The Franklin: May 1, 2015

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franklin Friday, May 1, 2015 • TheFranklinNews.com

RAs provide guidance, serve as role models for students Residence life looks for ‘leaders’ in potential RAs

By Allison Groves and Ellie Price

allison.groves@franklincollege.edu, ellen.price@franklincollege.edu

While it may seem like the college hires resident assistants to keep a close eye on students, Director of Residence Life Jacob Knight said RAs are really there to be role models and community leaders.

RAs receive free room and board for their work, which includes helping residents in emergency situations, monitoring behavior, attending weekly meetings, creating bulletin boards and door decorations and being on-call overnight.

Jaime Robbins, a sophomore and first-year RA in Hoover-Cline, said she originally decided to become an RA because she wanted to help people, not because of the free room and board incentive.

But Robbins said she chose to not continue the job next school year.

“It’s like a job where you’re very underappreciated and you go unnoticed,” Robbins said. “I think it’s a lot more work than the actual job description entails.”

Robbins said the long hours have caused her grades to suffer as she stays up later and naps more frequently.

She said she’s learned to make her job as an RA her priority as she balances all of her extra-curricular activities.

Robbins is one of 30 RAs on Franklin College’s campus.

Knight said an RA’s main responsibilities are to arrange social events, make sure the community is safe and secure, check on facilities and make sure that students are following college policies.

The hours RAs works vary depending on their building.

Thomas Sons, a senior and RA in Dietz, said he works an average of five to 10 hours per week.

RA night duty goes from 9 p.m. until midnight. After that, RAs are on call until 8 a.m.

Sons said he completes a “round” of the building once every hour when he’s on duty. If he finds something that’s not supposed to be there, he’ll write a cleaning notice.

Residence life expects RAs to write incident reports for behavior that does not follow college policy.

“But that does not happen often in Dietz,” Sons said.

Sons said he has written only three incident reports this school year, much lower than when he was positioned in Johnson Dietz.

While some upperclassmen said they feel RAs are unnecessary babysitters, Knight said he believes they are essential.

Anastasia Gentry: The Franklin

Seniors Hannah Carew and Allison Zorman, RAs in Elsey Hall, work while on duty.

“Upperclassmen have needs as well,” Knight said. “They still have crisis situations.”

Sons said he believes upperclassmen are more independent than freshmen. But RAs are still important in upperclassmen buildings in case an issue arises, he said.

When looking for RAs, Knight said he looks for people with a wide range of personal and life experiences. He said he also prefers leadership and social skills in prospective RAs because of the role they play in the community.

Knight said RAs’ leadership skills do not have to be fully developed, but the groundwork must be there.

“Every building has a different staff dynamic,” Sons said. “This current Dietz staff has done a great job at making sure Dietz is not like a retirement home, like many believe.”

“I think it’s a lot more work than the actual job description entails.”

Jaime Robbins,

a sophomore and resident assistant in Hoover-Cline

Hall fines

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Housing complaints

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Sorority-themed house

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news

Sodexo Behind the Glass:

Students must notify Sodexo when drink machines need to be refilled

By Ellie Price

ellen.price@franklincollege.edu

Although students sometimes complain to their friends about Sodexo’s drink machines not having enough syrup, Les Petroff, food services director, said he relies on students to let employees know when the machines are not working.

Petroff said all of the soft drink machines inside and outside the serving area have lines that run downstairs where employees can add five-gallon bags of Coke and Pepsi.

Petroff said he doesn’t drink Coke, so unless a Sodexo employee tries to get a drink and realizes it’s out or a student tells an employee, Petroff doesn’t know to add another bag.

“It’s not like we have a system or alarms that tell us,” Petroff said. “It’s when someone says, ‘Hey, Coke is out,’ and then we go down and change the Coke.”

Freshman Leah Richards said she gets annoyed when the drinks run out.

“Sometimes I really want Dr. Pepper,” Richards said. “And it’s not there, and I get mad.”

Petroff said he hasn’t remembered a time when Sodexo has run out of a Coke or Pepsi product completely. But that’s not the case with juice, he said.

When Sodexo runs out of juice, an employee puts an “out of order” sign on the machine inside the serving area to let students know juice is not available. The machine isn’t broken, Petroff said.

He said it’s hard to determine how much juice to keep in stock.

Sometimes, Sodexo goes through six containers of juice per week. Another week, Petroff uses 12 containers.

“As the weather gets nicer, we tend to see those things run out,” he said.

If a Coke or Pepsi machine breaks, Petroff said he will call a repair person who typically fixes the machine within two to four hours.

Gary Qi: The Franklin

When the drink machines in the cafeteria run out of syrup, Sodexo employees rely on students to inform them so they can change the bags.

Students Speak

Nicholas Allen, sophomore

“Most of the time, it’s just that (the Coke machine) is out of ice. That causes me to go back in or go to the Pepsi machine.

It’s no big deal; it’s just an inconvenience.”

