The Collegian – Feb. 12, 2021

Making a splash

COVID caravan

The doctor is in

SPORTS

PHOTOSPREAD

COMMUNITY

Swim team wins and wins

The

@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, February 12, 2021

Students make way to quarantine hotel

Dr. Love makes his perceptive debut

Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper

Three weeks in, we’ve still got it

Cases are spiking

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Editor-in-Chief

Anna DiStefano Managing Editor

cine.

“I decided that, while the long-term effects of the vaccine are unknown, there has been a lot more testing on vaccines in general than on this disease. I know that, as an educator, I am exposed to

Pennsylvania State Police arrested a Grove City man Tuesday after a report of harassment from two female college students.

The students contacted Campus Safety Feb. 4 after a white car followed them into the Aldi parking lot and parked directly behind them.

After shopping, the students returned to their car, got in and locked the doors, when a man tried to open their rear driver’s side door before they drove away.

Video footage from the encounter was obtained from Aldi security cameras, and Grove City police identified the man as 44-year-old Richard Rohrer. He is charged with disorderly conduct and harassment.

“An interview was conducted with the actor at PSP Mercer on Feb. 9 at which time he confessed to the contact with the victim’s vehicle, however motivation for this action is unknown at this time,” state police reported.

The case was one of two incidents of suspicious activity reported by Campus Safety this week.

The other report was from a female student who heard a man call out to her as she walked from the PLC parking lot and then followed her towards her residence hall around 9:45 p.m. Feb. 2.

The incident sparked several other reports of suspicious behavior on campus, according to Campus Safety.

Outside of the Feb. 2 report, “all of the subsequent reports have ultimately turned out to be a member of the campus community, or to be some variation of a rumor told and retold with slight variations in location or date,” Director of Campus Safety Seth Van Til said in an email to students Tuesday.

In light of increased rumors surrounding the suspicious activity, Van Til informed students that all reports are investigated, but urged them to limit their reporting to firsthand accounts to “free up resources to better safeguard the campus.”

“If you hear of a new sighting, ask the person if they personally witnessed it or not.

If they are simply repeating something they heard from someone else, please do not further the rumor by passing it on without evidence,” Van Til said.

Junior Nick Buonaugu-

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MATT SCHOONOVER

Sophomore Rachel Gladstone waits outside the PLC last Saturday to be taken to the Holiday Inn Express to quarantine. Check out the Photospread on page 6-7 for a visual perspective.

Vaccine distribution is waiting game Ashley Ostrowski Copy Editor

As Stage 1A has begun in Pennsylvania this past month, many health care personnel, long-term care facility residents, adults ages 65 and over and people with high-risk conditions are receiving doses of the COVID-19 vaccines.

This leaves Grove City College’s professors and students wondering when the vaccine will be distributed to them.

According to biology professor Dr. Brian Yowler, it is unclear whether the vaccine will be offered to college staff at Phase 1B, which includes the educational sector. In preparation, the administration is making plans on what will happen when vaccination does come to the college.

When the vaccine is available to professors, Yowler plans on getting it and recommends that others do the same.

“Overall, I think the appropriate measures have been

Man charged in Aldi incident Paige Fay

Collegian Staff

With only two weeks into the spring semester, prospects for continuing in-person classes are compromised with a spike in campus COVID-19 cases.

President Paul J. McNulty ’80 notified students Saturday of the situation on campus, saying “the news is not good.”

“Our COVID-19 cases have increased quickly, and our ability to manage appropriately the infected and exposed students is already under significant strain,” he wrote in an email. “We are at about the same spot now as we were in mid-October last semester.”

He warned students that social distancing efforts must be increased or “we will be forced into some unwelcome choices including discontinuing in-person classes and sending students home,” he said, noting that the college’s resources for handling such case numbers is limited.

The college is state mandated to test symptomatic students, conduct contact tracing and quarantine direct contacts of infected students.

According to McNulty, the

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taken in terms of the vaccine going through the phase trials. The data has been provided. The data has been very good and reviewed. Therefore, I’m confident that the appropriate steps have been taken, and they’re not only very effective but very safe,” he said.

“We have two vaccines that are over 90 percent effective, and that’s really something.

There has not been anything that shows any significant risk to the population,” Yowler added. “There are those very rare allergic reactions, but they are rare and treatable.”

Tricia Pritchard, an adjunct professor in the Communication & Visual Arts Department, said she is not planning on getting the vaccine right now. She believes that higher-risk individuals, like her 84-year-old mother, should get their vaccine dose first before younger adults who are less at risk of contracting the virus.

Though it looks like most college students will have a

MYGCC

The COVID-19 Positive Test Dashboard continues to update this semester on my.gcc. The college saw a spike in cases between Feb. 4 and Feb. 7, with 12 positive results, rivaling the increase we saw in October. Since Jan. 1, the college has reported 32 positive student cases and 6 positivie employee cases. long wait to receive the vaccine, senior Kylee McLafferty was one of the exceptions.

McLafferty received the vaccine because she works in childcare, which is considered an essential business in Pennsylvania. She was personally glad that she made the decision to get the vac-

Editorial

Page 2

The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, Feb. 12, 2021

From the Tower

You are not invincible

Stop acting like your actions don’t have consequences.

It’s a broken record to ask this of you at this point, but wear your mask. (Do you think we like writing about COVID-19 all the time?)

“Oh, it won’t happen to me,” you think to yourself or say to your friends. But then it does. And irony laughs.

We are the epitome of the classic psychological conundrum: as young adults, we feel an imagined sense of invincibility. Our youth makes us believe we are untouchable, strong and forever young.

Perhaps this is not far from the truth. We’re at our physical peak with strong bones, strong immune systems and more adult energy than we’ll ever have. The whole of our lives to live, we feel like we have all the time in the world to achieve our goals.

But even Superman is not invincible. Even Superman has kryptonite.

Although COVID-19 may not be our physical kryptonite, it can herald the end of our in-person spring semester.

All the college is asking of the student body is to be wise.

They aren’t asking us to create a vaccine or, more drastically, develop herd immunity. Instead, they ask the simplest thing – for us to practice wisdom in caution, something we are all capable of achieving.

You may say they are asking unwise people to be wise as you yourself hide behind your youth. How can you, as a young person, have that wisdom that comes with age? But, this defense is weak.

No one has gone through this before. In this pandemic, we are all young. No one has absolute wisdom, not even our highest earthly authority.

But the novelty of the virus is gone as we approach COVID-19’s first anniversary on campus. We’re no longer in unprecedented times. We know what smart decisions look like, and nothing is stopping you from making them but your own selfishness.

It can be overwhelming gazing upon the COVID-19 cacophony, but, just as kindergarten taught us, small actions do make a difference. And to put a stop to a pandemic, we need everyone’s small actions when it comes to acting wisely.

Where else but a conservative college to act conservatively?

Don’t want a lot of people on your list? Conserve your time, your social engagements, your off-campus travel.

Each of us has the power over our own actions, and in these “uncertain” times, that’s all we can control.

Yeah, it stinks, but so does logging on to a Teams call from your childhood bedroom, high school memorabilia and all.

Anna DiStefano Managing Editor

Paige Fay

Editor-in-Chief

Collegian Staff Editor-in-Chief Paige Fay

Business Manager Kathryn Miller

Managing Editor Anna DiStefano

Copy Editors Jessica Hardman Ashley Ostrowski Claire Josey Lauren Ness Kylie Jasper Joanna Thorpe Elizabeth Schinkel Katherine Bennett Austin Branthoover Sydney Travis Eve Lee

Section Editors News David Zimmermann Community Fiona Lacey Perspectives Clark Mummau Sports Emily Rupczewski

Design Chief Caleb West

Staff Writers Scott Amon Noel Elvin Connor Schlosser Gabrielle Capaldo Jules Wooldridge Ayden Gutierrez Chris Murphy

Copy Chief Britney Lukasiewicz

Staff Adviser Nick Hildebrand

Photo Chief Matthew Schoonover

The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.

Green Eyeshade Award the

This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Sports Editor Emily Rupczewski for her flexibility, innovation and reporter’s instinct. She knows what she did.

The Green Eyeshade Award honors student contributors that demonstrate consistency and excellence in their work.

Rupczewski

NYT

Why I won’t drink, but I don’t mind if that’s what you choose Clark Mummau Perspectives Editor

Ah, Valentine’s Day, a day for romantic steak dinners with a nice glass of the most romantic beverage: water.

Oh, yes, water is a very romantic beverage.

