By Jeanne-Kay

Research: Brian Springer, Kathryn Leahey, Jeanne Kay

Prelude: The Discourse of Toxicity

“Toxic Culture.” Steve Lawry’s infamous phrase is now part of the vocabulary of virtually all Antiochians. The year before the Antioch University Board of Trustees (UBoT) resolved to close the college, the key political issue on campus and the polemic that reached alumni revolved around the question of Toxic Culture–whether there was one, how it manifested itself, how to fix it or how to debunk its myth.

To alumni whose only contact with the community in years had been filtered through Media and University intermediaries, “toxic culture” meant a steady decline in academic excellence and increased political narrowness from their time at Antioch onwards; to conservative reporters, “toxic culture” came to be the perfect excuse to write diatribes against political correctness at liberal arts colleges; and to many observers “toxic culture” was a perfect shortcut to explaining how Antioch College had found itself in such an incomprehensibly dire situation: Antioch students were narrow-minded, unstable, out of control–they chased away new students, driving down retention and preventing Antioch from achieving financial stability. The toxic culture narrative made sense–and it was useful.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Emily Mente, Lauren Soldano, and Iveta Jusova about their experiences on the Summer 08 Antioch Education Abroad Women’s Studies Program. Emily is a third year student at Antioch / Nonstop from Pittsburgh. Lauren is a second year Antioch / Nonstop student from Hamilton, Ohio. Iveta Jusova has led the Women’s Studies Abroad Program for the past five years, and currently teaches at Nonstop.

About the program:

Iveta: This program was created by Antioch College Women’s s Studies faculty in 1984. Marianne Welchel and Jean Gregorek are some of the College faculty who have been involved in developing and improving the WGSE program over the years. The structure of the program is wonderfully conducive to combining classroom academics and experiential learning. I love the constant back and forth between theory and practice on the program.

Emily: It is a thirteen week program. You take four classes:
Situated Feminism, Feminist Methodologies, Feminist Theory, and an independent research project. This year, we started in Utrecht in the Netherlands. The program starts out wherever the NOISE Summer School conference is which is a two-week program on European Women’s Studies. From there we went to Krakow, Poland, and from there to Prague, then to Berlin, and back to Utrech for two weeks. Then we flew to Istanbul where we spent ten days, and then back to Utrech. It was quite a trip.

Fashion Dance

On a cold February night, creepy undead Nonsters and high-schoolers rose from their piles of homework and took over Michael Casselli’s studio to celebrate none other than: Undead Prom! The space was transformed into a cemetery complete with fog machines, tombstones, cobwebs, an open-coffin snack and beverage bar and an eerie hologram of demented men’s faces with mouths for eyes, singing along to the music. Clad in DIY costumes, fake blood, and hallowed eyes and cheeks, the undead creatures danced to MJ’s “Thriller” and the “Monster Mash” and, of course Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” They posed and flaunted their stuff in a high-fashion photo shoot taken by Jonny No and Rose Pelzl. And what’s a prom without prom royalty? Jeanne Kay, Jonny No and Nic Viox were voted Prom Queen, King, and Gender-Queer Hierarchical Power Reference, respectively.

Classes Resume at Nonstop

By Eva Erickson

It’s the beginning of round two for the Nonstop Liberal Arts Institute, and the Nonsters are back and ready to fight. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and styles including  self-proclaimed: smelly nonster (1^st year Rose Pelzl ), hermit nonster (2^nd year Stacy Wood-Burgess), awkward, yet joyous nonster (2^nd year Ashley McNeely),  an artsy-fartsy/party nonster (3^rd year Shea Witzberger), and even a stick-to-your-ribs nonster (8^th year Jonny No). Team Nonster has lost a few teammates since last semester, but has gained many former Antioch students and returnees from Antioch Education Abroad in Europe and Mali, and even a few fresh faces.

Katie Connolly, one of about three totally new students to Nonstop, came here from Chicago after attending three years at Northeastern, and decided she wanted to be in a smaller college with a stronger sense of community and more personal connection between the faculty and students. She’s also interested in learning how to make documentaries and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make one with Anne Bohlen in the “Toxic Tours” co-op. She learned about Antioch through her older sister, Kelly Connolly, who graduated in 2003 and is currently involved with the Chicago Alumni chapter. She also wants to learn the history of Antioch College’s transformation to Nonstop.

The Womyn’s Center

The Womyn’s Center is a supportive space for female-bodied and female-identified individuals of varying identities and backgrounds to get excited, educated, and share experiences of womanhood. The content of conversations and activities is open to the interests of the participants, but often include such titillating topics as menstruation, body image, gender roles, cunts, feminist theories, abortion, health, sex, women’s rights, violence against women, arts, crafts, and of course community. I can’t wait to have “Love Your Body Night”, the most widely anticipated Womyn’s Center event, with food, art making, and body positive celebration! I’m also super excited about DIY activities, alternatives to the western version of reproductive health, and women in the media. I’d love to see radical discussions take place within the frame of a loosely defined Stitch ‘n’ Bitch, inviting crafters of all varieties to participate. Also, aside from scheduled meetings and parties, womyn should feel free to ask me about impromptu or non-structured female time, space, and support as needed.

Interfaith Dialog

I am Jessie Clark and I will be coordinating the Interfaith Dialog Independent Group (IG). In this IG, we will be engaging in intriguing discussions about spirituality, religion and all the juicy bits in between. The discussions will take place over tea at the Dharma Center. A time has yet to be figured out. If you have ever pondered the meaning of life or have a general interest in the theories of others come join us! The focus will be on exchange and mutual discussion, sharing religious woes and oohs (epiphanies), what bothers us and what is helpful to us in thinking about the spiritual life (need there be such a thing?). We are interested to here what you think about these hot topics. Atheist & religious misfits also welcome. For more information e-mail me at jessie.spoons@gmail.com. Hope to see you there!