“They never have ice.”

“I never really have problems, but I just drink water.”

Megan Martin, freshman

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“The drink machines should be opened later.”

Phillip Lamping, sophomore TheFranklinNews.com

franklin

Bethani Kleopfer, freshman

The Franklin aims for accuracy and clarity in all articles.

We take errors seriously and regret any mistakes. If you find an error, please send an email to thefranklin@franklincollege.edu.

Ellie Price Executive Editor Ann Gilly Opinion Editor Caitlin Soard News Editor Ben Brown Sports Editor Leigh Durphey Copy Chief Kiley Lipps Photo Editor

Ashley Shuler Web Editor Jay Siskin Sports Web Editor Morgan Whitaker Ads Manager Lesley Weidenbener Adviser John Krull Publisher

news

Hall fines often higher for new students

By Caitlin Soard

caitlin.soard@franklincollege.edu

Hall fines make up a portion of every student’s room fees.

Cleaning notices that RAs and staff put up give students a 24-hour window to clean up their mess, but if everyone in the hall fails to do so, a fine is put on the hall’s bill and split amongst the community, said Jacob Knight, director of residence life.

These fees start at roughly $25 and can go up, depending on the infraction. Knight said any incident involving a bodily fluid starts at $100 because facilities will have to bring in special equipment in order to clean it.

Total fines for Elsey last year came to $2,225, while fines for the Dietz Center were $575.

However, students in Elsey may end up paying less in the end.

“In some ways, I definitely see that our returning students are more responsible than our new students,” Knight said. “So the Dietz Center has far fewer fines than what Elsey or Hoover-Cline would have, and there’s also just pure numbers as well. There’s a heck of a lot more people that live in Elsey. So sometimes there might be more incidents that we would fine for.”

Most fines are on the cheaper side, however.

“Somebody who’s made a mess, somebody who’s put room trash in a bathroom trashcan,

things like that. Most of those are smaller fines,” Knight said.

The fines are split among members of a hall if the perpetrator cannot be identified.

“Our thought process is, either you should say something to the person and be like, ‘Dude, you made that mess. You should be the one that cleans it up. Don’t make me clean it up for you,’” Knight said.

“And in some ways the students hold each other accountable.”

If a student knows who made the mess, they can contact staff and that student will be charged instead of the whole hall.

Senior Hannah Carew said she has to write cleaning notices for her Elsey hall once every couple of weeks, but other RAs have to do them a lot more often.

Fines can be disputed if a student feels they were wrongly charged.

Knight said they try to be fair when deciding who gets fined. A student who is not on campus during winter term would not be fined for an infraction during winter term.

“We’re just going to charge people who were here,” Knight said.

Reserved housing often leads to student complaints

By Laura Olivo

maria.olvio@franklincollege.edu

While students frequently reserve rooms in the college’s dorms, complaints are not new occurrences.

Jacob Knight, director of residence life, said reserving rooms is a practice they have done for years. He said he is trying to make sure there are traditional spaces that are considered prime spaces available for new students.

“So, basically, no returning student is allowed a room next to an RA,” Knight said. “That’s where I want freshman to live, closest to the RA, so their questions can be answered and that kind of stuff.”

Last fall, freshman Suzie Nagy said she was originally supposed to be in a regular room, but residence life contacted her before she moved in saying she was switched to a quad in Hoover hall basement.

“I didn’t know any of my roommates, which was fine,” Nagy said.

There are exceptions for current students, Knight said. Some rooms are held for any students that need accommodations for medical reasons or a personal reason that the college needs to consider.

“Generally, what I do is hold rooms,” Knight said. “But if they’re not requested or if we feel like there is something we can or should approve, we start giving back to students that are on the waitlist and in the order they’re on the waitlist.”

This year, residence life changed the selection process time from being in the morning to late in the evening.

“We sent students, prior to doing the room selection process, a survey,” Knight said. “‘If you could do this your way what would this look like for you?’”

It was a close vote. Residence life and the professional staff considered the most reasonable choice and made the decision for students.

“What it really comes down to is, in the morning you’re going to have classes,” Knight said. “But in the evening you’re not going to have classes. We would much rather not disrupt academic stuff that is going on campus as opposed to your extra curricular activities. That was why we chose to do it in the evening.”

Sophomore Lexi Ingram said she thinks the housing selection is worse for athletes.

“I actually had a lacrosse game,” Ingram said. “So my roommate had to get on for me, and we ended up not getting what we wanted. And we got on there exactly at 8:00.”

She said many athletes gave other students their passwords due to conflicting games.

“Students that didn’t get the housing that they wanted are just going to complain,” Knight said. “We try to get our students expectations realistically and tell them to have a couple plans in mind. Know a couple options you would consider.”

Nagy said she did not have any difficulties picking out her room even though she did not get her first choice.

“If you didn’t have your main app part filled out you weren’t able to go to the room,” Ingram said. “So I think it made it hard for a lot of people.”

