ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
CATALYST
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 VOLUME XXXIV ISSUE I
A student newspaper of New College of Florida
Manasota BLM chapter moves meetings to NCF BY JASMINE RESPESS Black Lives Matter has been active for years now, but with a new school year comes the chance for members of New College, as well as the greater Manasota community to get involved. The Black Lives Matter of Manasota mission statement is “Black Lives Matter Alliance #MANASOTA is a community action organization intended to oversee advocacy, and the implementation of restorative and social justice within the black community.” The meeting took place in the Harry Sudakoff Center. It was a meeting not solely focused on hearing stories and raising awareness, but a place where plans for action could begin to take shape. “I went because I was honestly surprised that Black Lives Matter was meeting on the New College campus,” Alum Paula Cooper (‘12) said. “I think it’s important that it is happening there. I expected a small group. I thought we would just be talking about raising awareness.” At the meeting, headed by Shakira Refos, the story of Rodney Mitchell’s murder was presented by his mother Natasha Clemons. He was pulled over for an alleged seatbelt violation and executed by Sarasota police on June 11, 2012. Clemons said that since this event she has been active is getting justice for her son, as well as justice for all black and brown people in the United States. She invited all of the people at the meeting to join her in her efforts. Then, those present went around and explained why they had made the choice to be a part of the Black Lives Matter group. “I want to listen and learn [about] how I can be a better ally,” second-year Kaelyn Hartley said. “I want to work to educate myself and do what I can to help an important cause.” New College alum, Cristina Harty ‘12, was the person who forwarded the groups information to the forum. “I started getting involved through Answer Suncoast,” alum Cristina Harty (‘13) said. “The people who answered are a lot of the same people that helped organized Black Lives Matter.”
WHAT’S INSIDE
ACTIVIST NEWSLETTER WALL PREVIEWS pg.
10
pg.
5
HURRICANE HERMINE pg.
9
After winning primary, Prof. Alcock looks to November BY JASMINE RESPESS
New College associate Professor of Political Science and Environmental studies, Frank Alcock, is hoping for an upset in the Republican-favored Florida race for the 23rd District of the Florida State Senate. Alcock, who has been a professor at NCF for 13 years, has, and will continue to, campaign hard. These efforts have included flipping into a pool on tape and hunting Pokemon with constituents. Alcock also rode over 100 miles on his bike to talk to constituents Jasmine Respess/Catalyst from North Port to New College. In his first political campaign, he is running on Refos (center) led the first meeting of Black Lives Matter on the New College campus. a stance of “common sense” politics as Nearly 50 people, including students, faculty and community members, attended. well as a return to “sanity and civility.” Since winning the democratic primary “It was great to see so many people into groups,” Cooper said. “My goal for on Aug. 30, Alcock will go on to compete at the meeting but I hope they stay the group is for people to stay involved against Republican Greg Steube for the active,” Harty added. and really get to help the community senatorial seat. The meeting then broke up into without taking over the organizations The Candidate separate focus groups that concentrated that exist in the community already.” Alcock attended the State on different, but important issues, Some of those actions would University of New York at Binghamton affecting black and brown people. include volunteering for Eat Local where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Those issues included, education, Week and attending rallies for fair pay He then went on the study at George health initiatives, participating in local in Tallahassee. Washington University, where he politics, holding police accountable and The focus group leaders were asked earned a master’s degree. Finally, he economic development. to create Facebook groups and keep in earned a Ph.D at Duke University. He People were encouraged to join touch with one another via email, so has also published five academic works groups that they were interested in, or that efforts could continue in and out in his fields. groups that they believed they could of the meetings. “He has held positions as a senior use their resources to advance. Some Although the group is based in U.S. Fulbright Scholar to New Zealand, of the projects that were discussed Black Lives Matter, it exists to address a senior fellow within Florida’s Collins included assisting in the Newtown injustice on a broad scale. The group is Center for Public Policy and a Belfer farmers market, providing materials so involved with the Fight for 15, a group Fellow in the Kennedy School of that teachers would be more prepared working towards a higher minimum Government at Harvard University,” it and able to teach about black history, wage. Black Lives Matter is also working states on the NCF website. “[Alcock] also and organizing united fronts to attend with Answer Suncoast to address spent five years at the U.S. Department school board meetings and advocate for the Sarasota County School Board’s of Energy.” students of color. position against students rights to use While teaching at New College of “I wanted to go and listen,” alum bathrooms and locker rooms that align Florida, Alcock, a husband and father of Daniel Anderson-Little (‘12) said. “ It with their gender identity. two, has also been an active member of was emotional to hear about terrible the Sarasota community. things that have happened to members “[I’ve been involved with] ABC 7 of our community right where we live. The next meeting of the Manasota Black and Mote [Marine] connecting some If any of my resources or skills could Lives Matter chapter will be at New of the things they do to action,” Alcock help, I wanted to make them available.” College on Sept. 14. The group will meet said. “I was glad to see them calling biweekly in Sudakoff. for action immediately and got people continued on p. 3
6 FOUR WINDS UPGRADE
11
12
KEEPING COOL
ON CAMPUS GRAFFITI
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
BRIEFS
PAGE 2
briefs by Jacob Wentz
New Snapchat filter proves that NCF is real As students returned to campus, the desire to share New College experiences became evident. Using social media, students showed friends and family their appreciation of NCF; Facebook albums were created, Instagram posts bragged about the beautiful bayfront and, most importantly, Snapchat stories documented daily activities. Many students recorded NCF’s campus on their Snapchat stories and, though most of the photos were beautiful, one thing immediately stood out: there was no geotag for NCF. However, everything changed on Monday, Aug. 29, thanks to firstyear student Jacob Taylor. As students swiped through the multiple Snapchat filters, they were surprised and delighted to see that NCF finally had its own geotag. “This is the very first filter I have seen. I was so excited I posted a selfie of it on Facebook!” exclaimed secondyear student Matthew Bocanumenth. “I know several people have submitted their own designs to no avail. Now we are a real school.”
The reason for this campus-wide excitement is that New College students are proud of their school. Whether they take a photo of a stunning bayside sunset, the plant-covered overpass, or a dorm room full of friends, students want their friends to know about their new home. “I’ve always enjoyed doing graphic design,” Jacob Taylor said. The design is simple, but necessary, and definitely took creativity and skill to make. The simplicity of the design potentially set a standard for future designs: “I like it and hope to see more designs in the future since NCF has such extensive creativity,” Bocanumenth said. When asked about how he feels about the geotag, Taylor said: “I’m proud that it’s there, but I’m worried about what people are going to put it on.” Basically, Taylor takes credit for the artwork, but not for what students choose to do with that artwork. “Secretly, it’s not completely horizontal”: though Taylor admits that the design is not perfect, the general consensus is one of high approval and excitement.
Jacob Wentz/Catalyst
(left) Palm Court, though flooded, seems like the perfect place to put a New College filter over. (right) Filter creator Jacob Taylor, first-year, flaunts his work of art.
“Professors don’t cap you.You cap yourself.” © 2016, the Catalyst. All rights reserved. The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst, @ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria Vesperi and taught by visiting instructor Yadira Lopez. It is developed in the New College Publications Lab using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign and printed at Sun Coast Press with funds provided by the New College Student Alliance.
