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CATALYST
WALL PREVIEWS
NAT SCI SEMINAR pg.
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APRIL 22, 2015 VOLUME XXXVV, ISSUE IX
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Happy Earth Day from the Catalyst!
API takes over New College BY SYDNEY KRULJAC AND JASMINE RESPESS API has been an important part of New College tradition since it was created in 2008. The yearly, weekend-long conference takes place in April and provides students with an opportunity to learn about leftist radical theory, connecting them with organizations across the United States. API exemplifies the creativity of students and community members coming together to implement theory and discuss practices that can be used to further succesful social changes and movements. With it come zines, a communal food table, and This year’s conference welcomed student and non-student lecturers who provided presentations and workshops on various topics such as Direct Action Tree Climbing Basics and dispelling the myths of Black Pantherism. There were also presentations by social groups such as the Uhruru, who advocate for social change. The conference culminated with a march to Payne Park to voice attendees concerns over inequality and other social issues in the Sarasota community. Inspired by the National Conference for Organized Resistance (NCOR), the founding students, James Birmingham (’06), Kotu Bajaj (’06)
Sydney Kruljac/Catalyst
Zines, flyers and shirts available at the API booth.
and Jaqueline Wang (’06), contacted Professor of Sociology Sarah Hernandez and eventually created a tutorial called Conference Organization. They planned for a conference that would educate others about leftist theory and ways to network in the South. Malik Rahim, a former Minister of Defense of the New Orleans Black Panther Party, discussed common misconceptions about Black Panthers. He explained what the Panthers stood for, why they were perceived as a threat and why their example is still relevant
in today’s society in an ongoing battle for environmental peace and justice. “Your condition is far worse than mine when we started the Black Panther Party,” Rahim said. “We have the lowest government I think I have ever seen in American government […] what are you going to do 45 years from now when you get to my age, with your weapons of mass destruction that you’re going to inherit? What are you going to do with all these nuclear plants? How are you
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Offensive write-in votes generate public concern BY GIULIA HEYWARD Reading absurd write-in votes, such as “Ham food” and “Florida man,” after finding out the results of the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) election, has become a tradition. However, in the last few years, offensive write-in votes meant to target particular students have led some to question whether there is something amiss with the current voting system. Following the results of the recent 2014-2015 NCSA election, supervisor of elections, first-year Sabrina Finn, released two documents containing the recorded write-in votes for this election. One of the documents contained every write-in vote that was submitted, and the other contained “redacted” write-in votes – a list of votes excluded due to offensive language. The decision to publicize the list of abusive write-in votes has received mixed reviews. “I was a candidate who got a fair number of [abusive write-in votes],” first-year Rebecca “Becca” Caccavo said. “I take my job as SAC [Student
photo courtesy of NCSA
The ballot for the 2014-2015 NCSA elections allowed students to either check off a candidate or write in who they thought should receive the position.
Allocations Committee] Representative and CSA [Council of Student Affairs] secretary very seriously. Seeing those write-ins felt not only very petty, but reminiscent of a lot of past instances of
cyberbullying in my life.” The decision to make offensive write-in votes public was not made by the current supervisor of elections, but by Student Court. The Student Court
meeting concerning the procedure for classifying and handling abusive writein votes was held on April 11 in the Old Mail Room. “Some people didn’t want me to post the abusive write-in votes at all because they didn’t like that people could still see them,” Finn said. “But part of what Student Court decided was that they have to be published. So I had to publish both of those. I got some mixed reviews on that. Some people said they liked it, some people asked me not to publish the abusive ones at all.” Another factor concerning the issue of write-in votes is that they do serve a purpose besides voicing political dissent. “Every single [write-in vote] needs to be written down, and this is really important,” thesis student McAlister Grant said. Grant served as Supervisor of Elections from the Fall 2012 semester to this past December. “This is essentially a mechanism for ensuring that the election has been
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CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
BRIEFS
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briefs by Giulia Heyward
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev found guilty in Boston Marathon trial The Boston Marathon trial found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty of 30 counts following the bombing that occurred at the Boston Marathon in April 2013. This decision puts the country one step closer to finding peace after this act of terrorism, yet also hints at what is to come. “All you heard were sirens, cries and screams,” witness Shane O’ Hara said in an interview with CNN. “The thing that haunts me is making decisions – who needed help first, who needed more, who was more injured than the other one. I felt it wasn’t my role to make those decisions, but you have to do that.” Survivors of the bombing provided chilling details of the event. “My bones were laying next to me on the sidewalk,” Rebekah Gregory, who lost her leg during the bombing, said at the trial. “That’s the day I thought I was going to die.” Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 21 years old, was said to have planted the bombs with his brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a shootout with police following the bombing. Dzhokhar attended the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and was seen on campus by security cameras hours after the bombing. His defense team claimed that his older brother had been the main culprit of the terrorist
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons/Rebecca Hildreth
The site of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, near the finish line. The bombs detonated nearly 12 minutes after they were planted.
act, with Dzhokhar solely “aiding and abetting.” It took the jury nearly 30 minutes to read all 30 guilty verdicts out loud. Images of the event, including graphic scenes of those who had been injured or killed, along with photos detailing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s allegiance to militant Islamist groups and an article on his laptop entitled “How to Build A Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom,” were shown. Although the jury found Tsarnaev guilty, the punishment still
needs to be decided during the second part of the trial. Tsarnaev is slated to receive either the death penalty or life in prison. “We are gratified by the jury’s verdict and thank everyone who played a role in the trial for their hard work,” Carmen Ortiz, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said. Information for this article was taken from cnn.com and abcnews.go.com.
New gender-neutral bathroom in White House sends powerful message The LGBTQ community has hit major milestones with the legalization of same-sex marriage in 36 states and a recent order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation that went into effect this month. Yet, it is perhaps the more quiet changes that have become significant indicators of the changing attitudes toward LGTBQ individuals, such as the new genderneutral bathroom that has opened in the White House. The gender-neutral bathroom is located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, in the West Wing of the White House. “The White House allows staff and guests to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity,” White House spokesman, Jeff Tillman, told ABC News. “Which is in keeping with the
administration’s existing legal guidance on this issue and consistent with what is required by the executive order that took effect for federal contractors.” The news has elicited praise from LGBTQ organizations and activists. “It is heartening to see that, even if legislators in some states are attacking the dignity and humanity of transgender and gender-nonconforming people, at least the White House is still moving in the direction of dignity and common sense,” Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said in an interview with ABC News. New legislative action in other countries has also changed in order to address individuals who may not identify as either female or male. Official documents in England now give
“...As I spilled coffee on myself, cleverly aimed at my crotch....” - heard from a New College professor © 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.
their citizens the option to identify as “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “X.” Many students have been able to draw parallels between the effect this will have for employees at the White House and the effect gender-neutral bathrooms have had for people here. “I really am grateful that we have [gender-neutral bathrooms] on campus,” first-year Sarah Cohen, who identifies as agender, said. “The increased communication between people has really raised awareness, and I think that just the news that there is a [gender-neutral] bathroom in the White House will do more than the bathroom itself, which is already a really big step in itself.”