Why? Water is free, spending no money is frugal, and frugality is attractive, and therefore, romantic.

As one underage, it is easy to say I don’t drink.

However, I also have the conviction to never drink.

This conviction is not binding to other people, and I wouldn’t even say that drinking would be a sin for me.

My opposition to alcohol is two-fold: there is a religious element to it and a practical one.

While there is no biblical prohibition against drinking, there is a clear command to avoid drunkenness: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Eph. 5.18).

Drunkenness is unique among sins in that we have incredible control over our falling into it.

Alcohol is a substance outside the body that must be ingested for it to have its effects. Even sins like adultery and murder, which seem easy enough to avoid, are impossible to be free from when

Jesus extends their definitions to include lust and anger (Matt. 5.22, 28).

I have too often fallen into repeated sin because of conceding one small point, but I trust that I will never be drunk if I simply never consume alcohol.

Of course, being filled with the Spirit, the positive part of that two-fold command, is not as easy as not drinking, and I will spend my life aiming to live a fully Spirit-filled life.

My practical reason for avoiding alcohol may seem foolish, but it really is the stronger reason that I will not drink, for I could of course just drink one glass of wine and no more.

Alcohol is expensive, and I am a frugal person. According to a 2018 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend about $583 dollars annually on alcoholic beverages.

Over 50 years, that is a total of almost $30,000. I can think of many things I would rather $30,000 towards than alcohol.

Additionally, I have a perfectly fine time in social situations without alcohol, so I feel no need or pressure to drink alcohol in order to have a good time or to fit in.

By not consuming alcohol, I will be in complete control of my faculties, and I can be sure I will be fully aware of everything happening.

Some people might say that

I am missing out on some of God’s gifts by not drinking alcohol, but I think that we all choose to miss out on different gifts God gives us.

Certain people dislike different foods that others could not imagine life without, like lima beans. Because of these differences of tastes, I feel no shame about not drinking, just as others should not feel shame for disliking lima beans.

Another factor into my decision not to drink is my parents, both of whom have never drank alcohol. My earliest memory of alcohol was an extended relative drinking at a cousin’s birthday party, and I immediately was wary to be around him.

Throughout the rest of my childhood, I was not exposed to drinking, so I have no model of how to drink.

These experiences have undoubtedly shaped my thinking about alcohol, but I can definitively say that my decision to not drink is made entirely of my own accord.

In the same way that some people don’t like coffee or soda and never drink it, I do not want to drink alcohol. I have found other beverages in water and tea that I could drink and be completely satisfied with.

So, the next time you go out save yourself the five or ten dollars, just get tap water and never worry about being drunk.

This week in history...

Feb. 11, 1931 - Outrage Outrage in 1931 as we discover about 33 percent of Grove City gentlemen do not remove their hats upon entering the building… scandalous!!!

Feb. 12, 1941 – Sports Highlight This week in 1941 was a good one for Grove City sports. The Wolverine swim team wiped the floor—or rather, the pool—with Allegheny College Gator Tankmen, earning a win of 48 to 18. Grove City’s so-called “Crimson Five” flew past Fredonia runners for a win of 46 to 26. Finally, the Grove City basketball team earned their seventh consecutive, trouncing Allegheny with a score of 39 to 36.

Go Wolverines!

Jules Wooldridge Staff Writer

News The Collegian,

Feb. 12, 2021

Page 3

Food app leaves some wanting more Paige Fay

Editor-in-Chief

David Zimmermann News Editor

With the new semester comes a new way to order food.

Grove City released a new mobile app for students called TouchNet Order Ahead, which is available on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.

The app allows students to order their food in advance on their phones or laptops and applies to MAP Café and the GeDunk.

According to Bon Appetit manager Sam Shepherd, the app was made with students and convenience in mind.

“Sometimes class schedules are too busy to spend time in the cafes,” Shepherd said. “With COVID-19 capacity restrictions in the dining halls, Order Ahead allows you to skip the lines and crowds.”

Senior Joshua Tricarico has enjoyed using it so far.

“At this point, I have used the app probably 10 times and I think it’s off to a great start,” he said. “I most often use it for breakfast in the

STU since there are sometimes things on the app that they would not normally have, like a croissant sandwich.”

Tricarico also likes to use it for lunch in MAP since, “My friends and I will order when we get out of class and it’ll be ready when we get there,” he said. “Then we can snag our food and go to a common area.”

He believes that once the weather gets warmer, the app will be used much more often.

Junior David Capaldo thought the app was, “a very clever solution to the issue of lacking social distance occurring in all of the cafeterias while waiting in line.”

Capaldo uses the app often, usually grabbing breakfast from the GeDunk so that he does not waste extra minutes that could be spent sleeping.

He praises the app for its ease of use.

Not only does the app allow your food to be ready when you are, but Capaldo also says that there are food options exclusive to app users.

“I really like getting the bacon, egg and cheese on an English muffin, but that is not something you can just

The real effects of investing Karsten Lagerquist Contributing Writer

Apps like Robinhood, CashApp and M1 Finance are revolutionizing investing.

Investors can now get started with amounts as small as a single dollar and trade constantly without worrying about racking up transaction fees. The result has been an unprecedented degree of access to markets for millions across America.

While there surely are many benefits to reducing barriers to entry for potential investors, the way Americans approach investing has been negatively impacted as well. Investing has become far less thoughtful than it ever has before. Due to the high transactional costs and larger minimum investments, historically, investors were far more likely to do their homework, scrutinizing the business’s viability and profitability, before buying a stock. Comparatively, individuals now feel no qualms at throwing a few dollars at companies with household names because the consensus is that an investment in a company like Amazon could never go wrong. The lines between wise investing and speculating have rarely been this blurred.

The result of this divorce between fundamental valuation techniques and investing decision-making is that some stocks have increased in price far beyond their real value. Even being generous with valuation methods and minimizing potential negatives still leads to mathematically overpriced stocks.

Extreme examples of this are Tesla and GameStop.

Some would say, though, that the entire market has exhibited similar characteristics recently.

It is difficult to understanding how an over- or underpriced stock can affect the company itself, so we will avoid details. What is important, though, is that if a stock is overpriced, a company has a much easier time getting cash from outside sources for new projects. If it is underpriced, the company has a harder time getting that same cash.

When a company has easy access to cash, they unsurprisingly often end up making less judicious choices in how to spend the resources they have. It is the same concept when we as individuals have plenty of time but not a lot to do. We are more likely to waste more time than we would otherwise.

This is unfortunate because that means those same resources are unavailable to other companies who have undervalued stocks and a harder time getting the cash they need.

Unless investors seek to buy and sell stocks in a way that reflects whether or not they are overpriced or underpriced compared to their earnings, they are distorting the true value of the stock and amplifying the mismanagement of resources.

As Christians, we are supposed to steward resources well – even monetary ones.

While I certainly would never argue that investor sentiment is not important or that you need to be a finance wizard to do any investing, I do think we each should make an effort to understand what is happening when we invest and adjust our actions accordingly. I had not really thought of investing in this light until finance professor Dr. Grimm discussed it with our financial valuation class last week. This view deserves more thought from all of us moving forward.

Junior Geoff Halliley scrolls through Bon Apetit’s new app, TouchNet Order Ahead.

MATT SCHOONOVER

walk into the cafeteria and pick up,” he said.

Despite the positive review he gives Order Ahead, he points out that the app does not give you very many options and it doesn’t allow you to select your own food and drink.

“I do feel that there should be a sides menu that is given after choosing an entrée on the app,” he said.

Tricarico would also like to see more customization

and accuracy. He says that the cafeteria will just list on the app what they will put in your order but will sometimes give you something different when you pick it up.

Both Tricarico and Capaldo enjoy the app and have recommended it to others based on its convenience and opportunity for social distancing.

Shepherd adds that Bon Appetit will be expanding into retail and Crimson cash

options at the GeDunk and offer a late-night MAP option from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Later in the semester, they plan to reveal the Order Ahead option for Hicks, too.

“We’ll improve the order ahead with the student feedback,” he said. “What students like, what they don’t want, menu items, requests, etc. The Order Ahead program will be built around the Grove City College students’ needs and wishes.”

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that decision – and others – poorly, it would be the last disappointment nail in the coffin to many students and alumni alike, destroying one of the last few things holding our community together – service,” he said.

“By remaining on campus despite rising COVID-19 cases, students are constantly living in limbo with everchanging policies. Advantages to being on campus are depleted while the negatives continue to grow,” senior Hannah Kauffmann said.

“Just send us home, it’s not worth it.”

