas canfeel appreciated.”

The events include film screen-ings, a dinner at Founders, a song

and dance workshop, a folk danceperformance, a special dinner hon-oring Latina staff and faculty andan evening with an indigenouswomen's' textile collective.

Many students, like Cruz, wereexcited to have an entire monthdedicated to the celebration of Latinas.

“I love it because it's Latin andI have Latina pride,” Cruz said,adding that she supports "anythingthat involves empowerment ofLatinas and Latinos.”

According to Mejia, the EthnicStudies Department is co-sponsor-ing the festivities. Mujeres Unidasis also partnering with the BlackWomen Collective and the MuslimStudent Association.

“I think it's really great thatLatinas and allies can come togeth-er and talk about how to empowerourselves,” said first-year JasmineHurtado, another new member ofMujeres Unidas.

Latina Heritage Month kicks off

After almost a year of renova-tions, Founders re-opened to theMills community on Aug. 23, witha bright new look.

The updated dining area fea-tures outdoor seating, new cafete-ria-style tables and chairs inside,salad and taqueria bars, as well as aseating area with couches.

According to Campus ArchitectKaren Fiene and Assistant VicePresident of Facilities, Auxiliaries

and Campus Planning LindaZitzner, the project cost $1.5 mil-lion, which came out of a budgetspecifically for such investments.The renovations took place in twophases, which dealt first with infra-structure and demolition and thenwith interior issues.

Although many students mayhave already seen the updated din-ing area, most of the otherimprovements to Founders tookplace behind the scenes.

According to Jason Landau,General Manager of Mills' Bon

Appetit Services, one major infra-structure issue that had to beaddressed was that of water damage.

“There were a tremendousamount of leaks in the building,”Landau said. He explained that oneof the main back walls suffered asevere amount of damage causedby leaks from the older refrigeratorand freezers.

A lot of the old kitchen equip-ment such as the dishwasher,

HHeeaatthheerr MMccDDaanniieellCHIEF NEWS EDITOR

HHeeaatthheerr MMccDDaanniieellCHIEF NEWS EDITOR

Founderssee page 3

A flat screen TV hangs where the old vending machines inRothewell Center used to be. While the new vendingmachines are outside filled with goodies, the TV hangs aloneon the wall, its screen blank. Students ask: “What’s it for?”Check online at thecampanil.com for updates.

Oaklandintroducesits firstrenewablefuel station

LAUREN-MARIE SLITER

Founders Commons open after renovations

Elena Duran addresses those attending the opening ceremoniesin the Adams Plaza on Wednesday, Sept. 1

HEATHER MCDANIEL

Co-presidents, Maria Meja and G.G. Huerta, give informationabout the upcoming events for month-long celebration.

WWHHAATT IISS TTHHIISS??

News22 SS ee pp tt 88 ,, 22 00 11 00

The Writing Center altered itsspace in response to student feed-back and revealed a new look whenit opened for the fall semester onAug. 30.

There’s new furniture, for one.“I think the biggest surprise is

going to be how the Writing Centerlooks this year,” Student DirectorJessica Menkin said.

Large desks used to occupy the space.

“It just felt really authoritativeand not like a tutoring session,”Menkin said.

But now a round table and com-puter workspaces have replaced theprevious setup.

“Instead of feeling like anoffice, it feels like a writing centershould feel.” Menkin said, “It’s awelcoming atmosphere.”

The Writing Center is staffed byEnglish Department MA and MFAcandidates who help Mills stu-dents—undergraduate and graduatealike—develop stronger writtencommunication skills.

Tutor Diana Turken said stu-dents are welcome to come in forany writing assignment at any stageof the process, “from the barebones to the polishing at the end.”

Raquel Fay, another tutor, saidstudents’ work won’t be done for

them, but the graduate studentswho work at the Writing Centerwill “help you get to the next levelin your writing, be an extra set ofeyes and kind of train you to do ityourself for the next time.”

While a student can write onher or his own with a copy of theMLA Handbook or a good refer-ence website, the Writing Centeradds a human touch.

“You can’t really have a dia-logue with your computer or MLAbook,” said Turken. “But we’repeople. You’re able to come to aplace where there are people, whoare kind of having—or had—thesame experience as you, who candiscuss things, work things out.

A student’s Writing Centerexperience, Menkin said, wouldinvolve more than just sitting downwith a tutor and working.

“There’s coffee offered. Thereare treats,” said Menken. “We’regoing to get stress balls, so ifyou’re freaking out you cansqueeze that stress ball whileyou’re working on your paper.”

The coffee, treats and friendlyfurniture are all part of the WritingCenter’s new look and feel this fall.Menkin said the changes won’tstop there. Students can look for-ward to a Writing Center blog,which would feature online gram-mar lessons. Next semester, thereare plans to give workshops onMLA citation, grammar and writ-

ing personal statements for gradu-ate school applications.

These changes have been initi-ated in response to students’ writ-ten feedback, the good and the bad.For instance, Menkin said, studentscomplained that 30-minute tutorsessions were too short, so the ses-sions have increased to 45 minutesthis fall.

Merkin said that so far thechanges seemed to be workingreally well.

“Our tutors are really, reallyanxious to help students,” she said.“They’re really excited aboutworking with them.”

Even so, some students mightnot stop by the Writing Center any-time soon.

Maya Harary, transfer student,hasn’t heard of the Writing Centerand thinks she might not need theresource. She’s nearly done withher general education requirementsand now takes all biology classes.

“Just because I don’t have anyEnglish classes in my future and Ialready consider myself a prettygood writer,” she said, “I probablywouldn’t go to the Writing Center.The tutoring I need is definitelymore technical stuff.”

But Harary still thinks it’s greatthat the Writing Center is there.“It’s really helpful for anyonewho’s second-guessing their work,just to have another person lookingat it, whether or not it’s a tutor.”

Sophomore Llesenia Bolorin,on the other hand, said there shouldbe more faculty involvement whenstudents tutor other students.

Although she hasn’t used theWriting Center, Bolorin hasworked with an on-campus peertutor for another subject.

“The peer tutor was as helpfulas she could be,” Bolorin said, “butit felt like she could only go to acertain extent.”

Bolorin said tutors are still stu-dents themselves. “They’re stillinterpreting (the material) more orless from my perspective. Butwhen that question gets stuck, theperson still leaves stuck. And that’snot fun. Maybe just having a pro-fessor on hand would help.”

