Princeton Review

The Princeton Review released its college rankings list August 1 and CMC took top spots in flattering categories, including Happiest Students (#2), Best Quality of Life ( #4), Best Career Services (#7) and School Runs Like Butter (#7).  The full lists are available here.

The Princeton Review book, which profiles the best 300+ colleges in its yearly publication, is a trusted staple for helicopter parents, prospective students, and college administrators.   But the unscientific methods used to create the venerated lists suggest our adoration may be misplaced.

The rankings are calculated by current student surveys.  Here’s Princeton Review’s official word on methodology:

“Most questions offer an answer choice on a five-point scale: students fill in one of five boxes on a grid with headers varying by topic (e.g. a range from “Excellent” to “Awful”). All of our 62 ranking lists tallies are based on students’ answers to one or more of these questions with a five-point answer scale. Some questions on the survey are open-ended and offer students the opportunity to answer with narrative responses.

Once the surveys have been completed and the responses stored in our database, we tally the results. Our methodology and the math by which we calculate our ranking results are quite simple. Each college is given a score (similar to a GPA) for its students’ answers to each multiple-choice question. These scores enable us to compare student opinion from college to college. They are the sole factors that determine which schools make it onto our 62 ranking lists.”

Of course, a rank near the bottom or the top of the pack has some truth to it.  Yes, our professors are accessible, perhaps too accessible when they wander through North Quad on a Thursday night.  But we’re #5 in “Lots of Beer” and UC Santa Barbara is #20?  Is our standing meant to imply that there is more beer consumed per capita at CMC than Santa Barbara? Anyone who believes that, to speak proverbially, clearly has had too much to drink.  That’s up from #13 since last year, but our alcohol policy has only become more restrictive.

CMC, at #8, outranked Scripps in the “Dorms Like Palaces” category.  If the category was “A Dorm is Like a Palace,” then perhaps CMC’s Claremont Hall could give Scripps’ GJW a run for its money.  But no one would doubt CMC’s founding fathers had utility, not luxury, in mind when designing North and Mid Quads.  Save a few hinges, the dorms could have been tipped on their sides and hosed down after a keg tap gone wrong.  Compare this to Scripps, where the sheer number of clinging vines may be enough to qualify it for a feature piece in Martha Stewart Living. The dorms also boast stained glass windows, coincidentally the window material favored by those who live in… palaces.

Forbes

CMC ranks between Harvard and Yale in the Forbes ranking.

The new Forbes Magazine college rankings were released on August 11 and soon became linked and liked all over Facebook.   The Forbes rankings system is its infancy–it’s only three years old–and the magazine is admittedly still working out flaws in methodology, which may explain dramatic year-to-year changes.  CMC moved from #27 in the “Best Colleges” list to #9 in the span of one year, placing it between Harvard (#8) and Yale (#10).

The rankings here are compiled from a combination of student opinions, including 17.5% from RateMyProfessors.com, and objective data, including alumni salaries from Payscale.com.

But the factors included range in legitimacy. Under “Postgraduate Success” is the outright absurd measure of listing of alumni in Who’s Who in America, featured only ten years earlier in the same magazine as “The Hall of Lame” for containing “a lot of relatively unaccomplished people who simply nominated themselves.”  This makes up 10% of a college’s score.

Since last year, they’ve dropped faculty awards altogether from consideration.  Previously, faculty awards made up 8.33% of the rankings.  They’ve included new variables to measure alumni success and default rates on loans.

U.S. News & World Report

The only rankings to get a school-wide email shout-out from President Gann, the U.S. News Rankings released yesterday are the gold standard in college rankings.  They’re also the most methodologically rigorous, incorporating objective measurements as well as subjective evaluations by students, peer institutions, and high school counselors.

The much-anticipated rankings varied only slightly from last year, despite changes in methodology that diminished the influence of ratings by peer institutions’ college presidents that attempted to quantify the reputation of the school.  In 2010, Claremont McKenna was ranked #11 on the list of best liberal arts colleges, a position shared with Vassar College.  In 2011, CMC retained its spot at #11 but has edged ahead of Vassar.   Pomona College, #6 last year, also remains at #6, suggesting to consumers that the methodological changes were not as dramatic as expected.

In 2011 the magazine placed more weight on graduation rates, increasing the measure’s weight from 5 percent to 7.5 percent of the final score.  High school counselors are now given a say and college officials’ opinions will receive less weight to accommodate them.

High honors or cheap sales?

“Top” liberal arts colleges formalized their objections to college rankings by circulating a petition in September 2007 agreeing not to use rankings in promotional material. Notable signatories included the presidents of Amherst, Carleton, Haverford, Wellesley and Pomona Colleges.

