NOV. 22, 2019 | THEFRANKLINNEWS.COM
A CALL to TEACH
ASPIRING TEACHERS FACE A REVISED EDUCATION PROGRAM PG. 5
COMBATING AN EPIDEMIC PG. 3
A WRITER’S MIND PG. 8
NEWS
“THE Q: Who was your childhood cartoon crush?
// OUR TEAM
“ WHO MAKES THE FRANKLIN?
Morgan Bryant Reporter “Shego.”
Gauge Creech Reporter “Candace Flynn.”
Quinn Fitzgerald Photo editor “Dimitri.”
Tabby Fitzgerald Reporter “Prince Charming.”
Executive editor Erica Irish erica.irish@franklincollege.edu Executive editor Emily Ketterer emily.ketterer@franklincollege.edu Opinion editor Carolina Puga Mendoza carolina.pugamendoza@franklincollege.edu
Emily Hales Design editor “Hercules.”
Erica Irish Executive editor “Professor Utonium.”
Emily Ketterer Executive editor “Peter Pan.”
Bridget Lindstrom Photographer “Aladdin.”
News editor Victoria Ratliff victoria.ratliff@franklincollege.edu Sports editor Hope Shrum hope.shrum@franklincollege.edu Copy chief Abrahm Hurt abrahm.hurt@franklincollege.edu
Ariana Lovitt Columnist “Dib Membrane.”
Haley Pritchett Reporter “Flynn Ryder.”
Carolina Puga Mendoza Opinion editor “Jack Frost.”
Victoria Ratliff News editor “Prince Eric.”
Photo editor Quinn Fitzgerald elizabeth.fitzgerald@franklincollege.edu Web editor Lacey Watt lacey.watt@franklincollege.edu Design editor Emily Hales emily.hales@franklincollege.edu
Alexa Shrake Columnist “Fred Jones.”
Hope Shrum Sports editor “Danny Phantom.”
Lacey Watt Web editor “Nick from Jimmy Nuetron.”
Taylor Wooten Reporter “Tarzan.”
GETTING IT RIGHT // NOV. 8 ISSUE •
In the editorial on page 10, Beth Ostendorf ’s title was misidentified as staff advisor to Student Congress and Franklin College’s Coordinator of Student Involvement. Her official title is Assistant Director of Student Involvement. In addition, Student Congress does not regularly confirm attendance at its monthly campus chat, but there is no specific reason for this choice. “So few students attend” was written in the original story.
Publisher John Krull jkrull@franklincollege.edu 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.
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JOHNSON COUNTY FACES DRUG EPIDEMIC
County prosecutor says substance use and dealing on the rise
VICTORIA RATLIFF | STORY victoria.ratliff@franklincollege.edu
A 10-year-old boy enters the Johnson County courthouse for a child welfare case with his aunt––his guardian––after his parents got caught up in drug use. He began to act out at home, and his aunt is now struggling to afford his care. This, Johnson County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Roesener said, is an example of the way he’s seen drugs affect the county. Drug-related cases, including theft, fill up his dockets, amounting to 75% of the cases he hears. Because of the number of deaths and the effect on families in the county, Roesener called drug use and dealing an epidemic in Johnson County. “You wouldn’t be getting this response if it wasn’t a really serious problem,” he said. “Every day it rips families apart in here.” Johnson County Prosecutor Joseph Villanueva said he’s seen an increase of drug use in the county during his time as Johnson County Chief Deputy and now as the prosecutor. On Halloween, Franklin Police Department along with the Johnson County Sheriff’s office executed 33 warrants and arrested 22 individuals in a roundup called ‘Operation Hocus Pocus’. Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess, said the sheriff’s office has recently shifted to executing roundups of around 30 people, as opposed to ones targeting up to 100 people. “I want those worked as quickly as possible,” Burgess said. “We’re really proactive with any drug cases that we have in Johnson County.” In November 2018, 120 people were charged with drug related charges, including
The Johnson County Courthouse, in downtown Franklin, is where the Circuit Court hears cases. LACEY WATT | PHOTO
dealing methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and other drugs. This was the biggest drug bust in the county’s history. And, earlier this year in April, 50 suspected drug dealers were targeted during another one of these roundups. Villanueva said many of the people involved were also dealing or selling drugs, and police used time between the warrants and arrests to collect other evidence. With so many arrests, the Johnson County Jail has been overflowing for years. In June 2019, Johnson County City Council and board of commissioners approved the raise of income taxes in the county to help fund the construction of a new wing on the Johnson County jail. Burgess said they also hope the expansion
INBRIEF STUDENTS TO EXHIBIT ARTWORK
Franklin College students from all levels of studio art classes will present the first of four student are exhibits from Monday, Dec. 2 to Monday, Dec. 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The showcase will be in the Branigin Atrium on the first floor of the Johnson Center for Fine Arts. All of the pieces will be from a selection of the students’ work from the fall semester. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
will allow space for the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office to offer classes and rehabilitation programs. Roesener, Villanueva and Burgess all agree that everyone can help prevent the increasing presence of drugs in the county. All three said unusual activity, even as small as knowing a car has been sifted through, should warrant a call to the local police department. Villanueva said the prosecutor’s office is ready to prosecute these cases harshly, but also get those facing drug addictions the help they need. Roesner said, “The betterment of the community is oftentimes served by saying ‘alright let’s get you some help and assistance.’”
