The Politics Issue: Volume 112, Issue 2

NOTE FROM EDITOR HANNAH DIGGS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When brainstorming theme ideas for the November issue of The Profile, my mind kept coming back to the momentous importance of midterm elections. With Hendrix’s emphasis on civic engagement, I thought The Profile should delve into the idea of engaged citizenship beyond that one class we all have to take freshman year. This issue also handles what that means in this election cycle. This issue takes on engaged citizenship at Hendrix, as it recounts recent events in Hendrix’s Student Senate as well as a rundown of what Student Senate actually does. This issue also delves into engaged citizenship beyond Hendrix, as it gives careful attention to issues that were on the ballot in Arkansas in the 2022 election, as well as statewide struggles with library funding and censorship. In short, “The Politics Issue” takes on civic engagement from the most zoomed in perspective and expands out.

One thing that I appreciate about Hendrix is the emphasis it places on interdisciplinarity. I came into Hendrix planning to be a politics major but found English and history to be more up my alley. Despite this decision, I have still had the same opportunity to become engaged in activism and political engagement as if I were planning to make a career of it. Advocacy is woven into our community.

While Hendrix has a culture that promotes civic engagement, not all students participate in political matters with the same level of enthusiasm. That’s why I chose to devote this November issue to be a space to inform on political matters. I hope this issue will start conversations that lead to action. That action could be voting, attending a protest, or supporting an organization or politician that you believe can enact change. We all know that Hendrix students can talk their way through a discussion-based class about the issues, but can we actually show up for the issues with the same passion?

Have a question, response, or inquiry?

You can reach us anytime at diggshm@hendrix.edu.

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OBAMA POST PRESIDENCY COLM SIMMONS | STAFF WRITER

Since his time as President of the United States, Barack Obama has moved on to explore his true passion: formulating playlists. But that’s not all he has to offer, the former president has continued to be outspoken about the issues affecting the nation like LGBTQ+ rights, gun violence, and voter registration. Pres. Obama is most active on his Instagram account, loaded with infographics and candid shots of him and Michelle Obama looking gorgeous at different war monuments. He tries his best to keep to himself, which is a difficult in the age of social media. We’ve seen pictures on the beach and anniversary photo shoots that have solidified Obama’s place as the most admired man and the second sexiest president by the Huffington Post and Washington Post respectively.

One can’t talk about Obama without mentioning Michelle. The iconic first lady and now best-selling author has been with Obama through thick and thin and could reasonably be argued as being the sole reason for Pres. Obama’s likeability. The pair have continued to inspire countless of couple goal pictures and remain a beacon of black love. A large part of Pres. Obama’s legacy is the relationship with his long-time partner Michelle and that is still prevalent in is life after presidency. Together they’ve been living their lives as one powerful unit experiencing as much joy as they possibly can vacationing in Hawaii. Michelle’s ability to capture the world’s attention without the help of her husband further showcases the public’s love for the couple as well as the individual.

After stepping into Michelle’s shadow as her book Becoming Michelle took off, the politician turned house husband has turned his attention to family. Once all the formalities of handing over his position to his successor Pres. Donald Trump and finishing up his award-winning memoir, the former president immediately headed for the Bahamas. For Obama, 2017 was the start of something new and the continuation of his renowned summer playlists, the first of which was released in 2016. Although his foundation has continued to spotlight the next generation of societal leaders, Obama has turned his focus to long walks on the beach. His shirtless pictures from a paddle-board ride in Hawaii sparked quite a discussion back in 2021. He captured the world’s mind with his emphasis on family values, inclusion, the economy, and diversity and captured the world’s heart with his salt and pepper hair, warm smile, and powerful biceps.

The new wave of constant coverage and social media becoming an everyday part of our lives opens up the concept of celebrity as people with zero connections to the entertainment industry amass millions of followers. Obama has remained an influential figure to this day, regardless of being an active president or not, but the details of his life that the public has access to mimic that of a personality similar to Bella Hadid, i.e. they’re so unattainable but sought after that people would go crazy over a picture of them grocery shopping. Obama is an enigma whose close proximity to the public along with his highly private lifestyle has created a vacuum of information. People want to know who Obama is outside of his role as president because he doesn’t streamline his personal life with the public, we are left with nothing but crumbs.

Obama has also been able to hold on tight to the “cool dad”

image because of his “It girl” daughters Malia and Sasha Obama. The pair are educated, mysterious, and beautiful and are either as private or even more so than their father. Growing up as the president’s daughters put them both in the public eye at a very young age. Both women have solidified their claim to the “It girl” status. Malia Obama makes headlines for smoking cigarettes, her new DJ boyfriend, 2000s style, and sipping champagne poolside. While Sasha Obama is shot by the paparazzi while walking to class in a crop top and Telfar bag. The two are trendy and relatable which adds to their father’s Gen-Z appeal by association. When he’s not narrating for an Emmy award-winning nature documentary or being interviewed by David Letterman and Prince Harry, Obama is voicing his love for music, literature, and film. The summer of 2016 Pres. Obama released his first playlist and took the world by storm. It was mostly filled with classic songs from the former president’s young adult life but as the years went on, we saw him grow increasingly interested in the music of the now. Obama’s playlists started to feature artists like Lizzo, Tems, Mitski, SZA, Summer Walker, Frank Ocean, and Rosalia who all have a large Gen-Z fanbase. Now is this just a tactic to keep Obama relevant to the younger crowd, who knows, but it’s working either way. Later he ventured into releasing book, movie, and tv recommendations that also seem to seek connections with young people like Little Women (2019), Booksmart, and “Fleabag”. The latter sparked some controversy because of an intimate scene involving the main character and a video of Obama delivering a speech. All in all, Obama has managed to capture the public’s attention because of his love for the arts.

Obama is a standout among other presidents; for the history he’s made, as the leader he was, and the time period during his presidency. There’s a warm feeling of nostalgia surrounding former president Obama, he was president when Vine and Musically were still going strong and everyone waited for the yearly YouTube rewind and “Vlogmas”. Young people who were just starting to explore the growing world of social media were also influenced by the then president. Social media has drastically changed the way in which we interact with each other. As time goes on and more Obama playlists are released, the dialogue that occurs specifically on social media between the public and political figures will continue to evolve.

