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THE PENDULUM
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Elon, North Carolina Volume 51, Edition 4
20
A flag placed in a dorm room window in Virg inia residence hall shows pa triotism durin g a tragic time.
YEARS LATER
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GOING BEYOND
Prayers during College Coffee on 9/11 were held around the Fonville Fountain in front of Alamance.
‘WHERE WERE YOU WHEN...?’ Faculty will reflect on the impacts of 9/11 during the panel ‘20 Years After: The Legacies of 9/11’ Kyra O’Connor
Executive Director | @ko_reports
Jason Kirk was a graduate student in Pennsylvania about to walk into a classroom to teach students about international politics. Over 1,800 miles away in Texas, Safia Swimelar was about to teach an American politics course. Sandy Marshall was getting ready to travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he would study politics with an emphasis on peace and conflict resolution. These three individuals, now Elon University professors, can answer the question, “Where were you on 9/11?” with the certainty that comes with living through a pivotal, historical event. But 20 years later, many of their students
are unable to, and the legacies of 9/11 encompass more than the commonly asked question. On Thursday, Sept. 9, Kirk, Swimelar and Marshall, along with Elon University Professor of Political Science Baris Kesgin and George Washington University Professor of Anthropology Sarah Wagner, will speak of the legacies and impact left behind after one of the most infamous days in American history. The panel, “20 Years After: The Legacies of 9/11 and the ‘war on terror’” will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the LaRose Digital Theater. Sponsored by the International and Global Studies program and the Political Science and Policy Studies department, faculty will reflect on the legacies of 9/11 two decades later from their professional and personal experiences.
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A photo es campus say of American to fl Pendulu show signs of p ags placed acro m editio ss atriotism n. from the Sept.
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See LEGACY | pg. 3A PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
9/11 COURSE • PAGE 2A
A look at Mark Dalhouse’s 9/11 focused Global Experience class
TEACHING TODAY • PAGE 6A
Professors changed the way they’ve taught courses since 9/11
PENDULUM PAST • PAGE 8A
Pendulum leaders from 2001 reflect on their time as student journalists
2A
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday September 8, 2021
ELON REMEMBERS 9/11 CALENDAR
Global Experience class uses 9/11 to build international perspectives
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 8 9/11 Remembrance Panel Elon Community Church 7 p.m. A panel discussion with President Emeritus Leo Lambert, Professors Ann Cahill and Anne Bolin, Chaplain Emeritus Richard McBride, and Brian Feeley ‘03, who will discuss what September 11, 2001, was like on campus. See 3A for more
THURSDAY, SEPT. 9 9/11 Numen Lumen Numen Lumen Pavilion 9:40 a.m.
Reflections on 9/11 offered by Elon University chaplains with an historical and memorial poster exhibit.
ABIGAIL HOBBS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SEPT. 9 - SEPT. 11
Director for Global Education Initiatives Mark Dalhouse expands on a story about 9/11 in his class. For years, the focus of this class focused on the past events from 9/11, but this year was different when the Taliban entered Afghanistan after 20 years.
9/11 Memorial Poster Exhibit
Mark Dalhouse hopes to shape student perspectives of 9/11 in his Global Experience class
Numen Lumen Pavilion Historical poster exhibit from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, with memorial altar highlighting different dimensions of loss and suffering created by the Truitt Center. Anyone is welcome to drop by and explore the exhibit.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 9 SGA Town Hall Upstairs Lakeside 7:30 p.m. SGA Town Hall will focus on the impact of 9/11 for this generation of students, dealing with issues such as COVID-19, school shootings, Black Lives Matter and political divisions.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 11 Multifaith Community Breakfast Numen Lumen Pavilion 8:30 a.m. Breakfast and brief memorial service for community members, with opportunity to view the poster exhibit. Drop by any time between 8:30 and 10:00 am.
Abigail Hobbs
Elon News Network | @Abigaillhobbss
As Director for Global Educational Initiatives Mark Dalhouse planned his COR 1100, The Global Experience, class this summer, the Taliban had just taken over the government of Afghanistan. For years, his class revolved around the tragic events of 9/11, but this year it became even more important. “It occurred to me, watching this unfold over the summer, that this has been our first-year students’ entire lives,” Dalhouse said. “The United States has been at war in Afghanistan because of 9/11, and they have never known a time that was not the case.” Dalhouse structures his COR 1100 class for students to build a global foundation of the world’s current events and understanding diverse communities. He hopes this course will help students to become more involved in what’s happening around them. “I hope to encourage students to be engaged with the news, to be engaged with the news cycle and know what is going on in the world because it is so easy for all of us here to be sucked into my schedule, my classes, my faculty meetings, whatever,” Dalhouse said. “I felt like this was an opportunity to come and tackle that but at the same time teach the history.” Students like Elizabeth Driggers feel that the class has affected their entire mindset. “My perspective of 9/11 has changed drastically as a result of taking Mr. Dalhouse’s Global Experience class,” Driggers said. “This class opened my perspective a bit more to understanding the importance behind reaching out for conversation and getting to know one
“
THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN AT WAR IN AFGHANISTAN BECAUSE OF 9/11, AND THEY HAVE NEVER KNOWN A TIME THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. MARK DALHOUSE DIRECTOR FOR GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES
another. If our goal is to mend divides, then I think it’s time to really get to know one another and listen to what the other person has to say.” Driggers wanted to do something more with her understanding of ideological and ethnic divides. Dalhouse and Driggers decided to bring Millions of Conversations, a nonprofit that encourages conversation about embracing identity and uniting around common values, to Elon. The organization launched at the university this fall. What sets this class apart from other global experience curricula is the study of dispelling stereotypes about the Islamic faith that have escalated since the attacks in 2001, including the harassment of Muslims. According to the FBI, anti-Muslim attacks are five times more common now than they were before 9/11. THE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
This first-year seminar examines personal and social responsibility in domestic and global contexts.
Students enrolled in this class have more opportunities to immerse themselves in current events, including listening to insightful speakers and helping out in the local community. This year the class welcomed John McConnell, a senior speechwriter for former President George W. Bush during the 9/11 attacks, who spoke to the class about that day 20 years later. Dalhouse hopes to plan similar events to help his students connect history to the current news. Driggers said, “When I entered the class, I had a basic understanding of the tragedy; following the course I was not only more aware of how it is still affecting our world today, but also how we as Elon students have the ability to create meaningful change.”
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
3A
Panel looks at the aftermath of 9/11, 20 years later LEGACY | from cover Legacies
Swimelar was in the “middle of nowhere” in west Texas when the planes hit the twin towers. She was about to teach a class that, like many things in the United States and the world, would be forever altered by 9/11. “It was a bit of a remote feeling that I was talking about something so far away, but it was actually good to be teaching American politics at the time, because I felt that I could help students kind of talk through and work through it,” Swimelar said. Swimelar said while it is important to discuss where people were the day of the terrorist attack, she hopes the panel also addresses the impact 9/11 had on politics and the world in the following 20 years. “How did you feel, the suffering, the tragedy, we need to do that. That’s part of how nations deal with tragic events and memorialize them and pay homage to the people who lost their lives,” Swimelar said. “But I also feel like it’s important to go beyond that at a university, to have a more academic discussion with faculty about how this event also was a global event.” Bringing in the cross-disciplinary perspectives to the panel was a must for Swimelar, who began thinking about the 20th anniversary of 9/11 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Swimelar hopes hearing from the perspectives of political scientists, geographers and historians will help students better understand the world they live in. “We owe it to students to let them know that the things that exist today that they might take for granted, in terms of laws, policies, narratives, practices — those were not always like that, those directly came from 9/11,” Swimelar said. “Students should know that they exist, and what they do.” For Marshall, 9/11 also took place far away from where he was. Marshall was getting ready to travel to Belfast, where he would study politics with a concentration on peace and conflict studies. While that day made him reconsider his decision to go across the world for school, Marshall ultimately decided to go to Belfast, where his studies were shaped by the events of 9/11. “Northern Ireland was going through its peace process at that time too, and I wanted to go out and study that process, to contribute to these efforts,” Marshall said. “Little did I know that we were entering into a new phase of global conflict.” But when Marshall looks back on the past 20 years, he sees additional impacts globally beyond the personal toll 9/11 took on citizens, such as the war in Afghanistan and “the war on terror.” “There’s still so much that has been forgotten about the immediate aftermath of 9/11 that I think it’s really important for students to confront what happened in their lifetime for the last 20 years,” Marshall said. Even in the last few weeks, Marshall has found himself talking about 9/11 in the context of U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan and negotiating with the Taliban, a similar situation the U.S. was in just one month after 9/11. “Your generation should be outraged that for 20 years we squandered time and effort and money into a pointless ‘war on terror,’ instead of fighting the real issues like climate change, like
creating health care in this country,” Marshall said. “There is just such an opportunity lost and I hope your generation understands that, and changes them.” Kirk was in Pennsylvania, preparing to teach a smaller group of students. As a graduate student studying international politics, he dismissed his students and went back to the main lecture hall, where he watched the attacks unfold on a screen next to the professor he worked with.
