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Editorial: A Culture of Distrust
Dear readers,
Last night the Quest published a series of investigative stories detailing several significant vulnerabilities in the college’s systems that unintentionally exposed the Reed ID numbers of hundreds of students, staff, faculty, and — bizarrely — alumni.
Those stories have been in the works since an anonymous source initially contacted the Quest during the first week of September, and were in fact delayed several times to give Reed’s IT department time to fix the serious vulnerabilities they detailed.
To many of you, the most obvious and most dramatic aspect of those stories will likely be the scale of the leaked data. But to those of us who have spent much of the past month on this reporting, what stands out most is the culture of distrust that had settled over students and IT professionals since last year.
Reed student Tucker Twomey — who we salute for having the courage to speak under his own name during a breaking news situation even after he was offered anonymity — said that he hesitated to alert the college to flaws in the system for months after first discovering them, partially because he feared facing retaliation or disciplinary action merely for bringing such a report.
There is a reason that Tucker is the only significant source in our reporting who was willing to speak to us without a guarantee of anonymity. Many of those we’ve spoken to this month have echoed his fear. Even within Reed’s IT department, a significant security vulnerability went unaddressed for months because it was kept quiet — some Reed IT professionals who spoke to the Quest said that even they were not made aware of it until the publication of our story.
So we want to be very clear about what we consider to be the real crisis of this story. The real crisis is that IT went unaware of a vulnerability in their own systems for months because of a campus culture that made well-intentioned students hesitate to merely bring a report out of a fear of retaliation. The real crisis is that, when the department was eventually informed by a different student in May, far from thanking “our IT student worker who had the time to wonder and to explore,” they didn’t take the report seriously, and didn’t fix the issue for an additional four months. The real crisis is that, when we, the student newspaper, attempted to submit another report of vulnerability in September, IT simply did not acknowledge that report for 71 hours, and eventually had to be prompted to respond by an in-person visit from a Quest reporter. Director of Technology Infrastructure Services Gabe Leavitt later said in an email to the Quest that even he had not been told of the paper’s attempt to notify the department until that afternoon, three days after it was sent to the cybersecurity division.
So make no mistake. This is not a difficult issue to exploit or to fix. It does not, contrary to IT’s email to the community, require “IT programming skills.” It’s literally just addition and subtraction. Anybody with a smartphone can do it, and indeed multiple student sources appear to have discovered it independently.
Had any of those students felt safe coming forward; had the college taken them seriously when they did; had better communication existed within IT; had the department respected Quest reporters’ work to minimize the damage caused by our story — a large part of our decision to give the department a seven day warning of our publication date — rather than diminish the seriousness of that coverage before even reading it; had any of those things happened, we would not be here. Students would have been trusted, IT professionals would have trusted each other, and the issue would have been fixed in May — or, better yet, February.
Instead, students eventually came to the Quest out of desperation. In an initial interview, one expressed a sense that, “it didn’t seem like [the college] would have any motivation to fix it without external pressure.”
Well, here we are. External pressure. After leaving the vulnerability open for all of June, July, and August, IT finally implemented a patch over the weekend of September 16, 2023 — less than two weeks after first being contacted by the Quest on September 5.
In a way, this is an honor. Students came to us, their paper, to bring to light an issue that they considered a real risk to themselves and their peers, because they thought we were the only ones who could. They thought the power of the pen was necessary to force the college to act. And we did, and it worked.
But we wish we didn’t have to. On a campus that maintained a culture of trust, this story never would have made its way to the student publications office. It wouldn’t have needed to, because students would have brought it to IT, and IT would have fixed it long before it became newsworthy.
That Reed’s is not such a campus, that students felt public pressure was necessary — was the only remaining safe way for them to bring such a report — is horrifying.
So our plea, after learning what we have over the past month, is this: let this be the last time we have to publish a story like this. Let Reed cultivate, from this day forward, a culture of trust where the student newspaper need not fulfill the role of protecting student data. Student journalists, and students in general, would be better off.
Sincerely,
The Editorial Board of the Reed College Quest -
Events Calendar 9/29
Friday, September 29, 2023
Biology Seminar: Dr. Advait Jukar ’11 (12pm to 1pm @ Biology, Biology 19)
Assembling South Asia’s Modern Large Mammal Fauna
The fossil record of mammals in the Indian Subcontinent from the last 4 million years provides a unique opportunity to understand how ecological forces such as climate change and human activities have affected ecosystems, and in turn, resulted in the composition of the modern mammalian fauna. Using historical museum collections, and quantitative approaches from ecology and paleobiology, I uncover the hidden story of India’s fossil mammals. This story involves giant elephants, antlered giraffes, toothy hippos, and three-toed horses. The land of the tiger as we know it today was shaped by successive dispersals of mammals from Europe and Africa driven by the monsoon, the evolution of local species, a mysterious change in the fauna, and finally, a human-caused megafaunal extinction.
Advait Jukar’s research focuses on four themes: ecological change during the Anthropocene, the (paleo)ecology of herbivorous dinosaurs and mammals, turnover in Cenozoic mammal assemblages, and the taxonomy and biogeography of large mammals.