Sophomore Mia Williams said she did not have any issue selecting her room, but would be mad if rooms were reserved.

“If it were someone else getting a second chance I would be mad,” Williams said. “Like, who is more privileged to have these rooms separated?”

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news Required liberal arts classes provide culture for students

By Seth Morin

seth.morin@franklincollege.edu

Every student at Franklin College is required to take liberal arts and language classes, but many often question why that is.

“They really introduce students into another culture that is not their own,” said Kristin Wasielewski, assistant professor of modern languages. “They encourage students to think completely differently.”

Franklin College students are required to complete 88 credits of classes outside their major, unlike at other colleges and universities where students have fewer liberal arts requirements.

In addition to their major requirements, students at Franklin College must complete classes in other areas, including reading, writing, math, culture, history, public speaking, geography and science.

The college requires students to take two semesters of a foreign language.

Wasielewski said the most important thing for students to learn is that certain cultures value certain things.

She also thinks it is important when traveling to another area of the world or talking to people from a different country that you learn the basics of their language and culture.

“Just learning the basics of another language makes all the difference when you are an American traveling abroad,” she said. “You are representing your country when you’re traveling. ... If you are an American that knows a few of the niceties and who knows some of the polite phrases, you are making all of America – and all of the American population – look good.”

Wasielewski said she believes learning another language helps everyone learn more about the structure of their language.

“I don’t remember really learning and knowing about direct objects until I took French in high school,” she said. “You learn much more vocabulary, you realize how many English words are based on French and your vocabulary goes through the roof.”

But she said she believes there is one key factor to it all.

“The biggest thing that you have to remember is that your attitude makes all the difference in the world,” Wasielewski said. “If you have a positive, open attitude where you will try and get something out of what you are doing, it makes such a big difference compared to thinking, ‘I am so bad at this. I am never going to learn it.’”

Junior Julia Dembroski said she has not only noticed a difference in her life outside of school, but also in the other classes she has taken.

“I did not understand how LA 103 or LA 101 or LA 102 would benefit

me in the long run,” Dembroski said.

“However, after actually taking these courses and realizing how much they apply to my other courses and my outside, I fully understand the value in having to take the courses.”

Dembroski is a former French major who switched to sociology, while keeping a minor in French.

She said she thinks students do not fully understand why certain courses of study are required because they are not old enough to realize the benefits of the classes.

“Once we step out into the ‘real world,’ we will realize that having these courses could put us one step ahead of someone who does not,” Dembroski said.

Wasielewski agreed: “As you get older and realize instead of looking at it as a requirement, you look at it as an opportunity.”

College partners with Marian University on fast-track pre-med program

By Kaitlyn Short

kaitlyn.short@franklincollege.edu

Franklin College will partner with Marian University to establish a fasttrack program for pre-med students.

The Pre-Medical Fast Track Program allows pre-med students at Franklin College the opportunity for early acceptance into Marian University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, or at least a guaranteed interview.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine will reserve three spots under both the guaranteed interview and early acceptance tracks for pre-medical students graduating from Franklin College each year.

To qualify for the guaranteed interview track, students must have a minimum total and science GPA of 3.3. They also must have a minimum Medical College Admission Test score of 24 with a minimum biology score of 8.

To qualify as a candidate of the early acceptance track, students must have a minimum total GPA of 3.7 with

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a minimum science GPA of 3.5. Their MCAT score must be at least a 28 with a minimum biology score of 10.

The students who qualify for the early acceptance track are among the first group of students to be interviewed in September and are guaranteed a decision by September 30.

“It’s kind of like early acceptance to college,” said Sarah Mordan-McCombs, assistant professor of biology. “You apply early; you get your decision early.”

Mordan-McCombs said this partnership will benefit the pre-med program and its students greatly.

“I think our students do really well in the interview part of the admissions process,” she said. “So getting a guaranteed interview is really big for our students because they do really well once they get in front of a group of people and can talk about themselves and their qualifications for medical school.”

She said getting an interview to a medical school is difficult and the early acceptance can be a “weight off” students’ shoulders.

“It makes your senior year much easier if you know you’re already in medical school,” Mordan-McCombs said.

She said the partnership will benefit the college for recruitment.

The partnership with Marian came about through the efforts of Steve Browder, professor of biology. After three Franklin College graduates performed well in Marian’s first class of students, Browder approached the admissions office at Marian to ask about potentially starting a partnership with Marian.

“We were fortunate because Dr. Browder pushed, and kept asking about it,” Mordan-McCombs said.

Senior Hope Seibert, one of three students who have already been accepted into medical school, said

the partnership will be highly beneficial to the pre-med program.

“I think it will really help the premed program because it will help the advisers get a realistic list of expectations that we’re required to meet and follow in order to be accepted to medical school,” Seibert said.

She said medical schools have a standard list of requirements that must be completed to be accepted.

Working closely with Marian will allow Franklin students and professors to understand those standards better.

