the
franklin Friday, March 13, 2015 • TheFranklinNews.com
Screenshot from 2013 report
The annual reports list committed crimes for criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, burglary and more.
Three sexual misconduct cases reported on campus this year
Security director, professor explain crime statistics report By Seth Morin
Number of forcible sex offenses on campus 2013: 1 2012: 2 2011: 0 2010: 2 2009: 1
seth.morin@franklincollege.edu
Franklin College is not immune to crime – even sexual misconduct, with three cases reported already this year. Sexual misconduct includes any incident of sexual assault, unwanted sexual interaction or statutory rape. Steve Leonard, director of security at Franklin College, said the policy is almost always under review by himself, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Ellis Hall, Director of Employee Resources Maureen Pinnick and Vice President for Business and Finance Dan Schluge. “The laws are always changing,” Leonard said. “It’s ever-changing to stay up-to-date with current laws, current mandates from the federal government as well as making it make sense for the users.” Under the section titled “Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures,” the college gives definitions of sexual offenses from the Clery Act and says what to do to take legal action. The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The Clery Act also requires colleges and universities to do the following:
CRIME STATISTICS
• Publish an annual security report by Oct. 1 that documents the past three years of campus crime statistics. The report must be available to all current students and employees, and prospective students must be notified of its existence and be given a copy upon request. • Have a public crime log that provides the nature, date, time and general location of each crime and its disposition, if known. • Disclose crime statistics for incidents that occur anywhere on campus and at public places not on campus, including Greek houses and off-campus classrooms. • Report on crimes, such as criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, liquor law violations, drug law violations and illegal weapons possession. They also must report on hate crimes, which include larceny/theft, simple assault, intimidation and destruction/damage/ vandalism of property.
• Issue timely warnings about Clery Act crimes, which pose a serious or ongoing threat to students and employees. The crimes must be reported in a manner that is timely and will aid in the prevention of similar crimes. • Devise an emergency response, notification and testing policy. Leonard and Hall decide when to issue the “timely warnings.” The college has until October of this year to report on crimes that occurred during the 2014 calendar year, according to federal law. “Those results for 2014 are not going to come out until next year, in January of 2016,” said Susan Leach-Murray, an assistant professor in library/technical services, who has done extensive research into the college’s policies and procedures concerning sexual assault. The college does keep its crime log updated frequently, Leach-Murray said. The log is available upon request in the security office during business hours, Monday through Friday. Leach-Murray said she believes the college could do more, though. She thinks emails with statistics, which would exclude
See “Sexual misconduct” on page 4
2008: 0 2007: 0 2006: 0 2005: 0 2004: 0 2003: 1 2002: 0 2001: 0 The 2014 data will be released in the October 2015 report. Source: Annual security reports on myFC
Sodexo Behind the Glass
>> Page 2
Fraternity Houses
>> Page 3
Dorm Fines
>> Page 5
Anna Murdock
>> Pages 6, 7
news
Sodexo Behind the Glass: Meal plan costs By Ellie Price
ellie.price@franklincollege.edu
Although some students think the costs of the college’s meal plans are too expensive, Franklin College’s comprehensive option, which provides unlimited cafeteria swipes, is actually cheaper than most colleges’ full meal plans. Les Petroff, food service director, said the college determines the prices of students’ meal plans, not Sodexo. Dan Schluge, vice president for business and finance, said the college determines the cost based on the price Sodexo charges the college. Currently, the college is in the third year of a seven-year contract with Sodexo.
While Sodexo runs the food services, the college owns the equipment. “It’s up to us to make sure we can maintain that equipment,” Schluge said. “So they can serve the food.” Schluge said the college goes to the Board of Trustees to propose increases in rates for room and board. He said for next school year, the room and board fees will increase by 3 percent. It increased by 2 percent the last two school years, he said. “We’re doing our best to keep the cost down,” Schluge said. “But even though all the other costs are rising faster than 2 percent, we
were getting behind, so that’s why we had to move it to 3 percent.” Schluge said from a service standpoint, he thinks the college has a good partnership with Sodexo. “They’ve got a really tough job,” he said. “It’s hard to feed 700 students and keep them all happy. They only have so much money they can spend. They can’t give you a Ruth’s Chris dinner. They don’t have the dollars to do that, and I don’t think the students would want to pay for it.”
Franklin College: $3,400 Indiana State University: $3,429 Anderson University: $3,620 Indiana University: $3,700 IUPUI: $3,714 Wabash College: $4,600 Hanover College: $4,870 University of Evansville: $4,900 Purdue University: $5,440 Butler University: $5,960 Colleges in bold use Sodexo. Sources: college websites, collegefactual.com
Students Speak “You’re definitely paying for convenience over meal quality.”