11:50 am- Snacks & Socializing noon- Talk Begins
Exhibition: Jesse Murry: Rising (12pm to 5pm @ Cooley Art Gallery)
Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, in partnership with Converge 45: Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship.Nestled in the Reed library, always free and open to the public.The Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College and Converge 45 are proud to present Jesse Murry: Rising—the first west coast showing of the poetic landscapes of American painter, poet, and art critic Jesse Murry (1948–1993).
The exhibition is curated by renowned American painter Lisa Yuskavage, and 2022 Kennedy Scholar Jarrett Earnest, and is part of Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship—Converge curator Christian Viveros-Faune’s city-wide initiative. The exhibition is organized for the Cooley by curator Stephanie Snyder and Converge artistic director Derek Franklin.
Jesse Murry: Rising presents a group of the artist’s oil paintings created between 1988 and 1993, the last five years of Murry’s life, when he was confronted with the reality of his impending mortality from AIDS-related illness. The works testify to Murry’s lifelong belief in the capacity of painting to hold the complexity of human meaning—at the meeting of a material fact and a location within the mind.
Theater and Environmental Justice (1:30pm to 3pm @ Eliot Hall, 314)
Join New Yorker contributor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, visiting scholar in English and Theater at Portland State University, for a discussion of theater’s role in transforming our environmental imagination. How can stories on stage offer new visions for our relationship to the places we inhabit and rehearse possibilities for collective action? And how might the Cherokee playwright and lawyer Mary Kathryn Nagle, with whom Dr. Pollack-Pelzner is collaborating on a documentary about indigenous sovereignty, offer a model for combining art and activism?
This talk is part of the Environmental Humanities and Social Justice Public Speaker Series, connecting new curriculum to broader conversations about climate crisis as we work to reimagine our relationship to place and those who share it. For more information about the Environmental Humanities initiative at Reed, visit our website.
Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Mellon Foundation Environmental Humanities Initiative at Reed.
IRB Open Forum (2:30pm to 3:30pm @ Biology, 19)
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) invites you to our Open Forum on Friday, September 29, at 2:30 p.m. This is an opportunity for Reed students, faculty, and staff to learn about the IRB review process. Topics covered during the open forum will include the submission process for the categories of review, data privacy laws for international research, and precautions for online data collection. As a friendly reminder, the IRB reviews all research conducted by Reed community members with human participants, including senior thesis projects.
Applications for all categories of review except “Full” are accepted on a rolling basis, and the review process normally takes 1-3 weeks. Please build this time into your plans for research.
For thesis research: Please note that advisers must approve proposals before they are submitted to the IRB. For thesis research requesting both Initiative Grant funds and IRB approval, the IRB proposal must be submitted before the Initiative Grant proposal.
If you cannot attend the Open Forum, you can find useful information on our webpage: http://reed.edu/irb/. You can also contact IRB chair Sameer ud Dowla Khan directly or reach out to Kayla Johnston, the IRB’s administrative coordinator.
Show Me the Debtor (4pm to 5:30pm @ Eliot, 314)
Money is not a commodity or any other “thing” of intrinsic value. Money is also not a fiction of any sort; it’s not a group delusion; it’s not willed magically into being by state power; and it’s certainly not a “neutral veil.” On the contrary, money is quite real and has very profound effects. We have to understand money as distinct from other forms of value (especially commodities) within capitalism, which means grasping it as a specific type of social relation – that between creditor and debtor. Money is often confused for other things because we forget, at our peril, that without a debtor, we don’t have money.
Sam Chambers (Political Science, Johns Hopkins University)
Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) (5pm to 7pm @ Quad, Quad)
The Mid-Autumn Festival is an annual event celebrated throughout Asia, celebrating reunions, family, and harvest. We aim to create a space for the Reed community to bond together! Join us for a special Mid-Autumn meal and enjoy free goodies (including mooncakes and candies!), arts and crafts stations, and more.
Backpack Co-Op Olympics (5:30pm to 7:30pm @ Quad)
Do you like camping, hiking or biking? Are you up for an olympic level competition of speed and stamina? Or do you simply enjoy watching the inevitable flames of existence consume the unprotected fluff of a marshmallow as a symbol of the human condition? If the answer to any or all of these questions is YES, the Backpack Co-Op-Olympics is the event for you! We’ll have skill-testing games, prizes, and most importantly FREE s’mores on the Quad on Friday the 28th at 5:30. Come and prove that you’re better than any of your friends at being outside!
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Exhibition: Jesse Murry: Rising (12pm to 5pm @ Cooley Art Gallery)
Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, in partnership with Converge 45: Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship.Nestled in the Reed library, always free and open to the public.The Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College and Converge 45 are proud to present Jesse Murry: Rising—the first west coast showing of the poetic landscapes of American painter, poet, and art critic Jesse Murry (1948–1993).
The exhibition is curated by renowned American painter Lisa Yuskavage, and 2022 Kennedy Scholar Jarrett Earnest, and is part of Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship—Converge curator Christian Viveros-Faune’s city-wide initiative. The exhibition is organized for the Cooley by curator Stephanie Snyder and Converge artistic director Derek Franklin.
Jesse Murry: Rising presents a group of the artist’s oil paintings created between 1988 and 1993, the last five years of Murry’s life, when he was confronted with the reality of his impending mortality from AIDS-related illness. The works testify to Murry’s lifelong belief in the capacity of painting to hold the complexity of human meaning—at the meeting of a material fact and a location within the mind.