“None of the professors here have ever gone to medical school,” Seibert said. “So they have to learn from outside sources what it’s really like because they’ve never experienced it themselves.”

news College plans for new sorority-themed house this fall

By Ashley Shuler

ashley.shuler@franklincollege.edu

For the first time in more than 70 years, the campus is planning to provide sorority-specific housing.

Next fall, members of Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha can live together in a mixed sorority themed house focused on philanthropy and sisterhood.

After The Franklin published a story on March 13 debunking the myth Franklin College sororities can’t have housing, the concept was discussed at the March 17 Panhellenic Council Meeting.

The women at the meeting had interest in having sorority houses but were concerned there wouldn’t be enough interest in their individual chapters to sustain it, said Natalie Brewster, Greek Life coordinator.

Between the original due date for theme housing applications and the date to open up campus homes to groups of seniors, Brewster reached out to Jacob Knight, director of residence life, to propose a sorority-themed house.

“She wanted 2016–17, but because of the other house falling through, she got 2015–16,” Knight said.

The mixed sorority house, which has space for 10 Greek women and initially received interest from more than 20 women, hasn’t been filled.

In an email to sorority members on Tuesday, Brewster said she would waive interviews and assign rooms on a first come, first served basis due to a low number of applicants.

“But there is no hard deadline,” Knight said. “There is still ample time to recruit people until the end of the semester and get it filled.”

The sorority-themed house will be taking the place of B.O.L.D. (Building Our Leaders Through Diversity) in the Forsythe House, the large green house next to the president’s home.

The cost is equivalent to a residence hall room.

In order to create a traditional sorority house experience, the house will have rules that prohibit alcohol and limit guest visiting hours.

Sophomore and Zeta Tau Alpha member Kaelin Hentrup was one of the first to express interest in the house. “(A group of friends and I) first expressed interest because there was no room in regular dorms so we could all live together,” Hentrup said. “It would also be a great way to get to know girls we didn’t know before.”

Although Hentrup likes the idea of an alcohol-free house, she hasn’t applied because of the visiting hour restrictions.

“I’m used to living in a dorm and having no restrictions on those,” Hentrup said.

Freshman and Pi Phi Katie Dodd applied to live in the house after having difficulty applying for other housing on campus.

Dodd said she wants to live in the house because she thinks it will help spread “Panhellenic love” and eliminate some confrontation among sororities.

“When you live with people for a whole year, you get to know each other,” she said.

The house will partner with Circle of Sisterhood, a foundation run by the National Panhellenic Conference. The foundation focuses on giving women in developing countries access to education.

“They would do things like organize a screening of ‘Half the Sky’ or host fundraisers, awareness events or sponsor guest speakers with other organizations on campus,” Brewster said.

Knight said he thinks a common philanthropy is “really great direction” for the house.

“I think it will unite the sororities and give the three sororities something to work toward and a space to grow and develop together,” Knight said. “I think sometimes, like with Greek Week, sororities have a tendency to tear each other down.

But with a common charity to work towards, I think they will bring each other and this community up.”

Judicial system based on educational, not legal, process

By Leigh Durphey

leigh.durphey@franklincollege.edu

Of the 180 total cases that have gone through the college’s judicial system so far this school year, only 31 students were found not responsible for the case they were indicted for.

The college uses the terms “responsible” and “not responsible” to determine the fault of a student in the process rather than the words “guilty” or “innocent,” said Ellis Hall, dean of students.

“It is an educational process, not a legal one,” Hall said. “This is not finding students innocent or guilty of state law. What we address are students in violation of college policies and holding them accountable for that as an educational endeavor.”

With only two full weeks of spring classes remaining – and the annual Grizzly Grand Prix event this weekend – these 180 cases are

slightly less than the 218 cases cited for the 2013–14 school year.

“I still feel like that’s a really high number,” freshman Kelsey Smith said.

“I think we could do better than that.”

Hall said the judicial system addresses any violation of policies stated in the Franklin College Student Handbook, The Key. These policies are very explicit to ensure that students don’t have any question of whether an action is against the policy or not.

“All of the issues examined fall back to the college’s mission,” Hall said.

“Is it honest? Is it responsible? Is it respectful? Any violation we have is some specific form of not being honest, responsible or respectful.”

When a student is accused of a violation, he or she has the right to choose to proceed with an informal adjudication or a formal hearing. Hall

said students almost always choose to adjudicate informally “because they’re going to admit responsibility.”

Sanctions may be incurred based on whether the student is found responsible or not.

If a student chooses to continue with a formal hearing, the college’s Community Board typically holds the meeting. This board consists of three Student Congress members – two executive officers and one other member, three appointed faculty members and two staff members.

Hall, who selects the board’s staff members, said he typically chooses the same staff year after year to maintain “consistency” on the board. Dean of Alumni and Student Engagement Brooke Worland and Administrative Assistant Barbara

Chambers are the two staff members who sit on the board now.

