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MAY 13, 2015 VOLUME XXXVII, ISSUE XII
WHAT’S INSIDE
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THIRD COURT DAMAGES
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12 DOGS, DOGS, DOGS!
A student newspaper of New College of Florida
Special session for legislature delays New College budget drafting BY BIANCA BENEDI On April 28, the state legislature closed its regular session three days early, unable to come to an agreement on healthcare spending for the budget. A special session has been called for June 1 to June 20, during which the Senate and the House will attempt negotiations. With the budget currently left up in the air, however, New College’s operating budget planning has been put on hold. Normally the legislature ends on May 1, allowing the school to draft a budget before the June 12 meeting with the Board of Trustees (BOT). With the hold-up, however, the school is left in limbo. Several major budget requests are on the table for New College in this legislative session: a $500,000 increase that will go to the Center for Engagement and Opportunity office, a $720,000 increase that will allow the school to hire more police officers and enhance the police radio system, and an allotment for construction for an addition to the Heiser natural sciences building. “We may still get a lot of stuff,” Vice President for Finance and Administration John Martin said. There is also a possibility we will
photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Rick Scott’s demands for a multi-million dollar tax cut in the budget may force the legislature to keep New College’s budget lean.
not. Although the House’s proposed budget grants the school those increases, the Senate has a $220,000 cut to the school’s operating budget. The special session will attempt to negotiate these numbers, and a final decision will not be published until June 20. Martin cautions that even after that point, Governor Rick Scott could still veto the proposed budget, extending the budget discussion into
July. “Technically, passing a balanced budget is the only thing the state legislature is required to do,” Martin said. But he is optimistic about the results of the special session. “When all is said and done, I think the college will be getting new money next year.” In the meantime, the school has
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Students bind together to provide support in aftermath of tragedies BY SARA MINEO In the wake of last week’s tragedies, police cars, television stations and reporters have swarmed campus. Events, meetings and classes have been postponed or cancelled leaving many to wonder what will happen next. On Friday, May 8 at 3:16 a.m, the Campus Police, Sarasota County EMS and the Sarasota Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive registered guest in Z Residence Hall. It was later released that the subject was 21-year-old Dylan Besser, a University of Central Florida student. This case is still under investigation. Two days later both police departments and the Sarasota County EMS responded to another report of an unresponsive male student in Pei Second Court Residence Hall on Sunday, May 10 at 3:18 p.m. It was reported later that night at the emergency Community Meeting that the subject was first-year Julian Toomsen-Hall, age
Colton Dodd/Catalyst
Over 300 students attended the emergency Community Meeting, a massive turnout for an emergency event.
18. The Sarasota P.D. is assisting the school in the investigation. President Donal O’Shea released an email update on Monday afternoon stating that the Sarasota County Police has confirmed that both deaths were
drug related. “We are all reeling with shock, and we join his family and friends in mourning his loss,” O’Shea said in an email sent out to the school on Sunday. “We need to be especially mindful and
supportive of each other as we complete this semester. This incident reminds us of how precious and fragile life is, and how important each of us is to our community. Please take care, and let us also agree to look out for one another.” The type and sources of the drugs have yet to be announced, awaiting the toxicology reports. The report could take anywhere between four and eight weeks and school officials will contact students over the summer with any updates. “I don’t think our drug and alcohol problem is any worse at NCF than it is at any Florida school or college,” Chief of Campus Police Michael Kessie said. The Sarasota P.D. stated in a press release that, “As a warning to students, residents and visitors, Officers with the Sarasota Police Department have received intelligence that suggests there is an increase of the pharmaceutical
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BRIEFS
PAGE 2
briefs by Jasmine Respess
NCF, Ringling, and USF trading spaces As of this year, a new and exciting opportunity has arisen for New College students. It is now possible to take classes at either the University of South Florida Sarasota, or Ringling College of Art and Design. The courses will appear on students’ contracts and will be counted for credit. No extra fees in addition to tuition and housing will apply – it will be added as just another class. “It is basically like a tutorial,” Director of Records Philip Carrasco said in a phone interview. “It needs to be sponsored by a New College professor.” “I took 2D drawing and design,” third-year student Daniel AndersonLittle said. “We worked with Adobe Illustrator and Indesign.” Anderson-Little explained that, although he had a previous connection with a Ringling professor who instructed him on what class he should take, the process for signing up for the classes on Ringling’s campus went through the Registrar, just as it does with New College courses. “Most classes you come in with designs and you come to class and critique each other,” Anderson-Little said. “There is also some research based work. The integration of Ringling, USF, and NCF will allow for greater diversity of classes. It also allows for students to experience different types of demographics, since NCF has an age make-up amongst its students that would be considered usual college age, while USF and Ringling often have non-traditional students. “As far as signing up for classes goes, what it takes to participate in the class [is] up to the college providing the class,” Carrasco said. Carrasco said that more information would be provided by July in an email that will be sent out to students.
Moodle app makes education mobile More and more education is going online. Teachers and professors post assignments, syllabi, and evaluations and students can read basically any book on the web and are able to upload assignments and take full classes online. As of April 2015, Moodle, formerly known as Newdle, is available as an app for both Apple and Android mobile devices. This is especially helpful if a student needs to check their assignments on the go, or turn something in away from campus. It also allows professors to share feedback with students quickly and efficiently. According to both the Google Play and Apple websites, features of the app include: the option to access Moodle offline; receive instant notifications on courses; interactions with other students; and ability to efficiently connect with educators and upload images, audio, videos and other files
from your mobiles device. Professors can view student work through the app, and students can view their evaluations on there as well. All files are opened through the Quick Look feature. After entering the site url, moodle. ncf.edu, and their login information, users will instantly gain access to the site’s features on their mobile devices, course information that they would be able to see if they logged in on a desktop or laptop. Even though most students are familiar with using online sites to interact with teachers and other students, the Moodle app is still unknown to many: “There’s a Moodle app?” third-year Vinushka “Stefan” Schalk said. But now that the app has been made accessible, it will likely become vital to students and educators alike.