George Tipker, freshman
Prices for comprehensive meal plans at various colleges for full school year:
“The food quality we get for the price we pay is absurd. We have no option of whether we have a meal plan or not.”
“I think it’s reasonable. We get what we pay for. We don’t pay that much for the food.”
Wade Thomas, senior
Bryce Wellin, junior
“I disagree with the prices. They want as much money as they can. It’s expensive enough to go here already.” Rachel Bertram, freshman
Student Foundation encourages seniors to donate money to college after graduation By Leigh Durphey
leigh.durphey@franklincollege.edu
Fifty-eight percent of graduating seniors have already signed a pledge agreeing to donate money to the college after graduation. At the Destination Graduation event on Feb. 26, members of the Student Foundation asked seniors to pledge to pay $10 a year for four years after graduation – money that will go directly to the Franklin Fund – in a process called the Senior Campaign. “It just helps so many students actually be able to attend Franklin College because it makes it so much cheaper for them,” said Ryan Hammer, senior and president of the Student Foundation. “It helps you stay connected to the college.”
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The Franklin Fund is a special reserve that is used as scholarship money for Franklin College students. Hammer said the tuition students pay actually only covers two thirds of the actual costs to attend school. The Franklin Fund pays for the extra one-third of costs for all students. Additional donations to the Franklin Fund provide extra scholarship money for deserving students. Junior and Student Foundation Member Cody Warren said because 90 percent of students who come to Franklin don’t pay the full tuition to attend, the pledge is just a way of giving back to the school and helping other students be able to attend.
“The seniors just have to realize that we’re not asking them to give money now,” Warren said. “We’re not going to take money. We’re not asking for money. We’re just asking if they’ll pledge.” After signing the pledge, students will receive an email from the development office one year after graduation reminding them of the pledge. Students are allowed to opt out of the commitment, but Warren said that it’s not recommended. “I think the following through is the hardest part,” Warren said. “It’s easy to get people to sign it now because they’re in the moment, but whenever the moment comes, they kind of forget that they signed it.”
After paying for four years of tuition, many seniors feel as if they’ve already paid enough money to the school. But Warren tells students to listen to the advice of Vice President of Development & Alumni Engagement Gail Lowry. “You should look at your diploma as a stock,” Warren said. “So if this institution keeps doing well, then that means your diploma will look even more prestigious. That also works the other way around, too. If your institution isn’t going well, then your diploma looks bad. So investing and pledging to give to the senior campaign and then actually following through with that pledge is actually going to benefit you in the long run.”
news Fraternity house members find new accomodations for next year By Ashley Shuler
ashley.shuler@franklincollege.edu
Lamba Chi Alpha and Tau Kappa Epsilon have settled on where to live next year. After a proposal from residence life, Lamba Chi has decided to live together in the Cline basement in the fall. “We asked ourselves, ‘what would fraternities need in this limbo stage?,’” Jacob Knight, director of residence life, said. “We decided to give them an alternative in the meantime before their off-campus housing was approved.” The Cline basement will serve as a residence hall community with space for 16 Chi members and one RA. The fraternity has the same housing space currently. TKE members have decided to find individual on-campus housing before building a house. The house is “at least two years out,” said Natalie Brewster, Greek Life coordinator. In total, the absence of Lamba Chi and TKE housing will add 52 more individuals to on-campus housing.
Knight said the residence halls have 712 bed spaces for students. The additional fraternity members will raise that number to 763. To account for the additional space needed, the college will be converting lounges to bedrooms and using furniture in storage. Although Knight said the fraternity shift is “good business for the college,” he cautions that this “cannot be a long-term plan.” “We have a 804 student maximum occupancy, but we don’t want that,” Knight said. “That’s 10 percent extra use and strain on our facilities.” There will be no initial opportunity for students to pay for single rooms. Gary Qi: The Franklin “Even right now, it’s not guaranteed Residents of the fraternity house Tau Kappa Epsilon must find individual on-campus housing options next year after for students to use a double room as the Board of Trustees finalized plans to tear down the Grizzly Den. The fraternity was unable to make a 10-year a single,” Knight said. “We’d rather commitment to stay in the building. be able to place another student there than get the extra money for a single.” down this summer were finalized at fraternities were unable to make the Grizzly Den, where the fraternithe fall Board of Trustees meeting. necessary commitment of staying in ty houses sit now, is situated at the The teardown comes after a prothe building for the next 10 years. entrance of campus next to the Von posal for renovations this time last See “Fraternities” on page 4 Boll Welcome Center. Plans to tear it year was brought to a close. The
Sororites able to have houses but choose not to By Ashley Shuler
ashley.shuler@franklincollege.edu
“We can’t have sorority houses because there’s a law in Johnson County that says that no more than six unrelated girls can live together without it being considered a brothel.” Wrong. Nothing outlaws sorority housing, and nothing has for a long time. This same story was written in The Franklin 31 years ago—and again 15 years ago—but the rumors have stood the test of time. Sororities, with enough interest and financial backing, could buy or build a house whenever they wanted. The college has a document with 15 guidelines current fraternity houses must follow, and the same would apply to new sorority houses. At one point, all three of the campus’ current sororities – Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha – had houses. But Franklin hasn’t had a sorority house for 73 years, since 1942.