Hall said there is emphasis on the fact that the process is educational so that the students can learn from their mistakes.

“It’s important that we help students understand that, and when they are responsible for a violation, that they are held accountable for that,” Hall said. “What would you be learning if we didn’t hold you accountable?”

The judicial process is set up to reflect the “real world” without paralleling a legal setting too much.

“Going to college is becoming a member of a community, and this community has procedures and expectations,” Hall said.

“By choosing to be a part of that, you’re responsible for them.”

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“We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for the most important things so far, so I just know she’s going to be there” Brooke Stamper, senior

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Seniors Makenzi Prather and Brooke Stamper met in the way of most long-time best friends: high school.

Stamper and Prather both attended a small Indianapolis private school called Covenant Christian High School.

The two became friends after realizing they both came from a public school.

“We bonded over being the outsiders,” Stamper said.

The pair initially did not plan to attend Franklin together. Stamper was going to play volleyball and Prather’s mother had been encouraging her to go there when Prather went on a tour.

“And I was like, ‘Oh I love it,’ and (Stamper) goes ‘Okay, good, because since my twin sister isn’t going there, you have to come to keep me company,’” Prather said.

Stamper’s sister attends Indiana University and the two had not been apart for more than a few days until college.

“I was the filler twin,” Prather said.

Neither wanted to be roommates after hearing the rumor that friends who live together don’t stay friends.

“She had seen how messy my room was back at home so she was like, ‘Sorry, Prather, but we’re never living together,’” Prather said.

“Now my room’s probably just as messy,” Stamper said.

Stamper said their friendship works so well because they are so comfortable with one another.

“I feel like we have a relationships where we like, hang out a lot and talk a lot but not every day,” Stamper said.

“It can be a week since we’ve talked and it’s like no time at all. We just pick up where we left off.”

“For me, it’s just kind of effortless,” Prather said.

The friends will be going their separate ways upon graduation in the spring.

“It’s going to be really weird after we graduate just because for the past eight years, we’ve been together, so I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Prather said.

“We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for the most important things so far,” Stamper said. “So I just know she’s going to be there.”

Story by Caitlin Soard, photos by Zoie Richey and design by Kiley Lipps TheFranklinNews.com

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opinion Senior farewell

editorial

Ann Gilly

Franklin College lessons of service can be applied to global issues

Let me try to type this without laughing: I graduate in less than a month.

Yeah, it didn’t work. I laughed.

More of a chuckle and a snort, really.

It doesn’t seem like I’ve spent four years here (partially because it sometimes feels like I’ve spent eight).

I knew this year would fly by, but I didn’t expect it to be this quick. I feel like I have so much left to do, whether it’s homework or classes I want to take or lessons I want to help teach.

That’s probably the biggest thing I will miss about college: the opportunities to learn and talk about whatever I want. Sure, you can read books and the Internet. But the “real world” doesn’t have classes on women’s studies or multicultural organizations that meet every week.

And that’s the advice I want to leave: Pursue things you care about, even if it’s outside of your major.

I wasn’t a fan of the idea of a “liberal arts” school when I got here.

But after I took my first art history course, I understood why it’s so important. The class gave me so many new perspectives and insights to consider and opened my mind up to new ways of thinking. It inspired me to take more classes outside of my major to help me enrich my overall education, major studies included.

Consider this somewhat of a plea: Take classes that pique your interests and open your mind. Go to cultural events with a hunger to learn.

Make the most of those required events instead of nodding off or whining about it. I guarantee you’ll be surprised at what you will find.

At Franklin College, students are thrown into the act of serving unselfishly from day one.

Every year, the college adds more and more service learning courses, proven by the recent grant awarded to Franklin to create Winter Term courses to combine both service and learning in the community. We are taught from the get-go that being involved and volunteering is important.

With the recent earthquake in Nepal that registered a 7.8 magnitude, killing more than 4,800 people, according to CNN, people around the world are asking what they can do to help. As Franklin College students, it should cross our minds and cause us to pause and think the same thing. But, then, many news services, including The Guardian and CNN, are spreading a different message: Don’t go to Nepal to help. Send money instead.

After the disastrous fundraising efforts to help Haiti back in 2010, why should people donate instead of going to the place to physically help the nation?

Because physical help is not what Nepal needs.

As taught in classes like Professor Alexander’s “Perspective on Philanthropy” capstone course, volunteers can be more trouble and can cost organizations more time and effort that could be used elsewhere. Nepal has a different culture, and traveling there to do what we, as Americans, think is best would not be in the best interest in a country that is still reeling from destruction and a growing death toll.

Another important issue to consider about traveling immediately to Nepal is this: The international airport in Kathmandu is damaged, making it

Engage in the liberal arts

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difficult for trained professionals and supplies to reach the country. The challenge groups are facing now is the airport not being able to receive all the supply planes because of the damage to the air field, according to Kipp Branch, a senior medical supply officer from Medical Assistance Programs International, in an interview with the Huffington Post.

