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VERN BUCHANAN LAW CLUB pg.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 VOLUME XXXIX ISSUE II
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New College of Florida's student-run newspaper
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Bahamas devastated by Dorian
Hurricane Dorian: while its menace was largely diminished by the time it reached Florida, it caused a crisis in the Bahamas as it stalled over early Sept. It was the most powerful storm to ever hit the island nation. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled by the hurricane, at least 50 people have died and thousands more remain missing according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. On Sept. 1, Dorian came to the islands of the Grand Bahama and Abaco. The storm slowed down significantly while it was over the islands, at some points moving as slow as one mile per hour. Throughout this time, it still raged with 185 miles per hour winds. The Bahamas endured two full days of the storm’s devastation after it made landfall. The damage Dorian inflicted on the Bahamas was staggering. The electrical grids of the Grand Bahama
photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Many homes were completely obliterated by Hurricane Dorian.
and Abaco were shut down during the storm. While most of the Grand Bahama’s electrical grid has been repaired, Abaco remains powerless as of Sept. 12. In total, Dorian was estimated to have beget $7 billion worth of damages to a country with a gross domestic product of $12 billion. The human cost of Dorian only adds to the tragedy. Officials esti-
mate that over 70,000 people have been rendered homeless by the storm, almost 18 percent of the island nation’s population. There have been 50 people confirmed killed in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane and 2,500 more are still reported missing. Authorities suspect that the death toll will only climb as the search progresses.
The stalling of Dorian over the Bahamas may be reflective of a new regular occurrence. Dorian slowed because the high atmospheric pressure system that had been guiding it over the Atlantic stalled almost completely. Without the pressure pushing it, Dorian lingered in one place and was able to inflict more damage. This is demonstrative of a wider trend that meteorologists have noticed. According to a June 2019 study, hurricanes have slowed over the last year by roughly 10 percent. The study puts forward that the changes in atmospheric dynamics are the result of the overall warming of the Earth’s climate. As the Earth warms, more storms are going to linger after they make landfall, subjecting those areas to even harsher weather than they otherwise would receive. continued on p. 5
Art & Science Group presents findings on enrollment BY HALEY BRYAN
https://doc-0k-18-docs. googleusercontent.com/ docs/securesc/s7jurnmk912se8sp3mgg3hd8llrh0uos/obdpo7fpcdn719 co01n4qb7t57rv346b/1 506448800000/0533393 9401667025082/025783 83506865688437/0B4ze ECbsUTILVjVXY25YUU 52ZUk?e=download
With regression rather than progress among plans to grow the student body, harrowing trends in new student enrollment have been a central threat to the academic, financial and social livelihood of New College. A third-party investigation conducted by the Art & Science Group has recently extended the school a lifeline to gain insight on factors impeding student growth and possible avenues for change at an institutional level. The Group presented their internal findings, which will feed into an official report on student enrollment and attrition, before the campus community at the Sainer Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 13. The independent firm, the Art & Science Group, specializes in investigating the effectiveness of institutional strategies for achieving their primary goals. In the case of New College, the Art & Science Group
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focused on explaining the nuanced elements that drive aversive behaviors of the school among both current and prospective students in an attempt to inform institutional approaches for recruiting and retaining students. The Group designed its study by reaching out to constituencies of interest to find out information about what sets New College apart from comparable options. "What we [at the Art & Science Group] do is to start by intensively trying to understand what New College is, what makes it tick, what people value and what are the kind of things we might want to do differently," a spokesperson for the firm said during the forum discussion. The Art & Science Group began its report of New College by designing instruments to analyze central decisions affecting enrollment at New College. Figures from the firm visited faculty, students and staff to collect data from observations of
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campus life. The Group also conducted preliminary and follow-up phone interviews with some 300 individuals qualifying in the school's applicant pool to collect data to inform modeling strategies. Together, information across current and prospective students fed into methods described as "simulated decision modeling" to approach the unconscious and conscious factors shaping students' behaviors of New College relative to competing institutions. The Group acknowledged the admirable degree of mentorship and personally-resonating curriculums accessible at the school before discussing significant institutional challenges, including issues around a diffuse set of competitors and a disengaged pool of prospective students. Regarding disengagement, the Group noted that data from twothirds of participants during phoneinterviews were rejected based on
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"Homelessness in Focus"
the extent that the students were disqualified or too disinterested to be considered prospects of New College. In addition, more than half of the interviewed students that were known to have applied to the school did not mention New College while listing institutions they had applied to. Accordingly, the Group concluded that New College does not rank highly among individual considerations of possible undergraduate schools. The Group also discussed measures of strength of New College's competitive position across different institutions. "On a ten-point scale of overall appeal of institutions that non-applicants are preferring right now, nonapplicants have to travel 5.3 points to get to the same level of appeal for New College: a very, very long distance—it always is—but longer than we [the Art & Science Group] usually see," the spokesperson said. "[New continued on p. 5
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New Faculty Hires
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BRIEFS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
Briefs by Sierra Laico
Mellon Grant funds Asian film series New College is presenting an Asian film series funded by the Mellon Grant as a part of New College’s Connecting the Arts + Humanities program. This year’s theme encapsulates Asian immigrants in the United States, exploring the ideas of how cultures differ and what various hardships are faced when arriving to a new place in four different films. “[The series] explores how nonEuropean, Asian immigrants establish life in the U.S., the effects of the generational gaps and how these cultures are different,” said Professor of Economics Sherry Yu, who will be in-
troducing the first film of the series. “[The films are] telling these stories of immigrants and how encouraging their lives were and exploring how we can draw from their experiences.” The first presented film is a 2016 documentary entitled Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, which tells the story of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings in Chinatown, New York. The family was accused of mortgage fraud by the district attorney. Abacus was the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
“The biggest themes of the documentary are what happened during the financial recession and Asian culture—which is very family-oriented,” Yu said. She explains that since Asian culture is so family-oriented, the film explores the ways in which family ties are challenged as this small bank and its customers are faced with accusations. The first film of the Asian Film series will be shown on Friday, Sept. ember 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Sainer Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
Feminist Fridays address various issues through a feminist lens Members of the New College community gather to participate in Feminist Fridays, an initiative that aims to create a regular and informal space for intellectual exchange by viewing a variety of topics through a feminist lens. Feminist Fridays occur nearly every Friday from 12-1 p.m. in ACE Lounge. “I think that there are a lot of things, whether new or old, that students can get excited about in terms of this semester's Feminist Fridays,” wrote Professor of Art History and Affiliate of the Gender Studies program Katherine Brion in an email interview. “Some of the topics coming up this semester include Reading While Trans, featuring the poet and critic Cameron Awkward-Rich and the audio producer, writer, and researcher
“Student suggestions are very welcome, and can range from proposing a topic to suggesting particular presenters.” Cassius Adair; a recent study on various factors impacting class participation that suggested ways in which to address gender disparities in class participation in STEM classes; Par-
enting in the Academy, inspired by student interest; and a presentation on a large-scale data science project examining diversity in U.S. Museums, recently featured in the context of a Nat Sci seminar.” Feminist Fridays is also currently open to any student suggestions, which includes project/event ideas and guest speakers. “I would say that at least one session a semester is new, studentdriven content, and sometimes more,” Brion said. "Student suggestions are very welcome, and can range from proposing a topic to suggesting particular presenters. There are currently two slots open this semester, so I would be happy to hear from some more students!”
Incoming and returning students alike anticipate this semester's Walls Students have been waiting in anticipation for this semester’s Wall schedule to come out. Some are excited to go have fun and dance with their friends, while others want to plan ahead for when they need to get earplugs to drown out the loud music that will inevitably creep into their dorms.
