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Occidental College Volunteer Handbook Table of Contents
WELCOME ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 ANNUAL FUND COMMITTEES ....................................................................................................................... 5 2016 – 2017 ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH CALENDAR ................................................................................. 7 UNDERSTANDING THE OXY ANNUAL FUND................................................................................................ 11 A CASE FOR GIVING ..................................................................................................................................... 17 ASKING FOR A GIFT ..................................................................................................................................... 19 ADDRESSING HESITATION AND CONCERN ................................................................................................. 23 WAYS TO GIVE ............................................................................................................................................. 27 STAFF DIRECTORY ....................................................................................................................................... 29
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WELCOME
September 23, 2016
Dear Oxy Annual Fund Volunteer, Thank you for partnering with us as we endeavor to raise essential support for the College that we all know and care about. If you are a new volunteer this year – I am delighted to welcome you into our community of dedicated alumni, parents, and students. For those who are returning as volunteers – we truly appreciate your continued leadership and engagement. Whether you are a member of the Parents Council, Leadership Giving Committee, Reunion Committee, Rising Philanthropists, or Senior Gift Committee, we are grateful for your partnership, and your commitment of time and resources. Oxy’s continued success is directly attributable to your meaningful involvement as a volunteer. This manual presents an overview of the overarching principles and strategies that guide our philanthropic efforts. We hope that you will find this information useful as you begin, or continue, your journey as a volunteer. Rest assured that the Annual Fund Staff, along with your fellow volunteers, will be here to support you every step of the way. This is a team effort and frankly, we could not reach our goals without each and every one of you. On behalf of the entire Oxy community, THANK YOU for helping to make Oxy all that we are, and all that we have yet to become.
Most sincerely,
Elizabeth M. Hersh Interim Director of the Oxy Annual Fund
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ANNUAL FUND COMMITTEES
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LEADERSHIP GIVING COMMITTEE Members are philanthropic leaders in the Oxy community and belong to the William Stewart Young Society. The committee strengthens ties between Oxy and its alumni supporters and inspires a select group of alumni leaders to make a gift to Oxy every year.
PARENTS COUNCIL The Parents Council is composed of parents from across the country who are dedicated to participating in a leadership role with the Oxy community. Members are critical to building relationships between Oxy parents and the College and in conducting outreach to fellow parents on how annual fund gifts impact the current student experience.
REUNION GIVING COMMITTEE Every five years, alumni can participate in their class year reunion giving committee to encourage their peers to contribute to Oxy in honor of their milestone reunion. The committee is an opportunity to reconnect with classmates while supporting the programs that made your Oxy experience unique.
RISING PHILANTHROPISTS The Rising Philanthropists Committee consists of Oxy’s youngest alumni who feel strongly about guiding the College and supporting the Oxy Annual Fund over the long term. Rising Philanthropists raise awareness on how gifts to Oxy impact the student experience, emphasize the importance of young alumni participation, and invite fellow alumni to support and maintain the excellence of the College.
SENIOR CLASS GIFT The culture of giving back to Oxy begins when alumni are still students on campus. The Senior Class Gift committee encourages participation-based recurring giving to ensure that students’ most meaningful Oxy experiences continue to be available for future Tigers.
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2016 – 2017 ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH CALENDAR
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2016 Introduce Yourself as an Oxy Ambassador
SEPT 25
Make an introductory communication by email, phone or handwritten note to each of the alumni or parents you’ve been assigned to. Share a few details about who you are, and let them know that you are an ambassador of Oxy. Let them know that your role is to share news and updates with them throughout the year to bring them closer to the College. Your role is also to bring a greater understanding of the Annual Fund and its direct impact on the student and faculty experience. The goal is to begin a conversation so that you can learn more about their Oxy experience.