By traveling to the country as someone who does not know the culture or without being properly trained to help, people would be taking the important landing space that could be used for necessities and supplies.

But if we can’t help directly by going to the country, who can we trust our money with?

There are many different, reputable organizations helping with the relief efforts. By educating yourself on what different organizations do and value, your donation could be put to good use in Nepal. There are organizations doing their best, but it is ultimately your decision to whom you donate. It’s okay to be cautious, but that should never deter you from researching and giving if the organization is what you believe in.

One final note: Response isn’t always fast. Remember, the international airport was damaged during the quake, and the geography of the country is mountainous. The region does not really lend itself to easy access for mountain villages.

What needs to happen is what we have learned here at Franklin: Think critically about what you can do, listen to what the people need and act.

Students of Franklin College and fellow humans of the planet earth, it is important that we try to help

Our Position: The Franklin editorial board believes students should consider helping after the earthquake in Nepal, but should give thought to the ways they do so. one another. We all may not always realize it, but we all rely on each other to survive and to flourish. But it is also important that we help in a way that actually benefits those in need. We can do this, in part, by being careful about who we donate to and what we donate.

Sometimes, as impersonal as it seems, giving money is the best way to help.

The editorial board represents the opinion of The Franklin and its staff members.

The board meets once a week to discuss pressing issues relevant to Franklin College students. Meetings are moderated by Ann Gilly, the opinion editor. Board members are seniors Emily Metheny and Olivia Covington and juniors Paige Clark and Caitlin Soard.

Ellie Price, the executive editor, sits on the editorial board. If you have an issue you would like the editorial board to consider, please feel free to email Ann Gilly at ann.gilly@franklincollege.edu.

opinion

provs. con No dead week at FC

Senior farewell

Kiley Lipps

Opportunities are in abundance

Ann Gilly: The Franklin

Some schools give students a “dead week” before finals, giving them extra time to study.

Students wouldn’t use a dead week for studying

Dead week provides optimum crying time

Olivia Covington

Caitlin Soard

Just two weeks.

In that short amount of time, we’ll be done. Other than finals week, the school year will be done in just two short weeks. Seniors will go off to their new jobs, underclassmen will begin their internships and incoming freshmen will eagerly prepare for their first days of college.

But if we had a dead week, the jobs, the internships and the preparation would all be put on hold.

A lot of the bigger schools around the state have a dead week leading up to finals. The week is meant to give students extra time to prepare for their final exams, rather than rushing into them right after classes end. But honestly, do you actually think that’s what students use that time for?

I know I wouldn’t. I would spend the extra week sleeping or eating or working — anything but studying. You’d be hard-pressed to find a student who actually would use the time for schoolwork.

Beyond its likely lack of effectiveness, a dead week at Franklin College would be impractical. Our school year is already two to three weeks longer than most other colleges’ in the state because of J-term. We don’t start spring semester until February, so it makes sense that we would have to go until late May. So instead of wishing you had that extra time to “study” for finals, just be happy that the school year is wrapping up soon. The end is in sight, so make the most of your last few days. Summer will be here before you know it.

Finals are hard; it’s a fact of life. No matter where you go to school, finals are going to suck.

At Franklin, though, there is an added circle to the hell that is the last week on campus.

We don’t get a dead week. We don’t get seven glorious days in which to prepare for our finals, finish up papers and cram for tests. Instead, we go directly from our last week of classes where we’re turning in our last homework assignments and finishing last minute reading to finals week.

Not having that extra time to study sincerely has hurt me in the past, particularly for LA classes where I’m not quite as familiar with the material as I would be in a journalism class. This was an especially pertinent problem in my math classes.

Not to mention that by the time it’s close to finals week, my brain is essentially mush. I need a break from getting up early and going to classes before I go through the ordeal that will be my finals.

Crying over finals is pretty much inevitable because that’s how we’ve structured our little society (to make grades matter over everything else, including your sanity), but a dead week could at least give everyone time to block out that crying between study sessions.

I cannot tell you how many times I was asked if I was a freshman this year.

I’ve even had trouble convincing some of my professors that I have, in fact, been here for four years. But I assure you, I came to Franklin in the fall of 2011 as a scared little freshman. And in three short weeks, I’ll be moving out of my tiny dorm for the last time. Where did the time go?

Well, 93 percent was spent either in a classroom or in my room, various studios (#artmajorprobs) or in front of a computer in Shirk, attempting to keep my head above the always-growing mountain of homework and other responsibilities. Like most students here, I’ve made a bad habit of overcommitting myself.

There were just too many opportunities that I knew would look great on my resume and prepare me for life after graduation.

Feeling prepared, is that even a real thing? I’m calling BS. Now, I cannot imagine my college career without all of the amazing opportunities I had the privilege of experiencing. I learned a ton about my majors and minors, of course, but I can also tell you how to reach enlightenment (just contemplate non-duality, duh). I got to study abroad twice (which everyone should do at least once) and also met some of the coolest people on the face of the planet who I am eternally grateful for.

