Reunions - Students, Faculty and Alumni Discuss "Today’s Hamilton"

As part of Alumni Weekend, two faculty members and three students participated in the panel "Today's Hamilton." Sandy Webb '05, Professor of Anthropology Douglas Raybeck, Haley Reimbold '06, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Mark Bailey and Ann Hapanowicz '05 fielded alumni questions about social life, diversity, political discussions in classes, student views of the current situation in Iraq and student/faculty interaction.

Reimbold, current chair of Hamilton Action Volunteer Outreach Coalition (HAVOC) and a philosophy major, observed that it is a myth that Hamilton students are unengaged and apathetic. "The Hamilton cool is a misnomer," she said. "Students embrace opportunities to do interesting things on campus and in the larger community." Raybeck added, "HAVOC is one of the two best things about Hamilton. The other is student/faculty relations; Hamilton mentors better than any other small liberal arts institution with which I am familiar."

Regarding the potential for faculty intolerance of certain political views, Bailey said, "As faculty, we don't really have an opportunity to push an agenda because [in the classroom] we're outnumbered." Hapanowicz, captain of the field hockey team, a concentrator in economics and government and a native of Rome, N.Y., added, "I think Hamilton is politically more diverse than we realize. I'm so close to home, but I feel like I'm a million miles away." Webb, a residential advisor and also a concentrator in government and economics, observed that his grandfather predicted, "Education will make you liberal." "It has somewhat," Webb said, "but I don't think that's because the professors pushed me in that direction. [It's] because of my engagement with the issues."

--by Linwood Rumney '04