New College catches some zzz’s For New College students, finals week means late-night studying. Some students take the traditional route of studying in the library, others at coffee shops and some even have the wherewithal to study for hours in their rooms. On average, students are only getting 6 hours of sleep a night, according to the University Health Center of Georgia. It is recommended that individuals sleep 7-9 hours a night. According to Harvard University, sleep deprivation leaves people more susceptible to illness and disease, and impairs perception and judgment. Sleep deprivation also inhibits the ability to learn. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and increased chance of mortality. “I saw a student sleeping under the desk in the Mac Lab last week,” secondyear Sarah Courson said. It is not uncommon to see New
“After the Gatsby Party is... “ “The Great Depression?” - Maria Vesperi © 2015, 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. 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.
College students doing work into the late hours of the night at places such as the Jane Bancroft Cook Library which is open until 1 a.m. during finals. Other spots include the Mac Lab and Perkins diner, which are both open 24/7, and Big E’s which closes at 1 a.m. According to the Harvard University Newsletter, a way to try to catch up on some extra sleep, contrary to popular belief, is to take 20-30 minute naps in cool, dark spaces. It is better to take shorter naps, because longer naps lead to grogginess. Another aspect of nap-taking that was suggested was timed caffeine intake. If a person consumes caffeine right before their short nap, the caffeine is absorbed during sleep and the person wakes up feeling energized. Information for this article was taken from www.health.harvard.edu, healthysleep.med.harvard.edu, www.uhs. uga.edu, fit.edu.
General Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Layout Editor Staff Writers & Photographers
Sara Mineo Pariesa Young Yadira Lopez Caitlyn Ralph Bianca Benedí Colt Dodd, Katelyn Grimmett, Giulia Heyward, Haley Jordan, Sydney Kruljac, Jasmine Respess, Ryan Paice; Kaylie Stokes
Interest in New College summer courses doubles With a semester of summer classes under New College’s belt, this summer will be a continuation of last year’s program. About 15 students signed up for the 2014 summer classes; this year, there are 28 people registered and most of them have already paid for the classes. Although there are a lot of NCF students involved, Professor of Sociology Sarah Hernandez said that a number of high school students and Sarasota community members have also registered. Courses offerings were determined by surveys sent out earlier in the year as well as registration numbers. Among the courses offered this year are Abnormal Psychology, which is just a compressed version of the regular class taught during the year; and a dance course that will train students to work with people with Parkinson’s disease. Another course that will be offered is Coral Reef Ecology with Professor of Biology Sandra Gilchrist, a class she has taught for more than 20 years; this is the first year that students will get credit for this activity. Students choose whether or not they want to receive academic credit for their courses. An advantage to taking summer classes is that they may get a student closer to the 31 credits required for graduation. A four-credit course for in-state students costs $768.40, while two credits costs $384.20. For out-ofstate students, four credits cost $3,327.16, while two credits cost $1,663.58. Although no additional financial aid is offered, leftover aid from the academic year can be used to pay for summer classes. Anyone interested is still allowed to register but will be required to pay a $100 late fee.
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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NEWS PAGE 3
Looking ahead to the 2016 presidential hopefuls BY RYAN PAICE With Barack Obama’s second term as president coming to a close, people are already looking ahead to the upcoming 2016 presidential election. In the Democratic corner, Hillary Clinton stands as a very serious contender for the presidency, with Bernie Sanders hoping to at least make an impact. In the Republican corner, a wealth of hopefuls preside, from Jeb Bush to Marco Rubio, all looking to represent the elephant. While no one can say for sure who will win the Republican nomination, Hillary stands tall as favorite, despite the scandals that have plagued her in recent years. As Secretary of State, Clinton has run into several bumps in the road over these past few years. It has been debatable whether or not Hillary and her department could have prevented the four deaths that were the result of a terrorist assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and it is still questionable as to whether or not her email scandal has substance to it. While Republicans are desperately trying to tarnish public perception of Clinton, many Democrats stand firm by her side, doing their best to defend her from the unrelenting Republican attack. Despite all of the rumors and scandals that have yet to be sorted out completely, Clinton’s momentum has not been entirely haltered, and many still see her as the favorite. Out of 60 responses to the poll question “Who do you think will win the 2016 presidential elections?” 41 answered with Hillary Clinton – a resounding 68.33 percent. The next highest answer was Jeb Bush, who received only 7 votes, or 11.67 percent. “If we are just talking about the
general election, I would take the odds on Hillary Clinton because I am confident that she will be in the general election, and when she gets there it is very possible for her to win,” Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies Frank Alcock said. “She is an incredibly unique candidate, as her level of exposure, from being the first lady to secretary of state and being one of the favorites in the 2008 election, there are very few people in this country that don’t have a very firm opinion of Hilary Clinton,” Alcock continued. “Her overall numbers are unlikely to move that much, unless it was a ridiculously debilitating scandal.” Bernie Sanders, the other official Democratic hopeful, might not have the odds on his side, but Novocollegians favor the Vermont senator heavily. Out of 61 responses to the poll question “Who is your personal favorite candidate for the 2016 presidential elections?” Sanders received 32 votes, which is 52.46 percent of all the votes. Clinton came in second with 11 votes, or 18.03 percent. Regardless of the student body’s opinion, Sanders is not readily considered a true contender by many. “I don’t think her campaign is off to the most robust start, but there is no indication that there are any other serious contenders at the moment,” Alcock said regarding Clinton and the contenders for the Democratic nomination. “It is kind of troubling that if her campaign implodes, they don’t really have a viable general election candidate to sort of step up.” On the Republican side of things, there is no shortage of rightwing candidates to choose from. Jeb Bush has the name recognition and the fundraising to make something
Ryan Paice/Catalyst
The majority of students polled said that the biggest loser of the presidential election will be the American people.
happen, while Scott Walker and Rand Paul’s names should not go unnoticed. Ted Cruz might resound favorably with the Republican voters, but he may be too far right to be a legitimate general election candidate. Of all the Republican candidates, Florida Senator Marco Rubio might have the backing and momentum to make a serious push for the presidency in the 2016 elections. At only 43 years old and with a short but impressive stint in U.S. politics, Rubio is not leading in the polls but he shows plenty of promise as a legitimate Republican nominee, as he lacks the limitations several other Republican nominees have tied to their campaigns. While Rubio does show some promise, and could turn out to be a serious contender, many see Jeb Bush as his biggest competitor. “I think that given the fundraising
capacity as well as the operational apparatus that Jeb Bush will be throwing out there that he is a very formidable candidate,” Alcock said. “However, in the primaries he does have a few liabilities that might not get through to the Republican base, so it is possible that he sizzles.” Along with Rubio and Bush, Rand Paul, Scott Walker and Mike Huckabee should not be forgotten. All of these candidates have a very real chance of making an impact and becoming a front-running presidential nominee, as it is, the Republican nomination is entirely up in the air. “There are so many candidates in the field, so anything could happen to move them up front,” Alcock said.