But, holy crap, I wish I could’ve gotten just a few more hours of sleep.

Moral of the story, kids: Learn how to say no every once in awhile. Life is all about balance.

TheFranklinNews.com

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sports

Ben Brown A second chance for Hamilton Major League Baseball got a special talent in 1999 when Josh Hamilton was drafted.

Hamilton’s career did not last long as he battled injuries most of his first season and began experimenting with drug use. He eventually dropped out of the league in 2004 due to failing drug tests.

Two years later Hamilton was reinstated but wouldn’t shine until he was picked up by the Texas Rangers in 2008.

Just recently, Hamilton relapsed while on the disabled list for the Angels. According to ESPN, Hamilton turned himself in.

Following that, he was traded away from the Angels back to the Rangers. There was no suspension.

That has been big news recently considering all the past suspensions caused from steroid use.

In a recent press conference Hamilton said, “I need baseball.

I love baseball. I’ve been playing it since I was 3 years old.”

I want to believe his words from his press conference.

Because teams bring these players straight out of school and throw lots of money at them, some mistakes will be made along the way.

According to ESPN, he is tested for drugs and alcohol five times a week and also took the initiative to check himself into a support group.

Hamilton is going through a divorce, which in turn is probably going to ensue a custody battle for his four daughters.

I am satisfied with the decision to not suspend him and let him play the sport that kept him clean for several years.

Most importantly, I am hopeful for him to prove that people can change. It seems that 33-yearold Hamilton will have one last shot in the spotlight, hopefully this time for the right reasons.

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Senior Brandy Ramaj working on an athlete in the athletic training room in the Spurlock Center.

Kiley Lipps: The Franklin

Athletic trainers go extra semester in order to graduate

By Seth Morin

seth.morin@franklincollege.edu

Hearing about having to attend an extra semester would send chills down most students’ spines, but for some it is a necessity.

Athletic training students have such a demanding schedule that those participating in a fall sport must extend their education by one more semester.

That’s because one of the requirements for athletic training is to observe, as a part of their clinical rotation, a team in the fall for a full season in a sport that is equipment-intensive, said Kathy Remsburg, director and professor of athletic training at Franklin College.

“Therefore, the only sport that offers that in the fall is football,” Remsburg said.

She added that Franklin is one of few schools that allows this, as many other schools require student-athletes to quit playing their respective sport and focus on their athletic training education.

“Coaches, professors and our program director are willing to work with each other and us so that we can fulfill the responsibilities of both school and our sport,”

said senior Brandy Ramaj, who is majoring in athletic training and plays soccer – a fall sport. “I feel like this is a campus-wide understanding, which is amazing.”

Remsburg said the student athletes going an extra semester must be enrolled part-time at the college, meaning some students choose to spread out their class schedule whereas others enroll in a zero credit hour class that prepares them for their certification exam.

Christa Hendrickson, Danielle Owens and Ramaj are the only three senior athletic training majors who participated in a fall sport, and all are on the women’s soccer team.

But there is another option.

“We did, however, have the choice to sit out our junior year of soccer to fulfill our football requirements,” Ramaj said. “We would then have been able to join the team again for our senior year, or play our junior year and skip our senior season.”

She said that would have been the only way to do so without going an extra semester.

Ramaj said she already has potential plans lined up after graduation in December, as she will work as a pharmacy technician in her hometown of Washington, Indiana.

She also will work with Washington High School’s football team.

Other possibilities include graduate school, and some other jobs she has been offered but cannot accept until she is certified in December.

She said she is glad she chose to become an athletic major due to the challenges and relationships that come with it.

“No two days are the same because no two injuries are ever the same,” Ramaj said. “Every injury starts out as a mystery and my task is to figure out what is going on. ... And to be a successful athletic trainer, you have to make countless relationships with people, whether that be coaches, parents, athletes, professors and peers.

Trainers carry a lot on their shoulders and can have a huge impact on athletes’ lives, and I want to be someone they can trust and depend on.”

sports Not everyone in favor of the athletics banquet

Weekly Recap

By Jay Siskin

April 23

kevin.siskin@franklincollege.edu

Top athletes will be honored at the annual athletics banquet on Monday, but athletes from several teams have differing attitudes on the banquet.

Last year, students led the athletics banquet. But in prior years, coaches organized the banquet and each spoke on their teams’ achievements.

Freshman Brittny Balog, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, thinks the banquet is a great opportunity for all the athletes to come together.

“I think the banquet is a good idea,” Balog said. “It gets all the athletes in one place and inter-

act with one another and talk about team achievements.”

Senior swimmer Brenna Ghigliotto said she enjoys the event, but it can last too long.

“It’s a long event,” Ghigliotto said.

“But they’re already aware and tested out formats since my freshman year.”

Although the banquet seems long at times, she thinks the banquet should be required.