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HOW DID YOU FEEL, THE SUFFERING, THE TRAGEDY, WE NEED TO DO THAT. THAT’S PART OF HOW NATIONS DEAL WITH TRAGIC EVENTS AND MEMORIALIZE THEM AND PAY HOMAGE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE IT’S IMPORTANT TO GO BEYOND THAT AT A UNIVERSITY, TO HAVE A MORE ACADEMIC DISCUSSION WITH FACULTY ABOUT HOW THIS EVENT ALSO WAS A GLOBAL EVENT.
“For me it’s just a weird experience in that 9/11 and the aftermath is so stiff. It’s like it happened yesterday, it’s still so present,” Marshall said. “For my students … it’s like this concept that they’ve heard about and they don’t really know.” To help fill gaps in his classes, Kirk said he offers and shares more of his own experiences, but still tries to elicit from students what it means to them, and how it has impacted their life. He also tries to show students how 9/11 may connect to other parts of politics, such as national security or globalization. “You want to be careful, you know, it’s like it can be a gimmick to say this is the root cause of everything, it’s not that necessarily,” Kirk said. “But it’s just seeing those connections and connecting those dots, hopefully in a way that helps things to click for students a little bit. They can see that it matters in their lives because it continues to have reverberations today.” IF YOU GO 20 Years After: The Legacies of 9/11 and the ‘war on terror’ Where: LaRose Digital Theater,
Koury Business 101
When: Thursday, Sept. 9 from 4:30-6:00 pm.
ENN FILE PHOT0
Spanish professor Ricky Mendoza Castano stands the lowered flags on the 10th anniversary.
The terror attacks occur
before
SAFIA SWIMELAR PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND POLICY STUDIES
“He just kind of leaned over and said, ‘This changes everything,’” Kirk said. “That’s my really vivid memory of that day. Being a student of international politics, that was my field of study. Just to go to class and classes canceled — this changes everything, and it sort of did, it really did.”
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
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Teaching the next generation
As he has taught about 9/11 over the years, the biggest change Kirk sees each year is the decrease in students who have connections to the events from that day. Fewer students have relatives or family who were affected, and this year, most freshmen would not have even been born until after the attacks. For many students, the first exposure they have to 9/11 is in a textbook, rather than living through it. “To go from teaching students who had that shared experience, to now teaching students who weren’t born yet, that’s a big change in your orientation to the event and how you talk about it with students,” Kirk said. Teaching about the Middle East for the past 12 years, Marshall has gone from teaching people who have directly experienced 9/11 and students who enlisted in the military right after 9/11 to now, students who have no direct memory of the event. Marshall said that it is often eye-opening for students when he teaches about 9/11.
TIMELINE RECAP SINCE 9/11 ATTACKS SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
10 yea rs honor fa later, Elon stu d llen he roes an ents gather in ENN FILE d reflec t on th front of Alam PHOTO e events an of 9/11 ce to .
The Department of Homeland Security is signed into law by President George W. Bush
Congress approves naming Sept. 11 “Patriot Day” to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
OTO ENN FILE PH
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SEPTEMBER 11, 2011
The names of all 2,983 victims are engraved on 152 panels surrounding reflecting pools, a site that opened in 2011
NOVEMBER 25, 2002
DECEMBER 18, 2001
A ‘whe re around were you’ refl UNIVER ection Elon’s c was co SITY ARCHIVES ampus nd on the 10th an ucted niversa ry.
JULY 22, 2004
The 9/11 Commission Report is released, investigating the events that lead up to 9/11
A Pen du becom lum repor te ing m ore ha r from 200 U 1 zardo us due writes ab NIVERSITY ARCH out IVES to cyb erterr technolog orism y .
NOVEMBER 3, 2014
The Freedom Tower opens at the original World Trade Center site
MAY 21, 2014
The National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum open at the original World Trade Center site
4A
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday September 8, 2021
UNDERSTANDING HOW THE EVENTS OF 9/11 SHAPED THE US ECONOMY Professor Steve DeLoach shares his memories about 9/11 while teaching economics at Elon Graysen Shirley
Politics Editor | @graysenshirley
Steve DeLoach said he will always remember seeing airplanes strike the twin towers on a projection screen alongside his colleagues on the morning of 9/11. DeLoach, chair of the department of economics, was in his office earlier that morning preparing for his classes when Tina Das, a professor of economics, called to alert him to turn on the news and see what had happened in New York City. DeLoach and his fellow colleagues stared in silence at a projection screen as they watched the north tower after the first airplane struck the building. DeLoach said he still held his classes that morning, but instead of teaching he watched the events of 9/11 unfold in front of him with his students. “It was like one of those one hundred minute classes and we just sat there watching without saying a word,” DeLoach said. For students studying business, like senior Victoria Russo, 9/11 represented a time to learn how past events can influence the economy — and 20 years later the impacts of 9/11 still remain memorable to many, although they were short-lived.
New York Stock Exchange Temporarily Closed
Following the disarray that occurred in New York City in the days after 9/11, the New York Stock Exchange, which is the world’s largest stock exchange and responsible for allowing companies in the U.S. to buy and sell stock, temporarily closed its doors for a week. DeLoach said a factor that caused the New York Stock Exchange to close temporarily was fear that ensued on the trading floor in the following hours after the twin towers collapsed and caused people to sell their stocks at a rapid rate. “The stock market falls because people sell stocks. So, if everybody sells, the price falls,” DeLoach said. “And again, it really just goes back to when there’s uncertainty, the best thing to do is save and saving something close to cash.” Although the New York Stock Exchange reopened the following week, many stocks still had major losses, including the Dow Jones. The stock market index, made up of 30 major companies, in the U.S. stock market dropped more than 500 points a week following 9/11, according to the New York Times. The global stock market also saw significant drops in stock prices following the attacks. Europe saw falls in the stock market that ranged from 4.6% in Spain to 8.5% in Germany, according to the New York Times.
Airline and Travel Industries Take A Loss
Prior to 9/11, the number of airline passengers traveling had hit a record high with 64.5 million passengers and with 90.6 million available seats for purchase on flights in August 2001. However, the number of passengers traveling by plane drastically changed in the months following 9/11. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported the number of available seats for purchase significantly decreased as airlines grounded planes and reduced flights to match the falling demand for air travel. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the number of available seats decreased to 67.5 million in September 2001. DeLoach said he noticed how 9/11 affected international travel when he attended a conference in Philadelphia in October 2001. He noted it was an international conference and many international economists had been invited, but many of the attendees were not
After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, airline and travel industries saw a loss. Not only did airlines take new security measures, but security violation fines began.
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
BY THE NUMBERS
500
points plus dropped from the Dow Jones index in the week following 9/11, according to the New York Times.
67.5M
available airplane seats after 9/11 due to the losses the airline and travel industries took, according to the Department of Transportation.