In a wide-ranging interview conducted last year by Forum Editor-in-Chief Michael Wilner, Pomona President David Oxtoby discussed his position on college rankings. Although he does think rankings in general have helped all liberal colleges by placing them among larger, well known schools including Ivies and public universities, he wished colleges and prospective students would place less faith in them.

“They have absurd claims to being scientific, which is really frustrating,” Oxtoby said. “On the other hand, the idea of protesting is a waste of time.  So I did not agree to the boycott. I think the reputational rankings are probably more valid that the rest of the survey components.”

He added, “I think we’re under-ranked. We should be higher.  In different ways, the other [Claremont] colleges may be under-ranked as well.”

President Gann had a different approach to the boycott, which she articulated in an interview with Inside Higher Ed.  Gann claimed that CMC only makes “very limited use” of rankings in promotional material, and that her objection to the boycott was the fundamental fissure it would create with the college’s core philosophy.   “Claremont McKenna College is very committed to free markets and individual choice,” she was quoted, “For-profit publications and rankings are what they are in our free-market economy.”

Staff Writer Sara Birkenthal and Editor-in-Chief Michael Wilner contributed to this article.

Hurricane Stagthena

A freshman at Scripps in one of my classes recently told a harrowing story regarding CMCers’ poor attitude towards cleaning up. After attending an event on CMC’s campus, she tried to be courteous, straightening up the disaster left behind. To this, a CMC student responded arrogantly, “This is CMC; we don’t clean up.”

The general attitude on campus seems to be of ill responsibility when it comes to cleaning up.  I’ve heard students brag about their ability to simply drop their trash wherever they are standing. Though we have a phenomenal grounds crew, this does not give CMCers the license to completely disrespect our campus.  We parade around campus, smugly behaving like children fed by a silver spoon.   Instead of taking the initiative to keep our campus clean, we simply place the burden of our hard-partying lifestyles on the backs of the hard-working dorm maids.  In the midst of the Thursday Night Club fiasco, Dean of Students took note of our nonchalant attitude towards cleaning up. On March 24, students received an email from ASCMC stating that DOS would like to see students “taking the initiative to clean up after events.”  I believe the general consensus is that we should do everything we can to prevent TNC from being canceled.  So if DOS wants us to clean, I say we clean.

There may be some preconceived notion that because students are under the influence of alcohol, they do not have to take responsibility for their actions.  Next time you are in that situation, I must ask, are you so incapacitated that you cannot place your trash in a proper receptacle?  And if you are, why on earth are you out walking around on campus?

Have we already so long forgotten those values which were once taught to us by a giant singing purple dinosaur?  I think Barney really hit the nail on the head when he uttered those immortal words – “Clean up, Clean up. Everybody do your share.” (Even this girl knows what’s up.)

Supposedly, we are a bunch of kids that are really good at economics and accounting.  Dorm damages have already amounted to over $20,000 this year. Call me crazy, but this may not be the best allocation of our financial resources. Cleaning up better won’t make all of those penalties go away, but it will help cut down on those mysterious dorm damages for lounge cleanup that get passed along to the entire residence hall.

So, CMCers, take the two seconds to throw away your cup to preserve TNC – even in its now limited capacity. At the least, cleaning up is worth several more nights  of raging.

Parking lots and baseball fields currently utilize this space east of Bauer Center, itself to be replaced with a campus center. In the future, new quads, academic and residential, will take up the land, along with a new admissions office and alumni house, located on the corner of 9th St. and Claremont Blvd.

The plans were formulated based on a proposal to expand the student body from 1150 to 1400 (the maximum allowed in accordance with the College’s Constitution). The rest of the plan describes how the College will reach its “full potential.” Fear not – the sacred student-to-faculty ratio will be preserved at 8:1. But how will the College accommodate all these new students and simultaneously improve the physical campus with the “new or renovated academic facilities, a new fitness and athletic center, a new campus center, and the potential development of an Alumni House” all mentioned in President Gann’s email? These objectives may require diverse and potentially startling changes to the CMC landscape.

The plan assumes that, in order to continue attracting the best faculty and students, the College requires newer and more numerous facilities. This will be accomplished through a set of goals and objectives, which include:

• Making a clear vision for CMC allowing the improvements to strengthen the identity of the College.
• Increasing the aesthetics of CMC.
• Increasing the sense of community through greater opportunities for interaction.
• Environmentally responsible development and planning.
• Better interior and exterior infrastructure.
• Alternative strategies for meeting parking, mobility, and service needs and maintenance.