Jacob Wentz/Catalyst
Second-year Isaac Quiros Lum, president of the Casual Running Club, shows his passion for running via his cross country tattoo.
Casual Running Club: Making hearts race Many students at NCF care deeply about their health, demonstrated by both the food they consume and the exercise they perform. It is not uncommon to see students working out, especially if they are running across campus. For those interested in improving their “cardio,” or cardiovascular health, Casual Running Club is the perfect option. “I started this club the first week of orientation. There were about 12 people going out on runs on a daily basis, but then that interest fell,” President of Casual Running Club Isaac Quiros Lum said. However, Quiros Lum is positive about the new year. “There definitely is a lot more interest this year; people have been more consistent in coming to runs.” When asked about who could join this club, Quiros Lum replied: “Literally anyone. If someone feels like they can only run for a minute, we will run for a minute with them.” The reason that the club is named Casual Running Club is because there is no pressure to perform at a high degree; the purpose is to set individual goals that can be met in this motivating environment. Quiros Lum is a second-year student and has had a passion for running since high school. “I ran track freshman to junior year, and I was captain my junior year. For cross country, I did it from sophomore to senior year, and I was captain junior and senior year,” Quiros Lum said.
General Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Layout Editor Staff Writers & Photographers
Pariesa Young Giulia Heyward Ryan Paice Caitlyn Ralph Audrey Warne Katelyn Grimmett, Jasmine Respess, Dylan Pryor, Elan Works, Jacob Wentz, Kelly Wilson, Cassandra Manz, Anya Maria Contreras-García, Magdalene Taylor
Qurios Lum’s passion for running is so strong that he got a cross country symbol tattooed on the side of his arm. In addition to being passionate about running, Quiros Lum has the skills necessary to be a coach. He is positive, encouraging, and has experience as team captain of both track and field and cross country. “We got a new coach, so I helped coach a lot junior year,” Quiros Lum said. This coaching experience translates well in his position as President of Casual Running Club, as Quiros Lum organizes group running sessions at least four times per week. In addition, Quiros Lum brings the club to a Fun Run 5k in Downtown Sarasota every Monday. “It’s a big community event, with runners from all levels,” Quiros Lum said. “It’s a great time for everyone because they can run at whatever time or level they’re comfortable with.” “That’s what I like about running, it’s a very individual thing,” Quiros Lum said. “If you work at it, you can see your improvement, no matter what, and a lot of times you can see it really quickly.” To join Casual Running Club, contact Isaac Quiros Lum. This club is great for improving health, setting personal goals, and meeting friendly athletes. Casual Running Club is always open to new members who would like to ease the stress of a long school day with a relaxing run.
Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 ncfcatalyst@gmail.com The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. Friday for consideration in the next issue.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
NEWS PAGE 3
Prof. Alcock looks to November [CONT’D FROM PG. 1] Alcock is passionate about environmental issues. He has done research work for environmental think tanks to make a positive difference. “The environment is what I am most known for,” Alcock said. “That’s why I was hired [at New College]. There is not one environmental issue, there are many.” “We should do more to ensure a clean, adequate water supply for future generations,” Alcock states on his campaign website. “And we should do more to respect the will of voters on land conservation initiatives.” He plans to focus on health and economic issues. He believes that the state is not doing enough to ensure that people have access to health care. “The most important [issue] would be healthcare access for underprivileged populations.” Alcock listed a way to improve medical care would be to expand Medicaid with federal government money, but he explained that even then there would be a gap for those who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough for Obamacare. He hopes the healthcare act would be able to cover those people. Alcock intends to overhaul this system. Alcock said he hopes to work on making education more accessible for all children. He said that he will work to make it so all students are reading on grade level by third grade.
courtesy of electfrankalcock.com
Despite the fact there were three more Republicans running for the seat than Democrats, Alcock believes he stands a chance. “There is a majority of people that would prefer a more moderate candidate or a progressive candidate that could work across the aisle,” Alcock said as he explained why he believed he could win. “[Many voters] would prefer that to a more staunchly conservative candidate.” “It’s an important moment, not only for the country but certainly for the state,” Alcock said. “This particular seat is one in which I think I could make huge difference.” New College Involvement Alum Patrick Bon Tonnissen served as Alcock’s campaign manager before heading off to a Fulbright in Germany last month. Tonnissen explained that although he had never taken a political science class with Alcock, or in general, at New College, he had been very active in organizing for the Bernie Sanders
Businesses take White House Equal Pay Pledge BY JACOB WENTZ Building upon the values of his early administration, President Obama announced an Equal Pay Pledge at the first-ever United State of Women Summit. This pledge was signed by 28 leading American businesses that are committed to closing the gender pay gap. In addition to pledging to play a critical role in closing the gender pay gap, these businesses agreed to conduct an annual company-wide gender pay analysis in order to identify and promote the best ways to ensure fairness for all workers. Gender inequality is an unfortunate reality that negatively impacts much of American society. As a result of America’s oppressive patriarchal roots, the average woman earns only 79 cents for every dollar that the average man makes. This pay gap is not solely an issue of gender inequality; African American women only make 64 cents for every dollar, 59 cents for Native American women, and 56 cents for Hispanic women. Though the pay gap has narrowed slightly over the past few years, much more work must be done to ensure that everyone is paid fairly. The first piece of official legislation that President Obama signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, clarified
that discriminatory compensation is illegal. President Obama explains why Ledbetter inspired him: “She was doing the same job - probably doing better. Same job. Working just as hard, probably putting in more hours [than men]. But she was getting systematically paid less.” Obama’s commitment to creating a more equal economic and social environment for women is reflected in the fact that this act was the first act that he made a law. Policies that ensure fair pay not only narrow the gender pay gap, but also boost the productivity and strength of the economy while attracting the strongest talent to business positions. On Women’s Equality Day, Friday, Aug. 26, an additional 29 companies signed the pledge, bringing the total amount of supporters to over 50 companies. The commitment comes from a wide variety of businesses, including Apple, CVS, Facebook, Target and Visa. “No woman should earn less than a man for doing the same job equal pay for equal work should be a fundamental principle of our economy and our democracy,” President Obama said. By promoting the importance of gender equality, President Obama and these employers are slowly helping improve the social and economic status of women in America.
campaign. His responsibilities included running a fundraising program of donor research and call time, recruiting and training volunteers for phone banking, canvassing, producing call sheets, and learning the ins-and-outs of VAN (Voter Activation Network), a progressive campaign software. “I was approached by [Alcock] in late May to come aboard the campaign full-time with an undefined role,” Tonnissen explained. “He had planned to hire a seasoned campaign manager but each candidate for the job fell through, so I finally left my job as a banker and was pleased to have my passion pay the bills.” “I got amazing experience building and running an NGO (NonGovernmental Organization) with a goal of creating a structure that would ensure past my August 15th departure,” Tonnissen said of his experience. “If there's one thing I've learned from my time in progressive campaigns, it's damn hard to ask for and even harder to receive commitments for someone's
time, even for the best of causes. When you do find people willing to sacrifice what leisure time they might have for the service of others, it's crucial to build those people up and make it known and felt that they're invaluable. It all comes down to relationships and common cause.” The current campaign manager is Jens Albiez. An alum who is currently working with Alcock’s campaign is Aamna Dhi. She is responsible for photos, graphics, communications and the campaign website. “I had written my thesis on social media as a tool for social movements, specifically how social media has been used to mobilize the masses around political and social causes,” Dhi explained. “Dr. Frank Alcock was on my thesis committee, and my sponsor Dr. Barbara Hicks suggested that Alcock use my skills and knowledge of social media to assist his campaign.” Dhi expressed that she was excited to learn, first hand, about the political process. She will be involved with the campaign into November, since Alcock has won the Democratic primary. “It is one thing to read about campaigns and then entirely another to actually be a part of one,” Dhi said. The vote for the seat will be held on November 8th. For information on how to vote go to www.sarasotavotes.com Check out Frank’s website at www. electfrankalcock.com
Jasmine Respess/Catalyst
Dr. Frank Alcock, Democratic Nominee for the 23rd District of the Florida State Senate is new to the campaign trail, but right at home teaching Introduction to World Politics.