Still, Bolorin likes knowing thatthe Writing Center is there if sheneeds it - though she doesn't need itright now. “I’m not writing thesispapers or anything huge,” she said.“I don’t feel intimidated by mywork yet, and that’s what people gothere for, right, help with writing.You know, I haven’t been.”

Franchesca White, English MAcandidate, hasn’t been either, butshe’s had some good experienceswith tutoring at the other collegesshe’s been to. And she’ll definitelyuse the Writing Center at Mills.

“I have to start writing a the-sis,” White said. “I have to startwriting 20-page essays. Even if mypeers are tutoring me, their feed-back is going to be very importantto me.”

Fay, White’s peer at the WritingCenter, acknowledged that every-one experiences fear when it comesto writing. “It’s personal. It’s yourbaby. It’s something you’ve comeup with. It’s always hard gettingadvice, needing help or maybesometimes stepping back fromyour own work.”

Fay said she has that problem too.

“I think the important thing toemphasize is that we don’t judge.“We’re not that scary. I promise.”

For more information about theWriting Center, visitwww.mills.edu/student_services/writing_center.

The Writing Center staff gathers outside of Mills Hall for a group photo. Students can visit the Writing Center for help throughout all stages of their writing process.

Writing Center opens its doors for fall

COURTESY OF THE WRITING CENTER

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

While a student canwrite on her or hisown with a copy ofthe MLA Handbookor a good referencewebsite, the WritingCenter adds a humantouch.

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News 33SS ee pp tt 88 ,, 22 00 11 00


Renewable fuel station opens in downtown Oakland

Oakland is now one of ten citiesin California to host a renewablefuel station. The station sells bothbiodiesel and E85 ethanol fuels. Inthe six days since its opening onAug. 23, the renewable fuel stationsaw around 40 customers, accord-ing to Mark Prentice,s p o k e s p e r s o nfor Propel.

Sanjiv Pacel, one of the ownersof the gas station, said this is a"pretty good number to beginwith." He expects more people willuse the renewable fuel station asword gets out about its opening.

"There is a huge demand inCalifornia," said Prentice of thetwo alternatives to gasoline thatPropel offers.

Located at the Chevron stationon Grand Avenue in downtownOakland, it is owned by Propel, anAmerican clean fuel retailer.

According to Propel's website,its renewable fuel stations provideboth E85 ethanol and biodiesel.E85 ethanol is a mixture of 85%ethanol and 15% gasoline derivedfrom the fermentation of starch and

sugars in plants such as corn andswitch grass. Biodiesel is a fuelmade of 100% renewable resourcessuch as soybeans, canola and mus-tard seed. While biodiesel is com-patible with any diesel engine, E85ethanol must be used with a FlexFuel vehicle, a car with an enginethat is able to use both gasoline andethanol. A list of compatible vehi-cles can be found on Propel's website.

In general, the Flex Fuel vehi-cles available are versions of a carcompany's most expensive models.For example, Toyota offers threeFlex Fuel SUVs, all models withthe largest fuel intake (5.7 liters, asopposed to 4.6) and with 4-wheeldrive, driving up the price of thevehicle. This does mean, however,that there is no additional costbetween the regular gas tank andthe Flux Fuel tank.

This price increase is offset byE85 ethanol prices.

According to Prentice, theOakland Propel station was sellingE85 ethanol for $2.49 per gallon inthe last week of August. This wasabout 80 cents less than traditionalfuel costs.

The renewable fuel stationsalso open up new markets for their

location partners. By creating apartnership with independent gasstation owners, Propel hopes tomake using renewable fuels as con-venient as using traditional ones.

"I think the future is in renew-able fuels," said Pacel, who part-nered with Propel in order to delveinto the new market of environ-mentally friendly fuels.

"It makes sense for drivers,"said Prentice. "Until recently, peo-ple haven't had a choice at the pump."

Drivers will soon be gettingeven more opportunity to choose atthe pump. According to Prentice,Propel has received a 10.9 milliondollar grant from the US

Department of Energy in order toexpand its enterprise.

“This grant brings a new choiceto Californians looking to do theirpart to reduce our nation’s depend-ency on imported oil and help meetthe state’s emission reductiongoals,” said Matt Horton, CEO ofPropel Fuels, in a statementreleased on Aug. 31.

A recent press release statedPropel's plans to build a total of 75renewable fuel stations acrossCalifornia with its grant and $16million of its own investment.There are currently Propel fuel sta-tions in San Jose, Fremont alongwith the new Oakland location,with a fourth station soon openingin Berkeley.

These fuel stations, referred toas "clean fuel points," are them-selves built to be environmentally-friendly, according to Propel's web-site. The clean fuel points aredesigned to be small enough to fitonto already-developed land, suchas currently existing gas stations.The stations also use recycled alu-minum for rain canopies.

The new fuel station is a bit of amystery on Mills campus, however.

"This is actually the first I heardabout the fuel station, so unfortu-

nately I don’t have a commentother than to say that this is greatnews!" said Christina McWhorter,Mills College's garden coordinator,in an e-mail.

A few Mills students takeadvantage of renewable fuels suchas biodiesel.

"I have been delighted with mybiodiesel experience," said SienneWildwind, a sophomore at Mills, inan e-mail. "My biodiesel is safe tohandle and store, it is non-toxic andis made from used oil like wastefrom chip factories ... I love biodiesel!"

Wildwind drives a Volkswagenfrom 2004 and has been purchasingher biodiesel from the BioFuelOasis in Berkeley.

"I've not even heard of thisplace in Oakland until now. I'll besure to check it out but I'm loyal tothe Biofuel Oasis," she said.

Louise Leck, a senior at Mills,owns a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta. Shehas been using biodiesel as well,but has run into some problemswith the fuel.

"In the beginning we had fuelfilter problems until we figured outalgae was growing in the fuel tank"said Leck. She plans on her nextcar being electric.

LLaauurreenn--MMaarriiee SSlliitteerrBREAKING NEWS EDITOR

There are Propel fuelstations in San Jose,Fremont and Oakland,with a new stationopening in Berkeley.

convection ovens, freezers and pro-duce coolers were replaced withmore energy efficient options - "tothe extent that they can be," Fiene said.

Fiene explained that she wasn'tsure how energy efficient certainappliances like steamer pots couldbe.

Along with the updated equip-ment, a new baking area is stillbeing finished. The area will beused to make homemade itemssuch as muffins, breads, andscones, Landau said.

Other improvements like newstairs, a sturdier deck and morehandicap accessibility were at thetop of the agenda as well.

“One of the biggest things wewere working on last year washandicapped parking,” Landausaid.