INSTRUMENTAL AND CHORAL HOLIDAY CONCERT The Holiday Instrumental Concert will kick off the winter season for Franklin College instrumental students. The concert will be Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. Choral students will also have two performaces on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. A variety of holiday music will be performed at the events. The shows will be in the Clarence E. & Inez R. Custer Theatre in Old Main. The concert is open to the public and free of charge.
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NEW BUSINESS BRINGS FRESH DONUTS TO FRANKLIN Jack’s Donuts wants to cater to students, stick to tradition HALEY PRITCHETT | STORY haley.pritchett@franklincollege.edu
“All you need is love and donuts.” This is what the sign says on the wall inside the new Jack’s Donuts in Franklin. Walter Messersmith––the general manager of Jack’s Donuts in Franklin, Brownsburg, and Southport, Indiana––starts his day at 2:30 a.m. when he gets up and travels to Brownsburg to pick up the donuts for the day. He then drives back to Franklin, turns on the lights and begins to prepare for the store’s opening at 5 a.m. Messersmith starts by putting the donuts on display. Jack’s has 45 different types of donuts, all which are handmade overnight. They have all of the classic flavors like glazed donuts and tiger tails, but they also make Fruity Pebbles donuts and more. Messersmith says employees in Brownsburg begin making the donuts at 4 p.m. and do not finish until 5 a.m.. Walking into Jack’s, customers are greeted by bright purple walls and common areas where people can gather. The smell of coffee brewing and fresh donuts surrounds the company’s guests as they select a treat and stay to eat it. Jack’s is open until 8 p.m. which is unusual for most breakfast and donut places, Messersmith said. “We just found that people like to get donuts all throughout the day. Even if
The 45 types of donuts ofered at Jack’s Donuts are displayed in the front of the store. BRENDAN EVANS | PHOTO
it’s just as dessert or snack at night-time,” Messersmith said. Jack’s is also trying to appeal to college students with its later store hours. They are even expanding the shop to offer more seating and common areas. “We want college kids to come in and hang out and have a study place,”
The Jack’s logo, which can be seen on the entrance of the storefront and on the store’s boxes. BRENDAN EVANS | PHOTO
Messersmith said. There are 20 Jack’s locations across Indiana, and all create donuts based off the original recipe created in 1961 in New Castle, Indiana Although they stick to history when it comes to donuts, the Franklin Jack’s donuts are the first location to start offering homemade energy drinks. These incluee drinks made with green tea. Messersmith described the beverages as “healthy energy drinks.” Since its opening, locals have been lining up at the door for donuts. “So far it is going really well,” Messersmith said. “Our first week we sold out for the first five days.” Some people have been frustrated when they come in and all donuts are sold out. Messersmith recommended ordering online if you are coming in. He said if customers order online their order will be sitting on the counter for them as soon as they arrive. Messersmith said that the freshness and quality of their handmade donuts is something that set Jack’s Donuts apart from other shops and will keep them in business. He said, “As long as we offer good product and the community continues to come in, we’ll be here forever.”
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HEIGHTENED
STANDARDS Amid a ‘perfect storm’ of new rules, college staff and students turn to an education studies minor
ERICA IRISH & EMILY KETTERER | STORY QUINN FITZGERALD | PHOTO EMILY KETTERER | DESIGN
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ressed in a tie, collared shirt and khakis at 6:30 a.m., senior Adam Rector prepares to make his way out of the Napolitan Student Center to Whiteland Community High School. It’s a routine he’s used to now: It’s his sixth experience in the field working alongside a professional teacher. But this year, his last, it’s even more of a challenge. Next semester, he will have his own classroom. There, the aspiring high school history teacher hopes to help the young people in his charge ask big, real questions: “Are humans inherently good?” “Why do we have wars?” Where should he start? He can barely remember their names, after all. He only sees them once a week. Thanks to his time as a secondary education in history major, he said he’s ready to make sense of the complex reality that awaits him and his students. But the program he credits with giving him his confidence will soon disappear. Rector is one of the last students to complete the secondary major track at Franklin College. Department officials were forced to restructure the program last year once it lost its national accreditation. And drastic change is making itself known across many of Indiana’s private colleges and universities, introducing new burdens — and new opportunities — to future educators.
Class Notes Change first made itself known to Franklin College students in September 2018, when education department officials told students they could no longer offer a major in traditional secondary education. But the story began years prior, as the result of an evolving national conversation around how the next generation of teachers should be trained by colleges and universities. Deborah Seltzer-Kelly, chair of the education studies department at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, should know: She was there 15 years ago as the conversation unfolded. First, it was in whispers. Then, she and other education officials were traveling to Indianapolis to fight a proposal to adopt accreditation standards meant to “professionalize” undergraduate education programs. The state adopted new standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP) in 2017. Small colleges, then, had to show they could play by new rules to stay relevant. In particular, student recruitment and retention in secondary education licensure tracks began to receive additional scrutiny. Colleges who wished to offer traditional licensure programs had to demonstrate at least half their content areas—like math, English and social studies—were graduating at least 10 students each year. Franklin College did not meet this requirement, and officially notified the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) in March that its traditional secondary education program closed. As a replacement, the college originally planned to create a postbaccalaureate program for its secondary education students to receive a teaching license to work in Indiana schools. But IDOE rejected the 420-page plan in February—a move Franklin College did not expect. Lori Schroeder, provost and dean of the college, called the process a “perfect storm” of regulations that led to miscommunications, mix-ups and, in her words, a surprise. Without a traditional secondary education major program, the college could not offer a post-graduation option.