CATALYST
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 4
Election 2016 Top three moments we missed this summer BY DYLAN PRYOR
1. Clinton pulls a trump card at Democratic Convention On July 26, Hillary Clinton made history as the first woman to become the American Democratic nominee. On the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Clinton took the stage with her hand over her heart, as she delivered her acceptance speech to the delegates in attendance. Included in her speech were thanks to her family and her running mate Tim Kaine. She also extended an olive branch to supporters of her previous opponent, Bernie Sanders. “To all of your supporters here and around the country: I want you to know, I’ve heard you, your [Sanders’] cause is our cause,” Clinton said. “Our country needs your ideas, energy and passion, that is the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America.” After the Convention, RealClearPolitics reported a polling average of 46.5 percent in terms of support for Clinton, a 3.4 percent increase compared to her preConvention average of 43.1 percent. This boost in support was over twice the amount that Republican candidate Donald Trump experienced after the Republican National Convention.
2. Change is the only constant for Donald Trump’s campaign staff On Aug. 19, Donald Trump’s second campaign manager in only two months resigned his position. Two days later, Trump hired Steve Bannon as his new executive chairman and promoted pollster Kellyanne Conway to campaign manager. Trump’s previous campaign managers were political commentator Corey Lewandowski and political consultant Paul Manafort. Lewandowski was fired in June after increasing concerns from allies and Republican party members, such as Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, that Lewandowski was not able to effectively direct a battle against Hillary Clinton. Lewandowski had never worked on a national campaign before Trump’s. Lewandowski’s successor, Paul Manafort, was hired in March, and later resigned at the end of August amid a wave of reports about his business dealings in Ukraine with Russia-allied leaders. The short shelf life of Trump’s executive campaign officials also draw further concerns on how well he evaluates his hiring process for his
Do your part to prevent the spread of Zika SUBMITTED BY MARSHALL CRISER III, STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM CHANCELLOR
Dylan Pryor/Catalyst
Meanwhile at Trump Towers...
highest administrative positions. “The main thing that I don’t understand about Trump cycling through all of his different campaign managers is that the reason why he’s supposed to be the next best thing—the effective president that America’s needed - is the fact that he’s a businessman and not a politician, and he’s going to run America like a business,” said thirdyear Political Science student Mollie Saumier. “If he can’t even implement an effective business strategy in his campaign, let alone in his presidency, how is it that he’s going to have an effective presidency?” Recently, records have shown that Bannon may have committed voter fraud by claiming an unoccupied house here in Florida as his address. The LA times reported that Bannon is actually a resident of Laguna Beach, California, and was registered to vote in California’s Orange County until 2014. Whether the allegations result in yet another turnover in Trump’s campaign staff remains to be seen.
3. Conservative website provides evidence of a fractured Republican party On August 29, Donald Trump named Steve Bannon, chairman of the Breitbart news website, as his new campaign chief. The news website employs tactics similar to those used by Trump throughout his campaign and is representative of a more extreme conservatism that has helped contribute to the rise of the presidential
candidate. Breitbart began when its founder Andrew Breitbart was hired by Arianna Huffington as a research assistant. After he helped launch the strongly liberal Huffington Post in 2005, he launched his own site, which gained a strongly conservative reputation in direct opposition to the Post. Breitbart differed from other conservative writers in that he paid much less attention to policy, instead choosing to focus on perceived cultural issues such as the dangers of the political left. Since the passing of Breitbart, Bannon’s leadership of the site has focused primarily on pushing the Republican Party toward a more hardline populism. Bannon’s appointment was seen as a victory for more extreme conservatives hoping to shift the rest of the party toward their end of the spectrum. “I think that when you get people who are influential in the party, who are less policy-focused, and more focused on culture and valence issues in the political science sense, you’re going to get an environment where epistemic bridges are very easy to burn,” said thesis student and Political Science student Allen Serrell. Bannon and Trump’s new alliance provides further evidence of the fracturing of the Republican Party due to a shift toward a more extreme conservatism reminiscent of Breitbart’s own tenure on the site. Check back each week for more coverage of the 2016 Presidential Elections.
As the new school year begins, it’s an opportunity for all students to help curb the spread of the Zika virus by practicing good habits, including using mosquito repellent, spilling standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, and taking measures to reduce the chances of sexual transmission. In fact, as you walk around your campus, you may notice references to the Zika Aware: Spill it, Spray it campaign, meant to remind students how to stay safe. Florida’s 12 public universities are a leader in the conversation about Zika, conducting important research, creating task forces to track the virus, and serving as a resource to the community. But as university students, you also have a unique opportunity to make a difference. Just as Governor Rick Scott challenged Florida’s educational institutions to be proactive in preventing new Zika cases, I am urging you -- our students -- to get creative and help us spread the word. By working together, we have a real opportunity to make a difference. Marshall Criser III, State University System Chancellor
CATALYST
PAGE 5
The Activist Newsletter Katelyn Grimmett/Catalyst
This week (9/7 – 9/14), activists have the opportunity to attend meetings, educational conferences, volunteer training sessions, art exhibitions, and political rallies. Read on if you want to get involved in the community fighting for racial justice, reproductive rights, grassroots environmental work, food security, or worker’s rights.
BY ANYA MARIA CONTRERAS-GARCIA
1301 Barcarrota Ave, Bradenton, FL 34205
Thursday, Sep. 8 Patient Escort Training Session @ 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Planned Parenthood Sarasota Health Center 736 Central Ave Sarasota, FL 34236
Part documentary photography and part art installation, an ongoing exhibit at the Manatee Downtown Library (8/30 – 9/30) by Sarasota artist Dave Gordon provides a unique look at the 9/11 tragedy by focusing on intimate moments. On September 10, from 1 to 3:00 p.m., the public is invited to a remembrance of 9/11 at the Downtown Library to share memories of 9/11 and to participate in the creation of a new artwork that may become part of the international exhibits in 2017. (Reservations not required.)