Share the Fall Campus Highlight
OCT 16
Send a Fall Campus Highlight email that shares details on an exciting program or center at Oxy. Your staff point person will send you talking points that have been crafted for your committee. Use these as a guide in your communications. The goal is to have a conversation about the amazing opportunities that students have during their time at Oxy and how these experiences shape their life after Oxy.
Make an Invitation to Support Oxy
OCT 30 - NOV 6
Alumni and parents consider their philanthropy to Oxy towards the end of the year, so this is the best time to call them to ask for their support! Call your assigned alumni or parents and invite them to join you in supporting the Annual Fund with a leadership level gift to Oxy. Remember: the Annual Fund staff is always here for you in case you need suggestions or inspiration. The goal during your call is to ask them to consider making a gift to Oxy.
Follow Up Note to Encourage Gift DEC 4
Send a postcard in the mail to wish your assigned alumni and parents happy holidays and to remind them to keep Oxy in mind as the end of the year approaches. 8
2017 Send a Note of Thanks JAN 22
Write thank you notes to the alumni and parents who made a gift in December. Let them know that their support has an impact on the academic and cocurricular experience of Oxy students. Let them know that you plan on being in touch a couple of more times in the Spring to share more news on the College.
Attend Volunteer Spring Brunch MAR 18 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
MAR 23 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. EST
Attend, if possible, the Volunteer Brunch at Oxy. The Brunch is a moment to regroup our committees to share lessons from the Fall outreach and celebrate our successes. We will also discuss strategies for the Spring outreach period.
Dial In to Conference Call with Oxy Senior Administrator Dial in, if possible, to a conference call featuring an Oxy faculty or administrator speaking about an Oxy campus program. The conference call is an opportunity to be part of an intimate conversation with campus leadership.
Make an Invitation to Support Oxy during Spring Outreach
MAR 19 – 31
Make a phone call to your assigned alumni and parents to share what you learned during the 3/18 Volunteer Brunch and 3/23 conference call. Let them know that the Annual Fund is critical to these forward-thinking initiatives on campus. By now, you have already asked them to make a gift at the end of 2016, so encourage their support to the Annual Fund once again. Be an active listener if they share their reasons for hesitating to making a gift. The goal is to invite them to give to Oxy and address any concerns they have about giving.
Send a Note of Thanks APR 30
In your final communication by email or handwritten note, let your assigned alumni and parents know that this will be the last note they will receive from you. A personal touch is good here! If you are comfortable doing so, let them know that they can stay in touch to talk about all things Oxy-related.
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UNDERSTANDING THE OXY ANNUAL FUND
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About the Annual Fund The mission of the Oxy Annual Fund is to raise money to support the College’s areas of greatest need. Annual Fund gifts are unrestricted; meaning the money you raise can be used where it is most needed.
The Oxy Annual Fund is focused on relationship-based giving, particularly as it relates to leadership support. With your support as a volunteer, we build meaningful relationships with alumni, parents and students that result in increased support for the College.
2015 – 2016 Annual Fund Highlights In 2015-16, there were a total of $25.2 million gifts made to Oxy from alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends. Oxy’s Endowment Fund reached $360 million. The Annual 2015-16 Annual Fund Gifts Fund raised $4.3 million Students which goes towards $4,417 relieving Oxy’s $113 million projected budget Friends and for 2016-2017. Foundations 25%
Every gift counts. Gifts under $1,000 comprise three quarters of a million dollars for Oxy. Alumni and parents who give at leadership levels make an impact. 650 donors gave gifts of $1,000 or more.
Parents 11%
Alumni 64%
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What does the Annual Fund support?
Athletics
Student Life Programming
Faculty Recruitment and Retention
Undergraduate Research Grants
Green Initiatives
Student Scholarships and Financial Aid
Study Abroad Opportunities
Career Center Programs
Tech Upgrades
Library Subscriptions
‌and so much more!