“I think its fun, definitely necessary,” Ghigliotto said. “It’s a nice way to look back at the past season after having a few months off. As far as changes, I can’t think of any.”

Clay Warner, a senior on the track and field team, says he does not know much about the event.

“I don’t even know what the banquet is about to be honest,” Warner said.

He said he is also not a huge fan when it comes to athletic ceremonies.

“I don’t know much about it,” Warner said. “But I have never been a fan of banquets unless there are actually awards for everybody being given out for certain accomplishments.”

April 24 Men’s Track and Field HCAC Championships Franklin finished 4th 0f 10 teams

Women’s Track and Field HCAC Championships Franklin finished 3rd of 10 teams

April 25 Franklin vs. Defiance W, 5-4

By Ben Brown

benjamin.brown@franklincollege.edu

Currently in the tournament Transylvania University has ran away with the championship.

“It’s going to take an unheard of collapse from Transy combined with great golf from us to win,” Knue said.

“I’m not expecting Transy to collapse, but in the chance they do, we will be waiting and ready to take advantage.”

Transylvania is currently leading with a 35 shot lead over second place Franklin.

“The chance of us winning is honestly none,” Pollock said. “But we are in a position to show the conference we belong towards the top. This tournament has built our confidence as a team.”

Instead of waiting for a collapse the team is setting other goals in the second half of the tournament.

Sophomore Andrew Benhke said the team wants to make their one stroke lead over Hanover larger by the end of the tournament.

To increase that lead all three have improvements they want to make individually.

“Personally I need to clean up my starts and my tee shots,” Knue said.

“If I can do a better job of putting myself in position to score, I will be able to take advantage of my short game rather than relying on it to save par.”

Franklin vs. Mt. St. Joseph L, 8-4

Men’s Tennis

Men’s golf prepares for second half of HCAC Championship The men’s golf team opened the two-weekend Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship last weekend with a second place finish in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Grizzlies posted a 311 score on Saturday followed by a 310 on Sunday. The team leads Hanover College by only one stroke.

Senior Chris Arnold leads the Grizzlies and is tied for second place with Transylvania’s Ben Fister. Arnold shot a 71 on Saturday followed by a 73 on Sunday.

Senior Joshua Rhodes is also performing well. Rhodes is tied for 16th after shooting an 81 and a 78.

The team will finish the tournament at Anderson University this weekend.

“I’m just trying to stay focused,” sophomore Jack Knue said. “There is no doubt that as a team we are expecting to come away from this weekend with some sort of hardware.”

Sophomore Sam Pollock said he expects the team to not just keep up the same level of play this weekend but to improve from last weekend.

“Besides Chris, I don’t think we were all too pleased with our performance,” Pollock said. “These past few weeks we have been playing well and holding ourselves to higher standards.”

Men’s Baseball

Pollock said his biggest struggle in the first weekend was striking with his irons. He said he also wanted to get some hole time to practice tournament situations.

“I have the proper mindset for the weekend,” Pollock said.

“I just need to apply it.”

The players believed this season was full of ups and downs, but things are finally coming together.

“This season had started off rough, but we are playing the best golf now when it matters,” Benhke said.

Men’s Track and Field HCAC Championships Franklin finished 7th 0f 10 teams

Women’s Track and Field HCAC Championships Franklin finished 2nd of 10 teams

Men’s Golf

HCAC Championships Franklin finished 3rd of 8 teams

April 26 Men’s Baseball

Franklin vs. Mt. St. Joseph W, 5-3 Franklin vs. Mt. St. Joseph L, 12-6

Men’s Golf

HCAC Championships Franklin finished 2nd of 8 teams

“It’s going to take an unheard of collapse from Transy combined with great golf from us to win. I’m not expecting Transy to collapse, but in the chance they do, we will be waiting and ready to take advantage.”

Jack Knue, sophomore

Men’s Tennis

Franklin vs. Mt. St. Joseph W, 8-1

Women’s Softball Franklin vs. Defiance W, 7-1 Franklin vs. Defiance W, 9-2

April 28 Men’s Baseball

Franklin vs. Hanover L, 12-1 Franklin vs. Hanover L, 9-8

TheFranklinNews.com

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friends of franklin

Why do you like playing campus golf?

“I like it because it makes me feel like I’m good at golf even though I’m not.”

Levi Remley, junior (left) “I like playing campus golf to get out in the sun.”

Allen Smith, freshman (right)

Emily Metheny: The Franklin

Why do you like Celtic music?

“I just like the melodies. It’s really old, and it’s really cool. It kind of reminds me of castles and stuff that I really like to read about.”

Whittney Corum, sophomore (left)

What brought you to Franklin?

“My husband and I retired here, and four years ago, they needed a one-semester accompanist to fill in for someone on sick leave, and four years later, I’m still doing it.”

Ann Gilly: The Franklin

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Jan “Mama Judy” True, music department accompanist (right)