Vigil hosted on Z Green Recent events in the Middle East have inspired international attention, and even trickled down to incite action from students. This includes a vigil that was hosted on Z-Green by the Middle East Interest Club. “[The] Middle East Interest Club is a new student organization that aims to take up the mantel of presenting the history, culture and traditions of the Middle East,” firstyear Loureen Sayej said. “Most often, the Middle East is misrepresented and especially on college campuses. Here, at New College, students are willing and more open to other perspectives. It is a culturally inclusive community.” The Middle East Interest Club invited Students Targeting Oppressive Powers (STOP) and Hillel to participate in the vigil by collecting stories from victims of violence at the hands of D’aesh, also known as ISIS, in countries such as Syria and Iraq. “Millions have been displaced, thousands beheaded and murdered,” Sayej said. “Journalists, children, women and men of all religions and all races. Our main goal is to convey the message that D’aesh does not represent a faith or ethnicity. Middle East Interest Club seeks to break the stereotypes about our people through such activities.” After stories were shared, members of the Middle East Interest Club and Hillel recited prayers from the Torah and Quran. There was also a discussion about dismantling stereotypes concerning Middle Eastern individuals and refuting the idea that the D’aesh are representative of the collective culture and beliefs of every Arab person. “The turnout was good, since it is also our first event,” Sayej continued. The Middle East Interest Club has more events planned for the future. Students can get involved with the club by attending the Arabic tutorial held twice a week in the library and by joining the Facebook page.
Information from this article was taken from abcnews.go.com and cnn.com.
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
Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 ncfcatalyst@gmail.com The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. Friday for consideration in the next issue.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
NEWS PAGE 3
Natural Sciences Seminars promote scholarship every Friday
BY CAITLYN RALPH
During Sam Savin’s time as provost almost ten years ago, a new institution was created at the college: the Natural Sciences Seminars. Still continuing today, the weekly seminars, open to students, faculty, and staff alike, invite professionals in a variety of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to speak about their research. “It was an attempt to support the scholarship of faculty members,” Professor of Mathematics and the seminars’ organizer, Patrick McDonald, said. To choose speakers, the Division of Natural Sciences receives a notification at the beginning of the year asking faculty to send in the names of candidates they would like to invite. The seminars are supported by the Provost, the Foundation and the Division of Natural Sciences. “Everybody who comes is supposed to get the same message, and the message is that the talk is supposed to be for a general audience,” McDonald explained, relaying that there is no need to be an expert on the seminars’ subjects to understand what is being said. “The talks are announced and there’s an abstract which gives you some ideas for background stuff. Any technical terms that are discussed are supposed to be explained.” While many of the talks this year have focused on data science, reflecting the Master’s program coming next term, McDonald encourages faculty to invite people from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. “It’s huge breadth of topics covered,” McDonald said. “I’m always open to learning new things, so I like different talks for different reasons. Learning about something
Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
Audience members were welcomed to cookies as Melissa Crow spoke about her work at last Friday’s Natural Science Seminar.
new in biology, for example, where I have a relative knowledge deficit, is really interesting to me for reasons that are different from learning something about math.” Last Friday, Melissa Crow from University of Florida’s (UF) Department of Statistics spoke about her work on instructional strategies with learning disabled students. Connected to McDonald through her advisor at UF, Crow was attracted by the data science program and decided to give a job talk, which is part of the graduate school process. “The whole idea of data science is kind of this critical inquiry mindset where you want to be able to take in data and have this critical response to it, thinking about it, figuring out if it makes sense, is it good data, how am I going to summarize it, and that’s really the heart of liberal arts as well.
It’s not just about memorizing facts, it’s about how you approach the world,” Crow said, speaking about the new data science Master’s. “I think it’s a really good fit for New College. I’m excited to see how it turns out.” Crow received an undergraduate degree in math and sociology from Emory University and a Master’s in statistics from UF. Close to receiving her doctorate in statistics from UF, Crow first appreciated the discipline when she realized it was a nice combination of mathematical concepts and human connections. “Statistics really seemed to bridge the gap,” Crow explained. “It’s mathematically based, but it’s all about people and the world around us, making conclusions about the world around us using data.” “People use statistics to lie all the time,” Crow said. “My response to that is, ‘Yeah, but people lie without statistics
all the time too!’ The more you know about statistics, the more you can catch people when they’re lying to you.” Crow appreciates the power that data can grant an individual. “When you have the confidence in your data, it gives you the ability to stand up to other people on an equal footing,” Crow said. “If you let other people hold all the data, then you’re at a distinct disadvantage.” “That’s the power of data. Spend ten minutes online and make a spreadsheet and suddenly you have the power in the relationship instead of them setting all the terms, and I think that’s true in everybody’s life,” Crow continued. “It doesn’t matter what your job is going to be, we live in a world where there’s a lot of data, and you need to feel comfortable with that. So that’s one reason I’m so passionate about statistics education as well as doing statistics.” There has been an incredible growth in statistics courses in the past few years. In 1997, only 7,500 high school students were taking Advanced Placement Statistics. Now, that number has reached 200,000 students. However, simultaneously, there is also a rise in the amount of students with registered learning disabilities. This broad group includes students who have trouble reading, writing, listening and spelling. Crow analyzed what obstacles these students face in statistics courses compared to students without registered learning disabilities. The overall goal of her research is to create a universal curriculum that will benefit all students. Her explorative work found that learning disabled students
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New College tennis club continues to grow BY KAYLIE STOKES Last week, Longboat Key hosted the Sarasota Open professional tennis tournament. The tournament has been held annually as part of the Association of Tennis Professionals Challenger Tour since 2009. With $100,000 worth of prize money on the line, the Sarasota Open attracts some of the top tennis players from around the world. This year, Argentinean player Federico Delbonis walked away with the title. A few miles away, New College students were having their own fun playing tennis under much less pressure. New College’s Tennis Club meets on Monday and Friday evenings and welcomes players of all skill levels. “Some people have never even picked up a tennis racket before and they just come and they have a blast,” third-year, and club coordinator, Jinho An said. An has been playing tennis for five years and joined the Tennis Club during his first year at New College. During his time in the club, An has seen its core membership grow from four to 10
consistent players who come out each week. “Sometimes we have as many as 16 people,” An said. “We do the best we can with the resources we have.” The tennis clinic is run by two coaches, Tiffany Dabek and Coach Andre, both of whom were professional players. Coach Andre was able to get some of the clubs members into the Sarasota Open for free because of his connections. “It was a great time,” An said. “We got to meet Kei Nishikori who is ranked number four in the world. We were able to get his autograph as well. It was a very good experience – we saw people who were extremely good.” An hopes to share tennis with New College and envisions the club continuing to grow. “I think tennis is a really fantastic sport,” he said. “It’s so technical, it really requires lots of thinking, and it’s lots of strategy. And of course it’s lots of physical activity as well. It’s a great way to relieve stress and a great way to get exercise while having fun.”
Kaylie Stokes/Catalyst
Students of all skill levels are invited to play in the Tennis Club.
Members of the club seem to agree. Third-year Jessica Zimmerman said, “I am very grateful for Tennis Club. The people are wonderful and the coaches really try to make an impact on our game. It’s kind of like a little family
and everyone is made to feel welcomed and wanted.” If students are interested in participating, the club meets on the tennis courts Mondays 5-6 p.m. and Fridays 7-8 p.m.
