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The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

Aliya Huprikar, Arts Editor

Aliya Huprikar ’26 is a history and economics major from Irvington, N.Y. She is an arts section editor. She can be reached at [email protected].

All content by Aliya Huprikar
Cass interviewed J.D. Vance at American Compass’ “Rebuilding American Capitalism” forum in June 2023. (Photo courtesy of Oren Cass.)

Oren Cass ’05 talks conservative realignment, economic policy, J.D. Vance

Phoebe Pallesen, Lena Kerest, and Aliya Huprikar November 13, 2024
Cass, founder and chief economist of right-wing think tank American Compass, discusses last Tuesday's election, the realignment of the GOP, and his time at the College.
Theo Duarte-Baird/The Williams Record

Sexual assault response office left vacant by staff departures, College outsources hotline

Lena Kerest and Aliya Huprikar November 6, 2024
The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) is vacant following former Violence Prevention Coordinator Riley Kavanagh’s departure on Friday. Multiple services offered by SAPR, including the College’s sexual assault prevention and response hotline, have been paused as a result.
‘A reflection of who I was at Williams’: Lucas Zelnick ’17 on thoughtful stand-up comedy, TikTok fame, and life after the College

‘A reflection of who I was at Williams’: Lucas Zelnick ’17 on thoughtful stand-up comedy, TikTok fame, and life after the College

Aliya Huprikar November 6, 2024
Zelnick is a New York City-based comedian whose punchy crowd work clips skyrocketed him into TikTok fame, amassing over 37 million likes. Yet excluding a failed Combo Za audition, he never did comedy during his time at the College.
Investment Office launches website in effort to increase transparency

Investment Office launches website in effort to increase transparency

Haley Zimmerman and Aliya Huprikar October 22, 2024
The College’s Investment Office launched a new website on Oct. 11 that includes details about the College’s investment strategy, asset allocation, and approach to investor responsibility standards. The website is part of the Investment Office’s efforts to make its practices more transparent, a commitment the College announced in the wake of student protests related to the war in Gaza. 
'Silence of the Lambs' screenwriter treats Images audience to behind-the-scenes stories from film’s production

‘Silence of the Lambs’ screenwriter treats Images audience to behind-the-scenes stories from film’s production

Aliya Huprikar and Dilay Kalınoğlu October 22, 2024
On Oct. 16, Images Cinema held a talk with Ted Tally, the screenwriter of The Silence of the Lambs.
(Theo Duarte-Baird/The Williams Record)

FAST seeks to remedy reduced budget

Aliya Huprikar October 22, 2024
Members of the Facilitators for Allocating Student Taxes — the student-run body that allocates funding to Registered Student Organizations for programming and activities — are exploring avenues to increase their annual budget following a sharp decrease in the group’s available funds this year.
Photo courtesy of Shoshie Hemley.

FAST faces reduced budget, delays allocation of funds to RSOs

Aliya Huprikar October 8, 2024
This year's FAST budget is approximately two-thirds of the previous year's budget.
In Other Ivory Towers: California to ban legacy, donor admissions

In Other Ivory Towers: California to ban legacy, donor admissions

Aliya Huprikar October 1, 2024
California will ban private universities and colleges from considering the legacy and donor status of applicants during the admissions process starting Sept. 1, 2025. Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed the bill into law on Monday, said the ban is intended to promote equal educational opportunity in California.
Students provide insight into the annual a cappella audition process. (Olivia Jo/The Williams Record)

Aca-scuse me!? I’d like to audition.

Audrey Adam and Aliya Huprikar September 24, 2024
In a whirlwind week of auditions, scores of students sang their hearts out in hopes of joining one of the College’s a cappella groups.
Akkshansh Bagga/The Williams Record

OCL faces staffing shortage, delays RSO registration

Sonia Zinkin-Meyers and Aliya Huprikar September 17, 2024
Staffing shortages at the Office of Campus Life (OCL), spurred by the departure of five staff members in the last year, have caused delays in the registration process for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), though other impacts on students have been minimal.
Board of Trustees decides against divestment, blanket ESG standards; plans to increase endowment transparency

Board of Trustees decides against divestment, blanket ESG standards; plans to increase endowment transparency

Aliya Huprikar and Haley Zimmerman June 15, 2024
The Board of Trustees followed the ACSR’s recommendations against divesting from weapons manufacturers and adopting exclusionary environmental, social, and governance standards for investments.
Aliya Huprikar/The Williams Record

Encampment enters week two

SJP, J4J hold rallies, teach-ins, meet with senior staff; posters of Israeli hostages removed, defaced
Aliya Huprikar and Maya Prakash May 8, 2024
Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jews for Justice (J4J) have continued their encampment on Sawyer Quad into its second week. The encampment, which began at 4 a.m. last Wednesday, joined a wave of campus protests across the nation in which students have set up encampments.
Theatre department to perform Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Theatre department to perform Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Aliya Huprikar and Ava Rahman April 23, 2024
The theatre department will perform its first musical in a decade, Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, this weekend.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Sheehan.