Walls are a New College tradition. The weekly themed-dance parties are held in Palm Court and are hosted by students, for students.
shock and excitement for students, especially first years. “I thought it was interesting, everyone was so open to talking and having fun. It was a cool experience,” Saturday, Sept. 7 marked the First-Year student Luis Chavez said beginning of this semester’s Wall about his first Wall experience. lineup, with the “Shake your Ass” Each Wall has a unique theme, Wall. This caused a bit of culture- so there is something for everybody.
"I'm a comma queen." © 2019 the Catalyst. All rights reserved. The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst instagram.com/NCFcatalyst twitter.com/ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria D. Vesperi. 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 Division of Social Sciences.
Editor in Chief Copy Editors & Writing Coaches Online Editor Layout Editor Social Media Editor Staff Writers & Photographers
Jacob Wentz Izaya Garrett Miles & Anna Lynn Winfrey Haley Bryan Cait Matthews Adriana Gavilanes Chris Marie De Felipe, Vianey Jaramillo, Sierra Laico, Claire Newberg, Sergio Salinas, Kali-Ray Skinner & Hayley Vanstrum
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Fall 2019 Wall Schedule (this schedule is subject to change) Friday 9/27 ‘90s Wall Saturday 9/28 Water Wall Friday 10/4 Underwater Wall Saturday 10/5 Do You Wanna Funk? Friday 10/11 Gay Panic! At the Disco Saturday 10/12 2000s Wall Friday 10/25 Spooky Boy Wall Saturday 10/26 Vampires V. Cowboys Saturday 11/3 COUP (Center of the Universe Party) Friday 11/8 Business Casual Wall Saturday 11/9 ABBA Wall Friday 11/22 Age of the Space Babe Saturday 11/23 Radio Queens Friday 12/6 Vamos A Bailar Saturday 12/7 Crush Wall
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.
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The Activist Newsletter Throughout this week (9/18 – 9/25), activists have the opportunity to participate in public meetings, presentations, and canvassing events. Read on if you want to get involved in the community regarding local politics, gender equality and climate change.
BY JACOB WENTZ Wed., September 18, Reproductive Justice Presentation 7:00 – 8:00 p.m New College – The Gender and Diversity Center (GDC) in Hamilton (Ham) Center
Fri., September 20, Global Climate Strike 3:15 – 5:00 p.m. Unconditional Surrender Statue, N Tamiami Trail & Bayfront Dr, Sarasota, FL
NCF's Generation Action is hosting a presentation about the fight for reproductive justice. Information about Generation Action and how they get involved in the community will also be shared. Homemade brownies included.
Join young people in the streets for global climate strikes and a week of actions to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels and climate justice for everyone. The Council of Green Affairs (CGA) has already made plans to transport students to the Sarasota strike by setting up ride shares and hosting sign-making events.
Wed., September 18, Women in Local Politics 8:00 p.m. New College – Heiser 168 Join New College Democrats and Democracy Matters to learn about running for local office, advocating for progressive initiatives, campaign financing and more. There will be a panel on women in local politics featuring Margaret Good, Liv Coleman, Wesley Beggs, and Tracy Pratt. Fri., September 20, CGA Climate Change Teach-In 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. New College – HCL 8 Students, community members and professors plan to come together to lead presentations, facilitate discussions and represent their knowledge and views on climate change in a variety of forms. Students are encouraged to share poetry, art, research, and stories.
Fri., September 20, Rosé for Reproductive Rights 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Michael's Wine Cellar, 1283 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL The Friends Leadership Council of Sarasota invites of-age students to join them for a beer and wine tasting mixer to support Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. Tickets required. Mon., September 23, What is a trauma-informed community? 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Venice United Church of Christ, 620 Shamrock Blvd, Venice, FL Sarasota Strong will be hosting "The Life of the Grieving Child" with featured speaker Lana Vassilieva about early childhood trauma. and
Kali-Ray Skinner/Catalyst
Ah NCF alum, Professor, and students attended the town hall meeting. [From left to right: Wesley Beggs (‘14), Prof. Matt Lepinski, Daniel Kuether (Wesley’s partner) , second-year Lauren Lobeck (‘18), second-year Ellie Young (‘18), first-year Marie Stebbings (‘19), thesis sudent Alexandra Barbat (‘16) and first-year Sofia Lombardi (‘19).]
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Vern Buchanan public meeting speaks to gun reform, the border and climate change BY KALI-RAY SKINNER People lined up at the doors of the Manatee Performing Arts Center for an hour and a half before they opened. There was an excited buzz in the air, as it was one of the rare town hall meetings that Vern Buchanan, U.S. Congressional Representative for Florida’s 16th District has recently held. Buchanan gave people two days notice of this Saturday morning town hall meeting, ample time compared to the 24 hour notice he gave for his last meeting held at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center in March 2017. He rarely holds public town hall meetings, hosting private donor meetings more often. “I’m sure there will be some people here that are going to be angry at his absence, and his total reluctance to have public town halls,” Wesley Beggs (‘10), President of Florida Young Democrats, said. “There are a lot of folks in the community who feel he is really hard to get ahold of; he feels very unaccessible to our concerns.” After graduating from New College with a degree in Political Science, Beggs ran for Sarasota County Commissioner in 2018. After around 150 people filled the Performing Arts Center, Buchanan and Wayne Poston, Mayor of Bradenton, took the stand. Buchanan first addressed veterans and Hurricane Dorian before introducing Poston. Poston asked the crowd to take a solemn oath of civility and to refrain from shouting out questions. Buchanan expressed his role as a bipartisan politician, working to incorporate both Republican and Democratic policies for the common-good of America. Buchanan has served on the congressional district since 2007, representing the Republican Party. “I think he does a good job of playing the bi-partisan politician, but the reality of it is that he votes overwhelmingly in favor of Trump policies,” said Beggs. Just days before Congress was to return into session, Buchanan announced this town hall meeting to the public. On his agenda was to find out what the public wanted him to bring up to Washington. Florida’s 16th Congressional Representative answered questions of both local and international importance, including debt and spending, the border in Mexico, military, medicare and social security, Russia and cyber security
and even impeachment. Among the topics, the border, climate change and gun reform were hard hitters. “We are working hard to get sensible gun laws passed in this country,” Pat Simmons of Moms Demand Action said. “I’m tired of Parklands, I’m tired of Sandyhooks, I’m tired of El Paso’s. I was just in Orlando with a group of us. The bus stopped and I looked, and we were outside of the Pulse Night Club. All of this has got to stop. Enough is enough. We need to ban assault weapons. There are veterans here, they know that those automatic weapons have no place on the streets. So please, do something. Do your job.” “Thank you, and I agree with you, there’s too much violence,” rebutted Buchanan. “I hear what you’re saying. I do want to make another comment in terms of medicare and social security.” He went on to speak about the life expectancy and importance of medicare and social security. In regards to questions about red tide, “Let me just say, a good environment is good for business,” Buchanan said. “Without quality water, you’ve got nothing. If you see pictures of [Lake Okeechobee], it’s like guacamole, it’s on CNN. It’s a disaster not just for them but for the whole state.” The Manatee Democrat Party came prepared. Liv Coleman, Former State House Candidate, wrote the Manatee Democrat Party’s Town Hall Question packet, which was passed out by members of the organization. Question groups included: “Vern Buchanan and the Right-Wing Fringe,” “Tying Vern Buchanan to Trump” and “Election Security and Mueller Report.” There were multiple questions presented to Buchanan that came from this packet. Second-year Ellie Young, President of New College Democrats, lived with Liv Coleman last summer. Her other roommates were the Vice Chair of the Manatee County Democratic Party and another woman heavily involved in the Obama Campaign. They encouraged her to get involved in local politics. Young was involved with political organizing over the summer, which included weekly protests with Indivisible Bradenton, a group that goes against Trump’s policies and stands for all people. She was working on putting together a voter’s registration drive on campus, atcontinued on p. 11
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Local high schoolers organize Sarasota Climate Strike BY SERGIO SALINAS Ella Mirman, a junior at Booker High School, is the lead organizer for Sarasota Students 4 Climate, an organization pushing for climate action and hosting the Sarasota Climate Strike on Sept. 20. Mirman started the group last year after being inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Currently, Sarasota Students 4 Climate consists of six organizers but hopes to expand to a larger team by including students from across Sarasota county. Now with less than two days to go, Mirman hopes to inspire students to come out and demand climate action. "For the very immediate future we want as many people to come out as possible for this upcoming Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20," Mirman said in a phone interview. The Sarasota Students 4 Climate began with the Fridays for Future movement, a movement that Greta Thunberg started by sitting outside the Swedish Parliament every day for three weeks, sacrificing her education to push for climate action. Fridays for Future called for a global protest on Mar. 15. Since then
the Sarasota Students 4 Climate has continued to take action. They hosted a climate march to Sarasota City Hall on May 24, a climate strike on May 31 and a strike every Friday of June and July. Mirman and her fellow organizers recognize the importance of sustained activism to push for climate justice in Sarasota. "This movement started a year ago and it's only grown since,” Mirman said. “Millennials realize what the future holds for us, I just think that we'll become more passionate, more determined and driven to make change and societal shifts." Another Sarasota Students 4 Climate organizer Moriya White, a
junior at Pine View School, became inspired by Mirman to join the fight for climate action and has since helped lead strikes and provide signs for demonstrators. Mirman and Whites involvement in organizing climate protests reflect the overall ideals of the Climate Action movement that has been predominantly led by youth activists. "Our goal is to make our voices known,” White said in an email interview. “We are hoping with our dedication government office officials and the voter population will provide accurate representation until we can vote ourselves." With a shared feeling that the
Graphic courtesy of Sarasota Students 4 Climate Follow @sarasotastudents4climate on Instagram or SarasotaSchoolStrike4Climate on Facebook for more information.