13.25B
was the real gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2001 after declining from 13.3 billion dollars in the second, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
ENN FILE PHOTO
Steve DeLoach, professor of economics and chair of the department of economics, is named a Martha and Spencer Love Term Professor during the annual Opening Ceremony on Monday, Aug. 19, in Schar Center. DeLoach taught at Elon during 9/11 and is able to share his story about the economy then versus now.
able to attend the conference because they were not able to get their visas. “Basically the international economists weren’t getting their visas anymore,” DeLoach said. “The U.S. kind of tightened up on things and so there were a lot of no-shows.” The number of available seats on flights took about three and a half years to exceed the pre-9/11 levels, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The U.S. Economy Recovers
DeLoach estimates that the U.S. economy recovered within several weeks to months after 9/11. DeLoach said the overall impact of 9/11 was short-lived, although it still remains memorable to him almost 20 years later. “It turned out to be pretty short-lived because after a few weeks everybody realizes, ‘OK, this isn’t going to happen every week,’” DeLoach said. DeLoach also noted the economy was in a period of decline between the second and third quarters of 2001. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the real gross domestic product declined from $13.3 billion to $13.25 billion dollars between the second and third quarters of 2001. He said there were more market forces at play than 9/11 that caused economic decline within that period, but by the fourth quarter of 2001 the U.S. economy had recovered and gained back its losses. When Russo was reflecting upon the importance of looking at past events, she said
she believed looking at 9/11 made her realize how quickly the United States economy can be impacted by international events.
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IT TURNED OUT TO BE PRETTY SHORT-LIVED BECAUSE AFTER A FEW WEEKS EVERYBODY REALIZES, ‘OK, THIS ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN EVERY WEEK.’ STEVE DELOACH CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
“I think looking at especially 9/11, seeing how quickly our economy and everything was crippled so quickly from one national event is really important,” Russo said. “Just kind of realizing how as the United States we think we’re such this powerful entity in the world and in one day it kind of proved to everyone we’re not.”
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
5A
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
INCREASE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AFTER 9/11
According to retired Dean of International Affairs Bill Rich, Elon’s study abroad program was small in 2000 but later increased as safety measures were put in to place after 9/11.
The number of students studying abroad at Elon after 9/11 increased because of new travel measures Madison Powers Elon News Network
Retired professor of anthropology Anne Bolin was in London with a group of 40 students in September 2001. Despite anxiety about the high alert for potential terrorism, they were able to finish the remainder of the semester in London. “We did not want to get on a plane and head back to the U.S.,” Bolin said. “While we were apprehensive in London, we were more nervous about getting on a plane and flying across the Atlantic.” According to a report from the Institute of International Education in 2020, 85.3% of Elon students were globally engaged during their time in school. Elon is known for its study abroad program, and opportunities to go abroad in the Middle East grew after 9/11. Retired Dean of International Affairs Bill Rich said Elon’s study abroad program in the Middle East was relatively small in the early 2000s. “Israel was the only country Elon had a program in, but it was prior to 2001, ” Rich said. Students can now go abroad to Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco. Rich also said that programs following 9/11 did not change; the students stayed abroad in place and all courses continued to be offered. However, Rich noted that there were difficulties with international students. “They were asked to restrict their visits to local businesses, for example, restaurants, bars, etc.,” Rich said. “There were no serious problems and only a minimum of harassment.” The Global Education Center created plans for precautions to keep students abroad safe. “Because of 9/11, we asked for much more detailed information about their itineraries with phone numbers and daily activities they had planned,” Bolin said. She also said that safety measures, both personal and otherwise, were heightened. “I personally felt much more aware in airports of my surroundings,” Bolin said. “Airport authorities had verbal announcements about reporting unusual behavior and unattended baggage. Our study abroad students were also more attentive to their
NYAH PHENGSITTHY | MANAGING EDITOR
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WE DID NOT WANT TO GET ON A PLANE AND HEAD BACK TO THE U.S. WHILE WE WERE APPREHENSIVE IN LONDON, WE WERE MORE NERVOUS ABOUT GETTING ON A PLANE AND FLYING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. ANNE BOLIN RETIRED PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY NYAH PHENGSITTHY | MANAGING EDITOR
Learn more about study abroad programs at the Global Education Center in the Global Commons.
BY THE NUMBERS
7
Elon study abroad programs are located within the Middle East. The locations include Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Morocco.
surroundings in the airports after 9/11.” While it may seem like the desire to travel abroad would decrease following 9/11, this was not the case. “I do not recall that there were any canceled courses following 9/11, nor was there any great decline in enrollment,” Rich said. “All our programs were reviewed for any potential problems, and orientation sessions for each program included cautions about travel. There were no incidents abroad.” Nick Gozik, dean of the global education center, said that 9/11 sparks discussions about health and safety when traveling abroad. However, he also said that it is important to be understanding and to not make assumptions.
“We also are careful not to consider the Middle East in monolithic terms,” Gozik said. “Terrorism can happen anywhere in the world and is not reserved to a single religion or racial or ethnic group. One of the primary goals of international education is to foster mutual understanding, something that we believe is incredibly important today and for the future.”
SCAN TO LEARN ABOUT ELON STUDY ABROAD OR VISIT ELON.EDU/U/ACADEMICS/ GLOBAL-EDUCATION-CENTER/
1. Open your phone camera 2. Focus on the QR code 3. Click the pop-up link
6A
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday September 8, 2021
THE IMPACTS OF 9/11 ON TEACHING Faculty members reflect on how 9/11 changed them and their approaches to teaching Samantha Sussman | Elon News Network | @samanthasussma
HOW DID 9/11 AFFECT YOUR APPROACH TO TEACHING?
Nim Batchelor
Associate Professor of Philosophy Classes: PHL 2100, Critical Thinking; PHL 3300, Economic Justice
“9/11 gave me a reason to be more pessimistic, in my own head, you know, and so it gave me more reason to be cynical and negative in my own outlook on the world. And so how did it affect my teaching? It increased the stress that I feel between what I actually think and what I present in service in the classroom to students — that I have a professional, moral obligation to come into the classroom and be a certain way with you that is, because of 9/11, more distant from where I actually am in my own thoughts in my own head … I carry a greater chasm between what I am in the classroom and what I actually am on my own, in what we’re dealing with here. When I’m talking to my wife or something, I’m much more dark and negative and cynical in my private life than I am in my professional life.”
HOW ARE YOU INCORPORATING 9/11 INTO YOUR CLASSES?
Ahmed Abdullah Al Fadaam
Assistant Professor of Communication Design Class: COR 1100, The Global Experience, with a focus on the Middle East
“I always incorporate 9/11 in my classes because I try to show my students the sequence that happened that led to the changes in the region, starting in 9/11 and before and then what came after. We discuss the invasion of Afghanistan, we discuss the invasion of Iraq, then follow 9/11. We also discuss ISIS and try to trace back its history, starting with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and then the birth of Al Qaeda. And then after 9/11 and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, how Al Qaeda moved to Iraq and started growing into what is known today as ISIS … When I started teaching in 2012, when I used to ask my students about what they remember about 9/11, they would say that they were still like five years old or six years old. And now when I ask them about 9/11, they say that we were never born, we haven’t been born yet. So it feels a bit weird because now we have to re-educate them about what happened, tell them how it all started.”
HOW HAS 9/11 IMPACTED YOUR CLASS, 20 YEARS LATER?
Susan Ladd
Instructor in Journalism Class: COM 1100, Media Writing
“It really became a hallmark kind of moment in the way they taught their classes. How do you walk into a class and talk about philosophy or anything when something like this is unfolding in real time ... I think that it was such a unique moment in that time; it brought a lot of professors to a point where they felt that they could be more personal with students and they could really sit down and together sort of share this awful experience and all the emotions that people were feeling around it … So many of the students that I teach, I don’t believe were born yet when this happened, so we’ve got the first, the ‘post-9/11 students’ now. All things that happen before you’re born, they become very abstract … I do spend time in my classes talking about different events that have happened over time because I find that knowledge about them can be pretty limited, and [it’s] important in order to have context for just life events and what’s happening in the world.”