Sorority houses began to fade away in 1907 when the college completed construction of a new women’s dormitory. The dorm, named Bryan Hall, had space for 100 women. By the spring, the college required all women who were not residents of the city of Franklin to live in the new dorm. Alpha Gamma Alpha, a sorority that existed at the time, lived in houses for eight years. According to a 1906 yearbook, the sorority was booming with the “largest membership in its history” before moving to Bryan Hall, which was located where Johnson-Dietz stands today. “At the beginning of this year, we were compelled to give up our chapter house, as all out-of-town girls had to move into the new dormitory,” the yearbook said. “We were given a large room on the second floor, as a chapter room and parlor, in which we are very happily domiciled.”
Photos submitted by the alumni office
Top: A room in the 1905 Pi Beta Phi sorority house. In 1907, Bryan Hall, a new dormitory for women, ended the sorority house. Bottom left: A girl’s room in Bryan Hall decorated with pennants in 1909. Bottom right: The dining hall in the Bryan Hall dormitory for women, pictured in the 1909 yearbook. To read the rest of this story, visit TheFranklinNews.com.
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news >> Sexual misconduct Continued from page 1
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the victim’s name, could be sent to students and employees. “We’re saying we are trying to raise awareness,” Leach-Murray said. “But are we really doing everything we can to really do that, that is within our power?” Leonard said notifications sent to the entire campus should prevent the college community from becoming victims of similar crimes. He said in most of the instances of sexual assault, they are not reported directly after they happen. “It’s the next morning or the next Monday when they talk to a counselor or their RA or whoever they choose to report it to,” he said. “There is not the immediacy.” Leonard said one of the reasons why emails are not sent out on an everyday basis is so there is no information overload. “When I send an alert, I want people to pay attention because they need to do something right now,” he said. “There is a danger to you, and that is why I am sending it to you. To help prevent and make more people aware of sexual misconduct, resident assistants are required to partake in training activities prior to the start of the school year. RAs, residence hall coordinators, counselors, security officers, the campus minister and the dean of students must follow a procedure
to report the sex crime. This procedure is outlined in “The Key.” A form must be filled out and given to Leonard. The form allows for the victim to remain anonymous, something security sees as a vital part of the process. “Many times, victims don’t want to pursue it any further,” Leonard said. “But we still need to know that it happened for our crime reporting statistics.” The form gives information as to what the nature of the crime was, where it happened, who was involved, the date, and the time but nothing that gives away the victim’s name. The people involved in the process of the investigation – such as the RAs, dean of students, and counselors – are required to offer counseling, medical attention and whatever the victim needs to help them through the situation. “We don’t want to meet the bare minimum of the law,” Leonard said. “We want to do what is right and what’s best for the campus community and the victims.” To access the college’s policy on sexual misconduct and procedures, go to myFC and click on the Security department tab. From there, click on “Annual Security Reports” in the bottom left.
>> Fraternities
Continued from page 3
“They have been stuck between renovation and moving since I got here,” Brewster said. The Lamba Chi chapter, which was established in secret in 1922, built a chapter house in 1961. Low membership and maintenance costs forced the fraternity to surrender the house to the college, causing them to move to their current location. TKE, the newest Greek organization on campus, was created in the fall of 1985. In 1995, its members moved
into the Grizzly Den. At the time, the back of the building was sealed off as a women’s residence hall. Although the housing move will be different for the fraternities, Brewster says a house isn’t required for a fraternal experience. “I’ve told them that brotherhood is transcendent,” Brewster said. “They can have a community without having houses. It just has to be more intentional.”