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Key Highlights Financial Aid and Scholarships Three fourths of Oxy students are on some form of financial aid, including grants, work-study positions, scholarships and loans. The average financial aid package at Oxy is over $36,000. Occidental meets the demonstrated need of all admitted students Even students who pay full tuition benefit from the Annual Fund. Tuition and fees cover approximately 67% of the actual cost of educating an Oxy student. The remaining 33% is subsidized by the College, annual gifts, and earning from endowment gifts.
Faculty Salaries and Research With funding from the Annual Fund, the College is able to recruit world-class professors who are leading researchers in their fields. Gifts to the Annual Fund help relieve the Undergraduate Research Center’s budget.
Student Life There are over 100 clubs and organizations at Oxy. The Annual Fund provides financial support to clubs and organizations, such as fraternities and sororities, and ASOC. So many on-campus events occur each semester because of the generous support from alumni! The Annual Fund supports study abroad opportunities to students. By graduation over half of each class has participated in college sponsored projects or research abroad or has studied abroad.
The Library Oxy has remained committed to the Academic Commons and much of Oxy’s budget goes towards enhancing the library’s research capabilities. Prices for online services, books and subscriptions are costly and the students rely on current publications for their research. Alumni gifts help ensure that students have access to the most up-to-date technology. The library’s annual material budget is over $900,000! This does not include librarian salaries, utilities, renovations, updates, etc. We spend nearly $1 million a year ONLY on library materials including journal and magazine subscriptions and books.
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GIFT SOCIETIES Alumni and Parents Gift Societies William Stewart Young Society $1,000 Dean’s Circle $2,500 Dean’s Cabinet $5,000 President’s Circle $10,000 President’s Cabinet $25,000 Leadership Circle $50,000 Samuel H. Weller Society $100,000
GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Circle 10 years following graduation $1,000 7-9 years following graduation $600 4-6 years following graduation $420 1-3 years following graduation $240
McMenamin Society The McMenamin Society recognizes all current donors who have made gifts to Occidental for at least five consecutive fiscal years. Established in 2007, the society honors John McMenamin and Adelaide (Grant) McMenamin, professor of biology emeritus and former director of alumni relations, who supported the College every year since graduating in 1940. Founders Court The Founders Court honors Occidental’s most generous benefactors since the College’s founding in 1887. Having made cumulative gifts of $1 million or more, these donors embody the spirit of philanthropy at its highest level. Ben Culley Society The Ben Culley Society honors individuals who have made deferred gifts to Occidental. Deferred gifts include bequests in wills and trusts, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts, which provide donors an opportunity to support Occidental beyond their lifetime. Established in 1994, this society honors Ben Culley, former dean of men, dean of students, and director of financial aid, who made a generous gift to Occidental through his estate. To this day, his gift continues to support scholarships and programs in the performing arts.
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A CASE FOR GIVING
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There are many different reasons why alumni and parents give to Oxy. During your conversation with alumni and parents, you can indicate the following reasons for supporting Oxy.
As students, you benefited from alumni support of the Annual Fund. When you were
Giving increases the value of everyone’s Oxy Degree. As private support to Oxy rises,
students on campus, alumni giving made the Occidental experience possible. Today we are asking that alumni return the favor and help ensure current and future Oxy Tigers have the opportunity and privilege to have the same lifechanging experiences.
our rankings are improved. As the rankings rise, our national reputation is enhanced - improving the value of an Oxy diploma. Through your support of the Annual Fund, you can help ensure that the value of you or your child’s diploma is not only maintained, but enhanced.
The Annual Fund drives down the cost of education by providing scholarships for students. Three out of every four students you
Oxy receives considerable support from local and national foundations and corporations yearly. Often these corporations
meet on campus are on financial aid at Oxy! Making a gift to the Annual Fund makes it possible for more students to attend Oxy. You could make it more personal by mentioning that you were on scholarship, if this was the case for you. Even students who do not receive scholarships benefit from scholarship support – scholarships are what make Oxy’s diverse and culturally rich student body possible.
look at the level and rate of support and participation from Oxy's alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends to determine their level of major gift support to Oxy. So your participation alone will attract private and individual gifts, making a greater impact than you may originally think. One person’s small gift can result in a very large gift for Oxy!