McNulty acknowledged students’ sacrifices and praised their efforts to curb the pandemic so far.

“It’s a big challenge for students to be living on campus but limiting their social in-

teraction. I sympathize with them in this hard reality.

The pandemic has forced us into a long season of sacrifice. I don’t agree with all of the public policy decisions our government leaders have made, but the college’s board and I have a clear fiduciary duty to comply with applicable legal requirements which include the enormous logistical burden of contact tracing and quarantines.”

“That is why physical distancing is so important. And my sense is that our community is increasingly understanding this point. From what I am hearing from students, they want to be here and are prepared to do what it takes to be successful. That’s just one reason why it’s such a privilege to be president of this college.”

don’t need it. Where I go to get the vaccine, there will be a lot of people who are either elderly or sickly, and I don’t want to spread anything to them, and someone could better benefit from the vaccine than I could,” freshman Judah Hill said.

Hill said he would get the vaccine later after it is distributed to more vulnerable populations. “Once everything dies down or the vaccine is quickly and safely available, I would not hesitate to get it.”

Senior Cole Stinebiser, on the other hand, does not see a reason for getting the vaccine due to his young age and good health. He also noted his concern that neither Pfizer’s nor Moderna’s vaccines are currently FDA approved. Both are considered for Emergency Use Authorization.

“Normally, it takes 10 to 12 years to bring a vaccine to market, and they brought this one to market in less than a year,” he said. “We don’t know the long-term consequences of it because we haven’t had time to observe the long-term consequences of it.”

Along with the two available vaccines, three more are in Phase 3 clinical trials.

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greatest problem has been the length of students’ contact lists, which contain students who were within six feet of a COVID-positive student or primary contact.

Zerbe Health and Wellness Center and Student Life and Learning did not respond to requests for comment.

The situation on campus has negatively affected students’ outlooks.

Sophomore Matthew Grazulis notes that he and his friends feel worn out and “just tired of everything” because of the pandemic.

“The only hope of ‘normalcy’ that myself and many of my friends have is an ICO trip to Philadelphia, and while it is safer than going home over break, if the school handles

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continued from 1 germs all the time and I don’t want to have to be afraid of the students being too close to me,” McLafferty said.

For most students there will be a long wait. As death and case numbers rise, the urgency to get the vaccine grows.

“I definitely want to get the vaccine once I can,” junior Laura Woodson said.

“The vaccine is a vital component in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides people with a strong immunity toward the virus and will help to end the astronomical number of deaths we see each day due to the virus.”

Not only does Woodson believe receiving the vaccine will slow the pandemic, but she also is concerned for her own physical health.

“I have a bad immune system, and I have been afraid of how I would fare if I were to get the virus. Therefore, I am eager to build up my immunity toward the virus and stop the spread of it to those who would fare worse than me,” she said.

Other students are not as eager to get the vaccine.

“The main reason I’m not getting it, whether it’s available or not, is simply that I

continued from 1 rio said he reported a suspicious person on campus after a friend he was walking to her dorm saw someone in dark clothes against a building peering into a window.

He contacted Campus Safety and they followed the man, he said.

After getting the Campus Safety email on Tuesday, he said, “I’m not so sure that he was the ‘campus creep,’ but it definitely seemed suspicious enough to report.”

Junior Richie Bocchicchio noticed students taking action to stick together after Campus Safety’s initial email.

“There were a few occasions where I was asked to walk people to their dorms and the feeling that people had trust in me to protect them couldn’t have made me feel better,” Bocchiocchio said.

Senior Hannah Mercer has been taking additional precautions in light of Campus Safety’s email.

“My roommates and I have been more careful to not walk alone at night on lower campus and go in groups when we can.”

Community The Collegian,

Feb. 12, 2021

Page 4

AlleyCat

opens up

New Broad Street bookstore opens its doors to the public Alyssa Dixon

Contributing Writer Don’t let this February chill get you down. There’s a new bookstore in town!

You’ll find this cozy spot next to Nancy’s Hair Loft on Broad St. The Alley Cat on Broad bookstore opened its doors on Jan. 18 according to the owner, Erin Carrara.

It’s hard to say what first will draw you in once you walk inside: the rows of books or the quaint furnishings. A china set sits atop a square coffee table decorated with rose petals. Various trinkets can be found displayed on shelves if one takes the time to explore.

Carrara made the decision to open a bookstore after realizing she had “way too many books at home that [she] didn’t know what to do with.” Beside the books, the furniture and china are also for sale, she explained.

Carrara has a black cat at home, which was part of her inspiration behind the name.

“As for the alley,” she said, “I want to use it during the summer as a showcase, so I used the name to direct the attention to that because we want to hold poetry readings and acoustic nights there.”

Meanwhile, Alley Cat on Broad will be holding other events in the months leading up to the summertime.

“I partnered up with Voodoo Brewery and MLH Distillery, and they’re going to come here every so often and do tastings. Then I’m hoping to couple that with some kind of poetry reading or writer’s night,” Carrara explained.

In her endeavor to attract different crowds to the bookstore, Carrara plans to get in touch with students at Grove City.

“I want there to be a place for college kids to come,” she said, “so I’d like to reach out to the writing department

MATT SCHOONOVER

Junior Alex Fink enjoys a book in Alleycat on Broad. The bookstore opened Jan. 18 to the public. and the English department and see if anyone would be interested in holding events here.”

Carrara even has something in store for the kids once the weather gets warmer.

“I’m going to try to do a

story hour at least once a week. A woman will come in, a retired schoolteacher, and she’ll do storytelling for the kids. We’ll be holding prince and princess tea parties too, so the kids will get to dress up,” she said.

For more information and

regular updates, Alley Cat on Broad can be reached on the Facebook page, @alleycatonbroad, and website, www.alleycatonbroad.com.

“It’s a comfort place to go to,” Carrara said. “That’s what I want this bookstore to be for everyone.”

No apology for apologist Relationship nun-sense

Scott Amon Staff Writer

In May of 2020, Christianity lost one of its well-known apologists, Ravi Zacharias.

Only three months passed before the late apologist was embroiled in scandal. Allegations started to surface that Zacharias had made sexual advances towards three women who worked in one of the spas that he partially owned. An independent law firm was brought in to ascertain the validity of the accusations. The firm’s preliminary reports indicate that Zacharias is guilty of the charges brought before him.

Freshman Biblical and Religious Studies major Aurora Good and Dr. Carl Truman, professor of Biblical and Religious Studies, weigh in with their perspectives on the man and his scandal.

Zacharias reached many people through his 30+ books, audiobooks, talks and Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Good’s first point of contact with Zacharias was not through a book he wrote, but one he edited which was titled “The Kingdom of the Cults.”

“I made it my goal in middle school to read this entire book . . . to no avail. However, I was impressed by what I did read in it and found it extremely helpful,” Good said.

Good continued to hear praise for Zacharias throughout her academic career but preferred to focus on her Reformed theology. “I run in Presbyterian and Reformed circles… he was not our go-to apologist,” Good said.

Truman had heard of Zacharias throughout his career but never engaged with

What do I do if my girlfriend is thinking about becoming a nun?

Dear Dr. Love

Tragically, Grover in Distress

Dear Grover in Distress, CHRISTIANHEADLINES

Late apologist Ravi Zacharias became embroiled in a sex scandal. the man.

“I had heard his name quite frequently over the years, but I do not think I ever read anything by him or heard him speak,” he said. When Truman first heard hints of a scandal surrounding Zacharias, he felt saddened but not surprised. “I’m a Calvinist with a decent splash of Nietzsche. I understand that sin is pervasive…and that human motivation is complicated and often dark,” Truman said. He added that he felt “sad for the women involved, sad that the name of Christ is once again made a scandal.”

Good likewise was saddened by the news of the scandal but not shocked. “I am not surprised in the least by this scandal… I feel saddened. This man had the incredible opportunity to reach people all over the globe… now, many will discount him due to his sin,” Good said.

Neither Good nor Truman feels that the beneficial work Zacharias and his ministry accomplished will be wasted.

“Truth is separable from the people who proclaim it…

I do not believe in the resurrection because of the moral perfection of the one who

taught me about it. I would never believe anything in that case,” Truman said.

Good added that though the scandal might cast a long shadow on the work of RZIM, God remains omnipotent. “[Christ] is crystal clear that those who are given to Him by the Father to be saved by His blood can never ever be wrenched out of His grasp,” she said.