CATALYST
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NEWS PAGE 4
Obama joins 120,000 in the call to end “conversion therapy” BY HALEY JORDAN President Barack Obama now joins a coalition of more than 120,000 people in the call to ban “conversion therapy,” a controversial practice that seeks to change the sexual orientation of gay, lesbian and transgender youth. A San Francisco State University study found that LGBTQ youth who were highly rejected by their parents and caregivers because of their gay or transgender identity were more than three times as likely to use illegal drugs, nearly six times as likely to report high levels of depression and more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide. Conversion therapy, or reparative or ex-gay therapy, has been discredited by many leading medical organizations including the American Psychological Association (APA). According to APA, attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation are ineffective and are known to lead to depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety. “Overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm,” Obama’s senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, wrote. California, New Jersey and the District of Columbia have enacted state bans forbidding the introduction of minors to these practices, and
lawmakers in 18 other states have introduced similar legislation. Last year, Obama signed an executive order to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation within the federal government and among federal contractors, and opened a genderneutral bathroom within the White House complex, among other similar initiatives. The Obama administration gave its support in response to an online petition posted on the White House website. The petition, garnering more than 120,000 signatures, emphasized the suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager from Ohio who reportedly stepped in front of a truck after writing a Tumblr post about being forced into conversion therapy. “It was 1973 that the disease diagnosis actually shifted and that was as a result of activist pressure on the APA, but it was around that time that the first conservative religious conversion therapies were founded,” Research Scholar and Adjunct Assistant Professor Heather White commented. “And it was in some sense an attempt to go back, carry on and preserve some conversion therapies that started much earlier than that, but they were undertaken at the time by psychiatrists and psychologists, and so it was for many years a standard answer in the mental health field. Homosexuality was considered an illness and an illness that could be cured with the right
kind of therapy... This will be another religious freedom issue, because many see it as an issue very much connected to their faith. If these groups end up emphasizing religion as a reason they ought to do this, it may preserve it but it will at least undercut the medical and scientific legs from their defense.” David Pickup, a licensed therapist in California and Texas who is advocating against the possible state bans, commented in the New York Times that his work is misunderstood. “People go to therapy because they can change, because it really does work,” Pickup said. “We help people grow into their authentic selves.” Voluntary treatment sought by adults is an issue that is likely to be regarded separate from that of treatment forced on minors. “I don’t want kids to go through this,” first year Lorraine Cruz commented. “It’s specifically traumatic for kids going through this because they don’t know who they are yet.” Cruz was unknowingly led to two meetings intending to sway her sexual orientation and still struggles with the negative effects. Cruz chose to hide her sexual orientation from her parents for years because of their initial reactions to the news. “I felt like a stranger in my own home... It brings this hopelessness and this worthlessness and it’s like, it brings you all the way down to the floor after you have come so far and tried to be you.” Cruz supports the president’s
backing of the possible bans and was one of the signers of the petition that initially garnered his support. Despite this, the banning of these practices is unlikely to disappear due to the new laws. “Ending legal support for conversion therapy is actually not going to address the issues that place a demand for those kinds of services and what makes people interested in those kinds of services,” White said. “I think it will help undermine some of their credibility but it will take more than just banning conversion therapy to actually address the broader issues.” In response to the petition on the White House website, Obama wrote, “Tonight, somewhere in America, a young person, let’s say a young man, will struggle to fall to sleep, wrestling alone with a secret he’s held as long as he can remember. Soon, perhaps, he will decide it’s time to let that secret out... What happens next depends on him, his family, as well as his friends and his teachers and his community. But it also depends on us on the kind of society we engender, the kind of future we build.” Information for this article taken from www.cnn.com, www.mlive.com and www.hrc.org
STOP: a student club for social justice BY KATELYN GRIMMETT Students Targeting Oppressive Powers (STOP) is a club that has fought against corrupt establishments all over the world. Last week, STOP participated in a Fight for Fifteen march in Tampa after attending a press conference and workers’ strike in St. Petersburg, was involved in the vigil put together by the Middle Eastern Interest Club and presented a panel at the All Power to the Imagination! weekend conference. Proving to be unstoppable, STOP will be participating in a day of action next week, arranged by the Student Farmworkers Alliance, that plans to focus on Wendy’s imbalanced treatment of their tomato pickers. The club started in 2008 under the name Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER). SWER was mainly involved with immigrants employed through the Dream Act and participated in a famous march from Miami to D.C. called the Trail of Dreams. SWER briefly evolved into the Student Farmworkers Alliance before becoming STOP in order to include racial justice issues, Killer Coke and a number of other causes. “All our meetings are open and anyone who would like to see if we could help them with an event or issue they are having or throwing is free to come to us with anything relating to social justice,” second-year and member
of STOP Christina Harn said in an email interview. “This can and has included anti-free trade education and activism, holding CIW functions or actions in Sarasota, participating in School of the America’s watch to protest imperialist policies in Latin America, for-profit detention centers and immigration policy more generally, and once last year we organized with a student who experienced wage theft from his workplace and made sure his lost wages were paid in full.” STOP meets every Monday at 9 p.m. and welcomes students who want to participate in any way possible, whether by simply showing up or bringing an issue to discuss. Members agree upon a schedule of topics for discussion through a listserv the club uses to communicate. This semester, STOP has been holding breakfasts for the custodial staff, an event which all students are welcomed to join in in appreciation for the hard working staff at the school. “I really like how the club brings opportunities for the members to be involved in different issues,” first-year Lorraine Cruz said. “We all as a whole do things. We are not too big but we get a lot done and seeing things come together is like wow, it’s seeing people all care about one thing.” Last Monday, STOP began the meeting with an opportunity called
Immersion which gives students the chance to experience living and working with migrant farm workers. Immersion is offered through Hope Community Center which maintains a focus on making sure students become educated advocates through working with farmers. People can demonstrate their interest by contacting VISTA Volunteer Coordinator Lacy Mroz. STOP has a number of rules – or a style, to be more accurate – which guide discussion and the flow of the meetings in general. One of them is called “temperature checks” which confirm that everyone present at the meeting is ready to move on to the next topic. STOP also provides an even slate for everyone to participate equally in the discussions. “There’s no set leader – we all share responsibility and contribute our ideas to the discussion,” first-year Alex Schelle said. “I love STOP because we’re all working together and all have voice in what happens with the club. Meetings are really comfortable and welcome to everyone…plus we have snacks.” “Every decision we make is on consensus basis; everyone has equal say in all decisions and we don’t make a call until everyone is behind it,” Harn said. “We practice this with rotating roles of facilitator, note taker, stack keeper and time keeper if necessary. If someone brings something to us chances are
pretty good that we will organize or support in solidarity to the degree that we are able to and is appropriate, as our interests are fairly dispersed.” STOP’s involvement with Killer Coke revolves around the main goal of removing the coke monopoly from schools across the country, starting with New College. Alternatives to the soda brand are welcome and have already included Arizona tea, Bob Marely beverages and Boylan Soda. The latest recommendation has been 365 sodas, sold at Whole Foods. STOP hopes to get companies to send samples of their sodas for the next community meeting. “Killer Coke is actually a campaign that STOP is running right now, so we have a break out group for it, but that’s essentially most of the same people that are in STOP just meeting extra to do that work,” Harn said. The working group for killer coke meets every Friday at 6 p.m. “I, like every other member of the club, am granted a lot of flexibility and power and I feel comfortable voicing my opinion even as someone who recently joined the club,” firstyear and Catalyst staff writer Giulia Heyward said. “I feel that the club presents opportunity for each member to do what they do best. Each person has value, people feel appreciated and that has created passion.”