CLAIRE CASTILLO | PHOTO
IDOE Press Secretary Adam Baker provided documents outlining this reality, noting, “if the secondary education license areas are no longer recognized by the university as license options, Franklin College cannot offer a post-baccalaureate option.” But Baker said in a statement on behalf of IDOE “it was our impression there was no misunderstanding of what was expected.” Baker also said the department requested the college stop advertising the education program that was not approved, which the document highlighted was still advertised on
Franklin College’s website in the spring. However, thanks to the creativity of David Moffett, the college’s education department chair, Schroeder said the college is equipped to thrive.
A New Path
With help from Moffett, department faculty developed an education studies minor to take the place of the secondary education major. At least 27 students were enrolled in the minor at the time of this publication. Any student can enroll in the minor, but for students interested in teaching, it remains a key pathway to practical field experiences.
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The previous program’s semester reserved for student teaching, however, will no longer be managed by Franklin College. Students who wish to receive a full semester of classroom experience will now have to do so through a separate program managed by St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana. St. Mary-of-the-Woods is another small college that had to give up its secondary education program accreditation three years ago due to low enrollment. Students in education now complete a content-area major and a similar education studies minor. However, the college was able to keep its long-standing “transition to teaching” program. This is a pathway for teacher licensure after students complete an undergraduate degree, said Wendy Walter, chair of the education department at St. Mary-of-theWoods and a former Franklin College education professor. Franklin College students should graduate in seven semesters with a major in a content area—like history, math, art, physics and more—and a minor in education studies. The semester after graduation will be spent student teaching with the program at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. With the program, students must complete two seminars at the St. Maryof-the-Woods campus in Terre Haute. One will take place before student teaching and one will be in the middle of the semester, Walter said. The seminars will go over topics such as how to obtain a teaching license from IDOE and CPR training, which all Indiana teachers are required to receive. These students will still have a degree
with Franklin College and just have to receive a license through St. Mary-ofthe-Woods. Students will also be able to teach in schools near the college.
Ahead of the Curve Although the new minor may pose uncertainties, there are also benefits. For one, the new pathway creates opportunities for students to specialize in teaching areas that weren’t previously available, such as the arts, journalism, business and computer science. “The flexibility of the minor, I think, will make this program a great one for the college,” said sophomore Andy McFarland, one of the first students enrolled in the education studies minor. McFarland grew up in Orleans, a southern Indiana town of less than 2,000 people. He hopes to have his own classroom one day to share his passion for history with students. And while he calls himself a “trial student” in the program, he’s not afraid of the outcomes. Officials at Wabash College are hopeful, too. Many of their students are finding opportunities to teach through alternative pathways like Teach for America and Indianapolis Teaching Fellows, Seltzer-Kelly said. But can Franklin College’s education studies minor appeal to enough incoming students? Junior Brandon Eades, one of the last students on the old secondary education major track, said there are many factors that have led him away from K-12 education. But inconsistencies in scheduling his English content area classes with his education major—on the old track, at least—have only dissuaded him more.
As he progressed through the old curriculum, he was met with a dilemma: His core English classes were held the same time as required education classes. Unless his adviser could convince the English department to let him take classes out of order, Eades wouldn’t be able to finish in four years. Although he managed to create the schedule he needed, he still isn’t confident in a career in education. So this semester, Eades pulled out of his Wednesday field experience at a local school and is now considering a move away from the college’s education department altogether. Although the college offered to let him switch to the education studies minor, he declined. He didn’t find the program robust, nor did he find it was something that fit popular career options. “Saying you’re a minor in educational studies is not necessarily what you need,” Eades said. “I don’t think it’s attractive to incoming students...It’s just an unfortunate route this has taken.” While Moffett said the new program is certainly less than what it was, he and Schroeder said it offered a middle ground to troubling times. The college, after all, considered doing away with secondary education altogether, Schroeder said. That, Schroeder said, would have been a disservice to the students like Rector, McFarland and Eades — and to those following in their footsteps to enter Indiana’s education landscape. “While it seems harder and harder for us to keep our accreditation, there is a deep need for good teachers in Indiana,” Schroeder said. “It just doesn’t compute that there are all these hurdles and obstacles.”
LESSON PLANS, REVISED 2017
The college learns it will lose accreditation for its secondary education program due to new enrollment standards.
Fall 2018 First-year students are told they can no longer major in secondary education.
February 2019 Franklin College’s postbaccalaureate proposal declined by IDOE.
March 2019 FC offcially closes its traditional secondary education major program.