Scandal no longer seems as surprising as it once did two decades ago. Turn on the news and a new scandal involving Christianity inevitably appears. Truman suggests that the best way to avoid more scandal is to join a church that encourages Christlike behavior.

“Be in a church where there is proper accountability… and also a clear statement of the limits of leadership power,” Truman said.

Good expressed that though the scandal is saddening, the light at the end of a long tunnel will one day appear. “There are many wolves like Zacharias, but one day, the Chief Shepherd will appear, and His true shepherds will receive the crown of glory which will never fade away (1 Peter 5:4).”

Classic Grover love story.

Boy meets girl, girl loves boy, boy loves girl, girl wants to drop him and join the convent. It’s a tragic combination of heartbreak, confusion, and frustration. When my first wife became a nun it was hard, but through the right selfsoothing techniques and meditation I was able to come out the otherside at peace.

My advice to you, young Grover, is to pray, reflect, and really take the time to think if you love your girlfriend enough to see her follow the Lord’s plan and understand that His plan is truly the best thing for her.

If it is truly in the cards for her to drop you, you have to come to the harsh reality that His plans are better than yours and will give her a life that will be best for

her, and you.

When we try to resist God’s plans we are always left feeling angry, lost, and broken. Trusting God isn’t easy but when you learn to give Him your relationships, time, and money His love and great plans will shine through. So be patient, be glad it happened rather than being sad it’s over, and embrace God’s plan for you as you look for someone else to share in your completeness rather than someone to complete you.

That’s all I got, kid.

Auspiciously,

Dr. Love Love M.D.

Connect with us!

Stay updated with our social media @Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The Grove City College Newspaper

The Collegian,

Feb. 12, 2021

Page 5

Hiding behind a screen name Fiona Lacey

Community Editor An online anonymous chatting app called “Clacku” was identified as a source of cyberbullying on campus last week, and it does not bode well for GCC’s student life.

Several GCC students started using this online chat app on Feb. 3, and the app gained traction ever since.

The app’s popularity centers on the fact of its anonymity, allowing any user to express anything to other anonymous users at the same college or university.

Dr. John Coyne, Associate Dean of Student Life, was made aware of the app last week, and according to him, there is no way of knowing the amount of GCC students who are using the app, and, more importantly, using the app as a tool to anonymously shame and attack other students.

Since the start of the app’s use last Wednesday, over half of the messages sent by students speak suggestively, explicitly or outrightly insult certain named students and groups on campus, all under pseudonyms like “xoxogrovergirl” and “GccStaffs.”

Created in 2018, the Clacku app, joined by its iconic slogan, “Discuss what’s going on nearby,” requires each user to accept the terms and conditions of its anti-cyberbullying agreement entitled, “Don’t be a Jerk,” claiming the app is in no way to be used as a tool for harassment, abuse or bullying.

But amongst the students of Grove City College, the app seems to be promoting quite the opposite.

“I would encourage students to delete the app from their phones and not engage with it,” Coyne said.

According to other sources, some students have already witnessed their own name being crassly mentioned on Clacku. Just these effects by themselves, Psychology professor, Dr. Kristin Homan said, are “particularly traumatizing when [one] reads this type of bashing about themselves.”

While anonymity seems to be what drives Clacku’s popularity on campus, it remains

Seven questions with…

Dr. Joshua Mayo ’10

Chair, Assistant Professor of English What do you listen to on your ride home?

My commute home averages three and a half minutes, the drive proves a nice time for reflection.

What are you currently reading?

CLACKU

Anonymous chatting app, Clacku, was identified as a source of cyberbullying on campus last week. the center of the problem for the campus community.

“People can be extremely cruel when anonymous,” Homan said. Cruel indeed, agreed Coyne, who claimed he saw “no edifying or uplifting content being shared.”

Dr. Suzanne Houk, Director of Counseling Services, identifies insecurity as the root of the issue. “[Those who are bashing others] may be in fear of confronting conflict or dealing assertively with problems,” Houk said.

But the hate, to Houk, reveals a greater issue– a lack of self-worth. “The people writing hateful comments are themselves in torment, self-dislike or pride.”

“Angry comments may say more about the writer than them,” Houk said.

According to a study done by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, for every 100 college students, 43 experienced bullying at their university or college. The phenomenon of bullying, and especially cyberbullying, is far from being over, even amongst adults.

Freshman Molly Ehrhart had never heard of Clacku

My wife and I have been reading the Harry Potter books out loud in the evenings. We call it our “old-people time.” Nestled in two wingback chairs by the fire, she embroiders, and I do my best Jim Dale impression. Last week we started “The Order of the Phoenix.”

What’s something you have been pondering lately?

“Education should never ever be academic.” —Eva Brann, former dean of St. John’s College What is your favorite restaurant right now?

My favorite restaurant still must be the North Country Brewery—not only because they serve the “Leroy Brow,” but also because my wife and I held our rehearsal dinner there the night before our wedding.

Name the one movie that makes you tear up.

Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” (2011) What are you looking forward to today?

In Writing 101 today we are talking about “How to Reason Like Sherlock.” I plan to bring my scarf and deerstalker cap.

CLACKU

The app, created in 2018, has gained popularity on campus. but didn’t seem surprised. “I know people who have experienced it pretty bad.”

Her friend, freshman Grant Baughman agreed.

“It bothers me. They don’t have to deal with the consequences of saying these things. They’re hiding under a screenname.”

What’s a piece of advice that you tell your kids that you believe could benefit the students at Grove City?

“Tell yourself the truth, especially about God and how much he loves you.”

Hail to Howard on his 139th

Laura Hamilton Staff Writer

On J. Howard Pew’s 139th birthday, the legacy of a remarkable man’s life offers hope and wisdom in a difficult time for Grove City College and the world.

Born to Joseph Newton and Mary Catherine Anderson Pew on Jan. 27, 1882, he grew up with Grove City College, earning an undergraduate degree at the age of 18. After further education at MIT, Pew took over his father’s Sun Oil Company, now known as Sunoco. He assumed a seat on the Board of Trustees, becoming president of the board in 1931.

“Despite being a wealthy oil tycoon, he and his family cared deeply for the College, and he not only invested money, but he invested time,” college archivist Hilary Walczak said of Pew. Like his father, Pew was fiercely devoted to the college’s ideals of faith, freedom and intellectual rigor.

Pew was a strong leader who cared deeply for all his employees while maintain-

ing rigorous expectations.

Dean Moore, father of sophomore Aimee Moore, related his memories of the strict and imposing but gracious man who hired his father to Sun Oil Company.

“He was a very good businessman, very sharp but at the same time very nice and philanthropic,” Moore said.

“He would take the time to meet younger engineers and teach them business lessons… If he was in town, he would call on his employees for dinner—that was a given, he cared about all his employees.”

Pew gave thousands of speeches in his lifetime, according to Walczak. He was known for a particular parable he used to comment on the college’s values.

“This old Arab had three sons. Realizing that he had but a short time to live, and as he was anxious to ascertain which of the three should succeed him as the head of the family, he called them together and told them that in a distant land there were some scientists who had developed some amazing things, and instructed them

to this effect: The sons were to travel together to this distant land; after arrival were to separate and each was to buy for the old Arab a present, the nature of which was to contribute most to the father’ s welfare. They were to search for this present for six months. After making their selection, they were to meet at an appointed place and return home together.

“At the end of the six months they met as planned and immediately displayed the presents which they had purchased. One had bought a magic carpet which would carry a number of people through the air at a tremendous speed. The second had purchased a magic medicine which would sure any illness. The third had bought a magic glass through which could be seen that which was taking place in any home throughout the world. They immediately turned the magic glass on the home of their father and were dismayed to find that he was ill unto death. So they immediately jumped on the magic carpet, were quickly transported to their father’s

GCC ARCHIVES

J. Howard Pew was the president of Grove City College’s Board of Trustees from 1931 until his death in 1971. home, where the medicine was administered and the father’s life was saved.

“Which of the three contributed most to the old Arab’s welfare? Obviously, the contribution which any one son made to the father’s welfare would be worthless without that of the other two; and the contribution of any two would be valueless without that of the other

one. And so it is with labor, management and investors.

And is this not also true of our college?”

Pew watches over the college through his values but also his statue: a well-known landmark in the Harbison Chapel garden, the scene of many selfies and a testimonial to his lasting impact on the school he loved.

Through the lens,

Feb. 12, 2021

Page 6

‘The glass half full’

COVID-19 spike buses students to quarantine in hotel

Throughout the past week, Grove City College has experienced a severe spike in COVID-19 cases on campus. President Paul J. McNulty ’80 addressed the situation in his Feb. 5 email to students saying, “I have always been a glasshalf-full person. Our COVID-19 case numbers have increased quickly, and our ability to manage appropriately the infected and exposed students is already under significant strain.”