HOW ARE YOU USING 9/11 TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT RELIGION? “What I try to do is to understand, and to not tolerate, but to understand why it happened, and what kind of verses they use from the Quran to justify, and how I could look at those Quranic verses from a different perspective. I always asked whether I could find other interpretations of the same verses they used to justify killing innocent people or hurting innocent people. So, in these terms, I think the attacks have changed my mind. In terms of being an educated Muslim and being an educated teacher, a professor in my classes. And I try really hard to show students that it is not my students, it is not one religion or it’s not Islam, because people do religion. I always say to my students, people do religion. Religions are not peaceful or violent, people are violent or peaceful. If they are violent, their interpretations of any religion would be violent, and if they are peaceful, it will be, of course, peaceful, so that is how it changed my mind and how I try to understand.”
Sumeyye Pakdil Kesgin
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Classes: REL 1830, Islamic Traditions; REL 1000, Religion in a Global Context
HOW HAS 9/11 AFFECTED THE CURRICULA OF YOUR CLASSES? “From a personal perspective, it very much impacted my teaching from that day forward and also the ways in which I put my coursework together. I think one of the themes in these two class meetings that I've described is perspective taking and lasting impact, and that's something that I think is present in all the courses that I teach. In thinking about multiple perspectives on an event, and also themes related to 9/11, that are bigger than this event, and the aftermath itself, so really thinking about thematically, looking at that. I think it’s really important in teacher education … I was an adult at the time, but many people entering classrooms right now certainly were not adults, and within the next 10 years many of our classroom teachers will be teaching and they weren't living at the time of 9/11 … I think regardless of whether you were living at the time of 9/11, it should certainly be incorporated.”
Lisa Buchanan
Associate Professor of Education Classes: EDU 2980, Children’s Literature and Arts Integration; MED 7800, Master of Education Capstone; EDU 4500, Teaching Diverse Learners in Middle and Secondary Grades
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
20 YEARS LATER
7A
MUSLIMS IN AMERICA REFLECT ON DISCRIMINATION
The Pakistan flag behind junior Zain Khan not only represents his Pakistani culture, but his faith and culture as a Muslim. Growing up, Khan knew his religion and culture was different than others.
Following the events of 9/11, the religion of Islam faced negative labels and stereotypes Nyah Phengsitthy
Managing Editor | @nyahphengsitthy
Junior Zain Khan was in kindergarten when his mom pulled him out of public school and transferred him into homeschool learning. This wasn’t because of the education system he was in. It was because he and his parents are Muslim. Immediately following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Khan’s parents were one of thousands of Muslims across America who faced religious and ethnic discrimination. 20 years later, some of the preconceived negative feelings about Muslims still exist. “Any time someone hears the word Muslim, they already have predefined defintions of what it could mean,” Khan said. “With that growing up, you face discrimination.” Born in Indianapolis and now a resident of Cary, North Carolina, Khan always knew he was different from others around him — from his skin tone to his culture. But each year, he said the anniversary of 9/11 is a reminder that his religion has been politicized and placed in a negative light. When he came to Elon’s campus as a minority, Khan only noticed it more. “Not only am I not white, but I’m also Muslim,” Khan said. Though he doesn’t remember facing many instances of ethinic discrimination growing up, there was one moment from when he returned to public school after five years of being homeschooled that stuck out. “I remember when our fifth grade class had talked about 9/11,” Khan said. “There were certain jokes that were made because people could tell I was brown or Muslim. The only time Muslims are really talked about is when it’s about terrorism, which shines a very negative light on them to
begin with.” Khan joined Elon Muslim Life to not only continue his faith, but also to have conversations about the differences Muslims face in America after 9/11. Imam Shane Atkinson of Elon Muslim Life said that as he mourns the 2,977 lives lost from 9/11 every year, he also mourns the loss of connection with his family of various faith traditions.
“
ANY TIME SOMEONE HEARS THE WORD MUSLIM, THEY ALREADY HAVE PREDEFINED DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IT COULD MEAN. WITH THAT GROWING UP, YOU FACE DISCRIMINATION. ZAIN KHAN JUNIOR
“The vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists. However, the vast majority of victims of Islamic extremism are Muslims,” Atkinson said. “Yet, the countless voices of Islamic leadership that speak against extremism are ignored, and the minority voices of hate are amplified in the press.” Sophomore Naz Shokri said she feels people often forget that generalizing a group of people and set of actions are two different things — something that has happened to many Muslims across America since 9/11. “The Islamic faith is rooted in kindness and love and appreciation,” Shokri said.
“This is something that people often disregard because they think, ‘How can someone who is Muslim create such a terrible event like 9/11?’ But then you can also go back and say, ‘How can a Catholic shoot up a school?’ It’s the same thing, you can’t make a generalization of Islamic people just like you can’t make a generalization of one Catholic person.” Khan suggested the first step in combatting negative associations with Muslim identities is having conversations understanding the kindness and appreciation of Islam. “I think the biggest issue is people not willing to learn more or put in the effort to get to know more,” Khan said. “Some people don’t really understand the mental toll it takes on a person when you’re constantly bashed.” Imam Shaher Sayed of the Burlington Masjid came to the United States from Palestine, where he studied business and later turned his career into serving others. As Sayed assists those around him in understanding more about Islam, he said he is reminded that his religious identity has been stereotyped, but it’s all about how one goes presenting their faith. “Wherever you act, whenever you act, make sure it reflects the faith you carry,” Sayed said. “That’s how I go about dealing with people. I try to be a Muslim in action more than a Muslim in talk.” Reflecting on the anniversary of 9/11, Sayed said he will always remember his initial thoughts when the attacks happened. “It was a wake up call for Muslims,” Sayed said. “The immediacy of it and the backlash, it was towards Islam and Muslims. What came to my mind is what happened to Japanese people during the World War [II]. Are we going to be pushed out and put in camps? Or jail? Or thrown out of the county? I have a family. I have kids. This is their country. You start having a sense of lack of security. It wasn’t easy.” Unfortunately, that lack of security is still in place for many Muslims today, according to Sayed. “The fear is always going to be there
DELANEY DANIELS | PHOTO EDITOR
because the media is not changing. What dissipates the fear is when we take our faith in our hands,” Sayed said. Sayed said the Masjid is open to everyone of all faiths and that it serves as more than just a religious location, but that it’s also a community where people can come and learn more about each other. Since it opened in Burlington in 2014, the Masjid now fosters a community of almost 300 families. Open to other families as well and Muslims in the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area, Khan, his father and friends began Triangle Muslims, an organization that gets Muslims out into the community and changes people’s perspective of Islam and removing negative biases against Muslims. “It’s your choice to be what religion you want, but it isn’t your choice to receive discrimination towards you,” Khan said. “I think it’s important for people to realize that you can’t label an entire group of people just because of the actions of a few.”
SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ELON MUSLIM LIFE OR VISIT ELON.EDU/U/TRUITT-CENTER/ MUSLIM-LIFE/
1. Open your phone camera 2. Focus on the QR code 3. Click the pop-up link
8A
REMEMBERING 9/11
Wednesday September 8, 2021
STUDENT JOURNALISTS IN 2001 SPARK COVERAGE
FOR 9/11 REMEMBRANCE Student journalists at Elon in 2001 stepped up in their college careers to write about the tragic events on 9/11 Nyah Phengsitthy
Managing Editor | @nyahphengsitthy
Blue skies, Janna Anderson’s office and CNN are three things that Jennifer Parris will forever remember from Sept. 11, 2001. Parris, who was managing editor of The Pendulum at the time, knew that not only were everyone’s lives about to change, but she and her team of student journalists had a duty to Elon to cover the horrific events. Parris was leaving Anderson’s office when someone told her to look at the TV in the School of Communications. The World Trade Center’s north tower had already been hit, and at 9:03 a.m., Parris saw the second plane fly into the south tower. “I remember standing there thinking this isn’t an Elon story, but it is dramatically impacting our community,” Parris said. “From there, I remember walking out of the building, and the sky was so blue and so perfect. I just remember feeling this is not how the sky is supposed to look this day.”