But what does this actually mean for CMC?

Bauer Center will first be the first major building torn down, to be replaced with a campus center, which will provide a real entrance to Ninth Street. “Much like the Smith Campus Center at Pomona, this central building would have an open, adaptable ground floor, and would house mail facilities, dining options and lounge spaces,” says Buildings and Grounds Commitee member Lucia Foulkes. Collins will be replaced and the new dining hall will be located further north near the new campus center. One wonders whether this will cause more South Quad residents to frequent Frary, and widen the North Quad-South Quad social gap. Perhaps anticipating this worry, the Master Plan only has one dining hall, maintaining the sense of community fostered by Collins. To ASCMC President Tammy Phan, “one dining hall means that we still haven’t grown too large,” and that there still is a “central meeting and eating area.”

This new academic building will be built where McKenna Auditorium currently stands, right outside the Flamson Plaza Fountain and across from the Athenaeum. In the distance, the new campus center is visible, where Bauer Center is located today.

The temporary offices, sardonically referred to as “Trailer Park West” by some peeved professors, will finally be removed and replaced with an eastern expansion of Parents Field. Linked with the new campus center, Parents Field will form the “heart” of campus. The athletic fields to the east will be replaced with a new residential complex – an “East Quad” – consisting of two halls facing each other around a courtyard and a series of gardens. The student apartments will be renovated, but Phillips will be demolished to make room for a Social Pavilion and Recreational Pool. The Hub will be gone as well, replaced by an academic building with a clear path to Scripps.

Of course, the Stags and Athenas will have a new place to shine. Ducey Gym will be replaced with a new Fitness and Athletic Center, and the track and football fields will be converted to intramural and club sport fields. The varsity soccer field will be moved across 6th Street and the rest of the varsity sports’ fields including football, track and field, baseball and softball will be situated in the East Athletic Expansion, across Claremont Boulevard from the apartments.

A substantial overhaul of the College’s pathways is also planned, throughout new and old quads alike. Such pathways are primarily responsible for connecting the campus and for welcoming visitors. Major axis will be redrawn to make for better navigation throughout CMC, and for clearer entrances to the College from various points. These entrances will be more aesthetically pleasing – the first of them being the Kravis Center itself. Trimming and lighting are small aspects of the plan that may have a surprising effect on the look of CMC in the short run.

Overall, these changes sound dramatic, and indeed they are. However, the Master Plan makes a concerted effort to preserve the intimate nature of CMC while strengthening the positive characteristics. “The College has done a lot of planning and group sessions with students,” says Phan, suggesting that we have had and will continue to have a voice in CMC’s future. The architecture of the new buildings will flow with those surrounding them, attempting to create an aesthetically-cohesive campus from two conflicting styles: the utilitarian concrete structures from our founding and the modern masterpieces designed by Architect Rafael Vinoly and CO Architects, among others. Pleasing everyone who enjoys the California sunshine, the plan calls for more open and green spaces round campus and gives them a practical purpose beyond mere enjoyment. The green spaces are designed for better “natural” drainage during rains.

While the changes can seem intimidating, our most characteristic features are here to stay. “It’s reassuring to know that some things will never change,” says Foulkes. “In 25 years, when some of us will have kids at CMC, North Quad will still be here to remind us of our youthful exploits.”  The buildings thoughtfully chosen to remain represent our core CMC values and culture; polished up a bit, but essentially unchanged.

How to define this masculine character? I would point you to three areas: personality, education, and culture.

The Genius of Men: Claremont McKenna, 64 years on.

I will stipulate, before I am assaulted by every reflexive liberal within keystroke’s reach, that not all CMCers are the same. There are exceptions to every rule…you know how the rest of this reasoning goes. That being said, there is certainly a CMC-type. Assertive, competitive, type-A personality: CMCers get stuff done. There is a drive that exists in your average CMCer that one does not commonly encounter. It cannot be random chance that so many people who share these traits just so happen to have been admitted to a small liberal arts college such as our own. Rather, I suggest to you that CMC attracts a particular type of student, and that type is masculine.

Now, I would like to argue a few preemptive responses. It would be trite for me to try to say something about leadership, so I won’t. Furthermore I will inevitably be told that I have ignored the 45% or so of my fellow Stags and Stagthenas who are of the fairer sex. I disagree. The personality type I describe exists amongst men and women alike—but that personality is certainly masculine, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

To wit, the first CMC class to include women received their degrees from Claremont Men’s College, as the school was then called. After the name change, these newly minted female alumnae were offered the chance to have their diplomas reissued by Claremont McKenna College, and they almost uniformly said no. These women were proud to have toughed it out with ‘the boys,’ an attitude that embodies the combination of bravado and sense of honor that exemplifies the best of the CMC masculine tradition.

