The Franklin: March 2, 2018

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018 | THEFRANKLINNEWS.COM

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FEATURE: STRANGERS TO RACQUETBALL PARTNERS PG. 6

NEWS

“THE Q:

What’s the first concert you attended?

// OUR TEAM

“ WHO MAKES THE FRANKLIN? Executive editor Ashley Shuler ashley.shuler@franklincollege.edu

Jordan Brodner Photographer “Keith Urban.”

Taylor Brown Reporter “Lady Antebellum.”

Leigh Durphey Copy chief “Fall Out Boy.”

Quinn Fitzgerald Lead reporter “Ed Sheeran.”

Opinion editor Christina Ramey christina.ramey@franklincollege.edu News editor Shelby Mullis shelby.mullis@franklincollege.edu Sports editor Ashley Steeb ashley.steeb@franklincollege.edu

Nicole Hernandez Web editor “One Direction.”

Erica Irish Reporter, photographer “The Flaming Lips.”

Jada Jones Reporter “The Jonas Brothers.”

Emily Ketterer Reporter, photographer “The Jonas Brothers.”

Copy chief Leigh Durphey leigh.durphey@franklincollege.edu Photo editor Zoie Richey zoie.richey@franklincollege.edu

Thomas Maxwell Jessie McClain Photographer Reporter “Florence and the Machine.” “Imagine Dragons.”

Shelby Mullis News editor “Jon McLaughlin”

Christina Ramey Opinion editor “New Kids on the Block.”

Web editor Nicole Hernandez nicole.hernandez@franklincollege.edu Advertising manager Matt Thomas matthew.thomas@franklincollege.edu Publisher John Krull jkrull@franklincollege.edu

Zoie Richey Photo editor “The Jonas Brothers.”

Ashley Shuler Executive editor “Lee Ann Womack.”

Ashley Steeb Sports editor “Raven Symone.”

Shelby Tays Reporter, designer “Jimmy Buffett.”

BE FRANK WITH THE FRANKLIN. S TAT E O F J O U R N A L I S M PA N E L A N D Q & A

W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 4

7 P. M . B R A N I G I N R O O M

Adviser Ryan Gunterman rgunterman@franklincollege.edu 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.

Submit letters to the editor to thefranklin@franklincollege.edu.

GETTING IT RIGHT // FEB. 16 ISSUE In the editorial on page 10, students can also seek out confidential resources like counselors, health services and the chaplain, who are exempt from the Title IX reporting rule.

SCIENCE CENTER CONTRACTOR ENLISTS STUDENT HELP Internship program offers construction experience Two students are learning the ropes of conhas learned more about the field through his on-site experience. struction while interning on the job site of “When I first started, I had no idea what the Franklin College Science Center project.

Sophomores Colton Polter and Eric Judwas going on,” Polter said. “But the more son started assisting with the construction of you get in there and the more you get situatthe building in October 2017. The contraced, you start to pick up a lot of stuff.”

Judson is also an applied mathematics mator for the project, The Hagerman Group, jor but dropped his mechanical engineering offers an internship program for college students to get involved with the construction major following the internship. of buildings either on “I am very grateful or near the campus. to have had a hand in the construction of the Project Manager Joel Fleming said the addition onto Barnes Hall, but I do not see college expressed interest in putting student myself doing this as a interns on the site early career,” Judson said. “I believe that I am more on in the process.

“It’s always good for interested in data analysis and statistics, so I us to have interns on the job, and there’s a would like an internSophomore Colton Polter works in the little bit more involve- Franklin College Science Center. ship related to those fields in the future.” ment with the college EMILY KETTERER | PHOTO on their end,” Fleming The building’s exterior is complete. said.

Polter and Judson were approached by Construction is set to wrap up in May, and their math professors about the opportunity. the renovation of the existing Barnes Hall will begin in June.

Polter said his day-to-day responsibilities vary, getting a chance to dabble in a variety Fleming said the two internship spots for the center’s construction are currently filled, of processes. He said the job is more “handsoff,” involving tasks like safety checks and but students can get involved with The Hatracking materials. german Group’s other projects by applying for the company’s internship program. No “There’s a lot of checking and making sure the job site is safe,” Polter said. “I’m construction experience is required.

Polter encouraged students to get involved in charge of getting in contact with a lot of the subcontractors and making sure the with any available internship opportunities materials come in on time so we can stay on in their field of study.

“Dive in,” he said. “Take every opportuschedule and the building can be finished in time for us to move in.” nity. If anybody approaches you, always go for it.”

Polter is an applied mathematics and mechanical engineering major and said he

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3/2 – 3/3 BEST OF THE FEST Head to the Historic Artcraft Theatre this weekend for screenings of four crowd favorites from the 2017 Heartland Film Festival.

Tickets cost $6. For a complete list of films and show times, visit historicartcrafttheatre.org.

INBRIEF

TAMIKA CATCHINGS NAMED COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

EMILY KETTERER | STORY emily.ketterer@franklincollege.edu

OUT ABOUT:

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Retired WNBA all-star Tamika Catchings will be the 2018 commencement ceremony’s keynote speaker.

Catchings, a University of Tennessee graduate, played her 15-year professional basketball career with Indiana Fever. She is one of nine women to ever win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NCAA Championship and a WNBA Championship.

In 2004, Catchings founded the Catch the Stars Foundation, an organization focused on helping children succeed in both athletics and education.

For a complete commencement schedule of events, visit franklincollege.edu/academics/commencement.

WOMEN OF DISTINCTION AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED The Office of Diversity and Inclusion named 16 nominees for the 2018 Women of Distinction Awards in a campus-wide email Monday.