More handicapped parking wasadded behind the building and thebathrooms were relocated upstairs

in an effort to make on-campus din-ing more accessible.

Other exterior features includea new pathway leading up to amore formal entry, with outdoor seating.

“The outdoor seating has been ahuge hit,” said Landau who noticedthat many students had been takingadvantage of the option.

Seating and new kitchen appli-ances weren't the only changes totake place though - the menu alsounderwent a makeover.

Landau said the deli sectionnow has a new “street food” con-cept, featuring foods like tortas,falafels and Vietnamese sandwich-es, that would normally be sold bylocal street vendors. The optionsarea now only carries producegrown within 150 miles of Mills.

Landau, Zitzner and Fienereported positive student, staff andfaculty reactions to all of thechanges.

“The students absolutely lovedit,” Landau said. “So far it has beenoverwhelmingly favorable."

Zitzner added that "feedbackfrom faculty and staff was the same."

There were a few complaints,however.

Sophomore Mackenzie Bean,who works at Founders, expressedher annoyance over the new chairs.

"I have to rearrange the chairsto (alternate) orange, gray," she said.

Other students also took a criti-cal stance.

"I feel like there's less seating,"said Lynora Garner, Sophomore.

While the bulk of the renova-tions have been completed, someprojects still in the works includebetter labels to indicate where localproduce originated from, as well as installing overhead chandelier-style lighting and umbrellas forthe outdoor seating areas.

Founders from page 1

Founders reopens after renovations

Propel’s renewable fuel station, installed at the Chevron gas station on Grand Avenue in downtownOakland. A Prius is parked behind at a Zip car location.

Signs at the new Propel station show the price difference betweengasoline and renewable fuels.

LAUREN-MARIE SLITER LAUREN-MARIE SLITER

The newly designed seating inside and outside of Founders.HEATHER MCDANIEL

News44

Top photo: Elena Durán plays music in front of black and white film clips, on Sept 1. Middle: Distinguished pianist and long-time friend,Luis Zepeda, partners up with Durán to perform at the event. Bottom: Audience view of the Mexico of My Heart concert in the StudentUnion. Be sure to check www.thecampanil.com for in-depth coverage of the event.

MELODIE MIU

SS ee pp tt 88 ,, 22 00 11 00

According to Jason Landau,the General Manager of Mills'Bon Appetit Services, the TeaShop is now making all of its food from scratch.

"Even the pickles are home-made," said Landau.

While much of the Deli menuremains the same, a few signatureitems have been added.

Due to previous problemswith long lines of students want-ing their morning coffee, the TeaShop has hired a barista to work atthe espresso machine exclusivelyfrom 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., according to Landau.

Cafe Suzie's has also updatedits menu, now replacing its previ-ously crepe-heavy carte du jourwith homemade soups and salads.Students have the option of enjoy-ing their soup in a bread bowl.

"The soups are good," saidMackenzie Bean, a sophomore at Mills.

To accompany the soups andsalads, Cafe Suzie's is also sellingfive different kinds of chai as wellas shaken ice teas.

Landau said it has been 3years since the menus havechanged on campus.

"It has been a long time," hesaid. His preference is to updatethe menus every couple of years.

Another reason for thechanges was affordability. Whilethe Tea Shop carries more expen-sive "meals" that come with aside, customers can also purchasesingle items, such as the JuniorBurger, for less.

"We tried to make things lessexpensive," said Landau. "If youneed something inexpensive, wehave that everywhere now."

Despite these efforts, manystudents miss certain items fromthe old menus.

"I'm really upset that there areno veggie burgers" said sopho-more Lynora Garner.

Other items that are missedare the sweet potato fries and thecrepes from Cafe Suzie's.

LLaauurreenn--MMaarriiee SSlliitteerrBREAKING NEWS EDITOR

Mills gears up for a month ofcultural celebrations

Voces deLiberaciónUpcoming Latina/oHeritage Month 2010Events:

ÒCoraz�n del Tiempo: AJourney into the Heart ofZapatista Resistance!Ó inSpanish with English subtitles.Film Showing7:00 pm, Thursday, Sept. 9Student Union

Second Saturday Extravaganza1:00-4:00, Saturday, Sept. 11Toyon Meadow

Dinner Honoring LatinaHeritage Month5:00-7:00 pm, Wednesday,Sept. 15Founders Hall

ÒIndigenous Women: TheForgotten Face of theImmigration DebateÓ La RedXicana Ind�gena (XicanaIndigenous WomenÕsNetwork)7:00 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 15Student Union

BOMBA! Afro-Puerto RicanPercussion, Song and DanceWorkshop7:00 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 21Student Union

Folkloric Dancers12:15 pm,Wednesday, Sept. 22Suzanne Adams Plaza

Dance9:00 pmÐ1:00 am, Friday, Sept.24Student Union

Dinner Honoring Latina Staffand Faculty6:00 pm, Monday, Sept. 27Reinhardt Alumni House

Tea Shop, Suzie’s reinvent menus

Latina Heritage Month kicks off with a performance by Elena Duran

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Virginia Smith, a former presi-dent of Mills College whose avidsupport of higher education madeher one of the top 50 most influen-tial leaders in the field in a 1975poll, died Friday, Aug. 27. At age87, Smith passed away in her fami-ly’s hometown of Alamo, Calif.

Smith’s year-long tenure as act-

ing president began in 1990, justafter students sported shirts thatread “Better Dead Than Coed” inprotest of the Board of Trustees’attempt to make Mills coeducation-al. Smith led a campus with a pas-sion for women’s issues, a campuswilling to strike to keep the Collegefor women. President Holmgren,then Janet McKay, took over thepresidency shortly thereafter.

According to a memorandum

by Ramon S. Torrecilha, the currentacting head of the College, Smithasserted “the environment of awomen’s college provides a specialfreedom of devlopment. Anyonewho has had any contact withwomen’s education knows it’s adifferent process. It would be greatif, at some point, every womancould have some of this, sense thefreedom of it.”

Current President Janet L.

Holmgren attributes much of Mills’and other colleges’ advancementsduring the time to Smith’s dedica-tion to university schooling.

“She was a highly regardedadministrator and public policyscholar whose innovative ideas andstrategies have greatly improvedopportunity and excellence in high-er education,” Homgren said inTorrecilha’s memorandum.

In remembrence of Virginia

Smith, the Campanil Staff hasselected an article from the May 3,1991 issue of The Mills CollegeWeekly. In it, Smith bids farewellto fellow students, faculty and staffalike before retiring from her pres-idency and taking on a positionwith the Board of Trustees.Through the article, the CampanilStaff intends to allow former presi-dent Smith to say goodbye one lasttime and in her own words.