August 2019 The current education studies minor teacher pathway is approved.
a look
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within
Being a mother is more than what it brings, but it’s also what it takes away CAROLINA PUGA MENDOZA | STORY
BRIDGET LINDSTORM | PHOTOS
TABBY FITZGERALD | DESIGN
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n a hot summer day, a television is heard in the background playing the newest cartoons. But, a child watching them isn’t in sight. Instead, a young Callista Buchen can be found reading her favorite books, learning and flourishing her love for reading. Callista Buchen is assistant professor of English at Franklin College. She grew up in the chilly city of Neenah, Wisconsin. At her house, creativity was pushed and encouraged which allowed her to blossom into the writer she is today. According to her sister, Sarah Kearney, her parents had framed poems made by Callista hung on the wall. Kearney knew Callista Buchen was going to write a book since she always loved reading and writing. Callista Buchen has since published two chapbooks. Her most recent,“Look, Look, Look,” is her first published book of poetry and was released in October. The inspiration for the book came from an essay she wrote back in 2012, discussing her pregnancy with her daughter. Callista Buchen said that when she became a mother, it wasn’t like people said it was going to be. She felt like no one talked about what you lose when becoming a parent. She said “[she] felt betrayed by the sisterhood.” “I felt very invisible, as a new parent in the world. Like people just couldn’t see me anymore, I felt erased,” she said. While writing the book, she took care of her two kids Audrey, 8, and Fred, 5, studied for her doctorate and worked as a full-time professor. It was an overwhelming time, and the poems reflect what it was like for her. “During that time, because it was my whole life, it was really hard to see beyond that world. The home, and beyond the world of being a parent,” Callista Buchen said. “The reason the poems are so intensely engaged with mothering and parenting it’s because it reflects the intensity of that period.” Her poems were brief at the beginning. Short paragraphs explaining whatever was happening at that movement. She would write it on her phone and then come back
to revise it and polish it. When Callista Buchen took a class in graduate school, she wrote about pregnancy but she received negative feedback. People who read her work told her it was a woman’s topic and that being a mother wasn’t a “valid type of writing” since it was inclusive to women, but she was ready to refute that. The draft of the book took about six months to complete and for two and a half years it went under multiple revisions. During spring break of 2017, Callista Buchen worked on the draft every day, full time. She laid long rows of paper across the hallway of JCFA and looked at it from multiple angles. She was alone then, no students and no teachers to make a sound. She would repeat the same practice at her house, where her husband would be her first reader and help her discuss about the draft. It wasn’t until September 2017 when she signed the contract to publish the book. Noah Buchen, her husband, was her first reader and main supporter. They are high school sweethearts and he learned about her passion for writing the moment they connected. After being together for 20 years, Callista Buchen keeps surprising him with her devotion to self-growth. “I don’t know anybody else that’s so committed to improving and she believes in practicing and getting better and she’s so confident that she will get better at whenever she takes on,” Noah Buchen said. Her colleague, Susan Crisafulli, chair of the English Department, has worked with her for five years. Crisafulli said Callista Buchen pays attention to the smallest details. “I like how reflective she is about the small moments in life and I think that’s the poet in her coming out,” Crisafulli said. “She’s just so good at coming up with a deep and meaningful thought about that thing and how important it is in the grand scheme of life,”
Crisafulli, like other readers, felt connected to the poems, as a mother and writer herself. “I haven’t necessarily felt this type of grief, but she describes it in such a way that I know it, that I understand what this grief like, I can picture it, I can almost feel it. And that’s what I mean that her words are magical,” Crisafulli said. Buchen, in a dim lighted office filled with books and children’s drawings, sits writing as inspiration comes and goes. She does not have specific plans to where she will take the next set of poems. And she doesn’t know what path the poems will take in the long run, but she is open to whatever direction. “You should try to be like her,” Noah Buchen said. “I think she’s really awesome, especially when it comes to personal growth and just really believing in yourself and being in focus.”
OPINION
EDITORIAL | STUDENT MEDIA IS A PATHWAY
Student newspapers often faced with difficult coverage decisions It is important to remember the purpose of student journalism and the opportunities it provides for students and audiences alike. THE FRANKLIN EDITORIAL BOARD
When the opportunity to report on a controversial topic arises for a journalist, it can be a two-way street in terms of how they choose to approach it. Deciding not to write about a touchy event can seem like a safe route to avoid harsh criticism. Writing about controversial topics—even if they are worthwhile in the public dialogue—can sometimes be the catalyst for disaster. The staff of The Daily Northwestern, the student newspaper at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, recently faced this dilemma and the consequences of a choice gone wrong. When former Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke on campus, some students were compelled to protest this event because of his Republican views. When the protest started to heat up and police officers had to stop some students, The Daily Northwestern sent reporters to cover the event, knowing that students would want to know the full story. A routine process for the newspaper is to attend events, get interviews and write a comprehensive story. Despite the reporters doing their job
ethically, the choice to publish the story and photos of protesters on Twitter caused discomfort among student activists and led the Daily to issue an apology addressing the issue. When the apology faced backlash, Troy Closson, editor-in-chief for the paper, took to Twitter to issue a follow-up. “There’s a lot that I could talk about, but first want to say that we covered the protest to its full extent and stand by our reporting,” Closson tweeted. “Our statement addressed some legitimate areas of growth we noticed in our reporting but also over-corrected in others.” The apology, which seemed to be more trouble than it was worth, seemed unnecessary due to the nature of the reporting. But as student journalists, we understand. Pulliam School of Journalism Director John Krull, also understands both sides of the apology. As publisher of The Franklin and a professional journalist himself, he said the students at Northwestern were not wrong to cover the story as they did. “I don’t think the apology was a good idea, but I applaud the fact that these young college journalists were wrestling with what is the right thing to do here,” Krull said. “The Daily Northwestern had every legal right to do what they did. Nothing they did was illegal or unethical.” Reporters for the Daily used a phone book to text student protesters and ask for
The Daily Northwestern “We recognize that we contributed to the harm students experienced at the Sessions event, and we wanted to apologize for and address the mistakes that we made that night — along with how we plan to move forward.”