time for action is now, climate activists around the world feel a global student led movement will be enough to achieve the action required for a sustainable planet. Mirman and White actively believe and promote these ideals as they continue to look for opportunities to expand and promote their local movement. A student-led grassroots movement in Sarasota county is cause for motivation among young activists to get involved. "The strikes are finally getting publicity,” Mirman said. “If every student in the world left school in order to go strike for climate action it would make a statement. We can’t be ignored if we are sacrificing our education." At New College, The Council of Green Affairs (CGA) has already made plans to transport students to the Sarasota strike by setting up ride shares and hosting sign-making events. CGA co-presidents and thesis students Liliana "Lili" Benitez and Nora Flower have actively supported the Sarasota Climate Strike and have collaborated with Professor of Economics Mark Paul to host continued on p. 11
Literature class commemorates fall of the Berlin Wall BY CLAIRE NEWBERG The collapse of the Berlin Wall is one of the most notorious events in recent history with the well-known Ronald Reagan declaration, “Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall.” Nov. 9, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the Wall’s collapse and German studies Professor Lauren Hansen’s Berlin Wall in German Literature and Film class has erected a replica of the wall in ACE plaza. Historical Context After World War Two ended, Germany was divided by the Allied Powers into four quadrants, with East Germany (the German Democratic Republic, or GDR) belonging to the Soviet Union and West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany, or FRG) being split among America, Great Britain and France. The Berlin Wall was initially constructed in part to interrupt massive population flows from East Germany to West Germany, since quality of life was generally better in West Germany. “The Wall was actually around West Berlin,” Professor Hansen said. “West Berlin was like an island.When you think about it, it was really West Berliners that were walled in, but West Berlin was democratic and you had freedom of the press, for example.” The wall itself was explicitly designed to keep people from getting over or under it, with a rounded off
Claire Newberg/Catalyst Students Chris Marie De Filipe, Barbara Monteiro and Eli Smeds pose in front of the replica.
top that was slick and hard to grasp, floodlights, over 300 watch towers with armed soldiers and guard dogs. There were only six border-crossing points. The wall quickly became a jarring symbol of the Soviet oppression of East Berliners. “They had a lot of sophisticated ways of making sure nobody got to [leave]. It got increasingly sophisticated over the years. It started with barbed wire and the building bricks and adding more to the barbed wire,” Professor Hansen shared. Economist Frank Heilan discussed the population flux after the Wall fell in his 2003 article ‘The Collapse of the Berlin Wall: Simulating State-Level East to West German Migration Patterns’ published in the monograph Agent-Based Computational Demography. “From July 1989 to June 1991 about 675,000 East Germans, or roughly 4.1 percent of the popula-
tion of the former German Democratic Republic, emigrated to West Germany,” Heilan wrote. “During that period, unemployment was on average lower in the East than in the West but it had already taken-off at an unprecedented pace. Before thc summer of 1989 there was essentially no possibility for a person to emigrate from the German Democratic Republic to West Germany before retirement.” The Wall created political polarization within Germany, pitting the communist East against the capitalistic West that remained after the Wall fell. Professor Hansen likened this polarization to the current political climate of the United States, mentioning the border and immigration issues with Mexico. “It’s important especially now to study the Berlin Wall because of the forefront of borders in the political arena and talking about the US/
Mexico border and keeping people out who want to make a better life for themselves,” Hansen said. “We see history repeating itself.” “It’s super important to learn how violent it really was. So on the one hand, this project is supposed to be fun and bring students in to have fun and come together. On the other hand, I want to keep in mind that the Wall was very violent. We see that going on now with families separated at the border [of the US and Mexico] and losing their lives.” Professor Hansen also compared the Berlin Wall with other current political crises, such as the conflict between Israel and Palestine, North and South Korea and the annexation of Crimea by Russia being among the examples. “Even if it doesn’t include a wall, the Berlin Wall encapsulates a lot of these recurring ideas and themes,” Hansen said. The replica of the Berlin Wall carefully oriented so the side with the graffiti facing the West and the bare side facing the east. “It was fully intentional [that the western side of the wall is the only side painted with graffiti] and the eastern side is blank, because you couldn’t get close to [the eastern side] without being shot or blown up by a landmine,” Hansen stated. continued on p. 11
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New campus resources offered for students interested in law BY ADRIANA GAVILANES This year, New College introduced law resources available through courses, real-world experience, test preparation and networking opportunities. The emergence of the pre-law club, Novum Collegium Litigos, in combination with Constitutional Law I, an upper level seminar course, shows that the college is expanding the pathway for graduates to attend law school. General Counsel David Fugett sponsors the Novum Collegium Litigos. “I had a sneaking suspicion that New College students might be interested in going to law school,” Fugett said. “I knew of some top-notch attorneys that had graduated from New College but there was no way to find out who was interested in a law degree. There was no organization, no professor, no staff member, no administrator, who knew how to get in touch with the students.” Second-year Rhys Shanahan, President of the newly formed Novum Collegium Litigos, explained that the club aims to provide members with skills to participate in cases and understand the different fields of law and forms of litigation, as well as provide hands-on experience through competitions in the American Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions. In addition, Fugett is working to provide resources for the LSAT and bar exam and to create a network connecting students and alums who have experience with practicing law. “I realized that New College is uniquely set up to be possibly the best undergraduate institution in the United States for students that want to go to law school,” Fugett said. Fugett explained New College graduates have a combination of factors that set their applications apart. All graduates have pages of
personalized and detailed narrative summaries from each professor they have worked with, as well as unique experience with at least three Independent Study Projects. Fugett emphasized that the most distinguishable factor is that all graduates have written, researched and defended a thesis. “I’ve never done that. I have yet to research, write and defend a thesis,” Fugett said. “I’ve researched, written and defended a ton of things, but I’ve never done a thesis.” According to Fugett, law schools are more interested in graduates who concentrate in areas they are passionate about. “That is all New College is,” Fugett said. “I was under the impression that if you want to go to medical school you have to be pre-med, if you want to go to law school you have to be pre-law. I found out pretty quick, that’s the last thing in the world law school wants you to be.” Deans of Admissions from law schools like the University of Florida have contacted David Fugett, asking to meet with interested students. “That was pretty much the opportunity I was looking for, was to meet with people like that and they’re already contacting us, we don’t even have to reach out to them,” Shanaham said. Additionally, Shanahan and Fugett are working on getting New College approved to be a testing site for the LSAT and bar. “The Law School Admissions Counsel has already reached out to approve New College a testing site and we have the space for it in Heiser,” Fugett said. “If you get a New College diploma, you’re going to get into law school.” Law school does not always result in practicing law. The Constitutional Law course being taught this semester by new Professor of Politi-
Adriana Gavilanes/Catalyst
Novum Collegium Litigos translates to New College Litigators in Latin.