In Memoriam 55SS ee pp tt .. 88 ,, 22 00 11 00


Former president Virginia Smith bids farewell to Mills College students, faculty and staff after her decision to return to and be a member of the Board of Trustees.

SStteepphhaanniiee SScceerrrraaFEATURES EDITOR

COURTESY OF THE MILLS COLLEGE WEEKLY, MAY 3, 1991

Mills College remembers...


Former president Virginia Smith

Arts & Features66 SS ee pp tt .. 88 ,, 22 00 11 00

If KISS were to raise a childwith David Bowie, teach it to usean electric guitar, then send it toJapan to do whatever it wanted, theresult would be “Visual Kei.” Asub-genre of Japanese rock, VisualKei can be roughly described as across between glam rock and elec-tro-pop with strong roots in speedmetal and punk. While popular inJapan in the 1980s and early 1990s,Visual Kei didn’t see its big breakuntil the early 2000s, when itquickly gained a large, dedicatedfollowing both in Japan and over-seas.

The boom has prompted sever-al neo-Visual Kei musicians – suchas Miyavi, Dir en Grey andD'espairsRay – to tour within theU.S., with sets that have met theartists with warm, enthusiasticcrowds. Among the many newcom-ers is the “Founding Fathers ofVisual Kei,” a band otherwise

known as X Japan, who will be per-forming at the Fox Theatre inOakland on Sep. 28.

“The fact that X Japan chose avenue in Oakland to performmakes me respect them evenmore,” said Mills College studentMalena Du Bois when she heardabout the upcoming concert. “Mostgroups of their success skip overOakland for San Francisco withouteven a second glance.”

X Japan was founded in Chiba,Japan by childhood friends YoshikiHayashi and Toshimitsu "Toshi"Deyama in 1982. It began as a highschool garage band named NOISE.They chose the name "X" as aplaceholder until they could thinkof a better name, and then theydecided on "X Japan" in 1992. Thatsame year, X Japan reached its finalline-up: Toshi on vocals, hide onlead guitar, Pata on rhythm guitar,Heath on bass and Yoshiki ondrums and piano.

Due to the radical nature oftheir image, lyrics and musical

style, no label would take them pasttheir first single "I’ll Kill You"(1985).

So in the tradition of Joan Jettand the Blackhearts, X founded itsown label: EXTASY Records.Through EXTASY, it produced itssecond single “Orgasm” (1986)and its first album Vanishing Vision(1988).

From that point forward, X’srare combination of piano balladsand speed metal played almost con-stantly on the radio. Its 1994 albumArt of Life just a single trackstretching 30 minutes, a veritablerock symphony.

Despite its popularity, X Japandisbanded in 1997, citing artisticdifferences. During the interim, themembers mostly focused on solowork, but Yoshiki once mentioneddiscussing a revival with hidesometime in the year 2000.However, these plans were tragi-cally circumvented by hide’s deathon May 2, 1998.

Nine years later, in 2007, X

Japan shocked thousands byannouncing its reunion to create theend theme for Saw IV. The song“I.V.” was an instant hit on iTunes,topping the charts worldwide. Thebands comeback sparked the inter-est of not only devoted fans, but ofcurious listeners overseas – espe-cially online. Katrin X Japan beganas an American and a German’s fansite in 2000 and has since had over958,000 hits. Similarly, fan siteXplosion-Online attracts fans fromso many backgrounds that it’savailable in seven different lan-guages. Social networking sitessuch as Facebook, Twitter andMyspace feature over 117,000 fans,35,800 followers and 4,800,000profile views respectively.

The bands first U.S. perform-ance was on the main stage atLollapalooza 2010. X Japan’s con-cert in Oakland will be the secondstop of the North American leg ofits World Tour, a surprising choicefor a band with so much successand only one U.S. concert preced-

ing it.“They’ve sold out huge audito-

riums around the world, and havingthem come to Downtown Oaklandis like having a younger, finerParliament Funkadelic with biggerhair and even more neon colorschemes setting up their equipmentin my backyard!” Du Bois said.

But for U.S. fans like Du Bois,the band is simply fulfilling apromise Toshi once gave. “As youare always here for us, X willalways be there for you, so nevergive up on your dreams.” X is herefor its U.S. fans, even the ones inthe often-overlooked city ofOakland.

Top: X-Japan performs one of three reunion concerts at the Tokyo Dome. These perfomances marked the band’s revival after a ten-year disbandment due to artistic dif-ferences. Bottom: Thousands of devoted fans gather for one of X-Japan’s concerts in Hong Kong. Lights flash in the shape of an “X,” the rock band’s symbol.

Studs and spikesCChhrriissttiinnaa MMaacciiaass

ASST. DEISGN EDITOR

COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS


Deep-rooted Japanese band to perform in Oakland

See them live!

See X-Japan live at the FoxTheater on Tuesday, Sept. 28at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are avail-able throuogh Ticketmaster.

Arts & Features 77SS ee pp tt .. 88 ,, 22 00 11 00


Mills College is officially cool.Sierra Magazine has ranked Millsas one of the most environmental-ly-friendly schools in the nation inits annual “Coolest Schools” sur-vey. This is the first year MillsCollege has received recognitionfor its sustainability efforts.

For the fourth year in a row,900 universities and collegesacross the nation were asked tosubmit a questionnaire regardingtheir efforts to go green. Out of 162respondents, Mills College tied for84th-place with Drexel Universityand the University of Florida, earn-ing itself a spot on the coveted Top100 list.

There are a number of factorsthat gave Mills an extra edge in thecompetition this year, including theAC Transit EasyPass programwhich began in fall 2009. Paymentfor the new unlimited AC Transitpass was included in student fees,making public transportation acheap and easy option for com-muter and residential students.

“Functionally, having the ACTransit pass … for all students isreally innovative,” said EmmaCasper, a sophomore biopsycholo-gy major who drove to schoolwhile waiting for her EasyPass, butplans on using AC Transit at leastthree times a week.

Similarly, Mills College’s largeuse of recycling and compost binswon favor among students.

“On a simpler level, I like how(the school) breaks down compo-nents of trash, and you really haveto think about what you toss out,”Casper said.

“Not all schools would have thecompost bins that we have every-where,” said Jamie Aurand, a soph-omore English major. “Maybe theywould have recycling bins, but notas much as we have here.”

Recycling and composting areat the forefront of RecyclingManager Britta Bullard’s hope forimplementing the four R’s –reduce, reuse, recycle and rot – tomake Mills an even more sustain-able campus.