Eric Bradner There’s no better time to screw up and learn from it than in college –– though this all shows it’s much harder now than it was when I was in school. Source: Twitter
interviews. The reporters did their jobs ethically, but it caused students to feel uncomfortable. Reporters from The Franklin use a similar search method on MyFC to find student’s emails and other information. It’s one of few ways we can complete our tasks as journalists and get ahold of sources. Part of the job of a journalist is coldcalling people who we may have never talked to before we started the assignment. Professional journalists from all over the nation have commented about the Daily’s apology, calling it “unnecessary” and “inexperienced.” Eric Bradner, a national political reporter for CNN and a Franklin College alumnus, said he believes the apology was an example of a valuable learning experience for student journalists. “There’s no better place to make mistakes and learn from them than college,” he said. “When you mess up, there are going to be consequences. The Northwestern students took this in stride and came out from it in a thoughtful place that prepares them for the future and challenges like this.” Readers need to know that journalism has a code of ethics, which is a set of guidelines outlining proper and fair reporting. To a college journalist, this is something they know very well, so explaining these guidelines to future interviewees could be beneficial to prevent misunderstandings. We understand why The Daily Northwestern felt the need to apologize. The Franklin is a student-led paper that is in charge of providing truthful stories. Our challenge is that we are still students learning about this career. We are in college because we want to be better. Our staff often debates whether a story is worth the trouble. We weigh our options and decide what to do next. The Daily Northwestern suffered the consequences of running a story. Although they are students and not paid professionals, they did their best to handle it as professionally as they could. The Franklin reached out to the editorial staff of The Daily Northwestern by email and phone, but there was no response received in time for this editorial. This is a reminder to our school community that The Franklin cares about the college. We try our best to carefully monitor and edit each story before the final print editions are out on newsstands. But when mistakes happen, we can learn from them, chart a path to improve and discuss next steps as a community.
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UP ON THE HILL | BLOCKING ABORTION BILLS
The fight for safe, basic healthcare is ongoing for women across the nation This past May, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill that almost completely banned abortion. The Human ALEXA SHRAKE Life Protection Act stated that if a doctor was to perform an abortion in the state of Alabama, they would be committing a Class A felony and sentenced to life in prison. There is an exception for women who would be at risk of serious life-threatening health conditions, but not in cases of rape or incest. Bills like these are stripping women of their basic healthcare needs. Without safe, regulated abortions, many women look to sharp objects or drugs to force the unwanted pregnancy out. Many women have different views on the topic. Although sophomore Abigail Davis said she’s against abortion, she respects women’s choices. “I do not believe abortion is the best option,” Davis said. “However, if a woman wished to have an abortion that is her
decision, not mine” In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roe v. Wade and said that if any state passed a law banning abortions, it would be unconstitutional. This precedent made it possible for women to have access to safe abortions. However, there are many states still trying to ban abortions. This past May, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill called the “heartbeat bill,” banning abortion as early as six weeks. Yet, most women do not know they are pregnant until five or six weeks. When adults are determined brain-dead, but still have a heartbeat, family members are given the choice to unplug the patient from support machines. If that’s the case, why do lawmakers worry so much about a fetus with a heartbeat and no brain, while they are not blinking an eye at an adult with a heartbeat and no working brain? Limiting the access to safe and legal abortions will only make it more common for women to take an alternative option. Abortions in Indiana are legal. They can be performed by a doctor during the first trimester. But first, a woman must have an
ultrasound and then wait 18 hours before the procedure. The Indiana abortion law makes sure the woman is aware of the decision she has made and gives her time if she wants to back out. According to The Washington Post, 638,169 abortions were performed across the country in 2015, the most recent year in which data are available. The decision to get an abortion is not an easy one for any woman. Many women are forced to get an abortion by their family or significant other, or because of situations like rape or incest. Like many health procedures, abortions pose a range of side effects. According to the National Health Service, the United Kingdom state-run health provider, abortion can contribute to infection of the womb, abdominal pain, nausea and excessive bleeding, among other problems. But the risks increase when unsafe abortions are conducted. These will occur more often if a woman’s right to abort is taken away, leaving her with no other choice. Abortion is a basic healthcare procedure that should be provided for everyone.