Gray Fund Outdoors: Cascade Canyoning (7am to 4pm @ Hood River, Oregon)
Join the Cascade Canyon Crew to repel, hike, and climb through canyons in the Hood River area. The guides will teach and guide you through all the necessary techniques and skills needed to traverse the canyons. Per their website, you must be able to 1) Hike 4 miles, 2) Have moderately good balance, 3) Carry a 7-8 lb backpack, and 4) Swim. You’ll also be equipped with all the necessary gear and safety equipment for this adventure!
Lottery Link: https://forms.gle/Nmr3ABoPAbNcSVju9 (closes on Tuesday 9/19 at 5PM)
Join SEEDS for Mt. Tabor Clean-Up Volunteer Trip! (8am to 3pm @ Mt. Tabor Park)
Join SEEDS and The Nature Conservancy to participate in a Mt. Tabor Clean-Up volunteer trip on Saturday, September 30th from 9am-2pm!
Transportation and lunch are provided! Participants will help with weeding and trail maintenance tasks.
RSVP HERE!
Stop Making Sense: Reedie Takeover at Hollywood Theatre (7:30pm @ Hollywood Theatre)
Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stop Making Sense with the newly remastered version of the best concert film ever made! Dancing the night away while the film plays in the background has been a Reed tradition since 2002 – come join Olde Reed at one of the local showings of the film’s re-release. Student tickets available at a discounted rate: https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/22793/
Rocky Horror Lavender Show (11pm to 1am @ Clinton Street Theater)
The Rocky Horror Lavender Show is returning once again to the Clinton Street Theater! Why Lavender? Because in 2023, many states proposed anti trans legislation. Lavender is in reference to the moral panic of the 1950s that ushered in Mccarthyism. Join the Gray Fund team for a night out celebrating a very eccentric cast of characters! Enter the lottery by 9/25 at 12pm by clicking here.
Sunday, October 01, 2023
Exhibition: Jesse Murry: Rising (12pm to 5pm @ Cooley Art Gallery)
Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, in partnership with Converge 45: Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship.Nestled in the Reed library, always free and open to the public.The Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College and Converge 45 are proud to present Jesse Murry: Rising—the first west coast showing of the poetic landscapes of American painter, poet, and art critic Jesse Murry (1948–1993).
The exhibition is curated by renowned American painter Lisa Yuskavage, and 2022 Kennedy Scholar Jarrett Earnest, and is part of Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship—Converge curator Christian Viveros-Faune’s city-wide initiative. The exhibition is organized for the Cooley by curator Stephanie Snyder and Converge artistic director Derek Franklin.
Jesse Murry: Rising presents a group of the artist’s oil paintings created between 1988 and 1993, the last five years of Murry’s life, when he was confronted with the reality of his impending mortality from AIDS-related illness. The works testify to Murry’s lifelong belief in the capacity of painting to hold the complexity of human meaning—at the meeting of a material fact and a location within the mind.
Portland Marathon (@ Reed)
CHEER FOR THE RUNNERS!
More than 3,000 runners participating in the Portland Marathon will run through the beautiful Reed campus as they push through mile 18. Expect runners and crowds on campus 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Reed community is welcome to cheer on the runners along the sidelines.
Important: Woodstock Boulevard between SE 28th and César E. Chávez Boulevard will be closed to vehicles on Sunday 10/1 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Traffic on SE 28th between Woodstock Boulevard and Steele Street will be reduced to one lane. Vehicles will not be able to exit either the east or west parking lots. If you park in the east or west lot, and need to access your vehicle, please move your vehicle prior to Sunday morning.
If you are interested in a discounted marathon entry or have questions, contact Conference & Events Planning.
Peer Career Drop-in Advising (6pm to 8pm @ Aspen Multipurpose Room)
Do you have questions about job searching, fellowships, or career development? Do you need feedback on a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn page? Join our Peer Career Advisors (PCA), a group of current Reedies who are experts in supporting you with your career exploration, for drop-in advising. No need to make an appointment; stop by Aspen Multi-Purpose room to chat with a PCA between Sunday and Thursday from 6-8pm.
Monday, October 02, 2023
Peer Career Drop-in Advising (6pm to 8pm @ Aspen Multipurpose Room)
Do you have questions about job searching, fellowships, or career development? Do you need feedback on a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn page? Join our Peer Career Advisors (PCA), a group of current Reedies who are experts in supporting you with your career exploration, for drop-in advising. No need to make an appointment; stop by Aspen Multi-Purpose room to chat with a PCA between Sunday and Thursday from 6-8pm.
The Healing Power Of Restorative Justice Archaeology (12pm to 1:30pm @ Performing Arts Building, 332)
In the wake of renewed public interest in this story Greenwood and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre the nation is fixated on unearthing evidence of trauma and violence done to this historic community. However, a new collaborative archaeology project titled “Mapping Historical Trauma in Tulsa from 1921 to 2021” remains focused on finding signs of life and recovery in the aftermath of the massacre, as the Greenwood community rebuilt their homes, businesses and churches and continue to fight against erasure and gentrification in the present day. Join Dr. Odewale (a native Tulsan, archaeologist, educator, and descendant of a survivor) as she continues to utilize community-centered, restorative justice, anti-racist and Black feminist archaeology methods to examine the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. She will present some preliminary results of this collaborative research including the use of restorative justice archaeology and surviving cultural landscapes to bear witness to trauma and erasure that is no longer visible above ground. Using archaeology as a tool for social justice, this field has the power to reclaim and reimagine that which was taken by violence and help communities heal from the lingering trauma.