Planned Parenthood is in dire need of volunteer patient escorts. Patient escorts ensure a patient’s safety as they enter and exit the building by providing a barrier between them and protesters. The escort training will cover what to expect from protesters, when and how escorts should approach patients and escort them into/out of the building, confidentiality agreements, and a variety of other potential scenarios and safety measures. For more information, contact this Planned Parenthood location at (941) 953-4060. Thursday, Sep. 8 Making the Sunshine State a Solar State @ 7 p.m. Sarasota Garden Club 1131 Boulevard of the Arts Sarasota, FL 34236 Learn about Sierra Club’s efforts to help homeowners go solar through solar installations and group buying co-ops. For more information, contact Gerry Swormstedt at 941-366-9596. Friday, Sep. 9 – Sunday, Sep. 11 Southeast Regional Power Shift Conference Wyndham Orlando Resort on International Drive Orlando, FL At this 3-day conference, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about and discuss pressing climate issues. A series of speakers, workshops, and activities will address fossil fuel divestment, reaching 100% renewable energy in Florida, climate/ environmental/social justice, and grassroots organizing to achieve progressive work locally, statewide, and nationwide, and more. For more information, check out powershift2016. org. Saturday, Sep. 10 And Then There Was Quiet: New York After 9/11 @ 1 – 3 p.m. Manatee Downtown Library
BRIEFS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
Sunday, Sep. 11 Food Not Bombs Food Sharing @ 4 – 5 p.m. Five Points Park N Pineapple Ave Sarasota, FL 34236 Every Sunday, NCF’s Food Not Bombs club goes to Five Points Park to food-share with houseless individuals in an act of radical community activism. Monday, Sep. 12 Moral Monday & Florida Fight For $15 Organized low income workers from all over Florida (including the Coalition of Immokalee Workers) are joining forces for a 3-hour march and rally at the Tallahassee capitol to deliver a list of comprehensive demands for worker’s rights. Students who sign-up can receive free transportation to St. Petersburg with lunch included. Buses will leave early in the morning and be back by dark. Only 50 seats are available on the bus so RSVP at bit.ly/MoralMondayFL (case-sensitive). For more information, check out “Fight For 15 Florida” on Facebook or email kellybenjamin@gmail.com Wednesday, Sep. 14 Black Lives Matter Alliance Manasota Meeting @ 7 p.m. New College of Florida Room TBD Black Lives Matter Alliance Manasota is having their next meeting here on the New College campus. Keep an eye out for an e-mail that will include the room number, upcoming agenda, as well as tips that will allow participants to show up prepared.
Parking issues arise amid Heiser construction BY MAGDALENE TAYLOR In that 10-minute or so block of time before classes start, cars circle around campus trying to find an open spot. With the expansion of Heiser, New College will be receiving new labs, teaching facilities, and STEM resources that will help our Natural Sciences students excel. But until that’s completed, the school is losing one key thing: parking. The Heiser construction has closed a portion of one of the largest parking lots on campus - certainly the largest one on the west side of US41. With that closure, students are hard pressed to find a decent spot without having to travel to the other side of campus. An email sent to the Students List from John Milton, a facilities staff member, states that the predicted completion date of the Heiser construction is Sept. 2017. The construction began on August 15 of this year. The closure has impacted faculty,
too, with the ACE parking lot now solely designated for faculty and staff parking. While this helps free up a few spots for students and ensures faculty won’t have to park too far from their classrooms, it doesn’t solve the whole issue. For third year Ava Howard, the problem impacts both school and work - Howard is currently an assistant manager at the Four Winds. “It’s all permit so even though we are an independent business, the public really can’t access it with two visitor spots,” Howard says, highlighting an issue that goes beyond the construction this year. Howard also states that there’s not enough parking spots for commuter students and students with accessibility issues. As an attempt to ease some of these issues with parking, two unpaved shell lots have been formed on both sides of Bayshore Road, north of the ACE classrooms. Thesis student Francisco Perez imagines a different alternative: “I wish Z Green was a parking lot. That would make things a lot easier.”
Having trouble finding parking with the closing of the Heiser lot? Here’s some places to leave your car: • • • •
The caged area attached to the library USF - Tampa The “goals” section of your contract Airport parking (for $15 a day)
Songs you should hear: Summer edition BY CAITLYN RALPH & JASMINE RESPESS “The Five Of Us Are Dying” - My Chemical Romance “The Five Of Us Are Dying” is the original demo of My Chemical Romance’s classic track “Welcome To The Black Parade.” Beginning with a piano ballad rather than that iconic G-note, “The Five Of Us Are Dying” features Gerard Way’s unmistakable vocals amid a backdrop of lyrics that are similar to “Welcome To The Black Parade”—but are definitely not the same.—CR “Bang, Bang” - Green Day With “Bang, Bang,” Green Day did everything fans wanted from new material. Taking inspiration from their classic ‘90s sound and pairing it with a charged political concept reminiscent of 2004’s American Idiot, “Bang, Bang” is an angsty, punk rock comment on the United States’ screwy suburban society.—CR “Closer” - The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey “Closer” stops itself from being a typical summer song by complementing the Chainsmokers’ irresistible beats with Halsey’s hypnotizing vocals. As Halsey subtly sings “stay, and play
that Blink-182 song,” the 21-year-old further proves she’s more than the overcommercialized pop-star—she’s indie, she’s cool and she’s changing the face of pop music one song at a time.—CR Blonde - Frank Ocean So, this album isn’t exactly easy listening. A lot of hard hitting points on police brutality and life are made, but every summer needs a track to sum up the summer fling. To me “Facebook story” is that. Although it’s is less a song and more a monologue, what could be more relatable than a story about not wanting to take a relationship to the next step. However arbitrary. So whether you are doing the ghosting or bring ghosted, I hope this whole album finds you well. —JR “The Ends” - Travi$ Scott This end represents the end of summer. At least it ends on a high note of a feature from Andre 3000. Off Scott’s new album Birds in the Trap sing Bobby McKnight. Sit back and act like you too are off shopping and Jet setting, not over caffeinating and checking Canvas.—JR Read the full list of songs at ncfcatalyst.com.
New year, new manager
Four Winds opens with a fresh look and forward-thinking attitude
BY CAITLYN RALPH The doors of New College’s student-run café, Four Winds, officially opened last week, welcoming hungry patrons inside with a posh new look, forward-thinking updates and a brand new espresso machine. Consequently, the popular café’s normal lunchtime rush turned into a hectic lunchtime traffic jam, but the staff, lead by alum (‘12) and manager Kira Albiez, handled the swarm of people with ease. Under Albiez and co-managers thesis student Sophia Schultz and third-year Ava Howard, the Four Winds underwent four major changes this year, including redecoration, recycling and compost inside, a cheaper cash/credit food option and—yes—a new espresso machine. Simplicity was the theme for Four Winds’ redecoration, making the already perfect study spot more serene and open. Stepping foot inside the Four Winds and customers are greeted with clean white walls, satin upholstered couches, displayed student-art, a communal table near the front window, a de-cluttered counter in the back, a comfy couch on the raised platform outside and even stylish wallpaper in the allgender bathroom. Created by Howard and thesis student Francisco Perez, the communal table allows for more seating in the café, particularly good for those who want to break out their laptop and get some work done over
a nice cup of espresso. “I always like how the Four Winds is inside because it reflects the staff and the manager and the people. I like things a bit simpler and cleaner, so that’s what I was going for,” Albiez said. Albiez was originally worried that the simpler space would look too clean and sterile, but after doing some research on cafés, she couldn’t resist the blank walls with the wood and plant accents. Albiez also wanted to make the café a tad more formal to attract professors and community members to use the shared space as well. “I’d like art students and people who do art at New College to display artwork,” Albiez added. “I’d like it to be a space for art students to display because we don’t have a lot of those on campus.” Four Winds’ recycling and compost is funded by the Green Fee, from which co-managers Howard and Schultz requested at the end of last year. Compostable to-go containers are on the way as well. “It’s part of making the campus be self-sustaining,” Albiez said about the recycling and compost. “[Four Winds is] part of the school and works for students and staff, and I feel like it should be a harmonious part of the campus.” Last year, alum (‘11) and former manager Olivia Levinson introduced a never-before seen change in the Four Winds. Citing Metz’s limited allocation to Four Winds as a reason, the café no longer accepted Ham points for any beverages in an attempt to preserve
that allocation as long as possible. “I WANT you to have your coffee, lattes, and thai teas,” Levinson said in the welcome email from last year. “I just also want you to be able to have tasty vegetarian/vegan food for as long as possible.” In 2014-2015, Four Winds’ allocation of Ham points depleted by February—last year, Ham points lasted until April. Albiez and co. carried over to this important change 2016-2017 academic year, also instigating a cheaper cash/ credit food option on food to further preserve those Ham points. “I wanted to do that, so there’s a little more incentive for cash and card,” Albiez said about the cheaper cash/ credit option for food, which is still being set up at the register. Lastly, a new espresso machine found its home in Four Winds, offering a tasty burst of caffeine to push the weary through their last assignments before class. Levinson sent out applications for the 2016-2017 Four Winds manager on April 19. All graduating students are permitted to apply for the position, but, traditionally, students who previously worked in the Four Winds are more appealing candidates. “I love the Four Winds, and I love working here, and I really love the space,” said Albiez on why she wanted to apply for the manager position. “I wanted to continue to be apart of the campus and also give back a lot because Four Winds, at least for me—it did a lot for me as a student.”