FAULKNER COUNTY ISSUES

MALCOLM ROSE | STAFF WRITER

They don’t always get as much spotlight as bigname candidates, but ballot issues are a crucial part of every election, and can have major impacts on the future of the state. Four statewide ballot measures will be voted on in November. The first three of these are amendments referred by the Arkansas State Legislature and the fourth is an initiative to legalize marijuana.

The first of these, Issue 1, would allow the legislature to call itself into special sessions. Right now, only the governor has this power. Many, including Governor Asa Hutchinson, oppose the amendment, seeing it as a power grab by the legislature. The governor believes that a full-time legislature would be bad for the state of Arkansas and that such a measure would upset the checks and balances of Arkansas’ government. Democrat Chris Jones and Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. are against Issue 4 as well, also believing that the legislature does not need more power. Issue 2 is an amendment proposed by the state legislature that would change the popular vote requirement to pass amendments from a simple majority of 50% to a supermajority of 60%. A similar amendment was on the ballot this year in South Dakota, where it was defeated. The Protect AR Constitution committee was created to oppose the amendment, claiming that it would take power away from voters and destroy majority rule in Arkansas. The committee believes that the amendment was proposed by the legislature to take power away from Arkansas voters after ballot initiatives were used to “create term limits for them, establish ethics rules they have to follow, and take some of the money out of politics.” State Representative David Ray (R) has argued for the amendment, claiming that “It is entirely too easy to amend our state constitution. We shouldn’t amend our constitution in just some sort of willy-nilly fashion.”

Issue 3 would create an amendment called the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment,” which would mean that the government could not burden a person’s freedom of religion except for in rare cases where it is the least restrictive way of furthering a compelling government interest. While there is a federal equivalent of this law, the Arkansas law would go much further, with the law being triggered by any burden on religious expression as opposed to a substantial burden.

The Arkansas ACLU(American Civil Liberties Union) has spoken out against the proposed amendment, saying that “The unintended consequences of this measure would be severe and far-reaching, giving people a basis to challenge and exempt themselves from virtually any state law.” They also believe that the law would be one of the most extreme in the country and that it would damage Arkansas’ economy.

Issue 4 is a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana. If the law were passed, anyone 21 or older would be legally allowed to have up to one ounce of marijuana. Sales would be taxed at 10%, and 15% of the money collected would go to an annual stipend for police officers, with Responsible Growth Arkansas marketing the bill as a vote for law enforcement. Democratic and Libertarian candidates for governor Chris Jones and Ricky Dale Harrington Jr both support Issue 4, with Jones calling it “a good first step toward Arkansas embracing a pragmatic cannabis policy.” On the other hand, Republican candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders and governor Hutchinson are opposed to it. Safe and Secure Communities, the group that leads the opposition to ballot issue 4, claims that legalized drugs have destructive effects and that “Many cities around the nation are destroyed, and now Arkansas is at risk.” If marijuana was legalized here in Arkansas, it would be part of a national trend, as 19 states along with Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana. Ballot initiatives are often sidelined during elections, as attention is usually focused on candidates. In addition, the wording of ballot initiatives is often confusing and sometimes even misleading, which leads to a lack of interest. However, the ballot initiatives to be voted on this Nobember have the potential to massively affect the future of Arkansas. Issue 2 in particular has the potential to change the process for future ballot initiatives, making it much more difficult for ballot initiatives of any kind to pass later on. All these initiatives could mean big changes for the average Arkansan, and in an increasingly polarized political scene informed voting is more important than ever.

Photo by Addi Jarrell

Photos

Literature is the backbone of an ever-evolving society. Public libraries supply communities with a space filled with information, creativity, and history. Libraries have remained a vital part of housing knowledge for people. Attempts at censoring the literature featured in libraries are growing more frequent as the conservative white majority seeks to silence minorities who speak their truths. Libraries face an expanding conflict with the public; censorship. Another danger is growing in the form of defunding. When community members band together seeking texts to be banned and they are not, the community turns its efforts to defunding the library and possibly shutting it down altogether. This is evident in the way the Patomas Library in Michigan was attacked by its community and defunded after the library refused to ban an LGBTQ+ children’s book.

“Libraries are essential pieces to all communities and I just don’t mean a public library. All libraries can be important to a community or in our case a campus. It’s a central place for people to gather. It may sound a little cliche but we can gather our ideas and their no expectations just a space to gather all members of the community” said Janice Weddle, Assistant Librarian and Head of Instruction and Outreach at Hendrix’s Bailey Library.

Censorship is a big issue to tackle as there are varying opinions on the outcome of censoring certain texts. What does shielding children from books about trans kids seek to do, and are there issues that censorship helps in elevating those problems. When considering the works that are facing trouble with censorship the common theme is diversity and stories from marginalized identities. “Looking back historically over time censorship comes in waves and we’re in a fairly large wave,” Weddle continued. There are a lot of challenges going on, especially for school libraries, k-12, and public libraries. A lot of challenges. Most of the materials being challenged center around diversity in their subject matter or authors and that is a part of an even broader issue. Across the globe, divisive systemic issues that we’ve seen as a society have bubbled up over the past several years. When people’s emotions are involved it makes it even harder to confront. Most libraries in communities can be challenged by the public but people aren’t following the process or policies--and when they are given the outcome they didn’t want they begin attacking libraries through media and campaigns to defund and reduce funding to libraries which results in library staffers losing their jobs.” Weddle said.

Another Michigan public school board meeting was shut down by protestors who argued for banning LGBTQ+ books that they believe children shouldn’t be exposed to.

Communities are lashing out against their libraries for carrying an inclusive selection of books and proceeding to defund them in order to silence them and the resources they carry. The increasing trend of banned books is happening throughout America and in the past year, almost 2,000 different titles have been banned across the country. You don’t have to look far for libraries that are being affected.