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Damage to Third Court lounge investigated BY HALEY JORDAN The damage inflicted on the Pei Third Court lounge in recent weeks has led to numerous emails, community discussions, the threat of students being charged for damage and even a police investigation. The recent damage includes holes and drawings on the walls, heavy damage to the fridge, large paint chips and two small fires that left the stove and oven unusable. The small oven-top fires raised particular concern as one student believed them to be intentional, but investigation is still underway and no conclusion has been reached. Third Court resident and first-year Hannah Yates and her guest at the time, Alex Straker, witnessed some of the fire damage firsthand. “We were just in the room about to go to sleep, and then Alex heard the fire alarm before I did,” Yates said. Yates and Striker entered the lounge to find a small stovetop fire, which a student had put out. Straker returned to the room and reported hearing the alarm
image courtesy of Lauren Burr
The damage done to the stove, as seen in a photo sent to the student body by RAs.
a second time. Straker returned to find another small stovetop fire, and says he and a student put it out. “She poured like a cup of water
over it and I quickly ran over and turned it off then I got out of the room,” Straker said. Straker stayed until the police arrived and explained to the officers
what had happened. Two days later, Yates and Straker were called upon to give official statements about what they had witnessed. “It was just weird because after the fact, after the fire happened we didn’t think anything of it,” Yates said. “We assumed someone left the stove on and it was a cooking accident or something.” Both were asked to provide statements to the police about the incident in the following days. “The main question they were asking was ‘did you see anyone setting the fire?’ but we didn’t see anyone set it,” Straker said. “The damage was a result of someone being careless,” first-year Gabriella Sanchez commented. “The person culpable should have had the dignity to own up to their actions.” Residential Advisors (RA) have contacted the students more than once, and in light of the last wave of damage, warned, “If something like this happens again, we will be closing the lounge for the rest of the year. This is supposed to be a community space, remember and respect the community standards set at the beginning of the year.”
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NEWS PAGE 4
Latin America most dangerous place for environmental activists BY KATELYN GRIMMETT Last month, Global Witness released a report identifying Latin America as the most dangerous place for environmental activists. The study recorded 116 people killed worldwide in 2014 for defending the environment, 87 of whom were in South and Central America. During the time this report took to publish, three more environmental activists were killed in Latin America in the span of three days. The report, titled “How Many More?” exposed the danger that activists face every day and revealed many of the environmental defenders as leaders and members of indigenous communities. A shocking 40 percent of the killings in 2014 were of indigenous people, many trying to protect their own land from being harmed by destructive projects such as hydroelectric dams, logging and mining. “This is an enormous, multifaceted issue, but an especially important thing to discuss is how indigenous people are being deliberately targeted, this is especially evident in Colombia and Peru,” Council of Green Affairs historian and second-year Victoria Eastep said. “Not only do these groups experience all of the negative environmental consequences of these projects, but frequently they aren’t even consulted or informed about them.”
The report shows a 20 percent increase in these killings from 2013. Statistics of the report recorded Brazil as having the highest number of deaths, reaching 29, Colombia next with 25, 15 in the Philippines, and 12 in Honduras. Despite having the lowest number of murders, Honduras is the number one most risky country in Latin America as it has the highest killings per capita. From 2002 to 2014, 111 people were killed in Honduras for defending the environment. “How Many More?” includes a case study done in Honduras in addition to these statistics and unsettling facts. It documents land and environmental activist Berta Caceres’ stance against a mining project that was to take place close to her community, putting their water source in danger of being polluted. Caceres helped to put together groups of indigenous communities to resist a hydro dam on the Gualcarque River. Complaints were sent to the Honduran government, unrequited, and peaceful protests were organized in the country’s capital of Tegucigalpa. “We denounced this dam and were threatened with smear campaigns, imprisonment and murder,” Caceres said in an interview with Democracy Now. “But nobody heard our voices, until we set up a roadblock to take back control of our territory.” Caceres has received multiple
death threats and, through her work as an environmental defender, has become an enemy of the Honduran government which openly supports the hydroelectric dam company. She has been forced to live the life of a fugitive, never safe from threats either from the government, the company or hired assassins. Despite these hardships, Caceres continues to actively resist hydro dams everywhere in Honduras. “Depending on the location of the dam, its economic efficiency can be compromised because seasonal fluctuations in water level force them to operate below capacity for much of the year,” Eastep explained. “People seeking employment are driven to these areas where the ecosystem is already fragile, and the infrastructure built to accommodate them only causes further harm.” Some countries in Latin America certainly have a safer world for land and environmental defenders than the deathly areas of Brazil and Honduras. President Emerita of Pronatura de Yucatán Joann Andrews said, “Most of the conflicts in Mexico revolve around land grabs by unscrupulous lawyers backed by big investors who use semilegal devices that allow them to buy land from members of ejidos [land reserved for agricultural use], often at very low prices. Most of the activity takes place in long legal arguments rarely with
death threats.” “Historically, Mexico has had, especially since 1936, a better system of protecting the land of poor farmers than do some of the other Latin countries. By Constitutional rights, the members of the various ejidos own the land in common. That land could not be sold until President Salina de Gortari had the Constitution changed to allow this land to be sold.” This summer, Professor of Biology Sandra Gilchrist will be taking a group of students down to Honduras for marine science research. “There are no safety concerns that I wouldn’t have in any large cities,” Gilchrist said. “There is gang violence in the cities and danger even in the forest areas because of drug drops off the trails. But I am strict with that, you do not go out near these areas, we stick to where we stay in the business district in Cayos Cochinos.” The business district in Honduras is protected by a local military base and rangers. Other areas of Honduras are not so well guarded and produce a dangerous country where activists must be on their toes just to keep alive. Information for this article was taken from pangeatoday. com, argentinaindependent.com, democracynow.org.