Mayor of Albany Kathy Sheehan discusses renewable energy at Log Lunch

Aliya Huprikar April 23, 2024
Mayor Kathy Sheehan of Albany, N.Y., delivered the lecture at the Center for Environmental Studies’ (CES) weekly Log Lunch last Friday, April 19. In her talk, entitled “Climate Justice: A Case Study on Creating Affordable Renewable Energy in a Disadvantaged Neighborhood,” Sheehan discussed the city’s efforts to improve sustainability and renewable energy while mitigating cost burden concerns.
Jane Su/The Williams Record

SJP holds protests during Davis Center reopening, Bolin Weekend

Aliya Huprikar and Lena Kerest April 16, 2024
Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held events on Friday and Saturday to advocate for a new set of demands, written in collaboration with Jews for Justice (J4J), regarding the College’s endowment and investment policies.
Student photographer Maya Singh ’27 shoots sports from Williamstown to NCAA Women’s March Madness Tournament

Student photographer Maya Singh ’27 shoots sports from Williamstown to NCAA Women’s March Madness Tournament

Aliya Huprikar April 16, 2024

Although Maya Singh ’27 is now an experienced sports photographer — touting employment by the NCAA, the New York Mets, and the College’s own Sports Information — her first foray into photography...

Photo courtesy of Lonnie Bunch.

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Siddhartha Mukherjee to speak at commencement, baccalaureate

Aliya Huprikar March 12, 2024
Lonnie G. Bunch III, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., will deliver the 2024 commencement address on June 2. Physician and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee will deliver the College’s Baccalaureate address on June 1.
President Mandel visits Washington, D.C. with advocacy group

President Mandel visits Washington, D.C. with advocacy group

Lena Kerest, Aliya Huprikar, and Dylan Mealey March 6, 2024

President Maud S. Mandel attended the Annual Day of Advocacy and Action conference hosted by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) in Washington, D.C., from Feb....

Photo Courtesy of Sports Information.

Captains’ Corner: Emma Schulman ’24

Aliya Huprikar March 6, 2024
The Record sat down with Emma Schulman ’24, co-captain of women's swim and dive.
CSS hosts active shooter training, Jewish Association to follow suit

CSS hosts active shooter training, Jewish Association to follow suit

Aliya Huprikar February 21, 2024
Campus Safety Services (CSS) hosted an active shooter/hostile event response (ASHER) training for students, faculty, and staff in the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance on Feb. 13. Led by Director for Emergency Management Amalio Jusino, the hour-long training covered the College’s current emergency practices and an overview of nationwide practices, such as the “Run, Hide, Fight” program administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Photo courtesy of Matthew Magnotta.

Two in Two Thousand: Aidan McMahon ’26 and Matthew Magnotta ’26

Aliya Huprikar February 14, 2024
In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Record brings you its annual profile of a campus couple. This year, Aidan McMahon ’26 and Matthew Magnotta ’26 discussed their love for Taylor Swift, the romance of Super Bowl Sunday, and their favorite memories together.
10 faculty members awarded tenure this January. 
Noor Naseer/The Williams Record

College awards tenure to 10 faculty members

Lena Kerest and Aliya Huprikar February 7, 2024

The Board of Trustees approved the promotion of 10 assistant professors to associate professors with tenure at its January 2024 meeting on Jan 19 and 20: Daniel Barowy, computer science; Mari Rodríguez...

Hubbell House will rejoin the general housing lottery for the 2024-2025 academic year. (Tatiana Geroulanou/The Williams Record)

Hubbell residents to relocate by end of January as building undergoes repairs

Aliya Huprikar January 24, 2024
Residents of Hubbell House were told last Wednesday morning that they must relocate by Jan. 30 due to anticipated concerns with the building’s structural integrity.
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