news Elsey fines typically higher due to large population, first-year residents By Laura Olivo
maria.olivo@franklincollege.edu
Elsey Hall is the largest single resident building, and the high volume of first-year residents and athletes drive up the fines, said Jacob Knight, director of residence life. Dormitory fines are the same price at every hall at Franklin College, Knight said. Senior Taylor Waclawik said he has lived in Elsey since the spring of his sophomore year and said fines are way higher than they have been in the past. “I’m kind of wondering what’s going on,” Waclawik said. Typically there are more underclass students that live in Elsey and “are still learning the residence hall policies,” Melissa Harvey, residence hall coordinator of Elsey, said in an email statement. In August, first-year residents get a copy of “The Key” from Harvey. “It all revolves around responsibility and accountability,” said Chris Drew, residence hall coordinator of Dietz. “We start with a baseline of $25 for any sort of cleanups that need to be taken care of, such as over
flowing trash, pizza boxes left on tables and spills,” Knight said. If an incident involves a bodily fluid that needs special equipment to clean it, the base price starts at $100. “The most common and expensive fine in Elsey is a cleaning notice, which is a fine to an entire community for something that was not cleaned up,” Harvey said in an email statement. Cleaning notices for a large bodily fluid situation is a several hundreddollar fine and tend to drive prices up for Elsey’s residents. First-year resident assistant and junior Leliah Hendricks said she thinks Elsey fines are high because many of its residents are freshmen and are “a little bit more prone to doing things without thinking about it sometimes.” “Silly stuff,” such as throwing up, being drunk and stealing furniture happens more in Elsey than other buildings with older residents, Hendricks said. If the incident is in third floor of Elsey’s south bathroom, for example, then only the residents of that hall will be charged. If the incident
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is in the lobby, all Elsey residents are charged because it is a public space. Any time staff members find that an incident they will make an assessment of it. If it involves bodily fluids, such as vomit and poop, or a spill, it is a concern to the residents’ safety, Knight said. Because no one cleans facilities over the weekend, Sunday night duty is the biggest day for cleaning notices, said senior and third-year fesident assistant Cody Chapman. “One of the worst cleaning incidents I had was a bodily fluid cleanup that had taken up an entire stall and had facilities come in and clean up,” Chapman said. There are community members who take care of cleaning notices for the community even if was not their doing. Knight said that “holding students accountable for their actions and decisions” is what cleaning notices are for. Chapman said he thinks the freshmen dorms have a tendency across campus to receive numerous cleaning notices as they try to get feel for college life.
franklin Issue 16, Volume 111
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.
Freshman Coy Flynn said if there is a fine, splitting it between halls is not a big deal. “So whether those are cleaning notices or propped doors, those are two big areas that I think in generally add up to probably more fees for Elsey Hall versus the Dietz Center,” Drew said. Waclawik said it’s not easy to know the person responsible for stealing furniture or making a mess and when you don’t, sometimes you just have to accept the fact and pay the price. “I’m disappointed that it’s gotten so high,” Waclawik said.
“It all revolves around responsibility and accountability.” Chris Drew, residence hall coordinator of Dietz Hall
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
Natavia Howell should have been identified as a senior on page 11 of the March 6 issue. TheFranklinNews.com
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leader pa c k “I know what to expect and have experience in bigger meets now. But there will always be nerves when you step up to the line.�
Anna Murdock, senior
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Senior Anna Murdock will compete in her third NCAA Division III Track and Field National Championship. Murdock has appeared in the outdoor championships for the past two seasons. This year, she made it for the indoor season. This being her third appearance, Murdock feels more confident this time around. “I know what to expect and have experience in bigger meets now,” Murdock said. “But there will always be nerves when you step up to the line.” Murdock will be competing in the 800-meter run. Her time of 2:13.78 was the seventh fastest time in the nation. 17 runners made the event. Murdock’s goal for the Division III National Championships – which take place at JDL Fast Track in Winston Salem, North Carolina – is to not only win the 800 but to also be an All-American. “This is another step towards her goal of being an All-American,” said Paul Sargent, head coach. “The more experience she gets, the better. This is her first for indoor, so a bit different.” Murdock said that the only difference to her was the length of the track. “You just have to run a few more ovals than you do outdoor,” Murdock said. “It’s still the same. Run hard, then left.” In order to be an All-American Murdock has to finish in the top six. Prelims for the 800 take place Friday, and the finals are Saturday.