"The recycling and compostingprograms are growing every year,and I envision Mills College climb-ing the ranks in the RecycleManiathis year," Bullard said. "A high-light for me over the last year hasbeen the installing of outdoor com-post bins in the Plaza and thedevelopment of resource recoverystations and events."

Mills’ commitment to wastemanagement earned big pointswith Avital Binshtock and KyleBoelte, the co-writers of the SierraMagazine article. They gave Millsa perfect score for its high wastediversion rate, meaning most of thewaste produced at Mills doesn’t goto a landfill.

“Most schools are not close to60 percent, so Mills stood out,”Binshtock said. She also praisedthe college’s goal of reducing cam-pus waste to 0 percent.

While Mills College achievedan honorable ranking, staff see def-inite room for improvement.Specifically, Bullard would like tosee "a bike culture with resourceson campus. My vision is a weekly'bike kitchen,'" which would makeavailable bike-repair supplies andmore bike racks.

Staff would also like toimprove in investments, an area inwhich Sierra Magazine rankedMills poorly. The investments cate-gory measures where schoolsinvest their endowment funds.Schools investing in environmentalcauses receive high marks.According to Binshtock, MillsCollege’s investments were toovague to receive credit.

Now that Mills College offi-cially ranks among the “coolest”colleges in the country, exactlyhow cool is it compared to othercolleges and universities?

Aurand called attention to thesubjectivity of the ranking.

“I wouldn’t judge a campusbased on whether it’s ‘cool.’ Otherpeople think having parties is cool.We don’t really have parties, but Iwouldn’t say Mills is uncool,”Aurand said.

Casper, who recently trans-ferred, finds the passion and driveof Mills students and faculty espe-cially “cool.”

“Everyone … here has a pas-sion (for) what they’re studyingand doing. They’re looking for-ward,” Casper said.

Bullard, however, finds "cool-ness" in the College in the sameplace Sierra Magazine does: in theon-campus sustainability efforts.

"What's cool about Mills? Thecommunity of students, staff andfaculty that create a culture of sus-tainability at Mills," she said. "Ienjoy cooling off after a day ofpulling invasive plant species fromthe campus creek restoration sites,drinking water from my reusablemetal water bottle and basking inthe work we did as a community toimprove our campus ecosystem."

Local schools on the maga-zine’s list included the Universityof California, Berkeley with a rankof 31 and San Francisco StateUniversity with a rank of 69.

SShheellbbyy GGiibbbbssCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Top: Recycling and compost bins make Mills College one of Sierra Magazine’s Top 100 CoolestSchools. Middle: Sophomore Miranda Felix (left), Britta Bullard (middle) and sophomore EmilyCsikszentmihalyi (right) promote sustainability at the Toyon Meadow Block Party last Thursday.Bottom: Mills student Mel Holmes uses her AC Transit EasyPass on her way to and from the College.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY GIBBS

Mills too cool forother schools

“What’s cool about Mills?The community of students,staff and faculty that create aculture of sustainability atMills. I enjoy ... basking in thework we did as a communityto improve our campusecosystem.”

This granola recipe is asuper-duper rough estimatefor the lazy cook, because Ibasically just throw every-thing in and adjust by looksand taste.

Ingredients:- A couple handfuls of

oatmeal (Not instant, notsteel-cut.)

- Handful of chopped nuts(Any kind! Walnuts,almonds, pecans, macadamia,seriously, whatever you haveon hand or is your favorite.)

- Handful of choppeddehydrated fruit (I don’tdehydrate the fruit alongsidethe oatmeal, I either usesomething I already dehy-drated or dried fruit fromTrader Joe’s. And again,whatever you like: cranber-ries, apricots, raisins, pineap-ple, mango, blueberries, etc.Just make sure the fruit ischopped into little pieces.)

- Ground flax seed (If you

have it, add it!)- Wheatgerm (Again, if

you have it add it!)- Chia seeds/pumpkin

seeds/anything seeds(Seriously, this is the pointwhere I’m throwing in stufffrom around the kitchen thatis healthy or tasty.)

- A spoonful of coconutoil (Maybe melt it a bit in themicrowave first to make iteasier to mix. Also, feel freeto add more or less after youmix it all up a bit.)

- Couple dollops of maplesyrup (Or agave. Or honey.Not too much, though. Whenyou dehydrate, the sweetnessintensifies.)

- Splash of vanilla extract(Like everything else, this isoptional for you. But this isnever optional for me.)

Directions:Mix all of this together.

Everything should be dampand evenly coated with themaple syrup/coconutoil/vanilla, but not drippingwet by any means.

If you have a dehydrator,

this is where you spread themixture out on your trays(use parchment paper if youdon’t have plastic liners) andleave it alone for half a day.

If you DON’T have adehydrator but DO have anoven, spread out your mixtureon a baking sheet and setyour oven to its lowest set-ting. It’s helpful to leave theoven door a little bit open inorder to get some air flowing,as you aren’t cooking, butrather dehydrating.

Like I said, this is basical-ly a cop-out recipe, becausefor me granola is kind of asee-how-it-goes thing. Youcan add-in or take-out any ofthe ingredients.

I’ve heard some peoplemix in peanut butter, addcoconut flakes, or use othercrazy kinds of nuts and seeds.The whole point is to throwtogether some tasty ingredi-ents and see what turns out.

Then, throw it in somemilk, add it to some yogurt,mix it into applesauce, what-ever you want!

AAsshhlleeyy SShhaaffffeerrCONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Mills Collegecross country teamsprinted into the fallsemester with a milescrimmage lastWednesday.

Six members of theteam competed againstHoly Names University,running through campus

and ending the sprint justbeyond the RichardsRoad parking lot.

Angie Sandoval, inher third season, was thefirst Mills runner to passthe final orange cones,snatching third overall inthe race at 6:08.

“The race was good,”said the 4+1 MBA stu-dent. “It was a reminder

to my body on what rac-ing and faster paced runsfeel like.”

The final times of thefifteen runners rangedfrom 6:30 to 9:54.

The team began prac-ticing on the first day ofschool, running one and ahalf hours per day, fivedays per week. Despitethe short amount of time

practicing, cross countrycoach Laché Bailey saidshe was impressed withthe runners.

“So far it’s been real-ly good,” Bailey said. “Alot of new people, a cou-ple returners—one wentto nationals last year. Therace went well.”

Next on the crosscountry team’s list?