We are a school based overwhelmingly on government and economics. Notwithstanding fantastic professors in many other departments–from whom I have had the great fortune to learn what little I can—the school’s history lives on in its current culture. When CMC began it offered only one major: political economy. I would suggest that the legacy of that mindset lives today, and that such a mindset is clearly masculine. A focus on business and the employment of power, on finance and the law; these are the historic dominions of male domination—an undeniably manly tradition which we follow through this day.

“Work hard, play hard” – an unofficial slogan of CMC. CMC’s culture more often than not resembles a scene from Mad Men (to be enlightened) or Animal House (to be unkind). Again there are exceptions to this rule too, but those who have experienced the spirit of most student functions would have to agree that no matter the forum, there’s an element of rowdy boyhood whenever CMCers gather to blow off a little steam. I neither endorse such a practice nor do I abhor it, but I believe it to exist.

Through its personality, education, and culture CMC embodies a male ethic, just as Scripps so clearly embodies a female form. It is a truly wonderful happenstance that such divergent and yet complimentary schools can coexist in such proximity. So raise a glass to CMC, and get in touch with your inner man.

My advice as a departing senior is to make friends at other colleges, take advantage of the resources at all the colleges, and appreciate that you aren’t at a tiny liberal arts college stranded by itself in the middle of nowhere.

Yes, certain members of the colleges do stupid things from time to time. Two years ago, Debra Wood, the Scripps College Dean of Students, sent an e-mail to the Scripps College student body complaining about a “racist party theme” at CMC held by the class of 2010. This party, hosted by Class President Isayas Theodros, encouraged students to wear white clothing because there would be a blacklight. Earlier that year, (mostly) Pitzer students engaged in a ridiculous protest of Karl Rove.  During that same year, Harvey Mudd’s Dean of Students made the bizarre decision to report to Campus Safety writing on a whiteboard that said “Hillary is a foxy lesbian.” Just recently, Pomona’s The Student Life published the wrong commencement speaker for CMC’s graduation this year.  For its part, CMC’s administration recently decided to ban non-CMC students, except for a guest list, from Thursday Night Club.

As unfortunate as these incidents are, they are clearly the exception and not the rule.  The reality, however, is that most of the people who attend the Claremont Colleges are good people. Sure there are jerks everywhere, but stereotyping across campuses is way too common at all of the 5Cs. Furthermore, almost all the stereotypes reflect the different colleges of 5-10 years ago much better than they reflect those institutions today. All of the 5Cs have similar values and fairly similar students and we cooperate in tons of academic, extracurricular, and social activities. There are important reasons a good percentage of Claremont Colleges students applied to multiple colleges, transferred between colleges, or take a lot of classes with mixed student populations.

The Claremont Colleges are excellent institutions, but we would all be even better if we integrated more and were less hostile towards one another. In my experience, most people at the end of the day seem to understand this and treat the rivalries as a fun tradition that amuses us. There are some people, however, who take these pointless rivalries way too far. They vandalize property, harass peers, or get in petty disputes with people from other colleges for really dumb reasons. Don’t be these people and don’t let your friends be these people.

Here are some ground rules. I’m going to have two center focus points: North Quad and South Quad. I feel like this adequately covers the CMC community. Seniors in the apartments use the dining halls less and Mid-Quadders can figure it out based on which quad they are closer to. Secondly, the unit of measurement I used is the average size of a Claremont city block. To put this in perspective, the distance between Stark Hall and Boswell is approximately 2.5 blocks. I think this will be easier to think about than something like “2,834 feet to the Muddhole”, and much easier for me to measure.

The dining halls we will cover are Scripps/Motley, Pitzer, Frary, the Coop, and Hoch-Shanahan/Muddhole. I feel like these are the most popular destinations. Also, this article is based solely for travel purposes. If you want to read something that discusses quality, there was a recent article written about coffee and Claremont that also reached out for my professional opinion (the last paragraph!). Anyway, back to business.

South Quad: If you live in the South Quad, you are just under two blocks from Collins, your closest dining hall. Branching out, Frary is only a slightly further walk, and would probably be the same if it wasn’t for the construction.  The Hub is a little over two blocks and Scripps comes in exactly at three as the crow flies. Pitzer is a medium distance of four blocks. The real treks start to occur when you try to eat at the Coop or at Mudd. The Coop is five blocks away, while Hoch comes in at a whopping 7, over half a mile.

