Guest column: Women’s victories do not erase systemic debate sexism
May 7, 2015
It's devastating to realize I am no longer a debater, but it's more devastating to understand why. I never wanted to write an op-ed or talk publicly about my experiences in debate, but the unfortunate truth is we are obligated to defend our right to fair treatment. I don't know how to put into words what ...
Learned helplessness keeps women out of tech
Katy Wills
April 30, 2015
I work for Technology Services at Whitman and it's one of the best jobs I've ever had. My co-workers are a patient, kind and thoroughly entertaining team of A/V nerds. During the daytime shifts I complete basic office maintenance tasks like organizing wires and chargers or cleaning projectors. It's ...
Guest column: Debate suspension stifles critical thinking about discrimination
April 23, 2015
As a debater who is genderqueer, I found the suspension of the Debate Team devastating. Debate offered me a safe space where I could explore my identity. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the suspension is that the administration never bothered to learn about debate; they never came to a tournament,...
Address discrepancies among workloads, grading standards in different first-year Encounters classes
Christopher Hankin
April 16, 2015
Whitman College prides itself on an Encounters program that helps to initiate new students and get them up to speed with the expectations that the school holds for writing, reading and critical thinking. Encounters students grapple with difficult texts that will challenge their preconceptions and hopefully...
Assertive females must face social stigma
Hillary Smith
March 12, 2015
Recently I read an article on Huffington Post (no surprise there) about how women need to ask for what they want more in their professional environments concerning salaries, job hours, etc. The author writes that women are often too nervous to actively negotiate such things, but she mentions that her frie...
Hook-up survey reveals troubling incongruities
Peggy Li
March 5, 2015
Since arriving at Whitman, I've heard the word "hook-up" more times than I care to count –– mostly within the context of attractive people doing things together –– but I honestly couldn't tell you what it actually means. Coming from a fairly conservative high school, it was pretty shocking the fi...
Greek influence not being used for meaningful action
Katy Wills
February 26, 2015
My dearest Frat Stars and Soror Sisters of Whitman College, Greek groups have immense power on this campus. Besides having an extensive social presence on the weekends, a Greek group has the power to make normal certain behaviors and attitudes they value. If a member steps out of line, their men's...
On Diversity, Inclusion and Equity at Whitman
February 19, 2015
This article was authored by President George Bridges for issue four of the spring semester. It was published on Feb. 19, 2015. On Monday, Feb. 16, many students, faculty and staff gathered in the amphitheater to reflect on and express their outrage at the tragic death of Pasco resident Antonio ...
Advertising, sports have power to reclaim ‘like a girl’
Hillary Smith
February 12, 2015
Of the countless Super Bowl advertisements, one in particular made a deep impression on me. It included clips from an experiment conducted by Always, a feminine hygiene brand, in which people of different ages were asked to mime physical actions –– run, throw, etc. –– "like a girl." The adult...
Op-ed: Rees-Mikula: Whitman can no longer ignore legacy of genocide
February 5, 2015
Four months of peace and conflict studies in the Balkans taught me how to recognize genocide and ethnic cleansing, and as I step back on campus I'm overwhelmed by their evidence. I'm overwhelmed not only by the way white supremacy, imperialism and genocide intertwine with the history of Whitman College,...
Whitman’s sexual assault investigation process failed me
December 11, 2014
Earlier this year The Pioneer published a story about survivors of sexual assault on campus who reported their assaults to the administration. The following is a first-hand account from one of the survivors interviewed, Mallory*, about her assault and its ramifications for her life at Whitman. The con...
Letter to the Editor: Hillel-Shalom clarifies misunderstanding around Convocation speech controversy
The Editors
November 13, 2014
Dear Whitman Community, We are writing because we believe there has been a misunderstanding with regard to the faculty address at convocation this year. Our concern about Professor Elyse Semerdjian's speech was not due solely to its content. We recognize that conversation regarding Israel/Palestine...
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