The awards recognize four women within both the Franklin College and greater community who have “achieved, overcome and blazed a trail for other women through their professional leadership, volunteer efforts and civic involvement.

This year’s nominees are Lisa Mahan, Jenny Cataldi, Emily Pierce, Brooke Kistler, Rebecca Bridges, Andrea Underwood, Sadie Stokes, Taylor McElwain, Sara McGannon, Kelli Jones, Alice Heikens, Callista Buchen, Melissa Parramore, Rebecca Floyd, Lee Ann Wilbur and Kimberly Smith.

Winners for each category will be named at an awards breakfast March 14 at 8:30 a.m. Tickets cost $5 and are available in the Center for Diversity & Inclusion.

3/3 SPRING CRAFT FAIR

3/2 – 3/3 INDY FUEL GAME

Visit Scott Hall, located at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, for a spring craft fair. The event is hosted by the Johnson County Extension Homemakers Association.

Watch the Indy Fuel in action as they take on the Utah Grizzlies at the Indiana Farmer’s Coliseum tonight and Saturday at 7:35 p.m.

More than 50 vendors will be selling various crafts, clothing, jewelry, home decor and health and beauty products. The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tickets range from $5 to $44 and are available at indyfuelhockey.com.

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SPRING SEMESTER WELCOMES 15 TRANSFER STUDENTS College leaders report overall enrollment decrease MATTHEW BROWN | STORY matthew.brown@franklincollege.edu

A new semester brings an influx of new students. It also, however, means a loss of students.

At the beginning of the spring semester, the college recorded 975 total students, including full-time, part-time and graduate students. Of the 975 students, 17 enrolled mid-year, including 15 who transferred from another institution.

“Spring enrollment came in higher than we anticipated,” said Kate Coffman, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid, “which was exciting.”

The Franklin reported a total enrollment of 1,034 students for the fall semester, a statistic provided by Coffman. Several factors account for the 59 student decrease, including mid-year graduation, transfers and withdrawals.

However, several students transfer into the college mid-semester and mid-year. Tim Garner, associate vice president for institutional analytics and special projects, said 69 percent of the college’s current transfer student population arrived during the fall

semester.

A majority of transfer students enroll at Franklin during the fall semester, while an average of 27 percent enroll during the spring semester and 4 percent during Winter Term, Garner said.

Although the number of mid-year transfer students seems small compared to the beginning, he said it is actually consistent with an average of 11 mid-year transfer students each year over the last five years.

“The number of students transferring in mid-year has traditionally not been large, and there doesn’t appear to be any pronounced trend of either an increase or a decrease on that front,” Garner said.

Data provided by Director of Residence Life Jacob Knight shows a decrease in occupation in Hoover Hall. At the beginning of the fall semester, Hoover Hall recorded 77 residents—14 more than the current 63 student occupation.

Knight said more reasons factor into the decrease aside from students simply leaving the college.

“A good chunk of students were students who moved from the residence halls to the fraternity houses,” he said. “There are some students who have become commuter students or who have withdrawn from the college, or it could even be students who moved to different buildings, like Elsey.”

One of Coffman’s goals is to reach an enrollment of 1,130 over the next five years.

The admissions office implemented new technology to connect with more prospective students in order to reach the goal.

Student Search, a program sponsored by College Board, enables students to receive information from colleges of interest.

Franklin College uses the program to buy prospective students’ names when they take the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT or an AP Exam.

“We are in the process of creating formal partnerships that will give us more of a transfer pipeline,” Coffman said. “So we’re really trying to work with faculty and with the new provost to become more of a transfer-friendly institution.”

STUDENT TRAFFIC MAKES SMALL IMPACT ON DOWNTOWN Franklin business owners say students don’t make up client demographics JESSIE MCCLAIN | STORY jessie.mcclain@franklincollege.edu

With more than 15 shops and restaurants less than a mile away from campus, it comes as a surprise to many local business owners to see such a small economic impact left by students.

As students depart for breaks throughout the year, some business owners say they’d expect to see a decrease in foot traffic, however, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, it’s quite the opposite effect.

“Half of our clientele come from outside of Franklin,” said Thomas Moore, owner of Suzy’s Teahouse, located at 25 E. Court St. “Because of the nature of what we do, it’s more of a unique market that comes to us. We’re not as dependent on the Franklin crowd, but we could do a better job of reaching out.”

With half of Moore’s customers coming from as far as the north side of Indianapolis or further and hours picking up even more in the summer, Moore said it’s obvious the

BoJak’s Bar and Grille owner Austin Gore said his student clientele has grown in the last year. BRYAN WELLS | PHOTO

college’s student body has little to do with the booming business.

Jason Tapp, owner of Greek’s Pizzeria and Tapp Room at 18 E. Jefferson St., accepts Ben Bucks at his restaurant, but student business is still lighter than he’d expect. Tapp also partners with the college throughout the year to offer specials for events like FC on

the Town.

“Unfortunately, we do not get a lot of business or foot traffic from the college’s student body,” Tapp said. “It’s grown over the past couple of years—but given the size of the student body, and perhaps how far I am from campus—we just don’t get a bunch of college-related business.”

It’s a different story, however, for BoJak’s Bar and Grille, located at 377 E. Jefferson St., which sees frequent student foot traffic.

But owner Austin Gore said the economic impact is something he planned for with a business in a college town.

“One thing we noticed is, in January, when your students are gone, for example, we also have students that are going to other colleges, that are back in their hometown,” Gore said. “So we see traffic from them come in. So, our actual sales don’t go down, but they’re definitely adjusted to a new customer base.”