distressing facts of satisfaction and likelihood of retention. On average, students ranked 7.0 for satisfaction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 levels on a scale between 1, being completely dissatisfied, and 10, beCollege] has to work harder to win ing completely satisfied. students it's not already winning." "When we look at current stuMoving onto discussions of dents, we see levels of satisfaction current students, the Group noted that are lower than we expect to see
Enrollment
cal Science Michael Gorup explained that he takes a different approach when teaching the course. “The way I approach the law is through the lens of political theory and political science and that is one of the distinctive features of how I design the constitutional law classes,” Gorup said. “It’s not focused on doctrine and the types of arguments you need to make in a courtroom but focused on analyzing the development of political institutional framework.” For this exact reason, Gorup explained that the course is beneficial to all students, not only students focused in law. “I felt like it will be a course interesting to students who want to go to law school and students who don’t,” Gorup said. “That’s not to say that [this course] is not useful for students interested in going to law school.” “When you go to law school you have to take constitutional law and most likely the way you’re going to take it is as a base course general requirement, different than the way I’m teaching it, which is good honestly you don’t want to take the same course over again.” The courses, clubs and resources pertaining to law continue to expand. According to alumni Jerald Martin Lentini, there was no foundation for a pre-law track but his time at New College was still insightful. “New College, more than anything else, prepared me to be ignorant. There is a world of difference between someone who is ignorant and doesn’t know it, and someone who is ignorant but fully aware of that fact,” Lentini said. “A lawyer’s best asset is an awareness of her or his own ignorance, coupled with a willingness to do something about it.” in these studies," the spokesperson noted. “And indeed, at least 40% of [current students] now feel the expectations they had upon arriving here have not been lived up to. 54% of them have thought about leaving—about 30% of them seriously. There are some things at play here in an institution with extraordinary strength and intellectual creativity that the school needs to figure out what is going on." Going forward, the Group encourages active efforts to fulfill satisfaction among current students and promoting engagement among prospective students. "[New College] has to figure out how to change the tide not only through the substantive work we do, but realizing that the people we
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Dorian CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 How to help The tragedy in the Bahamas inspired many around the world to offer assistance to the recovery effort. One such person is third-year Karianne Kapfer, who organized a donation drive at New College. “I came back to school from the hurricane, and I waited a day or two,” Kapfer said. “I was thinking that SA[u]CE or someone was putting something together to help those people, since they’re right across the water from us. I waited a couple of days and no one announced anything, so I was like ‘Someone’s got to do this, it might as well be me.’” Kapfer emailed the Student Activities and Campus Engagement (SA[u]CE) office about her plans to organize a drive and they worked together to set it up. The items they are collecting they are giving to The Law Group, a legal firm that is sending out planes every Tuesday to the Bahamas. Students, staff and faculty donated items such as toiletries, food, clothes, first aid items and water purifiers. “It just seemed like someone’s responsibility,” Kapfer said. For students looking to donate to the Bahaman relief effort after the drive has ended, they need to exercise caution. After disasters, it is common for fake charities to crop up in order to exploit people’s good will. This is a concern so serious that the Florida Attorney General cautioned those looking to donate on Sept. 5. Any suspect organizations should be investigated with a site like charitynavigator.org, to verify their integrity. Information for this article was gathered from nature.com, nbcnews.com, foxnews.com and cnn.com need to reach on this are pretty disengaged from [the school] and more disengaged than most studies [the Art & Science Group] do with colleges around the country." Among a list developed by the Group to describe factors hindering interest at New College, aspects of the community experience were discussed as central to informing decisions about whether to attend or to drop out of the school. Specifically, prospective students that were interviewed by the Group were reported to prefer livelier campuses which are perceived to exist at larger institutions. Additionally, deficits in social and community aspects—such as a lack of gathering spaces and a sense of belonging—are reported as principal factors determining levels of satisfaction and attrition among current students.
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Chris Marie De Felipe/Catalyst
local art gallery “Homelessness in Focus” BY CHRIS MARIE DE FELIPE A diverse array of greyscaled eyes cover the walls of the “Homelessness in Focus” gallery. Some show playful joy, a few appear guarded and many express a sense of suffering. Above all, however, the eyes in focus exude strength. A spirit of human resilience can be felt from each photograph. Photographer Allan Mestel’s mission to capture the faces of the homeless is a way of humanizing the people so often ostracized from human connection. The gallery is being shown at the Lexow Wing of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota from Sept. 15 to Oct. 17. Mestel is a commercial photographer with a dedication to street portraiture. “Homelessness in Focus” is a project pursued out of passion for understanding and representing the faces of individuals who have been ignored and outcasted because of their economic hardships.
His interest in specializing on people living on the streets began 15 years ago, while filming for United Way in Toronto. He was inspired by the weeks he spent working at shelters, capturing the work United Way had done and learning about the lives of the homeless. “I became fascinated by the people I met, and how different they were from what society expects; their backgrounds, where they came from, what their personalities were like. I met gentle, humble, sweet-natured people,” Mestel said. Mestel emphasized his shooting protocol, as he values the close, physical proximity in the atmosphere of his work. “I never shoot from a distance, because visually it looks like spying,” Mestel said. “I always shoot at eye level or below, because what I want to give people is an encounter experience. The sense of immediacy and proximity is essential, that way you are forced to look into the face that you would shy away
from in life, that you would ignore, that you would avert your eyes. With the images, I want to draw people into the faces, instead of away.” Two photos in the gallery stand out, as the images break from protocol. The focus shifts away from eye level to the tattoos of phrases and images that decorate their bodies. Menstel was particularly fascinated by the tattoos; the art that becomes eternally apart of the skin. For some living on the street, the skin on their backs has been their only permanent possessions. The designs are an insight into the past of individuals. “I met Johnny at the Salvation Army,” Menstel said. “He was coming out of jail and looking for a spot in a rehab center. One of the drug counselors close to him told me the history behind the tattoos. He had went to jail at a young age and got his tattoos just to intimidate people; they were a way to defend himself, a sort of armor to protect him from the older, violent prisoners.” Johnny’s tattoos cover his face,
arms and neck fully; the image is powerfully focused on his eyes and expression beneath the ink. In order to capture his subjects, he remains aware of his own presence during a shoot. “I keep my input of energy in check, because I don’t want to see myself reflected in the images,” Menstel said. “I only inject enough energy into the interaction for them to give me an authentic, emotional reaction.” This idea is evident by the diversity of the galley, as each subject has a unique expression and personal style distinct to them. “It’s me trying to provide a mechanism for people to connect emotionally with an individual they would almost never approach in reality,” Menstel said. He views art as a means of raising awareness of the humanity of those in poverty, and the gallery beautifully portrays the spectrum of Bradenton’s homeless community.