Many in the student body do not want to spend another semester online, or spend two weeks in quarantine all alone. Saturday, the college sent students on a bus to quarantine at the Holiday Inn Express. Packing up their books and necessities, they loaded up until their quarantine ends.

Photos and text

Matthew Schoonover Photo Chief

McNulty addressed ways to prevent the spread, warning that if the situation worsens then he would be forced to make decisions like,“discontinuing in-person classes and sending students home.”

While many students do not want to return home for classes, many students, like senior Michael Lacek (shown right) are being forced into quarantine largely due to poor social distancing situations.

Through the lens,

Feb. 12, 2021

The days may be dark on campus but there is hope. Although we don’t know the reason why we must endure such a time, it is our duty to each other to come together and serve our community. In “Lord of the Rings,” Tolkien coined a similar phrase, “I wish it need not have happened in my time’ said Frodo. ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But it is not for them to decide. All we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given us.” The pandemic is a hard time for the world, but so was the polio epidemic, the diptheria epidemic and the Spanish flu epidemic.

Let’s use our time to help our community this week, so that we can emerge from this pandemic a stronger, more unified campus, and dedicate it to the glory of God.

Page 7

Perspectives The Collegian,

Page 8

Feb. 12, 2021

Love is like a box of chocolates Clark Mummau Perspectives Editor

Since love and COVID-19 are both in the air this Valentine’s Day, it is the perfect time to see what makes romance on this campus unique.

Grove City College is unofficially known for producing many couples. Many students come intending to get a B.S. or B.A. but end up with an M.R. or M.R.S. degree, too.

These campus relationships are fraught with clichés that seem rights of passage to Grovers. It starts with a shoe in the door, then it is sitting on the same side of the booth, there is a ring by spring and then there’s the creeking. These standards are not necessarily a bad thing, though, and some students enjoy them.

“It’s really easy making fun of Grover couples until you become one, then it’s really fun being cliché,” senior Sam Roettger said.

Other students are more critical of the stereotypes and seeming necessity of that ring, and they view the community as forming a “pressure-filled tank” around romance, as senior Liz Franz said. Being yourself and taking your time are important, she added.

Ultimately, what is most important in life is serving the Lord, and relationships are no exception. Throughout 1 Corinthians 7, Paul explains that Christians should approach both marriage and singleness an a marriage st sexg: n ri p S y b g in a in “R oled and

escho dard for the hossmed. Canceling your ually suppre may entitle you to subscription acy, refunds not eternal celib this time.” available at Sophomore Sarah Cornish

way that honors God, and he says that being single allows you to serve God more.

Paul describes the unmarried as “anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit,” but the married are “anxious about worldly things, how to please” their spouse (1 Cor. 7:34). The wisdom given in the chapter is “to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:35).

So, to the singles, do not seek a spouse. Seek the Lord, and if it is His will, He will show you someone to marry someday. But to those in relationships, I would encourage you to remember that one of the key components of a romantic relationship is the deep friendship that binds you together.

Senior Kaitlyn (Butts) Bennet said, “Pursuing deep and genuine friendships at college is essential and rewarding, period. Sure, you might end up marrying one of those friends, which is awesome, but even if you don’t, focusing on building solid friendships will result in a rich and rewarding college experience.”

Romance is a part of the college experience, but it is not required or even necessarily a good thing. I encourage you build friendships before considering dating and seek to glorify God in both your singleness and your dating.

But, hey, if you have found somebody you are ready to spend the rest of your life with, I am sure your friends will not mind “There’s a taking you and your aters with few drive-in thesomeone down Grove thain half an hour of to Wolf Creek t for an unmake fanIt think would astic orthodox spots!!” date b a p Senior Cy tism. nthia

McArthur

n’t put too much “If you are single, lfdo find a relationpressure on yourse into dependence while ship, and enjoy your e dating someone, in college. If you arm uch pressure on also don’t put too yo ur own lane, yourself. Stay in he people and don’t let ot r w “If you s ey it on the pressure on ho thp t pu o f t h hi “College can be on ns e tio la b re ooth, yousame side your k in th e of th e 9 b 0 es sp develop organ al t places to let frien % of the should be. ly. I think the m dships time sucend ships are bornicou os t su kccessful relationing face. t of those sorts of phomore So ” no surprise that so d ee Sophom many Grovers find p friendships. It’s Johnny friendships develop o th at on e eir VanderSarah re fact, I started datins into a romantic relationshofipth . In hoff. g my now husban Ball after we had esta d q u it e a w h il e b li sh ed a close and healthy friendship. Pursu g deep and genuin ships at college in is sential and re e friendperiod. Sure, yoes u might end upwmarding, “Grove City College’s ‘Ring by Spring’ rying one of thos e friends, which ar culture has a tendency to delude our awesome, but ev is en if you don’t, students into believing that they will focusing on buildin g so li d never, ever meet another single friendships will re su lt in a Chris tian after graduating. As a rich and rewardin g co lsenio r, I have a startling numlege experience.” ber of single friends who Senior Kaitlyn are genuinely worried Bennett about dying alone.”

Senior Cole Stinebiser I think something people often forget about relationsh ip s is th at loving the other person well is the m os t im p ortant thing. It’s n as much about wh at yo u ge t through the rela ot ti on sh ip as to n to fu how you give. Try “It’s a lot moreee in th g e to ot lo h an er ve th person with Christ a cr k -like love is huge. (Obviousl toss people inm in t u o e ak y if th em e th re la ch tionship is wat abusive and unhea lt South” h y th en that’s not an applicable situation to “Don’t feel pressured by the “Ring Senior John this)” Erikson Spring” culture (I know that’s easier by said Senior Cynthia than done). If you feel like you and McArthur your partner are ready to commit the rest of your lives together, “South Lobby is a then go for it. If you don’t place to go for coupretty gross think y’all are at that down there and pseles. You go stag e, then don’t push seven couples on e six or it.” top of each other.”

Senior Cynthia McArthur Senior Emma Holter

The Collegian,

Feb. 12, 2021

Page 9

The problem with purity culture Sophia Melanson Contributing Writer

The term “purity culture” has a range of meanings.

Oftentimes, this phrase is used to describe the church’s efforts to encourage sexual abstinence prior to marriage.

Both men and women are expected to remain sexually pure. Naturally, this includes abstaining from sex, but it also extends to the avoidance of lustful thoughts.

However, in some evangelical circles, for young women, being considered “pure” also means that they are responsible for the boys and men around them as they are

told to act and dress in a way that does not “tempt” their brothers to sin. Unfortunately, this way of thinking has created a culture of victim blaming and abuse tolerance in churches. In consequence, women are blamed for their mistreatment based on the length of their skirts, and men are taught that the only women worthy of respect are the ones who are considered modest by the standards of the church.

With campaigns such as “True Love Waits,” where young Christians are told to sign bizarre pledges promising to “save themselves for marriage,” to discussions in youth groups where sexually active and unwed women are compared to disposable cof-

fee cups or chewed gum, it has been wrongly suggested to young Christians that the greatest thing one can do to prove their faith is to remain a virgin until marriage.

This kind of thinking does not encourage young people to rely on God, but to instead obey a set of rules which control behavior. Parental guidelines and expectations for dating are not necessarily bad things, but if a young adult has the Holy Spirit and can rely on God for his or her personal guidance, they do not need the “no holding hands until you’re engaged” speech. There comes a time for young Christians to seek God for themselves, and to pursue a personal relationship with him.

Making “purity” about one’s sexual behavior creates a theology based on works rather than grace. As Christians, we are saved through the blood of Christ, not through the choices that we make with our bodies. Humans cannot do enough in order to become fully “right with God,” and we should remember that there is no sin great enough to make us forever “tainted” in His eyes.

Additionally, the rhetoric involved in purity culture is also harmful to survivors of sexual abuse. If one’s purity is something that can be lost from sexual activity outside of marriage, and an individual did not have a choice in that matter, what message does that send? As Chris-

tians, our hearts should go out to abuse survivors, assuring them that they are no less of a Christian based on the actions of someone else.

Purity culture tends to treat young adults as children, idolizes sexual “purity” over all things related to faith and does nothing to create peace within those who have been abused. It has done more harm than good in raising up the next generation of Christians. Because of this, we must recognize the hurt it has caused and replace the shameful and guiltridden rhetoric of purity culture with a more complete and Christ-like approach to Christian sexual education.