Tuition and fees don’t cover the full cost of an Oxy education. In fact, each student’s tuition and fees only cover approximately 67% of what it costs for that student to attend Oxy. Private support to the Annual Fund helps make up that 33% that is needed to pay for each student’s educational experience. We call this the “silent scholarship” that all Oxy students receive.
Gifts help improve the quality of education at Oxy. When alumni, parents, and friends participate in the Annual Fund, it allows us to enhance areas such as the library, and pay for up-to-date journals and magazine subscriptions. Private support is extremely important in helping provide faculty with the best tools and newest technology to students.
Every single gift makes a difference and has a significant effect on Oxy students. 18
ASKING FOR A GIFT
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Use these guidelines during your outreach and in conversations with alumni.
MAKE YOUR OWN GIFT As a volunteer, you set the example for giving. Ideally, a volunteer will make his/her own commitment before making solicitations. Our goal is 100% participation by volunteers in giving to the Annual Fund.
BEFORE YOUR CALL Prepare. Familiarize yourself with the case for giving to the Annual Fund and its impact on the College’s budget. Think about your own reasons for giving to Oxy and develop a brief statement about why you believe supporting Oxy is important. Know the ask amount. The ask amount is typically based on your prospect’s giving history. The ask amount may sometimes seem high, but remember that it is the starting point for conversation.
DURING THE CONVERSATION Be positive and optimistic. You are sharing the opportunity to participate in the future of Oxy.
year” is effective. Other suggestions: “Will you join me in making a gift of $____?” Be silent after asking, even if it is uncomfortable. Give the person a moment to think, and allow them to begin the conversation again after considering your ask. Don’t forget that they can fulfill their pledge by an installment plan that can extend to June 30. Inquire about matching gift availability with their employer. Say Thank you! These are the most powerful words you can use. Regardless of the outcome of your ask, thank your fellow alumnus/a or parent for taking the time to talk with you. Their positive experience with you will set the stage for future gifts and involvement with Oxy.
AFTER THE CONVERSATION Send a thank you note to thank them for their time, whether or not it resulted in a pledge or gift to Oxy.
Smile and enjoy yourself! Your frame of mind will come through in your voice.
Be persistent. Even if you didn’t reach them the first time, try different ways to reach your prospect – email, phone, even a personal letter.
Appeal to the heart. Focus on memories, shared experiences, and common bonds to help motivate giving.
If you are not able to answer a particular question, tell your peer you will have someone at Oxy communicate directly with them.
Be specific about why you are calling – that you are calling on behalf of the Annual Fund to ask them to join you in making a gift.
Communicate the results of your conversation with the Annual Fund staff, including contact information update, their pledge amount, and any personal updates that you feel are important for Oxy to know (e.g. new job, recently got married).
Be direct. Ask for a specific dollar amount. The phrase “Will you consider a gift of $____ this
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WORKSHEET Navigating the Conversation Please use this worksheet to take notes during the presentation.
1.
Introduction. Who are you and why are you calling?
2.
Build Rapport. Ask open-ended questions to get to know them. Sample Questions:
3.
Transition and Ask. “May I tell you about Oxy’s Annual Fund?” Talk for 1-2 minutes about what the Annual Fund is and why it’s so important at Oxy. Then ask the short question, “Would you consider a gift of $1,000?”
4.
Ask Again. Respond and explore further. Sample Questions:
5.
Confirm. What are next steps? Do you need to follow up? Thank them no matter the outcome.
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ADDRESSING HESITATION AND CONCERN
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Oxy wants its alumni and parents to feel good about giving back to the College. Finding a way to address hesitation and indecision in the conversation will allow them to have confidence in making a gift to Oxy.