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OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW CURRICULUM College plans major changes to LA 100 seminar, Winter Term QUINN FITZGERALD | STORY elizabeth.fitzgerald@franklincollege.edu

Students, faculty and staff can expect to see changes in their academic course guide beginning this fall when the college rolls out a new curriculum, the first updated curriculum since 2006.

In 2016, President Thomas Minar established a taskforce called SPARC—Strategic Planning Around Reorganization of the Curriculum—with the sole purpose of gathering student feedback to devise a new curriculum.

SPARC members drafted a proposal during summer 2017. It was proposed to faculty members for a vote on Dec. 5, 2017, during a faculty meeting. It passed by 80 percent.

English division chair Susan Crisafulli, a SPARC member, said the college needed a change, as several liberal arts institutions struggle to adapt to an evolving landscape of higher education.

“The challenge that schools like ours face now is that they have to figure out a way to be distinctive at least within their region,” Crisafulli said.

Crisafulli and the 12-member taskforce traveled to a variety of colleges throughout the proposal development process to gather input and ideas from other higher education professionals. Through months of research, SPARC concluded that Franklin’s first-year programs needed an overhaul—specifically the freshman seminar, LA 100.

Beginning in fall 2019, LA 100 will increase from a one-credit hour course to a four-credit hour course.

Brooke Worland, assistant provost and dean of engaged learning, said the change had a lot to do with the course’s impact on students.

“Students were not really valuing that opportunity,” Worland said.

Senior Cody Porter said he does not think he benefited from LA 100. While he enjoyed learning about the college’s values and getting involved in the community, he said a semester-long seminar is unnecessary.

“It is just extra credits the student will be forced to take when the effort could be applied to other better areas,” Porter said.

Instead, he said an online course or brief class prior to the start of fall semester would be more beneficial to students.

Crisafulli said waiting another year to implement the change for LA 100 will grant the college extra time to train professors for

the new seminar.

There are eight academic divisions: humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, education, journalism, business, math and computing. Each academic division will offer a certain number of sections of the course. The number of sections will be determined by how many faculty members are in each division.

The college will unveil portions of a new curriculum this fall.

The humanities SPARC—Strategic Planning Around Reorganization of the division—which includes Curriculum—started devising the new curriculum in 2016.

THOMAS MAXWELL | PHOTO the English and creative writing, philosophy and religion and modern was modeling a study away concept similar languages departments—is the college’s largto that of Agnes Scott College in Georgia. est division with 16 faculty members. It will In their second semester at Agnes Scott, contribute four first-year seminars each year first-year students take a 10-day trip to a while smaller divisions offer one section. destination their class learned about during The seminar will also be more reading the first semester. Crisafulli said SPARC intensive and have an information literacy considered implementing the idea, but detercomponent for first-year students to learn mined it was too much of a financial risk for how to find what they are interested in. the college.

The course topic will not be based on a “That was a risk we couldn’t take and student’s major, but instead developed by money we didn’t have,” Crisafulli said. faculty. Students will then rank their course Crisafulli said she hopes the idea is somepreferences prior to registration. Worland thing Franklin will continue to consider in said the goal is to match students to topics the future. that interest and inspire them.

The new curriculum also features an Student mentors for the seminar will increased focus on professional development remain. This was requested by students who and undergraduate research; however, Proparticipated in the focus groups to develop vost and Dean of the College Lori Schroeder the curriculum, Worland said. said several other changes are pending with Incoming students can also expect changes the implementation team. Many of these to Winter Term with a completely immersive ideas include an increased implementation experience. The January term will span over of technology. the course of three weeks, compared to the The incoming fall class will graduate typical four weeks. This means the classes under the new requirements. Worland said will meet longer to fulfill the requirements the college anticipates the curriculum change for credits. will inspire both current and future students, The final week of January will be saved faculty and staff to pursue new opportunities. for students to finish any remaining work “There is a lot of innovation that will from study abroad trips or internships. It result from the new curriculum, and hopewill also be a time for students to complete fully that will feed facets of innovation,” a student-selected professional development Worland said. “We’re seeing some of that workshop. already. There’s a lot of innovation and Crisafulli said ending the term a week creativity that’s coming from this for good, earlier is a step in the right direction, espeevidence-based reasons.” cially for professors when transitioning from Winter Term to the spring semester.

One idea SPARC previously considered for Winter Term, which Crisafulli favored,

ll you need is a racquet, a ball and a good partner for a friendly game of racquetball.

Senior Clare Lenart and retired biology professor Jim Curry are set.

“We’re pretty evenly matched actually,” Curry said. “She wins some days. I win some days. But she’s coming on strong, so that won’t last too long.”

The duo was paired together during Lenart’s exercise testing and prescription course. She had to develop an exercise plan, and that’s when she discovered the pair’s shared interest in racquetball.

During his 38-year teaching career before retiring from the college, Curry started playing racquetball in between his classes.

He said he was excited to get back on the court after his time off.

“You can’t underestimate Jim,” Lenart said.

Age aside, their skills on the court are matched.

“She’s very quick and fast. Light on her feet,” Curry said. “And I’m very slow and heavy on my feet.

She waits until I’m way back by the glass, and she hits these little tiny soft ones off the front wall that I can’t run to, so that helps her win.”

Lenart said Curry has her beat with his strategy, where she typically hits the ball as hard as she can.

The competitive edge keeps things interesting between the two. Lenart completed her collegiate soccer career last fall and said racquetball keeps her active and competitive.

“We have fun,” Curry said.

“We do,” Lenart added.

“That’s all we want to do,” Curry said. “Although it does make my day when I beat her.”

Trash talk between the two is not uncommon when they meet up twice a week for a friendly competition. Curry has one motto he recites to Lenart during their matches.