He’s shooting the nation in the foot Shelbi Henkle

Contributing Writer

RAND CORPORATION

Show love: get vaccinated

Emma Kinnear Contributing Writer

Last summer, I enrolled in a hybrid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and in November I was hired as an EMT by Noga Ambulance Service – little did I know the intense work in store.

I entered nursing homes, overcrowded emergency rooms, interacted with stressed nurses and worried doctors. I performed CPR on a man recently recovered from the COVID-19 virus who did not make it. I saw suicides of those who were dealing with months of isolation.

As someone who plans to be a future medical professional, these experiences were invaluable. Because of my job as a first responder, I felt blessed to receive my first round of the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 5, 2021.

I understand that many people have concerns about the safety of these new vaccines, but I trust the scientists who worked to develop this technology. As a Pre-Med

major, I also understand that the science already in existence – combined with the removal of typical “red tape” – expedited this process, but this does not mean it is necessarily unsafe.

At a 95 percent effectiveness rate, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has gone through the same stringent process for authorization as all vaccines. I was able to talk to others in the medical field, did the research and, in the end, feel very confident in my decision to get vaccinated.

Yes, there are potential side effects, but I experienced only mild soreness at the injection site which went away within 24 hours. My second dose of the Pfizer inoculation on Jan. 25 had no side effects.

In March 2020, life changed for everyone. COVID-19 became a silent, invasive thief taking our activities, school, church, sports and holidays. The world stood still and waited. And almost a year later, we are still waiting. As I write this article, I am in quarantine because a classmate listed me as a “close contact.” Even though I am vaccinated, COVID-19 has taken another week from me.

I chose to get the vaccine because I want to stop waiting to return to my pre-COVID-19 life. I want to take off my mask, I want people I pass on the sidewalk to see my smile again, I want my brother to be able to return to school.

Most of all, I want to travel and to use my passport again. When COVID-19 arrived, I was with my family spending my spring break in the Dominican Republic, but I missed my intercession GCC trip to Israel, my family’s summer vacation to Spain and our annual overseas Christmas trip. My summer concert tickets were refunded and plan after plan disintegrated.

I believe there is hope for a return to normal life, and that the COVID-19 vaccine is an important part of the journey, but it is going to take all of us choosing to get vaccinated, wearing masks and social distancing until the vaccination is widely administered.

My advice to everyone is to consider getting vaccinated when it is available. Do it because it is showing love to others—but most of all, do it for the life ahead of you, waiting to be lived.

With the new Biden administration, major changes have been made to the United States’ environmental policies.

Key alterations made via Biden’s executive orders were the re-entry of the U.S. into the Paris Climate Accords, as well as orders to cease the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines.

Taking steps to protect our earth is beneficial, but these steps made by the Biden administration are misguided at best. The irony of the 2016 Paris Climate Accords is that 197 countries have pledged to lower greenhouse emissions by 2050, which is a good goal, but the progress they have made in the last five years has been minimal.

As of 2020, China was responsible for 30 percent of the world’s pollution and the U.S. came in second contributing 15 percent. Yet over the duration of the Paris Climate Accords, those countries’ levels of CO2 emissions have steadily increased according to the Air Quality Index 2021.

Countries such as Russia, India and China have some of the worst pollution levels.

So even with the return of the U.S. to the Paris accords, how much of a difference will this make?

Is it good to be good stewards of the environment?

Absolutely, but at the same time, rejoining the Paris Climate Accords may not be the best method to do so since little progress has been made. In addition, with the United Nations fostering this endeavor, there is little enforcement on these policies.

Much of the language in the 32-page document “encourages” and “urges” countries to stick to their goals.

This does not mean the Paris Climate Accords are without merit as they prompt the global community to reevaluate their environmental impact and make goals to change behaviors. Also, if the Accords could have greater authoritative power, there is a chance of greater beneficial

results. Change takes time, and hopefully the efforts of the Paris Climate Accords will pay off if these countries truly invest in lowering emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

Another core environmental policy change from the Biden administration is the end of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. As someone who cares a great deal about ecosystems and the wildlife and individuals that live there, I am thankful for this change. The Dakota Access Pipeline was met with massive protests in 2016 by Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes due to construction invading their land. The native people deserve their land since they have already been forced to the fringes of the U.S. and faced genocide and colonialism. The very least one can do is let them keep the areas they consider sacred.

Without the pipelines, which would provide oil internally in both the U.S. and Canada, there are negative environmental and political consequences. Without the U.S. pumping and distributing their own oil, they are now forced to rely on foreign oil brought on ships which prove a greater risk for spills, as well as different environmental standards in countries that pump the oil. Alternatively, the U.S. could transport crude oil via rail cars, which has a high accident rate of at least 10 trains derailing every year, according to Pipeline Accident Prevention Services.

Furthermore, the Keystone XL would have provided oil for both Canada and the United States, which would have strengthened the relationship and “invigorated the U.S. and Canada’s economy,” according to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

Extrapolating from the actions the Biden administration has already taken, economically and politically there is a valid reason for concern about how much this may cost the nation diplomatically and environmentally. But for now, these changes hurt the environment and the U.S. more than they help.

Perspectives The Collegian,

Page 10

Feb. 12, 2021

In defense of GOP economics

Sam Branthoover Contributing Writer

A recent article by David Leonhardt in the New York Times argued that the Democratic party’s economic policy (supporting Keynesian economic theory) is more stimulative than that of the Republicans’; unsurprisingly, no concise response was issued.

I argue that, yes, Democrats do achieve larger Gross Domestic Product – or GDP – growth and perhaps are perceivably responsible for some “booms” in the past century. This does not mean, however, that the Democrats are the party of economic growth, and it certainly does not mean that individuals’ standards of living have increased as a result of Democratic policies in the aggregate and long run.

First, I take conflict with some of the basic assumptions the aforementioned article and argument makes.

For example, the argument assumes that presidents have some kind of effect on their economies by simply existing and registering as a certain party; the argument for assuming this, as they write, is that Congress simply has no real power and affects the economy minimally if at all.

When we are arguing over differences nearing one percent in GDP growth, clearly the most minute change in legislation could teeter growth, and I also fail to understand what presidents are capable of that offer such vast control over animal spirits that control the economy.

But let us cede the argument that presidents control the economy. I now propose a

NEW YORK TIMES

This figure shows the average annual GDP growth rate under the last 14 pesidents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. second critique: there are some presidents that inherit economic downturn, and some that do not. To Leonhardt’s credit, this critique is mentioned, though arbitrarily dismissed, for not explaining every single example.

Fair enough, I can cede that as well.

There are two things that are notably left out of Leonhardt’s article: the federal funds rate, and the validity and explanatory powers of GDP and other governmentconducted economic measuring tools.

The federal funds rate is the interest rate that banking institutions face when they borrow funds to meet a specific reserve ratio. In other words, when banks loan out so much that their reserves are below safe or legal levels, they must take a loan from either the Federal Reserve or another banking institution.

If the interest rate on these loans is higher, banking in-

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stitutions are less likely to take the risk of dipping below reserve targets.

The Federal Reserve controls the federal funds rate through open market operations. So, if the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, banks are incentivized to extend credit and loan out more; this resulting credit expansion is what heralds a “boom” in markets. Whether a president’s economy “booms” or “busts” largely depends on the state of credit expansion as a result of the actions of the Federal Reserve. This is arguably also something that the president does not control, as one might recall how President Trump consistently hounded the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates during his term (as that was all he could do: tweet about it).

GDP is also very inadequate in determining actual economic conditions. GDP is measured by the Bureau

of Labor Statistics (BLS) by recording prices and output throughout the country, and as one might guess, adding it all up. GDP, however, is very flawed in that it does not count many aspects of output in the country and grossly neglects the “production” side of the economy in that many capital goods appear valueless but are necessary to produce the consumer goods that GDP counts.

Exchanges not recorded by the BLS simply are not counted, and many objectively terrible events increase GDP. For example, a war creates government expenses which stimulate the economy. Divorce results in two individuals now paying for two houses rather than one. If a hurricane destroys a town, individuals expend their savings to rebuild the structures they lost. What is clearly a loss of value GDP counts as production that otherwise would not have occurred.

Economists Simon Kuznets and Oskar Morgenstern have estimated that possibly ten percent or more of GDP is inaccurate or miscounted, which means that at the least, comparing presidencies using GDP is difficult.