The Four Winds manager application is reviewed by the current manager and NCSA presidents. Candidates are interviewed and receive a decision thereafter. “Kira came up with cash/ credit for drinks which showed her understanding of the needs of the Four Winds,” Levinson said in an email interview. “Kira was critical of certain Four Winds methods and had solid solutions for said methods.” On May 8, Albiez sent applications for six open staff positions, left open by graduated thesis students. “It went really well, the hiring process,” Albiez said. “I’m really happy about the people that we hired for this year.” Four Winds is celebrating an important milestone this year: its twentieth anniversary. Before a café, the building was a barn from the Ringling era. In 1996, alum (‘97) Darilyn Avery’s ISP was outlining plans for a cafe on campus. Those involved with the ISP later brought the plans to the Capital Improvement Trust Allocations Committee, from whom they were granted $90,000 for the project. Twenty years later, and the Four Winds is the integral part on campus it is today, serving important vegetarian and vegan food options, hosting student-professor meetings, advertising student performances, opening late night during midterms and finals—all on the academic side of campus.
(left page) Gone are many of the posters and flyers that adorned the walls of Four Winds previously in exchange for a simpler and less cluttered look. (right page) (top) After a softopening the previous week, Four Winds opened officially Monday, Aug. 29. (middle left) Much of the menu set-up has stayed consistent at the café: a specials menu that changes every week along with food and drink menus that don’t change. (middle right) Probably to play off the nostalgic kid in all of us, the Four Winds grab and go refrigerator now features everyone’s favorite elementary school snack, Caprisuns. all photos Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
CATALYST
CAMPUS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 8
New Dean of Student Affairs talks changes An interview with Robin Williamson
BY CASSANDRA MANZ Robin Williamson, our new Dean of Student Affairs, wants to meet every single student at New College before the end of the school year. Williamson has three tattoos, regularly eats in Hamilton “Ham” Center and attended the Towne Meeting this past Sunday. She believes in taking the time to acknowledge people and does this specifically by pausing to talk to toll booth workers when she drives over the Skyway Bridge. In an interview with the Catalyst, when asked what led her to a career in Student Affairs Williamson replied, “Organic chemistry.” After a difficult semester of questioning her pre-med track at Loyola University Chicago Williamson approached her hall director who asked if she had ever thought about Student Affairs. She had noticed that Williamson was very good at interacting with her peers and had a knack for working with college students in her work-study job. Ever since that fallout with organic chemistry Williamson has known that her passion lies with working with college students. She calls it “the best job in the whole wide world.” She said, “My guiding value in working with college students is about helping you become the best version of yourself. That doesn’t mean you’re perfect, it doesn’t mean that I’m perfect, it doesn’t mean that life doesn’t get messy or that bumps don’t happen along the road but it’s really about helping you figure out who it is that you want to be and who you’re meant to be. And giving you the tools and the skills in order to do that and be that and celebrating that every step of the way.” Williamson added that her time at Loyola Chicago broadened her perspective on the world. “I got to be heavily involved
and passionate about contributing to the world in a meaningful way. “What I have perceived from my time here is that people genuinely care about each other and they want people to feel supported and to feel safe and to know that they are valued and that they matter,” Williamson said. “That speaks to a lot of my core values and beliefs and so for me it’s been really exciting to join this community and be able to continue that kind of work.” Williamson mentioned that Robin Williamson, the new Dean of Student Affairs. something that with volunteering with homeless has surprised her since coming to populations in the city of Chicago, New College is that people often seem which was really powerful and really surprised when she says hello to them informative about my worldview, but on the overpass. She also reported that also my passion for women’s issues and she has noticed people seem shocked by her loud laugh, especially students who social justice.” Williamson said. Before arriving at New College, were eating near her one afternoon in Williamson worked at Texas Christian Ham Center. Williamson’s favorite things about University (TCU) for 15 years where she was hired as the first full-time New College so far are the students and the staff. “Working with college Director of Community Service. “I have a heart for volunteerism students, I don’t feel depressed or and social justice so that was a really pessimistic about the future because I get to work with these amazing young wonderful opportunity.” Williamson said that both TCU people that have these wonderful ideas students and New College students and feel like they can contribute,” she are passionate about their institution said. “They want to make a difference
and for me that is so incredibly rewarding.” She added that it has been inspiring to see how invested the staff are in students’ education and futures. “What really touched me was how, from students all the way through President O’Shea, people were just really proud to be part of New College and really wanted to contribute in meaningful ways and wanted to elevate the student experience,” Williamson said in reference to her impressions after visiting the campus in May. When asked if there is one thing she wants the student body of New College to know, Williamson responded, “We [Student Affairs] want students to be successful. We want students to know that they matter. We want students to know that Student Affairs is here to be a source of support and guidance and assistance and celebration and appreciation and fun!” She added, “I’m really looking forward to a great year...and investing in what’s already here that’s great. There are many things here that are great. And how do we think differently about the things that are not so great. Because you deserve great. And that’s what we’re going to try to do.” Williamson plans to meet with a group of students and talk about the New College student experience and how students and administration can better work together. She sent out an email on the first day of classes asking students to volunteer to join a group of students that will meet with her regularly to talk about student life here at New College and how they can build community together. She reported that they will begin meeting sometime after Labor Day and that the group is still open to students who want to be involved.