“Old age and treachery will always win over youth and enthusiasm,” Curry joked.

Their friendship goes beyond the racquetball court. Lenart said Curry has served as a mentor to her in their time playing.

They find conversation in the topic of genetics, a course Lenart is currently taking and one Curry used to teach at the college.

From strangers to competitors within the span of only a year, the pair’s time together will soon come to an end when Lenart graduates with a degree in exercise science and attends graduate school at the University of Evansville in May. “I’ll be sorry when she graduates,” Curry said. “If there was anything I could do to keep her from graduating, I would do it.”

STRANGERS FIND

FRIENDSHIP ON

RACQUETBALL COURT

OLD AGE + TREACHERY W I L L A LW AY S W I N O V E R

YOUTH + ENTHUSIASM. - JIM CURRY

AN I N S E PA R A B L E

TAYLOR BROWN | STORY NICOLE HERNANDEZ | PHOTO LEIGH DURPHEY | DESIGN

WEIGHING THE

STANDARDS Campus leaders make accommodations, but struggle with aging campus

ERICA IRISH | STORY THOMAS MAXWELL | PHOTO LEIGH DURPHEY | DESIGN

s a historical campus, Franklin College offers sights marked by generations of students and years of academic growth. But for those who face physical disabilities on campus, either as visitors, students, faculty or staff, some say the age of the campus poses obstacles.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990—more than 150 years after Franklin College opened in 1834.

With over a century between the college’s existence and a federal policy that mandates certain accommodation require-

ments for new building construction, some say much of campus is not designed with physical disabilities in mind.

Now, students with and without mobility impairments are taking notice.

Senior Sadie Stokes went to Twitter to ask for student experiences and observations that relate to accommodation issues on campus. With that information, the Best Buddies treasurer and former president wants to compile a report to send to school administrators.

She said the sidewalks crossing Dame Mall are not wheelchair-accessible due to

9 cracks and uneven pavement.

Additionally, in Dietz Hall, she noted that while a “handicap accessible” sign hangs outside a second-floor bathroom, none of the stall doors are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or similar needs.

“It needs to be addressed,” Stokes said.

“If no one has this mindset, then they’re not going to realize it’s a problem or want to do anything about it.”

Justin Gash, associate professor of mathematics, said there are multiple areas on campus that offer little to no accommodations.

The Old Main ramp, for example, is too steep for wheelchairs and powered scooters to travel in a comfortable and efficient way, he said. He also noted Old Main’s interior, where there is only one passenger elevator with limited size and monthly maintenance checks that close it off to the public.

Gash was diagnosed with two disabilities at birth. The professor has multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, a genetic disorder that prevents the ends of his bones from growing to their full length. Gash also has hypochondroplasia, or what he described as “fake dwarfism.”

As a result, Gash faces a lifetime of surgeries, trouble walking and limited control of his joints.

“I know if I want to be the best husband I can be, be the best educator I want to be, be the man that I want to be, I’m going to have to push myself,” Gash said. “But I cannot do it alone.”

Gash said the college has provided him with innovative solutions. His classes are often scheduled near each other so he doesn’t have to walk long distances. On icy mornings, facility employees will meet with him personally to de-ice his path to Old Main.

“We have a good campus and people who care and want to include others,” Gash said.

“That doesn’t mean challenges don’t exist and that doesn’t mean we punt our responsibility to be better in the future.”

Macy Huff, a former sophomore, said the college’s lack of accommodations led to her eventual withdraw. Huff is continuing her education in the fall at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

When Huff was in high school, she dislocated a vertebra during a cheerleading accident. The injury paralyzed her from the chest down. As a result, she uses a wheelchair every day.

Although the college installed a handicap push button at the entrance of Barnes Hall so she could access her classes, Huff said the college was not prepared or acting quickly to meet physical accommodations.

“Nothing was very urgent for them like it was for me,” she said.

As a member of Pi Beta Phi, Huff was

actively involved in campus Greek life. But, D I S A B I L I T Y S TAT I S T I C S because the Panhellenic House lacks a ramp, AT FRANKLIN COLLEGE she could not attend certain events with other Greek women.

Katie Wehner, assistant dean for academic affairs and director of the Academic Resource Center and Disability Services, said OF STUDENTS she typically interacts with more students who ARE REGISTERED have intellectual or developmental disabiliWITH DISABILITY ties. At this time, only one student reports a SERVICES physical disability, she said.

Overall, 4.2 percent of the college’s student population are registered with Disability Services, Wehner confirmed in a statement.

There are likely more who have not registered, and students may notify Disability Services of a need at any time during their college career, she added.

Wehner said she was not aware of Huff’s or other students’ opinions on accessibility.

“I regret to learn that a student would find STUDENT our efforts at ensuring his or her access to REPORTS A be unsatisfactory,” Wehner said. “Franklin College is committed to supporting stuMOBILITYdents with disabilities and ensuring that no RELATED individual with a disability is excluded from ACCOMMODATION participation in college-sponsored programs or activities. Any student who feels he or she has not been awarded reasonable accommodations is encouraged to communicate his or her concerns and allow the college an opportunity to address the issue.”

RECENT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR Director of Residence Life Jacob Knight PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS INCLUDE said his department has options for those with THE FOLLOWING: temporary or long-term disabilities.

In Dietz Hall, there are handicap suites with “semi-private” bathrooms inside, he said. Elsey Hall provides two rooms with those accommodations, along with handicap Specific dorm Digitally projected accessible stalls and showers in communal room assignments microscope restrooms.

If athletes injure themselves, they can also request to move to a lower level of their residence hall until they recover.