Acknowledge the objection, hesitation, or concern. Allow your peer to feel heard and let them know you are listening to their concerns. Emphasize that their support and voice are still an integral part of Oxy. Provide a reason to give to Oxy that relates to their initial objection, and ask them to consider giving.
“I am in grad school/between jobs/have kids in college/just bought a house, and I’m not in a financial position to give.” Your situation is understandable. What would be a more comfortable amount for you given your current situation? This is the most common type of refusal. In many cases, the prospect cannot afford to make a large donation and may be intimidated by the primary ask. The goal in these situations is to find a level of giving where the prospect feels comfortable.
“I’m not happy with the way Oxy handles a certain issue with its students and faculty.” Thank you for sharing your concern with me. I encourage you to give because your gift will go towards strengthening Oxy’s infrastructure in allowing us to address these issues. Ultimately, your gift still impacts the student experience on campus. This category of refusal can be the most challenging to address because the reasons for dissatisfaction can often be exclusive to the prospect’s experience with the Oxy. Prospects who have reasons to be disinterested in Oxy often want to be heard and it is important that you show your prospect that you are listening to their concerns. In this situation, focus on the benefits of improving the quality of education at Oxy. Concentrate on the big picture and take their attention away from the specific area of their 24
concern. If your prospect has issues with Oxy then it might be beneficial to encourage them to designate their gift to student scholarships so that they are supporting students directly. They might be more inclined to support scholarships instead of the College as a whole.
“Can you send me more information or a brochure?” You’ve probably received the recent mailing from Oxy that went to all (alumni, parents). Have you had a chance to consider it? The reason why I’m calling you today is to answer any questions you might have about the mailings you’ve received. Can you send me something in the mail? I’ll mail a check later. Thank you so much for showing interest in supporting Oxy. If it’s at all possible, could you give me an idea of what you will be sending in? It will help us out with our records and bookkeeping. Would a minimum gift of $_____ be what you had in mind? In this instance, the overall goal of the call is understood; however, the response is one that lacks urgency. The goal in these situations is to convey the urgency of need, the parameters of our calling, and to legitimize the Annual Fund as one worth their commitment.
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WAYS TO GIVE
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Online: Go to Oxy’s secure giving page at oxy.edu/giving where you can make a one-time gift or set-up monthly installments. American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa are accepted. Phone: Call the Oxy Annual Fund at (323) 259-2604 with your credit card information. Mail a Check or Money Order: Occidental College 1600 Campus Rd. M-34 Los Angeles, CA 90041 Monthly Giving: Oxy has a recurring credit card payment program if you would like to spread your gift out over the course of a year. Go online or call the Oxy Annual Fund to make your gift in monthly or quarterly installments. This is also a great option for donors who would like to schedule a one-time gift for a future date, or spread out their gift for the year. Make a Gift by Transfer: To wire stocks: State Street Bank NFSC DTC#: 0226 F/F/C Occidental College Gift Account Account #: AB2 029033
To wire cash: State Street Bank & Trust Company Boston, MA ABA #011000028 BNF: Occidental College Gift Account Account #: DDA/5126-2137MVY4
(DTC eligible mutual funds and bonds must EST for next day settlement)
Transfer of Securities: The College welcomes gifts of stock and mutual funds. To ensure prompt and accurate processing of these gifts, notify the College by calling Advancement Services Department Coordinator, Carol Milki at (323) 259-2968. Please be prepared to share the number of shares and type of stock. Matching Gifts: Did you know that you can double, or even triple, your gift to Occidental College? Corporate matching gifts, which are combined with your personal gift, also determine gift society membership. Please contact the Annual Fund office to determine your employer’s eligibility for gift matching, or visit matchinggifts.com/oxy. If eligible, obtain and complete a matching gift form from your employer and return the form to Occidental College together with your personal contribution or following your gift. Please note that your company will not match your gift until you have made your contribution and sent in your pledge 28
STAFF DIRECTORY
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OXY ANNUAL GIVING STAFF Kayla Adem ’15 Assistant Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) and Student Philanthropy adem@oxy.edu (323) 259 -2602 Ernesto Casillas Associate Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Leadership Gifts ecasillas@oxy.edu (323) 259-2567 Elizabeth Hersh Interim Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Leadership Gifts ehersh@oxy.edu (323) 259 - 1363 Suzy LaCroix Interim Associate Vice President for Alumni and Parent Engagement lacroix@oxy.edu (323) 259-1482 Debbie Sheen Associate Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Leadership Gifts and Parents sheen@oxy.edu (323) 259-2606 Angela Soley ’15 Assistant Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Telefund Program soley@oxy.edu (323) 259-1445 Lisa Talbert Assistant Director of the Oxy Annual Fund Reunion Giving and Leadership Gifts ltalbert@oxy.edu (323) 259-1349 30
KINDRED SPIRIT Kindred Spirits lead with their hearts and are inspired by stories of individual success. You make decisions based on instinct and your power lies in your ability to connect with the donor’s heart. You connect with others through your own commitment.