The Conway School Board recently decided to ban two books that cover transgender issues. This caused an uproar within the meeting which resulted in groups of young people getting escorted from the premises after chanting

“shame” at the board, according to the Arkansas Times. Weddle continued, “It is an ongoing struggle, I just returned from our state conference of the library congregation and we discussed these challenges and reminded each other to rely on our policies to deal with censorship and to rely on our network for the American library association. The office for intellectual freedom. They track censorship trends and take statists of the banned material and have resources for librarians to offer support in any way that they can. It can be a very difficult thing for a library to manage. The library is a central hub for the community and these challenges affect the relationship with the community.”

Recently it was Banned Book Week, an important celebration of spreading awareness about censorship and the texts that are being challenged now. Bailey Library put up displays and encouraged students to take note of the often unjust censorship of literary works that center around marginalized identities. Censorship is an issue of silencing the minority of a vast majority and will have damaging effects on humanity’s ability to empathize with others. As censorship continues to sweep through our country and attack the rights of authors to tell their stories and the rights of community members to seek texts that relate to themselves Libraries and librarians are in need of help from the public.

“Banned books week has been celebrated since 1982 and if you look back through books that have been challenged throughout history it’s astonishing how award-winning titles and essential texts, like To Kill A Mockingbird [are the texts targeted by censorship],” said Weddle.

There are many ways to support libraries that are facing challenges. Whether it’s encouraging words to the librarians affected by censorship and defunding. Attend the community meetings when they take place when libraries are being discussed and voice your support. When a library is being targeted and facing defunding, most libraries accept public donations and trying to fight the defunding by making complaints and increasing interaction between the community and the library. There are also charity groups that raise money that help libraries battling defunding. The only way to combat the growing censorship issues is dialogue between the community and the libraries that serve them and a strong commitment to diversity.

BY JAE HURD

FRESHMEN SENATE AND VOTING

WHAT IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT SENATE?

Earlier in the year, Couch Hall held elections for Hall Council and Senate representative. Every year these elections occur in order to appoint community leaders and delegate the tasks of spreading information to the student body, as well as plan events and provide a space for student voices to be heard. However, only a handful of people even ran for certain positions, and thus many roles were chosen by default. As a freshman, I hadn’t heard much about student elections before then and wasn’t sure what they were, but, as it turns out, they are very important. So what’s the point even to begin with? What is the Student Senate? Well, as Phillip Powell, Chief of Staff, puts it, “We are in charge of allocating the student activity budget, hiring campus leader positions, and representing student concerns and problems to the administration.” In other words, the Student Senate is the voice of the students. One of the most important things that they do is deciding “who gets funding from the student activity fund,” says Cade England, Vice Chair of ECC and former Couch Hall president. What is the student activity fund? It is a budget of about $250,000 each semester that can be given out to different student activities and student groups.

The Senate is also important because of its working groups and committees. According to the Hendrix website, a working group is a “small committee created by Senate to help solve various problems on campus. It’s usually made up of several senators and a handful of members from the student body at-large.” The campus website lists fourteen of these working groups/task forces. These groups deal with a lot of campus issues and include groups such as Campus Kitty, a philanthropic committee that does charities and fundraisers, such as the date auction earlier this year. They also have a committee called the Committee on Committees, which oversees the hiring of all committee chairs. Other working groups on campus include the Media Committee, which monitors student media groups, Environmental Concerns Committee, meant to respond to environmental concerns raised by students, and the Volunteer Action Committee, which does service projects and community events. The Senate is responsible for choosing who is on these task forces, which gives even more reasons for why who sits on the senate is important.

Many people probably aren’t aware of what happens on campus and aren’t aware of the Student Senate or the influence they have, but these things matter. No one voted in our elections in Couch, and not many people ran, but we probably should have been more aware of it. A part of the problem with Couch was that no one really knew what was happening, what student elections were for, or what representatives do. Many freshmen especially are used to class presidents and student councils who do nothing and are just doing it to have an impressive resume, but at Hendrix, senators actually do things and are in charge of important things. That’s why you should vote.

So how do you get involved with these things? Voting for all on-campus elections occurs through your school email via a ballot that is sent out to all students. You can also run for a position on Senate and get involved yourself. According to the campus website, “Each week, your senator will send you notes from our most recent meeting,” emails that are easy to scroll past, but offer great information about campus events, funding, and committee updates. At Hendrix, Student Senate has actual power to change things and actually matters.

Photos by Addi Jarrell

PHOTO OF INTEREST

BECCA BURKS | PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

CAMPUS GHOSTS

MALCOLM ROSE | STAFF WRITER

On the surface, Galloway Hall seems just as normal as any of the other dorms on campus. Yet, some of the residents have a different story to tell. Mysterious footsteps and voices coming from the attic at all hours of the night, lamps that turn on and off on their own, furniture that seemingly rearranges itself—could Galloway be...haunted?

I spoke to Kenzie Tucker, sophomore and former resident of Galloway, about the rumors. Kenzie’s old room sat on the second floor of the building- right under the attic. Her story told me of mysterious noises that would come from the attic during the night. One of the most common sounds was the footsteps, which she described as sounding like the footsteps of children running around. Even more bizarre than the footsteps were what Kenzie described as sounds of laughing and giggling that would also come from the attic. The sounds weren’t all - her lamp would reportedly switch itself on and off without reason. Furniture manipulation seems to be a theme of the Galloway ghost, as I’ve even heard rumors of doors opening on their own and entire pieces of furniture rearranging themselves while residents are gone. People probably don’t know that Galloway Hall at Hendrix is not the origin of the Galloway ghost. The story originated at Harding University in Searcy, which used to be the site of Galloway College. A copy of the Harding Bulletin from July 1951 claims that the ghost was “invented by some prankster of Harding’s early years.” The ghost was said to be the spirit of a young lady from the girl’s college who died after falling down an elevator shaft. Afterwards her spirit was said to roam the halls of Godden Hall, which was demolished in 1951. The students at the time believed that the rumor would die off with the destruction of Godden Hall. They even made a gravesite for the ghost, which reads “she just fades away with Godden Hall.” It appears they were wrong.