Consensus: If the food looks better at Scripps or Frary, go for it. A half mile for Mudd? No thanks.

North Quad: Since Collins and The Hub are right at your front door, I’m not even going to acknowledge them with a distance. Just walk outside. However, Scripps and Pitzer are also excellent options at only two blocks away. Mudd is still pretty far at about 4.5 blocks, but it’s really just on the other side of Scripps.  As for the Pomona eateries, Frary is about 3 blocks, while the Coop, with construction, is almost 7.

Consensus: Pitzer and Scripps prove the easiest alternatives to CMC food. Mudd is doable if you have some time, but unless you are meeting some friends on the weekend or after Pub, I really don’t see any point in venturing over to the Coop.

Well, there you have it. The dining hall distances are broken down.  Of course, if you are rushed for time, Collins is still the easiest, but some of the others are surprisingly closer than I initially though. In any sense, we’ll all probably still end up trekking seven blocks to the Muddhole next Saturday for one last steak quesadilla before bed.

Collins

Photo credit: Sean McQueen

For your sipping satisfaction, Collins offers bleary-eyed diners with 2 dramatically different coffee selections: pre-brewed or just-made by the espresso machine. The pre-made coffee (regular and de-caf) is definitely the lesser choice — if it is available at all.  More often than not, the carafes are empty and the sleepy drinker is left with an empty mug.  When available, the pre-made coffee is not terrible: piping hot, somewhat strong, and only occasionally flecked with stray grounds. The Collins espresso machine, however, is a stand-out star… of Claremont’s coffee scene, anyway.  Mark Munro ’12, a Portland native and daily coffee drinker, prefers this option.  ”I mostly just drink Collins espresso,” Munro confessed, “Coming from Portland, I’ve had better. But it gets the job done, you know?”  Drinkers can select a regular or non-fat latte, cappuccino, espresso, or cafe americano.  For variety and freshness, choose a Collins coffee.  3.5/5 beans

Frary
Unless you’re willing to guzzle a dozen cups of this Pomona dining hall’s tepid, tasteless stuff, you should plan on steering clear. Although it’s available in both regular and de-caf, this beverage is undeserving of the hallowed title “coffee.” A sip of this pond water will nauseate and disgust you. Frary’s luke-warm, lackluster java is not worthy of your mug.  0.5/5 beans

Mallott
The Scrippsies are really trying to get it right. A special java bar boasts an assortment of flavored creams, a bounty of Tazo teas for non-drinkers, and a stack of take-away cups for grabbing on your way to class in the morning. Sadly, the brew falls short of the expectations this cozy nook excites. The coffee, though steaming and hot, lacks a full-bodied flavor and tastes somewhat soapy. No matter how much hazelnut cream you add to your cup, the Mallott coffee disappoints. A lack of real mugs also takes away from the drinking experience; it’s hard to savor anything in a paper cup without feeling like you’re at McDonald’s. Tip: opt for the chai latte at Scripps, a sweet and spicy cold beverage that almost makes up for this java blunder.  2/5 beans

Harvey Mudd
Not applicable…unless you’re satisfied with a stream of beige water from a plastic dispenser.  0/5 beans

Pitzer
Pitzer’s brew may not have the most delicious flavor, but it certainly outdoes most of the other 5Cs. Certified fair trade beans make this java good for the world (so Pitzer), as well as your energy level. A bit on the burnt-tasting side at times but more flavorful than any of the previous brews, head to Pitzer if you crave a more rich cup o’ joe with an aroma that will instantly perk you up. 3/5 beans

The Motley

Photo credit: Sean McQueen

The Motley has something that none of the dining halls do: ambiance. If thumping indie rock, couches so cushy and worn-in they swallow you whole, and masses of studious (and trendy) Scripps students sound like your scene, the Motley is the establishment for you. The Motley sells a variety of caffeinated drinks: from a double-shot of espresso to a frothy soy latte, the Motley menu is not lacking in diversity. The regular drip coffee is hit-or-miss with regard to flavor and temperature; depending on the pot, a cupful could be full-bodied and robust or weak and lukewarm. Big bummer: extra $1 charge for take-away cups, so be sure to bring your own thermos.  This spring, luckily, 5C iced coffee enthusiasts will not have to battle the soggy paper straws that ruined sipping experiences this fall. For the closest thing on campus to an true coffee house, pop in the Motley for a pick-me-up. 4/5 beans