Getting ready to ask • Your strength is discussing values and mission and making a personal connection to why supporting Oxy is important. Think about your reasons for giving. • Prepare open ended questions to refresh your donor’s sense of commitment e.g. Why have you supported Oxy in the past? • You are less motivated by facts, figures, and details. Have handy a list of just the most important facts in case you are asked.
Setting up the meeting • If picking up the phone for a cold call is difficult, then consider sending a notecard or email first to introduce yourself.
• Set a reminder for your self to follow through and follow up after your note or email.
Asking for a gift • You are skilled at listening to and empathizing with others. • Don’t worry about making a ‘presentation.’ Instead, share your feelings about Oxy, and then let the donor respond. • Use your prepared questions to help get the conversation started, but from there your natural empathy will help guide the conversation.
• Don’t forget to ask! “Would you consider making a gift of $______ in support of Oxy?”
Source: Kihlstedt, Andrea. Asking Styles: Harness Your Personal Fundraising Power
Following up • Write a personal note of thanks immediately after your solicitation. • If the donor has committed to a gift, highlight the importance of that gift to Oxy and to you. • If the donor said ‘no,’ let your donor know that you understand the decision and look forward to staying in touch. • Update the Volunteer Portal with the results of your conversation.
RAINMAKER Rainmakers are goal oriented. You are comfortable talking to anyone, plan well and like to be in charge. You have a great ability to adapt to other people’s styles and can use this skill to connect with donors.
Getting ready to ask • You like to be thoroughly prepared and know what your goal is. • Do your research beforehand on the donors and understand the donor’s giving in context. • You are motivated to ask those who you think will give the largest gifts.
Setting up the meeting • You enjoy directly engaging with donors and may pick up the phone as your first point of contact. If you get voicemail, leave a message saying that you called, and will call again.
Asking for a gift • Come to the meeting with objectives in mind. • Combine both sides of your asking style: your ability to command the facts and figures to make a strong analytic case, and your ability to be sensitive and responsive to your donor. • Be cautious that your presentation of the facts and figures does not overwhelm the conversation. • Don’t forget to ask! “Would you consider making a gift of $______ in support of Oxy?”
Source: Kihlstedt, Andrea. Asking Styles: Harness Your Personal Fundraising Power
Following up • Write a personal note of thanks immediately after your solicitation. • Update the Volunteer Portal with the results of your conversation. • Use your ability to be strategic and patient in building strong longer-term relationships.
MISSION CONTROLLER Mission Controllers are detail-oriented planners. You connect with donors by laying out a thorough and detailed presentation and are able to succeed with donors of all sorts.
Getting ready to ask • You like to be thoroughly prepared. • Prepare open-ended questions to help you learn more about your donor and to get the conversation going. • Have information about Oxy and your donor available for reference.