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT | RESILIENT HAWAII
Native islanders continue decades-long mission to retain identity More than 100 people gathered at the base of Mauna Kea in Hawaii on July 17 to protest plans for the ISAAC GLEITZ construction of a telescope, reports Honolulu Civil Beat, news site that covers Hawaiian public affairs. The government spent over $10 million in protest response, according to local news source Hawaii News Now. By the end of the protest, according to The New York Times, 38 native elders were arrested for blocking the access road to the peak. Mauna Kea was chosen as the telescope site for its low humidity and high elevation, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an online publisher for science research. The telescope, 30 meters in diameter, is funded by academic institutions in the U.S., Japan, China, India and Canada, reports TMT International Observatory, a website for the partnership. AAAS finds that natives object to
construction because the mountain is sacred land, historically reserved for priests. Natives say it’s where the sky god Wakea met with the earth goddess Papahānaumokuākea. Sarah Mordan-McCombs, head of the natural sciences department and professor of biology, spent her childhood in Oahu. She said Hawaiians don’t oppose science — just the proposed telescope location. “Saying, ‘It’s just a mountain,’ is like saying, ‘your essence… is rooted in nothing,” McCombs said. McCombs said that land is integral to Hawaiian culture, and Mauna Kea is the key symbol of their people. Mccombs said most people view Hawaii as a vacation spot and can go there without thought of the past. Yet the culture is rich, and the roots of oppression go deep. There’s a “chronic lack of equality,” McCombs said. She said that when Europeans landed in Hawaii, they treated the natives as savages and decimated traditional culture. Rev. Hannah Adams Ingram, Franklin College’s chaplain, said the elders who blocked the road inspire her. They put
their bodies on the line — something most wouldn’t do. Issues are easy to understand through our lens, Ingram said. Native Hawaiians value land, while Christians value worship structures. She added that we often dismiss unfamiliar religions as folklore. Ingram said protests are revealing. When authority figures spend money, it can mean that they are nervous. Nicole Dular, professor of philosophy at Franklin spoke of a way to bridge our separation from the situation. She said we should consider a relevant analogy. If the proposed site for the telescope was The Vatican, she concluded, people would get upset. Dular said a central factor of justice is who’s benefiting. “You want to make sure the benefits and the burdens end up being equally distributed across social groups,” Dular said. Well, that’s not the case here. Hawaiian natives are the only ones who would suffer from telescope construction; they’re cornered. Surely, we can put the telescope somewhere else.
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TUNE IN | THE SOUNDS OF A NEW SEASON
The ways that seasons affect what music is in your ears and why it matters The days are growing shorter and the sun seems to be shy. Finals are creeping up and with that PIPER GAUL comes stress and less time to do things you enjoy. Because of this, upbeat songs feel out of touch and almost annoying. Winter is a time for new, sadder songs to hit the airwaves. Because of the demand for the bops to be a bit bluer, artists that lean toward sadder music often release content around the winter months. With seasonal depression set to affect 10 million Americans this year alone, according to the American Family Physician, many of us will be looking for songs that say “it’s grey outside, and I’m here to let you cry about it.” Senior Jackie List, whose taste in music stays pretty consistent year-round, said that
she even gets bummed out by the weather. “[Sometimes the season bothers me] because I enjoy being active and being able to freely go from place to place,” List said. “It’s hard sometimes, though, because I don’t like being cold.” So, while “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi plays and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” is queued up, maybe take a moment to think about the way we use seasons to determine taste. During the summer, there’s a rush for artists to put out songs that all compete for the title of “Top Summer Jam.” These are the songs you want to sing with the windows down. Songs like the Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker” and “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo work best with sunshine and confidence. In the winter, while we have the obvious holiday albums, there are the few albums that come out with the intentions of being very vulnerable and emotional. The 1975, a band that has a few genres under their belt but are usually described as indie pop and
alternative, released their album “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” in late November 2018. They are considered a very emotional band that deals with a lot of sensitive topics that don’t seem appropriate for the summertime. Without incredibly loyal fans, poor timing could cost an artist severely. This is why so many musicians decide to release content in the summer. It is easier to guarantee that a catchy beat will be enough to make a song popular. By putting out music in the winter, an artist is trusting people to genuinely connect with the lyrics and tone set in the songs. It’s riskier, and there are not many examples of artists who are willing to do it. With winter fast approaching, music that makes us feel warm and comfortable is important. Artists who happily release music like that at this time of the year are the type of musicians that are not just in it for the fame or money. They want to create a feeling. That’s what music is about.
STUDENTS FACED WITH A GLASS HALF EMPTY
The truth about alcohol poisoning and how to keep your friends safe How much is a life worth? This is not often a question students ask while they are out partying on the HALEY weekends, but PRITCHETT maybe it should be. One night senior Kendall Hovis, a former Resident Assistant, walked into a lounge and found a student passed out in a chair. Someone had brought the resident back from a party and just left him there. Alone. His alcohol levels were so high he was near death. When Hovis approached the student, he was exhibiting signs of alcohol poisoning. Eventually, the student was taken to the hospital. If it had not been for Hovis’s intervention, he could’ve died. Although the student should’ve been more responsible with drinking, there is also something to be said for the friends who abandoned him in the lounge. When someone has alcohol poisoning, it is frightening. Director of Security Steve Leonard said when you are a witness you must use good judgment, even if you are intoxicated yourself.