Caitlyn Talks Science Do we influence Facebook or does Facebook influence us? BY CAITLYN RALPH With the advent of technology and its integration into almost every aspect of life, many are turning to different mediums to receive their daily news. One of those mediums is social media, a place users are turning to more frequently to read up on current affairs through links posted by friends and news outlets themselves. However, the exemplar of this situation, Facebook, may not be at fault for causing the ideological slant that occurs in users’ newsfeeds – it might just be the users themselves. It is worrisome to think that sites such as Facebook could be potentially using an algorithms to collect a newsfeed that reflects those prior clicks, potentially bypassing important news. The result would be a biased, uninformed citizen who is checking a page of news filled with everything that matched their political opinions. Currently, one fifth of liberals’ and one third
of conservatives’ posts on their timeline are of opposing political views. A new big data study directly addressed this concern by compiling the activity of 10.1 million Facebook users that previously indicated their political standing through a survey. In six months, a total of 7 million links were posted by that specific set of users. Thirteen percent of all those links were news or political in nature. A social algorithm in Facebook does exist, but the researchers were interested in how robust that algorithm is. They found that the algorithm’s effect on biased posts is a lot less severe than anticipated. In fact, users ended up clicking on one percent less challenging views with the social algorithm suggestions, but clicked on 4 percent less challenging views with their personal choice suggestions. For right now, it seems users influence their biased Facebook
Photo courtesy of pixabay
A recent study published in “Science” found that the built-in Facebook news ranking algorithm may have less of an effect on users’ biased timelines than personal choice does.
timeline more than Facebook does. However, on April 21 of this year, the future of applicability of these results may be in jeopardy. The social media giant released that it will be updating its newsfeed ranking
system, complete with a brand new formula for analyzing what specific people would like to see. Read the full article at www. sciencenews.org.
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NEWS PAGE 5
Annual trip to Honduras becomes credited class BY KATELYN GRIMMET For the past 33 years, Professor of Biology Sandra Gilchrist has taken groups of students to the northern region of Honduras to study the rich ecosystem found in the shallow reefs surrounding the island Cayos Cochinos, where the group usually stays. For the first time ever, the research trip will now be a credited summer course. With seven New College students in attendance – including one thesis student – two high school students, and one student from another college, the class will bring a new twist to hands-on marine research in a beautiful, practically untouched location. Before traveling to Honduras the class will stay on campus for a week in order to study introductory course material such as the geology of Honduras (particularly the Bay islands), the biology of reef organisms, and the culture of the local Garifuna people. The group will then fly into San Pedro Sula and take a van across the countryside to La Ceiba, where they plan to spend the night. The final destination is the island Cayos Cochinos, where the group will stay at Turtlebay Eco Resort for the remainder of the trip. The island is located in a marine reserve so a permit is required from the Honduran government in order to work there. Gilchrist has the permit specifically for invertebrate research and it allows her to bring along students to take part in coral reef study. “The island is part of the tail end of the second largest barrier reef, actually off Belize, and where we [stay] is part of a collapsed volcanic realm that sticks out of water,” Gilchrist said. The visibility in the water is about 45 meters, remarkably clear,
and the group will be able to see a lot of underwater life. Gilchrist will be bringing eight of her own underwater cameras with which the students will practice photography. “I once saw a huge ray called ‘abuela,’ the grandmother, and it was probably about two and a half meters from tip to tip of the wings – that’s a sobering sight to see an animal that large,” Gilchrist said. She has also seen an endemic pink boa, special to those islands, hunt on the edge of a creek near where the group stays. The island is rich with biodiversity; in fact there are more hummingbird species on that one island than in all of North America. “I have a few goals for the trip, the first is to expose students to a different culture because I think it’s very important to see things that are not you to get a perspective of your place in the world,” Gilchrist said. “The second thing is to teach them about coral reefs and weave in a little bit on how humans are affecting them through eco-tourism, global warming and that kind of thing.” The thesis student on the trip is continuing a project begun by other students in the past which focuses on the distribution of a coral disease called White Plague. The group, led by Gilchrist, will be looking at coral genetics to see what the relationship is between the corals’ susceptibility to the disease and its cells. This is done by collecting mucus given off from the coral that is filled with rejected food, waste and live cells. After this substance is collected, there will be a lab back on campus in which the group will learn to isolate the cells for genetic analysis. The applicable idea is to culture and restore potentially resistant coral. In addition to this project, students will be doing several different projects catered to their own interests
photo courtesy of newcollegecoralreefers2013.blogspot.com
Brain coral in the waters off of the shores of Cayos Cochinos.
including studying coral, crustaceans and algae. Students will also be collecting trash from the reefs while snorkeling. All research and study will be conducted through snorkeling but the students have the choice to scuba as an extracurricular activity through the resort’s diving business. The resort often shares the group’s research and study results with diving groups. “It’s a great way to have people interact, you don’t have TV – you can’t run to McDonalds, you have got each other so there’s a lot of time to talk and really get to know the people and relax,” Gilchrist said. The cost of the trip varies per student due to the applied tuition, which can be in-state at $768.40 or outof-state at $3,327.16. The cost of the hotel and stay is $1,899 for three weeks, about $100 a day. This includes lodging,
food, boat rides and various other expenses. Students will have to pay for airfare as well. The group was able to raise a good amount of money through fundraising and school funding. Thesis student Robert Manley participated in the 2014 summer trip to Honduras, collecting data for his thesis by filming mantis shrimp. “I needed approval from Dr. Gilchrist and to fund my own way down, which I did with scholarships and grants. I received support from the CAA, SRTG, and Latin American and Caribbean Scholarship,” Manley said. “I would say being in the water every day almost all day [was the best part of the trip],” Manley added. “Living on that island for three weeks and having access to clear water every day was fantastic.