CATALYST
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NEWS PAGE 5
Hillary Clinton announces First annual Sarasota candidacy Poetry Festival deemed a success BY GIULIA HEYWARD
With the upcoming election around the corner, the list of potential presidential candidates has continued to grow. Now Hillary Clinton has officially announced her intention to run for president in the 2016 elections, a decision that will make history in more ways than one. Hillary Clinton became a household name during her tenure as first lady when her husband, former president Bill Clinton, ran in 1991. Following her husband’s win, she became the only first lady in history to be elected to the United States Senate. With the amount of time Clinton has spent in the public eye, it should come as no surprise that she announced her decision to run in a YouTube video. The video, titled “Getting Started,” features an array of individuals, ranging in race, gender and sexual orientation, discussing new changes they are in the process of making, including a mother who is returning to school, brothers who are starting a new business, and a couple planning for their first child. “I’m getting ready to do something too,” Clinton said in the video. “I’m running for president.” Stacked against Clinton’s odds are other Democratic politicians,
and those vying for the Republican nomination. Clinton has also been caught in the midst of several scandals, including her husband’s infamous affair while in office and the recent email scandal that became a national security concern. Clinton previously ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 campaign, finishing third behind John Edwards and, current president, Barack Obama. “Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling, this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it,” Clinton said following Obama’s win as Democratic nominee. “And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time.” Should Clinton win the 2016 election, she will be the first female president of the United States. “Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top,” Clinton continued in the video. “Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion.” Information for this article taken from nytimes.com and pbs.org.
BY BIANCA BENEDI Speaking over music playing on the floor below and cast in a dim light on a small stage, writer-in-residence Michael Tod Edgerton held a packet in front of him as he read aloud: “My cat, Penelope, where is my cat?” The Coffee Loft hosted Edgerton and his fellow poet Jaswinder Bolinda on Thursday, April 16, filling the second floor of the Coffee Loft with creative performance. Drawing a crowd of over 20 people, including several New College professors, each poet took their turn reading some of their pieces from their collections, as well as sharing inspirations for their writing, thoughts on poetry mediums, and opinions on borrowing from other poetry in collaborative works. “I tried to pick the poems that would be best heard out loud,” Edgerton said, answering a question from the audience in the Q and A session that followed, adding that his work was still meant for the page, and it is not always possible to translate a work meant for the page instead of a performance.
Edgerton also shared his inspiration for the cover of his book and advised the crowd that a publishing company will rarely allow you to pick your own design. Bolinda, a professor from the University of Miami, read from his own collection of poems. He started with an anecdote about his amusement regarding the trend of people seeing the face of the Virgin Mary in various places, and then explained that his first poem was inspired by the question of what it would be like if it was his face appearing everywhere, rather than the face of the Virgin Mary? The authors also discussed collaborative works and poetry in the modern age. Edgerton, who is currently working on a project that involves submissions from people across the globe, discussed how poetry can be borrowed, re-interpreted, and layered with meaning over time. The end of the event was a mix of murmurs of discussion and attendees flocking to the writers to ask more questions. The hour-long event was a good fit for the Coffee Loft.
Previewing the NBA Playoffs and the contenders BY RYAN PAICE With the postseason of the NBA fast approaching, the competition looks stiffer than it has been for the past four years. After LeBron James left Miami to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the league would seem to be without a superpower capable of constantly threatening for a title. However, with the emergence of several teams in the league – most notably the Golden State Warriors – the open playoff competition looks like it is going to be as exciting as ever. Although the Eastern Conference has not seen the success it has in the past over the course of the year, there are still a couple legitimate contenders. The Atlanta Hawks have taken the league by surprise this year and top the conference with the second best record in the entire league. After bottoming out last season the Cleveland Cavaliers are another contender with the return of LeBron James. While these two teams might be in a weak conference, they are not to be taken lightly, and either team could end up holding the trophy come the end of the NBA Finals. With a season that might be the best in franchise history, the Hawks have amassed a 57-19 record with their incredibly effective system, put in place by coach of the year contender Mike Budenholzer. The team is led by a starting five that won the player of the month together in February, as all five are so incredibly effective and equally
significant to recognize one player for their success. Among the topmost efficient teams in the league on both offense and defense, Atlanta sports a team full of versatile scorers who spread the floor with their shooting and uses the space to get to the basket. At the same time – on the other end of the court – they own one of the stingiest defenses in the league, anchored by the all-stars Paul Millsap and Al Horford. After dominating the regular season, the Hawks are looking to make a splash in the upcoming NBA playoffs. While the Atlanta Hawks function off of their incredibly efficient system and roster balance, the Cleveland Cavaliers function off of their superstars and supporting cast. While they might have failed to mesh early on in the season, after a few trades and some time to adjust to each other’s games, Cleveland has been one of the most dominant teams of the NBA’s second half of the season. Cleveland’s “big three” of Lebron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have been incredible offensively, and with the additions of Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov, the defense has been coming around as well. If the Cavs’ superstars can continue to harmonize on and off the court, they might be one of the most difficult teams to beat. Where the really interesting competition lies is in the Western Conference. With contenders from the first to eighth seed, the field is wide open – one would think. However, after
a historic season, the Golden State Warriors seem to be the favorites to win it all. Determined to defy father time and continue their dynasty, the San Antonio Spurs are – as always – a legitimate contender. The Houston Rockets have one of the favorites to win MVP this season in James Harden, and with Dwight Howard coming back from missing extended time injured, they look intimidating. The Rockets have faced several injuries to key players this season, most notably their superstar center Dwight Howard and their defensive savant of a point guard in Patrick Beverly. While their team has been working short-staffed, James Harden has been making up for it and more. One of the favorites to win the MVP, Harden has put up incredible numbers, leading the Rokcets to the second-best record in the best conference in the league almost singlehandedly. If Harden can keep up this incredible play and if Dwight Howard can come in and play at an elite level immediately, the Rockets are a real threat to win it all. The San Antonio Spurs, led by one of the best trios in the history of the game – Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili – a young budding superstar in Kawhi Leonard, and one of the best supporting casts in the game, are back for another. The Spurs have exceeded 50 wins in a season for the past 16 seasons in a row while winning 5 championships, including last season’s. One of the best dynasties the game has