Study Sesh Social at the DoJo (3pm to 4pm @ DOJO, Conference Room)
Body doubling is a productivity technique where individuals work alongside others, either physically or virtually, to enhance focus and accountability. It creates a supportive environment that encourages concentration and minimizes distractions, making it easier to tackle tasks and study effectively.
Join us for a productive and collaborative Study Sesh Social! Need a boost in your study motivation? We’ve got you covered. Bring your textbooks, laptops, and study materials to this interactive session where you can work alongside fellow students. Together, we’ll conquer assignments, share ideas, and create a supportive academic environment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make studying a little less daunting and a lot more enjoyable!
Every Monday (Starting September 25th) – 3 PM – 4 PM
Every Wednesday (Starting September 27th). – 10 AM – 11 AM
Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Peer Career Drop-in Advising (6pm to 8pm @ Aspen Multipurpose Room)
Do you have questions about job searching, fellowships, or career development? Do you need feedback on a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn page? Join our Peer Career Advisors (PCA), a group of current Reedies who are experts in supporting you with your career exploration, for drop-in advising. No need to make an appointment; stop by Aspen Multi-Purpose room to chat with a PCA between Sunday and Thursday from 6-8pm.
Wednesday, October 04, 2023
Peer Career Drop-in Advising (6pm to 8pm @ Aspen Multipurpose Room)
Do you have questions about job searching, fellowships, or career development? Do you need feedback on a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn page? Join our Peer Career Advisors (PCA), a group of current Reedies who are experts in supporting you with your career exploration, for drop-in advising. No need to make an appointment; stop by Aspen Multi-Purpose room to chat with a PCA between Sunday and Thursday from 6-8pm.
Study Sesh Social at the DoJo (10am to 11am @ DOJO, Conference Room)
Body doubling is a productivity technique where individuals work alongside others, either physically or virtually, to enhance focus and accountability. It creates a supportive environment that encourages concentration and minimizes distractions, making it easier to tackle tasks and study effectively.
Join us for a productive and collaborative Study Sesh Social! Need a boost in your study motivation? We’ve got you covered. Bring your textbooks, laptops, and study materials to this interactive session where you can work alongside fellow students. Together, we’ll conquer assignments, share ideas, and create a supportive academic environment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make studying a little less daunting and a lot more enjoyable!
Every Monday (Starting September 25th) – 3 PM – 4 PM
Every Wednesday (Starting September 27th). – 10 AM – 11 AM
Reference Anywhere with the Library (12pm to 2pm @ Gray Campus Center, GCC-A Foyer)
Meet the Library inside of GCC on Wednesday, October 4 between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. for Reference Anywhere! Ask us questions and learn about library services, resources, and upcoming events.
Physics Seminar: Reed’s Influence on My Journey as an Engineer and Product Development Manger- Joey Lebow, MEng (4:30pm to 5:30pm @ NA)
As a student at Reed College, I never imagined that my career would involve leading a team of engineers designing scanning electron and focused ion beam microscope systems. I mentor early career engineers, utilizing statistical analysis and mathematical modeling to design, build and verify that the system will consistently meet the expectations of our customers.
My academic performance at Reed started with some difficulty. I lacked academic maturity and direction with career goals. Being surrounded by gifted students and professors was an impressive experience that I value, but I struggled to meet the rigorous standards that is the basis of an education at Reed. Success came later when I found work that was interesting to me, motivating me to find an effective style of learning, allowing me to apply creativity within the rigid world of engineering. I have had the opportunity to apply Fourier Analysis from my senior thesis to study the impact of environmental noise and vibration on the quality of microscope imaging. I applied the J-Lab lesson on feedback control to projects at work and my rocketry hobby. I’ve learned how to accept challenges, value a rigorous approach to problem solving, and use passion about technology to achieve more than I thought possible. This is my story of how Reed influenced my career as an engineer.
Thursday, October 05, 2023
Exhibition: Jesse Murry: Rising (12pm to 5pm @ Cooley Art Gallery)
Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, in partnership with Converge 45: Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship.Nestled in the Reed library, always free and open to the public.The Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College and Converge 45 are proud to present Jesse Murry: Rising—the first west coast showing of the poetic landscapes of American painter, poet, and art critic Jesse Murry (1948–1993).
The exhibition is curated by renowned American painter Lisa Yuskavage, and 2022 Kennedy Scholar Jarrett Earnest, and is part of Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship—Converge curator Christian Viveros-Faune’s city-wide initiative. The exhibition is organized for the Cooley by curator Stephanie Snyder and Converge artistic director Derek Franklin.
Jesse Murry: Rising presents a group of the artist’s oil paintings created between 1988 and 1993, the last five years of Murry’s life, when he was confronted with the reality of his impending mortality from AIDS-related illness. The works testify to Murry’s lifelong belief in the capacity of painting to hold the complexity of human meaning—at the meeting of a material fact and a location within the mind.