Gash, Huff, Stokes and Wehner all pointed Reassignment Electronic to Hoover-Cline as a problematic area. The of classroom submissions of building has no entrance ramps and no paslocations academic work senger elevator for student use in the building.

Gash, who has taught at the college since 2008, said the community he works in does its best with what it has. With students, faculty and staff who care, the problems posed by Accessible desks Access to a historic campus can be managed without drastic changes or construction projects, he or other speech-to-text added. furnishings software “It’s better to be good than to be right,” Gash said. “As someone who lives with a disability, there are times where I wish things were different, but I am more inclined to figure out how to solve the problem, and I have Textbooks in Relocation of found the Franklin community always willing electronic format co-curricular to troubleshoot that.”

4.2%

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KATIE WEHNER | SOURCE

events to accessible spaces

OPINION

JORDAN BRODNER | PHOTO

EDITORIAL FIVE YEARS WASTED ON SCREENS, REPORT FINDS

Cell phones are great, but a distraction to many Five years and four months.

That’s how long the average person will spend on social media, according to a report made by comScore, a website that “combines proprietary TV, digital and movie viewing data with vast demographic details to measure consumers’ multiscreen behavior at scale.”

Cell phones have become an inherent part of our culture. A 2017 article by TechCrunch, technology industry news website, says users are now on their phones at least five hours per day.

That’s a 20 percent increase from 2015.

Social Media Today reports that at least two of those hours are spent on social media.

Imagine how much you could get done in those two hours if you weren’t glued to your phone. You could probably read a book.

Smartphones allow people to be constantly connected. It’s like having a small computer in the palm of your hand with the ability to work, communicate and socialize.

While being able to do so much on your phone can have its advantages, there are plenty of disadvantages, too.

Phones can be distracting. There are so many different apps you can play, without even realizing how much you’re wasting, it can consume your time—time you could be utilizing better.

People complain about not having enough time in the day to get everything done. If they were to put their phone down, they would.

This distraction can cause people to lose focus at work and at school. When you’re on your phone instead of doing homework, your grades could drop because of the lack of attention spent on your assignments.

Many professors have strict cell phone policies to prevent students from being on their phones during class time. Some professors may not care, but others don’t even allow cell phones to be out inside the classroom at all.

Dr. Casey Hayes, associate professor of fine arts, has a different approach to keeping

students off their phones.

“They’re allowed to have their cell phones out, but it must be on their desk and visible by me at all times,” Hayes said. “If they touch their phone to text on it, I take it, and I give them in its place the ‘Scarlet Schwa.’”

The “Scarlet Schwa” is in reference to the “Scarlet Letter.” The “Scarlet Schwa” is much like the scarlet “A” the main character of the “Scarlet Letter” was forced to wear as a consequene of for adultery.

A schwa is a symbol used in music that is an upside-down “e.” Hayes made a large sign with it on it that looks similar to the scarlet “A”.

Students will hold the sign until the next person gets on their phone. Hayes said it’s not unusual for him to have seven or eight phones on his desk by the end of class.

Hayes doesn’t believe in making students keep their phones out of sight because that can be even more distracting for a student, especially if they get a notification and their phones vibrate in their pockets.

“The reason I do this is because in this society, if there’s a phone call that comes in that they have to take—that’s from their parent or there is an emergency—they’re able to see what the phone call is,” he said. “If it is an issue, they take their phone, and they excuse themselves, and they leave my room.”

Hayes recognizes people are very attached to their phones. Making students keep it out of sight creates a temptation to want it even more.

Phones are great to keep people connected with friends and family, but sometimes it can be beneficial to put the phone down and disconnect.

When you’re about to study or do homework, turn your phone off and dedicate your focus to the material you are studying. By eliminating the distraction of your phone, you may get your assignments done faster.

When you’re out with friends, turn your phone off, or at least on silent, and enjoy each other’s company. There is no need to

The Franklin staff believes cell phones are a distraction that people should to learn to live without.

THE FRANKLIN OPINION BOARD

be on your phone the whole time when you are hanging out with someone. It’s rude to be on your phone when someone is trying to talk to you anyway.

If you were to take the five hours a day you spend on your phone to do something else, you could accomplish a lot. You could even take a nap.

#FRANKLINVOICES The Franklin’s poll board in the Student Center atrium gives students, faculty, staff and the larger Franklin community a chance to voice their opinion.

DOES YOUR PHONE KEEP YOU FROM BEING PRODUCTIVE?

69 PEOPLE SAID YES 90 PEOPLE SAID NO

*159 people participated in this poll

11

BRING BEN’S DEN BACK

Convenience store provided more and helpful options to students Back in the day when Ben’s Den still existed, students could grab a quick late-night snack sometimes until 2 a.m. without JESSICAKAISER having to step foot off campus.

Since the convenience store’s closing in 2017, getting a midnight snack has become much more difficult.

Ben’s Den was formerly located in the basement of the Napolitan Student Center and allowed students to use Ben Bucks, dining dollars and cash to buy anything from Pop-Tarts, to frozen meals and ice cream.

It also provided a way for students to eat

sandwiches or salads prepped by Sodexo earlier in the day to replace a meal swipe.

Prior to the start of the 2017 school year, everything changed when Ben’s Den closed and Starbucks opened.

I loved Ben’s Den. For someone who had to work a lot and wasn’t able to regularly eat dinner on campus, it was a nice option to have.

Other students loved Ben’s Den, too, like sophomore Owen Shrock.

“It had a lot more options and was open later,” Shrock said.

He said he hopes one day Ben’s Den will come back because of convenience like the smoothie machine, microwavable meals and over-the-counter medicines.