ever seen, coached by perhaps the best coach ever in Gregg Popovich, the Spurs should never be left out of contender consideration. The best team in the game by far this season has been the Golden State Warriors. Second in the league in offensive efficiency and first in the league in defensive efficiency, the Warriors are the cream of the crop. The “Splash Brothers” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are one of the best shooting duos of all time, devastating their opponents with a relentless barrage of three pointers. The Warriors sport a deep and versatile bench that could probably be a winning starting five, and one of the best defensive players in the league with breakout star Draymond Green. Golden State dominates in every area of the game, and is setting a new franchise record for wins in a season. If any team would be considered the favorite to take home the trophy, it would be the Golden State Warriors. The playoffs are a whole new competition this year, with a deep and compelling collection of contenders. While none of these teams should be underestimated, if the Golden State Warriors continue their incredible dominance, very few teams might be capable of stopping them. All statistics from espn.com and nba.com
SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL HELD LAST WEEK BY CAITLYN RALPH The 17th annual Sarasota Film Festival, held from April 10-19, has established itself as a local tradition. A high-profile event, the festival attracts its fair share of popular actors and actresses, directors and other film aficionados each year, broadcasting some of the most respected independent movies from around the world. This year’s festival opened at the Sarasota Opera House with the film “Time Out of Mind,” a story about a homeless man rekindling his relationship with his daughter, which was followed by the opening night party. Other events included lunch with Jane Seymour at Sarasota Yacht Club and “Cinema Tropicale,” a noteworthy occasion held at Michael’s On East that combines film, food and fashion. “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” a comedic tale of a woman who, years after the loss of her partner, experiences romantic feelings for two men, closed the festival, an event complete with a red carpet and an awards show. The “1137 Unwrap Party” at The Starlight Room followed the film. “The turnout is good, a lot of the shows are selling out,” Sarasota Film Festival volunteer of many years Ellen Nicholson said of the 2015 festival. “I do recommend going to the end conversations with the movie stars. It’s really fun. You get to meet them, you get to know so much more about them, and it’s like being in a little setting intimately with them.” A handful of films were
highlighted at the festival. Some were documentaries, such as “Brand: A Second Coming,” about comedian Russell Brand’s rise to fame through mischievous, headline-grabbing antics and substance abuse; “Cartel Land,” about Mexican drug cartels; “Newtown at 100: A Glimpse Through Our Eyes,” about the history and future of Booker T. High School from the students’ own perspectives; and “Hot Type: 150 Years of the Nation,” about the perilous journey to publishing a magazine on a weekly basis. Others were narratives, such as “Clouds of Sils Maria,” about the rivalry between an experienced and a new actress; “The End of the Tour,” a biographical drama about David Foster Wallace, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segal; “Love and Mercy,” about songwriter/musician Brian Wilson’s rise and fall from success; and “Results,” about two personal trainers and a new, wealthy client. Conversations were held with actress Cloris Leachman, writer/director Tom Browne and writer/director Oren Moverman. Films on Florida and homelessness were featured, and a separate sub-festival called “Through Women’s Eyes,” which showed films written, directed and produced by women, was presented for the 16th year. “It’s a very worthwhile experience to learn all about independent film,” Nicholson said. Information for this article was taken from www.sarasotafilmfestival.com. all photos Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
(counterclockwise from above) The Sarasota Film Festival was held this year from April 10-19. Merch, including movie posters and tee shirts, were available in the movie theater at the film festival booth. For very popular movies, standby tickets were available.
(clockwise from above) Long lines formed in the box office for popular movies. Advertisements for the festival are spread throughout Downtown Sarasota. When a movie showing was sold out, a stand-by line accumulated outside the theater with people waiting to see if there are any leftover tickets.
‘Sleeping With Other People’ shows at Festival BY SYDNEY KRULJAC The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) premiered Leslye Headland’s romantic, and very raunchy comedy “Sleeping With Other People” on Friday, April 17. I watched from my seat as I slowly but surely became the youngest member in the audience, lost in a sea of Sarasota’s elderly. They filed into the historic Sarasota Opera House, and I wondered if they knew just what kind of treat they were in for. The movie takes place after the two main characters, Jake (Jason Sudeikis) and Lainey (Alison Brie), impulsively lose their virginity to each other in college, and years later meet again at a support group. A spark resurfaces but they are no strangers to this game. Miserable failures in relationships have led to lives of ongoing infidelity and selfdestruction, and Jake and Lainey decide to remain platonic to mutually support their recoveries. Headland’s hysterical and raunchy follow-up to “Bachelorette” defies the romantic comedy genre by placing love into the hands of selfdeclared “sex addicts.” She brings cleverness and subversive humor to the screen in this silly yet captivating movie about soul mates in utter denial of their compatibility – an ironic tribute to the “men and women can’t be friends” theory from “When Harry Met Sally.” The dynamic of the audience
was a very interesting one to note. The movie was obviously aimed toward a younger crowd; one that is more familiar with today’s “hook-up culture.” Through their platonic and supportive friendship, Jake teaches Lainey how to properly masturbate by using an empty juice bottle and his fingers. The scene caused a ruckus among the older crowd; gasps and disapproving murmurs were heard in a wave across the theater. Eventually, the self-stimulation scene caused one older woman to storm out of the theater for good. To be fair, this was my least favorite scene – the idea that a man knows his way around a vagina better than does a woman? Think again, Headland. I do not buy it. Unfortunately, I found myself laughing alone and out loud to many of the punch lines in the movie. Lainey and Jake appear to be good-natured and charming people, but their characters are deep and vibrant with a damaged core, creating this imperfect character that is easy for most to relate to. As I left the theater, I listened in on amateur reviews of those who stuck around. One grey-haired and elderly woman slowly walked away with some friends and admitted she loved it as she wiped tears of laughter away with a tissue. I applaud Headland for her work on this film. She removes the romantic varnish, unlike traditional romantic comedy, yet still captivates the hearts of those who watch it.
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Alumna Konnie Kruczek recalls time at New College BY COLT DODD B Dorm resident adviser (RA), Palm Court Party thrower, and coordinator for campus engagement are just some of the many hats that alumna Konnie Kruczek (‘95) has worn in her 15 years at New College. Kruczek oversees the AmeriCorps VISTA Program that fuels volunteerism on campus, in addition to planning Orientation Week. Kruczek also represented New College at New College of Oxford in England during her time as a student and holds a masters in education from the University of Florida. The Catalyst sat down with Kruczek to discuss what her time at New College was like in the days of having only 500 students and what were some of her fondness memories of the college before the start of the millennium. So tell me about your time at New College. (laughs) So, yeah I was actively involved in lots of things, I was always outside. There was a corner of Palm Court and they put a sign that said “Konnie’s Corner” because I was always outside. And like I said, I was in student government, RA in B Dorm. Lots of activities.
photo courtesy of Konnie Kruczek
Coordinator for Campus Engagement Konnie Kruczek remembers her time at New College as B Dorm RA and Palm Court Party organizer.