Coping with homesickness as a first-year BY ANYA MARIA CONTRERAS-GARCIA Amidst all the buzz of the beginning of the semester, many of even the most self-sufficient incoming students are struggling with homesickness. From dorm room setups to the taste of the water, almost nothing feels like home. With the first semester off and running, students have been left to themselves to adapt to their new lives. “When I’m not doing stuff during the day, or if I sit in my room for too long, I get really, really homesick,” says first-year Sofia Guerra. She observes that the moments she feels the most homesick are when she is bored or alone. “I’ll start thinking about how I want to be on my couch at home, or like, with my mom. It just reminds me that this isn’t my home.” For many new students, adjusting to living in a new space can be very disorienting. Moving into unfamiliar environments can magnify feelings of isolation and discomfort, and
make other aspects of adjusting more difficult. So how can students deal with their emotions without sacrificing academic success? Dr. Duane Khan of the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC) suggests that students can do things like call or Skype their loved ones regularly and plan regular visits home to help mitigate feelings of homesickness. “It helps when you have something to look forward to,” says Khan. In the meantime, making homecooked meals in any of the lounge kitchens or asking loved ones to send you objects that remind you of home, like a blanket or a poster from your room, can work wonders for one’s mental health. “I think the most important thing in dealing with homesickness is to make your dorm a home,” third-year J.T. Engstrom agreed. “It’s all about recreating what you loved from your own bedroom, and adding to it as part of the New College experience. Make it your own, and grow along with it.” With even more differences in
lifestyle, students from other cultures may have a harder time adjusting to life in Sarasota. Second-year student Erika Johnson said, “My first semester was extremely rough; I remember sitting in my room for hours listening to this one song on repeat because it reminded me of home, and there were days where I refused to eat anything but white rice and dried salmon, a common Japanese dish.” Although the beginning was rough, Erika says joining clubs and even creating her own Japanese Club helped her transition. “Now I had an outlet where I could talk about my love for Japan with people who shared it. In the club we occasionally spoke Japanese which made me feel connected to my home.” So, what’s the number one tip for coping with homesickness? “For me it was going out,” Pertierra said. Making time to enjoy yourself and explore your new surroundings can really help students settle in. “I’ve been going to the beach a little bit more, and I’m feeling a little bit more in place,” she said.
Upper-year students who survived the struggle offer similar advice. “Try to get out of yourself and keep busy,” fourth-year student Paul Cummins said. “College is a great place to make friends and the more friends you make, the more a place will feel like home,” Johnson added. Though there are plenty of things to do that can help, dealing with homesickness can be exhausting, and students shouldn’t have to go through it alone. “I actually started going to the CWC second semester for counseling to try and get over [my homesickness]. In retrospect, I should’ve gone to the CWC right away and learned from the get go,” second-year student Hope Sparks said. “The advice I would give would be to talk to someone! It’s really much more common than you think. Don’t be scared to go to the CWC, they can be incredibly helpful. The transition into college is hard, and your feelings are totally valid, but you don’t have to go through it alone.”
CATALYST
FEATURES
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 9
Hurricane Hermine breaks Florida's 11 year hurricane-free streak BY AUDREY WARNE Hurricane Hermine flooded dorm rooms, shut off the power in residential buildings and left campus covered in debris. Originally, administration decided that New College should remain open on Thursday morning, contrary to Scott’s declaration of a state of emergency. In response, students, led by third-year Laura Herzog, created a petition to demand that classes be cancelled as students with disabilities were having issues getting to classes. Students who live off-campus also faced issues; with police escorts ushering residents out of local neighborhoods and parts of downtown Sarasota flooded while portions of Tamiami went underwater. The school was officially closed as of noon on Thursday, with all nonessential personnel advised to leave campus. New College sent out an email at 5:00 on Thursday Sept. 1, stating that the National Hurricane Center had issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Manatee/Sarasota areas and that the area was expected to receive heavy rainfall, sustained winds in excess of 40 mph and the chance for isolated tornados. Along with strong winds and heavy rains, there was flooding in both Pei and B Dorm, and there was a power outage in Z on Thursday night. “Two weekends ago, when we first moved in, B Dorm lost power for a few hours on a Saturday,” said third-year Caitlin Ralph, a resident of B Dorm. “The reason was because an underground power line had to be fixed and B Dorm, along with the other Palmer buildings, with the exception of Palmer A, don’t have back-up generators. So, if the power goes out, like it did for about a half hour during the storm on Thursday night, B Dorm is without air conditioning, lights, or wi-fi.” There was only one police officer on duty that night, and along with the
problems posed by the power outages, four fire alarms went off. “There was a really scary noise as soon as the power went out and I called the NCF police to let them know. The cop was like ‘all the dorms are dealing with power outages’ even though we could see that first court definitely had power, and then he said that they had bigger problems to deal with,” said second-year student Jason D’Amours and resident of the Z residential hall. “The cop kept saying he didn’t know what to tell me and that it was a problem that had to be dealt with by FPL – then he hung up on me,” said secondyear student Brianna Luis, another Z resident. Florida’s eleven-year hurricanefree streak was broken by hurricane Hermine early Friday morning. Hurricane Hermine reached Florida’s gulf coast at around 1:30 Friday morning, bringing with her sustained winds of up to 80 miles per hour. Hurricane Hermine is the fourth Atlantic hurricane of 2016, but the first hurricane that has touched down in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Originally categorized as a tropical storm, Hermine was upgraded to a category 1 hurricane at 2:55 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. Florida governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in 42 counties on Wednesday. In a press release on his website, Governor Scott said “last night, hurricane and tropical storm watches were issued along Florida’s Gulf Coast from Pasco County to Gulf County. It is crucial that every Floridian has a plan in place to ensure their families, homes and businesses are fully prepared. By declaring a state of emergency in advance of this storm, we are ensuring that state, regional and local agencies can work together to meet the needs of our communities.” Information for this story was gathered from the washigntonpost.com, news-press. com, and flgov.com.
(top right) Fallen branches outside of Dort and Goldstein residence halls. (middle right) A tree that fell in the Dort and Gold courtyard. (bottom right) Rainfall on the overpass. (bottom left) A makeshift lake that formed in front of B-Dorm in the aftermath of Hurricane Hermine. All photos by Giulia Heyward/Catalyst
CATALYST
EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
Wall Previews
PAGE 10
KYC: Keep your consent BY Jacob Wentz
Feelings of freshness, positivity and motivation radiated across the campus as first-years adjusted to college BY MAGDALENE TAYLOR life and returning students moved back Friday, September 9th: Burn It To into their “home.” Friendships formed, The Ground Wall relationships emerged, and naturally, small attractions developed between This wall will be thrown by former students. This warm environment NCSA co-presidents and current thesis quickly faded, however, as the reality of students Shelby Statham and Paige classes, reading and school work sunk Pellaton. in. To combat the stressful realities of The festivities for this wall begin college life, Resident Advisors (RAs) at 9pm with a fire pit and food. Then, hosted the most-hyped wall of the year, at 10pm the wall itself will begin. A Kiss Your Crush (KYC). selection of fire-themed music such as Traditionally, KYC was a wall “Hot in Herre” by Nelly and “Gasolina” hosted by students. This semester, by Daddy Yankee will be played. however, KYC was hosted by RAs. This Statham says that there are three shift in authority resulted in a greater guidelines for participating in this wall: emphasis on the need to consent while 1. Wear red! substance-free, which is especially 2. Read the Medical Amnesty important to many first-year students. Clause Because of the beginnings of 3. Consent is mandatory!!! Hurricane Hermine, KYC was relocated The Facebook page for the event to Ham Center. The venue, though not describes the wall as “2 ex-presidents, 1 as romantic as Palm Court, definitely fire pit, 0 fucks.” was a good party space. The playlist was described to be “bumping”; while some students couldn’t find their groove, Saturday, September 10th: Not others ended up dancing on top of Your RA Wall tables. “It felt like a fucking middle school Thesis student Olivia Talton dance,” first-year Michelle Lee said. is hosting this wall, which serves to There was definitely some tension in highlight the fact that after two years, the air, but many students embraced Talton is no longer a Resident Advisor the awkwardness and let their inner (RA). However, the wall is intended to dancers out. The song selections did be a reminder for everyone to appreciate the event justice, as multiple students, their RAs. covered in sweat and saliva, had to take frequent water breaks. The amount of Talton reports that this will be a dancing, excitement and overall energy classic “really fun wall with really fun of the room proved that the music music” and that alum Anna Rodriguez significantly fit the occasion. is assisting in the formation of the Many people, unfortunately, did playlist and throwing the wall itself. not enjoy the event; others, however, loved the opportunity to kiss strangers. It is difficult to judge the event from
Jacob Wentz/Catalyst
First-year students Cole Schmidt, Sofia Del Carmen Jimenez and Zach Michel cuddle up after an exhausting KYC night.