Christian stares wide eyed at a point off camera: the lighting draws shadows on his face and the effect is especially striking.
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All photos courtesy of Allan Mestel
Dominique is known for being an especially sweet person, but quite shy; this bright, open smile on him is a rare sight.
Helen is a figure commonly known as a playful character with a strong, adventurous spirit.
This man in focus, Steve, has a cool countenance.
A close angle helps to highlight the shape of this man's face and tattoos. Chris Marie De Felipe/Catalyst
The tattoos of two subjects, Johnny and Mindy, are dark in the greyscale lighting of the photos. The contrast between the tattoos, eyes, black shirts and surrounding white space give the photos a unique style.
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First Year Q&A: Devling into an unofficial school survival guide BY ANNA LYNN WINFREY After a whirlwind week of orientation and a couple more of classes, some first years (and older students) may still have some questions about how New College works. Here are some questions collected from real first years during lunch at Hamilton (Ham) Center about the New College experience that older students may also find helpful. What is the free store? Where is it? The free store is on-campus thrift store where everything is free. However, because of unruly mess, Student Affairs has asserted the free store must be in a closed area with a locked door. The free store in Goldstein Lounge has been shut down and the new location on the second floor of Z Dorm will open sometime soon. When is the bike shop open? What do they do there? The bike shop is usually open from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. The bike shop is located behind the fitness center. Student bike shop workers are paid with student fees so services are free and new parts are available to purchase at wholesale prices. What is the Forum? How do I get added to it? The forum is an email server
through your gmail, akin to a giant group chat for whoever wants to participate. Although some threads occasionally break out into ideological shouting matches, the majority of posts consist of announcements, minor favors and passing thoughts. If you would like to be added to the forum, contact the forum moderator, paul.domke17@ncf.edu. How do I schedule an appointment with the Counseling & Wellness Center (CWC)? When is a nurse available? Walk in to the CWC or call (941)487-4254 to make an appointment for mental health counseling. There is also a nurse practitioner available for appointments and walk-ins on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon. There is also a licensed practical nurse available on Tuesdays from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. for follow up appointments: they can draw blood or re-dress wounds but aren’t allowed to write prescriptions. How do I get an on campus job? Check the listing on Handshake, accessible via myncf.ncf.edu. Click on jobs in the upper sidebar and then the filter for on-campus jobs. Alternatively, stop by the office during business hours. How do I schedule an
appointment with the CEO? Appointments can be scheduled through Handshake by clicking on career center in the upper right corner and then on appointments. One can also stop by and schedule an appointment in person. Thesis student Sydney Clingo advises, “Don't be afraid if you have nothing to bring into those meetings (i.e. resume, cv, essay, etc.), the resources there can help you start and develop these.” What is ISP? The Independent Study Period (ISP) is a magical time in January set aside for students to do whatever they want…academically. Students have the choice to work with a professor individually on a research project or choose from a plethora of group ISPs. Thesis student Natalie Shafer advises, “Treat your ISP as a chance to bulk up your grad school resume! Don't wait until [the] last second and join any random group project just to get it over with. Every year counts, even first year.” What do our degrees mean? And what are AoCs and slashes? Once you’ve fulfilled all your requirements and passed your baccalaureate (“Bacc”) exam your fourth year, you will receive your degree. New College awards degrees in the Liberal Arts and your area of concentration is not listed on your diplo-
ma. Areas of Concentration (AoCs) are equivalent to majors at other schools. Slashes are kind of like minors at other schools but students can combine two slashes and create one joint-disciplinary AoC. How do I change my advisor? There is not a formal process for changing advisors, which is only done by asking a new professor to sign a contract. “If you can't work well with your advisor, it's not hard to switch, and it will make your life so much easier,” thesis student Aiden Juge said. However, make sure to inform the previous advisor. Bonus advice from thesising students: Bailey Cowden on organization and study habits: Instead of adopting the study habits that you think are 'correct', find the strategies that work for you. The main takeaway from my NCF experience can be distilled in the phrase: comparison is the thief of joy. Some people love journaling and detailed planning and reward systems. These do not work for me. They feel like a waste of time, so I don't use them. visit ncfcatalyst.com for additional advice from current thesis students
"This week I learned": topics that piqued interest BY CHRIS MARIE DE FELIPE At New College, most students refuse to let learning become a chore. They choose to pursue the things they care about and let that curiosity fuel their academic prowess. Picking up facts, strange anecdotes, new concepts and weird histories is an exciting part of college. Throughout the week, I asked groups of NCF students what they learned this week. It could be something insightful, something funny, something scary. “All of Roman playwright Plautus’s plays are essentially Greek to Roman translations, where characters were just culturally adapted to Rome’s audiences.” - Bob Lawlor “Broccolini, uh, exists. It’s like asparagus and broccoli, and it’s ugly. Long uncomfortable broccoli. Props to whoever wants to eat that but..” “Also… brocollini? That name! That’s cursed!” - Rocio Ramirez Castro Later, I met someone who also learned about the existence of brocollini, with a counter argument.
“It’s good as shit, lowkey looks ugly but highkey tastes good. Who needs presentation when you’re getting nutrients.” - Emma Claire Todd “I learned what cytoplasmic streaming in plant cells look like under a microscope. Also, that setting slides to view under microscopes is tedious and sucks.” - Jared Plasencia “BFE means “Butt Fuck Egypt,” referring to something that is very far away.” - Jaden Maryanopolis “This week I learned that you could order Quesadillas at Boar’s Head, and that my name means Ecstasy of Wine.” - Laylah Cortijo “Sharks have survived multiple major extinction events.” - Jaden Maryanopolis “Black out and erasure poetry are becoming more popular.” - Ash Howland “At the Feminist Fridays pronoun workshop, I found out the gender neutral term for Mr and Ms is Mx.” - Bella Shuler
“There’s a conductor, Jean Baptiste Lully, who died from Gangrene because he was conducting with a long staff. It hit his foot and he died.” Aniston Hoffman “In the Himalayas when people die, they get cut into pieces and vultures eat them.” - Klerissa Zolcika “Bananas make a great pipe. For artistic purposes.” - Nick Beck. “You can treat kelp to make a leather substitute.” “Klether.” - Tommy Finnan. “In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I learned that if someone is mounted on top of you, you build a frame with your wrists and push against them. Prevent their hips from getting on your chest with the frame. Push using the “Shrimp motion”, then you’re free to get up and walk away.” - Harold Gonzolez “English is a bit of a hotchpotch, primarily Germanic language. In 1066, when William the Conqueror arrived in England, many French terms were introduced and they were consid-
ered a higher tier of words.” - Oscar Vaughn. “In my Buddhism in Himalayas class, the frequent pilgrimages to visit the spirits that inhabit the mountains have led to a sort of “Tourist season”, where a lot of shops open up on the mountains.” - John Sapp “The word in ancient Greek for traveling through the air is now the modern Greek word for airport.” - Margie Freemon “The C’s in Latin sound like K’s, so the name Cicero is actually Kikero.” - Emily Lovett. “In my microeconomics class, I found out there is a correlation between hours worked and the amount of CO2 produced by a nation.” - Madi Markhal “Seeing the big picture of what I have to do in one moment makes me feel like I can’t do it all. If I take it moment by moment, it becomes manageable.” - Babs Monteiro
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“Look, we’re people too”: Sarasota’s Fabulous Independent Film Festival broadens horizons BY HAYLEY VANSTRUM As Sarasota’s one and only LGBTQ+ film fest, the Fabulous Independent Film Festival, which kicks off Sept. 25, has big plans for its ninth recurring year. Harvey Milk Festival’s Founder and Executive Director, Shannon Fortner, alongside Fabulous Independent Film Festival’s Founder and Programmer, Magida Diouri, are setting out to open viewers’ minds and provide filmgoers with a diversity of queer experiences with a full roster of seven feature films and documentaries, ranging in topic matter from the struggles of transgender youth to stories of queer romance. In 2010, Fortner, inspired by the recent announcement of Harvey Milk Day in Califorina and her attendance of the 2009 Equality March, started Harvey Milk Festival as a political platform to bring Sarasota’s queer community together and showcase work being done by local LGBTQ+ people. The organization has been putting on its annual festival in the month of May ever since, promoting equality and diversity through music and art. Harvey Milk Festival has also been working with the Fabulous Independent Film Festival since 2012, adopting it as a part of its programming in 2016 after the festival was gifted to Fortner
Hayley Vanstrum/Catalyst
Burns Court Cinema is a small theatre bringing independent, foreign, and art films to the Sarasota community.