How did you end up here? I came in 2000 to run the Keys to the Future grant which is a three year partnership with the Boys and Girls Club and that was its own little program, but it was housed in Student Affairs, and at the time there was a housing director,
a student activities person and I think that was it. I just saw a lot of things not getting done and from a student’s perspective, I wanted to do more to help the students directly. How is it being a student and
then working here? In the beginning, its always hard and any alum will tell you that because you’re trying to figure out your boundaries, because you want to advocate on behalf of students and that’s not always appropriate depending on what your job is. I think its always appropriate to advocate for students because its a learning process and its our job. I guess that contradicted itself. In terms of your job and how much you can get involved. You know, I can advocate for a student but not always agree with what it is that I’m advocating for. I’m trying to assist them and help them and support them. So I think, in the beginning its hard to separate friendship and social activities. You have to be very intentional about not participating in certain social events or even going to thing because you don’t want to be perceived as unprofessional. What was the culture of B Dorm like? Same as it is now? (laughs again) Social misfits. Because when I was a student, we only had Pei, so there were doubles in Pei, and then there was thesis housing in Viking [dorm], and those were singles, and B
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This week’s Netflix pick: ‘Daredevil’ brings grit and darkness to the fantastical Marvel universe BY RYAN PAICE To be honest, I have always been a DC kind of guy. Marvel’s heroes and villains just seem to knock each other around some without doing any real damage, and the impact of their fighting is lost upon me. “Daredevil” strays from the beaten path in this regard, and with the show’s Batman-like darkness and grittiness, it has won me over. Punches are thrown and sometimes land with brutal ferocity, bones are broken with intelligent moves and people die. While Daredevil might not be a masterpiece, the first season definitely gets the show off on the right foot. Many people were turned off to the idea of Daredevil being a featured superhero after the Ben Affleck film soured the name for some, but Daredevil’s story has always been an enticing one. Matt Murdock – played by Charlie Cox – is blinded as a child, but his other senses allow him to see the world like he never could before. With his incredible senses, in addition to the pain of his father being killed when he was a child and the training of a blind man named Stick with similar sensory gifts – played by Scott Glenn – Murdock becomes a masked vigilante in New York City’s “Hell’s Kitchen” borough. Hell’s Kitchen has seemingly never been hotter, with the paid-off police forming an insidious type of gang to do the mysterious Wilson Fisk’s – Vincent D’Onofrio – dirty work. The depth of corruption and assembly of
ne’er-do-wells leave each situation with a refreshing amount of complexity and intrigue. While the action and the levels of corruption are both incredible, D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk is the least impressive part of it all. Originally, the characters of the show would not speak his name out of a combination of fear and respect, but while he was built up to be this impressive baddy in the dark, his character is very emotionally unhinged. Fisk’s emotional outbursts and lack of control only weakened the character for me, and while he does maintain his power he does not maintain the feared stature he was built up to have. The performances of the cast vary, but “Daredevil” has an impressive lineup that provides for more depth and competence than most superhero shows. Charlie Cox does a phenomenal job as Matt Murdock, and brings both a refreshingly playful attitude to his daytime job as a lawyer and an admirably dark and tortured soul to his nighttime job as Daredevil. While his partner in law, Foggy Nelson – played by Elden Henson – is not the best actor, the chemistry between he and Karen Page – played by Deborah Ann Woll – is actually adorable. Scott Glenn, who plays Murdock’s trainer Stick, is wonderfully harsh and captures the screen every time he is on it. Maybe I am biased when it comes to Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance as Wilson Fisk, but after sitting through hours of my mother watching “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” I no longer appreciate
photo courtesy of comingsoon.net
“Daredevil” is the first in a planned series of shows about the Marvel universe.
his acting as one might if they had not seen him act before. While the show is featured most heavily around Murdock, the division of screen time between characters can be a little distracting. Following the lies and deception of Wilson Fisk is intriguing, but when the focus is on the comparatively bland agenda of Foggy and Karen, the show gets, well, bland. Their chemistry and Deborah Ann Woll’s acting prowess keep the show enjoyable, but Daredevil clearly loses some steam when the spotlight is taken
off of Murdock and Fisk. When the spotlight is on Murdock, however, the show hits its real stride. When he is masked and battling the underground of Hell’s Kitchen, the combat is fast, but it is well choreographed and impactful. The man is no superhuman, and that is where the show really becomes admirable. Murdock breathes heavily and stumbles with exhaustion as fights wear on, and
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Why you Should Scoop out your Insides and Stuff Yourself with Planets BY BRAD BAKER The starry night sky, flat-chested image of a universe, yawns above us, the naked body of Nut, but a single beauty, body in the heavens; those heavens no more harp-filled than a lying grand piano, and no more the house of god than tree-Named-blacktopneighborhood, USA Computers are hammers that confuse us, beating our faces and bodies to a pulp, but raising our voices and nails up to the void, to be lost in the radio mixture of war-time protests lost and bleached swing-dances beneath wicked old crows. Were we to remember what words meant, we would not tangle ourselves so. We forget the concrete jungle, and embrace the plastic desert, where
the faces of humans look hyper-real beneath Hyperion spotlight arrays, and the keyboard is our pocket crib, always the mobile mobile, waiting to soothe scraped knees and scraped lottery tickets. The world hears us less and less as we box its ears to olive-oiled cauliflower. We hear ourselves more and more, and our hearts beat caffeinated, unexorcisable demon-rhythms; the symphony’s drowning out all its instruments with those blaring carbondioxide cannons. Scoop out your insides and eat the cosmos, for it’s all we may embrace; for like its planets we are many, we are hard, we are small, and we are unseen. We all spin, though, and mean something or nothing to the feet which tread upon us.
Untitled #1 Untitled #2 BY JASMINE RESPESS
BY JASMINE RESPESS
Dear black man, I know you are a child Of flowers. You don't deny your gentle nature, But they deny it for you. I don't know your origin, But you are and are not from here. It's not a question of strange nor queer. Do you elicit fear, When you walk by the porcelain circus ladies, In the night, or in the day, Do they turn away, Or stare with purpose? I will never fully understand you, You are soft on purpose, But we don't see. I am of stone faced, Yet of feminine form. Do you love your brothers, Do you touch them the way I touch them. The way I touch my sisters?
Spring: The yellow tree is the earthbound physical representation of the bursting sun and my new heart.
Dear black man, I don't want to turn from you, You call for me on the road. "Hey booty, hey baby, hey beauty." To say you are different than every black man, Is to say every black man is the same. How could I know? Me with my Carmel skin, And my wash and go hair. Who really cares to know my opinion, On the nice black boy in class, Or the one that comments on my ass. Black pride and prejudice.
POETRY
Who are you? For spring, witch hazel is the harbinger. Love is winter's snow melting. Falling, but meant to fall apart, To reveal the neophytes, Beneath the ice. Will what's between us suffice? Will it quell the fiery hell of my heart? Will it warm the coldness of your intellect? Youth begets lust, But lust is a means to an end. I won't pretend I am not glad, When my eyes, Widen to catch, Every curve of your face, And scratch on your back. Moonlight, ramble, jubilee, What's good for you, Is best for me. Our russet, tissue; drone, a honey bee; Our brook, a sea; our thin water, wine; What's violent to you is divine. Be gentle my thoughts, I pray when they are in toil. Lay me down, But don't cover me, Mix me with soil. Will spring lift me like a spore to the sky? Will that Muse make the yellow tree a bursting heart? Will what's between us suffice? Will the creatures in the forest, Know the sound, Of my blossoming heart? My soul, Only one, Muddles solely with yours.
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Happy National Poetry Month The Catalyst will be publishing poetry submissions from students all this month. If you have poetry you’d like to submit, please send it in a text document to ncfcatalyst@gmail.com by noon on Friday to be published in the following issue. We will accept anonymous submissions.
We look forward to reading your poetry!
a positive note BY ANONYMOUS purposefully placing your being in someone else’s hands is a risky and stupid thing to do. it may not be love but i let myself need you.
there is an anger in my throat BY ANONYMOUS i identify your name as mire, drudge it up from the slippery mud, soiled, where you collapsed and abandoned all pretense of cleanliness i face you head on and my name will be dragged from your swampcoated filthy throat: “mistake, mistake, mistake” i am not a mistake i am a mangrove forest. i adapted to thrive in harsh conditions, and you will not forget me
The Muscles of My Words BY ANONYMOUS I’m not vocally clever enough to be noticed by the vast majority. I try to acquire the knowledge of several intellectual geniuses, inherit the wit and fascination of renown philosophers, absorb the talent of misunderstood artists, and display the emotions of a well-practiced thespian. I yearn to be imprinted with the aptitude of an author and the power of a poet. I wish to be the inspiration rather than the inspired. I want live in greatness rather than just witness it. But these dreams that I immerse myself in are not goals, for goals can be achieved and these simple ideas that are embedded with such complexity can no longer be overcome and attained by an individual such as myself. For I have tried to expand my mind and transform my way of thinking. I have picked up the tools of an artist and continuously failed to produce a piece that conveyed any form of emotion. My memory is unsuccessful in reciting any of the knowledge I so desperately wanted to learn. When I write, the muscles of my words seemed to be plighted with atrophy rather than the power I desired. But when I realized that I lacked the qualities the Great possess, that was the moment I finally became one of the individuals that I had always longed to become.