Daughters for Life bring Middle East Interest Club to campus BY BIANCA BENEDI The first cohort of Daughters for Life (DFL) has just about finished its first year at New College. In that one year, the five students from the Middle East have been vocal and active members of the community, have made it a goal to bring awareness of Middle Eastern cultures to campus. The Middle East Interest Club was officially drawn up in January, with more than 75 students expressing interest in participating in the club. “Basically what we want to do is educate people and students here about the Middle East, to show them it’s more than just politics,” first-year Loureen Sayej said. Sayej is one of the Daughters for Life and hails from Palestine. She is involved in both the Middle East Interest Club and its sub-project, the unofficial Arabic tutorial. The club so far is balancing activist ideals and cultural introduction. In the past semester, two events have been
organized. The first event, held on April 16, was a candle-lit vigil for the victims of ISIS held on Z-Green. Members of Hillel and Students Targeting Oppressive Powers (STOP) also joined them in the vigil. The second event was a three-night movie showing in the TA, held between April 30 and May 2. The movies covered themes such as religious relations in Lebanon, Israel/ Palestine relations, and Egypt during the Arab Spring. “It’s our first experience organizing events on this campus,” first-year Leen Al-Fatafta said. “So we’re going through the whole bureaucracy. Maybe next semester we’ll get the hang of it and probably have events on a larger scale.” Al-Fatafta, who comes from Jordan, is also the primary teacher of the Arabic tutorial. “A lot of students approached us, expressing that they wanted to learn Arabic,” Al-Fatafta said. “We took the issue up with some of the faculty, but they said there isn’t anyone on campus
who knows Arabic and can teach it. So [the Daughters for Life] thought collaboratively that we would work on an Arabic tutorial.” The Arabic tutorial is based on volunteer work. No official sponsor means the students who attend the meetings, held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, are participating out of self-interest rather than any tutorial credit. “It’s just us sharing our expertise in Arabic with students who want to learn it.” More than 50 people expressed interest in an Arabic tutorial. “We had about 20 people sign up and ask to be in the class,” Sayej said. Due to scheduling conflicts, only 12 people were able to attend. “It’s time consuming, and it’s not for any credit,” Al-Fatafta said. Al-Fatafta’s father is an Arabic professor in Jordan, and was able to send the members of the Arabic tutorial class materials. The textbook Al-Fatafta is drawing from, “Arabic from Scratch,” is one of three that her father sent. “We haven’t gone so far,” Al-Fatafta
said. “Some of the students can read and pronounce things in Arabic. We’ve covered long vowels, short vowels, numbers, the feminine and masculine forms ... they can write their own names and have a short conversation in Arabic.” “Hopefully next year we’ll have an Arabic professor on campus,” Sayej said. Al-Fatafta plans on continuing the tutorial into next year. “With more [Daughters for Life] coming next year, we might be able to expand this. I would like for the Arabic tutorial to be something fixed on campus. Arabic is a critical language, and with more girls coming ... I feel like there needs to be that representation for them.” The Middle East Interest Club is hoping to expand over the coming years. “We’re trying to operate with other student clubs like Hillel, STOP, and Jesus Club, so hopefully it goes well,” Sayej said.
The Great
GATS BYt Pa rt y
BY KAYLIE STOKES In a longstanding New College tradition students gathered at the Old Caples Mansion this past Saturday, dressed in their finest 1920s garb. Students mingled and moved about on the lawn and up on the balcony and couples paired up to dance along to the live jazz music played by the New Cats. Funding by the SAC was spent on juices and snack plates for guests to enjoy throughout the night. Despite the mosquitoes, the evening seemed to be a successful night with most guests dressing up and staying until the final note of the New Cats. "I had a lot of fun at Gatsby," second-year Olivia Talton said, "it was really fun for everyone to get all dressed up and have a good time. The live music was probably my favorite part, it was so good."
(left page) Third-year Jessica Zimmerman, secondyear Emma Cockram, and first-year Cayli Caruso post in 20s fashion. (top) Thesis student Hilary Ramirez (right) with guest Barbara Willis. (bottom) Second-years Cayli Carruso and Emma Cockram dressed in Gatsby-esque outfits. (right page) (clockwise from top) The Caples Mansion is a perfect place for rooftop views of the Gatsby party. First-years Eugenia Quintanilla and Robin Lindsley.. Thesis student Sara Mineo and guest Blake Davidson. Third-year Kay Saffe and thesis student Sara Linares.
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Newcomers ‘As It Is’ set All Time Low top the up for success with debut charts with latest release album ‘Future Hearts’ BY CAITLYN RALPH Hailing from Brighton, England, pop-punk newcomers As It Is played their first show in America three months ago at The Orpheum in Tampa. “For any UK pop-punk band, to play anywhere in America, is a dream,” lead singer Patty Walters told the Catalyst. “It was beyond our expectations, and we had a brilliant freaking time.” In that short time, the band finished that extensive nationwide tour, announced their place on Warped Tour 2015, and released their debut album “Never Happy, Ever After.” During a time when pop-punk is slowly creeping its way into mainstream media, the quintet have set themselves up for a promising career. The first UK band signed to Fearless Records, As It Is recorded “Never Happy, Ever After” in Florida with producer James Paul Wisner, also credited on works by The Academy Is… and Paramore. Without being hackneyed and trite, “Never Happy, Ever After” seamlessly cements the band’s pop-
punk image. The contrast of the dual singers’ vocals creates a unique dynamic that adds an extra layer of interest to each song. While different, guitarist Benjamin Biss’ more powerful tone complements Walter’s higher pitch. The album possesses a satisfying variety of tempos, ranging from some upbeat moments to slower, more relaxed melodies. Centerpiece tracks such as “Concrete” and “Drowning Deep in Doubt” represent that variety and fuel As It Is’ potential to use this album as a jumping off point for more complex efforts in the future. A clear outlier, “My Oceans Were Lakes” was a daring move by the band, but added depth that the record needed. After a few listens, it is nearly impossible not be tapping and singing along to “Dial Tones,” the “Never Happy, Ever After” highlight. Warped Tour-ready, As It Is is basically primed to be embraced by the scene. They combine classic poppunk tendencies, a forward-thinking attitude, British accents, and a solid debut album to build the sturdy base to their successful future.
BY CAITLYN RALPH I remember listening to “Dear Maria, Count Me In” on the bus in middle school, I remember asking the DJ to play “Lost In Stereo” with my best friend at freshman homecoming, I remember hosting “Straight To DVD” viewing parties at my house, and I remember seeing All Time Low for my 16th birthday at the House of Blues in Orlando. After following me through those formative years, the radioready, pop-punk quartet have recently resurfaced with the release of their wellreceived sixth album “Future Hearts.” Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, “Future Hearts” sold 80,000 albums in its first week, also nabbing the band their third number one rock album. All Time Low recently played to a sold out Wembley Arena in England. At 13,000 seats, the show was their biggest to date after more than 10 years together. Lead singer Alex Gaskarth’s vocals are at their strongest, and the lyrics, often not about relationships, express a reflective quality,. Highlights such as
“Dancing with a Wolf” and “Kids in the Dark,” both showcasing a faster tempo, anchor “Future Hearts” and prevent it from straying from All Time Low’s punkier roots. All Time Low seems to be aiming for a more adult alternative genre with this album, allowing them to become accessible to a larger audience. Even though not a huge leap forward, the record is definitely a step in that direction. However, from the perspective of a longtime fan, “Future Hearts” unfortunately does not hold up in comparison to All Time Low’s previous release. Energy is missing from “Future Hearts,” oftentimes causing the record to fall flat in places and leaving listeners wanting just a bit more. “Future Hearts” is a solid release from a band that could have easily faded away years ago. Instead of disappearing, All Time Low have topped the charts, amassed new generations of fans, and managed to stay relevant. Information from this article gathered from www.baltimoresun.com and www. billboard.com.