“
I REMEMBER STANDING THERE THINKING THIS ISN’T AN ELON STORY, BUT IT IS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY. FROM THERE, I REMEMBER WALKING OUT OF THE BUILDING, AND THE SKY WAS SO BLUE AND SO PERFECT. I JUST REMEMBER FEELING THIS IS NOT HOW THE SKY IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK THIS DAY. JENNIFER PARRIS 2001 PENDULUM MANAGING EDITOR
She joined a crowd of students and faculty watching a CNN broadcast on the TV, then Parris regrouped with The Pendulum team on its next steps. “We couldn’t make sense of what was happening that day,” Parris said. “I remember going up to The Pendulum office and regrouping with all of the team like, ‘OK, what do we do now?’ As the university was announcing prayer vigils and meetings and gatherings, we just spread out and tried to cover them the best we could.” Standing a couple steps away from Parris in front of the TV was Taresa Schmidt, The Pendulum’s editor-in-chief. “A lot of the memories that I have about that day have to do with the people around me and how we were processing what was happening,” Schmidt said. That Tuesday morning, Elon was hosting its weekly College Coffee and an opening speech from former football coach Al Seagraves for Saturday’s inaugural game at the newly opened Rhodes Stadium. When former university President Leo Lambert was informed of the terrorist attacks, he called for former Chaplain Richard McBride to lead the university in prayer. What was meant to be a day of celebration turned into a day of mourning and praying, something Schmidt said she will never forget. “It was a particularly crowded College
COURTESY OF JENNIFER PARRIS
The Pendulum staff gathers in 2002 during Jennifer Parris’ time as editor-in-chief. In 2001, Parris served as the managing editor of The Pendulum.
Coffee, and I remember everyone praying, and that was a powerful moment,” Schmidt said. “Elon really hunkered down that day and really focused on getting people the support they needed on so many levels. There was so much going on.” Anderson, The Pendulum faculty adviser at the time, said some team members suggested taking the week off from publishing because of the difficulty of handling the news. Anderson informed the team that not publishing was the opposite of what journalists do. “We rush in along with the first responders. We are first responders. Who is telling you the stories you are seeing right now? Those journalists are risking their lives to keep the public informed,” Anderson wrote in an email to Elon News Network. “The country and your community — even the world — rely upon you, yes you, even here in Elon.” Though they were just college students writing for the school newspaper, Anderson recognized the work Schmidt and Parris did in leading their team. Little did the two know that they would create the path for following Pendulum leaders on how to cover life-changing events like this one. “Taresa and Jennifer rallied the troops, and they stepped up and did some of the best work of their young lives, taking on the challenge, not only the day of the attacks but in the days and weeks that followed,” Anderson wrote. “One of the toughest jobs in reporting is talking to people who have had to suffer a great tragedy, especially those who have lost loved ones. They had to shift gears from writing pleasant, descriptive stories about the opening of Elon’s new football stadium … to covering one of the most significant events in modern U.S. history.” As the editor-in-chief, Schmidt said she gives credit to the overall Pendulum team who came together to tell the stories of campus during a tragic time. The role of student journalists then, and now, is to be the voice for their campus in life changing events. “I was really blessed with having an editorial board that could sit down and really talk about things openly,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t all believe the same things. We didn’t all come from the same place, and I think it was really amazing to be working with people that have different opinions and were really able to take the time to hash things out … Everyone cared about putting out a really good product, a good representation of what was going on and what people were feeling.”
SEPT. 13, 2001
SEPT. 20, 2001
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
The Pendulum’s first 9/11 coverage was published the Thursday following the attacks, covering the campus’s reaction and mourning.
SEPT. 27, 2001 UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
The university continued to hold gatherings and discussions for students to mourn.
OCT. 4, 2001
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Author David McCullough visited Elon’s campus to talk about the recent terrorist attacks.
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
The first Pendulum of October 2001 still honors 9/11, remembering the fallen heroes from that day.
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Elon News Network
THE PENDULUM
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Elon, North Carolina Volume 51, Edition 4
Elon University welcomes its first class of nursing students
NYAH PHENGSITTHY | MANAGING EDITOR
Elon nursing program students (left to right) Sabrina Palmieri, Joseph Tynan and Emily Hill work in the clinical skills lab. After its five year development, Elon’s nursing program began its first year this fall.
Nursing students express enthusiasm for program’s community growth Olivia Romano Elon News Network
Elon welcomed the university’s first cohort of nursing students to campus this fall. After five years of program development, the inaugural cohort consists of 31 freshmen and
three sophomore students. Elon nursing is a four-year program where students will conduct 540 clinical hours and have the opportunity to pursue a biology minor. The option of an accelerated track is offered for those who already have a four-year degree. 14 students are currently enrolled in this program, which allows students to get their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 16 months. Inaugural Department Chair of the Department of Nursing Tiffany
Morris has been at Elon for six months, and her involvement with nursing spans 28 years. Morris, who also serves as an associate professor of nursing, wrote in an email to Elon News Network that her goal for the program is “to prepare competent, compassionate and culturally appropriate nurse leaders to advance health equity locally and globally.”
Mill Point pool faces inconsistent hours due to staff shortage The pool, closed since summer 2019 because of COVID-19, reopened to apartment residents again
See NURSING | pg. 4B
Class of 2025 begins SGA election campaign 14 candidates will be campaigning for senators, vice president and president of the class of 2025 Kyra O’Connor
Executive Director | @ko_reports
Ellis Chandler
News Director | @ellis__chandler
Kicking off the campaign on Sept. 6, 2021, 14 members of the class of 2025 will be campaigning for senator and other class Student Government Association positions. Elections will begin Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. that day. All voting will take place on PhoenixConnect and results will be announced in the Moseley Student Center at 7:30 p.m. The elected candidates will take their oath of office, a public commitment to uphold the duties, responsibilities and obligations serving in SGA, on Sept. 16, 2021.
The Station at Mill Point pool is facing inconsistent hours due to a change in management and a shortage of staff. Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness Larry Mellinger said the pool is in full operation for the first time since summer 2019. The pool reopened in June after pandemic restrictions loosened.
See MILL POINT | pg. 4B
ELLIS CHANDLER | NEWS DIRECTOR
Mill Point residents have expressed concerns about pool hours.
NEWS • PAGE 5B
LIFESTYLE • PAGE 7B
Understand what it means for a vaccine to be FDA approved
Food columnist tries Vietnamese cuisine for the first time
See SGA | pg. 6B SPORTS • PAGE 8B Beck Pool opens again to the Elon community
2B
extras
Wednesday September 8, 2021
THE PENDULUM KYRA O’CONNOR A PUBLICATION OF
Established 1974 Volume 51, Edition 4 Elon News Network is a daily news organization that includes a newspaper, website, broadcasts and podcasts. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be typed, signed and emailed to enn@elon.edu as Word documents. ENN reserves the right to edit obscene and potentially libelous material. Lengthy letters may be trimmed to fit. All submissions become the property of ENN and will not be returned.
Executive Director of Elon News Network
NYAH PHENGSITTHY
Managing Editor of The Pendulum
ELLIS CHANDLER
News Director of Elon Local News
SOPHIE ROSENTHAL
Chief Copy Editor
MAEVE ASHBROOK
New Member Coordinator
EMMA FARRELL
Design Chief
DELANEY DANIELS
Photo Editor
GRAYSEN SHIRLEY
Politics Editor
MIRANDA FERRANTE
Lifestyle Editor
BEN MUSE
Analytics Coordinator
JACOB KISAMORE
Sports Director
CLARE GRANT
Video Production Manager
EDITORIAL POLICY: ENN seeks to inspire, entertain and inform the Elon community by providing a voice for students and faculty, as well as serve as a forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas.
WHEN WE PUBLISH: The Pendulum publishes weekly on Wednesdays
Elon Local News broadcasts Mondays at 6 p.m.
ELN Morning broadcasts Thursdays at 10 a.m.
ENN Radio Podcast CORRECTIONS POLICY:
publishes Friday at 8 a.m.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ENN is committed to accurate coverage. When factual errors are made, we correct them promptly and in full, both online and in print. Online corrections state the error and the change at the top of the article. Corrections from the previous week’s print edition appear on this page.