Leonhardt tried to argue that Keynesian economic theory was the secret tool of successful democratic lawmakers. Time and time again, Keynesianism is proven to be, at best, nondescript of reality. I am not purging the Republicans of guilt, simply stating that any comparison of economies is a fruitless pursuit.

In conclusion, it is too difficult to assign blame and reasoning for economic trends in the United States.

To say that any economy is “(blank)’s economy” is contradictory to economic reasoning, in that no individual is solely responsible for the actions of hundreds of millions of individuals.

Jackson Romo

regulations. The first whips appeared in 1913 and 1915, alongside the creation of official party leaders. In the early days, whips enforced party discipline by forcing obstinate senators to attend party meetings. They may also fill in for the party leader if needed. The position is often a launchpad to becoming Senate Majority Leader or holding even higher positions. Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Everett Dirksen, Robert C. Byrd and Lyndon Johnson are some of the more memorable Senate Whips who went on to become Party Leaders, and in Johnson’s case, President.

The current Majority Whip is Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois. He has served in the Senate since 1996, and as the Democratic Whip since 2005. Sen. Durbin is unusually powerful, as he holds both a top leadership position, and the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee.

The current Minority Whip is John Thune of South Dakota. Sen. Thune has served in the Senate since 2003, but is new to the Whip position, having replaced Sen. John Cornyn of Texas in 2019.

This year, with the Senate being evenly split, the Senate Whips face a unique challenge. Sen. Durbin’s goal will be to secure all 50 Democratic votes, so that Vice President Kamala Harris can break the tie. Sen. Thune’s goal will be to secure all 50 Republican votes, plus one Democratic defector. With 51 votes, Republicans can deny Vice President Harris the ability to break a tie.

The close divide in the Senate puts special focus on the four moderates: Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Sen. Manchin of West Virginia will probably receive the most attention, as he is the most conservative Democrat in the Senate and the most likely to side with Republicans. Joe Manchin also represents the most Republican state in the country. West Virginia voted for Donald Trump by a 40-point margin in 2020.

Sen. Manchin has already publicly opposed President Biden’s proposal for $2,000 stimulus checks, dashing the Democrats’ hopes of passing another stimulus bill.

Senate Whips: vital party leadership Contributing Writer

The power and awe of the Presidency tends to consume political discourse in the United States, but the Founders appointed Congress as the supreme branch of government.

The crown jewel of Congress is the Senate, the world’s greatest deliberative body. Vital to the function of parties in the Senate are the Whips.

The term “whip” comes from the fox-hunting term “whipper-in.” The whipperin was the person responsible for keeping the dogs from straying in a hunting party.

Similarly, a party whip is an individual that ensures party unity when voting on policy measures. The term was inherited from the British House of Commons, where it was popularized by Edmund Burke in 1769.

The position of Whip is not found in the Constitution but is enshrined in the Senate Rules and internal party

The Collegian, Feb. 21, 2021

Page 11

Sports seasons change Sports at a Glance News Grove City Athletics Junior Josh Brown prepares to pass in a game against St. Vincent last spring.

Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

Grove City College has made it through the first three weeks of classes, and COVID cases and precautionary quarantines have been increasing at a concerning level.

So far in these three seemingly long weeks, all four in-season sports have had games or meets postponed in one way or another. In total, five games and a swim meet have already been postponed or rescheduled out of caution.

With more students being forced to isolate, it creates concerns in the athletic community, both at Grove City and between PAC member schools.

Even so, Grove City teams are adapting well and remain motivated by the desire to compete.

Last weekend, the women’s basketball team had practiced and prepared and were ready to make the trip to Franciscan but were notified last minute that their opponents needed to postpone the game due to their own COVID concerns.

Something that has never been seen before is the need for all cooperating PAC schools to work together to make good choices and stay safe, for the safety of their teams, schools and opponents.

So long as these teams wish to compete with one another, they are going to have to do whatever it takes to stay healthy.

Realistically, avoiding COVID in some cases is unavoidable.

Athletic Director Todd Gibson reminds us that the NCAA has put in place necessary standards for keeping athletes and campuses alike safe during this time of competition: “Any positive test to a basketball player results in a required NCAA 10-day shutdown for the whole team.

Any other pause, postponement or cancelation is done to mitigate COVID-19 risk on all campuses involved.

The original game schedule issued by the PAC was designed to allow flexibility for teams to reschedule as needed. As has already been seen, it is expected that the consistent need to reschedule games will be taken advantage of, and changes should be expected.

This has the potential to extend the regular basketball seasons, with the hope of the PAC championship tournament taking place from Saturday, Mar. 13 to Mar. 20.

Another factor influencing the extension of the season is the NCAA’s decision to cancel DIII winter sport championships, leaving these sports to compete in conference-only play this season.

This makes PAC champi-

MATT SCHOONOVER

onships the endgame and ultimate goal for member schools.

This adaptation, however, is not necessarily a disadvantage, according to women’s basketball head coach Chelle Fuss.

“With the future being so not in our control, the things in our control, we’re gonna do,” said Fuss. “The cancelling of the championship was tough, but it does have some upside. We don’t have an end. That’s good, so we’re able to make up some games.”

Fuss explained that originally to qualify for the NCAA championship, teams had to have completed their season

by Feb. 27.

Now, however behind schedule teams may seem, they may take their time and reschedule games as needed, shifting their focus to winning their own conference as the crowning achievement this season. They’re able to play further into March than originally scheduled.

As unusual as this sports season may be, there is still hope and confidence in what’s to come.

“We believe we will play all of sports this spring,” Gibson said. “There will likely be more postponed and rescheduled and possibly a few canceled, but all in the PAC are committed to completing seasons for the student athletes of all the schools.”

National Sports Column

Five NBA Leaps Connor Schlosser Staff Writer

While the usual suspects seem to headline the NBA, a handful of players have taken a notable leap in their game.

Although they may not be in the top tier of talent, they have made significant improvement.

These emergences have and will continue to transform the league, as true contenders look to consolidate their power while trade rumors begin to brew.

The concrete jungle has not been “what dreams are made of” for almost a decade now. The New York Knicks have gone through the motions each season.

They have not finished with a winning record since Carmelo Anthony led a veteran playoff squad in 2013. But this year the Knicks could turn over a new leaf floating around the edge of playoff contention.

Thanks to changes led by Julius Randle, the Knicks are not the worst anymore.

Averaging over 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, he continues to improve in his game.

Although Randle has

been the centerpiece of the Knicks’ recent success, he is not a superstar but fits better as a complementary player on a contending franchise.

This recent emergence as a fringe star has increased his trade value. His name will likely be swirling in trade rumors of contenders looking to add a solid power forward.

Jaylen Brown is for real.

Celtics fans shook their heads in disapproval when NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that Boston would select Brown with the third overall pick in the 2016 draft. Now, C’s fans cannot believe how much Jaylen has evolved.

Brown has always been known as an athletic finisher and an excellent defender, but this season he has added to his offensive game. His field goal percentage is above .500 and his three-point above .400; in addition, he has had two 42-point nights. Brown has become a reliable leader and go-to guy for Boston alongside fellow budding star, Jayson Tatum.

From the same hometown as Brown - Marietta, Georgia - Collin Sexton has emerged as the leading Cavalier.

Perhaps his finest hour this season was against the new-look Brooklyn Nets.

Against the trio of Durant,

James Harden and former Cavalier Kyrie Irving, Sexton carved up Brooklyn for a 42-point showing and victory for Cleveland.

The nephew of Chicago Bulls legend, Horace Grant, is ironically part of a rival franchise in Detroit. Despite the Pistons tanking, Jerami Grant has given it his best, maybe even the chance of winning Most Improved Player this season. After leaving a contending Nuggets team, Grant wanted “room to grow,” assuming a larger role in Detroit.

Already a defensive force, Grant has amazingly doubled his point output from 12 to 24 while maintaining his defensive consistency.

Finally, after going undrafted in 2015, being waived from overseas play and cut by four NBA teams, Christian Wood is now an all-star talent in Houston.

His story alone should be enough to win Most Improved, however, his all-star numbers are just as impressive: 22 points, 10 rebounds and one and a half blocks for the rising big man.

Jaylen Brown and Collin Sexton are young pillars of their respective franchises, while Wood and Grant are the newest upgrades for Detroit and Houston. Randle, however, may be on the market when trading begins.

So far in the 2021 season, no Grove City teams have seen a loss yet. Though their seasons have been taken one day at a time, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are both 2-0, and women’s basketball sits at 1-0 for a collective 5 wins for Grove City College athletics this year.