I would love for Ben’s Den to open back

up. Keeping this feature of the college is important and helpful to the students, especially ones with demanding jobs like me.

Of course, being able to use dining dollars at restaurants is helpful, too, but most of the time, these places are closed when we get off work. They are also less convenient than walking to the student center.

But nonetheless, it doesn’t seem like Ben’s Den will return anytime soon.

Food Service Director Les Petroff said once students could use meal cards off campus, Ben’s Den sales “went to almost nothing.”

For now, students will have to make do with getting premade sandwiches at Starbucks or grabbing a late night snack using Ben Bucks at an off-campus location.

SENIOR FAREWELL: THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

Editor reflects on time with The Franklin, college experiences

What can I say about Franklin College that hasn’t already been said?

I’ve spent the last three years of my ASHLEYSTEEB life making unforgettable memories, learning so much about myself and creating friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime.

I have experienced several opportunities that wouldn’t have been offered anywhere else but through the Pulliam School of Journalism.

The summer of 2016 was a busy time for me because of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I reported at the Republican National Convention for TheStatehouseFile.com.

Placing any personal political beliefs aside, the ability to work at an event that prestigious as a college student is something I will never forget. I remember long days and short nights, eating a lot of Chick-Fil-A and feeling like I was a part of something much larger than myself.

I was able to experience this event as just a college student when a lot of seasoned journalists never had the opportunity. No words can accurately describe what I felt.

During the same summer, I was also working on another project called the “25 Greatest Sports Stories in the History of Indiana.” The project was a part of Indiana’s Bicentennial Celebration, and different writers wrote a story about a different sporting event. The publishers of the project asked if

I would write about the American Basketball Association’s Pacers team.

By participating in these two events, I learned how to juggle two important and deadline-sensitive projects.

My time at Franklin wouldn’t be complete without The Franklin. During my time on the publication, I have learned, worked my way up to an editor position, made new friends and created the best memories.

The last three years haven’t always been the greatest. Unfortunately, I’ve had to make hard choices and miss out on some opportunities that I’ll always regret.

But I’m glad I made the decision to attend the college because it affected my life for the better.

12

A DEADLY TIME TO BE ALIVE With at least 200 people dead in Indiana from the flu, you need to be worried If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past couple of winter months, then you have heard something CHRISTINA RAMEY about the flu season.

Normally when the flu season comes around, people get annoyed about having to get a flu shot. I know I do, so I generally don’t get the flu shot anymore due to the fact that I normally get sick after getting the shot.

But the recent reports about the flu are making me rethink my decisions.

This year’s flu has been reported by various news sources to be the worst since 2009, when H1N1 or swine flu was big. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 12,469 people died from H1N1.

To hear that this flu season is going to be even worse than that is mind blowing. I remember the severity of H1N1 and the fear surrounding it.

The reason more people fall ill to H1N1

was because it was a new virus.

The type of flu that people are getting this year, H3N2, has been around for at least 50 years according to the CDC. It made its appearance in 1968 and was responsible for 100,000 deaths.

It also made an appearance during the 1997-1998 and 2003-2004 flu seasons and was once again bad.

Now we’re dealing with it yet again, and the CDC is predicting that the numbers will be around the same, if not higher this year.

Many states are reporting high numbers of flu-related deaths already.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting that there have been 219 deaths so far this year from the flu.

Around this time in 2017 the Indiana State Department of Health had reported only 103 deaths in Indiana. That was also the reported total when the flu season ended.

It’s scary to see that the flu is so much worse this year. As someone who doesn’t get flu shots, it’s especially worrisome. Seeing numbers like these encourage me to go out and get vaccinated.

ERICA IRISH | PHOTO

Everyone needs to take more precautions this flu season. Doing simple things like washing your hands various times throughout the day and covering your face and nose when you cough and sneeze can help stop the spread of germs.

Nobody wants to get sick, especially when you could end up dead. If you haven’t gotten the vaccination yet you should strongly consider getting it, like I am.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: THE PRESS FOR PROGRESS STARTS SMALL

Change begins when people decide to speak up

ERICA IRISH

Women around the globe will gather on social media platforms, in schools and in workplaces to celebrate International Women’s Day

on March 8.

This year, representatives for the newly branded one-day support of achievements of womanhood claimed the day as a #PressForProgress.

Conceptualizing “progress” is no easy task. Because every person comes from their own version of reality, this process appears in many shapes and forms.

For women who identify as Rohingya Muslims, a persecuted religious minority from Burma, progress means putting an end to attacks by ethno-nationalist groups that leads to the sexual assault of Rohingya women in staggering numbers.

In many areas of the world, progress for women is urgent and, unfortunately, difficult to achieve.

At Franklin College, several faculty members on campus advocate for transparency, change and connections to build a more equal world every day.

Meredith Clark-Wiltz, director of the women’s studies department, explained that students best serve themselves and promote equality when they engage in thoughtful conversations with those who have different opinions or experiences.

“My goal is to help people think and see gender and its impact, its power, in different ways,” she said. “And, of course, that involves listening to them, too.”

As director of her department, ClarkWiltz said students seem more willing to engage in feminism’s essential topics, including gender roles, misogyny and intersectionality.

Clark-Wiltz believes the importance of feminism, women’s history and achievement shouldn’t be segmented into one day.

Progress is essential in any sociopolitical and cultural movement. March 8, of course, marks an important reminder on the calendars of feminists and non-feminists

everywhere. The day should be seen as a point to unify and recalibrate our beliefs and practices in equality.

True progress, however, takes place in the undercurrents between street protests and rallies.