It is better to be prepared for these types of situations than trying to figure it out while it’s happening. First, it is important to understand the signs someone will show when they have alcohol poisoning. Some signs include mental confusion, vomiting while sleeping, seizures or irregular breathing. If any of these things occur, call 9-1-1 immediately, and then notify the Franklin College security officer on duty. They can be contacted for extra help at 317-738-8888. If students do not see any of these signs but are still nervous and want a second opinion, they are encouraged to call the security officer on duty for assistance. Hovis also said that RAs can be helpful in these situations because they are trained for this. If students are intoxicated themselves and under 21, they should not let the fear of getting in trouble keep them from helping. In Indiana, the LifeLine Law protects underage individuals from crimes such as public intoxication or underage consumption when they bring in law enforcement to help save a friend’s life during a crisis. Although Franklin College does not have a similar policy, Leonard is confident it should not be a barrier for students. “Our message is to always call to get
someone help,” Leonard said. “It’s very unlikely that someone is going to be held accountable for violating college policy if they, in a good faith effort, were attempting to help a friend that was in need.” Leonard pushes that students should always call when they are in doubt of someone’s overall safety. “I would rather have a false alarm than my friend not wake up the next morning,” he said. Leonard acknowledges that alcohol is the drug of choice on every college campus and that some students choose to drink when they are not yet 21-years-old. “We don’t want that to happen, but we know that it does,” Leonard said. “So, when it does, we want students to make responsible good choices about alcohol consumption, whether they are 21 or not.” Leonard recommended some tips to avoid alcohol overdose. Limiting the number of drinks, avoiding shots, and consuming beverages at a slow pace are all tactics that can help you avoid danger. But perhaps most important, we should remember alcohol poisoning can happen to anyone around you. Be responsible, be safe.
SPORTS
CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS WRAP UP SEASON Brumfield, Gregory finish strong at conference championships
ZACH ROBERTS | STORY zachary.roberts@franklincollege.edu
The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams competed in their last race of the season at the regional meet in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Nov. 16. The men’s team placed 29 out of 34 teams, while the women placed 31st. During this meet, senior Clayton Brumfield finished his collegiate career in 33rd, receiving all-region honors for the first time. The weekend prior, they traveled to Laverne Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana, where they competed in the 2019 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship meet. The men’s team finished fifth out of nine teams, and the women placed sixth. For the men, Brumfield’s fifth place finish earned him a spot on the all-conference team. Brumfield ran an 8k time of 27:01.1. This is his fourth career all-conference award. He has successfully finished in the top-eight in all four conference championships he’s competed in. “I’m definitely happy that I’ve accomplished some of my goals since I’ve been here,” he said. On the women’s side, freshman Angel
Gregory finished 13 out of 61 scored runners and was listed as an all-conference honorable mention athlete, one spot shy of the all-conference team. She ran the 6k race in a time of 25:31.1. Gregory was also only one spot behind winning the league’s Freshman of the Year award, placing second amongst all freshmen in the conference. “It was a surprise,” she said. “It’s just nice to know I’m already off to a good start. I want to move up each year.” She is looking to improve her 25th place spot on the program’s all-time top-25 list. Head Cross Country Coach Brandon Dworak said he was happy with where the teams finished. Last year the men’s team placed fifth in conference, and the goal was to reach that again, which they did. When it came to the women, he said the group improved from their seventh-place finish last year. He added that the women’s team is extremely young, having seven freshmen. “Angel was kind of the surprise of the group,” Dworak said. “She’s taken a mon-
ster jump in the first few months she’s been here. She’s kind of the silent leader of the girls’ team.”
Freshman Jaycee Wilburn and senior Adam Rector run in Grizzly Park. BRITTANY APP | PHOTO
GRIZZLIES PREPARE TO STORM THE COURT Women’s basketball is on track for more success than last year GAUGE CREECH | STORY gauge.creech@franklincollege.edu
The Franklin College Women’s Basketball team was recently chosen to finish fifth in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament by league coaches. This is an improvement from last year, when the team finished eighth in the conference with a record of 6-12. When asked about what kept them from placing higher last season, Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dana Haggenjos, sophomore Britney Ballard, and sophomore Jessica Nix all said the team was very young. With only one junior and one senior, the team was a majority of newcomers who had to learn to play as a team. “Our youth showed in those games,” Haggenjos said. “We need to use and learn from the experiences we had last year and put those to use this year.” So far, the team has had two scrimmag-
es. Nix said that the first scrimmage was a struggle, simply because it was very early in the season. With only five practices to prepare, it was very sudden. The second scrimmage went much better, according to Nix. “We looked and played like more of a team than we did last year,” she said. One major thing a team has are goals, and all three had large but achievable goals. Ballard’s main goal is to finish in the top of the conference. “I would love to win the conference tournament and make it to the NCAA tournament,” she said. “That is my ultimate goal.” Haggenjos said she has a goal as well. “Obviously I am hoping to do better than last season,” she said. “We lost multiple games by single digits, and my goal is to
turn those over to our favor.” Haggenjos also wants to get back into the conference tournament. She said that they have to put more pressure on themselves this year because they know what they are capable of. “If we maintain our focus, I know it can be done,” she said. Nix also wants the team to make it to conference, but she had a couple of other ideas for the team as well. She wants to work on being a team, and teamwork in general. She wants to be able to handle tough games and situations as a unified team as well. The women’s season kicks off on Nov. 22, when they travel to Ohio to take on the Wilmington Quakers. Their first home game is at 5 p.m Nov. 27 against Olivet College.