All of this begs the question: What exactly is the connection between Godden Hall’s Galloway ghost in Searcy, and our very own Galloway ghost here at Hendrix? The simple answer would be that the legend alone made its way to Hendrix, and that the true Galloway ghost faded away with Godden Hall. But how does that explain the mysterious happenings and harrowing tales that unfold at Galloway Hall?

In researching the story of the Galloway ghost, I made my own trip to Galloway Hall joined by a few friends of mine, we roamed the halls, monitored EMF readings, and even made a journey up Galloway’s dreaded attic staircase. Asthe story goes, when one walks up the stairs to the Galloway attic, they will sometimes experience strange chills, or even become overcome with feelings of immense sadness. However, the Galloway search did not turn up much of anything. EMF readings were inconclusive, there were no ghostly sights to be seen, and nobody reported anything above the normal level of immense sadness.

Despite all this, there remains something deeply unusual about Galloway Hall. There is an eerie feeling one gets when gazing down its corridors, and a deeply uncomfortable energy that surrounds its attic door. While I did not experience anything ghostly, I believe that it is in the nature of ghosts to defy our attempts to record them. To be seen, to be hunted, to offer up concrete evidence: a ghost does not allow for these things. A ghost prefers to remain a mystery, and the ghost of Galloway is likely to remain one.

Photo by Addi Jarrell

Photo by Kendra Baldwin

CAMPUS KITTY PRESENTS: HAUNTED HOUSE

ALAINA MAY | STAFF WRITER

Any horror movie fanatic can attest to the early 1980s forest cliché. A villain or monster, wielding some sort of weapon, silently and listlessly stalks his prey while she clumsily and somehow attractively stumbles through a densely wooded area that she thought would be a good hiding place. If a few movies didn’t spring to mind, you might need to watch some of the classics. Evil Dead, Friday the 13th, Cabin in the Woods, and The Blair Witch Project would be commendable places to start. Despite the fright felt during a movie, it can typically be laughed off later because who, in this reality, experiences that many jump scares...in pitch darkness...in the middle of the woods? Funnily enough, all of those who attended this year’s haunted house put on by Campus Kitty endured just that.

Charity Bratcher, a senior at Hendrix College and the President of Campus Kitty, strongly encouraged that students and Conway residents attend this annual event at the Hendrix Creek Preserve and donate, as all the funds raised goes to nonprofit organizations that Campus Kitty sponsors. “If you are afraid of haunted houses or get a little jumpy, just remember, we’re college students! We’re not crazy. We’re not super professional, but it’s fun and silly,” Bratcher said.

According to the screams that could be heard from a mile away, “silly” might not be the way some attendees might describe it. While they may be college students, those who volunteered seemed to frighten enough teenagers that Freddy or Jason would be questioning his tactics. Couples and friends alike walked cautiously, constantly using one another as both a guide and a shield against the villains lurking in the darkness.

The Student Life and Technology Center held multi-story haunted houses for years, with the attic and service elevator being transformed into somehow even creepier settings. With 2020, however, came COVID-19 and Campus Kitty was unable to host a haunted house. Last year was the first time that the Creek Preserve was used, and it was an immediate success.

Awareness Chair of Campus Kitty and Hendrix senior, Lily

Black, agreed that the Preserve is the perfect backdrop for such an event. “It has worked out really nicely because the Creek Preserve is naturally spooky, especially at night,” Black said. “I think we put on a pretty successful haunted house, which obviously would not have happened without the help of the entire CK [Campus Kitty] team!”

Around thirty-five volunteers helped decorate the Preserve, set up the equipment, led groups of people on the barely visible path and acted as killers and monsters for hours. Their effort in creating a frightening yet entertaining fundraiser is extremely commendable.

Connor Escajeda, a senior at Hendrix and the Treasurer of Campus Kitty, said that this year’s haunted house was the most successful in turnout and profit as well as fear factor. He holds that, while Campus Kitty events financially assist nonprofit organizations; they also greatly benefit the Hendrix community. “I think it contributes to making Hendrix feel more like a home because everything you could want to do; we have it at Hendrix,” Escajeda explained. “Overall, I think our events just help create a more positive and fun environment on our campus while also allowing us to give back to charity.” te power that white people latch onto to maintain their false sense of superiority. Markle endangers the legacy of the pure white monarch. The racism built into the systems that operate within society is inescapable and poses a threat t

Photo by Flynn Hirrel

MARTIN MEN MANNERS

MARTIN MARTIN MARTIN MARTIN

MARTIN MARTIN MARTIN MARTIN

AN INSIGHT INTO THE CULTURE OF MARTIN HALL THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

NOAH MORRIS | STAFF WRITER

The party is one of the only outlets provided to the generic Hendrix student. There is an oblique joy that hangs like fog in the air on a true Party Night, when the campus comes abuzz in fervent fervor, and the lines between myth and reality blur through rose-tinted beer-goggles. It was 2018, one such night, the traditional ‘Robots’ party. This was the last collegiate year that Martin would exist, before the renovations came, then the virus, vacating the space for three years. being as such, the Martin Men were partying like the world was going to end. There was electric, static energy tangible in the building, with the lobby and four first-floor dorms packed well over the CDC-recommended limit with college kids, foil and consumer electronics taped to their t-shirts. The sweat and heat off a hundred some-odd bodies condensated onto the walls and ceiling, the indoor “Martin Rain” coming down in thick salty droplets. Maybe it was the heat, maybe some tactless vaper, stoner, or genuine miscreant up and pulling it for kicks, but the fire alarm went off, and everyone in the building was forced to vacate the premises, gathering on the bricks in front of the Altus Bell.