Setting up the meeting • If picking up the phone for a cold call is difficult, then consider sending a notecard or email first to introduce yourself.
Asking for a gift • Preparation and your natural sense of duty will help you move through any awkwardness you may feel. • Monitor your donor’s reactions to make sure you are not giving too much information. • Don’t forget to ask! “Would you consider making a gift of $______ in support of Oxy?”
Source: Kihlstedt, Andrea. Asking Styles: Harness Your Personal Fundraising Power
Following up • Following up on details is your natural strength. • Write a personal note of thanks immediately after your solicitation. • Update the Volunteer Portal with the results of your conversation.
GO-GETTER Go-Getters are big-picture thinkers who exude charm and energy. You are a naturalborn collaborator, forward-looking and willing to take leaps of faith.
Getting ready to ask • You are comfortable asking others for advice and can adapt based on their feedback to maximize your success. • You are less motivated by facts, figures, and details. Instead grasp the big ideas and summarize them for yourself, into a few simple bullet points. Rely on these big ideas as a way to make your case.
Setting up the meeting
Asking for a gift
• You are very effective on the phone or when you meet a donor in person.
• You are able to ‘read’ your donor and adapt your ask based on the donor’s clues.
• You are more effective when not tied to a rigid schedule, but take care to set goals to keep you on track.
• Don’t forget to ask! “Would you consider making a gift of $______ in support of Oxy?” • Be sure to clarify and review the specifics of the gift with the donor. If the donor requests more time, be sure to tie down the specific next steps.
• Have a fact sheet handy in case your donor asks for data.
Source: Kihlstedt, Andrea. Asking Styles: Harness Your Personal Fundraising Power
Following up • Write a personal note of thanks immediately after your solicitation. You are skilled at making your Thank You personal and unique. • Update the Volunteer Portal with the results of your conversation.
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OPINIONS
Letter from the editor September 21, 2016
As I embark on my final year at Occidental, I hope to put my money where my mouth is and use my position as editor of the Weekly to help facilitate conversation through journalism; to remind the Occidental community that there are in fact many voices on campus, some of whom have been largely too afraid to engage in comment wars on social media. Or perhaps, they are silent to leave room for the voices of our peers who might be hurting more than we are. We hope to dedicate this year to the power of nuance rather than polarization. I tried to keep my thoughts private during the flag incident and its aftermath last week. I wanted to listen before I jumped to conclusions. I grew up in the West Village of Manhattan, and I remember the morning of 9/11 clearly. I remember first responders sleeping on my living room floor night after night. I remember my mom organizing drives just to be able to give the responders sleeping bags so they could find shelter on the floor of my elementary school cafeteria. I remember students from P.S. 234, the public school closest to Ground Zero, doubling up in my classes for months in the aftermath while the responders cleaned up all the rubble. I remember the family friends that died that day. I remember an emotional night a few years ago, after my mother’s death, when my dad admitted to me he believed my mom’s involvement in the cleanup gave her brain damage that contributed to her death. As I write this I tear up, because to me 9/11 isn’t just symbolic. The American flag might be symbolic, but the desecration of a memorial is very, very real. That said, I do not hold it against my peers. They’ve taught me so much this past week. I’ve also learned through many of the interviews that the Weekly staff has conducted that a lot of the action was misinformed. The protesters didn’t realize the flags represented real lives. They didn’t realize that this exact same memorial is put on across the country, including at One World Trade every year. And though I don’t necessarily believe this
excuses their actions, I understand that we’re all learning here, the importance of forgiveness, and above all, the importance of listening and hearing each other out. College is the place to make mistakes. The action came from a valid place. And I think we owe it to ourselves to hold that in high regard. It might be a poorly chosen symbol, but it was not the Occidental Conservatives Club that chose it. The campus’s perpetuation of this questionable symbol, as well as our eagerness to blame one sole person or group or ideology for it, is representative of a much larger issue in our country. We, “complaining” millennials, are perhaps the only source of hope for bridging this rift and fixing our country. We interviewed many community members with many different perspectives on the situation. Recognizing that Occidental is still