A CHANGE
IN THE PLAY
Former football player Jack Rogers finds new passion in videography after having to leave the sport
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hen doctors strongly advised senior Jack Rogers to stop playing football in the middle of his junior year, he felt lost. Jack had been playing football for about 13 years and sustained two concussions, both during his time at Franklin College. “It was definitely hard to watch,” said Liam Kahn, a Butler University student and childhood friend of Rogers. “He was trying to find his identity after that.” The end of this era meant Rogers needed to find something new — something to feel as passionate about as he did football. As an avid fan of YouTube creators, his first idea was to begin vlogging. He was inspired by YouTuber KSI’s change from a gamer to a professional boxer and wanted to do a similar video with himself turning his football-built figure into that of a swimmer. He began a YouTube channel based around this idea, but his plans derailed when he injured his arm while swimming. “I ended up hurting my arm and not being able to swim anymore,” he said. “I was swimming, like, four hours a day to try to lose weight.” Before deciding to give videography a try, Rogers had little experience beyond a photography class he took second semester of his freshman year as a requirement. “I got a B- in it and I was like the worst in the class,” Rogers said. “I was just trying to take pictures and I was like, ‘This is dumb.’” From hours and hours of tutorials and some help from his friend, video company CEO Blaine Fuhs, Rogers developed knowledge that spanned from skills as basic as operating his camera to how to edit clips. Based on what he learned, Rogers decided freelance videography might be a better fit than YouTube. “I think that senior year, in August, I went into it trying to be a YouTuber, and the more I watched about the videography part, I’m like,
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‘I think I wanna do freelance, that looks a lot more fun,’” Rogers said. Fuhs, a videographer and former Franklin student who left to pursue his dreams in Los Angeles, has been a key resource for Rogers. Fuhs is also the director and editor of his start-up company Fuhs Video & Fuhs Video Corporate. “We’ve always been friends, but over the course of the past year I’ve been guiding him in a sense,” said Fuhs. “Just on how to grow, how to get better, how to make it a business.” With Fuhs’ help and his self-taught skills, Roger’s business grew rather quickly. “When it started out, I was supportive, but at first I thought it would be something that would last about a month, but he really invested his time in it,” said Kahn. He and Rogers met through the friendships of their parents and grandparents. While he hasn’t been able to put back on his helmet and pads, Rogers still enjoys doing videography work for football. In fact, he sought out those opportunities. Over the summer he emailed the coach of every football team within a two-hour radius of his hometown of Broad Ripple, offering to work for them. A response from Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School’s coach turned into one of his favorite gigs. “Out of all the [responses] I got, Brebeuf had the clearest vision,” Rogers said. “I really liked the way the coach talked and how he was like, ‘I really wanna portray what Brebeuf football is all about.’ So, it was one of those things where I was like ‘I’m in, 100%.’” Rogers created a video to capture the
Jack Rogers
TAYLOR WOOTEN | STORY
I think he’s grown a lot as a person from that experience. It taught him about life and how to approach it.” LIAM KAHN, CHILDHOOD FRIEND
team’s atmosphere so that the players had something to look back on that showcased their time playing Brebeuf football. He did not get paid for the experience and said he doesn’t want to be paid to shoot football. “I’d describe it as more of like a passion thing,” he said. “I’ve been doing, like, weddings, business things, and that’s paid. But the football, it’s just it makes me a lot happier to edit it and things like that than the actual ones where you get a little money.” Along with Brebeuf, Rogers has also filmed for Lawrence North High School and Anderson University. While he thoroughly enjoys being able to be back on the field, there’s a certain pain that comes from not being a player anymore. “It was cool to kind of be a part of that brotherhood again, but it just felt different,” Rogers said. He also said that it was bittersweet because he had a camera rather than a helmet, but he ultimately knows it’s best for him. Rogers’s growth and change are evident to those close to him. According to Kahn, his struggles after having to quit football shaped who he is as a person. “I think he’s grown a lot as a person from that experience,” he said. “It taught him about life and how to approach it.” Rogers’ content can be found on his YouTube channel “Inscapevids” and on his Facebook page Jack Rogers.
YOU TUBE
BRIDGET LINDSTROM | DESIGN
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Inscapevids
TABBY FITZGERALD | PHOTOS
LAST LOOK CHRIS TROTTER, CHAINSAW ARTIST
On the Dame Mall ellipse, Trotter carves a bear out of wood Nov. 11. “I’m from Nashville, Indiana and started as a finished carpenter,” Trotter said. “When the housing market crashed, there was no work to do so I went to Nashville and opened up a shop there 13 years ago.” While Trotter was working on the carving, students were able to stop and watch while drinking cups of hot chocolate.
QUINN FITZGERALD | COVER PHOTO BRIDGET LINDSTROM | BACK PHOTO