The Honnold Cafe

If anywhere on campus were to strive for strong coffee, it should be the Honnold Cafe. Late-night study sessions practically require caffeine. Like at Collins, Honnold’s make-your-own brew machine is this java spot’s redeeming feature. Skip the pre-made coffee and ask for a pod of cafe. In many delicious flavors like mocha and French roast, these single-serving capsules of grounds will do the trick. Although Honnold lacks a sturdy and satisfying house roast, you will find energy, balanced taste, and warmth in a cup of coffee from the library cafe. 3/5 beans

The Rest…
Still not content with the 5C coffee selection? The Village offers an assortment of places where you can snag a decent brew. Starbucks and the Tea Leaf & Coffee Bean are two such locations. At either spot, the brand name evokes certain expectations: commercial, a bit over-priced, an a generic ambiance mark both coffee shops. The regular roasts at both Starbucks and the Tea Leaf & Coffee Bean are quality, but come without the cozy comforts of your favorite hometown establishment.

Munro (’12) offered some insight into the surprising absence of a true coffee shop in Claremont. ”Coffee isn’t as much a culture in Southern California,” Munro mused. “Back [in the Northwest] the coffee shop, due to culture and climate, is a spot to have conversations and commune.” The nearest you may get to a local hang-out is Some Crust, though the baked goods certainly outscore the coffee at this locale. The Claremont Juice Company, if an ice-cold java is what you crave, is another option for the caffeine-deprived.

The Last Drop

Photo credit: Sean McQueen

So, who wins the Battle of the Brews? The Motley wins out by a 1/2 bean, just outdoing our very own Collins dining hall. Will Dudding ’11, a recent transfer student, offers a fresh palate in this judging.  Dudding praised the “smokey flavor” of the Motley’s house brew, before adding “while the Collins coffee may be less than par, it beats anything on campus at [his] old school.” Claremont is far from a Northwestern coffee haven, but it’s also not a wasteland. If you’re in need of a cup o’ joe, head to one of these local spots for the best coffee Claremont has to offer…or consider tricking your dorm room out with a French press.

My ex-girlfriend is starting to get borderline crazy on me. I broke up with her about a year ago when she cheated on me with a guy during her semester abroad. She was really upset at the time, but she cooled down eventually. But then I got a new girlfriend and ever since then she has been bugging out on me, calling me constantly and verbally soliciting herself to me. It is hard because, as much as I want to tell her to go away and get out my life, I somewhat like the attention. What should I tell my ex, and should I tell the girl I am dating now?

Dream Boat,

The great thing about threats is they don’t have to come true. Example: If you call me one more time I am going to lynch you with your own fallopian tubes. Problem solved. Then deny. No, why would I ever say that? She’s a fucking lunatic, how tough are those tubes anyway? Probably not strong enough to strangle 130 pounds of psycho. See? Crazy times Crazy equals funny. You’ll be drama free and popular in one disturbing statement. Can we be friends?

If the threat doesn’t work (i.e. you are a the least threatening person on the planet, see: Carl Peaslee), there are a few things you can do to get her to stop calling you. Maybe you can just tell her – for realsies. Have you ever asked her to stop calling? Or mentioned it to her with concern? I doubt it, probably because you’re nice and you don’t want to hurt her feelings. Which is totally understandable, but you can’t let your investment in her emotions control your life. You obviously had a good connection with her, and whether you can keep it as friends depends on both of your feelings. Yet, if it has gotten to the point where you’re calling her crazy, something should change. You don’t have to be a dick about it, but letting her know your phone is not an Iraqi war zone will help her make a transition away from you. Oh, is it because it’s blowing up? Probs.

It makes sense for you to like your ex’s attention. She’s giving you more power than the guy with a scissors in a real life Rock-Paper-Scissors dual. You can respond to her, or not, and she’ll be there, like moms. Or prescription pills. Sure the power feels good, but it’s really going to hurt when the one you’re dating finds out your ex is desperately trying give you the darkroom especial in the photo-lab at Pomona. It’s a breach of trust, even if you aren’t doing anything to pursue it.

So, should you tell your girl? No. Not yet at least. If you tell her now there is gonna be like, hella drama. Handle it on your own. Tell your ex you can only be friends if she acts like one. Friends don’t give each other hand jobs, and friends don’t send each other sexual text messages. Well, my friends do, but… I mean, have you met Lewis Corson?

You broke up with your ex because she played you, figure it out, don’t be a hypocrite.

A Mitch

Dear A Mitch

I am the kind of girl that likes casual sex. I don’t even have to tell you what that means for me, but I will. Here are some of the things I have been called lately: Slut, whore, loose, easy… the list goes on. I am completely aware that this is an age-old problem for women who are sexually liberal, but there has got to be a way to break the mold. What do you think?