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Wall previews BY GIULIA HEYWARD Friday, April 24: Graffiti on the Wall - Carl Polak, Mika Lorenzo, & Jubin Shah The trio plan to supply Wall-goers with all the materials needed to make graffiti art. “I wanted to celebrate student creativity and expression,” Polak said about the Wall, which will supply 26 spray cans and 50 posters. Wall attendees will also be treated to music from their fellow students. “I’ve asked several of my musicallytalented fellow Novo collegiettes to plan sets and Wall goers can expect a blend of modern rap and dance,” Polak added. Saturday, April 25: Busch Wall 2: Slow Wall - Conor Wells & Zane Plattor Busch Wall 2, hosted by thesisstudent Conor Wells and third-year Zane Plattor, pays homage to Adolphus Busch I, and Robert Earl Davis, Jr., also commonly referred to as DJ Screw. “These figures have empowered us with their dedicated expertise in, and commitment to, varying degrees of viscosity,” Wells said. “On one hand, we honor the irreparable commodification of the American landscape, endowed with drink-ability by the Busch name. To Busch we owe our radical awe of mountain streams from whence the nectar of social lubrication flows. To Screw we add the acoustic makingstrange of a once familiar past, from the poppied foothills of Hindu Kush to his Styrofoam vessel of inspiration in Houston.”
The wall, defined BY BIANCA BENEDI During the past semester at New College, much discussion was held between the administration and student government over what constitutes an event, a wall, and when students are allowed to congregate. As it turns out, this is not a new debate, and little has changed over the past several decades. In the minutes of a Towne Meeting from March 14, 1986, students debated what defines a wall and how to govern them. And although the tradition of a wall has been held for decades, the definition of one has clearly changed, as the description provided by the minutes is quite different from current depictions of walls. “A wall is an impromptu gathering of people, money is not collected beforehand, non-New College students are not invited, and personal stereo equipment is used,” the minutes read. Virtually none of those statements are true today - wall sign-ups, held at the beginning of the semester, determine the schedule for walls for the entire semester. Themes are planned beforehand, non-New College students are allowed to attend, and large loudspeakers from the Equipment TAs are used for all walls, in conjunction with the TAs. The same rules apply for noise complaints today, however: “Noise complaints should follow this order,”
Photo courtesy of New College Digital Archives
A shot of Palm Court at night in the mid-80s. Walls at Palm Court have always been a subject of debate, partially due to the close proximity to bedrooms.
the minutes read. “1. Make a complaint at the source. 2. If necessary talk to an RA. 3. If nothing is accomplished, call University Police.” The rest of the minutes are charmingly familiar to New College students: students agreed to move the bike racks back in front of Hamilton Center (where they currently are today), students were allowed to park in front of
Palm Court temporarily, and a student proposed that all Towne Meetings be held in the Palm Court from then on. The Towne Meeting also addressed issues of underage drinkers during walls, both New College students and otherwise. The issues are familiar, and New College is cyclical: nothing changes.
EVENTS: APRIL 22-29
Off Campus
On Campus Wednesday, April 22 • 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. SAAM Project Unbreakable @ BBT • 12 p.m. Librarians Who Lunch @ Ham • 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Honey Tasting @ Ham • 7 p.m. SAAM “The Hunting Ground” screening and discussion @ HCL 8 • 10 p.m. WRC Thesis Crunch! @ the WRC Thursday, April 23 • 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Journalist Jessica Floum speaks at Sociology and the News class @ ACE 239 • 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Lucky Brand recruitment table @ Ham • 5 p.m. Artist Conversations: Ekmeles @ Sainer Pavillion • 7:30 p.m. SAAM Take Back the Night @ Z-Green, ending at College Hall Friday, April 24
• Contract Renogiation Deadline • 11 p.m. Graffitti on the Wall
Saturday, April 25 • 5 p.m. RISK Night @ Four Winds • 8 p.m. New Music New College Ekmeles @ Sainer Pavillion • 11 p.m. Busch Wall 2: Slow Wall Sunday, April 26
• 1 p.m. Sail Future @ the Sail Club Monday, April 27
• BACC Reading Days • 6:30 p.m. Kink Week Literature Reading @ Thatch Outdoor Classroom • 9 p.m. STOP Meeting @ GDC
Tuesday, April 28 • BACC Reading Days • 7 p.m. “War Zone” Screening @ HCL8 • 7 p.m. Kink Week: Play With Our Toys @ Old Mail Room • 7:30 p.m. Aced It Meeting @ GDC Tuesday, April 29
• BACC Reading Days • 2 p.m. Sail Future @ the Sail Club
Wednesday, April 22 • American Pie @ Florida Studio Theatre • 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dowtown Farmer’s Market Thursday, April 23
Sunday, April 26 • American Pie @ Florida Studio Theatre • 7 p.m. Kathy Griffin @ Van Wezel • 7 p.m. Bingo For Equality: Harvey Milk Fundraiser @ Growler’s Pub
• American Pie @ Florida Studio
Monday, April 27 Theatre • All Day 12th Annual Embracing • 9 p.m. Vinyl Night @ Growler’s Pub Our Differences Exhibit @ Island Park Friday, April 24 • American Pie @ Florida Studio Tuesday, April 28 Theatre • 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dowtown Farmer’s • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Food Truck Market Fridays @ the Asolo • 8 p.m. Learn the Cha Cha @ Sara Dance Center • All day Davinci and Michelangelo exhibition @ Bradenton Want your event to Auditorium Saturday, April 25 • American Pie @ Florida Studio Theatre • 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dowtown Farmer’s Market • 11 a.m. Suncoast Blues Festival @ Sarasota Fairgrounds
be featured on our calendar? Email ncfcatalyst@gmail.com by the Friday prior to your event.
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going to deal with it? How are you going to make sure there’s clean water? We are so drunk on prosperity that we believe the number one issue is employment.” Rahim opened the eyes of New College students, encouraging them to not just sit and wait for something to happen, but to actively fight for what they believe in. The Uhuru Solidarity Movement, led by James Simpson, discussed how white people and other allies of African liberation can organize within their communities to create support for the nationwide, black-led campaign for “Black Community Control of Police.” “We are an organization of white people working under [the Black Socialist Party] leadership and we understand that the social wealth we experience as white people is accumulated wealth from the history of colonialism and we owe reparations to the African community and African indigenous people,” Kafira Baron of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement said. “[…] Right now in the light of Walter Scott from South Carolina, there are ongoing attacks and ongoing white nationalist attacks on the African community, and more than ever white people need to come out and say we don’t stand for this.”