The Mills Invitationalat 10 a.m. on Sept. 18.They want 50 volunteersto time runners, hand outwater and breakfast andstand along the course.People interested cansign up in front ofBailey’s office, room 108in Haas Pavilion.

Sports & Health88 SS ee pp tt .. 88 ,, 22 00 11 00

The seven cross country runners resting after the mile-long scrimmage. The team also competed this past Saturday against Notre Dame de Namur University.

Cross country competes against HolyNames University in mile scrimmage

A simple recipe for success: homemade granola

BONNIE HORGOS

Shaffer, displaying her quick and easy granola recipe. She uses a dehydrator, butthe cereal can easily be created in an oven.

KURT LOEFFLER

Angie Sandovalwas the first Mills runner tocomplete the race.

KURT OEFFLER

BBoonnnniiee HHoorrggoossSPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR


Ernest Hemingway

COME JOIN THE RANKS OF GREAT JOURNALISTS

Events & Information 99SS ee pp tt ee mm bb ee rr 99 ,, 22 00 11 00

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com.

SEPTEMBER 9 - SEPTEMBER 23

9Thursday

12Sunday

13Monday

11Saturday

10Fr iday

14Tuesday

Impressionist Paris: Cityof LightWhat: Exhibit featuring artfrom Impressionist-era ParisWhen: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.Where: Legion of HonorMuseum, $6 with student ID

Internship & VolunteerFairWhen: 12 p.m.Where: Adams PlazaContact: Pooja Sharma510-430-2394

Second SaturdayExtravaganzaWhat: Enjoy dancing,entertainment and foodWhen: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.Where: Toyon Meadow

Walking Tour of theCastroWhat:Tour the Castro districtWhen: 11 a.m.Where: Harvey Milk Plaza,under the rainbow flagContact: sfcityguides.org

16Thursday

Asian Art MuseumDiscount Day: $5 admis-sionWhen: 5 p.m.Where:200 Larkin St, SanFranciscoContact: 415-581-3500

18Saturday

Bach & His FrenchContemporariesWhen: 4 p.m.Where: Littlefield ConcertHall, Free

19Sunday

20Monday

Roc-N-BowlWhat: Bowl for only $1.50per game.When: 8:30 p.m.Where: Albany Bowl, 540 SanPablo Ave.,Albany

17Fr iday

Cross CountryInvitationalWhen: 10 a.m.Where: Mills CampusContact:[email protected]

21Tuesday

22Wednesday

23Thursday

Roc-N-BowlWhat: Bowl for only $1.50per game.When: 8:30 p.m.Where: Albany Bowl, 540 SanPablo Ave.,Albany

BOMBA!What:Afro-Puerto Ricanpercussion and dance work-shopWhen:7 p.m.Where: Student Union

Folkloric DanceWhat: Dancing & DessertWhen: 12:15 p.m.Where: Adams Plaza

Health Fair:What: Get health info, flushots and more!When: 11 a.m.Where: Toyon MeadowContact: Kim Baranek 510-430-2260

Garden GatheringWhen: 10 a.m. - 1p.m.Where: Community GardenContact: ChristinaMcWhorter 510-430-2230

Joan Didion

Truman Capote

Hunter S. Thompson

Mark Twain

Stop by Rothwell room 157 Monday nights at

6 p.m. to pick up stories and share ideas!

All majors wanted, no experience needed.

e-mail Tara Nelson: [email protected] for more information

Garden GatheringWhen: 10 a.m. - 1p.m.Where: Community GardenContact: ChristinaMcwhorter 510-430-2230

15WednesdayGaia Open HouseWhat: Come see the newaddition to the garden!When: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.Where:Gaia House,Community Garden

Diane Sawyer

Ellen Goodman

Gloria Steinem

Helen Thomas

Anna Quindlen

I write this letter, first of all, inhomage to all the authors I havestudied during my time here atMills. Writing, or "l’écriture," asthey say in French, represents anoutlet, a voice for those who are notbeing heard. I have learned thisfrom my classes in French andFrancophone Studies, which haveallowed me to discover the worldthrough a new perspective.

When I first came to Mills I hadthe intention of becoming anInternational Relations major.However, during my first languageclass in Caribbean Literature, I wasexposed to the many facets of lifeand the world accessible to the stu-dent of language. I soon switchedmy major to French and have foundthe department, the teachers andthe courses immensely rewarding. Iam sorry to say that due to budgetcuts our language department is indanger of being down-sized and thelanguage requirement removed.Thus it is very important that ourcommunity demonstrate, throughwhatever methods available to us,the integral position of languagestudies and its significance in help-ing Mills women become world citizens.

Through my study of post-colo-nial theory I am now able to identi-fy those structures in society whichencourage ethnocentric and imperi-alistic thinking. Post-colonial theo-ry shifts responsibility from theoppressed to the oppressors, whileat the same time enabling individu-als to recognize those structuresand institutions that are most inneed of change. This approach toanalyzing society and power

demands we appreciate the per-spectives of cultures that are notour own, and to this end a personmust have the knowledge of a for-eign language.

Proficiency in a foreign lan-guage is invaluable in our rapidlyglobalizing world. To becomeproactive citizens in an internation-al community, we must have theability to engage in a dialogue witha diversity of peoples.

“An appreciation of lan-guages signifies an appre-ciation of another culture,and therefore a recogni-

tion of that culture. It is anaffirmation of the culture’shumanity and is also a sign

of respect.”A dialogue is absolutely indis-

pensable to conflict resolution. Inorder to open a dialogue, however,there has to be mutual respect onboth sides. An understanding ofboth sides of a situation is essentialto any potential conflict resolution.This, of course, requires an under-standing of the other party’s lan-guage. Learning a languagerequires so much more than simplylearning grammar; it requires anunderstanding of a culture.Studying a language is akin tostudying life.

An appreciation of languagessignifies an appreciation of anotherculture, and therefore a recognitionof that culture. It is an affirmationof the culture’s humanity and isalso a sign of respect. This under-standing, forged through communi-cation, has the potential to create

bonds between cultures that arebased on equality andnot superiority.

This letter is an appeal to all ofyou who have come to college toreceive an education that is notexclusively concentrated in a par-ticular field but concerned with theworld and your place in that world.I beseech you, as a fellow student,to add your voice to those whodesire to strengthen the bondsbetween countries and who wish tocontribute to an ideal: the ideal of aglobal community where under-standing exists between even themost dissimilar and disparate cul-tures. I appeal to your sensibility,as a student of the world, to not letthe doors close upon our languagedepartment, but instead to help itflourish. Please help by showingyour support by using your voice.