Occurrences such as this were highly routine in Martin. Almost no one present believed there to be an actual fire, but regardless they had to stand and wait for the Fire Department, around 10 or 15 minutes, which is a while in party time. Having everyone out in the open was the only way to truly understand how many people were packed into Martin on a given night, and the crowd was robust, spilling out onto the grass. This cycle of false alarms happened around four times on this particular night, and by the last none was remotely amused, around 1 AM. As the Martin Men lined up, standing idly by the Altus Bell, one nameless hero, a member of the Martin Hall Council, reportedly had suffered enough. He said something to the effect of “If I can’t party in Martin, might as well party up there,” and proceeded to climb the flagpole. Usually, people who climb poles utilize a short rope, which they fasten both sides of to a belt of some sort, to shimmy their way up slowly alongside the rope, which holds them in place. This gumptious young Martin Man eschewed all such safety standards, wrapping his legs securely around the pole instead, and sort of throwing one arm up after the other, proudly showing the partygoers what he had to prove. He got not quite to the top, but well over halfway before he looked out content onto his domain, towering above. The Dean, frazzled, had to head over and inform the disgruntled firefighters and students that it was probably time to call it a night, and the people, knowing that it was over, laid down in their beds and agreed. A couple copycats

made their attempts in the successive weeks, but none got more than a few feet off the ground, wielding neither the gall nor the sheer destiny.

A couple months later, the Hall Council held a solemn drinking circle around Martin Rock, mourning the cultural reset they anticipated, because of the renovations, and in some sense the cultural reset they couldn’t have anticipated, the Covid-19 pandemic. It was the centennial of the building, which was built in 1918. The Martin Men I spoke to regretted a few scattered traditions that will likely be lost, such as “Tour de Franzia,” a French themed party, and the “Butt Run” which should not and will not be elaborated upon, but overall had hope for the future. They know that at a college tough as Hendrix, students will crave the unique form of release a party provides. While the names and faces may change, a desire for community and joy will exist in Martin Hall as long as there are humans living there, some of whom, I hope, will be as impressive as that guy who climbed the flagpole.

HENDRIX CAMPUS CATS

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE FURRY CATS SURROUNDING OUR SCHOOL

About eight years ago, Hannah McCarthy ‘18 started a program to help feed and take care of the growing cat population on campus. At that time, there was already a growing cat colony on campus of 27 different cats, and McCarthy applied for Odyssey funding in order to get a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program started . Now the club she started does a lot to help the cats around campus. I spoke to Darryl Manes, a staff member here at Hendrix, about the cats and the club. He told me that he has been taking care of the cats “really since I’ve been here, but I started taking care of them officially when we got approval 8 years ago.” Manes began feeding the cats himself, and since then both he and the club have been feeding and taking care of the campus cats. Current club leader, Cassedy Heise, told me that the club “throws fundraisers to feed the cats and pay their vet bills,” as well as “taking care of any strays that come onto campus.” The club as a whole is very dedicated to the cats on campus, even helping people find their lost cats. That isn’t all they do though, Cassedy also told me “it’s not just limited to cats either, indirectly we also help racoons and squirrels and possums because they love eating the food that’s left over.” The club has some plans for future Odyssey projects they want to pursue, including a program that would have students play with the cats for 30 minutes a day to “reduce their hunting instinct.” Now, there are at least 23 current cats on campus, and they have become a staple of Hendrix’s identity. In the

JAE HURD | STAFF WRITER

library you can find a book called “Hendrix College Cats” written by a former student that details all of the cats, how approachable they are, and where they all are. The book is filled with visual aids and useful information for anyone looking to learn more about the campus cats. Each cat has their own favorite place to hang out. Oliver, Zoey, Morrisey, and Dust Bunny all tend to be near Raney, meanwhile Ella, Mosley, and others like being near M.C Reynolds. Timothy near Hardin, Blaze and Georgia near Trieshmann.

The cat club is a very active club on campus, and current head Cassedy tells me she wants everyone to know that everyone is welcome to come join them “even if you don’t like cats because it’s a great place to make friends. We have button making sessions…where people can take home the buttons they make and we will still have some left over for sales.” The cats on campus are loved by the student body. They bring a lot of joy and comfort to many students throughout the year. We are pretty lucky to have something as unique as the campus cats. While Hendrix’s official mascot is “The Warriors” a lot of people have come to see the cats as our official unofficial mascot.

Photos by Kendra Baldwin

VOTERS

ALAINA MAY | STAFF WRITER

College students already have enough to worry about. We are expected to simultaneously pass exams, hold down a part-time job, socialize with peers, and take part in clubs and extracurricular activities. As if that wasn’t enough, we will, all the while, be making decisions that will inevitably affect the rest of their lives.

So why vote? Why take time out of an already overloaded and hectic schedule to participate in a political system that, no matter the year, seems to entirely consist of perpetually intensifying issues? Issues whose solutions are never agreed upon anyway?.

According to Hendrix College Politics professors Dr. Kim Maslin, Dr. Kiril Kolev, and Dr. Delphia Shanks, the benefits of voting in federal and local elections far outweigh the inconvenience of registering to vote and going to a polling station.

Dr. Maslin, a professor in Politics and Department Chair at Hendrix, strongly holds that college students should participate in their local government. Not only to remain up to date on current affairs, but also to become an engaged citizen of their state and country.

“You can vote on campus. There’s a polling station over in Worsham,” Maslin said. “It doesn’t have to take a lot of time out of your day. You can wander over there and vote in between classes, you can vote on your way to lunch, you can vote as you’re getting done with lunch.”

Dr. Kolev, an Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at Hendrix, understands voting hesitation and the perspective that, in the wide world of

government, one person’s vote may not cause change. However, he also recognizes that remaining aware and conscious of the current political situation is crucial for any American citizen.

“...if voting also prompts us to be more informed and engaged in between elections, it has all sorts of positive spillover effects that contribute to having a more engaged citizenry.” Kovel said. “We often focus on the former role of the vote and get really focused on winning and losing. I believe understanding voting as a broader and more spreadout activity of deliberation and getting informed throughout an electoral cycle highlights its value to a greater extent.”