This week’s Netflix pick: Enter the brilliance of ‘Enter the Void’ BY RYAN PAICE When my roommate logged on to Netflix and started playing 2009’s “Enter the Void,” I had absolutely no expectations – I had never even heard of the film before. After only a few minutes, I was stunned by the movie: from its first-person point of view, to the beautiful computer generated visuals the main character watched on the ceiling after he smokes DMT. By the time the movie finished I was convinced I had never been on a more intensely substantial journey before – at least through a movie. Early on in this French film, we are witness to the conversations of the main character Oscar, played by Nathaniel Brown, with his friend Alex, played by Cyril Roy, discussing “The Tibetan Book of the Dead.” The two discuss the Tibetan Buddhist ideals on life and death and reincarnation, and while it might seem like just another discussion in a movie, the concepts and ideas quickly become the overall journey of the film. As Oscar is shot and killed in Tokyo when his friend betrays him, the spiritual journey begins, and the viewer – from the still first-person perspective of Oscar after death – is brought along as he witnesses everything that led to his death, everything that happens because of his death, and his very own reincarnation. While Nathaniel Brown’s portrayal
of Oscar might not be the most incredible performance of all time, the acting is purposefully bland – the point of the first-person perspective is to have the viewer put themselves in Oscar’s place, not the other way around. Oscar’s sister, Linda, played by Paz de la Huerta, has a considerably more notable performance, and – with Oscar’s early death – plays a key role in the film. Victor, the character responsible for betraying Oscar and indirectly causing his death, is brought alive by Olly Alexander, who plays his role to perfection. These performances might not be given the attention they deserve due to the film’s shocking content and direction that demand the viewer’s attention, but this remarkable group of actors really do deserve recognition for their excellent performances. One of the key features of the movie is the previously mentioned first-person perspective, and it is imperative that the viewer keeps in mind that they are viewing everything from Oscar’s perspective. It is from this perspective that all meaning can be derived from the movie, as Oscar’s continued perspective after his death is the exploration of Tibetan Buddhist thought. The first-person quality is also the reason that Oscar’s death scene was one of the most shocking scenes I have ever watched – the fear and desperation of Oscar is absolutely felt by the viewer, along with the surprise of being shot.
photo courtesy of Flickr
A rough cut of “Enter the Void” was shown at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Along with the unique perspective, the overall visual and audio style of the movie is simply brilliant. When Oscar smokes DMT, beautiful computergenerated visuals come alive on the walls and spaces on screen, and frames will alter from normal to tinted with different colors and aspects. Even when Oscar dies, the incredibly artistic style of the film is not abandoned, and actually becomes more and more intense. Along with the visual aspect of the film’s artistic style, the audio is just as uniquely intelligent. Voices of characters who are not there sometimes can be heard, sounds from Oscar’s memories leak in and out of the movie’s reality and the oft-prominent
soundtrack grabs and guides the viewer through the experience. Nothing could prepare any potential viewer of “Enter the Void” for its artistic style with audio and visuals, just as nothing could prepare any potential viewer for the movie’s ridiculously explicit nature. If this movie were to have a content warning, basically every taboo aspect of life would have to be involved in the warning. Sex and love are key parts of the movie’s exploration and journey, and a large portion of the movie features hardly censored sexual activity. Along with all of the sexuality,
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Shaky Knees: A steamy three days in Hotlanta BY SYDNEY KRULJAC Taking place in Atlanta’s Central Park, this year’s Shaky Knees Music Festival turned heads yet again with notable headliners such as The Strokes, The Pixies, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, Tame Impala and Ryan Adams. Two years ago, Shaky Knees was a two-day festival with a line-up that headlined The Lumineers, Band of Horses, and Drive-By Truckers. The festival caught the attention of locals and out-of-towners proving it could make a successful return the following year. In 2014, the festival became a three-day event, moving into a larger venue at Atlantic Station and swiping popular bands such as Alabama Shakes, The National, Modest Mouse, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and a reunited The Replacements. Despite last year’s weather issues, the vast parking lot accommodated large crowds with ease, but the lack of aesthetic value did not go unrecognized as neon “Old Navy” signs lit up the lot. Now in its third year, event promoter Tim Sweetwood decided to make some changes to the festival yet again. “You want to grow aesthetically,” Sweetwood said. “You have to make sure your booking is on point so fans are just as excited as they were the year before.” The quest to find a proper home for Shaky Knees was finally resolved this spring as it nestled its way into the heart of Atlanta’s Central Park. According to Consequence of Sound, this year’s festival resembled that of Lollapalooza in how it takes over Chicago’s Grant Park. Shaky Knees was separated in sections, creating what resembled a small community within a large urban city. There were street signs directing crowds to their respective stages, food trucks, and merchandise stands, as well as signs directing people to other music festivals around the United States. The layout of the festival forebode much longer treks to the five sprawled out stages, but it was efficient enough and also suggested that Shaky Knees may be even larger than Sweetwood ever intended or imagined. Sweetwood has created a city within a city, much like one sees at other well-known music festivals —his vision has inevitably outgrown itself as the festival becomes not just another music festival, but a sought-out event. “Know that we are committed to getting better each year, and not necessarily bigger either,” he said. “The end goal is to sell out as a festival, but at half the capacity of the Bonnaroos and the Coachellas so that everyone there can enjoy it. We want the guy who is standing 20 feet back from the stage to enjoy it just as much as the guy who is standing 200 feet back from the stage.” Thesis student Aric Smith has attended the festival two years in a
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all photos Sydney Kruljac/Catalyst
Piedmont Stage, one of the five stages at Shaky Knees with performances from bands such as The Pixies and Best Coast.
Shaky Knees is centrally located in the heart of Atlanta.