counted correctly. The best comparison I can make is that, back in the ‘80s, the band Van Halen had this stipulation in their contracts that they would have a bowl of M&Ms in their dressing room with all of the brown ones picked out. A lot of people thought that they were primadonnas for this, but the reason they did this was because they had very rigorous, specific safety requirements in their contract for all of their equipment. And they knew that if someone did not follow the M&Ms stipulation correctly, that that called the venue’s adherence to the contract into question completely. So the write-in counts in the same way. If I am writing Battletoads for president, I don’t actually want Battletoads to be president necessarily, but what that means is, if that doesn’t show up on the list of write-in candidates, or the official results, then that calls into question the results of the entire election and whether my ballot was counted at all.” Despite the necessity of a safeguard to account for the validity of
Daredevil CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 he is not impervious to the dangers that he faces. The toll that Murdock takes as Daredevil is noticeable, and the fight scene at the end of episode two of the season is perhaps one of the best fight scenes I have seen. The camera focuses down the length of a hallway as Daredevil fights seven or eight criminals coming from rooms on either side of the hallway, and the impact of the fighting is felt as Murdock struggles to keep himself standing as the criminals keep getting back up to fight. Not every fight scene lives up to the intensity of that one, but the battle between Daredevil and the underground is the show’s true bread and butter. It has been a long time since Marvel has impressed me, but Daredevil is for real. With a thrilling first season with satisfying storylines and impressive action, Netflix has another show for users to binge-watch.
the election’s results, many still wonder what is the motivation behind a writein vote that is not absurd, but instead meant to target another student. “I think most people do it as a form of protest, in that they don’t necessarily care who actually gets a position,” Finn said. “Not voting for a position is counted as an abstention, so it doesn’t get counted in anything and nobody sees that. But if you write ‘not this person’ then that goes in the list and everybody who reads that list is going to see it.” As the current issue stands, abusive write-in votes will continue to be made available to the public, although this does not rule out the possibility of this eventually changing. “I think it’s going to be, at the very least, very similar to the [current] system,” Finn said about the election for next year. “I’m still brainstorming some things for making sure that the next election is better than this one.”
Kruczek CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Dorm. So if you didn’t want a roommate or couldn’t live with other people in a roommate situation, you chose B Dorm. And when I was a student, one side was girls, and one side was boys. What was it like to be the RA of B Dorm? At first it was very intimidating because I hadn’t lived there first and there was a lot of older students, so I was always intimidated to go over there and suddenly be their RA, but they turned out to all be really accepting and it turned out to be the best place ever. Is it true one time you threw an event where B Dorm ran to the other side of campus? Yeah, I did B Dorm Awareness Week... We wanted to bring awareness to B Dorm because you know how its a rumor every year that they’re going to shut it down and its sinking into the ground, so we wanted to bring awareness to it in order to preserve it. We had a bunch of people in B Dorm sponsor different events like talks throughout the week that were highly academic, like the gendered spaces of B Dorm and how it affected people. At the time, we were fighting with the University of South Florida (USF) because they were building a student center next to B Dorm where the health and wellness center is. That used to be a USF student center and we didn’t want them outside our bedroom window, so we did like a film series about war games and being a power player. We had dinners and stuff and then we ended the week with a parade into Palm Court where we all dressed in bee things and created floats with all the housing carts and stuff. The parade probably had 40 or 50 people so we showed up at the wall at midnight and...interrupted things.
How is New College different? You know, I go back and forth on that. I think the academics are the same, you know? We’ve always had top notch amazing professors and amazing access to the professors and quality relationships with your adviser and that’s never changed, that’s the core of New College. I think students change in what they want. The biggest change is probably internet access. Before that, students were forced to go outside and hang out with each other and communicate directly. What’s the most messed up thing you’ve ever seen happen here? [When I was a student] there was a lot more streaking before people could take photos on their phones, when they didn’t have fear of being documented forever. So you threw Chinese PCP. I think it was actually Cultural Revolution PCP. I was a good PCP thrower because I’m very detail oriented and I’m good at keeping everybody on track on a timeline. I just remember lanterns. Whenever I hosted events in Palm Court, I would always bring out furniture, like blow-up furniture, lots of space for people to sit outside. We usually had bands playing for PCP. I was in a band. Oh, really? What was your band? Doofnordorink. I think it was the letters from “no food or drink.” it was a spin-off of a band called “Brothers from Another Mother” and we played funk. I was the singer. [We were like Physical Plant] we performed at events and downtown. We had bongos, a sax, a bass guitar, everything.
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struggle with foundational ideas, such as symbols, language and concepts; consistency; organization; and using the actual testing documents. A surprising result was that almost all students, those with and without learning disabilities, did not like to use their textbooks for looking up information. Many did not even know how to do so, an interesting conclusion that got a lot of the faculty in the audience discussing. Natural Sciences Seminars are held on a regular basis at 4 p.m. in Heiser’s Chae Auditorium. “They are always announced, they are always posted both physically around the building, they are always kind of mailed to faculty, students and staff,” McDonald said.
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Record Store Day brings people to local vinyl shops BY KATELYN GRIMMETT Vinyl lovers all around the world headed to various record stores this past Saturday for Record Store Day discounts, rare finds, and the high spirited adventure across musical genres. Stocking up supplies, hosting live artists and occasionally even spreading out whole art festivals, thousands of stores prepared for flocks of customers looking for the right records. Vatican City Vinyl Records, a local store in Sarasota, hosted live music from a variety of artists, featured an indie flea market and sealed the deal with a food truck on site. Katelyn Booth, the helpful and knowledgeable owner of the store, expressed her excitement at the day’s turn out with sales high and a cool crowd gathering behind the store for live music and vintage sales from Canned Ham, the main vendor at the flea market. “The woman who runs Canned Ham is an independent salesperson, she sells vintage items from all over,” Booth said. “The extra entertainment has been great and we also got in a bunch of new records especially for today, that whole shelf there has just-in, exclusively released records,” she added. Vatican Vinyl opened early Saturday morning for presale. Record Store Day was first conceived of in 2007 by a group of independent record shop owners and employees with the common interest of celebrating vinyl culture. Since, it has exploded into an international phenomenon, reflecting just how diverse vinyl culture has grown.
(top) First-year Annie Rosenblum browses through a large assortment of vinyls at Daddy Kool Records. (middle) Vatican Vinyl hosted Canned Ham, a traveling vintage store. (bottom) Daddy Kool Records opened at 8 am Saturday morning to a rush of customers ready for the excitement and incentives like food and vintage sales.
This year’s Record Store Day sales increased from last year’s sales and the White Stripes dominated the sales with their exclusive album release. “This was only my second record store day and it was awesome,” firstyear Annie Rosenblum said. “The first one I went to was last year at Vatican City Records here in Sarasota and it had a pretty good turn out, but Daddy Kool was really bumpin’ in St. Pete. That might just be because St. Pete is a little bigger of a city and its music scene is more developed than Sarasota,” Rosenblum added. Daddy Kool Records in St. Petersburg brought Record Store Day to its prime, supplying not only dozens of exclusively released records but also a groovy vibe with live music, radio broadcasting, local t-shirt sales, and a number of other entertainment. “It’s been great for us today, the community always comes out and supports us which is not something that we take for granted, it’s hugely appreciated,” said Benny Normal, an employee at Daddy Kool. “It takes a lot of organizing and time but it always pays dividends. We have WNMF out here broadcasting live on the air right now, we had red bull come out with a local DJ truck,” he added. “The core thing here though is what the industry’s artists do by bringing all of these exclusive releases to indie stores from big artist to tiny artist, in fact, we had some local artists on the official release list this year. These artists all come out to support the little mom and pop stores around the world.” all photos Katelyn Grimmett/Catalyst