Associate Professor of Politics, Dr. Shanks, explained that involvement in politics can be more than simply voting. Effective ways for a person to make their voice heard can include attending protests, donating to causes you support, and calling local representatives to express any concerns or suggestions you may have.

“People should start participating in local government as soon as they are interested and able.” Shanks said. “I think that [voting] is a really important form of civic engagement. There is no reason to wait to be involved in your community and support causes that you believe in. I don’t think there is too young of an age to be civically engaged and aware of what’s going on in the world.”

As young adults, people tend to have values that vary from those of older generations. Those older, ironically, are the ones who are meant to represent every person’s best interest, no matter

their age. That is a leading reason why it is so important for young adults to make their opinions known.

“Young voters are taking different stances on issues than older voters.” Maslin explained. “Young voters tend to be more [concerned about] LGBTQ issues than older voters. Young voters are ranking abortion and women’s rights higher on their list of concerns than older voters. They are less, in general, concerned about inflation than older voters are. Those preferences should matter.”

Hendrix students, particularly, have easy access to various forms of learning and participating in local government. The Young Democrats club at Hendrix aims to provide students as well as faculty and staff with opportunities to learn about and develop an interest in local and federal politics. Former President of Young Democrats, Garrett Collier, likes to keep an open mind about varying political views and gathers information from nonpartisan sources.

“Young Democrats, Young Republicans, there’s plenty of clubs out there that give you information how politics work. It’s the stuff that drives our state, our country and I think it’s important.” Collier said.

As we mentally and financially prepare to enter the thralls of the real world, it is wildly important to set out with at least a semblance of knowledge on how it works. Collecting reliable information, engaging in causes that are important to you, and effecting change by voting are practical acts that will help ready you for what else is to come.

HDX’S TITLE IX REFORMATION

NOAH MORRIS | STAFF WRITER

Trigger Warning: References to SA

Title IX is the ninth of the Education Amendments of 1972, which banned gender discrimination in all American colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid. This means that, in order to receive money from the government, Hendrix, like all colleges, must adhere to the code strictly. A major part of this is protection against sexual assault and harassment, which is a form of sexual discrimination. This policy has led to many predators being brought to justice, but the title itself was vaguely worded. In 2020, after a few years of retracting Obama-era guidelines, the Trump Administration changed many aspects of sexual assault response in Title IX policy, like allowing the selection of standards of evidence that, in many cases, could work against survivors.

CoSAAA, or, The Committee on Sexual Assault Awareness & Advocacy, is a recent student committee that rose up to defend and protect survivors of sexual assault at Hendrix, as well as to raise awareness of the existing problems and provide a safe space for any survivors of gender-based violence in their support meetings. It is not a part of the Hendrix Title IX office, seeking to provide support and resources for survivors independently of the administration. It came into existence in its current form in the wake of a massive protest against the former Title IX coordinator, Dr. Allison Vetter, which was organized by survivors who felt that she executed the former policy inadequately. Students argued she did not communicate in a timely manner, allowed the informal route in egregious cases, was not very transparent to survivors regarding their cases, and held interviews in a non-traumainformed manner. The protests objected to her interpretation of policy and sought changes that would better protect survivors.

Dr. Vetter left Hendrix last semester, and the college since then has made some positive changes. CoSAAA was active in the selection process that chose Dr. Vetter’s replacement, despite not being on the hiring committee. The current Title IX Coordinator, Jennifer Fulbright, has shown herself to be eager to listen and execute the law adequately. She manages the College’s Title IX team, conducts investigations, and oversees all resolutions in compliance with the Hendrix College Title XI policy. As Education Coordinator, she is responsible for capacity building, assessment and training programs aimed at prevent gender or sex-based

violence. Hendrix’s in-house Title IX policy was rewritten this year by Ms. Fulbright, with clearer diction and an updated, more comprehensive resource list. She has also begun working to revive ABEPSA, the Advisory Board for the Education and Prevention of Sexual Assault, and spoke to every sports team at the beginning of the year about prevention and Title IX policy and procedure. In the near future, CoSAAA plans to hold an intimacy workshop with Therapist Mariah Janae Brown, with an emphasis on the difficulties that come with being intimate post-trauma. Last year, they held a week of activities, including a self-defense seminar taught by a Krav Maga instructor, an interactive improv show that encouraged the audience to explore how situations could go, and other events geared toward discussing hard topics in controlled, welcoming spaces. Next semester, CoSAAA plans to do similar work, holding events for the entire campus community, while still helping particularly survivors. For more information on CoSAAA’s resources, contact cosaaa.hdx@gmail.com.

Regardless of these steps in the right direction, we as students must remain vigilant. Hendrix currently does not have anyone on payroll to advocate for survivors. The Title IX Coordinator must be purely investigative, maintaining impartiality between complainants and respondents, while using trauma-informed practices. From RAINN, over one in four women who go to college in America experience sexual assault while there. At one point last year, during their Awareness Week, CoSAAA put up a board in the SLTC asking people to put up a blue flower if they were a survivor, green if they were friends with a survivor, and yellow if they didn’t know one at all. By the end of the week, there was only one yellow flower. This issue will not go away without hefty reforms and a lot of work, but there are many good people here at Hendrix who have taken on this massive responsibility. If you have been victimized, on or off-campus, please reach out to the Title IX Office, even if you don’t have the words for what’s happened to you, even if you’re solely trying to prevent something from happening to yourself or someone you know. They will do what they can if any students need to report any incidents of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking.

“THE NEW TITLE IX COORDINATOR SHOWS AN EAGERNESS TO LISTEN AND PROTECT SURVIVORS ON CAMPUS”

Photo by Flynn Hirrel

Photo by Becca Burks

FORMULA 1: THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID CHARLOTTE MILLER |

Are you into cars? Do you like nepotism babies? Do you enjoy lots of drama between grown adults you don’t even know? Well do I have a sport for you: Formula 1.