a ways away from being able to engage in these disagreements without hostility, we decided to include quotes from a number of individuals who would only tell their stories on the condition of anonymity — perhaps a greater number than ideal. But we decided as a staff that right now it is more important to have the maximum number of beliefs represented than to abide by journalistic ideals. Anonymity provides Occidental students and faculty with protection from any backlash, of which the students who took down the flags have received more than enough already. Moreover, in certain situations, anonymity facilitates a particular sort of freedom, it is a pathway into people’s unpolished, honest, emotional responses. Establishment media love to call us a generation of complainers, coddled so dramatically that we can’t stand to face any belief with which we disagree out of fear of damage to our oversensitive psyches. As liberal arts students, the jabs just keep coming. I think there’s a lot more to complaining than those old white men who wrote The Atlantic article really grasp. We are a generation of higher standards and greater awareness that understands that business as usual simply will not fly anymore. We are a generation with the platform and audacity to call out the bullshit, the racism, the misogyny. “Complaining,” calling out our dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, is crucial to productive critical discourse. We’re challenging every injustice, no matter how small, that puts any one human’s life above another. It is imperative that we keep complaining. But ultimately complaining is not enough. As individuals, as peers and as an institution, we need to challenge ourselves and each other to channel our complaints into earnest conversations that grapple with the hard stuff. And we especially need to have these conversations among people with whom we disagree. We must do our homework before we take action, if for no other reason than to make the most of the time and energy we spend trying to make this school a more equitable place. If we don’t, as we saw last week, we risk perpetuating the national polarization of political discourse and partisanship that we complain about from afar. We twist our logic to fit the needs of our personal circumstances when we see it on our own campus versus in government. When we fail to engage in productive discourse among ourselves, we allow the international media to minimize
us as a bunch of naive liberals. And we risk forfeiting a really important conversation around the symbolism of the American flag as a result. It’s hard to think deeply about our country’s history — a history of colonization, racism and oppression — and be proud of where we came from. And we don’t have to be proud. But we do have to try to make it better through communication and debate, because too much is at stake. You might not agree with the conservative mindset, but you can’t condemn their mere existence. There’s no one I find more disgusting than Donald Trump, but because he’s our Republican nominee, we as a country can ditch this asinine idea that we are somehow “post racist” and “post sexist.” It’s a scary time to be alive, but it’s also so promising; as we come to honest terms with the bleakness of our country, calling out the bullshit gets all the easier. We are able to engage in more direct conversations about the issues that really matter. Just as we fiercely need a Republican party for our government to properly function, we need the Conservatives Club, if for nothing else than to serve as a reminder that opinions on campus range way beyond just the far radical left. We need a Conservatives Club because the Republican party is in shambles right now and we need an intelligent group of young conservatives to redefine the party, a party that believes in small government but also basic human and civil rights. If we don’t learn how to talk to and argue productively with each other here, where will we? We love to compare ourselves to the youth of the 1960s and ‘70s, but I argue we’re simply selfindulgent unless we commit to trying to make real change beyond petty Facebook fights. This year, the Weekly is committed to providing larger representation of our entire community — a place we know we’ve come up short in the past. We hope you find this to be true of our first issue. As a staff we’ve spent the last year in conversation about what it means to be truly representative, wrestling with the question of how we can be a resource that best serves the campus community. We decided that above all else, in a time of such polarized political discourse, what matters most is reporting down the middle, the honest truth as best we can, with the ultimate hope of facilitating much needed dialogue on campus and around the nation. We are here to inform you, to challenge you and to provide a platform to elevate your voices. We as a student newspaper have the accessibility to present real, honest student perspectives. We’re here to deliver the truth, as knotty as it might be. Sincerely, Wellesley Daniels