Change builds from the small decisions we make each day—a decision to talk with sincerity to those of other genders and experiences, a decision to correct those who violate our right to our experiences and a decision to move from bystander to actor for those in dangerous situations.

Progress, too, is a practice in elevating that way we process the world at large. Read more books by international authors. Go out of your way to speak with people, especially women, from international backgrounds.

Take March 8 into account as a day of reflection, but, remember, your world and the many others that surround you are works in progress.

A more equal and ethical reality is possible, but only once we say it is.

SPORTS

GAMES IN REVIEW BASEBALL vs. Penn St.-Behrend W, 15-6 MEN’S TENNIS vs. Alma College L, 6-3

Freshman forward Danny Goggans practices his shots. Goggans is one of eight freshmen on the 16-man basketball roster. ZOIE RICHEY | PHOTO

FRESHMEN-HEAVY TEAM SEES TWO-GAME IMPROVEMENT Coach attributes success to early recruiting BRANDON BARGER | STORY brandon.barger@franklincollege.edu

In collegiate sports, there is a cycle of seniors graduating and freshmen joining the team.

Some teams have a blend of both the old and young.

It’s a rare occasion when a team is mostly of a certain class.

This year’s men’s basketball team, which consists of mostly freshman players, changed its recruitment process to build that rare team.

“We completely re-did our recruiting,” head coach Kerry Prather said. “We are focusing more on summer play, AAU play and earlier.”

On a 16-man roster, eight of the players are freshmen, while the other half has six sophomores, one junior and one senior.

The change in recruiting has brought in players from not only around the state but other states too.

Freshman guard Ismail Jones was recruited from Oldham County High School in Kentucky.

“My AAU coach texted me and said that Franklin College was interested in me,” Smith said. “So, from then, I got in contact with the team, came on visits and got to see the team play. I just really liked it.”

Freshmen Sam Gutierrez, guard, and Danny Goggans, forward, have played the most out of the class, attributing to 61 percent of the freshman minutes. The

duo—who knew each other before attending Franklin College—have averaged a combined 50 minutes and 20 points per game.

Goggans had offers from other colleges, but it was a combination of knowing Gutierrez and the campus itself that brought him to Franklin.

“It came down to Franklin and another school that should not be named,” Goggans said. “I think the biggest thing was that I felt like I fit in the most here.”

Gutierrez realized Franklin was the right fit on his first visit.

“On my visit here I was welcomed immediately,” Gutierrez said. “It’s kind of a place that felt like home to me when I came here.”

Gutierrez and Groggans helped the Grizzlies finish the 2017-2018 season with an 8-17 record—a two game improvement from last season.

While the progress is small, Gutierrez said the offseason will be dedicated to becoming better so he can make a bigger impact next season.

Prather said having players willing to learn will help make the team better.

“It goes back to how ambitious your guys are on how good they want to be,” Prather said. “If you don’t have that, then we will get a bigger, stronger version of a high schooler and that will not help us to win.”

WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Alma College W, 5-4 MEN’S SWIMMING 1st out of 10 Liberal Arts Championships WOMEN’S SWIMMING 1st out of 10 Liberal Arts Championships MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD 7th out of 10 HCAC Indoor Championship WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD 10th out of 10 HCAC Indoor Championship

UPCOMING GAMES BASEBALL 3/2 vs. Albion University MEN’S TENNIS 3/3 @ Greenville College

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD 3/3 Ohio Weslyan Last Chance

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD 3/3 Ohio Weslyan Last Chance WOMEN’S TENNIS 3/10 @ Principia College

14

IN BRIEF HUBLER AUTOMOTIVE GROUP NAMED GRIZTV SPONSOR

The athletic department announced a new corporate sponsorship for GrizTV­—a student-led streaming service that allows students, faculty, staff and other fans to stream games.

The department is partnering with Hubler Automotive Group, an Indiana car dealership company. It will sponsor nearly 50 home games throughout the next year.

The athletic department will use the sponsorship to purchase new broadcasting equipment and hire more student workers for its broadcast network.

“The support provided by the Hubler group will help us take the next steps in this exciting platform that enables families, friends and alumni throughout the world to follow their favorite Grizzly teams,” Athletic Director Kerry Prather said in a statement.

“We are grateful to the Hubler family for their interest in Franklin College and this opportunity to expand student engagement in the area of sports broadcasting.”

GrizTV can be accessed at franklingrizzlies.com.

SWIMMING AND DIVING TEAMS CLAIM LIBERAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams closed out their 2017-2018 regular season Feb. 17 with Liberal Arts Championship titles.

The men’s team won its fifth consecutive Liberal Arts title by nearly 250 points over Nebraska Wesleyan University. The women’s team won its second championship by almost 400 points over Illinois Institute of Technology.

“This team knows how to win,” head coach Andrew Hendricks said in a statement. “We just swam seven championship days in the last nine, which is unheard of in this sport. Most collegiate swimmers are trying to peak in just three or four days, and we had to double that.”

Freshman Brynna Sentel was named the women’s swimmer of the year, and sophomore Jacob Keener won men’s diver of the year.

Hendricks won women’s coach of year, and assistant coach Dee Woods was honored as the men’s and women’s diving coach of Source: Franklin College Athletics

NON-ATHLETES USE SPURLOCK AMONG ATHLETES Students express challenges in being healthier, more active on campus DIONTE COLEMAN | STORY dionte.coleman@franklincollege.edu

More than 40 percent of the student body is comprised of student-athletes.

But the other 60 percent of students don’t have coaches and teammates motivating them to stay active and be healthy.

With limited training staff and workout equipment, it can be more challenging; however, some students still find a way to be healthy without being a college athlete.