In caveman terms Formula 1 can be defined as, “Ooga Booga car go fast.” In slightly more technical terms, Formula 1 is a series of races around the world in some of the fastest single-seater cars (not quite the fastest thanks to the Indy 500). It is often viewed as the pinnacle of international motorsport. Who gets to drive these unbelievably fast cars and live this luxurious lifestyle of meeting celebrities and traveling the globe in private jets? It’s exactly who you think it would be: Rich men!

At the top of the pyramid of motorsport, it can be expected that Formula 1 is unbelievably competitive. To reach that level of driving ability it is common for drivers to begin in karting when they are children (starting as young as 3). These karting lessons and competitions come at no small price (read: several thousands of dollars). When a driver shows extreme talent in karting, they can move up to Formula 4. From there they can work their way up through Formula 3 and 2 with the ultimate goal of making it to Formula 1. While Formula 1 salaries are typically in the millions, drivers are actually paying to participate in Formula 4, 3, and 2. Sponsors provide major financial support, but it is common for the driver to still lose money every season. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of these highly trained individuals come from extremely wealthy, and often motorsport involved, families.

In F1, as true fans call the sport, there are ten teams each with two drivers. These teams compete in the Formula One World Constructors’ Championship each year where both drivers’ points are combined

to give that team a score. The twenty drivers compete against each other (regardless of team) to compete in the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship. Points are awarded to the top ten finishers in each of the 23 races this year. First place is awarded 25 points, second 18 points, third 15 points, etc.

While these races may seem simple, there are many other factors to be taken into account.Team strategy is one of the more controversial ones. Although each team has 2 drivers, the teams’ main goal is to win the constructors’ and drivers’ championships. This means that sometimes teams will prioritize one driver over the other. This might take form in the driver with less points being told by their team to let their teammate with more points pass them so that the teammate with more points will continue to move up in the driver standings. This could be seen in the 2021 Mercedes team between 7 time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton (finished second in drivers’ standings) and Valterri Bottas (finished third). The treatment of “second” drivers or those who typically perform under their teammate is a hotly debated topic, but it does not seem to stop teams from attempting to maximize points.

Although there are still three races left this season, the title of 2022 Formula One World Drivers’ Champion was secured by Max Verstappen after the Japanese Grand Prix making Verstappen a two time world champion. The title of 2022 Formula One World Constructors’ Champion was also awarded to Verstappen’s team Red Bull Racing after the United States Grand Prix in Austin, TX. While both first place titles have been awarded for the 2022 season, there is still a strong rivalry going on for second and below. So if you’re still interested, steal your friend’s parent’s coworker’s husband’s F1 Network password, and tune in to watch the next Sunday grand prix!

AFTER ATHLETICS

STORIES FROM FORMER STUDENT-ATHLETES

CHARLOTTE MILLER | STAFF WRITER

Student athletes have a lot on their plate. From practices, to games, to mandatory events, free time is often scarce. Time management is a necessary skill to balance both a sport and academics. Our warriors work hard to crush it in the competition and the classroom. However, for a variety of different reasons, some students decide to drop out of their Hendrix sports team. Current Junior Reece Eyre played as an offensive lineman on the Hendrix football team his freshman and sophomore year before making the decision to quit this past summer. Eyre’s first season was very unusual due to the pandemic. While the team did get the spring football season they were promised, it had very few games and it really wasn’t until Eyre’s sophomore year that he experienced a typical football season. Although sports played a large role in Reece Eyre’s decision to attend Hendrix, Reece was quick to add that although he initially came for football, he has stayed for Hendrix.

Eyre said that a common misconception that people have when they find out he quit football was that it was because he didn’t have as much playing time as he would have hoped, but it was actually the opposite. Eyre’s position as offensive lineman did not have as many players as other positions, which meant that Eyre was on the field more often than his teammates. The main reasons why Eyre left were small, repetitive injuries (knee, shoulder, wrist, ankles) and a desire to focus more on academics. As an Environmental Studies major and Biology minor, Eyre stated that Hendrix can be very difficult at times and it was much harder to find a good balance between sports and academics in college than it was in high school. After quitting football Reece has discovered that classes and other extracurricular

activities have easily filled up his new free time. Eyre did describe some frustration at the division between the football team and the rest of the student body. He explained that because football is such a large team with very demanding schedules, it feels as though the players are “assigned” friends. It is because of this and the common stereotypes surrounding football players that made it difficult to connect with other sports players and non-athletic students. Reece encourages other students to reach out to football players and be pleasantly surprised.

Reece’s advice for any students in a similar boat is to, “talk to somebody,” whether it’s a coach, counselor, or Julie Brown. He also stressed to, “never leave angry,” and explained how leaving on a positive note with the team and coaches leaves a good opportunity to come back to the sport.

Another former athlete is Junior Samantha Broussard, who swam for the warriors her freshman and sophomore year. Broussard was set on Hendrix and determined that she would not be swimming after high school, but she ultimately decided to do it for fun after some encouragement from Swim Coach Tony Marleneanu. Broussard found that her sport actually helped her with time management skills by providing a very structured schedule, but swimming also made other opportunities such as study abroad and having a campus job more difficult. Samantha ultimately decided to quit the Hendrix swim team after sustaining a season ending injury in January of her sophomore season. She explained that she felt as if she were expected to heal quicker than her doctor’s stated healing process.

Since quitting swimming, Samantha has received overwhelming support. She explained that it’s difficult to quit when athletics are a part of your identity, but she feels so much freer now. Broussard also stated that it’s nice to be able to fully immerse herself in academics and opportunities that are not just athletics.

Samantha’s advice to anyone feeling on the fence about quitting their sport is to probably end it and know that you can come back stating, “I feel like quitting sports was when my life began.”

Center Photo by Becca Burks

REVIEW: NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

With Halloween past and the holiday season just about to turn the corner, now’s as good a time as any to ask the ageold question: Is the Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie?