Murdock is not the first national qualifier for the track and field team. She followed the likes of Robyn Burns ’06 and Heather Waterman ’11 for the women’s team and Bryan Epperson ’93 for the men’s team – the first Division III national qualifier for Franklin College. Also on that list are Epperson’s brother Brad Epperson ’03 and Ryan Buress ’98. Sargent said he believes that Murdock has a good chance at making it past the preliminary round. “We really like her heat,” Sargent said. “She’s in the second heat, so we will know what sort of time she will need to qualify for finals. Plus, she’s also raced with a few of the athletes in her heat. Familiarity breeds success.” In order to help her prepare for nationals, Sargent said they have made no major changes from her usual practice. He said the major thing was working on freshening up her legs. Murdock said that to prepare she has continued to work hard and get healthy. She is also looking to have fun with this experience. Murdock said her biggest motivation this season was being a senior. “Knowing that this is my last season, and I won’t get an opportunity like this again,” Murdock said. “I just had it set in my mind all year that this is it. I continue to praise God for the strength and give him all the glory for my success.”
Story by Ben Brown and Seth Morin, photo by Jennifer Mangrum and design by Kiley Lipps TheFranklinNews.com
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editorial Ann Gilly
Diverse female characters inform views of women Watching the series finale of “Parks and Recreation” was one of the most fulfilling and sad moments of my young life. Fulfilling because we saw that the characters all ended up in a world full of optimism and goodness. Sad because I’ll never get another new episode. And that’s a shame. “Parks and Recreation” had it all: diversity, unapologetic feminism, a miniature horse and, perhaps most of all, fantastic female characters. This column started out as a piece about the importance of characters like Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope, but then I realized that it would be unfair to talk about only one of the amazing women from the show. “Parks and Recreation” was meant to be a show featuring women. But what makes it successful is that it never forced the characters into tired tropes or stereotypes. The women are complex and have different personalities, face internal conflicts and show that there is no one specific way to be a woman. With March being Women’s History Month, I think it’s important to make note of important female television characters, as they help inform our culture’s views of and ideas about women. Everyone knows all different kinds of women, but, as a culture, we still have a lot of specific (and antiquated) ideals about how we “should” be. These ideals exist for men, too, but they are given a lot more leeway. So even though “Parks and Recreation” has ended, the characters will live on. And I look forward to seeing what other shows will follow Parks’ lead in showcasing all that women can be.
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Students should be unapologetic about having unconventional interests Why is it culturally accepted for people to paint their faces and bare chests for a sporting event, while people dressed as Gandalf the White and wood elves get stared and laughed at for their costumes? Too often people apologize for their extensive and zealous knowledge of a particular series, game, band, show or book. People should embrace the things they love even if they can seem geeky or nerdy. According to the Indianapolis Star, 10 fan conventions will be held in Indiana this year. These conventions often bring in thousands of dollars to the local economy, from hotel rooms to restaurants to transportation and parking. Imagine how much more money could be made if all the people who are interested but intimidated also attended. One prime example is Gen Con. It has been hosted ever year in Indianapolis since 2013. The summer convention is projected to generate $56.2 million this year, according to a spokesman from Visit Indy in an interview with the Indy Star. The event draws people from all over the world. And do you know what the convention is about? Tabletop gaming. This means board games, card games and the like. Think Dungeons and Dragons or Magic: The Gathering. People who attend these conventions pay a lot of money to go to a place where they can enjoy something they love with people who enjoy the same things. Hopefully we all know how great it is to talk with people who understand our favorite things, be it sports or anime. It creates a great feeling of belonging.
At Franklin, it is likely that we have all seen and heard people apologize for talking about the things they enjoy. This should not be the case. Apologizing for having certain hobbies or interests that may be deemed “uncool” by some because they are outside of the realm of popular culture implies that there is something wrong with what you like. Unless it is in someway harmful or dangerous to others, there’s no reason why it would be “wrong” for you to like something. Be proud of what you do, regardless of how nerdy or geeky or “uncool” it may be – it’s part of what makes you who you are. Does that sound cheesy? Yes. But it’s true, and it matters. Students on this campus should feel confident talking and debating about whether or not Batman is truly a superhero, or if V for Vendetta is better as a comic or a movie. We are at a time in our lives where we are supposed to go out and enjoy what we love unapologetically. We are even given a spring break that allows us this time. We can choose to do with it whatever we want, be it traveling somewhere warm or sitting at home and playing computer games. Being close to Indianapolis is a perk of going to Franklin. The city offers a wide variety of events and attractions, from Comic Con to Colts football to the Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis. If you are not sure you would enjoy something, try it. You are close to a city that offers opportunities for you to learn. When it comes down to it, it’s all about being comfortable with who you are.