Punk Slut,

If your name is Carly Candypants, I have a bone to pick. Did you really think you could give my roommate a case of the itch-and-sniffs? I know he’s good in the sack, but honestly, your sexual liberalism is an infectious love, condemning even the healthiest men to a life of calling in to uplifting herpes treatment commercials. “Hi, I just saw your commercial, do I just order, err, how does this work? Can you send it in a secret box?” No they can’t send it in a secret box. And thanks to you, my dorm room now has two beds. So much for my nighttime tickles.

If you’re not that herp smuggler, Carly, I’m sorry for the verbal lashing. And I am sorry you have to live in a world where double standards reign so strongly over a woman’s sexual promiscuity. Nonetheless, you live a lifestyle many frown upon. So how do you break the mold?

Like most social movements, it starts with you disregarding the derogatory perception unleashed by jealous and closed-minded individuals. Or plainly: Don’t care. But there is more to it than turning your back on insults. People are prejudiced because of ignorace. So educate them. Though maybe not with an enraged Facebook status: CMC guys make me vom, so over you.

Have a conversation with the guy who thinks he knows “your kind,” the ho bag who even gave Billy a BJ. Get on a personal level with him. Confrontation changes people, and when you successfully convey the left field idea that you enjoy your right to have informal sex as much as any man, maybe he’ll begin to understand you’re lifestyle is analogous to some of his buddies on campus. Or his friends at home. Or his grandpa’s country club. Really anywhere if he pays attention.

Then lay some more truth on him. Let him know that when he talks shit, you feel shitty. Splash some sincerity in a batch of genuine emotion, and you’ll find yourself doling out some good old fashioned guilt. Because no matter how much you think he (or anyone) actually wants to hurt your feelings, he doesn’t. Your title is just a convenient way to label you, and once you’ve voiced yourself to those who want to define you in one belittling term, your self-esteem will be higher than Friday night at the Beckett Bakery.

In the end, if you’re happy, and you aren’t doing anything to hurt anyone else, then get your freak on. Do what you do shawdy, and I’ll be chillin’ in the crib if you need some real good advice.

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Got problems?  A Mitch has answers.  Tell him all about your problems here: http://cmcforum.com/dear-amitch

Challah for Hunger is the brainchild of Scripps alumna Eli Winkelman. In 2004, Winkelman and her friends began baking challah for Shabbat dinners organized by Hillel of the Claremont Colleges. The group’s products became so popular that they decided to start selling their goods to benefit genocide victims in Darfur, people for whom hunger is one of many threats faced daily. Challah for Hunger, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that now splits donations between AJWS relief in Sudan and local organizations, arose. The Scripps students’s efforts soon inspired 30 additional chapters to form; Challah for Hunger is active on U.S. college campuses from Brooklyn to San Diego, and even thrives internationally in Australia and Montreal. At the Clinton Global Initiative in 2009, Bill Clinton commended Winkelman and Challah for Hunger for their efforts on national television.

Student volunteers from all five colleges now run the Claremont chapter of Challah for Hunger. Baking takes place every Thursday in Frary dining hall’s kitchen. Fresh, golden loaves are sold on Fridays from around 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. (if supplies last that long!) at various locations throughout the 5C campuses. A complete schedule of times and locations is available on the Challah for Hunger website. Sales at CMC take place just outside Collins; be sure to purchase your challah as early as possible, especially if you’re craving the coveted “mixed” challah.  Challah generally cost $4 and can be charged to your Claremont Cash (thanks, Mom and Dad!)– a reasonable price given the charitable cause and the generous size of a single loaf.

Rachel Hamburg, a senior at Pomona College, is the co-president of the organization’s chapter in Claremont and a serious challah-lover. “What do I love about challah?” Hamburg mused, “I love the golden brown color. I love how soft and fluffy a loaf of challah is when broken in half. I love how it is a community food that you can share with friend…and even strangers!”

Special events, like Challah for Hunger’s epic karaoke party in the fall, help to raise awareness about important global issues while bringing together like-minded students committed to social justice. “Care-oke” is scheduled to happen again later in the spring, in addition to an Earth Day documentary and a National Women’s Day event. For Valentine’s Day, “Challah-grams” were available for purchase; these mini-loaves with special notes attached are one of many ways that Challah for Hunger pairs delicious, fun treats with activism efforts.

Challah for Hunger is a 5C club that welcomes all volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves, don a hairnet in the Frary kitchen, and join in the fight for social justice in Sudan and in the Inland Empire. Uncommon Good, the mentoring program that many CMC students participate in, is one of many local charities to which Challah for Hunger donates profits. A plan to involve mentors and mentees in a “Bake Your Own Challah” event is in the works for this spring semester.