a generalized context, as experiences varied greatly from person to person. “Don’t go,” said first-year student Sarai Minot. “I kissed my crush!” exclaimed first-year student Tali Spiliadis. “Whoever said ‘don’t go’ is full of shit!” Spiliadis continued. Students clearly reacted differently to this semester’s KYC; some enjoyed the night, others hated it. The significance, however, is that each individual’s feelings towards the event were justified through the emphasis of consent. The whole point of the event was to promote the importance of consent, and the varying perspectives
of students reinforced this importance. The people that did not want to kiss strangers gained respect rather than ridicule; their feelings were validated rather than infringed upon. Overall, the event was successful in promoting its intended cause: consent. In addition to successfully achieving this cause, KYC was full of liveliness and positivity. The party was fun and proved to be a good way to break the ice between students. The RAs put in a lot of time and effort to ensure that KYC was managed responsibly, and most of the student body seemed thankful for their efforts.
Free birthday treats in the Sarasota area BY KELLY WILSON Students, and people in general, in the Sarasota area can enjoy some free treats on their birthday, and while it may not be as easy as blowing out those birthday candles, it’s easier than one might think. All it takes is a little preparation and about an hour of filling out name and email forms on different websites, and producing a valid I.D. For those looking to start their birthday right, IHOP, with the closest location on N. Washington Blvd, just nine minutes from New College, is a good place to begin the free birthday food adventure. To receive this birthday treat it is required to join IHOP’s rewards club, however, upon joining the club not only do participants receive a free stack of Rooty Tooty Fresh N’ Fruity pancakes or any other stack of pancakes of equal or lesser value but they also receive another essentially similar coupon just for signing up. If that’s not enough, Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, located eight minutes away
from New College by car on 14th St., also offers a free birthday breakfast for joining their rewards club. For lunch, Denny’s offers a free birthday meal. While many require joining a birthday or rewards club, with the benefits of receiving a coupon which can be used for a period of time, Denny’s is the only one on this list that does not require a rewards club membership, all that’s needed is to show up and present valid I.D, and with a Denny’s only a little more than ten minutes away by car on US 41 N., this is the easiest deal on the list. For a mid-afternoon snack Panera might sound good. To get this birthday discount requires scoping out a local Panera restaurant (there’s one less than ten minutes away by car on University Parkway) a little bit in advance to get a rewards card and register it to their rewards club. Similar to IHOP however, the rewards card earns the participant a free pastry just for registering the card with their website as well as the free birthday pastry.
For dinner, Olive Garden, located on the corner of 14th St. and US 41 less twenty minutes from New College, offers some savings with a free appetizer and a dessert with the purchase of an entree for joining their rewards club. Another great choice, Ruby Tuesday, located on University Pkwy. thirteen minutes away by car, offers a free burger up to an eight dollar value, and similar to IHOP and Panera, the rewards card holders earn a free appetizer just for signing up. For dessert, there’s some hard choices to make between Baskin Robbins, Ben and Jerry’s and Culver’s, all of which offer a free scoop as a birthday gift for joining their rewards club. Baskin Robbins and Ben and Jerry’s also offers a free coupon for three dollars off of an ice cream cake. Culver’s offers one free topping for your ice cream, although, according to the man at the counter, nuts cost a dollar extra. While Ben and Jerry’s is located less fifteen minutes away from New College near Lido beach, Baskin Robbins and Culver’s are located in the
same building less than five minutes away on Tamiami Trail. Finally, for that extra kick that will be needed to get through the long night of studying that’s ahead for the birthday student who spent an entire day collecting free food and not doing their school work. Dunkin’ Donuts offers a free birthday coffee for joining their rewards club. With location in it’s shared building with Baskin Robbins getting a free cup of birthday coffee to end the day of free food hunting is extremely simple. Getting free birthday food isn’t as easy as pie apparently, but getting free birthday treats in the Sarasota area is a possibility without spending much money, with only a minimal amount email spam - although, Gmail does a good job of filtering most of it into the promotions folder - and a small amount of work. And, it’s a good way to stock up on yummy treats, at least for a few days. So, happy birthday, and make sure to enjoy your birthday treats responsibly.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
FEATURES
Climate change
PAGE 11
makes for a guilty, melting ice cream cone BY KATELYN GRIMMETT
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan dubbed July National Ice Cream month. NASA recently proclaimed July of this year to be the hottest month on record. To elaborate, this July globally experienced the highest heat ever to be documented since records began in the late 1800’s. What now, Mr. Trump? Actually, July is the tenth month in a row to hit record heat. This article has probably provoked the question of how I can talk about ice cream when climate change is out there happening. Disclaimer: it’s going to get darker before it gets lighter. Ice cream will take on a whole new level of guilty pleasure. (For breezier content, skip to the end of this article.) Climate change science has a number of proven phenomenons, all of which are terrifying. There’s sea-level rise (bye, Florida); the greenhouse effect where gases trap heat and taint sunsets; and the albedo feedback effect where rising temperatures melt arctic glaciers which dwindles the surface area of white, light-reflecting land, giving way to greener land that absorbs heat and speeds up the initial process. Phew. Ok, here is where ice cream gets a serious unethical stamp. Cattle belching, which releases the greenhouse gas methane, and the addition of fertilizers to soil makes up 65 percent of agriculture emissions worldwide. Now for the cherry on top: 10 percent of all milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers goes into ice cream. I don’t want ice cream to taste like tears. So, I sought out loopholes in the destructive consumer-system to achieve a more eco-friendly ice cream cone. Through my research and moral growing pains, I have discovered three ways to enjoy ice cream relatively guiltfree. PATRONIZE YOUR LOCAL PARLOR The first and, in my opinion, the best way to acquire ethical ice cream is to eat local. Bam. This means ditch the Haagen-Daas, Cold Stone and Dairy Queen. Anyone who has studied climate science will say numbers do not hold the full truth. Food requires an extensive amount of transportation but transportation emissions are calculated into the energy sector, the sector with
the highest greenhouse gas emissions. Eating at local joints avoids much of the foggy (or smoggy) impact that mass transportation has on climate change. Fortunately, the Sunshine State supplies hot enough weather to support the demand for ice cream year round, resulting in a ton of local and familyowned ice cream shops. There is one ice cream in Sarasota that is local to the core and that is Big Olaf. All Big Olaf ice cream is handmade in Sarasota at the creamery location off Cattleman Rd. Big Olaf has been churning since 1982 when Dennis Yoder decided to bless the world with natural, wholesome ice cream made Amish-style. Since then, Big Olaf has invented over 47 flavors and expanded into several franchises in the area. There are Big Olaf ice cream parlors in St. Armand’s Circle, on the corner of Bahia Vista and Beneva, in Siesta Key and off Main Street in Bradenton. Even Detwiler’s Farm Market scoops up Big Olaf ice cream at both their Sarasota locations for $1.38 a cone. The closest one to campus is the St. Armand’s location. Dave Tesar has been store owner for 30 years and has kept the place old fashioned enough to fit his cash only policy. He’s decorated the walls with an impressive number of weather radar maps and blown up, old photos of kids feeding a large doberman from an ice cream cone at the very same parlor. I asked Tesar what makes Big Olaf special and here’s what he said: “We use the big waffle cone here, we were the people that introduced the waffle cone to the state of Florida back in ‘82. All the ice cream is locally made, it’s made by our Amish community and they use fresh ingredients, pure ingredients as much as possible. So there you have it. Other local shops include the Frosted Mango (which sells the Florida-based ice cream brand Working Cow and buys ingredients for smoothies from local farms) and Siesta Key’s Orange Octopus (ice cream made on site!). BEN & JERRY’S This subheading may seem to contradict everything said above. Well it doesn’t and that’s because Ben & Jerry’s is one woke ice cream company. They have long been an advocate for environmental justice, partnering with organizations such as Avaaz and 350.