Nyah Phengsitthy, Ted Thomas, Henry Zinn, Ranya Russo, Sydney Koopman and Betsy Schlehuber contributed to the design of this edition. Madalyn Howard, Olivia Romano, Samantha Sussman, Abigail Hobbs, Gram Brownlee and Alexa Ferraiuolo contributed to the copy editing of this edition.
Facebook Elon News Network
Twitter/Instagram @elonnewsnetwork
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Contact corrections@elonnewsnetwork.com to report a correction or a concern.
games
Congratulations to the class of 2020
How to Play: Guess the missing word in the five clues, then find them in the word search below. Words can be found backwards, diagonal, etc. 1. Elon’s new _____ program has been in development for five years and is beginning with 31 freshmen and three sophomores. See Page 1B for answer. 2. Elon’s College of Arts and Sciences has added _____ new majors this fall. See Page 5B for answer. 3. Sarah _____ started taking guitar lessons when she was seven. See Page 7B for answer. 4. Saigon _____ Noodle & Hibachi is located just 10 minutes from Elon University’s campus. See Page 7B for answer. 5. _____ Pool just reopened after $30,000 worth of upgrades. See Page 8B for answer.
JOSEPH NAVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Members from the class of 2020 walk across the stage for their long awaited in-person commencement Under the Oaks on Sept. 5.
corrections In the Sept. 1 edition of The Pendulum, Paramount Theater was misspelled in a cutline. Elon News Network regrets this error. In the Sept. 1 edition of The Pendulum, the year of the largest crowd at Rhodes Stadium was misstated in the
by the numbers. Elon News Network regrets this error.
SCAN FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM ELON NEWS NETWORK OR VISIT ELONNEWSNETWORK.COM
1. Open your phone camera 2. Focus on the QR code 3. Click the pop-up link
extras
|photos of the week |
Wednesday September 8, 2021
3B
KYRA O’CONNOR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Elon University celebrates the class of 2020 during a celebration in the Academic Pavilion on Sept. 4. The class of 2020 returned to campus Labor Day weekend to walk across the stage to graduate after almost two years.
DELANEY DANIELS | PHOTO EDITOR
A girl draws a flower with chalk waiting for her parents at the Elon farmers market on Sept. 2. The market is held every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Elon Community Church parking lot.
JACOB KISAMORE | SPORTS DIRECTOR
Elon Cross Country competes in the Elon Opener on Sept. 3. For more sports coverage, visit page 8B.
Members of the class of 2020 walk across the stage past Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley. Students waited almost 18 months for their commencement ceremony because of COVID-19. The ceremony was held Under the Oaks on Sept. 5.
JOSEPH NAVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
4B
NEWS
Wednesday September 8, 2021
Mill Point residents frustrated by pool hours
ELLIS CHANDLER | NEWS DIRECTOR
When it’s open to residents, students can use the pool at their own risk.
MILL POINT | from cover NYAH PHENGSITTHY | MANAGING EDITOR
Nursing program student Sabrina Palmieri practices on a manikin in the clinical skills lab. Located in the Francis Center, students attend their nursing classes where the lab is.
NEW NURSING PROGRAM focuses on support and community NURSING | from cover
According to Morris, the program is “innovative and student-centered” and will provide students with the foundation necessary to become registered nurses in the United States. Freshman Taylor Capello has known she wanted to be a nurse since she was young and wants to work in pediatrics. She did not know about the nursing program when she first applied to Elon, but Capello expressed that its introduction cemented her decision to go to Elon. “I fell in love with the campus,” Capello said. “And then they ended up sending out an email about having a nursing program. I was like, ‘Oh my god. Here we go. Elon, here I come.’” Freshman Anna Burfeind also wants to specialize in pediatrics. Burfeind stated that she wants to help people recover from their worst moments. She said the new nursing program is a fantastic opportunity to accomplish this. Capello and Burfeind both emphasized that the students in the program are already close and are very supportive. The community they are building focuses on pushing each other to succeed, especially through tough classes and clinical work. “I think it’s going to be really difficult because from what I’ve heard from other universities and nursing students is that nursing school can be pretty hard,” Capello expressed. “But I’m excited to see where it will take us and watch everyone flourish and become a nurse at the end of all of this.” One way Elon is helping nursing majors succeed is by providing the inaugural cohort with iPads. The E-Connect initiative has already been launched for the accelerated students. The faculty will distribute an iPad to each undergraduate student at the welcome banquet on Sept. 15.
Joseph Tynan adjusts the bed for manikin during a session in the clinical lab.
“
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CAMPUS. AND THEN THEY ENDED UP SENDING OUT AN EMAIL ABOUT HAVING A NURSING PROGRAM. I WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD. HERE WE GO. ELON, HERE I COME. TAYLOR CAPELLO FRESHMAN
NYAH PHENGSITTHY | MANAGING EDITOR
“This technology provides mobile access to health care information, the latest evidence-based practice and allows students to stay connected in a variety of community outreach initiatives,” Morris said. Elon has also set aside a lab space in the Francis Center for clinicals, which start sophomore year. Capello and Burfeind both stated that they are excited to get more experience in clinicals over the next few years. Burfeind said that she encourages any prospective students to the Bachelor of Science in nursing to “ask questions because anyone will happily answer them.” The support within the nursing program encourages students and aligns with their goals to help others. “Nursing is an amazing career and calling,” Morris wrote. “All those who choose this path are making a commitment to serve others with care and compassion.”
The pool is staffed by pool operations RecWell staff and not lifeguards. Before the pandemic, Residence Life was primarily responsible for the pool with RecWell being a more supportive role but the two organizations recently switched places. This is RecWell’s first season operating the pool as the primary manager. “Part of that is us learning what long-term operations of a space look like,” Mellinger said. Earlier this summer the pool faced a chlorine shortage but Mellinger said they noticed it early on and ordered enough to get through the rest of the season. “If we close it won’t be because we don’t have chlorine,” Mellinger said. Station at Mill Point residents expressed concern with the hours of operation. Elon junior Jack Minkowitz is living in the Mill Point neighborhood for the first time this year and said he’s only been to the pool once since moving there in early August. He wishes he could go more often but is frustrated with the early closing time and he’d even be willing to swim at his own risk. “I’m more than willing to sign a waiver that says if any injury happens to me the school is not responsible,” Minkowitz said. He said because the Station at Mill Point residents are “adults,” he does not think there needs to be staff on site because they can handle themselves. There has been communication from RecWell and Station at Mill Point staff about changes to the pool’s operations but Minkowitz said it was “unclear.” But the hours of operation have been the same since it first opened in 2012. Mellinger said the benefit to managing a seasonal pool is that it closes at the end of this month and they have until May to decide what changes can or should be made. “We’re going to look at usage numbers and what the need is out there and reassess for next season,” Mellinger said. Mellinger said usage is the biggest indicator for setting hours of operation. Part of the continued partnership with Residence Life is getting residents involved in the decision making process, which Mellinger said there may be opportunities for once the season is over. Elon junior Jack Mullin also arrived in early August and said he didn’t have any issues with the pool at first because he thought it would change as more residents moved in. He said the neighborhood began speaking up about the limited hours toward the beginning of the academic year. “We’re paying the same amount of money, essentially, that people from years past are paying as well and they are getting more access to facilities than we are allowed,” Mullin said. Mullin said he’s not angry about the hours but it would be nice to have more. He understands there may be factors that cause the limited hours, but finding a way to extend the hours for everyone or refunding a portion of residents’ rent are both possible solutions he sees for the problem. “There’s probably reasons people don’t have the pool open, I don’t think it’s people being jerks or anything or trying to take this away from us,” Mullin said. Residents in the Station at Mill Point currently pay $838 per resident per month which includes the use of the pool. Only residents have swipe access to the pool, it is not open to the rest of campus. The pool closes for the season on Sept. 30. The pool is open from 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on the weekends.