This is an appeal to those whoare educated -- to those who havethe ability to see the worth of astrong language department. Thisletter is intended to hold the mirrorup to the current situation. It is alsoa call to action because it is you, asstrong Mills women, who have thepower to make a difference. I’mproud to call myself a Mills womanand to call you my colleagues.

Sincerely,

Arianne Peterson, SeniorFrench and Francophone Studies Major

here I was, spending a relax- ing Saturday night in the com-

pany of friends without a care inthe world. Suddenly it hap-pened—so quickly I barely hadtime to flinch. I was confrontedwith none other than the dreaded“H” word.

I can’t remember exactly howit happened. Maybe we were talk-ing about our various aesthetics.Maybe I suggested a group outingto First Friday. That might havedone it. Who knows. All I canremember are those fateful words:“You’re totally a hipster, Lauren.”

Aghast, I leapt from my chair.“No! Hipsters are apolitical snobsobsessed with being supposedly'ironic'! I may partake in snobberybut I am not apolitical and I neverreally even say the word irony outloud -- I am definitely not a hip-ster.” My defense, a very circularone, did little to dissuade my audi-ence. Perhaps it was my mullet,perhaps it was my excessive ciga-

rette smoking. Regardless, theword continued to echo in myhead long after the night was over.

Desperate to disprove thislabel, I consulted the internet.After rushing to complete an “AreYou A Hipster?” quiz, I was horri-fied to find glaring, irrefutable evi-dence. The page declared my hip-ster-dom loud and clear, with ataunting “sweet jesus, you’re a##### hipster” subheading.Unbelievable. I had to do some-thing but it seemed that I wascaught in a disidentificationdilemma. According to many acheesy dating website survey,urbandictionary.com, a few closepals and other trusted sources,claiming that one is not a hipsteronly serves to prove that you areone. There was no way out.

Indeed, to be or not to be a hip-ster is a Catch-22. I can’t help butstill feel disqualified: I am toocheap to shop at AmericanApparel, I have no tattoos or pierc-

ings, and I don’t have a blog -- yet.In the meantime, I will try to begrateful that my own Catch-22doesn’t require faking jaundice orgoing on bombing missions. Thisprobably won’t work for longthanks to my new mental preoccu-pation with whether I am a You-Know-What or not, but I’ll give ita try.

Although unable to fully embrace thewhole “hipster” thing, the author of thispiece does openly identify as a cyborg.

Opinions & Editorial1100 SS ee pp tt .. 88 tt hh ,, 22 00 11 00


Hipsterization and its(Dys)Content(s)

Have something to say?

e-mail [email protected]

LET US KNOW.

Editorial

What or who was the downfallof your summer productivity?

Question of The Week

“Frozen yogurt. I wentonce a week. Actually Iwent more than once aweek.”

— Jenny Saechao,first-year

“A puppy named Toby. Iwas supposed to be doingan online chemistrycourse but instead I endedup at the dog park forhours.”

— Ivy Cook, senior

“Me.”

—Dwight Morgan,parent of Julia MorganStudent and FrequentCampus-Goer

“An ominous man oth-erwise known as my

boss.”

—Rachel Kennedy,

seniorOPENFORUM

“My little brother.”

—Leslie Rickerd,

senior

Dear Mills Community,

by Lauren Soldano

T

You were high school sweet-hearts, Prom King and Queen, for-bidden lovers, summer lovers.Regardless of what you were then,it's hard to figure out what you arenow. With you away at school, theonly way you can describe yourrelationship is "long-distance."Everyone tells you distance is hard,maybe even impossible. So is itdoable? What does it take to have asuccessful long-distance relation-ship?

I'm no expert, but myboyfriend and I went the distancelast year. In fact, it went so wellthat we're doing it again this year.Here are five tricks that worked forme and Ted so far and continue towork for us today.

Tip #1: Be honest about what youwant and what you can have.

A wise friend once told me the reason most long-distance relation

ships don't work is because couplesrefuse to acknowledge their rela-tionship is long-distance. There isnothing worse than having expecta-tions that cannot be met. Backhome, you hung out every night.Now that you're a six-hour driveaway, spending time together thatoften is unrealistic.

Take the time to sit down andtalk to your boy/girlfriend and out-line what you want out of the rela-tionship. Maybe you want good-morning and night phone calls.Maybe you want to visit each other,but if you do, keep it to a minimum.Depending on how far away fromeach other the two of you are, thetime and money costs can be huge.

The last thing you want to dois create stress on your relationshipby trying to meet each otherhalfway home every weekend.Instead, set up realistic and logicalvisits. Maybe you visit him/herduring the three major breaks -

Thanksgiving, winter and spring -and he/she comes to you threeother times this year. As long asyou recognize it's a long-distancerelationship - and as long as both ofyou are okay with that - you won'tfeel let down when things aren't theway they were when you two wereliving in the same area.

Tip #2: Use technology to youradvantage...

There are serious benefits toliving in the 21st century, one ofwhich is instant communication.While you and your honey may beapart, it's getting easier and easierto stay in touch. Catch-up on thephone while you walk to and fromclass. Keep up that game of Punch-Buggy you've been playing sincethe day you met by sending a pixmessage every time you see a slug-bug drive by. Send a flirtatious e-card the next time you're on theWeb. But if you do nothing else,you must use Skype. Nothingcomes closer to being face-to-facethan a video call, and with thescreen share feature, you can evenwatch this season of House togeth-er like you used to. Best of all, it'sfree.

Tip #3: ...but still do some thingsold-fashioned.

As much as you may enjoyseeing your sweetheart's smile overSkype, nothing can replace a clas-sic love letter. Send the occasional,over-the-top billet-doux, completewith vibrant stationary, a spritz of

perfume and a sticker (or a kiss) toseal the envelope. Target featureshand-made cards by All in theCards for just a dollar and Barnes& Noble sells stationary sets withletters, envelopes and seals. Don'tforget to send a few care packagesas well. Send him/her a customchocolate bar with crazy ingredi-ents like crystallized rose petals,graham crackers or Sour Patch kidsfrom Chocomize. Or send them aBuild-a-Bear with a voice chipinside. Packages can be as elabo-rate or as inexpensive as you like,especially when you get your pack-aging from the Reuse Depot.

Tip #4: Be open.

With your partner miles awayand therefore unable to pick up onyour emotions, it's tempting tokeep the negative ones to yourself.However, it's important to vocalizehow you're feeling - good and bad -frequently.