Shaky Knees sign in the middle of Atlanta’s Central Park.
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Wall previews BY GIULIA HEYWARD Friday, May 15: xXx Scene Wall xXx - Marina Garcia & Cassidy Bingham xXx Scene Wall xXx will be cohosted by thesis students Marina Garcia and Cassidy Bingham. This Wall is on the same day library thesis copies are due and the sponsors hope that graduating students will bring their thesis angst to the party. “When I was a first-year, the fourth-years threw a Scene Wall and it was the best,” Bingham said. “Dressing in bright pants and band shirts and lots of makeup was fun and nostalgic. I think we want to carry on the legacy with our own take on scene music.” Wall-goers can expect musical stylings from bands such as Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance, Brand New, Fall Out Boy and Taking Back Sunday. Saturday, May 16: Safety Wall - Oliver Goldsmith & Anna Rodriguez Safety Wall will be co-hosted by thesis student Oliver Goldsmith and third-year Anna Rodriguez. “We were trying to pick a theme that captured both our combined eccentricism as individuals as well as a layer of irony so thick that it would ultimately become unironic and weird,” Goldsmith said. “We also want to ensure all Wallgoers are being safe and following the rules,” Goldsmith said. “So extra security in the form of volunteer student police will be patrolling the Wall, ticketing people for unruly behavior [...] Students violating the rules will be sent to a ball pit for five minutes.”
NCSA basically just a long-running joke BY BIANCA BENEDI New College is famous for being a little out there. So it is no surprise that the same thing is found in the New College Student Alliance (NCSA). A newsletter sent out to the student body in the fall of 1982 by the NCSA president at the time, Michael McDuffie, ‘79, adequately captures the spirit of a student government that does not always take itself seriously. “Dear first-time-at-New-College student,” the letter opens. “I hope the first week of classes has left you at least partially emotionally and psychologically intact. If so, I’d like to invite you to contribute to the process of ‘making the college work.’” The letter, which came in a packet with several documents from the NCSA, including the NCSA constitution, the student code of conduct and the elections code, asks first-years to get involved in the NCSA and attempts to educate them on the process. “I really do encourage any of you who are interested to ... enter your name on the ballot. Elections at [New College] are, as a rule, somewhat noncompetitive – a hot race is one where there are two seats and three candidates – please spare me the task of having to appoint people to these positions,” McDuffie writes (it is amusing to note that in terms of student interest in the NCSA, absolutely nothing has changed
Bianca Benedi/Catalyst
McDuffie, ‘79, wrote the introductory letter with a humorous flair, setting the mood for incoming first years who might not have been sure of what to expenct from their student government.
despite a significantly expanded student body). “Please take the time to at least glance over these documents,” McDuffie pleads. “The Constitution is amusing ... and the Judicial Procedures are a wonderful glacial monument to the ability of the University bureaucracy to make the English language perform a variety of specialized tricks (roll over
and play dead, for example...).” “Please contact me through box 376 if you have any questions,” the letter finishes, “or stop by 209, the office in the back, morningafternooneveningmo therthiscan’tbemidnightalready where I work and avoid work. Seeyaround, Michael McDuffie, Presidenthing.” No wonder no one takes us seriously.
EVENTS: MAY 13-MAY 20 On Campus
Wednesday, May 13 • 7 p.m. Mental Illness Support Group meeting @ LBR 248 • 8:30 p.m. Anime Club meeting @ Old Mail Room
Friday, May 15 • 10 p.m. xXx Scene Wall xXx Saturday, May 16 • 10 p.m. Safety Wall Monday, May 18 • 9 p.m. STOP Meeting @ GDC
Thursday, May 14 • 12 p.m. Technology Brown Bag @ ARC Seminar Room Tuesday, May 19 • 2 p.m. “Threads: Master • 7:30 p.m. Aced It Class for Dancers” with meeting @ GDC Anjali Austin @ BBT • 6 p.m. Artists’ reception: “Octonocular” @ Caples
Off Campus
festival opening for Wednesday, May 13 “Equality Gallery” @ The • All day Davinci and Hub Michelangelo exhibition @ Bradenton Auditorium Saturday, May 16 $15.95 • 7 p.m. Team Trivia Night • 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dowtown Farmer’s Market @ Growler’s Pub • 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sarasota Craft Fair @ Downtown Thursday, May 14 • 2 p.m. Harvey Milk • 9 p.m. Vinyl Night @ Festival concert @ Five Growler’s Pub Points Park • 9:30 p.m. Harvey Milk Festival “Tiger Orange” showing @ Burns Sunday, May 17 Cinema • 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sarasota Craft Fair @ Downtown Friday, May 15 • 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Live music @ Burns Square • 7 p.m. Harvey Milk
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a contingency plan to tread water until an official budget is agreed upon. Rather than attempting to draft a budget without any sure numbers, the BOT will pass a continuation budget. The operating budget from this year will be used as a starting budget for July 1 onward. The BOT meets again in November to pass final changes to the budget, so “we’ll have until November to make all the changes,” Martin said. Lawmakers and political observers are optimistic about this special session; Senator Bill Galvano of Bradenton County said in an interview with Sunshine State News that he thinks the special session will put people to work. “I don’t think we’ll need all those days. If we’re open minded and work together ... we’ll be able to reach a resolution.” The biggest hold-up between the House and Senate will be handling the massive discrepancies between their proposals for healthcare legislation. The session needs to resolve the question of whether they will expand healthcare to the uninsured, and how to handle a $2 billion deficit in funding for Florida hospitals for uninsured patients. Governor Scott also wants the budget to include $673 million in tax cuts, challenging the legislature to cut wherever they can.