NEWS
Wednesday September 8, 2021
5B
Elon College of Arts and Sciences adds two new majors Elon University offers analytics and classical studies as interdisciplinary majors Claire Schoenfeld Elon News Network
Elon College of Arts and Sciences has expanded the classical studies minor into an official major and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics launched the data analytics major this fall, now offering two new interdisciplinary majors. The classical studies major offers a deep dive into the languages, history and cultures of the ancient world and how those topics are applicable in today’s society. According to the course description, the program invites students to think about the intercultural aspects of our society and how they have come into existence. Kristina Meinking, associate professor of classical studies in the world languages and cultures department, said the major has come from a culmination of both faculty and students “working really hard to show the viability, increase the presence and generate excitement around studying the ancient world on campus.” Meinking said some students assume that when they graduate with a degree in classical studies, they must either teach or continue to a graduate program. However, there are many career opportunities for students looking for a different path. “We have students who are involved in sort of the financial world, Wall Street kind of thing,” Meinking said. “It’s amazing how many Classicists are actually stockbrokers and things like that.Others are thinking about careers in the CIA and it’s really a range.” The classical studies major includes an ancient civilizations or ancient languages track. Students, regardless of their focus, will be required to take a classical mythology course and four semester hours
CHEAT SHEET
Associate Professor of Classical Studies Kristina Meinking teaches on Sept. 6.
of directed research. The data analytics major offers a broad scope into the world of data management and analysis. Crista Arangala, chair of the Elon department of mathematics and statistics, said the major is comparable to the media and business analytics majors found in the School of Communications and School of Business, but uses a different lens. “Data analytics, actually, has existed across campus in a variety of schools in a
lot of different ways,” Arangala said. “What we really wanted to do is provide a rigorous analytics degree based on statistics and mathematics that targeted students that are interested, but that may not need a calculus base.” According to Arangala, students are required to have a supplementary major or minor in addition to their data analytics major. “Our hopes are that they’ll bring an application that lends something from
JOSEPH NAVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
their other field into the data analytics degree so that they can think about that major or minor in terms of studying data,” Arangala said. Both Meinking and Arangala said they are excited to give current and future students opportunities to explore these majors, and for the majors themselves to grow and expand. For more information on the majors, visit Elon University’s 2021-22 academic catalog.
THE CHEAT SHEET IS AN INTERVIEW WITH A RELEVANT EXPERT TO EXPLAIN COMPLEX TOPICS
The meaning behind FDA vaccine approval Jessica Merricks, assistant professor of biology, discusses the vaccine approval process Nick Wald
Elon News Network
While the Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine on Aug. 23, officials are now asking the White House to scale back the plan to administer vaccine boosters until the Centers for Disease Control and other health organizations can thoroughly review the data. Over 200 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered in the United States since December, and though most Jessica Merricks clinical trials can last years before being granted full FDA approval, the FDA is confident in the efficacy and safety of this vaccine after months of real-world trials.
Q: What do vaccines like those for COVID-19 do? What do they not do?
While vaccines vary in terms of the way they are made, their ultimate goal is to help us build a defense against a virus.
The three vaccines being administered around the country (Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson) teach our bodies to create a protein that looks like part of the virus. When our immune system comes across this protein in our blood, it initiates our body’s natural defense system, producing antibodies that will protect us if the real virus ever enters our body. The result: our body knows exactly how to fight COVID-19, meaning we will experience little or no mild/moderate symptoms of the disease, and no severe or life-threatening effects.
Q: What does the vaccine development process look like in the United States?
There are several broad stages involved in vaccine development. The process involves lab and animal studies, clinical studies with human subjects to assess safety and immune response, regulatory approval processes, scaling up and manufacturing the vaccine and postapproval monitoring of potential side effects.
Q: What does FDA approval mean for the efficacy and safety of a vaccine?
Essentially, when the FDA approves a vaccine, it means that through rigorous testing and regulatory oversight the benefits of the use of the vaccine have been shown to outweigh the risks of its use. It suggests that the public can be confident that the vaccine meets high standards for safety and effectiveness.
Q: What requirements does a vaccine need to satisfy to gain FDA approval?
The lab producing the vaccine must conduct rigorous lab, animal and human clinical testing and submit their data to the FDA for review. In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, efficacy standards for clinical trials were set at 50% or greater. If the FDA determines that the vaccine lowers the risk of a particular outcome (e.g. confirmed COVID infection, severe infection, hospitalization, death, etc.) by 50%, then the vaccine can move forward in the approval process. In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, the FDA considers updated data from the clinical trials that led to Emergency Use Authorization, as well as post-authorization safety surveillance data (which reports adverse reactions and side effects) prior to making its final decision.
Q: Who is responsible for regulating vaccine approval?
The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, an arm of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA), is responsible for regulating vaccines in the United States.
Q: How will FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines impact inoculation rates across the country?
FDA approval will likely have significant impacts on vaccination rates in the U.S. On the one hand, some national surveys have indicated that more people will be willing to get vaccinated once full FDA approval is complete. In addition, FDA approval
may open the door for some employers to mandate vaccination of their employers. On the other hand, there are many people who still do not feel comfortable getting vaccinated for various reasons, so FDA approval is unlikely to change their minds.
Q: How long does it typically take for a vaccine to gain approval?
Typically, it takes 10-15 years for a vaccine to gain approval and make it to market. When the FDA approves a drug for Emergency Authorization Use (EAU) however, some stages can be completed simultaneously which dramatically reduces the length of the process.
Q: What do you want students to know about vaccine approval?
FDA approval is an important milestone in our journey toward ending the pandemic. I hope the approval gives those who are hesitant about getting vaccinated the confidence to accept these safe and effective vaccines. This interview has been edited for clarity
6B
NEWS
Wednesday September 8, 2021
SGA | from cover
FRESHMEN BEGIN CAMPAIGNING FOR SGA ELECTION Nick Cideciyan Candidate for Class of 2025 President Major: Political Science
Tyra Duque Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: Math and Political Science
“I would love to improve diversity in the class. I would love to work with Admissions, work with [the] CREDE Center, improve really reaching out to some more underprivileged communities, even if it may take me to working with the Office of Financial Aid, providing opportunities for more students to come to this school.”
“The only reason I’m here at Elon is because of the Odyssey scholarship and math mentorship program scholarship, and the access to the resources I had, like the early college here in Alamance County and Elon Academy, so I’m really passionate about resources made available to students.”
Ja’Mya McKoy Candidate for President of the Class of 2025 Major: Entrepreneurship
Charlotte McCormick Candidate for Class of 2025 Vice President Major: Political Science and Journalism
“When I heard that you were doing [SGA], I was like, ‘Oh, I want to get into leadership,’ but at the same time I also want to make a positive difference at the school, and have first-years not be shy. Step out, speak your voice because your voice matters too, just as anybody else’s.”
“I love serving the community, and I just wanted to get more involved with Elon. I think SGA is one of the best ways to get involved and to hear from students, hear what they want and just to serve my classmates.”
Joserth Salas Chaves Candidate for Vice President of the Class of 2025 Major: Engineering
Bo Dalrymple Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: International Global Studies and Political Science
“I’m … looking forward to really bringing in the change at Elon and bringing in what everybody wants, not necessarily just [SGA] but being the voice of class 2025.”
“I hope to make meaningful change for the community by listening to my peers, my friends, and then also just inviting discussion and being open to discussion to address issues, any and all that arise.”
Jack Sheppard Candidate for Vice President of the Class of 2025 Major: Undecided
Alexis Cooper Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: Journalism
“I’m running for SGA because I want to be that voice to the new class of 2025. Part of the reason I want to do it is because I was a part of the SGA in my high school, and I love speaking for the students and [representing] what the students had to say with any questions or concerns that they had.”
“I’m here to represent any ideas or concerns, just anything that the freshmen class may worry about within Elon University. I’m also here to make sure that everyone fits in within Elon University, all races and ethnicities, and making sure everyone feels recognized.”
Christina Stafford Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: English and Political Science
Ryan Elad Candidate for President of the Class of 2025 Major: Political Science
“I want to do the best I can to help improve our campus and to make it a more inclusive space. I was welcomed when I came in here, but I want to make sure that everyone [feels] the same amount of welcome.”