At the heart of Rising, dwells the intimate and devoted friendship between Jesse Murry and Lisa Yuskavage. The two painters met at the beginning of their tenure at the Yale School of Art, where they received their MFAs in 1986. In the midst of Yale’s notoriously difficult environment, they developed an ar […]
Peer Career Drop-in Advising (6pm to 8pm @ Aspen Multipurpose Room)
Do you have questions about job searching, fellowships, or career development? Do you need feedback on a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn page? Join our Peer Career Advisors (PCA), a group of current Reedies who are experts in supporting you with your career exploration, for drop-in advising. No need to make an appointment; stop by Aspen Multi-Purpose room to chat with a PCA between Sunday and Thursday from 6-8pm.
Crafting Funeral for Flaca: On DIY Publishing & The Power of Your Voice and Book Signing (4pm to 5pm @ Psychology, 105)
Get inspired by the power of voice with Portland-based author Emilly Prado! In this talk, Emilly delves into the creation process for her award-winning book, Funeral for Flaca, which debuted as a handmade chapbook before it was published and expanded by the press, Future Tense Books. She’ll share the various stages of the process including writing, research, revision, and artistic collaborations, as well as the importance of self-advocacy and intersectionality in publishing, particularly for writers of marginalized identities. Plus, hear Emilly give a reading from her book, have some snacks, and get inspired for the upcoming Reed Zine Fest in March 2024! Follow the Reed Zine Library on Instagram @reedzinelibrary
Learn more at http://www.emillyprado.com or follow Emilly on social media @emillygprado. This event is part of a series of zine and arts programs generously funded by the President’s Office, the Office of the Dean of Faculty, the Office of Institutional Diversity, the Cooley Gallery, the Office of Student Engagement, the Student Life Office, and the Library.
Chemistry Seminar: Tom Runčevski, Ph.D. “Thermodynamic and Kinetic Control of Molecular Materials” (4:30pm to 5:15pm @ Biology, 19)
Tom Runčevski was born in Macedonia where he finished his undergraduate studies in chemistry in 2011. He did his PhD at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany, with Prof. Robert E. Dinnebier. He graduated in 2014 with honors, and he was awarded with the Otto Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society. After one-year postdoctoral stay at the MPI, he joined UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Nat Lab in 2015, as a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Jeffrey R. Long. In 2018, he started his independent career in the Southern Methodist University, as an assistant professor of chemistry. He has received the NSF CAREER and ACS PRF awards.
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Control of Molecular Materials
The structure of materials dictates their physicochemical properties. The solidification of organic materials, whether in their crystalline or amorphous state, can occur as a thermodynamically or kinetically driven phenomenon. Here we will discuss modern experimental techniques used to explore the thermodynamically stable forms of organic materials, considering their potential as minerals on Titan, Saturn’s moon. Furthermore, we will explore the utilization of kinetic control to rapidly cool and stabilize new physiologically active materials (drugs, supplements, and pesticides) with tailored properties. Finally, we will delve into post-synthetic modification techniques aimed at disrupting the crystalline integrity of metal-organic frameworks and layered […]
Language Lab game night (7pm to 9pm @ Library, Language Lab)
Drop by the Language Lab for games and snacks on Thursday, October 5 from 7 pm to 9 pm. We’ll have a variety of games in various languages, or bring your own to play! The Language Lab is located on the lower level of the library, in the IMC.
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Community Safety Blotter 9/29
September 18, 2023 – September 24, 2023
Monday, September 18, 2023
230327; Larceny; Campus
“Notes: A Reed staff member arrived at 28 West to report that their bike had been stolen while stored on Reed campus property.”
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
230328; Student Concern; Residence Hall
“Notes: A CSO responded to a request for assistance in a residence hall where a student was experiencing a mental health crisis. After speaking with Community Safety the student confirmed they would go to a medical facility for evaluation and treatment.”
230329; Damage to Property; West Lot
“Notes: A CSO on patrol in the West Lot encountered a vehicle whose rear window had been shattered. The vehicle was registered with Community Safety and the owner was contacted to notify them of the damage. A “CSO was here” card was left with the vehicle.”
230330; Damage to Property / Theft from Vehicle; East Lot
“Notes: A CSM responded to a report of property damage and theft in the East Lot. Upon arrival, the CSM met with a member of staff who reported their vehicle had been broken into, and an item stolen from it. The CSM helped clean the copious amounts of glass from the vehicle and filed a report of the stolen items. The CSM also recommended the vehicle owner file a report with the Portland Police.”
“copious amounts”, huh?
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
230331; Damage to Property; East Lot
“Notes: A CSM received a report from a Reed staff member that the rear window of their vehicle had been shattered while it was parked in the East Lot. The vehicle owner reported that no items were missing. Community Safety gave the vehicle owner the information needed for insurance purposes.”
Seems like someone has a vendetta against car windows.
230332; Information Only; Campus
“Notes: The Community Safety Director received a call from the US Postal Inspector regarding a piece of mail that had been sent to the Reed campus address.”