drug, Fentanyl, being mixed with street drugs in the Sarasota area. This mixture could have deadly consequences. Officers do not know at this time if this is the case in the deaths of the two people at New College and will not know until toxicology reports are returned.” Despite last week’s tragedies, New College has not had a single student die on campus since 2005. Though grief runs deep through campus, communal bonds have become stronger and students have grown closer in order to help and console one another. “This past weekend has been incredibly heartbreaking for the entire New College community, but I’ve been so touched and so proud to witness how quickly everyone has come together in support of one another,” third-year Catalyst staff writer and Pei RA Kaylie Stokes said. “I know that everyone here cares deeply for one another and the safety of our community. I couldn’t be more impressed with how gracefully and empathetically all of my fellow RAs have responded in the past 48 hours, even in the midst of their own grief and stress.” At 10 p.m on Sunday night, a group of more than 60 students lit tea lights by the bay in remembrance of both Toomsen-Hall and Besser. Students sat along the edge of the bay in silence for more than an hour, their candles flickering around them. The New College Student Alliance (NCSA) and other groups on campus have sponsored special gatherings in order to give students support and company. Pizza, cupcakes and other food has been available for free in various locations as well. This relieves many students from
having to cook and gives them a space to feel comfortable and supported. The NCSA is working to create events over the next few days such as movie nights and community remembrance efforts in order to bring students together to reflect and give support to one another. On Wednesday, May 13, the NCSA is planning to offer a letter-writing session that would allow faculty, staff and students to write letters to the families of the deceased. “The best we can do to support the families of the deceased is to let them know that we as a community stand in solidarity about how much this student meant to our community,” NCSA CoPresident Paige Pellaton said. Co-Presidents Pellaton and Shelby Statham have worked tirelessly to provide events and programs to support students. “We are also in talks with several students about different things we can do on campus to memorialize those we have lost, though Shelby and I are very adamant about allowing the students time to heal and to generate their own ideas about how they’d like to celebrate the life of the victims. We very much feel that the projects students were discussing on the [forum], such as planting a tree with a plaque dedicated in memory, designating a day to dress in all black, starting a bracelet and ribbon campaign to remember who we’ve lost, are all very respectful and appropriate ideas that we’d love to help the students see come to fruition.” At this past Sunday’s Community Meeting, Dean of Student Affairs Tracy Murry stated that Fall incoming students will be informed of the deaths when they arrive on campus. Pellaton and Statham have plans in the works
Netflix
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drugs and drug dealing play a part in the film, as well as death, incestuous undertones and traumatizing childhood events. The movie has no fear and explores every subject without holding back, so be warned. “Enter the Void” is an incredible movie that breaks ground no one has braved before, and is a meaningful exploration of Tibetan Buddhist thought on life, death and reincarnation. The artistic style is unlike anything you have ever experienced, as visual and audio treatment is radical and well done. It has been a while since a movie has impacted me as much as this one had, and I was left basically speechless for a brief time afterwards. If you are looking for a movie that is unlike anything you have ever seen before – and you are alright with the content – “Enter the Void” might be the movie to watch.
row. “I would say my favorite part of the festival was probably getting to see The Pixies, TV on the Radio and The Strokes,” Smith said. “They managed to fit five stages into an area that wasn’t too large to easily walk around, which was nice.” The crowds at Shaky Knees were never too dense (except maybe for The Strokes), and the food truck lines, though long, were never unbearable, proving the efficiency of Sweetwood’s design. Various flavors of ice pops proved a refreshing and popular during the festival as well as the Dos Equis sponsored beer tents. The screens at the headlining stages were state-of-the-art, detailing every bead of sweat dripping from artists such as Ryan Adams and Julian Casablancas’ faces. “They didn’t have a large selection of beer and what they did have was more
Information for this article taken from www.sunshinestatenews.com and www. bradenton.com
Presidents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 “So I don’t think that there is a clear frontrunner in the Republican field at the moment.” Regardless of the candidates, it does not seem like the New College student body has much hope for the election’s results. Out of 62 responses for the question “Who do you think will be the biggest loser of the 2016 presidential elections?” a resounding 39 answered with the option: “The American people.” Despite the pessimism behind the upcoming 2016 presidential election, it might finally be the race in which a woman will hold office. While Hillary stands strong even with her numerous setbacks, the Republicans remain a threat due to their significant number of legitimate candidates. The 2016 presidential election is still a ways away, however, and the possibilities are endless.
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for the Fall and first-year Orientation to increase education on substance abuse. “There is talk with administration of creating a Drug Task Force that Shelby and I would serve on to voice student opinion and make sure student rights are protected,” Pellaton said. “Additionally, we are hoping to start a Drug Awareness and Education program, with help from Students for Sensible Drug Policy, next year to increase information and conversation on campus about student safety, specifically in relation to drug and alcohol awareness and addiction prevention.” Though she cannot officially comment on whether or not these tragedies will affect events such as Walls and PCP, Pellaton did state that every student concerned about Walls and Graduation PCP should be present at Wednesday’s Emergency Towne Meeting on May 13 at 6:00 p.m. in Palm Court. There will be an Alternative Faculty meeting on Wednesday, May 12 from 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. The meeting is open to staff and students as a place to have constructive conversations about last week’s events. The Counseling and Wellness Center is open for walk-in counseling from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Additionally, there will be an RA on duty in the Gender and Diversity center until 8:00 a.m. You can report any anonymous tips to the NCF Campus Police at (941) 487-4210 Sarasota P.D. Detective Sergeant Tom Shanafelt at 941-954-7089 Crime Stoppers by calling 941366-TIPS (8477) and online www. sarasotacrimestoppers.com
overpriced than beer usually is at music festivals,” Smith said. “It’s disappointing to see that they’re sponsored by Dos Equis when Sweetwater is a big local brewery there in Atlanta that sponsors other music festivals like Gasparilla Music Festival.” Whether or not growth is what Sweetwood is looking for in his festival is his decision to make, but it is safe to say many people will be more than ready to participate come next year. Throughout the three days, the mood was spectacular even under the blistering sun, and was supported by a music-hungry sea of people. If Sweetwood is smart, he will feed their appetite, and he will feed it well. Information taken from consequencesofsound.net.
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DOGS DOGS DOGSh BY COLTON DODD Man’s best friend has been at humanity’s side since the Stone Age, and hopefully will continue to be at our sides until the end of times. Initially, dogs kept security at campsites and kept rats out of food supplies, but nowadays have proved to be incredibly efficient at providing emotional support. Living on campus, however, most students have little access to our beloved animal companions. To make up for that absence, here are some choice canines to provide some relief in the wake of finals week.
TOP RIGHT: Thesis student Andrew Fiorillo’s dogs, μ and Django.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Dodd’s dog Athena, a 6 month old Border Collie mix.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Third-year Ethan Block’s dog Jordi, a pitbull corgi mix.
BOTTOM LEFT Thesis student Colton Dodd’s dog Henry, a two year old Pekingese and Maltese mix. TOP LEFT: Thesis student Sara Mineo’s two year old Beagle and Husky mix, Gatsby.
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