Our Position:
The Franklin editorial board believes students should not be apologetic for their personal interestes and hobbies. Students of Franklin College, do not ever be embarrassed about what you love. If painting your chest blue and gold for homecoming is your thing, do it. If you love baking cupcakes and watching “Doctor Who” on a Friday night, do it. Don’t let others stop you from enjoying the shows, sports, games, books or anything else that you love.
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.
provs. con Internships during the school semester TheStatehouseFile.com interns from the 2015 Winter Term session pose for a funny picture with their advisers.
Photo submitted by Lesley Weidenbener
Internships allow for professional growth
Students should focus time on grades
Olivia Covington
Caitlin Soard
Let me tell you something: College goes fast. One day you’re a brand new freshman walking on Dame Mall for the first time, and then BAM! It’s time to graduate. But even though the experience goes fast, there is so much you can accomplish during your four years of higher education, including professional accomplishments. That’s why it’s so important to take advantage of all that college offers you in terms of career development, especially internships. In general, my advice would be this: If you have the opportunity to do an internship in your field, take it. Even if it’s during the semester. I know that college is hard. You have hours of homework, hours of meetings and hours of naps. But if you really want to reach your end goal – getting a job when you graduate – then you have to make time for professional work, too. Most students like to reserve their internships for the summer when they don’t have to worry about schoolwork, but semester internships, in many ways, can be even better. Some companies just aren’t as busy during the summer, which means you’ll spend a lot of time getting coffee and making copies for the “real employees.” If you work during the semester, though, you have a better chance of getting real work to do, which is a much better use of your time.
Internships have become pretty much a necessity to get a job in today’s competitive market. Fine, needing to gain a little experience makes sense, particularly in fields where you have to submit a portfolio in order to get a job. You need things to put in that portfolio. But working the equivalent of a full-time (unpaid) job as well as going to classes and, for some students, also working a job to help cover the expenses of college can get really stressful. I know personally that if I added an internship on top of my workload this semester, I would probably have gray hair by now due to stress. Getting good grades and graduating is the main reason we’re all here, and while internships can be a valuable source of knowledge and experience, it can also create added stress to a student’s already full course load. Additionally, many internships are unpaid. This is a problem for students because, well, we’re broke as heck. I value my time, and I feel like a potential employer should as well. There are paid internships, but they are few and far between – particularly for journalism. I definitely recommend doing an internship during the summer or a winter term. Even if you hate it, at least you’ll know what you don’t want to do with your life. And just maybe, you’ll love it and find a potential place to work after graduation.
opinion
Paige Clark
Tinder replicates and speeds up real-life dating tactics I have not tried Tinder. Maybe it’s because I’m not photogenic and being “right swiped” based solely on bad photos and duck face selfies isn’t my cup of tea. Or, maybe, it’s because I’m still haunted by my ChatRoulette experiences. And honestly, I’m pretty ignorant about the entire process, but the new two-minute anti-smoking commercial taught me that a left swipe is a bad thing. Check out the “Left Swipe Dat” video on YouTube for more information. First hearing about Tinder, I thought it was dumb and shallow. Actually, when I first heard of Tinder, I thought it was “Timber,” and was worried it was a worse version of “Farmer’s Only” but for lumberjacks, which seemed really odd to me. Anyway, I was slightly irritated with my generation for creating an app based solely on one’s looks. But then I really thought about it. It’s really no different than hitting on someone in person. In person, you see someone attractive you may say something. Hopefully nothing off of bestpickuplines.com, but hey, no judging. And in person, if you see someone you find unattractive, you say nothing. Tinder just fast forwards this process. You don’t have to build the courage to say hi anymore. Instead, you just right swipe and hope you’re lucky enough to be right-swiped too. I think the odds of finding love on Tinder are a lot like finding love in a bar. The chances are slim, but it happens. Just ask that one odd aunt-uncle couple how exactly they met.
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Ben Brown
Chasing Perfection
The Kentucky Wildcats are currently nine games away from perfection. The team finished the regular season 31-0. Now the only thing standing in their way from a perfect 40-0 mark is the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. A men’s NCAA basketball team has not had an undefeated season since the 1976 Indiana University team. I am not a fan of Kentucky, but it is always exciting to watch a team chase perfection. Fans of other teams complain about Coach Calipari’s style of recruitment. He goes for top recruits and gets them. Kentucky basketball has become known for their players leaving for the NBA after one season. But this year is a little different. Calipari lost two players to the draft last season. Five other players who were expected to leave ended up staying. This experience could give Kentucky the edge to hit 40-0 this season. Calipari has said he doesn’t care about a perfect season. Winning a title isn’t even the most important thing to him. What he really wants as is to make his players ready for the NBA. It is somewhat believable. He has nine players that are projected to be drafted in the first round this year. I don’t buy him not chasing that perfect mark, though, because nothing would show his system working better than 40-0. Three teams they beat this season are currently ranked in the top 10. They even blew out number five Kansas by 32 points. Calipari is a great coach. He doesn’t depend on one player. He is constantly swapping players in and out. With nine NBA candidates on the team, it has clearly worked. So while I will still be rooting for my Blue Devils come tournament time, I am anxious to see if Kentucky has what it takes to pull off a perfect season.