Guys please don’t mail us any more cocaine please – now THE US Postal Inspector is on our case.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
230333; Larceny; Trillium
“Notes: A CSO responded to a report of bike theft at Trillium residence hall. The CSO met with a student whose bike had been stolen from where it had been secured to the bike rack near the Trillium multi-purpose room.”
230334; Threat Assessment; 28 West
“Notes: A CSM conducted a threat assessment.”
Friday, September 22, 2023
230335; Alcohol Violation; Foster
“Notes: A CSM on patrol of Foster encountered a group of students. The CSM observed that upon seeing the CSM, one of the students proceeded to move an alcohol container out of sight. When the CSM relayed to the student their observations, the student confirmed that they had been drinking alcohol and handed the container to the CSM. The student also confirmed that they were under 21.”
Saturday, September 23, 2023
230337; Medical Transport; Residence Hall
“Notes: A CSO responded to a request for medical assistance at a residence hall. The CSO met with two students, one of whom was possibly experiencing a medical emergency. After evaluating the student and discussing options available, the student was ultimately transported to a medical facility for further care.”
Hope you feel better!
230339; Student Concern; 28 West
“Notes: A student arrived at 28 West to report that they were concerned for a fellow student whom they had been unable to contact for multiple hours. The Dispatcher spoke with the On-Call Area Coordinator (OCAC), who then attempted to contact the other student, but was also unsuccessful at that time. Approximately one hour later, the other student contacted the OCAC to report that they were okay. The student stated that they hadn’t heard their phone notifications and apologized for worrying people.”
Sunday, September 24, 2023
230340; Maintenance Issue; Reed College Apartments
“Notes: A CSM responded to a request for assistance at the RCA parking lot. Upon arrival, the CSM observed that one of the rear wheels of a Reed van was hanging in the air over a set of stairs. The driver stated that they had not been able to see the stairs behind them as they were backing up, which resulted in one of the wheels hanging over the edge of the descending staircase. The CSM requested a tow truck which was eventually able to safely pull the vehicle forward so that all four wheels were again on the ground. There appeared to be minimal resulting damage to the van.”
Are the stairs okay?
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Reactor Training Becomes a No-Credit Course
By Vincent Tanforan
On September 11, Reed’s reactor training program was granted approval by the Committee on Academic Policy and Planning for entry as an official course. This marks a major change for the Reed Research Reactor, which, in addition to functioning as the only reactor operated mainly by undergraduates, educates Reed students about nuclear science and reactor operations through its training program.
In previous years, the training program would run for eight weeks at the beginning of the fall semester until 15 students were hired. From there, the hired students would continue their training in preparation for reactor operator licensing. Those students who did not get hired had the option to continue attending lectures and labs but were free to quit.
This year, the training program staff is debuting a new format with a seminar course available for freshmen and sophomores to take. This will be separate from an optional training component, which completes additional training with the intention of getting hired to work at the reactor.
The course is listed as “CHEM 010: Reactor Training,” and will be registered on SOLAR like any other class at Reed. The class will be graded on a Credit/No Credit basis, but will not be credit-bearing. It will not be able to fulfill group or departmental requirements, so it will function more like a P.E. class than a typical academic course.
Students in the reactor seminar have a weekly lecture to attend, reading, and homework assignments — in addition to labs and further tests in the training component necessary to get hired — all in addition to their other classes. Training supervisor Laura Smith claims this change is an important step forward to recognize the work that students put into the course. “We want to encourage people to keep coming back because, even if they’re not hired, they can actually get credit for all the work they put in,” said Smith.
Hope Palmer, the course’s other supervisor, spoke of their hopes to expand the scope of the reactor program in the future. “Not only do we want to have a higher amount of freshmen and sophomores in the class, but we hope in coming years that upperclassmen can join the seminar portion too and we can just teach Reed students in general about nuclear science,” Palmer explained.
While it’s too late to join the course now, the training supervisors encourage Reedies to reach out to the reactor staff to learn more about the program and reach out for research. For Fall 2024, returning students will be able to sign up for CHEM 010 during the SOLAR registration period at the same time as their other classes.
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Reed Van Gas Tank Tapping Continues
By Asta Rossi
Over the past few years, some of the college’s fleet of sixteen vans have had their gas tanks tapped. Director of Facilities Operations Steve Yeadon revealed that during the last academic year, three vans were drilled into and needed their gas tanks replaced. During this new semester, two van gas tanks have been drilled and one tank had a damaged fill spout. Of these three affected vehicles, one is repaired and fully operational while the other two remain out of commission until the necessary parts arrive.
In an email interview, Yeadon writes that this is somewhat of a frequent occurrence: “There have also been other vehicle issues in parking lots over the past few years as crime increases in the metro area. The college is committed to working towards improving these conditions but it is a difficult situation.” Yeadon adds, “One active approach we are making is to install security gates for the three main parking lots on campus. The first set will be operable in the north lot soon. This, of course, won’t solve all of the theft issues but we hope it provides a deterrent.”
These vans are available to reserve on the facilities website and are open for the transportation of students, staff, and faculty members for official school functions. Priority is given to academic and student-related transportation. Students may also apply to become a driver of the vans.
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Dog of the Week Is So Small
By Liz Organ
Name: Mimi | Breed: Yorkie | Age: 10 Years | Rating: 14/10.