Seniors Alex Harris, Annalise Lowry and Morgan Elkins consistently work out in Spurlock Center for various reasons. They share their insights on the campus’ facilities and how they try to stay fit.

Q: What are some challenges you face when it comes to exercising on campus?

Harris: The biggest challenge to exercising on campus is the facilities. The weight room or cardio equipment can become very crowded very quickly, and they are not maintained well, which deters a lot of people from going.

Lowry: Finding a partner to work out with on a regular basis can be challenging. It’s also difficult to do the workout I want to do when equipment I need to use is not always free. I also feel like I need more space sometimes when I am stretching and working out.

Elkins: It’s not a challenge, but more of a safety policy that has been a problem with my workout routine, which is being kicked out after midnight. Because my schedule is full, I do not have time to run during the day, so I run at night. Students can only be in Spurlock late if a coach is supervising. As a non-athlete, I do not have anyone to ask to stay later when I work out.

Q: How easy do you think it is to get advice on nutrition and fitness?

Harris: I think getting advice on exercising is very easy here on campus. Almost anyone in the weight room is willing to help to the best of their knowledge and ability. Nutrition is a little more difficult as many people do not have good information about it. My best advice is to do research on your own about different diets and to learn some basic

The weight room often gets too crowded for all students to exercise, senior Alex Harris said. JALEN DAVIS | PHOTO

information about nutrition.

Elkins: Non-athletes can feel awkward when asking for help in Spurlock, but most people there have actually been respectful.

I feel awkward when asking because when I see other people doing something that I don’t know, I feel like I should know it. However, when I have asked the student workers, they have been more than willing to help me.

Q: Do you think athletes have easier access to the limited fitness and exercising options the campus offers?

Harris: Yes, athletes do have an easier time—mostly because they are more comfortable going to exercise. Not as much is holding them back from going. I know some teams have designated times for players to sign up and exercise, which helps them out.

That being said, anyone on campus—athlete or not—can go exercise at any time unless the spaces are reserved.

Lowry: Exercising options are easy for everyone to access. Some people are embarrassed to work out in front of other people, and I wish those kinds of people had more motivation from others on campus. Know that it doesn’t matter where you are in the process because everybody deserves to be able to work out and feel good about the work they are putting forth, no matter what level they are on.

Responses have been edited for space and clarity.

15

The women’s swimming and diving team closed out its regular season with an undefeated record. The team is scheduled to compete in the first round of the NCAA Division III National Championship on March 21 at 10 a.m.

CATHERINE WARREN | SUBMITTED PHOTO

GRIZZLIES SNAG BACK-TO-BACK TITLES Women’s swimming, diving teams to compete in Indy tournament JADA JONES | STORY jada.jones@franklincollege.edu

The women’s swimming and diving team will compete in the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament later this month after coming out of an undefeated regular season.

On Feb. 11, the Grizzlies captured the championship title at the inaugural Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championship. The team edged second-place finisher Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Additionally, the Grizzlies were ranked 19 in a top 25 Division III poll released by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America.

Senior Amy McCormick said winning the HCAC championship felt amazing. Being nationally ranked proves how talented the team is, she said, and they’re being recognized for their accomplishments both in and out of the pool.

“It’s time for the girls’ team to be recognized,” McCormick said. “It’s always been the boys, but I think it’s time for the girls to actually shine, and I’m so proud of our girls’ team.”

Head coach Andrew Hendricks said there have been no changes to how the team is preparing for the NCAA Championship “We are doing a lot of the same stuff,” Hendricks said. “Now we are just doing it

more often.”

Hendricks said the team’s success this year is great, but the Grizzlies have had success over the last four years as well.

“

I feel like coming to Franklin and swimming has kept me on track and got me to do all the things that needed to be done to be successful in life.

SENIOR KARLEE DEMSEY

This season, the team has three seniors and 11 freshmen. Hendricks said the freshman class brings a great spirit and talent to the team. The freshmen are likely one of the reasons the swimming and diving team has had so much luck in their success, he said.

Some upperclassmen members said the freshmen make the team faster in competitions and work harder in practices.

“For having such a talented freshmen class, it has pushed me to work harder in

the pool,” McCormick said. “I actually care about the little details in practice.”

Hendricks described the program as a family. He said all the swimmers live together and do a lot of things outside of the pool together. Their individual families create a sense of one big family, too.

Senior Karlee Demsey said she is proud of how far the team has come throughout her four years at Franklin.

“Every season has its ups and downs and rollercoasters and sweat and tears,” Demsey said. “But when it comes to the end of the year, we all come together, and we all show out. It’s nice to see that.”

The team won its second Liberal Arts Championships Feb. 17. The Grizzlies took the lead on the first night of competition, winning by almost 400 points over Illinois Institute of Technology.

Demsey said swimming helped her throughout her time at the college.

“If I didn’t choose to go to Franklin to swim, I don’t even think I’d be able to graduate,” Demsey said. “I feel like coming to Franklin and swimming has kept me on track and got me to do all the things that needed to be done to be successful in life.”

The Grizzlies’ first round of competition for the NCAA tournament begins at 10 a.m. on March 21 in Indianapolis.

ERICA IRISH | COVER PHOTO ZOIE RICHEY | BACK PHOTO

LAST LOOK

JUDY YARNELL, STUDENT ACTIVITIES CENTER AND CAREER SERVICES ASSISTANT (LEFT); KRISTEN RING, RETENTION ASSISTANT (RIGHT) Yarnell and Ring sing along during the Gospel Explosion Tuesday. “Diversity and inclusion of any kind is wonderful,” Ring said. “But specifically, I enjoy different types of worship and being able to do that.”