Long-distance relationshipslack most of the physical aspects oftraditional romances, which makeskeeping the emotional part of therelationship healthy absolutely cru-cial to your success. While it maybe easy to keep problems to your-self when your boy/girlfriend isn'taround to see you fuming, secretsand frustrations can cause majordamage in the long run. Keep itcandid. Agree to have an open dia-logue whenever you get upset, rightwhen you get upset.

Tip #5: Know your limits.

Let's face it: When you're in arelationship, other people don't justvanish. That girl in your scienceclass still has a cute smile; that E.F.boy still makes you blush. Whatultimately makes a relationshipwork or not work is your ability toanswer this question honestly:Even with these other attractivepeople available, would I still pre-fer to be with who I'm with now?Only pursue a long-distance rela-tionship - or any serious relation-ship, for that matter - if youranswer is yes. It takes a certain typeof person to commit to a long-dis-tance relationship, and even after aperson decides to go the distance,circumstances can change. Knowyour limits. Know when it's time tokeep pushing forward, and knowwhen it's time to call it quits. Knowwhen your answer is yes, I want tobe with this person and when it'sno, this isn't working anymore.

Looking back on the two-years Ted and I have been together,I consider myself really lucky.Although a little less than half ofthe relationship has taken placewith me up at Mills and him backhome in Redondo Beach, we'vemanaged to have a loving, healthyrelationship. While my storyisn't necessarily the norm, it is thepossibility. "Distance" doesn'tautomatically equate to "break-up."Let distance make you twostronger. As French writer Roger deBussy-Rabutin once said,"Absence is to love what wind is tofire; it extinguishes the small, itkindles the great."

Opinions & Editorial 1111SS ee pp tt .. 88 tt hh ,, 22 00 11 00

HOW TO......

A New Bi-Weekly Advice Column by Stephanie Scerra

“How To Have A Long-Distance Relationship”


SSppoorrttss && HHeeaalltthh1122 SS ee pp tt .. 88 ,, 22 00 11 00

KURT LOEFFLER

Kirstyne Lange, braces for the ball at the game last Thursday at 5 p.m. The junior is one of the two returning membersof the thirteen-person team this season.

Volleyball welcomes new members, plays first game

Cyclone Spotlight

A public service announcement from APER

APER’s upcoming events

BBoonnnniiee HHoorrggoossSPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

With 11 new players joining the ranks, theMills volleyball team welcomed a new seasonwith their first game last Thursday. Despite oppo-nents La Sierra University winning 3-0, Cyclones’sets, spikes and serves suggested a promising fallsemester for the team.

Coach Susan Forbes said the new players—tenfreshmen and one sophomore—are a breath offresh air for the team of thirteen.

“I’m really excited for what’s in store,” Forbessaid. “We have a really quality group of women.”

The game began with a mixed lineup of veter-ans and freshmen behind the net, with hitters, set-ters and libero posed and ready.

The first set went to the opposing team with a25-6 score.

“I want you to be aggressive!” said Forbes asshe watched from the sideline.

The Cyclones took the advice to heart, playingneck and neck during the second set for a whilewith an 8-8 score, ending with a 25-12 score.

The final set was equally tense, freshmanAudre Mowry frequently sliding to the ground tohit the ball. The set ended with a 25-5 score.

Forbes said the game was an effective warm-up for a promising season.

“I think it was a good opportunity to get our jit-ters out,” Forbes said. “While there might be somegrowing pains, there are so many opportunities togrow. They’ll just be working out the kinks.”

APER needs 52 volunteers for the Mills Cross CountryInvitational, which is Saturday, September 18, 10 a.m. until12:30 p.m. We need volunteers from 7 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. onrace day, and can even use help the weekdays prior to the event.We’ll take any hours volunteers can give; it doesn’t have to bethe whole day since we can create shifts.

We would really appreciate it if you could volunteer to worka shift on race day, or encourage students you know to volunteer.Please contact Laché, extension 3282, [email protected] if youwould like to volunteer. There will be a training session for vol-unteers on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at noon in the Haas gym.

The other event that is coming up is the Swim-a-Mile, afundraiser by and for the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, onOct. 2-3. There will be a Mills College contingent of swimmersparticipating on Saturday, Oct. 2, and we’d welcome anyonewho’d like to swim or come by to cheer on participants. Moreinfo can be found at www.wcrc.org/swi.

It’s time to dust off the glove—Mills stu-dents are starting a softball club.

“I bet there are girls secretly hiding intheir closets with their gloves just waiting toplay,” said the club initiator Kat Hall.

Hall has created a softball club that willmeet every week starting this Wednesday at7 p.m. on Toyon Meadow. Since creating ateam requires funding from Mills’Department of Athletics, Physical Education& Recreation (APER), Hall, 22, was inter-ested in starting a club first to stir some soft-ball interest.

“We just want to get together and throwthe ball around,” said the senior.

APER said they were in full support ofthe softball club.

“I feel really excited about the softballclub,” said Sports Information andCompliance Director Elese Lebsack.“We’ve definitely had interest in softball inthe past.”

According to Hall, all abilities are wel-come to join the group.

“Anyone can play softball,” Hall said.Lebsack agreed that the club would give

everyone a chance to play ball.“I feel really excited about people being

able to participate at all levels,” Lebsacksaid about the club.

Worried about committing? Being aclub, the softball schedule will be flexible,unlike joining a full-fledged team.

“One thing about softball is it’s such acompetitive sport that when you go toschool to play, you’re there to play,” saidsoftball club member Aisha Gonzalez, 19.

Still, despite a part-time schedule, Hallsaid members could reap benefits similar tothose of being on a full-time team.

“With softball you have to take care ofyourself and you have to take care of yourteam,” Hall said.

The softball club could eventuallyevolve into a team, although funding wouldbe one of the main hurdles. The sportrequires a variety of equipment includinggloves, balls, bats, helmets, uniforms andknee pads, not to mention a softball dia-mond for practicing and games.

“If we were to have an official intercol-legiate team, we’d have to have facilities,”Lebsack said. “I’d like to be able to havesomething in the future, but we’ll see. It’s amatter of space and money, but luckily wehave a lot of space for a softball club.”

For the time being, though, the softballclub will be a time for students to bring theirown gloves and throw some ball.

“The idea is to just get softball going at

Softball club to meet weekly on Toyon MeadowBBoonnnniiee HHoorrggooss

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

KURT LOEFFLER

BONNIE HORGOS

Mickey Withers, Aisha Gonzalez and Kat Hall practice playing catch on Toyon Meadow.

Six players join together to discuss plays on the court during the game.


Documents

Issue 2, Fall 2010