Our oldest dog this year so far, Mimi is still very spry at 10 years old! Although sometimes she gets cold, usually this isn’t an issue as she looks very cute in sweaters. She probably isn’t very used to the Pacific Northwest weather, since she came from Florida! One of her favorite things to do is just sit in a lap and get pets and since she is so small she fits very nicely! When she’s not getting pets she loves to explore and she moves very quickly for an elderly pup!
Photo by Dani Arroyo-Perez
So small, So pretty!She likes to walk with her head towards the ground, so sometimes she looks kind of sad, but really it’s just easier to sniff that way. Mimi doesn’t really bark and she rarely makes any sounds except when she wants attention or food, usually food, she makes a tiny bark that sounds kind of like a fire alarm when it runs out of battery. Her owner is an economics major and says Mimi would also be an economics major, but I think she wouldn’t go to school. If Mimi was a person I think she would be an older dramatic actress who calls everyone “dahling.”
14/10 — Would sit with her in my lap for hours.
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News Beyond Reed: Measure 114, Government Shutdown Concerns, and Assassination Accusations in India
By Liz Organ
Local News – Measure 114 Trial Begins
Measure 114, passed by Oregon voters in a referendum last November, changes previous laws on ownership and purchasing processes for firearms in Oregon and is one of the strictest gun laws in the nation. The measure was supposed to go into effect on December 8 but was put on hold as the state argues its legality in court. In July, a federal judge ruled that the current gun control measure is, in fact, constitutional. Plaintiffs have now filed an appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and could move the decision to the US Supreme Court. Monday, September 18 saw the beginning of this trial, although as of September 25, the trial has not ended. Much of Circuit Judge Robert S. Raschio’s line of questioning has to do with the open-ended wording of the measure and how this could lead to racial profiling by police.
National News – Concerns About Government Shutdown
As the US Congress sits at a standstill over disagreements about the coming year’s national budget, a deadline looms at midnight on September 29, in which the following Monday may see the first government shutdown since 2019 — when the government shut down for 35 days, the longest in US history. On the 22nd, the Biden administration began the first steps to prepare government agencies for a possible shutdown. Some federal agencies have begun the mandatory processes of planning to bring nonessential functions to a halt. If the shutdown occurs, nearly four million federal workers will feel the effect immediately. While some essential workers will remain on the job, none of them will be paid until the government shutdown ends. Significant delays to air travel are expected as TSA workers will be some of those unpaid. There will also be possible delays to food safety, water safety and workplace inspections as the FDA, the EPA and OSHA are shut down. Pertinent to Reed students, the Department of Education warns that there could be “some level of disruption” to large student-aid programs including Pell Grants, Federal Direct Student Loans and FAFSA. Those receiving food assistance will continue to receive benefits through October, but it is unclear what will happen to that assistance if the shutdown continues into November. Housing assistance will also be affected and will cause uncertainty in the tens of thousands of low-income tenants who rely on federal assistance to pay their rent.
International News – Canadian Leaders Accuse India’s Government of Killing Canadian Sikh Leader
On June 18, 2023, Sikh nationalist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot by two masked men in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. As of September 25, no arrests have been made. On September 18, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced to Parliament that Canadian intelligence agencies were investigating credible allegations that Nijjar’s killers were linked to the Indian government. India strongly rejected the claim. Despite Trudeau admitting that the investigation was still being pursued, the Canadian government decided to expel a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission and reduce its personnel in India. India has expelled Canada’s Station Chief and temporarily stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens. Many Sikh people in both India and Canada are worried about potential violence due to the accusations.
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Touch Grass: The Rhododendron Garden
By Adrian Keller Feld
Located just off Reed’s campus, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was founded in 1950 by the Portland chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Per the Garden’s website, the location was actually, “referred to as Shakespeare Island by students at Reed because of the plays performed there.” A 9.5 acre garden, it boasts over 2,500 plants, giving a special look into many varieties that are otherwise not represented in Portland. The Garden is named for Crystal Springs Lake, which surrounds much of it and provides space for many interesting bridges. Admission to the Garden is free with a Reed ID, however for anyone else the price is $5, except on Mondays when it is free for all. The Garden is open 10am-3:30pm most days of the week, but opens late at 1pm on Wednesdays.
The parking lot is often full, with the space being a beloved natural escape in the city, and a popular wedding venue. So, as Reed students it’s best to go during the week, because there will be crowds and possibly areas closed off for events over the weekend, though it is also more quiet on rainy days. The Garden is also ADA compliant, with the main paths being wheelchair accessible, and there are many benches dotted around to rest and take in the scenery. The Rhododendron Garden is well-known to many Reed students, with its proximity to campus and free admission, but should be known to all. In contrast to the Canyon, the Garden is not an attempt at re-wilding, but rather a carefully planned out space boasting many different types of plants. It is beautiful year-round, with green plants and soon Fall colors now, but it really shines in spring and into summer, when its namesake rhododendrons are in bloom, filling the Garden with color.
Getting to the Garden from Campus is very easy, as its parking lot is directly across the street from the West Parking lot, outside the PAB. Once there, Reed students can walk in by just showing their Reed ID, and then follow the paths snaking through the Garden, get lost in the scenery, or find a spot to do homework. The Garden also contains over 90 species of birds, as well as plenty of other wildlife, so while great to look at it is important not to disturb or feed the animals, and always take trash out of the Garden. To learn more about the Garden, their website is www.crystalspringsgardenpdx.org, and their on instagram @csrgpdx. So, go out and touch grass in the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden!
