THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of November 6, 2019
Vol. 45 Iss. 10
Politics and Public Discourse with Jon Meacham Award-winning author participates in the Open VISIONS Student Forum Event By Julia Crews News Editor
Well-known writer and biographer Jon Meacham is coming to the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. for an Open VISIONS Forum event: “The Liberal Arts in a General Culture: Gaining the Competitive Edge.” When discussing the event, Philip I. Eliasoph, Ph.D., a professor in visual and performing arts, wrote via email, “Fasten your seatbelts for a thrilling evening of ideas [and] opinions as we watch respectful civil discourse uplift our lives assuring the highest values of American democracy in our town hall setting.” This event will also be a special Annual Student Forum, meaning that Fairfield University students will be featured in a panel onstage with Meacham. Meacham is known best for his presidential biographies such as “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House” and “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.” One of his more recent books from 2018, “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels,” inspects the “present moment in American politics and life by looking back at critical times in our history when hope overcame division and fear,” said the Quick Center’s webpage about the event. The description goes on to say, “Meacham describes historical moments when the ‘better angels of our nature,’ a term used by Abraham Lincoln, have repeatedly won the day.” His most recent book is titled, “Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation” and is co-written with country music singer Tim McGraw. Eliasoph touched on the goals for the event. “We want to encourage to remember that when we speak of a ‘Fairfield education’ we should expand that to the immensely rich menu of
cultural and intellectually enriching programs we offer through the Quick Center’s Open VISIONS Forum,” he wrote. “Beyond the walls of the classroom, here is a precious opportunity for students to engage with one of the leading ‘Influencers’ on the landscape of American ideas today. “As an added bonus, having student leaders on the stage as part of this special ‘Student Forum’ adds more Stag Pride to the evening,” continued Eliasoph. The forum will feature a “broad spectrum of student social and political positions,” including the president of the on-campus organization Fairfield University College Democrats, Katherine Klima ‘20, as well as Jarrod Mullaly ‘20, president of Fairfield University College Republicans, and “journalistic insights” from The Fairfield Mirror’s Editor-in-Chief Lexi Thimble ‘20. The custom of the Student Forum has been around at Fairfield for
quite a long time. “This is the 22nd year we have featured the Student Forum,” elaborated Eliasoph. “It’s a lovely and honored tradition for us — watching our student leaders go ‘one on one’ with some of the nation’s top opinion makers and trend setting thinkers. At the very core and center of what we do at Fairfield is to assure our students the chance to participate and shape the ‘public conversation’ we want to encourage. Come out and support your fellow students as we think out loud along with one of America’s most respected authors and presidential historians — Mr. Meacham.” Students can get tickets for Wednesday night’s event at the Quick Center’s box office for $5. Editor’s Note: Seniors Lexi Thimble and Katherine Klima are the respective Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor of The Mirror.
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World Protests
Opinion Americans must pay attention to current world protests. Page 5
Field Hockey Victory
Sports Field Hockey finishes NEC play victorious. Page 8
“Women on Fire”
Vine Photo Courtesy of Life@Fairfield
Jon Meacham’s 2018 book, ‘The Soul for America: The Battle for Our Better Angels’ was released in 2018.
“Women on Fire” blows Quick Center away. Page 16
Stag Card Security Policy Removed Library no longer requires Stag Card Swipe upon entry By Julia Crews News Editor
Danielle Sondgeroth/The Mirror
FUSA senators debate in the Lower Level of the BCC.
FUSA Fights for Transparency By Danielle Sondgeroth Contributing Writer
Fiery debate and discussion broke out at a Fairfield University Student Association General Senate Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. over the passing of two new bills. These bills focused on transparency between FUSA’s Executive Branch and the Senate. The first bill discussed, brought about by Senator Ali Haidar ‘21, described a previous verbal agreement with President Claire Continue Reading FUSA On Page 2
Last semester on April 16, 2019, the DiMenna-Nyselius Library and the Department of Public Safety enacted a policy requiring all students and non-students who enter the library to swipe their StagCard or show other identification. This followed an incident of a non-student in the library whose presence caused a group of students to be uncomfortable. At the time, the policy was mostly received by students and faculty to be a positive step towards increasing security on campus. But now, the Stag Card swipe policy is no longer in effect. “I do prefer the swipe in policy because it makes people feel safer at night in particular,” said Elizabeth Ricker ‘22. “It takes the edge off knowing only people that are ‘supposed’ to be in the library are there.” However some students found it unnecessary. “I initially didn’t like the swipe policy,” wrote Christian Mannio ‘22, who frequents the library, via electronic message. “It didn’t make the library any safer.” As for the policy’s removal, opinions among students are also mixed “Since the policy’s removal, it has felt no different,” continued Mannio. “I always feel safe on campus and think it made the experience in the library a little bit more restrictive. I prefer not having to swipe in because it makes the library feel like a more welcoming and open area. We have [the Department of Public Safety] for a reason, so the
Julia Crews/The Mirror
The policy required students to swipe in at front desk.
whole swipe thing seemed a bit much.” Todd A Pelazza, Director of DPS, wrote in a statement via email: “The security of our campus is built around a matrix of interlocking elements. No one of which can or should be evaluated in isolation.” However, this change may not end up being permanent. Pelazza continued, “We have removed the card swipe at the library on a trial basis because we were satisfied that other compensating elements were sufficient. We expect to revisit that decision periodically or if circumstances change.”