by Diori. Fortner sites Milk (2008), the cinematic portrayal of Harvey Bernerd Milk’s life and tragic death as the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the state of California, as a major inspiration for the festival and a big reason why she believes in the importance of queer media. “The movie Milk itself was one of those films that put a topic in people’s living rooms that they normally wouldn’t have come across, or maybe wouldn’t have been familiar with the history behind it or Harvey Milk himself. So I just know the importance of cinema, it kind of allows us to step into someone else’s shoes and form a different perspective,” Fortner said. Last year, the fesival started
off with a timely screening of Transmilitary, a documentary centering transgender people’s experiences fighting for equal rights within the U.S. military. Similarly, the film shown this opening night, September 27, will be Gay Chorus Deep South, another documentary, in this case chronicaling the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus’ politically provoked journey through the Deep South. “It’s just this transformative opportunity where people can begin to understand and either be closeminded or open-minded,” Fortner stated. “I felt like from the trailer I saw a lot of eye-opening moments and more of an educational, ‘Look, we’re people too,’ kind of thing. I think that’s a good way to kick off the films at Burns Court.”
In addition to Gay Chorus Deep South, Burns Court Cinema, a prominent sponsor and supporter of the Fabulous Independent Film Festival, will be also be screening Good Kisser, a lesbian love triangle romance; Sell By, the story of a rapidly disintegrating relationship; and From Zero to I Love You, a dramatic romantic comedy about a man who has a history of becoming too involved with married men, on Saturday, Sept. 28th. On Sunday, the festival will continue with Mom + Mom, an Italian film about two women and the troubles that come along with trying to have a child together. It will close with Changing the Game, a documentary focusing on the lives of transgender high school athletes, particulary Mack Beggs, Texas State Wrestling Champion and target of online controversy. In addition to the films being screened at Burns Court Cinema, the Fabulous Independent Film Festival will be hosting two events offsite prior to opening night. Family in Transition, the story of a transgender Israeli woman’s rapidly changing family relationships post-coming out, will be screened Sept. 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life. “I partnered up with the Jewcontinued on p. 11
We didn’t float as high this time around: a review of "It Chapter Two" BY CLAIRE NEWBERG A story about a shape-shifting, child-eating clown demands some degree of suspension of disbelief, but there still needs to be believability within the plot. On Friday Sept. 6, director Andy Muschietti’s film It Chapter Two was released, and it was simply okay. Pop-culture’s 30-year cycle centered around the ’80s is almost over, as we transition into the 2020s and move on to a more ‘90s aesthetic. The transition has not stopped the film industry from reveling in our favorite ’80s stories and trends, with Netflix’s Stranger Things, continuation of the Terminator franchise and the release of the two-part film series adaptation of Stephen King’s notorious novel It. The first film tersely titled It was released in Sept. 2017 and took pop-culture by storm, with its tales of friendship, loss and love. Generally well-reviewed by critics with an approval rate of 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, It featured staples of
the ’80s aesthetic with its inclusion of the New Kids on the Block, fanny packs and milk carton kids. The film followed its own 30-year cycle, with the main plot focusing on the shenanigans of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, who awakened every 27 years to feast on the children of Derry, Maine. Though It was far from the perfect movie, it still captured the right mixture of ’80s nostalgia and undying friendship that any story of triumph should have. The 2019 sequel It Chapter Two was less well-received, sporting a lower Rotten Tomatoes rating of 63 percent. From a technical perspective, the film is well done. The cinematography is good, the CGI is mostly believable and the acting is fairly realistic through a majority of the scenes. The shortcomings and pitfalls lie mainly in the misfired oneliners and overall plot. In this film, we see the beloved characters from the first film again, only 27 years older, with the occasional flashbacks to them as children spliced in between. “I wanted to rescue the dialogue
between the two timelines that is so important in the book,” director Andy Muschietti said in an interview with pop-culture news channel CinemaBlend. This aspect was well written and acted: it was endearing to see the characters’ chemistry in their group interactions. Only when the writing team took creative liberties with the spooky parts did the scenes go downhill. In a wonderful scene in the first half-hour of the film, the Losers Club met for the first time since they were children in a Chinese restaurant. Their interactions made it seem like no time had passed at all, as they bounced jokes off of each other and caught up. It was all ruined when tiny monsters started hatching from fortune cookies and hot tar overflowed onto the table from a bowl in the center. Unsurprisingly, these events were all a hallucination, but neither the tiny fortune cookie monsters nor the hot tar matched the aesthetic of the previous film’s horror elements, not to mention that they served no purpose other than reminding the
audience that it was, in fact, a horror film. One of the strongest aspects of the film was the casting. The actors all did a good job of capturing the characteristics and mannerisms of the younger characters, especially actor James Ranson’s portrayal of adult Eddie Kaspbrak. Of all the adult actors, Ranson’s portrayal was the most like his child counterpart. The scene between him and adult Henry Bowers, portrayed by Teach Grant, in the bathroom of his hotel was particularly good. What was a momentarily extremely intense scene was eased by Eddie’s rather comedic neurosis. The weaker acting links, however, were James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain, who portrayed Bill Denborough and Beverly Marsh, respectively. McAvoy’s faults weren’t entirely his own, since his character was poorly written and lacked the depth Bill had as a child. He delivered uncomfortable lines that were a continued on p. 11
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Been there, done that The NEW New College advice column
SUBMITTED BY SYDNEY ROSENTHAL My roommate has been giving me a really hard time. Aside from the normal roommate conflicts, my roommate is what I'd call a "chronic oversharer". She tells me everything, and I do mean everything, from details about her sex life to the kinds of drugs she does. I'm open to being her friend, but it's unsettling to hear these kinds of personal details when I don't really know her that well. How can I ask her to stop sharing so much without hurting her feelings? Sincerely, KnowsWayTooMuch Dear Knows Way Too Much, Oof. I have been on both sides of this situation and I don’t know which one is worse. There’s a common misconception that roommates have to be “best friends”. Yes, it’s definitely easier if there is a connection, but I think the pressure that things have to be perfect causes a lot of tension. Living with a stranger is awkward and everyone reacts differently, some by sharing too much. But as a chronic oversharer myself, I have to think that if your roommate knew you weren’t interested or were uncomfortable, she wouldn’t be sharing with you. I’ve learned to check in when telling personal stories because one of my biggest fears is making people uncomfortable. My first reaction when reading this was, “maybe the roommate doesn’t have her own social group yet”. You could try going to events together to meet new people, I was thinking something active so there’s a positive sober group dynamic. Try to find your own group of friends and encourage her to try things she enjoys so she finds her people. There is someone out there who is dying to hear her crazy stories. I also think there’s a lot of power in being direct in the moment, but it’s admittedly hard. Next time she starts telling you something that makes you uncomfortable, try to redirect or swerve the conversation. If you’re feeling brave you can even say, “I’d prefer if we don’t talk about that right now.” You could make an excuse like you’re watching a show, or don’t have time, but don’t feel like you have to. It’s not easy to shut someone down but sometimes it’s necessary.You deserve to be comfortable in your space even if that means her feelings get hurt momentarily. This is the time to be clear about boundaries, it is still early in the school year and kinks can still be worked out. The longer you wait the more uncomfortable things will get. Part of having a solid, long term relationship is communication and it sounds like your heart is in the right place. Good luck! I'm a first year and I'm very stressed with the workload here. I have a lot of reading and a decent amount of homework in general and somehow I'm behind already - I have no idea how to catch up. I don't want to give up my social life for schoolwork, but I feel like that's where I am headed. I don't want to renegotiate nor get an unsat nor give up self care/fun and I don't know how to take my classes without doing one of those. First things first, don’t think about balancing as giving something up, because they’re distinctly different. I’m not here to tell you to be a hermit but I am going to gently remind you that you are at school for an education. When I was a first year, I was eager to make friends so I agreed to *everything* I was invited to; I would strongly discourage that. It’s ok to try everything once but prioritize events. For example, I don’t go to every wall but I wouldn’t miss a wall that my friend is throwing and I try to go to as many bayfront sunsets as I can. It’s also ok to only go to events for a scheduled period of time. If I know I have a big exam coming up or an assignment due but there’s also an event I need (were prioritizing here) to go to, I do both. I just make sure I only go to the event for the amount of time I can afford, even if that’s just twenty minutes and I make sure that I stay sober so that I can do work afterwards. Not going out all the time makes it so that the times you do go out are memorable and special. Your friends will understand that you need to work and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them are feeling similarly.You will be ok, the first part of fixing a problem is being aware. I know it can feel awkward but talk to your professors and advisors about feeling behind, they understand and are surprisingly encouraging, I’ll leave the school stuff for Anna Lynn though! Have fun and relax, a sat is a sat.