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Student Clubs and Organizations Compete in Funding “Hell” (Circus)
By Alex Diamond
After their initial skirmishes at the engagement fair two weeks ago, Reed’s many student-led organizations went to war this week, battling for the votes of their fellow Reedies in a tradition lovingly referred to as Funding Circus.
Within a five-day span, Reedies had the opportunity to select which organizations they would want to receive funding this year, with every student receiving six “Top 6” votes with which they could support their favorite clubs and student unions.
Not wanting to leave the future of their clubs to chance, organization members spent the last week campaigning on behalf of everything from Hot Pot Club to the Senior Yearbook. This heart-wrenching competition has left the walls and windows of nearly every building on campus covered in a flier of some sort.
This week took a toll not just on the cleaning staff, but the mental state of those club leaders who spent days on end with the future of their prized possessions in limbo. Violet Burns is one of those club leaders who’ve spent this week struggling with the uncertainty of the Student Darkroom’s future.
When asked about their experience with Funding Circus, Burns responded by saying, “It’s definitely a stressful thing to be a part of Funding Circus,” she explained, “The stress is a lot about advertising and representing our club in a way that appeals to the student body at large.”
This stress is even noticeable to Reedies not directly involved in the war for a chunk of Reed’s endowment. Hana Fulbright, a freshman uninvolved in any clubs noted, “Some people went crazy this week for sure, you could just see it everywhere.”
Luckily, this week has passed and campus has returned to what we at Reed would call normal. Things even went well for Burns and the Student Darkroom, with Burns gleefully noting that, “I felt really encouraged by the results, this is the highest we’ve placed in a long time, this year students are taking student spaces more seriously, and the results show that.” However, the stress and chaos of Funding Circus will return at the beginning of the second semester when Reedies will again compete for votes and dollars.
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“The Languages of Science:” Jacky Deng On Language Learning In Chemistry
By Quinn Hoop
Jacky Deng is a PhD Candidate working with Professor Alison Flynn at the University of Ottawa. He gave a speech on September 21st on the difficulties of language barriers in higher education, and how we can work to resolve them. Working in his field of chemistry, Deng found himself curious about the experiences of Eng+ (people who do not speak English as their first language) students in college and beyond.
Growing up in an immigrant home, Deng’s parents spoke Cantonese at home. He noted how the language barrier was, “a really challenging thing for them to go through. Seeing them struggle through this English-speaking society … it really undermined their skills and work.” His interest in language continued at the University of Ottawa, a French/English bilingual school. He described the environment as, “an interesting context for me to explore this intersection between learning and language.”
Eventually, he became curious enough about the intersection between language and learning to run some small studies. Deng conducted a series of interviews with Eng+ speakers in higher education about their experiences. He found that most of them faced significant difficulties because of language barriers. An interviewee recalled flipping between textbooks and translators constantly throughout their chemistry experience, so much so that they practically had to relearn semesters’ worth of material. They expressed that often the language barrier made it difficult to understand concepts and mechanisms, even if they knew all of the terminology. A member of the audience agreed with this sentiment, saying, “To me, this is the difference between understanding vocabulary and understanding poetry.”
Participants also expressed feeling imposter syndrome, the need to compensate for their lack of language understanding by appearing extremely competent in their area of study and feeling unable to engage with peers. Deng said not only that “it slows down their research,” but also that, “this translation process is a filtration process.” An interviewee commented, “As a scientific community, we may be missing out on information that we would otherwise gain if we gave these people the opportunity to express themselves.”
The studies also showed that (at UOttawa) doing chemistry in languages other than English was relatively common in undergraduate contexts, but 15 to 18 of the graduate students said they did their research in English. Those numbers coming from an explicitly bilingual school like UOttawa prompted Jacky to ask, “How does this dictate who gets to participate in science, and in what sense?”
In order to make science more equitable, Deng also proposed some strategies to help educators assist students in overcoming language challenges. First and foremost, he pressed the importance of demonstrating patience and empathy toward student’s challenges. He also recommended, “providing resources and supports to promote skill development.” In terms of particulars, he suggested giving multimodal assessments, as well as giving students opportunities to draw, present, or speak instead of writing answers. He also recommended that peer review and feedback on work can help students catch small errors stemming from language barriers, and see the types of responses that English native speakers are generating in comparison to their own. Additionally, a participant in the study praised the creation of communities of Eng+ speakers, which make it easier to share challenges and strategies to overcome them. Sometimes half the battle was just to know that there were others who had undergone the same challenges and made it through.
Deng’s talk sought to inform the public about the challenges that Eng+ speakers face in college and throughout the academic world, but he also seemed hopeful that these challenges could be overcome. One of the participants in his study said that their path of science through a foreign language was, “[a] process of becoming better,” and that sometimes, you just, “[shouldn’t] care about what other people think.” The experiences of these individuals seemed to tell Jacky that language barriers act as gates, which more often than not make entry difficult. However, these gates could act as doors, which would open up individuals to wider worlds of learning.