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Men’s tennis team picks up its first win of the season Kiley Lipps: The Franklin
By Jay Siskin
Freshman Alex Hammer competes against Greenville last Friday.
The men’s tennis team was able to get its first win of the season against Greenville College with a 6-3 win on March 6 at the West Indianapolis Racquet Club. The win marks the first of the season for the Grizzlies (1-3). Franklin won four of the six singles courts and three doubles matches. Ryan Hammer won a challenging matchup 6-4, 7-6 at the top of the singles lineup. Hammer thought the Grizzles did a good job of not panicking after losing three straight matches. “Our team did a good job of taking it one match at a time,” Hammer said. “Tennis is a sport based off of individual matchups. There was no mention of us being on a losing streak at practice.”
Senior Robby Woehrle kept the momentum going for the Grizzlies. He dropped only five games and won 6-4, 6-1 against Greenville’s Alex Dowley on the number five singles court. “Greenville is a tough opponent,” Woehrle said. “They have always given us a difficult time in past matches. … It felt great to get the first win of the spring season.” Woehrle said the pressure to win after a losing streak is based on not wanting to let the team down. “There is always pressure when playing a match,” Woehrle said. “But the pressure I face is because I do not want to let my team down.” Senior Luke Snyder also helped Franklin end its losing streak. Snyder
kevin.siskin@franklincollege.edu
was paired with teammate Ethan Caldwell in an 8-4 victory at number two doubles. Snyder said winning a doubles match compared to winning a singles match could be more difficult based on the match up. “It totally depends on the match (up) you have in a certain spot when it comes to the difficulty of winning a doubles or singles match,” Snyder said. Snyder also added that practices were finally paying off. “It was definitely a good sign that our practices are having a positive influence,” Snyder said. “It was a relief that we won Friday.”
Women’s track and field break two records at Last Chance Meet By Seth Morin
seth.morin@franklincollege.edu
For track and field athletes, the indoor season has come to an end except for one. Senior Anna Murdock is that one. For the third time in her career, Murdock has qualified for nationals. She will be competing in the 800-meter race. “This year, we are looking to compete for a national championship,” Head Coach Paul Sargent said. “Her first year was a learning curve and last year was one where she went
in unhealthy and it took a really, really special race to get to finals.” She is currently seeded 7th overall after winning the race with a school record at Ohio Northern University’s Polar Bear Last Chance Meet. “Last chance meets are kind of reserved for those that are junkies – those that can’t get enough,” Sargent said. “It’s a unique environment.” “Last chance meets are always fun because there is a lot of talent and athletes trying to hit good marks,” Murdock said.
However, Murdock was not the only one with a solid performance. Junior Emily Young finished with a school record in the pentathlon. During the pentathlon, Young tallied nearly 2,600 points – highlighted by a win in the high jump and a third-place in the 60-meter hurdles. “She’s got those kinds of skills where she can do multiple things,” Sargent said. “She almost had a PR in the high jump, but she did a really good job and had a great day.”
sports Football sends fourth athlete overseas By Seth Morin
seth.morin@franklincollege.edu
Four former Franklin College football players will further their careers in football across the Atlantic Ocean. Senior Grant Welp will join graduates Jonny West, Kyle Linville and Colin Gallagher by playing football overseas in Europe. Welp will be heading to Europe just prior to graduation. Welp will not play on the same team as the other Grizzlies. He will join the Orebro Black Knights in Finland, whereas West, Linville and Gallagher will play for the Franken Knights of the German Football League. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue my football career overseas,” Welp said. “There are many people and coaches that have supported me and helped
me achieve the professional level. I have been blessed that everyone has had the confidence in my ability to perform at a high level.” “The European league is interesting,” said Mike Leonard, head coach of the football team. “It’s competitive and certain teams are more competitive than others.” Leonard, who coached a team in Japan for four years, said his advice to his former players was to not only enjoy being able to still play football, but to also enjoy the experience of being in another country and experiencing another culture. “These guys will be given some great experiences,” Leonard said. “And it will make them appreciate being an American more. It’s
going to show them that there are different ways of doing things.” Linville will be have a unique role for the Franken Knights this upcoming season as he is currently out with a leg injury. He will be the team’s offensive coordinator.