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SUBMISSION: Campus climate: turning a new page at New College SUBMITTED BY BILL WOODSON, CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AND DEAN OF OUTREACH Imagine a New College where the experiences and identities we bring to the table are truly welcomed. Where our collective commonalities as fellow members of a rich learning community are more important than our differences. Where our commitment to each other’s well-being and sense of belonging is more important than the political or social disputes that may at times divide us. The ability to encounter and challenge a different point of view while remaining respectful of the person who holds it is not a capacity for which our community is known. Indeed, the ferocity with which a New College community member responds to an opposing point of view is often applauded, even when it becomes a personal confrontation. Even when a dialog, where ideas or positions are engaged and challenged with facts, logic, or values, might have yielded more satisfying fruit. Why does this matter? It’s possible for me to challenge your argument without challenging your humanity or disparaging your character. College should be a rich intersection of new insights and alternative perspectives that expand the horizons of those who see the pursuit of knowledge and acquisition of critical thinking skills as essential to the realization of their dreams and aspirations. But when we attack each other’s right to hold an opposing view, we narrow the discourse, rather than expand our knowledge. My aspiration for the student experience of New College is that this is a place where we are all exposed to new and different ideas. That our students graduate, not only with firsthand knowledge of contrary points of view, but with an enhanced ability to engage and challenge those points of view, while remaining in relationship, even in fellowship, with people whose opinions conflict. Sounds radical? Imagine extending that capacity, modeling that ability to disagree vigorously yet respectfully, amongst our faculty and staff as well. Imagine a college community that is not only larger, but more diverse, more inclusive, and more stimulating as a learning community. Imagine the ability to live, work, and learn together, even though we have different religious beliefs, different political beliefs, different life experiences, different abilities, different identities and different values. Building a capacity for radical
empathy could help us realize this ideal. Radical empathy requires that we know enough about a person to understand not only the “what” of their point-of-view, but how they arrived at it. Mind you, understanding doesn’t preclude disagreement. The recently renamed and revitalized Committee on Campus Climate and Culture, which the 4C Committee has asked me to chair, will be welcoming new representatives, building on the contributions that Cabrini Austin, Professor Uzi Baram, Sheila Foley, and Duane Khan made last school year. The 4C has offered the community a summary of mental health support resources, weighed in on the campus diversity statements found in syllabi and on the web site, and provided a calendar of religious holidays. After a review of findings from the 2016 and 2017 climate surveys, validated by listening sessions conducted by myself and Dr. O’Shea, the deliberations of the 4C, and research conducted by Novo summer research assistant Leah Bender under my guidance, a clear path forward and a focus for the coming year and beyond has emerged. Along with our new assistant vice president for Human Resources Loretta Shields, I have recommended, and President has approved, a campus-wide climate initiative. In the coming weeks, you may encounter outside experts on our campus, consultants with expertise in campus climate and inclusive practices. They are being engaged as part of our desire to both accelerate and sharpen our focus on building a more inclusive community, one that is better able to sustain and engage, rather than suppress, differences in opinions and perspectives. President O’Shea and myself will also be holding multiple Town halls in various locations (to be announced) to hear and respond to questions you may have about the initiative. I believe this is a vision that we can all share. A New College that is both more inclusive, and more skillful in navigating and learning from diverse perspectives. A college community that is—dare I say it?—more kind. Imagine it with me. Together. And stay tuned, there’s more to come. Bill Woodson, PhD Chief Diversity Officer
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in the Q&A of cyber security threat in the nation’s polling system and promoted the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering report of changes to be made in our polling systems. Buchanan said he would like to speak with him outside of the meeting to see what more the government can do to prevent these interferences. “I was thrilled today to see not only New College students, but also students from local high schools,” Lepinski said. “The issue of gun violence in particular has really helped to mobilize our current generation of students to get more involved in politics. Vern Buchanan represents the second oldest age district of any congressmen, but it’s important to remember that there are families, students and children in this district too,” Lepinski said. Students involved in New College Democrats attended the town hall meeting. President of Genera-
tion Action, New College Student Alliance Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion and thesis student Alexandra Barbat, as well as secondyear Lauren Lobeck were among the students in attendance. “I thought the crowd had a lot of energy there,” Lobeck said. “The majority of the crowd was holding him accountable when he would avoid questions on issues that were clearly negative for our community and the people he’s representing. He would take a part of the question that didn’t look too bad for himself, and then explain that aspect of it and not really touch on the heart of the question.” To get involved in upcoming political events, New College Democrats will be co-hosting a panel with Democracy Matters on women in local politics featuring Margaret Good, Liv Coleman, Wesley Beggs, and Tracy Pratt on Wednesday Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. in Heiser 167/168.
a teach-in inside Sudakoff to discuss climate change and how New College as a community can work to combat its effects. "A big part of making change on campus is encouraging students to get involved and engaging administration and faculty,” Benitez and Flower said in an email interview. “The majority of students are aware of the climate crisis and want to see positive change but don’t know how they individually can get involved. We hope to give them clear paths to make their voices heard and contribute to projects and movements that make real changes.”
Currently, the CGA works as a branch of the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) to handle the money gained from the Green Fee, which every student pays to contribute to campus sustainability. However, as a result of a lower incoming cohorts, this year’s CGA budget was smaller in comparison to previous years. Regardless of budget, Benitez and Flower are assisted by a dedicated team of eco-reps who work hand-inhand with residential advisers (RAs) around campus to educate students on living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. "The eco-rep philosophy has evolved over the last couple of years, so we are still trying to solidify it into what we want it to be, but we really wanted to focus on working with RAs to make residential life more
sustainable," Flower said. Both Benitez and Flower, like Mirman and White, promote and encourage students to get involved in the effort to achieve climate action, whether it be here at New College or in Sarasota County. With student activists leading the charge for climate change and a now or never mentality, a wave of change can be felt in the Florida waters.