Results Women’s Swimming & Diving (2-0): W, Chatham (120-87)

Men’s Swimming & Diving (2-0): W, Saint Vincent (132-111)

W, Chatham (87-54)

Upcoming Men’s Swimming & Diving: Feb 13, 1pm at Bethany Feb 16, 6pm @ W&J

Women’s Swimming & Diving: Feb 12, 6pm @ W&J Feb 12, 6pm vs. Franciscan Feb 15, 6pm vs. Saint Vincent Feb 19, 6pm vs. Westminster

Men’s Basketball: Feb 13, 7pm @Geneva Feb 15, 7pm @Saint Vincent Feb 17, 5:30 vs. Chatham

Women’s Basketball: Feb 13, 1pm vs. Geneva Feb 15, 5:30 vs. Saint Vincent Feb 17, 7pm at Chatham

WOLVERINE WEEKLY HONORS

Sydney Laughlin

Sophomore Swimmer PAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week

Elias Griffin

Sophomore Swimmer PAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week

Liz Hasse

Freshman PAC Rookie of the Week

Kat Goetz

Freshman Women’s Basketball PAC Rookie of the Week

Sports The Collegian, Feb. 12, 2021

Page 12

Swimmers stay strong Ayden Gutierrez Staff Writer

The Swimming and Diving season is off to a hot start for both the men’s and women’s teams at Grove City College.

Both clubs are currently holding perfect 2-0 records as we enter the third week of the season.

The women’s team competed last Friday night and will compete again tonight, while the men’s team competed Saturday afternoon and Tuesday night.

The women’s swimming and diving team defeated Chatham on Friday night to improve their record t0 2-0.

The Lady Wolverines had 11 contestants take first place in a dual meet as they won by a final score of 120-87.

Grove City had three swimmers who took first in multiple events. Sophomore Sydney Laughlin won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1 minute, 11.42 seconds, as well as the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:17.79. Laughlin also finished first in the 200 breaststroke (2:35.94).

Sophomore Rachael Wallace claimed victory in both butterfly events for the Wolverines.

She won the 100 in 1:01.00 and the 200 fly with a time of 2:14.95. Freshman Liz Hasse won the 100 free with a time of 54.67 and 200 free with a time of 2:02.21.

The Lady Wolverines dominated the backstroke on Friday night.

Sophomore Rachel Ledford won the 200 backstroke in 2:15.59, junior Emily Vanderweele prevailed in the 1000 with a time of 11:44.63, and sophomore Sarah Gann posted a winning time

MATT SCHOONOVER

Senior backstroker Jason Alexander competes in a race at last Saturday’s meet versus Saint Vincent. Alexander won both the 100 and 200 yard backstroke events. of 5:39.36 in the 500. breaststroke. lay in 1:37.59.

1000 with a 10:46.83.

Grove City capped off the Jason Alexander won both The Grove City College Millar, Grove, sophonight by taking first in both the 100 and 200 backstroke men’s swimming and diving more Mac Hancock and jurelay events. Laughlin, Wal- events with times of 56.82 team beat Chatham 87-54 on nior Reid Blackstone ended lace, Hasse and senior De- and 2:06.16, respectively. Tuesday night to improve to the night with a victory in nali Hutzelmann won the James Hancock won the 100 2-0 overall. the 200 relay with a time of 200 medley relay in 1:53.55. free in 49.20 seconds and the Nine events were won by 1:30.07.

Wallace, Vanderweele, Gann 100 butterfly in 53.89. Peter Wolverines Tuesday night.

Jason Alexander, juand Anna Emmons closed Millar won the 200 free in Senior James Hancock got nior Joe Astrab, junior Noah the evening by winning the 1:49.52 and the 500 free in the Wolverines going by win- Berkebile and Mac Han200 free relay with a time of 5:10.22. ning both the 100 and 200 cock won the 200 medley re1:45.75.

Ryan Morris swept the freestyle events. lay with a time of 1:38.76.

The Men’s Swimming and two diving events. He won Hancock won the 100 in Junior Ryan Morris reDiving team started off its 1-meter diving with a six- a time of 49.48 seconds and corded an exhibition score of season with a 132-111 win dive score of 229.75 points. won the 200 free with a time 258.75 in 3-meter competiagainst President’s Athletic Morris then accumulated of 1:49.52, as well as winning tion and a total of 200.15 on Conference rival Saint Vin- 225.00 points to prevail on the 100 butterfly with an ex- the 1-meter board. cent. the 3-meter board. hibition time of 54.52.

These efforts won him both The Wolverines had five Sophomore Mac Hancock Junior Peter Millar swept diving events on the night. members of its teams that se- won the 50 free in 21.91 sec- the backstroke, winning the Junior Will Hannon cured multiple victories dur- onds.

100 in 56.15 seconds and the claimed victory in the ing the meet.

Junior Ryan Klemmer won 200 with a time of 2:03.77.

200 butterfly with a time Elias Griffin swept the the 200 fly with a time of Junior Gavin Grove won of 2:07.12 and Mac Hanbreaststroke and also posted 2:05.35 and freshman Caden the 50 free in 23.25 while cock did likewise in the 200 a winning time of 2 minutes, Smith debuted by winning sophomore Elias Griffin took breaststroke in 2:18.08.

6.94 seconds in the 200 in- the 1000 in 10:42.22. the 100 breaststroke in 59.28.

The men’s teams will visdividual medley. Griffin won Alexander, Griffin, James Senior Tony Kraus captured it Washington & Jefferson the 100 breaststroke in 59.25 Hancock and Mac Han- the 200 individual medley in Tuesday night in President’s seconds and then posted a cock opened the meet by a time of 2:07.70 and fresh- Athletic Conference action. time of 2:13.03 in the 200 winning the 200 medley re- man Caden Smith won the

“Adapt, adjust, compete”

Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

Last week was a monumental week for Grove City sports, most notably for women’s basketball. The team picked up their first win of the season last week at home against Waynesburg in an epic senior night matchup.

So far, COVID-19 precautions have made sticking to the original game schedule a bit difficult, as the team has already had to reschedule two games and reshuffle competitions. But even in this time of uncertainty, the Wolverines have taken a positive approach to working hard daily, taking it one day as a time, and seeing each day as a gift and opportunity to play.

“Through everything, we’ve just been talking about ‘win the day’ and we take what we’re given, and we celebrate that,” said head Coach Chelle Fuss.

For players, that celebration comes in the form of practices and games. Team 45 has much to celebrate this season already, with their first home win, celebrating eight seniors, a 1000-point milestone, and freshmen showing their skills and receiving conference recognition.

Fuss admires how hard the team has worked to get

MATT SCHOONOVER

Senior Jess Bowen keeps an eye on the basket during the home game against Waynesburg Feb. 3. this far in the season and has high hopes for all they have yet to accomplish.

“The girls have just been amazing,” said Fuss. “They came back early from break and they were quarantined for three weeks on campus… that sacrifice and that commitment takes a lot. We have just committed to the season and each other.”

For some players, the “new normal” of playing in a COVID season their first experience playing on a college team. This season, the Wolverines welcomed five new freshman faces to Team 45.

“It’s been very different,” Fuss said reflecting on the experience her freshmen have had so far. Amidst the abnormality of the season,

the team has also had some advantages, such as connecting with the team and bonding with teammates over the summer via Zoom calls.

“They just dove right in, and they’re doing great!” said Fuss. Great is an understatement.

One stand-out in particular, Kat Goetz, made her collegiate debut last Wednesday

against Waynesburg, earning herself a double-double, 10 points, 12 rebounds, and ultimately PAC rookie of the week recognition.

“Kat Goetz is a cool kid to coach.” said Fuss. “She’s full of joy, super fun, spirited… she brings so much—she can jump, she can hang, she can rebound, she puts the ball inbounds well, she focuses on others—she’s just a real neat person to coach,” she said.

Goetz is just as excited to be a part of the team.

“It feels really good to finally be on the court, and getting a win was an extra bonus,” said Goetz. “It’s been so fun. I love the team environment and it’s just a privilege to play with them.”

Perhaps the most exciting part of their season so far has been senior Jess Bowen’s 1000-point milestone in last week’s game. This strong start to the season is telling of how hard the Wolverines have worked to play again, and an indicator of the hope they have to continue their success this season.

“There’s a whole lot more of our story to be told,” said Fuss. “I trust that there’s a lot more games ahead for us.”

The Wolverines will face rival Geneva tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. in the Grove City College arena as the Golden Tornados come to town.