“I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue my football career overseas.”
Weekly Recap March 7 Women’s Lacrosse
Franklin vs. Capital L, 19-2
March 8 Women’s Lacrosse
Franklin vs. Wash & Jeff. L, 12-6
March 11 Men’s Baseball
Franklin vs. Capital W, 7-2 Franklin vs. Capital L, 4-3
Grant Welp, senior
Softball team returns from Florida with winning record By Ben Brown
benjamin.brown@franklincollege.edu
The Franklin College softball team ended its annual trip to Florida with a 5-3 record. Freshman Olivia Paszek said the team came out strong from the get-go. “We have been practicing really hard to get to the position we are in,” Paszek said. “We also want to prove to everyone that we are here to win.” The team won the first three games before finally losing in the fourth against York. Sophomore Taylor Johnson said she was happy with the way the team started out, but they expected to do better than 5-3 for the weekend. The team finished its trip to Fort Meyers last season 6-2. “I think we are a stronger team overall this season,” Johnson said. “We were especially happy with how we played considering it was our first time playing on an actual field this season.” Both players took away different areas of the game that the team needed to improve on.
Johnson said she thought the team was strong offensively and defensively and believed they should continue working on fundamentals and hitting. “I believe we need to get better in our offense and not leaving as many girls stranded,” Paszek said. “We just need to do our job and eliminate strikeouts and pop flys.” Paszek added that the team hit very well for the first time seeing live pitching since last fall. She also said the team had good defense to back up their pitching, which is a key to success. “One thing I love about this team is how well we play together,” Johnson said. “We play as a team and that showed in Florida.” Sophomore Megan Lalioff said while the games in Florida were important, they did not set the tone for the season. “A lot can change throughout the season and players can improve,” Lalioff said. “In Florida we are still learning how to work together as a team in game situations.”
Paszek said that as a freshman she was not sure what to expect from the games in Florida, but the games were a good lead way into the season. “We play some good competition in Florida which is good to see since we have been practicing inside for the last couple of months,” Paszek said. Johnson said that the past two seasons they have had a lot of success in Florida. She said she thought those games set the tone for the season and helped the team get the most wins in Franklin College history for the softball team. Despite setting the school record for wins, the softball team failed to make the conference tournament. Paszek, Lalioff and Johnson all agreed the team’s main goal this season was to get to the tournament “This season I expect for us to be really competitive in conference, and I can see us either being first or second in the conference,” Lalioff said. They also had personal goals for the season.
“Personally, my goal is to help my team get to the conference tournament in any way I can,” Johnson said. “Whether that is behind the plate, or in the hitting lineup. I always want to do my best to help my squad.” Paszek’s personal goal was to keep working on her pitching and focusing on getting better each game. “I also believe it is important to cheer on my teammates because that is the most important part of the game,” Pazsek said. “Without team chemistry, softball is not fun. You have to enjoy the game but keep working hard to make it happen.” Lalioff said for her she wanted to focus on enjoying the game and spending time with her friends. “I believe that as long as you really enjoy what you are doing nothing else matters,” Lalioff said. The softball team begins play again with a doubleheader Saturday against Berea. Those two games are followed by another doubleheader on Sunday against Depauw.
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friends of franklin How does it feel to be the winning coach of Miss Blue and Gold? “It feels good, because I’ve never coached anybody before. So I think I could pick up coaching now.”
If you had to choose blue or gold, which would you choose? “Definitely blue. It’s by far the greatest color.” Wil Gosser, sophomore (left)
How does it feel to be Miss Blue and Gold? “It feels so, so amazing. I’ve never been in a pageant or anything like this before. But it’s like, I prepared for weeks and I practiced, and Wilford Gosser was an awesome coach. … I just feel so on top of the world.”
If you had to choose blue or gold, which would you choose? “I would definitely have to choose gold, because sparkles are what I live for. I was in show choir for three years, and my dress is all sequins, and there was glitter on the stage, and it made me so happy. And I would have to pick gold because when it hits the light just right, it just has that shimmering motion. Paige Lundy, sophomore (right)
Ann Gilly: The Franklin
Why do you enjoy teaching? “I really like to make an impact on others, and I feel that I make an impact in the classroom. Every Wednesday that I go there – whether it’s through an activity or through a lesson or through any other aspect of teaching – it’s nice to get to know the students, and it’s really great to learn about them and then help them get to know who they are as a person and help them grow.” Ashley Myers, junior
Emily Metheny: The Franklin
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