I’m being haunted by the hookup from hell. At the beginning of last year I hooked up with a guy I thought I liked. Turns out he totally “New York’d” me. Now there’s a rumor going around that I got an STI from him. The truth is I never slept with him and I don’t have an STI, although he did give me a lesson in how guys can’t think with both heads at the same time. How do I stop this rumor?

Pattie Cake,

Sometimes rumors are blessings in disguise. Take, for example, Harvey Mudd students. Most had a bad rumor made up about them in middle school that completely debilitated their social life and propelled them to eat Fritos and root beer for lunch in the science lab. That sounds pretty lame until ten years from now when they perfect nuclear fusion on earth and are forever known as those Frito-eating geniuses. If I were you I would grab that STI and run like the wind. You’re getting into Harvard Grad.

If you really can’t stand having guys avoid you like the Home section at Collins, there are a couple of things you can do. If you want it to be easy, just scan your STI test results and make copies for the gossip hounds. Hand it to them and say, “I actually don’t have [insert slandered STI].” Granted, they’ll have your blood counts and hormone levels to Photoshop, possibly turning you into an AIDS-infected hermaphrodite on paper.

You don’t like either of these suggestions, do you? Me neither. So maybe just talk to him. You’re furious right? No doubt, but I don’t think screaming insults will help. Find him alone and calmly tell him how much his lies hurt you. I know I sound like your mom in grade school when she was like, “Well tell Sarah it hurts your feelings when she calls you stupid.” And you said, “I know,” but in your head you were like there is no fucking way I am saying that. Well, you’re older now, and often genuinely informing someone how damaging their words are is far more powerful than yelling, cussing, and creating rumors about how their penis competes with your index finger in length. You don’t want to turn this into a game of tennis against a brick wall, or, rather relevantly, refuting anything Charles Johnson has to say.

Realistically, there is something to be said for the strength of a person who has the self-esteem to let a rumor run its course. You know the truth and hopefully your friends do too – why let him cut you even deeper by dwelling on this falsity?

A Mitch

Dear A Mitch,

Why are the guys at CMC douchebags?

Miss Descriptive,

In the same way Pomona boys are all pretentious, Mudders all hopelessly nerdy, and Scrippsies all scissoring humanitarians, CMC guys are just dicks. Please clump us together as a huge whale douche (the ocean?). Look, there are plenty of d bags at the 5C’s, and if we did a 5C statistical survey, I wouldn’t be surprised if CMC guys ranked first in douchebaggery. I do sometimes wonder as well – you aren’t the first person to have reoccurring issues with CMCers. If I am going to hypothesize as to why so many people think Stag=douchebag, I would need to organize my thoughts. Numbers will help. And then transition sentences are not necessary. Timesavas!

1. About thirty percent of CMC  students are athletes.  This means there’s a bevy of bros who not only have a stunning physique, but have likely been popular studs for most of their lives; they are the yeast in baking success with women (in high school at least). Athletes are not inherently douches by any means – they are simply more susceptible to the status. It is easier to disregard the feelings of another when there’s always going to be someone giving a shit about how damn good you look in crimson and gold.

2. Claremont McKenna teeters on the title of liberal arts college. This is a school popular for economics, business, and finance. We have more econ majors than Jay-Z has problems, okay, actually way more. Now this might be a leap, but I imagine the kid who wants to go to school for four years and have a $60,000± investment firm salary when they graduate is the type that prefers immediate gratification. Which translates to: Gettin’ mine tonight. Or, my deeper thoughts concerning how my actions might affect people are subordinate to my drive to be successful. But then you meet Moose Halpern and everything I just said sounds outlandish.

3. Where you are meeting these guys? TNC right? T – Thursday N – Night C – CLUB. Rasmussen’s latest poll shows that clubs are for womanizers. And menizers. Especially party clubs, where a large proportion of individuals are willing to play smoochikins at the end of the night. Are you getting my drift? If you are looking for someone who you can really connect with, maybe try developing friendships outside of the party scene. If you were to walk by the basketball suite on a Saturday night, you would probably hate all of us. But have a midday chat with Seth Winterroth and you might fall in love. Drunken debauchery is misrepresentative of who people are, and while it does define a small facet of a person, the larger fraction is more visible during Sunday’s coffee conversations, Tuesday night’s psych seminar, and green beach bathing in November.

So don’t stereotype us like I have in this response. You only know what you experience –alter the environment in which your judgments occur.

A Mitch

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