Berlin Wall
"It Ch. Two"
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 tending local talks about politics and involving herself with local political organizations. She rebooted the New College Democrats club this Fall, as it had fizzled out the previous semester. There were many local businesses and organizations representing Manatee and Sarasota County in the audience and they thanked Buchanan for the time he has spent with them to work on their mission. These include Prodigal Daughters, a non-profit that houses women who have dealt with violence, human trafficking or addiction, a concrete and architecture company and a gun reform organization. Professor of Computer Science Matt Lepinski also attended the event. He expressed his concern
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Professor Hansen expressed excitement from the level of studentengagement already made with the wall, talking of the different drawings and phrases in different languages painted in bold colors and fonts. In the bottom right corner of the replica, one can read the phrase “Ich bin ein Berliner,” or “I am a Berliner.” This was a famous line spoken by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 when he visited Berlin. It was meant as an empowering exclamation of freedom. Professor Hansen and her class are excited by the traction the wall is getting now that most passersby know that it represents the Berlin Wall. They look forward to the opportunity to educate the New College community further on the issue.
bit out of character and at times the script made him into the comic relief, which did not much sense, since the film already had two characters filling that role. Jessica Chastain’s faults were her own, though. Every time her character was put in a scary situation, which was often given the nature of the film, Chastain let out a short, high-pitched scream. The inauthenticity of her screams got to be a bit annoying after a while, especially when she seemed to be the only character reacting that strongly to the given situation. It was almost as if Chastain routinely kept forgetting about the fact that Pennywise the clown was after them. Moreover, the Native American subplot was tactless and veered on the side of exoticization of Natives and Native mythology. In the beginning of the film, Mike explained
Information for this article was gathered from link.springer.com and
Sign-making will be Wednesday the 18th in Hamilton Center from 11 AM12 PM. The Council of Green Affairs teach-in will be in HCL 8 from 12-2 PM. The Sarasota Climate Strike will take place in front of the Unconditional Surrender Statue at Island Park from 3:15-5 PM.
to Bill that he had visited a Native American group living just outside Derry and they informed him of their own folklore involving Pennywise. In a flashback, the group’s shaman said the line, “All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit.” This line was too convoluted and never really explained, despite being said multiple times and sounds as though it was merely written to sound wise. The film is riddled with pseudo profound one-liners like this that were either never brought up again or were awkwardly thrown at the audience on a regular basis. Overall, the film was technically done well, but could have used more work artistically. It is worth seeing for those who enjoyed the first film. The ending was satisfying enough and the excitement and comedy often masked the flaws. Information for this article was gathered from youtube.com and rottentomatoes.com.
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Film fest
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 ish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee county, and we’re doing the Wednesday screening [of Family in Transition] for free over on their campus,” Fortner explained. “It’s a film from Israel and it’s a very hot topic [to be] talking about what it’s like to find out a family member is trans and then [to see] how the community and the family deals with it. I think that’s always an interesting perspective, because a lot of people don’t really know what it’s like.” The second event outside of Burns Court Cinema, happening Sept. 26, will be a poetry reading with Cameron Awkward-Rich, 2017 Lambda award-winning author of the poetry collections Dispatched and Sympathetic Little Monster, which will be held at New College’s Mildred Sainer Pavilion. This event is a collaboration with New College, and was organized by Fortner and Professor of Gender Studies Nick Clarkson. Awkward-Rich’s reading will be the first event of the Gender Studies Program’s upcoming talk series, Trans Cultural Production, taking place Sept. 26-27. Fortner said that she has enjoyed working with New College faculty and hopes that the relationship between the college and Harvey Milk Festival will continue to grow as time goes on. “It’s been really great [working with New College and Professor Clarkson],” Fortner emphasized. “This last year for Harvey Milk we had a couple of New College interns that helped with the ‘Before Harvey’ exhibit and then Nick Clarkson was on the panel, which was really great.” In the future, Fortner hopes to expand the Fabulous Independent Film Festival, involving the local community by opening submissions up to the public. “We’re definitely trying to make it a little bit more queer centric, so I’m excited to see what kind of opportunities we can have with doing open submissions for features and shorts,” Fortner said. “I know we have a lot of talented students here [in Sarasota], so I think that’ll be really interesting to see and to give that platform as well.” For New College students planning on attending this year’s Fabulous Independent Film Festival, use code “Queer” at checkout to pay $8 per film rather than $10. Additionally, for students interested in becoming involved in Harvey Milk Festival by becoming an intern, joining committees or volunteering, visit harveymilkfestival.org. Information for this article was gathered from harveymilkfestival.org, sarasotamagazine.com, and sarasotaout. com.
CATALYST
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
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THE CATALYST WELCOMES NEW FACULTY HIRES BY VIANEY JARAMILLO
Michael Gorup Assistant Professor, Constitutional Law
This year’s new faculty are eager to start and are proud of becoming a part of New College. The subjects they teach range from creative short stories, typical mathematics, studying the AIDS epidemic and the history of mental health. Their backgrounds are diverse: some come from foreign countries and others have attended prestigious schools. New College welcomes these new professors.
Michael Gorup has studied politics and philosophy and was recently a lecturer of political science at the Critical Writing Program of the University of Pennsylvania. His interests lie in modern and contemporary political theory; the politics of race and ethnicity; constitutionalism and constituent power.
Kent Cao Postdoctoral, Asian Art History
Levente Pap Visiting Assistant Professor, Chemistry
"A keen fencer, art historian, museum goer. I'm excited for the opportunity to teach at New College and to experience the Sunshine State."
"I just moved here from Wyoming. I have lived in multiple different countries so far and I like new, exciting opportunities. I am really happy to be here at New College. This is a beautiful place and great institution!"
Burçin Bozkaya Professor of Data Science and Director of Master’s in Data Science
Kris Fennie Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
“I was born in Turkey, lived in Canada and the US, and I ran 10 marathons in six countries and counting. I am passionate about music and I love to perform, too.
"I am an epidemiologist and a product of a liberal arts college. I'm excited to be here. Fountain pens are cool."
Chris Pederson Associtate, Physics
Tabea Cornel Visiting Assistant Professor, Medical Humanities
"I am a new college alumnus and like sci-fi and video games."
"I have the necessary licenses to drive cars with heavy trailers, ride motorcycles and fly glider planes, but the only transportation device I own is (half) a car (without a trailer)."
Angela Buck Adjunct Assistant Professor, Creative Writing
Rebekah Jones Visiting Assistant Professor, Medical Humanities
"I went to The Evergreen State College [for undergrad], which is kind of like the New College of the west coast."
"I like to collect tiny things and tiny boxes to put them in."
Emily Carr Visiting Assistant Professor, Creative Writing "I dropped out of medical school to devote my life to poetry. I am also trained as a pianist and an ecofeminist scholar. I love to be surprised, so I'm delighted to be learning from my colleagues and alongside my students here at the New College, and I hope folks will start quizzing me on what I mean by statistically significant poems soon!"
Tetyana Dzyadevych Visiting Assistant Professor, Medical Humanities
Andrey Skripnikov Assistant Professor, Applied Statistics "I'm big into tennis, beach volleyball and sports in general. [I’m] a fan of dropping an occasional 'Big Lebowski' quote here and there.”
"My life motto is, 'Life is beautiful and full of joy.' I like traveling, outdoors experiences, good company, and interesting conversations."
Tim O'Donnell Production Manager, Technical Director "I'm a theme park enthusiast who can tell you anything you want to know about any musical or showtune."