Ben & Jerry’s now offers vegan ice cream made with almond milk at their retail locations and in grocery stores.
all photos Katelyn Grimmett/Catalyst
Big Olaf Creamery on St. Armand’s Circle.
org to booster the movement. The Ben & Jerry’s website explains a few actions they’ve taken to counter climate change including “working with our farmers to reduce methane emissions from farms, lead[ing] the change to a cleaner, greener freezer in the United States and buil[ding] the Chunkinator at our Netherlands factory which helps power the factory from ice cream bi-products.” Unsurprisingly, Ben & Jerry’s has invented four vegan, dairy-free ice cream flavors. They are Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Peanut Butter and Cookies, Chunky Monkey and Coffee Fudge Caramel. The St. Armand’s location is currently serving up PB & Cookies. “It was chunky, good chunky, and I couldn’t discern that there wasn’t any dairy in it because it was so creamy,” second-year Andreina Carrasquero commented on the PB & Cookies. Ben & Jerry’s is now selling cartons of vegan ice cream in grocery stores. ICE CREAM ALTERNATIVES Vegan ice cream is an obvious choice for the consumer trying to cut down on their carbon footprint. However, there are reasons veganism can be out of reach. For some, it is a health, financial and/or cultural concern. For others, it’s just cheese. For me, it’s ice cream. I adore ice cream. I can’t change that – not even by writing a morbid article about climate change and the dairy industry. That said, I tried a number of ice cream alternatives and was pleased with all of them. One of these options is frozen custard, also known as French ice cream. Custard differs from ice cream mainly in its use of egg yolk as a main ingredient. Sounds weird, I know. It’s delicious and the taste tends to be richer than ice cream and it’s consistency thicker. Between the two, frozen custard is a lesser evil. There are two major reasons for this. The first is that the poultry industry has a smaller impact on the environment compared to the dairy industry. An example of this becomes clear when one considers the amount of land required to raise chickens versus cattle. The second reason is a health-related. Ice cream has almost three times the fat content of custard. Convinced? I was.
Interestingly, there are a lot of frozen custard shops in the area. Sweet Berries, Culver’s and Freddy’s to name a few. But the place I would recommend is S’macks Burgers and Shakes. Located on the corner of Bee Ridge and Shade, S’macks partners with several farms in the area to provide their customers with Farm to Fork foods. A family-run farm in Myakka called Dakin Dairy supplies S’macks with its basic custard ingredients. Their custard is spun fresh every day. S’macks has what’s called a “Concrete,” a serving of custard that can be mixed with a topping on the board. It’s named so because it is made so thick they can give it to you upside down. Third-year Kasia Wake’s usual at S’macks is a Concrete with Biscoff cookie spread which has “like, a gingerbread spice flavor.” Sorbet and sherbet are good store-bought ice cream alternatives if chocolate cravings need not be satisfied. I considered adding popsicles to the list but the individually-wrapped treats fall short of my ethical calculations. A local alternative is the dairyfree coconut ice cream available at the Frozen Mango. I brought third-year Annie Rosenblum along to try it out. “It’s creamy and refreshing, it tastes good by itself but would be tasty on a cone too,” she concluded. It is no longer a secret that climate change exists and the human footprint is kicking it into gear. What may still be secret is that humans can effectively counteract this process. It is easy to feel helpless in the face of the planet’s destruction but there are productive ways to react to unfortunate facts, including those of climate change. They don’t have to be extreme lifestyle changes either. The three steps to an ethical ice cream cone translate into three ways to be an ethical consumer. Buy local, find a brand with a conscience, try alternative products. A wise Ben and a wise Jerry once said “if it’s melted, it’s ruined. It’s true for ice cream, and it’s true for the planet.” – Ben and Jerry’s website. Information for this article was taken from epa.gov, usda.gov, idfa.org, nasa.gov.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
Grafitti
THE BACK PAGE
PAGE 12
BY GIULIA HEYWARD
leaves a mark on campus Vandalism, street art or just plain ol’ graffiti: yet another instance of amateur artwork has found itself on campus property. While Hurricane Hermine left campus covered in debris, fallen trees and flooded dorm rooms, an anonymous individual managed to make one more contribution. The graffiti, which was discovered on Sept. 2, included a mysterious mix of symbols, including an arrow and a heart, and the words “evil eye best man”, visible to anyone walking behind the Third Court Pei Residence Hall, and “politics=reality TV” located on the overpass and visible to anyone in the parking lot in front of Sudakoff. As of time of publication, both remain on campus, clearly visible to the student body. This is not the first instance of graffiti on campus. On Oct. 25, 2015, “Art boner” was spray painted under the New College insignia heading North on 41. Following that, mere days after “Art
boner” had been cleaned, a newly spray painted “Naw College” appeared on the overpass, visible to students but not to oncoming traffic nearby. Several months later, on Feb. 1, 2016, another design, what appeared to be a ghost with the words “Vol. 2” next to it, was spray painted onto one of the walls of the Gold residence. There have been other instances of damage to the campus, including punched holes, fecal matter left in Hamilton “Ham” Center and arson on campus. Damage to community spaces has previously resulted in a fine to the entire building that all residents are expected to pay. The current instances of graffiti were not announced to the student body. While other acts of vandalism have been the source of conversation on the forum, the attention has been quiet thus far. The school has yet to comment on the matter.
This unidentified figure was found on the side of Dort residence hall in Feb. 2016.
This illustration was recently found behind Third Court.
“Naw College” was the source of a [forum] thread in March 2016.
“Politics = Reality TV” was the second piece of grafitti to be found on the overpass and is visible from the Sudakoff parking lot.