“I’m running for SGA because I want to be a voice for the average Elon student. The class of 2025 has endured so much over the past two years, and they really deserve to bear the fruits of their labor.”
Hannah Hanson Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: Education
Alexa Morrissey Candidate for President of the Class of 2025 Major: Strategic Communications
“I’m running for senator because I really want to improve the relationship between students and faculty and staff. I think it’s really important to create a close Elon community not only within the student body, but with the people who work in the dining halls, who work on our landscape and all of our teachers and administrators.”
“I really want to run for SGA because I’m committed to creating a more spirited and involved environment with my peers and working as a team to advocate for change in our community as a whole.”
Natalie Schuver Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: Biology “I want to make Elon the best place it can be.”
Robin Falkow Candidate for Senator of the Class of 2025 Major: Strategic Communications and Political Science “I want to be a voice for the freshmen class.”
HEADSHOTS BY KYRA O’CONNOR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | page 7b
LIFESTYLE
Oak House welcomes back community with in-person concerts Freshman Sarah Bright entertained friends and community members at one of Oak House’s Friday night concerts Brent Chandler Elon News Network
Sarah Bright walked into Oak House looking for coffee, but little did she know, this would be her new performance spot, shedding light on a new opportunity for other students. “I got coffee the other day and asked if I could play,” Bright said. Bright, a freshman from Vienna, Virginia, entertained a crowd of friends and community members at the end of August, playing a two hour set. As a music production major, Bright started playing guitar in her younger years. She said she felt very comfortable on stage at the Oak House and was excited to see that her entire residential floor had shown up. “I asked my mom if I could take guitar lessons when I was seven, and now I’m still doing it,” Bright said. Bright performs already written songs and plays that are “coffee house and relaxed,” and that is the mood she strives for when she performs. Bright said her first concert at Oak House was a success. The place was filled with people, many of them Bright’s friends. Most people were having drinks, although some played chess and others only talked. One of these chess players was Evan Wu, a freshman and one of Bright’s hallmates. “I would rather risk exposure to COVID-19 than not support my friend,” Wu said. Since the coffee shop’s opening, music has played a role in creating the Oak House community, according to Manager and Co-Owner Phil Smith. The goal, Smith
EMMA FARRELL | DESIGN CHIEF
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I WOULD RATHER RISK EXPOSURE TO COVID-19 THAN NOT SUPPORT MY FRIEND. EVAN WU FRESHMAN
said, is to have people enjoy the music from wherever they’re located within the shop. “People that come for the music, people that want to come and enjoy their coffee and have it in the background,” Smith said. Smith also encourages students to look into performing, just be ready to ask for a time slot followed by a brief background check. Shows are now scheduled on a week by week basis because of COVID-19 guidelines. Every Friday, the Oak House music night gives students like Bright a platform to share their passions.
IF YOU GO Friday Night Concerts Oak House Where: 112 N Williamson Ave, Elon,
NC 27244
When: Friday Time: 8:00 p.m.
THE ELON BITE IS A COLUMN THAT REVIEWS RESTAURANTS AND FOOD VENDORS IN THE LOCAL AREA
THE ELON BITE
Saigon’s Combination Fried Rice results a successful meal
Eddie Keefe
Freshman
IF YOU GO Saigon Vietnamese Noodle & Hibachi Where: 3409 S Church
St, Burlington, NC 27215
When: Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saigon Vietnamese Noodle & Hibachi was a place where I was waiting to get my hands on their cuisine. Just a 10 minute drive from Elon University’s campus, I was excited to get takeout from this asian restaurant. They offered classic Vietnamese dishes, from Shrimp Pho Noodles to Filet Mignon Hibachi. Little did Saigon know that they would be my first experience trying Vietnamese food. I ordered Hibachi shrimp and chicken, which was more of a meal than I thought would be because it included sides and white rice. The food was fresh off the grill and the chefs cooked the shrimp and chicken to the right temperature. The meal came with a bed of white rice placed under the meat and a side of noodles and veggies. Though the rice could’ve been less oily and the noodles could’ve had more flavor, the meat was cooked perfectly and made every bite tasty. Sadly, the egg rolls were a let down. The egg rolls contained steak and veggies, but I could barely taste any of the steak, and the flavor reminded me of flowers. The Combination Fried Rice was the restaurant’s standout dish. It had shrimp, Chinese pork sausage, eggs and vegetables. I’ve never been a fan of cut-up veggies in fried rice, but they
truly pulled the dish together and I made sure there were no bites left. The rice wasn’t filled with oil compared to the white rice, and it left me feeling full and not overstuffed. The rice wasn’t oily or rushed and left you feeling full but not over stuffed. The meat used in the dish was unique, but made the fried rice stand out compared to other rice dishes I’ve ever had. I would rate Saigon’s Vietnamese Noodle and Hibachi a 7/10. While the Hibachi Chicken and Shrimp and Combination Fried Rice got a raving review from me, the flavorless egg rolls and sides that could’ve been filled with more flavor. The restaurant’s welcome ambiance and fantastic service also added to the great takeout experience I had. If you have any questions or a review idea, please reach out to me at ekeefe5@elon.edu.
EDDIE’S SCORE
7 of 10
Every week the restaurant reviewed is given a score out of 10.
EDDIE KEEFE | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
For this week’s food column, Keefe ordered Hibachi shrimp and chicken from Saigon.
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | page 8b
SPORTS
ELLIS CHANDLER | NEWS DIRECTOR
During the summer, Beck Pool was upgraded with a $30,000 budget to provide new amenities for the facility.
BECK POOL REOPENED, READY FOR ANOTHER YEAR After being closed for a full year, a renovated Beck Pool is back with $30,000 worth of upgrades Ian Taylor
Elon News Network
As Elon and the Koury Center begin to relax their COVID-19 safety measures, one of the mainstays of campus life is back and open, the recently updated Beck Pool. Campus Recreation & Wellness made the decision to fully close the pool last fall, in response to the pandemic, meaning Beck Pool has not seen normal operations since students were sent home in the spring of 2020. Before the pandemic, around 4,000 students, faculty and community members used Beck Pool per year, according to Larry Mellinger, director of Campus Recreation & Wellness. Junior Shaun Goodman said he is happy to see the pool reopen. “It is a great place to see your friends you haven’t seen in a while,” Goodman said. “It’s good to have that camaraderie with your fellow students.” Students using Beck Pool this year will have a host of new amenities to enjoy. While the pool was closed due to the pandemic, Mellinger said Campus Recreation & Wellness poured $30,000 into facility upgrades to extend the lifespan of the pool, which is over 50 years old.
Mellinger said the pool’s shell was already due to be resurfaced last year in order to pass an annual state inspection. This routine involves removing the existing pool surface and laying a new coat to help keep the pool clean and swimmers safe. Because the pool must be drained during
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IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO SEE YOUR FRIENDS YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IN A WHILE. IT’S GOOD TO HAVE THAT CAMARADERIE WITH YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS.
accessibility, and a number of minor mechanical upgrades to prolong its life. “After we made the decision to close for the year and drained the pool for the shell resurfacing, that provided an opportunity for us to do some other upgrades we have been wanting to do for a while,” Mellinger said. Goodman said he would like to see further improvements to the pool to help bolster student engagement, including the addition of a poolside basketball hoop. “You’d get so much more engagement if you do that, especially
with guys,” Goodman said. As of now, people at Beck Pool are required to wear a mask unless eating, drinking, showering or swimming, a policy that has grown tiresome to Goodman. “I can’t wait for [the mask mandate] to end and everything to go back to normal,” Goodman said. Updates to Beck Pool’s policy, as well as operational hours, can be found on the RecWell website.
SHAUN GOODMAN JUNIOR
this process, Campus Recreation & Wellness took the opportunity to do further work on Beck Pool. Closing the pool also allowed for additional upgrades, including moving the starting blocks to the deep end, adding stairs to enhance
ELLIS CHANDLER | NEWS DIRECTOR
Before the pandemic, Beck Pool saw around 4,000 students, faculty and community members per year.