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past 30 years, you may have missed the release of this classic film made by Tim Burton. The story follows a skeleton living in the town of Halloween as the ‘Pumpkin King’ to a rowdy group of citizens, ranging from vampires to werewolves to demons to the boogie man. Feeling unfulfilled with his own holiday and by extension his life at this point, Jack Skellington travels across the inter-dimensional portals of holiday seasons to find what heals the hole in his chest. He finds something significantly brighter and cheerier than his hometown, something jolly and festive that he doesn’t yet understand. In fact, none of Halloween Town understands but are more than willing to steal Christmas for their own. But, *spoiler alert*, it doesn’t work out and kidnapping ‘Sandy Claws’ was maybe not the best idea. However, there’s always a happy ending isn’t there?

Now, let’s focus on what makes this film a Halloween movie. Obviously, the movie starts off in Halloween town with a song called ‘This is Halloween’ where they celebrate the terrible deeds, they did this year to celebrate Halloween and introduce the watchers

to the terrifying characters and setting. The citizens of Halloween Town are all ecstatic and seem to love their holiday, the only one who doesn’t is Jack, but we can talk about that later. Now even while they are trying to steal Christmas, they are doing it in an endearingly wrong way that really screams Halloween. They replace presents of dolls and toys into snakes and haunted ducks that rotate their heads 360 degrees. Obviously, things that are traumatizing to the children all over the world. They even replace Santa’s sled with a coffin and skeletons of Reindeer. In the end, when Jack finds his love for Halloween again and saves Sally and Sandy Claws (I left out a lot of details of this movie solely, so you’ll want to watch it because it is a serious cinematic masterpiece), Halloween Town is back in full swing, replacing merry to malicious as they already start their plans for next Halloween. Scenically, the majority of the movie is set in Halloween Town, a dark and dull place if we really want to analyze the cinematic works of Tim Burton (which if you want to hear about, come find me, I will indulge that conversation for all It’s worth), but the fact that so much of the setting is in

Halloween Town and most of the story surrounds characters who only know Halloween shows that Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas is a HallNot so fast. Let’s look at the argument for it being a Christmas movie. The main focus of the story? Stealing Christmas. Practically the whole story is about trying to take over Christmas and visiting Christmas Town and trying to recreate Christmas (even in a Halloween-ish way). The ending of the movie is about how Christmas is saved and order is restored between the holidays. Sure, the citizens of Halloween made Christmas very Halloween-like, but do they really have any other choice? All they know is Halloween and they hadn’t even heard of Christmas before Jack brought it to their town. They did their best to make a holiday that they didn’t understand and while it wasn’t perfect, it was…. technically it was Christmas. They made presents and delivered them to all the boys and girls so who can really blame them. Also, the name Christmas is in the name of the movie, Halloween is not. From the get-go, most people who haven’t seen the movie would assume that this movie would be a Christmas movie, just from the title.

Personally, I think that it can count for both. Tim Burton himself believes that it is a Halloween movie but why stop at Halloween when a movie can count for more than one holiday, especially a cinematic masterpiece such as the Nightmare Before Christmas.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH FINCOM?

LINC LUKE | STAFF WRITER

Committees are a big part of student life and community at Hendrix College, a great way to get involved especially in your underclassmen years. The word on everyone’s tongue right now, however, is the financial committee. The financial committee, or FinCom as it’s so lovingly called, is a branch of the student senate and serves purpose in hearing out financial requests for students and activities. FinCom makes sure that money doesn’t stop students from getting to participate in opportunities that they may not have been able to otherwise financially.

The real news, however, is regarding the Media Committee’s struggle with FinCom. The Media Committee was in desperate need of new computers that aren’t 13 years old. For context, there are 5 organizations that are in media committee, however only 4 really need the computers. The Profile, Troubadour, Aonian, and Hendrix Scientific. The computers they had before just weren’t going to cut it. They couldn’t run the necessary programs needed to design and create layouts for the publications. As the committee voted on whether to fund this budget, there was a bit of tension in the room and interrogative questioning before they voted to only fund one computer for the media organizations. According to a member of FinCom, “it just seemed like they were asking the same question ‘do you really need the computers?’”. FinCom had previously just approved a 6-7,000-dollar budget for another organization and were hesitant about giving another hefty budget the approval. FinCom’s behavior towards Media Committee was described by a member of Media Committee as stemming “from both miscommunication and (if I’m honest) childish behavior”. In particular, A few members of FinCom sent memes back and forth to each other mocking the Media Committee and saying rather hurtful things about specific members of senate as well. In the end, however, after a lot of talking and a new budget proposal, the Media Committee got all three computers. Although FinCom is a part of the Senate, over the past

few weeks there has been some tension about an event senate was throwing and the budget behind it. According to a FinCom member, they asked for a sum of money for food, but FinCom members agreed that it was too large of a budget and decided to shorten it a bit. However, FinCom members then tried to replan the event themselves while also debating Senate’s choices of T-shirts according to a member of FinCom. Then, of course, the situation with the memes directed at both the senate President and Media Committee. One party involved talked about feeling like it was personal and that there was an adjust of budget from FinCom for personal reason outside of Senate. However, after a conversation between FinCom and said Senator, they had it worked out that it was not personal, and it was just to do with the budget and spending. All has been resolved and on good terms.

It’s important to note that FinCom, in the past years, had a much larger budget due to the pandemic. Since there were no events or organizations to fund, their yearly budget stockpiled until they had a more than comfortable budget. Now that organizations are back to what they were previous to COVID, Senate is willing and able to fund events for the student body. This year, however, the budget returned to its yearly budget that gets reset every semester which makes FinCom want to be a bit more conservative with how they spend money. However, FinCom rarely denies budgets, more often adjusting budgets than anything.

The truth is that no one should be afraid to go to FinCom with their budget proposal. The recent tension with FinCom, Senate, and the Media Committee is being referred to as a ‘miscommunication.’ All parties have worked together to move past this issue. “I will say, since the situation between Media Committee and FinCom took place, I can definitely tell FinCom has taken the time to learn from this experience,” assured a member of the Media Committee. FinCom is not scary and should be a welcoming place where people should feel like they can talk things out and come to a reasonable agreement to offer opportunities to the students.

R O OFI L E